Bathory's Secret: When All The Time In The World Is Not Enough (Affliction Vampires Book 1) (3 page)

A woman with an empty basket stood at the side of the road looking at the carriage as it drove by. Her feet and the base of her dress were awash with mud. She pulled the scarf a little tighter over her head revealing a tuft of snow white hair, which she hastily tucked under the brown cloth. Her eyes bore into the carriage as she desperately hoped to get a glimpse of this Báthory woman who ruled the area. She regarded Katalina with curiosity sitting up there with the silent driver. They passed her quickly. The gravelly road underneath the carriage made for a bumpy drive. Two boys a little further down waited for the carriage to safely pass before crouching down to pick up stones and hurl them at it as the gap widened. The driver brought it to a slow trot and in an instant they disappeared into the trees adjacent to the road, their fading giggles mixing with the sound of their running feet through the undergrowth. Facing forward again she saw the grey landscape widen ahead of them. All around, huts with smoking chimneys sparsely dotted the fields near the woods with small patches of winter vegetables in their gardens. Crows sat on fences mocking the feeble scares built to guard the gardens against them. A mule grazed on the balding grass.

The journey felt very long and Kati’s anticipation was hard to hide. She eagerly surveyed the landscape from her high vantage point and couldn’t believe everything she was experiencing. She knew the area well and even though she had never had reason to come this close to the castle, she knew exactly where it was.

Before long the hill it stood upon revealed itself in the distance amid the thick coniferous forest which surrounded it, giving the impression of holding the castle aloft its high perch on a bed of green. The enormous three hundred and fifty year old white stone fortress stood proud on the tip where no one could miss it, the residence tower visible for miles. Built in approximately 1250 as a sentry point, it had changed hands a few times before ending up with the Nádasdy family. It appeared to be so high up that on an overcast day the clouds surrounded it and hid it from the sun like a numinous shield. Approaching the protective walls, they passed the arched entrance which was promptly sealed behind them and the carriage came to a stop outside the main building where another large wooden door faced them. The sun had almost set. The driver got off and opened the door for the Countess who immediately stepped out looking refreshed, taking a deep breath like one does in the morning just before they get out of bed. The courtyard was empty save for a few dogs that walked around lazily. Kati expected it to be bustling with people but instead it was deserted with the exception of a servant. The girl came out of the building and helped the Countess out of her cloak. In the exchange the shoulder of her dress had shifted exposing the skin and revealing a faint but peculiar shaped scar on the top of her right shoulder made up of lines and twirls. The Countess quickly rearranged her dress and it was hidden.

The main entrance towered in front on the diminutive girl who gazed at it mesmerized by its magnitude until her eyes stopped at the Nádasdy coat of arms just above it. Count Nádasdy, the Countess’s husband, had died a few years previously.

“Impressive isn’t it?” The Countess asked amused.

Kati simply nodded, remembering herself and feeling quite overwhelmed.

“Come along,” Báthory commanded and headed off.

Instead of entering the building, Kati was disappointed to see that they were going around it. The Countess’s brisk steps echoed around the courtyard and Kati followed her trying to keep up the pace. Reaching a barn near the back walls of the castle which appeared to be under renovation, the Countess led Kati inside the large hall with a tall ceiling supported by vaulted beams. The space had recently been reworked, which was evident by the smell of damp mortar and freshly waxed wood and was even fitted with a large fireplace at each end. It was a basic structure but it was sturdy and impressive to the young girl who had never seen anything this big before. Even their village church was smaller. The floor was lined with about ten wooden bunks placed in neat rows, all with trunks to their feet and a small chest of drawers to their right.

“Clean this,” commanded the Countess.

“All of it?” Enquired Kati, before receiving a slap across the face.

“That tone of voice will not be used in my presence, young lady. Do you understand?” Kati felt her eyes well up and patting her sore cheek she mumbled, “Yes mistress,” without looking up, ashamed the Countess would see her cry.

“That’s much better. You’ll soon learn how to behave according to your rank,” announced the Countess in a calmer tone. “You will sweep the floor, polish the windows, make the beds,
perfectly
,” she stressed the word by opening her eyes wide, “and stock the fireplaces with wood. Everything you need is in the store room outside, and when you are done you will stay here and wait for me. You will go nowhere and you will speak to no one. Understood?”

“Yes mistress, I will do exactly as you say.”

“Excellent!” And with that the Countess left Kati in the barn feeling overwhelmed by her first task.
Any new beginning is hard
, she thought, trying to console herself, coming down from the initial excitement of arriving at the castle.
I have come here to work after all
.

Starting by carrying in the wood for the fireplace so that she wouldn’t soil the floor by doing it last, she then proceeded to clean the windows, a rather difficult task when using only cold water from the well outside and one which took her twice as long as it would normally have done. Sweeping the floor next she left the beds for last. It was well into the night when she was finally done so she curled up on one of the made beds and waited for the Countess to return.

The sound of the heels on the cobbles was unmistakable causing Kati to wake and sit up on the bed. In her sleepy haze she looked around to make sure that nothing had been forgotten and using her palm she swiftly ironed out the creases she had made on the bed. Looking out the window she saw the night sky had taken a purplish haze which meant dawn would soon follow.

The Countess marched into the room with the same urgency she had about herself earlier and proceeded to examine Kati’s work very closely. The windows were inspected, the floors checked for dust, the beds tested for any loose corners and coming up with no flaws the Countess appeared satisfied with the girl's work.

“You’ve done well for your first night here, Katalina.”

Kati wondered if the Countess was equally exacting of everyone’s work here and whether she went about checking everything so thoroughly, but didn’t dare ask. Right now she was happy enough to have done the work to a satisfying level and to have pleased her new mistress.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” replied Kati keeping her gaze on the ground.

“You must be very tired; I think it’s time you went to bed.”

“Yes mistress,” agreed Kati, who had never spent the majority of the night cleaning before.

Three

Kati’s room was in the castle but isolated from the main living quarters. The wing she was in was large but it seemed as if no one ever came here. Cobwebs adorned the ceilings and dust speckled the floors. To her relief she saw that her room, though small and stark, had the essentials, and it was clean, unlike the rest of the section. It contained a comfortable bed, a chest of drawers, two chairs, a functioning fireplace and a large window facing the barn. She was so tired she didn’t think much of anything and just crawled into bed. All the changes she had experienced during this last day, however, were making it difficult for her to go to sleep, though her body longed for her to do so. She wondered why she had had to prepare the room through the night when no one had arrived to occupy it and when she would be expected to wake up if she slept through the day. When sleep finally came it was shallow and peppered with dreams of fear and uncertainty, but she tried to ignore them and think of home and her mother in order to calm down.

By midday she couldn’t sleep any longer and got out of bed. The clothes she had been wearing the day before were dirty from cleaning so she was pleased to find a dress which fit relatively well inside the chest of drawers. Wanting to wash her own one she decided to go to the barn to get some soap and use the water from the well. Except for the dogs from the previous day, the yard was as quiet as it had been when she came to the castle and the barn was still unoccupied.
Maybe she’s given her servants some time off to go see their families
, she thought to herself.
I hope they didn’t all get sick like she said.

She washed and hung her dress out to dry. The weather was drab and the sky was grey and uninspiring. The sun was nowhere to be seen so the time could’ve been anything between noon and vespers. She had no way to tell. The water from her drying dress flowed downwards and dripped on the cobbled stones forming a small puddle. A disheveled grey kitten with massive golden eyes popped up from out of nowhere and began lapping at the water before it vanished into the soil between the stones.

“Are you thirsty little guy?” Asked Kati scratching him behind his ears. Putting some more water in the palm of her hand she offered it to the kitten who, though slightly hesitant at first, began lapping it up greedily.
I bet you're hungry too. So am I, but I’ve no idea where the kitchen is and whether I should go there,
she thought. After playing with the kitten for a bit she decided to go back inside, in case the Countess didn’t want her outside on her own, and maybe try to find some food.

Back inside, she saw that her wing was as quiet now as it had been the night before, so carefully she approached the room nearest to hers and put her ear on the door. Nothing. She looked through the keyhole and all she could see was furniture covered in sheets. She tried the handle out of curiosity but it was locked.

The one next to it was open so she went in. It was very similar to hers, though it was dusty so she assumed no one had stayed here in a while. There were no personal objects in it, not even under the bed, which on testing was nicer and softer than her own. She sat on it and began to bounce happily but soon got bored. Approaching the window she could see that this room was facing a skylight and on higher stories there appeared to be some better living quarters,
perhaps the Countess’s
? Looking at the sill she noticed a number of dead blow flies with their feet up in the air. Some were black with white stripes and red eyes (she hated those) and others were translucent blue and green. It was odd that there was such a heavy concentration of flies in an empty room
.

“What in heaven’s name do you think you are doing?” She turned and was startled to see the Countess standing at the door looking furious at her.

Kati’s jaw dropped and she couldn’t think of a word to say. Eventually she found her voice again but spoke timidly “I was looking for something to eat mistress,” she dared utter.

“In a bedroom?” She asked before delivering another sharp slap. “I tolerate lying much less than I do disobedience in my staff, you little shit!" Kati felt like breaking out in sobs but she fought it.

“I’m sorry mistress, I promise I was looking for the kitchen.”

“You do not go looking for anything, do you understand? You do only as you are expressly told by me and only me! Are we clear?”

“Yes mistress, perfectly. I will never go anywhere unless you tell me to again.” Her face was bright red.

“That’s more like it; now go to your room. Food has been brought for you. Eat fast and come meet me outside the barn as soon as you have eaten.” She patted her on the head in an artificial motion and left.

Returning to her room Kati found a tray of steaming food on a little table which hadn’t been there earlier. The plate was filled to the brim with boiled potatoes, sausages, cabbage sautéed in lard and a large piece of freshly baked bread escorted by a small dish of butter. Upon seeing and smelling all of the food she was reminded just how hungry she was and without even bothering to spread it, she dunked the bread into the butter dish and took a huge bite, greedily washing it down with the glass of beer that had also been left for her. In these parts water was often treacherous so people preferred to drink light beers. Standing in front of the table she took bites out of all the items in turn, savoring their taste and richness. The sausage was delicious and filled with herbs and spices she had never encountered before and the potatoes were nothing like the small, dull and usually old potatoes she ate at home. The good ones they always reserved for selling, leaving the substandard ones for herself and her mother. Even the cabbage which was not one of her favorite foods tasted incredible in its rich cloak of pig fat and just enough salt sprinkled on top to enhance its flavor. She devoured everything in a matter of minutes. Even if the Countess hadn’t told her to hurry, the dishes would still have been emptied right away. This was by far one of the best meals she’d had in years.

Quickly wiping her hands and face on the napkin under the tray she checked that she hadn’t spilled anything on her dress and rushed out to the barn to meet the Countess who was holding a stack of brown leather pieces all cut the same size and held together by a piece of string that met at the center of the bundle.