The Bathory Curse (10 page)

“Told you so.” Nea had no time to turn and duck
before the pillow hit her.

Chapter 6

1585

“Mama, let go!” Stasi giggled, struggling to get
away as her mother tickled her after she had refused to clean her
room on the basis that, “don’t we have staff for that?”

“This is your punishment for being a spoiled brat.”
Nea laughed and catching her breath, released her daughter. Stasi
scrambled away, breathing hard, a grin splitting her face.

“The maids clean your room,” she pointed out
smartly.

“That they do, because I have many other duties.
When you are older and do other chores they can clean your chambers
as well.” Nea draped an arm around the girl’s shoulder as they
wandered downstairs. The windows in the castle were all open, the
refreshing late spring breeze cooling down some of the warmer areas
of the castle and bringing with it the smell of woods and
flowers.

“Alright,” Stasi grumbled, leaning into Nea, playing
with the fabric on her deep purple dress. The mess in her room had
been caused by a desire to find and wear this particular article of
clothing, which just happened to be at the back of her closet.

“Next time just hang the clothing up as you go and
it won’t become a clothing ocean on the floor.” Nea tugged one of
the little girl’s straw-colored curls that had fallen out of her
braid.

Stasi blinked up at her mom with indigo eyes framed
by thick black lashes, “Ok…but I love this dress best.”

“Just the color or the cut?” Nea asked.

“The color.”

“Then I shall order more in that shade.” It was a
simple thing, really.

They reached the back door and into the sunshine of
the rear garden where Sabine was waiting for them with
breakfast.

“There you are. Your mom and I thought it would be
after eleven before you bothered to get up and get dressed,” Sabine
teased, setting out tea and bread with honey. There was a pot of
oatmeal and some soft boiled eggs as well.

“How long are you staying?” Nea asked. Sabine
arrived late the day before; to the excitement of her niece, since
Aunt Sabine always brought the best presents.

“Only a few days, sadly…I am just on my way back
from a kill in India, one of my Strigoi decided to go and slaughter
a whole household. While I am powered up for probably a few months
with the terror she fed on….Well, you know how it goes.” Sabine
waved a hand like it was no big deal.

“Are you heading home then?” Nea asked, mixing honey
and milk into Stasi’s cup and handing it to her.

“Well, one of them….Rome for a bit and then I’ll get
bored and come back here to see how the two of you are doing.”

“Do you have a friend waiting for you in Italy?” Nea
smiled.

“Of course…they should be there by the time I get
home.”

“They?” Stasi asked, she was a bright child and
while she didn’t understand quite everything said in front of her,
she understood enough. Nea was against the idea of censoring her
mind.

“Yes, a nice couple I met a few months back.” Sabine
had a wicked twinkle in her eyes.

“Did you thank your Aunt for the doll?” Nea nudged
her daughter, changing the subject.

“Of course she did; she’s not a heathen like you,
who never did say thank you for the new drawing pencils.”

“I did so!” Nea exclaimed, a little upset until she
realized Sabine was kidding her.

“You have grown at least an inch since saw you last;
maybe you are getting too old for dolls” Sabine teased her
niece.

“Never.” As she remembered the new toy upstairs
Stasi gobbled down her breakfast and drank the last few swallows of
tea in a hurry.

“May I be excused, please?”

“Of course my darling.” Nea rolled her eyes and
watched as Stasi darted from the patio.

“She seems to be doing well.” Sabine commented.

“Very. She is smart, kind and beautiful, all things
you want from a daughter.” Nea laughed.

“It is good to hear you laugh, to see you with joy,
I know there are darker things going on around you.” Sabine sipped
her tea.

“Lesson 24 and 6.”

“Good memories and have fun.” Sabine agreed; putting
her cup down she gave solemn eyes to her friend, “have you told her
about her mother yet?”

“No…I know I am going to have to talk to her about
who her mother is, but I am dreading it. She knows she’s not from
my womb…” Nea went quiet.

“But not that you are in contact with her birth
mother,” Sabine finished. “That’s not your fault; dreadful Anna
told the girl her babe was dead….Elizabeth has been doing well,
isn’t that right?”

“Yes, she and her husband have been happy. I hear
nothing but good things about their rule…though lately a few
unsavory tidbits have fallen into my ears.” Nea’s voice was a bit
strained.

“Oh no, like what?”

“Just that she has a witch in her entourage…that
she’s become a little absorbed with her personal appearance.”

“Oh a witch, please…probably just some harmless herb
witch with no real magic,” Sabine scoffed, “and she’s 25, about the
right age to become vain, but didn’t she just have her first
legitimate child? I thought you mentioned it about six months
ago.”

“Yes, another girl…Anna after her mother. I attended
the blessing of course. Ruxandra and Mihail were both here to watch
Stasi, as well as the new housekeeper.”

Nea stood up as a maid came to clear up breakfast.
Sabine linked an arm through hers as they walked down one of the
garden paths toward shade in the deeper woods.

“How is the new housekeeper working out?” Sabine
asked. Since Sabine had five different residences she was barely
even on a first name basis with most of her staff and only briefly
noticed if one disappeared and was replaced. If Bendis didn’t alert
her to the change she probably would just ignore it and keep on
moving forward.

There were, however, rituals to observe when a new
staff member arrived, especially if the old one left due to
death.

“She is different…I am not used to having a full
time housekeeper here, but since I boarded up my estate near
Wallachia and Ruxandra loves being the sole caretaker of the house
in Hungary, Bendis thought this arrangement was better.”

“Ruxandra seems to take good care of the house in
Nyirbator and since Elizabeth is now residing at Cachtice Castle in
Slovakia, you almost never go there,” Sabine reminded her.

“Yes. Ruxandra likes to have her space and she keeps
an eye out on Klara and Zsofia for me, both girls are married now
with families of their own.” Nea sighed, but contentedly, so far
neither girl seemed to exhibit signs of the curse.

“So tell me about the new
housekeeper then. I know you Miss Valora.” Sabine was eager of
news. The new housekeeper Marina had arrived eight months before
when Valora had been sent home to live the rest of her life out
among family. Valora had come to Nea when she was thirty-one, she
had spent 30 years as her housekeeper and medic. After her
61
^st
birthday Bendis has
decided it was enough and declared her debt paid. Valora had been
sad and excited to go home.

“She is very young….” Nea stated.

“Is she medical like Valora?” Sabine asked.

“Yes. I told Bendis nothing else would do.” Nea had
insisted that she could not function without a healer.

“How young, remember…”

“Rule 9; age does not matter. I know, I know.” Nea
rolled her eyes, “She is 22 and was an assistant to a physician,
what is called a nurse in the future. She doesn’t seem to like it
here.”

“Did Bendis tell you anything else?”

“No, you know she doesn’t….Valora chose to confide
in me, this one doesn’t speak much, I would like to be her friend,
but I think in a month or so I will ask Bendis to send her
back.”

“You need to stop caring so much about your staff;
they are here to do a job for you, that is all,” Sabine chided.

“I can’t, Valora was like part of the family, and
I’m not like you Sabine.”

“I know.” Sabine was about to say more when there
was a shiver upon her spine. She and Nea turned towards the castle
at the same time.

“Who is summoning us at this time of day?” Nea
asked, more curious than worried. The women rushed back into the
castle to see Mihail and Bendis in the foyer. Mihail looked a
little watered down and spectral, like normal, with the sun this
high in the sky and Bendis seemed like she always did, but a
version about 30 years older. Nea was glad she wouldn’t age, she
was sure it wouldn’t be as timelessly as the Goddess did when she
appeared as the crone.

“Is something wrong?” Nea hurried over, Sabine
kneeled down to pet the Goddesses ever present foxes, cooing at
them and giving them hidden treats.

“You pamper them Sabine, they will get fat,” Bendis
said, amused.

“They are immortal; good luck with that” Sabine
countered, giving them each one more stroke before standing.

“I wanted to tell you the latest rumors about
father.” Mihail glided over to his mother.

“All your Strigoi have tried but it is impossible
for us to get near either the castle or the Monastery…dark gypsy
magic surrounds them, making them almost invisible. Had I not grown
up here, I would forget they even existed.” He looked tired and a
bit lost. Nea knew he needed to rest.

“I thought as much, maybe I should go there
myself.”

“Leave it alone…it is better this way, no good can
come from finding out he has turned vampyre…you would only have to
destroy him,” Bendis warned.

“Better to know what’s coming to my door than ignore
what lurks,” Nea countered and the Goddess nodded slowly.

“Why wouldn’t he come to you? You were his wife,”
Sabine stated an obvious question.

“Ashamed I think but it does not matter. He is
always one step ahead of us.” Mihail wavered in and out of reality
before solidifying more.

“Mihail go to bed, you are exhausted, and this is
important but can wait until later.” Nea told him. He wanted to
argue and then bowed and disappeared.

“Now, have you brought more bad news to my door
step?” Nea asked her Goddess, sounding tired.

“Of course not, I never bring you bad or good
news…News is how your perceive it.” Cryptic as always.

“What bull,” Sabine snorted.

“Watch your tone Sabine, I am fond of you, but do
not take liberties.” The words sounded cross but they could all see
the hint of a smile on the old woman’s lips.

“What can we do for you today Great Goddess Hecate?”
Sabine curtseyed.

“Go mind the child. My business is with Nea this
morn.” Bendis chuckled. Sabine dipped in curtsy again and slowly
made her way up the stairs towards Stasi’s play room.

“First off, tell me how some of your other Bathory
charges are doing; I am tired of hearing about Elizabeth.”

“Gryzelda seems to be doing well; she is very
interested in science, though her mother is concerned she is
starting to be overly enthusiastic. Ever since Christopher died I
haven’t had the same access to her as before. Her mother doesn’t
like me,” Nea fretted.

“Might become a problem,” Bendis advised

“Klara and Zsofia also seem to be coming along
nicely. They are 22 and 19, both are engaged and learning all the
proper things young ladies should, sewing, music…you know dull
things.” Nea laughed, recalling the last time she had seen them,
both women had complained that sewing, embroidery and learning to
cook were too boring and they wished they could be like Lizzy, who
never had to lift a finger.

“Good, maybe there is some
progress after all.” Bendis seemed
unhappy
with the report.

“Is there anything else?” Nea wanted to play with
her daughter, and she didn’t like the negative tone in the
Goddess’s voice.

“Several years ago I made you a promise my Strega,
to take you to see your mother and the other women in your
family…Today is that day.”

“Why today?” Nea was suspicious, it seemed like a
boon, to be able to see and touch her mother again, but with the
Goddess there was usually a catch.

“You have lost three Bathory women since becoming a
Strega Nea. I feel as if you could use guidance and perhaps if you
see what lies in wait for Anastasia you shall work a bit harder and
more carefully to break the curse.”

“Harder and more carefully!” Nea exclaimed, “I have
worked tirelessly to break this curse, I have been there for each
Bathory female who has had the curse activated. I have tried giving
stability, love and kindness to each of them. If there is something
more I should be doing, please help me. I am doing all I can and I
resent the accusation that I am not.” She was furious and didn’t
even pay attention to the fact that she was almost yelling at a
Goddess.

“And what have you done the past eleven years
besides dote on the child?” Bendis asked, glaring at her
charge.

“I have raised a Bathory female in a loving
environment, hoping to overpower the blood in her veins. I found
good homes and husbands for Klara and Zsofia, I have given counsel
to Elizabeth, attended baby blessings and weddings and made sure
that none of them felt the lack of a mother in their lives. I have
kept an eye on Gryzelda, and I have been a good Aunt and a great
Godmother, encouraging religion and education. Again, if there is
something I am not doing that I should be, tell me instead of these
cryptic, worthless riddles!” Nea spat out, fire in her eyes,
furious that after 123 years she would still be treated as a
child.

“The curse is still not broken, I can feel it. You
have not succeeded. So we will go.” Bendis tried to calm Nea down,
“I am not saying you haven’t done a good job so far, but what you
have been doing is not working, at least not entirely.”