Ok here I am with the next chapter to this wonderful story. I am sorry that I have been down so long, FF. Net wouldn't let me post anything till Feb. 22, 2005, at 11:20 PM (where do they get the times?) which sucked! Anyway please enjoy and I apologize again for whatever it is that I may have done to have this story removed. (Probably needed to up it a rating)

In Which Van and Company Make it to Norway (Finally)
The minutes seemed to stretch into hours and hours into days; at least that's what it felt like to Carl. The friar was not a happy camper, and for several reasons.

One, he just found out that he friend (a certain Van Helsing) was in love with a Vampire, and not just any vampire, the renowned Dracula.

And two, he was hungry.

Breakfast had been good but it seemed like days since he had last eaten. Van insisted that they cut down on rations, just in case they get lost.

"Van, how long have we been on the road?" Carl asked as the silence grew unbearably louder (if that's possible) The monster hunter didn't answer immediately, though after a bit out counting and looking at the sun the man replied with his answer of about five hours.

"It really hasn't been that long Carl." The chestnut haired man insisted. Carl gave him a look, "Really Carl, we just a break a few hours ago. Come now it's not that bad." Carl remained silent; he was refusing to speak to Van unless it was necessary. After several more attempts at conversation Van gave up and resumed what he had been doing earlier, nothing.

Sodomy! And with a vampire non the less! How could he? He's a man of the church, surely he knows that he could be excommunicated for this!

"You make it sound like a sin Monk." A soft voice said. Carl jolted out of his thoughts to find Dracula riding next to him. A thick black cloak wrapped all away around him, giving him a hunched over look.

"It is." Carl said back, making sure to keep his voice to a whisper, though he new that Van could here him if wanted to.

"What? To love someone? Wow the Church sure has gotten titchy these days." The vampire shook his head, a wry smile on his lips, though Carl couldn't see it.

"To love a man is un-natural."

"Who says?"

"The church."

"And what about the time before the church? What about the civilizations that openly accepted it, if not practiced it, before the church? Greece! We look to Greece for answers; they are the great thinkers of our world aren't they? Do you want to know what Plato modeled a perfect society after?"

Carl nodded meekly.

"The Spartan army! And guess what? Most of the Spartan army was gay! Only when the church came along as a major power did homosexuality become evil." Dracula practically spat the last part of his sentence, his heart (if he has one) beating fast. Carl didn't say anything for a while, letting the information sink in slowly.

"… I still believe that it is evil." He finally said. Dracula just shook his head disappointedly.

"I though that you might be a bit more opened minded than everyone else, it appears that my judgements where off, you are just as narrow minded as the rest of the people of the church… What a pity." Dracula then lapsed into silence, appearing to have gone back to sleep.

Another few hours passed with no words being exchanged between the three. Finally spots of civilization started to appear. Little houses and farms dotted to roadside at random intervals.

"We should be there soon." Van whispered as he pressed his horse on faster. After another two hours or so the trio arrived in Berlin. About three blocks in they found a tavern with a red lion hanging on its sign. They dismounted, grabbed their bags, and left the horses with the stable boy, requesting three fresh horses at daybreak.

"Well… doesn't this look cozy?" Muttered Dracula as they entered. The mess hall was, well, a mess. People where yelling and screaming, fists, mugs, and unidentified objects where flying everywhere. Van, Carl, and Dracula decided it best to pay then get to their room and quickly as possible.

The room that they ended up with wasn't as bad as the previous one. At least the floors where clean and the sheets seemed to be made of better quality material then whatever you make potato sacks out of. The room had three beds; each quashed against different walls. One window with the thin curtains pulled back and the window itself partially open.

As soon as Van entered the room he fell onto the closest bed. "I'm not hungry Carl, go without me." He mumbled through the thickness of his pillow. Carl nodded and cast a look at both Van and Dracula but left without complaint.

"I'm going to go feed Gabriel." Dracula said as he stood to leave. Van gave a half nod. "I'll be back before sun up." With that Dracula disappeared, whether out the door or window, Van will never be sure of as Dracula never told him, not matter how many times he asked.

The morning came to quickly for the three as they gathered their stuff in a sleep like trance and soon they were on the way.

Ok the Authoress is too lazy to write what happened between here and Kiel, because frankly, nothing does. And once in Kiel they get the dog sled, more food, and clothes then off they are to Norway.

End
Hope you all enjoyed this! It's my apologies again for doing something wrong and having my story removed. Anyway, I know none of you have read this so you all have to review!

Dracula: Yes or else I will throw this challupa (sp?) at you!

No you won't because that's my lunch!

Dracula:… You mortals eat strange food.

(Shoving mouth full of food) Shush up! (Swallows) Ok, I'm good. Please review!

PS

As a note for how long it takes to get from city to city I wouldn't know and I'm lazy so I didn't look up the timing, plus it's easier if everything is fast forwarded a bit, at least in traveling time.