Vainglory

Chapter Twelve: Smoke and Mirrors

"Is that her?" Annabelle asked as they pushed through the crowd of people and saw a woman disheveled from clear stress and apparent mental strain with her hands guiding across the water in the fountain. She turned to them as their shadows overtook her sunlight. Placing her hand above her eyes to form a visor, she jumped to her feet before taking them away from the crowded square. She pulled them behind an old building which hid them from the rest of the town.

"Are you here to ask about her?" Her voice was of a foreign accent as she talked quick and appeared paranoid as she stood. Her eyes would move around and often look behind her or to the side as they nearly bulged from her head. She appeared almost as a gypsy to them as the way she was dressed.

"About who?" Hans asked, unsure if she was a clairvoyant or a master at deduction.

"I cannot forget the smell of her castle for anything. I sensed I would be seeked out..."

"Is it true? Or is it mere legend, I must know-"

"You must be careful. She despises young ones like you. Beautiful-virtuous..."

"I....I am not..."

She looked to Hans before raising her brow. "I see."

"I was attacked." She clarified before the woman gasped slightly.

"You are in even more danger than I expected..."

"What for?"

"The victims she chooses are ones pure of blood. She will torture them for hours and days upon weeks-months even. These are the ones with virtuous blood. If she discovers you are not a virgin, she will have more a motive to kill you-"

"So it is true..." Hans asked as he looked to the ground as his mind reeled.

The woman nodded. "Is that all you came to ask of me? If the rumors of the Countess were true?" They nodded before Annabelle came closer to her. "How did you escape?" She asked as she gulped at the possible horrific story. The woman explained how her name was Penelope and she was a victim of Bathory's. One of her first. She was injured and Bathory took her blood and drank it in front of her. It made her sick which led Bathory to believe she was pregnant. Believing her blood to be tainted, she tortured her by leaving her outside in the snow. When the guards were not looking, she ran to the village and begged for refuge. Penelope then warned them of her wrath and exited claiming Elizabeth had spies everywhere.

"How can I return now knowing my back is a target to her?"

"I will not let anybody hurt you..."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me."

He took her further in town as they spent the day walking through shops and obtaining what Elizabeth needed them to. Their final stop had been the carrier for letters. Meeting him outside, he paid him handsomely before the carrier rode away and maximum speed.

"What do you intend to come of that letter?"

"I hope IvyLynn speaks the truth to on official. They will then seek the truth of the Countess. Someone in a higher standard than us must know of her legends if we know...A confirmed letter from a servant verifies this."

She nodded before they moved to their horses. Untying them, Hans turned and saw a tavern on the edge of the village. Loud music and sounds of loud laughter could be heard even on the other edge of town.

"Come with me." He said as he retied the horses and pulled her through the village. Pushing through the doors, he made his way to the bar. Showing her to the chair, he spoke to the man behind the bar, harboring all the drinks.

"What can I serve you with?"

"The strongest you got." Hans said as Annabelle threw her hands before her.

"I don't like alcohol."

"You will enjoy this." He said with a smile. "I told you to trust me. For now, you need to forget all about that castle and all it harbors underneath the surface. I will not allow anything to happen to you-I promise. Not again..."

She nodded before the man brought a black bottle with two glasses beside it. He arched his brow before taking the money Hans left on the table.

"To this one night and never forgetting it." He said as he held up the glass which was now full of the liquor.

"To us." She said with a smile. They clinked their glasses together before chugging down the substance. She began coughing violently before Hans chuckled at her. "It is not humorous to the person who felt as if they drank fire."

"I promise it is not always that bad..."

"Are you attempting to get me drunk?" She teased as she took the bottle and smelled its contents, becoming revolted of the smell. She sat back upon the stool.

"Only enough to get you thinking of happy things aside from that damned castle..."

"Then dance with me." She pulled at his arm before he pulled it back to him.

"I am keen with sitting in this very spot." He said with a humorous smirk and turned to ignore her.

"I will dance with another then."

"Do as you wish." He said as he watched her glare at him and then move around the tavern. Connecting with the youngest looking guy in the location, she asked him for a dance. He threw his cup hard and quick on the table before moving to his feet. Attractive in close proximity, Annabelle found a humorous dance partner as they danced to the music. As they dancing became more and more vigorous, she became tired and seeked a drink. He offered her one from his table in which she accepted. Chugging it until the bottom of the glass was vertical with her body, she slammed it hard upon the table.

She paid little to no attention to Hans who kept his eyes locked onto her. He moved to the floor before taking her from the other dance partner.

"I thought you did not want to dance..."

"That was before I saw the way he looked at you..."

"You sound jealous." She said as she bowed into him before he pulled her into him. Her breath was cut short.

"You know I must protect you."

"I am beginning to think that you possibly have lied to me about that."

"About what?" He asked over the loud music.

"You protecting me. I feel as though you take it too seriously. I know my father would have rather had me come alone." She said as he spun her around and brought her back against his chest. "So I have come to the conclusion you either love my father or me..."