Stasia woke early the next morning, pulling a blanket closer around her shoulders.

A blanket?

Her eyes flew open, only to meet another pair staring at her. She gasped and crushed herself against the wall, her eyes wide. She recognized these eyes, dark blue…. The man she met at the pub! What was going to do with her?

"I'm not going to hurt you, my dear." he said kindly.

Well, ok then.

"I'm very sorry! I didn't know anyone lived here, I didn't have anywhere else to go…" she babbled, as she stood, swift eyes looking for a way out. The man smiled, "It's ok, really. Before last night, you would have been correct in thinking this place was unoccupied." He said. He clasped her dirty hands in his pale ones, "No harm done."

She tried to smile. "Come, lets get you cleaned up." he said, leading her up the stairs. "I should go…" she said, looking back towards the door.

"Nonsense, you don't even have shoes." he reasoned. When they arrived at a door, her opened it and flipped a switch inside a small room and shoved her into it, she looked around, dumbstruck. "Magic..." she whispered as she gazed at the incandescent bulbs that illuminated the windowless room. He laughed, and then shut the door behind her. The room was the single most beautiful bathroom she had ever seen. High ceilings covered in paintings, a huge black marble tub sat half submerged in the black marble floor.

A lovely warm bath was drawn for her; soaps and perfumes lay around the edge of the tub, unused and tied with ribbons.

She smiled.

Most people would have had a conniption if a stranger was inside their house. Before she undressed and stepped into the bath, she locked the door, in case his motives weren't as noble they as seemed. She almost fell asleep in the bath, stirred only by a soft knock at the door. "Hello?" Stasia yelled.

"Miss! I have some clothes for you, Master asked me to give you, I'll leave them by door." yelled back a voice in rough English with a thick German accent. The voice was that of a young girl. "Thank you!" Stasia replied.

Well, now she had to get out of the bath.

She dressed in the well chosen clothes- red pants, white tunic, black jacket, socks, and black mid-thigh-high boots.

"Ma'am?" the girl asked.

"Yes?" Stasia replied, jumping slightly.

"Breakfast is served, the Master wishes you to eat."

"I'll be out presently." she called through the door.

Stasia wandered down the stairs, and instinctively turned left. She looked around, she thought the inside of the manor had been run-down and horrid. But she had only seen it in the lightning. Now, she could see the well-kept house looked lovely.

The dining room was huge, like the other rooms, but more beautiful than what she had seen. Tapestries hung down from the high ceiling, depicting images from centuries past of knights in shining armor, horses, and various works of art. The table was long, nearly 15 feet, she estimated. There were shining silver domes set at either side of the table. Judging from the place settings, only two would be dining. Stasia sat, but did not touch her plate, to do so seemed be impolite.

Suddenly, the door opened and in stepped the man in black. He smiled at her, but his eyes held other matters.

He stared at her for moment, she stared back.

Her wet hair dripped on the table.

He sat down and looked at her again, "Please, eat." He said quietly, motioning to her plate, and taking the dome cover off his. Stasia looked quickly over the contents of her breakfast briefly, before she began stuffing the eggs, bacon and French toast in her mouth. The man watched her for a moment and looked at his plate. He carefully raised a fork, as if he didn't know quite what to do with it. He stabbed a piece of sausage; then raised it to his mouth. He closed his eyes and chewed slowly. Stasia watched him, "Haven't eaten in a while?" she asked, as he began to shove the breakfast into his mouth as she did. He looked up and smiled,

"You have no idea." he replied, mouth full.

After the food was gone, the two sat at the table and stared at each other. "I'm Stasia." she said, realizing she had not yet introduced herself.

"Stasia.." he repeated, trying the name.

"My name is Vladislaus." he replied.

"That name sounds familiar, did you used to live in Transylvania?" she asked suddenly.

"No, um, Budapest, actually." he replied, almost flustered.

"Oh, I've never been to Budapest." Stasia said.

"Actually, I have to go to the sea." she said detachedly.

"Why, may I ask?" he asked genially.

"I-I've never been, "she looked down, "and, uh, yeah, just wanted to go."

"How are you expecting to get there?" he asked.

"I don't know." She replied, rearranging her used fork and knife. Then put them back the way they were and folded her napkin.

"A lady mustn't travel alone. Why don't I send you in a carriage? Nothing faster than a Transylvanian horse, I hear. Or an even better idea, I'll go with you." he said, as if a five-day trip with someone you barely know were as easy as a walk in the park. He watched as she placed the neatly folded napkin on the tabled and rearranged the fork and knife once again. Stasia looked up, surprised. "Really?" she asked, astonished he had offered.

Realizing that a trip with a man she didn't even know might not be the most clever thing to do, she didn't feel she had any other choice, and didn't think he had any ulterior motive. She looked into his eyes and decided to take him up on that offer.

"When do we leave?"

"Today."

After a few instructions for the servants, Stasia and her new escort took a walk around the grounds. Vladislaus talked of how he obtained house, his home in Budapest, never about his past, his wife, or his children, if any. Suddenly, as if he could contain himself no longer, "Why are you going to the sea, really?" he asked.

Her eyes moved form the spot directly below her to his deep blue eyes.

"An old family friend wishes to meet me, he says he has been looking for me for a long time, I must be at the sea by Sunday." She replied, "So as not to disappoint."

He smiled and nodded, but she knew he didn't believe her.

"Time to go." he said suddenly, pulling out a pocket watch and checking it.

They climbed into the large carriage just as it jerked to life.