twenty and passed easily
for younger when dressed properly.
Nea was well known in courts all through Wallachia,
Transylvania, Moldavia and Hungary. If people got suspicious she
simply disappeared and showed back up as her own sister, aunt,
daughter, granddaughter etc… It was easy enough with paid servants,
so much distance and an active rumor mill. Being part of each
social scene helped her gather information and keep up the illusion
of being a wealthy woman of society.
Mihail helped her with her trunks, “are you sure you
don’t want me to accompany you mother? Given how many of our men
are being used in the Turkish military the roadways are not safe.
Perhaps you should travel by magic.” Giving her a hand he helped
her into the horse driven carriage. The night felt cold, the air
burning in Nea’s lungs, snow crunching under their feet as silence
filled the trees surrounding her home.
“No, Mihail, stay and keep Sabine company. There is
not much I worry about any longer, do not concern yourself, I will
be home soon. If I need you I will call on you.”
“How will you feed?” he asked, settling a thick
blanket around her waist and shoulders.
“I am sure Ruxandra will be more than
accommodating,” she said, speaking of the Strigoi that stayed in
her home in Hungary.
“We have lost more in the last few years.” Mihail
warned. Nea had created 19 Strigoi in the last 93 years, only
ten remained.
“Not all were as bright as you.” Nea touched a
gloved hand to his face.
“You should have changed Mihnea; he would have at
least served loyally like I do.”
“Mihnea had his own part to play in history, his own
path and his own progeny; he would have resented it had I taken him
from his life.” Nea leaned back, looking at her son
affectionately.
“He was assassinated in front of a church, his life
had no meaning.” Mihail argued.
“He was a cruel tyrant and chose his own path, he
did give me three beautiful grandchildren, all who have gone on to
do great things.” As she said it her thoughts flickered to Ruxandra
her granddaughter; a beautiful, yet forgotten girl, the first girl
child in a string of dominant men, and now a powerful Strigoi.
“Did Bendis ever tell you why Ruxandra was spared
the Bathory curse?” Mihail asked, setting a small box near his
mother’s feet.
“Yes. Your father’s bloodline is powerful, it
dilutes the curse, we are playing with that idea as a way to end
the curse. If we can breed Bathory women with stronger families it
may fix things.”
“What’s the problem then?” Mihail knew it couldn’t
be that simple.
“Bathory women tend to be attracted to weaker men,
and pushing them into an unwelcome romantic entanglement ends
badly. We have found that only certain magic works on them.” Her
thoughts strayed toward her granddaughter again.
“Also she might have just have been too far off from
an actual Bathory for the curse to attach to her.” Nea hoped this
was the more likely answer, since the other path seemed
problematic.
“Ruxandra was a good choice.” Mihail said, almost
reading her mind.
Nea smiled, she hadn’t been able to ignore the
instinct to turn Ruxandra. Her grandsons had done so much better in
life. Mircea had taken over after his father’s assassination, Milos
had gone into the priesthood, but Ruxandra had been overlooked.
Sabine had lectured Nea on turning more family, it
hadn’t changed her decision. She had appeared to her solemn
granddaughter, alone and almost a spinster at 20 and offered
immortality. Ruxandra had gobbled it up. She wanted a life of her
own, and so had not come back to live with Nea, choosing to stay in
Hungary and keep an eye on Nea’s holdings there instead. Though
sometimes she appeared out of nowhere; wanting company and a
familial embrace.
“Has Ruxandra noticed the dark shadow we all have?”
Mihail said after barking an order to her driver.
“She mentioned it the last time she visited. I
cannot see it and
for younger when dressed properly.
Nea was well known in courts all through Wallachia,
Transylvania, Moldavia and Hungary. If people got suspicious she
simply disappeared and showed back up as her own sister, aunt,
daughter, granddaughter etc… It was easy enough with paid servants,
so much distance and an active rumor mill. Being part of each
social scene helped her gather information and keep up the illusion
of being a wealthy woman of society.
Mihail helped her with her trunks, “are you sure you
don’t want me to accompany you mother? Given how many of our men
are being used in the Turkish military the roadways are not safe.
Perhaps you should travel by magic.” Giving her a hand he helped
her into the horse driven carriage. The night felt cold, the air
burning in Nea’s lungs, snow crunching under their feet as silence
filled the trees surrounding her home.
“No, Mihail, stay and keep Sabine company. There is
not much I worry about any longer, do not concern yourself, I will
be home soon. If I need you I will call on you.”
“How will you feed?” he asked, settling a thick
blanket around her waist and shoulders.
“I am sure Ruxandra will be more than
accommodating,” she said, speaking of the Strigoi that stayed in
her home in Hungary.
“We have lost more in the last few years.” Mihail
warned. Nea had created 19 Strigoi in the last 93 years, only
ten remained.
“Not all were as bright as you.” Nea touched a
gloved hand to his face.
“You should have changed Mihnea; he would have at
least served loyally like I do.”
“Mihnea had his own part to play in history, his own
path and his own progeny; he would have resented it had I taken him
from his life.” Nea leaned back, looking at her son
affectionately.
“He was assassinated in front of a church, his life
had no meaning.” Mihail argued.
“He was a cruel tyrant and chose his own path, he
did give me three beautiful grandchildren, all who have gone on to
do great things.” As she said it her thoughts flickered to Ruxandra
her granddaughter; a beautiful, yet forgotten girl, the first girl
child in a string of dominant men, and now a powerful Strigoi.
“Did Bendis ever tell you why Ruxandra was spared
the Bathory curse?” Mihail asked, setting a small box near his
mother’s feet.
“Yes. Your father’s bloodline is powerful, it
dilutes the curse, we are playing with that idea as a way to end
the curse. If we can breed Bathory women with stronger families it
may fix things.”
“What’s the problem then?” Mihail knew it couldn’t
be that simple.
“Bathory women tend to be attracted to weaker men,
and pushing them into an unwelcome romantic entanglement ends
badly. We have found that only certain magic works on them.” Her
thoughts strayed toward her granddaughter again.
“Also she might have just have been too far off from
an actual Bathory for the curse to attach to her.” Nea hoped this
was the more likely answer, since the other path seemed
problematic.
“Ruxandra was a good choice.” Mihail said, almost
reading her mind.
Nea smiled, she hadn’t been able to ignore the
instinct to turn Ruxandra. Her grandsons had done so much better in
life. Mircea had taken over after his father’s assassination, Milos
had gone into the priesthood, but Ruxandra had been overlooked.
Sabine had lectured Nea on turning more family, it
hadn’t changed her decision. She had appeared to her solemn
granddaughter, alone and almost a spinster at 20 and offered
immortality. Ruxandra had gobbled it up. She wanted a life of her
own, and so had not come back to live with Nea, choosing to stay in
Hungary and keep an eye on Nea’s holdings there instead. Though
sometimes she appeared out of nowhere; wanting company and a
familial embrace.
“Has Ruxandra noticed the dark shadow we all have?”
Mihail said after barking an order to her driver.
“She mentioned it the last time she visited. I
cannot see it and
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