Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 10

 

10. 

 

The war in Wallachia was a boon for the moneylenders there at Genoa and Venice. The banks will not entertain the borrowers, for there are no sureties that the loans will be secured. Estates were forfeited, and the treasury pillaged; words spread fast when the calamities struck.

“I do have to consider…” Shylock’s father frowned and had his right-hand fingers wrapped around his chin. “We …”

“Matthew Judas, I have been a friend and borrower of your …” The boyar who had fled Wallachia was a trader at Genoa, and his wares were of some quality, but the bankers would not vouch for his credit; he held little and borrowed too much. He had patronized the moneylenders for the alternative. The rates may be higher, but the shrewd trader manages to leapfrog with each borrowing.

“Lord Irian, your ……. I do have the last loan letter you took. You paid me half, but the other portion remains.”

“Charge me your rates. I will pay you later.” The trader stood up to leave.

“Lord Irian, I must …” Matthew Judas held back his words. He saw the trader’s three guards had stood before their lord, and their hands on the swords were not of fancy. The money lender holds no guards; the money lenders hold their protection from the association of lenders who will recruit scoundrels and mercenaries who owe them coins.

“Father……” Shylock stepped up, but the father halted his action.

“Shylock, we cannot offend the boyar.” The father motioned to his father to be seated. “The boyar is our lifeline for the business. Once a word had spread about our unwillingness, then we would be doomed. We are the lenders of last resort, and our reputation hinges on that.”

“The boyar…”

“No, Shylock. Lord Irian is without the means to access his estate, but the war changes sides as quickly as the waves come to the shore. It will withdraw by a certain time. The boyars are the same. Lord Irian may get back his estate, and then we will resume our trade.”

“If he does not.” Shylock was naïve to the trade.

“Then we will do the alternative action. Remember Antonio Meli. He was delayed, but Lord Gencio Capulet bailed him out. Boyars and traders are closely knitted. They may suffer the same fate, but when they flourish, they will be back.” Shylock’s father shifted his eyes back to the ledgers.

“Are you to tell that the war in Wallachia may affect us?”

“It does. The pretender to the throne is already enacting action that will… may affect us.” The father sighed. “A pretender takes over, and more will emulate him. However, “conflicts of such may benefit us.”

“Wars need to be funded. The banks may do so for the ones that will win, for they need to. If the victor annexed the land that they owned, or even their clients, they stood to lose. Those who cannot get loans from the banks will seek us.”

“Whom do we defend now, Father?” Shylock asked.

“Defend? None, son. We are to remain above the conflict. We must be ……. biased when the time is right.” The father said. “Now go and find out from the streets who is winning.”

Shylock took off, but he was to see Leah; he fancies her. He was concerned about her. He sent words to her and waited for her at the bridge arch. She arrived late, but it was expected.

“Father is busy with his collections. He feared the war would affect us and was prepared to leave Genoa.” Leah told Shylock.

“My father said that all will be fine. We just must see who wins and then whom we shall side with.”

“Your father is … wise to the ways of the war.” Leah sighed. “My father is a lonely man. He fears for me. I am a lady, and in a fight, I could not do much.”

“I will defend you, Leah.” Shylock approached the lady. “I love …”

“Love is not the word we seek now. What we need is peace. I must be going to help my father.” Leah took off, and Shylock was left holding onto his last word. He stood there thinking, was he seen as weak to protect Leah? He knew not much of fighting, but he had his lessons in sword fighting. His mother had insisted on that and not to be like the father.

“I do have my skills, but I do not engage in fights. I have …”

“Matthew Judas, those fighters of yours are enough to intimidate a weakling, but when they are to confront the armed guards, they will rather hold the goblet of mead than to fight.” Shylock’s mother was right. The scoundrels were not brave, and there may be a few mercenaries who could, but they are expensive to hire.

Shylock made up his mind. He ran to the recruitment centre and saw the emergence of Lord Gencio Capulet. He avoided the man and snuck in by the side door.

“Sir, I want to join the army.” Shylock offered his services. He handed the form that he had signed.

“You will be paid in Florentine Florin.” The recruiter told him after endorsing the form.

“I want to be paid in ducats,” Shylock said.

“There is no ducat now. That is reserved for the officers. You will receive florin.” Shylock was to protest, but he was pushed off the desk by another in the queue. He found himself facing another officer who handed him the new form.

“Hold this and present yourself tomorrow for training. We march soon to Wallachia.”

Lord Gencio Capulet was given a better send-off. He was recognized by the recruitment officer and told that he would be given an officer commendation.

“Lord Capulet, sir. You …”

“Lord Gencio Capulet will suffice. I am in the army now.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. He was always smiling.

“Sir. You will take command of a detachment of mercenaries. They are good soldiers, ex-Hussite troops from Bohemia, and some are ex-Wallachian. You will hold the rank of ‘sutasi’ (lieutenant).” The recruiter told the Lord.

“I was thinking of being at the flank. I am well-versed in … logistics support.” Lord Gencio Capulet handed over the ducat to the recruiter. The latter looked at the coin handed, and then another coin was added.

“Yes, sir. I can arrange that.” The recruiter nodded. “Thank you, sir. Next!”

The next event for Lord Gencio Capulet was to get Antonio to take him to see Angeline Dubier. They took the carriage to the next venue.

Angeline comes here every other day. She took care of the horses there.” It was a stable for the public carriages. It was a terrible place to work, but the horses needed tending to. Angeline Dubier was there to work and supervise a group of kids to clean the stables.

Antonio pointed out the lady to Gencio.

“Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this day.” Lord Gencio Capulet smiled. (Adapted from Romeo and Juliet; Love at first sight.)

“She is young. Pristine, unlike her sister.” Antonio said. “I have my intention to court her.”

“You will refrain from it. I will have your head impaled at the docks for that.” It was rare for Lord Gencio Capulet to threaten another.

“Hold onto your breeches. I will ……. There are many more I could pursue.” Antonio said then. “Do you want to meet her?”

It was then that Lord Dante Montague met his love. He was at her home, seated across from her, with the aunt and mother seated to the side. He had arrived bearing gifts and was received in the library. The imposing portrait of the father hung above the fireplace and stared at Lord Dante Montague.

“Lord Dante Montague, I am told that you have ….” The mother started the conversation, but she was cut off by Juliette.

“Mother, we are friends and …”

“I was to say that he had returned from the east and …” The mother looked at the Lord, and in turn, she was interrupted.

“I was, but it had been some weeks now. I am …” Lord Dante Montague was cut off then.

“Apparently, the young ones do not have the patience to hear us out.” The mother looked to the sister. “I …”

“I do apologize, Mother.” Juliette took the stance of being nicer.

“I was saying that I had done well there. I had some ……” Lord Dante Montague was again cut off.

“I know. I was told that you did well, but you lost the jewel to the Capulets. Was it intended?” The mother looked at the man.

“Lost? No, it was not intended. We are traders, and in the line of our trades, we try to get the best on the bids. I lost then.” Lord Dante Montague bit his lips then. The loss of the bid for the jewel had haunted him from the many he met. Apparently, Lord Gencio Capulet had sung his victory song once too often.

“Then it may be obvious that you are not a good trader.” The mother was blunt in her words.

“Mother! I am …” Juliette snapped out, and the mother glared at her.

“My daughter is… undisciplined most times. She may have …”

“Erred perhaps, but I can assure you that my love for her is without …” Lord Dante Montague stopped in his words. There was a new arrival at the library.

“Mother … Oh, hello, Dante.” It was Angeline. “I do apologize, but the absurdity of the event needed to be told. A man by the name of Lord Gencio Capulet approached me and asked me to marry him. I had him smacked in the face and ran off here.”

“Lord Gencio Capulet?” Gencio was stunned. So was Juliette.

“I am sure Lord Gencio Capulet was not that ….” Juliette was taken aback by the sister’s accusation.

“Oh, he claims to be that man.” Angeline looked at Juliette. “He said he knows you.”

“He …” Juliette was fuming with rage then. “I will ….”

“Do nothing, girls. I will handle this matter myself.” The mother stood up. She then looked towards Lord Dante Montague. “I am sure you know the way out.” 

“Madam, I hold another jewel to gift Juliette.” Lord Dante Montague stood up and held the small case towards the mother.

“A trinket at best, but that does not exchange my daughter for it. Good day, young man. I am to be off now.” With that, Madam Dubier had Lord Dante Montague dismissed as a trinklet peddler.