Temple Sword

Chapter 177 The Soldiers Returning Home

His passionate thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of the door, and the creaking noise of the unoiled hinges made Miklos frown involuntarily.

He could hardly bear the sound of metal clashing, and once he almost killed the cook because he swung his knife too hard.He didn't understand why, but he couldn't control his murderous rage.

"My lord," a weak female voice came from outside the door, "You say I'm a liar..."

Realizing that it was his wife who disturbed him, the remaining smile on the earl's face disappeared instantly.

"What do you want?" He glared at her. "Can't you just leave me here alone?"

"You call me a liar, my lord," the woman repeated, closing the door behind her and walking softly to the tub.Miklos noticed that his wife was wearing only a thin gown, and the man folded his hands on his chest.

"I wish you could tell me, my lord, why you think me a liar," asked the woman.

"Why?" the man asked angrily.It is no longer difficult to express your thoughts frankly in front of her, "You know why,
I married you because I was bewitched by your former charms, and by the laws of the Church I cannot have another wife, and you know this well, you cunning woman!

But you hid the most important thing from me, your womb is drier than sand dried by the sun!You know, I'm going to die now without an heir, it's all your fault, I can't get married again if you don't die first..."

The woman clenched her fists under the loose linen gown, her old maid, the only one who supported her, persuaded her to go to her husband who was taking a bath, to soften his heart, before offering herself to him so that tame This stubborn lion.

But after all this, she felt that she would never love this man again, she couldn't have feelings for him like she used to, no matter how hard she tried, the man's heart of stone would only make her feel painful.

"How do I know that I can't...conceive life..." She tried hard to hold back her tears, determined not to cry anymore.

"So you're saying you don't know?" Miklos gave him a mocking look. "How is that possible?"

"But my lord," she looked at the man in shock, "before you, I have never slept with anyone! It was you who took my virginity, and I didn't know before that!"

"You're lying again," said the Count dryly. "Women know it, they can feel it, my captains say so, they are all married, and they will never lie to me... ..."

The woman couldn't believe her ears. He had known for a long time that men knew nothing about women's bodies, but she was surprised that they could say such nonsense between them.

"It's possible," she suggested casually, "it's possible that we didn't try enough..."

"Never once?" Miklos shook his head resolutely, his patience was exhausted, and he imagined throwing his whining cat-like wife against the wall, and the thought temporarily calmed her down.

"It depends on many things, many small things," the woman explained, her body was already a little cold, "such as how many days have passed since the last bleeding, how long until the next menstrual period, whether the stars..."

"Stars!?" the man yelled. "Who told you this nonsense?"

"It's no nonsense," argued his wife, "my aunt heard it from an astrologer, and she..."

"Astrologers?" Miklos interrupted her. "These damned liars were put in my castle? If I find out where that heretic is, I'll take him to the Holy Inquisition!"
Then I'll rip his guts out of his ass!Only you would believe this nonsense, you stupid woman, tell me why you come here to bother me! "

The woman didn't know what to say, and she didn't need to say anything. She showed her husband the perfect work created by God, and Miklos felt a little stuffy.

However unpleasant their conversation had been, the Count hadn't been with a woman for months, and he felt it himself.The hot water soothed him, and he knew what his wife wanted.

"Very well," the man said to himself, his heartbeat and breathing quickened, "maybe we can try again, maybe this time it will be different..."

The woman stepped forward, put her hands in the water, and tried to get into the tub.

"What are you doing?" Miklos called to her.

"I'll accompany you, my lord." The woman replied with some astonishment, "Let's take a bath together, and then..."

"Enough!" He stood up abruptly, "I've already taken a shower."

The woman fought back tears for the next hour, nothing good happened, there was no kindness or warmth in her husband's eyes.Not only did she hate the face she was staring at, she was terrified of it.

Strangely knotted eyebrows from tiny wounds, scarred forehead and cheeks, crooked nose with multiple fractures, this horrible face no longer belonged to any normal person, not even the long beard that grew on it Nor can it hide any ugliness.

At the end of the long ordeal, the woman was sure that she would hear Count Sopron's screams again this evening, for Miklos Gutkled had never heard of him since his first battle many years ago. There is no night of restful sleep.

From then on, he was rude to everyone, he started hating his wife, woke up every night screaming in terror, drenched in cold sweat, and couldn't sleep again until dawn.

He spent many nights pacing up and down his room alone, getting himself too drunk to experience the horrors that awaited him in his dreams.

But those ghosts, those long-dead unfamiliar faces, those mutilated comrades, those young soldiers crying for their mothers, those bones without eyes, those scorched and smelly torsos, those endless mud and blood soaked The fields and the viscera that he stepped on with every step, all of them were waiting for him in the pillow.

Miklos Gutkled was cursed, and could only sleep peacefully while death surrounded him.
-
1322, Saint Andrew's Month (November)
Bihor, Transylvania
-

Thousands of people died there.

Isstván Lakfi finally finished his story, his voice was sad and low, and Knight Sekai, looking down at the table and rubbing his crane-feather hat, told the widow of Lorinci Tordi The battle of Myrdorf told the woman how her husband had fought with him and how he had fallen on the banks of the Eshin.

During the long journey from Zagreb to Bihor, Lakfe had enough time to think about what he would say to the families of these people, repeating to himself over and over again the life of Lorraine Toldi The heroic poem of the last battle.

But the moment he had to stand in front of the widow, look her in the eye, and tell her face-to-face that the father of the child was gone, everything he had rehearsed suddenly disappeared from his mind for some reason.

He was thankful that he didn't stutter, and only choked up once at the end of the story.

He spared no words in emphasizing the heroic battle of Lorraine Tordi, so that he would be remembered as a true hero, but he overshadowed Thor's death in one sentence, killing the He, Lakfee did not mention any details.

The woman was speechless for a long time, but just stared at her eyes with dim eyes, motionless.She didn't rage, punch the man in the chest, or scream hysterically, she looked depressed but calm.

In the end, she shed a silent tear for her husband, straightened her back, stood upright, and bore the devastating news like a true noble lady.

She slowly raised her hand and hid her tears in her sleeves. She would never allow herself to cry in public.She would bury herself in her pillow at night, when she would let all her emotions out, but before that she wouldn't let anyone else see.

She clearly knows that from now on, she must continue to manage the manor without Lorinche Toldi, and she can no longer show her weakness.

She was a warrior's wife. Although she always prayed for her husband's safe return, she was also secretly prepared that one day, someone would bring the lord's sword, helmet, shield and news of his death.

She'd seen enough widows who couldn't survive the loss of their husbands and ended up losing everything that she'd made up her mind long ago that she would never be one of them.

Lorinci Toldi left the estate for several months, when the duties of the head of the family fell to his wife: to take care of the tenants and serfs, manage the affairs of the estate, communicate with the nobles and officials, pay wages, and collect taxes.

From now on, such missions will not last for a few months, but for many, many years.

Her only concern was what would happen if someone refused to pay their taxes, and now that Lorraine Toldi was gone, people wouldn't be afraid of a woman.

A rumor that a loud serf who had disobeyed the manor once brought down a house with his bare hands was the only thing that worried the widow.

But she will do her best to overcome this difficulty, including other problems that come with it, maybe she will need to redistribute salaries, make some changes in expenses, build a stronger army, and let everyone know that the Tordi family is in Bihor's strength has not weakened, and Lorraine's sons will grow up to continue the family.

"Find George and bring him here!" said the hostess to the white-haired butler of the manor. "It's time to let him know that his father died in the war."

"Yes, ma'am." The housekeeper answered with tears in his eyes, and left directly.

Perhaps he was relieved to hear the order, for his face showed more pain than his newly widowed mistress.No one would blame him for shedding a few manly tears before looking for the little master.

Even Lakfee's beard was sadly drooping, and his hat looked more like a used rag than a fancy headgear.

"I forgot to entertain you, Isstvan," the woman broke the gloomy silence, "do you need anything, wine? Bacon? Some cheese and fresh bread?"

"No, ma'am," Knight Sekai shook his head and raised his palm to refuse, "I should be the one who asks this question. If you need my help with anything, please tell me directly. I will be happy to help."

"I don't know where to start and what to do, Istvan," the widow sighed, her chest heaving, "I don't know what to ask for your help."

"You can come to me for anything," the man said firmly, "Lorraine is my comrade in arms, but not only that, he is also my brother, and I know that if I were the one who died on the battlefield, he would also Do my best to take care of my family."

"I understand," the hostess of the manor nodded slowly, "Now I don't know what I need help with, but when my family encounters difficulties, I will come to you."

"I'll pass by here every time I'm on the road," Lakfee promised, "I'll visit you then."

"Thank you."

"When George grows up, I will take him to the king's court and let him see the world." Lakfey continued, because he felt that he had to do something for this family that lost its owner. A beautiful promise is his The least that can be done.

"If I keep trying, maybe by then I'll have some place at court so I can get George the best education and the best teachers and make him the best student I know Lorraine Qi will also agree to do this..."

"What about Miklos?" the woman asked in a low voice, more like talking to herself. "Although George will only have a vague memory, at least he will remember his father, but my poor Little Cloth will remember nothing, he is too young..."

Unable to answer the question, the knight cleared his throat, sighed, and continued to rub his battered hat.

Not long after, the old housekeeper finally came back, followed by a thin and pale boy.

"Come here, my child!" His mother held out her left hand to him, then sat him on her lap and hugged the child encouragingly. "Don't be afraid, this is Lord Esteban Lakfell, the king's knight. You have seen him before, maybe you remember, he is here to tell you why Papa will never come home again..."

When Istvan Lakfi finally escaped the grief-stricken Tordi estate, his head was buzzing, his eyes were stinging, and his throat was itching.With a dry mouth, he untied the wine bag from the saddle and drank the old wine that had already turned sour.

Now it's Beth's family's turn, he thought bitterly, God bless me to get through this...

Then the White Dragon mounted his horse, and, accompanied by his riders, rode sullenly at the head of the procession, and set off again bearing the news of his death.

(End of this chapter)