Sands of Time (Hellsing•AU)

The Day Comes (51)

Vlad was still unsettled from the night 'the stranger' appeared in the courtyard. If indeed that had been the Grey Wanderer, Odin, then the Christian God must be real too. The Pagan God refueled Vlad's call to remove Mehemed from Christian lands. He refused to allow Ylva to leave the keep. Anyone might kidnap her, for leverage and ransom but the washer woman disturbed him, the most of all.

Viovode saw the bustling of the staff, to prepare the wedding chapel and dining hall. He would occasionally see Ylva giving directions or assisting in final touches. She sampled food and wine. When Vlad was sure she was completely distracted, he headed outside and had his riding horse saddled. The Prince pulled his hooded cloak up over his head, then dismissed any guards going with him. He headed out at a fast pace, following the river, as it snaked through the countryside.

Vlad was only on the road for about half an hour when his eye caught sight, of a ragged young woman washing clothes, at the river bank opposite of him. He spurred his horse up to the edge of the river. The horse nickered and the washer girl looked up startled. She was crying tears of blood and producing a low wail. The woman cried out these words:

Parea un tanar voevod
(Young voivode)

Giulgiul lui negru atestă moartea
(His black shroud attests)

Coroana-i arde pare
( arms marbly)

Venea pluntid in adevar
(He comes sad and pensive)

And scaldat in foc de soare
(pale is the face.)

Patrunde trist cu raze reci
(He is sad with cold rays)

Din lumea ce-l desparte...
(From the world that separates him...)

In veci il voi iubi si-n veco
(I love him forever and forever )

Va rameanea departe
(will stay far away,)

(Luceafarul-Mihai Eninescu author)

Vlad's riding horse pawed and reared the whole time the pale and wailing woman spoke. It tried to bolt but the prince kept the horse under control. The more the girl cried the words out, the more angry he became.

"That is enough!" He yelled fiercely. "I am not one to be frightened by ghosts and ghouls! Be gone girl or I will impale you myself, on this very spot!"

The pale girl finished her prophecy and turned to the dark forest. She walked with a blank expression on her face, then disappeared into a sudden thick fog, that rolled in. Vlad saw a sickle laying on a man's shirt, soaked in blood. The two items slowly sank into the river and disappeared  as if they never existed.

Vivode shook his head.

His rational mind told him it wasn't real. She wasn't real but his spiritual side was on overdrive. This was his final warning he felt in his heart. He could not allow the fear of death, stop him from his duty to his country. He had dodged death so many times before. The Prince figured he just needed to be extra aware of his surroundings. Vlad turned the horse and spurred it home. His wedding would go as planned and the future would be the future.

As was customary, Ylva was not allowed to be with Vlad the night before the wedding. She was not amused about that, but followed the tradition for him. They had broken the celibacy vow already, so one night of not sleeping together, wasn't too tough.

The young woman couldn't sleep, so she snuck out a leaded glass window and sat on the roof. She heard wolves in the distance and an owl in a tree near the keep. Ylva sighed, Vlad would be leaving soon. She hoped she would be married and still going with him. Her highly sensitive nose knew the Turks were off in the distance. The wolves howling, told her they had been displaced, by an army.

Morning came and the wedding vows were to be at noon, exactly. Ylva paced back and forth until a handmaiden came for her. The veil was pulled down over her eyes. She looked down and saw the red carpet her feet stepped on, heading to the altar. Her heart beat rapidly like a drum announcing a battle.

Vlad turned to see his bride, Ylva walking to him. He was used to her gruff look and battle attire, so he was a little taken back, with her in a wedding dress. He thought she was an angel from heaven, that had just stepped foot on earth, and was to become his wife. This powerful and beautiful creature was meant for him.  His pulse quickened as he held his left hand out for his bride to be.

Ylva looked up and smiled softly. Her heart beat quickly, but it beat in time, with the messenger running across the courtyard. Her hearing had heard the horse stop, and the smell of congealed blood, came towards the chapel.

"Ylva do you take Vivode Vlad III Drǎculea as your husband to love and cherish...."

"I vow to be faithful to my last breath," Ylva replied.

"My Prince, the Turks are nearing Bucharest! Oh please ride out and save our beloved land!" the ragged messenger cried out.

"Ylva, you obey my command and stay here. I need you here just in case, Gregory will assist, if you need to evacuate the keep." With that, Ylva assisted with his armor.

That was the last time she saw him alive.

Úlfhéðnar was next to dress for battle. "Armour! Weapons! Prepare for a siege on the keep!" Ylva yelled in a commanding voice.

Several days later, the keep was on alert but not battle high alert. Ylva looked over military intelligence and drank wine, with two Captains left with her. She placed her left hand down, next to a candle. Her body went weak, as if she was going to faint, then the candle flame flickered.  Ylva let a small grunt out and steadied her body.

"Time for a break fine gentlemen..." she said.

One of the Captains approached Ylva. "Something distresses you regina."

Ylva sighed, "I'm not your regina yet..."

"Until the Prince says otherwise, you are our appointed regina. What troubles you?"

"Dragostea mei, is dead. I felt his death just now. He is gone Mihai..."

Ylva sat down on the floor and covered her eyes. You couldn't let Mihai see her tears, as they would be tinged with blood. He probably thought she was a witch in the first place.

"Regina Ylva, how is it you can know this?"

"I have a special bond with my love. Vlad....I know when he is in trouble. In that I would know when he would die too."

"Ylva I need to get you to Vlad's room. The visir is not fond of you and will try to get you burned, as a witch. I know you are more than what you seem, but my Prince trusted you and so I in turn, trust you. Come let me get you safe and stay low, until we hear officially of his death. I will say you have fallen ill, with worry."

As Mihai had Ylva pretend to act sick and help her to Vlad's room, a pack of wolves howled in the forested grove,where Vlad and her went to be alone and make love. Her pack was sharing in her sorrow. Finally the blood curdling wail, of an unearthly woman could be heard, across the land.

The omen had come true.

The black Prince was dead and gone, in the night a howl echoed from Vlad's bed chamber. It was one long sorrowful howl, that a mate sings, with the death of their mate. The wolf berserker mourned her mortal, human mate.

In the morning, Ylva came down stairs and began taking care of country business. She met with finances and then Captain Mahai about tactics. The vizir spied on Ylva and schemed.

He would force her into his bed.

He would talk with her and steal her ideas to run the country or the army.

She was a worthy tool for the picking.

Ye are the blood of my blood
Bone of my Bone,
I give ye my Body,
that we Two might be One.
I give ye my Spirit, 'til our Life shall be Done.

Diana Gabaldon, Outlander (Outlander, #1)