Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 20

 

20.

 

“King Corvinus, I stand with you in the battle against the Turks. We must hold our ground, for we are the last bastion against the Turks invading the main group of Europe.” Stephen III was in the court of Corvinus. “Once we were invaded by the barbarians in the cities of Poland. It was halted ……”

“And the Germans did that ……” King Corvinus cut in. “Was it the deposition of Romulus Augustulus in 476 CE by the Germanic leader Odoacer then? Yet, we have not fallen. We, the Hungarians, still stand today against the Turks. How many times have we battled them? They invaded, we repulsed, and then we invaded, and then we were…repulsed.”

“Stephen, I am tired.” King Corvinus sighed. “When will all this end? Can we expect the whole Christian nation to mount another crusade? The last …… Was it led by Edward, Duke of Gascony, later King Edward I of England?”

“It was the ……. Ninth Crusade or an extension of the Eighth Crusade? He withdrew due to concerns at home and the inability to resolve internal conflicts within the remaining Outremer territories. It also foreshadowed the imminent collapse of the last remaining Crusader strongholds along the Mediterranean coast. And Acre, the last major Crusader city, marked the last Crusader presence in the Holy Land.”

“I am aware of the ……” Stephen III spoke out when he was tired of listening to the failures of the wars.

“No, it was the crusade to aid Constantinople against the Ottoman Turks that was defeated; that was the last crusade.” Corvinus sighed. “Was it not the Ottoman campaign against you that ended in defeat at the Battle of Vaslui?”

“Yes. I am not defeated. I am here to release the… monster that will… Pardon me, be feared by the Turks.” Stephen III replied. “Vlad Tepes, or as he is better known, Dracula, or the Impaler.”

“Vlad Tepes? The one whom I imprisoned for years.” Corvinus looked at the other. “Is he still alive?”

“He lives. He can be the one to defeat the Turks and… Basarab the Elder and topple Radu for good.” Stephen III looked back at the Hungarian leader.

“Madness…… Truly madness. The…… monster; your word, Stephen III. Can he be trusted to battle them? He was once their pet. His brother, Radu, rode for the enemy and fought on our land. He is the Voivode there now.”

“He was family to Radu, but I was told they shared no love.” Stephen III looked at Corvinus. “Vlad harbours hatred for the Turks. They destroyed his family. He will battle them. He also relishes the rank of Voivode there.”

“With what? He holds no army.” Corvinus looked at Stephen III.

“He can build a new army. We can assist, and I have the others to assist. They will loan him the ducats to sign on more men. Genoa and Venice are filled with many veterans that need to find coins. We can assist there.” Stephen III told the court.

It was this that Lord Gencio Capulet was back in Genoa. He had spent the days there to meet the others to support the new campaign. He met them and told them of the riches of the campaign. He held talks with the traders at the guild and banks.

“Stephen III meets with Corvinus for the army to be formed. It will be led by one named Vlad Tepes.”

“Madness!” The trader he met cried out. “Do you know what the mad Voivode did to his enemies?”

“I do. He instills in them fear. The mention of his name made them cower in fear. Many others, including Basarab, and even Corvinus, had not done that. The Sultan, Mehmet II, feared that monster you called.”

“The blood drinker is imprisoned by the Hungarians. Why would he ride for them?” Another trader cut in. “Tell me, Lord Dante Montague. Do you agree?”

Lord Dante Montague was there but not to listen to Lord Gencio Capulet. He had sworn not to get involved with the latter for any ventures. He was content with his trade with England and Spain and with the patronage of Lady Angeline’s sister, Juliette, paving the way for him to make contacts.

“Huh? I do apologize, gentlemen. I am here to transact on my bill of lading.” Lord Dante Montague avoided the stare of Lord Gencio Capulet. “Please excuse me.”

“Lord Dante Montague, I ……” Another trader named Bassanio interjected. “I would like your counsel on another matter.”

“Yes, of course. Let me settle the bill of lading, and we can meet at the guild.” Lord Dante Montague smiled. “Good day, gentlemen.”

“Lord Dante Montague, may I know that you are holding a ball this weekend at your place?” One other trader asked. “I would like my son to be there to meet your daughter.”

“Absolutely. The ……. Invites are going out this week. And good day, gentlemen. I am to handle my own affairs.” Lord Dante Montague took his leave.

“What ball, Lord Ian Pearson?” Lord Gencio Capulet asked.

“Oh, Lord Dante Montague is to introduce his daughter, Juliet, to the society. It will be a privilege to be there.”

At the home of the Montagues, Lady Angeline was busy with the preparation for the ball. There was much to do; the guests from afar needed accommodations and servants to clean the rooms, and the kitchen needed to stock the supplies. She was shorthanded at the household.

“Who is preparing the Torta Pasqualina?” Angeline called out while she planned the meals at the library. It was the only sane place to be seated while the other chambers were cleaned. “My sister insists on that.”

The savoury pie that has been a part of Ligurian culinary tradition is made with layers of flaky pastry filled with a mixture of Swiss chard or spinach, ricotta, and eggs. The most authentic versions include prescinsêua, a slightly tangy, creamy cheese typical of the region.

“Who……”

“Hold your breath, Mother. It is only a ball.” Juliet arrived at the library. “I am to go out with Jessica.”

Juliet was out without the mother looking at her, who was busy with the next list of things to do. The young lady met her friend and then walked to the square.

“Are we meeting him?” Juliet asked.

“Yes, he told me he will be at the square.” Jessica was the one rushing. They reached the square and selected a table at the roadside café. They placed their orders for tea and watched the people moving there. Jessica then heard the voice.

“I am behind you. Were you here long?” Jessica was excited. She leaned back and replied.

“No, I ……. Yes, I had waited.” Jessica did not look back. “Why are you late?”

“There were the others here. I do not want to meet them.” The other replied. “How are you?”

“I am fine. Do …… Did you know of the ball this weekend? It is a masquerade ball. You can wear a mask.”

“I heard. I …… I volunteered there at the kitchen. You know I cannot be……”

“I am aware. This feud is stupid. I will meet you at the arch.” Jessica then got up. She looked towards Juliet. “You will wait here till I come back.”

“Of course. I am to meet Rosaline.” Juliet looked up from the volume she held in her hands. The title was the BIBLE. Her eyes were not on the pages but on the moving beau that passed her view. Jessica had taken the fast steps to the arch. She was told of the place by her mother, and she was there to meet her beau.

“Jessica, my love.” Her lips were kissed by the beau who met her there. She snaked her arms around the neck.

“You taste of tea.” Jessica pulled her face away. “I …”

“And you smell of lilac.” Her beau smiled. He was a young man who stood tall and handsome, with a side smile.

“Lorenzo Capulet, I love you.”

The same cannot be said of Romeo Capulet, who was housebound by the stubborn servant, Reynard. They were sparring with the wooden swords.

“Ouch!” Romeo cried out. The hilt of the sword held by Reynard had impacted on the nape of Romeo.

“Pay attention, Master Capulet.” Reynard told the young man. “You left your back open to attack.”

“I ……” Romeo backed off and glared at the instructor. “My father paid you to coach me, not harass me.”

“If you do not want me to coach you, do tell your father.” Reynard stepped backwards. “Now rest before we continue.”

Romeo took his rest by the tree stump and was met by Sampson.

“I heard there is a ball this weekend at the Montague house.” Sampson, who had stayed behind to help the household.

“Ball? I want to be there. Can…….”

“Young master Capulet. One, you are homebound; two, you are not to be near the Montague’s home.”

“Silence, Sampson. I will see Mother.” He saw then the arrival of Rosaline Alegar, a distant cousin of the Capulet. She was also the friend of the Montague, being the neutral link to both sides. She approached Romeo, whom she was infatuated with. She was pretty if you looked long enough, dressed simply, but it was her cheerfulness that eluded and gave her the aura.

“I have a surprise.” Rosaline was smiling. “I have the invite for the ball at the Montague’s.”

Romeo’s heart sank then. Rosaline was invited, and he was not. He tossed the wooden sword and walked back to the house. Rosaline was stunned and remained standing there. Reynard approached the young lady.

“Leave him be. He is upset at being homebound.” Reynard said. “I am happy that the Montague does not view you as an enemy.”

“Me? I am fine with Juliet. She met me and gave me the invite.”

Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 19

 

19. 

 

Radu stood by the wall opening of his home. He did not occupy the previous voivode's home of Vlad III; he left it for the family there. He was offered Castle Poenari, taken by him from the forces of Vlad III, but there he left it alone, and the legally wedded wife of Vlad III resides. He was briefly the Voivode, switching the seat with Basarab Laiotă cel Bătrân, or Basarab III, several times.

Basarab III was the son of Dan II, the 9th Voivode of Wallachia. His brothers were Basarab II, Vladislav II, and Dan III. He was to join Duke Stephen III of Moldavia in preparing an offensive to drive Radu III out of the Voivodeship of Wallachia.

That year, Radu III faced the invading forces near Gergica in Prahova but was defeated and fled to the Citadel of Bucharest.

Later, Radu III attempted to retake Wallachia with an Ottoman army of thirteen thousand strong but was defeated by an army under Basarab III combined with a Moldavian army of about six thousand Wallachians. Radu was a part of Vlad’s family, but he was considered a traitor to the Wallachians when he did not assist Vlad III in the campaigns. Instead, he rode with the Sultan attacking Constantinople.

“He betrayed us.” Those were the sentiments of the people. Radu III had crossed the Danube again at the head of an Ottoman army of about thirty thousand. Basarab III, who was the voivode then, did not receive support from Stephen III and fled to Moldavia. The Ottoman army continued its momentum and marched into Moldavia but was soundly defeated by Stephen III at Barad. The battles between the Ottomans and Moldavians swung between them until the final battle when Stephen III drove out Radu III.

Basarab III was concerned about the retaliation by Radu III and requested military support from Prince Batory of Transylvania. The Transylvanian army quickly marched into Wallachia but attempted to overthrow Bassarab IV, his cousin, rather than Basarab III. The Transylvanian army fought Basarab III twice, losing the first time but defeating him in the second battle.

Meanwhile, the Moldavian army of Stephen III captured the fortress of Teleazen, which supported Radu III, massacred the garrison, and burned the fortress. The Ottoman army marched into Moldavia, where Basarab III had gone into exile, but was defeated in the Battle of Vaslui, and Radu III was presumed killed around this time.

After the presumed death of Radu III, Basarab III was restored to the throne by the Wallachian boyars. Afterwards, eight thousand Ottoman troops returning after suffering a crushing defeat in the Battle of Vaslui attacked and defeated them as they entered Wallachia. But soon after, King Matthias I of Hungary, who had been imprisoning Vlad III, released the ex-voivode.

Vlad III was entrusted with the defence of southern Transylvania.

Radu, who was not dead, returned to claim his seat as Voivode. He sought the Saxons of Sibiu and Brasov to fight Vlad III. Basarab III had ditched Wallachia and joined the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans, led by Padishah Mehmet II, invaded Moldavia via Wallachia with a strength of thirty thousand men and clashed with a combined Moldavian-Hungarian-Lithuanian army of twenty thousand commanded by Stephen III in the Battle of Balea Alba.

Mehmed II achieved victory despite heavy losses and occupied a significant part of Moldavia but suffered from the Moldavians' guerrilla tactics and faced starvation, which eventually led to an epidemic. He had to withdraw from Moldavia that year. After the Ottomans withdrew, the Hungarians and Moldovans decided to launch an expedition into Wallachia, led by Vlad III.

A combined Hungarian-Moldavian army of twenty-five thousand men advanced on Targovişte. Basarab III once more defected to Moldavia and raised an army of about eighteen thousand men and attempted to resist near Targovişte but was defeated after a fierce battle, and Radu was confined to the Bucharest Citadel. The city fell, and Basarab III escaped across the Danube. Radu was freed once more.

“Was I right to return here?” Radu asked himself when he returned victory to Wallachia.

“You are the rightful son too.” Maria, his wife, then embraced her lover from the back. “You had the right to rule Wallachia too.”

“Yet, it was not my intention. I was content at the palace.” Radu sighed. He was treated well by Mehmet II. He was not a hostage but a guest.

“And we would not have met.” Maria leaned her head on the man’s left shoulder. He clasped the hands around his waist. He had returned to Wallachia to restore the family’s name and to make good the damages done by Vlad III’s massacre. The news of the impalement reached him and was told by Mehmet II.

“Your mad brother impaled not only the men but also children and women. What madness overcame him?” Mehmet II was upset. “Are you of the same mind?”

“No, my Sultan. I am not. I have distanced myself from Vlad since he left the palace. He is truly ……. Mad.” Radu had replied. “I am sure if my father were alive, he would have marched on the son.”

“Sadness is the truth. I sometimes think we must be all mad and that we shall wake to sanity in straitjackets.” Radu sighed. “Was it the sins of our father we are to carry?”

“I am the Sultan, and even with my merciless acts on the enemies, never would I have thought of impalement of children and women. I would have enslaved them, but to sacrifice… there were no sacrifices; he merely killed them.”

“We are a family by blood, but I hold no love for him. I only love you.” Radu approached the Sultan. The latter held out his right arm to stop the Wallachian.

“Our love… Your love, I valued, but the love for my people means more.” The Sultan sighed. “When the opportunity is right, you will return to Wallachia.”

“And find your wife there. You must be …… They must see you in the new light.” The Sultan added. “She is a suitable noble lady.”

Radu returns to Wallachia and reunites with Maria. He held a reception for friends, which were few at Radu’s side at Wallachia. One who attended was Lord Gencio Capulet.

“I met Vlad at the palace years ago.” Lord Gencio Capulet, then as a guest, made his introduction. “Now I meet the other brother.”

“I am glad to meet you today.” Radu smiled. He was unsure of what was to be said. “Please do make yourself at home.”

Home was to Radu then, but being ousted several times made him wish he was back at the palace at times. He knew that was not possible with Maria and their daughter at his side. He felt the Sultan would be glad for him for getting a family, but he felt the loneliness inside him. He looked at his only child, Maria Voichita, born before the engagement.

“Maria, my love. We must prepare for our child. The situation here is so uncertain. I would like to have Maria sent to Genoa, where she may find peace and… more love. You could go with her. I will send words to Lord Gencio Capulet. He will welcome you there.”

“And of yourself?” Radu was asked.

“I will be fine. I have the Sultan to back me here. I am to rule Wallachia.”

The servant arrived to take the wife and child to Genoa.

Just as then, Shylock was blessed with the assistance of Abram. It was not an easy task to convince the guard of Montague to lend a hand.

“I want not a huge purse of coins, Shylock Judas.” Abram told him. “I am here to assist my fellow member of the faith. We have been persecuted for our beliefs.”

“Thank you. My borrowers are of all ……” Shylock was interjected.

“I cared not for your borrowers, but I am to see that you are not to be bullied.” Abram then took the list of borrowers who had defaulted. He visited the ones that he knew would yield to pressure, and it worked. He got the dues back with interest.

Abram was invited to the home of the lender, who gave him a treat of the meal as a token of thanks.

“It is not Hanukkah yet.” Abram was surprised at the offering then. He saw the serving of potato latkes there. “I had not had that for a very long time. My mother used to cook it for me, but long had she passed on.”

“Potato latkes during the eight days of the Hanukkah holiday because they are fried in oil, and oil symbolizes the miracle of the cruse of oil, which lasted for eight days instead of one.” Leah, who had prepared the meals, explained to Abram. “We are blessed to invite you to our home and share our meals.”

“I am honoured, but ……” Abram looked at the lady and then towards Shylock. “I was……” “For some years we have been hampered by the unscrupulous help we hired. With you now, we hope to turn over a …… Rosh Hashanah (New Year to the Jews) …… a symbolic gesture. Our calendar date of it remains far.”

“I am glad to assist.” Abram smiled. He was not without a reason to assist Shylock. That reason soon appeared in the dining area.

“Our daughter, Jessica.” Leah introduced the young lady to Abram. “She is … our only child.”

“I am honoured to meet you.” Abram smiled. “I am Abram Tov…”

“I am Jessica Judas. I had seen you at the synagogue.” Jessica smiled.

“I am there to seek the comfort there, in my idle times to pray and listen to the wise words of the Rabbi.” Abram explained. He had seen her with the father but made no effort to talk then.

“Abram” the name means “the High Father,” and it is renowned for its connection to the biblical forebear in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible. Your family name is Tov.”

“My father … was a trader who assisted the others.” Abram struggled to find the words.

“He was like me.” Shylock cut in. “I am honoured to meet you.”

“The honour is mine. My father did not live long, for illness took him. My mother was not of the trade; she started trading small wares. It was enough for us to live on, but she was taken advantage of by many others. When I was old enough to work. I joined the army. I was in the Infantry.”

“Were you in Kosovo?” Shylock asked.

“Yes, I was. I fought there against the Turks.” Abram smiled. “I saw the spear. Were you there?”

The men then talked of their past exploits, and the ladies convened to the kitchen.

“He is a fine man,” Leah told her daughter.

“And he is double my age. I have my own choosing.” Jessica said. “I need to see someone.”

“So late the hours now?” But Jessica was out of the house.