The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

The Hunt for the Stag King

“What the fuck is he doing here?” exclaimed Vera behind Valentina, who was in a mixture of disbelief and shock. Had she let her guard down and allowed the Vladonov King to slitter through all her plans? If it was, this will be the last time he outsmarted her. Putting her face into a bored and emotionless expression, she rode Titan towards him.

“Language Vera”, said Vladius calmly. “He sent a note yesterday informing me that he will be hunting with us. I couldn’t possibly say no, could I?”

“My love”, responded Elizabetha, concerned. “Perhaps it was not the best idea, my daughter wishes to kill the stag king herself without any help. I am sorry Valentina”. She reached and squeezed Valentina’s shoulder.

“It is fine”, responded Valentina. “I’ll just make sure that he pays”. Vera snickered at her friend’s sarcasm, knowing that what she is planning will come to past.

“My Lord”, Valentina greeted Lucius when she reached him. “Will you be hunting or lounging?” She eyed Madam Marion and her student’s ridiculous riding gear. Smirking at the site, she hoped that they did not slow down the party on their quest.

“Definitely hunting”, answered Lucius. “I’m here to help you kill the stag king”.

“You want to help?” she asked innocently. When Lucius nodded, she said menacingly, “then stay out of my site”. Valentina have been waiting for two years to kill the elusive and cunning stag king with her own signature bow and arrow.

“No can do My Love”, said Lucius then turned to give Titan a pat. The giant horse bit at Lucius’ hand, drawing out blood.

“Titan!” gasped Valentina, in a motherly manner. “That was very good. I’m so proud of you”. She patted the horse, beaming at it. Laughing, Vera moved her black-blue mare towards Valentina and warned Lucius, “No one touches Titan without permission. He has been taught to kill well in battles too”. Lucius grimaced. The beast was still wild and he noticed that the Vladonov elders’ horse backed away. Already the horse was establishing his alpha position. Looking at Valentina, he was beginning to like her regal and daredevil taste. She was ruthless, skilled and cunning; all up she was the female version of Vladius when he was king.

Growing up, the elders would tell him stories about the great King Vladius or Dracula. He was ruthless and successfully invaded many territories. That is why the Dragomir kingdom is not defined by territory like the Tsar. Their people are wide spread all over the world. Once you are in the Dragomir clan, you stay there and you are protected by your sovereign or destroyed by them if you betray them.

Patting her horse affectionately, Valentina felt the presence of some mares approaching, mares who are in no condition to ride through the wild woods.

“Your highnesses, Duchess”, addressed Madam Marion with her students behind her. “I feel that I must inform you that your attire is most inappropriate for the hunt, especially for a titled lady”. Valentina gave her a confused look; surely she does realise that this is a hunt. Unless the Vladonov thought that they were bound for safer regions of the woods. Those parts, Valentina knew since childhood was where you will only find harmless rabbits and easier targets to kill.  

“We are not hunting rabbits, Madam”, countered Valentina. “But if you and your ladies feel that my kitchen is low on stock, then by all means”. Lucius snorted at this. However, Valentina felt that these stupid ladies will slow her hunt down, so she said, “Perhaps you would like to rest in the…”

“Perhaps you would enlighten us on how we should hunt like ladies”, interrupted Vera as she gave Valentina a wink that said ‘just play along’.

“Of course”, Valentina added, “do join us and educate both me and Vera. Our education and etiquette were not as … well-known”. Vera coughed to cover her snigger. Dante and Lucius smiled amusingly at Vera and Valentina’s sarcasm. At that minute, Lucius interrupted and introduced his cousins. Valentina thought they looked like slimy people, not honourable at all. She wanted to cringe as the cousins eyed her and Vera’s body first before flourishingly bowing from their ride, but she determinedly held back her shiver.

As Lancel eyed Vera hungrily and Cezar and Ramus eyed her, Valentina motioned Vera away from the crowd to get some privacy, pretending that she needed Vera to adjust her hair and clothes.

“I don’t like those three”, said Vera in Latin, as she adjusted Valentina’s hair. “I don’t think they know that you aim to go deeper into the woods”.

“I know”, said Valentina while she tightened her bowstring and opened the flap of her leather arrow case and pulled out a golden arrow. “I want you to follow father up the main road. I will ride partially behind the group with you but at Devil’s Route, I’m taking off. We are going to make the stag king run towards me”.

Vera smiled at Valentina’s cunningness. “Because there are many rocks on the main road, and going up that road will signal our presence?” Valentina nodded.

“What do we do about the stalker?” Vera nodded towards Lucius. “You distract him and Dante and I’ll do the rest. No doubt that he will follow me but we’ve already established who the better rider is”. The women smirked at each other.

Noticing that the hunting party was ready, Valentina signalled for the hunt to start and the group followed her lead. As she rode to the field just before the inner dark woods, Lucius rode up next to her, and occasionally looked over, which she ignored. Once she arrived at the field, she motioned for the group to stop and be silent. Here, she smelt the air and listened just to make sure that the stag king was where she wanted him to be; he was and he can feel the group of vampires nearby.

Turning to Vladius, Valentina said wickedly, “The stag king is cunning, Father…unfortunately I’m here”. Vladius laughed and motioned for his daughter to give the hunting group instructions.

Lucius watched as Valentina looked towards the dark woods, like a wolf smelling her target. It was almost like Valentina could sense the stag herself. As the group begin to realise that Valentina means to lead them into the dark woods, panic rose in some of the riders’ eyes. Madam Marion was more vocal.

“This is not very lady like, your highness”, she exclaimed. “Through the dark woods…why... we are not dressed for that!”

Eyeing at Madam Marion’s attire, Valentina said mockingly concerned, “Yes…I did notice that before…”

“And where are your hounds?” the Madam demanded. “You should have them here!”

“So that THEY could hunt?” Vera quietly laughed at Valentina’s confused face. Turning towards the group, she commanded, “You are all to follow my father up the main road. There we will trap the stag king”. At this, Vladius turn to lead them as Valentina fell back to the rear with Lucius, Dante, Vera and some guards. While riding next to Valentina, Lucius noticed that she replied politely to his questions and stopped ignoring him.

“Yes, I have been hunting with father since I was four, you?” Valentina asked which shocked him. Has she finally decided to accept this betrothal genuinely? Was it her loyalty to Alek that made her cold towards him when Alek was in Romania? Thank the heavens for the Tsar being a busy man.

“I have been hunting since I was four as well, My Love”, replied Lucius. “That is a nice bow and arrow set you have there. Was it a gift?”

“Yes, it was”, ansered Valentina as she too admired them. “I received it yesterday from Prince Zacharias, fifth son of Sultan Altair. We have been friends since childhood”. At this Lucius grimaced and felt jealousy rise up again. Great! Another royal vampire he has to scare off. “Have you hunted in these parts of the woods before? What was your first kill?” she asked, now turning her attention to him.

Looking at Valentina kindly and loving how her whole attention was on him, he answered her question as they pass the dangerous Devil’s Route. “Tell me princess, what was your first kill?” When he didn’t get an answer, Lucius looked back and realised that the princess was not there. Vera snorted beside him and looked towards Devil’s Route. Realising that Valentina must’ve ridden through it, he followed, scared that in her determination, she did not think about the danger.