Of Lords and Commoners: Book 1 (Lords and Commoners Series)

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  Elijah, the monster, landed a couple of lengths away. “No, don’t! Vallachia, these are innocent people. If you are still in there, remember you don’t want this. Fight the urge!”

  Urge? Urge! This was not an “urge” — this was a complete loss of control! I was possessed with no command over my own body. I vaguely registered what he was saying. The smell inside the small farmhouse was delectable. It was well beyond temptation. I must have it — that delicious sweetness coming from inside the home. I broke through the door. Elijah, back to a handsome young man, was at my side in a flash. I must not have looked like myself because the family inside screamed when they saw me. I lunged toward the closest person when a strong force slammed me against the wall. The noise was deafening and the small farmhouse shook.

  “You don’t want this; please remember!” Elijah pled. I was furious — mad with pain. I threw him across the room, slamming him into the adjacent wall. More screams came from the family.

  All I knew was that he was standing in the way of what I wanted — no, what I needed! I grabbed the nearest person and sank my long teeth into his neck. Relief spread through me. The pain and the thirst slowly subsided, I could feel myself coming back. The monster inside was leaving and I was slowly returning. All that was left was a middle-aged man’s body in my arms, and his terrified family watching, as I drain him of life.

  “No, no, no! What have I done?” I fell to my knees and the body rolled onto the floor. Elijah grabbed my arm and we were out the door in a flash. We were running, running and I never wanted to stop. I did not think about where we were running; I was simply trying to escape the horror — the guilt. Finally, the large Chastellain manor appeared in front of us.

  “Father and I are leaving — please come with us,” Elijah said. “Your transition is complete. You are one of us. There are things about our world you need to know. We can help you.”

  “Help me? Your father did this to me! I want nothing to do with either of you. Leave me alone!” I shoved him away. I focused all my anger and sorrow into running. I could hear that Elijah did not follow. He had apparently gotten the message.

  I did not stop until I reached the highest peak of the Carpathian Mountains in the northeast. This was where I would stay. Of course, after what was probably a couple of days, the guilt of leaving my family and friends searching for me was unbearable. It was time to tie up loose ends.

  I no longer trusted myself around anyone now that I fully understood the power of the monster that lived inside me. There was no way of knowing how long it would be until it came back but one thing was for certain; I would have no control when it did. Leaving was the best thing to do. Elijah was right. I had no idea where to go but it should be somewhere far from the ones I loved.

  I stood on the edge of a cliff and wondered if or how I could possibly fly. Would it kill me if I jumped? Perhaps I should. But I could not. For one, Father would never find my body. He would never know what had happened to me. And I had the feeling it would be terribly painful, yet I would still survive, somehow. So I ran southward. Moving quickly and swiftly was a thrill. I was down the mountain in no time.

  Chapter 21 Sibiu 1260 A.D

  I could not think of a good story to tell my family. What will the letter to Father say? The only thing that came to mind was that I had decided to elope with someone — Elijah, I supposed. We ran off into the sunset. I sighed in disgust. What a cliché. Besides, this does not make sense on a number of levels. Father, Mari and Teller know me better than that. They know I want to be with Teller and stay in the village; nothing could have changed my mind about that over the course of a couple nights. Not to mention, if Teller did believe this story, it would hurt him dearly. That is the last thing I want to do.

  What other story could there possibly be? Think. I told myself. Why else would a young woman run away in the night? I was obviously a rotten liar. In our household, there had never been a need to lie. Father was open and nonjudgmental. I never had to hide anything from him. I could always tell him the truth. In fact, he usually knew the truth before I did, as was the case with my new feelings for Teller.

  Thinking about this made me long for home. I desperately wanted to return. I always knew I had been content in Ludus. Now that it was gone, I fully realized how lucky I had been — a loving father and brother, good friends and hopefully someday an engagement to the love of my life. Somehow, I needed to stop thinking of home and all I had lost.

  In Ludus, the one future a girl had was to marry and hopefully become a mother and someday a grandmother. This was the only possibility for us. There were no other choices. Now that I was thrown into this new and dark world, my old world seemed that much more appealing. The future had been clear. I knew my place and my job. What now? The only future I could have imagined was gone. What that meant, I could not even begin to fathom. For the first time in my life, I had no idea what to expect — no more hopes — no more dreams. All that remained was emptiness. I shook my head to push away these unbearable thoughts.

  A young woman could not simply run off into the woods and survive. So what explanation will I give my family? I needed something that could ease their minds and be believable. Nothing came to mind, then it hit me. I can tell them that I decided to join a convent. That is it! It will make sense to the villagers; after all, I am the deacon’s daughter. Father and Teller will think it odd, as I never mentioned it before and why would I run off without telling them? But at least this lie might be easier on Teller. It is better for him to think I left him for God rather than for another man. It will have to do.

  It was not long before I came across a town that was many times bigger than Ludus. I stopped on the outskirts. This must be Sibiu.

  My dress was torn in a couple of places and soiled with dirt and dried blood. I could only imagine what my hair looked like. Surely it was dirty and tangled like a rat’s nest. I leapt in a nearby tree, knowing it would be easy, as I had been catapulting over obstacles while I ran through the forest.

  From this height I was concealed and could overlook the town. The scent of people overwhelmed me as a sharp pain pierced my throat. I watched the town as it settled down for the night. I could hear every word that the people nearest to me spoke. They banged things around. Are they fighting with one another? I resisted the urge to cover my ears. It took me a moment to realize that it was not these particular people who were loud but that my ears were oversensitive. I could hear better than before, too well, actually. At least all the noise distracted me from thinking about the insatiable thirst.

  I waited for night to fully set in. My sights were set on a manor in the center of town. The small castle was a tall, yet not very wide stone structure with only a handful of small windows. A stone wall surrounded it. The wall was slightly taller than a man. I remained hidden until the lights in the small castle went out, indicating that those inside would soon be fast asleep. The front gate was guarded by a sentry, so I quickly leapt over the wall and entered the castle through a back window.

  I needed clothes, a comb and a few coins to be able to pay someone to carry a letter to Father. Of course, the letter could not be sent until tomorrow. I would need a cloak, one with a hood to be able to shade my eyes from the sun. The thought of stealing was displeasing. I promised myself that after the letter was sent home, I would find a way to support myself — though I had no idea how.

  I moved through the castle without making a sound. I could hear heartbeats and breathing in some of the rooms, which I avoided. I worried about getting close to someone. What if I lost control again? Would the beast take over if I got too near? I prayed it would not.

  In the apse of the Great Hall there was a desk, complete with an inkwell, quill and papyrus scrolls. Good, I could write the letter there, I thought. The place was dark, yet I could see perfectly. Finally, I found an empty bedchamber with some clothes in a chest. The dress was too short on my frame, stopping a few inches from the floor but it would have to do. From the looks of the
simple dress, it must have been a spare for a maid. I found a washbasin with water and cleaned my face. The final touch was to comb my hair. This made me feel better.

  I needed to dispose of my old dress. In the kitchen I found the wood stove still had hot coals, left over from the preparation of the evening meal, no doubt. I placed the ruined dress on the coals and watched it burn. My old life — gone.

  I returned to the hall to write the letter. Thankfully, I did not need a candle to write by, as the light might have drawn attention to my presence.

  My dearest Father,

  I am very sorry for any worry I have caused you over the past couple of days. Please forgive me and know that I am alive and well. I have decided to join a convent. Please do not try to find me. Perhaps after I have completed my training and become a sister of the Church, you can come for a visit. Until then, please respect my choice as you always have. Tell Josiah and my friends how truly sorry I am as well. I miss you all dearly.

  Your loving daughter,

  Val

  Tears rolled down my cheeks by the time I was done. What a ridiculous lie. Would they believe it? I supposed this was all I could do. Hopefully, it would bring some comfort to my father and brother. The only thing that was true was that I was indeed sorry and I missed them more than anything. At least they will know this much. I had to remind myself that the point of the letter was to let them know I was alive so they would stop looking for me and move on with their lives.

  I rolled the letter and tied it with a piece of sinew. There were a handful of coins in the desk drawer. I took them. Back in the bedchamber, I found a small travel bag. I was putting a change of clothes in the bag when I heard loud — to me anyway — footsteps. In a flash, I was hiding in the clothes cupboard with the door open only a sliver to see out. Candle light flooded the doorway, revealing the figure of a man. If the man had been a vampire, he would have heard my pounding heart.

  “Who left this door open?” the man’s voice mumbled. He looked around, shut the door and walked loudly away.

  He must have been a guard, doing his rounds. I ran, leaving the cupboard door and the bedchamber door open. I did not want to risk making noise by shutting them. I grabbed a leather rain cloak by the front door on my way out. This all happened in a flash and soon I was back in the woods.

  The next morning I walked as slowly as possible into town. I had to be very careful not to move too quickly. How had Elijah done it in the tournament? He had appeared to be human enough but he had indeed been refraining.

  Even with the cloak’s hood over my head, I still had to squint and my eyes stung in the bright daylight. Yet the pain was tolerable. In fact, it was good, as it distracted me from the aching in my throat.

  “Pardon me,” I asked the first person I saw. “Is there someone who could carry a letter to Ludus?”

  “What was that, little missy? You must speak up,” the man hollered.

  I flinched at the man’s loudness. My voice seemed to be loud enough and why was he yelling? Then I remembered, it must be my improved hearing. The image of Elijah and his father talking so quietly that I could not hear them ran through my mind. So I repeated the question in all but a yell and the man gladly pointed me in the direction of a local trader.

  It took some searching but I found a man who said he would travel through Ludus in a week or so. My heart sank. Poor Father. It would take over a week before he would receive my letter and learn that I was alive.

  “That will have to do,” I sighed. I handed him the letter and some coins. “Thank you kindly.”

  It was a relief when I was safely out of town and under shade; not to mention away from the delectable scent of people.

  At least I did not kill anyone. I suppose that is something. Now what? Where shall I go? Perhaps a larger city is a good idea after all. The requirement to feed would return at some point. All I knew was that at dark I would run south, in the opposite direction of Lord Chastellain. I had no idea what awaited me.

  Chapter 22 Targoviste 1260 A.D

  I ran, speeding high into the Southern Carpathian Alps. I avoided the scent of people, changing my course if it became too strong. Avoiding the main roads, I made my own way through the forest. After only a couple of hours I topped a high peak and could not believe what I saw. Below was the largest body of water I had ever seen. The lake was nestled in a basin surrounded by tall mountains. The smooth blue water looked like glass from the Chastellain’s windows. It was pristine and too refreshing to pass by.

  I had grown up swimming and bathing in the Mures River. My thoughts strayed to Elijah saying that vampires were — what was it? — “Well suited to land, water and air.” A cool swim sounded pleasant.

  I emerged from the evergreens and undressed on the shore. In only my undergarments I waded up to my waist and dived headfirst into the clear lake. I moved easily through the water, too easily. Webs had formed between my fingers. I gulped in water at the sight of them. Yet I did not choke or feel the need to come up for air. It was the same as drinking water out of a cup. I turned my hands around, studying them. The same thing happened to my feet. I no longer had toes but long webbed flippers. How can that be?

  I felt something moving on my neck. With trepidation, I slowly raised my hands to examine my throat. My heart raced as I realized there were gill-like slits on my neck, allowing me to breathe. In panic I opened my mouth. Again, there was no choking as water rushed in, just a cool drink of clear water. Once I recovered my composure, I swam with great speed out into the middle of the lake, ever downward.

  This was amazing!

  Once reaching the middle of the lake, I stood on the bottom and took in the strange sight. Plants swayed against my legs and brown and gray fish of different shapes and sizes swam about in random directions. They did not seem to be the least bit concerned with me. I was standing where no human had ever been — no living human anyway.

  I enjoyed the lake. It was isolated and quiet, so I stayed there for three more days. I did not sleep, only dozed a couple of times. When I woke the sun had barely moved in the sky.

  Being alone was not entirely unpleasant — at first. I had never been alone before and eventually it started to weigh on me. At first, I missed my family and friends. Then, I began to miss people in general. I did not want to be utterly alone for an eternity. Company would be needed in order to keep my wits about me — even though that would mean I would be a danger to them. If I were to go to a city, there might be others like me. I was unsure if that was a good thing or not.

  I continued onward to the southeast until I came to the largest population of people I had ever seen. I knew it was Targoviste. This was the nearest city to Ludus. Father had been ordained as a deacon here. Indeed, this was the farthest he had ever traveled. He had said it was southeast of Ludus just over the mountains. Therefore, this had to be Targoviste. I never thought I would actually see this place. A large Orthodox church with towering spires was the most impressive building in town. I smiled as I walked past the church; this must have been where Father studied.

  I inspected the dark empty streets in awe. It occurred to me that Targoviste was too close to home. Someone may come here to look for me. If a girl from Ludus wished to become a nun, the convents here would be a likely choice. I had to get even farther away.

  Reluctantly, I left the beautiful city and continued to head southeast. It was not long before I came to a town much like Sibiu — larger than Ludus, yet small compared to Targoviste. I walked into a large tavern in the middle of town late that night. I received questioning looks from the locals, mostly men, in the tavern. I still had some of the money I had stolen, so I sat in the corner and ordered food and drink from the old woman working there.

  “It is late for a young lady to be out by herself,” the woman inquired.

  I only nodded in agreement. She was working hard. I watched her try to keep up with orders. I suspected her husband or son was working feverishly to prepare the food in the back. Perhaps th
ey could use my help? I thought.

  I ate some, even though I was not hungry for normal food. I forced myself not to stare at the men’s bare necks. I supposed that was what I really wanted … to open that soft flesh with my teeth and let the blood run down my throat. I shook my head to push away the terrible thought. I had hoped regular food would lessen my hunger for blood — it did not. Being in the midst of all these people made it unbearable.

  Needing something to do, anything to distract me and keep me busy, I approached the old lady. “Excuse me, madam. I used to work in my uncle’s tavern. It seems that you could use my help.”

  She looked at me with curiosity. “We do need the help. We have no children of our own.” She wiped her hands on her stained apron. “Let me fetch my husband.”

  When she returned with an elderly man, I said, “My name is Vallachia. I’m new in town and would like to work here, if you would have me?”

  The old man’s gaze was critical. “Why do you want to work? Why doesn’t your father, or perhaps husband, provide for you?”

  These were fair questions and I had expected them. “I have no family here. I come from the north. I’m thinking about settling here.” This last bit was not entirely true but it seemed like the right thing to say. There was no way to guess what my future would hold.

  “Why did you leave home?” His voice was full of accusation.