Angelina's mind was a blur, and she felt that she would faint at any moment. Her pregnancy hormones were making it worse. The young woman felt as if she were swaying; Bioan noticed and stood by her side, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. 

Minah took Mihnea. Many questions went through Angelina's mind. "I-I thought that Vlad would send her away. How did she-?" Angelina spoke in an almost-faint whisper, in shock. 

The midwife began to cry as she put her hands over her face. Sorina tried her best to console her, feeling terrible. "Oh my Lady! Please forgive me! I have tried everything in my power to stop Lady Minah, but she has overpowered me! It was as if the devil itself possessed her!"

Reality finally set in, and Angelina knew that she couldn't let her anxiety and stress overwhelm her too much, or it would affect her baby's health. After taking a few breaths, she looked at Bioan. "Bioan, please inform the guards to close all the exits and entrances to the castle. No one is allowed in or out until Minah and Mihnea are found. Also, the guards are to expect every room, no matter if it comes down to the dungeons and servants' quarters." 

Bioan and Sorina were surprised by Angelina's command of authority, although a hint of vulnerability lay beneath it. Angelina was pregnant, but her concern over Minhnea gave her the confidence and strength to give command. Bioan let her go and did a quick bow as he went off to follow his orders. Angelina then motioned for Sorina and the midwife to enter; she went to the midwife and gently hugged her. "Please don't blame yourself. You did the best you could. No one, not even me, could have imagined that Minah would do something like this." The midwife flinched; if she worked for Minah, it would mean instant punishment or even execution. However, Angelina was the polar opposite: kind and understanding. The midwife felt relieved that mercy was upon her.

Sorina stepped forward, hands clasped. "What happens now, Angelina? Minah may be anywhere or worse, she may have escaped!"

"I doubt that. Minah is not mentally stable and I am damn sure that she is still in the castle. My main concern is the Mihnea." Angelina let go of the midwife and walked out of the room; the two women followed.

"Where are you going?" Sorina asked.

"To find, Minah. I have a feeling that she may want to see me face-to-face."

"Th-That would be too dangerous, my Lady! You are with child and you mustn't go try to find Lady Minah! She may have something planned!"

"I agree with her. Angelina, let the guards handle it. They-"

Angelina stopped and looked at the women. "I will not sit behind and wait. I have a feeling that Minah did this to get my attention. Well, she has it. If I don't make my presence known to her, then she might kill her own child. I can't afford that."

Sorina was momentarily silent. "At least have protection."

"Call on a guard. Go on you two. I will wait here."

The women looked uncertain, but when Angelina motioned them to go, they eventually went, leaving Angelina alone. Once left alone, Angelina stood silently and knew that she was running out of time. The young woman knew that Minah would have wanted her to be alone. She thought about the possibilities of where Minah could be. Minah wouldn't be in her room; it would have been too obvious. 

The possibility that the noblewoman was in another room was another option. Still, if Minah had Mihnea, then Minah needed to be in a place where she had more control over the situation. 

An idea came to mind. Angelina couldn't wait any longer and went on her way. There was one area of the castle that Minah would go to. It's somewhere she would have a lot of space, where she could handle the situation. Angelina was afraid to go alone, but she knew there was no other option. Minah was mentally unstable, but not stupid. Angelina passed a few servants, but many of them didn't know what was going on. It would only be a matter of time before the word spread.

It was better that way so that the situation wouldn't worsen. 

Angelina climbed a few stairs until she got to the upper level of the castle, the battlement. A cold chill was felt that would make any person's heart pound; Angelina felt just that. When they reached the battlement, a low cry echoed. A young woman stood by the walls, her back turned; her hair was in disarray, flowing in the cold wind; her white, dirty dress billowed like a soothing curtain. 

It was Minah, standing still, making it nerve-wracking to approach her. However, Angelina took a deep breath as she slowly walked outside, maintaining her distance and stopping in the middle of the street. Although her footsteps made noises, Minah looked unmoved. The women were silent, but Mihnea's crying echoed.

Angelina waited for Minah to make a move or speak, and when realizing that Minah wasn't going to, Angelina was about to do so, but was beaten to it. "You are with child," Minah stated in a matter-of-fact tone. 

"Yes, I am."

"It is my husband's."

"It is Vlad's, yes."

Minah still had her back turned, still onto Mihnea. Her eyes were lifeless as she gazed out. She had lived in castles most of her life; the only time she was able to roam out of the castle walls was when she traveled to Vlad's home to marry him. It was an honor to her and her family that she was to marry a Voivode, but Minah eventually learned that the greatest honors came at a price. Vlad was ruthless, and she feared for her own life. There were many times when she caught him with female servants. She had to remain silent out of fear of being killed. Whenever she had sex with her husband, there was no emotion or love, just a senseless obligation. It was something Minah despised.

Whenever her husband was away at battle, she had to stay and maintain the castle. The loneliness was overbearing, but meeting Alexandrei changed her life. He listened and understood her. He, too, lived in constant fear of angering Vlad and admitted being second-in-command wasn't too lavish.

They had an affair.

Minah knew it was wrong, but she enjoyed the attention and the feeling of being loved by a man. Something she never felt from Vlad. Then, Minah became pregnant, ending the affair. The noblewoman hoped that giving birth to a son would make everything better, even if it wasn't Vlad's. She squeezed her son tightly, earning a squeal.

"Please don't hurt him!" Angelina's pleading got Minah out of her thoughts. "Please, let him go, Minah. He is innocent; he is your son."

"Innocent..." Minah slowly turned around and finally looked at Angelina, seeing her pregnant belly. She felt anger build inside her; the fact that Angelina carried Vlad's actual bloodline. "He represents my sin. A sin that was exposed. This child is my punishment for just wanting to be seen. Yet you...you carry Vlad's child. A mere mistress, a whore."

Angelina squeezed her hands into fists. Minah was squeezing her son, and Angelina feared that she would suffocate the child. "Minah...you have every right to be angry. If I were in your position, I would have felt the same. I can't blame you for wanting love; Vlad never showed you that feeling." Minah slowly lessened her grip on her son, but didn't look at him. Suddenly, she saw Ioana; her eyes widened in horror. Angelina also noticed the older woman but instructed her to stand away. She focused on Minah. "I can't imagine the fear, pain, and suffering you endured because of Vlad and the fact that you could do nothing when he had his affairs."

"You could never comprehend what I have gone through or what I felt. You did the same thing as his other mistresses. He and I are still married and you knew that."

"Yes, but the truth is that Vlad is in the process of getting a divorce. You also committed adultery; we all are sinners." Angelina put her hand over her belly. "Perhaps this child will suffer the same fate for my sins as well. Still, did you know that Vlad decided to care for your son? He will take Vlad's place as Voivode. Just because Mihnea is different, he is still a blessing. I can tell he will grow into an intelligent young man. Mihnea needs to be given a chance. You have the power to give him that." Angelina slowly walked toward Minah.

Minah remained emotionless as the cold air blew past, causing her tangled hair to flow. "Mihnea, that is his name?" She slowly looked down at her son, who cried in her arms. "His name means 'who is like god'. How comical."

Ioana stood as she watched Angelina try to reach Minah, but then heard footsteps from afar and saw Bioan, Sorina, and the midwife running toward her. "Lady Ioana, where is Angelina!?" Bioan asked. The older woman motioned the trio to stop and pointed outside. Everyone saw the sight. 

Bioan tried to step forward, but Ioana stopped him."You mustn't, or you may risk Lady Minah hurting the child!"

"We can't stand here and do nothing!"

Minah saw that more people arrived, and it would be a matter of time before more guards arrived. She knew the consequences, and Vlad wouldn't be as merciful. "All I wanted was to give birth to a healthy son, so that I could finally be seen as worthy by my husband. Yet, god couldn't grant me that." Seeing that Angelina got closer to her, Minah stepped closer to the wall, making Angelina stop. Minah kept looking at her son. "I feel no love for him, even as I carried him in my womb because he was made of desperation, lust, and sin. This boy will suffer and die a terrible death if he lives." Suddenly, Minah sat on top of the wall, having no space, making it easy for her to fall.

"Minah, please get down! I want to help you!"

"Lady Minah! Angelina begged the Voivode to have mercy upon you and your son! Please have mercy upon yourself and your child! This is the greatest of sins! Your soul will never find peace!" Ioana cried.

"That is the point. We both don't deserve peace. I wanted you all to see and tell Vlad that he also has a share of the blame for this."

Bioan couldn't wait anymore; he ran toward Minah, passing Angelina, who yelled for him to stop. He didn't; Minah knew and saw him. Everything felt as if it were in slow motion. Minah then motioned herself backward, knowing what would happen; she held onto her son tightly. She wanted them both to go down together. Mid-air, she felt a firm grip on her dress. Bioan tried to pull her up. Bioan saw Minah loosening her hold on Mihnea; he knew that both couldn't be saved. Bioan immediately let go of Minah and grabbed the child by his arm and clothes.

Minah wasn't quick enough to hold onto her son since she had lessened her grip on him. As she fell from the castle, Angelina looked down and screamed in horror. The noblewoman felt as if she were floating in midair. It made her feel free for the first time in her life. She knew midair it was going to be her end; no fear was felt. For the first time, Minah made her own choice. She no longer had to live a life that others decided for her.

*THUMP* *CCCCRRRRKKKK*

Angelina's eyes and mouth widened in horror while Bioan looked away, holding a crying Mihnea. Ioana and Sorina went to Angelina and motioned her away from the grisly sight.

Minah committed suicide.