Eight

Dark Ages, 1457.

The movement in and out of the castle in the next few days had been harsh. Vlad didn’t stop for one minute, and his men came and went at all times. I’d spent my days alone, if it wasn’t for Liana. He would only join me for dinner, and our nights were full of passion until the morning came, but I’d wake up alone. I asked him to let me in, but he didn’t let me fully into his world. He put me in some sort of limbo, and it was maddening.
“Vlad? What’s going on?” I had to ask one night while we were having our dinner. “You seemed to prepare for a war.” I was already growing to know his ways, and when he got himself in a heavy silence he was pondering on what to say to me and I wouldn’t get the whole truth out of him. “Your left eye is twitching…” I said, my eyes in slits. “Watch it, Vlad. I want the truth!”
“Liz, I rebuilt this castle because as you can see, it’s not big and it’s on top of this precipice, almost impossible to suffer an attack.” He stood up and extended his hand to me. “Come, I want to show you something.” I inspected him, a little suspicious of his intentions, and I put my hand in his, letting him lead me throughout the castle. We went downstairs, where they stored weapons, provisions, and other supplies, heading to the chapel and stopping at its darkest corner.
“Why are we here, Vlad?”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days. These walls can protect you. The castle is strategically built on this hill, but if they can’t, if something goes wrong, this is an escape route.”
“But…”
“There are no buts, Liz. Listen to me. If I don’t come back, just move these shelves, and it will open for you. Don’t wait for me or anything, come here and leave. Do you understand me?” Concern poured out of him when he embraced me and planted a kiss on my temple.
“You can’t ask me that. The same way you worry about me, I do about you. It goes both ways. Why is it so hard for you to understand?” I tightened my hold on him. I didn’t want him to go, and I didn’t know what to do.
***
Everything was too quiet. It was unnerving. My anxiety hit the roof, and I knew something was about to happen because everyone acted out of character. Fall was upon us. Dusk was coming quicker since the days shortened and today had been dull, just like my mood. I had hidden myself in his study, trying to read a book, but the story was too thin and didn’t hold my attention. Truth was, all the surrounding commotion didn’t let me focus on anything.
I heard frightened screams and cries coming from afar, then angry shouts and yells replaced them. The cling of metal hitting metal, blow after blow, and a few explosions made my stomach churn. A pang assaulted my heart and knocked the air out of my body when I realized what was happening. Those were the sounds of people engaged in a fight, and he was there in the middle of that crap.
What could I do? There was only one thing I could do at the moment. Pray. I ran downstairs to the chapel, and on my way there the smell of smoke hit my nostrils. The village was burning down. I lit up the place and fell to my knees in front of the altar. Tears streamed down my face. I just couldn’t control it, so I prayed. Bringing my hands together and bending my head down, I prayed for him. I prayed for his men, the enemies, and the villagers.
Why would people behave like that towards each other? Maybe that was a question I would never have an answer for. I don’t know for how long I stayed there, bent to the altar. The screams got worse, painful, agonizing ones resounding throughout the valley. I covered my ears with my hands, trying to muffle them. It didn’t work that much.
A mortifying silence followed through as heavy and fast footsteps came in my direction. My heart stopped in my throat and I covered my mouth to contain my scream when a shadow blocked the entrance. I was going to die. They killed him, and they were there for me.
“Dragă**?” It took a few seconds for the voice to sink into my mind. As a result, my body just collapsed as relief washed in waves over me. A sudden heaviness took my limbs and I couldn’t move when I recognized the man underneath all the cuts, scrapes, and blood.
“Vlad…” A violent sob escaped my chest, and he was onto me in a second, holding me in his rough and strong arms. I placed kisses all over his face, and once I got to his mouth, I kissed him, dark and heavy. I didn’t care how dirty he was, not even a bit. He was alive and well, and that was enough for me. Another sob escaped my lips while kissing him.
“It’s ok, Liz. It’s over,” he assured, getting me from the floor bridal style and carrying me upstairs. I was so shaken by fear and sudden anger filled my soul. I knew something was cooking up, but not to this extreme, and he didn’t warn me. He left me in that freaking limbo!
“You can’t do that to me again. You can’t or I’ll kill you myself!” I was behaving like a whiny baby, but I was so emotionally exhausted I just didn’t care.
“I can’t promise you that, draga mea**! Fights, combats, and war have forged my life.” I notice the bite of regret in his voice.
“I’m not talking about that! Trust me, tell me how bad things are going to turn before they happen, Vlad.” When he put me on the bed I saw him wince, and I forgot all about my pitiful tantrum, as I went to him and brought him to lie down. “You’re hurt!” I assessed the injuries.
“Liana! Liana!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“I’m fine, woman! It’s not all that! It’s just battle wounds.” he dismissed me.
“Yes, Lady?”
“Please, bring me fresh water, rags, soap, and healing herbs. Hurry!” As soon as she saw the urgency in my eyes, she ran out of the room.
The smell of blood and dirt stalled the air. I was so desperate to find the wound or wounds I just didn’t have the patience to take him out of his clothes; I grabbed the knife from his scabbard and ripped the clothes to shreds. Not that it would make any difference. Then I found an inch deep cut on his right shoulder and another deeper on his ribs, not to mention all the minor cuts on his arms and face.
“Vlad, these are not small wounds!” I said to him, “Your face is a mess.” Liana knocked at the door, letting me know she had prepared what I asked for. I thanked her and took everything close to the bed. I tried to clean his face with some soap and wet cloth. When I was about to take care of his beard, he gripped my wrist.
“Don’t mess with my beard, woman! You’ll get yourself in trouble if you do it.” And I saw what seemed to be a slight smile playing on his lips, but his eyes turned glassy because of the pain from his battered body. I shook my head. Who would imagine he was so fond of that mess on his face? “How am I gonna address the cuts?” I chuckled at him, but he gave me a serious look. “Ok, fine. I won’t touch it.”
“You’re beautiful when you laugh.” He drawled, as he couldn’t leave his eyes open anymore.
“I say the same about you.” He stared at me with wonder in his eyes before he slipped into unconsciousness. Even though I promised not to touch it, that mess on his face needed a trim. After that I got busy working on his wounds. I’d deal with his wrath later.

**Draga mea = My precious. My beautiful / Dragă = dear, love, beautiful. Terms of endearment in Romanian (for women).