14.
Well,
Shylock’s was no better. He returned home after his discharge from the army and
got his dues; well, it was more like half of his entitlement to get the officer
to sign off on his release. He reached home and was told of his father’s
condition.
“Your
father is unwell. When you left for the war, he was uncomfortable with it. The
Judas family was never any warrior breed.” The mother of Shylock told me. “He
told me when you do come back, if you ever do, the trade of the family was
yours.”
Shylock
spent time with his father, who was weak then, and learned of the ledgers and
whom to trust, which was a few in the list. His father told him that the
moneylenders cannot trust anyone, or they will fail in the trade.
“This
list is the one I can place my purse with, but will only do so if I am without
any to do.”
Shylock,
seated by his father’s side, was not to leave the man alone. He had ignored the
need to see anyone, including Leah. She was the one who came to see him.
“Leah,
why are you here?” Shylock met her at the shop.
“I
overheard my father talking to his friends that your father is dying,” Leah
said. “Is it true?”
“Yes.
He is dying. He was sad when I left to join the army.” Shylock sighed. “I did
it for ……”
“Hush……
I know. Shylock, you have nothing to prove to me but your love.” Leah held out
for Shylock’s hands. “I do love you.”
“I
wished ……. I wanted to prove to you that I could stand on my own. I …….”
Shylock looked at Leah. “The others were all about the fighting to prove
themselves as men.”
“You
are a man for my love.” Leah smiled. “I have …….”
“What
do your father and his friends talk about? My father is not dead.” Shylock was
upset. The moneylenders were all about the ledger. They want to share his
ledger to take over the debts.
“Your
father is not. I am here to see you.” Leah smiled. It was then that Shylock’s
mother saw her. She approached the lady and inquired about her identity. Leah
told her, and for a moment, there was silence.
“Come
in, child. We can speak inside.” It was the first time Leah had visited the
home of Shylock. The two ladies conversed while Shylock was told to look after
the father.
It
was the second reign of Vlad Tepes then, but not forgotten was his brother
Radu, still at the Ottoman Empire. The younger brother had served his
punishment, and with no words from Vlad and the loss of Aylin, Radu had spent
his time learning the new arts and the skills of fighting. He swore to himself
that he would return to Wallachia to reclaim his name.
It
was then that he was befriended by the young successor to the throne, Mehmet
II. He was to live in the newly built Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. His
relationship was clouded with many rumours of him and the young prince, but he
was to survive there.
“Radu,
I am to ride on a campaign at Constantinople.” Mehmet II told the young
Wallachian that day.
“It
is the capital of the Byzantine Empire. We outnumbered
Constantinople's defenders. The defenders are led
by Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos. Once I capture that,
Constantinople will be the new Ottoman capital, replacing Adrianople.”
Mehmet
II outlined his plans for the new capital, including the construction of a
second fortress on the European side of
the Bosphorus, several miles north of Constantinople. The new
fortress sat directly across the strait from the Anadolu
Hisarı fortress, built by Mehmed's great-grandfather, Bayezid I. This pair
of fortresses ensured complete control of sea traffic on
the Bosphorus and defended against attack by
the Genoese colonies on the Black Sea coast to the north.
“I
have Turakhan Begstation, a large garrison force in the Peloponnese, to
block Thomas and Demetrios (despots in
Southern Greece) from providing aid to Constantinople.
The beylerbeyi of Rumelia sent men to prepare the roads
from Adrianople to Constantinople so that bridges could cope with the
massive cannons. Fifty carpenters and 200 artisans also strengthened the roads
where necessary.”
“Radu,
are you listening?” Mehmet II looked at the Wallachian man. Radu nodded, and
then the young prince went on.“The Walls of Constantinople, especially the
Theodosian Walls, protected Constantinople from attack for eight hundred years.
Its fortifications were effective, but they could be with the use
of gunpowder.”
The
Ottomans were among the first to adopt gunpowder weapons, including artillery,
and they did so rapidly, preceding their European and Middle Eastern
counterparts in establishing centralized, permanent troops specialized in
firearms. The Ottomans' use of artillery proved crucial in sieges, such as the
successful siege of Salonica in 1430. The Ottomans established specialized
units like the Cebeci (armorers) and the Humbaracı (bombardiers), who were
responsible for the maintenance and handling of firearms, including cannons and
handguns. The Janissaries were initially known as an infantry bodyguard using
bows and arrows; they later became a prominent gun corps.
“Our
cannons and bombards, heralding a change in siege warfare, each massive
cannonball will break the Theodosian Walls.” “The defenders are many. I
read that the defending armies also consisted of the Genoese corps. They are
well trained and equipped, while the rest of the army consisted of small
numbers of well-trained soldiers, armed civilians, sailors, volunteer forces
from foreign communities, and finally monks.”
“Ragtag
army! The only reason they survived so long was the wall. Once we crumble that,
we will overrun the defenders.” Mehmet II was agitated by Radu’s intervention
in his plans.
“Are
you with or against me?”
“I
am for you, my prince.” Radu bowed to the other.
“So
be it. You will join me as the head janissary of four thousand strong.” Radu
was told. “I envy you there. There will be so many fine gentlemen among them.”
“None
will interest me, except you.” Radu selected his words well.
Wallachia
was not forgotten then. Vlad's return to power was not exactly received with
welcomed by the Ottoman Empire. The pretender had invaded Wallachia with
Hungarian support, and Vladislav II died during the invasion. The
Hungarians were not the allies of the Ottoman Empire.
More
to it, Vlad sent a letter as voivode of Wallachia to the burghers of
Brașov then. He promised to protect them in case of an Ottoman invasion of
Transylvania, but he also sought their assistance if the Ottomans occupied
Wallachia. His words were said to be as stated here:"
When
a man or a prince is strong, he can make peace as he wants to, but when he is
weak, a stronger one will come and do what he wants to him.”
This
aroused the suspicion of the Turks, who saw it as a sign of devotion to the
Christian cause. They sent emissaries to Vlad’s court, demanding a yearly
tribute of two thousand gold ducats and the right of free passage through
Wallachia for raids in Transylvania. Dracula agreed to these terms but refused
the typical practice of traveling to Constantinople, the soon-to-be new Turkish
capital, to pay the tribute in person.
“I
may see my brother again.” Vlad had thoughts of it, but he knew that when he
arrived there, he might be held hostage. He was reluctant to leave Wallachia,
as he had married a boyar’s daughter then. It was a quiet affair to avoid any
enemies looking for his new family.
You
would have thought that Lord Gencio Capulet had his last days with the army;
well, he did not. He was dismayed that Dante Montague had wed Lady Angeline.
“Love
is a smoke made with the fume of sighs. Being purged, a fire sparkling in
lovers’ eyes; Being vexed, a sea nourished with lovers’ tears.” – Romeo. In
this quote, Shakespeare’s Romeo ponders love. He compares lovers’ sighs to
smoke. If the love is not returned, the smoke brings tears to the eyes.
Lord
Gencio Capulet was depressed when he learned later of Lady Angeline's wedding
to Lord Dante Montague. He heard the news from the other traders.
“As
I was told, Lord Dante Montague was barred from seeing Lady Juliette. Her
mother had plans for the frivolous daughter. She was to be wedded to a prince
in England.” The trader's speech was slurred from the drinks he had taken.
“Henry ……”
“Sober
up, Martine. He was no prince but the Lord of some standing. The Dubier had the
interest to hold a name there in view of the wars here around us.”
“The
new queen there, what was her name? … Victoria ruled the nation. Her colonies
spread out far and wide. Unlike us, England experienced rapid
industrialization, with factories and new technologies transforming the
landscape and economy. The materials came from the colonies.” Another trader
who was adept with the English wares spoke.
“But
alas, rapid growth also brought up reforms in social and political areas,
including efforts to improve working conditions, address poverty, and expand
voting rights.”
“Despite
economic growth, social inequality persisted, with vast differences in wealth
and living conditions between the rich and the poor.” Another said.
“We
hold changes in the rulers; they hold changes in the leaders there, but England
has tamed their people. A strong emphasis on morality and respectability
characterized the Victorian era, with a focus on family values, religious
faith, and personal responsibility.”
“Aye,
our southern neighbour had prospered under the Queen.” The Scots still harbour
dissatisfaction at England.”
“It
was a good foresight of the Dubier family. Perhaps their daughter will fare
better there than here.” Another trader smiled.
“I
will miss her warmth.”
“Cut
your words. All of you, Juliette Dubier is my friend.” That was how Lord Gencio
Capulet reacted to the gossip. The traders took their drinks to another tavern
and left the lord to his misery. He was tended by the barmaid there.
“I
heard Lord Dante Montague had it hard then. He was ……. In love with her, but
when she got wedded, rather suddenly as I know.” The barmaid named Wendy
smiled.
“Mine
was faster. It was a single night of dipping and then rolling over the hay. I
ended up here supporting my union.”
“How
did he …?” Lord Gencio Capulet inquired. He pushed the coins towards her.
“I
do not know much. The housemaids said he was persistent in seeing Juliette but
was barred. It was Angeline who … consoled his loss. And then from there, he
became infatuated with her. Men are like…… a storm in the weather, and they
flood their eyes with tears…… it may wash their view, and he saw her. He
courted the younger sister, and before hell freezes over, he asked for her
hand.”
“He
got the consent?”
“What
do you think? He sent his new family to England to see the Queen before the
mice ran up the ……” Lord Gencio Capulet had heard enough. He took leave of the
tavern and went home. He did not reach home.
“Wendy,
is it?” Lord Gencio Capulet asked while he lay on the bedding in the barmaid’s
chamber. It was not much to roost at, but it was comfortable compared to the
army beddings.
“Wendy
is the name.” The maid cuddled up to the man next to her. “Was I good?”
Lord
Gencio Capulet nodded and then got up from the bedding. He searched for his
clothes. It was then that he saw the young boy standing at the doorway. The boy
was like three years old.
“Mama,
I wet my pants.” The mother got up, wrapping the cover around her. She
approached the boy and hugged him. She turned to look at the man.
“Eh……
he is my son, Lorenzo. His bastard father has not been seen for over two years.
May he rot at sea, fed to the fishes.” Wendy said
“Come
to my house tomorrow. You may find some comforts there.” Lord Gencio Capulet
told her and grabbed his clothes. He walked past the boy who called him ‘papa.’
The
next day, Lord Gencio Capulet signed with the army once more.
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