The hours seemed like days.

I've been waiting for him to come back in a state of awkward series of
clumsy worry and destructive patience.
They said it was a simple matter of becoming a man. Why did it have to mean separation from his twin
sister? Their mother and grandmother kept nagging for her to stop being such a child and finally find a
man as all proper women should instead of hovering around her brother, but they couldn't understand
the connection the two of them had, no one could, it was a twin thing.
As Samus was being taken away by their father, the Village Chieftain, she stayed behind already
plotting to follow them to wherever they were going, where only men were allowed. Mother said it was
normal for a young man of sixteen to have his initiation into the family and prove is a grown up, by
acting like a grown up and meeting him.
I knew who he was. The greatest friend and benefactor of my and any other Vistani family, Stradh von
Zarovich, the vampyr. I've only seen him once before and it was the day I could not forget, and I
honestly believed I never would. The sheer presence of that man sent chills down my spine and
throughout my entire body, his movements mesmerized me and I couldn't avert my eyes from the
gracefulness of the way he was holding his cane and waving it around while he was speaking. His
eyes, the pool of blood, held a slight chuckle for the helplessness of my involuntary fascination with his
existence. My father's voice, his frightful respect for the vampyr brought me back to my senses, for if
my father, the strongest man in our family was anxious, than I had all the right to reserved.
However, now that I knew my beloved brother would be meeting Stradh during his initiation I could not
think of anything else and was sitting on needles, confined inside my shack by my mother.
“If Samus is going to be a changed man after this night we should do something about Samara as
well.” my grandmother's voice creaked outside of the shack. Silence followed for a few moments as I
came closer to hear what her plan was. “We all know that women change once they are married and
spirits know that Samara could use a strong hand to be wielded, the girl is like a blade without a hilt,
no matter what end you hold you are going to get hurt.”
I flinched in shock. Was that how my family viewed me?
“Mother, don't be impatient. She is only sixteen.” my mother tried to reason with her.
“When I was sixteen I was already pregnant with my second child. I am just saying she should learn
her place.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped away. I knew my place, and it definitely wasn't in that shack. So I
decided to be a blade and cut on my detention. Jumping through the window I found myself on the
edge of the village and dashed forward, towards freedom. At that point I wasn't sure where I was
going, surrounded by trees in the absolute darkness I stumbled through the brushes until I reached the
Great lake in the Central part of Barovia, near Velika, the great city where entrance to my people was
frowned upon. The lake was beautiful with a young moon reflecting on its crystal-like surface. It
smelled like fresh flowers, like berries, honey and...blood.
Only a couple dozen feet away, two wiry figures intertwined in the mirage of the moonlight, walked
forward, approaching. Initial fear settled in and my feet felt like lead, instead of backing away I stood,
unusually petrified. I was mostly a good runner and I prided myself in having decent reflexes, however
this was different. Something didn't allow me to leave.
“Far away from home, aren't we, young Vistani?” a familiar silky voice spoke as the face of Stradh von
Zarovich emerged before my eyes followed by a beautiful young girl who couldn't have been older
than me. She was pale and seemed attractive to men, however tears on her cheeks collided with a
bright smile on her lips.
“My lord.” I managed to whisper while my senses screamed run.
“You are not trying to sneak into your brother's initiation, are you now?”
I shook my head unable to look away from his eyes.
“Shame for I do like girls who break the rules.”
“Did she break the rules?” I asked surprising myself and him apparently.
He took a look at the girl and touched her cheek.”She is an obedient woman. Does everything I say.”
Stradh's eyes flashed towards me and like a shadow he disappeared. Ice cold fingers tracing the
surface of my neck warned me not to move. “Will you do what I say?”
I took a deep, loud breath and flinched away turning around to see him towering over me with nothing
but a spark of entertainment on his lips.
“Feisty.” he said.”Don't worry, Samara, I would never hurt the Vistani.” he turned to the girl and
whispered.”Come, Juliet. There is a long road ahead of us.”
The girl's eyes glistened with tears as she approached him, and in a matter of moments they were
gone, dissolving in a swarm of bats.
My knees betrayed me as I collapsed on the ground. It was the kind of fear that rendered me unable to
think all I was able to comprehend was the suffering Juliet must have been feeling. Being trapped
inside your own body with no control even over your own life was horrible and my hands were shaking.
“Spirits of the moon...” I whispered.” Protect us...”