Becoming a Belmont and Invading Castle Ravenloft

Oh, I scarcely know how to begin this entry… what is a girl to say when she is the happiest she’s ever been, yet is in the lair of the Devil himself?
 
I shall write later on the events that have led us directly into the catacombs of Castle Ravenloft, but right now, I cannot help but write about that which fills my heart and mind.
 
Trevor and I are married! It was a bit spur of the moment, and completely disorganized, in typical Trevor fashion, but it’s official. I suppose my name is now Marushka Belmont. Belmont… it sounds weird on my tongue… but if we survive this venture, I am sure I will get used to it.
 
This is how it happened…
 
Trevor was acting oddly and asking Oswald cryptic questions when we were traveling in Ezmerelda’s wagon. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but Trevor kept alluding to some components that he wanted to know if Oswald still had with him. I was curious for a minute, but then decided I would be better off sleeping while I could.
 
Just when I was about to doze off, Ezmerelda swerved the cart. I had no idea what was going on, and didn’t even have time to figure it out, before Strahd materialized on the seat between me and Trevor.
 
I was shocked. How and why was he right here, sitting in the wagon? Fortunately, Trevor seemed to be the only one who wasn’t surprised, as he crushed a flask of holy water against Strahd’s face and staked him in the chest. What followed was a flurry of blows, and Eerika jumped into Strahd’s lap and held him down, much like she had Kasimir in the Amber Temple a couple days earlier.
 
Fortunately, Strahd didn’t seem like he was prepared for our party’s reaction to his arrival, and he dissolved into mist and streamed out the back of the wagon. Before he left, he began to cast a spell. I didn’t know what it was, but I managed to counter it. (Thank you Elaine for helping me learn that one!)
 
I could see Strahd on the road behind us. He looked angry… angrier than I’ve ever seen him in person in my life. He held up his hand towards the clouds and spoke something. Almost immediately after, I heard the sound of multiple wolves howling around us. I glanced over at Trevor and he muttered something about dire wolves. There was a shuddering on the wagon, as Blinsky leapt down with a snarl. I caught a glimpse of the tiger when he ripped a wolf’s throat out, but then he was buried under a pile of grey and black bodies.
 
Ezmerelda drove the horses on. As the fight faded into the distance, I think I heard the cry of a dying tiger. I am sad for Ezmerelda to lose him, and I know Trevor has grown attached, but for me, I am glad that he held off the wolves for us. I wish he didn’t die, and would, instead, come stalking back to join us, but it is appreciated nonetheless.
 
We continued on without severe incident until we reached the crossroads by the Tser Pools. Kasimir said that there is a secret entrance into Castle Ravenloft that leads down into the catacombs beneath the castle. We could enter through there, or we could ride up to the main gate… it was obvious which one we should choose… we do need to find the heart, after all…
 
When Ezmerelda stopped the wagon, Trevor asked Oswald if he had the mysterious components again. Oswald looked at him and got a weird look on his face, and was like “Oohhhh… yes, I still have them.”
 
I looked from Trevor to Oswald and back again, and asked what was going on. Then Oswald asked if Trevor had asked me yet. Trevor replied saying that he hadn’t really had the time with everything going on, but that he needed a minute alone. Oswald demanded that everyone exit the wagon. So, everyone left, and I started to step toward the door, but Oswald said “Not you!” Then he followed the others out and shut the door.
 
I looked over at Trevor, and asked him what this was all about. Then, he asked me if I would marry him.
 
I was surprised, to say the least. Happy, but surprised. I heard exclamations coming from outside the wagon, and I could have sworn that I heard Eerika squealing “Say yes, Marushka!”
 
I asked him if that was what he was planning with Oswald, and he admitted that it was. I gave him a bit of a hard time for not asking me first, but of course, I still said yes. I asked if he meant when, or likely, if, we make it out of Castle Ravenloft, but he said no… right now. What the hell? Why not? We are likely to not live past the next few days anyways.
 
Trevor apologized that he didn’t have a ring, but he handed me his journal instead. I know how much it means to him, I know how much mine means to me… it meant a lot that he was willing to gift it to me.
 
We stepped down from the wagon, (me holding Trevor’s journal in my hands), to the cheers of some of the party, and exasperated impatience from Kasimir.
 
Oswald then began to talk. I wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying, because he was trying to figure out some particulars. Finally, he turned to Kasimir and asked if he knew any of the Barovian marriage traditions.
 
Kasimir scoffed, saying that he has lived here for the past 700 years, of course he knows.
The topic of wedding rings came up, and Trevor said that we will have to omit that part. Kasimir actually looked offended. “You don’t have a ring?”
 
Trevor said that he hasn’t really been anywhere to acquire one, and Kasimir scoffed again. He pulled a ring off his own finger and tossed it to Trevor, telling him to “here. Use this.”
 
Kasimir ended up officiating the ceremony - apparently Oswald was taking too long. So, after a few minutes, and Trevor slipping Kasimir’s ring on my finger, we were married!
 
I am glad that Kasimir did it so fast… we were literally standing in the shadow of Castle Ravenloft, and I kept finding my gaze being drawn up to the castle, fearing that any moment, Strahd would show up in our midst and kill one of us. We took away his love, I fear what he will do when he finds out about Trevor and I… if he doesn’t already know.
 
I thanked Kasimir for the ring. It is truly beautiful, it is delicately ornate in the same way as most elven craftsmanship that I’ve seen. I was about to ask him how he has it, when he told me “It was my wife’s. It brings me nothing but sadness whenever I look upon it.” I wanted to cry.
“It looks lovely on you.” He said.
I didn’t know what else to do, so I hugged him. I don’t know what possessed me to do so, but he didn’t shy away, or strike me, so that was good at least.
 
A few minutes later, Kasimir led us down to the tunnel… I talked to him a little bit and he told me a bit more about his history - apparently he had served the Zarovich family, even back when Strahd’s father ruled it. Kasimir and Rahadin had both served them faithfully, Rahadin to the point that he was actually adopted into the Zarovich family. Kasimir said that he had served Strahd faithfully and led his armies up until the point that Strahd betrayed them and committed genocide on Kasimir’s people. I cannot imagine what it must be like for him… to have all of his people gone… his wife and children…
 
We found ourselves emerging into the catacombs. The room was massive, with great stone pillars rising up to the high ceilings, and crypts lining the room in neat rows. I could see Brynden standing in the center of the room, hands on his hips, as though he was daring someone to approach him. Elaine was hiding behind a pillar.
 
I quickly discovered what was going on - the Chandlers had drawn the attention of a group of vampires. We moved to assist our wayward party members, and ended up facing a group of five vampires.
 
Two HUGE vampires materialized right in front of me and Trevor. One of them cast something, and a pillar of flame shot down right on top of me. That hurt. But Trevor didn’t let them touch me. For some reason, probably because he is actually the greatest hunter in the land - oh shit, I can’t believe that I just wrote that… I better not let him find out, or I fear that his ego will become unbearable, I feel so much safer when he is close by.
 
Kasimir circled around behind the two vampires, and I didn’t know what else to do, so I pulled out the Holy Icon of the Ravenkind. Reaching over Trevor’s shoulder, I activated it, sending a beam of sunlight directly into the vampires’ faces. No wonder Ireena had been so effective in the basement in Vallaki…
 
The rest of the fight was a blur. Between Kasimir, Trevor and I, we managed to kill the two vampires before us. Trevor staked them and cut off their heads - so they shouldn’t be able to rise again…
 
The other vampires turned into mist and fled into the walls… probably to go report to Strahd. Trevor seems pleased by what one of them said… something about recognizing him as the Belmont. I must never tell him what I think of his abilities… it would make him insufferable.
 
Elaine and Brynden joined us, and a new ally they made while in the castle. A creature who is half man, half dragon. Trevor said he is Dragonborn. (Apparently, in Faerun, dragons like to take the form of humans and have sex with other races, hence the half-dragon people.) Trevor didn’t trust him, something to do with him being descended from a black dragon…
 
I asked him what his name is, Oren the Black, and he’s a mercenary, thief and assassin. I extended my hand and introduced myself as “Marushka Belmont” for the first time. Oh gods, the look on Brynden’s skeletal face was pure shock. I thought he’d lost all emotion, but apparently, surprise isn’t one of them.
 
We began searching through some of the crypts. There was a massive one in the wall with the name “Bucephalus” engraved into it. I tried to get the others to stay away, but they didn’t… and Strahd’s demon horse attacked us. It fled shortly after - I don’t think any demon wants to contend with Oswald or Trevor at this point. Did I mention that Trevor is wielding both of his whips at the same time? It is a sight to see, let me just put it that way…
 
Oswald entered a crypt with the name of “St. Markovia” engraved on it, and came out wielding a thigh bone as a club.
 
We were making our way through without much incident, when Kasimir stopped dead in his tracks. He stood, staring at a crypt, all color having faded from his face. I leaned forward to read it. “Patrina Velikovna”. Kasimir’s sister.
 
When that tomb was opened, a ghostly figure of a dusk elf woman was there, she looked at us with hatred and when her gaze landed on Kasimir, she shrieked something about her brother failing her, and then a sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard… it was a piercing wail that stabbed into my ears, grated on my bones and felt like it was sucking the very life out of me.
 
Everything went black.
 
I awoke some time later, I don’t know when, but Trevor was leaning over me, making sure I was still breathing.
 
I looked around, confused, and saw Kasimir laying a short distance away, dead. No. He can’t die like this. My thoughts were racing.
Oswald was just sitting up, and I asked him if there was nothing he could do. He chanted some words, and smashed his fist into Kasimir’s chest… I don’t know what he did, but Kasimir drew a breath and sat up.
 
So now, we are trying to rest and recover from our wounds before continuing on in search of the heart.
 
I gave Trevor’s journal back to him. He wrote a letter to me on one of the pages, and I wish that he would have spoken earlier. He wrote that he is dedicating his journal to me as a symbol of his love, and that he considers the curse that trapped him here to be a blessing… and he said that he hopes to prove that a love such as Sergei’s and Tatyana’s is not just in stories and legends…
 
Fortunately, most of the others were sleeping by the time I had the opportunity to read Trevor’s letter. For, I wouldn’t have wanted to deal with the likely questions that would arise if they saw the tears I dashed from my eyes.
 
As I look over toward the others, I am glad Kasimir is still with us. Even though he can be an ass at times, I would be devastated if something were to happen to him… I really want to help him see his revenge on Strahd through… and perhaps, he could return to Faerun and find the Elves there? Or at least, find some purpose… for I fear that he might just fade away to nothing without this hatred driving him forth.
 
As for me, I am quite happy. I hope that we survive this, although it is a fool’s hope, and I know this…
 
In case I die tomorrow, I will record this here so if Trevor survives me, he will never forget… I love you, Trevor Belmont.