Vlad the Impaller Chapter 3

 The Princely obligations

3.

“You are mad to bring your sons there.” Vlad heard his mother, Princess Cneajna of Modavia, arguing with the Lord. He was present then with his two brothers, Radu and Mircea. Radu being the youngest rushed to the mother and held her.

“Come here, Vlad.” She turned to look at Vlad. He stood by his mother. “He is a child. Our child.”

“So is Radu. And Mircea. They are all our children.” The Lord looked at the children's mother. Radu was her son but Vlad held her love more.

“Yes, Radu is a child too. And my son.”

“I have little influence on the matter. It’s the call of the Sultan, or even his emissary to dictate the terms.” Lord Vlad looked to his children. “As the boyar may call on the peasant’s children to do his bidding.”

“But you are the Volvode here. You could say no.” The mother of the children was insistent.

“I know but the emissary made his demand. I am lucky Mircea was not there, or all my sons will join me.” The father of the children sighed. He thought of his eldest, Mircea who was away from the house then.

“I am their father and know the pain. I am also the Lord of Wallachia, and my fief is not in the position to battle the Ottoman Empire. Nor was I able to assist them in battle.” Lord Vlad II stepped away from his lover. If only he had not called on his sons to attend the discussion. He had done it for he wanted his children to learn diplomacy early but that day, it was not of one, but a reprimand for failing to answer the call of the Sultan.

“I hold an army of only a thousand soldiers; a mixture of the young and some veterans. I have the Hungarians and the hordes of barbarians at the border. How could I offer any of my armies when I am stretched so thin to guard the borders?”

“Do tell the Sultan. Tell him of our ---- shortcomings. Tell him--- the children are unwell. Take another child. Take Janus instead.” The mother of the children pleaded.

“How can I do that to another mother or ---father? The emissary will know they are not of mine.”

“Then do something, my Lord.” The mother once again pleaded with her Lord.

“I will when I meet him.” Lord Vlad looked to his lover. “There is the other matter ----”

“I won’t allow them to take my children. They are to be with us.” The mother of the children voiced out. She knew of the tradition of the courts to take hostages.

“I have no options. If the Sultan demands it, as he would, they will be his vassals and served in his court.” Vlad looked to his sons.

“You are offering our sons to be ---hostages. Why do you not say it here? Do not hide the facts from me. I am their mother.”

“If the Sultan demands it, I have to for it will ensure that the land is protected.” Lord Vlad looked to his two sons. “Mircea will be here and --- he will one day take my place.”

“No, Father. I will not ---- I don’t agree to you submitting yourself to the Ottoman. Why can’t we --- look to the Hungarian? They are more like us. They are Christian.” The one named Mircea spoke out. He was the eldest at four years ahead of Vlad. He was built like his father, tall and wide-shouldered. He was also showing skills in the use of the sword and bow with arrow.

“Mircea, in my absence ---” Lord Vlad was cut off by the son of his.

“I will not allow you to go. You ---” Mircea was in turn cut off by Vlad.

“I am willing to go. I have not seen the Ottoman Empire. Let us go and see how they can be defeated.” Vlad had remained quiet since then.

“And you will one day, Vlad but for now, you will learn humility and patience. Your outburst today had caused me much embarrassment to the Emissary.” Lord Vlad looked to his sons in turns. “All of you have given me great joy. You hold the qualities of our warrior character.”

“Yes, Father. We will be strong like you.” Mircea acknowledged his father. He was named after his grandfather, Mircea I of Wallachia.

“Father, can I take this with me?” Vlad took out the sword to show his father. “I found it in the attic.”

Lord Vlad recognized the sword; it was his when he fought with King Sigmund.

“It’s a fine sword, Vlad. I had it with me in many battles. It’s a Hungarian Magyar sword gifted to me by the King then. I once ---”

“Enough of the talks of killing and ---sword.” The mother of the children cut in but Vlad was adamant to voice on.

“I liked the weight.” Vlad held the sword in his hands. “It’s heavy but when I am older, it will not be. It shall be an extension of my arm.”

“It will be. The guillion there held back the flow of blood. And ---” Lord Vlad as cut off by the mother once more.

“No more talks please.” The mother pleaded. She reached out her arms towards the children. “Come to me, my children.”

The three boys hugged their mother in turn. And then they looked at their father who was smiling.

“Who am I?” The Lord roared to his sons.

“You are the Volvode of Wallachia!” The Lord felt the glee in the mention of his title. His alliance was to secure peace but the war was to come to him.

It was dawn when Lord Vlad II said goodbye to his family. He rode out to meet the Emissary and later was to ride with the escort of the Ottoman army there to Edime. His departure was watched by his discarded ally, John Hunyadi. The latter was on the hill and saw the column returning to the borders.

“The spineless Lord rides with the Ottoman obviously to see the Sultan.” John sat upright on his mount watched from the high hill watching the column of Ottoman warriors retreating to their borders. He counted an army of five thousand and among them, Janissaries.

“The Ottoman will not fight us. They retreat to their borders.” It was a sign of victory to the Volvode of Transylvania. He looked back at his army of ten thousand hidden behind the hill. He could attack the Ottoman’s columns but hold back. He had done his fair share of killing and having taken over Transylvania having achieved his objective. He knew that he continued on the battles towards the Ottoman border, he may find himself stretched too thin and without an army to counter the guards there.

“Should we pursue, my Lord?” The leaders under John Hunyadi were in a state of glee with their victories and wanted to fight on but John declined.

“We will not. We will march to Wallachia and ---- set our own Lord there. Lord Vlad II has absconded.”

Absconded was a harsh term to describe for the caretaker Lord there when Mircea met the Volvode of Transylvania.

“My father, Lord Vlad II is away. I am his ---” Mircea explanation was cut off by John Hunyadi.

“Leaving a whelp to do the man’s task?” John made a mockery of the role of Mircea. “You are a --- boy.”

“I am Mircea the son of Lord Vlad II. I ---hereby asked that you leave our land.” Mircea placed on a strong front.

“Or what, young boy? Will you battle me? I hold three ---- no, ten times your army.” John looked to the nobles there. “Nobles of Wallachia, do you stand by him or --- the rightful Lord? Please allow me to show you, your rightful Lord; Lord Basarab II.”

The figure stepped from behind John Hunyadi. Basarab II is the cousin of Lord Vlad II and the son of Dan II. His father ruled Wallachia not once but five times, succeeded four times by Radu II Chelul; four of those reigns were within only seven years.

“I claimed the Lordship.’ Basarab II roared out and supported by John Hunyadi, there was no objection.

Meantime, Lord Vlad II and his sons arrived at Edime.