The Dragomir Heir (Watty Award)

Duke Derrick Dragomir

“Hello, you have reached Valentina Dragomir’s phone. She is currently unavailable; so leave a message after I hang up”, answered Vera cheerfully over the phone.

Lucius growled and demanded, “Vera, give the phone to Valentina. I wish to speak to my fiancée”. It has been 2 days, 50 calls, 20 voice messages and 15 text messages, and Valentina has not talked to him or explained herself. Yes, he was angry at her for not informing him of Rog since she received the journal. She had 6 years to knock on his castle door and tell him that Rog was responsible for his parent’s death. When Vera ended the line, he saddened and scowled at himself. He remembered every regrettable thing he said to her at the villa; the place he had hoped to contain memories of happier times.

He remembered her emerald eyes flashing and determined to hold the tears at bay. She was still and silent like a statue while he shouted, yelled and swore. When he had finished and stood glaring at her, Valentina inclined her head as a way of ‘thanks’ and locked herself in her room. While he sat outside, glaring at the ocean, he heard a car pull away and Maria ran out to him.

“She left…sorry I didn’t know; she was so silent”, panicked Maria. At this, Lucius got up and felt instantly ashamed. He called the airport to delay his jet or any plane flying to Romania but the operator apologized that they had not authority a Dragomir jet, which had just arrived. By the time he got to the airport, she was gone.

“Have you tried flowers?” asked Dante.

“Oh yes. Why didn’t I think of that? Maybe because I’ve tried sending her 20 banquets of roses only to have them thrown out into the streets”, replied Lucius sarcastically.

“How about standing outside the palace until she comes out?” suggested Dante, again trying to use petty human actions to tempt a vampire princess, but they’ll never work.

“The guards this morning said that she has not left the castle since she got back from Italy”, said Lucius sadly. “I should’ve never compared her to the likes of Anna and Katarina”.

Looking at his warrior cousin now, Dante could see the sadness like a tangible thing. Never in his 22 years of existence has he seen Lucius disturbed or preoccupied as he was now. Though he ran the kingdom smoothly and as though his heart wasn’t breaking, there were times when Dante caught him with his phone either trying to contact Valentina or checking for replies, which never came from her end.

“It will pass…see this as a learning experience for marriage”, said Dante, though his encouragement was half felt. Truthfully, he knew his cousin was wrong to call Valentina ‘a lying bitch just like all the whores I have at my disposal’. Actually, he was unforgivably wrong. 

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As Vera hung up and placed Valentina’s phone on the table, it vibrated indicating the receiving of a text message. Picking up the phone again, Vera read:

My love, please talk to me. Yell at me if you must.

“Ok…now that’s 10 ‘talk to me’s, 3 ‘are you going to ignore me’s, 2 ‘please forgive me’s and an ‘I miss you’”, Vera noted on her fingers. “How long are you going to let this go on, Val? Please give it a few more days, I’ve found really good comebacks on ze Google”.

Valentina just smiled at her friend, who was murderous when she told Vera what Lucius had called her. “Until I’m ready, I guess”, she replied, and she returned back to her paperwork and war preparations. At 7pm, they made their way to the dinner room with Vera leading. Falling back, Valentina allowed herself to reminisce on the unsavoury event at the villa.

“You knew about this for 6 years? Why? Was it the glory that you feel you must have ALL THE TIME?” yelled Lucius as anger shook his hands. When Valentina said nothing, shocked at Lucius’ accusations, he continued sarcastically, “My engagement is going just absolutely great…in fact this whole betrothal is just so damn fine.