The Crusader's Crown (Tales of the Brotherhood Series Book 1) by James Mercer (free children's ebooks pdf .TXT) 📕

   “It appears not. But he has sent word to Garcia, voicing his concerns, of raids that have been made on small towns on the borders nearby.”

   “And are they not Templars?”

   “Survivors from a village said the raiders wore the armour of Christian knights but described a banner and surcoat different to that of the mantle of the Templars. But yes. I believe that it is Garcia who is behind these raids.”

   “What does he have to gain by raiding these towns?” asked Robert.

   “He is looking for information,” answered Anzac.

  The priest then leaned to the side and produced a scroll. The parchment looked so old, Robert thought it was going to crumble to dust.

   “He pursues a Treasure of Christ?” said Reynard.

   “When in the northern realms of Iberia, an old friend of mine was tortured and murdered,” answered the priest, his eyes suddenly ablaze with fury.

   “He, like his Brothers, was a fine scholar and among their countless volumes and records of those before him we discovered this. A document written by a scribe who we suspect was of Roman descent, due to the type of Latin he wrote.”

   “With the help of our new Brothers, Sir Guillame and Sir Eugene, we believe we know what they pursue.”

  Father Anzac paused a moment. Robert’s heart was racing with excitement at the thought of a new quest to reach and protect another of the Holy treasures.

   “The Crown of Lombardy,” he announced finally.

  The room went still. Apart from those already privy to the information, the rest of the Brotherhood knights sat in stunned silence.

   “But the Crown is said to lie in the vaults of Rome,” said the Master of the Keys.

   “Yes. And others say it still remains in the hands of the Lombards,” replied Schaffer. “But this document refers to a group of honourable men, “Warriors of Christ” he called them. Who were said to have travelled to the farthest realms of the west to hide ‘A Crown of unspeakable power’.”

  Robert remembered his father once talk of the Crown of Lombardy, which had the nails that held Christ to the Cross, imbedded into a circlet of gold.

   “And these towns that have been raided … Garcia believes that one of them harbours the Crown?”

   “We are not sure of the reasons for these raids yet,” replied Quintos. “But our Brothers from the Calatrava Order claim that these towns are not where the Crown is hidden.”

   “Then why sack them?” asked Count Rolf.

   “As I said before. Information.”

  Robert paused for a moment before he spoke up again.

   “Father Anzac, Sir Elizondo. Do you have any thought to how this Garcia came by the location of the Crown?”

   “That at the moment Sir Robert is currently unknown to us,” replied Anzac.

  Robert looked to Reynard, who in turn nodded in agreement, consenting his young comrade continue.

   “I believe we may have the answer for you,” he continued.

   “You do Sir Robert,” said Sir Frederick curiously.

   “On our way south to join with Sir Reynard’s forces. We were ambushed by a party of hire swords.”

   “What of it?”

   “Their attempt to capture us failed.”

   “Clearly,” replied Schaffer impatiently.

   “But then we questioned a survivor. The same man who had claimed he had been sent to escort us south. He admitted he had been hired by a cleric of high status.”

   “You of all people Sir Robert, should know that the souls of some men of the cloth, can be the darkest of them all,” said Sir Edward.

  “This one, was a Cardinal,” replied Robert.

  Half of the table looked puzzled, while the others looked at the two knights of a mercenary band with uncertainty.

   “Surely you can’t mean …..”

   “Matthias Esca of Venice. Yes,” said Reynard, finishing Schaffer’s sentence.  “We have the man in custody, back at our camp and can have him before you by nightfall if you so wish.”

   “Forgive me Sir Reynard, Sir Robert. But who is this Cardinal Esca?” asked Sir Guillame.

  Between them, Robert and Reynard spoke of the disastrous alliance of Esca and the Order of the Blooded Cross. They started with the discovery of the alliance in Constantinople and finished at the siege of Bridgenorth castle, where the Cardinal had fled after the last of the Order knights fell to Reynard’s sword.

   “And you never discovered his whereabouts after he took flight?”

   “There were reports that he had returned to Venice,” answered Father Anzac. “But he was said to have been cast out shortly after his arrival there. My network of informants have found no trace of him these past six years.”

   “It’s plausible,” said Quintos. “The Cardinal is cast out for his failures. He has made an enemy of both the Brotherhood and the Order. He then discovers the resting place of the Crown of Lombardy and seeks out the power hungry Templar.”

   “He tells Garcia of the Order of the Blooded Cross, who then goes to them for support. Garcia does the bloodshed, while Esca hides in the shadows.”

   “Well it is a fine tale Sir Elizondo. But without proof, forgive me, it is merely a theory,” answered Sir Frederick gloomily.

   “I assure you Sir Frederick. That Esca’s obsession with power would make perfect sense to his involvement,” responded Robert firmly.

  Father Anzac sighed and rubbed his eyes.

   “I truly thought we had rid ourselves of that bastard scum,” he said.

   “I for one would welcome his involvement, so I can drive my knife through his heart,” replied Schaffer.

  Robert knew full well that Schaffer’s close friend, Sir Marcus Malay, was tortured to the point of death before it turned to insanity.