The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

In the Crystal Ball

Once back at Vladonov castle, Lucius stormed to his study, keen to get his meeting underway. He was followed by his escorts, who too wanted to know more about Princess Valentina and Tsar Alekzander. Already, admiration and fear spread throughout the vampire world at the mention of this couple. They were a force and a great team, and Lucius despised it.

Once inside the study, he was glad to see Dante waiting in the readied room with an old gypsy woman next to him. When he sat behind his desk, so the meeting could proceed, he caught a wisp of old cat fur mixed with sweat, and pitied his cousin who stood behind the gypsy as a precaution.

Winking his aristocratic nose, Lucius motioned for the gypsy to step forward. “You know why you are here. I want to know everything there is about Valentina Dragomir and Alekzander Romanov.”

“My service do not come cheaply, Milord”, the gypsy croaked. At that, Lucius tossed a small ruby at her, which the gypsy caught in her weathered hands. She sniffed the ruby and tested it against her cracked yellow teeth. Once satisfied, she pocketed the ruby and opened her large patchwork bag. Pulling out a crystal ball, she settled it on the coffee table and sat herself down. “What do you want to know exactly, Milord?”

“Everything”

“Yes, very specific”, responded the gypsy. If Lucius wasn’t desperate to know more about Valentina as soon as possible, he would’ve smacked the sarcasm out of the woman’s head with the blunt end of his stake. Instead, he glared at her. “You need to be more specific than that?”

“Tell us how the couple meet and then expand from there”, said Dante.

“Very well”, acquiesced the gypsy and she swept her hands over the crystal ball. “Princess Valentina Aurora Daenerys Dragomir, 17, and Tsar Alekzander Leopold Hector Romanov, 23, meet when they were under the guidance of King Louis and Queen Marie”.

“Why?” asked Madame Marion, curiously.

“Every summer break, they were taught the ways of vampire rulers and etiquette. They were taught how to hunt, dance, play music and all the other stuff that you fancy people do”.

“And for the rest of the year?” asked Lucius.

“He trained under the Russian military and she in the German one. They went to school together…”

“WHAT? WHERE? Why didn’t Vladius send her to the Royal Romanian College?” shouted Lucius.

“Vladius felt the college was not good enough and so he sent her to a prestigious English boarding school, Earlton Academy. There, he selected a few of his close associates to teach at the school, mostly in areas like debating, sports, science, history and languages”. The gypsy rubbed her eyes and looked closely at her crystal, then sighed romantically. “My, my… this is a love story”

Lifting himself off the chair menacingly, Lucius growled, “Do explain …”

Sensing that she is on thin ice, the gypsy rapidly explained, “They became head boy and girl…I’ll show you”.

Suddenly, an image came from the crystal. It was Valentina in her uniform standing next to Alek in the school hall, receiving their badges and official head boy and girl blazer. The image changed and showed Valentina in her cheerleading uniform dancing alongside Vera, who was the head cheerleader, while Alek looked on as his soccer coach shouted at the team. Lucius noted that Dante inhaled deeply when Vera playfully shook her hips while it was being handled by Isaac and realised the cause to his cousin’s earlier despair. He and Dante groaned when images of Vera dancing on a table and Valentina swaying on the dance floor of an exclusive club came up. Lucius was hypnotized as he watched Valentina in her short red dress slaving to the music.

 The image faded and showed Valentina, Alek, Vera, Vanessa, Isaac and Nathaniel in leather army uniform on horseback. With deadly looks, they matched their horses forward before erupting into a full gallop with swords held out. As they came upon the enemy, they attacked ruthlessly. Valentina’s attacks were rapid, swift and effortless while Alek’s were laced with menace and strength that he seems to never run out off. Suddenly the light from the crystal went out.

“What happened?” demanded Lucius.

“We used up too much of its magic”, explained the gypsy. “Especially when the person you are spying on is of dragon blood”

“Explain”

“The Dragomir line began with dragons, which are magical beings. Their magic can stop other magic from … interfering. Humans are easy because they have no ounce of magic, vampires are a bit harder but vampire blood with dragon blood is very hard. I’m sorry, Milord”.

“Go”, Lucius tiredly dismissed the gypsy, who did not hesitate and immediately left the Vladonov castle to hermit in her trailer.

“All is not lost Lucius”, reassured Dante, when the study emptied. But Lucius knew better.