There Is No Me Beyond You

~26~

"They told me that you went to Bran... to church..." Vlad mused, observing me cautiously, as we walked up the staircases, hand in hand. "Why have you never told me before that you..."

"I'm sorry that I made you worry. I promise I'll tell you everything," I said, bringing our joined hands to my lips, "but you first. What happened in Hunedoara?" I was too impatient to hear the news about his meeting with Rareş, and possibly, Andrei.

He sighed, "They questioned me again. Andrei was not present, Rareş sent him to his sister before I arrived. But he told me that Andrei laid charges against me officially, insisting that it was one of my men who killed his wife, and so it is my responsibility."

I stopped in the middle of the corridor, feeling alarmed. It was happening all over again, just like before. They would try to take him away from me... They'll never stop until...

Vlad drew me close, disturbing my thoughts, "You mustn't worry. Rareş can only prove this as well as I can prove that Andrei kept you hostage. Without honest, reliable eyewitnesses, both of us denying everything, the Council will do nothing. They made us promise that we will behave and let us go... Andrei is not allowed to come anywhere near Bran without my invitation. Still, not having seen him in Hunedoara and then receiving word about your disappearance, I was afraid that he might have tried to get to you..."

I buried my face in his chest briefly before we continued towards my chamber. I felt ashamed of myself. He had enough things to worry about as it was, even without me disappearing off his radar.

As we entered my chamber I helped Vlad out of his mud streaked coat and made him sit on the bench by the fireplace. I sent a maid I found folding my clothes in the dressing room to find Katerina and some more maids to get us a late lunch and a bath ready for Vlad. She curtsied silently, vanishing immediately, and I went to sit next to Vlad by the fire.

My heart ached at seeing him so... silent, worried, and serious, his shoulders slumped, his eyes trained on the dancing flames, lost in thoughts... I was sure there were more things on his mind than he was telling me. Maybe he did not 'know' it, but I was certain that he could 'feel' it as well as I did-- our situation wasn't good, Rareş becoming close friends with Andrei was bad news...

"God, I missed you so much." Vlad murmured as I sat at his side, disturbing his gloomy reverie.

He pulled me close and kissed me, making me forget about everything else but us.

He peeled the coat I was still wearing off me, only breaking the kiss to throw it on the floor before he claimed my lips again, while his fingers fumbled with the laces of my dress.

"Your bath is nearly ready, my lord." Katerina's voice, making me giggle and Vlad groan, disturbed us too soon.

My old nurse stood by the door leading to the library, all motionless seriousness. It was funny how she always made me feel like a teenager, doing things I was not supposed to do, when she caught us like this. I knew that I'd keep looking over my shoulder even once I'll return to my world with Vlad, despite the entire time passage separating me from her.

"Thank you, Katerina," Vlad said, his lips at my earlobe making me shiver as his fingers restored some order to the laces of my gown. "I'll teach you archery myself, Samara, I don't want anyone that close to you..." he whispered before he stood up, surprising me and making me blush at the memory of the moment of his arrival.

There was no point in defending myself or Lucas right now, it would take time for Vlad to accept our close friendship, so unusual in his world.

How will he get used to living in my world... and what sort of a father he'll be for our daughter? I mused as I watched him disappear towards his chamber.