Of Princes and Dragons: Book 2 (Lords and Commoners)

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  “You made me lose my place,” she snapped.

  “Vampires are not easy to scare, yet I managed to make you jumped ten feet.” He laughed again. “I can’t believe I can still scare you. It is nice to know some things never change.”

  Val could not help smiling. “Well, I was enthralled in my book. I was reading one of my favorite volumes of Princess Anna’s works. She wrote mostly of her father’s reign. That was almost four hundred years ago. It was even before our time,” Val mused.

  “Indeed, it sounds like a page-turner. The description alone bores me.”

  “This is about a very important time in Roman history. Princess Anna lived during the height of our empire.”

  Teller proceeded to quote Anna’s work, word for word, “Such were the words of the Golden Bull. Men may perhaps marvel that my father, the Emperor, should have shown so much honor to his mother and handed over everything to her, whilst he himself, so to speak, took his hands off the reins of government whilst she metaphorically drove the chariot of state; he only ran alongside and merely shared with her the title of ruler.”

  Val spoke the last words along with him. “You do know her work. You were fooling me — again.”

  “I know every word by heart. And now her empire is dead, our empire, lost forever.” There was a bitterness in his voice. “I should have intervened and stopped Mehmed from taking the city. At that time I was unhappy with the leaders of Constantinople.”

  “Constantinople lives in books such as these.”

  “That is not good enough.”

  “I know.” It was barely good enough for Vallachia. Part of her held onto that secret dream — Teller and her as Emperor and Empress of Constantinople — restoring the Roman Empire. She shook her head, another lifetime perhaps.

  Teller sat down in Elijah’s chair next to her. He leaned back and looked up at the stars. “I want to thank you.”

  Val furrowed her brow. “For what?” Why on earth would he thank me?

  “My life has gotten better since you found me. You saved me.”

  “No, I did not. I gave up on you.” Admitting this caused pain to form in her chest. She tried to rub it away. I should not have abandoned him when he needed me the most — either time — after he killed my father or after we found him in Wallachia.

  “Since Mary and Samuel taught me how to feed without killing, I feel as if I am becoming more like myself.”

  “Then they are the ones you should thank. Not me. I have a theory about that. When we do not have to kill anymore we can regain our humanity. I have seen it happen many times. Riddick is a good example. I’m glad you have found yourself.”

  “Your friends are splendid. I’m glad you are surrounded by people who care about you.”

  Val smiled. “My friends are wonderful. We have always been there for each other.”

  Teller frowned. “I’m sorry that I was not there for you all those years.”

  “No, I am sorry I deserted you. I regret it every day,” Val said.

  Teller smiled. A glimmer of hope shone in his eyes. Val was speaking openly with him. She had let her wall down. He reached for her hand but she moved away.

  “Don’t push your luck,” she said.

  “It feels so good. How do you resist?”

  “I have to.”

  “I know. You are stronger than I.” He looked up at the stars. “This life is really amazing, is it not?”

  Val followed his gaze. “Yes, it is. You know ... it is good to have you in our lives.”

  Teller’s smile was radiant. Val was glad she was sitting down because her knees felt weak.

  “I ... should go ... find Elijah.” He was the only thing that could clear her head and keep her out of trouble. She worried her legs might falter but she made herself stand.

  Teller’s knowing smile said, “You will be mine — someday.”

  He truly is arrogant. Where is my wall? Val glared at him. “You will do well to be careful. You know what the penalty for adultery is in a royal court.”

  Teller nodded to indicate he knew full well the consequences. “That is why I will have to convince you to run away with me. But for now I will settle for being friends.”

  Val shook her head with disapproval and left to find her husband.

  Queens in the West as well as empresses in the East would be put to death if they were caught being unfaithful. Of course, this was unfair as a king often had a long line of mistresses.

  While the world of vampires was more relaxed in their social norms, they were still a product of their culture. Vampires were more lenient, as there were no offspring. A vampire man did not have to worry about whether or not he was the father of his wife’s children.

  Val did not want to find out what her father-in-law would do if she were unfaithful. She assumed that he would not be merciful. The lord had already tried to kill Teller and that was long before she was married to the lord’s son. More importantly, Val would not hurt Elijah. She was determined to be the faithful wife he deserved. Of course, she also had no intention of leaving her friends in order to run away with Teller. Her companions were her only family — her life.

  Chapter 75 Copenhagen 1500 A.D

  Elijah handed Vallachia a small leather-bound book. His expression was stern and the storm raged in his eyes.

  “What is this?” Val asked, even though she was certain she did not want to know the answer.

  He nodded toward the book, so she took it and read the title, The Story of a Bloodthirsty Madman Called Dracula of Wallachia.

  “This is circulating all over Europe, thanks to the printing press. You should read it. Teller may not be who you think he is.”

  Val’s stomach turned before she even began reading. She did not move so much as a hair until she had finished the tales of Teller’s past. It was not long before she slammed the book shut. She rubbed her stomach as its contents threatened to come up. This can’t be true. I must find out! She stood with determination and leapt off her balcony taking flight for Venice. In her state of dismay, she did not stop to tell anyone where she was going. Elijah would not want her to travel alone, for her own protection. She did not care. She had to speak with Teller immediately and by herself.

  Within the hour she landed at the entrance to his palace in Venice. The guards swiftly stepped aside and opened the tall doors for her. They knew full well who she was. She stormed past them without so much as a word.

  “What is this!” Vallachia demanded as she barged into Teller’s chambers unannounced.

  Teller had been sitting at his desk poring over some parchments. She threw the small book on top of the papers.

  He laughed. “I have read it. It is entertaining and comical.”

  “Comical! There is nothing funny about this horrid book.”

  “It is comical that someone had the imagination to create such outrageous stories.”

  Vallachia’s eyes had been full of anger but that gave way as a tear rolled down her cheek. Her anger he could handle but the pain in her bright blue eyes was unbearable. “Val. Please do not believe this rubbish. It is full of lies, well mostly. It was made up by a poet with an overactive and rather sick imagination.”

  “Why would someone write such horrible things about you?”

  “It started when the cowardly King Mathias of Hungary had this published and began circulating the stories in order to make me look bad. You see, when I took on the Ottoman Empire with only my small army, praise was sung for me from the Knights of Rhodes to the Pope in Rome and beyond. The useless King of Hungary was all too happy to take large sums of money from the pope to fund another crusade, one that would never come. You see, Mathias needed the money to buy his crown — quite literally the crown of St. Stephen — and therefore be seen as a legitimate ruler. With the pope singing my praise this put great pressure on Mathias. He had to do something, so he had me labeled as a traitor and slandered my name with this bollock. All this did not matter in the end as I had already stepped
down from the Wallachian throne.”

  Val’s eyes searched Teller’s. She was desperate to see the truth. She folded her arms across her chest.

  “Val, you must believe me. I have done horrible things, you know this. I would never lie to you. But the senseless acts in this book are ridiculous. One cannot believe everything they read.”

  “True enough. Which parts did happen?”

  Teller picked up the small book and flipped through the pages. “Well, the bit about the beggars. Only my men fed from them, I did not burn them alive.”

  Her eyes were filling with moisture.

  “Look, this is not important. Please know that this is a load of shit and that I am no longer Vlad. I’m Teller ... again. I implore you to understand that.”

  He moved around the desk and tried to take her hands. She pulled away. Every time she did that, pain formed in his chest. If only she would let me touch her, I could win her back. Of course, she knows this, which is why she tries so hard to stay away.

  “And the concubine, cutting the baby from her womb?” Val’s voice was barely audible.

  “No! I would never ... Well, I might have, if Sergiu had not stopped me. He sat down on the desk and put his head in his hands. It was an attempt to cover the pain, the guilt and the confusion that overwhelmed him. Would I truly have killed Jusztina and her unborn baby — my precious little boy? Undoubtedly, I would have.

  “I don’t know what is wrong with me,” Teller whispered. “I have an anger inside that takes control. Maybe it is simply the way I am. I’m like my father and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Only Sergiu Pasha could reason with me when I lost my senses. My father could inflict damage when he was enraged but when the fury takes me, people end up dead. You are right. I have done unforgivable things. Maybe not those terrible things.” He pointed to the book. “But terrible things nonetheless.”

  It took a long moment for him to find the courage to look at Val. He expected her to be utterly disgusted — judging his past sins.

  Her eyes were no longer angry or full of pain. Only compassion and love could be found as she silently watched him. This made Teller feel all the worse. He would never deserve someone so perfect. How can she forgive me so quickly?

  Val wanted to put her arms around him but refrained. Instead she placed a hand on his shoulder and gently rubbed, as Sergiu used to do. This, along with her powerful touch was more than Teller could handle. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. He buried his head in her soft stomach and let the tears fall. He had never fully mourned for Sergiu, for all the dead at his hand, for ... everything. It felt miraculous, as if a heavy burden was slowly vanishing.

  Val rubbed her fingers through his hair. Teller was relieved and grateful that she finally let him hold her. In that moment he needed her more than anything in the world. Life appeared clearer. Hundreds of concubines could never have taken Vallachia’s place — she was the one he needed. This was the start of letting go of the past and fully healing.

  As his tears slowed, a vision of two children appeared in his mind’s eye. There stood a boy and a girl. They had olive skin and Teller’s dark hair. Yet they had crystal-blue eyes and a strong jaw like their would-be mother’s — Vallachia’s. Children that were meant to be born but would never come to be. These wonderfully beautiful souls had nothing else to do, except haunt their father.

  For what seemed like a long time Teller enjoyed Val’s loving touch and the sight of their children. When she pulled away, she sat next to him on the desk. He picked up the idiotic book. “They did get one thing right — the bloodthirsty bit.”

  Val chuckled and snatched the book from him. She threw it across the room. It landed in the fireplace. Moving swiftly she followed it and lit the book on fire. She returned to his side and they watched the book burn.

  Val took Teller’s hand and turned it over to examine his wrist. She ran her finger across the numerous white marks that remained. Both of his wrists were nothing but scars. Her soft touch over the pale skin sent an extra shock through him.

  “How many of us have you created?” she asked.

  “There is no way to be certain, upwards of a hundred, I suppose. Not all the men I turned worked out in my army. We killed the ones who could not control their thirst and yet others who chose not to follow me.”

  “The past is done. We must look only to the future.” She smiled and her sky-blue eyes sparkled.

  He wanted to put his arm around her again but feared she would reject him.

  “I suppose I am paying the ultimate price. I lost the two most important people in the world, you and my pasha.”

  “Pasha? You are referring to Sergiu and you mean he was like a father to you?”

  “Pasha is a title of respect like a ... ” he searched for the Greek or even Latin words but all that came to mind was, “Grand Vizier.”

  Val shook her head still not understanding.

  He had to hunt harder for a translation. “A Vizier is a ... most trusted advisor. He was the wisest amongst us.”

  She nodded. “Tell me about him. What was he like?”

  “You would have loved him ...

  Chapter 76 Holy Roman Empire 1551 A.D

  “It is time. I have seen it. Their leader is sure to fall if we attack now,” Elda said.

  “You are certain of this, my darling? Chastellain’s reign will finally end?” Ramdasha replied.

  “Since becoming a vampire my visions are much more powerful. Still at times, they are vague and they can change. Yet at other times, they are clear as a virgin mountain lake. And this is one of the most vivid visions I have experienced. We are finally strong enough. If we attack now, their forces will be diminished and their leader will die in battle.”

  Elda was in her woolgathering trance, the one where she was seeing things that others could not. Ramdasha fully trusted her. He had witnessed the power of her sight first hand. With her powers she had managed to keep them hidden from the Court all this time.

  “Surely this will allow me to take over,” Ramdasha said.

  With a triumphant nod and a vengeful glimmer in her honey-colored eyes, Elda issued her lovely dimpled smile to her beloved husband.

  The High Court of Elders was beginning to think that Ramdasha would never have the courage to meet them in an all-out battle. That was, until Ramdasha sent three emissaries to deliver a letter to Lord Chastellain. The messengers handed the sealed scroll to a palace guard at the front gates and quickly fled. The Lord summoned Elijah, Vallachia, Riddick and Samuel to the Great Hall. John was already there, of course, waiting to fulfill any order the lord may have. Chastellain broke the dark green wax seal, which had been pressed with the symbol of a tarantula. He read the message aloud. ...

  It is time we settled our differences once and for all. In order to determine who is best suited to rule the world of vampires, I challenge the Court to meet me in combat. There is a large meadow to the northeast of Mount Blanc, which is isolated and should suffice for a battlefield. Dusk on January 15th 1551 will be the date.

  Lord Ramdasha, the rightful king of vampires

  Lord Chastellain’s face had gone red by the time he finished. Val looked to Elijah who returned her concerned gaze. She moved in close and laid her head on her husband’s shoulder.

  There would be a war — a war that would best any human war — and they would have to be on the front line. This was what they had trained for. Now that war was certain to come, it seemed frightful. It would not be like training.

  “No! We will meet him in battle but ... on our terms,” the lord declared.

  Val had seen him angry many times but he was beyond that. He crushed the parchment. Val wondered if it would disintegrate under the immense pressure. It was a good thing for Ramdasha that he was not present. Lord Chastellain could have killed Ramdasha with his enraged stare.

  “How will we get a message to him with our terms for battle?” Val ventured. Let the power struggle begin. Chastellain and R
amdasha will argue over when and where the battle should take place — if we can manage to get a message to him.

  A wide-eyed panic flashed across the lord’s face as he realized replying to the message would be tricky. They did not know where Ramdasha was. That had been the problem all along. “Riddick, take the closest guards and track the messengers down. Bring them to me alive!”

  Riddick disappeared in a blur before Chastellain had finished.

  Samuel was brave enough to fill the silence that followed Riddick’s departure. “Ramdasha has the nerve to make war sound as if it is his idea. We have been calling for him to face us head on for centuries. We even left some of his men alive so they could deliver the message.”

  “The fifteenth day of January is almost upon us — it is less than two days away. We need more time to prepare,” Elijah said.

  “That is, no doubt, why he set the date so near. The less prepared we are, the better for him. We must have more time to gather some of our remote allies,” Val added.

  “We will not play his game!” the lord said. “We will go to war on our terms. If he wants a fight two nights from now then he will have to come to us. We are prepared for that. Our armies would annihilate them on our own lands.”

  “That is why he has not attacked this castle and I would wager that he would not be that stupid. He is, unfortunately, cunning,” Samuel said.

  “At least he has finally answered our calls to war. We cannot miss this opportunity to end this. If we have no other choice then we must fight him on his terms,” John said.

  Vallachia was fond of the idea of getting it over with, rather than dragging it out. They had been waiting a long time for this. It was overdue. On the other hand, the enemy would be more prepared and she did not fancy the idea of them having that advantage. There was most likely a good reason why Ramdasha had chosen that meadow. “Surely he has a plan that will give him the upper hand.”