Thank you for reading! Mother Miranda returns and sets her sights on Lady Daciana.
Three years later: May 11th, 1933
Failures. Each and every one had failed. Dead or turned into a Lycan. The Dimitrescu bloodline was not as strong as she had thought…
"No matter," Mother Miranda purred, seated in the back of a 1930 Cadillac. Her driver a man with short red hair and a gangly physique was taking her back to where this all had started. "I will see you soon, Lady Daciana…"
"Your Grace?" the man said.
"Continue driving, Rednic, I will inform you of when we have arrived near the set destination…"
"Yes, Mother Miranda," he said.
{...}
Lady Daciana opened her eyes to feel a stiff pain in her neck. How she hated getting old. She had to be mindful of which way she slept and with which pillows.
Snap. Crack. Pop.
Went her joints in protest as she pushed herself to sit up. She could just see the first rays of the morning light coming over the treetops.
"Happy birthday to me…" she grumbled. "Forty-four you old crone."
She reached over to the rope and pulled on it. She truly hoped there was no big celebration, though she believed Alcina had been scheming. The whispering. The silence that fell as soon as she entered a room. She had brought Alcina into her study just the other day to tell her not to do anything.
"Whatever you say, Mama."
"That little diavol," she cursed in Romanian, hearing Phoebe's footsteps now in front of her door.
Lady Daciana watched her closely, observing how she looked about ready to burst, but kept her composure as she bowed.
"Good morning, my lady."
"Good morning, Phoebe, if you will please start a bath for me."
"Yes, ma'am," she said.
Lady Daciana quirked a brow at her strange attitude, continuing to watch her disappear into the bathroom.
"You are quiet today, Phoebe," Lady Daciana commented as she slipped into the tub.
"Am I?" she said.
"Mmm," Lady Daciana made a noise in the back of her throat. "It is like you are hiding something."
"Hiding something, my lady? I do not know what you mean."
"Oho, I am sure you know precisely of what I speak of," she tutted. "In fact, I would bet that my daughter is the ringleader of this entire operation."
"Operation?"
Lady Daciana glared at her.
"I better not find a surprise waiting for me downstairs, Phoebe," she said.
"No, my lady," Phoebe said, leaving the bathroom with a grin.
Lady Daciana 'tsked' grabbing her cigarette and lighting it.
It was almost an hour before Lady Daciana had finished her bath and was dressed in a cream colored dress. Her gaze wandering every which way for any signs of a celebration. She then came face to face with the Dining Hall doors. Wondering if Alcina was waiting within to surprise her.
With two fingers she pushed the right door open, peaking inside to find the regular food already set out and Alcina seated beside her chair.
"Alcina?"
Alcina turned in her chair with a smile.
"Good morning, Mother."
Lady Daciana crept into the room, like she were prepared to fend off an ambush. Alcina watched her with a raised brow.
"Mother, is something the matter?"
"No, I am fine…" she eyed about the room before she could comfortably take a seat at the head of the table.
Alcina picked up her cup of tea and drank from it before speaking:
"I received a letter from Beatrice."
"That is good, is she back home?"
"No, she is still in America with her husband. She has plans to visit, though."
"I am glad to hear that," Lady Daciana said, watching her child closely. She knew how difficult it was for Alcina still to know Beatrice was married. A hard blow for her girl, but she kept her mind focused on other things. The business, and the Stanislav boy who kept poking his nose in from time to time. "She sounds happy."
"I think she is," Alcina said, now looking to her mother.
And there it was… a glint in those crafty blue eyes. It was what Lady Daciana had been watching for. Any hint of devilry.
"Alci?"
"Mother, I have scheduled plans for us to go into town today."
"Why?" she took a sip of coffee.
"Because I think you and I deserve a day to ourselves. We have been working nonstop."
"I know what this is, darling."
"What?"
"Do not dare play that coy; innocent act with me."
Alcina shook her head in annoyance.
"We are going out to spend motherly-daughter time together and that is final!" Alcina snapped. "And I will have the men drag you into the vehicle if you do not come willingly."
"A mutiny, is that it?"
"For god's sake, Mama, I hope you are joking with me. This is no mutiny. What a ridiculous thing to say. If you did not make it so difficult, I would not have to threaten you."
"This is a birthday scheme, isn't it?" she kept her tone even.
Alcina took another sip from her cup, sighing in defeat.
"It does not matter if I say yes or no. You are so damn stubborn you will find a way to get out of it regardless of the occasion."
"I already told you I did not want to celebrate my birthday."
"And we are not!" Alcina slammed the cup down roughly on the plate. "We are spending time together!"
"Fine!" Lady Daciana raised her hands into the air in defeat.
"Fine."
The servants standing in the room looked to one another for support. Uncertain if they should step in to begin serving, or continue to act like flies on the wall, and hide as far away from the two as possible.
Once the two had finished eating their breakfast, Alcina was the first to rise from the table and call upon the driver. Lady Daciana placing on a wide-brimmed purple hat and a light coat, followed Alcina out to the vehicle that was waiting for them.
The driver closing the door as soon as the two got in, Lady Daciana remained silent and staring out the window.
Alcina stared out her own window with a little grin.
The drive always a beautiful one into town. The rolling hills that gave way to the vast forests, and then the unconquerable mountains that loomed above like great pillars. Alcina could just see the white of snow that sat at the top of the summits. Their winter manor lay on the other side of those mountains. She could imagine playing in the snow when she was younger. Building snowmen. Making snow angels. Yet at the age of nineteen she found the cold to her disliking. She preferred it to be warm. Not scorching heat, but something that was comfortable. Just like it was today. A nice breeze to keep them cool enough for all the walking they would be doing once they entered town.
Alcina looked to her mother, who was still staring out the window. She could not quite understand why her mother hated her birthday. Wanting to pretend it was any other day, but Alcina refused to allow her mother to do that.
After thirty minutes they finally rolled into the town of Brasov. Alcina knew it would be busy at this time of year, but she did not mind the crowds. She enjoyed looking at the latest fashions of the men and women who walked the streets.
Their driver opened the door to let them out, Lady Daciana eyed around the street with no emotion.
"Mother," Alcina said, walking next to her. "I thought we could do some shopping first."
"I will follow you."
"Good," Alcina said, looping her arm around her mother's and guiding her to a clothes store first.
"These styles are changing," Lady Daciana said. "The dresses and shoes."
"I do not mind it."
"You are young."
"I am sure something will catch your eye, Mother, keep looking."
And indeed there were outfits that caught Lady Daciana's eyes. There was a set of evening dresses one red and the other blue that Lady Daciana continued to go back and admire.
"How strange the world has evolved women's fashion. From dresses to suits."
"That is a skirt," Alcina said.
"A skirt?" Lady Daciana wrinkled her nose. "I do not like it, and do not dare buy it."
"It is not my taste either, Mother," Alcina said.
"I am relieved to hear it."
The two moved on next to the perfume aisle. Lady Daciana selecting two bottles while Alcina stole away to the jewelry.
"You should get your birthstone."
"Your father purchased me a ring with my birthstone," Lady Daciana said, examining a pearl necklace with matching earrings. "They were real emeralds."
"Beautiful like Fredric's eyes."
Lady Daciana looked at Alcina, who quickly scurried to the other side of the showcase table.
"Shall we look at some footwear?"
"Yes," Alcina said.
Lady Daciana and Alcina browsed for quite a while. Leaving one store and entering another. The two had come out with a few bags of things. Lady Daciana giving in and purchasing the two evening dresses; a few bottles of perfume and a pair of Burgundy Oxfords, spectator heels and black lace-ups.
"Shall we go and have a little bite to eat, my love?" Lady Daciana said, looking most pleased than she had in the morning.
"I would like that," Alcina said.
The two finding a small café, sat outside and purchased tea and a special treat: Amandine.
"You and your sweet tooth," Lady Daciana said. "You are going to ruin your appetite."
"Take a bite, Mother, it is well worth the risk."
Lady Daciana picked up her own fork and took a piece off the end. The moment the cake touched her tongue did her eyes light right up.
Alcina started to giggle at her expression, and when her mother casually took a second helping.
"Perhaps we should order something else. We will not survive the day with only this glob of sugar in our bellies."
"Order whatever you like," Alcina said.
The two ordered two salads with fresh crab sprinkled on top. Lady Daciana unable to help herself to ordering a glass of wine, the two watched as people walked here and there. The atmosphere around them light and gay. There was no shouting. No fighting. It was peaceful.
"What is your next plan?" Lady Daciana asked.
"Would you like to go for a walk after this? Some sightseeing."
"A splendid idea," Lady Daciana said, finishing off her glass of red wine.
Once they had finished eating, the two dropped their bags off at the car and made their way through the streets. The two decided to visit some of the sights and landmarks. One was the Graft Bastion which was host to an array of medieval artifacts. The next was a visit to Catherine's Gate.
"Do you see the four small corner turrets, Alci?"
"I do."
"Those symbolize the judicial autonomy of the Town Council. It is here where they could enact the death penalty on criminals. And above that bears the city's coat of arms: a crown on a tree trunk."
Next they visited Weavers' Bastion.
"That is Mount Tampa. Did you know Vlad Tepes had attacked this city in 1458. It was said there were forty merchants who refused to pay trade taxes and he had them impaled and put on display at the top of the mountain."
"I remember reading about that in a history lesson."
"Perhaps next time we can hike all the way to the top," Lady Daciana said.
"I do not like such extreme hiking."
"Then we can take the trolley up, Miss Lazy."
"Mother!"
Lady Daciana burst out laughing. A sound Alcina was so very happy to hear.
"Do you remember the day we were here with Baron Kerg?"
"Faintly," Alcina said. "I remember shopping and going to a delicious lunch."
"You were young, then," Lady Daciana said, the two approaching the vehicle. "Alcina." She touched her arm. "Thank you for this. Forgive me for being such a sourpuss."
"It is not over yet, Mother," Alcina said.
Lady Daciana cocked her head to the side.
"What do you mean?"
"You will see," Alcina said, getting into the vehicle first when the driver opened the door.
"Alcina?" Lady Daciana said.
"You will see."
Lady Daciana gritted her teeth as she was about to snap at her daughter. Instead she averted her gaze back out the window and closed her eyes.
When they got back to the manor it was around 6 p.m. Lady Daciana walked into the manor first with Alcina close behind her.
"I will be right back, Mother," Alcina said, heading in the direction of the kitchen.
Lady Daciana watching her leave, she ascended up the stairs with the bags in her hand.
"My lady!"
She turned to see Phoebe walking up after her.
"Hello, Phoebe."
"Please allow me to help you carry your bags."
"You are most kind."
"Did you enjoy your time?"
"It was nice to spend time with my daughter," Lady Daciana said. "Though I feel that she has one final thing planned for me."
Phoebe smiled at her, following Lady Daciana to her bedroom.
"You can leave them there, Phoebe," Lady Daciana said, removing her hat and setting it on the bed.
"Yes, my lady," Phoebe said.
"What do you think?" Lady Daciana started to take the clothes out of the bag.
"The dresses are marvelous, my lady."
"I may have indulged myself, but I could not help it."
"I do like the footwear," Phoebe said, smiling as Lady Daciana continued to show off what she had bought. She was like an excited teenager. Her young mistress come back to life. "Shall I help you into one of these evening dresses for dinner?"
"Please," Lady Daciana said.
Phoebe got right to work on dressing her mistress. Putting her hair up in a high bun and then fixing some of her makeup.
A knock sounded at her door.
"Ready, Mother?"
"Yes," Lady Daciana said, following Alcina down to the Dining Hall. "That dress is beautiful on you."
"You bought it for me on my seventeenth birthday."
"I knew you would like the red."
Alcina stood in front of the double doors with a smile.
"Ready?"
Lady Daciana just nodded her head with a smile.
Alcina opening the door to reveal the dining hall lit with candles. Her special plates and utensils placed on the table.
"Sit down, Mother," Alcina said. "I have had the cooks make special dishes for you."
The servants brought out an appetizer with cold cuts and a potent plum brandy. Next was a vegetable soup with no meat. Lady Daciana liking to watch her calorie intake. Third was grilled carp in brine. The entrée was fresh vegetables cooked with tomato paste. And lastly the cooks brought in Regina Maria. A decadent, square treat with a walnut base and chocolate buttercream topping.
"I know you do not want to hear it, but I am going to say it anyway," Alcina said to her mother. "Happy birthday."
Lady Daciana stood up from her seat, placing a kiss to both her cheeks.
"Thank you, my love. Thank you for doing all of this for me."
"I am glad you enjoyed yourself," Alcina said. "Though I had a lot of help from Phoebe and the rest of the staff to pull this all off."
"I figured Phoebe had a hand in this," Lady Daciana nodded, returning to her seat. "She can be quite crafty."
"She and I got off to a rocky start."
"That you did," Lady Daciana said, drinking from her glass filled with wine. "But I think you both began to understand each other over time."
"I am truly grateful for her," Alcina said.
"As am I," Lady Daciana said in agreement. "As am I…"
{…}
The next day Lady Daciana found herself alone without Alcina. She had informed her mother that Fredric was to take her out to the Nickelodeon. It was an unplanned inquiry, which Alcina gladly accepted.
She placed a kiss to her mother's cheek, thanking her for allowing her to go.
Lady Daciana just smiled, though she still did not like the idea of Alcina spending so much time with the Stanislav boy. Of all the fools to get entangled with… she shook her head. No. This was Alcina's choice she reminded herself. It was her daughter's life and she would not interfere unless absolutely necessary.
She sat back in the chair, sighing deeply. How exhausted she felt from all the walking yesterday. She was not used to all the exercise, but still. She did enjoy herself.
A knock sounded at her door, making her glance over at it in annoyance.
"Can I know not a moments peace anymore?" she muttered. "Enter!"
"My lady."
It was Phoebe who looked rather shaken.
"Phoebe?" she sat up in her chair. "Is everything all right?"
"I-I do not know how to say this, my lady," she met Lady Daciana's eyes. "Lord Quentin has returned…"
Lady Daciana's mouth fell open.
"W-what did you say?"
"Lord Quentin, my lady, he is standing in the Main Hall."
Lady Daciana slowly rose from her chair. She was trembling slightly. Her hands shaking uncontrollably. It took a moment for her to regain her composure before she walked down the hall and to the stairs. There he stood in the Main Hall. His hair and beard much greyer than she remembered. His face a bit thinner. He was wearing a fine black suit and in hand he had a walking stick.
She went to speak, but found her throat was very dry. Instead she cleared her throat loudly, which made him look up at her. He kept his gaze fully on her as she descended the stairs. He was still so very handsome. Just like the day they had met.
Lord Quentin closed the distance between them, removing his top hat and giving her a bow of his head.
"Quentin," she whispered, reaching out and brushing her fingers against his cheek.
"Daciana," he said, raising his face to look right at her again. "My wife."
There was no one else around them. The hall devoid of a single soul. It was only them, together. Lady Daciana continuing to touch his face with trembling fingers. Lord Quentin gently gripping her wrists and placing delicate kisses to each knuckle in an effort to comfort her.
"Forgive me of what I had done."
"Shh," Lady Daciana hushed him. "Let us talk in the study."
Lord Quentin followed her up the stairs and through the hallway.
"Where is Alcina?"
"She is out with a friend."
"A male friend?"
"That is correct," Lady Daciana said, opening the study door for him and closing it once he was inside.
"How old is she now?"
"You tell me," Lady Daciana said, taking a seat back in her chair.
Lord Quentin was silent for a moment, doing some mental math before answering:
"Nineteen."
"Nineteen, indeed."
"I have missed so much…"
"You have," Lady Daciana said. "And you have some explaining to do."
"I assume you are wondering why I have returned all of these years later?"
Lady Daciana said nothing, her feelings of affection and fear switching now to anger. For it was this man who had attempted to assault their child and then assaulted she.
"I felt immense guilt for what I did to you," Lord Quentin began. "I turned myself into the police and have spent my time repenting. I was released two years ago, but did not have the courage to come and see you. I suppose I was afraid you would reject me, which you had every right to."
"What was going on inside of your head that day? You were not yourself."
"I cannot say what had possessed me, but when I came out of it…" Lord Quentin shook his head. "I realized what I had done and hated myself for it."
Lady Daciana listened to him with a blank expression. It was odd to hear Quentin expressing himself like this. It was uncharacteristic. Perhaps his time spent in jail and away from her had caused this shift in personality? She continued to listen to him bleed his heart out to her, and yet there was something wrong. Something Lady Daciana could sense -just like the day he had gone berserk- that was not right.
"Can you ever forgive me, Daciana?"
"I came to accept that you were gone, Quentin," Lady Daciana said. "I sutured my broken heart and was able to stop the bleeding…, and now you have returned, which means I must open the sutures and allow you back inside. I am uncertain if I can do that, Quentin. The pain would be too great."
"I understand," Lord Quentin said. "I did not expect you to do that. I only returned to apologize for my actions, and to see you for the last time."
Lady Daciana went to speak when the door opened. Both averted their gazes to see it was Phoebe.
"Phoebe? What is the meaning of this intrusion?"
Phoebe said nothing, staring directly at Quentin.
"Phoebe? Answer me."
"Lord Quentin asked for me to join you."
Lady Daciana turned her attention back to Quentin perplexed.
"Why?"
Lord Quentin looked back at her with a twisted smile. His gray eyes changing to yellow.
"So you do not escape…" his voice was changing to one more feminine.
Lady Daciana watched in horror as Quentin transformed into a woman with long blonde hair. She wore a priestess-like garb that was all black, and what she wore upon her face was a golden mask. Phoebe had also changed into a tall, gangly man with red hair and yellow eyes.
"Who are you?" Lady Daciana said, slowly reaching for the first drawer that contained a pistol. Always one to be prepared, especially running a highly competitive wine business.
"My name is Miranda, and this is my manservant, Rednic."
The tall man gave her a mock bow.
"What is it you want from me? Money?"
"No," Miranda said. "I want you, Lady Daciana. You are my last hope for the Dimitrescu line. Your blood I am certain will be the key."
Lady Daciana wrapped her fingers around the gun, carefully pulling it out and setting it in her lap. It was already loaded and ready to be fired.
"Key for…" Lady Daciana paused, a sudden realization hitting her from out of the blue. "You. It was you, wasn't it? That night with Alcina. It was you who had tried to steal her away."
"You are correct," Mother Miranda praised her. "Very astute of you to pick up on that so quickly."
"Why did you never attempt to steal her again?"
"Oh I did try…" Mother Miranda walked over to the window and peaked outside. "Do you remember the maid your husband had hired?"
"Sabra… that was you?!" she said, starting to recall receiving her two week notice just after Quentin had left.
Mother Miranda chuckled.
"I sweated a few times with you around, Lady Daciana, for even unbeknownst to you, you had your suspicions of me. But to answer your question, I had attempted to snatch Alcina away; however, when I learned she had the Hereditary Blood Disease, I abandoned her and set my sights on your Quentin. I needed strong Dimitrescu heirs who were not tainted by the blood disease. Sadly there are so few of you left, I had limited choices on who I could sink my claws into, but each one failed."
"What did you do to them?"
"My ambitions are one that you yourself can relate to, my lady," Mother Miranda said, looking back at her with sad eyes. "If something were to have happened to Alcina, would you not do everything within your power to save her?"
"Of course I would," Lady Daciana whispered.
"My daughter, Eva, died when she was only ten from the Spanish Flu. My life had ended until I came across something that changed me forever. I have been granted a most blessed opportunity to have her back with me once more." Mother Miranda was now walking back towards her. "And you will be the one to help me achieve that."
"I will not," Lady Daciana said, cocking the hammer back and pointing the gun directly at Mother Miranda. "You will leave me and my daughter well and far alone." She stood up out of her chair, pointing the gun from Mother Miranda and then to Rednic, who was starting to approach her as well. "Was it you that day that made Quentin attack us? Your influence on him?"
"As I said, Lady Daciana, you are no fool. Yes, I gave your husband what I have given to so many others. He succumbed to it and perished years ago."
Lady Daciana gritted her teeth, tears boiling in the back of her eyes.
"You killed him!" She bellowed. "You—"
Bang! Bang!
Lady Daciana shot at Mother Miranda first and then turned the gun to Rednic. She was just about to squeeze the trigger when a hand grabbed her around the throat. She was thrown across the room, landing hard on the floor and losing the gun in the process. She lay gasping. The breath having been snatched out of her lungs.
"Hold her down, Rednic." Came Mother Miranda's calm voice.
Lady Daciana swung out her arms to defend herself, but the man had a grip like iron. He was smiling down at her with crooked teeth, his attention directed to Mother Miranda who had a syringe in hand.
"You will have me," Lady Daciana snarled at her. "But you will not have my Alcina!"
"I have no intention of taking Alcina; however, if you should fail like your husband, I may just change my mind…"
"Please, I beg of you. Do not take her," Lady Daciana pleaded. "I will come to you willingly… just leave Alcina alone."
Mother Miranda said nothing as she rolled up Lady Daciana's sleeve, the needle point penetrating through her skin. Whatever was in the syringe worked instantly. She felt as if her entire body was on fire. A scream erupted out of her. Sweat already generating across her face.
"Shall I take her?"
"No," Mother Miranda said, hearing dozens of footsteps headed towards them. "We will leave her here for now, in fact, I can observe her within these very walls. After all, those peasants will no doubt call the doctor."
"I could easily dispose of them."
"No, we do not need unnecessary bloodshed," Mother Miranda said, walking over to the window and opening it. "Go now. I will call for you when I need you."
"Yes, Mother Miranda," Rednic said, leaping right out the window and landing on the ground with ease.
Mother Miranda turned back around and knelt down beside Lady Daciana who was panting heavily now. Already she could tell the woman was probably headed towards death, but there was some hope she would pull through. In the meantime she would observe what the doctor looked like and create her new mask.
"Remain strong, Lady Daciana…" she placed a kiss to her lips. "You will forget what you have seen here, my dear, but do not fret for I will be watching over you."
Just as the door burst open did Mother Miranda disappear in a flurry of ravens, flying out the window and to the forest. She would return soon and see how her patient was faring.