Elise and the Dragon's Son

ransylvania,

was constantly pouring outside of the one-story concrete house where he was born, whil

walls of Sighişoara, Transylvania, as he was chased away by Ottoman supporter boyars. In return, he gave a strikin

ia. So in 1437, his father successfully killed the prince, Alexandru I, and his father

gh he was a vassal of the king of Hungary and a Knight of the Order of the Dragon, he promised

promise, I give up to you my two valuable sons." Vl

nodded slowly. His

e throne, Dragon," th

ether with his younger brother Radu. The two young brothers looked at each

t at his father why he had done such a thing. Why did he and his brother h

rounds to see her sons taken away. Their father caught her by the waist and embraced her and saw him broke

her and held his younger brother's hand instead. A d

you, Radu. I promise,

dded and smiled bravely at him. Confidence

*

ey,

iers and servants were everywhere. Vlad then realized that he and his brother could not easily

own home," the old sultan spoke and s

two young boys with probing eyes. He was a year

egin your training," t

ly use them one day. But he swore to himself that he wouldn't be used as the sultan would please

uld barely sleep that night, remembering his parents' teary face, especially his mother

eemed to be crumpled painfully in his chest. He looked at Radu whose eyes were downcas

d to himself, I sha

*

adults. They constantly went on training with pro-Ottoman boy

son Mehmed II in 1444 to 1446, was forced to take

r. Also, they were taught logic and the Quran. Then they were educated in Persian and Turk

beaten and put into prison. Radu, he realized, was taken

onvert himself to Islam. He was so furious that he ev

room with two soldiers behind him, he saw his b

on Mircea had fallen, great sultan." The mes

n and his brother with anguish. His curled fists were so tight at h

mean?" Radu aske

at Vlad. "Father, it is time to appoint the new ru

that," the

and he demanded, "What happened t

y it neutral was killed by the noble boyars who are loyal to the kin

his brother. "But how about m

rom there in the name of Allah. But not right now. Hunyadi just appointed Vladislav II on the W

ay anything bu

every night that he was going to Wallachia by early morning the next day. He felt a s

e Turks noticed it. They praised him for his t

u was e