Vlad woke up lying in a forest, miles away from the demoness's castle. He got up to a hill to see how close he was to his castle and estimated it was half a day's walk away.
As he walked towards his castle, he thought about what had just happened. It felt too much like a dream, but he thought of his men, and if it was a dream, he should have woken up surrounded by them.
He sighed in frustration, hating how he felt in front of the demoness - weak, scared, and defenseless. It had been a long time since he felt that way.
Anyway, the demoness was an issue he had to put behind him for the time being.
He was tired, hungry, and sad, having lost fifty men that day - soldiers, brothers, and friends - all because he couldn't resist his itch for adventure.
As Vlad approached the castle gates, he collapsed. His men, who were watching the gates, rushed to his aid.
"Are you alright? And the men, where are they?"
"Dead, all of them, dead."
The soldiers looked at each other in shock.
Vlad's commander and brother, Radu cel Frumos, ran out of the gates, followed by Justina.
"Why are you just standing there? Do you want to lose your heads? Take the prince inside now."
A few days later, Vlad sat in his courtroom, answering questions about the demoness's castle.
"Sire, you say you didn't see what was happening to them. How are you so sure they are dead?"
"I saw their leader, and it assured me of their demise."
A nobleman in full armor, Stephen, rose to speak. "Sire, I ask that we return with a greater army and slay the demons."
"We would have a greater chance of defeating the Sultan's army without the Order's help."
His delegates gasped, and whisperings and murmurings filled the courtroom.
"We have more pressing issues than that castle. Radu, have the men been made ready to ride into battle?"
Radu stood up to address Vlad.
"Well, they are ready, sire."
"But?"
"Well, sire, since the dark castle incident, the men feel you are not capable of leading them into battle. They say our father would not have let fifty men die."
The courtroom fell into complete silence. Justina looked at Vlad with sympathy, but Vlad's expression remained unreadable.
"Gather the people. I wish to speak to them."
That evening, the people and soldiers gathered in front of the castle to hear their prince speak. Vlad and Justina stepped out together, Vlad in a dark blue velvet cloak and Justina in a green gown, both wearing formal attire with subtle signs of their royal rank. Vlad began to speak:
"I know recent events have created a lack of trust in me, and truly, I do not deserve it. I led my men - your fathers, your husbands, and your sons - I led them to an evil we did not understand, and I am sincerely sorry. All I ask is that you give me a chance to prove to you that I am not a lost cause. Let me prove myself as your prince."
Vlad took a short bow at his people and his soldiers and walked into his castle hand in hand with Justina, who looked at him with pride.
Vlad wore a loose red chemise, rumpled from sleep. Justina wore a simple nightgown. They lay together, their bodies intertwined. Vlad's arm around her waist and her hear on his chest.
"Vlad?"
"Yes, wife."
"I am afraid," Justina said.
"Afraid of what?"
"Losing you."
"You won't lose me, Justina. How many times have I come back?"
"You say it as if you can't die, as if you're not human."
Vlad remained silent. His mind wandered to the demoness and her offer.
"Vlad."
"Yes, wife."
"Please don't die."
" Vlad raised Justina's chin so her face could meet his, and he kissed her.
"I won't."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
They kissed again, and as they kissed, they heard a knock on the door.
"Enter."
Radu walks in.
"I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep, Your Majesties."
"What is it?" Vlad said with urgency in his voice.
Radu raises his head with a smirk on
his face, looks at Vlad, and says,
"There's something you need to see."
Vlad and Radu walk into the courtroom, with Justina right behind them. In the courtroom stand all his delegates, captains, and a lot of his soldiers. Vlad and Justina sit on the throne.
"Is there something wrong?"
Stephen steps forward and bows.
"Sire, your men have asked us to gather together with you. They have something to tell you." Stephen says with a broad smile.
Vlad's face remains unreadable, but in his mind, he is confused. He nods, allowing whatever was supposed to happen to continue. Stephen bows and steps aside. A man he recognizes as a captain in his army steps forward, bows, and begins to speak.
"Sire, your men are here to tender their apology. We were wrong to doubt your leadership and compare you to your father. We ask you to forgive us, and we would like to pledge our complete loyalty to you, to follow wherever you lead, even if it leads to hell."
All the soldiers and delegates bend a knee to their prince. Vlad rises from his throne and bows. Justina looks at Vlad with admiration and love, but in her heart, she cannot help but feel distressed - her nightmare has become a reality. Vlad will soon ride into war.
Vlad rides into the Orders camp at Tragoviste, he dismounts his horse he had never been one to be attached to animals so he saw no need to name them.He walks into the large tent that sat in the middle of the camp, he wore a crimson coat with a bull's head emblem, a white tunic, and leather breeches. His boots and belt feature the same symbol, and a fur-lined cap covers his hair. The bull's head represents his status as the prince of Wallachia.
" Dragon salutes Dragons" he says as he takes a short bow.
" We were told of your ordeals, we didn't expect you to be hear so soon."says Bagdan.
"Well, I am here. Shall we commence with the preparations?"
"That we shall Impaler."
Over the course of a month Vlad had led successful attacks on the Ottoman camp at Tragoviste, he had successfully driven the Turks out of Tagorviste. The Romanian soldiers gained more and more confident as their attacks led by Vlad were all successful, till the point that they all believed that they could defeat the Ottoman empire.
Vlad returned to the camp after giving what the soldiers called 'the finishing blow', the men decided to celebrate for the fall of the Ottoman empire seemed near.
" I knew you could pull it off Nephew Never doubted you." Said Bagdan.
" Sure."
They both laughed with their goblets in their hand as they drank in celebration. The camp was loud with celebration soldiers danced around in circles singing songs of triumph, Vlad his uncle and the other members of the Order sat around a large bonfire in front of the large tent.
Tokovoic walked over to Vlad and stood in front of Vlad as he sat facing the bonfire and bows.
" I apologize for doubt you, Dragon"
Vlad gets up and raises Tokovoic from his bow.
" Do not insult Apologize Tokovic it would be madness not to fear the might of the Empire, but what we do not do as me is to let out fear control us."
Tokovoic steps back, takes a bow and walks away. Vlad turns to his side to see Bagdan smiling at him.
" What is it Uncle?"
" I remember when you were but a child running around with your wooden sword commanding your imaginary army, Now look at a you, a man, a prince and a leader, exceeding every expectation set before you.... Your father would be proud."
Vlad smiles and wipes a tear from his eye and sniffles.
" You're getting soft old man."
"Look whose talking."
They both laugh.
As the celebrations continue a man wearing the armour Vlad's men were accustomed to wearing rode towards the camp the guards at the entrance stopped him and he fell of his horse . The guards approach the man with caution. One of the stooped down to check the man's pulse and the man jerked up awakened by the guards.
" I need to speak with the Prince, take me to my prince" he rambled.
The guards led the man inside the camp.The man kept rambling creating a commotion which attracted Vlad's attention. When they reached Vlad with the man he recognized him immediately it was one of his senior officers.
"We fell of his horse at the entrance, but he kept saying he needed to speak with you." One of the guards said.
Vlad knelt before the man and poured the wine into the mans mouth. The man's eyes opened up his senses coming back.
" Sire, the Turks they've captured your castle they came through the mountains. We were no match for their force."
" My wife and son?"
" They escaped, sire. They hide in one of the villages down north."
" And my brother?"
The man's eyes went from desperation to sadness.
"Is he dead?" Vlad said with rage in his voice.
" No, sire. But it was he who gave your castle to the Turks and now the sultan has named him 'Prince of Transylvania.'.
" What?...."