The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

Up the Lane of...

Lucius walked out to the front of the palace pissed and wanting to stake something. At witnessing the growing lust in Valentina’s eyes while Alek stroked her beautiful waist, he almost lost control and broke the couple and Alek’s neck in half. Luckily, Dante grabbed hold of his shoulders and reasoned with Lucius that at the end of the day, it was Lucius who will be engaged and then soon married to Valentina.

He emphasized that her relationship with Alek will be a thing of the past and that Valentina is rebelling like a teenager. But Valentina was not a teenager in mind, she was a woman. He was happy to know that she was innocent; he could smell it in her scent. The smell of fresh roses with no under layer of muskiness like Katarina or Anna, like the scent assaulting his noise at that moment.

“Lucius”, soothed Anna, “don’t worry about that ungrateful girl. There are some amongst us who see you as a great king”. She made a move to intimately stroke his chest, like she had done countless of times when he was drunk and melancholy. Still thinking about Valentina, he stilled her Anna’s hand and gently pushed her away.

The sound of two purring engines reached his ear, and he turned to find the source. A black Lamborghini Aventador, the exact one that Lucius admired a month ago in his Top Gear subscription, appeared around the corner of the palace and parked by the fountain with the statue of Valentina. Following the black Lamborghini was a white Audi R8 Sypder.

When the two engines cut, Alek stepped out of his Lamborghini and greeted Isaac, who got out of his Audi. An annoyed exhale sounded next to Lucius coming from Dante, who watched Isaac with a mixture of hatred and jealousy. Lucius had known when he was 9 that his cousin harboured a liking for Vera. Every time the twins visited the castle, his cousin delighted them with any requests that they issued. When the twins stopped visiting and then went missing, Dante became worried and following Katarina’s lead, he walked through the red district in search for the twins.

Lucius turned to glare at Alek in his smart casual attire and armani sunglass. The Tsar leaned on his car and took a long draught from his flask. Isaac did the same and then offered Alek a cigarette and lighter, which Alek gratefully accepted. Lucius didn’t know what they were talking about but as Isaac would occasionally look over to Lucius and his entourage, he didn’t have to guess. Anna and her ladies-in-waiting eyed the Tsar and Isaac hungrily, obviously captured by their riches.

Alek and Isaac took a sip from their flask of concentrated blood. The raid had left them thirsty. After putting his flask in the glove box, Isaac offered Alek a cigarette and lighter.

“So where are you taking Vera?” asked Alek. He eyed Isaac’s Ralph Lauren polo and Versace jeans, hoping they will give him a hint.

“I’m taking her shopping in the city”, answered Isaac. Alek analysed Isaac’s Audi and reflected on Vera’s past shopping trips. “You should’ve borrowed Nate’s Hummer instead”, concluded Alek. “How exactly are you going to fit all her shopping?”

Isaac turned towards his beloved, customized car and cringed. When he jogged down the stairs to the Royal Dimitus Garage, he only had three cars in mind: Nate’s silver Aston Martin, his own blue Porsche 911 and the white Audi R8 in front of him. Never did he thought about the giant black Hummer, or Vera’s tendencies to buy her clothes AND Valentina’s. Now thinking about his girlfriend’s shopping habit, he predicted that he will be carrying at least twenty shopping bags from store to store. He didn’t mind that, it was just the car.

“I guess we can tie some bags to the roof”, said Isaac doubtfully as he eyed his carbon fibre hood. He knew he will get a scratch sooner or later but didn’t want it to be today.

“Do you still have warranty?” asked Alek with pity.

“Good God, yes”, breathed Isaac in relief. So maybe this shopping trip wasn't going to be a disaster after all. “So what are you doing here Romanov?” he asked and then looking at Lucius behind him, “And in such close proximity to Lucius too”.

“I’m taking Valentina out for lunch”, answered Alek and took another draught of his tobacco stick.

“Really? Is that all?” smirked Isaac. Looking back at Lucius and his entourage, Isaac can clearly see the jealousy and the deep I-want-to-strangle-you-with-my-finger hatred in Lucius’ eyes, Dante’s annoyance and Anna’s radiating lust. Clearly not trying to be obvious, Isaac thought sarcastically.

As Isaac and Alek leaned on their respective car, smoking and taking sips of blood from their flask, they were occasionally greeted and respectfully bowed to by Dragomir soldiers. Isaac and Alek nodded to them, recognizing the soldiers, who remembered and admired the Tsar and Duke’s braveness and humour on the war field.

The gold double door behind Lucius open and two beautiful laughs came from it. Alek extinguished his cigarette with his foot and smiled up at the princess. She had her wavy black hair out and Alek couldn’t help himself from staring at her toned legs walking down the stone steps in her favourite wedges.

The short skirt that she was wearing, and the way her singlet and jacket fitted her body well, made Alek almost drooled like an immoral man living in the red district. Isaac, on the other hand, decided to voice his admiration instead to Vera, who was in her sky-high heels, shorts and halter. Alek had thought that one was supposed to dress comfortably while shopping, wasn’t that logical?

“Hey gal”, Isaac called out in his rapper persona to Vera. “Yer lookin mighti fine today. Sugar daddy is gonna treat yah”.  The soldiers at their post couldn’t help but laugh at Isaac’s humour, which didn’t help them focused much during the war.

As Valentina walked towards Alek and his new Lamborghini, she and Vera couldn’t stop the girly giggles that came out of them at Isaac’s obscene rapper behaviour. In fact, it got everyone except the Vladonovs, within metres laughing and watching Vera as she descended down the steps, embarrassed. As she walked pass the Vladonovs, she held her head high and smirked at Katarina’s jealous glare. Once she reached the bottom and was met with Isaac’s hands around her waist and she matched his rapper persona with her own.

“Get ur hands of me, yer dog”, countered Vera humorously. “Stop yer chattin and get”. Isaac laughed and kissed her neck.  Valentina watched them and happy for her friend, she made her way down towards Alek. However, she was stopped by Lucius who blocked her path. Alek seeing this, angered and was about to run towards her but she held up her hand to stop him.

Sensing a disturbance, Isaac and Vera stopping their personal greetings to each other and made their way towards Alek. Isaac immediately had his arm over his friend’s shoulders and reasoned with him. Letting out a sigh of relief, Valentina faced Lucius with a confused and annoyed look.

“Where are you going?” asked Lucius sardonically. “May I accompany you?”

“You may not”, replied Valentina. “I’m going out shopping with friends”.

Looking at Alek disdainfully, Lucius said, “Yes, ‘friends’. Why don’t you delay it, and accompany me to lunch. I’m sure today’s meeting was tiresome for all of us”.

“Yes, it was tiresome”, acknowledged Valentina as she eyed accusingly at Lucius. “I’m sorry, next time then”. Lucius grabbed her arm to stop her further descent. Alek growled and was attempting to stalk towards Valentina but Vera and Isaac, using their combined strength, held him back.

Calmly removing Lucius’ hand that was wrapped around her arm, she asked, “yes?”

“At least tell your fiancée where you are going?” said Lucius, adding emphasis on ‘fiancée’. Sighing, Valentina asked, “Do you have paper and pen, you might want to write this down?”

Lucius was doubtful that he would need to write things down in order to remember them but he indulged his fiancée anyway. Once Dante handed him a piece of paper and he readied his golden fountain pen, Lucius looked up at Valentina and nodded for her to continue.

Sounding defeated, which satisfied Lucius and proud of his persistence, Valentina said, “You have to go down the lane of ‘it is none of your business’, up ‘go fuck yourself’ street and turn at ‘piss off’ avenue”. Smirking, Valentina turned and climbed down to her companions who were bent over laughing.

Lucius was not happy.