The Storm: Part 3

[Korbel]

"Umm... Can anyone lend me a coat, please? I hope they won't recognize me!" the servant of the white haired Teuton knight speaks in clean polish, hastily covering his opulent clothing and hiding his head behind a cap. "For now, I'm the companion of yours, Zawisza".

And so the Teuton scouting party were advancing slowly and cautiously, seeing their prey have united with two knights, before Zawisza called at them.

"Peace, brothers in faith! Peace!"

And Albrecht raised his visor and responded.
"Oh, I'll give you peace! First you invade our land, now you're asking for peace? Who are you?" but as he was speaking these words, he realized he knew this face and this piece of armor. "Zawisza from Garbov. I've heard about you" he added, this time a little less confidence in his voice. "We encountered this group" he points at Benedykt and his companions "earlier this day and we're not letting them go".

"No, you will let them go" Zawisza responded calmly.

"And how are going to ensure that? I have more men and more bows than you."

"Are you threatening me? I'll cut through your men in no time! Or you know what, I'll fight just you. I challenge you. Do you accept?" Zawisza threw a glove on the ground and looked deep into Albrecht's eyes.

[Benedict]

All this time Benedykt had kept silent glaring at Albrecht with an icy stare. The moment Zawisza throws down his glove, Benedykt, as if aroused from a trance, spurs his mount and gets between the two horsemen.

"You have no grounds on challenging him Lord Zawisza. I on the other hand have every reason in the world. God be my witness, I cannot let another fight my battles. What I would require of you my lord is that you and your companion act as my seconds and bare witness to this ordeal."

Turning to Albrecht, his voice dripping with contempt.

"You were offered peace, and you replied with violence. You declared we invaded your lands, when in reality it is you Teutons, spurned by greed, that invaded ours. I am here to reclaim what was taken. My name is Benedykt Tarnowski, rightful heir of the Tarnowski estate. The lands my thieving uncle Arkadiusz Gołąb stole from me with your aid Teutons.

You have offended me knave; by claiming you do not know who I am when I travel with my coat of arms in plain sight. Let Providence be the judge of our quarrel. Choose your arms and seconds, then face me in a duel. Or step down and live forever with the brand of cowardice as herald of your name."

[Korbel]

Both Zawisza and Albrecht listen to Benedykt carefully, not saying a word. And in the end, they just nod their heads agreeably.

"Do you have a squire? Is he present?" Albrecht is taking off his coat, handing it to one of his companions. "As it is customary, your squire will fight mine."

[Adronio]

Adrian steps up, left of and ever so slightly behind Benedykt, ignoring his future opponent in favour of glaring at Albrecht.

[Benedict]

The two men get off their horses and move to the centre of the clearing, like two moving iron statues, if not for the raised visors. Albrecht readies his longsword. Benedykt lowers his visor and the combatants start circling each other.

The Teuton feints an opening, and the young Tarnowski is to eager to exploit. He strikes him with his shield, putting Albrecht on the defensive. Benedykt follows through with a wicked backhand on the head, but his blow is defeated by Albrecht's armor. The Teuton knight is hard-pressed by his opponent, always kept on an uneven foot. Blow after blow, defeated by the armor, Benedykt throws a desperate ploy. Feigning a massive blow to the head, he reverses the angle mid-swing, catching Albrecht behind the knee and knocking him prone. Albrecht shouts.

"Please, please spare me! I'll tell you something important, I swear!"

Benedykt ignores him and presses the attack. Albrecht tries to stop his opponent with a feeble parry. Benedykt knocks the sword to the side and raises his axe high above his head. Albrecht screams.

"Please!"

Benedykt strikes him hard on the thigh with a deafening "clank", caving the armor inwards. Benedykt stops and extends a hand to the fallen Teuton.

"You are free to live sir. Providence decreed our quarrel in my favor."

[Adronio]

While the duel between Benedykt and Albrecht was happening a similar, if even shorter duel was happening between Adrian and Albrechts squire. Pushing his range advantage Adrian starts off with a beat, pushing the squires longsword off line before following it up with a well executed hook to the leg which leaves him in the dust.

"No please, I sur-"

His plea for mercy is cut short as Adrian swings his Poleaxe down hard, hammerhead first, towards his chest. The squire desperately tries to ward off the blow with his hand, but the obstacle is ignored as the blow strikes his hand and keeps going into the poor mans solar plexus. Hammer and hand both get stuck, and the man tries to scream, his cries of pain silenced by his own ribcage, or whats left of it, as the bone destroys the precious organs they were meant to protect. Nothing but a gurgle comes out as Adrian roughly yanks his Poleaxe free.

"Shut up."

He turns around just in time to witness the climax of Benedykts duel.

[Adronio]

Adrians face turns red with anger when he hears Benedykts words.

"Y-You're going to let this murderous coward live!?" He sputters out, advancing towards the pair, gripping his poleaxe so hard that his knuckles turn white.

[Korbel]

"I... I didn't expect that... Oh, this fucking war!" Albrecht doesn't care about other knights and his own men listening. "I told them a hundred times, we shouldn't have started this in the first place. As for you, Benedykt, oh, thank you.." he accepts the helping hand.

And this time he's speaking quietly, so that only the young polish knight can hear him.
"We knew you were coming, I mean your unit today. And you ask, how did we know? Somebody-"

But he doesn't get to finish the sentence, interrupted by Adrian, so he takes a step back.

[Adronio]

"Prepare yourself, monster. If the good lord over here is too soft to give you what you deserve, then I will. Try to die like a man, butcher."

[Korbel]

Did Albrecht take a small step, trying to get Benedykt between him and raging Adrian? Or maybe so it seemed to Adrian?
"And who are you, peasant? I will only fight knights, not maggots like you... Crossbows!!"

But not only Albrecht's men did react - Zawisza also closed the distance... And he turned towards Adrian, shaking his head in disapproval.

[Benedict]

"You are forgetting your place and our cause Donarski. This man is more valuable to us alive than dead."

Benedykt, grasping Albrecht with a firm hand, places his rondel near his face.

"And you are now my prisoner. This means you are in no place to make demands or give orders. Act accordingly to your lineage and title. Or act like a knave and I will feed you to my dogs. Call off your troops. Now! And start talking."

[Korbel]

"Listen to me! You're in grave danger. If you let me go freely, I'll tell you everything I know. And I swear the God Almighty, you should really hear that."

[taelor]

Aleksy grimly surveys the scene, his crossbow loaded and ready.

[Adronio]

"Yeah, I'm forgetting my place" Adrian almost shouts, still worked up.

"I'm just a peasant after all, isn't that right my lord. My place.. my place is in the dirt where I belong. My place is being killed by noble blooded lords over their games and schemes. My place, our place, is being slaughtered like pigs, by chivalrous knights and lords who won't bat an eye slaughtering women and children of any town they come over. My place isn't questioning your lot while you grant mercy to eachother while showing none to the helpless plebians who dare breathe the same air as you.

Adrian takes a quick breather and continues with a lower voice, anger now replaced with bitterness. "For we won't be giving any mercy to any unfortunate town over the border that we come over, now will we. And while we are pillaging our way across the countryside we will be sure to grant mercy to the nobles who actually brought war upon us, because they are valuable after all, unlike maggots like myself. You know what they say, it's war after all. And we are just dirty no good scum peasants."

Adrian is still standing there, gripping his poleaxe, but his eyes are cast straight down. Two small streams are running down his chin.

[Benedict]

Benedykt motions for the rest of the troops to restrain Albrecht while talking to him.

"Sir, it seems to me everyone is forgetting his place today. You asked for mercy and the Almighty decreed you spared. Either you act accordingly to what you requested and you will be treated like an honored guest. Or you can continue acting like a spoiled child and you will be dealt accordingly.

We will have ample time for you to tell us everything we need to know. Men, help him to get ready for travel."

As the men get a hold of the prisoner, Benedykt turns to his squire.

"You talk of nobles and peasants. Yet you delude yourself. All mankind is like maggots toiling in the mud before God.

Your place is next to me serving my best interests. It is something I have won over you by blood and deed. My place as noble is to serve the best interests of the people beneath me. It is a duty thrust upon me by birth and God. Never forget that.

This man's life is a more deadly weapon to our enemies than a host of knights. Next time your bloodlust conquers your grief remember it well. We have a war to win, not a score to settle."