Chapter 1
When I was 20 my mother and father assumed I would go into the family business. Not really finding a thrill in book keeping I went off to be a teacher. My father, much to my surprise, encouraged me. After two years in the London academy of science I had my credentials, as well as a offer to work at the British Museum as a record keeper. Originally I had hoped to become a school master at my old grammar school, but I was lucky in that a Professor took my interest in documents and sent a recommendation to Dr. Martin Bondeson.
Bondeson was a gruesome task master, demanding the smallest most trivial piece of information to be tracked down and sent to the inner recesses of the British Museum. From my cramped office on the third floor I was master of my domain. Within a year, I was twenty four and was the chief recorder for the European history section. Around this time my mind wandered back to Dracula, and his connection to Jonathan Harker. I used my position within the Museum to track down individuals from J. Harker’s diary. I snuck the trunk out of my parents home, and kept it in my office.
Around April I had a list created of those who my great cousin had encountered.
Mina Harker
Lord Arthur Godalming
Quincy Morris
Dr. John Seward
Abraham Van Helsing
The director of the foreign department was Dr. Albert Morris. One a rather dismal day he approached me as I was entering my office.
“Quincy! Hold there my boy.” Morris was an elderly man, but his eyes had a keenness any fox would envy.
“Ahh Dr. Morris. I have those papers on the Germanic tribes you wanted. But I could not cross reference them with the Franks like you wished. It seems our records do not show anything battle 451 AD.” I waited for hell fire to be spewed upon me. Morris had an awful habit of inverting numbers. So 451 was most likely 154, but I’d never tell that to him.
With a wave of his hand he spoke up, “No no no my boy. You see Quincy we are in need of you skills. I have a small group down in Serbia, and I think you mastery of all things written could be helpful. I have already sent the necessary papers down for you.”
“Why thank you sir. We do I leave?”
“We think it best if you go immediately.”
He funded my trip to the Balkans to assist a British group studying Byzantine-Roman forts around Serbia, and Austria. Having a month to make it to Bor, I realized this was the perfect chance to hunt down Harker’s elusive past. After making arrangements, and selling a few things for extra traveling money I set off. But first I had to speak to a girl I was courting named Samantha Higgins. I was leaving her, and planned to do so for quite some time. Yet I felt sorry for she accepted it very easy.
Harker mentioned Dracula coming to England around June of 1872. A short time after he met the man. I went to Whitby, a coastal town in southern England. I spoke around, and no one knew about any such man arriving around the date I had. But an old man mentioned a Russian vessel that ran a ground. All passengers and crew are dead. A huge dog or wolf was seen running from the ship, which contains nothing but boxes of dirt from Transylvania.
Deciding Whitby a total waste, and a bad way to start on my journey, I traveled back to London. As a record keeper to the British Museum, I easily go into the hall of records within parliament. I learned Mina Harker was dead, she committed suicide in 1873. Lord Arthur Godalming was alive and living in London. I searched for others on my list, but did not find much after 1872.
Upon reaching his home I learned Godalming was off in France. His butler who looked like he could recall when America was an English colony let me in/ I claimed to be searching for the family who once owned a dairy, the British Museum was studying. Walking through the monstrous mansion, I saw all the trappings of wealth. The butler stopped in front of two doors.
“Wait here sir.” I stood by the door, my new traveling bag at my side waiting. A few moments later the doors opened and a younger man walked out.
“Mr. Harker is it?”
“Yes.”
“Hello I am Richard Godalming. You have questions about my family and its acquisitions?”
He lead me into his study. Sitting down in soft leather chair, I gazed about the room in awe of the paintings his family had. Getting to business I smiled.
“The British Museum has acquired an item. We believe you father owned it at one time.”
“What is it? And why?”
“Well Mr. Godalming, it is a dairy of sorts. It passed between many people. But it mentions your father a great deal. I am under the belief it was written while in the Balkan area.”
“ Does this have anything to do with his time in Romania?” Richard inquired half way through pleasantries.
“ Yes. Do you know anything about it?” I was jubilant. The first real clue to my mystery.
“Only what my mother hinted at. Father never mentioned it beyond calling it the bad times.”
Leaning forward, “Would you like to see the diary?”
“Of course I do.” Richard took it from me. He spent the rest of the afternoon reading the passages within. I took the time to notice what a handsome chap he was. Tall, black hair,a thin beard, with the build of a polo player. In his early thirties, and from what rumors I heard a confirmed bachelor. His mannerisms reeked of nobility, but he never flaunted his wealth from what I saw.
“My god….” Richard set the book down and ran to another room. I was confused but he returned quickly holding a stack of papers.
“What’s wrong? Is it about your father?” He shook his head, showing me a paper with the names of Helsing and Seward on them. I read each one, the most recent was dated 1875. I was happy, for it meant Seward or Helsing was in Amsterdam.
“ My father used to send money to Holland twice a year. I inquired about it, but he always changed to subject. Quincy I have the distinct feeling that you mislead my Butler and I.” My face feel hot. Being caught in my lie, I decided to come clean. Explaining everything from the trunk in the attic, to my list.
“Do you plan to find all of these men?”
“Of course.” Laughing. “This is why I am on this trip on the first place.”
Richard sat down, and seemed to think for a few moments. “ I’ll write you a letter to give to my father in Paris. I will go to Amsterdam and hunt down this Helsing fellow. I must say you have peaked my interest in this… Dracul was it?”
“Dracula.”
History of Romania
By Archibald Kingston
Page 146
In January 1866 Romania joined the war against Austria on the side of Prussia. Romania suffered from having a mostly conscript army, with two divisions of regular army units. In total it had eight divisions to go against the twelve units on the Austrian border. Austrian troops failed breaking into Northern Romania but they did secure and occupy Pitesti and the capital Bucresti in the south.
The war took a turn for the worse, as the Romanian army moved south to retake the capital Austrian forces swarmed over the border taking the north as well. The remaining divisions held off in a single province. Many believed Braila to be were the final stand would take place. Yet the most odd of event transpired in Late November of 1867.
A small group of partisans in the Pitesti province appeared and fought the occupying Austrian forces. Lead by a local Romanian Count whose name is lost to history. Attacking only a night, some claiming this mysterious man taking out dozens of men single handedly. When the Romanian army heard of such things and sent a division to assist in the battle they found over 2,000 soldiers impaled on wooden posts.
It was said to be a ghastly sight. Yet even though this was a small victory, Austria offered a peace treaty asking for nothing. The Romania government quickly accepted. But upon returning to the provinces no one could locate the Count who lead the mighty rebellion. King Carol (Charles) of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, confused many in his army when he ordered all soldiers out of Pitesti. Some historians claim this is proof the mysterious count was found. Other say it was delirium emerging from his daughter becoming ill.