Chapter 4: Flowers

Elise went into the library by herself to look for a book, which she needed for her history class. She had to be quick so she could still attend her next class even though she would be late. She had no time to go to the library later when her classes end because of their daily rehearsals in cheerleading.

She did not notice that Kent was spying on her inside the library. He just followed her but was hidden by a bookshelf next to the one she was checking out.

She found the Native American history book and took it out of the shelf. She looked up at the other shelves if she could find some more interesting books when she found the book of “Zalmoxis.” She took it and she blinked when her heart started to pound so hard and so fast. She felt the book vibrated at her touch. She ran her tongue across her lips and looked for a table where she could sit down and scan it.

She skimmed its pages while Kent followed her with a bouquet of flowers hidden behind his back. He smiled and stretched out his hand with the flowers near Elise’s face.

Elise was startled when she saw the bouquet of flowers. Her eyes followed the hand and arm of the owner until she found Kent’s smiling and handsome face. Her heart jolted suddenly.

Kent, in the meanwhile, looked at her pale face before his eyes transferred to the book she held in her hands.

“Elise, what’s that?” he carefully inquired.

“Kent… I think we have to brace ourselves this time!” Her voice sounded frantic.

“Why?” he asked curiously and read the title of the book. His face turned ashen white.

“I’m not sure but are we ready to face the real-life Dracula… maybe?”

Kent knew well about the Wallachian prince in the 15th century—Vlad the Impaler. He had read a lot of articles and books about his cruelty to his enemies and about his beloved wife.

****

Wallachia, 15th century.

Vlad thought he was free especially when he finally heard the news about Hunyadi’s death. He heard it was Hunyadi who organized his father’s and older brother’s deaths after all.

He went to Transylvania and stayed there for a while until the castle in Târgovişte and its tower were finished as he ordered it to be rebuilt.

While he was inspecting the city, he found a pair of beautiful brown eyes in the crowd that was staring at him. He got closer to her and jumped off from his white horse and smiled at the beautiful woman. Judging by her fine clothes, he immediately knew she was a noblewoman.

“Good day, m’lady.” He reminded himself propriety at the moment in front of a beautiful woman.

Her beautiful hair was strenuously gathered atop of her head. Her dress was made of silk of colors bright green and yellow. It looked elegant and flowing on her.

“Good day, sire,” she greeted back and smiled at him prettily.

“May I have the honor to know your name?” he asked gently.

Vlad did not mind everyone who was staring at them in that moment. His soldiers shooed the staring people, and the crowd then realized it was the fierce prince of Wallachia. They started to quickly go back to their own business.

“Elisabeta,” the beauty answered him with a confident smile.

“Vlad is pleased to meet you, m’lady,” he said, slightly bowed and took hold of her hand and kissed it.

“You are the prince!” She suddenly recognized him.

He barely nodded with a smile and was hesitant before he let go of her soft hand.

“May I have the honor of inviting you to my house this evening?” Her voice was low.

“You have a ball in your house?” he inquired.

Elisabeta leaned over and whispered. “’Tis only us, my prince.”

The handsome but fierce prince could not decline it. His heart was suddenly overwhelmed by such warmth he hadn’t felt before.

He learned that she was orphaned like him and was living alone in her house with a few servants.

Almost every night, he brought her daisy flowers and dined with her in secret until he asked her hand for marriage. She did not resist as she was deeply in love with the prince. And her love was soon to be tested when they moved to live in Târgovişte.