Voivode Court of Moldavia-Wallachia

[von Streusser]

The touch of a little hand on his silk shirt surprised Stefan a bit, and Radu even more. Anyone in the basement looking at Radu instead of the scene in the center of the room would have noticed him flinching, waiting for Stefan to send the girl sprawling with a backhand. The agent could not think of a single time he had seen another person initiate contact with the Voivode...but the blow did not come. Instead, Stefan smiled at the young thing. Radu's jaw hit his shoes.

As the older woman pulled the child away, Stefan said quietly "No. Let the child come." The Warlord moved over a bit to make room for her, a slight grin warming his face. He was not large, but his dark eyes were intimidating...and the scar across his throat where it had been slit was grisly and disturbing as well. Looking back at Jasmine, he took a sip of his tea, letting the warm liquid soothe his often-aching throat. Then he returned to business. "I have heard word of the Zayyanid merchants, and I think we will be able to come to an excellent arrangement for both of us. I also thank you for your offer of aid in communication with your...Sultan, is it?" He elected to return her gesture of mutual attempted understanding. They were different, but not so much as some would have led him to believe.

"But perhaps I should contact him personally at some point. Friendship cannot be established and maintained through intermediaries." The Voivode looked the little girl to his side over once more, then glanced at the other children in the mosque. He wondered how many had lost parents since the occupation of the Outlanders, and how horribly they had all suffered. In this quiet moment in a warehouse basement, he was genuinely touched. He felt a strange quiver in his jaw, a tightness indicating that tears would have to be controlled to maintain his composure. He managed to keep his face dry, and smiled as Jasmine spoke of his rumored ferocity.

"M'lady, what my countrymen say is actually true, and what the Venetians say is partially true as well. There are times when ferocity is not only a positive asset, but necessary. It is unfortunate that so many should be exposed to my...less pleasant side so often. Why, I imagine my friend Radu here is positively shocked." A quick glance in his direction indicated, much to Stefan's pleasure, that he was. "But to be a wolf does not mean to be a monster...for just as any wolf would die for their cubs, there is not a man, woman or child within my realm I would not die a hundred times for."

The Voivode took another sip of his tea. The heat loosed his throat a bit, so that his voice became slightly less muddy. He had never fully recovered from the attack, and had sounded different ever since...a thicker, fuzzier sounding voice. But for a few moments, as he drank tea with this Priestess from a distant land, his old voice, a deep and powerful voice, returned to him...and he felt healthy again, and whole.

She suggested tea in a garden mosque in a year's time, and the thought pleased him. "Yes, perhaps I will be so fortunate as to have that pleasure some time. As for a palace here...no, there are too many more important things to take care of before I spend money on my own pleasures...there are loans to be repaid, things to rebuild here in Dobrudja, infrastructure to improve throughout the realm...no, there shall not be a new palace for the Voivode of Moldavia any time soon." He smiled at the thought, but quickly dismissed it as an impracticality.

"However, I do hope I shall have the pleasure of hosting you in Iasi once all this nasty business of war is settled. My doors shall always be open to you, know that."

 

[von Streusser]

Diego had stopped, and was looking around at his surroundings. He was lost. Nadia giggled in the woods she watched from, then rode out at a slow walk. "If you wanted me to go easier on you, you should have said so!" She grinned the wicked grin she wore so often around him. "My apologies, Diego...now I'll give you a proper tour of the area."

Leading him along, she showed him the broad forests and the majestic mountains of her home, breathing the wild air in deep, intoxicating herself with it. Bringing them to a tall ridge overlooking the Marius campsite, she dismounted and sat on the edge of the cliff, kicking her legs idly and looking down at the people below.

"Diego, as much as I would like to believe that you came here only to see me, there is something you're withholding. You would not tell my grandfather. I hope you can tell me." She looked at him, momentarily serious. "What else has brought you halfway across the world to me?"

 

[Mettermrck]

Above the Marius Camp

”These mountains remind me of my home, up in fair Lusitania, though perhaps not as tall.” Diego laughed a little and leaned back, his feet not dangling over the cliff edge like Nadia’s was, but rather folded in a sitting position close to her. Perhaps she was brave enough to test the heights of the mountainside, but oddly enough, he wasn’t. It was an amusing thought, the young woman tempting fate where the valiant knight refrained from venturing.

He felt at ease in her company, their differences in culture, lifestyle, set aside in a casual banter and laughter that allowed them to overcome barriers which would normally thwart others. It was her smile, the movement of her hair in the breeze, the contours of her face, the light-hearted spirit she had, and the hardiness she exuded, that served to hold his attention. Things such as castles, dowries, family standing, etc., didn’t mean as much when he was spending time with her up in the high hills of Moldavia. He had no idea how any of this was going to work, but for the present, it did not seem to matter.

Then she mentioned his reasons for coming, and his face frowned slightly. The dream, the vision....she would think him mad. She would think him silly, think that he made up the whole thing as an excuse. He looked at her, flushing a little, wanting to tell her everything, but reluctant. Nobody traveled across Europe on the whim of a dream. You did, his inner voice said. Didn’t you? He sighed and leaned back on his hands. ”You would think me foolish, woman. A man gone mad. Tempting fate on a crazy notion. Nothing heroic about it.”

 

[von Streusser]

"The way I see it, Diego...you have already ventured across the whole of Europe to come here. If all of that was just for me, then I indeed think you mad. So since you have nothing left to lose there, why don't you tell me what's on your mind?" Nadia cocked her head to one side, looking over the balking knight. There was something going on, and she was going to find out what it was.

"I don't know why you should feel a need to be heroic all the time, Diego...I watched you as the hero at that joust, but there's more to Sir Diego de la Braga than the armored knight. There's a man inside there, a man with fears and dreams. A man I would very much like to get to know better." She was trying to remember when she had been serious for this long of a stretch before. Nothing was coming to mind. "I want to know why you came. And since I already think you're mad, why not tell me?"

The wind picked up just then, blowing up across her face, carrying her long dark hair behind her. She turned her face into it, looking down at the camp, across the hills and vales of her home, feeling the warm breeze off the Black Sea wash over her. The smell of the not too distant sea was still barely discernable, and she closed her eyes as it covered her, listening carefully for Diego's reply.

 

[Mettermrck]

Diego grinned and look down at the ground for a moment. "Then if you think me mad, then you know me somewhat already." He smiled self-consciously, trying to work up the will to tell her about the vision. Where to begin? At the beginning, he lectured himself. Struggling to keep eye contact with Nadia, the words slowly came out. "Well...do you know Latin? Anyhow, I'll get to that. It's a dream I've had. Not long after you left...I began having the same dream...every night...a vivid one." He looked up at her for a moment, wondering what she was thinking. Diego flushed, a little embarassed about the dream itself. "Well...y-you're in it...of course..." he laughed a little, feeling foolish. "You're in a field...of wheat...and you're dancing. Twirling, smiling, laughing. It's...you're...you're beautiful..." he found himself saying, meaning it in both the past and present tense.

"I'm chasing you, or trying to. But...like with the horses...I can't catch you. So...we run up this hill and just when I think I'll reach you, you're gone." Diego frowned in concentration, trying to recall precisely what happened next in the dream. He had listened to the words over a hundred times, but still did not know them all. "I...I...well, the skies cloud. There's thunder...and a storm comes. Then...suddenly, a shaft of light appears. And words...loud ones. Like someone's shouting at me. It's Latin...and...and well, I know there's more than what I recall. I only remember orientem torna. I'm told it means...'look to the east' or 'seek east'. And well, that's it."

He realized it sounded just as ridiculous as he had predicted. Diego decided to stop there, unable to figure how to explain how the dream meant his presence there. He shook his head, feeling pretty foolish.

 

[von Streusser]

Nadia screwed her face up in thought as she listened. "Hmmm...no, I do not know latin, nor will any of my people. But the Castle Iasi has a large library with many scribes, perhaps someone there will be able to help you?" She stood, putting one hand under his chin and gently guiding his face up to look at hers. "The first part of your dream is very sweet...you don't sound mad or foolish to me" she smiled at him, and balancing up on her toes placed a tender kiss on his lips.

"The second part, I have no idea about." She pulled away, looking back down on the village. There was a wheat field there, with a hill behind it. "Maybe if we act it out, it will come back to you? The answer must be in those words, and if you knew what they were, we could find someone to translate." She cast one more glance down at the field below, and turned to her horse, walking with determination. "Come on...we've got a mystery to solve."

 

[Mettermrck]

She had kissed him.

Scribes in Iasi. He supposed he would have to go back to the Moldavian capital and try to find someone who knew Latin. That made him remember something. "Your Chancellor had mentioned something interesting. One of my countrymen is residing in Iasi...he's a bit of the scholar type...writing a book on Moldavian history or something. I believe you have the answer then, Nadia." He smiled and stared at her for a moment.

She had kissed him.

When she mentioned the wheat field, he was surprised. He looked over the cliffside, as if he could suddenly spot it from where they were. When he had first ridden into the camp, he had thought that aspect of the dream to be completely imagined. But now...to find out that there was some truth to the vision. He could almost feel goosebumps on his arms. "Act it out? You mean you're going to dance up the hill, and I have to try not to catch you?" He leaned back and laugh, not mockingly, but in enjoyment of the moment. The thought that Nadia would actually want to was thrilling to him. But anything was possible, he told himself.

Because she had kissed him.

 

[von Streusser]

"No, I mean I'm going to dance up the hill, and you're not going to catch me." She grinned, swinging herself up onto her horse. "Just think Diego...what if you're getting a vision, like the sha..." she blushed and quickly corrected herself "ah, the prophets of old! This is so exciting!" She waited for him to mount his horse, then led him down back into the campsite to the fields.

There were 3 or 4 of them laying out beneath the evening sun, and she opened her hand, gesturing to them. "Well, which one do you like? And should I go put on a long skirt?" Her eyes twinkled with excitement...she was really interested in this little story, and eager to help.

 

[Mettermrck]

Diego grinned at Nadia, genuinely relieved that she was handling it all so well. How many people would count him mad for even thinking of reenacting a vision like this, yet here she was, willing to help him figure out his dream, even to the extent of acting it out with him. If this didn't make him realize how special she was, nothing would.

He turned to Nadia and laughed a little. "I can't tell which field, so I suppose any will do. And oh yes, put on the skirt. If we're going to do this, we might as well do it right." He watched the hills for a moment, trying to see if something came to him, but nothing did. The contours were close to the dream, but none seemed to be perfect. Perhaps they weren't important.

 

[von Streusser]

"All right" she laughed, riding over to her pavilion and ducking inside. For a brief moment Diego was alone, and another stiff breeze kicked up, pushing the stalks of wheat about, swaying in the wind. When Nadia returned, she was wearing a long red dress with beads, gems, and little bits of gold sewn into it, jingling as she trotted over to Diego. "Will this do?" she gave a brief spin, and the light sparkled off of the various items as the sun hit them all in turn. "I figured if I'm going to be dancing, I might as well wear a dress used for such an occassion.

You ready?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

 

[Mettermrck]

Diego's breath caught when he spotted Nadia's sparkling skirt. For a short while, he simply stood there, dumb, a wide stupid grin on his face. "That's better than the dream....perfect", was all he managed. Slowly he recovered his bearing and, reluctantly, pointed to one of the nearby fields. They walked slowly to the fields, Diego trying to recall how the dream felt. The sun was out and shining on the wild wheat, and he felt a chord with the sight. Her idea was helping already, and he could feel a faint tug at his memory.

They walked to the bottom of the field, where it sloped upward to the small crests, from where one could see the camp. He was about to tell her to take a head start, when she was off, dancing a quick happy step, twirling and moving in the breeze, in a way he hadn't predicted. Her smile widened, and she teasingly beckoned him to follow. With a rush he was off, a half-jog, half quick walk, confident he would catch her if he wasn't careful. But it wasn't so. Nadia had a grace and an agility he hadn't predicted, and she danced out of sight each time he thought he would reach her. His smile deepened, and he realized the sensations were very familiar. Just like the dream, Diego.

She laughed louder, and no doubt she was enjoying herself, the chase, the tease. With a grin he walked a little faster, but she easily evaded him. Just like the dream. And after a few more steps, they reached the crest, and she was gone. Not gone...not in the physical sense, but for a brief moment, she had rushed down the other side, out of sight, and for a time, Nadia could not be seen...just like the dream. Diego's heart caught and he looked up at the sky, almost as if the clouds were about to rush over the blue canopy. Where was the voice?!? Where...he spun, trying to find what he was looking for, no longer concerned with where she was. His ears began to pound, and he felt a rushing in his head, not sure if it was something from the dream or simply dizziness. With a trip, he collapsed, and knew no more.

 

[von Streusser]

He had said that once they crested the hill, she disappeared in the dream. To try and replicate this, Nadia tucked one leg under herself and slid hard down the other side of the hill, hitting the grass quickly so as to disappear. She looked back up at the crest of the small hillock, and saw Diego spin, trip, and fall face first into the ground.

"Shit!" she hissed, jumping up and running over to him. Rolling the Portugese knight over onto his back, she sat down in the field, her legs tucked under her, and cradled his head in her lap. Brushing his hair back out of his face and clearing some of the dirt and debris from his skin, she whispered something in Vlach. "Sweet spirit of the night, bring my dreams back to me to live again, show me your insight, show me that which can only be seen in darkness and is destroyed by the light." Running a finger over his cheek, she finished the timeless Vlach incantation and held him until he awakened.

 

[Mettermrck]

The clouds came, and the thunder, followed by the shaft of light, and the words. Loud and pronouncing. He could hear them...orientem torna...the two he had always heard. The voice was sharper, he could hear it speaking...more words...sentences. He could hear his own mind urging himself...concentrate! And then, towards the end...hasta fati. Then there was a rushing noise, and he felt the scene fade.

He was leaning on a soft pillow, and he opened his eyes, to find his head resting gently in Nadia's lap, her face gazing down at him, a mixture of concern and anxiety, her soft hand stroking his cheek. If it wasn't for the dream and their attempt at reenactment, Diego would have chosen to remain in that spot for hours, not moving. He smiled weakly. "I like this part of the dream..." He grinned, but noticed that Nadia had a serious expression, a touch impatient. He flushed a little and thought about the words. "Well...Nadia...it was sharper this time, the voice. I could hear it speaking for at least a minute, several sentences. 'Orientem torna', seek east. Those I remember. I also made out two more words, 'Hasta fati'. No idea what they mean. I need someone who knows their Latin."

He sighed and leaned back on her lap, hoping that it hadn't been a waste of her time. Something in her eyes showed that she was more than a little interested in his vision, more than just a concerned...friend.

 

[von Streusser]

She laughed, and gave his head a playful shake. "You scared me! But you heard a few more words? Good, good...now we have a little more to go on." She silently marveled at the fact that he could have heard a minute worth of talking and only remembered four words, but it was a dream after all.

"Well, if we are to find anyone who knows their latin, we will have to head to Iasi." Nadia looked up at the sky. "It will be dark in two hours...I think we can make it if we ride hard. Are you feeling up to it?"

 

[Mettermrck]

Diego's eyes widened. He was supposed to be the hardy knight, and yet here was a woman who could outride and outrun him. And she was the one who sought tests of endurance. He shook his head slightly. "Woman, you will be the death of me. I suspect you could vanquish knights in single combat." But he fondly as he turned and stood up, walking back with Nadia to the camp, and their horses.

They mounted, and Diego let Nadia lead back into the mountains, along the rode he had ridden in earlier in the day. Had it been less than a day that he had arrived here, hoping against hope that she would be there? It was strange how swiftly circumstances changed. Within the first hour, Nadia was threatening to outstrip him again, almost missing him in the windy trails she had chosen in the hills. The sun was beginning to wane, and it was becoming clear that she was using a few shortcuts of her own to get them to Iasi before nightfall. After he thought himself lost, she returned, saying nothing, but her eyes admonishing him with their dancing, and she took pity on him. They rode a little slower, though Nadia spurred him on with impatient looks. He was the knight! Yet she was the leader of their little expedition.

It must have almost two hours when they emerged on the far side of the hills, and he could at least see darkening outline of the castle, the faint flickers of the occasional torch reaching out to them. They galloped down to the town, anxious to finish the trip, though Diego had no idea how they were supposed to find a Latin-speaker this late in the evening.

 

[Blade!]

Izmayil, Drobudja: The Secret Friday Mosque of Ruma Neighborhood

Jasmine-i-Tlemscen, sipped her tea and closed her eyes briefly as she did so, meditating on the Voivode's words as he spoke. 'He is skilled with the tongue, though I do see he even surprises his own courtiers.' She took the Voivode into her mind from many perspectives... desires, goals, political concerns... 'what kind of man is he?'

The young woman considered herself an astute judge of character, and for the time being her mind settled on, if not trust, at least acknoledgement that the Voivode said all the right things and seemed to be genuinely interested in the goodwill of her flock, if not concern.

She reopened her eyes as the Voivode finished speaking. Her eyes briefly looked over young Hellene's face, and then over the Voivode's men-at-arms who could be seen through the doorway, before finally resting her vision in the large Moldavian's steely gaze.

"My Lord, it would be my privledge to attend you in Iazi... though I do hope itz reputation as a zity of znakez is ill warranted."

Jasmine allowed a warm and invitingly gracious smile to play across her face.

"..and I do hope the war will be zettled quickly, az I hope to inzpect the rezt of our Vlach Ummah az zoon az I can... though I imagine your rule will be juztly praized, my Voivode.

And... I do believe Sultan Akbe Mohammed will recieve your correzpondance with much enthuziazm... he iz fazinated by the barb... ah, northern peoplez... theze Orthodox landz in particular as our Reverend Mother has commanded uz to seek reconciliation with all the Orthodox Lordz. Pleaze pazz a letter to me before you return to the war. In truth, without the charity of non-Muzlims here, there would be no community here. The Vlach can be a compazzionate folk... I love them for thiz quality.

I do not mean to take up your time... a toazt to your nation... and to your long reign?"

*Jasmine extended her cup towards Stephan's*

 

[von Streusser]

"Two at once!" was Nadia's cheerful reply to Diego's suggestion that she could defeat a knight in single combat. "And frankly Diego...if you die on me, I'll be quite disappointed. I'd much rather be the life of you." With a skip, she mounted her horse, and the two headed for Iasi.

The ride through the passes was long, and if they took the standard routes they would not arrive before nightfall...and to be alone in the Moldavian wilds after nightfall would not be wise. As it was, they arrived in Iasi at dusk, and already the more reputable citizens of the city were going to sleep, while the night folk came out.

The pair passed many a loud, well-lit tavern on their trip through Moldavia's second largest city. Though small by the standards of the rest of Europe, to its people it was a capitol. To many outsiders, just a village. To the Vlach, their pride and joy.

Above it all towered Castle Iasi, a dark and imposing shape over the landscape. Built into the side of the hill, the castle used the natural terrain and the long winding passages to its gate as natural defenses. Though the guard population was thinned due to the war, the defenses were also kept much more tightly closed.

Nadia had to identify herself and Diego at three different checkpoints before reaching the main gate itself. Once there, the proclamation of "Nadia, daughter of Sorin cel Cumplit, Chieftain of the Marius tribe" was enough to gain them swift entry and audience with the Chancellor.

The old man instantly recognized Diego from their last conversation not so long ago. "Well, you've returned...and having brought Lord Sorin's household with you!" He smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "Well, what can I do for the two of you now?"

Nadia answered for them. "We are in need of a latin scholar to translate something for us...Diego says you told him of a Portugese scholar here, can we speak to him?"

The Chancellor nodded. "Absolutely." Waving a page over, he directed the lad to take the two of them to Rodrigo's rooms. Nadia thanked the Chancellor, and they followed the page deep into the bowels of the castle. Once within the ambassadors halls, a distant rhythmic thumping could be heard from somewhere nearby, muffled by all the stone. The page pointed out Rodrigo's door, and backed away with a bow.

 

[Mettermrck]

A History of the Moldavian People​

Moldavia had an intriguing position in the Balkan balance of power. Sitting astride the traditional invasion routes from the east, the land was in a constant state of flux, both politically and culturally. This served to create a people capable of hardy survival and contributing to the evolution of the enduring Vlach character...

He was finally arriving at the princes, after long nights of explaining the role of the Mongols in Moldavian history. His world was now completely surrounded by books on almost all sides, and the stacks of hand-written paper were growing until he was quite sure he had over three hundred of them, all filled with tiny Latin script. Occasionally, he would summon a scribe and have him take a portion of the work down for copying. The archives hated Rodrigo now, and dreaded his approach.

Little Stefan enjoyed his room, a little too much for Rodrigo’s tastes, treating the books and paper like a happy obstacle courses, something which ended in disaster when he knocked over a priceless ten volume set on the migration of the Avars. Rodrigo had struggled not to scold the little boy, but clearly his red face was enough. Little Stefan didn’t come by as much anymore, something which Rodrigo deeply regretted, but had little time for.

Now, as he heard the door open and voices outside, he sighed irritably and set down his pen. Walking around the tall stacks, he spotted two people standing in the doorway. One, to his great shock, looked very much like a countryman, a knight of some significance. His partner, an attractive young woman, looked to be a Moldavian. His woman? Rodrigo cleared his throat, no doubt looking pale to the couple. ”Uhh...greetings. I am Rodrigo Pereira. How may I be of serivce?” Diego, unfortunately, was of little help, his mouth hanging open at the hundreds of books in the room, and more than a little surprised at the pale red-haired man addressing him. He didn’t say anything.

 

[von Streusser]

"A city of snakes?" Stefan chuckled, then coughed...the cough took some time to fade, and he drank more of his tea to help it on its way. "Well, you seem to know my people by now...I will let you judge for yourself if the reputation is warranted. But I would say that the Venetians discovered quite well that outlanders, especially those with bad intent, may find themselves bitten."

Stefan listened as the woman spoke. 'Fascinated by the barbarians', she was about to say. At the beginning of the word, all warmth in his eyes and face vanished. So. This is what they thought of the Vlach. How typical. And this one was starting to show promise too. Swamplords. Barbarians. Heathens. Savages. That was all the world saw in Moldavia, all the world saw in Stefan. The Sultan was 'fascinated' by the Vlach, like some sort of fishbowl or aviary, some animals good only for amusement. The very thought made his blood boil. Were circumstances different, he would have screamed at the woman.

Radu heard it too, and his face fell. "Excuse me." he said to those near him, and made his way to the exit.

"Yes, I too hope this war will end quickly" Stefan said, his face now a cold blank mask. "I will see to it to pass a letter to you for your Voivode before I leave Izmayil." She spoke on the compassion of the Vlach and her love for them for this...perhaps in an attempt to make up for her previous insult? No, she seemed blissfully unaware. He simply nodded at her comment, clinked his cup to hers, and drank to her toast, adding nothing of his own.

"I thank you for your tea and your hospitality. But I must be off. I shall have someone bring a letter by shortly to send to your Voivode." He gave the Priestess a short bow, giving a nod of his head to Hellene, and headed up the stairs to the exit.

Radu was standing outside. "My liege, I'm terribly sorry..."

"Silence Radu. You have nothing to apologize for." Mounting his horse, Stefan gestured to Bogdan for his sword, who promptly handed it over. The Voivode refastened it about his waist, then doubled over with a coughing fit. Leaning his head over the side of his horse, he continued to cough, then spat up a thick wad of blood and phlegm. "Damnation." he hissed, then spurred his horse, and the party rode after him, leaving Radu behind. If he was needed, they would know where to find him. Ciobanul headed back to the Drunken Pope.

"I should have known better." Stefan muttered, once they were a good distance down the road. "They're all the same."

 

[von Streusser]

Nadia looked up at Diego, waiting for him to say something. This was his kinsman, after all. There was a long pause while Diego stood slack-jawed. Nadia gave him a hard elbow in the ribs to try and get him to speak up. With an admonishing sigh, she did so for him.

"Sorry to disturb you" she said, also fully aware of all the books "but we are in need of a latin scholar. I'm sorry, my name is Nadia, and this is Sir Diego de la Braga. If he would pick his jaw up, perhaps he could tell you what he needs help with..." she hissed, trying to get the Portugese knight to speak up.