Chapter 10: Through A Glass Darkly

Miruna raced back to her castle with Anna and the rest a confused few feet behind her. Miruna breathed several desperate prayers as she rode hard and fast through the forests and back into the snowy mountain regions. Her lungs began to ache at breathing the cold air so harshly as she rode. She ignored the pain and simply closed her mouth to breathe heavily. She tried to calm herself on the only night she would need to stop and rest. Miruna found that she couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities she was going home to and the excitement that ensued. She threw the covers of the makeshift bed off of herself and left the tent. She climbed onto her horse and spurred it into action, bareback. Miruna was barely used to riding a horse with a saddle, but the determination that burned brightly within her kept her perfectly balanced on the animal as the pursued her hopes. Van had ordered that Anna and Carl stay behind while he went on after Miruna. There were no arguments from the tired and frozen couple left in the tent. Miruna arrived back at her castle with her horse gasping for breath and shuddering from the cold. She leapt from him and shouted to two of the stablehands to come and tend to him. Van Helsing rode up a moment later, helping the boy take the horses into the stables and care for them. Miruna ran up to her front door and forced it open. She ran into the foyer and towards the stairs that led to her study. She was stopped by her head butler once more. He bowed. Miruna stood frozen with her heart racing furiously inside her. He stared at her for a moment.

'My lady, you have a guest upstairs in the private parlour.", he stated. She looked at him happily.

"A man or a woman?", she asked excitedly.

"I am not sure, my lady. They were quite covered and quiet. They simply insisted on meeting with you in front of the largest mirror. I sent them up to the private parlour with the enormous mirror and the tea-table.", he explained. "I have sent tea up for them if you wish to go ahead to join them."

Miruna pushed past him. It was true, it had to be! Draculea was still alive and her spell had worked! It had taken a year, but it had worked! She ran up the stairs as Van Helsing entered the castle and followed slowly. She hurried into the parlour, fighting with the old doorknob for a moment and cursing it. She finally wrenched the door open and burst into the room. She ran inside and held her arms out.

"Prince Valdislaus!", she cried happily and waited. Her heart sank. The room was empty. There was no one there. Once her heart hit the floor, she sank slowly behind it and felt it begin to shatter into millions of shards. Tears flooded her eyes. She put her hands up to her face and wept madly. Something jarred her out of it. The clink of metal against porcelain. She looked up. There was no one else in the room, wasn't there? She looked around closely. She saw that tea had been poured into one of the cups and a spoon sat within the rim. She walked slowly over to it. She reached for it carefully.

"How rude, Miruna. Your cup is over there.", a familiar voice stated playfully. Miruna felt her heart jump in surprise and frustration. It was Vladislaus's voice, no doubt, but where was he? She looked around frantically. "Why are you mourning still, Miruna? It does not become you. Just look at how terrible you look."

Miruna looked over at the mirror instinctively. She gasped. The mirror held the reflection of the bewildered girl, but also the reflection of the count sitting in the chair she stood next to. She gasped and took a few steps back. She watched in the mirror as he stood and faced her. She couldn't see anything but his back in the mirror, mocking her with the fact he was just out of her reach. As she stared at it, he moved forward to where he stood over her. She watched the reflection bend, and felt a strong but cold pair of hands take hers. She shuddered at the touch and stood as he lifted her. She looked up directly in front of her in fear.

"What, what's happening? Are you a ghost?", she stammered. He chuckled softly and placed his hands on the backs of her shoulders.

"Not quite, but then, not quite human either. I am good with that, yes?" She noticed the the side of his face in the mirror. He reached down and took both her wrists, looking at the scar of the wound she had used to revive him. She felt the chill of his fingers rake accross her skin at the scar. "Such a small and selfless gift for one so unworthy. That is what redeems us all, is it not? Not that you are a messiah, by any means. But I argued with the almighty that you were an angel."

She stared up at him. "You saw the Lord?"

"Who else would I call master, Miruna? Was I not a knight in the holy order of the dragon for many years?", he explained. "I have been sent back with a purpose, just as Gabriel was so many years ago. That is what happened, you see. I had mortally wounded him as he killed me. On the other side, he was given the task of redeeming me. He failed miserably. Now, I have been sent to redeem him. Even those with the purest intentions can stray in a great way, Miruna.", he said touching her chin. She shivered. "Remember that."

"Why can't I see you?", she said beginning to cry a little. He chuckled again.

"I do not yet have warmth within me. I need you for this, my dear.", he said softly. She felt him pull her flush to him and hold tightly to her. "There is a reason that all fairytales end with a kiss of life; they are most powerful, kisses. They show the most tender kind of affection. I will need that, Miruna."

Miruna smiled slightly and said nothing else as she reached up directly in front of her, guessing at the position of his mouth. She leaned up and pressed her warm, soft lips into his. She met them with an electric flash and felt a strange sensation. Warmth began to course from her lips and cover him, first his face became warmer than it had been in centuries. Miruna reached up and put her hands to the sides of his face as the kiss deepened. Warmth flowed down his neck and over his shoulders into the rest of his body. After a few moments of pure ecstasy, she pulled away and opened her eyes, looking over at the mirror. He was staring down at her lovingly in the reflection. He reached over and took her chin in his hand, turning her to face him. Miruna gasped as she faced forward, looking directly into his bright blue eyes. She cried out in joy and embraced him tightly. She looked up at him as they met in one more kiss. This one lasted for minutes, wiping away the years of sorrow and fury that he had endured. Miruna breathed deeply as they pulled away once more.

"What are you going to do now?", she asked.

"Well, I can't very well let go of that which has been so strong and kind in my name, can I? I need you beside me , Miruna. As my bride. I have felt such colours of love for you over the years of your life. Now, I wish to feel the love of you as your husband.", he whispered. She smiled and leaned into him. He inhaled softly, absorbing the beauty and tenderness that stood in front of him. "Shall we go and join as one?"

"Of course, my love.", she said smiling. He took her hand and headed towards the door. She turned back once more, looking at the mirror. A small crack started in the corner of the glass and began to spread until it covered the whole surface. The silver shattered and fell to the floor. Miruna felt no surprise or fear at this. Every shadow and reflection had become the reality she had always wanted. She sighed and held tightly to Vladislaus as they left the room. They were about to begin a most unusual and wonderful life. Truth would be their cornerstone and love their contract.