Tears can Blind you… Smiles can break you…
Chapter 4
You sat down in your new room thinking about Brent and stll confused about why he had to leave. How were you in danger? You shook your head not understanding and wishing that you had the voice to ask anyone who might have the answers. A flash of blackness caught your eye coming from out the window. You walked up to the window looking out over the village watching the mist dissolve in front of you to reveal the houses and shops as people cautiously came out of their dwellings. You didn't understand what everyone was so afraid of... Then you saw it. A break in the mist at the top of the hill that hung over the village revealed a huge darkened castle that loomed ominously over everything. You shivered looking at it and didn't wonder about the people's fear anymore. The castle may have been a bit distant, with a small forest in between it and the village, but it was still close enough to seem threatening. You wondered about what kind of a person must live in such a sad and lonely place. It saddened your heart to imagine such a person. But again the mist swirled around the castle, blocking it from all human sight and you weren't ungrateful. You felt something tugging you in that direction and placed your hand over your heart as it seemed to try to rip its self out just to go to that castle. You decided to find out what was going on, voice or no voice.
You walked down the stairs into the main part of the temple and found the Priest tending to another young woman crying on a bench, raving about... vampires? You didn't want to bother the priest and the woman as she seemed to need more attention than you did at the moment so you silently slipped outside even though the priest had warned you against such an action. But you smiled to yourself as you felt the cool, fresh air hit your face and completely forgot about the man's warning.
"You know you really shouldn't go wandering off," a voice sounded behind you. "The high priest has already warned you."
You turned to face a young man with shoulder length black hair and bright green eyes, leaning against the side of the temple looking at you curiously. He might have some answers so you walked up to him and pointed in the direction of the castle.
"What... are you doing?" He asked looking confused. Then it hit him what the priest had said. "Oh you can't speak, can you?"
You nodded, growing annoyed with this man already and again pointed towards the castle as it peaked through the mist that never dissipated even as the sun rose high.
"The castle?" He asked and you nodded again. "You want to know about the castle?"
You nodded.
He looked uneasily between you and the castle... "That's not something to be talking about, day or night. He will hear..."
You shook your head not understanding who this He was.
He sighed and gave in, "Ok I will tell you a little. That castle," he started hesitantly, "Is castle Ravenloft."
At the word Ravenloft, you could see a man, but didn't know who he was.
"The Lord of all the lands lives there..." He said not wanting to say his name, but looking at your confused expression he had no choice. "The Lord, Strahd Von Zarovich." Then his voice got low and he leaned in close to you and hissed, "The devil Strahd!"
The name was so familiar... It rang in your head again signaling the image of the strange man. You urged him to tell you more by clinging to his tunic and he couldn't deny you.
"There are rumors about him," he said, again his voice low as if Strahd might be there listening, invisible. "That he is a vampire!"
A vampire? You had heard Brent speaking of such things as you tried to sleep.
"Not only that..." The boy said bringing you from your thoughts. "They also say he is a necromancer/sorcerer. That he has strange dark powers and has lived for hundreds of years."
You took all of this information in eagerly, looking up at the castle and knowing that your answers lye there. You began to walk towards it when the boy stopped you. "You must not venture too close," he warned you pulling you beside him. "He has a host of undead minions. And they say that he killed his family and forced his brother's fiance to jump from a cliff. I have heard stories that he has been looking for her, because he doesn't believe she is truly dead. But there are so many storied hanging around him that no one will ever know the truth. That is unless they go and meet with him... Ever so often he will take a beautiful maiden from our village and she will never be seen again."
You wondered if he was just trying to scare you or if what he said was true. You suddenly felt a very real sense of dread from the place though and went quickly back into the temple, feeling slightly safer than just wandering outside...
You spent the next few days locked inside of the temple learning of the villages gods and religions, but nothing more of Strahd or castle Ravenloft. You had decided not to investigate the subject any longer and live a quiet life in the temples safe walls.
On the forth day of your new life the priest suddenly burst into your room. "My lady, Aiyana," He breathed catching his breath. "I have terrible news... Terrible terrible news... Read this," he said handing you a rolled up parchment with trembling hands.
Your eyes widened in fear as you read over the strange document and you looked at the priest unbelieving before reading it over and over again. It read as follows:
My Lady, Aiyana....
I would be most grateful if you would join me in my castle today. I have heard of your lost memory and voice and I wonder if I might help you in some way. No doubt you have heard of my... reputation in magic and I would be only too happy if you would allow me to assist you. I will send my finest carriage to pick you up soon after you receive this letter. I eagerly await your appearance in Catle Ravenloft.
Your gracious host,
Strahd Von Zarovich
You looked to the priest, shaking your head as if to say no, but he only looked at you with pity. "There is nothing I can do for you, but pray that you return safely to the village someday." And with that he left you alone in your room to think things over. This could be the perfect opportunity to find out the answers to your true identity. But on the other hand you still felt dread in your heart for the familiarity of the handwriting in the note and the village and castle themselves. Soon though the carriage appeared and taking a deep breath you stepped outside to meet it. It was a beautiful thing, made of wood pained black with a red interior. But the driver of the thing was cloaked and hooded so you could see nothing, but hints of searing red eyes that peaked from the folds. The coal black horses themselves were far too skinny and skittish, but breathing deeply you stepped into the carriage, ready to meet the devil Strahd...
You walked down the stairs into the main part of the temple and found the Priest tending to another young woman crying on a bench, raving about... vampires? You didn't want to bother the priest and the woman as she seemed to need more attention than you did at the moment so you silently slipped outside even though the priest had warned you against such an action. But you smiled to yourself as you felt the cool, fresh air hit your face and completely forgot about the man's warning.
"You know you really shouldn't go wandering off," a voice sounded behind you. "The high priest has already warned you."
You turned to face a young man with shoulder length black hair and bright green eyes, leaning against the side of the temple looking at you curiously. He might have some answers so you walked up to him and pointed in the direction of the castle.
"What... are you doing?" He asked looking confused. Then it hit him what the priest had said. "Oh you can't speak, can you?"
You nodded, growing annoyed with this man already and again pointed towards the castle as it peaked through the mist that never dissipated even as the sun rose high.
"The castle?" He asked and you nodded again. "You want to know about the castle?"
You nodded.
He looked uneasily between you and the castle... "That's not something to be talking about, day or night. He will hear..."
You shook your head not understanding who this He was.
He sighed and gave in, "Ok I will tell you a little. That castle," he started hesitantly, "Is castle Ravenloft."
At the word Ravenloft, you could see a man, but didn't know who he was.
"The Lord of all the lands lives there..." He said not wanting to say his name, but looking at your confused expression he had no choice. "The Lord, Strahd Von Zarovich." Then his voice got low and he leaned in close to you and hissed, "The devil Strahd!"
The name was so familiar... It rang in your head again signaling the image of the strange man. You urged him to tell you more by clinging to his tunic and he couldn't deny you.
"There are rumors about him," he said, again his voice low as if Strahd might be there listening, invisible. "That he is a vampire!"
A vampire? You had heard Brent speaking of such things as you tried to sleep.
"Not only that..." The boy said bringing you from your thoughts. "They also say he is a necromancer/sorcerer. That he has strange dark powers and has lived for hundreds of years."
You took all of this information in eagerly, looking up at the castle and knowing that your answers lye there. You began to walk towards it when the boy stopped you. "You must not venture too close," he warned you pulling you beside him. "He has a host of undead minions. And they say that he killed his family and forced his brother's fiance to jump from a cliff. I have heard stories that he has been looking for her, because he doesn't believe she is truly dead. But there are so many storied hanging around him that no one will ever know the truth. That is unless they go and meet with him... Ever so often he will take a beautiful maiden from our village and she will never be seen again."
You wondered if he was just trying to scare you or if what he said was true. You suddenly felt a very real sense of dread from the place though and went quickly back into the temple, feeling slightly safer than just wandering outside...
You spent the next few days locked inside of the temple learning of the villages gods and religions, but nothing more of Strahd or castle Ravenloft. You had decided not to investigate the subject any longer and live a quiet life in the temples safe walls.
On the forth day of your new life the priest suddenly burst into your room. "My lady, Aiyana," He breathed catching his breath. "I have terrible news... Terrible terrible news... Read this," he said handing you a rolled up parchment with trembling hands.
Your eyes widened in fear as you read over the strange document and you looked at the priest unbelieving before reading it over and over again. It read as follows:
My Lady, Aiyana....
I would be most grateful if you would join me in my castle today. I have heard of your lost memory and voice and I wonder if I might help you in some way. No doubt you have heard of my... reputation in magic and I would be only too happy if you would allow me to assist you. I will send my finest carriage to pick you up soon after you receive this letter. I eagerly await your appearance in Catle Ravenloft.
Your gracious host,
Strahd Von Zarovich
You looked to the priest, shaking your head as if to say no, but he only looked at you with pity. "There is nothing I can do for you, but pray that you return safely to the village someday." And with that he left you alone in your room to think things over. This could be the perfect opportunity to find out the answers to your true identity. But on the other hand you still felt dread in your heart for the familiarity of the handwriting in the note and the village and castle themselves. Soon though the carriage appeared and taking a deep breath you stepped outside to meet it. It was a beautiful thing, made of wood pained black with a red interior. But the driver of the thing was cloaked and hooded so you could see nothing, but hints of searing red eyes that peaked from the folds. The coal black horses themselves were far too skinny and skittish, but breathing deeply you stepped into the carriage, ready to meet the devil Strahd...