Temple Sword

Chapter 84
Charles Robert was sitting in the old audience hall of the Kamokhov Palace, touching the bridge of his nose.His knights, Thomas Semsey, son of Frank, and Antal, son of William Barto, stood behind him, and Thomas, archbishop of Esztergom, sat on his right.Cardinal Gentil was not in Buda, and Queen Mary was not present at her husband's ruling.

"Are there many more?" asked the king with a sigh. "I'm hungry……"

"There is only Aba's house, and we can leave after that."

"Alas." Charlie shook his head. He had had enough of the discussion all day and only thought about the upcoming feast.

He didn't want to face the Abba family because he knew it would be difficult for him to treat them like other nobles.He owed old Ahmad a special favor, thanks to whom he could live in the safety of the stone castle during the struggle for the throne, instead of running like a beggar from one monastery to another.

But at the same time he also realized that the Abba family would definitely hinder the reforms he envisioned for the kingdom.His dream of a united Hungarian kingdom would be run by a central authority, and there would be no place for provincial feudal lordships, leading only to chaos, poverty, war and disintegration.Charlie knew that the moment would soon come when the oligarchs could either submit to the new system and take their place in it, or suffer the consequences of disobedience.

All this will apply to the Abba family as it applies to any other nobles, that's why it is difficult for the young king to look Amad Abba in the eye, there is no way for him to give special favor to the old lord .

"Let them in!" Charlie waved to the guards, and the heavy door of the Throne Hall was opened.

The members of the Aba family, dressed in their best attire, walked into the hall with a grand sense of ceremony that lived up to their prestige, as if they were representatives of a dynasty.They stopped not far from the throne, and the servant in front shouted: "Old blood from Hungary, Paladin Amad of the Abba family and his sons Janos, Nicholas and David!"

The servant bowed to Charlie and retreated among the rest of his entourage before the old lord, one of Charlie's most important followers and supporters, finally stepped forward.

"Thank you for receiving us, Your Majesty," Ahmad Abba bowed with his sons, "and allow me to thank you for hosting the tournament for your guests! It's really... wonderful."

"Lord Abba," Charlie said, holding up his right hand, "we've known each other for a long time. I was a child when we first met. I know you and your sons have traveled a long way, and you've come a long way this day. Must be as tired as I am. I bet," he smiled amiably, "that you'll enjoy the ensuing barbecue feast, so please let's cut the etiquette and get down to business. You're looking for What am I for?"

Ahmad Abba nodded politely, glanced at his sons, and cleared his throat.

"Your Majesty King Charles," said he, "it has been a great honor to host you in my home, and I hope you will enjoy your years at Genz."

"I am very satisfied, my lord." The king nodded.

"When most nobles were on the side of the Czechs," Ahmad continued, "I have always stood by you."

"I remember it well, Lord Ahmad," said Charlie. "As I said then, I will never forget your loyalty."

"So now, I have a request to His Majesty." Seeing that the king did not respond, Ahmad continued: "I request Your Majesty to grant Kosice to his most loyal old supporter—the Abba family."

Palatine Ahmad did not expect an immediate answer, and he was prepared for a long period of haggling to convince the king of the benefits the royal family would receive if the city were granted to the Abbas.A grand ceremony in Košice came to mind, and the king sat down with the Abbas to mark the moment in history.

But the king didn't hesitate at all, and responded immediately.

"I can't give you Kosice, Palatine," he announced coldly, "if you want some other place, I'll gladly give you that."

The change of expression on Ahmad Abba's face could be written as a poem. "Are all my years of loyalty worthless, Sire?" he asked reproachfully.

"Of course not, Ahmad. Your loyalty means a lot to us."

"Perhaps you don't remember, Your Majesty," the nobleman clenched his hands into fists, "six years ago, when the people of Košice raised the Czech flag against the Anjou family and besieged the castle of Genz, Abba Home stands by your side. My people have bled for you and never complained. We killed those Saxons in defense of your honor and to this day ask nothing in return! Tell me, have I complained? Is my ten years of loyalty only worth so much?"

Even Archbishop Thomas could not stand the old lord's impertinence, rose from his throne and pointed at Ahmad Abba with his index finger in a velvet glove.

"How dare you speak to your king like this?" the Archbishop asked angrily, "How dare you question His Majesty's majesty?"

"It doesn't matter, Your Excellency the Archbishop," Charlie said, "Paladin Ahmad knew very well that if the speaker was not him but another nobleman, I would tear their tongues out and nail them to a stake so that all Everyone has seen it. But Lord Ahmad is our old friend..."

Archbishop Thomas sat down again, and Ahmad Abba's limbs slowly began to tremble angrily.The lord's sons would have been happy to speak up for him, but they knew it would only dishonor their father and leave them in a worse situation.

"I don't think we'll get to this point," the old man exaggerated, "but now I have to ask His Majesty, how much do you want?"

"What did you say, Lord Ahmad?" Charlie leaned forward from the throne, as if he couldn't hear what the old lord was saying.

"I want to ask, how much gold do I need to give you before His Majesty will hand over Kosice to the Abba family!" Ahmad raised his voice, "Your Majesty, you know, I will not let you in this battle Lost in the transaction."

Charlie began to lose patience. "As I've said, I can't give you Kosice," he repeated, his tone getting tougher.

"Why not?"

The king could explain why, because only a blind man would fail to see the economic value of Kosice.Its geographical location is unique, its development rate is almost unique in the entire kingdom, and its powerful handicraft industry and chamber of commerce cannot fall into the hands of a lord.

Košice has been the gateway to Poland for centuries and its importance is well known to everyone.If the road is controlled by Ahmad Abba, or any other governor, the oligarchs can collect taxes at will, which does not do diplomacy any good.Charlie could have listed them all, but he felt that the old lord in front of him knew it all.

"You should understand that this city is too powerful to be controlled by a provincial lord." He finally said.

"I see!" Paladin reached for his sword, but did not draw it.

"I warn you, Ahmad, you are talking to your king!" Charlie shouted angrily, and his voice echoed in the audience hall like thunder. "Don't draw your sword in front of me, or you will regret what you did!"

"I'm here to ask for a favor," the old nobleman snorted coldly with a blushing face, "but all I get are threats!"

"This favor is too great," said the king, "and you ask too much, Palatine."

"So be it," Ahmad said, shaking his head, "I'll go home today empty-handed, no richer than I came. But from now on, I'll know who's my friend and who's not. I'll know who doesn't care My allegiance, who no longer deserves my support!"

The old lord turned around and walked out with a group of entourages. Suddenly, Charlie was enraged. If his reason hadn't restrained him, he would have drawn his sword and charged at Ahmad, hacking them all to death on the spot.But he just got up from his seat and growled behind the man.

"Amad!"

The lord stopped and looked back at the young king standing in front of the throne, who was extending his right hand and his lily ring, wanting a kiss of loyalty.

"It's not too late," Charlie warned, "You can take back what you said just now."

"This favor is too great," said Ahmad Abba, and he and his sons left the audience hall.

"Damn bastard," the king slumped back on the throne, gritting his teeth. "Stupid old man, you will regret it..."

"Your Majesty, do you want us to pursue them with troops?" asked Thomas Semsey behind him. "If you just say a word, when you and your guests sit down to feast, their bodies will be lying on the side of the road..."

"It's not necessary," the king looked back at him, the black marks under his eyes were a little heavier, "Don't worry, Thomas! One day, these bastards will kneel down and beg me for mercy." Then, as if to forget forever During the quarrel just now, he forced a smile and shouted: "But not today! Tonight we will eat and drink, and we will not leave a morsel to the devil!"

(End of this chapter)