4. Blind with fear

After we got to her house safe and sound after a hell of a ride, I went to bed without further delay. Glad to sleep.

Something woke me up, first I had to orientate myself, drowsy I remembered where I was. Definitely the unfamiliar environment and nodded off again.

No! These were clearly noises, I was listening intently - voices. Without thinking about it, I got up and opened the door. Listening, I went on to the stairs. Alia and a man - they quarreled. Well, that really wasn't my business and quietly withdrew.

But at that moment a name came up, Corvin. Oh, the great cousin! I perked up my ears curiously.

“… Did you mean I don't notice? Alia I already told you. I don't want to have anything to do with this woman. "

"So and why did you help me so that she can come here?" Alia asked irritably.

"I don't remember that either, at least I regret it."

The voice made me shiver. It echoed up to me, absolutely cold. She was completely devoid of emotion, even those last words showed no anger or excitement. Without emotion, that was the right word for the speaker.

"But Corvin, Sarah is Vladi's daughter, she ..." I peeked down the stairs curiously, I wanted to take at least one look at Corvin Sardovan. "You know …"

"Quiet!" I heard footsteps, I quickly pulled back from the railing. Someone probably Corvin looked up. Should i go to my room? Would he hear me?

 "Corvin what is it?" Alia asked.

"Nothing!" That was very close. I pressed myself firmly against the wall. Wish she'd swallow me. It would be more than embarrassing for this man to be caught eavesdropping.

"Or maybe, I think you have bugs in the house." That was even closer.

"That can be impossible, wait I'll come."

“Stay where you are.” Came the sharp order, Alia made no sound. As soon as I held my breath, eyes squeezed tight, only hearing the frightened pounding of my heart.

“Truly! And what a monster stuck there on the wall. ”He shouted loudly, so that I could feel every timbre of his now amused voice in my bowels.

"I advise you Sarah Wagner, leave!" Softly whispered words that were only meant for me.

Now I opened my eyes. Just a shadow sliding down the stairs. I did not dare to look. He must have been standing right in front of me. I could still feel his warm breath on my skin.

I fled to my bed, blind with fear. A warning. Why? Of what? How so?

The man scared the hell out of me. I really should get out of here as soon as possible. I should think of a good excuse for tomorrow. Alia will definitely be disappointed. I took this warning seriously, dead seriously.

......

When I came downstairs that morning, the butler was already waiting for me. The mistress is out of the house, breakfast is waiting in the dining room. Leon reeled off the information like an old tape.

"Thanks Leon." I replied with a friendly smile on my face. No reaction. I was still thinking strangely as I approached the table that was set. The same meal as yesterday made me feel uneasy again. Who dined the same thing twice? Was that even the plate I ate from? Disgusted, I left it untouched, only the coffee was hot and strong.

Then I got up. There was a village nearby, where I wanted to treat myself to a hearty breakfast. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, Leon came over. Was he waiting behind a wall?

"You want to go out?" He asked me pointedly. Should I ask his permission?

"Yes!" I said monotonously and walked past him, out into the bright sun.

It wasn't until I was driving down the road to the village that I relaxed. Amazed at myself. When did this tension start? Was it after the urgent warning, or before? Today I made a firm resolution, I wanted to enjoy the day.

Perhaps I also learned about the Sardovan family. Blaming my fear on my guilty conscience. Everything looked different in broad daylight. Corvin Sardovan could do me once, crosswise.

I quickly found a pub, the only one in the village. Hopefully I could make the landlord understand what I wanted. Put the card down as it was written in Romanian.

An older gentleman with a friendly face came up to me, "Um, good morning I ..." His expression improved, "I speak German." He grinned at me.

"Oh, good." I breathed a sigh of relief, "Can I have breakfast?"

“Bread, sausage, cheese, a boiled egg? Is it your right? "I nodded," With a coffee, of course, a large cup. Yes? ”He looked at me questioningly.

"That would be perfect." I thanked him, he nodded at me with a wink and disappeared into the back room. Meanwhile I looked around, if I took a closer look at the restaurant, I could be sitting in a Bavarian pub somewhere in Germany. The landlord brought me the coffee in advance. "They come from Germany?"

"Yes. More precisely from Dortmund. ”I added explanatory.

"Dortmund? The Ruhr region? A lot of industry. ”He chattered off,“ Are you happy to enjoy nature? ”I refrained from telling him that there were very beautiful areas in Dortmund. "Or do you visit relatives?"

"Both!" I answered his question, "I'm actually looking for relatives and an acquaintance helps me."

“So, so, a friend here from the village? Who, then, I know everyone, if I may ask the question. "

"It's no secret, Alia Sardovan and I'm looking for clues about Vlad Sardovan." I had to start somewhere and a landlord usually knows everyone in the area. "Do you know him?"

There was a cautious expression on his face. The friendly smile immediately disappeared. "Are you related to the Sardovans?"

“That's my dilemma.” Without further ado, I decided to confide in the landlord, but I could only win. "It's a long story, do you want to sit down?" He examined me carefully, but finally his curiosity won out. "I'll get you breakfast first."

Immediately afterwards he came back with place settings, "It's much more comfortable!" He winked at me. "Well then tell me." He asked me.

I had to hold back my grin, he sat down and looked at me intently. After I finished my story, he sipped the rest of his coffee, then said. “You are a lovely girl, hardly older than my daughter. That's why I give them these words. I understand her need to know who her father is. Only sometimes it is better to remain ignorant. "

I didn't expect such a statement at all. Dissatisfied, I nodded my thanks to him. It was worth a try, I thought, disappointed.

"You will continue to research?", He asked me scrutinizing, "Ah yes, I can see that on you. Okay, but I warned you. ”He sat down.

“So the Sardovan are a clan. They are all related to each other and the fortress up there on the mountain is the ancestral home. Even if only the head lives there, once a year they close the hotel and then they come from all over the world. This is your chance to find Vlad when you get into the fortress. "

He leaned forward, looked around carefully, although we were sitting alone in the taproom, he said softly, "The fortress will be closed, no outsider will be admitted. The entire staff is on vacation during the four weeks. What happens up there, who knows. ”He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“I can tell you one thing in the past, this family was famous, notorious. There were repeated attacks in the surrounding villages and every time a Sardovan was involved. They don't have that from me. Corvin Sardovan tries to make the old stories forget. Yes, yes, a hotel, a museum just to throw sand in our eyes. ”He said disparagingly, then leaned back satisfied.

He was telling me old stories, who knows what time they were playing. I did not learn anything really new. So I tried not to show my disappointment and thanked him. Soon afterwards I left, the weather seemed to be one with me, cloudy! Like my prospect to find out more about Vlad Sardovan. At least not in this village.

I walked through the place indecisively, with no particular destination in mind. Until I saw a notice, the museum! Yes I could learn something there and I set out. The head of the tribe couldn't have anything against that. After all, the museum was open to the public.

The woman at the cash register watched patiently as I awkwardly dug out the bani. I was not surprised that I was the only visitor to the museum.

I already felt sorry for the entrance fee. Here were some armor, some books, pictures of the fortress from different perspectives and eras. No reference to the Sardovan family. I sighed in disappointment, another dead end.

Now I was able to examine the inner courtyard of the fortress during the day. The hotel was on the opposite side of the museum. It seemed to be well attended as there were a few cars in front of the hotel.

The high tower with its extensions stood out in the rear. The entire courtyard was not green, it looked bare and unfriendly. Intended as a deterrent, as well as the outer walls with their threatening watchtowers. Inhospitable was the right word. How it looked from up there, I wondered, looking at the defensive wall.

"As far as I know, you can go up there." Startled, I turned to the male voice.