Preys and Predators 3 Love Binds, Family Destroy Chapter 36

 

36. 

 

“Hold the line there!” Vlad confronted the Turks outnumbered by three to one, and his newly assembled army of two thousand was untrained compared to the Janissaries. Stephen III had a larger army of ten thousand that was redirected to another battlefield.

“Hold the formation!” Vlad called out. His army was hastily assembled and untrained, like the Janissary. He saw the Serb mercenaries at his left trying to fight their own stand. At five hundred strong, they were outnumbered too. The Janissaries were focusing on the Serbs, for they represent the bigger threat to Vlad’s army.

“Hold the line!” Vuk Branvonic, who stood in with Vlad on the left, held his own line with the five hundred warriors. “Do not let them break through.”

Some Janissaries had broken through the Serbs' line and were slashing the defenders to create a breakthrough. Vuk saw the breach and rode them to stop it. He slashed at the Janissary on horseback with his sword and rallied the defenders to close the gap.

“Let no break in the line!” Vuk called out. He looked to his own men. His numbers were dwindling then, to half his previous numbers, and he knew that he had to retreat.

“Break, Vuk! We cannot hold the line too long.” Vlad called out to the other. “Break now. I will cover your flank.”

“Where is Stephen III?” Vuk called back when he met Vlad to the right of him. “He was to……”

“He is at the valley and held his own battle there.” Vlad organized his army into a new line to challenge the Janissaries. “We cannot hold the line. Regroup and hold the line.”

Vuk had then called on the retreat for his warriors. They were hastily trained for that but marched backwards with Vuk’s mercenaries holding the line.

“Cover the flank, you bastards!” Vuk called out. The mercenaries were fierce fighters and had lost many of their friends that day. They regrouped and formed a line to defend the flank. Surprisingly, the Janissaries called off their attack, and the officer there rode to meet the Wallachian army.

“I seek an audience with your leader.” The officer addressed the line. The word soon reached Vlad, and he rode out to meet the officer.

“We meet again, Vlad Tepes.” The Janissary officer said to the Voivode.

“I cannot recall meeting you.” Vlad looked to the officer there. They were both covered with dirt and blood, but no injuries were on them except for minor wounds.

“I am Chorbaji Tarmuk and was then a lowly officer coaching you and Radu.” The officer removed his headdress. “Perhaps if you see me now, you might recall.”

“Tarmuk…. I have faint memories of that time. It was so long ago.” Vlad sighed. “I left the palace when I was……”

“Younger, and Radu stayed on. I trained you and Radu then. After you left, I was assigned to Radu since then. He was there with the Sultan at Constantinople. I was with him till his……. Final hours before death.”

“Radu dead? When was this?” Vlad asked.

“Not long ago. He was defeated, and then he was exiled to Moldavia. He was trying to reclaim his rank as Voivode, but he was defeated.” Chorbaji Tarmuk sighed. “We hid out there, and upon his death, I was to return to the Sultan.”

“How did he die?”

“He was……. Wounded and did not recover.” Vlad was told.

“A warrior’s death. I am proud of him for that.” Vlad smiled. “I was to meet him, but my life was a mess of events. Wallachia meant a lot to us, for we were the rulers there.”

“Despite all the differences, Radu loved you like his brother. He is still family to you. The war had divided the two of you, your loyalties too, but the love of his for you was absolute.”

“I love my brother too.” Vlad sighed. “Did the Sultan not object to him there?”

“The relationship between Radu and the Sultan was complicated. The Sultan had relented for Radu to leave like you did and even offered him protection, but there was little that could be done. Eventually, Radu was on his own. I remained there on the orders of the Sultan.” Chorbaji Tarmuk explained. “Before his death, Radu had given letters to a Lord Dante Montague for you. And some valuable cases.”

“I did not get any. Nor have I met Lord Dante Montague. Perhaps I was…….”

“Away? The letters will come to you soon.” Chorbaji Tarmuk smiled. “I am offering you an opportunity to withdraw. The Serbs are withdrawing. If we continue fighting, you will be defeated. Your army is weak. Stephen III is at battle with another and will not aid you.”

“Retreat?” Vlad looked to his remaining army. “They want blood today.”

“Do it and come back another day. With a bigger army, we will meet.” Chorbaji Tarmuk said. “It is no shame to retreat and fight another day than to die senselessly. I taught you that before.”

“Lessons I may have forgotten.” Vlad Tepes looked at the Janissary. “I have been defeated and also victorious in some, but I always return to battle.”

“True words of a warrior, but this time I will call for the truce now.” Chorbaji Tarmuk offered a respite from the battle. A truce was called, and the armies withdrew.

A truce was not that simple for the Capulets and Montagues. If it was, they would not have had the feud for that long. The house of Capulet held the burial of Tybalt, with most of the men arguing on carrying the battle to the Montague’s house.

“There will be no fighting for now till the return of Lord Gencio Capulet. I had sent words to him on the matter.” Lady Sofia addressed the gathering. She looked for support among them and saw many were upset to be addressed by a lady.

“Lady Sofia, when can ……” One of the gathered spokes but was cut off by another.

“The lady’s request will be upheld.” It was Benvolio who supported the lady. “I agreed we hold till the return of Lord Gencio Capulet.”

“Benvolio, you ……” The one who was to question earlier was to challenge him, but the arrival of the officer of the law of Genoa stopped the discussion.

“I am Magistrate Javier of Genoa City. I am to see Lord Gencio Capulet on the issue of the death of Tybalt Capulet.” The man dressed in the blue overcoat held the cane bearing the authority of Genoa. He stood tall and walked with a limp on his right leg and was accompanied by four officers of the law.

“I am Lady Sofia. My husband is away. Please state your reason for the visit.”

“I have come to investigate the death of Tybalt Capulet, suspected of being killed by one named Mercutio, and ……”

“Mercutio was killed by Romeo Capulet in vengeance.” Benvolio stepped out to address the officer. “Investigate the Montague.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Benvolio Capulet, kin of Romeo and Tybalt.”

“Were you there, Sir?”

“I was not. I was …….” Benvolio was cut off.

“Hearsay words are not to be accepted. Who was there that day?” Javier asked.

“Our guards, Sampson and Gregory, but they are… missing.” Benvolio said. “We are looking for them.”

“Missing? Why was this not reported?”

“The Capulets handle their own investigation, Sir.” Benvolio snapped at the officer. “We will carry our own justice.”

“Vigilantes are not permitted in the city. You will report to us their whereabouts.” Javier looked at Benvolio. “This is not the battlefield of Wallachia or Moldavia. Now, I remember your face, Benvolio Capulet. Or Officer Benvolio was your rank.”

Benvolio looked at the officer, and then he recalled the face. Javier, or Victor Javier, was the officer of another cavalry unit that conflicted with his own unit. They had faced the Turks in battle, and in one battle, Javier’s unit was ambushed by the Turks. He managed to escape, but his wound was to give him the limp on the right leg. He reported to Prince Escalus that Count Paris had led his unit to the ambush. He was denied the needed justice and sent back to Genoa.

“The character of men will not change over time.” Javier held that thought in his mind of any suspect he was to find. “Once they do it, they will betray again and again.”

“I recall you now.” Benvolio looked at Javier. “You reported me to Prince Escalus and Count Paris, among others. That charge was denied, and you reported many before of these purported charges.”

“Your recollection did not fail you. I was the discipline officer of the prince, and I hauled many to the court. I had convicted many, but they were justified by their actions. I was never denied my method of justice, though some were spared of the justice. However, we are not in the battlefield of your choosing. We are now in Genoa, where I am the magistrate. I uphold justice again as I ……”

“You are still the same recalcitrant person I once met. You persecuted many of my men on framed-up charges.”

“Framed? I do not think so. Watch your words, Sir. I am on duty here.” Javier looked at Benvolio.

“I will be watching you, Javier.” Benvolio glared at the man.

“And I will do the same, Sir.” Javier turned to bow towards the lady. “I am to find the suspect, Romeo Capulet. I will be leaving now.”

“Do be kind if you ever meet Romeo.” Lady Sofia was to say.

“Kindness comes from the person. If he resists, I will do what is needed.” Javier nodded.

Lady Sofia looked towards Benvolio.

“Find my son, and bring him home.”

Across the city, Romeo remained pensive on himself. He replayed the event in his head, but there was nothing to indicate otherwise of his action. He did thrust the sword at Mercutio. He was alone most times at the cottage and did a lot of thinking. His relationship with Juliet was not a mistake but a drawn line of fate. He did not fancy any others before he met Juliet. There were moments he had felt something towards Rosaline, but he treated her like his sister. When she kissed him in the carriage, he was taken aback by the act. He knew he may have been unfair to her, but love was not an arrangement but the feelings in it. He felt differently with Juliet.

“Romeo, it is me.” Juliet had appeared. She came into the cottage bearing food and drinks and was in the arms of the man she loved.

“I brought you food and drinks.” Juliet said to the man. “And……”

Romeo had smeared her lips with his, and she pushed him off.

“Why?” Romeo was stunned.

“I guess I am the reason.” It was Friar Lawrence who stood at the doorway. “I can be quite a sensation to be seen at such moments.”

“Friar…… I apologize.” Romeo stepped to the side while holding the lady’s hands.

“Apologies? Not needed. God has told me to not be enticed by the acts of loving. But honestly, I am still a man inside and a friar outside; therefore, I am not excused from the needs of love sometimes.” Friar Lawrence smiled and stepped in. “It was chilly out there, and you do not want anyone to see who’s inside.”

Friar Lawrence took the seat nearby and smiled.

“Now tell ……. No, confess your sin, please. Before you do start, let me tell you love is not a sin. It is a blessing and badly misunderstood by some that love could be arranged, but it is not. It is inside us. We harbour it when it is there, and from there, it will grow fonder.” Friar Lawrence sighed. "1 Peter 4:8: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 

“Love can be seen as a way to cover over a multitude of sins, not in the sense of absolving them, but in how it promotes forgiveness and reconciliation and overlooks offenses, fostering a more harmonious community.” Friar Lawrence added. “But it is to be seen if yours will do the same.”

“Why did you kill Mercutio?” The friar looked at Romeo. “Was that not silly of you?” 

“I did not intend that. It was all …… I cannot remember why or what made me do it. He killed Tybalt; that was what I recalled.”

“A circle of vengeance. You killed him because he killed a Capulet? And you kill him. And then soon, another Montague may kill you.”

“Absolute lunacy. The war at Wallachia was etched on those reasonings. All for what? Lives are lost and families shattered by it.” Friar Lawrence sighed.

“Friar, I brought you to console Romeo.” Juliet cut in. “Why do you reprimand yourself now?”

“I am doing it to show him the regrets of his action. If he had acted …… soundly, we would not be in his issue today.”

“You have a funny way of consoling, Friar.” Juliet was upset. “I regret bringing you here.”

“Well, I am not your usual priest at work here.” Friar Lawrence smiled. “Once he realizes his sin, he may not be so ……. Keen to repeat it. Now, shall we resume our confession?”