VII
I had been to Italy in my past life, it was kind of nice seeing a familiar city. The fact that not much has changed in several hundred years was also something worth noting. We had left Wallacia a week ago and had miraculously reached Italy in relative speed. Well it had taken a week on horseback and a boat. But considering that we did travel on horseback it was surprising that we arrived in time for the timeframe that Vlad had set for us. Mirena and Dorina were traveling behind us, they would arrive in a day or two. Vlad and I had ridden ahead knowing that the carriage would slow us down.
" Father, why did you tell that messenger that we would be here in a week. We nearly rode the horses ragged and just barely made it to the city."
"The papacy appreciates urgency son, I have not been summoned like this for an audience in nearly two decades and the last time was when the pope legitimized my rule in Wallacia."
I thought about what he said for a moment and realized that my prediction had been correct, the church must want something from me if they issued summons for me as well.
The grip I had on my sword tightened as we drew closer to the papal residency. Say what you want about the church but they had some mind blowing architecture. Towering spires, statues carved in lifelike depictions of heroes and their conquests. I wondered if da Vinci was frolicking around somewhere. I knew that Rome was his stomping ground till his death in the fifteenth century. Maybe I'd get to meet the guy.
Vlad spoke with the guards at the gate of the large mansion-like building. Soon a small envoy of men dressed in striped uniforms came from the estate to escort us in. Ridiculous outfits aside, this must have been the predecessor to the Swiss Guard. They still had polearms and swords instead of muskets, which stumped me because of the fact that gunpowder was widely used.
We were led to a large room with a singular gilded chair at the forefront and dozens of wooden chairs off to the sides of the room. The ceilings were high up and covered in carvings and vibrant paintings. The guards left the room and closed the doors, they hadn't taken our weapons like I had expected thankfully. I didn't want to part with my sword while deep in unfamiliar territory surrounded by religious fanatics and thieves in every corner.
A man in papal robes and a graying beard entered and stood before us. Vlad promptly took a knee and I hesitantly followed suit. I still hated the idea of bowing to some self appointed authority but for the sake of my father I complied.
The pope nodded and took his seat before gesturing to Vlad.
"You and your son may rise, we shall keep this meeting short as I have another matter to attend to."
Vlad and I stood, after observing the pope. I noted that he looked rather bored of the matter. The pope addressed Vlad as he spoke on the current situation with the ottomans. The pope seemed genuinely surprised when he heard that we had pushed the Turks out of our borders so efficiently in a few years. I turned back into the conversation when the pope looked directly at me.
"It seems I have much to congratulate you on."
What the fuck do I call him, his majesty? His royal holiness? Fuck it let's go with the latter.
"I was only doing my duty to the realm, your holiness."
The pope raised his hand again, "Please, I was but a scholar before I took the papacy. I have no need for titles."
That took me off guard, a pope with some humility. I had expected the head of the Catholic empire to throw his weight around a bit more.
"You have done a great deed Casimir Tepes, your father speaks greatly of your exploits on the last crusade. To speed this along I offer you a villa in Prahova and a position in the Order of the Dragon. The villa will be under your fathers domain but it is seated on a major trade route and needs proper guidance, and the position in the Order should you choose to accept it shall be as the head strategist for future crusades."
A villa, I've been meaning to build my own with this I could potentially build my own little kingdom. Still wary of hidden agendas I looked up at the pope.
"I accept the lands, however I must deny the position in the order. I only wish to live a quiet and peaceful life with my wife. That is if you allow it, Father."
"Spoken just like your father," I swore I saw a small smile. "The offer still stands should you accept it on a later date."
Standing, the pope summoned the guards back into the room.
"They will escort you back, no if you excuse me, I need to meet with builders to finalize the Sistine Chapel."
With that he left and as the guards led us out I stared out in wonder. I couldn't believe that I could brag about being a part of so much history. Not only that but I would get my own Villa and my dream of living peacefully was slowly solidifying.
As we made it back out onto the streets of Italy Vlad lay a hand on my shoulder.
"I have said it before, but I am proud of you son. A Villa and a lordship at your age. Do your mother and I a favor and give us grandchildren already."
"Father, please Dorina and I will do things at our own pace. You know that. Though I am catching up to you old man, soon I just might take your title as Prince."
Vlad grinned, ruffling my hair. As I slapped his hand away he squeezed my shoulder before removing his hand.
"Nothing would make me prouder. It would mean your mother and I get to take our vacation sooner."
Shaking my head I began to walk towards our horses. Vlad said some more things that I was sure would bring me some sort of embarrassment so I ignored him. Mounting Roach I made my way over to the inn that Vlad and I had rented out earlier before our meeting with the pope. I had a lot to think about and I had plenty of time while I waited for Dorina so I could tell her the news.
Night fell and I made my way around the busy streets, people went about their business and performers dotted a few corners. As I took in the nightlife I noticed a strangely dressed man carrying a bundle of rolled parchment and some sort of wooden contraption. People stopped to look and whisper something I couldn't hear. I made my way over to the man.
"Do you need any help carrying that?"
The man turned with a huff, "If you would be so kind."
Nodding I took the strange contraption from him and followed him as he made his way around houses and shops. Soon we stood in front of a small estate,
"Leonardo! Open the gate, I have brought the rest of your garbage."
My ears perked up, strange contraptions and rolls of parchment. I steeled myself, what a turn of events. I had thought about the eccentric inventor early in the day only to meet who I assumed was his assistant of sorts later in the night.
"Luca, how many times do I have to tell you that these are inventions that will change the world one day, and that they will never be 'garbage' as you call it."
Leonardo Da Vinci was fucking old…. At least he looked like he was. Massive graying beard, bags and wrinkles around his eyes. His robes made him look rather frail as well. He turns to me and notices my sword and the contraption I held.
"Luca, who is this man you have brought to my home."
I held out my hand for a hand shake and introduced myself,
"Casimir Tepes, pleasure to make your acquaintance Master Da Vinci."
Da Vinci took my hand and shook it, despite his outward appearance the man had quite the grip.
"Are you perhaps related to Vlad Tepes also known as Vlad Draculea?"
"Yes, Vlad is my father. The pope had summoned us to discuss some matters about the Ottomans. I must say Master Da Vinci, it is an honor to meet such a renowned artist such as yourself."
Luca scoffed as Da Vinci grinned.
"See Luca, there are people who appreciate my work. Now come Lord Tepes, I have to show you my latest inventions."
"Just Casimir is fine, I feel rather old being addressed as 'Lord' Master Da Vinci."
"Then you can call me Leonardo." The smile of the inventor's face grew wider.
Luca excused himself, handing Da Vinci's blueprints over to him before walking back to the way he came. I followed the eccentric man as he led me to his home. The spurs on my boots clinked along the cobblestone path creating a sort of rhythm as I observed the carved statues around the property.
The inside of the estate was a cluttered mess, drawings lay scattered on the floors and paintings were stacked haphazardly in corners. More contraptions lay in a pile by a desk, Da Vinci threw the bundle of parchment at another pile of parchment before turning to me.
"Tell me Casimir, do you believe in the supernatural?"
That was a rather sudden question, maybe he knew something about Broken Tooth Mountain.
"I have seen my fair share of strange occurrences, why do you ask?"
Leonardo points at my sword, "I have seen that sword depicted in a book I found many years ago." He turns and begins to shift through a pile of papers. "I think I even have a copy of the page here somewhere… Ha! Here it is." Spinning around he hands me a leaf of paper with a drawing of my sword and a few notes scribbled onto the side.
The picture was only a little bit off, whether it was Leonardo when he copied it or the original, the Damascus pattern had been left out as were the runes.
"Forgive me Leonardo, I can not read those notes, what do they say?"
Da Vinci's eyes light up in realization, he runs off and returns with a mirror.
"I protect my works a certain way so that only I know how to decipher them. The notes mention that the sword's power comes from the material that it was forged from, hmmm, it also mentions that the sword is tied to a certain bloodline which had been blotted out in the book I took this from."
The sword's power came from what it was forged from, and it was tied to a bloodline? The more I thought about it the more questions I had, how had the monks come across this sword. They had told me that they had found it in or by a ruined tower. That didn't really narrow it down, they did mention something about Roman origins but still that didn't help either.
"If you could oblige an old man, would you let me examine the blade Casimir?"
Nodding, I drew the sword and offered it to Da Vinci handle first. The artist took the sword and began to examine the patterns and runes. He made a few notes in a notebook he pulled from his robes then examined the ice like gem in the pommel. As he was observing the sword his hand slipped and a small cut appeared on his finger. Cursing Da Vinci dropped the sword and sucked on his finger. The sword stabbed into the ground effortlessly, surprising me and Da Vinci both with its sharpness. The sword did not weigh any more that three pounds and yet it had stuck into the ground as if someone had stabbed it into the stone.
Da Vinci put his hand around the handle and attempted to remove the sword from the floor. Frowning, his face strained as he redoubled his efforts. Giving up a moment later he looks at me.
"Casimir, I have some suspicions about the origins of this sword. How did you come by it?"
I told him the story about how the monks acquired it in a ruined tower and its possible Roman origins. Da Vinci made a note of this. He took more notes as I mentioned the power the sword held, obviously leaving out its ability to open rifts. He excitedly made theories on the swords power before attempting to remove the sword from the floor again.
"Just as I thought, I still can not remove it. Why don't you give it a try Casimir."
Stepping away, Da Vinci had his notebook in hand ready to take notes as I approached the sword. The second my hand made contact with the leather wrapped handle I felt a pulse of power course up my arm. Da Vinci did not seem to notice. I put my other hand on the handle and the gem on the pommel flashed blue. The sword slowly emerged from the stone floor without any effort on my end. It was as if the stone was just pushing the sword into my hand. I quickly willed the power to dissipate once the sword was in my hands again as I sheathed it.
Da Vinci was frantically taking notes, I guess he saw the light show towards the end. He snapped the notebook close and looked at me with something akin to awe and curiosity.
"Do you know what you have in your hands Casimir?"
I thought about it for a moment, "I don't really know, the sword behaves somewhat like Excalibur but that sword is only a myth is it not? Arthurian lore has never been proven and there is no evidence that King Arthur even existed."
Leonardo shakes his head, pointing at the sword.
"Casimir, that sword is Excalibur."
You could hear the sound of a needle dropping in the room. I looked down at the sword I had been carrying for years, there was no way right? I wondered why the sword felt familiar all those years ago.
"Leonardo, that would mean that I'm related to King Arthur… but that's completely outrageous, no one in my family can claim any relation to any Roman bloodline."
Leonardo looked at me in thought, a hand stroking his beard. Any other day it would have been entertaining but with the information that had just been dropped on my head weighed on me.
"I can look into your family's records for you, I believe Pope Sixtus owes me a few favors. Without a doubt in my mind though, that sword is Excalibur. Whether you want to believe it or not."
Who was I to argue with an actual genius and inventor? I gave him information on where I was staying and started towards the door to take my leave. Leonardo stopped me before I stepped back out, there was a rolled painting in his hand.
"Casimir, take this painting as thanks for indulging me. I will not take no for an answer. I have many more and you clearly appreciate my work. So honor me by hanging it up in your home."
I took the painting from his hands, almost wanting to cradle a potentially priceless piece like a baby. I exchanged goodbyes with the inventor before walking back to the inn with plenty to think about and an actual painting by Da Vinci himself.
[Line Break]
Two days later I was walking around the city square 'Excalibur' buckled onto my hip and off to meet with my father. He had gone off early in the morning to look for a souvenir for Mirena. The women were due to arrive today, I had more news to break to Dorina and I didn't know how she would take it. The city was much different in the day than it was at night. The smells of fresh baked bread wafted through the open windows of stores and homes. I took a loaf from a vendor tossing a few silver coins as payment. The vendor's eyes went wide at the sight of the coins, I didn't care if I overpaid for simple bread. It was all part of the experience.
How many people could say that they walked the streets of fourteenth century Italy. I tore a piece off of the loaf and savored the taste. There was something about food in this day and age that sat on a different level than modern foods. Maybe it was how the ingredients were more natural and had less added ingredients. All I knew was that it was delicious and had proven to be an excellent source of nutrition.
I met up with Vlad as I finished the loaf of bread. He looked at me as the rest of the baby sized loaf disappeared into my mouth.
"What? I was hungry." He grinned and pointed towards the docks.
There Dorina and my mother were being helped off of a boat by Demitru. Their belongings in trunks around them, Vlad gave me a grin that said 'let's go mess with them.'
"Fine," I whispered. "But I'm blaming you if mother tries to kill us."
He nodded and we snuck off into a nearby alley. Taking my coat off I turned it inside out to hide the family crest. I also took my sword and stabbed it into the ground, guess I could really test if it really was Excalibur this way. I took a piece of cloth and wrapped it around my face as a makeshift mask and watched as Vlad apply his own disguise. We waited in the alley for a moment until Demitru passed by, I yanked him into the alley as Vlad shoved my mother and Dorina into the alley after sneaking up behind them.
Demitru was soon unconscious as I held him in a chokehold. Lowing him down to the floor I drew the dager from my boot.
Dorina had fear etched across her face and yet my mother still had a look of defiance despite Vlad holding her in a rather compromising position. I approached Dorina slowly with the dagger by my side, I tried to disguise my voice as best as I could while speaking in Italian.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Two lovely birds have walked their way into our hands."
"Take what you want! Just leave us alone." Cried out Dorina as I made to grab her wrist.
I felt a fist collide with my face as Mirena broke free from Vlad who was on the ground clutching his crotch in pain. Dorina started kicking me as I frantically pulled my paak off and attempted to stop her.
"Dorina! Love! It's me, stop kicking me, it was just a joke."
I heard her gasp and take a step back, suddenly I was being lifted up back on my feet by my ear. Vlad had also recovered and was coughing with his hands on his knees.
"Casimir, explain yourself now."
"Mother! It was fathers idea!" I said, immediately throwing Vlad under the metaphorical bus.
Vlad audibly groaned and tried to limp away to escape but my mother was on him in a blink of an eye swatting him with both hands. Dorina had a mixture of emotions on her face, mostly anger, and a bit of amusement. I brushed myself off and wiped the dirt off of my face with the scrap of cloth. Demitru was coming around and looked at Vlad and I in confusion.
After explaining ourselves Vlad was lectured by my mother on influencing me with his behavior. I insisted that I had wanted no part in it, much to my father's chagrin. Demitru went off to move the trunks to the inn as I walked back over to my sword. Vlad attempted to pull it from the ground so that he could hand it to me. He looked at it in surprise as it refused to come free from the ground.
"What's the matter dear," Vlad looks at my mother. "The great Vlad Tepes can't draw a sword from the ground?"
"Mirena, it's as if the sword is stuck." Vlad turns to me. "Casimir, what is the meaning of this?"
Dorina took my arm and I looked at her, sighing. I began to explain what I had discovered the previous day. Leaving out details such as the sword being 'Excalibur' instead claiming that I had discovered that the sword was enchanted so that only I could wield it, along with its ability to enhance my senses.
Vlad looked at the sword in wonder before attempting to pull it from the floor again. Mirena even tried her hand only to fail as well, Dorina looked at the sword and back to me. Despite her keeping silent I knew that look in her eye. Walking back over to the sword I pulled it free from the ground easily and sheathed it back on my hip.
The day progressed slowly and Mirena and Vlad went off together after informing me that we would meet at the inn later for dinner. I took Dorina's hand and we explored the city.
"So are you going to tell me how you came about owning Excalibur?"
"I knew you'd figure it out." I pulled her into a shop as we took our seats. " I have some theories, I met with Leonardo Da Vinci a few days ago and he-"
"Wait," she looks at me with disbelief. " You're telling me that in a few days here, you met with THE Da Vinci and found out that the sword you've had since you were eighteen is actually Excalibur?"
There was a tone of jealousy and awe in her voice. A serving girl came and took my order, I got a bowl of venison stew and Dorina got a few pastries that I knew she would find delicious.
"Yeah I met Da Vinci, he even gave me a painting after I told him about my sword."
Dorina grinned. "Wait is that like a sex thing?"
"Love, what is it with you and always assuming that everything related to a sword is an innuendo."
"Don't look at me like that, I'm sexually frustrated. I've been on the road for a week and a few days. Do you even know how hard it is to not jump your bones the second I see you everyday."
I fought back the blush that was threatening to show on my face. The food arrived and we dug in, Dorina practically inhaled the pastries as I attempted to finish my stew. As I put the last spoonful in my mouth Dorina left payment on the table before dragging me out and back into the street. We were back in the inn and in my room in record time.
I woke up a few hours later to a knock on my door. Throwing my clothes back on I opened the door and my mother walked inside before I could protest.
"The room reeks of sex." I opened my mouth to protest. "I heard that the pope has granted you a villa."
"Mother," she looked at me expectantly. "Can we perhaps continue this conversation outside away from my naked wife?"
She sighed and exited the room, I kissed Dorina on the forehead before following my mother out to the hall.
"The pope granted me a Villa in Prahova, though I think he wants me to govern the trade route that runs through the land."
Mirena 'hmm'ed before speaking. "Prahova is a major trade route to the east of your fathers castle. You'd control the flow of goods into a majority of Wallacia."
"I am already wary of hidden agendas the pope has. I am willing to bet that this is some sort of play to control father rule in some way."
"That sounds like a likely scenario," she pulls me into an embrace. "Like your father I am proud of you Casimir."
Breaking the embrace she informed me that dinner was to be served soon. She went back off into the room she shared with Vlad as I entered my room only to be greeted by a naked Dorina holding the painting Da Vinci had given me.
"Is this what I think it is?"
"And what do you think it is?"
"I think Leonardo Da Vinci just gave you the original 'Madonna of the Rocks'."
"I forgot you were an art nerd."
She glared at me. "You don't get it, this is supposed to have been sent to the Vatican, and Da Vinci just gave it to you."
"So it's important?"
"Cas, this painting sold for nearly a billion dollars in the future."
"Dori," I took the painting and rolled it up gently . "It doesn't matter how much it's worth. We're stuck in the fourteenth century."
I placed the painting down by her trunk, I took my clothes back off and moved closer to her.
"Now is there a way I can distract you my love?"
Mood immediately lifted, she jumps into my arms and we fall back into the bed.
Dinner was served an hour later, various foods were placed on the tables as the Inns staff treated us like royalty. In a sense we were royalty I guess, but that was beside the point.
A messenger came through the door with a letter addressed to me once dinner concluded. Dorina and I retreated to our room before I opened it. Dorina snatched it out of my hands and slumped down on the bed.
"I can't read it." She handed the letter back to me.
I looked at the strange writing which looked familiar, Da Vinci's notes looked the same. Realization flashed through my mind. I ran over to the mirror and held the letter with the words facing the mirror. I smiled as the reflection translated the letter and I began to read.
Casimir my friend,
If you are reading this letter I congratulate you for figuring out my 'code'. Unfortunately the papacy's records of your ancestry did not hold any answers to why you alone can wield Excalibur. I discovered an interesting fact however. A relic was apparently stolen by a Roman Emperor named Caligula. His resting place is noted to be in Wallacia. I do not know if this information is relevant to the sword but I found it interesting that a Roman emperor would be buried so far from home. Come back to my estate if you find the time, my doors are always open to you.
Your friend
Leonardo Da Vinci
Dorina had been reading over my shoulder. As I turned around she had a look on her face.
"Would you like to accompany me to visit Da Vinci tomorrow?
She nods excitedly, doing a little dance around the room.
"I can't believe I get to meet Leonardo Da Vinci!"
I laughed at her antics and pulled her to bed, she clutches my arm and before long she had fallen asleep with a smile on her face.
The next day I retraced my steps to Da Vinci's estate after informing my father that I was going to take Dorina to explore the town. Dorina stuck close to my side, taking in all the scenery and beauty of the city. We soon found ourselves outside the gates just as Da Vinci came from behind a shed off to the side.
"Ah, Casimir, I did not expect you to visit so soon," he brushed off his hand and made his way over to us. "And who is this beauty next to you."
"Leonardo, meet Dorina, my beloved wife. Dorina, this is Leonardo Da Vinci."
Dorina offered a small bow to the aging artist who looked at her as if planning his next big painting.
"Lady Dorina, you must let me paint you. I have never seen such vibrant red hair."
Looking down to hide her blush, Dorina replied "it would be an honor to be painted by a master such as yourself Master Da Vinci."
"Nonsense, just all me Leonardo, Casimir would you like to be included in this painting?"
Dorina looked at me with her puppy dog eyes. I felt my will power crumbling.
"Ah, fine. Whatever, how long will this painting take Leonardo."
The artist looked to be in thought, "Well, if I rushed it along it would take no more than a week or so."
Nodding, I looked at Dorina's hand as we followed the painter into his home. Dorina was shocked at first when she noticed the clutter in Da Vinci's home. Then she noticed the rows of paintings and sketches. The day went on as we posed for Da Vinci as he took a rough sketch.
Watching the genius painter work was a thing of beauty, I started to suspect that he had some sort of photographic memory when he didn't complain that Dorina and I moved as he sketched our likeness on a blank canvas. It would explain a lot of his work as well as his ability to draw the human anatomy so perfectly.
As the sun set we bid the eccentric painter farewell with a promise to visit soon as we made our way back to the inn. As we walked the slowly darkening street I felt as if we were being followed. Squeezing Dorina's hand to signal her to be cautious I led her into an alleyway between two houses.
"Look what we have here Nicolo. It seems we have our entertainment for tonight."
A thief in dark clothing emerged from behind us as another blocked the entrance to the alley.
"Hand over your belongings and we won't hurt you."
They were armed with daggers and looked rather dirty. I heard Dorina scream behind me as the one who had appeared in the alley with us grabbed her. He threw a hand over her mouth to muffle her screams as the other charged in. In one smooth motion I drew Excalibur and willed the power to fill my body. Time slowed to a crawl and the thieves looked around in fear. In the blink of an eye I was behind the one that grabbed Dorina. Tearing him off of her I slammed him into the ground before slashing my blade through his throat. The other thief had attempted to flee but with a flick of my wrist I sent a shockwave from the blade nearly bisecting the man from head to groin. Blood exploded into the street, I willed the power from the sword to recede as I sheathed the blade. Pulling Dorina along just as people started to scream when they noticed the dead bodies I had left in my wake.
Back in our room at the inn Dorina was pacing back and forth as I washed the blood off of my face and hands.
"What the fuck was that?"
I toweled off my face, "That was what the sword can do." I held her close to stop her pacing. "I'm surprised you're taking all this in stride."
"What can I say," she said. "My husband's father is Dracula and my husband has the actual Excalibur, I can't say that I'm really worried about lowly thieves." She continued in English.
"I'm going to have you start taking self defense classes with my mother."
"Wait Mirena takes self defense classes?"
"Yeah, how do you think she escaped from Vlad in that alley yesterday morning."
"Honestly I didn't even notice, I was too worried because my dear husband was pretending to rob me the second I arrived in this city."
"I said I was sorry," scratching the back of my head. "What can I do to make it up to you?"
"Well you already introduced me to Leonardo Da Vinci and we are getting our portrait done by the most renowned artist of his time. So I guess we are even."
I lay in bed as Dorina examined the painting Da Vinci had given me. All the complications aside, I wouldn't trade this life for another. A family, a loving wife, and a magical sword. It was starting to seem like I was a main character in a twisted story. Laughing at the wild idea that I was just a character in a story I drifted off to sleep praying that if I was a character in a story, that whoever was writing my story wasn't an asshole.