Lost in the Castle

~30~

Time flies when you are happy.

Of course, I heard people say that before, but I never realised how very true it was until the days after Vlad's return.

"I don't understand why you insist that I wake you up this early every morning. You should sleep more..." Vlad murmured in my ear, sitting on the bed already dressed and ready for another busy day.

It was still dark outside, but as the castle was teeming with guests, more or less welcome, ever since his return, there was a lot for him to do. We didn't see as much of each other as I would like because I preferred to avoid most of them and opted for staying in our rooms when Vlad couldn't be with me. Still, just knowing that he was somewhere in the castle, within my reach and safe, was making me feel happy.

"Then I wouldn't see you at all until dinner," I said sleepily, running my hands through his hair and pulling him closer for a kiss. "When do you think they will leave?" I asked when he laid back down next to me for a few more precious minutes, looking in my eyes and pushing a few unruly curls away from my face. "We could stay a whole day in bed... "

"Now that sounds tempting," he smiled, running his thumb over my bottom lip, "but as long as your 'friend' Petru stays here, it won't be possible."

I groaned. Petru Rareş was definitely getting on my nerves. I didn't like him. He was... creepy. And I kept bumping into him in the corridors unexpectedly, whenever I moved around the castle.

"Can't you just make him leave? Like you do with Shadow sometimes? Or, if he won't go, make him disappear in a puff of smoke or something?" I giggled, imagining the obnoxious Petru dissolving into the ether in front of my eyes.

"Maybe you should ask your nurse to send him away," Vlad said mysteriously, but his eyes crinkled at the corners with a suppressed smile. "Petru has always been... scared of her, I think. I've heard that he is sure our old Katerina is a witch."

I laughed. The idea of my old nurse being a witch was amusing. "Does he think she concocts love potions during the nights of full moon and hands them out to his vampire friends and your Guards so they all fall in love with human girls?" That sounded like one thing the awful Petru could be afraid of.

"Exactly," Vlad said, smiling broadly, playing along. "Maybe he thinks you two conjure your spells together, you with your beautiful red hair could easily pass for a witch's little helper..." he teased, kissing me deeply. He pulled me in a bone shattering embrace as my heart started to race, and my breath hitched when his soft lips found their way lower, reaching the bare skin of my neck and shoulder.

"I love it when you blush," he murmured, stroking my cheek, making my blush deepen.

"I love you," I whispered, feeling short of oxygen.

He kissed me one more time, then stood up.

"Are you not staying?" I asked, sitting up and blushing again as even I heard how disappointed my voice sounded.

He smiled but shook his head firmly. "I was supposed to be downstairs quite a while ago. Petru is waiting for me. And don't forget, more members of the Council are coming today."

Oh, why can't they leave us alone!

"He is awful," I said as I pictured the spooky man pacing across the Great Hall, my skin promptly crawling into gooseflesh.

"He is. But he won't do anything against Katerina openly, he wouldn't dare. You mustn't worry, I shouldn't have told you anything," he said, observing me intently, trying to read my mind. "I'm sorry, Samara, I can't send him away. If we want the Council to permit Ioan and Clara's wedding, we will have to suffer his presence for as long as he decides to stay," Vlad added, frowning. "There is Sorina and Mihail to think about, too. Mihail would like to marry the girl as soon as she recovers."