Temple Sword

Chapter 62 Ambrosius

Buda, Hungary
Knights Templar Abbey on Margaret Island
—

Abbot Ambrosius hadn't slept well for days.He had his own reliable sources, and he knew who was the mysterious knight who had fought at the King's hand and won him battle after battle.He knew who the lily knight was. After learning that Buda had become the city of Anjou's family again after many years, he knew that the lily knight would come with the golden lily coat of arms, and his appearance in this monastery would also Just a matter of time.

He is back……

The horrific scene of an angry William whipping Zoutermont a hundred times is still vivid in his mind, and the blind and crazy words he said with his bloodshot eyes still haunt his mind.They paid a heavy price for plotting against William Barto's nephew, or rather his adopted son, but neither he nor anyone else in the hall believed the old lion's words to be true, they were gods servant, will not go to hell.

Ambrosius wandered the corridors, the former imp, who had grown into a mighty knight, and returned to them as the king's right-hand man...

why?
Why, he wondered, did Antal come back?To see how they are doing?Look within the walls of the monastery, is there an apprentice who reminds him of his former self?Then he can save the poor little guy from this evil abbot, just like the cruel deeds William did back then?
One thing he's sure of: he's not here to reminisce about the good old days.Those he had befriended had died or gone, and hardly any of Antares befriended during his apprenticeship remained on Margaret Island.Even Vincius, whom he had befriended in his final days, left here with special permission.

Thinking of this, Ambrosius gritted his teeth, he stopped quickly, cursed himself secretly, and then stopped in front of the door.He adjusted his clothes, he had grown fatter in four years, and he put on a carefree and happy expression and stepped into the light.

"Hey, you!" He walked quickly to the servant standing at the door, "Where is he? He should have arrived by now."

"He has arrived, my lord..." answered the servant, "and he has not delivered his horse to anyone, but has led it into the stable himself."

"Why didn't you notify me when he came?" Ambrosius scolded.

"My lord, I..." The servant couldn't answer and stammered.

"It doesn't matter." The dean turned around and hurried to the stables.

So he came with his horse, he thought.So he's here for a long stay, not just a short visit, and...

"Master Ambrosius!" A Templar with the coat of arms of Charles Robert Anjou on his robes came out of the stable. "Long time no see, right?"

The person who walked up to him was nothing like the previous attendant.If this is really him, he's changed quite a bit: not only is he more masculine and muscular, he's taller, and his hair is not only longer but also darker , the wrinkles on his face also looked like half a man.Ambrosius knew who he was looking at, but somehow he couldn't believe it.

"Antar!" he exclaimed, "It's great to see you again, we've been waiting for you, come on, we've got your room ready!"

They started to walk inside, and the knight asked with a completely indifferent face, "Can I still live in that little cell that smells like shit now?"

"No, of course not!" A few drops of sweat appeared on the head of the monastery's forehead. "We have arranged a nice and spacious room for you, and besides, let us forget about the previous unpleasantness! It was a long time ago when you were a page here, and many things have changed since then."

"It's only been four years since I left," Antal reminded him without blinking, "I still remember every minute I spent here."

"Tell me, why did you come here alone?" Ambrosius changed the subject, "I thought you would be escorted."

"I have no servants." They entered the main building of the Knights' Monastery and walked straight to the main corridor. "My servant is also Charlie's soldier, so he has remained in the city."

"I see," the abbot nodded, "so you came alone, and you will stay until..."

"I'm not welcome here, Ambrosius?" Antal asked without even looking at him. "Am I an annoying visitor in your monastery?"

Ambrosius wrung his hands, dripping with sweat, under his baggy clothes.

"I'm just curious, that's all," he smiled awkwardly, praying that the knight would get out of here quickly, and go anywhere, as long as it wasn't his monastery. "You don't have to suspect that there is some malice behind my words. Believe it or not, I'm glad you're back." He lied, but it was so bad that he didn't believe it himself.

"Thank you," Antar nodded, and smiled faintly, "I assure you, I am the same as you, very happy to see you again, Mr. Dean."

Ambrosius swallowed aside, began to cough, and did not respond to the brazen retaliation.

They turned the corner at the end of the corridor and went up the stairs. The abbot remained silent until they reached the door of the chamber reserved for the knights.

"Here we are," he said, "and I hope it will please you."

Antal knew this door all too well, it was once Zortmund's messy room.

"Tell me honestly, Dean," he said, looking at the plump man, "I know you're not happy to see me."

"Well, indeed... no! I mean..." Ambrosius scratched his head, "I mean, I don't know what you want!" He blurted out, thinking, so be it, "Since We've lived a quiet life since you left. The people you knew are gone, Vincius is gone, he's been at Lockenhaus for years. You want me to tell the truth, and I'll tell the truth, now, tell Why did you come back!"

Antar looked at the abbot, then smiled softly.

"It seems that my uncle must have frightened you at the time, and you may have been having nightmares after that." He said disrespectfully, "You forget that this is not your monastery, Ambrosius, nor your manor , but the property of the Knights Templar, and I belong to the Knights. Although you may find it hard to believe, I am not here to trouble you or to settle accounts with the past. I am here to live quietly for a few weeks, until The king needs me again."

Antal pushed open the door, and the room hadn't changed much over the years.He walked around the walls, realizing that the only thing that was different was that there wasn't Zoutermon's clutter, and everything else looked the same.

"Don't lie, Antal," the abbot followed behind him, "you are not telling the truth, you are the king's man, look at you, even the clothes are not in accordance with the rules of the knight order! Knights like you are used to being flashy , I don't believe you would yearn for a poor monastery life for no reason!"

The Lily Knight turned around, approached Ambrosius, and stared at him with narrowed eyes.

"A knight like me?" he asked in a whisper. "You don't know who I am, Dean, you don't know what I've been through so far, you don't know what it's like to slaughter your own people .You live here in isolation and you may not even see what is going on in this kingdom. Now the Tatars are gone, the Czechs are gone, the Bavarians have been cleared out, the Saracens have driven us back, We are killing each other as if we have nothing else to do.

My sword is cursed, and so am I, so I despise pomp, and I refuse to revel with nobles!If you don't know," he lied effortlessly, "I never sleep in the palace's luxurious quarters.If we reached a city with a Templar monastery, I would rest there, with the king's permission, and continue my strict daily routine while awaiting his next order.I pray, I train my body and mind, and try to live in a way that pleases God.Then, of course, when the next order comes, I kill, for a better world. "

After the passionate and angry confession, Ambrosius sighed heavily, and the abbot believed everything he said, including those he had just made up on the spot.

"Forgive me," Ambrosius pleaded, "Forgive me for thinking about our old grievances, forgive me for having doubts about you! The doors of the monastery are always open to you, and you can stay as long as you want... …or until your duty comes."

"I am not angry, Ambrosius," said Antar, "thank you for providing me with such a nice place to live."

The knight could see that something else was bothering the abbot, and he stood nervously in front of Antal, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

"I have to ask you something," began Ambrosius, "I was lying when I said our lives were peaceful. In fact, it was not at all. Everyone was afraid, but no one Dare to speak out about their concerns."

"I would be glad to help if I could," said the Lily Knight, "just ask, my lord."

"You know...you know...the circumstances of our trial? Regarding the charges brought by the French Crown."

"I do not know anything."

"Oh," Ambrosius straightened up dejectedly, "I thought you'd heard something about it from the king. After all, he and Philip were cousins, and... of course, if this If there is any decision in this trial, it will not only affect the French Knights, but I am afraid that all monasteries will be affected. If anything happens that affects us, I think you should be able to know."

"Well," Antal nodded, "It's quiet now, and I haven't received any news about the accusations. Maybe the Archbishop has talked to the Pope, maybe he made him understand the truth, who knows..."

"Maybe it's true as you said, and everything will pass." The head of the monastery made a sign of the cross in the air while daydreaming. "May the accusations fall away like tears in the rain..."

"Don't count on this, Dean! Philip the Iron King is a tyrannical ruler, and now he needs money. He has emptied the treasury, and he owes us money, and now he can't even continue his wars, and he won't let it go , as the saying goes, the calm before the storm..."

Ambrosius, who had expected good news and encouragement, was now in utter despair.With a sad nod, he turned away from his new guest at the monastery.Finally, he resumed his usual carefree expression, and asked Antar back.

"Can I ask you to give a swordsmanship lesson to the apprentices and attendants tomorrow afternoon?" He pretended to be relaxed and asked, "If you can train with the Lily Knight, it will give them great encouragement and courage."

"It is my pleasure," Antar replied, "I am willing. When the storm comes, I will teach them how to turn the blade."

(End of this chapter)