Chapter 5: May 1st, 1610

“ ... I was the first wife of Adam. I was made by the Hebrew God to be Adam’s closest companion, his lover, and his partner for life. I’m most certain of this, however, I was God’s first failure...” Lilith, 1610.

It was a rainy day in Čachtice, Hungary, or what would today be in Slovakia. Winter was ending, and spring was upon the land. The small agricultural village contained a hub of various settlers and travelers throughout the region. Located in a cluster of hills surrounded by numerous trees, grass, and flora, the area was beautiful and typical of most villages in the countryside. The town was never that large, consisting of about a thousand settlers, but it was still prime real estate for growing food and travelers alike.

Danek Johan got off his horse as he reached the local inn, a cluster of hub and activity as the villagers went to talk to the people that lived in the area. He stopped to look at the high castle that sat on top of the highest hill in the area. It dominated and protected the village and helped serve as a defensive location for invaders trying to reach Moravia. The castle itself was the spotlight of the town. For Danek, he needed to learn more about the area.

It was not raining heavily, but it was enough that Danek had to keep smacking his heavy brown coat, knocking the water that gathered on him. Mud slammed onto his boots as he jumped off his horse into the dirt and water below. Most of the towns’ people were tucked away in their homes or inside the inn to avoid getting wet.

“Újra nedves vagyok ... this is the second time this week I traveled through the rain again,” he said to himself. He took the reins for his horse and guided him to the nearby hitching rail. There was a livery station parked on the opposite side of the inn to prevent horse manure from collecting too much in an area where human activity occurred the most. His horse, a typical nonius breed, shared the black color fur that many horses had. He was an older animal but still capable of doing his job. Reaching the village Čachtice was just another detour for the man.

“You stay here alright, Faszén?” he told his horse as he wrapped the reins around the hitching post. The horse’s eyes looked at Danek as if he was used to it by now.

Danek patted the horse, feeling the soft fur on its neck as he stepped away from the light stable. There were a few horses parked in the stables as he walked up to the inn. The building had no name but a wood-carved picture of a wine glass on its doors.

“Ugh ... fourth village so far this month,” he said out loud to himself. “I hope I find something, at least. Several investigations of the disappearances usually end here in this tiny village, but why?”

He removed his hat and smacked the water that collected on it, hopelessly trying to dry it. He looked at his clothing and knew that he was soaked. Danek looked like a cross between a peasant and a nobleman. He wore a typical dark blue linen shirt, black linen pants, and brown leather boots. His brown overcoat, while stylish, served as a block of what he kept hidden from the normal public eye. The only thing genuinely notable was his kolpak. The hat was made of leather that pointed upward and had fur that lined its sides. He prioritized being undercover more than anything else. He placed his hand to his face feeling the light stubble that grew from his hairless face.

Danek looked around him some more. The basic constructed homes lined the dirt roads. Trading posts and shops comprised the center area, while farms lined the outer edges, including at least three churches. It was, all in all, the semblance of a small village. His attention once again went back to the inn. Finally, he decided that it was best to go ahead and head inside.

He approached the wooden porch leading to the simple wooden door. He pushed the door open to reveal the brightly lit tavern. Inside, it consisted of five wooden tables that led to a bar where an older woman worked as a bartender and innkeeper for the men inside. There were at least ten men in the tavern sitting at the tables, eating or playing games of dice or simply talking to one another. There were two playing minstrels in the corner, playing both a lute and a flute in a musical duet. All in all, the atmosphere inside was calm and relaxed.

The men momentarily looked at Danek as he walked into the tavern but quickly returned to their business. Water dripped off his clothing and onto the wooden panels below him as he marched up to the bar to talk with the older woman. He had a seat on the wooden barstool.

“How may I help you today, sir?” the woman asked him.

“I will have your best Pálinka please,” Danek requested. He reached into his coin pouch and pulled out a forint, and tossed it on the table for the woman to take.

“This is too much for the drinks,” she commented in her rough voice.

“Then I will trade it for some good information,” he said as he put his hands on the bar table. “I am sure you have good knowledge of this town as everyone comes here to sample and sleep here.”

The older woman rolled her lip up and nodded. “Yes, Sonny, I can help you with that. What do you wish to know?”

He explained the situation “I will be forthright with you. My name is Danek Johan. I’m on a long-term investigation from the noble György Thurzó to investigate a series of missing women reports in the entire region. This includes the nearby villages, including here. I need to know as much as you know. Most of the missing women reports lead straight to this village, but the trail goes cold after that. I am hoping this town could reveal once and for all where the women went to and if they are still alive.”

“Oh dear,” the bartender responded. “I’ll tell you everything that I know. It seems like this village has been a hub of women ... girls that disappear. Every week it happens. A missing woman or daughter that we launch a team to go and search for, but there is nothing to be found. We use our best trackers, and we find no results.”

“Do you happen to know how many disappeared last month?”

“About three. Poor Zsófia was the last one to vanish,” the old woman replied.

“Do you happen to know if a kidnapper is in the area? Enemies of the village that is targeting the women? Do the women not like living here? Please tell me.”

“We don’t know if there is a kidnapper in the area. The search results find nothing in the forests that surround the village. We made no enemies with the surrounding villages or towns that they themselves would go this far to do it. This village has always shared a good community. Never have the women that I have at least seen shown any sign of hatred or dislike towards living here.”

Danek scratched his chin. “This Zsófia that you spoke of, did you ever get a chance to talk to her before she vanished?”

“Zsófia no. It would be best if you spoke to that gentleman that is seated by the window,” she pointed at an older man. “She was his granddaughter. He is a little ... deranged if you understand my saying. He is much older than I am but still comes here to talk to everyone.”

Danek grinned. “Thank you. I will talk to him. Do you happen to know how many women have disappeared from this village alone over the last few years?”

“I stopped counting over fifty, Danek. It was like Satan ripped those girls from the Earth, never to be seen again. It is the work of the devil.”

“I believe you. That is why I am here. I will put a stop to this kidnapper even if it gets me killed in the process.”

“Oh, is that so?” a man of his age stood up from the table. “You know for all we know ... if it could be a foreigner that did it or ... or ... some rich person that did it. Can’t get enough women, can you? Have to take them all now, will you?”

Danek could clearly see the man was drunk. “I was born in Bošáca, my good lad. I promise you that I come from around the area.”

The drunken man had trouble keeping his balance. “You know ... what? How about finding my daughter?! She went to that noblewoman’s house a month ago and hasn’t been seen since.”

“What is this noblewoman’s name?” he asked him.

“Goes by the name ... Lady Chava.”

“Has anyone gone to the home to talk to Lady Chava?”

“We did. Three different men ... arrive at the home. The place..., but every time ... every time somebody would approach the home, the ... men would peak inside as if that Chava was casting a spell on them. The men keep returning, saying nothing was wrong or that nobody else resided in the ... what do you call it ... small manor. After the third attempt, the town said that Chava wasn’t the cause, but I am not convinced.”

Danek frowned in question. “Hmmm, what makes you think that she used magic?”

“Because she never shows her face,” he waved his hand. “She’s a witch. I tell you ... a witch.”

The words of a drunk were something Danek took lightly. However, he did take note of it, at least. The others in the room set the tone that the man was a little off in his words.

“I ... will keep that in mind. Do you know where she lives at?”

“The small mansion corner of ... the village furthest from ... from ... hic ... the castle. It is not big, but she’s rich. She supposedly lives by herself.”

“Mister Danek,” The old woman interrupted both of them. “It’s best to go to Countess Báthory’s castle at the top of the hilltop overlooking the village. She or at least the people that work there should help you.”

“I already plan on checking out the castle later on. The fact is that you guys know more about the area. I can talk to many individuals here rather than just a few individuals.”

“It had to be the Countess’s fault!” yelled a young man who overheard the conversation. “I heard rumors that one of Agoston’s daughters went to the Countess’s castle to work, and she never returned.”

“What is the name of this woman that vanished again?” Danek asked as he turned to look at the man.

“Hanna ... she was nineteen ... and was a...” he stopped before finishing the sentence.

“I’m sorry,” Danek told him. “Has there been any attempt to confront Countess Báthory on Hanna?”

The young man shook his head. “She’s not only the richest in this village but has an entire castle to herself. She has more resources than what she needs. Any allegation towards her goes ignored.”

“My goal, as hired by Thurzó, is to go investigate anybody that is responsible for this. All my reports on the missing women go to here at this village. If any of you know of any leads or have evidence available, I can contact Thurzó and send soldiers to go and take care of it. If it’s Satan himself, then we would have the army to attack him.”

The old lady at the bar table handed the drink for Danek to have. He turned his head to her and thanked her. He took his glass, held it up, drank it, and slammed it on the table. He stood up and looked at the table by the window. He could see an older man that looked straight ahead. No one sat next to him.

The drunk went and had a seat as he grabbed his glass and kept drinking. Finally, Danek decided to walk up and sit with the young man.

“What do you know of Hanna?” Danek asked.

“She needed work. She always talked about wanting to work for the Countess or some noblewoman. She considered it close to divine work ... working for Countess Báthory made her so happy. We were going to be married in another month when the letters stopped coming.”

“Did you do anything to confront the Countess?”

“I came up to the castle where one of their aids told me that she no longer worked at the castle. They acted just as surprised as I was when I told them that she never returned back to the village to be with her family.”

Danek put his hand on the table. “You don’t sound convinced, though.”

“I don’t know what to say ... I feel that saying anything more would inquire the wrath of the Countess. She has the resources to throw her weight around.”

“My power given to me by Thurzó supersedes her. He has more men and resources than she does. She answers to him if I gather enough evidence and if she’s guilty.”

The man almost started to cry. “Just try to find out what happened to her ... please.”

“I will. The more evidence I gather, the closer I get to solving the cases.”

Danek stood up as he walked to the older man in the corner. He had to speak to him next. He seemed partly senile as his eyes seemed to focus in one direction, completely ignoring him as he sat down next to him.

“Hello,” Danek addressed him. “I’m here to investigate missing women in this area. My travels have brought me to this small village to find out where these women have gone to.”

“Uhhh...” The man replied.

Danek tried again. “You had a granddaughter that vanished. I need to know if you have any information available.”

“Grandaughter ... sweet, sweet, granddaughter.”

“Yes, you know what happened?”

Danek kept his gaze focused on him as someone else walked inside the tavern. He seemed to be in heavy clothing as rainwater dripped from his clothing to the floor. He looked at the bar table, but his focus went to Danek as he listened to his conversation.

“Was it the woman of the nearby manor named Chava? Or was it Countess Báthory? Were one of them responsible for taking or kidnapping your daughter?”

“Two granddaughters ... one granddaughter ... work ... needed to work,” he struggled to say to Danek.

“Tell me who,” he asked politely.

“Went to manor ... gone ... never see her again ... one granddaughter. Miss her ... miss her so much.”

“Hmmm ... thank you, sir. I promise you that I will f...”

There was a firm grab on his shoulder as he was almost lifted from his chair. Danek turned his head to see an angry man that looked at him.

“You work for the Countess!” yelled the man as he practically held him. “You come here to gather information on us! He’s a thug!”

The playing minstrels stopped playing as the commotion began. Danek jumped from his table, startling the older man. He did a quick turn knocking himself loose. He tried to throw a fist at Danek, but Danek made a quick jab at the man’s face. The enraged man backed up as he was narrowly struck in the chest.

“Hey!” yelled the old woman. “Bring your conflicts outside! That means you, Vilmos!”

“Look!” Danek told him as others in the room looked at him and Vilmos. “I swear to you that I’m here by order of Thurzó to seek out what happened to the vanishings of women in this village and area!”

“Word of a liar!” Vilmos said as he reached into his belt and pulled out a knife. “I’ve never seen you before. You come here acting all noble! You know how many of been taken? Do you know how many have never returned to their families? All because people like you go and cover it all up!” Vilmos kept a firm finger pointed at him as he addressed the rest of the people in the inn. “This man is going to report all the information he obtains from us. Then he is going to bring us to the Countess! Are you all fucking blind?!”

The drunken man on the table grabbed his cup and drank more, seemingly uninterested. Others seemed indifferent, convinced, or not interested anymore in what was happening.

Vilmos readied his knife as the older woman screamed at the scene that was transpiring. Danek knew that he had no choice. He grabbed the wrist of his coat sleeve and pulled it back as soon as he saw the knife. He was still at a fair distance as he jumped back and lifted his left arm. His coat was covering a hidden wrist-mounted crossbow launcher. The crossbow was the size of a human hand with a loaded bolt ready to fire.

“See! I told you that he’s an agent for the Countess!” Vilmos yelled as Danek kept his wrist mount weapon trained on him. “No person would carry a hidden weapon like this.”

“No, Vilmos. Call it a precaution against the highwaymen.”

“That little crossbow isn’t going to do much,” Vilmos said with his knife still ready. “How about I take it from you?”

Danek had had enough. He fired his little crossbow at Vilmos. The small bolt traveled and struck him in the shoulder. He winced as the bolt penetrated about an inch deep into him. He grabbed his shoulder in response as he tried to tear the bolt out of his body. Blood dripped from his shoulder to the floor below. It happened so fast that the people around them sat and stood in shock.

“Saw that coming,” said one of the random patrons.

“Fuck you!” Vilmos said as he left the bolt in the shoulder. He cringed from the pain as he still had the knife in his hand.

Quickly, Danek opened his coat to unveil his hidden weapon. He unsheathed a szabla. The curved saber was lifted and pointed at Vilmos’s chest.

“Leave this inn, Vilmos. You’re interfering with investigations laid down by György Thurzó.”

Vilmos looked at the angry gaze of Danek. With his knife in hand, he walked out of the inn peacefully. He was still clutching the bolt that stuck out of him.

Danek seeing that Vilmos had left, sheathed his sword and threw his coat over to block the hidden blade once again. He looked at the silent room. “Anyone else have a problem?”

Some people nodded, some displayed anger, the rest relaxed and went back to doing what they wanted to do. Danek looked at the innkeeper. She took her hand away from her mouth as he nodded to her.

With that, Danek walked out of the inn. He turned to head to his stable, where his horse Faszén was at. Then, he approached him, pulled out a small bolt from his largest pocket, and loaded a fresh arrow into his crossbow.

He patted his horse and closed his eyes. “Looks like we go to the castle first, my old friend.”

The horse almost seemed to nod at his words.

It was evident that Čachtice Castle was the central heart of the village of Čachtice. It was situated on top of the highest hill that looked down upon the town and its roads like a watchtower. It took about a good thirty minutes of travel by horse for Danek to reach it. The long dirt path was arduous for the animal.

Reaching the top of the hill leading to the main gate, Danek took note of the surroundings. It looked like an odd stretched-out horseshoe parked on the dirt and gravel. The road itself led to the main gate where the entrance connected to large outstretched walls. Some sides were not as high as the others, depending on the angle of the castle.

Danek could see the small lowered drawbridge leading to a makeshift moat surrounding the fortress. A pair of guards with pikes stood at the top of the wall looking down at the gate itself. He could also see the high towers inside from outside the walls as he and his horse approached them. Some trees and foliage surrounded his path as he could see it. The location of the castle was relatively peaceful all and all.

There was no horse traffic leading to it. Danek could already see that sun’s angle indicated that it was sometime around four or five o clock. In a couple of hours, the sun would be going down. Despite the drawbridge being open, the gate was down. It was up to Danek to ask if he could be let in.

“Who goes there!” yelled one of the guards as they looked at the horse. They didn’t seem alarmed by Danek’s presence.

“My name is Danek Johan. I’ve been sent by György Thurzó to see on the well-being of the Countess!”

The guards looked at one another and gave a quick nod. Then, they looked back down at him. “Do you carry any weapons on you?!”

“Yes, I carry weapons!”

The guards appreciated his honesty. “Very well! Come through the gate! You will surrender your weapons to the guard, where they will be returned to you when you leave!”

“Thank you!” Danek said with appreciation.

He watched as one of the guards yelled below to another guard inside the walls. Danek watched as the metal gate slowly slid open to let him inside. With simple ease, Danek lifted his reins and tapped the horse to go forward. The sound of horseshoes hitting the wooden planks of the drawbridge ceased as he reached into the castle’s inner walls.

A guard armed with a pike was there to meet him. Danek politely got off his horse and pulled out his sword to hand it to the guard. He then reached into his coat and unclasped the wrist-mounted crossbow.

The guard seemed impressed. “Nice little weapon. No good against our armor, though.”

“No need to,” Danek replied to him. “It is used really as a last resort than anything else. Already had to use it a couple of times in my travels.”

“Is that everything?” the guard asked.

“Yes, my sword and crossbow are all that I have.”

“Very well, then you may proceed.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Danek got back on his horse and proceeded forward. The dirt road traveled through an extended area sandwiched between a long inner wall and the right outer wall with one small little dome tower. Two high buildings jutted from the inner walls.

As his horse continued to trot, he noted the inner walls that also had a gate, but this one was open. In addition, several portholes lined the sides designed to allow archers or musketeers to fire down at invaders in case the outer castle walls were breached. Danek’s horse finally reached the inner gate leading to the castle courtyard.

“Strange,” he said quietly. “I thought there would be more activity in the castle. Besides the occasional guards, I don’t see much in attendants to the castle. Maybe it’s because the castle itself is in an obscure location?”

His horse trotted down to a small stable where the guards kept their horses to park his horse. The stone floor made heavy clopping sounds as his horse walked on it. Danek reached the stable as he dismounted and wrapped the reins to its post. He patted the horse’s neck as he walked to the center portion of the castle.