Lost in the Castle

~35~

When the light under the canopy of trees sheltering us from the rest of the world changed, making the shadows around us grow longer, it was time to go back. We emerged from the forest and crossed the meadow bathed in pink and orange hues of the sunset, lost in fantasising about our future.

I wanted to avoid thinking about it until everything would be sure, well planned and confirmed, but the possibility of leaving Bran and all of Vlad's duties behind, the idea of a quiet life for just the two of us, was too tempting, too difficult to ignore.

"Will we take Katerina with us? And what about Shadow?" I asked, watching the castle grow bigger in front of me as we approached it; its many windows glittering and glowing in the light of the setting sun as if they were on fire.

"What if we let them decide for themselves?" Vlad asked, his voice coming from behind me altered by a smile I could not see but could imagine easily.

He wrapped his arm tighter around my waist, making me lean against his chest, and kissed me on the cheek.

"So we'll attend the wedding and..."

"And wait patiently. Until the autumn. We need to be here when the passage to your world reopens. I told you, all those who came here from the other side left after one year and never came back."

Yes. He did tell me, very vaguely, that he had met a handful of time travellers over the centuries. None of them remained. Even though I didn't know if they had to or simply wanted to return wherever they came from, it wasn't very encouraging.

"But you are different... you belong here. I hope..." he went on.

"I'm staying. Whatever happens, I'm not leaving without you," I promised to both of us as we reached the courtyard and were greeted by a very nervous Junior.

It was obvious that he had been pacing up and down the yard for some time, waiting for our return. His blonde hair was so dishevelled that it looked as if he had just gotten up from bed, making me wonder how many times he ran his hands through it. I had noticed that it was a gesture he shared with his father.

"You two! It was time you came back! You left me all alone the whole day," he whined.

I had to struggle not to burst out laughing at the sight of him, even though I should have felt sorry. I had to bite my lip when my eyes met Vlad's as he helped me off the horse. He seemed to be holding back his laughter as well.

"Rareş has arrived earlier," Junior went on. "He wants to dine with you, Father."

Vlad sighed. "What does he want? He was supposed to come with the rest of them tomorrow."

I could feel his mood shift, becoming glum again, all playfulness gone.

"Well, I don't know, but he is here and insists on seeing you tonight," Junior replied.

Vlad pulled me in an embrace and asked, "Are you coming with me, my love?"

"Sorry, no," I said firmly, kissing him on the cheek before disentangling myself from his arms. "Thanks to your dipping my hair in the lake, I'm perfectly unpresentable."

I pulled all the hair over my left shoulder and sniffed at it. It definitely smelled of the lake and all those invisible creatures living in its water. Just the thought made me shiver.

I giggled at seeing Vlad rolling his eyes at me; a thing he learned from me. I was sorry to leave him, but the day had been far too perfect to have it spoilt by seeing the awful Petru now.

"I'll dine with him and the rest of the Council tomorrow, and I'll see them again at the wedding... Tonight, I'll just have some food with Cook, and then I'll wait for you upstairs. Have fun, you two!" I called from the corridor leading to the kitchens, rushing away before they could stop me.