Reflections of Truth
Miruna Valerious lives in a constant state of wonder and fear. When word is sent to her father of need for aide in the dark regions of Transylvania, Miruna jumps at the opportuniy, but what is about to jump back at her will reveal more than simply her tortured past.
Chapter 1: The Calling
Miruna awoke in a cold sweat, shaking violently. She shouted in instinctive terror, but then quickly tried to quiet herself. She looked around to make sure none of the demons in that lurked in her nightmares followed her. The room seemed to be clear of any nastiness from the previous moments. She sighed and looked around again, taking inventory of the safety that gave her minimal comfort in her waking hours. Her large four-post bed was covered by a thick canopy. At the foot was a large oak trunk filled with odds and ends from her secret travels into town. By the window was a writing desk and opposite that side of the large room was her vanity set and beauraeu of drawers. A nightstand beside the bed held a large candleabra and tall glass of water. She climbed out of the bed slowly and over to her large wardrobe. She pulled on a simple dress and a pair of slippers. Rain pounded against both the window panes and the dark Romanian sky. She pulled back her dark hair and ran a brush through it before leaving the room. She stepped silently out into the hall and walked towards the stairwell. Her twin older brothers, Nicolae and Norvescu, were probably still away in the countryside surveying for their father. Miruna's father, Christobel, was governor of Bucharest and a rather important man in the unstable Dacian government that was Romania. Miruna was told that her family had lived in Transylvania in her early childhood, but she couldn't remember any of it. Even at age nineteen and having 13 years to recover from any damage to her person, Miruna couldn't recall any events before she had turned 7 here in Bucharest. She remembered bits and pieces of her mother and her life in the country while she was asleep, but only the horrible nightmares remained strong enough to recall upon awakening. She had given up talking with her father about the dreams some time ago, but the gnawing desire to confide in someone remained. Her nursemaid had been excused from service since she had come of age 2 years ago. Miruna breathed deeply and headed down the stairs.
As she entered into the large part of the foyer, she heard a knock on the front door. Before the butler could answer it, Miruna rushed forward and answered it. Before her stood a fierce looking messenger. She stared at him in disbelief. He had dark hair like hers, sharp features, icy blue eyes, thick facial hair, and appeared to be a massive muscular man. She gulped. His attire was not professional in the least. She cleared her throat and bowed politely. Her father had warned her about these 'gypsies' from the provinces. They were wild men and women without laws and guidelines to confine any infringements upon natural citizens. Still, Miruna tried to be very diplomatic in her treatment of strangers.
"May I help you?", she asked.
"This message needs to reach Prince Christobel Valerious in one hour. I will need word brought to me of his decision in this matter at that time so that I may return quickly to my Princess Anna Valerious.", the man explained as he handed her a small and very well-sealed envelope. Miruna took it quickly. Had he said Anna Valerious? How could that be possible? Her family were the only Valerious left in the world since the destruction of the Roman Empire and the Dacian Viviodes. She took the letter and carefully slipped it out of the holding sleeve. Fortunately for curious Miruna these letters were never sealed like official documents from the capital authorities, but instead they were merely a parchment slipped into a sleeve of gold-embroidered paper with the family seal. Miruna read over the words quickly.
"Dear Uncle Christobel,
I write to you in utter desperation. We are on the brink of destruction. Father has been missing for a year in his search of our nemesis. Velkan was killed by a werewolf but this past week. I find myself ruler of Vaseria, the Romani, and now the only hope of destroying the evil that has plagued our family since before even your father was born. My father, your brother, still believed that you would come back to us in our darkest hour; that time is now. Draculea grows bolder and more destructive than ever. You are the only one who knows how to undo his evil. I beg you to come and free my people, our counrty, our family. Hope lies with you, and you alone.
In faith and love,
Anna Valerious"
Miruna's eyes grew wider with each word and her heart pulsed louder with every pause inbetween them. She pushed the letter back into its sleeve and ran towards the drawing room. Her father was usually there in the mornings trying to gather a little light reading before dealing with matters of state. She threw open the double doors to the room and ran in. She raced over to the large chair that usually held her father. There he sat, sipping a hot cup of tea and reading from an enormous volume of Petrarchan Sonnetts. Miruna enthusiastically pushed the document in front of him. She looked both worried and excited as he looked up.
"Ce esti?", he asked as he began to look over it.
"It's a letter from our cousin, father!", she said excitedly. Christobel's face dropped. "Her messenger waits outside for your reply. He will be wanting to leave in an hour, I think."
"Send him on his way, this is of little importance to me.", he said quickly and tossed the paper into the fire. Miruna looked at him in horror and anger.
"Father, that was a cry for help!", she exclaimed. Christobel looked up at her inquisitively with one brow raised. "That is, it could be a cry for help. I don't know."
"Miruna, I was born in that God-forsaken region of our glorious Romania. If God remains as merciful, that spit of wasteland will soon belong to the Hungarians.", he replied. "We have no need to interfere in their squabbles for sovreignty. That was all that the letter was about."
Miruna felt furious knowing that her father had just blatantly lied to her. She frowned. "Is Draculea a Hungarian nobleman, then?", she asked. Now he looked enraged.
"Draculea is no one to you! Tell that messenger to quiet himself when in the presence of little girls while he is carrying confidential information to me!", he shouted. Miruna took a step backwards and looked back up at her father, very hurt. Miruna was only 4'11" and not nearly round enough to be formidable. Her deep hazel-jade eyes were almost whimpering after the unprovoked attack. He sighed and looked away. "I have to get to my paperwork, now. If all goes well, I might have found you a suitable husband to wed next year."
Miruna growled a little and stormed away. Christobel sighed and sat back. He had not known how to handle Tosca, his first wife fully and Miruna was even more perplexing. He gathered his thoughts and went to retire into his study for a few hours. In the meantime, Miruna packed a few things quickly and hurried out to the messenger. If her father was going to refuse aide to his own family, then she would have to take his place. The messenger finished watering the two horses that pulled the carriage he was driving. He looked at Miruna in surprise. She tried to keep aloof as she walked up to him.
"My father is unable to render aide to our cousin, but I am to be sent in his stead.", she explained. The messenger laughed and slapped his knee. Miruna frowned in anger.
"You expect me to believe that?", he laughed.
"No. I simply expect you to tell that to my cousin when she asks why I am there and father is not.", she said calmly.
"I'm not taking you! That would constitute kidnapping, it's a straight death sentence for me.", he said as he began to walk away. Miruna followed him.
"You wouldn't be killed unless you were convicted. And you wouldn't be convicted unless you confessed. And you wouldn't need to confess unless you are arrested. And you wouldn't be arrested without a direct accusation from a witness or the victim.", she stated proudly.
"Oh really? You're just going to let me wisk you off to Transylvania? Yes, the authorities will look kindly on that one.", he muttered as he began to bridle the horses and attach them to the carraige.
"Take me or I'll scream.", she threatened.
"Go ahead, what will they be able to convict me of if you simply scream?", he chided. Miruna smiled wickedly and took a deep breath.
"He's assualted me! This man's just had his way with me!", Miruna screamed as she tore at the dress she wore. The messenger's eyes bugged out of his head and he grabbed hold of her, covering her mouth. She smiled triumphantly up at him.
"You sly, lying, little vixen!", he shouted in a whisper. He smiled in admiration. "Well, I suppose if you're clever enough to do a silly thing like that, then maybe Anna can use your help after all."
Miruna smiled and took her luggage into her arms once more. The messenger helped load them onto the carraige, then lifted her up and inside the vehicle.
"Thank you. I'm sure I can do something for my cousin.", she said.
He said nothing as he got back to his position at the reigns. Miruna settled in and began compiling a list of questions for Anna. If nothing else, it would be wonderful to find more family that might be able to help her retrace her past.