21. A new friend
The woman told me that hard work in the garden a kind of punishment was. So we began working... and talking...
"Titiana is a nice name. But not usual for Transylvania", she said, "By the way my name is Elena." We shook hands. "Do you have relatives?" - "No. My family was always small. Only mother, father and my brother John. But they are dead. And you?"
Elena looked shocked: "I´m so sorry. But it´s not very different in my family. Once we were three sisters. But one of them was killed by the Couple of Murderers and my second sister is missing since this terrible Count is dead. I think she lives outside the village now."
"I´m sorry, too", I said and knew that she meant the woman I killed after I was resurrected. But I thought about th things she said about me and Vladislaus, too.
"How old are you?" - "22." - "I´m 19. Where did you get that?", she asked and pointed at my neck. One strand of her long black hair fell into her face. "I think it will follow me forever. What do you think who gave me this?"
Elena pretended to think and said: "Hmh, I´m not sure... from a man?" I nodded. "And may I ask who did it?" - "You may ask but I won´t answer", I said. "Did you love him at least?" - "Maybe. I don´t know what I feel", I said and meant it.
I changed the topic: "Why are you here?" - "I came here willingly but I regret it. I wanted to start a complete new life but it´s boring, unfair and strict here. The vows make me sick!"
I giggled. "I´m still a virgin if you think about that. Most of the women who live here are it." - "I´m none. I even had a daughter yet but she died ...she was killed after three days."
Again Elena pointed at my neck and said: "The child was from him, wasn´t it?" I nodded and one single tear escaped me. I was glad that she did not see it.
I took an apple from the tree wich stood behind us and threw it in Elena´s hands. "But that´s not allowed!" - "That we spoke during lunch was forbidden, too. And if you want to survive that evening - dig in!" She bit in the apple and smiled. "Doo you wanna biite?", she said with full mouth nearly not understandable.
"No, thank you. I´m not hungry. Do you hate Vla... Dracula?", I asked. Elena swallowed and said: "Of course I do. Wouldn´t you hate him if he had killed a part of your family?"
No, I answered in my thoughts. "I bet Verona´s missing has something to do with Dracula!", she added. "Who is Verona?", I asked jealously.
"My sister. She was so strange before she left. As if she had to keep a secret or something... Is something wrong with you?", she asked as she noticed my head wich was red like her apple. She had noticed my sudden change of mood.
"No, everything´s alright", I lied in anger, "Please tell me more about Verona." Elena had eaten her apple and threw the remaining part in the grass.
"She looks like me. But Verona´s hair is even longer. She is 28 now and my oldest sister. Many people called her witch because she looks like one. But the most important thing is the fact that she visited Dracula as he was alive. I´m sure about that."
Now I had to control my temper. Thoughts of what they could have done floated my mind. "Are you sure that you are ok?", asked Elena. "Sure", I said, "Let´s go inside."
"You are right. It´s six o´clock and time for the evening prayer." So we walked back in the building and into the chapel. This time the prayer was set here.
I folded my hands, whispering silent words: "I hope Vladislaus is alright and has nothing to do with this Verona. Not that I´m jealous. But I want to see him again. God, see it as a sin if I leave Vladislaus again. Amen."
Thank you for the reviews! You know how to make me smile! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and know now why I put the thing with the convent in the story. Six reviews or more until I update next... can you make it?
