The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

The Diary

Lucius read every page of that journal; drinking in the essence of his father. He was entertained at his father’s sarcastic view of every event and admired Valentina’s father, King Lucian, who was constantly mentioned. He felt absolute happiness when Rebekah, Lucius’ deceased mother, gave birth to a son. Lucian was there at the birth and the two friends celebrated with whisky and cigar. Valeriu assigned Lucian as Lucius’ godfather on that day.

When Elanora gave birth to Valentina, Valeriu found the baby beautiful and proposed to Lucian that they betrothed their first born to each other; hence uniting the two most powerful royal families together. Lucian immediately agreed and within 24 hours, the decree was signed.

However, the decree was met with hostilities by the other royal families who were already fearful of the alliances between the Vladonovs and the Dragomirs. Lucian and Valeriu thought nothing of it but smugly laughed like they always did when another vampire shivered at the sight of them. But it was obviously a warning, which Valeriu and Lucian should’ve been prepared for, Lucius thought.

 It wasn’t until the last few months in the journal that his father’s tone became serious and suspicious. All laughter was lost and replaced with edginess and anger. When Lucian and his wife were assassinated, he felt his father’s pain and anguish. Then he felt his father’s obsession to find the killer and the missing Valentina. He had preparations to have young Lucius and Rebekah escorted to his private home in London, but Lucius knew that never happened. He stopped his reading and reflected on a memory he had tried to forget.

Lucius remembered the day of his parent’s assassination very well. It was what caused his recklessness and stubbornness as a child and teenager. Though in his teenager years, Lucius was more discreet and able to fool his uncles easily. On the day that it happened, Lucius was 6 and was in his father’s study reading The Three Musketeers. At the time, he thought D'Artagnan was stupid and too hot-headed. When he was reading well into a duelling scene, his father and mother abruptly entered the study. They were relieved to have found him there.

“My love, what has happened to the villagers? Why are they trying to rid us when we have protected them hence?” asked Rebekah; worried and clinging to Lucius.

“We didn’t do anything”, replied Valeriu as he fingered the edge of the mirror trying to find something. “The villagers found a mass grave with their missing peoples drained of blood and a Vladonov flag on top. They are not using their heads. If we wanted to drink fresh blood, we would’ve hid all evidence and not literally wave a flag to signal that it’s us. Humans are pathetic sometimes!”

Rebekah gasped and upon realizing what her husband was doing, she demanded, “Valeriu, what are you doing?”

“You and Lucius will go through the tunnel to the cave at the end. There are supplies for you. Take a plane to London to our house and notify Vladius. He lives in London and will look after the two of you. I’ll try to hold back the villagers…all my men have fled, every one of them. Of course, they will suffer for abandoning their post. I’ll reason with the villagers… you know I have that power”. Finding the lock, Valeriu opened the secret passage behind the mirror and pushed his wife and son in it. When Rebekah protested, Valeriu glared at her and said menacingly, “Woman, you have my only son and heir in your hands…he will not be harmed today!”

Lucius remembered his father closing the mirror and his mother dragging him through the dark. Finally they reached the opening of a cave and found supplies. They changed their clothes so that they looked human and average and Rebekah dragged Lucius into the town. It was quiet but she found and paid a driver to take Lucius to the airport. Before he left, Rebekah made him promise on his honour that he will take a plane to London to their house where they went all the time for holidays. She told him a vampire will come and look after him.

“Mother, father ordered you come with me”, Lucius said. “Why are you leaving?”

“Lucius, I fear for your father…he can be reckless sometimes”, Rebekah answered. “You go first…we shall me you in London”.

He reluctantly obeyed and as the car drove to the airport, Lucius watched his mother who was sadly waving to him get smaller and smaller before she turned back towards the castle.  

It wasn’t hard for him to board a plane. He was smarter than the average 6 year olds. When he reached his London home, he locked the doors and waited nervously while eating from their supplies. Two hours later, Vladius came and took him to the Dragomir residence close by. Lucius vaguely remember Vladius instructing him to watch television while Elizabetha fed him and a baby, who he now realised was Valentina. Vladius left for Romania but came back with bad news.

Valeriu and Rebekah were assassinated. Lucius was now king to the Vladonovs kingdom. He remembered the conversation between the two Dragomirs. Elizabetha suggested that they raise Lucius as their ward but Vladius said that Lucius will lose his kingdom to his cousin Dante if he is raised away from the Vladonovs. Upon agreeing to return Lucius back to his uncles, Vladius made arrangements to have one of his associates return the prince instead.

When Lucius did return to the Dragomirs’ London residence to demand the return of the princess, the house was sold to an old English couple. When he questioned the new owners, they did not know where the Dragomirs went but said that they left behind a pink music box; Valentina’s. Lucius kept it and laughed at the note inside the box written in Valentina’s handwriting: Job 38:11.

Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further.

Lucius continued reading and felt a touch of relief and sadness emitted from the pages when his father tracked down Valentina. Lucius read as Valeriu got annoyed at Vladius for not trusting Valentina to his care and allowing her to grow up as his ward. He had visited her in London once and was happy about her lifestyle before returning to Romania. It was until the last two entries in the journal that Lucius’ hands started to shake with shock and anger. It held secrets that had not been uttered before, and these secrets could lead to war. Looking at Valentina now, Lucius saw a look in her eyes that told him that she did want war.   

“You knew about this all these years?”

“I knew about it. I have spent years planning for it. I’m just waiting for his move”, Valentina replied, staring hard at the ocean.

“So it’s true that…”

“Yes, contrary to popular beliefs, King Rog is not my cousin…he is an imposter and was ward to my uncle Radius”, she answered coldly. “My father, my cousins and Valeriu’s killer…he will die, of course”.

“Then let’s not delay”, said Lucius menacingly.