Lisa's eyes fluttered as she woke to the sound of birds chirping at her bedroom window.

Birds.

It had been months since she last heard any and now they were singing right before her on this very morning. The vernal equinox was still some time away as far as she knew, which made it all the more unusual.

Wanting to investigate, Lisa stretched as she made her way out of her bed towards the window, gently drawing the curtains and opening the latch slowly so as to not disturb the birds. Several little passerines were perched neatly on the snow-patched windowsill before her as they vocalized their courtships to one another, unaware of their observer.

Dawn broke as Lisa admired the display playing out before her, revealing the greenery of the treelines and the quickly melting patches of snow on the ground.

It then occurred to Lisa of what today was. She could imagine how Lupu looked now with fields full of blooming flowers being picked by young and old for loved ones. There would be song and dance within the center of the village once night fell and fortunes would be made for the coming year by the elders. Today was Dragobete, the day of love, and Lisa found herself aching for home for the first time since she came to the castle.

She had already spent almost a year under the tutelage of the castle's lord, and grew fond of him in the time they shared together. Within the period, Lisa saw more than the indifferent hermit he tried to be when she met him; she saw how his eyes would lighten as he passionately spoke of his learnings, how the corners of his mouth would upturn as he made her laugh with his sardonic sense of humor, and how generous he was to provide her with the resources necessary for her ambitions. She could never tire of his unfathomable depths of character, and as Lisa immersed herself in her thoughts, she knew she had been in love with him for quite some time. She truly loved Vlad Dracula Tepes for all he was, and nothing could change that.

From the corners of her eyes, Lisa spotted tiny white specks on the grounds surrounding the castle and squinted for a better look. Snowdrops had begun to poke their way through the snow, and Lisa lifted her head from her arms suddenly as realization dawned on her, startling the birds on the sill and causing them to fly off towards the horizon. She brought herself up, grabbing her satchel by her bedside table and gathering the tools she needed before quickly making haste out of her room to the castle grounds.

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Lisa returned just as the last rays of sunlight slipped below the horizon, her satchel almost bursting with snowdrops she collected from the day. She figured earlier that she would celebrate Dragobete in her own special way to remedy her homesickness and even managed to craft wreaths similar to ones she often made at home for the children of her village.

Settling herself in the library, Lisa placed her belongings down and went to the nearest shelf to grab random books to distract herself with, knowing that Vlad's arrival was imminent with the sundown and feeling anxious for what she was about to do. It was unlike her to be so anxious, but after today, Lisa knew she had to make her feelings known to Vlad. The possibility of rejection floated about in her mind which she cast aside quickly. She was certain Vlad enjoyed her company as much as she did and yet he also seemed hesitant around her as of late. His touches never lingered for very long and he would flinch at the accidental brushing of their hands whenever they conducted studies together. She had to wonder if he was applying restraint around her from fear of hurting her as they were close now.

Lisa hummed softly as she turned pages of her current book. The tune was a folk song from her childhood that brought her comfort regardless of circumstances. She shivered as the temperature dropped, a lone shadow manifesting as Vlad appeared at the entrance of the library. "Good evening," he greeted her with an air of formality. He slowly strode towards Lisa as she slipped a mark on the page she was on. "Good evening, Vlad," she greeted back, bringing her focus to the man standing before her. An eager look was in Vlad's eyes as he gazed over the pile of books Lisa kept beside her, amusement in his tone as he spoke. "A night of heavy texts again?"

Smirking, Lisa laid her clutched book onto the pile. "Have you something else in mind then?"

Vlad made a show of stroking his beard in mock thought. "Just for tonight, a break from our lessons perhaps? I want to show you the results of a personal experiment of mine, and the timing couldn't be better for a night like this."

He arched his brows in surprise as Lisa closed the distance between them suddenly, her eyes widened at his implication.

"You… you know then what today is?"

"Dragobete, a day meant for lovers. Many take rest on this day to partake in festivities, and spend time with family and friends. Did you think I wouldn't know of it?"

Vlad chuckled as Lisa's face flushed, finding it endearing to him. "Not at all, I just thought…" she trailed off, too ashamed to finish her thoughts. "You thought I wouldn't care because of its meaning," Vlad finished. "That was true once, but I'm starting to see otherwise now."

Lisa stilled for a moment as she took in his last sentence. Bringing herself to face him again, the corners of her mouth twitched as a sly smile appeared. "In that case, allow me to have a head start if you want to see more." With that, she stepped around Vlad, his eyes following her movements, and went into the hallway, turning to see him one more time before sprinting towards the direction of the laboratory.

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He caught up to Lisa less than halfway, twirling her in his embrace as she laughed with joy. They eventually came to a stop while they were peering at each other's eyes.

"You got me," Lisa breathed. She softly kissed his cheek as he shuddered beneath her before reciprocating her gesture of affection. "So much... you mean so much to me, Lisa, I've never felt so alive until now. You've brought light onto this old soul with your insights and kindness, and I cannot imagine life without you now. For all that you are and all that you have done, I ask if you will stand by me not as an apprentice, but as an equal to me? Will you marry me, Lisa from Lupu?"

Lisa pressed her lips to his. "Yes. All I can offer you is myself and my love for you. There is nothing else to my name for who I am."

Vlad could weep at her words, but steadied himself as he found his voice. "You're more than enough for me, I ask for nothing more."

They held each other for a few moments before Vlad let Lisa down gently. "Close your eyes for me and keep them closed until I say so," he instructed her, carving runes as Lisa closed her eyes.

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It was a teleportation spell that brought them to the conservatory, far from the side of the castle they were from and filled with greenery. In the middle, a large plant stood with flowers the color of pearls, which Vlad guided Lisa towards. "Open," he stated simply. Lisa slowly opened her eyes, gasping as she saw the flowers before her. "Oh, Vlad! These are… they're beautiful!" She turned to him with a questioning look. "How can this be though? Lilies don't bloom at this time unless… this was the experiment?"

Vlad grinned in response. "This one began to grow shortly after your arrival, and I began to tend it more in my free time so that it may yield more blooms. What I didn't expect was that it would bloom today."

Lisa narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Sounds a lot like magic to me, but…" she shook her head, sighing happily. "Thank you, Vlad, they're the most beautiful ones I've ever seen."

She then made Vlad kneel while lifting his hands to his face, who quickly peeked at her from the gaps his fingers made. "Your turn to close them now, no peeking," she was barely stifling a giggle from his antics. He listened to her rummaging through that satchel of hers before he felt something being placed on his head. "You can open your eyes."

Vlad brought his hands to his sides, keeping his head down until he had stood back up to his full height. There was a wreath of snowdrops on Lisa and she was smiling radiantly at him. "They fit you perfectly."

He leaned down, tilting her chin upwards. "Even on a lord like me?"

Lisa cupped her hands around his face. "Always."

"Dragobetele sărută fetele," Vlad chuckled softly.

Humming her agreement, Lisa brushed her lips against his in a tender kiss.

Troth - A Middle English word for a solemn pledge of faithfulness.

Dragobete - A holiday in Romania that occurs every year on February 24th. Known as Romanian Valentine's Day, it is a day meant to celebrate love and spend time with those you love. According to legends, Dragobete is the name of a deity known for his beauty and kindness. Produced from a loving union between a human and an angel, he walks the earth to remind us to never forget about love. Traditions for this special day vary from region to region, but all keep the importance of the meaning of love.

Dragobetele sărută fetele - A Romanian phrase that translates to "Dragobete kisses the girls".