Vlad rode away from the burning camp and toward the path leading to the Hoia-Baicu Forest. He still couldn't believe that Angelina would disobey him and arrive to meet Mehmed II. However, he should have expected her actions since she stood tall against them when he tried to bed her. She was trying to stop the battle, but it was pointless. 

His hatred overcame everything; Mehmed II would never see him or his brother, Radu, as friends but as puppets. Mehmed II only wanted people he could trust and control to ensure that he could spread Allah's influence to Europe, which was something Vlad didn't want to allow. 

"VOIVODE!" Vlad stilled and ordered his horse to stop. Looking behind him were Bioan and four other men. The group caught up to the Voivode. "We saw you ride away, where are you headed?"

"Hoia-Baicu Forest! My wife went to the camp before we attacked! I have to ensure that she and my son are there!"

Bioan's eyes widened, filled with worry. "A-Are you certain that An-I mean-Lady Angelina is still not in the camp!?"

"My brother Radu was with her. I have a feeling that he is with her. I know that my wife told him that she had to go to the Hoia-Baicu Forest!" He pointed to one of the men. "You, go to the others and tell them to wait for me until my return!"

"Yes, Voivode!" The soldier rode off.

Vlad continued without much explanation; Bioan and the others followed. Vlad hoped and prayed that Angelina and his son were unharmed.

Meanwhile, Radu, Angelina, and Ioana rode far from the burning camp as fast as they could. "Who could have done this!?" Ioana asked.

Angelina looked behind her and then remembered from some of the books and pamphlets she had read before arriving in Romania. "It's the Battle of Targoviste!" She looked forward. "It was Vlad! Who else would attack? Damn it! Everything was for nothing!"

Radu glanced at the young woman; he suspected that Angelina had a closer relationship to his brother than she led on. Even if that were so, Radu couldn't help but admire and respect her for trying to help convince Mehmed II to stop the battle. However, after what happened, he doubted any peace conversations would end. Lives would be lost.

"Hey, we have to get to the camp! Vlad the Monk and the others might be there!"

"Vlad the Monk!?" Radu raised his eyebrows. "M-My other brother!? He was-!"

"Yes, but I will explain everything later! We have to reach the camp before we get to the Hoia-Baicu Forest!"

Radu was shocked but decided to wait until their arrival. Was he going to see his older brother? He had faint memories of him that Radu almost forgot he had another brother. As they drew closer to the camp, everyone noticed a light; it was a fire with smoke. Angelina feared the worst as she commanded her horse to ride ahead faster. Her thoughts were of her baby. "Radu! Radu! My baby! My baby!"

Angelina was the first to arrive at the camp, and when commanding the horse to stop, she saw that many tents were either on fire or in ashes. Many dead bodies were everywhere. Few were of the Janissaries. Angelina got off the horse and headed toward her tent, seeing that only remnants of it were left. Everything was burned, and Sorina, Radu, and Vlad the Monk were nowhere in sight. Angelina called out to them and ran throughout the camp, while Ioana and Radu dismounted from their horses. 

Ioana was horrified at the sight and thought of the worst that may have happened to her grandson and the others. She helped with the search, calling for Vlad the Monk or the others. There was no response, but Sorina, Radu, and Vlad the Monk were not seen. One thing was guaranteed: "Angelina, you must stop! They are not here! They must have left!"

"Left!?" Angelina looked at the many dead bodies, and none of the three were present, which means they must have escaped. Her son was still alive and safe with Vlad the Monk and Sorina. "D-Do you think that may have returned to the castle!?"

Radu also got off his horse. "I would not think so."

"Huh? What do you mean!?" 

"Mehmed planned to attack Targoviste and my brother's castle to drive him out. After what happened today, if my brother and your other friends survived, they would not return. If I were my older brother, I would return back to my home."

"Where!? Where does he live!?"

Ioana looked down. "He lives close to the borders of Moldova and Wallachia, far from the conflict. It would take days to get there, and the fact that everything was taken away from the camp and war had begun, it would be too dangerous to go there. Only Lord Vlad, would know a safer route and he is gone."

Angelina fell to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes. Her baby was taken away, gone. "What have I done!? What have I done!? I shouldn't have-!" A loud noise echoed, a gunshot. Angelina and Ioana violently flinched as they heard Radu yelp and groan in pain. The women turned and saw Radu falling to the ground as he was shot in his left arm. "Wh-What!? Who-!" Angelina saw someone come out from the trees. "N-No! A-Alexandrei!? How!?"

Alexandrei walked out of the shadows with a shotgun in hand; his eyes and face were deranged with madness. "You bitch! You always find ways to try to destroy me!"

"Destroy you!? I never did anything to make you distrust me! If weren't always the paranoid coawrd that you still are then maybe none of this would have happened! You even slept with Minah wich resulted in-!"

"ENOUGH!" Alexandrei fired a bullet in the sky, making Angelina and Ioana flinch. He pointed the gun at Angelina. "You think Vlad was innocent? He was far from it! He and his family are nothing more than a curse on Wallachia! Like that fool!" He said while pointing to Radu, who was still groaning in pain. "He's just as worthless as his brothers! Giving himself to the Sultan, who wants to use him as a pawn." Alexandrei put his finger on the trigger. "I am what Wallachia needs. I will be Voivode and ensure that Vlad and everyone else who contains his blood is gone! I will also destroy the Sultan and Europe will forever remain Christian!" He pulled the trigger.

Angelina closed her eyes, waiting for the bullet, but she was pushed out of the way, making her fall to the ground. She was still alive."How?" Angelina opened her eyes and looked above her. Her eyes and mouth widened in horror as she saw who pushed her. "IOANA!!!"

Ioana stood in Angelina's place as the bullet pierced her chest, and blood slowly dripped from her nose. The older woman's eyes widened with the sudden pain. Radu saw everything and was horrified at the sight. Alexandrei was shocked that Ioana pushed Angelina away. "You foolish hag! Well, it matters not! You both can go together!" Alexandrei pointed the shotgun at Angelina, and before he was about to pull the trigger, another gunshot was shot, striking Alexandrei's arm, making him yelp. He noticed that Radu was holding and pointing a shotgun at him. Before reacting, Radu shot Alexandrei again, but this time in the center of his chest.

Alexandrei dropped the shotgun and fell to the ground; Ioana followed suit. Angelina violently trembled as she immediately went to Ioana, who was heavily breathing. "Ioana! Ioana! Why!? Why!?" Ioana, her mother figure, was slowly bleeding heavily, and Angelina tried to stop the bleeding. "No! No! No! Please stop! Stop bleeding! STOP BLEEDING!"

Radu slowly knelt and then tried to stand up. He was horrified at the sight of Ioana. "Dear god, no..." From afar, he heard the sound of horses. Horses were coming their way; Radu thought the worst. He didn't know if Mehmed II sent men after Angelina or him. He couldn't run away from Mehmed II; if he did, Radu would be tried and seen as a traitor. There was no other option but to go back. "Angelina! You need to go!" 

He went to the hysterical young woman who clung to Ioana. "NO, I CAN'T LEAVE HER! I WON'T!"

Radu got to her and roughly grabbed her arm. "YOU NEED TO GO! HORSES ARE COMING! THE SULTAN MAY HAVE SENT HIS MEN AFTER US! YOU NEED TO LEAVE AS FAR AS YOU CAN!" He looked at Ioana, who also looked at him, pleadingly. "You cannot let Ioana's sacrifice go in vain. Go!" He then motioned her away from Ioana toward the horse. "Ride as far away as you can! Go and never return!"

Angelina wanted to scream the truth about her baby and everything. Ioana was dying, and there were men after them! Everyone was gone. Radu assisted her in getting on the horse; he hit it, causing it to gallop away with a crying Angelina. He looked at Ioana. "I am so sorry. So sorry!" He went to his horse and galloped away before whoever was arriving could do so.

Ioana and Alexandrei were the only ones left until a group arrived: Vlad and the others. Vlad saw the burned camp and saw the many dead bodies of his men and some Ottomans. It was a surprise attack on resources. He knew that it was his brother's camp. "Find any survivors or any indication of my family's whereabouts." The Voivode got off his horse and walked around, hoping that he wouldn't find his family's dead bodies; he wouldn't be able to take it. 

"Voivode!" Bioan yelled. 

Vlad felt his heart skip a few beats and followed Bioan. As he drew closer, he saw Bioan kneeling and holding someone. When seeing who it was, Vlad was horrified. "Ioana!?" He immediately knelt on the ground and took Ioana away from Bioan, who stood away. Bioan looked away in sadness, knowing the older woman wouldn't live that long. He also knew how close Ioana and Vlad were and decided to leave them alone.

Ioana was coughing up blood, and Vlad tried to stop the bleeding. "What happened!? Where is my family!?"

"S-Safe...safe..." Ioana was having a difficult time talking as her blood was slowly suffocating her. Seeing Vlad in her last moments brought her happiness and warmth. "Vlad...I...."

Vlad had tears in his eyes as he felt helpless, unable to do anything for Ioana, his mother. "I know. I have always known..." Ioana's eyes softened. "Mama..." He finally said it; Vlad called her the one thing he always wanted to say, but couldn't. "My stepmother told me the truth, and I was silent to keep you safe. I finally understood why you always protected me and my brothers. You tried to protect me the best you could, Mama." His tears dripped onto the older woman, who also wept. "I am sorry for not protecting you enough. I am sorry for being cruel and for being born."

Ioana slowly raised her right hand and gently touched her son's face as she was losing consciousness. "Son. My son. You...were...my...treasure...happiness..." She coughed up more blood, but was happy being in her son's arms as they finally let the truth be free. "I...love..you...my...son..." Her hand immediately fell to the ground and became motionless.

Vlad gently shook her. "Mama?" When there was no response, Vlad shook her again and called out, but the silence remained. "Mama! Mama!" Reality set in that his mother had died; Vlad hugged her tightly, and memories resurfaced of when he was a child. He remembered when his mother sang and told him stories, how she played with him, and was always there whenever he got hurt. Now, he was the one who held her in his arms, dead. Vlad clung to his mother as he wept.

Bioan slowly walked behind him and knew that Ioana was dead, and it tore him. "Voivode...Alexandrei was found, shot, but alive. He might die soon. What would you like us to do with him?" The young man waited for an order, not wanting to anger the Voivode. 

Without looking, Vlad spoke, "Impale him." The Voivode said it in a quiet, calm tone. Nothing else needed to be said, and Vlad listened as his men took Alexandrei away, trying to speak but couldn't due to the bullet wound. 

Vlad held his mother in his arms as Bioan spoke again," Voivode, there is also no trace of Lord Vlad, Sorina, Lord Radu, or Lady Angelina. They are nowhere to be found."

The Voivode dried his tears on his skin, but one last one formed and dripped. He looked ahead on the path of the Hoia-Baicu Forest. "Farewell, to all I have lost."