“How did you do?”
“Mrs Borkereskedő bought so much it allowed me to make a small dent in the tavern debt and I even bought some milk and bread.”
“That’s wonderful dear.” Her mother smiled and kissed her forehead and then they both went indoors. The leeks were big and hearty, and she would get good money for them tomorrow, though she was sure he would find something to mock.
One late afternoon after chopping wood for their fire, Kati and her mother were sitting in the front of the house during a brief moment of rest. She loved to play with Kati’s hair, which was straight as needles, and braid it tightly before securing it up in a loop behind the ears. She would say it was to make sure that Kati kept tidy and looked presentable even while she worked but Kati knew that she cherished the few moments they had together when neither of them had anything to do.
Katalina was tall and graceful for her age. Her skin was pale and her eyes were a greyish blue and in the summer freckles peppered her skin. The hair that her mother loved so much was a most unusual auburn, not quite brown and not quite red but with coppery hues that showed best in the sunlight. Tucking a few loose strands into the rest of the braid her mother gazed upwards. The sky was grey and filled with pregnant clouds. The sun hadn't been seen in several hours. “I think we best start thinking of going inside, those clouds mean business,” she said, pulling her shawl over her shoulders and doing the same for her daughter.
At first they didn’t hear the footsteps in the gravel, which was odd because it was always clearly audible when someone approached the house. The gravel had in fact been laid by Kati’s father so he had some warning when someone was coming in order to get out via the back of the house and observe from the forest whether they were there for a good reason or whether they wanted money, which was most often the case. She was almost right in front of them before they noticed her and when they spotted the dark figure in the pathway they were slightly taken aback. They immediately rose to their feet and dropped their heads out of respect.
The only way Kati could describe how she looked was divine. She was so beautiful and so authoritative it was frightening. She stood extremely straight and wore a green velvet bodice and a skirt so dark it appeared black, over a white linen chemise which puffed at the sleeves. The bodice was neatly laced with golden rope at the front and the skirt was delicately embroidered at the base with flowers of gold, silver and red thread and on the front of it hung a fine lace apron, nothing like their rough, torn and heavily soiled ones. Her forehead was large and impressive and her hair hid underneath a white bonnet which was also beautifully and richly embroidered with flowers and vines. Her eyes were such a deep black that Kati could not distinguish the pupil from the iris.
She casually approached the two women and when she spoke Kati could not believe she was being addressed by Countess Erzsébet Báthory herself.
“Please, please, do not be afraid.” Her voice was rich and melodic. They raised their heads and smiled shyly at her.
“What can we do for you, Your Grace?” Asked Kati’s mother.
“I have come to employ your daughter; I am in urgent need of good staff as there has been an outbreak of cholera in the castle and I have lost a great deal of valuable girls. I am completely heartbroken. You spend your life educating these girls and teaching them the joys of work and suddenly God takes them from you so cruelly.” She spoke all the right words, but her tone lacked warmth.
Kati’s mother gripped her daughter’s shoulders as she stood behind her and she could feel the concern in her entire body as it stiffened. “Do not be alarmed however. I believe the malady to have expiated by now. It’s at its worst in the summer and ever since the cooler nights have come we have noticed no one else become unwell. I promise that if by next summer we notice more malady, I will close the castle and move to colder climes with the staff until it dissipates once again.” Kati laughed a little inside at this as she knew it would be of no comfort to her mother. “Also, a group of girls from several noble families are arriving at the castle shortly, to benefit from my tutelage, and I need more staff in order to care for them. The cholera outbreak has left me with too few to be able to proceed with this venture.” She approached the two women and looked at Kati closely, caressing her cheek.
“Such a pretty young thing. Wouldn’t you love to come to my castle and help with these girls Katalina? A little class might even rub off on you and you might learn a thing or two as well,” she said smiling at them. “The pay is twenty five forints a year,” continued the Countess, at which announcement Kati’s heart stopped. That was more money than both she and her mother could expect to make in five years and it would quickly settle her father’s remaining debts, leaving enough to buy some cattle.
“The work is hard and the hours long, but I compensate all my staff well and in time a good match with a boy might be arranged for her.”
Even with her crush on the baker’s boy a match was not something she had considered but she knew it was important to her mother. As for the hours, most of her time was already filled with work and there was never any financial guarantee. To have the prospect of a salary paid for a year was beyond fortunate and she couldn't believe her luck.
“I will be over here while you discuss it, but please do not take too long, I must get back,” the Countess announced as she walked a few paces up the stone walk as quietly as she had arrived.
Kati turned to look at her mother full of expectation and saw fear in her eyes. “I know it sounds ideal, child, but usually when something is too good to be true, it is.”
“But we’ll finally be free, Mother, all the debtors will be gone, we can buy some animals, a loom even! Think about it. I will be out of your way so you won’t have to worry about me and I’ll send you money every month and I’ll come see you every chance I get. It’s not too far away, only a few hours' walk.”
“Only the Lord can set you free, child, no one else. Do not for a moment think that working for a woman like that will be any easier than living as we do now, and I’ve heard whispers in the village that ungodly things are happening in that castle. Have you not wondered why she came here all by herself to tell us? The nobility have staff for these things.”
“Maybe she thought that we might be convinced more easily if she came herself. The Countess, Mama, in person, in our front yard!”
“Oh put your eyes back in your head, child! You can go if you really wish to but be careful for the love of God, I beg of you. And if something happens which you deem to be untoward promise you’ll return to me at once and not be concerned with what the Countess will say. Do you understand me?”
“Yes Mother, I understand and I promise I’ll have eyes in the back of my head!” And with that she ran inside, collected a few of her things in an old pillow case, embraced her mother who would not let her go, and ran towards the Countess who was already walking up the path to her carriage.
The door was opened by the driver, Erzsébet got in and he closed it behind her. He indicated to Kati that she would be sitting next to him at the front so she climbed up. It was the first time she had ever been on a carriage and her excitement was unrestrained.
As they drove off she turned to look at her waving mother, thinking of her tight and unrelenting embrace but brushed it off out of sheer anticipation. She’s just being overprotective, she thought to herself.
The carriage set off, slowly building pace the further it got from the house. The cold winter air hit her face with force and made her skin and nose tingle. She felt a snowflake land on her eyelid and immediately thought of the vegetables. She hoped her mother would remember to protect them in the event of snow. The carrots had been left too long in the ground, hence their feeble composition. This winter had thankfully not been too harsh and had not hurt their crops too much. Existence was precarious in these woods for all the residents.
A woman with an empty basket stood at the side of the road looking at the carriage as it drove by. Her feet and
the base of her dress were awash with mud. She pulled the scarf a little tighter over her head revealing a tuft of snow white hair, which she hastily tucked under the brown cloth. Her eyes bore into the carriage as she desperately hoped to get a glimpse of this Báthory woman who ruled the area. She regarded Katalina with curiosity sitting up there with the silent driver. They passed her quickly. The gravelly road underneath the carriage made for a bumpy drive. Two boys a little further down waited for the carriage to safely pass before crouching down to pick up stones and hurl them at it as the gap widened. The driver brought it to a slow trot and in an instant they disappeared into the trees adjacent to the road, their fading giggles mixing with the sound of their running feet through the undergrowth. Facing forward again she saw the grey landscape widen ahead of them. All around, huts with smoking chimneys sparsely dotted the fields near the woods with small patches of winter vegetables in their gardens. Crows sat on fences mocking the feeble scares built to guard the gardens against them. A mule grazed on the balding grass.
The journey felt very long and Kati’s anticipation was hard to hide. She eagerly surveyed the landscape from her high vantage point and couldn’t believe everything she was experiencing. She knew the area well and even though she had never had reason to come this close to the castle, she knew exactly where it was.
Before long the hill it stood upon revealed itself in the distance amid the thick coniferous forest which surrounded it, giving the impression of holding the castle aloft its high perch on a bed of green. The enormous three hundred and fifty year old white stone fortress stood proud on the tip where no one could miss it, the residence tower visible for miles. Built in approximately 1250 as a sentry point, it had changed hands a few times before ending up with the Nádasdy family. It appeared to be so high up that on an overcast day the clouds surrounded it and hid it from the sun like a numinous shield. Approaching the protective walls, they passed the arched entrance which was promptly sealed behind them and the carriage came to a stop outside the main building where another large wooden door faced them. The sun had almost set. The driver got off and opened the door for the Countess who immediately stepped out looking refreshed, taking a deep breath like one does in the morning just before they get out of bed. The courtyard was empty save for a few dogs that walked around lazily. Kati expected it to be bustling with people but instead it was deserted with the exception of a servant. The girl came out of the building and helped the Countess out of her cloak. In the exchange the shoulder of her dress had shifted exposing the skin and revealing a faint but peculiar shaped scar on the top of her right shoulder made up of lines and twirls. The Countess quickly rearranged her dress and it was hidden.
The main entrance towered in front on the diminutive girl who gazed at it mesmerized by its magnitude until her eyes stopped at the Nádasdy coat of arms just above it. Count Nádasdy, the Countess’s husband, had died a few years previously.
“Impressive isn’t it?” The Countess asked amused.
Kati simply nodded, remembering herself and feeling quite overwhelmed.
“Come along,” Báthory commanded and headed off.
Instead of entering the building, Kati was disappointed to see that they were going around it. The Countess’s brisk steps echoed around the courtyard and Kati followed her trying to keep up the pace. Reaching a barn near the back walls of the castle which appeared to be under renovation, the Countess led Kati inside the large hall with a tall ceiling supported by vaulted beams. The space had recently been reworked, which was evident by the smell of damp mortar and freshly waxed wood and was even fitted with a large fireplace at each end. It was a basic structure but it was sturdy and impressive to the young girl who had never seen anything this big before. Even their village church was smaller. The floor was lined with about ten wooden bunks placed in neat rows, all with trunks to their feet and a small chest of drawers to their right.
“Clean this,” commanded the Countess.
“All of it?” Enquired Kati, before receiving a slap across the face.
“That tone of voice will not be used in my presence, young lady. Do you understand?” Kati felt her eyes well up and patting her sore cheek she mumbled, “Yes mistress,” without looking up, ashamed the Countess would see her cry.
“That’s much better. You’ll soon learn how to behave according to your rank,” announced the Countess in a calmer tone. “You will sweep the floor, polish the windows, make the beds, perfectly,” she stressed the word by opening her eyes wide, “and stock the fireplaces with wood. Everything you need is in the store room outside, and when you are done you will stay here and wait for me. You will go nowhere and you will speak to no one. Understood?”
“Yes mistress, I will do exactly as you say.”
“Excellent!” And with that the Countess left Kati in the barn feeling overwhelmed by her first task. Any new beginning is hard, she thought, trying to console herself, coming down from the initial excitement of arriving at the castle. I have come here to work after all.
Starting by carrying in the wood for the fireplace so that she wouldn’t soil the floor by doing it last, she then proceeded to clean the windows, a rather difficult task when using only cold water from the well outside and one which took her twice as long as it would normally have done. Sweeping the floor next she left the beds for last. It was well into the night when she was finally done so she curled up on one of the made beds and waited for the Countess to return.
The sound of the heels on the cobbles was unmistakable causing Kati to wake and sit up on the bed. In her sleepy haze she looked around to make sure that nothing had been forgotten and using her palm she swiftly ironed out the creases she had made on the bed. Looking out the window she saw the night sky had taken a purplish haze which meant dawn would soon follow.
The Countess marched into the room with the same urgency she had about herself earlier and proceeded to examine Kati’s work very closely. The windows were inspected, the floors checked for dust, the beds tested for any loose corners and coming up with no flaws the Countess appeared satisfied with the girl's work.
“You’ve done well for your first night here, Katalina.”
Kati wondered if the Countess was equally exacting of everyone’s work here and whether she went about checking everything so thoroughly, but didn’t dare ask. Right now she was happy enough to have done the work to a satisfying level and to have pleased her new mistress.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” replied Kati keeping her gaze on the ground.
“You must be very tired; I think it’s time you went to bed.”
“Yes mistress,” agreed Kati, who had never spent the majority of the night cleaning before.
Three
Kati’s room was in the castle but isolated from the main living quarters. The wing she was in was large but it seemed as if no one ever came here. Cobwebs adorned the ceilings and dust speckled the floors. To her relief she saw that her room, though small and stark, had the essentials, and it was clean, unlike the rest of the section. It contained a comfortable bed, a chest of drawers, two chairs, a functioning fireplace and a large window facing the barn. She was so tired she didn’t think much of anything and just crawled into bed. All the changes she had experienced during this last day, however, were making it difficult for her to go to sleep, though her body longed for her to do so. She wondered why she had had to prepare the room through the night when no one had arrived to occupy it and when she would be expected to wake up if she slept through the day. When sleep finally came it was shallow and peppered with dreams of fear and uncertainty, but she tried to ignore them and think of home and her mother in order to calm down.
By midday she couldn’t sleep any longer and got out of bed. The clothes she had been wearing the day before were dirty from cleaning so she was pleased to find a dress which fit relatively well inside the chest of drawers. Wanting to wash her own one she decided to go to the barn to get some soap and use the water from the well. Except for the dogs f
rom the previous day, the yard was as quiet as it had been when she came to the castle and the barn was still unoccupied. Maybe she’s given her servants some time off to go see their families, she thought to herself. I hope they didn’t all get sick like she said.
She washed and hung her dress out to dry. The weather was drab and the sky was grey and uninspiring. The sun was nowhere to be seen so the time could’ve been anything between noon and vespers. She had no way to tell. The water from her drying dress flowed downwards and dripped on the cobbled stones forming a small puddle. A disheveled grey kitten with massive golden eyes popped up from out of nowhere and began lapping at the water before it vanished into the soil between the stones.
“Are you thirsty little guy?” Asked Kati scratching him behind his ears. Putting some more water in the palm of her hand she offered it to the kitten who, though slightly hesitant at first, began lapping it up greedily. I bet you're hungry too. So am I, but I’ve no idea where the kitchen is and whether I should go there, she thought. After playing with the kitten for a bit she decided to go back inside, in case the Countess didn’t want her outside on her own, and maybe try to find some food.
Bathory's Secret: When All The Time In The World Is Not Enough (Affliction Vampires Book 1) Page 2