Impaler

Vulnerability

Angelina trembled when she saw Ioana lying on the floor with blood slowly dripping from her head. "IOANA!" The onlookers and Sorina violently flinched due to her scream. She ran toward Sorina and an unconscious Ioana and fell onto the floor. "What happened to her!?"

Sorina trembled. "I-I don't know! I heard some noises and when I decided to go see what was going on." The adolescent eyed Ioana with horror. "I found her like this! I didn't see anything else! I swear it!"

More people got out of their rooms to see what had happened. Many watched in horror when they saw the sight. Vlad eventually left his room and was enraged that his chance of having Angelina was disrupted. "What is with the ruckus!?" Everyone heard the Voivode and bowed as they moved out of his way. The enraged Vlad noticed Angelina and Sorina kneeling on the ground; he also noticed the small pool of blood. When he got behind the women, his eyes widened. His lips slowly opened at the sight. "I-Ioana?" His heart beat rapidly; the back of his neck got sweaty. Vlad immediately knelt and held onto the older woman. Everyone watched and was shocked by his actions.

Angelina was among the shocked. She watched quietly as Vlad gently shook Ioana, asking her to wake up. It was the first time she saw Vlad concerned and....frightened. "I wonder..."

"What happened to her! Who did this!?"

Everyone cringed, and no one dared to move or speak. "Sorina said that she heard a noise, and when checking to see what it was, she found Ioana to be like this!"

Vlad then glared at Sorina, who bowed her head down, terrified that she would face his wrath. "Did you see who did this!?"

"N-No, V-Voivode! I swear it!"

Angelina immediately went to the terrified adolescent, trying to comfort her. "Sorina, what noise did you hear?" She gently put her arms around Sorina to comfort her. "Don't worry, we just want to know what you heard," Angelina whispered.

The adolescent girl was terrified that anything she said would mean punishment. However, Angelina's reassurance made her slowly feel at ease. "A-All I heard a loud thud and a faint whisper."

"Whisper?"

Sorina nodded. "It sounded as if Ioana was speaking to someone, but she and whoever she spoke to, sounded so faint. When I got out of the room, I saw Ioana in this state. I'm sorry that I wasn't much help."

Angelina gently patted her shoulders; Vlad stood up as he held the older woman in his arms. "Everyone, go back to your rooms and no one get out without my permission. I will order all the guards to interview every single one of you. Anyone who is not where they should be will be assumed to be the guilty one. Now go." Everyone heeded Vlad's order; Sorina and Angelina looked at one another. 

"Go, I need to tend Ioana."

The adolescent nodded and immediately went to the female servants' room. Angelina and Vlad were eventually left alone. "I'm going to take her to a room that is close to mine, so I can keep an eye on her."

"May, I be with her? I don't want her to be alone."

Vlad merely nodded. They walked toward Vlad's room using the public way. However, Vlad stopped and spoke to several guards regarding the situation. They were ordered to interview the servants and anyone near where Ioana was found. Other guards of the castle were to help with the interrogation. Also, the physician was ordered to arrive at the particular room where Ioana would stay. The guards understood and went on to complete their orders. 

Angelina and Vlad eventually arrived at a vacant room close to Vlad's. Ioana was gently put onto a bed, and the covers covered her. Vlad then put two fingers on the side of her neck, where he felt her pulse. "She still lives,"