Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
As promised, I have begun a new story, after saying good-bye (for now) to Vinnie and Ethan. Right now, all I have is a working title, which is Dracula, but I am excited to see where this takes me, and I hope you enjoy this first glimpse of my characters. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
The room was richly appointed with the trappings of luxury. Oriental tapestries blanketed the narrow windows of the ancient castle and vibrant Persian Isfahan wool rugs dotted the cold stone floor in handwoven elegance. Some of these were the spoils of war, others acquisitions from Sotheby’s. While a relatively young establishment, having only been founded some thirty years previously, the auction house had already attained an international reputation as a purveyor of fine art. The sole piece of furniture in the room was an intricately carved mahogany bed set upon a raised dais. Wrought iron candelabra several feet in height on either side of the bed provided a gothic ambience, while the lit candles imparted to the tableau the aura of an altar.
The sole occupant of the bed lay in serene composure, his very stillness resembling the repose of the inhabitant of a casket. Hands folded chastely across a well-formed chest that did not appear to either rise or fall with the usual demands of a breathing being, for during his slumber there was no need to pretend to such normalcy as none were present to bear witness to such a phenomenon should it occur. During the waking hours was another story entirely, for none could ever say that the current Count Dracula did not appear normal in every way. Some might even say that this handsome young man was blessed in many ways.
A light step outside this very chamber was followed by the entrance of a slender figure, his dark tailcoat a somber note that contrasted with the opulence of the surroundings. From one hand he swung a bronze censer with flattened sides and various rectangular openings and holes. This was attached by chains to a bell-shaped cap, at the end of which was a small hook decorated with a wolf’s head. In the other hand he held an ostentatious glass goblet whose ruby contents glistened almost enticingly, one of a set that had been specially ordered at great cost from a glass maker in Venice. By far the greatest attraction to, the Count lay in its ornate dragon stem, as he had a natural predilection for anything to do with dragons.
The rich fragrance of dragon’s blood exuded from the censer. Exotic and earthy, it carried notes that ranged from erotic sandalwood to earthy pine needles, woody musk to floral amber. Enticing and sensual. The newcomer wafted the censer over the sleeping figure, letting the smoke drift about his head before he placed the censer carefully on the floor and turned to regard the figure in the bed, his expression unreadable. He waited a few moments to allow the incense to have its usual effect before speaking.
“I know you’re awake, milord, so let’s not keep pretending and let us start our day, shall we?” he said, even though technically speaking, it was evening.
A small smile played about the lips of the supine figure before quickly disappearing, as if to deny it had ever been. “You are a most insolent servant, are you aware of that, Avram?” The man’s voice was melodious, his slight accent enchanting, while his words rolled off his tongue in graceful waves.
“Yes, milord, I am aware of that. It would be hard not to be, as you tell me so on a constant basis.”
“Good, then we shall not discuss the matter any longer and you will be more mindful of your manners in the future.”
“Yes, milord.” And that seemed to settle that, although both men knew differently.
Incense was the preferred method of awakening for Count Dracula, and dragon’s blood his favorite scent, although he was also fond of opium, sandalwood, and frankincense. He invariably arose from a day of repose with an appetite, hence the second of Avram’s offerings. Possessing reflexes much sharper than mortal men, Dracula rose from the bed in one fluid motion, barely ruffling the long silk nightshirt he slept in. Being of a sensitive nature, Dracula ordered such shirts in quantity from China, where the finest of silken garments was produced, whenever he was able to afford them. He was especially partial to those with a dragon design, but he was not immune to the charms of beautiful floral patterns, especially those that combined soft, light-colored flowers that represented the feminine yin with bolder, more dominant flowers that exemplified the masculine yang. He found the combination soothing and the silk most comfortable.
Long used to his master’s quirks, Avram handed him the blood-filled goblet without a word and adjourned to the adjacent dressing room where he had already prepared his master’s clothing for the evening—a pinkish mauve silk coat, with matching waistcoat and breeches in an alternating diagonal weave, dotted with blue, white, and indigo flowers. Personally, Avram thought the suit ugly, but the Count had taken a liking to it. And what the Count liked, he got… generally speaking. Some things were beyond even his means. Despite giving the appearance of wealth, alas, such was not the case as the family coffers had run rather dry over the years. Not surprising when one’s lifespan is greater than that of most men, and one’s appetite for the finer things in life as well. It was also in his best interest to pump what money he could into the local economy in the small village of Bistritz. Keeping the villagers relatively happy, as he’d learned from past experience, was better than running the risk of unhappy townsfolk armed with pitchforks and torches attempting to make kebab out of them.
So Dracula and his faithful, as well as his only, servant had learned to be creative in their acquisition of funds.
to be continued
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Dracula, now go see what the other Briefers are up to!
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