The Sumer palace
When they got to the harbor at South Hampton the boat was ready and waiting, its sails bore the Dracula crest, the red and black of the sails contrasting strangely with the blue sky and the grey green of the water. The boat was about two hundred and fifty feat long, built for speed with holes for oars like a pirate ship. In fact thought Van Helsing it probably was a Pirate ship.
"Oh, it is lovely" said Corinthia in her smooth voice. "Simply gorgeous"
"Just the perfect form of transport" said Verona. "Though I would have preferred to fly"
"Yeah" said Van Helsing. "Just hope it doesn't get to rough"
"Don't worry, we are used to the sea" said Marishka.
They boarded the boat and half an hour latter they were headed out to sea with the perfect wind to France.
The crossing was calm and two days later the they had landed in Paris, they would stay for three days and then take a coach to Vienna, from there straight to Budapest. They would stop for three days at each place and of course at several other places over night. The trip was truly beautiful, the country was so full of life, it was hard to believe that they were not in a fairytale land were everything was perfect and happy, then a last on the eighteenth of October they reached Budapest with its domed roofs and minuets and towers, they went to the sumer palace straight away and as
the reached it six young women came towards them laughing and talking in Hungarian but as soon as the brides got out they stopped and courtesied to them saying: "Countess Verona, Countess Aleera, Countess Marishka, Princess Misha, it is lovely to see you again, the Count is within and waiting for you"
"Thank you children" said Verona.
"You're welcome Lady Verona" said the girls and they walked of towards the town.
"Lets go" said Aleera. "Master is at the window looking at us"
They all looked up at one of the windows and, sure enough there was Count Dracula looking smugly down at his brides, a look of great satisfaction on his face.
"I think that we'd better go in first and talk to him" said Marishka.
"Yeah" said Verona. "That would probably be best, he is not going to be happy"
"Misha, you had better stay out here too" said Aleera. "He won't be pleased to find out you love Van Helsing"
"Okay" said Misha.
The brides entered the mansion and closed the door, they waited out there in the drive for what seemed like years, when they had waited for what seemed like a thousand years that was, in reality only ten minutes the brides reappeared and stood in front of them.
"He wants to see you Gabriel" said Verona. "I warn you that he is not at all pleased"
Van Helsing walked into the palace and up the stairs to Dracula's study, he was armed but what could he do against a creature you couldn't kill. Oh well, he thought. At least he would die with a clean conscience.