Immortals. Knights from Arkona

– Exelenz, you’re absolutely brilliant. I would not have believed in this before. If not for you, these pagans would have chopped up both Danes and Saxons.

– Knowledge is power, remember, Karl. It was worse under Edessa, my knight, – and the Italian pursed his lips, – there were few crossbowmen that day, and then they remembered this box, – and he pointed to clay vessels, – it is important that the grenade thrower was neither a fool nor a coward. And this is difficult, you know.

«You know a lot about human failings.

«He fought in the Victores, in the papal guard. My son is now serving there. The wife died, his holiness ordained me to comfort. So I became a prelate, and found myself in Syria. But all the same, on campaigns in the Holy Land, you need to watch for papal money and get provisions. I continue to serve, following the orders of the Holy See, almost like a warrior. Only now, the clothes are simpler – and pointed to his cassock.

The knight laughed, shaking a suede koshel full of romance ducats with a contented face.

– Exelenz, you are a real warrior of Christ, And do not forget your faithful servants.

«They deserved everything, until the last third of the ducat,» the bishop said gloomily, «only Waldemar seemed to notice nothing, what we had done,» and again began to drink wine sip after sip.

Rathsdorf knew that the bishop was very ambitious and remembers the evil that was done to him. It was usually, however. But the exelenz, which was incredible in these times, remembered good.

«Exelenz,» cried a breathless Tommaso, «King Valdemar to you!»

– Speak of the devil and he is sure to appear! Chair, table and cup for the king!

– Now, exelens, – the servant bowed low and ran away.

Seconds later, there was a chair, a table and a goblet full of wine, and a dish of snacks.

The king approached, the bishop stood up, greeting his majesty, Waldemar came under blessing, then ceremoniously sat down in a chair.

– You helped us, exelens. What do you want for the battle won?

– Three prisoners of my choice and all the records of the priests of Svyatovit, Your Majesty.

– And the share in production? The treasures of Svyatovit are huge and incredible!

«That’s enough for me. Jesus «love alone is a treasure.

«You will receive a royal charter according to your wishes.

The bishop lowered his eyes down, and began to fiddle with the beads brought from the Holy Land. The king was waiting for what the papal legate would say, but he only prayed diligently, waiting for the words of the king.

– Crusaders need help… We need to burn the gate, «Waldemar finally said.

– I will help… – the bishop said quietly, – Enough of the deaths, king, – the papal legate said slowly, – I was a soldier, I fought a lot… Promise if the residents give up, you will spare everyone.

– Warriors are furious, exelenz, can I keep them?

– Then these fierce sinners, your soldiers, will disappear without my help, – Mario Castelli answered harshly, – thousands of them will die. And I doubt that the city will fall. Arkona is well fortified.

– Well, – and the king jumped up from the chair, – I will write him to His Holiness!

«I am devoid of pride. And I will accept the punishment of the Holy See with gratitude. But dad will forgive me, because I am ready to suffer in the name of humanity.

«I’d like to hang a hundred Rügen troublemakers,» Waldemar said.

«We’re not in a horse market, your Majesty, to bargain. Mercy for all who accept it.

Now Valdemar drank a little wine, and looked at the high ramparts of Arkona. Finally, the king yelled:

– I agree, exelenz. So be it. Three days later, we will begin an attack when my soldiers fill the moat in front of the gate.

***

The bishop personally checked each of the ten pots of twenty assigned for the decisive assault. He sat for a long time, finally kicked everyone out of the tent, and only shouted:

– Damiano! Bring a deck of honey!

Damiano just glanced at Tommaso. The servants did not understand what was happening to the master, but they did not dare to murmur. After all, their master was also a bishop.

This morning they cooked good porridge, Mario Castelli gave out honey, and the yellow boiled millet smelled of honey cells. The warriors happily ate the treat. So an empty deck was found quickly.

Karl went around each of the twenty knechts, encouraged everyone, found good words for everyone, and the soldiers smiled at the lord. The knight was a born commander. smart, brave and skillful, could do what not every experienced leader could

– Carl called Mario Castelli. – here, one deck, like ten pots. All the potion is here. It is impossible to miss, there is very little fire composition left. And remember, hit the goal, do not touch the knights. This is barely enough to break through the desired gap.

«I will do whatever you order, your reverend.

«I put you in the hands of the Lord, knight!

And the bishop knelt right on the bare ground and began to bow. Looking at the praying lord, Karl von Ratsdorf began to be baptized, and kiss the images obtained from under an unclean shirt.

Dawn was approaching, and the columns of the two detachments, appointed for an attack, hid behind the fascines, and tried not to make noise. The sun was in no hurry to rise above the horizon, as if hiding itself from unkind people.

– Part, part! Let it pass, «Scrawny Gunther, von Ratsdorf’s squire, exhorted exactingly.

«What is there?» – The front-line detachment answered with displeasure, – Is this your ram, Toshy? Will you knock out the gate with your flat ass? Yes, Wends and so laugh at you!

– Yes, you just became a joker, Anselm! My bottom will now make a wagon-sized hole in the gate eating our crook Karl!

The warriors laughed muted, and the hefty centurion Torquil, known for his pood fists, began to push towards the joker.

– Knight, get your own! And you, food for the Rügen herring! Be silent, or the king will chop off the heads of the guilty!

Anselm covered his face with his battered shield, and his friends ducked in the ranks so that Torquil would not notice them.

– Gunther, get the lantern ready. Warriors, shields higher, – commanded Rathsdorf.

The militiamen late noticed the vinea on wheels moving slowly towards the rampart and moat of the city. But now, arrows whistled, and fat black smoke rose into the sky, unbearably stinking of tar. Twenty steps remained to the gate behind the moat, and the knight remembered both God and the Devil, and brought a lantern fire to the wick of the keg with the potion.

– One, two, three, – he counted, and in a high arc threw a linden barrel at the target.

The knight watched in excitement as the linden deck flew, as it rolled to the doors of heavy gates upholstered in iron. He only managed to exhale three times and happened…

– Babah!

Laid ears from a huge flash, a fiery torch rose above the tower, one log flew out, and there was a strong creak. Two logs flew towards the Danes, killing and maiming five infantrymen. The foremen hardly held the army, ready to scatter in fear.

– Stop, warriors! – the bishop shouted, – Now the Lord will reveal his miracle!

The gate turret, now devoid of a shingle roof that flew into the sea during the explosion, swayed in the wind. The gate stood thoughtfully for two seconds, then their wreckage fell to the ground with a deafening roar, continuing to burn. And on top they were covered with logs from a log house of a fortress building.

Amid the Danes, there was a deafening howl of delight, and the warriors dragged the skidders, throwing them through an almost filled ditch with water. The first to run was the huge Torquil, brandishing an ax.

«Senor, are we?» Karl asked the knight.

«And we stand valiantly in the rear. We did our job. Right, Gunther?

«So it is, your honor,» the whip nodded with contentment.

A battle was in full swing at the gate, but the Danes pushed the inhabitants back to their homes. Karl walked behind the line, gnawing a captured Slavic gingerbread in thoughtfulness. White banners began to appear over the houses and estates of the city.

– Warriors, two steps back! Torquil shouted, not in his own piercing voice.

But it was difficult to stop the fury of the endured Danes, and the foremen went to the rescue, pushing the infantrymen back. There was a clattering of hooves from the side of the camp. Von Ratsdorf, turning around, saw the royal retinue of Waldemar of Denmark and his princes, Casimir and Pribyslav. A huge Danish banner was also developed, which was carried in the hands of three standard-bearers.

Behind them, Mario Castelli slowly cowered on a mule, with his head covered with a hood, lowering his eyes down. Nearby, inseparable Tommaso and Damiano rode on a cot, making lean faces, but all the cunning people around noticed, and thought, is there anything to profit from here? The knight smiled, remembering why the desperate bishop, his glorious lord, does not march on an expensive stallion.

«Modesty and meekness are sick to the face of the minister of the church, Karl,» he said.

«Why aren’t you on a donkey, exelenz?» – Ratsdorf forged it.

«It would be ostentatious modesty. The donkey carried Jesus Christ himself»

The bishop dismounted, and with a staff almost ran to Karl, seeing him unharmed and standing on the field next to the knechts. Mario Castelli’s face flashed a smile, he, without repairing, hugged the knight.

«I’m glad you’re alive, Karl. That you are all alive – and looked around the smiling knechts.

– There will be no prey, – Skinny said Skinny Gunther, – there will be no fried meat and wine! Exelenz!

«There will be no crossbow bolt in your stupid fat ass,» Ratsdorf immediately replied, «sorry, exelens.»

«I will reward you, my brave warriors. Tommaso, Damiano! ’he shouted to the servants, ’hand out your wallets!

– You are well done, – praised the bishop of the knight, – Burned the tower with the gate, if not for your courage and mind, the murder continued for months, or even years.

– This is a powerful weapon, exelens, what you gave me in my hands. You become rich when you sell this potion.

– There are only fifteen vessels left that I brought from the Holy Land. I no longer have this composition, – the bishop did not tell the whole truth.

– Exelenz, how it will end, this war, we better run away from here, so as not to go to the prison of Waldemar, Casimir or Pribyslav. I am ready to put my ducat against your denier, they have already prepared shackles for us. Everyone will want to get their hands on your fire-carrying potion.

«You’re very clever. Keep ALL weapons at the ready, but we must search the temple of Svyatovit. I must not return to Rome without…

The bishop fell silent, and did not say anything to the knight, only put his hand on his shoulder in a fatherly manner, and riding, went to the royal retinue.

***

King Valdemar on horseback, not rushing, proud to the point of indecency, accepted the gifts of conquered ruyans. Foremen, foremen brought patterned silverware, and brought a casket full of silver pennies.

– Prince Pribyslav, the island and the city remain in your possession.

«For this I owe you my service, King Valdemar,» replied the Ruyan prince.

– Your degree, the city is taken, but the temple of Svyatovit on a hill holds, – the king said, – you don’t ask for anything about the temple?

«As agreed. I must get three people in the name of Christ and all the records of the temple.

– Exelenz, can you ordain a priest of the town? Pribyslav asked him.

– Are there Christians here who are firm in faith? Then I will ordain whomever you bring, your lordship.

At the gates of the dead, in streams of blood and naked, they were put on a wagon, into which a couple of small horses were pulled, all pulling their necks back. The driver carefully watched that they would not pile too much, and immediately shouted at the soldier if they put more than fifteen bodies. The next one immediately drove up for one wagon. But the heap of the dead did not seem to decrease, because the dead were dragged and dragged.

Mario, according to the old military habit, looked at the corpses. Unpleasant, but always necessary. Three Danes stood nearby, and pointed to a huge dead man with a shaved head, with a pierced throat.

– Mikke, how could you kill him?

– Dart, Eric. We were very lucky. He chopped ten. Saxon managed to throw accurately, but finally he hacked to death the unfortunate. The Ruyans even tried to recapture the body, clinging with hooks. But, we managed. He, and he nodded at the dead, had excellent swords and armor. True, – Mikke thought about it, – the armor is heavy.

«I’ll take the body,» the bishop said, looking at the body.

– Five gold, exelens, – the Dane smiled, exposing rare teeth, – see what a rarity? His skin will make a good curtain.

– Three, kind man…

«I agree.

Mario Castelli quickly returned to the gate, and found Karl Ratsdorf.

«We have to get the body and take it to my tent.

– Exelenz, you were given a manor in the city. This is much better. And why do you need a corpse?

– Necessary.

«As you command,» and the knight bowed.

– Then take the corpse, put it in the basement. If there is a glacier, then to the glacier.

«I’ll go execute.

– Wait, knight… That’s what… Shackles put on his arms and legs, and cut off his head. Put your head next to it, but do not stick to the body. Did you understand?

Karl shrugged. He often encountered the eccentricities of the bishop, and they were all understandable. Corpse and corpse. He heard about similar – different experiments, alchemy. And, the exelent invented and made such a thing that it would blow up the walls of cities. So let them, you see, come up with something else.