Chapter 3

Dark Ages, 1457. Town of Târgovişte, Wallachia.

The feeling of warmth was so good I didn’t want to wake up. I tried to feel my bearings and something was not quite right, my head hurt so much it made me nauseous and the smell of blood mingled with sweat made it worse, besides I could feel I was with someone on a horse.

My heart-rate escalated. Maybe those two got their way with me. I didn’t remember and dread filled my soul, but I couldn’t pretend to sleep forever. Slowly, I opened my eyes to meet two beautiful forest green ones staring down at me. Without thinking, I flinched and recoiled in his embrace, who was he?

“Don’t be afraid,” he said to me, his voice strong and rough, but somehow soothing. “I’m Vladislav Draculea.”

“The dragon…” my breath caught in my throat and my eyes widened. He noticed I tensed in his arms.

“Or the devil, as I’m known by everyone,” he gave a light husky chuckle.

It seemed that he didn’t mind what people thought of him, but his eyes said otherwise. I’ve heard horrendous stories about this man, and how cruel he treated his enemies, the torture, the killing… He condemned his soul to conquer back his land and it didn’t matter the outcome.

“What are you going to do with me?”

“Nothing you don’t want me to. I just saved you from being raped by those two miscreants.” and I felt the sincerity in him. In some way he made me feel protected, and still apprehensive.

“You are all bloodied… Are you hurt?” Once more he chuckled and I narrowed my eyes on him.

“No, not at all,” and I believed he saw the puzzlement in my face. “It’s just the blood of my foes, I’m sorry for my filthiness, but you just happened in the middle of a business I had to attend,” he shrugged his shoulders like if it was the most natural thing to wear blood other than clothes all over himself. With his movement, I felt my head again and I squinted grimacing. “What happened? Are you in pain?” he really had concern in his voice, and I didn’t expect that, knowing now who he was.

“My head hurts, and I feel like vomiting,” I told him awkwardly.

“I wouldn’t expect any less, you hit your head very hard. We are about to enter the camp. I will make you comfortable in my tent and go make myself presentable to you.”

Silence fell upon us the rest of the path, once we got there he dismounted with me still in his arms and carefully laid me down in some sort of bed.

“Please, rest for a while. I will come back with water and food later on. I have a few things to take care of,” he bowed to me like a gentleman and left in a hurry giving the impression he was running away from me.

I was alone in almost darkness if it wasn’t for a lit torch near the entrance. The tent fitted no more than three people inside, and it was very simple and rustic, not suited for an implacable ruler like him, literally only a place to sleep or rest. I wish this headache would leave me alone, and I was thirsty, very thirsty, but to tell the truth, I didn’t know if I wanted him to come back.

I felt protected by him, but his reputation preceded, he was no less than Vlad Țepeş, the cruel tyrant and I truly felt sorry for my assailants, as they would suffer an agonizing death, much worse of what I’d have suffered in their hands, if the legends were true, of course. It was mid-spring making the night a bit chilly, but inside the tent felt warm, and I wanted to go out to get some fresh air to cool my skin. I must have slipped in and out of conscience and all these were part of a dream.

“Did you bring those two scoundrels to camp and find her stepfather, yet?” his angry voice woke me up, filling me with dread.

“Yes, sire. They are all here as your request.”

“Great, now take them near the water, and show them what happens when we sell our women to perverts in my territory.”

“Yes sire, everything has been prepared. If you excuse me, I’ll carry on the execution.”

He must have been talking to one of his men, and bile rose to my throat when I realized what was about to happen. I stood up as fast as I could and stumbled out of the tent holding myself to the nearest tree, and emptying the contents of my stomach, coughing and choking in the process. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand, and the pressure in my head was a little better, suddenly my back hit a hard-muscled wall and iron arms embraced me by the waist, I didn’t dare to move.

“Easy. I brought you food and water,”

I didn’t know what was wrong with me, but the feeling of his warm breath close to my ear sent sparks of electricity all over my skin, scaring me even more.

“Come with me, you are not well yet.” and I let him lead me back to the interior of the tent. The smell of food hit me and my stomach rumbled softly. I was hungry, and he placed a plate with a piece of bread, fruits, and some sort of meat in front of me. It looked great, but I wasn’t sure if I could keep the food down. “Sit and eat, please,” he asked politely, but I knew it was an order, so I did what I was told, I didn’t want to upset him or anything.

I grabbed the plate and put on my lap, and he was there staring at me, he was tall, but not that tall, maybe six feet, about two or three inches taller than me, but he was strong, with muscles that looked like logs, I didn’t want him to think I was staring at him, but things got really awkward when he sat down in front of me and kept watching me eat. I knew I flushed ‘cause I felt my cheeks on fire. He was handsome in an exotic way, round and sparkling green eyes framed by very thick lashes and rough eyebrows. I was certain that nothing would escape his keen gaze. Long, honey brown wavy messy hair that I’d love to get my hands on a brush and play with those wild strands, his lips begged to be kissed but were hidden underneath all that beard. He looked savage in the literal sense of the word and made me hot inside. I didn’t have a clue why I was thinking about all these, but despite the apprehension, I felt drawn to him.

“How’s your head?” he startled me, taking me out of my daydreams.

“Good, it doesn’t ache that much anymore, thank you for your kindness.” I bowed my head, nibbling at a piece of bread.

“Great news, because we have a long way to travel tomorrow.”

“I’m not going with you,” I whispered and my blood drained from my body seeing the change in his face.

“Yes, you are. There’s nothing that holds you here, you have no family and a stepfather who bet you to those men, Alizandra.”

“But… But… How did you know?” I pressed my finger to my forehead and wiped the moisture forming there. Oh God, I was doomed, how could I escape him, he even had information on me.

“I’m sorry, but while you were resting I had my men asking about you in the village,” he apologized, but I knew he wasn’t a bit sorry for the intrusion.

“What will happen to them?” I asked, but not willing to hear his answer, deep down I had an idea.

“Why do you worry about their fate? Why do you care for them?”

“It is not that I care for them,” how should I put this without angering him. “They offended me, and my stepfather is a horrible creature, but they are human beings… They don’t deserve that kind of punishment, please.” he was quiet for a moment and his eyes became ghostly, making my heart thunder in my ears that I thought he listened, too.

“You are a kind soul, Alizandra, but I am not. Mine is already damned, condemned to the fires of hell, exactly to where I’m sending those perverts.”