The brotherhood of wolves

Chapter 9

IN SEARCH OF THE TRUTH

Intrigued about what he found out, Murad returned to the palace for the night. While his late father Mehmed may be considered the most broad-minded and freethinking of the Ottoman sultans, a confident and curious individual who had adventurous interests, he was encouraged by him to read classical greek and Roman literature as a child and continued to collect and read relevant manuscripts throughout his reign as sultan.
He supported dozens of poets, writers, and scholars, and invited philosophers, astronomers, and painters from across Europe and the Middle East to his court.
His interest for supernatural was aroused when accompanying his father through campaign from Balkans, Europe and Byzantium, he come across over many unusually events and stories told by the peasants or occasionally a nobleman trying to please them. His anger and resentment evaporated into nothingness, it is true he paid a high price loosing a significant number of soldiers plus his most trusted vizier, but for the very first time he found certain proof that they are not just horror stories told in front of the fireplace.
He decided to imprison the group of five Wallachians so that in the early hours of the morning to interrogate them personally to find out more explicitly what happened, if by chance they have eye witnesses of the massacre. It's a must to be done by him soon as possible and kept under silence, if his enemies will find out what one creature could do to small army of three hundred, the position and power of the empire would be jeopardized, more will try to capture the creature and use it against them, on the other hand if he puts his hand on it first he would hold the supreme power, with even a army of few beasts he could conquer the whole world.

These thoughts did not give him peace all night, plans after plans came to his mind, when the morning finally arrived he got out of bed much faster than usual skipping the morning prayer that has never happened before, he made a brief toilet with the help of slaves who looked at him anxiously not understanding what was happening.
Omitting his morning routine like early walks through the garden to interact with his pets which was one of his favorite activity, he ran to the dungeon unescorted by any of the guards, Mohammed waiting for him at the prisoners cell.
He descended through a secret passage which led to the ground floor of the palace and which he used in his escapades when he wanted not to be seen by anyone leaving, storming off the steps to the dungeon , a heavy rancid odor of sweat mingled with blood entered his nostrils, signalling that he had reached the dungeon .
The cries and groans of the tortured and the one at death's door made the atmosphere even more macabre, he was not accustomed on holding prisoners, strictly only if it was necessary to obtain information, minimising the waste of food and water, used better for the benefit of his man.
Mohammed was waiting for him in front of a cell door.
Through the solid metal bars could be seen several bodies tortured and chained, Murad without saying a word inspected them one at a time, looking intently at each one, finishing the analysis he sat on a small throne that looked a bit sumptuous compared to the surrounding scenery.
Making a gesture with his hand a slave appeared with a carafe of cold water and a glass on a silver tray.
Murad with a silent gesture ask the slave to fill his glass.
Taking a sip of water he smacked his lips contentedly, an oppressive silence floating in the air, you could even hear the noises made by the vendors in the village market at the foot of the palace.
Waving his hand to Mohammed to approach, whispering something in his ear, Mohammed disappearing returning shortly after with a shisha.
Sultan eagerly sucked the hasis smoke, blowing a thick wave of smoke in the room, the operation continuing for a while, hashish making a visible effect on the prisoners, who losing up the anguish and fear from earlier become less anxious.
Pouring another glass of water, he got up from his chair and walked her over to the nearest prisoner, that was staring at the water with thirst, escaping a small moan between his chipped and creaked lips.
With a almost fraternal care Murrad let him dip his lips in the glass just enough to take a goulp and sample the water, pulling his hand with a sudden movement from the prisoner's mouth he spilled the water on the floor with a calculated gesture.
Returning to his place, he waited in silence to see the effect caused on the Wallachians who by the appearances looked very thirsty, the one who tasted the water first broke the silence in a semi-intelligible prayer for another mouthful of water.
" Ar' you thirsty, you want a glass of water, perhaps something to eat?" Murad asked in a sweet voice.
The prisoner replied nodding his head in approval
" What's your name ghiaur?"
Gruia Novac, your grace.
I am a boyar from Transilvania." he replied with a slavish tone, eagerly to enter in the sultan's grace.
"The other four are in my service, i was instructed by my voivode to bring the message about the Ottoman delegation."
"Hmmmm, then you're the one who can tell what happened!
Be careful ghiaur, if you lie to me, your head will lay at your feet ! Give me the real version of the facts and i may take pity on yous to release you!" Murrad lied, in a threatening voice.
"Your Majesty, there's rumours at the royal court that an evil spirit had spread through the surroundings and that our voivode would not be exactly a stranger to what had happened"Gruia said, untying his tongue
"Go on!?" The sultan replied , showing a sudden interest in what has been said.
"Once in a while people from the castle and it's surrounding, even from the estates of the neighboring nobles are disappearing without a trace and never found again."He said in a more whispered voice, as he were afraid of being heard by the invisible ears,  shocking his head as if to wake up from a bad dream his mind playing tricks on him because of drug effect  unable to judge freely.
Sultan approached him, blowing a cloud of smoke in front of him that made him cough drowning.
Murad as an assurance of his good intentions, give him to drink water to his heart's content, when he calmed down, in a drowsy voice gaining courage he continued .
"there was talk that the royal family had been cursed by a witch who's family was murdered together with the entire village by the Mircea the Elder, Vlad's father.
Mircea was a religious man, punishing the witch to die, not taking into consideration that she was also a very skilled healer who saved the lifes of many peoples from the village and surrounding, him burning her together with all the villagers who turned for her to help in any way by magic or healing, by setting fire to their houses as punishments, the village has been deserted, even the stray animals are afraid to pass it through, especially over the night, the place became berren from any inhabitants, it is believed to be haunted by the souls of those killed who cannot find rest.
No living soul dares to tread through those abandoned lands, only wind is the one who runs through it.
The witch with her last breath curse him that every fist born of him and of his descendants till' to the end of times, generation after generation do not find peace neither on earth nor in death, soon later the disappearances started.
No one knows how the curse can be broken or even if it's possible to be removed, many have tried, priest's, monk's, holy men brought from the Jerusalem, no one was able to do anything, to the contrary making things worse.."