Temple Sword

Chapter 34 Judgment
Before Antar entered the hall, the entire building was almost filled.The knights and priests sat in a semicircle, and at the far end sat Abbot Ambrosius at a broad table.A larger circle was vacated in the center of the hall, where relevant personnel would be interrogated. Servants and apprentices were forbidden to enter, but they had their own ways to witness the trial.

Ambrosius stood up and begged everyone to be quiet, and then chose a tall, thin, long-faced priest, Father Hector, and a rather quiet knight, Vencius, son of Zobor, stood by his left and right, and the three of them will Find out the truth and make the final verdict.

The first to be interrogated was Zoutermont, who put on his pious mask, appeared before the judges, made the sign of the cross, and asked God to help him to explain this unpleasant matter clearly, so As free from dirt as the everlasting purity of his soul.

Antar sneered at Zoutermon's pretentiousness, but the boy had expected that he would use this method to add persuasiveness to himself, and he only hoped that the audience in the hall at this moment had enough understanding of the knight's true character Understand, thus cast doubt on this hypocritical performance.

"When they entrusted this child to me, I was glad that all I could grasp was to pass it on to someone," Zoutermon began to weave his lies, "but as time went by I found that he was just a piece of dead wood that could not be cured. Could never raise him to be a proper knight because he's rotten from the inside out!"

"How did you come to this conclusion?" Father Hector asked.

"This boy was talking to me in a foreign language. He knew I couldn't understand what he was saying, and he used it to laugh at me. Once, I wanted to write to him, after all, he was my student, but he accused me of not being able to understand what he was saying. He knew how to read and write, and then started to mock me again! He knew that I couldn't teach him a lesson, and I couldn't do anything to him, because he was the adopted son of the great knight William, but this child really has no education at all."

"So you think William spoiled him?" Ambrosius interjected.

"Yes, Lord Dean." Zortmund nodded, "otherwise how can I explain that my disciple has been sneaking out of the monastery at night for several months and having a sinful relationship with an unknown woman?"

"Where is this nameless woman you mentioned now, Zoutemont?" The silent Vincius stood up, bowed to the abbot and the priest, and asked in a calm and firm voice.

"We failed to catch her."

"Why didn't you catch it?"

"She was cunning and tricked us all."

"I don't understand," Knight Vencius shook his head, "Eight days ago, you shut this boy up, when you said you would find the witch who tempted him to commit a crime within a week, but since then, you have not provided any The evidence convicts the boy and all you have is a dirty story with no witnesses and no evidence. You are welcome to correct me if I am wrong."

He sat down and watched Ambrosius and Hector and Zortmund slowly boil in his own words.Even the blind can see that these three people want Antal to be severely punished, and Vincius, who has been silently observing everything, has naturally discovered this.

There was an uproar in the audience, and the representatives of the Cavaliers sided with the defendant. This trial seemed to have changed.But Vincius has no power to change the boy's fate. No matter what he or Father Hector thinks, the final decision is in the hands of Abbot Ambrosius.

"I don't have any evidence, you're right," Zoutemon wanted to shout over the noisy discussion, although the hall was very cool, his forehead was still sweating. "I can only firmly declare as a knight, as an honest Templar, that this boy does not belong to our Knights!" In order to make his words more convincing, he raised his head and walked out of the hall resolutely .

The abbot sent two men after him, but as Zoutermont was not at the trial as an interrogate, they could not bring him back by force.

Father Hector, who wanted to save the situation, kept talking about chastity, poverty, and obedience, but the hall still couldn't quiet down.It was not until the bell rang that Ambrosius interrupted the farce, expressing the hope that they could continue the trial of the boy in an orderly manner after lunch.

Antal couldn't wait for his turn to speak, his story was richer and more real, and he thought they wouldn't like what he had to say.
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Antal prayed silently in the corner, the locked door made a bang bang sound, the boy suddenly raised his head, and found the face of the young knight Vincius in the opening, the man smiled bitterly.

"There are at least three empty beds in the apprentice's residence," he said, shaking his head. "I don't know why they put you here at the time. You shouldn't live in this cesspit."

"No, my lord."

"Disgusting room, cramped, stinks, but the most frightening thing is the loneliness. I don't know why they are targeting you like this, what they are doing is not what Christians should be."

"I wonder myself, my lord," said Antar, "I think Zoutermund envied my adoptive uncle, who had more privileges than he, was more a Templar than he, and was his own master. He took out his jealousy and anger on me and wanted to get revenge on William."

"Did he succeed?"

"Never, never." Antal shook his head firmly and replied.

"Very good," Vincius smiled, and opened the door, "Come with me."

"Where are you going, my lord?"

"Go to my room, you're going to be there until this is over," the knight replied, "I have a feeling you're not safe here, especially now that you've got supporters, I'm afraid Zot Meng is secretly murdering you. From now on, you will live with me, eat my food, go, I can’t stay here for too long.”

They walked from one corridor to another without saying a word. Antar looked carefully at Vincius. He was a tall, strong-chested knight with long brown hair and a pair of blue eyes. The short beard is all over the face, but it doesn't look like a messy badger.He was handsome, he had been knighted perhaps only a few years ago, and if he hadn't taken the vow of chastity, the women of Buda would have courted him.A funny idea suddenly flashed in Antal's mind, who knows, maybe he also...

The knight's residence is located on the north side of the monastery, with the flowing old Danube outside the window. There is nothing in the room except a simple bed, a table, a chair and an old wooden box. Vencius seems to be loyal Fulfilling his vow of poverty, he lived an ascetic life.

"You can sleep there," Vincius pointed to the corner, "I'll bring the straw and get a blanket."

"Thank you very much, my lord!"

"Don't call me an adult," he smiled. "We're only a few years apart anyway. How old are you? Fourteen, fifteen?"

"I'm over 16 years old." Antal replied.

"Okay, then don't call me that," Vincius approached the oak box, took out two cheap wooden cups and a wine bag, he put the cups heavily on the table, and filled them with red wine . "Drink, my friend, it will give you strength for what you are about to say!"

Antal was no longer polite, he took the glass and clinked with Vincius, and drank the vinegary wine in one gulp.

"You stay here, I'm going to check the situation in the kitchen," Vincius wiped his beard, "see if I can bring back some food, I have never liked eating in crowded places, so You also have to eat with me in this room now."

"Wait, my lord! I mean, Vincius!" The boy stopped the knight before he left. He couldn't understand why Vincius was so kind to him.

"I am very grateful for everything you have done, you don't know how much this means to me..." Antal said to the knight who stepped on the threshold and turned back.

"Glad to be able to help you."

"I just want to know why you are helping me, maybe you know my uncle William? Or have you heard those stories about me? To be honest, I must admit that some stories are not true, and I don't know who made them up ..."

Vincius retreated to the room, closed the door behind him, and said in a low voice: "I don't know William Barto, I only heard his name. I haven't heard any stories about you. As for why I want to help you... …Because I see people accusing you of lies, and I'm talking about Zoutemon, the man who pulled out more penis than sword in his life.

And the lazy and cowardly Ambrosius, who only uses a quill instead of a sword.Not to mention Father Hector, over the years, I don't know how many little apprentices have received his 'special care' and left with gold, but lost their honor forever.Can these people also be called Templars?Humble, poor, chaste Templars?I kept the knight's oath, but I became a laughing stock in their eyes. "

"I don't know about Ambrosius or Father Hector," Antal said, and Vincius' words made his skin crawl. "But I know Zoutermon, and I know a lot of scandals about him."

"Okay, then open your mouth at this afternoon's trial and tell me everything you know! You're not only doing it for yourself, but for all of us."

(End of this chapter)