- XXXVI -
The forest lay in deep silence and only the shine of a few torches and lamps flickered in the pitch black darkness.
It had been a difficult decision, but the mortal nobles and their entourage finally had chosen to take the shorter path through the woods, instead of losing time by bypassing it. Sir Lajos had encouraged them with an impressive speech, wherein he had repeatedly pointed out that the tales about werewolves and vampires in these parts of the forest were utter nonsense, fairy tales with the purpose of frightening disobedient children. Now thirty men rode down the winding road between the great firs at a good pace, accompanying the carriage with Lajos and his family.
"We're going fast. Is that because of the werewolves?" his ten year old son asked.
"Adorjan, there are no werewolves in these woods. Neither here, nor in any woods on this earth," Lajos explained again, his voice becoming annoyed.
"Are you really sure?" Lajos's wife, an austere beauty in her mid-thirties, asked in a mocking tone.
"Semira, please, don't you start with that, too!" The corpulent nobleman ran his hand over his bald head in frustration.
Semira smirked, brushing a strand of black hair out of her face, then patted her son's knee.
"No-one will eat you, Adorjan, I promise," she said, still sounding amused.
"You shouldn't laugh about the boy's fear. I heard of peasants killed by beasts only days ago," a second woman, some years younger than Semira, said.
"Those beasts were ordinary wolves, Ilona. Maybe more fierce than others, maybe rabid, but certainly no mystical monsters," Lajos sighed, likewise patting his sister's knee.
"Stop treating me like a child!" Ilona protested.
"Guard your tongue!" her brother snapped. "You are under my wardship until you are married, what you will hopefully be next week."
Suddenly, a loud crack interrupted their little quarrel, followed by an abrupt halt of the carriage. Adorjan jumped and buried his face in the fabric of Ilona's cloak.
Lajos growled, dissatisfied, then opened the door.
"What's going on there?" he addressed the driver.
"I think we hit a deep pothole. I'm really sorry, Sir. Haven't seen it in the darkness," the man mumbled.
Lajos sighed again, utterly angered now. He descended and circled the carriage.
"Damn!" he cursed, kicking at the wheel. "The rear axle is broken, ruptured completely!"
The two women and the boy now exited the coach as well and some of the men approached them, a small crowd forming at the location of the accident.
"I could repair that, Sir, but not tonight," the wainwright stated. "I need light and a good log."
"We haven't got the time to search for a good log, you fool!" Lajos ran his hand over his head again, wiping away large drops of sweat.
They were already delayed. The baron whom Ilona would marry awaited them tomorrow and they still had to cross the forest and the Danube.
While they stood there, in the middle of the path, considering their options, a cracking sound could be heard from out of the underwood. And suddenly a horrible howl echoed through the forest.
Adorjan let out a desperate cry. "W...werewolves!"
"There are beasts in this forest, I knew it," Ilona said, her voice slightly trembling.
Thomas threw the castle a last glance, before he and five of his men rode past the gates and into the forest.
Despite her anger, Lady Amelia had allowed him to leave for he had explained his noble motives to her at length. As long as William wasn't spotted again, she wouldn't need his military services. Instead he would bring her glory and wealth by taking new territories in the North, lands that soon would belong to Amelia, and Amelia alone. In truth, he hadn't been able to bear her disregard any longer, the way she treated him like any other servant. No matter how much he wanted and tried to be special to the beautiful and proud Elder, Thomas would always remain her subject, inferior and unworthy of her affection.
With a sigh, the General spurred his horse and led his men down the winding road beneath the dark trees.
They had been riding through the woods for some time when he heard a werewolf's howl in the distance. Soon more cries reached the vampires' ears, sounding over from the South, near the Danube. They didn't belong to a werewolf, though.
"Seems like there's an attack on mortals," one of the soldiers noticed. "Do you want us to intervene, Sir?"
"No," Thomas answered. "That's none of our business. We are leaving these lands as planned."
With that he urged his horse on again, keeping to the road north.