A Grey Night

The enemy of my enemy

The other guardians took the woman away from Vlad and escorted her outside. After she was out of sight, her claims could not be heard anymore. Tudor looked as if he were almost offended by the term Vlad had used. The next minutes were spent in a state of uncertainty in regards to what they should do next. This state was interrupted when the guards returned to that room.

'We're coming with you. ' one of the guards who escorted the woman out said.

Vlad did not expect this. The weapons and uniforms were in the room adjacent to the dungeon, and their presence would hinder them, but for the time being, he obeyed this decision.

They headed to the dungeon, and Vlad was trying his best to act as natural as he could, not letting his body language or facial expressions betray his thoughts. He looked at Tudor who seemed to have gotten in character, he was walking with his head up, with a defying look in his eyes, resembling, as Vlad thought, to a real outlaw, but a haughty one, proud of his deeds. His actions would have attracted others' contempt but the respect of those like him. He played his own character. This thought made a smile bloom on Vlad's face, which he tried to conceal, and given the situation, it was not hard to do. He remembered his mission: execute all the traitors, the abominable noblemen who had taken the „magic" from the basni (dreadful business) and who had brought the epidemic upon the city, and had probably killed his brother in the forest. After he will have finished with them, he will sentence the outlaw to prison; the pricolici who had committed all the murders he had been blamed for. Vlad, the second most important man in the city, accused of degrading and monstrous deeds! Oh, and that witch who creates turmoil in people's lives! Hear this: bring the dead back to life! But he will show mercy to these last two if they prove worthy of it.

As they were walking down the narrow hallway, the door to the dungeon was getting closer, becoming more threatening. The torches on the walls turned into lamps with hot, melted wax, ready to drown Vlad in a bottomless pool. His hand went numb on the dagger he was carrying at his waist: „if I am to do this... that is because it was meant to happen!" One could hear someone else's steps from behind them, and that someone joined them. The young man was walking behind Tudor, his „prisoner" and behind them, the two guardians and the stranger followed. Vlad looked behind him: a knight in armor, carrying a sword. His chances of succeeding in a fight were diminishing. Tudor was unable to help him in case of a fight, for his hands were tied.

They entered the dungeon. One of the guardians locked Tudor up in a cell, then they came back to Vlad, looking over his shoulder at the report he was writing. Vlad was facing Tudor. It seemed as though the outlaw wanted to warn him about a potential danger. Vlad heard the metallic sounds of two swords behind him, then of a third. Tudor cried at him to be careful. Before Vlad could grasp the danger, the attackers fell to the ground. Vlad turned around in a heartbeat and raised his eyes to the knight who had accompanied them and who eliminated the guardians.

The knight took off her helmet and spoke to him:

'You're not my brother, she paused. You're not one of them either. ' The woman-guardian from before said while looking at the bodies of the attackers, and then she raised her eyes to him. 'The castle is in quarantine, nobody enters, and nobody exits. Maybe you're spies, you couldn't have possibly gotten past the check point at the entrance.'

'Thank you for everything. ' Vlad replied.

'How did you do this trick? ' she asked.

'What do you mean? '

'You look just like him, but you don't talk like him even though you have the same voice, and you don't act like him. ' She said handing him the blade of the sword. 'Take a look for yourself. ' she extended her arm in which she was carrying the sword.