Temple Sword

Chapter 73 The Knife and the Old Horse
1309 Summer
Transylvania, Hungary
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Twelve riders traveled through a virgin forest full of towering trees and waded through tangled undergrowth.Ten of them were wearing plain leather clothes, holding long spears, short spears that could be thrown, and bows and arrows on their backs.Their leader, the governor of Transylvania, wore a gold-trimmed robe and rode on horseback, with a gold-handled scabbard of apparent identity tied around his waist.

No. 12 riders were caught between the Sekay cavalry, his once fancy nobleman's robes were now worn and faded.He could see nothing, with a coarse sack over his head, his hands tied behind his body, and he was the only one without a saddle.

Otto Wittelsbach could only hope that he had not been taken to be executed, he knew it would be a stupid mistake for Laszlo Kan, but he no longer trusted his common sense and logic.Two years ago, he thought he'd find an ally in Transylvania, maybe even a father-in-law, but look what's happening now...

Then the Duke of Bavaria said nothing, but prayed silently to God.He just wants to go home now, he doesn't care about the Hungarian crown and throne anymore, give them to someone who will rule such a kingdom.

"Ho!" He heard Laszlo Kan's voice, and they stopped. "We have come, Jacob, my boy, leave him here!"

As soon as the governor's words reached his ears, Otto fell off the borrowed horse with a ruthless push, and fell heavily on the ground with a loud noise. Fortunately, the soft bushes absorbed the force of the fall. He should have no broken bones.He was dragged to his feet, the ropes around his wrists were cut, and he finally got rid of the bag over his head.

Otto squinted his eyes and looked around. It looked like a huge valley, and they were probably standing at the entrance.

"Just as all good things come to an end," said Laszlo Khan, riding in the saddle, to the unkempt duke, "there is an end to your hospitality, and see what a good host I am! Here you Free food and shelter, make you look more like a man! Go, go back with gratitude to me."

Otto opened his mouth, won't they kill him?Will they really let me go?It looks like his persistent commitment and negotiations are having an effect...but where?
"Where are we?" he asked, rubbing his wrists. "Am I unescorted?"

"Stand up, you idiot!" the Governor ordered him, "Otherwise, what else do you want? When you walk out of this valley, you will naturally encounter some random guards or mercenaries. Appropriate, they may escort you all the way home. But never come back here, understand? If you want to survive, remember to avoid Buda, Esztergom and Seksberg, there is already a The new king," he added, making no effort to hide the disgust in his voice.

"Sangdi," Otto pointed to the surroundings desperately, "such a big three valleys! Can you give me a few times before we go on the road?"

"Of course, but we are not the benefactors." Laszlo Kan grinned, "The forest will take care of you, there are everything you want, fruits, mushrooms, and even bears (Medve), If you want to eat bear meat."

"Bed (Medre)?" Otto looked at the laughing Sekai riders suspiciously. They always found this man's strange accent funny, and they were even reluctant to let him go.

"Bed," the governor nodded, still smiling, "a big bed that hasn't eaten Bavarians!"

The riders were all waiting for the poor wretch to run back to his cell, where there were no bears, just beds.But Otto Wittelsbach surprised them with his answer, mastered his emotions, overcame his trembling, looked Laszlo Khan in the eyes and said: "I will... no... give me Send a spear!"

"What?" the Governor raised his eyebrows, "Your Majesty wants a spear?"

"Yes," Otto nodded, "you can keep me here, but you can't even give me a weapon, it's the same as killing me with your own hands!"

"Well, not really," Laszlo Kan agreed.He reached into the saddle bag, pulled out a small antler-handled knife, and threw it on the grass in front of Otto. "It's a good cleaver, and if you want a spear, make your own."

Otto didn't object, he picked up the knife from the ground, put it in his belt, and pointed to the horse that carried him all the way.

"I want another horse," he said firmly.The poor guy is clearly at the end of his rope, it's an old horse, but in this case, a horse is better than no horse.

"Do you still want a horse?" Laszlo Kan asked with a smile, "You have nothing. How much do you plan to pay and what will you give me in exchange for this horse?"

"How much am I going to pay?" Something in Otto's voice made Laszlo Kan's smile disappear. "You are the governor of Transylvania, not a highwayman!"

For a moment, Laszlo Kan's stomach was stung by a strange feeling. He didn't know where it came from or what it was. It came and went quickly, but But it made him lose interest.

"Well, then," he agreed, "the knife is yours, and the horse is yours. Take it all. Now get out of here, you miserable fellow! Jacob, my boy!" He turned away. cried, "Let's go home! The king is now on his own."

"Don't think you have any chance of success!" Otto Wittolsbach said to the receding Governor, "don't think I don't know what you're up to!" .

The distant sound of horseshoes echoed in the valley for a moment, and their neighing could no longer be heard.The duke of Lower Bavaria was left alone in the ancient forest, without money or guards, but with an antler-handled knife and an old horse.

(End of this chapter)