“Then let them have it. I care for none of it. This is my kingdom, in Castile. This is where I feel I belong the most.”
“You worry too much. You will be a great King. I can see it in you.”
Charles looked at him and smiled. “You are always there when I need a boost.”
“Your father would be so proud if he could see you.”
“Yes. God rest his soul.”
“You can only do what you can do, Highness.”
“And what is that, Michel?”
“Rule your people the best you can. The rest will take care of itself. I have every faith in that and every faith in you, Highness.”
“And William of Chievres?”
“You could always have him beheaded.”
“No. He is too popular with the nobles.”
“Then have his throat cut in his bed. I can see to it.”
“No, Michel. That is not my way.”
“You are the King.”
“I still have to answer to God.”
“That is what will make you great. You are already a long way down that road.”
Maximilian died in January 1519. On his death, Charles inherited the vast Hapsburg Empire. This was a cause of great worry for Leo X, the Pope. He feared if Charles became Holy Roman Emperor it would hurt his interests in Europe. For that reason he vigorously opposed his candidacy and threw his support behind his opponent. Only Francois, the King of France, stood against him. In June the German states duly elected Charles.
In 1520 Charles left to visit them. He had to impose his authority there. The ideas of Luther were spreading far and wide like a disease. As Holy Roman Emperor he had a duty to bring this to heel.
He broke the agreement Chievres had made with Francois. This fuelled the rivalry between the two kings. Chievres died in May 1521. It left Charles in total control of his dominions.
The Lutheran movement was widespread by this time. This delighted Dracula. It had spread north into Denmark. To the west the Netherlands and Belgium fell under its spell. People had had enough of the Church and they were content to accept anything in its place.
This alarmed many of the German princes. They urged Charles to suppress Luther and his doctrines. The papal Bull of 1520 had already attacked his ideas. It threatened excommunication if he did not recant within sixty days. Luther refused to back down on any point.
As the tension increased he dug his heels in further. He saw the people did not like the Bull either. They threw their support behind him. This gave him the boost he needed. He publicly burnt the papal doctrine at Wittenberg at the year’s end.
“I despise alike the favour and fury of Rome,” he declared. “I do not wish to be reconciled with her. Or ever to hold any communion with her. Let her condemn and burn my books. Unless I can find no fire I, in turn, will burn the whole pontifical law. That swamp of heresies!”
Charles saw the extent with which the people hated the Roman Curia in the German states. This did not help the situation for Luther’s opponents. The arguments raged on. Despite this Charles was content that the papal Bull had dealt with the matter. He did not want to mix his political affairs with those of the Vatican. He and Leo had a mutual dislike for each other as it was.
An edict summoned Luther before the Diet of Worms. In April 1521 he faced Charles for the first time. Charles finally enforced the provisions of the Bull. This did not please the people. On the second day of the hearing Luther remained defiant. With the people behind him he feared nothing.
Luther stood before Charles. He eyed him curiously. He knew Charles did not want to be here. But his duty as protector of the faith bound him.
Charles looked on Luther in much the same light. He had other matters to attend to. Succession had thrust a vast empire onto his shoulders. It was a huge burden for any man to bear. Least of all one just out of his teens. He had to devote his time to that. This was a distraction he did not want or need.
“Have you reconsidered your position?” he asked Luther.
Luther bowed out of the respect due a great king. Charles did not expect the reply that came forthwith. “I neither can nor will recant anything,” he said.
“You realise this nonsense has to stop?”
Luther replied. “It is neither safe nor right to act against one’s conscience.”
“Then you leave me no choice. You are dismissed from this hearing.”
Luther bowed and left. The next day Charles banned him from public speaking. He ordered the burning of all his writings. It served to make Luther a national hero. At last someone had the courage to stand up to the corruption of Rome.
At the same time the Pope fell out with Francois. The French king denied Leo the extension of papal territory he wanted. Right away Leo sought an offensive alliance against him. To achieve this he changed allegiance and turned to Charles. He knew of the recent treaty between Spain and England.
Charles already had too much to contend with. He had sought only a defensive alliance against France. It was why he signed the treaty with Henry VIII. He had an empire too vast to manage. And the situation at home in Spain grew worse by the day. Still, he expected a war with France. To fund it he raised the necessary capital from Castile.
He divided his empire into districts. In each of these he placed regents in control. He did this with great haste. Matters in Spain had come to a head. There the communeros had revolted in Toledo and Segovia. They resented the taxes imposed by him. He had to return there at once. At the same time one of his armies attacked French interests in northern Italy.
Dracula followed these events with great interest. He saw much in the young emperor that excited him. Indeed Charles reminded him so much of himself in the days before he won back his throne. He wanted to get close to him. Charles was now the most powerful man in Europe, maybe even the known world. He could see no better way to influence events in Europe than through him.
For that reason he followed Charles on his journey back to Spain. He took Ilona with him, but left the others behind in Saxony. It was while Charles was in his native Burgundy that he decided to make himself known.
Dracula stole into his tent. He found him on his knees praying to a small shrine of the Virgin. Moving to a corner he waited quietly until Charles had finished.
It startled him to see the vampire there. He reached for the sword that rested by the side of his cot. With blinding speed Dracula blocked his path.
Charles straightened up and puffed out his chest. “Who are you?”
He felt in danger, but did not want to show he was afraid. He was determined to show the courage and resolve of a man of his status. “Are you an assassin? Sent by Francois?”
Dracula smiled at the irony of it. France’s greatest rival stood there speaking to him in French. Charles eyed him with contempt while he waited for an answer.
“No, your Highness,” Dracula said, shaking his head. “I am not here to kill you. I bear you no ill will.”
“Why then did you prevent me from reaching for my sword?”
“I do not want you to hurt yourself either.”
“That is a brazen remark.”
“No, Highness. It is an honest one.”
Charles relaxed a little. He sensed the stranger was genuine. “How did you get past my guards?”
“You need better guards.”
“I would say so.”
“But then, as you saw, I can move faster than the human eye.”
“How did you do that?” Charles asked, squinting his eyes. “Was it some kind of sorcery? Or a trick of sorts?”
He pondered the question. This was a man he wanted to know the truth. The reaction it was sure to provoke made him refrain from doing so. He scanned his mind for a moment. Despite his suspicions the young man had respect for him. “I do not use any manner of sorcery, Highness.”
Dracula paced about slowly. He thought about the best approach to use. To gain this man’s trust would not be easy. He had perhaps one chance to do s
o. First impressions would amount to everything here. Unless he was careful Charles would dismiss him out of sight. His regal upbringing was very apparent in the way he spoke. It showed too in the manner he conducted himself.
“Please be at ease, Highness. I come to you as a friend.”
“What makes you think I would even entertain you?”
“If nothing else you are sure to be curious about me.”
He sat down. “I am quite at ease. Do you see me calling for my guards?”
“No, Highness.”
“You are right. I am curious. I am keen to hear what you have to say.”
Dracula smiled for the first time. He drew nearer. “May I be seated also?”
“Once you have revealed who you are. You can then do as you please.”
Dracula looked into his eyes. He knew Charles meant it.
“You have taken a great liberty entering my quarters. You do so without an invitation or an escort,” he added. “I pray you will not test my patience.”
“My name is Vlad Dracula. I was once the Voivode of all Wallachia.”
Charles took it all in. Then he broke into a laugh. “Vlad Dracula?”
He bowed slightly. “Yes, Highness. I am he.”
“Forgive me, but I do know of this man.”
“Yes?”
“He was killed in battle some fifty years ago.”
“I was not killed on the battlefield, Highness.”
“Then what I have read is wrong?”
“I was dying from my wounds. In the chapel at Snagov my time had come to an end. But I was clutched from the jaws of death.”
Charles looked rightly confused. “It makes no sense. You have not aged a day.”
“That is because it was Lucifer who saved me.”
Charles laughed uneasily. “You really want me to believe this story? I have never heard anything of the like.”
“It is the truth. I had no choice. He breathed into me eternal life.”
He wondered what sort of a madman he had given an audience. “Then you are an immortal soul?”
“I detect a hint of sarcasm?”
“A revolution has broken out in Castile. I also have a war with France to contend with. Very soon I may even be at war with the Ottomans.”
“What has this to do with me?”
“With all this I hardly have the time to listen to such a fantasy.”
Dracula got up from his seat. In one swift motion he rose into the air. Hovering above Charles he pointed an accusing finger. “I did not come here to be mocked!”
Charles looked up in disbelief. His visitor had the power of flight.
“Every word I speak is the truth!” Dracula growled. “The blood that coursed through my veins was as royal as yours.”
His tone wiped the smile from his face. He gazed up at him in stunned silence.
“It would be nice for you to show me the same courtesy I give you.”
Charles sensed his visitor reading his thoughts. He knew he could not disguise his growing nervousness. Dracula glared down at the younger man. He could see Charles was searching for the right response. The last thing he wanted to do was offend him again.
“I believe you,” he said finally.
His sincerity touched Dracula. He eased back down to the ground.
“And I apologise if I offended you. It was not my intention.” He paused to find the right words to express what was on his mind.
“I see you have a question for me. Ask it.”
Charles sucked in a deep breath. “Considering what you say is the truth. Does that not make you a demon?”
“Do you think of me as one?”
“I do not know. Are you?”
“I am no demon. And I serve no master other than myself.”
“But you said Lucifer did this to you.”
“That is true. He forced this upon me. I did not choose to be what I am.”
“This is very confusing.”
“I can see that. In truth I am but a tortured soul. I need to find a purpose. Something to help me accept this life I cannot be free of.”
“Then what brings you to me?”
Dracula shrugged. “I want to help you.”
“For what reason would you do that?”
“There is none. Other than the fact that you excite me.”
“You do not even know me.”
“But I see you. I know what you are. Indeed, I see so much of myself in you.”
“You think we are alike?”
“Yes, when I was your age. I was once as fearless and as headstrong as you are.”
“I do not know if I am that.”
“Oh, but you are. I spent my life fighting to protect my kingdom. As you are doing at this time.”
“I only hope then I do as well at it as you.”
“You will. But as my battle was against the Ottoman Turk so will yours be.”
Charles lowered his head. “I know. It is inevitable.”
“Do not frown upon the task ahead of you. You are the last bastion of hope.”
“As if I do not have enough on my shoulders.”
“It is down to you, Highness. The Turks will never stop. They seek only to conquer one territory after another. Many of these fall under your realm.”
“I know.”
“The Infidel seeks to destroy the faith you champion. You are the Holy Roman Emperor. That leaves the task of driving the Turks back to Anatolia at your feet.”
“This is where you intend to help me?”
“My father before me served the Emperor.”
“He was a Draconian Knight?”
“Yes. When I followed him I took up the fight. In his name and honour I halted the Ottoman advance. My experience can only be of value to you.”
“And you will pass this wealth of knowledge onto me?”
“Yes. It is what I intend to do. But you have other matters to deal with first.”
Charles nodded. “Yes. There is much that needs my attention.”
“You have battles to win here. Only then will you have the resources you need to fight them.”
“Where do I begin?”
“The first fight you must win is at home.”
“What would you advise?”
“Many things, Highness.”
“You do not have to call me that. We are both of royal stock.”
Dracula nodded.
“So talk to me, Vlad. You have my full attention.”
“First it is important that you return to Castile.”
“That is where I am going.”
“Put down the revolt. Establish the capital of your empire there.”
Charles nodded, his hand to his chin. He brushed his goatee beard with his fingers. All the while he kept his eyes trained on Dracula. He was keen to hear everything his visitor had to say.
“The future of your empire rests on what you do in Spain.” He raised his tone to drive home his point. “Those decisions you make on your return home will be crucial. They will set the mark for all you hope to achieve.”
“What do you mean?”
“Many eyes will be upon you. So what you do there is very important. With my help you can put down this revolt with ease.”
“And what then?”
“Round up the ringleaders and execute them all in public.”
“That is not my way.”
“It is the only way.”
Charles leaned forward and rested his elbow on his knee. “But why so drastic a measure? Surely the power to grant clemency far outweighs the power to kill?”
“No. That assumption is wrong. What you do in Spain will send a message throughout your empire.”
“So I should kill them all?”
“Yes. If you are lenient it is sure to encourage others. It will give a boost to men who harbour ideas of revolt and disorder. They will rise up against you.”
Charles sighed long and hard. He sat upright again with his hands on his knees.
> “They will think that if the Emperor cannot control his own house, how can he control us? This will cause chaos. It will grant the Turks easy passage.”
“Those are bold words.”
“It is the truth. Face it. Execute the men who have led this revolt and any others you suspect. Then those that plot and connive will fear you. They will know the same fate awaits anyone who takes up arms against you.”
He thought hard about the things Dracula said. Slowly he nodded his agreement. It all made perfect sense.
“What do you know of my career?” Dracula asked him.
“I fear I do not know it as well as I ought.”
“It does not matter. I am not offended.”
Charles offered a wry smile. “I am glad of that.”
“Throughout my reign I showed no mercy for any form of insurrection. Every crime I punished by death.”
“Yes. That much I do know about you.”
“It served its purpose. Crime ceased the length of my country. Fear puts respect in the hearts of man and woman alike.”
“That reminds me of something I read of late. There is a man in Florence called Machiavelli. He thinks the same way as you.”
Dracula could not hide a smile. “He wrote a book?”
“Yes. One of the German princes made a gift of it to me.”
“Perhaps I can read it some time?”
“Certainly. Go back to what you were telling me.”
He continued to pace with his hands behind his back. “I proved this by leaving a golden chalice on a well at a busy roadside. No one ever stole the cup. The fear I put in the hearts of my people saw to this. They knew I punished every crime equally. It gave a clear message to all those I ruled.”
“Yes. Those aspects of your reign are well documented.”
“The message lives on. Even years after I am believed to be gone do my people live by the same code.”
“I will be looked upon as a tyrant.”
“To some you may well be. But it is a small price to pay. For others will see a strong ruler. A man not afraid to wield his authority against those that would take it from him.”
“Very well. That is the tactic I shall employ.”
Dracula smiled. “Good. It will serve you well.”
Charles stood up. “But that is only the beginning.”
The Dracula Chronicles: Bound By Blood - Volume 2 Page 2
