Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 71

 

71.

 

“That which you see here is the fake case. It looked like it, but it is not. The real case is back with the Sultan. I swapped the case after Radu’s death. I gave the fake one to Vlad; he had not seen the real case. Lord Dante Montague had not seen it either, but Lord Gencio Capulet did. However, he had not seen what was held here now.”

“Give me the case now!” Prince Escalus handed out his right hand. “I can master it.”

“Do not be a fool, Prince Escalus. Let me relate to you the misery… or rather the curse of the case in the hands of its weak master.” Chorbaji Tarmuk. “We were there, my ancestors, but our fate was to protect it and not intervene in the outcome.”

“The case went missing for some years, exchanging hands between masters, and yet none held it long. How was that to happen to its last great master?”

“Tughluk Timur Khan, one of the last khans and a descendant of Genghis Khan in the early years of the century, was the Khan of Moghulistan..He was the one who invaded Transoxiana, once a part of Alexander the Great’s empire. The Khan then possessed the case from the last generals of the empire.”

“It was to bring calamity to the region with the start of the Great Famine and then the Black Death. It is also marked by an increase in warfare and conflict across the continent and revolts. Death prevails, and the population levels decreased.”

“The case was pillaged, and it exchanged hands till the news of it reached Lord Dante Montague. He thought it would be a great gift to the Sultan then, but fate was to deal him badly. The rest you knew.” Chorbaji Tarmuk sighed. “It is to be held by a great leader with a vast empire. And not for you, who held no power.”

“As its guardian, I had it returned to the Sultan. None of you may possess it.” Chorbaji Tarmuk looked at the gathered.

“You lie to us, Turk.” Prince Escalus was dissatisfied. “I will not leave.”

“Take the case then.” Chorbaji tossed the case to the prince. “It is of no value to us.”

Prince Escalus held the case in his right hand, undecided then.

“Now we are back to the fate of my guest. Do you want him… dead? Then it will be over my dead body.”

No one moved towards the Janissaries.

“I am leaving.” Magistrate Javier sheathed his sword. “This is not my fight.”

“We leave now, officers.” Magistrate Javier turned to leave.

“You coward!” Prince Escalus was to thrust the sword into the back of the magistrate, but it was blocked by the Chorbaji.

“No one deserves to stab another in the back, Prince Escalus.” Magistrate Javier turned back and stared at the prince. “I could arrest you here now. But I will not. I held my respect towards you for being my leader before. I will leave you here to decide your next action.” Javier turned to his officers.

“Let us continue our task on the felon Romeo.” Javier turned to his officers. Javier took his leave then.

“Stay your ground, Javier.” Prince Escalus shouted towards the departing magistrate.

“It is Magistrate  Javier … I am the Magistrate. I do not serve you anymore.” Magistrate Javier walked on out of the basilica.

“Cowards they all are. Where is Count Paris?” Prince Escalus looked to the path outside. “Did he come with all of you?”

None of the mercenaries replied.

“Now, Impaler. The battle is not over.” Prince Escalus looked at the Wallachian. “You killed many of my friends, but as you have said, it was war. We will battle you.”

“Not us, Prince Escalus.” The mercenaries lowered their swords. “We are leaving. It is over for us.”

“You are all paid.” Prince Escalus called out to the departing mercenaries, but they all ignored him. He turned back to look at the Wallachian.

“I……”

“Enough death today, Prince Escalus. I……. I will cease my fighting today. I am to see my family, Prince Escalus. They await me. I am going back now.”

“You cannot just walk away.” Prince Escalus rushed towards the Wallachian but held his steps when he saw the Chorbaji standing there before the Wallachian.

“The fight is over, Prince Escalus. We are leaving.” The Janissaries followed the Wallachian out, leaving the prince alone with the scattered bodies of the dead.

The event at the cottage had yet to end then. Rosaline Alger sat on her haunches cuddling Count Paris, who had given out his last breath. Romeo, who was on his knees beside the bedding with his head on it. He was unmoving then.

Both the lords arrived at the cottage.

“My child!” Lord Dante Montague rushed towards his daughter, while Lord Gencio went to his son.

“My God! She is dead.” Lord Dante Montague screamed out when he held the lady’s hands. “She is cold.”

Lord Dante Montague held up the body and hugged her.

“He is alive…” Lord Gencio Capulet felt the warmth on the body of his son. “He is alive! Fetch the healer now!” Lord Gencio Caulet called out. “He is still alive.”

“No wounds on him.” The father was elated to know his son was alive. “Wake up, Romeo. It is me, your father.”

“Rosaline, tell me what happened.” Lord Dante Montague then looked to the lady who was there still cuddling the dead man. “Is that Count Paris?”

“I do not know…… It all happened then.” Rosaline then fell to the flooring.

“God! Not you too.” Lord Dante Mintague called out. “Someone helps her.”

“Gencio, it is all your fault. If you had ……” Lord Dante Montague glared at the other. “If you had not let your son meet my daughter, none of this would have happened.”

“My fault? Your daughter held a ball and did not …….” Lord Gencio Capulet roared back. “Why was my son not stopped at the gate?”

“I do not know. If I were there, he would never get in.” Lord Dante Montague snapped back. “It is the thieving Capulet who sneaked in.”

“Please stop, my lords.” The friar approached the bedding. “She may not be dead. Let me check.”

“You will not touch her, Turk.” Lord Dante Montague stopped the friar. “You are the enemy.”

“To you, and to him… Yes, I am the Turk. But to them, I am the friar. Juliet may be sleeping. Let me check.” The friar pushed the man away. He leaned down and checked the lady’s pulse.

“Oh my God! She took the poison.” The friar looked for the potions. “She took the wrong potion.”

“What potion?” Lord Dante Montague asked. “What did you do?”

“I ……. Told her to take the potion. I gave her both.” Friar held up the untouched potion. “She must have missed it, or by mistake she took the other potion. She is truly dead.”

“Bastard!” Lord Dante Montague grabbed the dagger on his waist belt and stabbed the friar in the chest. “You killed my daughter.”

Lord Gencio Capulet in turn grabbed the other and pulled him away.

“Let go, Dante. He is dead.” Lord Gencio Capulet held his arms over the other. “It will not……”

“The healer arrives!” The guards called out.

It was two days later that the two lords met in the Magistrate Court gallery. They were there to meet the Chief Magistrate to hear the outcome of the fight at the basilica. Gathered there was also the magistrate, who sat at the side of the gallery.

“I will preside over the hearing here now.” The Chief Magistrate saw behind the desk of the court.

“At the event at the basilica, I hold the list of deaths there, and the ones involved were ……” The Chief Magistrate saw Magistrate Javier had stood up. “Yes, Magistrate?”

“I was there, Chief Magistrate. It was a fight between the mercenaries and the Turks. Neither of these parties was involved.” Magistrate Javier stated the matter. 

“Were you there too?” The chief magistrate looked at the other. “Among the dead was… I read no names?”

“They were unknown, but most identified as vagabonds or mercenaries for help. We held no record of their names. The Turks ……. We are unrecorded too. Genoa is a huge city, and we have….”

“Many visitors, I know.” The chief magistrate looked at the other. “A dozen dead, and you did not intervene. I wonder why, Magistrate?”

“It was my call not to intervene but to protect the others who are the citizens of Genoa.”

“There was one named …… Abram, as told to me by the ones who cleaned the basilica. He was the servant of the ……”

“Previous servant, Chief Magistrate. He left my house some weeks back. I have no knowledge why he was there.” Lord Montague addressed the Chief Magistrate.

“I … I will take that into the records.” The Chief Magistrate sighed. “You were there and then left….”

“I was to look for my daughter but was later told… I saw that she was not. Hence, I left.” Lord Dante Montague said. “I searched the basilica then.”

“Yes, I was coming to that. You found your daughter and then Lord Gencjio Capulet, his son. However, your daughter was dead. My condolences. Do you have any idea why?”

Lord Dante Montague looked at Lord Gencio Caupulet and then back to the Chief Magistrate.

“I have no idea.” Lord Dante Montague shook his head. “She is now dead and interned at the family vault reserved for the departed.”

My condolences, Lord Dante Montague.” The chief magistrate in turn looked at the other lord. “Your son’s condition?”

“He lives, Chief Magistrate. He was tired, but he is doing well now.” Lord Gencio Capulet replied. “He was afraid and had hidden himself at the cottage for days. He will attend the hearing on the death of Mercutio.”

“Well, that ends it there for now. However, the death of Count Paris had yet to be resolved.”

“My son will also appear for the hearing here, Chief Magistrate.” Lord Gencio Capulet said. He saw the arrival of a servant.

“My Lord. The young one is missing from the house.” The servant whispered to the lord.

 

 

 

 

 

72.