The Storm: Part 3

[Korbel]

But Jelal Ad-din ignored him between one and another dirty joke shared with his companions. Only some time later, when the company dissolved, he approached Izajasz.
"What do you want?"

[David Mogendo]

"I apologize for my actions earlier, I was not aware of your position at that moment. I formally request to be relieved of your command, as I am currently in the service of another lord, one who might have need of my expertise as this conflict grows more violent." Izajasz appears uncomfortable, nervous about the man's response.

[Korbel]

"No, you're not going anywhere my friend..."

[David Mogendo]

"Unfortunately I have to disagree." Izajasz turns to walk out of the Tartar camp, saying over his shoulder: "It was a good fight. Thank you." And he simply starts walking away, looking for any members of his retinue.

[Korbel]

Jelal was hesitating for a moment.
"So you have chosen... well, you'd better be careful now. It's a very dangerous place" he smiles, maybe to his own thoughts?

[Korbel]

The castle of Kauernick was garrisoned, of course. It became evident when our travelers saw a group of men at arms and pages leaving through the gate, taking the horses to the river for a morning watering. Aleksy got a little closer to the castle, and he reported it was full of soldiers, but - what's interesting - they were not really expecting any trouble yet, assuming the Allied Army is still far away.
But it was not only Benedykt, Adrian, Aleksy and Izajasz who were on this scouting mission, as earlier this day (or should we say, before dawn)...

"I know it might prove to be a little... problematic, but Vytautas insisted, my boy - King Jogaila was tired, as he didn't sleep well this night, when he was instructing Benedykt before the reconnaissance. "Jelal and Naiman-beg will accompany you. Listen, we need to know if the river Drewenz will let us pass. It's the last major obstacle before we can reach Marienburg castle, and as far as we know, there should be some places suitable to cross the river near Kauernick, maybe a bridge. We also need to know where the Grand Master and his army is. Go, go my boy! We will follow you in a few hours, hopefully we will meet again and I'll see you safe and sound, if that's the God Will. Farewell!


Stand-off at the Kauernick castle

[Korbel]

Jelal was carrying his composite reflexive bow. It was very strong - as it turned out, only he and Izajasz were capable of drawing it. He also had a short, curved blade hanging from his belt, as well as an additional dagger and two quivers full of arrows. Mail protected his body, and a conical steel helmet - his head. Naiman-beg was armed in a similar way, though his bow was lighter and he had his favorite, trusted, longer saber by his side. Other than that, the two Tatar leaders were travelling light, only carrying some water and little food and their usual rope lariats.

And they were watching the Teuton group... Especially the horses, evaluating their value and trying to pick the best ones. Were they thinking about ambushing the enemy and taking the horses for themselves?

[David Mogendo]

Izajasz ponders the situation and approaches the Tartar men, an idea forming in his mind. "Jelal, I suggest that you and Naiman-beg hold back whilst Aleksy, Adrian, and I scout up ahead. If they catch us, we can pretend to be Teuton long enough to kill them or escape." He glances over at Benedyct. "And perhaps his lordship should remain here too, he might be recognized." He turns back to Jelal and his companion, waiting for a response.

[Korbel]

Jelal doesn't even look at Izajasz, focusing on teuton men approaching the river.
"No, we need to strike and strike fast, and break them before they even realize what happened. Then we take what we want, won't we, brother?"
Nayman Beg only flashed his teeth in response, getting his bow and arrows ready.

[David Mogendo]

Izajasz sighs heavily. "Fine, then with his lordship's leave, I will happily accompany you into the fray." He looks over towards Benedyct again, before looking back at Jelal and grinning. He tightens his hands in the Cestus around his horse's reins and stares at the objective.

[Adronio]

Benedykt studies Teutons for a moment.

"Aleksy, your thoughts?"

[Korbel]

"You see this depression in the ground leading all the way to the river? We could sneak up on them..."

Aleksy started crawling towards the Teutons together with Jelal and Nayman Beg until they were so close they could hear them talking, while the rest of the team approached from the other side. And soon bolts and arrows started flying, unerringly hitting exposed flesh and sending unsuspecting Teuton men to the ground, writhing from pain. The last ones remaining unwounded offered no resistance to speak of, and a few attempted to fly - only to get cut by Tatar sabers soon after.

"I told you?" Jelal was celebrating "strike fast and strike forcefully, and we were blessed with easy victory! Ah, let see..."

Adrian Donarski started looking for loot and Izajasz took care of the captives. But Jelal and Nayman had something else on their minds: the horses. Quickly they picked the only two destriers and Jelal also took the one most promising palfrey for himself.

"Shame, we can't take all of them!" - but sure he was glad he had the most valuable ones in possesion. The expedition has already payed off!

[Korbel]

Jelal and Nayman left, only to return a few minutes later...

- We found this man roaming around - they addressed Benedykt - and we were to cut him down, but as it turned out he knew about our mission, so he must have been sent from our camp. He insisted on meeting with you.

And so Benedykt learned about tragic events concerning his captive, Albrecht von Schwarzburg. Torn between his duty and heart, he decided to entrust Adrian, Izajasz and Aleksy to carry out the scouting mission, while he joined Jelal and Nayman on their way back to the main camp.

~ ~ ~

At the castle of Kauernick...
Ruthard Adler joined the Teuton Order just a few years earlier, but thanks to his discipline, vast experience, fearsome reputation and unequalled long sword skills, he quickly climbed the ranks and proved to be invaluable during the war campaign. And now he was charged with leading all of the von Schwarzburg's forces during his absence. They stayed at the castle for the night and were to leave to join the main army, but...

- My lord, the men who took the horses to the river... They're not coming back.

- Poles? - Ruthard jumped directly to the conclusion -
Impossible, they're too far away... We need to investigate, anyway. Gather our men! How many horses do we have left?

And so a dozen warriors, led by their white haired captain, rode to find out what happened at the river.

[Korbel]

Adrian decided to follow the river down south, looking for the places suitable to cross the river, where the water would be shallow enough for horses and men alike. Riding under the hot sun for half an hour, he spotted the first hut - must be a village, so maybe a bridge or a ford, too?
One hut was burned and the fields nearby abandoned. Adrian wanted get past it and get closer the village itself, but that's when he heard riders behind him.


Izajasz chose the path north, along the river, too. At first with no success, but then he saw the next turn of the river, where the water was spilling widely and some rocks protruding from it, indicating it should be really shallow. But he also saw some wood structures on the banks of the river there, but couldn't tell what it is being too far away.
"I need to get closer and investigate!"


Aleksy took the task of finding the main Teuton army. He crossed the bridge they've seen earlier and followed the path, assuming the Grandmaster would want use it sooner or later if he was here. Dirty path was leading him between small groups of trees, with forests further away on the sides and Aleksy soon deducted this trail was often used as a mean of communication between the Kauerninck castle and other settlements on this side of the river.
Aleksy was riding past a small, abandoned tower, when he heard a sound - sound he couldn't mistake for anything else. A bolt flied just past his head and stuck in the tree, vibrating. He immediately turned to where the projectile must have been shot from and he saw...