Of Princes and Dragons: Book 2 (Lords and Commoners)

by Lynne Hill-Clark

  Vlad’s brow furrowed, as he had no idea how to become a noble. There is a thick impenetrable line between nobles and the working class. You had to be born into the highest of social ranks. One could not get there otherwise. Yet Vallachia had — because of Elijah. Come to think of it there were many tales of commoners becoming royalty. Some of these stories were even true; such as Emperor Justinian changing Roman law so that he could marry the beautiful Theodora. She was even rumored to have been a lady of the night before they wed, though no one would have said so to the emperor. But how did a man become royalty?

  Sergiu was thinking along the same lines. He had been silent and thoughtful before his face lit up with excitement. “That might work! We can strategically maneuver our way into a noble’s court. You have plenty of money so you can dress as a noble. Perhaps a minor one at first, as no one will have heard of you. With your speed and strength you can quickly prove your worth and climb the ranks of a human army. Then perhaps once you have enough status you can eventually wed a princess. Then, with the family name behind you, you will be unstoppable.”

  Chapter 28 Wallachia 1354 A.D

  “Once I have the name and an army behind me, I will be powerful and the Court will finally hear of me. Perhaps she will come to me.” This sounded promising to Vlad — an excellent strategy and next to impossible. That is why I will succeed. I will become royalty, one way or another! With a new goal, life flooded back into Vlad. He had a purpose and a plan. It is time to get to work.

  Sergiu was content as well and ready for the task ahead. “Now you are using your head, my dear friend. You will have to wait a couple of decades before you return to Targoviste. You will have to stay away until the mess you made last night passes into myth and legend. When I arrived at dawn, I found your mansion ablaze. The townspeople torched it as they removed the impaled bodies from the courtyard. I figured you would come to our cave and that is, of course, where I found you. Why don’t you travel with me? You should meet some of our kind and refine your fighting skills. Then we will execute our plan.”

  That night, well after dark the two old friends entered Vlad’s smithy shop. Buried in the back of the storage room was most of his gold. It was quite a substantial pile of treasure and took them several trips to get it all to the cave. They buried most of it in the back of the cave. The following day Vlad signed all his properties over to Sergiu who would put them up for sale the following day.

  While they were waiting for the estates to sell Vlad decided to pay two of his workers a visit. They were brothers — twins actually — who went by the names of Cosmin and Costel. He could not tell them apart. They constantly had to correct Vlad when he got their names confused, which was most of the time. They were, however, fiercely loyal to Vlad. They had not been part of the angry mob the night the local men came for him. The brothers were obedient, completing any task without question or complaint. Clearly these two were the best and hardest workers Vlad had ever had. He had dreaded the day he would have to fire them due to his lack of aging. Now the idea of leaving them behind was bothersome. He had a notion that as vampires they would be equally as loyal and useful. He decided to see if he was right.

  Late one night Sergiu and Vlad sneaked into the twins' modest home. They shared a small room with bunk beds. They were young and unwed; this would make them perfect companions — Vlad hoped. Vlad went to the one sleeping soundly on the bottom bunk. Cosmin — no Costel; hell, I don’t know. Biting deep into his own wrist, he let the blood drip into the boy’s mouth.

  The boy woke with a choked cough. He tried to sit up. Vlad grabbed him by the hair and held him down to ensure the blood was swallowed.

  The commotion woke the brother on the top bunk. “Sergiu, quick give him your blood,” Vlad said.

  Sergiu shook his head. “I will not be a part of making more of us. You do as you will but this is not for me.”

  This was the beauty of Sergiu. He did not try to control others. He simply lived his own life the way he knew best.

  At the sight of Vlad, the brother on the top bunk sat straight up almost hitting his head on the low ceiling. “Master, what are you doing here?”

  His brother gagged and choked. He jumped down from the upper bunk to check on his brother, who had blood dripping out of his mouth. His brother’s eyes rolled back in his head. “What happened? Is he dead?”

  “That is a good question. What do you think, Serg? Is he dead, or dying? Are we dead?”

  “Who can answer such philosophical questions? I truly do not know.”

  The brother who was awake held his unconscious twin. He looked at the two men as if they were mad. “What did you do to him?”

  “The same thing I’m going to do to you.” In less than a heartbeat Vlad grabbed the boy by the back of the hair and bit into his other wrist, as his right one was still sore. The twin tried to fight Vlad’s ironclad hold to no avail. Blood flowed from Vlad’s arm into the boy’s mouth. The panic faded from his eyes as they rolled back. The two brothers lay peacefully together on the tiny bed.

  They waited for what seemed like an eternity before the two brothers stirred. It would be daylight soon, so it was a relief when they woke. First one and then the other stared at Vlad in bewilderment.

  “Welcome to our world.” Vlad gave them a mischievous smile.

  Sergiu tossed them each a cloak. “You are going to need these when the sun comes up. Now let’s go find someone inconspicuous for them to feed on.”

  “Feed on?” one brother asked.

  “I’m so thirsty. I need water,” the other brother gasped.

  “I’m afraid water will not quench your thirst. Come with us.” Vlad leapt out the window followed by Sergiu. The brothers reluctantly followed.

  Their first feeding was a debacle. Vlad had to kill two onlookers so there would be no witnesses and they still barely made it out of the city before half the townspeople spotted them.

  The brothers were willing to accompany Vlad and Sergiu to the cave — after all, where else would they go? A large stone had been placed in front of the entrance, hiding the cave and the buried treasure within. Cosmin and Costel were relieved to get out of the sun and retire to the comfort of the cave. Sergiu told them what they needed to know about being a vampire. He took them under his tutelage, teaching them and comforting them. This was what he did best, helping and caring for others. It was his life’s work and he truly enjoyed it.

  Sergiu spent most days in town finishing up Vlad’s business. The shop sold first and for the most money. To Vlad’s surprise, this came as a great relief. He was finally free and no longer responsible for making sure the shop was run properly. It was not until the shop was no longer his that he fully realized how shackled he had been by it. Yet, there remained an uncertainty about leaving it behind. Managing that shop had been his life for almost one hundred years. What will I do with myself now? It is past time to move on and find out what else is out there. The mixture of excitement and trepidation was confusing. At least running the shop had been easy.

  Once most of Vlad’s other assets — his businesses, homes and farms — sold they would leave Targoviste. It did not come as a surprise that the burnt lot where Vlad’s mansion had stood did not sell. The superstitious people of Targoviste wanted nothing to do with that accursed place. So for now it would have to sit.

  The twin brothers adjusted to their new life as well as could be expected, thanks largely to Sergiu’s support and guidance. Vlad had no patience for coddling them, as Serg did. Although, Vlad had to admit watching them learn to fly was hilariously entertaining.

  One night in the cave, Cosmin asked Vlad, “Why did you do this to us?”

  Vlad had turned them because of their obedience. Yet, he chose his words more carefully. “My ambitions require me to surround myself by men who will be loyal. If you prove to be worthy then you can become commanders in my army.”

  Costel’s face brightened.

  Cosmin was not so easily won. “But we are not
warriors. We are smithies, in training.”

  “Aye, you were. But now you are warriors in training. You are no longer common humans, you are vampires.”

  This worked to win Cosmin over. The two brothers smiled at each other.

  The assets that did sell brought in another pile of gold to be buried in the cave. Within one month’s time they were finally ready to leave. Vlad could not wait to get out of the cave. For the first time in decades he felt enlivened. The possibilities as a murderous wealthy vampire were endless.

  Chapter 29 Middle East 1354 A.D

  The first vampires they visited were Sergiu’s companions in Trebizond. There they met what Sergiu referred to as a coven of vampires. He explained that it was a small coven consisting of only three, a woman and two men. The men were threatened by Vlad from the moment they met him and the woman was intrigued. It was difficult to tell which man was the woman’s lover, as they both appeared to be close to her.

  Vlad’s stay was not a long one. On the third day the men became enraged when they found the woman trying to seduce Vlad. Apparently, they did not want to share her with a third. Vlad had no interest in her, other than a curiosity to know what it would be like to be with a vampire woman. Not having to be overly gentle all the time was an exciting prospect. Vlad was not given the chance to find out.

  The men challenged Vlad. Sergiu appeared between Vlad and the angry men. The twins quickly moved to stand on either side of Vlad to show their allegiance. Sergiu managed to talk his friends down and promised that they would be on their way. Though Vlad would have been pleased with a fight, he was also content to get out of there. After only three days with no work to be done he was growing beyond restless. They happily left Trebizond that night.

  “That did not go as expected,” Sergiu said, as they took flight.

  “There can be only one leader, Serg,” Vlad said.

  “Of course. Then perhaps we avoid established covens for now, as they will already have leaders. What do you propose we do now, Leader?” Sergiu said.

  “It will be easiest if we do not stay in any one place too long.” Not to mention there was a large world out there that Vlad, in all his years, had not explored. “We need to learn to fight. Most of all, I want to find others like Costel and Cosmin. I need warriors if I am to become a ruler.”

  “It will be best to avoid the powerhouses to the northwest. Namely Lord Chastellain and Lord Ramdasha. We most certainly do not want conflict with them,” Sergiu said.

  After a couple of hours, they came to a walled city surround by lush green farmlands.

  “Let us see what awaits us in Bursa. There is a new ruler here. He calls himself Sultan Orhan. He was born a simple nomad and he, like his father Osman, has become a great ruler. They have a very powerful human army, which allowed them to conquer this region. There should be much to learn from the Osmanlis.” Sergiu lectured them in his schoolteacher tone.

  They had to wait until dawn for the city gates to open for tradesmen. At this point the city came alive. The hustle and bustle made it apparent that Bursa was very prosperous. Slowly moving amongst the people with their hoods over their heads the four vampires wandered the city streets. They came across a large field where soldiers were sparring. It was not far from the main palace compound and the Mosque of Osman.

  “Exactly what we need,” Sergiu declared. “These must be the sultan’s men.”

  Cosmin and Costel shrugged to each other, clearly not understanding what Sergiu was talking about.

  “And?” Vlad questioned. “What do they have to do with us?”

  Sergiu could not believe that his companions did not understand. “These men are your path to the sultan. With your vampire abilities you can quickly move to the top of the sultan’s army. You can learn the art of combat from them and they could lead you to the power you are seeking.”

  “We might as well give it a try.” Vlad was skeptical. He did not think they would be welcome, as they were not Muslim. Not to mention they were not as dark-skinned as the locals.

  Sergiu boldly approached the men as they carefully thrust toward one another with long thick curved swords, the likes of which Vlad had not seen before. Each was careful to give his opponent plenty of time to block the blow, as they did not truly wish to harm their comrades.

  “Salaam Aleichum Sadiqi.” May peace and God be with you my friend, Sergiu greeted the man who was clearly in charge.

  He was an aging warrior who wore a large white turban twice the size of his head. Vlad thought the headpiece was absurd. There were tall billowing feathers secured in the folds. The downy feathers moved gracefully in the breeze and with the man’s movements. He sported a large grey mustache that had most likely been as black as the bottom of a well at one time. His greyness surely gave him more status and respect amongst the younger men he commanded.

  While the hat was ridiculous, Vlad quite liked the mustache. In fact, a mustache would make me look older. Vlad decided that he would have to grow one. He had always remained clean-shaven, a habit formed because Vallachia had always disliked facial hair. But now he needed to look older and a thick dark mustache would help with that.

  The commander eyed Sergiu for a moment but as was customary, he had to return the formal greeting. “Aleichum Salaam.” And may peace and God be with you.

  “Tell me, kind sir, what does it take to join the sultan’s mighty conquering mercenaries?” Sergiu spoke in perfect Turkish with little to no accent.

  “We prefer the term Janissaries.” The man eyed Sergiu with suspicion.

  “Of course, Janissaries, the elite guard of the almighty Sultan Orhan — may God always smile upon him. My mistake. Please forgive my ignorance, most merciful Sire.”

  Sergiu is a master with words — in almost any language. He knows how to lay it on thick, Vlad thought.

  It seemed to work because the man issued the slightest hint of a smile as he continued to assess Sergiu. He moved to eye Vlad. Vlad met his gaze with a stern stare. The commander gave a slight nod and moved on to examine Cosmin and Costel — who appeared uncomfortable under the elder’s scrutiny.

  Finally he declared, “Yes, you appear to be fine, healthy young men. In order to join our powerful army one must prove his worth. Can you fight?”

  “We will let our swords do the talking.” Vlad’s voice was bold. His Turkish was not as good as Sergiu’s and his heavy accent dominated his words.

  “I sense much arrogance in you, boy. Such an attitude can serve soldiers well. Yet it can also be dangerous. Men come from far and wide to join this great conquering army. Only the best survive and only a select few make it to the top.”

  “That sounds like a worthy challenge.” Vlad issued his wicked smile.

  “Your confidence and pride will serve you well, I’m sure of it. My name is Ismail Pasha. I am the seraskier of the Janissaries, as well as the Grand Vizier to the sultan himself.” This meant he was the commander of the sultan’s army and the sultan’s top advisor.

  “Well then, we are conversing with the right man,” Sergiu said.

  “In fact, that is enough talk.” Vlad was beyond impatient with all the niceties and sick of the arse-kissing. “Let us show you what we are capable of. Who is your best man?”

  Ismail laughed. “I would not recommend taking on my best soldier unless you wish for death.”

  Vlad’s smile broadened.

  “I may have been wrong — your confidence may be the death of you,” Ismail said.

  “Bring your best man forward.”

  “Very well, perhaps it would be best to put you in your place, boy.” With a hand signal from Ismail, a large man approached. He was abnormally tall, at least a head higher than Vlad. He was also much larger, obese as well as muscular. His curved sword was drawn and massive shoulders swayed exaggeratedly as he walked.

  “Let’s show this boasting young man here what an Osmanli soldier is capable of.” Ismail’s words got the soldiers attention.

  Vlad graceful
ly drew his long broad sword as the men moved to form a large circle around him and his opponent. Vlad could feel the anticipation of the crowd and relished it. The onlookers’ eagerness to see a fight fed Vlad. A rush of energy passed through him.

  Vlad let his grand opponent attack first in an attempt to appear timid. He did not strike in the beginning. He only blocked the man’s blows with ease, although Vlad had to admit they were quite strong for a human. It was obvious why he was viewed as the best. He was undoubtedly the strongest amongst these men.

  Eventually, Vlad picked up the pace as he went on the offense. It did not take long before the man tired from wielding his heavy sword. Some of the Osmanlis shouted supportive cheers to their comrade. That was when Vlad decided to stop toying with him. He gracefully kicked the man’s legs out from underneath him. His large form landed hard. Vlad shoved his sword deep into the dirt an inch from his opponent’s head. He let the handle sway in the air for a moment — for effect. The large man looked at Vlad with wide dark eyes.

  Vlad smiled and gave him a hand to help him to his feet. “I hope there will be no hard feelings, my friend.”

  The man narrowed his eyes and slapped Vlad’s forearm away. He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. He marched off the field in a show of anger, pushing men out of his way and knocking over a sword stand.

  Chapter 30 Northern Anatolia 1354 A.D

  Ismail applauded. His large brown eyes danced like moonlight off rippling water. “Splendid display, my boy.” In that instant Vlad became the old man’s primary point of interest and his most favored pupil. “You won because you are fast and strong. Yet, you lack the skill and discipline of a tenured warrior. You hold your weapon all wrong and you need to stand like so.” Ismail braced his legs apart with his left foot slightly forward. “Keep your knees loose.” He bounced in his stance to show Vlad how mobile he was — ready to take action. Ismail proceeded to show Vlad how to hold the sword more securely and keep his elbow loose as well. “With my training, I will make you into the best warrior to ever walk this earth.” His voice boomed with triumph.