Angelina learned that the city where Vlad did his horrific actions was the city of Târgoviște. During her travels in her era, Angelina had visited the city with the tour group and remembered how beautiful and tranquil it was. It was a small city of wealth, beauty, and history. Angelina remembered seeing many ruins that spoke about Vlad and his battles. 

"We are almost at the city." 

"Huh?"

"I said that we are almost arriving at the city," he responded while pointing to the city of Târgoviște. Homes and large buildings were seen from afar, but not many from what she had seen in her time. "Not as you imagined?"

Angelina smiled as her eyes never left the city. "It is beautiful from here."

Vlad looked behind him, where his soldiers rode their horses but kept their distance. He motioned his horse closer to hers and asked, "How is Târgoviște in your time?"

"The city has expanded more than it is right now. There are many bigger buildings and-" Angelina remembered about her phone. "I forgot that I have my phone with me. I took photos of my travels in Romania."

"Photos?"

"It's hard to explain, but they're kind of like paintings, but in my time, we use phones or cameras where images are taken and saved in a contraption. I'll show you when we have privacy." 

Vlad merely nodded as they both approached Târgoviște. He didn't know why his heart and stomach were beating rapidly. "What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling...nervous?" He squeezed the reins, finding it difficult to believe he was admitting his nervousness. "How dare I feel this way!? I am the Voivode of Wallachia! I have killed those fools because they take advantage of those who are able!"

The group arrived at the bridge and crossed, where they saw many citizens going about their daily duties. When they saw the Voivode, the citizens were terror-stricken. Many of them looked as if they wanted to run, but they immediately bowed their heads, fearing that they would be executed. 

Angelina noticed their fear. It would be difficult for Vlad to earn their forgiveness and trust, but they couldn't give up. "Wow, looks like you made an impact on them," she sarcastically said. 

"Careful how you speak to me in front of these people. There are certain things I will tolerate but I will not be made a fool by you."

"This is fresh. Vlad, you made a mockery of yourself and these people. You gave them a reason to distrust, fear, and hate you. You will ask for their forgiveness and tolerate anything and everything they will do and say. You, at least, owe them that." 

Vlad looked ahead and noticed that everyone had grown silent or had stopped performing their daily duties. All eyes were on him; their looks were fearful and judgmental. 

He felt their hatred for him. 

Vlad believed that killing the homeless and all those who were incompetent would bring the citizens relief since he cleaned the city of them. He commanded the horses and his men to stop midway into the city and looked at Angelina. "What now?"

The young woman noticed a beautiful fountain in the city's center. She thought it was a perfect place to start. "I have an idea. Can you help me get off the horse? I'm scared of falling and hurting myself." Vlad rolled his eyes, and Angelina huffed. "You tend to roll your eyes at me, Vlad. I guess that child in you never left." 

The urge to roll his eyes was imminent, but he refrained from doing it, not to prove her right. He got off his horse, as did his other guards. Vlad went to Angelina, gesturing with his arms. Something mischievous came to mind. When Angelina was about to get off the horse, Vlad moved backward, making her land on the ground, causing her to lose her footing and fall on her bottom. "Oh, dear me, I couldn't get to you on time."

Vlad and the guards chuckled, and Angelina glared at Vlad, amused. She immediately stood up when she noticed the citizens eyeing them curiously. "Ha, ha! Very funny!" Angelina stuck out her tongue and motioned for Vlad to follow her. Vlad noticed Angelina had led him to the fountain before asking. Angelina interrupted, saying, "This is the perfect spot to begin your redemption." She stood before the fountain, looking at the guards. "Tell the people to meet here."

The guards looked at one another and then at their Voivode. Vlad looked confused but nodded. The guards dispersed as they yelled for the people to gather at the fountain. Other guard patrols in the city were told to assist. 

Angelina and Vlad looked at one another as the citizens slowly arrived. "What are you planning?"

"You will stand here and apologize."

Vlad's eyes and lips slowly widened. He didn't expect to apologize in front of the entire city. People were surrounding them and the fountain. "I-I!? Apologize in front of the people!? Like this!? I thought-!"

Angelina stomped her right foot down and walked before Vlad. "What you did was monstrous, that not even your god would have accepted. You have to learn from your mistakes. When you learn from your mistakes, you make a better future." 

Her words left Vlad speechless; he couldn't find the right words to counter her. There was truth to what she had said, but his pride would always get in the way. "Perhaps Ioana was right. Everything I did was due to my pride."

Angelina climbed onto one of the corners of the water fountain, stood on it, and looked at everyone. "H-Hello, everyone! Uh, my name is Angelina. I know you guys don't know me, and I don't know you. But—" Angelina wanted to face-palm herself; she was nervous. She took a deep breath and continued, "Okay, I may have started it wrong, but as you all see, I am with the Voivode himself." No one said or made a sound as Vlad eyed them. "All of you and I may have heard or witnessed the tragedy a while back. I know many of you were horrified at the sight, but the Voivode has come here today to do something he should have done." She looked down at him, and Vlad stood motionless. "I said he came here to do something he should have done!"

Vlad crossed his arms and looked away. "I will not do it."

"Excuse me?"

"I will not do it."

Angelina became angry and tried to motion him to look at her, but Vlad wouldn't budge. "Excuse me? You will not do it!? You promised me that-"

"I promised nothing. I made no oath to god either. I will not do it."

"Oh, heck no! We didn't come here just for you to cower yourself out of this! You will apologize to everyone for what you have done!"

The people were shocked; the thought of the Voivode apologizing was unheard of. Murmurs echoed. Vlad was angry that Angelina blatantly blurted out the purpose of his appearance in the city. "I will not-" 

Without warning, Angelina pushed him so hard that he fell on the floor.

Everyone was stunned that someone, a woman, no less, had the gall to push the Impaler. 

Vlad had no time to react since Angelina got on top of him and tickled him on his sides. "HEE! HEE! HEE!" He tried to get her off, but Angelina wouldn't budge.

"Apologize, now!"

"HEE! HEE! N-NEVER! AH! HEE! HEE! HEE!" Tears slowly formed in his eyes; hints of saliva dripped from his lips.  His laughs and giggles echoed as everyone watched. 

Suddenly, a little girl found it amusing to see the Voivode's childish side. She giggled and pointed at him, saying, "Look, Mommy! He is laughing!" The child's unexpected comment made a couple of people laugh or giggle. Some people tried to contain their laughter but failed. 

Everyone laughed. 

Angelina stopped tickling Vlad and realized what was happening; she got off of him. Vlad tried to regain his breath and realized the people were laughing.

Laughing at him.

 Memories returned to him as he recalled his childhood, when Ottoman noble boys laughed at him after his father abandoned him and Radu to the Sultan. Their laughs never left his mind. "Stop laughing..." No one heard him, and his rage took over. "STOP LAUGHING!" His scream echoed throughout the city, causing everyone to stop in their tracks. Vlad slowly stood up and glared at the people with anger and hatred; Angelina noticed and feared that she had gone too far.

The same little girl who commented on Vlad got out of her mother's grip and went to him. Her beautiful blue eyes met his. "Please don't be mad. We like seeing you happy!"

The mother immediately took her daughter and begged for Vlad's forgiveness. Vlad was silent as he looked at the child. Everything became too much for him, and he walked away from the fountain. A path was made for him to walk through. 

Angelina watched as Vlad walked further away until he was no longer visible. She wrapped her arms around herself. "What have I done?"