Temple Sword

Chapter 41 The Half King's Iron Curse

Early spring 1304

Slavonia, south bank of the Drava River
-
—

The waves of the river were rushing wildly before the boy's eyes. Last winter was long, and spring was delayed until the river began to thaw a few weeks ago.The Delaware River swells so badly that even the best swimmers don't take it lightly when trying to tame it.

Antal's eyes were not attracted by the roaring raging river, and in his hand was a little dirty bag with the red cross of the Templars embroidered on it, which was a token of love made by Agnes for them.But the boy felt that lately she had been thinking about guiding him on the right path, the knightly way of fighting for God and honor.

For the past few months, he had been thinking about Agnes' decision and slowly beginning to understand why she had chosen to become a novice, but he was still puzzled by her sudden devotion, because Agnes Ruth was never the type to dedicate her life to the Lord.In fact, not so long ago they had more than once escaped from the chant during prayers and found peace in each other's arms in the woods by St. Paul's Creek.

It was all his fault that Agnes had given up all the worldly things for so many years and had to live in a Dominican convent.Not to mention that Dominicans would have some weird ideas about true Christian life.Though Antar had never seen it himself, he had heard that the Dominicans would find witches, servants of Satan, practitioners of the dark arts, and wring out of them the dark stories they wanted to hear.Although he didn't think the nun would do such things, the boy was still a little upset.

"What are you looking at, kid?" A man's voice jolted him out of his wandering thoughts.Antar quickly put away his fists and hid the lavender bag.

"Nothing," he said coyly, and turned around.Andronica stood behind him, evidently looking for him.

"Come on," the man beckoned, "the newcomers have arrived."

Antal took one more look at the Drava River, and then returned to the tented camp in the forest with the knight.

Andronic, one of the men who had asked to serve William before the first conclave of the Order, was probably in his early thirties and one of the most elegant Templars Antares had ever seen.He has short blond hair, a well-trimmed blond beard, and blue eyes that smile even when the corners of his mouth are downcast.

Those who knew him called him Andronica the Heartbreaker, and it is said that when he announced that he was going to be a soldier for Christ, his mother shed tears all her life.

When he heard these stories, Antar just smiled shyly. He was happy that his uncle had such excellent knights in his fighting team. He felt that he could learn a thing or two from them, but he was disappointed to find a There hasn't been a fight in half a month.

They were part of the newly created Iron Curse, as were many Templars, Hospitallers, and Teutonic Knights across the country, and according to the king, the song of the Iron Curse would never be the song of heroes, and they would never be Recorded in the pages of the Chronicles, but they are more important than those holy heroic hymns that have been sung countless times.

A lot has happened since Antares returned to Dubica last summer.William's old servant Maritis died and was replaced by an elderly Slavonian couple, Albina and his husband Urbanos, who had no children, moved to the estate and took care of the housework.

The boy's friend Laszlo is no longer as lively and friendly as before, at least he has become colder towards Antal.When the boy came home after six months, Laszlo just nodded to him with a sullen face and no expression, and no longer greeted him with hugs.When Antal solemnly announced that he was discussing with William that he wanted Laszlo to be his squire after he became a knight, the little groom didn't have any joy on his face. He thanked Antal in a monotonous tone for giving him privilege.

Antal couldn't help noticing that Laszlo had grown more mature over the months, his face long and thin, covered with a short, sparse beard.He cut his shoulder-length hair short, and now he doesn't look like his former friend at all, as if he has suddenly grown up by several years.

Laszlo's sullenness does not mean that he has matured, and Antal is well aware that he is still resenting himself, and it is a matter of course.If one day they reconciled, he probably wouldn't be so stern to himself anymore, and would happily accept the position of attendant, but Antar didn't know what to do to get his old friend back.

After Maritis's funeral, disturbing news came from the Italian peninsula: Pope Boniface VIII imposed a ban on the French kingdom and excommunicated King Philip IV. In response, Philip went to war with Rome, The evil Iron King does not intend to let the Holy See go easily.

The French did not spare anyone.

Archbishop Gregory Bisquet was killed in a battle when he encountered Philip IV's army while visiting the Pope.Subsequently, Pope Boniface also died at the hands of the Iron King, and Christendom lost its 190th and third pope.The Kingdom of Hungary still does not have an anointed king, and the nobles headed by the Kosergi family and Mate Chak have become wild horses, and no one can catch their reins.

Nicholas of Bocasio became the new pope, named Benedict XI, and he was plagued by countless problems from the first day he sat on the Holy See.Under the threat of the Kingdom of France, he quickly restored the membership of Philip IV and temporarily reconciled with him.But he remained a loyal supporter of Boniface VIII's policies, and his allegiance belonged to Rome.

But on the issue of the Hungarian throne, Benedict XI did not handle it well at all.Last autumn, the semi-king Charles Robert finally could not restrain himself and began to take more risky measures.He convened a meeting in Visegrad Castle and signed a secret treaty with the Knights who supported him unconditionally.They had more meetings after that, and the abbots of the various monasteries called a special conclave of knights, where they finally finalized an agreement that all the monasteries of the order would call together their best knights and form a branch A fast and mobile small army.

They called the combination of these armies the Iron Curse. The knights and their attendants of each knightly monastery in the kingdom were organized into a team of about 50 people. Their task was to monitor and protect the larger market and their own monastery. town.If they find any rebellious leech nobles, they will immediately attack and destroy them, and only one person will be left to bring back a message. They are the exterminators and the iron guards who restore the order of the kingdom, and their allegiance cannot be mentioned outside. The half king of the name Charlie.

No one was particularly surprised that William Barto was appointed guard of the northeastern Slavonian territories, and most of the knights volunteered to serve under him, for William was rumored everywhere he went. According to his legend, he is Barto the Lion from the Holy Land of the East.

Young people of the younger generation may not have even participated in a war, and they want to see how this legendary old knight will behave when facing the enemy.For some reason, none of them noticed that William Barto, the monstrous Eastern lion, had grown old insensibly.

Unlike his enduring story, his once-black sideburns became grayer and grayer under the helmet, and his once tense and swollen muscles became looser and softer under his armor, and no one noticed him. No one noticed the look of pain that flitted across his face as he dismounted after a day of riding, nor did anyone notice his glazed eyes as he looked around tiredly.

No one noticed this except Antal and Laszlo, only they really knew him, only they gradually became aware of the fact that in the early spring of AD 1304, he was appointed as one of the commanders of the Iron Curse William Barto of William Barto is 50 years old.

"You've been very quiet today," Andronica said, as he and Antar walked silently to the camp they had set up two days earlier. "What's wrong, because no enemy was found?"

"I might really want to touch them," Antar sighed, hanging on to his smile, "if I could give some souls back to the Lord, that might end all my upsets. If I could become a Killer, so my soul won't be tormented by every little thing in front of me."

Andronica glanced at Antal from the corner of his eye curiously, "I don't know what's wrong with you, kid," he said, shaking his head, "but you have to remember one thing."

"what's up?"

"We're all going to be killers sooner or later."

"I know," Antal nodded, the signs of life slowly returning to his body, and he was glad to have someone to talk to and free him from dwelling on his gloomy thoughts. "Without our sacrifices, there would be more senseless sacrifices."

"A bard can't say such a good sentence." The blond knight patted him on the shoulder. "Let's go and see what the newcomers look like! I hope it's a scout, not a little attendant. This way we can find the enemy, my sword is almost rusted in the scabbard..."

They entered the tented camp, where the newcomers were tying their horses alongside the others.There were two of them, an elderly paunchy knight and his squire.

"Everyone, this is Mikhail, the son of Mikhail!" William introduced loudly, "We were comrades-in-arms when we were young, and his swordsmanship is very good, but you will like his other advantage more, that is his The food cooked is better than the king's cook!"

Hearing this, Antal's eyes lit up, and he suddenly became hungry.Like everyone else, the boy breathed a sigh of relief after not having had a decent hot meal in over 40 days.He turned his eyes to the squire next to the blessed fat knight, the joy in his eyes disappeared instantly when he saw the familiar face, the one who cheated him in the duel and humiliated him, the boy vowed to take revenge Adam, his squire, appeared before him again.
-
—

William carried his table out of his tent and called the two newcomers and others round.As the setting sun slowly descended on the western horizon, some attendants placed candles on the round wooden table and held torches to illuminate the crowd.

"Just like I said, Mihai," William pointed to the map spread out on the table, "We are here now, on the banks of the Drava River, on the opposite bank to our north is Siklos Fort, we don't need to Regardless of that location, they haven't attacked castles so far, and their targets are generally town markets and churches.

The territory we are responsible for is bounded by these five castles: Siklos, Velce, Zagreb, Pořega and Diako.If we spot an enemy in this area, we attack without warning. "

"This is not a small area," said Mihai. "How long have you been on the road?"

"For a month and a half," William replied, "we moved camp every few days, but so far haven't encountered any enemies. At first I thought the Iron Curse was a good idea, but my men were getting more and more hungry and tired, There seems to be no point in this endless patrolling."

"Where's the sentinel?"

"In the beginning I only sent three men to scout," William said. "Three weeks ago, it became four, and since last week, I have sent five men after every camp, but still nothing. .”

"Let me tell you what's going on!" Adam, Mikhail's attendant, said, "The Kossergis have already known about our plan, and they are waiting patiently for us to get impatient, and when we show our flaws, will come out."

"No one asked you, Adam," said his master coldly, "you go to see the horses, do you hear me?"

"The people around Samobor have already defeated more than a dozen robbers from the Koseiji family," Antar said in a lectured tone, "and the missions of the Iron Curse are strictly confidential."

"As long as one person speaks, it will no longer be a secret!" Adam yelled at him.

"That's the end of today's fantasies," Mihai waved his hand, "I told you to watch the horses!"

"The horse is fine and doesn't need to be taken care of now!" Adam shouted presumptuously.

"Then make them better!" Mihai raised his hand to hit him, "Or do you want to delay your knighthood for another year?"

Adam turned his heels unconvinced, and disappeared into the night with fragmentary complaints in his mouth.

"Forgive me, gentlemen!" Mihai opened his arms. "My squire has not yet learned the virtues of knighthood, which is why he has not been able to wear a white cloak at the age of 19. I am sorry that you have to witness just now. That embarrassing scene!"

"Never mind, my friend," William tried to defuse the tension, "but you'd better tell us what kind of food you're going to make for me tomorrow!"

"Hmm...let me think..."

Before the chef knight could announce the name of the dish, the silence of the forest was broken by the sound of hooves.A rider with a torch, one of William's sentries, returns from the direction of Velce.Sweating profusely, panting, and shaking with exhaustion, he threw himself off the horse awkwardly.

"My lord!" He grunted thirstily, and fell into William's arms, "A half-day...ride...from here...to the west..."

"Bring the wine!" William shouted, setting the exhausted rider down on the wooden bench. "Calm down, boy, drink!"

The sentry put the mouth of the wine bag to his mouth, eagerly poured the wine down his throat, and it flowed down the sides of his face, and he slowly adjusted his breath. "Half a day's ride west from here, there's a gang of bandits encamped there."

"A robber?" William asked excitedly.

"I promise with my life, Lord Barto, absolutely right."

"how many people?"

"23 people, no more than ten riders among them."

After a moment of tense silence, William immediately began to plan the attack.Everyone knew what was going to happen next, Iron Curse's sword finally didn't have to worry about rusting anymore.

(End of this chapter)