Beneath a crescent shado.., p.1
Beneath a Crescent Shadow, page 1
OTHER BOOKS BY A. L. SOWARDS
The Balkan Legends Series
After the Crescent Strike (ebook prequel)
Beneath a Crescent Shadow
Beyond the Crescent Sky (coming January 2025)
Duchy of Athens Series
Of Sword and Shadow
Of Daggers and Deception
Falcon Point Series
Heirs of Falcon Point
Codes of Courage
Stand-Alones
A Waltz with Traitors
Before the Fortress Falls
Cover art © Collaboration JS / Arc Angel
Book design © Shadow Mountain
Design: Christina Marcano
Art direction: Garth Bruner
Author photo: VaLynn Woolley
© 2024 A. L. Sowards
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing®, at permissions@shadow
mountain.com. The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of Shadow Mountain Publishing.
This novel is a work of historical fiction and depicts a time and place with widespread violence, which includes references to off-page sexual assault. Characters and events in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are represented fictitiously.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Sowards, A. L., author. | Sowards, A. L. Balkan legends ; v. 1.
Title: Beneath a crescent shadow / A. L. Sowards.
Description: Salt Lake City : Shadow Mountain, [2024] | Series: The Balkan legends; v. 1 | Summary: “A devastating battle has claimed the lives of his father, uncle, and most of their army. Now Konstantin finds himself thrust into an inheritance he isn’t prepared for, ruling as a vassal of the Ottoman sultan. After an arranged marriage, Konstantin and Suzana must shoulder the burdens of an Ottoman overlord amid a torrent of dangers much closer to home.”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2023050706 (print) | LCCN 2023050707 (ebook) | ISBN 9781639932467 (hardback) | ISBN 9781649332714 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Balkan Peninsula—Civilization—14th century—Fiction. | Turkey—History—14th century—Fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Historical / Medieval | FICTION / Romance / Historical / Medieval | LCGFT: Historical fiction. | Romance fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3619.0945 B46 2024 (print) | LCC PS3619.0945 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23/eng/20231226
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023050706
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023050707
Printed in the United States of America
Lake Book Manufacturing, LLC, Melrose Park, IL
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Elizabeth
I am so impressed by your compassion,
your diligence, and your intelligence.
Thank you for being a beautiful person inside and out.
You are a priceless part of our family.
I know you would probably rather read a book about dragons,
but this series has a character named Dragomir.
That’s close, right?
Contents
Glossary and Historical Background
Character List
Sparks of Arson, Sparks of Hope
Betrothed
Villa of Danger
Among the Rapids
An Uncertain Memory
Retribution
The Leave-Taking
Danger in the Dark
Rivakgrad
Warmth and Warning
The Sultan’s Emissary
The Weight of Subjugation
Shadows of Fear
The Weight of the Past
Uneasy Allies
Whispers in the Chapel
A Besieged Church
Provocation
Bound with Silk
The Bedding Ceremony
In Search of Justice
Casualty and Crisis
Scraps of Time
Bargains
Farewells and Fondness
Suzana’s Gifts
Partings
Anatolia
Speed, Blood, and Fury
Wary Allies
Pushing Boundaries
In the Shadows
A Burden of Grief
The Danger of an Undefeated Foe
In War’s Aftermath
In Search of Healing
The Journey Home
Wine and Memory
Guilt and Compassion
Desperate Resolutions
Tokens for Vengeance
The Traitor and the Župan
Preparations for War
Riders
Soot and Shadow
The Enemy’s Grody
Outnumbered
When the Enemy Closes In
A Duel to the Death
Epilogue
Author’s Note
Off to Wander
Glossary and
Historical Background
Akincis: Ottoman irregular light cavalry, often serving as scouts or a vanguard to the regular army.
Bey: Originally a term for a Turkish tribal chieftain but also used as an Ottoman title for a local representative of the sultan’s authority.
Boukellaton: A dense, ring-shaped loaf of bread baked twice and dried to give it a long shelf life. Normally eaten after being soaked in oil or wine.
Byzantine Empire: The Byzantine Empire was the eastern half of the Roman Empire, though contemporaries did not use the term. The Byzantines referred to themselves as Romans, and their neighbors often referred to them as Greeks. Their capital was Constantinople. For centuries, the Byzantine Empire controlled the Mediterranean world, but by the 1370s, their borders had shrunk significantly. The empire still included much of Thrace, the Peloponnese, and lands around Thessaloniki. Though their military and political power was on the wane, their cultural influence remained strong. Their religion was Orthodox Christian.
Caravansary: An inn with a central courtyard, rooms, and an outer wall to shelter travelers, merchants, and their goods and animals. Normally situated along trade routes.
Corselet: A piece of armor meant to protect the torso. It was normally hip length, with or without sleeves. Often made of lamellar in this novel’s setting.
Courser: A warhorse known for strength and speed.
Dalmatica: A garment with wide, three-quarters-length sleeves and a roughly knee-length skirt, generally layered over a tunic. Could be worn by men or women.
Dama: Term of respect for a Serbian noblewoman.
Desetnik: Commander over a military unit of ten men.
Destrier: The most valuable type of warhorse, trained for battle and tournaments.
Dinar: A silver coin minted in Serbia and used there for several centuries. Originally, its value was roughly equal to the Venetian grosso, or one-eighth of a Byzantine hyperpyron, but at the time of this book, its relative value was decreasing.
Ducat: A gold coin primarily minted in Venice at the time of this book, worth roughly one florin, three hyperpyra, twenty-four grossi, or twenty-four dinars.
Florin: A gold coin minted in Florence, worth roughly one ducat, three hyperpyra, twenty-four grossi, or twenty-four dinars.
Ghazi: For the purposes of this novel, the term refers to an Ottoman raider who depended on plunder for his pay. The word has a more expansive definition outside the setting of the fourteenth-century Balkan Peninsula, but the more limited definition is used for clarity and accuracy in this book’s historical setting.
Grad: A fortified Slavic town.
Great Mortality: The term contemporary people used to refer to the plague now known as the Black Death, which swept through Europe and peaked in the late 1340s and early 1350s.
Grody: A fortified area of a town or village.
Grosso: A silver coin minted in Venice, one-eighth the value of a hyperpyron or one-twenty-fourth the value of a ducat or florin. (plural grossi)
Gusle: A single-stringed musical instrument held in the lap and played with a bow.
Hauberk: A shirt of mail armor, usually with sleeves and reaching to the midthigh.
Hyperpyron: A gold coin minted by the Byzantine Empire, worth roughly eight grossi or dinars or one-third of a ducat or florin. (plural hyperpyra)
Karamanid: A Turkish emirate in south-central Anatolia. At the time of this novel, they were rivals to the Ottomans. They were Muslims.
Kephale: Leader with civic and military responsibilities in Byzantine or former Byzantine lands.
Kontarion: A type of cavalry lance with a wooden shaft and iron blade, normally eight to twelve feet in length.
Kral: Serbian term for king.
Lamellar: A type of body armor made from laced plates of leather, horn, or metal.
Meroph: A serf. Merophs owed labor and/or tribute to their feudal lord and to the church.
Narthex: The entrance area, antechamber, or court of an Orthodox church.
Nave: The main
Ottoman Empire: A Turkish empire that was established in Asia Minor, then expanded into Europe. Murad I, the founder’s grandson, is sultan during this story. By the 1370s, many Balkan Christian rulers were vassals to the Ottomans, but Turkish control was not yet complete, nor were their rival Turkish tribes in Anatolia vanquished. The Ottomans were Muslims. They saw Europe as a new frontier—a land of opportunity and destiny.
Palfrey: A horse valued for its smooth gait, ideal for riding long distances.
Pasha: Ottoman title for a high-ranking military or civic leader.
Protovastar: A Serb official with financial duties.
Satnik: Serbian official, subordinate to the župan, with military and civil responsibilities.
Scimitar: A sword with a curved blade.
Serbian Empire: The Medieval Serbian Empire reached its zenith in the middle of the fourteenth century and included much of the Balkan Peninsula. It suffered serious setbacks with the death of Emperor Stefan Dušan in 1355 and a devastating loss at the Battle of Maritsa in 1371. The Serb religion was largely Christian Orthodox, and their culture was heavily affected by both Byzantine and Italian influences.
Sipahi: Ottoman cavalryman, compensated by salary or land grant.
Spathion: Type of sword common in the late Byzantine era, about three feet long with a double-edged blade.
Surcoat: A long, loose outer garment worn over armor.
Vila: Women of legend who play a prominent role in Serb song and stories in guardian-angel-type roles. Their qualities include beauty and speed.
Župa: A geographic area ruled by a župan.
Župan: Serb lord, comparable to a count.
*Relative values of coinage are included for curious readers, but it should be noted that values fluctuated with time and location, and sources often disagree on precise values.
Character List
Konstantin’s Family
Župan Konstantin Miroslavević: Župan of Rivak
Župan Miroslav: Konstantin’s father, former župan of Rivak who perished at Maritsa prior to the time of this novel
Dama Yaroslava: Konstantin’s mother, wife of Miroslav, daughter of Župan Đurad Lukarević, who died of camp fever prior to the time of this novel
Lidija: Konstantin’s sister
Ivan: Konstantin’s brother
Militsa: Konstantin’s sister who died as an infant prior to the time of this novel
Bogdana: Konstantin’s sister who died of camp fever prior to the time of this novel
Dama Zorica: Konstantin’s aunt, sister to Župan Miroslav
Darras: Zorica’s husband, who died at Maritsa prior to the time of this novel
Danilo: Konstantin’s cousin, son of Darras and Dama Zorica
Cedozar: Župan Miroslav’s cousin who perished prior to the time of this novel
Other Serbs from Rivak
Miladin: Member of the Rivak garrison
Magdalena: Miladin’s wife
Svetlana (Sveta): Magdalena’s niece
Grigorii: Rivak’s satnik
Vasilija: Grigorii’s sister
Viktor: Vasilija’s betrothed, who died at Maritsa prior to the time of this novel
Father Vlatko: Rivak’s priest, tutor to Ivan and Danilo
Kuzman: Member of the Rivak garrison, weapons instructor
Bojan: Member of the Rivak garrison, riding instructor
Jasmina: Bojan’s daughter, who works in the grody
Čučimir: Rivak’s protovastar
Zoran: Member of the Rivak garrison
Akinin: Member of the Rivak garrison
Predislav: Member of the Rivak garrison
Ljubomir: Member of the Rivak garrison
Risto: Konstantin’s manservant
Nevena: A cook
Jakov: A stableboy
Serbs from Sivi Gora
Župan Đurad Lukarević: Leader of Sivi Gora, Konstantin’s maternal grandfather
Aleksander Igorević: Sivi Gora’s satnik
Adamu: Member of the Sivi Gora garrison
Cyril: Member of the Sivi Gora garrison
Other Serbs
Suzana: Konstantin’s betrothed, daughter of Baldovin
Baldovin: Suzana’s father, a prosperous merchant
Župan Dragomir: Župan in lands that border Rivak to the east
Dama Isidora: Župan Dragomir’s wife
Decimir: Župan Dragomir’s oldest grandson and heir
Divna: Isidora’s maid
Ilija: Member of Župan Dragomir’s garrison
Josif: Member of Župan Dragomir’s garrison
Radomir: Župan Dragomir’s estranged brother
Župan Nikola: Župan in lands that border Rivak to the southwest
Dama Violeta: Župan Nikola’s wife
Župan Teodore: Župan in lands that border Rivak to the northwest
Dama Emilija: Župan Teodore’s wife
Ottoman Turks
Sultan Murad: Ottoman ruler, later known as Murad I
Lala Şahin Pasha: One of Sultan Murad’s military leaders
Arslan: Turkish envoy sent to Serb lands
Esel: Translator for Arslan
Hamdi: Member of Arslan’s diplomatic team
Kasim bin Yazid: Sipahi leader, who serves Sultan Murad
German Mercenaries
Ulrich: Captain of a band of mercenaries
Otto: Member of Ulrich’s band, second in command
Erasmus: Member of Ulrich’s band
Ludolf: Member of Ulrich’s band
Chapter One
Sparks of Arson, Sparks of Hope
The Balkans, 1373
The wooden door swung on a squeaky hinge, moving with the wind as flames licked along the roof and brought down the home’s last rafter. Only the stone hearth remained upright, singed and smoldering with heat from the inferno. Mere hours before, the house had sheltered nine people.
Konstantin Miroslavević dismounted and led his bay palfrey upwind of the smoke. “Did everyone make it to safety?”
“Yes, lord.” The middle-aged man, one of the home’s former inhabitants, kept his voice firm, but firelight showed tear trails cutting across the soot that clung to his cheeks.
“The other homes?” Konstantin glanced around the village.
“We were able to save them.”
No deaths. Only one home destroyed. Small mercies to mitigate a massive disaster. The home could be rebuilt, but the burned fields couldn’t produce another crop before winter. The entire village’s harvest had been consumed in the blaze. Lookouts at the grad had spotted the fire in the middle of the fourth watch, and now the predawn light revealed destruction as far as Konstantin could see.
Upon the merophs fell the task of growing food for the župa. If they had no crops, they would be unable to pay their taxes. If they couldn’t pay their taxes, Konstantin’s coffers would remain empty. And if he had no money for tribute to the Ottoman sultan, Konstantin would lose his lands and his ability to protect the people from both Christian and Muslim raiders.
The fire seemed one more proof of his failure as župan. Defending the people of Rivak was his sacred duty. If he couldn’t protect them from arson, why should they owe him loyalty or a hearth tax? But he had so few men. Battle against the Ottomans had devastated Konstantin’s family, taking his father, his uncle, and most of Rivak’s garrison. The battle had done the same to most of Serbia. The kral had been slain, and new royalty was unlikely to be crowned while the sultan held power. Tribute payments to their Ottoman overlords left Konstantin with no way to afford mercenaries, and every year the financial strain grew. Famine had followed the war, but this year’s crop had seemed so promising. Now that promise and its accompanying hope had gone up in flames.
He forced all emotion from his face. When he had been made župan at seventeen after his father had been taken in battle, he’d known he could show no weakness, not when his age and inexperience were plain for all to see. That hadn’t changed in the last two years—he was still unproven. Now he was also on the brink of impoverishment, but he couldn’t show the panic he felt. “Did anyone see how the fires began?”
The meroph whose home had been burned kept his eyes downcast. “We were sleeping.”
