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Wenden you are fed, housed and issued with clothing and weapons, notwithstanding that some of you choose to dress like ruffians. The blockade will not last forever, but if you feel that you can no longer work for the Sword Brothers then I must ask you and your men to be gone by the end of the week.’
    Leatherface’s eyes opened wide in alarm. ‘Well, there’s no need to be hasty, Master Rudolf. I’m not an unreasonable man. I’ll have a word with the lads. I’m sure I can calm their anxieties.’
    ‘Of that I have no doubt,’ replied Rudolf.
    Leatherface nodded his head at the master, winked at Conrad and departed, shutting the door behind him.
    ‘Arrogant bastard,’ hissed Henke. ‘He should be flogged in front of his men as a warning of what happens when someone crosses the Sword Brothers.’
    ‘He and his men are good soldiers,’ said Conrad. ‘Good soldiers deserve fair treatment, not brutality.’
    Henke laughed. ‘You’ve been spending too much time among your heathen friends, brother . The Sword Brothers cannot be held to ransom. It sets a bad precedent.’
    Rudolf held up a hand. ‘No one is going to be flogged, Henke. Wenden’s mercenaries have been with us for years and have fought by our side on many occasions. If the price of retaining them is a verbal battering from their commander once a week then so be it. Let us hope that the Danish blockade ends speedily so we can all get back to normal.’
    ‘To which end, master,’ said Conrad, ‘there is someone waiting outside who brings welcome news.’
    The brother knights looked at Conrad with eager faces. Any good news was welcome amidst the gloom that hung over Livonia.
    ‘Then being him in,’ ordered Rudolf.
    Conrad went to the door, opened it and seconds later the huge frame of Hillar entered the hall. He was one of the commanders in Conrad’s Army of the Wolf that was made up of different contingents of Estonian tribal members. Hillar led the Rotalians. There were around three hundred of them deployed in the borderlands between Saccalia and Rotalia. Henke rolled his eyes but Rudolf rose and extended his arm to Hillar.
    ‘Welcome Hillar,’ he said in Estonian. ‘What brings you to Wenden?’
    The Estonian gripped Rudolf’s forearm with a hand that was as wide as a bear’s paw. In contrast to the neatly cropped hair and beards of the brother knights, Hillar’s fair hair was long and unkempt.
    ‘I bring news of a Danish invasion of Oesel.’
    Rudolf gestured for him to sit at the table, the Rotalian first unbuckling his sword belt as a sign of friendliness. He placed his sword on the floor beside him. Walter poured him a cup of wine and passed the vessel to him as everyone looked on with eager anticipation.
    Hillar drained the cup in one gulp. ‘I have many scouts in Rotalia and they brought me news that the Danes marched from Reval and crossed the water to invade Oesel. Many ships sailed from Reval to transport the Danish king to the island.’
    Henke was unimpressed. ‘It was only a matter of time before Valdemar decided to conquer Oesel. It does not help us.’
    Conrad nodded at Hillar. ‘Tell them how the great King Valdemar fared on the island.’
    Hillar reached over to grasp the wine jug and poured himself another drink.
    ‘When the Danes arrived on the island the first thing they did was to start building a fort.’
    ‘Sensible,’ said Lukas. ‘Oesel is a big island and any conqueror would need a base for operations.’
    Hillar took a mouthful of wine. ‘Bad mistake. Olaf has the fort surrounded so the Danes cannot escape the island.’
    ‘The garrison of Reval will send ships to aid Valdemar,’ said Walter.
    Hillar finished his wine. ‘The Oeselian fleet has Danish ships trapped in Reval’s harbour like sheep in a pen.’
    Henke clapped his hands together. ‘Excellent. Valdemar will die and the blockade of Livonia will end.’
    ‘No, Henke,’ said Rudolf, ‘if Valdemar is killed then his son will become Danish