41.
Far in the distance at Moldavia,
Vlad Tepes was surprised to see the guest.
“I am Lord Dante Montague. We never
met, but I knew your brother. We met prior to his passing.”
“I am honoured to meet you, Lord
Dante Montague. A friend of Radu is also mine.”
“I am honoured too.” Lord Dante
Montague looked towards the Chorbaji. “The officer here was kind enough to
introduce me to both brothers of the Tepes heirloom. I am here to bear you the
letter and gift from your brother to you. Radu entrusted it to me when I last met
him, but you were not easy to locate.”
Lord Dante Montague handed over the
letter and case to the Voivode. Vlad opened the letter and read the content.
“My brother, Vlad.
When you read this lengthy letter,
I will probably be dead. That does not stop me from sharing with you our lives
together and the aftermath of you not staying next to me. I have always envied
you as a person, more than I ever did Mircea. The elder brother of ours was
never with us; he was Father’s successor and fought with Father for the quests
on Wallachia, but for us, we were reluctantly traded to the Sultan as hostages.
I said reluctantly, as Father was trapped and had to let us go or face imminent
death. I had pleaded with Father then for mercy, but he knew that the act was
needed. As for Mircea, he did not even protest our leaving the family. I was
very scared, for it was the first time I was without the family, but you stood
up with me during those lonely times.
Yes, we were closer to each other
then, and you were the pillar of strength for me. You covered for me many times
I was at fault or unable to deliver. I was no warrior, unlike yourself and
Mircea. I am a scholar and will remain as one till today. I studied astronomy
and mathematics, with a sideline on history, but not ours, but the Eastern
empires. I was intrigued by the conquests then, but the aides to the emperors
were good scholars and learned advisers who guided them. I wanted one with you,
but our paths were never to meet thereafter.
You remained steadfast with me
those years. You were gone then in my life; you went back to Wallachia, and I
had my own discovery.
When I was with Aylin, you did not
protest to it. You knew the risk I was taking, but I needed someone to love
then. More than you, but a feminine feel to my desire. I had to admit soon
after, I discovered I was not only attracted to them but also to the masculine
features of our gender. Funny, that despite the time I was Aylin, I had not
copulated with her at all. Yes, we explored our bodies, but was I respectful of
her? No. I had no desire to copulate.
That was when I discovered my other
desire, and it became mutual when my love was for the man who commands us.
Mehmet was kind to me, and I would
not deny that it was the wonderful time of my life then, and with him, I found
myself a foundation to hold power. The truth, contrary to rumours, is that we
were never real lovers but good friends; or more to it, we were brothers.
Mehmet was my new brother after you left. We shared many moments discussing the
works needed and shared many nights in the chamber, but we were not in the arms
of lovers but the arms of brotherly love. Eventually, we parted not out of
love, but out of ambition. He needed to be seen to be pious to his people and,
above all, sincere to his empire.
It came to the moment that I was to
rise once more in the name of Tepes, a kinship long forgotten by me, but it was
Mehmet who encouraged me to do that. It was his love for me to excel, and I was
sent away. I tried but am not you, nor Mircea, nor even Father in his shadow. I
am Radu, and I tried to do my task. I was supported by Mehmet, but there was so
little I could do even with his assistance. The Janissaries assigned to me were
to protect me and aided me in training the recruits in the army.
Life was not all about conquests
but about establishing a lineage to carry the family crest. I did get myself
engaged to a lovely lady and have my own family, but then, to hold my rank in
the new land, as mentioned above, the boyars needed to see that, but wars and
conflicts drew me away from my family. Loneliness crept in, and I lay nightly
looking at the stars for companionship. I could not betray my family's love,
but the evil spawned in me sought out my frustrations. I could not see myself
with another but ended with a foul decision to take on the new lover, not of a
lady but of my gender. It was the need of the desire and loneliness. As it was
with Aylin, it was a quick act of release, and then I was settled, but unknown
to me, I was inflicted with the curse to be poisoned by the one I was induced
in. My one-off lover was removed by the Chorbaji, but the aftermath was the
retribution that arose with it. I did not profess love but forced attraction,
and I am in debt for it. Do not forgive me, but pray for me, that I will end my
life gracefully.
With that off my mind, I want to
come back to us.
I had tried to find you, but your
whereabouts were unknown; only your reputation precedes you. When I did, you
were imprisoned by the King of Hungary, diplomatic calls were made, but you
were not in the bargain at all. Not till the final request was made to me.
The Empress Jewels were requested
for your freedom.
We all knew that the jewels were in
the treasury of the empire. I approached the man I called my other brother and
pleaded my case. It was not easy, but eventually, he relented. His words rang
in my mind till today.
“No treasure is worth more than
your family member’s life.”
I was handed the jewels to bargain
for your release. I did approach the king;
I held it, but the deal was not
carried out due to treason on the other side. There were others who desired the
jewels, and whoever held them could exert considerable power and influence.
Kings can be toppled with it. The others all had their own interest and delayed
the negotiation. The court of the king was divided by rumours that whoever
holds the jewels can command power and influence. They tried to find me and had
you as the ransom to bid their bargain, but I had remained hidden.
It was upon the rumours of my
death. The king, as I was told, released you but with a collar around you to
fight for them. It was made known to me that you were to get my personal
holdings and deliver them to the king as compensation. He wished to find the
jewels there. I could not betray my brothers of blood and friendship and
remained hidden while I tried to recuperate or die in peace. Earlier I had
arranged my wealth; however, it is valued to be bestowed to my family, which
you will assist in providing to them. I have arranged for the trader to deliver
it to Genoa. And another one to deliver my letter to you. I had created trails
for them, and with it, I added in rumours of treasures to mock them so that
they will do my bid with anticipation. I intend to blind them in their search.
An anticipation that I had kept the
jewels there in the shipment, but there is none. The Empress Jewels is here in
your care now. The case you hold holds it. Everyone grieved over it. Do what is
needed; reclaim our land, or return it to the empire. I hold no responsibility
to it. I can only trust in you for that, my dear brother, that you will know
what to do here.
Radu Tepes.”
“He loves me, and yet he offers me
a difficult choice.” Vlad sighed and then looked to the trader and the
Janissary officer.
“Radu loves you, and it’s his final
words that you are to be the beholden.” Chorbaji Tarmuk said. “The plight of
the Tepes family had been a series of sacrifices for Wallachia.”
“You knew of the ……” Vlad looked at
the Janissary officer.
“Yes, I am aware, but I hold my
duty close to my heart as the loyal servant of the empire.” Chorbaji Tarmuk
said. “Commander Radu is not the most efficient military tactician but is held
in high esteem by the soldiers he commanded.”
“I must be leaving now.” Lord Dante
Montague cut in. “I am needed back in Genoa.”
“Hold on, trader.” Vlad looked at
the other. “Are you not curious why my brother sought me so urgently?”
“I am not. I am merely his
messenger.” Lord Dante Montague replied. “More to it, I am urgently needed at
Genoa.”
“You repeat yourself, trader. You
are free to go, but take this case with you. Do not open it till I ask for it,
or if I am dead.” Vlad offered the case to Lord Dante Montague. “It may be of
use to you.”
“I ….” Chorbaji Tarmuk was going to
protest, but Vlad stopped him.
“It is for the best of all of us.”
Vlad looked at the Chorbaji.
“I cannot take your offer,
Voivode.” Lord Dante Montague declined the case. “I must go.”
“Then keep it for me. I will send
words for it later.” Vlad smiled. “I trust you with it.”
Vlad Tepes watched the man he was
to entrust the case to walk away.
“Vlad, I trust the man to safeguard
your case.” Chorbaji looked at his car. “Now we must prepare for your death
tales to be spread to the authorities. You will then be free to leave for
wherever you want. The Sultan will not be told of your true location, except if
you die.”
“And for that…” Vlad looked at the
man who had coached him since he was young.
“Vlad Tepes will be a free person,
and there will be no more harbouring of being Voivode. You can return to Genoa
to be with your first family.”
Freedom was not that easily found.
“Vuk Branvonic, you bring me news
of Vlad Tepes?” Prince Escalus looked at the military commander.
“I do, My prince. He lives. His
death in battle was fake. He, as I was told, rides for Genoa.”
“Then I will send words to Count
Paris.” Prince Escalus looked to the other. “No, I will ride myself to Genoa.
It is time I take rein on the matter. You will ride with me. We leave soon.”
“As you wish, Prince Escalus.”
Branvonic made his departure. “I will get ready now.”
The prince called on his servant
then.
“Send words by fast riders to
Genoa, for one Lord Gencio Capulet. Tell him that Vlad Tepes is in Genoa. Find
that Wallachian, and all dues are taken off the table. Failure to do so will
have a paramount impact on his life and on his son’s.”
“I will ride to Genoa
immediately.”
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