Enthralled

Warm Welcome

Stacy looked out the window of the cab she was riding in taking in the picturesque views of the cliffs and valleys of pine trees . She had arrived in Transylvania not long ago and still felt tired from the jet lag.

"Mam the gps signal is disappeared." The old man grumbled in broken English

"I have directions here" Stacy responded passing a crumbled up piece of parchment paper she'd been holding onto with clammy hands for hours now.

The only communication she'd received from the family she was being hosted by for the exchange program was a meticulously handwritten note that contained detailed instructions on how to arrive to her destination. Stacy was part of a small tourism program back in the USA and she had been one of the lucky lottery winners in participating in this exchange program. She was going to write about her experience and the sights she had seen while attending the very secluded university for her thesis on tourism. Her goal was to demonstrate that despite how small and far a location might be that there still is tremendous potential in marketing the area for tourism.

After what felt like an eternity of staring out at beautiful hills and cliff edges the scenery slowly changed into one of an old rustic village filled with centuries old homes and statues. Stacy's jet lagged mind slowly perked up as she took in the beautiful aesthetics surrounding her. Eventually they stopped in front of a large fence where the cab driver was asked for a password in broken English. The cab driver looked over the instructions and mumbled some unintelligible phrase and the gates opened.

As they pulled up the long driveway Stacy was even more amazed than before. She stared eyes wide feeling like she was in a Disney movie. She was going to live at a beautiful centuries old castle in a remote and historically rich village unlike any she'd explored before. The old man grumbled as he helped Stacy with her luggage. Stacy tried to tell him she could take it herself but he shrugged her off and put her two large suitcases in front of the door.

Stacy handed him extra money and told him to keep the change.

The old man looked down and frowned before looking back up at her.

"Careful."

He walked away as Stacy stood there confused. She decided to stop looking awkward. The young woman grabbed the large door knocker in the shape of a lion's head and knocked three times.

The third time the door creaked open. Stacy waited for a moment believing someone must have opened the large doors. They were so heavy.

She waited ten seconds that then turned into twenty seconds and then thirty seconds...

"Hello?" She called out pushing the large door open before going to grab both her suitcases and rolling them inside with a huff and a puff.

The main entrance was magnificent and covered in Persian rugs, the walls adorned with golden paper. The room had a large staircase that led to a platform where both stair cases split in half in opposite directions. The chandelier was beautiful. She set her dense luggage at the bottom of the steps. The student was too mesmerized to realize how oddly empty yet alive the castle felt. She was suddenly enthralled by the portrait of a young man roughly thirty years of age staring at her with dark eyes and a serious visage.

She felt transfixed by the man's piercing gaze. She then noticed there were two other portraits, one on the left showing a beautiful women with blonde curly hair and captivating blue eyes. The one on the right was of a man with a serious expression that seemed a bit malevolent. Stacy shivered.

"Hello? Anyone here? I'm Stacy Abram, I'm here for the student exchange!" She called out only being responded by her own echoing voice as it bounced off the tall ceiling.

Silence. Stacy sighed as she pulled her pale locks into a messy ponytail. She the grabbed her notepad leaving her things at the bottom of the steps as she sauntered up the carpeted marble steps. She stopped in front of the centre painting and observed the work up close noting the condition of the paint and how long ago it must have been made.

She had studied before this in art history and painting restoration and she believed this gave her the edge in the tourism industry since she could recognize true potential when it presented itself to her.

And this painting must have been at least 400 years old. She was the transfixed once more by the gaze of the painting's subject. The man had ebony hair and eyes as dark as coal it seemed, his skin was fair contrasting starkly with the canvas's dark background. She tried to snap out of her trance and walked over to the woman's portrait. She froze midway there. Stacy really believed she saw the dark haired man's portrait follow her with his gaze. She shook her head and believed she really needed rest after all this travelling. She walked back down the steps and frowned as she arrived at the place she believed she left her luggage.

It wasn't there. There was something else instead.

She grabbed the rolled up parchment paper and undid the small red ribbon. The piece of paper read:

Miss Abram,
Please feel welcomed on the behalf of the Duke of Vlachs. The family is away on a hunt. Please excuse their absence. Your room is to the left of the stair way to your right and it's the fourth door to the left. Your luggage and handbag is waiting for you there.
Kind regards.
House Vlach's Staff

Stacy stood there confused. She wished they had communicated with her more than with just handwritten notes. She hated to admit that maybe her friend was right in discouraging her from going if her hosts had yet to contact her by telephone. Stacy had been so excited to finally travel and have something to write her thesis on. Plus it was a bit of a much needed vacation. What the heck, the staff was discreet and they brought her luggage up. She was being too paranoid because she was jet lagged. That's what Stacy wanted to make herself believe.

She walked up the steps again and couldn't help but shiver as she passed the centre portrait. It felt like she was being watched and she was spooked. She arrived in the hall and wrote down:
Castles have great potential as haunted house tours during the night while being historical tours and art expositions during the day.

She stopped writing and started walking quickly toward the room. She could see the light was on from the outside of it. As she walked in, she saw no one. Just her luggage and a house robe with slippers and towels accompanied by a note. She also noticed a tray of food with a silver dome. Stacy's stomach growled.

She opened the lid to find a warm bowl of beef stew. She quickly ate the entire stew, feeling pleasantly satiated as she sat on the couch in front of a roaring fireplace.

She stretched and yawned and looked at the pile of towels and the slippers.

After Stacy showered in the adjoining bathroom she walked out in her bath robe and gasped.

They had taken the food out and left her an old looking book accompanied by a note. Stacy's pale cheeks burned red as she swore

"Damn them! Hey whoever you are! Please knock next time!"

No response

Red faced she grabbed the note and read it.

Miss Abram,
Duke of Vlachs has instructed us to give you a book on their family's history. School term begins in a week. Until then we caution you to remain as much as possible in your quarters so you do not wander where you do not belong.
Kind regards
House of Vlachs' Staff.

Stacy swore as she took the book and went to read it in bed.

It sure was boring to read it, the English was so old.

She fell asleep.