It was the fall of my 19th year, younger than most of you are now or perhaps older. I was princess in the land I had lived in, the wilds of Romania. Ah what a marvel it was in that age. Lovely green fields, tall black mountains, and lots of deep green forests that stretched for miles. It was the land I had called home. I remember it completely. My father was the lord of the land, prince of Wallachia, Prince Vlad Tepes. My mother, the princess of Wallachia. Princess Alina Tepes. Now mind you she was only princess because she did not see herself as queen. She knew that my grandmother Agatha was the true queen of Wallachia and as for my father he knew that my grandfather Dracul was the true king of Wallachia. That I understood of course. I was the youngest of two children, it was only myself and my older brother Ingeras who was in his 22nd year. It was he who would inherit the throne if my father should fall and I should rule at my brothers side unless I choose to marry. That I was not ready for, even though I had come of age already. Besides, I knew my brother wanted to rule a kingdom of his own one day.

My family resided in a large and very beautiful castle just north of broken tooth mountain, Castle Dracula. Built in the heart of Wallachia. It was the finest stronghold in the land, no other structure could outmatch it's beauty. It's walls were always guarded with are finest men, they were strong, resilient, and always ready for anything. I always felt safe. Each day was a lovely one. I would wake every morning to watch the sunrise over the mountains and our village come to life. Villagers would begin their day just like every day, children would run through the streets while the men and women tended to the days work. Our land was rich in soil, perfect for growing crops and planting flowers. Most of our money came from that, while the rest from the mountains where the finest silver was found and made into coins as well as other fine things.

Our soldiers spent their days training, every morning at sunrise my fathers men practiced with their weapons of choice. Most trained with swords, while others trained with axes, threw daggers, and shot arrows at targets. And of course there were those who fought with their bare hands. I always found it to be quite entertaining to watch. Although a part of me wished to learn how to fight, the day I had asked my father about it he did not object. I was surprised by this, most women especially those in the rich class were forbidden to learn such an art of defense. My father on the other hand thought a woman should know how to protect and defend herself when necessary. I remember the exact words he had said to me that day "I believe that all women should have the ability to defend themselves, after all there may be a time in which her guards are not present to do it for her." he said. I smiled at the memory of those words spoken. I too felt the same as he did on that score.

I had trained every morning with my fathers men, showing me how to fight. But there was more to it than just learning how to defend yourself by swinging a sword or shooting an arrow. I learned how to focus on my mind, to remain calm and to show no fear, as well as challenge that fear that I may have at that moment. No matter what I may be faced with I can use that as my strength to overcome anything that crossed my path. After months of training, I became strong and resilient. I have never felt like this before, never had I felt what it was like to be strong and unafraid. I was unlike any woman in this land. Not the typical princess who hid behind the castle walls in hopes that someone would save her. I was the exact opposite of that.

But I never new that my strength would soon be put to the test, for one evening we were threatened by our enemy. The Turks. a ruthless group of soldiers from east of Wallachia, the ones who turned my father into the warrior that he is today. He had been brought to their lands as tribute, instead of starting a war so that peace could be kept between us. I watched as the Turkish soldiers entered the banquet hall, there footfalls echoing loudly throughout the room. My father stood up to greet them, he thought they had come for only the silver. Which was given to them as tribute each year in exchange for peace. but that was not only what they had come for. Their leader Sultan Mehmed II wanted 1,000 boys to join his army in an attempt to capture Europe. My father offered to give himself up but they refused that offer. If he did not hand his people over to them it would lead to war.

I knew he must make a decision soon, after all. Turks were not patient with such things.