Archers and Crusaders: Historical fiction: Novel of Medieval Warfare by Marines, Navy sailors, and Templar knights in the Middle Ages during England's ... (The English Archers Saga Book 6) by Martin Archer Read Free Book Online Page B

of Joseph.  I’m the commander of the city watch.  Bishop Bardas sent me to find out why our priests were murdered and bring the murderers to him.”  Damn.  There were more priests than just the one and they died.  That will make settling this all the more difficult.
           “Priests?  Priests were murdered?  More than one?  That’s terrible.  Very terrible.  What happened?  Can you tell me what happened?  All I know is that I was walking back to my galley from the harbor office with a couple of my men when a mob started chasing us and throwing rocks.”
           “Yes, priests were murdered; Father Apostolos and several others.  Apostolos was the first.  A soldier with a sword cut him down in the market in front of the church.  People say it was a Templar who did it, and for no reason at all.  None.  And in the fighting that followed he and other Templar knights killed seven more people and wounded a dozen more.”
           “Priests and innocents?  How horrible,” I said as I crossed myself.  “The murderers will surely rot in hell.  What happened?  Was there an argument?”
          “We are not sure.  Will you bring your galley back to the dock so we can talk to them?”
           “Yes, of course, that is the right thing to do, of course it is.  I will ask the commander of the knights if he will allow it.  I hope he agrees.  Will you wait here while I speak with him?” 
           Sir Pierre won’t agree, of course, but I’m trying to be as pleasant and obliging as possible under the circumstances.  We may want to call in here again sometime and be welcome when we do.  Fat chance of that, eh?
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           I’m hungry so I have a bowl of wine and eat a loaf while I’m supposedly talking to the leader of the Teutonic Knights.  Twenty minutes later I climb back into my dinghy and once again Jeffrey’s sailor rows me back to where dinghy carrying the commander of the city watch is bobbing up and down waiting for my return. 
           While I was away to “talk to the Teutonic knights” I saw a second dinghy come out to the Watch Commander’s dinghy and then row back to one of the ships lashed to the dock.  The only good news I know as I go to my second meeting with the commander of the city watch is that none of our men and none of the Templars are missing .  As I approach the Commander I am wondering what he now knows that I do not.
           “I’m sorry, my friend, the commander of the Teutonic Knights refuses. He saw the mob and doesn’t want any more fighting. I’d bring my galley and the knights back to the dock myself but there are so many of the Teutonics that I’m afraid they’ll kill me and take over my galley.”
           “I thought that might be his answer.  While you were aboard your galley I received more information.  There are eight dead in the attack on the church and three of them are priests.  Many others are wounded including two priests, one of whom will almost certainly die.  Everyone who saw the attacks on the priests says the murderers were Latins, the Pope’s Templars for sure.”  They think it was an attack on the orthodox church by the Pope’s men?  This is serious.
           “How can that be?  Most of my passengers are knights of the Teutonic order and their squires and servants.  It doesn’t make sense.  Why would Teutonic knights pretend to be Templars and do such a thing?” 
           I know they are not Teutonic Knights but why did the Templars do it?  It doesn’t make sense – or does it?
           “Well there is no sense staying here any longer.  There is no way we’re going to get water and supplies without giving up the Templars.” 
           That’s what I tell an anxious Jeffrey when his sailor rows me back to our galley.  The Templars seem quite