Lost in the Castle

~33~

As I looked around the large room, I caught Petru Rareş smiling and nodding towards me silently from his place in the middle of a table placed along the right wall of the hall.

They were all there, the grand Council, twelve of them if I counted correctly, clad in dark grey cloaks, seated at a long oak table with only golden cups in front of them. That's all they will 'eat' tonight, I thought, frowning and quickly looking away. Not fast enough, though. I noticed Petru's grin when he saw my scowl.

The rest of those present were standing in small groups at the far end of the Great Hall by the huge fireplace, an interesting collection of humans and vampires. I smiled at a few familiar faces across the vast room-- Clara, holding Ioan's hand, Sorina and her parents, Mihail and some other Guards, Clara's father and another man I recognised from our visits in the village-- but they all looked too tense to smile back.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who didn't like the Council. I looked at the vampires again inconspicuously, observing their faces, one whiter than the other. They were talking among themselves in low whispers while shooting occasional glances around the room, obviously enjoying the effect they had on the humans huddled in the corner. One of them noticed my inquisitive look and stared back, his gaze so dark and unnerving that it made me shiver.

I jumped when Vlad's hand came to rest on my arm, making me turn to him. He leaned closer and whispered, "Don't show them your anxiety. That's what they want. They think they can manipulate the humans through their fear. Don't allow it. They aren't more than us, or them." He looked towards the guests at the far end of the hall before he continued, "You must treat them as your equals. I wish I could make all the others understand this, but they are too scared, and their fear is what gives the Council their power over them."

I only nodded, my heart still pounding loudly. I knew perfectly well how 'the others' were feeling.

Just then, Petru stood up and invited the two couples to approach the Council.

"Welcome, young friends," he intoned, his voice carrying far and wide. "The Council is familiar with your requests, and we have already decided what to do with you." He smiled his typical, unctuous smile.

The four young people bowed and curtseyed, waiting for the decision to be announced.

Clara, wearing the yellow dress embroidered with gold, looked like the evening star shining above the sea. The rest of the room was indeed like the sea, restless and impatient, composed of the blue colour of the knights' and the azure of the Guards' cloaks, interspersed with different shades of grey and silver which the Council and the humans were wearing.

"Let's begin with the simpler case," Petru spoke again, drawing my attention back to himself. "You two, my friends, may marry whenever you want," he announced, looking at Mihail and Sorina.

I knew there was nothing they could possibly hold against these two, but I had to take a deep breath when he said that, as I had quite forgotten to breathe anyway. At least half of the people present seemed to have had the same need at the same time. The room suddenly filled with a collective sigh of relief; the sea heaving and swelling.

Petru looked around and smiled contentedly before his eyes rested on Ioan and Clara.

"And now you," he said, his smile morphing into a slight frown. "You've given us something to think about. We don't see the point of the girl remaining human. Sooner or later, you'll change her. Why not now?" Rareş called, his eyes, cold and hard as two shards of ice, straying to me momentarily, then flickering back to the couple in front of him. "However, that's your choice. We do not agree, and we would have refused your request completely, if not for His Highness, having spoken to us on your behalf. So, we give you six months to think... to decide what you really want to do. We will be watching you. Then, if you'll still want to marry, you'll come back to us, and we will reconsider your plea." Petru finished his speech and sat back down, thus dismissing the two couples.