Iny Lorentz - The Marie Series 02 by The Lady of the Castle Read Free Book Online Page A

edge of the forest, the peasants crossed themselves, and prayed for the knights and soldiers to find a cold grave in enemy lands.
    Michel wasn’t willing to let Falko get away with his behavior so easily. Riding up toward the knight’s heavy warhorse, Michel stared at him furiously. “Don’t do that again, Sir Falko, or next time I won’t be able to restrain myself.”
    Falko von Hettenheim spat and looked at Michel scornfully. “I’d like to see you try, loudmouth!”
    As Michel’s hand slid to the hilt of his sword, the other knights also reached for their weapons, determined to stand by one of their own, and their troops followed suit. Though Michel’s own people appeared eager to teach the loathsome knights and their retinues a lesson, rather than start a battle, he let go of his sword and raised his hand. “Everyone back to march formation! Anyone causing trouble will be sorry.” Turning to Falko, he added grimly, “Consider yourself warned. Do something like that again and you’re done for.”
    Before Hettenheim could respond, Godewin von Berg grabbed him by the arm and held him back. He knew as well as Michel did that survivors of an internal armed conflict could expect severe punishment, especially if they—unlike Falko—didn’t have any powerful relatives or friends at the count palatine’s court.
    “That man’s not worth a fight,” he murmured, and quietly asked what had happened.
    Falko gnashed his teeth. “He was getting cheeky because I poked the shepherdess.”
    “Damn, Falko, you’re a lucky devil. Why didn’t you take me with you?”
    Falko von Hettenheim shot him a mocking glance. “That wouldn’t have been much fun for you, since that innkeeper’s brat would have stopped you.”
    “Between the two of us, we could have knocked the stuffing out of him.” Godewin stared at Michel’s back and felt sorry that he hadn’t been there.
    Hettenheim, however, spent less time thinking about how they might put the loathsome man in his place and instead plotted ways for him and Godewin to end Michel Adler’s life during their march. Once the innkeeper’s brat was out of the way, he could declare himself leader of the group and put the impertinent boy’s money to better use than a few loaves of bread and a bit of fresh meat.
    Meanwhile, the target of his malicious plans was looking out for other groups traveling to the meeting place at Nuremberg since the kaiser had called on all of the kingdom’s nobles to join together, with the support of Pope Martin V, who compared the fight against the Hussites to the crusades against the infidels. They didn’t see any other soldiers for a long time, however, and when they finally met up with two Frankish knights and their followers, Michel was soon glad it was only a handful of people, because the two men joined Falko von Hettenheim, ignoring Michel and treating his pikemen like the lowest serfs.
    Two days later, as Michel had expected, the situation came to a head. That evening, Michel’s people had arranged their five carts in a fortified circle of wagons in a clearing to the left of the road, while the knights and their followers set up camp on the other side of the road underneath a few ancient beeches that had been split by lightning. When Michel went to draw himself a cup of wine from the barrel, Gunter von Losen, one of the two Frankish knights, came over and held out his cup.
    “Hey, innkeeper, pour me some of your best wine.” His voice was dripping with ridicule.
    Taking a deep breath, Michel suppressed his desire to flatten this man who barely came up to his chin. Smiling sweetly, he took Gunter’s cup, held it under the tap, and filled it to the brim. The knight grinned broadly and shot a triumphant glance at his companions, who were watching the scene expectantly. But when he reached for his full cup, Michel pulled it back.
    “You called me an innkeeper, so that’s how I’ll treat you. It’s three pennies for the wine, payable