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

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  “I cannot bear to lose you and Father.” Josiah’s voice cracked.

  “I am sorry it has to be this way.” Tears formed in my eyes. I wrapped my arms around him one last time. “Take good care of Sarah. She is the start of your new family. They are what matters. This town needs a deacon. There is no one better suited than you for the job. I am proud of you.” I turned to leave.

  “Are you cursed, perhaps with the kiss of death?” Sarah asked. “My mother used to tell me stories of the death kiss when I was a child,”

  “Something like that.” Close enough, I thought.

  Mari’s eye’s widened. “Are you a … witch? Is that how you knew Sarah is with child?”

  I almost laughed. “No. I am not a witch.”

  Mari’s shoulders relaxed. She took me at my word. “Is there anything we can say to make you change your mind?” Her eye’s filled with moisture.

  “I must leave not only for your sake but for mine, as well. I am also in danger the longer I stay. I will write this time, I promise. Please do not worry about me. I will be fine. I can take care of myself.” With that, I grabbed my precious cloak and a bag containing two dresses.

  I paused in the doorway not wanting to step over the threshold. With a brief nod to my family I forced myself out into the night. It was good that they did not try to stop me, because I might have stayed. They must have sensed that I had no other choice.

  I could hear Mari crying all over again. What a horrible day! Tears were running down my cheeks as well. Walking out that door was the hardest thing I had ever done.

  I disappeared into the woods, ran and took flight when I was sure not to be seen. I could not help but look back. Once high above Ludus, I glanced around for signs of Teller. I was not surprised when I found none.

  One small part of me wanted to try to catch Teller’s scent in order to track him. But the greater part wanted nothing to do with him. I knew that if I were to find him, all I would see was Father’s bloodstained body. I could not think past my grief. I did not know when or if I would see him again. When I thought of the future — his or mine — I saw nothing. I did not know where he would end up and I had no idea where I was going. There were no plans, no dreams and nothing to hope for. All had been lost.

  For no particular reason I flew west. Of course, Constantinople must be avoided at all costs, though it would have been enjoyable to see the beautiful city again.

  There was no chance in hell that I was going to Denmark. I would not give Lord Chastellain the pleasure of showing up on his doorstep, even though I would have liked to see Sonia and Aaron. If I were being honest with myself — which I was not — I would have admitted that it would be nice to see Elijah, as well. I quickly dismissed any thoughts of my friends in Denmark. Like everything else, they too were lost to me.

  I did not know where I would end up but it would be farther west than I had ever gone before. I must start a new life. Perhaps I would find a new coven, one loyal to the Court of Elders. This was not for Chastellain’s benefit but for my own. Vampires must remain discreet and hidden from humans. I would search for those of my kind who also believed this way. I knew which side I was on. It was merely a coincidence that Chastellain was on the same side. I could not help that.

  It was still well before dawn when I caught sight of many distant lanterns. As far as they spanned, I knew it must be a large city. I landed outside of town. As normally — or as humanly — as possible, I headed for the lights. The sun was threatening to rise when I came across a man and a woman out for a stroll.

  “Pardon me,” I said. “Would you be so kind as to tell me where I am?”

  “My young dear, are you lost?” The woman placed her gloved hand over her chest in exclamation.

  I opened my mouth to answer and realized I did not know if I was lost — which must mean that I was, though be it intentional. “Of sorts,” I managed.

  “Well, you are lucky because you have arrived in the finest city ever built — London!” the man exclaimed.

  Part III Chapter 50 London 1261 A.D

  After becoming familiar with the city for a couple of nights, I decided that London was agreeable and might even make a good home. It was not nearly as developed as Constantinople. London was simple — I liked it. There seemed to be a lot of cloud cover, which was also suitable.

  I knew it would not be long before the vampires of London found me. On the third day, I wandered into a tavern to escape the sun that finally decided to shine. I sat in the back of the dining area and avoided the curious stares. A man marched up and sat across the table from me uninvited. His was dressed better than the other men in this place.

  “Well, well, what have we here? I presume that you must be new in town.”

  I leaned forward to get a better smell. This confirmed my suspicions; he was not human.

  The thought of giving a false name had crossed my mind but that would not work for long. I knew the leader of the English coven from my time in Denmark and from the gala in Ludus. If, or when, we met, Lord Alexandru would recognize me at once. “Yes sir, my name is Vallachia. I was hoping to make London my new home.”

  “Pardon me; where are my manners?” He stood, took my hand and touched his lips to it. “My name is Hector. I know that name — Vallachia — from somewhere. It is not a common name.”

  I shrugged. “I have never been to London before.”

  “Well, I must take you to meet Lord Alexandru. He insists on meeting new vampires who enter his realm.”

  I stood. “I suppose you should, kind sir.”

  Hector raised his eyebrows, not expecting me to come so willingly.

  “There is not much for me here, except some relief from the daylight. Surely I can find that with Lord Alexandru as well.”

  Hector gave a slight bow and we were off.

  Lord Alexandru lived in a modest castle outside of London. His throne room was beautifully appointed with the latest décor. Recognizing me at once, he stood from his high seat.

  “Ah, yes, the beautiful young Val …”

  “Vallachia, My Lord.” I bowed.

  “Yes, yes, of course, the lovely Vallachia.” He kissed my cheeks. “To what do we owe the honor?”

  “You know her, My Lord?” Hector sounded surprised.

  “Yes, of course. She is a friend to the Court. Our paths have crossed several times.” Alexandru turned to me. “In fact, are you not engaged to the young Lord Chastellain?”

  “No, My Lord, we were never betrothed.” It was not difficult to imagine where he had gotten this impression. The first time I’d met Alexandru, Elijah had proposed to me, then in Denmark, we were always together.

  “Oh, that is a pity. I had hoped to receive a wedding invitation soon. I love weddings, especially royal ones. Come, have some wine.”

  One thing I remembered about Lord Alexandru was that he coveted his wine almost as if it were a religious ritual. He gestured for me to take the seat next to his throne. Wine was poured. Alexandru inhaled the aroma and swirled his goblet. “Did you come with news from Copenhagen?”

  “No, My Lord. I have no news. I am here because I had hoped to settle in London.”

  “That is marvelous. Of course, you are welcome, my dear.” He frowned. “Why did you leave Denmark? I thought it was your new home.”

  Obviously, Alexandru had no idea I had left Denmark to return to Ludus. What do I tell him? Why had I left? It is complicated. I cannot tell him it is because I loathed Lord Chastellain, as I wanted to be a part of his Court.

  I pretended to take a sip of wine. The smell was displeasing. It was the well-aged bitter wine that the wealthy often enjoyed. I placed the gold goblet back on the table without touching the substance. “I needed to get out on my own. I’m a relatively new vampire. I wanted to find my own way. Yet I want to remain in the North to fight against Ramdasha when the time comes.” This was the truth, though not the entire truth.

  Alexandru seemed to be satisfied with this answer. “Well, th
en, welcome. We will see to it that you are properly settled.” He turned to Hector. “Send word to Lord Chastellain straightaway. Tell him the lovely Vallachia is safely in our company.”

  My heart sank. “Please, My Lord, must you tell him I am here?”

  “Of course. Things have never been more unstable for the Court of Elders. Vampire populations are on the rise. We need to know where our allies are at all times.”

  “Yes, of course, My Lord.” After all, who could argue with that?

  Hector showed me to a rather small room not much bigger than my room in Ludus. It contained two even smaller beds.

  “Why are there two beds?” I frowned.

  “One is for you and the other is for your roommate. You see, the palace is quite crowded. We have begun construction on a new and much larger castle. However, for now, we must make do,” Hector replied.

  “Roommate?” I had never shared a room before.

  “Yes, her name is Mary.”

  My stomach turned at the thought of sharing such a tiny space with someone I did not know. I suppose that is one way to get to know someone. When Hector was gone, I stretched out on one of the beds. I did not like it that Chastellain would soon know I was here. I feared he would come for me and demand that I return to Denmark. Blood rushed to my cheeks at the thought. I daydreamed of killing him if he did come for me. Perhaps if I chopped his head off — surely that would kill a vampire? I wondered if that was what it would take for him to leave me alone — death?

  In my mind I saw Father’s disappointed face. He had taught me better than that. I could almost hear his voice. If you were to harm Chastellain, then you would be no better than he. Tears fell. I knew this to be true but I hated Chastellain more than anything.

  Chapter 51 London 1261 A.D

  It was not long before Mary came barging into the room, interrupting my reverie.

  “So it is true. They told me I had a new roommate.” Mary’s voice indicated her displeasure. “I had grown accustomed to privacy.”

  My mouth fell open at the site of her. I had never seen a woman like her. For starters, she had short brown hair, like a man’s! In some places, it was against the law for women to cut their hair. The Bible says our hair is our glory. On top of that, she wore men’s breeches! There was no doubt that, from a distance, she could be mistaken for a man.

  I tried to compose myself by closing my mouth and clearing my throat. “Hello, my name is Vallachia,” I managed to get out.

  “I’m — ”

  “Mary, I know. I love that name.”

  “And your name is … unique.”

  I could not help rudely staring at her. She was so … different.

  “You are on my bed.”

  I slowly moved to the other bed. There was no point in getting off to a bad start with her. I could imagine that not getting along with a roommate could make life difficult. After all, she had been here first and I did not care which bed was mine.

  Mary threw herself down on her bed.

  I watched her and said nothing.

  “Out with it,” Mary said.

  “I am sorry! I don’t mean to stare but I have never seen a woman with short hair or dressed the way you are.”

  “Not all of us are classic beauties such as yourself,” she retorted.

  “I do not think that is it. Besides, you have a very pretty face.” This was true but I had to admit her hair was appalling.

  She frowned, as if that were not a compliment. “Since I am stronger than human men, I have found that behaving like a man gets me further.”

  I did not understand. “How so?” One thing was for sure, I was completely fascinated by her.

  “Men treat men differently from the way they do women. I can be seen on the streets at night and people don’t think I am a helpless girl; or worse, assume I’m a prostitute. Men who think the latter usually do not survive. However, dressed like this, I’m largely ignored. I like it that way. It keeps unsavory vampire men from bidding for my affections as well. On top of all that, it is more comfortable. I can move with ease. I never intend to wear a dress again.”

  “That makes sense.” Thwarting unwanted advances did sound nice, though I was far from wanting to cut off my hair. However, I had to admit that wearing breeches did offer some advantages. “Where are you from?” I asked.

  Her spirits seemed to lighten. “I’m from a small town outside of London. And you?”

  “Denmark,” I lied. If vampires knew about Ludus they could easily find my family and I wanted to keep this world as far away from them as possible.

  Mary bolted upright. “I’ve heard about you. You’re the regal beauty who is to marry Lord Chastellain’s son … what’s his name?”

  “Elijah.” I said through gritted teeth. “and why would you think we are engaged?”

  “I’ve heard the stories from Denmark about what a perfect couple you are and how much you love each other,” she mocked, indicating her disapproval of gushy romance. Her eyes widened. “What are you doing here?”

  “I needed a fresh start.”

  This was the truth and she seemed to understand. Perhaps she had even felt the same way at one time or another. This outsider’s perspective on my relationship with Elijah was painful. I suppose we had been close once — too close. Had I falsely encouraged him? The now familiar guilty stone settled into my stomach. I do care about him. I would still be killing if it were not for him. He was always kind to me. I shook my head. Forget about him! Forget about all men. By “all men” I meant Teller.

  Settling into a new life in London was going as well as could be expected. As the months passed, I began to let my guard down. Chastellain did not come for me or even write, except in his response to Lord Alexandru’s news that I was living in London. Lord Chastellain said to send me his condolences regarding the loss of my father. The fact that he had the gall to mention Father was infuriating. This also indicated that he had remained in Ludus long enough to learn of Father’s death.

  I immediately sent a letter home to my brother. He needed to know that I was faring well and getting settled into a new home and a new life. I hoped it would help him not to worry about me. I did not tell him where I was, so he would not be able to write back. Though I desperately wanted news from home, I did not want anyone trying to follow me. I thought perhaps Ivan might want to find me to try to get answers about his son’s whereabouts. It would not be safe for anyone to look for me, so I gave no clue as to where I was.

  Much of my time was spent with Mary. Curiosity got the best of me, I simply had to find out what it was like to dress like a man. “May I borrow a pair of your breeches?”

  Mary’s brown eyes shone. “You are going to love them! They give you much more freedom to move. We will have to get you some that fit.” She tossed me a pair.

  I pulled them on. They were entirely too short.

  Mary was right. I had not realized how lucky men were. Breeches did not get tangled around my legs or other obstacles when I passed by. After a couple of days of wearing breeches, I had all but forgotten about my dresses.

  “Soon you will cut your hair short, too.” Mary laughed.

  “I think not!” I replied.

  “It would be a shame to ruin such beautiful golden locks.”

  I could not tell if she was mocking or envious.

  Mary fetched a man’s hat from her small collection. “Here, try this.” She combed my hair back, pulling it up into a tight bun and placed the hat on my head.

  I laughed at the sight of myself in the modest looking glass over the washbasin. I shook my head. It felt free and airy without even a braid down my back. I was not sure if I liked it.

  “Trust me; not having your hair in your face all the time is wonderful.”

  Again, Mary was correct; it was pleasant not to have to flick hair out of my face all the time.

  These were major improvements for my training. I could fight better in breeches and with the hair out of my face. Despite disappr
oving looks from the other vampires, or from humans we passed in the street, I enjoyed this new appearance.

  Chapter 52 London 1261 A.D

  At sunset, Mary and I would usually head out into the city. We sat on the rooftop of a tall building in order to admire London from high up. The view was spectacular. The River Thames glistened as it wound its way through the land. The soft glow of candles, lamps and household lanterns made the town look like a sea of stars mimicking the sky above. Soon most of these lights would be extinguished as the town slept and the stars in the nearly cloudless sky would appear even brighter.

  I had better feed fairly soon, I thought. “While I was in Denmark with Elijah, he taught me to feed without killing.”

  Mary furrowed her brow. “You are lying.”

  “It is true. I have not killed anyone since I was … very new. Come; I will prove it to you.”

  Below, a man walked alone — never a good idea with a thirsty vampire around. I jumped off the roof and landed noiselessly behind him. Before he could turn, I grabbed his head to stop him from seeing who I was and sank my teeth in his neck. The taste was sweet and delicious. Then his heartbeat slowed, I released him and gently lowered him to the ground.

  “It will take him some time to recover but he will survive. He also did not see me. He will have no idea what happened to him.”

  Mary’s mouth hung open in amazement. She kept her distance from the smell of blood. “How did you make yourself stop?”

  “It takes much practice and someone to pull you off at first. One must also be motivated to not kill.”

  “You know other vampires who can do this as well?” She was still skeptical.

  “Yes. I can teach you if you would like.”

  “I don’t imagine I could ever do that.”