Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 7

 7.

 

There was not much to be said of a young lady who had just passed puberty. If she were of a good social standing, the way forward for her would be the etiquette classes. There she will learn the finer arts of curtsy, the manner to talk, and the piano lessons to impress the invited. She may have been an outlandish girl who ran with the boys or wrestled them on the ground, but the past was to be laid to rest.

“Angeline Dubier, you must hold your chin up when you walk. Take dainty steps and do not swagger.” The young lady heard her instructress and took the posture. She had just begun on the training, as in the words of her mother, to be a lady. She looked from the corner of her eyes for her sister, Juliette, but that elderly sister was not to be seen. She looked to the tall window and saw the low afternoon sun. She knew where the sister was then.

“Yes…... Yes…… Do not stop.” Juliette was holding her arms above her head while her navel was attended to by the beau she loved. Her dress was hemmed to her waist level, and the bodice was unbuttoned. She had her legs spread to accommodate the man who was busy with his tongue. She heaved her body forward and felt the relief she was building up to.

“That was good,” Juliette said in delight. “Oh, Gencio. You hold a wicked tongue.”

“I held that, but my lower part remained as hard.” Gencio moved himself from her legs and lay down next to the lady. He had done his deed, as requested. He was to await his return of the deed. Juliette groaned when she sat up. She saw his pants were pulled down and leaned over. She took on the task of returning his favor, and he groaned with pleasure. It was soon over, and they lay there half-dressed.

“Gencio, when can we take the vows?” Juliette asked. “I am old enough to do it right.”

“I will… I will speak to Mother.” Lord Gencio Capulet said. He liked Juliette, but he was unsure of his vows. He was unsure of whom he would like. His mother had set the rules for him. His first wife was set by her. They married, and it lasted two years before she was called to return to God. He had then lived a life of freedom, but there was the nagging feeling inside him that he needed companionship.

“Oh, I am to go. Someone to see.” Juliette sat up and buttoned her bodice. Lord Gencio Capulet looked over towards her. He knew she was to see Dante. It was not like he objected to it, but to have Juliette for himself was a way for him to compete with the other man. They are friends, competitive friends, both in their personal and trade work. He knew Juliette was with Dante, and yet he tempted her. She was to fall for him, for she was frivolous in her choosing. He met Juliette through Dante and knew then he was to lure her to his lust. Objectively, he did, but he refused to take his way past the final consummation.

“Is he coming?” Lord Gencio Capulet asked.

“Yes, he was to pick me up at the dance hall.” Juliette nodded. “He is hardly late.”

Juliette took her leave, and Lord Gencio Capulet then took his time to get up. He stood by the window of the chamber adjacent to the dance hall. He saw Juliette approach the carriage and then hug Gencio. They both laughed, and then the younger sister, Angeline, joined them. The sister had grown since he last saw her, and he was wondering if she had a lover too. He saw them all mount the carriage, and it was off.

Lord Gencio Capulet took his time to get out and took the walk to the awaiting horse he had left at the tree by the fence. He mounted the horse and rode home.

“Juliette, you must tell Mother to change my instructress. She is mean.” Angeline spoke while looking out the window of the carriage. She was avoiding the smooching of the two seated across from her. “I cannot stand her telling me to do that and this.”

“Well, I will tell Mother that.” Juliette pulled away. She swatted Dante’s hand off her left thigh. “Gencio is here to join us for dinner.”

“Whatever, as long as you tell Mother of my instructress,” Angeline said. She saw the two boys in the field by the road. They were playing ball there. She was one like them before and enjoyed it. She likes to run in the field, and then came the day she had the bloodstains on her dress. It was then that her life changed. She was kept at home and sent for lessons. She was sad at the new routine, but Juliette, older than her by a few years, told her that it was needed for her to be a lady.

“I want to play in the fields with the boys. We can…….”

“Angeline, those days are over. You cannot be playing with them. They have also grown up and given new roles to be as …… man. You cannot be grabbing them by their shirts and pulling them down to the ground. There are new roles.”

“Why not?” Angeline had asked. “It was not that we were hurting each other.”

“Well, there are ……... many things that you need to learn. Like…….” Juliette tried to frame her thoughts. She recalled the days when she was told to behave. She did, but soon learned other things not taught to her.

“Do you remember how Daisy was when she ……” Juliette tried to lighten up the topic.

“You mean when Daisy gave birth, but the baby died?” Angeline looked at her sister. “Everyone said she was not ready.”

“Exactly. Daisy was not ready. She was too young to give birth, but things happened, and she did. She made a mistake and had a baby when she was not to have one, and when she did, she …….”

“Juliette, be brief. She was with somebody, and then the baby was there.” Angeline looked at her sister. “I knew that.”

“Oh, Dante. Be kind to help me here.” Juliette looked at the man who was twice her age and then looked out of the window on his side.

“I do not know Daisy,” Dante said. “I …….”

“Shut up, Dante. You are as dense as a mule.” Juliette sighed before she looked at Angeline. “We will speak more later. Not in front of this man.”

Dante looked at the other side and saw the horses there. There were three mares and one stud. They looked free and without rules like the ones the ladies lived by; it was a simple life of grazing, riding, and, of course, being mounted. He wondered why the ladies must bind themselves to rules. He then remembered Lord Gencio Capulet during the trade with the Sultan. He knew that Lord Gencio Capulet knew that he wanted the jewel stone, and that bastard stole it from him by bidding it with the trader. He knew not of that till recent. He had thought the trader was holding back for the next session, but convinced the trader that he might withdraw his offer then and sold it to Gencio.

“Gencio, I cannot trust you anymore,” Dante recalled telling Gencio.

“Dante, in trade, we are all fair. A price is agreed upon, and we trade.”

“I held a better price for the jewel,” Dante argued. “The trader was to wait for me.”

“But you were late. The deal was done, and I won.” Lord Gencio Capulet cheated and told the trader that Dante was not keen anymore. Or rather he forced it from the trader.

“I will buy from you at the new price.” Dante offered.

“And I am not selling. I am happy to keep the jewel for myself. I can present it to the …… No, I will give it to Juliette when she weds me.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. “A gift of parting of the pain for her from you, I guess.”

“Do not be a bastard here, Lord Gencio Capulet. Juliette will be my wife… one day. I just need to find the correct date and time to tell her.” Dante said. “You keep away from her.”

“Till she arrives at the altar, I am free.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. “Now, shall we get back to the Sultan? He awaits us there.”

Vlad Tepes was stunned by the news that he got then.

“Your brother, Mircea, and your father were murdered some weeks back.” The Janissary instructor told the young lad he was growing into a fine man. “They were killed by John Hunyadi. He who ……”

“The regent-governor of Hungary, I know.” Vlad nodded.

“He had invaded Wallachia. He had installed your second cousin, Vladislav II, as the new voivode.” Vlad heard the news. He knew that in the realm of royalty, leaders get changed or swapped after being toppled. He had not met his second cousin before; he followed his father to the Ottoman Empire and was not to return.

“I must return to Wallachia.” Vlad made the plea to the instructor.

“I cannot make the decision, young man.” The instructor was a tough trainer, but he held a place in his heart for the young recruits. “I only convey the message from the Sultan.”

“Radu, we must make a plea together. Wallachia awaits our return.” Vlad looked to his brother. Radu had been silenced on hearing the news. Unfelt by Vlad, Radu was not keen to return. He had found purpose in their stay there in the Ottoman Empire. He had learned new subject matters that he would not have learned with his father. Above all, he found solace in the comfort of a new religion. He was not to disclose it to Vlad, but it was known to Aylin.

“There is another matter. The Sultan wants you to join the column of Janissaries on a task. They are to hunt the bandits at the border to the east. You will ……. Your brother, too, will ride alongside them as "yeni-cheri" or "new troops." You will fight with them as I have taught you. If you do return victorious, then I will convey your message to the Sultan. If not, your body would have been fed to the vultures there.”

It was arranged then.

 

---------------------

Finally..... the P&P 3 done today

 April 17^th

I am at 52K words now, trying to tie up the endings (or was it ending), but it is a complex tale here, unlike doing the Frankenstein / Carmila tale, this one held three classics. Honestly, horror was not the genre, unlike the previous tale, but more of love and compassion with the knots of love and family obligations.

Dracula, with the reference to war, and killing via impalement was in the background, but I focus on the unexplored side of the brothers’ love and their obligations since young from hostage to Voivode. The love of Vlad Tepes for his land and people, his family, and that of Radu, his brother. It was more of their personal conflicts here.

This is not only a Dracula tale, for it also involved the traders, aka the merchants, and then the money lenders. The two intertwined in one huge write-up, and comes the love, the conflicting love of the two young persons. We have the major characters: the Capulets and the Montagues, and their children. Shylock and Portia, and Bassanio. Who was Shylock before he became the coin trader?

And the ‘where art thou, Romeo?’ needed to be told. The tale of the two main characters and the supporting ones.

As taken from the Macbeth play, we mashed them all up into one pot, and we have ……. Headache to write……

April 23th

There comes a time when a tale adapted must be made to be an original from the original. Here I am interfacing three classics and the outcome will be …… classic in my view.

Tally Ho…... I am now diving in.

August 1^st

After a hiatus of silent thoughts, I am back to write once more. Now at Chapter 50 on the tale, it will be ongoing. Combining/adapting three major tales is not an easy task with so many characters to interplay and then strike off in stages……. I would not know who stays or leaves till then. But the main topic of the tale is all about love; family love, lovers in a bind, and the love of greed.

And I hoped to keep to that.

From Romeo and Juliet, the two main protagonists, Jessica and Lorenzo, the family feud, the murder of Mercutio, and Tybalt. I explored the others like Benvolio, Friar Lawrence, and Reynard.

From the Merchant of Venice, Shylock and his wife, Lea, Portia, and her fiancée; Bassanio, and there is the pound of flesh. The others I wrote in were Nerissa, Portia’s friend, Gratiano, and of course, the newly added characters of Magistrate Javier and 24601……Les Misérables counts among my fav.

From Vlad Tepes, his exploits, with his love for his family, Radu and his family, and of course, the love between the brothers. I calculated to add in the Ottomans and the Hungarians from Count Paris to Prince Escalus.

Sept 2^nd

After some issues with my other lifestyle, I was to pen down some chapters and trying to conclude this tale before the mid of Sept. My title of the tale was LOVE BINDS; FAMILIES DESTROY. Perhaps it may be true at times, and with that will be my focus here. In my write, I made some changes which was …... well, to keep the cogs in the wheel rolling. Please accept my version here.

Sept 23^rd

I am at Chapter 70 (124K words) and trying close the tale but like the previous tale MODERN PROMETHEUS, it keeps on the pacing. There are so many characters here that needed to be told their tale.

The intriguing part that eludes my mind here is how to explore Count Paris to the tale. He is hidden behind this version, and I needed to showcase him. too.

Sept 26^th

I did it. Finally, I closed the final lines to the tale at 222 pages (132258 words). This is the first cut of the tale. There was so much to tell, but it had to end there.

I may edit the finale but for now, it's done. 

 

Cheers

Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 6

 

6.

 

The Casa di San Giorgio, founded in 1407, managed the debts of the Commune of Genoa and was composed of all the Genoese creditors of the Commune. Unlike other systems of debt utilized in republican cities with extensive territorial holdings (like Florence or Venice) or those of the European monarchies in the medieval and early modern eras, the Casa progressively acquired rights and powers that were originally the Commune’s prerogative. From 1408 to 1444 and from 1530 until 1805, the Casa di San Giorgio performed activities of a main central bank. Genoese bankers and citizens had accounts with the Casa di San Giorgio. The bank offered both deposit and credit operations. (https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780195399301/obo-9780195399301-0489.xml)

The money lenders have no association with them, for one, they are considered insignificant to the trade. The money lenders, however, have their own association; unnamed but known among themselves, as the association of lenders, they call themselves. They congregate at the office of one named Jeremiah Tobin, next to the synagogue at the main square.

The members loosely called a meeting there to discuss their issues, like the defaulters, or haggle on the interests to be levied, or it could be who needed coins for their wares. The last pointer was discussed in selective groups or self-appointed members for fear of another group pillaging their possible clients. It was like the open sea piracy where bounties were to be taken; they held it close to their ‘chest’—a manner of speech.

“I am disgusted with the rich Lords. They …… We are to capitulate to their generosity to assist in the binds.” Matthew Judas, the father of the Shylock Judas, mumbled to his group of trade members. “Lord Capulet…….”

“That Lord Gencio Capulet? He is a thief. I was told that he stole the jewel from Lord Dante Montague, who offered him safe passage to the Ottoman Empire.” One of the members cut in. His claims were as good as the height of the mountain if it can grow by itself.

“Yes, I was told that he made a good deal with the jewel and was rewarded well. Bloody Turks do not know the price of wheat from the corn.” Another quipped in.

Wheat and corn, while both grains, differ significantly in their nutritional profiles, uses, and plant characteristics.  Wheat is a good source of protein and fibre, often used for bread and pasta, while corn is lower in protein and higher in carbohydrates, used for animal feed, sweeteners, and various processed foods. 

“One day, Lord Gencio Capulet will regret his generosity for the fellow merchants.” Matthew Judas said. “Just you wait, Fulgencio Caputo. One day, he will beg me not to take his pound of flesh.”

Lord Gencio Capulet was then with his Genoese banker, Abundus Juntus, having black tea at the banker’s office. He had just deposited the wealth from the Ottoman Empire. The banker had instructed the aide to issue the letter of credit in Caputo’s name.

“I heard that Lord Dante Montague was with a lighter amount, but still profitable.” The banker smiled. The words among the bankers flowed like the canals of Venice, with its many routes that branched off at every turn, so if Adam were to select the apple, he would have a tree load of it to select from.

“The appetite of the bankers holds a huge vault of news.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled at the spread of news among the bankers.

“We only want the vault where it matters, Lord Gencio Capulet. There is a saying that says, One cannot be too careful, for carelessness needs to happen only once.” The banker held onto the motto of being extra careful. “Just as we are governed by the rules of banking.”

There was the first Venetian banking regulation, giving the Consuls of Merchants (Consoli de Mercanti) the exclusive authority to license bankers. The rules, since the 12th century, hold the bankers to certain practices like the checking of the scales for the money changers and the bankers to post bonds of surety and obtain licenses from the consuls to operate. Deposits were to be returned with coins within certain days, and a lending limit was set on the amount of wealth the bank held.

“Prudency is the motto of the bankers.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled.

“Utmost practice there. We are unlike the money lenders who are barbaric in their negotiations and most uncivilized in their claims.” The banker smiled. “We have certain practices…….”

“Land or property confiscation. I am fully aware of them.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. He then stood up and bid goodbye.

“I loved to discuss with you the ethics of banking, but I hold an important meeting with some others on a more personal matter. Please excuse my short stay here. And do place my wealth in good hands.”

“We will, Lord Gencio Capulet. Please have a good day.” The banker, in turn, stood up and smiled at the Lord of Capulet. He watched the Lord take his leave and then told his aide to speak to the other banks.

“Loan the coins out. Tell them the usual rates apply. We must disburse the coins to create more.”

Lord Dante Montague had his meeting with the banker short, for he was in a hurry to see another person of interest across the city. He reached the house he was to be at not a moment too late. He stepped under the portico, a covered entrance to a building, usually a large and impressive building, that is supported by columns. He stood there to adjust his clothes to look smart. He spied the gardener peeking at him from the corner. The quoins there, well decorated, did not blend in the garden with the house. He had known the gardeners; their homes were called trulli, or one-dwelling cottages. In comparison to the one admitted for the Lord, it was minuscule in dimensions.

“Ah, the prodigal son has arrived.” Lord Dante Montague was met by two elderly ladies seated in the grand library there. He was escorted there by the manservant. The library was of the Italian design: luxurious textures, massive furniture, high-backed seats, and round adjoining tables covered with lace on the top. The fireplace looms prominently there, with an imposing portrait of the villa’s master, the man with the army uniform and sword at the waist belt, posturing with the stare that many servants will cringe to look at. The library was adorned with the high shelves of volumes, untouched but grand to be displayed there.  The design contradicted the concept of minimalism with an excessive display of wealth.  However, these characters are balanced by spatial orientation and ample natural light.

“Mother,” Lord Dante Montague laid his affectionate kiss on the elderly lady’s left cheek. And then he approached the dreaded relative of his, the pretentious Lady Tutti Servilla.

“And greetings to you, Lady Servilla.” Lord Dante Montague took his seat next to the tall window. He wanted the lady to be gazed on by sunlight. Maybe she will melt there, and he will be saved from another tedious afternoon. He was served black tea by the manservant, and the tirade began.

“Lord Gencio Capulet has been without a wife for far too long.” The mother of Lord Dante Montague looked at her son. “His last wife, God bless her soul. She died some years back. He needs a warm body in bed.”

“He may have.” Lady Servilla was the bitch in heat there. If she were not twice Lord Dante Montague’s age, she would have sacrificed herself to him.

“Come now, Tutti. This is my son we are talking about.” The mother of the child could sense the lust of the lady. “He needs a wife. It will have to be soon.”

“Of course, Mariana. I may know of the lady who could be his wife.” Lady Servilla smiled. “She is of the fine family and from Venice. Her father is a trader like Dante, and above all else, she is young. Very young, to be exact.”

“Meravigliosa!” The mother exclaimed in delight. She was Italian before she married the father of Lord Dante Montague. “Is she …...”

“Yes, she is. She just turned puberty some years back, but her family kept her close to them. She is …... vergine (virgin).”

“Perfectta!” The mother smiled. “I was then.”

“I was …….” Lady Servilla blushed. She remembered very well, once the walls of Jericho fell, she was a wandering soul soon after.

“Mother, may I be excused?” Dante Montague asked. “I …….”

“You will stay. We are talking of your future here.” The mother insisted then. Dante Montague sat there listening to the two ladies laying out the years ahead for him to come. He was a good son, but his mind was elsewhere. All his life, Dante Montague had his life regimented with planned events by allotted time and dates. He was to be late for his next event.

“Thank you, Lady Servilla. I will look forward to the next visit.” Dante Montague, reduced to the young son of the Montague, leaned to kiss the lady on the cheeks. She stood up and embraced him in her arms. She held him close and heaved her navel to his groin. He felt awkward and pulled away.

“To the next time.” Lady Servilla smiled. He holds a huge one that was in her thoughts. The man took his leave and dashed out. The carriage was there waiting, and he mounted it.

“Do hurry, Benito. She may not like me to be late.”

“Do not worry, Lord. I will get you there before the church bells ring.”

The church bells also rang for Lord Gencio Capulet while he watched his cousin, Lord Vito Capulet, sign off on the oath to be faithful to his beloved wife. He was smiling, for among the Capulets who were eligible to be married, he was the last one withholding.

Lord Gencio Capulet did not feel the pressure to marry at all. He was fine as the gentleman that he was, having his drinks with friends and jousting with them on the tall tales of being single.

“Gencio.” The Lord looked to the one who addressed him.

“Hello, Antonio. More of our friends are now enslaved to the woes of marriage.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. Their friend, Leonardi Mardi, having returned from this trade route to the Far East, had also taken the vows. He told Gencio that once he made it from the land of Cathay, he was to marry his lady. He kept the promise.

“Are you free to see Marie?” Gencio was asked. Antonio, himself, married, had never held himself to the vow of faithfulness, and still held his own liaison with other ladies on the boundary.

“I am not. I am to see Juliette Dubier in the city.” Gencio smiled. “I have a gift for her.”

 

Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 5

 

5.

 

Before 1100, Genoa emerged as an independent city-state, one of several Italian city-states established during this period. Nominally, the Holy Roman Emperor was sovereign, and the Bishop of Genoa was head of state; however, actual power was wielded by several consuls annually elected by popular assembly.

It was not Direct democracy or pure democracy is a form of democracy in which the electorate directly decides on policy initiatives, without elected representatives as proxies, as opposed to the representative democracy model, which occurs in many established democracies.

Genoa was to be known as a trade, shipbuilding, and banking state. It helped support one of the largest and most powerful navies in the Mediterranean. There is an old saying that says, Genuensis ergo mercator, or "A Genoese therefore a merchant," but the Genoese were skilled sailors and ferocious warriors in addition.

However, this period of prosperity did not last. The Black Death is said to have been imported into Europe in 1347 from the Genoese trading post at Caffa in Crimea on the Black Sea. Following the economic and population collapse that resulted, Genoa adopted the Venetian model of government and was presided over by the Doge of Genoa. The wars with Venice continued, and the War of Chioggia (1378–1381)—during which Genoa almost managed to decisively subdue Venice—ended with Venice's recovery of dominance in the Adriatic. In 1390, Genoa initiated the Barbary Crusade, with help from the French, and laid siege to Mahdia, the Fatimid capital of Ifriqiya.

In the 15th century, two of the earliest banks in the world were founded in Genoa: the Bank of Saint George, founded in 1407, which was the oldest chartered bank in the world at its closure in 1805, and the Banca Carige, founded in 1483 as a mount of piety, which still exists.

The history of banking began with the merchants of the world, who gave grain loans to farmers and traders who carried goods between cities. Over the years, lenders based in temples gave loans while accepting deposits and performing the exchange of money. The historical roots of the modern banking system trace back to medieval and Renaissance Italy, particularly the affluent cities of Florence and Venice. The loans are known to have been provided at some time at an annual interest of 12%. Banks sometimes made loans available confidentially, which means, they provided funds without being publicly and openly known to have done so. In addition, they kept depositors' names confidential as well. This intermediation , per se, was known as dia tes trapazēs, translated from Latin as "God will trap you."

“The sins of blasphemy equate to those who do not return the loans.” The moneylender looked to the trader who had defaulted on the repayment. They had met at the moneylender’s shop.

“Please, dear sir. Give me some days to find my wares. The storm delays the ship. I promised you that I would deliver my dues at double the interest of your entitlement. Have mercy on me. Christian mercy we shall all share.

“Christian mercy? If I am to shed a tear for every Christian who defaults in their payments, I could have flooded Genoa to be the next Venice.” The moneylender glared at the trader. “I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; a stage where every man must play a part, and mine is a sad one.” (Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare).

“Christian charity, Sir.” The trader pleaded.

“I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is?” (Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare).

“Perhaps I am not like any. I am or was your better friend previously.” The moneylender looked to the skies, as if Heaven would open its arms towards him. “I will hold onto your Christian charity then. Give me double my fees in a week, or I shall forfeit your wares.”

“Oh God!” The trader was at a loss for words. A hand was placed on his left shoulder.

“Stand, Antonio Meli. I, Lord Gencio Capulet, will loan you the ducats to pay this … fiendish lender.” The trader turned to look at the man who spoke. “Tell me of your loan.”

“I borrowed three hundred ducats, and with the interest at twelve …” The trader was cut off by the moneylender.

“Fifteen, for he had defaulted by …”

“Here, take the ducats. It will add to the amount, and with some extra for your blasphemy on our faith.” Lord Gencio Capulet tossed the bag of coins to the moneylender. He pulled the trader to his feet.

“The merchants helped each other; if not, we would fall into the pits of their Hell.” Lord Gencio Capulet looked at the lad standing by the moneylender.

“Your name, lad?” Lord Gencio Capulet asked.

“Shylock, Matthew Shylock Jud……”

“Are you any relation to him? His son by blood?” Lord Gencio Capulet asked.

“I am his ...son,” Shylock replied.

“Get a new trade. If you follow your father, then Hell will invite you in with glee.” Lord Gencio Capulet took to his way. Shylock was upset at the insult handed to his father.

“Ignore the man.” Shylock’s father got up from his seat. “We can shutter for the day. I had my repayment.”

“Father, the man insulted you. We must …” Shylock was brazened and rash with his emotions.

“Shylock, did you see the man’s guards? They could kill you or, worse, injure you for life. We are money lenders and not some gladiators of the past. Make haste, boy. I must secure the coins.”

“And your mother awaits us. If there was a reason for Hell, she must be the reason.” Shylock heard the father and grabbed the shutter planks to close the shop. He was done with the shudder, and yet he was still not settled with the man who insulted his father.

“Father, I will need to do something first.” Shylock took off before his father could stop him. He ran the streets of Genoa and out to the suburb. He was to hurry, for if he was late, the person he was to meet would be gone.

“Leah, thank the stars. You are still here.” Shylock met his friend at the arch of the bridge. They were hidden from the sights of others, for hardly anyone comes below the bridge. Not that early to dusk, but Shylock knew that Leah had to be home before dusk.

“You are late.” The lady turned her back to Shylock.

“I was … We have a trader who defaulted and …”

“You could have let your father hand it to him. After all, it was your father who loaned him the coins.” Leah was the daughter of another moneylender, but being a woman, she was not allowed to partake in the business. However, she knew her way in the business, maintaining the books for her widowed father and calculating the interest due.

“He … He was not good at it. He knows how to give and when it is to return; well, he lacked your skills.” Shylock praised the other. He was tempted to hold her in his arms, but the traditional Jewish approach to dating, particularly within Orthodox communities, emphasizes finding a compatible partner for marriage, often through a system of matchmaking ("shidduch"), focusing on character, values, and shared goals over superficial attraction, with modesty and avoiding physical intimacy before marriage as key principles. 

“I have a gift for you,” Shylock told the lady. She turned around, and he handed her the ducat he had taken from the shop. It was his love token to her, and allowed him to hand over the coin. His fingers touched her right-hand palm and strayed there. She did not pull her palm away but let his fingers caress her there.

“I have another gift for you.” Shylock leaned towards Leah and kissed her on the left cheek. It was a slight peck on the lips. She pushed him off, and he lost his balance. He fell into the stream, and she laughed. Leah then took off, leaving him seated, wet at the stream.

“Shylock, why are you all wet?” Shylock’s mother never missed a scene at home. “Was it the khal'bea (bitch) again?”

The Shylock family does not like Leah or her father. It was business rivalry that made them enemies. Shylock’s father accused the other of offering lower interest on the loans and took his clients. It became an embroiled exchange of words, and they never spoke again. Shylock, who had known Leah since she was young, found his solace with her.

“Take your dinner after you have had a bath to wash away the filth the Khal'bea had given to you.”

“Mother, we did nothing. I had tripped and fallen into the stream.” Shylock explained, partially true.

“I know my b’ni (son) better.” The mother shooed the son off to his bath. She sat down and looked at her husband. “If I had known better, we would have married him to the girl from Venice. She will be a good woman for him.”

Shylock’s father was more focused on the food on the table. His wife was a good cook, and the gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls (also called Kneidlach), with the rye bread, was a treat that day. She knew that he was collecting his coins that day, and she lavished him with the better dishes. She will extract her share of the interest, while he is left with the smaller margin to grow on.

Leah was no different, as she kept her coins in the hidden wall, and it was piling. She wanted to save enough to get herself to convince her father that Shylock was a good man.

Across the city, Lord Gencio Capulet was to treat his friend, Antonio, to dinner. He had known Antonio for many years; he traded in the wares from Spain and Italy, delivered by the ships to the Genoa port. He was good at it and made his name there, but the occasional hitches to the ships will cause him issues.

“I have not heard words from the Demetus. She had sailed a week ago and had not arrived. For all I know, the devil may have taken her to the seabed.” Antonio was an older man who worked the docks and later as a trader. He had taken the Caputo’s wares to Italy.

“Well, I have. The ship arrives no later than three days from today. I had wanted to tell you, but the others told me you took a loan from a moneylender. I came to assist.” Lord Gencio Capulet, ever smiling. “We are merchants, and at some time, we just need to assist each other.”

“Gencio,” Antonio addressed the Lord by his Christian name. “I am ever thankful to you. This was not the first ….”

“Who is counting? I am not. Have some food, Antonio. I did well at the Ottoman Empire.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. “I outbid Lord Montague on the jewel stone. The Sultan is extremely pleased. He offered me free passage to the Empire for the next trip.”

“Was that why we are having a feast now?” Antonio laughed. The meals were of the stockfish alla Genovese, a one-pot stew with additional ingredients of olives, vegetables, pine nuts, and a tomato broth, the cima alla Genovese. Laborious process of filling a piece of veal meat (usually the belly) with various ingredients, which can include offal, giblets, and sweetbreads. Eggs, cheese, pine nuts, vegetables, and bread may also be added. It is flavored with spices and herbs, boiled, and served in thin slices, usually as an appetizer.

There was also the Tocco, a Genoa food constant, the region's version of a ragù, but dare not call it a Bolognese or ragù! To make the dish, a single cut of meat is slow-cooked for hours until it results in a rich, brothy sauce. The meat used to make the taco sauce is removed and used to make meatballs or added to other dishes. In addition to mushrooms, tomatoes, and herbs, the pasta is topped with a healthy sprinkle of grated Parmigiano cheese.

Pansotti is the Ligurian version of ravioli and another popular Genoa food to try. The pasta is traditionally filled with a mix of preboggion (fresh wild herbs) and prescinsêua (an acidic type of sheep or goat milk cheese) and served with a creamy walnut sauce or salsa di noci. Focaccia di Recco. Alongside was the Recco, its famous focaccia. The flatbread from Recco is made of two sheets of the thinnest dough and filled with a soft Alpine cheese called stracchino. 

“Gencio, can I count on you to assist me?” Antonio asked the other.

“Yes, you could.” It was Lord Gencio Caputo’s regret later in his life.

Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 4

 

4.

 

Radu had stood aside to let the handmaiden do her ministration on the brother. He took to the end of the barracks and took glimpses of the lady. He felt envy that her hands were on her brother and not him. Aylin had been, or rather, assigned to them upon the consent of the Sultana. She was older than the two brothers, but her tiny frame disguised her age. She was dressed in a pinky chemise, or gömlek, with the dark shade short vest buttoned at the bodice, and white baggy trousers, or şalvar. She had on the dainty silken slippers as her standing of handmaiden to the Sultana.

Radu wore the 'mintan' (a vest or short jacket), 'şalvar' (trousers), with the sash at his waist, and 'sarık' on the head, complete with 'çarık' (boots), on the feet. It was his other dress in the janissary uniform that he wore during training. He saw that Vlad was shirtless as expected, and his ‘carik’ was by the bedding.

“Bastard!” Radu muttered to himself. He then took to studying the landscape of the yard; barren of flowers, but there were the well-trodden paths of the others, who had no regard for the growth there, and just stomped their boots on anything growing. He shook his head at their ignorance.

“He is asleep.” Aylin stood behind Radu. “His older scars are healing, but some have broken open. I had …”

“He will not die today,” Radu said. “I wished he would at times.”

“I have time.” Aylin stood behind the lad. She was older by many seasons, but she liked him. Radu nodded and walked to the small chamber in the barracks. She followed him, as was customary there; a lady was to walk behind the man.

“I missed you.” Radu embraced the handmaiden. Aylin held up her face and laid her lips on the other.

“Me too.” Aylin rubbed her body on Radu. As mentioned before, she was dainty in shape, but to Radu, she was beautiful. His arms went around her lower back and then snaked down her spine. His fingers parted the seams of the trousers and rested on her bare cheeks. She felt him at her navel and smiled.

“I have some to apply to you.” Aylin tucked her right hand beneath the sash, but it was tight. “You have to help me there.”

Radu nodded and loosened the sash. She reached in and held him. Her ministrations were slow and soothing. His left hand moved to her bosom and fondled there. It was his youth or his lust; he was all done within the moment. Aylin held up her right hand and looked at the smudges there. She licked her right palm.

“One day, you will do it to me.” Aylin smiled. She knew that if he violated her, it would be death for them, impaled on the stakes.

Radu nodded and then tightened his sash. His relationship with Aylin was not on his mind before. He was to be alone, and upon his death, he will be alone. It was during one session of self-loathing then when he was left behind by his father. He was arguing with Vlad.

“Tata left us here. He will not return for us. Never again.” Radu had confronted his brother. “Why?”

“Tata had no choice. He was to serve the Sultan, and the condition set was for us to remain here as guests.” Vlad lowered his head. He was the elder one and needed to put on a brave front for his brother.

“Tata will be back.” Vlad looked at Radu.

“You lied, Vlad. Tata will not come back.” Radu burst out in tears. Vlad approached his brother, but Radu was inconsolable.

“Let me talk to him.” It was the handmaiden that Vlad saw at the palace. The young lady sat by Radu and held out her right hand onto his left shoulder.

“Leave me alone!” Radu had shouted. “I do not need any … love.”

“None will be given if you do not accept it.” The handmaiden said. “I am Aylin. I am the handmaiden of the Sultana. I would like to sing to you.”

Drama köprüsü bre hasan dardır geçilmez

Soğuktur suları hasan bir tas içilmez.

Anadan geçilir, bre Hasan yardan geçilmez.

At martini de bre hasan dağlar inlesin

Drama mahpusunda bre hasan dostlar dinlesin

 

Translated into English

 

The bridge is narrow and can't be passed through, buddy Hasan.

Its water is cold; it can't be drunk, just a bowl. Hassan

You can give up mother, but not wife, buddy Hasan.

Let mountains moan by shooting a martini gun, Hasan.

Let friends listen to this moaning in drama jail, buddy Hassan.

 

(https://lyricstranslate.com/en/drama-t%C3%BCrk%C3%BCs%C3%BC-drama-folk-song.html).

 

That was the first time since Radu arrived at the palace that he cried his fear. When he was in fear, he looked for his mother, who would sing to him.

“I do not want to be here. I want to go back to my mama.” Radu burst out in tears. The handmaiden held the boy’s head to hers, and she let him sob. It was their first meet, and over the years, the handmaiden became a friend to the brothers. She told them her name, but she was never to tell them of her origin.

She was a sister to them, older by age, but soon she felt like the younger one, for they grew well and shadowed her in height. She found herself closer to Radu, who was more open to affection than Vlad.

It was affection, and soon to be more.

Aylin took the pot of ointment and left the chamber. The lad then walked back to his brother's bedding. Vlad was asleep. Radu saw the folded Janissary uniform with the sword by the bedding. He picked up the kilij and pulled out the sheath. The weight of the blade was familiar to him; he had wielded a similar blade for a few years while he was in the palace.

“The kilij is not to thrust but to swing it hard at the enemy. Use the strength of the arm to swing the blade from the right or left.” The instructor demonstrated the move. “The kilij is a one-handed blade, and you must make it an extension of your arm. Do not charge forward, but move with the swings of the blade like a sickle on the farm.”

“Swing hard and not too wide, for you will be exposed to the enemy. Swing in fast, and if deflected, pull back to swing again. You can do an overhead swing at the head or shoulders. You can also swing in at chest level to the forearm or the waist. There is always the low swing to the thigh of the enemy.”

“Make the cut and pull out to swing for a different area.” The instructor called out. “If you hesitate, you will die. The enemy does not stand still for you.”

“The fatal cuts are the chest, the shoulders, the neck, and the knees. Cut them there, and you will just get spared to join them in death.”

“The enemy has their shields, or their blades may be longer in reach. The spear will kill you when your arm may not reach it. The attack is to deflect the spear off you, then move in with your body to shorten the distance. Once you are closer, swing hard.”

“The shield of the enemy will block you. You must be fast on the attack. If you cannot cut, use the hilt of the kilij to hit the enemy on the face or the elbows. That may stop the enemy, but follow up with the swing. Do not forget the enemy’s sword may be of the long blade. Their blade held a sharpened tip, and they will kill you.”

“Do not tell if you failed, for you will be dead. I will not mourn your death. I will laugh at your stupidity.”

Radu swung the kilij onto Vlad, but his movement stopped short at the nape. He pulled back his arm and looked at the sleeping brother.

“I am not a warrior like you. I will not cut down my own blood with this.” Blood was never about killing, but, at times, the cost of repayment.

 

 

Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 3

 

3.

 

“I am Vlad II; many called me Vlad Dracul. I was known as Vlad the Dragon.” The weary man rode on his horse, led by the escort provided by the Sultan, back to his land. He was one with the Dragon Order under Sigismund of Luxembourg. He was also recognized as the lawful Voivode of Wallachia, allowing him to settle in nearby Transylvania, but Vlad could not assert his claim during the life of his half-brother, Alexander I Aldea ruled the region. Alexander I Aldea acknowledged the suzerainty of the Ottoman Sultan, Murad II.

It was a complicated servitude, and when John Hunyadi, Voivode of Transylvania, called on him to challenge the Ottomans, he relented then. The crusade against the Ottomans was underway after Hunyadi routed an Ottoman army in Transylvania. However, Vlad II was still under servitude when the Ottoman was ordered to come to Edirne. Vlad's patron, Sigismund of Luxembourg, died on 9 December 1437. Sigismund's death and the uprising of the Transylvanian peasants weakened Hungary, forcing Vlad to seek reconciliation with the Ottoman Empire.

Vlad II joined Murad II, who came to Wallachia at the head of his army in summer 1438, serving the sultan as his guide. The Ottoman and Wallachian troops broke into Hungary and routed the army before they marched along the river Mureș, capturing Câlnic and Sebeș. The Ottomans and Wallachians laid siege to Sibiu, but the siege lasted only for 8 days. They destroyed the outskirts of Brașov before they left Hungary, loaded with plunder and taking more than 30,000 captives.

After the Ottoman army left Wallachia, Vlad II attempted to maintain a balance between Hungary and the Ottomans. It was unbalanced by John Hunyadi, voivode of Transylvania, in February 1441, who decided to restore the influence of Hungary in Wallachia. Hunyadi came to Târgoviște to meet Vlad, demanding he join a crusade against the Ottoman Empire.  

After Hunyadi defeated the Ottomans in Transylvania in March 1442, the Ottoman governor of Bulgaria accused Vlad of treachery, and Murad II summoned Vlad to Edirne to demonstrate his loyalty. Before departing, Vlad made his eldest son, Mircea, the ruler of Wallachia.  Soon after he came to Edirne, he was captured at the sultan's command.  He was held in captivity in Gallipoli. Murad II sent Hadım Şehabeddin, Beylerbey (or governor) of Rumelia, to annex Wallachia in August 1442.

Hunyadi annihilated the Ottoman army in the Carpathian Mountains in September and made Vlad's cousin, Basarab, voivode of Wallachia.  Before the end of the year, Murad II released Vlad, but he was to pledge that he would not support the enemies of the Ottoman Empire, and he would pay an annual tribute and send 500 Wallachian boys to serve as janissaries in the sultan's army.  He was also forced to leave his two sons, Vlad and Radu, as hostages in the Ottoman Empire.

“You did what you could, cousin.” Basarab II consoled him when he returned to Wallachia. “Vlad and Radu will be fine there.”

“They will live their life with the threat of the sword at their neck. If I revoked my oath, they would pay the price for my betrayal.” Vlad II sighed. “I have failed as Voivode, and now as the father.”

Vlad Tepes was to be assimilated into the Ottomans’ life; he was given the training to be a Janissary. He had endured the punishments of being one.

“You are a Janissary, boy.” The instructor roared into the ears of the young Vlad. “You will serve the Sultan. He is the supreme ruler of the Ottoman Empire.”

“I am not a boy. I am a Wallachian. I will remain as one till I am dead.” Vlad defended his heritage. He was given a smack on the head.

“You are no more than. He is no more than of … too.” The instructor picked one of the other lads from the lineup. “He is a Janissary.”

Vlad knew the boy was from the Balkans, and he cried for his home at night.

“For your insolence, you will be given the whip. Fifty lashes will remind you of the Sultan’s mercy.” Vlad suffered because his love for his heritage was above the level of pain.

“Vlad, you need to be …”

“I am not a Janissary. I am Wallachian.” Vlad had snapped at his brother, Radu Tepes. The latter was with him in the Janissary, but he was given the privileges to study with the Sultan’s children, too. Radu was more of a scholar than a warrior. He studied the volumes on astronomy and mathematics. He said one day, scholars will rule the world, while the brawns will be the minions.

After his punishment, Vlad was dragged to his bed at the barracks to recover. He was visited by Radu, who came to console him.

“Madness!” Vlad had denied his brother that dream. “The world needs warriors like me. I will be …”

“As great a father, and yet he bowed to the Sultan here. He made us hostages while he rules at home with ……. Mircea.” Radu was upset with their father. “He forgoes us for his own life.”

“No, Radu. Father is …. He did not. He loves us. He just needed time to regroup, and then he would free us. I heard John Hunyadi rides with him.” Vlad looked to his brother. His back aches from the lashes, but the scars have hardened from the previous punishments.

“John Hunyadi will be father’s nemesis,” Radu says. “I have studied the battle reports. The Sultan bides his time to defeat John Hunyadi. What is that Voivode compared to the Sultan? Nothing but a gnat to be squashed.”

“Stop your dreams, Radu. We must bide our time to fight the Ottomans soon.”

“The Mongols once defeated the Hungarians. They were victorious.” Radu was an avid reader of the past empires.

“Yes, they may have been, but where are they now?” Vlad looked to his brother. “They …. It was the bubonic plague that dwindled their empire.”

Bubonic plague is an infection spread mostly to humans by infected fleas that travel on rodents. Called the Black Death, it killed millions of Europeans during the Middle Ages. Prevention involves reducing your exposure to mice, rats, squirrels, and other animals that may be infected.

“It was not the only one, as I am told by the other scholars,” Radu explained from his readings. “The Mongols were not familiar with our terrain. They fought on open lands, and when they were here, they encountered forests and hills. They were unfamiliar with it. More to it, their leader had died. Ogedei's death halted their advance. The elders had to convene a gathering to select the next leader. His successor was Kublai Khan, who tamed the far eastern continent.”

“Did you read of Ogedei's war and the aftermath?’ Vlad questioned his brother. “He struck fear in his enemy. He …”

“He was a great leader. He knew he was to consult others on many matters and listened to their advice, but you do not.” Radu retorted to Vlad’s stubborn attitude.

“You are misinformed. Ogedei did many atrocities that made his enemy fear him. He had the Oirat girls.”.

“Raped and killed or handed over to be prostitutes... Alas, Vlad, you are demented to vicious means. One day….”

“Radu, the means to leadership is to be ruthless, and to be ruthless, there is a need to be vicious. Your enemy will fear you when they hear you are there.” Vlad turned his back towards Radu. “These are my scars. The Ottomans’ will one day bear these scars when I defeat them.”

“And for now, you need your medication.” That was the gentle voice of the handmaiden. She approached the two brothers bearing the pot of ointment for the wounds on Vlad.

“Aylin, you are a cheerful light to my darkness.” Vlad smiled. He had then lain on the bedding face down while the handmaiden applied the ointment to the wounds.

Aylin was the personal handmaiden of the Sultana, herself being the rightful wife of the Sultan. The Sultan has a list of wives and concubines, but the Sultana holds the rightful place next to the Sultan on the throne. She was the kind one who had liked the Wallachian’s brother. She had taken notice of the two brothers during one of her talks with the Venetian trader. He had presented to her gifts brought from the far cities at the hall during the visit. She likes to be told of the happenings outside the palace.

“I saw this boy in the garden. He is …” Lord Gencio Capulet was cut off. He was used to the Sultana, who was to hold her own lines.

“The Wallachian. Yes, I knew of him. He is no boy. He is a growing man. His name is Vlad Tepes, but he … He is a hard one to teach.” The Sultana smiled behind the veil on her face, and she was seated behind the thin, silky drapes as was the custom there.

“I am … I am always surprised that ……….” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. “Your highness…”

“I must be vigilant, Lord Gencio Capulet. I am the Sultana, and before me are the hundreds, if not thousands, of servants ………. Serfs, you called them. They are answerable to me and report to me on the happenings in the palace.” The Sultana was herself to cut in. “And these … young hostages …. You are aware of their ranks here… they are also offered a chance to be a part of the Janissary.”

The Janissaries are the personal guards of the Sultan.

“They are taught many things, including servitude, but not Vlad Tepes. He is as hard as the steel of the blade. He is unlike his brother, Radu, who was amicable to our ways.”

“Vlad... Vlad Tepes... Have I heard of the name before?” Lord Gencio Capulet searched his head for the name.

“His father is Vlad II of Wallachia.” The sultana spoke.

“Ayew, the name now struck my memory. I have not met the father, but his …”

“Circulate among the dissidents of the Hungarians and Wallachians. He is a thorn there, and yet, anyway, he is now a vassal of the Empire.”

“Most gracious, Sultana.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. “I was just…”

“Curiosity kills the cat, Lord Gencio Capulet.” The Sultana said. “Or in this lad, still a boy to me, it will be the kitten here.”