Temple Sword

Chapter 13 Three Vows
The next morning the Spanish knight went to the monastery, from where he did not return until late afternoon.The characteristic sly smile on his face was also distorted into a contemptuous womanly face, and Antal could see the change at a glance.

"Is there a question, my lord?" he asked.

"There is a problem with people," Carlos clicked his tongue, "Where is William?"

"He was about an hour into the city, my lord, and you avoided each other."

"Please, don't call me so respectfully again," the man waved his hand, "Just call me Carlos!"

"I understand."

"Tell me, are you busy now? I want to ride along the river bank." Carlos said.

"My uncle told me to wash Sarecher clean before he comes back," Antar replied reluctantly.

"Sarecher?"

"My horse, my lord... I mean... Carlos."

"Okay, you go and get it out." Carlos nodded, "I insist that you go with me."

"I……"

"What are you waiting for, boy?"

"I'm not in the mood for punishment."

"Then I'll go alone, I didn't expect you to be so...so timid!" Carlos shrugged.

"what?"

"I thought you wanted to be a knight, but on second thought, your horse can't be as fast as my Ryze, you're a fine Frisian horse, aren't you, Ryze?" He stroked himself The mane of the war horse, the horse snorted in satisfaction.

"My Sarecher is an Arabian thoroughbred," the boy boasted. "God created it from the south wind, and it existed a full thousand years before other horses! Even if your Ryze is fast enough, Lord Carlos, but Sarecher is a prince, and he will be faster than Ryze."

"No matter what, I will not lose to a groom." Carlos raised his eyebrows disapprovingly.

"I'm not a groom!" Antal said angrily.

"No?" Carlos smiled, "Then prove it to me!"
-
—

Eight swift horses hooves thumped, mixed with the waves of the Sava River and the occasional shrieks of the two riders, forming an eerie noise.At first, onlookers may not be able to tell which is the squire and which is the knight: not only do they dress similarly, but they also behave in a confusingly similar manner.

Although Carlos was nearly forty years old, with a few strands of white hair hidden in his black beard, he didn't look more mature or serious than Antar, who was newly promoted as a servant, and his eyes still shone with a childlike light.

"Let me ask you something, Antal!" Carlos reined in the horse after the two took turns catching up to each other several times and couldn't tell who was the winner. "Why on earth do you want to be a Templar?"

The boy was surprised by the question, perhaps because he had never really thought about it before.For as long as he can remember, he's always wanted to be a knight, just like his uncle.He didn't know why, because until now, the fate of being a knight seemed as natural as his need to breathe.

"You're a Templar yourself," he evaded the question, "what reason do you have to dissuade me from giving up my goal?"

"Hehe, I don't want to discourage you!" The black-robed man raised a narrow smile, "I just want to know why you are sure that your direction is correct?"

"The Knights Templar is the most powerful order in the world," Antar replied, "and you must know that."

"So your goal in life," Carlos exclaimed, "is to become a member of the most powerful order of knights in the world?"

Antar was very embarrassed, but his embarrassment quickly turned to anger.

"With all due respect, Mr. Carlos," he said flippantly, the first words that came to his mind, "you are just jealous of my white cloak, because you yourself are only entitled to wear black!"

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake.He bit his lip, wishing he could slap himself.He could already see his uncle punishing him harsher than ever, he had just insulted a knight almost three times his age, whether black or white, whether attached to the order or independent, so Contradiction is the most disrespectful behavior.

Unexpectedly, Carlos didn't open his eyes and scold him, but laughed out loud.

"I've known your uncle, boy, I've known him for a long time!" he said with a pleasant smile. "He's always been a real problem, and you're more dangerous than him!"

"Forgive me!" said Antal.

"You're honest, and I can't be angry about that. Believe me, I appreciate people like you more than court ministers who only dare to tell the truth behind their backs. You're an honest man, and life burns inside of you, and I Can see it in your eyes, in your every move. That's why you make such a bad Templar."

Antal was gripped by Carlos' last words, "I don't understand," he stammered, "what does this mean?"

"Why do I speak like a pagan even though I have a red cross on my chest?"

Antal nodded silently.

"Antar, I have a slightly different view of this sacred and inviolable knight order than most people. I know what it carries, I have seen its dark side, and I have committed some unspeakable crimes , I do not deny it. The Knights Templar are not a free fraternal order, but you are born free, and either they pollute you, or you remain forever the black sheep of the Order, an outcast."

They rode in silence for a while, and Antal thought about what Carlos said just now, so that the thoughts of the black-robed sergeant would slowly settle down.

"My family," Carlos began, "has supported the Knights Templar for generations, more than you can imagine. The world doesn't work the way it's supposed to, and it doesn't work like the scriptures say." As said, it was actually driven by money. They dared not expel me from the Order for the simple reason of money."

"What about your black cloak?" Antal asked curiously.

"You think I'm going to take three vows? Then be a virgin for life? Come on!" Carlos looked at him with a smile, "I don't take the vow of chastity, I only take the vow of obedience, although some people I don’t think I’m submissive either…”

"What about the oath of poverty?"

"Is there any poor Templar as poor as a beggar, Antal?" He spread his arms. "The cloak is a family tradition, although for my fathers, the troubles my order suffered Not more than half as much as they put up with me.

Did you know that the Templars never had to stand in line for anything?And they have almost as much power in the street as the king himself. "

"Which king?"

"Any king!"

"But only unblemished knights are treated like this," Antal objected.

“The last time I saw a spotless, perfect knight was when I had no money,” laughs Carlos, who clearly enjoyed the debate.

"When did you have no money?"

"I've always been rich!"

Antar frowned, "The black robe still has to line up."

"Perhaps, but I haven't." He shrugged, and while I do have fewer privileges, I can enjoy the best things more freely than any white knight. "

"What wonderful thing?" Antal was puzzled.

Carlos walked very close to the boy.

"Soon you will find out," he whispered cheerfully, "what the world is all about, and then you yourself will think differently about white robes and chastity."

"Why, what do you think?" Antal also asked in a low voice, as if peeping into a terrible secret.

"The fragrance under girls' skirts."

Antal's eyes widened when he realized what Carlos was saying, his face flushed.

"You're crazy!" he blurted out.

"Yes!" Carlos yelled, kicking his spurs and starting to run again, "I'm crazy! I'm the craziest Templar in the world, long live madness, joy and freedom!"

Antal stared at the screaming Carlos, the frozen surprise on his face was gradually replaced by a smile.He let go of Sarecher's rein, leaned on the black horse, and galloped after Carlos.

"You may be free," he shouted to the black-robed sergeants ahead, "but your Frisian horse can't outrun my Arabian thoroughbred!"

(End of this chapter)