Dracula Retold

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The calmness in Vlad's mind was in complete contrast with the chaos in the castle grounds. Fire ran uniformly up the walls to light the giant torches as people crowded to see him walking by. Beside the universal fear of the man walking proudly with a head on a spear, there were two reactions to his return; much welcomed, and very unwanted.

To some, which also numerically were 'some', it was the emotional well timed return of their rightful prince, who would hopefully right all the wrongs done to them by the current regent.

The others, the men of power, the men of money, the men loyal to the current regime, did not take his return with glad tidings. For the tears of joy, Vlad flashed an understanding nod, a silent promise that he heard their cries, giving them hope.

To the scowls and menacing glares, he looked away and adjusted his spear higher, silently imposing his authority, that he would not be their friend. The castle door were opened by four soldiers, and the number had doubled by the time he made it to the main court.

"Stop," Vlad ordered, keeping the soldiers around him from opening the two, magnificent calligraphied doors that stood ominously in front of him. The most monumental events of Vlad's life had begun through these doors.

He'd been dragged through these doors when he was eight. Ten years later, he'd stood here as the bloodiest soldier of the Ottoman Empire. In the next few years, it was through these doors he had entered a marriage, through these had he carried his children with and without life.

Through these doors he'd welcomed Ingeras to his people. Through these doors had someone dared to ask for his son.

Right now, a century later, he stood at this door again, to once again be the savior of his people. The only difference was, that he wasn't Vlad Tepes III, soldier of the Ottomans, but rather as Vlad Tepes V, the Prince of Peace. With that thought, he stormed past his detail and pushed in the doors himself, walking in like he owned the court, which of course, he did.

The emptiness of the court was strange to Vlad, who'd heard a multiple hearts beating chaotically, a mix of anger and fear. He stood alone in the ginormous empty room like an idiot, twisting around with a bloody spear in his hand. This absence was clearly a sign of disrespect, as by now, towns over would have heard of his return.

A few moments later, long by the patience of an immortal, the doors next to the throne opened wide and in walked regent Lupei, with a fairly heavy detail around him.

Lupei immediately started talking to the man who had his back turned to him, his heart racing at the sight of the headed spear.

"What has it been, 5 long years? You must introduce yourself." Lupei's voice kept cool, since as of recently, he had nothing to fear, except the moon.

Still, nothing could have prepared him, or anyone else around him, when the man turned around to face them, as if he'd just walked out of a portrait.

Lupei's eyes threatened to burst if they grew more, and those around him fervently crossed themselves; earning a smiled scoff from Prince Vlad.

"Clearly, I can be no other than Vlad Tepes," he paused just to tease them, make their blood rush faster, "son of Miceah. The 14 year old boy you sent out into the woods, he's come home."

Before anyone could interject, he raised his finger and continued.

"Because I believe, if I'm well taught and trained enough to... remove my assassins," Vlad swung the spear around so the men around could see what he was talking about, "I think I'm well knowledgeable enough to return to my throne."

Lupei pouted and clapped as if he'd just stopped a joust, slowly.

"I applaud your apparent talent. Welcome home, Prince Vlad." He stopped to address the others. "Subjects, show some respect to your Prince!"

The surrounding men effortfully took a knee, except for the one who was more than willing.

"Yes, yes. Now that you have returned, you are rightfully entitled to your throne. But nor you or us can expect you to be immediately thrown down upon it. Please, may I suggest you take time readjusting back into society, and understanding where our current politics stand. And, as we can all assume from your stance, you've been through hell. Allow us, if you please, to take care of this, spear for you..." Lupei motioned to a soldier to take the spear away from Vlad, which despite the soldier's fear, he gave up with little resistance. "And you may find some peace and relief in your rooms, take a guide if you've forgotten."

Vlad laughed dryly. "Home is not something you forget, be it five or five hundred years."

As expected of him, Vlad made his way to the "children's room", the room that had most recently been Vlad V's room, which Dracula had given to his son Ingeras. The room was both same and different from the last time he'd been in here. It had evolved with the times; the fabrics, new furniture, the paintings, and the settings.

Lucky for him, the bed frame was almost the same as it had been in Ingeras's time, and Vlad drew closer to it in reflection. Lost in the memories of a life long gone, he was barely conscious of the presence behind him, but when the heartbeat came closer, Vlad grabbed the dagger in his jacket and spun around, having pinned the intruder to the bedpost with the blade at his throat.

"Should your blade slice me through, I would die happy at your hand."

Vlad took a second to identify the man in his hold. His words were that of a friend, someone who was very close to Vlad V.

"That is a fate unsuited for brothers."

Niklaus broke into a smile of relief and Vlad retracted his blade, soon after which he was taken into a hug. Dracula recalled Vlad's yearning to be back with his friend, and he dug into that emotion as he returned Klaus's hug.

"Oof, if you embrace is that strong," Niklaus pulled back, flexing his shoulders with a fake pained expression, "I wonder how hard your strike is."

"Believe me, it will be bad against my enemies." He spoke his warning with a light tone, making his way to sit on the edge of the bed.

"What'd they got you eating, horse nads?"

Vlad laughed heartily. It'd truly been a while since he'd heard a good joke.

"They kept me alive on wheat cream. I have a strong feeling they didn't want me coming back."

The solemnity returned heavily to the room.

"Care to join me for a walk? Something you can't die tonight without seeing."

Vlad scoffed a smile and got up, following Niklaus around the castle. The young boy felt helpful, reminded Vlad of what everything was in the castle, but Vlad walked around remembering everything from a century ago; how congested every walkway had been, full of overly ecstatic people, living a life of celebrity. If only they'd known. Klaus stopped in front of a hallway very well known to Vlad.

"Remember how as boys we weren't even allowed to skip near these doors?"

This time, Vlad's smile was dead. A century ago, he'd done a lot more than skip in this hallway. He was pretty sure they'd left marks on the floor, the doors, the walls, and that was after Ingeras.

Even though he wasn't longer a boy, Klaus still nervously pushed in the doors to Vlad Dracula's main halls. He'd expected dust, but apparently the halls had been very well kept through the century. Vlad wouldn't have stopped if Klaus hadn't stopped in front of him.

Niklaus cleared his throat as if about to make a grand speech.

"Vlad Tepes, meet Vlad Tepes." Klaus made introductory motions between the portrait of Vlad Dracula and the man he believed to be Vlad the fifth.

"If you're his reincarnation by face, let's hope you've come back with his heart too. Sure as hell is the perfect time for it."

Vlad laid a reassuring hand on his new friend's shoulders, secretly glancing at the portrait of his Queen has he spoke.

"I am Vlad Dracula. I will avenge my people."

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I've got a better version of the ending, it's just lost in my notebooks that are lost in storage