C6 Chapter 6

Mira was still sceptical about Heike and did not want to look at the stocky figure who silently followed close behind them. She clutched Peter’s hand as tightly as if he had been the very last straw that could save her on this awful journey, and left Heike to tend to the horse as they made their way along the rugged road in the dark.

“Oh,” she wailed. “I thought I was going to die up there in the scary, swampy forest! It was as though malicious eyes were staring at us from every direction! They were lurking in the trees, peering from the moss, from the forest floor, and in the end I had to shut my eyes.”

“But it’s all over now,” Peter smiled. “Sometimes you can convince yourself of a lot of things and afterwards you realize how silly you’ve been. But there is something I’ve been thinking about: it will look strange the three of us arriving like this, not related to each other. I mean when we meet other people. Should we perhaps say that you are our sister?”

“Yes, yours!” Mira said, pressing herself up against Peter. The next moment she realized she had been foolish because it wasn’t Peter’s sister she wanted to be. On the other hand, she couldn’t be related to Heike. He didn’t resemble her at all. In fact, he didn’t look like anyone else in the world. He must have crawled out from an abyss.

On the other hand, Peter approved of him. And he had lifted her so gently off the horse, even though she had recoiled from his touch.

No, it didn’t matter which one of them she pretended to be related to, they just needed to find shelter for that one night ...

Mira became lost in thought ...

The lateness of the hour lowered her defences. Father ... her father who was now laid to rest for all eternity in a grave that no one would ever be able to find. So alone ...

No, she refused to cry! She’d rather think of all those times she had had to save him from the numerous difficulties he had got into. Like the times she had saved him from the police, returned his stolen goods, warned his clients about his troubles, tended to the stinking drunk that he turned into after a day of brawling and drinking with his mates ...

All the blows she had received! She was deaf in one ear because of that, merely because she had refused to sell her body when they needed money.

Still he had managed to humiliate her. He had found some “customers” for her himself. They were rowdy, disgusting men that he had let into her bedroom, or into whatever hut they happened to sheltering in. Then he had just laughed at her heart-rending cries and shouts for help while he took the money to buy more schnapps.

That was why she refused to cry over him.

But isn’t it a daughter’s duty to obey her father, even after his death? Would she ever manage to escape him?

And here she was dreaming about her and Peter! She, who was already violated and impure!

It was strange, but it felt as though a certain sense of warmth and a feeling of safety emanated from somewhere behind her. As though the foul Heike ... understood?

Nonsense!

“Where were you off to?” Peter asked. “You and your father?”

“Oh, anywhere. When you’ve cut up rough in all the civilized cities that only leaves you all the outskirts.”

“The world is full of people who have failed like that. I was once one of them.”

“You? But you look so refined!”

“Ha!” Peter laughed. “The only advantage I have is a good brain, which I can’t put to proper use because I’m poor. I was supposed to have been a professor, instead I became a worthless performer. It was Heike who saved me.”

“Is ... he also a wanderer?”

“Heike? No, he’s on his way back home to the North where he’s to take over one or two of the family’s estates.”

Mira turned around and looked at Heike with wide eyes. But in the darkness all she could make out was a brooding figure with broad shoulders and a face that was fortunately concealed in shadow, for she had absolutely no desire to look at it.

Was it just her imagination, or was he smiling at her a little?

Peter sighed. “How are we ever to make ourselves understood? And how will we ever understand what they’re saying?”

“Indeed! In the last village Father and I were in we understood absolutely nothing of what they said,” Mira added. “And I guess they speak the same language here.”

“Not promising, is it?” Peter said dryly.

It was pitch black when they finally reached the village. A warm, yellow glow of light came from the windows. They soon found the square, where there was an inn. They tied up the horse and went into the taproom.

The few people sitting there immediately fell silent and assumed unapproachable expressions when the newcomers entered. It was suspiciously late, and it was very unusual to see a woman in such an inn. On top of that, there was Heike’s appearance. The four locals jumped up when they saw him, vigorously made the sign of the cross and held their hands protectively in front of them.

“Grüss Gott,” Peter greeted them in a clear voice.

They responded in a frantic torrent of speech as they pointed at Heike. They were clearly asking him to leave as quickly as possible, and that included Mira as well – all three of them ought to disappear from the village as quickly as possible.

Heike was surprised. They were speaking Dimitrie’s language, he thought.

He greeted them with a little bow. Then he spoke to them in their own language. “You must excuse my unfortunate appearance, it is not one I ever asked for. I assure you that it has nothing to do with dark forces, but I won’t deny that it does create problems for me when I am among strangers. I ask that you be so kind as to judge me on my character and not my appearance.”

Heike had a deep and pleasant voice that always had an effect on people. It did on this occasion as well. The men calmed down a little but they remained standing, ready for escape if necessary.

“My friends, I have, along with these two siblings, Mira and Peter, been travelling for a long time and we have managed to lose our way. Can you tell us where we are and whether it is possible to get food and shelter for the night?”

Relieved at being able to hand the problem over to someone else, they immediately called out, “Zeno!”

The innkeeper came out wearing his apron, and one of the men said, “He claims to be harmless, and by God I almost believe him. They want food and shelter.”

Zeno looked at the guests in silence. Heike especially was subject to scrutiny.

Then he nodded sulkily and made a sign indicating that they could settle down for the night and await some food.

The men invited them to sit down at their table. They had grown curious.

For a moment complete silence reigned as they all inspected one another. Then Heike said carefully, “I understand that you have problems here in the village?”

Naturally, Peter and Mira understood nothing but the men started. Zeno had returned and had heard the last part.

No one answered. They looked hesitantly and suspiciously at one another.

Then Zeno sat down and stared fixedly at Heike. “What makes you think that?” he asked, expressionless.

The expression in Heike’s yellow eyes was mild. “It’s hard to say, but if I am given more information about it I may be able to help you.”

They leaned back and let out sighs of relief.

“How can you, a young boy, come here and tell us such a thing?” Zeno asked with a stern look on his face.

“Because I belong to a family that is able to fight against evil forces.”

They gasped for breath, looking about the room as though something were hiding in the corners.

“There is no evil here,” Zeno said, but his face betrayed him. “There is absolutely no evil here. I don’t understand where you got such an absurd idea!”

Heike’s gaze moved around the room. “The forest ...” he began. “There are black birds in the night ... and why don’t you have any garlic wreaths hanging up like all other inns in Slovenia, Hungary and everywhere around here?”

“I don’t understand what you mean,” Zeno muttered.

“Tell us where we are.”

“This village is called Stregesti and the region is Ardeal.”

Peter, who had tried to follow the conversation in vain, perked up. “Ardeal is the Romanian name for Siebenbürger. And strega means, God forbid, ‘witch’.”

Heike gave a deep sigh. “Yes,” was all he said. Then he continued, in German, “It’s clear that these men want to tell me something but they don’t dare. They are afraid of someone or something. An unpleasant punishment probably awaits anyone who talks.”

“But what are you talking about? They look as if they are scared to death!”

“I’ll explain it to you later.”

Heike once again began speaking with the men. “Not having any garlic wreaths hanging anywhere ... must mean that there aren’t vampires around here?”

“No! We don’t have any vampires!”

“But something else?”

Again, there was a clear sense of fear, but the men said nothing.

“Something else?” Zeno repeated. “What would that be? I think the food is nearly ...”

He paused. They were all listening and Heike now saw the terror expressed on their faces.

Outside a carriage could be heard rolling into the square.

“Who is out driving so late?” Peter asked with a smile.

The men looked as though they would prefer to disappear off the face of the earth.

The door opened and two women entered, but the taller and older of the two stopped abruptly. She was wearing a black veil but behind it could be discerned unusually beautiful features, a pair of big black eyes and fluttering nostrils. The lady spun around and pushed the younger, pretty girl back out through the door in front of her. A minute later they heard the carriage rolling away at a furious speed.

The taproom grew completely silent. The men were frozen stiff, staring at one another. Then they turned towards Heike.

“What beautiful ladies were those?” Peter asked, and Heike translated the question.

Zeno could barely get the words out. “That was Princess Feodora and her relative, Nicola. They live nearby.”

Once again, the room grew silent.

Then Zeno turned to Heike and said slowly, as though he had just awoken: “Yes, you must truly be of a special kind of family, for that has never happened before!”

The local men left to go home and the guests ate their dinner alone. Zeno bustled about like a confused hen, back and forth between the kitchen and the taproom, without daring to speak to Heike.

It wasn’t until he accompanied them to their room that he gave them some hints about what had taken place downstairs.

“I hope the two young gentlemen can make do with this room?” he said as he opened the door to the room in which Yves and the baron had slept. “And the young lady can sleep next door?”

“Thank you,” Heike said. “That’s fine!”

Zeno walked over to inspect the window. He murmured practically inaudibly: “Perhaps it will be best if the young lady keeps the window closed. There are so many insects ...”

Mira, who grasped what the conversation must be about, said plaintively: “But it’s so hot in here!”

Heike immediately said, “Do as he says, Mira! It’s very important. No matter what happens don’t open the window! There is a dangerous kind of fly here!”

This explanation satisfied Mira and she didn’t protest any more as Heike and Zeno carefully sealed the cracks in the window frame.

“And, of course, you are not to open the door either,” Heike said. “Here is a chamber pot so you won’t have to leave the room. Stay here until we wake you early in the morning.”

He turned to Zeno. “So that ... fly is especially dangerous for women?”

“Yes,” the innkeeper muttered. “It doesn’t care for young girls!”

Heike realized that Zeno was doing something he didn’t normally do. He was warning his guests.

That could only mean that he had faith in Heike.

This was a heavy burden on someone who had never experienced the strength of his innate abilities. But it was also stimulating. If only he could get more information on the subject.

When he reached his own room he began sealing the window frames there as well.

Peter, who had already got into bed, stuck his head out and said impatiently: “What’s going on here?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Heike answered, as he sat down on the edge of the bed and kicked off his boots. “But we have to watch out for Mira, she mustn’t be left alone.”

“But she’s alone now!”

“She has locked the door and promised not to go outside tonight.”

Heike remained sitting with one boot in his hand. “It has something to do with those two women.”

Peter immediately sat up. “Not the sweet young one! She seemed so downtrodden.”

“I didn’t notice her at all, I was only looking at the other one.”

“Yes, what a gorgeous dragon she was,” said Peter with a broad smile. “Perhaps the young girl is in the hands of the dragon? She looked as though she needed to be rescued from the dragon’s claws.

“Perhaps. But I don’t think you should interfere in their mistress-servant relationship, if that is what it is. At least not until we know a little more.”

Peter sank back into the pillow. “Nicola ...” he said dreamily. “What a beautiful name.”

“Think about Mira’s safety instead.”

“Mira! That cow! You are fantasizing too much, Heike. It’s not so dangerous. An old forest: what is there to be afraid of?” He sighed. “I can’t think of anything but Nicola. That nimble little figure. Those frightened eyes that looked so pleadingly at me ...”

“Amazing how you managed to grasp so much in such short a time!”

“It was as though that moment lasted a lifetime, you see! Her fate seems so bitter. I will and must help her!”

Heike swallowed a sigh and crawled into bed filled with feelings of apprehension. The concealed evil of the valley gripped his thoughts like a clammy hand. He was unable to fall asleep at all.

The bedroom was small and cramped, and on top of that the door was locked, which bothered him, but he told himself that being outside would be much worse, which alleviated his claustrophobia somewhat.

He missed his old home terribly, and Elena and Milan, and his little brothers and sisters. He felt much too young and inexperienced to be exposed to something as horrible as whatever this was that was lurking over the valley and the village.

Heike did as he used to do when he was little and unhappy in his cage. He carefully took hold of his mandrake and squeezed it tightly to his body. He needed its support.

As always it gave him comfort.

Mira was dreaming. She was tossing and turning in the bed as she moaned lightly in her sleep. There seemed to be a strange rustling everywhere, and in her dreams she seemed to be in something that resembled a burial chamber. Dead people surrounded her, murmuring with hollow voices as they gently rocked back and forth and stared down at her.

Sometimes she could see a window behind them. There was something out there ...

Pale faces? Hands that scratched and fumbled and wanted to get in? No ... she couldn’t make it out in the darkness. It was as though something was also whispering outside, just on the other side.

Was it birds’ eyes that were looking at her? Tiny, black and flashing? Were they staring maliciously at her?

No.

But something was there. The rocking, moaning people were standing in the way, so she couldn’t see it properly.

A new flash. Now she saw something that was writhing and trying to get through the window. Something that was hissing.

What in the world could it be?

The murmuring sounds coming from the gathering grew increasingly threatening and fearsome, and rose in crescendo. Mira tossed back and forth in the bed. She screamed. Then she woke up.

For a moment she held her breath. It was stiflingly hot in the room.

Slowly the memory of where she was returned to her and the dream faded and sank deep into her subconscious.

Pooh, she had to open the window. She was clammy with perspiration.

She had already started to sit up when she remembered Heike’s warning and lay down again.

She listened to the sounds of the valley but now it was as quiet as a tomb. Mira had a feeling of having already crossed over to the land of the dead. She said a quick prayer.

It is my father’s death that is affecting my thoughts, she reflected. No wonder I’m having nightmares about dead people!

If only she hadn’t been so alone! Perhaps she could knock on the wall to wake the others? But what should she say to them? Come and hold my hand, I had a frightening dream?

All at once she realized that she was shivering all over and had been doing so since she woke up. She thought about how the innkeeper had also sealed the keyhole of her door.

She didn’t know whether she should feel comforted or not.

Both, actually!

Not until the morning light broke through the little window did Mira go back to sleep.

Peter slept calmly all night, often with a blissful smile on his lips as though he were having wonderful dreams in which no one else was partaking.

It was only Heike who returned halfway to consciousness, somewhere between the world of dreams and the waking state.

The state the valley was in was sinking into his receptive mind. The silent, rotting, dripping forest lay dormant. A soft bubbling could be heard from the marshy fringes of the river, and the quietness seemed to be waiting in futile hope. A lament rose from everything that was waiting and suffering ...

Heike turned over in bed. He instinctively tightened his grip on the mandrake.

His thoughts were vague and fumbling. I must get out of here as fast as possible. We can’t stay here a moment longer than absolutely necessary. I’m nothing but a young man without experience! What do I have to counter this?

Peter and Mira ...

There’s no time! They are both in danger, each in their own way. I’m the one who has to be strong. I have to get them out of the forest without delay ...

He didn’t get any further in his thoughts before sleep overtook him. And he barely knew he had been awake.