It had been a week since the barbecue, and it was something that Vlad couldn't forget. Vlad wanted to do another activity with Angelina, but his duties got in the way. He got word from King Matthias that he would be his ally, but to a certain extent. He would eventually meet with Matthias to finalize their plans and gauge the King's willingness to assist him. 

Another problem was that Alexandrei escaped and was nowhere to be found; Vlad wouldn't be surprised if he were with Mehmed II. Alexandrei would tell Mehmed II about the alliance with King Matthias. 

War was going to happen; he didn't know when. 

The Voivode informed his council that soldiers would be deployed throughout Wallachia to monitor the Ottoman presence; the Sultan would take a year to prepare his army for an attack. 

Meetings and writing letters have occupied him for the past couple of days, and he has lost sleep as a result. His duties put him in a foul mood, and he was desperate to have Angelina beneath him, to feel her flesh. 

Angelina would remind him of their deal. Thinking about it annoyed him, but there was another possibility of getting a female servant to vent his frustrations. Thinking about it made him feel strange. The servant could tell others about their night, and Angelina could hear the news. 

Would it trouble her if he slept with another woman?

Angelina said that if he proved himself to be the man that she wanted to lie with. Sleeping with another woman wasn't an option; Vlad didn't want to lose all his effort. 

He also had guards inform him about her whereabouts. It was learned that Angelina would visit the infant. The ones that were taking care of the child named him Mihnea, meaning 'who is like God.' It was ironic, given that the child was deformed. Vlad never made an effort to visit the child, but he had a reason for wanting to keep him, and that reason was his own.

Furthermore, a letter was sent to the Bishop regarding Minah's affair and wanted a divorce. He was still waiting for a response, but it was only a matter of time before one arrived. 

Vlad was signing the final paperwork, weighing whether to go to his room and rest or visit Angelina. He remembered Ioana and that the physician had told him her health was improving. 

The Voivode walked out of his study and toward Ioana's new room, where she was still protected. Vlad couldn't help but feel guilty for not visiting his mother. Upon arrival, the guards greeted and informed him that Ioana would occasionally walk to regain strength. Ioana would shoo them away whenever they told her to rest; Vlad chuckled. "She always had an iron personality when it was necessary." He knocked on the door, opened it, and entered the room. Ioana slowly walked back and forth to the wall and toward the bed.

Ioana stopped, noticed him, and composed herself. "Oh, Voivode, I didn't expect your visit. I would have gotten myself orderly and-"

"There is no need for such formalities. I have been told that you will eventually be back to your usual self." Vlad found a chair and sat on it while Ioana slowly returned to bed. 

Ioana cleared her throat. "I have heard that you have been overwhelmed with your duties. Have you been doing well, Vl-I mean, Voivode?"

"I have been overwhelmed with duties, Ioana. So many things have happened and since Alexandrei has escaped, I am certain he has traveled to meet with the Sultan."

Ioana sighed as she clasped her hands; she didn't look happy. "That means there is a possibility of war."

"Yes." The older woman looked at Vlad, her eyes tired. It hurt Vlad to see her in such a delicate state. "I know you are not happy of the prospect."

"I know what I think and feel doesn't matter. Is war what you truly want?"

Her question was unexpected. Was war what he truly wanted? Angelina and the thought of her made him stray away from his need for revenge against Mehmed II and his people and what they had done to him and the followers of Christ. He then remembered that when he asked Angelina about the fate of Wallachia and his country, they would remain a Christian nation. Vlad knew that he played a greater role in history. 

How could he not follow through with his hatred?

"It is not what I want that matters, but more for Wallachia, my homeland, and the people who follow Christ. I do not want my homeland to fall to Mehmed II and his Allah."

"It is more for your pride?"

Vlad raised his eyebrow; Ioana never spoke to him in that manner. He tried to calm his temper, since she was his mother, but he didn't like being questioned. "You may have done me and my family great service, but I will not allow you to speak to me that way," Vlad said calmly, his eyes unmoving. 

"I know, Voivode, I have known my place for so long, but when I almost tasted death, I realized that there is no point in being quiet any longer. I worry for you, Voivode. I always have. You are leading yourself to your destruction, but it mustn't be so."

"Ioana."

"Angelina told me that you two would eat outside the castle walls. Did you two do so?"

Vlad cleared his throat at the memory of eating s'mores, hearing her stories, and being tickled. All done in one night. "Yes, we have."

"I see a light in your eyes that I haven't seen. Angelina has made it so. You have changed much, Voivode. She is what you need, not vengeance."

"Ioana, enough."

"I have been silent all my life. I do not wish for you to create war. You can make peace and live a normal life with Angelina."

Vlad stood up from his seat as his anger overcame him. Looking at Ioana, she didn't look afraid; she was only saddened. Realizing that she only wanted his safety and happiness calmed him down. "I have lost my temper. Forgive me. I must leave. Get more rest."

Before Ioana could say anything, he left the room, leaving a stunned Ioana. Ioana looked at the closed door and realized she couldn't reach him. She believed that Angelina was his only hope.  

Meanwhile, Vlad padded into the halls far from his mother's room, where he then leaned against the cold stone walls. "Is it for your pride?"

Pride.

It had been ingrained in him since Vlad was a child. Pride and family have always mattered; without them, one was nothing.

Would it be worth it?

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw a servant woman walking toward him with sheets in hand. She looked familiar, and he recognized her as Sorina. The Voivode got away from the wall, composed himself, and walked toward her.

"You."

The young adolescent flinched but didn't dare look at him unless instructed to do so. "Y-Yes, Voivode?"

"Look at me." Sorina slowly looked up and noticed Vlad's expressionless look. "Where is your friend?"

"She is in the nursery, looking after the child."

Vlad wanted to scoff; he had to see Angelina with Minah's bastard child. It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise; Angelina always had a soft spot for the unfortunate. He went off as he walked toward the child's chambers. Arriving, he was about to knock on the door when he heard Angelina and the child's giggles. "Aw, you're such a cute baby! You're getting bigger by the day!"

The Voivode rolled his eyes as he quickly knocked and entered. Inside, Angelina was sitting on a wooden chair holding Mihnea, who was gurgling and smiling. The room was small, with a small crib, two cabinets, a bed for the wet nurse, and a couple of candles. Vlad's arrival went unnoticed upon entry, as Angelina was preoccupied with playing with the child.

Seeing her play with another man's child irked the Voivode. He wanted her to smile at him and show him more affection. The Voivode stopped himself and realized what he was thinking: he was jealous.

Jealous of a baby!

"Oh, Vlad, I didn't hear or see you come in." Angelina held the baby and put him back in his crib, placing pillows around him to prevent him from rolling over.

"You jest."

Angelina smiled while shaking her head. "Nope, I was preoccupied with Mihnea here! He's getting bigger by the day!" She looked at the baby, who was smiling at her, and then back to Vlad. "It had been a while since we had seen each other. I must imagine you have been busy plotting."

"You can say something like that. Where is the nurse?"

"I told her she could take a break and eat in peace. Even wet nurses need their time away from kids." Angelina looked back down at the baby, who reached for her; she lowered her right index finger. Mihnea held onto her finger, making Angelina smile and soften. "Besides, I wanted to see how the kiddo is doing. Thanks again for giving him a chance."

"I never said I will view him as a son. I have my own reason for keeping here and alive."

The young woman looked at him. "Pray tell your reasons."

The Voivode scoffed as he put his hands behind his back. "I was merciful to him and Minah and that should be enough for you. I have done more favors for you than I can count. Now, since I am free of my duties. You will have dinner with me in my chambers." He noticed Angelina's uncertainty and sighed in annoyance. "Worry not, I will not have you in my bed...yet. I am a man of my word."

Angelina whistled. "Sure you are." Noticing Vlad's glare, Angelina refrained from giggling. "Well, I trust you. I have noticed that you have been keeping your word, and I appreciate that."

"I have my reasons now. You will join me for dinner, and I will not accept 'no' as an option."

"Hey, I am a woman of my word. I am sick and tired of arguing with you. Fine, I will have dinner with you. Oh, which reminds me. You still have to redeem yourself from what you did to those poor people."

"Bah, they were-"

"I don't care if they were poor or beggars! They were still innocent people! They had the unfortunate event of getting into their situation! You will apologize to the people and make amends for them! To be respected as a leader, you need to act like a leader." Vlad struggled to speak; her comment surprised him. Hem, making amends?

"You dare I make a mockery of myself. I-"

"Leaders make mistakes, but in your case, you showed your people that even their lives may not matter. They fear you. Leaders are to be feared but also loved; it brings respect. You will have no support if you lose your people's respect. If you give them your love, then they will give it to you tenfold." Angelina believed in him and had faith in him. "How about we have dinner outside instead? We have been inside the castle for far too long. What about we eat at the very city you created terror?"

"I-"

"See it as your first step to redemption. Imagine what they will think and feel seeing the Voivode eating among them. You will apologize and I will be beside you all the way just in case you chicken out."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Chicken out?"

"It's a saying during my time. It means, cowering away. What do you say?"

He, eating among the peasants? It was unheard of. He never imagined eating with the lower class. Still, he often wondered how they managed to live, having fewer responsibilities than he did and being able to live outside their home whenever they wanted. They had more freedom than he, something Vlad always wanted to feel. "Very well, meet me at the horse stables as the sun begins to set."

Vlad opened the door and was face-to-face with the wet nurse, who immediately gasped, moved out of his way, and bowed. She was ignored as Vlad walked away, leaving Angelina and the wet nurse alone with the child. "Are you well, Angelina? D-Did the Voivode express his anger upon you?"

Angelina shook her head while smiling. "No, nothing like that at all." Her heart almost skipped a beat.