A good deed

'You know, he has no right to barge into people's lives just like that.' Vochita gushed to a horrified Olivia

She looked around to see if anyone might have overheard them. Vlad the third, defender of Christian faith and ruling prince of Valachia had every right to barge in anyone's life as he pleased.

She well knew the thin patience of the prince for insubordination. Her eyes clouded as she remembered her father's body hanging from the pike.

She pulled Vochita in a nearby alcove before she could do more damage and have them join the unfortunate victims who dared to defy him, down, in front of the tower.

'Breathe and tell me what's wrong.'

Vochita struggled for words.

'The blackguard ordered me to marry that abominable priest turned mercenary.'

She sputtered and managed to continue

'The defiler of innocents, who drinks till dawn and wields the Bible with the same mastery as his sword. '

She then snorted.

'In his favor, of course.  He'd prove the Pope that wine is the proof God loves us, and he's just embracing His divine will...'

Olivia smiled as she remembered the episode.

Enea Silvio Piccolomini allowed Vochita, against the customs, to take  place in a private debate.

She faced Peter for two long hours and Olivia found the exchange entertaining. Pius the Second looked entertained too, judging by the knowing smirk tugging at his lips.

Indeed, even for a novice like her or perhaps especially for a novice like her it had been easy to notice the difference in tone and intensity between their performance and the next two.

'Sir Peter is a wealthy man, he would do his duty by you.'

'I don't want his damn duty. ' Vochita  blurted

'You'd have to marry eventually, you'd need someone worthy and able to protect your holdings.' Olivia offered

'There are other knights. ' Vochita persisted.

'They'd bore you to death.'

Vochita chewed on her lower lip

'I don't have Erzbet's curves or Dochia's skill with a sword. Nor do I have your sunny disposition and cunning.'

Olivia drew a hand to her heart making a show of Vochita's opinion of her.

Vochita laughed.

'You know it's true, as it is true I have nothing to recommend me except my lands... and he has his looks and smarts and... his reputation  '

Vochita's shoulders slumped

"The Dragon would announce it soon. Wish me a long boring life in the country.'

Olivia sighed as to comfort her. However,  she knew otherwise. Vochita would not rot in the country, and she would be in for a big surprise.

Olivia smiled broadly, in what she intended to look as encouragement. In fact,  the long string of surprises Vochita would be hit with soon rather amused her. What would she say when she'd discover half of the rumors running around Peter were pure fabrication? Why, she helped spread half of them.

A sudden movement and low murmur came from the outside and Vochita let out another heavy sigh.

'It's time to face my fate'

The crowd parted to let  them pass among whispers and side glances.

'He'd marry the shrew if his prince would order it.' she heard a disgusted voice.

She focused on the scene in front of her as Peter bowed to the Dragon then turned. Olivia doubted anyone noticed the slight start Peter gave as Vochita advanced. However, she did.

'Observant rather than cunning... perhaps both.' she murmured silently.

It allowed her to survive at the court of a prince whose temperament rivaled a keg of gunpowder. She prayed Vochita would accept her fate and avoid confronting him.

Vochita's loud voice dashed her last hopes.

'I cannot marry him, your highness!'

A loud silence descended over the crowd

Peter's face remained carved in stone, and Olivia knew he understood as well as she that the next move must be left to the prince.

The telltale blush creeping up Vlad's neck never arrived. However, Olivia didn't allow herself to hope yet.

The Dragon ignored Vochita and addressed Peter:

'It is my will that you marry Vochita tonight. '

Peter bowed in submission, and his face remained unmoving. Vlad turned to Vochita, who lowered her eyes under his glare.

'His holiness Pope Pius agreed to bless your union. It was your mother's most ardent wish. You're leaving for Rome tomorrow."

There was no reproach in the prince's tone. Only finality.

Olivia couldn't let Vochita put her life in danger again. She took a step forward; however, Peter's icy glance warned her to keep her place.

She lowered her eyes, and when she raised them again she watched with amazement as Vochita dropped on her knees and kissed prince's hand.

What had she missed? Her eyes moved between Vochita and Peter as he helped her rise and Peter's fleeting glance to his bride gave her the answer.

'This must not happen again!' she told herself between gritted teeth. This business of letting her guard off for any reason, be it the life of her best friend, must stop here.

There was no secret that Vochita's mother, a polish noble, wished her daughter to marry in the Catholic faith. However, the newlyweds' trip to Rome was entirely about something else.

Olivia schooled her features and displayed her brightest smile. She nodded in understanding and listened with feigned attention to the gossip.

'Such a shrew, what was her father thinking to poison her mind with teachers and books?'

'Poor gel, the blackguard barely noticed her, she's in for such a disappointment.'

The crowd remained conspicuously silent about the black hearted prince who threw them together in this predicament. Olivia sighed. She wouldn't find out anything else tonight. Vochita' and Peter's heated debates and stolen glances remained lost to the crowd, and she wasn't about to change their opinion.

'That's the worst thing it could have happened to her.'  Olivia sighed for the benefit of the audience.

She then performed a perfect curtsy and turned away with a knowing smile.

'And then, again, maybe not.'