Tears can Blind you… Smiles can break you…

It was eerily silent as you drove your horses to go fast through the many forests of Barovia. Even though you had left early in the morning it was getting dark faster than you had expected, but luckily you came upon a medium sized village that appeared out of no where. You were thankful because you han't stopped for anything and even though you had been riding a horse you were thorouly exhausted and to be honest your butt was killing you.
"We should stop here for the night," you told Brent and Jason as you srood outside of the village. "And we better go fast. They may not accept us after sunset."
They nodded and you all walked your horses into the villages meeting a small stable boy at the entrance of an inn.
"What is this place?" You asked kindly as you handed him the reins of Amalthea, your horse.
"I'll tell you," he said slyly, "For a silver."
You looked down at him shocked then shrugged and handed him the money that Brent slipped into your hand. He looked at the money happily and greedily tucked it away from sight. "Place is called Cuzau," he said walking away with your horses. "And that's all you get for a silver."
You sighed and looked at Brent. "This place doesn't seem infested with zombies and it's not burning to the ground. I think it'll be good for at least one nights sleep. I know we agreed not to stop anywhere, but the forests make me uneasy."
"I don't mind," Brent shrugged and walked into the inn to check it out and get a room.
You turned to Jason as he put his hand on your shoulder. "I think it's a smart idea. Better than being unprotected in the woods all night."
You both looked at eachother uneasily and followed Brent into the inn. He was standing at to the side at a desk getting a room. "Do you want a room for yourself?" He asked handing the innkeeper some money.
You shook your head and sat down at a table, resting your head. Brent and Jason both took seats on either side of you and kept their heads down as not to attract attention.
But it could not be helped as the dark eyes of the patrons watched you suspiciously and they touched the hidden daggers in their clothing, ready to fight. You took that as a warning and went up to your room.
There was a single bed, a fireplace and a window. But once again, better than sleeping outside.
"You take the bed, Ari," Jason said yawning. "You are the lady afterall."
"He's right," Brent nodded and pulled back the blanket for you. "I'll keep watch. I never sleep much anyway."
"Then Jason can sleep in the bed with me," you argued sitting down on it. "It's big enough for at least three people and I don't think he'd try anything."
Brent looked at Jason and growled low, but nodded and watched the two of you lay down in bed, with your backs to eachother.
"Goodnight you guys," you yawned sleepily and instantly fell asleep."
Brent watched your sleeping form for a few moments, admiring how truly beautiful you were. Then sighing he sat down in a chair beside the window and kept watch all through the night.

The sound of breaking glass woke you up. You sat up in bed and looked around the room sleepily wondering what the commotion was. Then you noticed that Brent was gone. The noise hadn't woken Jason up so you silently got out of bed and crept to the door looking down the hallway to the stairs. You walked to the stairs and peered down.
You gasped as you saw blood all over the floor and a huge wolf gnawing on an arm. *Brent!* You immediately though and started to walk forward, but a hand covered your mouth and pulled you back.
"Shhh, it's me," Brent whispered into your ear.
You relaxed in his grasp and his hand left your mouth. "Who... did they kill?"
"The innkeeper," he whispered taking your hand and leading you back to the room. "Wake Jason. We have to leave now!"
"But why?" Then it hit you. Strahd had control of the wolves in Barovia. He must have sent them after you! The nerve of that slimy creep... It did make you wonder why he didn't come after you himself, but you didn't have time to think it through. You gently shook Jason to wake him up and explained what was going on in a hurry. He understood and kept quiet as Brent opened the window.
"I'll have to carry you both down the side of the building," he explained and amazingly he could hold the both of you on his back, even in human form. He nimbly jumped from the window and onto the ground without a sound. You and Jason got to the ground and the three of you ran for the stables to grab your horses and make a run for it. You were almost out of the stable door when, "What do you think you're doing?" rang through your ears.
Everyone froze and looked to the darkness that the voice had come from, but it was only the little stablehand.
You quickly walked over to him," See this gold coin?" You held it out and his eyes fixed to it. "It's yours if you'll stay quiet."
He nodded without a sound and you gave it to him.
Walking your horses out to the forest you got them and quietly escaped into the early morning.
"That was close," Jason said as you pulled your horse next to him. "Those wolves... Were from the guy who owned that castle?"
You nodded.
"Why does he want you so bad?"
You looked at him and gave him a look wishing he would stop asking questions. "I don't know."
You were lucky because after that he went quiet and the rest of the ride was silent save for the birds chirping in the trees and the gentle noise of hooves going through the dry leaves.
It didn't take you too long to reach your next place of interest. It appeared before you as an abandoned castle and you could see why, as it was in ruins. Crumblind stone walls stood with open ceilings as the ceilings had long ago fallen. It made you wonder how old this place was.
"Do you know this place?" You asked Brent as you jumped off of your horse.
"I believe these are the ruins of Tristenoira, a castle that was abandoned long ago." He answered surveying the place. "It's not much, but was once a very beautiful place to live. Until the goblins..."
"Goblins!" Jason laughed and looked at Brent like he was crazy. "That's the stuff of fairy tales. So what am I in? A fairy tale or a nightmare?"
Brent looked at Jason with disdain and continued. "I think the entire land is abandoned though so it should be safe traveling. In any case we should stay here for the night. I do not think the wolves will pursue us this far. Strahd has no rein here. No one does..."
You nodded, being mezmerized by something outside. A reddish light of some sort replexted on the walls making them seem blood stained. When you were finally outside you looked in amazment at the blood-red lake that was before you. "The Lake of Red Tears," you repeated the old womans words and she was right. It did look like blood. Horrifyingly so. It made you think of when Strahd cried...
His tears were blood red...
"Wow," Jason said in awe as he followed you and Brent looked at the lake thoughtfully.
"Oh I see!" You cried as you looked around and found the cause of the color. "Those cliffs there. They're red. The water must be reflecting their color."
"I've never seen cliffs OR water that was red. It just doesn't seem... natural." Jason said throwing a stick in the still water.
"Don't touch it!" Brent catiouned and pulled you back away from it. "Reflecting or not it is best not to mess with it. We all need rest. We'll have an early start tommorow."
You nodded hardly able to take your eyes from the water and followed him with Jason back inside the ruins wondering what secrets lay underneath the calm red water.