Chapter 12: The Tournament
Someone pulled a fair-faced youth towards Lothar's warhorse, fawning, "Knightly lord, those scrawny girls, thin as matchsticks, are no fun. Why not try this..."
"Get lost!" The knight in the horned helmet raised his horsewhip and roared, "How dare you try to peddle such an unclean thing to my noble master! Do you wish for my lord to commit an unforgivable sin?" In Catholic doctrine, homosexuality was a grave sin!
The merchant who had been promoting the youth looked instantly terrified. He had assumed this equally martial-looking knight was Lothar's companion, never imagining he was a retainer. Lothar's status in his eyes immediately rose from a mere knight to a high-ranking noble, as knights themselves would not have other knights swearing fealty to them.
"Please forgive my transgression! But he is not a man, but an eunuch, gelded since childhood using the secret arts of the Eastern Roman Empire. He is not an unclean thing. The emperors of the Eastern Empire greatly favor appointing eunuchs as confidants to govern the country for them," the merchant stammered in terror.
Eunuchs were already regarded as a third gender in many places and were popular among royalty and nobility. However, many people still considered eunuchs to be nothing more than incomplete men, viewing them with deep disdain and disgust.
Lothar waved him away, signaling for the man to leave quickly. "Hans, don't get so worked up. Eunuchs have existed for hundreds of years. In the Eastern Empire, eunuchs have even served in high ranking positions." He lowered his voice and said, "I'm wondering whether you are a knight of the Heavenly Father, or a knight who serves only me, remaining steadfastly loyal even if I were to consort with an unholy demon."
Lothar swung himself onto his mount and rode forward.
Beneath his helmet, Hans's face turned deathly pale. His lips, drained of color, trembled ceaselessly.
A moment later, he slowly urged his horse forward, catching up to Lothar. "My lord," he said, "I apologize. Perhaps I have assimilated too well into this world. Even if the Heavenly Father truly exists in this world, you are still my creator, the only master I worship. Please forgive me for presumptuously making a decision on your behalf. I will go find that merchant at once and purchase the eunuch."
Lothar was caught between laughter and tears. "That's quite unnecessary. I have no fondness for that eunuch, nor do I harbor such peculiar interests. But I value your loyalty greatly, Hans."
"A wise man once said, 'Loyalty that is not absolute is absolute disloyalty,'" Lothar stated very seriously. If he became a lord, he was bound to have conflicts with the Church. He couldn't possibly allow the Church to share half his authority, nor could he accept his subjects being more loyal to the Church than to him.
Hans quickly replied, "Please, you must believe in my loyalty. My sword and my lance exist for you, to be wielded in your service."
Banu's calm voice sounded: "He's not lying. Lothar, you have no need to worry about our loyalty. We exist because of you. Even if I despised you, hated you, I would still have to obey your commands and could never do anything to harm you."
"I understand." Lothar nodded slightly, then asked probingly, "Banu, do you dislike me?"
Banu paused, her brow furrowing. After a long moment, she said softly, "No."
A smile instantly spread across Lothar's face.
Hans, following behind him, was filled with remorse and shame. Even General Banu held their lord in high regard, yet he, a mere one-star retainer, had dared to act presumptuously on his lord's behalf. It was a gross overstep.
'His affection has increased instead of decreased.'
Lothar patted Hans's shoulder with a strange expression, feeling as though he might have grasped the essence of a 'push-pull' dynamic.
The crowd of people grew denser. Ahead, a checkpoint manned by soldiers appeared. A knight, mounted on a brown warhorse, rested his hand on the pommel of his sword and called out loudly.
"Pilgrims from afar, ahead lies Lienz, the territory of Lord Leopold of Babenberg! By my lord's command, I am here to distribute grain to you. However, you must not proceed any further inland. A grand knightly tournament is being held there, and many nobles and knights have gathered. If you offend any of the noble personages, you will face severe punishment."
"Everyone, take your grain and head south immediately! If our patrols encounter you again, you will be subjected to harsh penalties!"
Lothar sighed deeply. "So we've reached Lienz." This area was already part of the March of Austria, the territory of the Babenberg family. The ruling Count Leopold, though nominally just a count, possessed authority and military strength far exceeding that of an ordinary one. The March of Austria, in terms of size, probably couldn't even compare to an average duchy, but being a frontier region, it was mountainous, extensive, and quite barren.
Hans, following behind Lothar, quietly affirmed his loyalty, "Milord, this territory should rightfully belong to your family."
Indeed. Historically, Austria had always been a core territory of the Habsburg family.
Lothar shook his head. "I've heard my father mention that this Count Leopold is not to be trifled with. Besides, the Habsburg family's rise in history wasn't solely reliant on Austria. Though it's a core territory, it's not irreplaceable."
Lothar had no intention of targeting Austria. The King of Bohemia and Henry the Lion had long coveted this land. Even upon his return from the Holy Land, he wouldn't rashly make a move here. If he had a choice, he would prefer to open up a front in the Low Countries; that was where true wealth lay.
Lienz was a city built around a castle. The castle stood at the very center of the city, boasting the tallest and strongest walls. The city's outer perimeter, however, consisted only of a low, short wall, and the haphazard arrangement of buildings made it difficult to realize that this was already a city of considerable size.
Outside the city gates, a servant was specifically assigned to handle registrations. Upon seeing Lothar, he quickly greeted him, "Milord, are you also here to participate in the knightly tournament? If you wish to register, please follow me. The deadline is approaching soon."
Lothar inquired, "What are the rewards for the competition?"
The servant smiled. "The victor may win the favor of my master, Lord Leopold, potentially being granted a fief and an honorary title, or perhaps a large sum of gleaming coins, or even charming and lovely maidservants."
A fief was tempting, but he had already made up his mind and would not be swayed. As for maidservants, there was even less need. Only wealth was what he currently required.
Lothar nodded. "My squire and I will both participate. Take me to register."
"Squire?" The servant sounded dismissive. "Ha, milord, you mustn't underestimate this tournament. There are a great many renowned knights participating; the scale is no smaller than the last one held in Vienna. If he is merely a squire, he might not be able to withstand the blows and could be beaten to death." Squires were generally unarmored, whereas participants in knightly tournaments were expected to provide their own armor.
"Don't you underestimate my squire," Lothar gestured towards Hans. "He is fully armored and highly skilled in martial arts. Even many fully-fledged knights are no match for him. If he hadn't yet earned sufficient merit, I would have already knighted him properly."
While registering, he said to Ryan, who was behind him, "Ryan, I need four lances made of white beechwood and two of applewood. Also, prepare a well-made kite shield for Hans, either covered in leather or reinforced with iron." White beechwood lances were more brittle and prone to breaking, making them ideal for tournaments. Applewood lances, on the other hand, were much tougher and more suited for battlefield use.
Having received his instructions, Ryan immediately took a money pouch and departed.
Hans said with some excitement, "Milord, I will definitely not bring you dishonor."
The servant looked astonished. "He's actually a squire? With that full suit of armor, he looks more like a true knightly lord than many actual knightly lords." He quickly wrote down their names on the registration paper. Hans had no surname, so he borrowed the Habsburg name.
"Gentlemen, the tournament will begin on time this afternoon in the hunting grounds outside the city. Please make your preparations in advance."