Year 1445 October 31st.
Today it was Vlad's 15th Birthday. For the last 15 years living in the Bran castle Vlad learned many things about his country and about their friends and enemy. He learned how his father fought with the Turks and settled on the terms of peace with a great cost. The horror his kingdom faced when the Turks invaded, how they destroyed the village and cities and killed and robbed it's people.
He learned about the social and economical situation of his kingdom. He learned the proper etiquettes from his mother on how to be a noble. He met with many influential people, leaders of many neighboring kingdoms with his father at many ceremonies. He studied general knowledge.
He studied the holy books and acquired great knowledge from the bishop and priests in cathedrals. He studied religion.
He worked hard on training his mind and body every day. He trained with his father in hand to hand combat, sword, spear and archery.
Even at a young age he participated in a number of battles and showed great results in strategy and fighting alongside his soldiers. Which helped him to gather respect from them.
He worked hard on polishing his skills both in knowledge and power.
He was kind hearted and loved and cared for the people of his kingdom. The people in return respected and loved their Prince.
His father and mother were both very proud of him. He was a caring and loving son. He was skilled in many ways than his younger brother Radu who was completely opposite of him. He was naive and ignorant of this world and always did what he liked.
Vlad's half brothers always find many ways to make his way to the throne difficult but always lose to him because of his superior skill in both knowledge and power.
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Today on the 15 birthday of Vlad a banquet was held in Bran castle, as he was the future ruler of Transylvania many important nobles and ministers were present at the banquet with many of the family members. Everybody was enjoying their food and talking with each other.
At a sudden moment the closed door to the banquet hall was pushed open and a group of 10 people came in March with their swords on.
Everybody looked towards the intruders with eyes of anger but no one got up to stop them as everybody can tell by the looks from their clothes that they were Turks. And in that elites from Sultans hand picked.
The group stops in front of the king and a man in his forties comes forward. By the looks of him he was the leader of this group carrying an impeachment in his hand.
"After a long time king" he said in a mocking voice and forced his voice on the word king.
"How long has it been since we fought 16 years with each other king and seen each other".
"It's been a long time Hamza Bey, but I can't say I am happy to see you. You weren't invited and I don't like uninvited guests. What is the reason for you to visit".
The atmosphere was gloomy after the arrival of the Turks. No one was happy and everyone knows that the Turks are here to cause trouble.
"Why are you in such a hurry? Let us enjoy your time here".
His man started to cause trouble by throwing food on the ground and sitting on the table touching women, putting their knives on man's throats and enjoying them shivering in fear.
"Hamza" the king Vlad II raised his voice "speak your business and be on your way I don't want you to cause any more trouble than you have caused".
"Ok" he waved his hand and his soldiers gathered around his back.
He shook the impeachment in his hand and said "it is that the Sultan congratulates your son on his 15th birthday and in maintaining the peace for a while long he wants 500 boys below age 16 to be sent to Hungary where they will trained as janissaries".
With that everyone in the hall started to talk among themselves.
"How could the Sultan ask for such an impossible request? We will pay the tribute in silver instant".
"It is not a request king and the Sultan never ask for anything he orders, you have two days to think and if you refuse the armies of Ottoman Empire will level your kingdom to ground and one more thing we will take the boy with us".
He pointed his finger towards Prince Vlad.
In that instead the hall became noisy with the voices of refusal from some of the people while some laughed inside their mind as it was a perfect opportunity for them to get rid of Vlad III.
Hamza turned around and started to leave and before leaving he said "you could not refuse us keep that in mind".
After the Turks left the banquet hall became silent. All the people present were in shock and were thinking what to do next.
On a chair Vlad III the boy who turned 15 today who was happy a moment ago was now thinking about the storm that was about to come.