The Bathory Curse

by Renee Lake

  “Are you going to make me Strigoi?” His next question was harder for her to answer.

  “I would like to. Bendis has foreseen your future, and within the next few years you will contract a disease that will kill you. She cannot save you. She told me you will die a painful death; I could not have that for you.”

  “I would only have physical form at night? No chance for a life, a relationship?” Mihail took a step back, he didn’t know what to do.

  “It depends; Stregas have been known to fall in love with Strigoi, and you could love another Strigoi. All mine seem to live fulfilling lives, they enjoy their work. You will meet them.” Nea hated telling him. She wished he had been destined to live a full life.

  “Please don’t worry Mihail, everything is at it seems, I too had many doubts when the Goddess called me to her favor. Take this leap of faith for me. What have you to lose?” Nea knew how he was feeling, mistrust and reluctance to believe.

  “I would eat emotions and feed them to you, live forever.” His voice sounded hollow, but she was right, what did he have to lose?

  “It’s not as bad as that. Our culture is rich, it is not lonely. You can still paint, be a part of the world.” Nea didn’t want him to think he would be some shadow, spending eternity slinking through the darkness.

  Her son gazed at her, pondering this new woman who was his old mother. Taking a deep breath he nodded, “do it now.”

  “Mihail it does not have to be now, we can wait a year or two.”

  “No, now. Why delay, when we know it is coming? I don’t want to get sick and die. Bendis is not a Goddess of fate, who knows what could happen while we wait?”

  “Alright,” She placed her hands on either side of his head, frigid wind whipped around them, as she pushed her magic into him. Heightened emotions, bright colors looming and zooming as she changed his cells, his genes, and every ounce of what made him human. He became pliable in her hands, smoke and shadows, yet still flesh and blood. She molded him, yet keeping him the same, holding onto his personality and soul, deep within her breast, until finally a Strigoi stood in front of her. Nothing about him had changed on the outside, only on the inside did Mihail feel different, stronger, powerful, better.

  As she embraced her son, neither of them realized they were being observed from down below, outside, in shade of the trees, something hovered over frozen tundra…and watched.

  Chapter 4

  1555

  It was like a ringing in her system, a warning sign of things to come. Nea stopped what she was doing, cocked her head to the side and just went silent.

  “Ach, not another awful Bathory girl with her curse triggering?” Sabine asked. She was lounging on a sofa not far from where Nea sat reading. Mihail was painting Sabine, the two of them got along well, she told him he reminded her of a brother she had long ago.

  Sabine had to give up another lover recently, and like always was nursing her wounds while staying at Nea’s. Bendis had brought her a dress from the year 2001, really just a scrap of white fabric and deep blue lace. Sabine said that Bendis didn’t play favorites, but Nea thought the Goddess had a soft spot for Sabine. Every time Sabine suffered heartbreak the Goddess brought her a dress and Sabine demanded her favorite painter do a new portrait.

  When the tradition had first started Nea had asked her what the point was of Mihail doing paintings if no one could see most of them for centuries. In true Sabine fashion she had answered,

  “Lesson 24, it’s the memories that keep you sane. Write in a diary, have your son draw you, draw yourself….write a song….does not matter, just keep the memories.” After that, Nea had started sketching everything and writing little stories to go with them.

  Nea put her book down and focused on her best friend, trying not to feel annoyed at being interrupted by her quest. A quest she still wasn’t 100% sure about. So far she knew that if a Bathory female reached puberty the curse activated, eventually, and drove her insane. She didn’t know who had cast it or why. She just knew she had to stop it.

  “Anna, yes, she turned 16 this year, so far she has been normal, when I check up on her she seems thoughtful and happy, though I know her parents were talking about having her betrothed to one of the Voivodes of Transylvania” Nea stood up, it was time. Anna’s parents had not made this easy on Nea, Anna had already outlived three sisters, two of which had died, and one fell prey to the curse.

  “Ugh, use plain language, just call them what they really are, a glorified warlord…I miss Scotia.” Sabine sneered.

  “It’s a respected title. More revered than Hospodar, Voivode is more of a …Prince.” Mihail defended, since most of the men in his family had held one or both titles.

  “Again, fancy word for War Lord.” Sabine snickered, “at least one thing never changes, in Scotia, Warlords come and go…you can be leader of a clan one minute and thrown over the next.”

  “This is very true, Vlad ruled more than once; I hope the future does not hold quite as much blood shed.” Nea sighed.

  “Back to the subject on hand.” Mihail said, he didn’t like to think of his father and didn’t like the sad gaze it brought to his mother’s eyes.

  “Yes, Anna…hopefully this time will be different.”

  “So you’ll be going again then?” Sabine rolled her eyes.

  “You know it is my task. Will you stay and keep an eye on Mihail and the house until I can get back?”

  “I do not need a baby sitter, I am a grown man.” Mihail sniffed. Nea looked at him and couldn’t help but laugh. He had paint in his hair and on his clothes. He was never gone from her longer than a week or two and she had grown accustomed to having him at the castle.

  “Sometimes I forget my darling. Something has been slinking around the house these past few years, always outside my vision, but I worry when I leave it will take up residence.”

  “It did not dare when I left for Beth.” Sabine pointed out. Elizabeth, or Beth, Bathory had been born in 1520; her painting now resided in the gallery. After poisoning half of her friends at a birthday party she had committed suicide at the age of twenty; leaving behind Anna to be raised alone by their parents.

  “It didn’t dare because you, Mihail and your current lover were here tending to things.” Nea laughed, “I wish I had been able to save Beth but it is difficult enough to deal with a normal girl who has been habitually raped by her father, let alone one of our line.”

  The girl’s father was one of the many Transylvanian Dukes, Nea wanted to kill him but it wasn’t allowed. Instead she had given him a mental command that any time he thought about touching any woman he got a sharp pain in his genitals. His wife and mistress had been happy about that. Nea had been masquerading as an older countess at the time and became a close friend of the family and had been privy to some gossip about what a bad lover The Duchy of Nyirbator actually was.

  “There has to be something mentally wrong with them, mother, why does Bendis think you came save them if they are all just crazy?” Mihail asked.

  “Something makes her think so, my mother and I are normal, she believes love and kindness might be the answer. Thankfully I can be young forever, so Anna has befriended me.” Nea left the room to pack so that she could go to the home she owned in Nyirbator, Hungary.

  She had been to that area of Hungary too many times in the passing years. Once in 1535 because of Clara Bathory who had been caught killing one of her children and eating their flesh. When questioned by her family as to why she had done it, her answer had simply been, “to see what it was like.” Nea had sent a Strigoi to kill her immediately afterwards. Her portrait was now in the gallery, and Beth’s had followed within five years.

  She visited there every year to watch Anna and she was able to integrate herself into the local society as her own daughter. In the last two years she and Anna had become best friends. Nea didn’t look much older than twenty and passed easily for younger when dressed properly.

  Nea was well known in courts all through
Wallachia, Transylvania, Moldavia and Hungary. If people got suspicious she simply disappeared and showed back up as her own sister, aunt, daughter, granddaughter etc… It was easy enough with paid servants, so much distance and an active rumor mill. Being part of each social scene helped her gather information and keep up the illusion of being a wealthy woman of society.

  Mihail helped her with her trunks, “are you sure you don’t want me to accompany you mother? Given how many of our men are being used in the Turkish military the roadways are not safe. Perhaps you should travel by magic.” Giving her a hand he helped her into the horse driven carriage. The night felt cold, the air burning in Nea’s lungs, snow crunching under their feet as silence filled the trees surrounding her home.

  “No, Mihail, stay and keep Sabine company. There is not much I worry about any longer, do not concern yourself, I will be home soon. If I need you I will call on you.”

  “How will you feed?” he asked, settling a thick blanket around her waist and shoulders.

  “I am sure Ruxandra will be more than accommodating,” she said, speaking of the Strigoi that stayed in her home in Hungary.

  “We have lost more in the last few years.” Mihail warned. Nea had created 19 Strigoi in the last 93 years, only ten remained.

  “Not all were as bright as you.” Nea touched a gloved hand to his face.

  “You should have changed Mihnea; he would have at least served loyally like I do.”

  “Mihnea had his own part to play in history, his own path and his own progeny; he would have resented it had I taken him from his life.” Nea leaned back, looking at her son affectionately.

  “He was assassinated in front of a church, his life had no meaning.” Mihail argued.

  “He was a cruel tyrant and chose his own path, he did give me three beautiful grandchildren, all who have gone on to do great things.” As she said it her thoughts flickered to Ruxandra her granddaughter; a beautiful, yet forgotten girl, the first girl child in a string of dominant men, and now a powerful Strigoi.

  “Did Bendis ever tell you why Ruxandra was spared the Bathory curse?” Mihail asked, setting a small box near his mother’s feet.

  “Yes. Your father’s bloodline is powerful, it dilutes the curse, we are playing with that idea as a way to end the curse. If we can breed Bathory women with stronger families it may fix things.”

  “What’s the problem then?” Mihail knew it couldn’t be that simple.

  “Bathory women tend to be attracted to weaker men, and pushing them into an unwelcome romantic entanglement ends badly. We have found that only certain magic works on them.” Her thoughts strayed toward her granddaughter again.

  “Also she might have just have been too far off from an actual Bathory for the curse to attach to her.” Nea hoped this was the more likely answer, since the other path seemed problematic.

  “Ruxandra was a good choice.” Mihail said, almost reading her mind.

  Nea smiled, she hadn’t been able to ignore the instinct to turn Ruxandra. Her grandsons had done so much better in life. Mircea had taken over after his father’s assassination, Milos had gone into the priesthood, but Ruxandra had been overlooked.

  Sabine had lectured Nea on turning more family, it hadn’t changed her decision. She had appeared to her solemn granddaughter, alone and almost a spinster at 20 and offered immortality. Ruxandra had gobbled it up. She wanted a life of her own, and so had not come back to live with Nea, choosing to stay in Hungary and keep an eye on Nea’s holdings there instead. Though sometimes she appeared out of nowhere; wanting company and a familial embrace.

  “Has Ruxandra noticed the dark shadow we all have?” Mihail said after barking an order to her driver.

  “She mentioned it the last time she visited. I cannot see it and Bendis is less than forthcoming with information.” Nea lit a small lamp so she wouldn’t have to travel the night in darkness, it was quite a journey to Hungary.

  “I will let you know if anything goes amiss here. Bright Blessing mother.” Mihail kissed her cheek and shut the door. Nea heard him speak softly to the coachman and the footman and then they were off, groaning Nea closed her eyes, she hated mortal transportation.

  The trip was boring and uneventful and she was only happy that they arrived just after dusk, Strigoi took on a ghostly appearance during the day and could not be out in the sun, she wanted to actually be able to touch her granddaughter.

  Her coachman helped her down and she stood for a few moments looking at the large house before her. The staff and Ruxandra managed to always keep it in such good condition. It wasn’t pretty like her castle, more of just a large stone building with huge wood doors and windows carved out, currently shuttered by thick wood to keep out the cold. Nea could see smoke rising from several chimneys and smell food cooking, her stomach growled.

  She watched for a moment as the coach and horses were taken away and went into the house, it was warm but not stuffy inside and she could smell the fireplace scent that always permeated the walls in winter. Her housekeeper, Valora, met her and she gave over her hooded cloak and gloves, and kept walking. She knew Ruxandra would be in the dining room, she didn’t care to eat with the staff. Strigoi didn’t have to eat real food, but many of them still enjoyed it.

  Ruxandra stood upon seeing Nea. Both women wore their hair similarly, braided and pinned back decorated, Ruxandra had pearls woven into her hair while Nea had chosen dried flowers that morning at the inn. Ruxandra wore a ruched gown in rose with gold lattice work, while Nea had on a traditional Tudor dress in black and blue.

  “Bunica!” Ruxandra exclaimed, using the familiar word for grandmother, she hugged her.

  “Ruxandra, it is so good to see you, you look well.” Nea squeezed her, they sat down to a meal of stew, bread and cheese with warm mulled wine. Nea observed her granddaughter, the girl had darker skin than Nea, her hair rich brown, favoring her mother. Her eyes though, they were all Mihnea, bright blue. Her features were handsome, rather than beautiful and her figure strong and sturdy, the result of growing up in Mihnea’s household, around warriors.

  “How are you?” Nea asked.

  “I am good, full to the brim with pride for you to gorge yourself on! Anna Bathory has already left a calling card for later this evening, I told her it would not be a problem, she seemed excited to see you, told me she had very much enjoyed your last letter.”

  “I haven’t been here in almost a year; I figured she would want to see me.” Nea nodded, she halted a servant as they walked by and instructed them to send a message that she would see Anna at once.

  “Don’t you get tired of pretending to be so young just to gain her trust?” Ruxandra asked, continuing to eat.

  “Sometimes, but it is what I have to do, we all have duties.” Nea ate heartily, knowing she would soon have a visitor.

  Once they were done Nea linked an arm with her granddaughter and they walked into the front parlor, which was the nicest room in which to receive guests.

  “Before that brat comes you should feed, Bunica.” Ruxandra presented her cheek to Nea who leaned over and pressed a dry kiss to her skin. It warmed quickly, Ruxandra made a hissing noise, like it stung a little, while the emotion transferred from her to Nea. It only took a minute and when Nea pulled away Ruxandra was a bit paler and Nea felt like she could pop from so much stored up emotion, it was almost a heady thing.

  “I think we should not go so long between feedings that was quite a lot.” Nea giggled, slapping a hand over her mouth in shock. She felt powerful, even more so than normal, a good reminder that feeding from her Strigoi was what fueled her own magic.

  “Emotion drunk are you? Well, hopefully that will just make you seem younger to Anna.” Ruxandra teased. They both heard the knocker of the front door and the murmured voices of people in the hallway. Anna Bathory came in at a quick pace. Her navy eyes lighted on Ruxandra and annoyance filled them, but when they tracked over to Nea there was worry and delight.

  “I will give you two some p
rivacy.” Ruxandra rolled her eyes and left.

  “Nea! It has been ten months since you were here last!” Anna rushed over and took her friends hands. Her dark blonde hair was in a deep orange snood, she wore a long bronze gown over a linen chemise that matched the veil.

  “I know. I’m sorry, but I don’t get away as often as I’d like to see my cousin, Mama wants me married by the summer.” Nea easily fell into the lie she had created.

  “Well you are 18 now, it’s time I guess,” Anna seemed depressed and they sat down.

  “What’s wrong?” Nea asked, “I’m here now, we have all winter season to do what we’d like”

  “No, we don’t. My parents have decided I am to be married well before the Winter Holidays.”

  “That is in less than a month!” Nea exclaimed, shocked, “To whom?”

  “To Gyorgy Bathory,” Anna huffed.

  “He is a Voivode of Transylvania and from a prominent branch of your family.” Nea nodded, approvingly, even though she knew he was 33, much older than Anna.

  “I know. He is rich and handsome, but I don’t feel like I can get married yet and I want a spring wedding.” Anna complained.

  “Then talk to your mother. I am sure plans can be changed. It will be exciting to help you with a wedding.” Nea tried to tease the girl.

  “No, it has to be now,” Anna murmured.

  “Why? What aren’t you telling me…I can keep a secret you know that.” Nea had a horrible feeling.

  “I am pregnant, at least three months.” Anna admitted.

  “What?” Nea felt tears well in her eyes. That was the ping she had felt. Anna’s realization she was pregnant, a girl becoming a woman. She would have to talk to Bendis about a more accurate warning system.

  “During the Fall Feast, I had too much to drink in celebration of Gyorgy proposing. He and I danced, then he kissed me. Before I knew it we were in the barn with him rutting on top of me,” she admitted, shame filling her cheeks with pink.

  “Did he take you by force?” Nea asked, angry, this she could do something about.