I recovered completely during the following week, and our life slipped back to its usual routine.

Vlad stayed with me over the summer, leaving the castle less often. Now that Junior was involved in everything that Vlad used to do alone, we had more time to spend together and start getting carried away by our plans for the future.

Vlad only left the castle once for more than just a few hours, leaving me alone for several days, soon after the night when Radu was arrested. He had to travel to Hunedoara, the seat of the Council, to lay the charges against Radu officially. They told him to come back in about three months, in the second half of October, to the hearing. There and then, they would announce what they decided to do with him.

I didn't know how Vlad was feeling about the situation with his brother as he refused to talk about it, but I was secretly hoping the Council wouldn't be too harsh. I didn't want even Radu's future fate to overshadow our relationship. He had done enough harm to us in the past.

The date of the hearing coincided quite well with Clara and Ioan's 'appointment' with the mighty Council, so it was decided that we would all be going to Hunedoara together. I hadn't travelled far from the castle as yet, and Vlad was eager to show me around. The idea of seeing more of this place was very exciting.

The only thing that Radu's intrusion in our life really changed, at least apparently, was the number of knights and Guards populating the castle. They were hidden in every shadowy corner again, and there were many of those in the ancient building.

This time, I didn't even try to complain about their presence, I knew that it would be pointless. So I gritted my teeth and tried my best to ignore them, which was quite difficult when they followed us even when we went out, for walks or horse rides.

I only managed to persuade Vlad to leave them behind when we went to the lake, but then he was never quite relaxed, his eyes darting to the shadows among the trees so often that I asked, frustrated by his behaviour, if it wouldn't be better, easier for everyone if he just changed me, so we could all breathe freely again.

That brought on our first ever argument. Staying human didn't matter to me as much as his peace of heart, I tried to reason with him. Unsuccessfully, as expected. Our discord didn't last long and, of course, didn't change anything, but it managed to release the tension that had settled over us inconspicuously since the incident with Radu. After that, we just stopped going to the lake. It wasn't worth it.

The rest of the summer passed away fast, and when the autumn arrived, Junior was well trained for his future responsibilities of a prince. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he didn't complain much, and that was making me feel happy. Soon, I would have Vlad all to myself.

"What are you thinking about?" Vlad asked, caressing my cheek.

He caught me watching him over the rim of my cup of warm milk with honey that both Katerina and Cook insisted I drink at least once a day lately. I didn't complain or question their unexpected decision, I liked milk with honey too much to risk their change of mind.

"Your hair is still wet. Let's sit by the fire," he proposed as I didn't reply straight away, too lost in my thoughts.

It was the beginning of October, and we just got drenched in the first autumnal downpour during one of our rides in the forest. Of course, Vlad was perfectly unaffected by all that freezing water that had soaked through our clothes, but I was feeling cold now.

"I was thinking that it won't be long now... " I said finally, finishing my sentence with a sneeze.

I followed Vlad to the bench by the fireplace and sat down, leaning into him.

"Do you mean the journey to Hunedoara? We will leave in two weeks. So we are back here when the portal reopens," he said, wrapping his arm over my shoulders and pulling me closer.

As much as I tried not to think about Halloween night and the portal, I couldn't stop myself; the thought had become a constant worry. I had no idea what would happen then, and Vlad didn't really know either. Most likely, we would just walk through the time passage and come back, he had said. I didn't like that idea, though. What if I, for some reason, couldn't return? But he was insisting, reminding me that no one from the outside had ever stayed more than one year, one 'cycle'. He didn't want to risk anything.

I shuddered just thinking, What if...? However, the time travel wasn't what was on my mind right now, and it was not even our trip.

"No," I said, sneezing again. "I was thinking that it won't be long till we leave this castle to your son and move..."

He kissed me and said, "I know, I can't wait, Samara, you have no idea how much I want it."

The way he looked at me took my breath away. There was so much love in those beautiful green eyes of his. I love him so much... I had to shake my head to be able to come back to earth and our conversation.

"Can you catch a cold? Or a flu?" I asked, as I felt the light nausea which I had been feeling for a few days now return momentarily, there and then gone even before I brought my hand over my stomach.

It was worrying me a little-- I had heard that a few maids and servants were unwell too, and I knew that in this era, there were more illnesses than cures. When did the outbreak of Plague in Europe begin? Were we in the Black Death period here or closer to the Italian Plague? Or was this a smallpox epidemic? And what were the symptoms of that? I couldn't remember.

I shuddered again, forbidding myself to think about it. I knew that I was coming down with something, and it was getting worse. And I definitely didn't want him to get sick, too.

He laughed at my question, his eyes strolling to my belly momentarily. "I don't think that you could pass me whatever it is you've got. I haven't been ill in centuries."

Good. That's reassuring, I thought, pulling him down for another kiss, then letting him scoop me up in his arms and carry me to bed, leaving my half finished cup of milk forgotten on the bench.

"Katerina said that you must rest," he said as he made me lay down after having removed my shoes.

"She always says that," I sneezed, taking a handkerchief from under my pillow.

"I shouldn't have taken you out at all today," Vlad sighed. "Are you tired?"

"Yes," I admitted. The bed had become my most favourite place lately. "Will you stay with me if I fall asleep?"

"As always, my love."

I giggled. "You must be bored of staying next to me when I'm sleeping. I sleep so much more than you."

"Not at all," he said, smiling mysteriously while pulling my blanket over me. "You are very interesting when you sleep. You talk most of the time."

"Liar. I don't talk in my sleep."

He grinned.

"Do I talk?" I asked, unsure now.

That only made his grin widen. How annoying.

"What do I say while I sleep?" I called, feeling a blush spread over my cheeks. What did he hear?

"I can't tell you that, or you'll send me away." He laughed as he lay down next to me.

Infuriating man, I thought, letting him gather me in his arms and resting my head on his chest, over his heart. I loved the sound of his heartbeat; it was so soothing...

I was quite upset when my symptoms didn't disappear over the following two weeks. Because what I was assuming, hoping to be just a silly virus, a banality that in my own time would be gone in about three days if treated with the correct medicine, obliged me to stay behind when the day to leave for Hunedoara arrived.

The only thing I could do was to say my very tearful goodbye and good luck wishes to Clara and Ioan, and let more tears flow when it was time for me to separate from Vlad, who had to accompany them. My behaviour made them all laugh, of course, but I was just too tired and upset to care about it.

I was left in the castle with Junior, Katerina, most of the knights and Guards, and my two wolves.

Mist appeared in my chamber a few days back at Shadow's side, and after she had discovered her mate's favourite spot by the fireplace, which he ceded to her voluntarily, she didn't care to leave it for more than a couple of hours a day. I didn't blame her; it was cold outside. Mist seemed to be bigger and slower than I remembered her from our previous meetings in the forest, and I wondered if I would have to babysit a few wolf cubs in the spring...

"How are you feeling, Human?" Junior asked me as we watched the small group of travellers retreating across the sloping meadow edged with multi-coloured trees of the forest from the window of my chamber.

Honestly, they were all making so much fuss about me. And even though I knew they meant well, I was tired of a 'How are you feeling, my lady?' coming from someone about every ten minutes. Have I always been this nervous and impatient?

"The same as five minutes ago," I replied through gritted teeth, angry at myself for feeling angry with them all.

The group, including the man who was carrying my heart away with him, was growing smaller, diminishing, before it disappeared completely among the trees.

New tears flooded my eyes, and I couldn't stop a few of them from spilling over.

"Oh, come on. They'll be back in a week," Junior said, smiling at me as he put his arm over my shoulders. "Are you all right?"

"Will you all stop asking me every five minutes? You, Katerina, Cook, the Guards..."

"But that's because we all love you," he grinned, finally making me smile through tears.

"I love you all too." I sighed, looking back to the window. "I wish we could have gone with them."

"You can't stay without him, can you?" Junior teased.

I rolled my eyes at him and walked back to my bed, throwing myself over the multitude of tangled blankets and pillows, still undone after the night. I put my hand over my stomach thoughtfully, not realising that Junior was watching me from the fireplace where he just put some more wood to the fire.

The nausea was always worse in the mornings. I was starting to think that maybe...

"Are you sure it's just a 'virus' or whatever you call it?" Junior asked, his Cheshire Cat grin brightening his features.

"Oh, how annoying you are. Of course it is!"

"Are you going to throw up, Human? Shall I pass you a bowl or something?"

"Go away!" I called, throwing one of the pillows at him. "Don't you have the country to rule, or a girl to chase after? Just go do something somewhere that is not my room, I'll be fine here on my own!"

He laughed, then disappeared towards the library, his words trailing behind, "I'll see you at lunch!"