Castellan Read Online Free Page B

king and the blockade will continue.’
    Walter was most upset. ‘As Christian knights we should help Valdemar in his hour of trial.’
    Henke was unimpressed. ‘Why should the Sword Brothers help the man who tried to have one of our own executed like a common criminal?’
    Conrad smiled. ‘Brother Henke, I had not realised until this moment that you cared so much for me.’
    Henke looked daggers at Conrad. ‘I don’t, I was just making a point.’
    ‘That’s enough,’ ordered Rudolf. ‘Hillar, what do your scouts tell you about the Danish fort on Oesel?’
    ‘The Danes spent a week landing supplies and building a stone fort just inland from the beach they landed on. A fort surrounded by a ditch and earth rampart.’
    ‘How many Danish soldiers landed on the island?’ asked Walter.
    Hillar scratched his beard. ‘Two, three thousand, perhaps.’
    ‘I say let the bastard get killed or captured by the Oeselians,’ insisted Henke. ‘He’s no friend of the Sword Brothers.’
    Walter’s face wore a deep frown but most of the brother knights were unconcerned. It was well known that Valdemar had denounced the order after the savaging it had given his army at Reval. If he died it was one less enemy for the Sword Brothers to worry about. But Rudolf was thinking ahead and sniffed an opportunity. He stood and began walking around the table, speaking to himself rather than anyone in particular.
    ‘Valdemar is besieged on Oesel, the Oeselians lie outside the harbour of Reval, thus making it impossible for the garrison to send ships and reinforcements to relieve their king.’
    ‘The Danes could march overland towards Oesel, Master Rudolf,’ offered Conrad, ‘though they would have to find boats to transport them to the island.’
    Rudolf stopped and shook his head. ‘Just as Hillar has scouts in Rotalia I am sure the Oeselians have eyes watching Reval. If the garrison sent a relief party overland I am sure Olaf’s ships outside the harbour would assault Reval.’
    ‘Alas for Valdemar,’ said Henke, smirking.
    ‘The Oeselians will kill all the Danes eventually,’ stated Hillar without emotion.
    ‘Notwithstanding that he has declared himself an enemy of our order,’ remarked Walter, ‘the death of a king appointed by God is no cause for celebration.’
    Conrad begged to differ but held his counsel. Perhaps God was punishing Valdemar for the injustices he had inflicted on Estonia and the blockade he had imposed on Livonia.
    Rudolf returned to his chair and smashed his fist on the table, startling everyone.
    ‘Valdemar will not die on Oesel because the Sword Brothers are going to rescue him.’
    Those around the table looked at each other in confusion, aside from Walter who was nodding piously.
    ‘It takes a noble nature to ignore the slights our order has endured at the hands of King Valdemar, master, and you have proved yourself a worthy knight of Christ.’
    Lukas, who had known Rudolf for many years, since they had been part of the same mercenary band that had terrorised Germany, was more reflective.
    ‘Very noble, Rudolf. Too noble, in fact.’
    ‘Are you insane?’ was Henke’s only comment.
    Rudolf ignored them and pointed at Conrad.
    ‘Muster your army at the Saccalian border, Conrad. We will meet you there once I have summoned the garrisons of Kremon and Segewold.’
    ‘Surely only the grand master can issue orders to summon a muster, master?’ said Walter, ever a stickler for protocol.
    ‘In normal circumstances you would be right, Walter,’ agreed Rudolf, ‘but these are not normal circumstances. Riga is cut off from the outside world until the pox is gone, and therefore no communication is possible with Grand Master Volquin. As deputy commander of the order I am using my authority to assist both the order and Bishop Albert.’
    Normally courier pigeons flew between Riga and the order’s castles along the Dvina and Gauja. However, fear of infection had resulted in any form of communication