1005. Chapter 1005

After Much Ado About Murder

Episode 8.20

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: He who hath no stomach for this fanfic, let him depart, his passport shall be made, But no crowns for convoy will be put in his purse as I make no money from this. Rating: K. Time: See above. (and below).

It is the year of Our Lord 1362….

Sir Richard Castle's army began to slowly leave the main piazza of Pola to begin the campaign against the pirates that infested the Adriatic Sea. Sir Richard, dressed in shining plate armor that he would rarely wear for any but social and political functions, rode alone at the head of his army. Behind him rode the captains that commanded the companies that made up his force. Principal among them was his wife, Lady Katherine Castle. Behind them rode the man who carried Sir Richard's personal banner. A large silk square painted with a likeness of Saint Katherine signifying that the company was named Saint Katherine's Company of England. It would be no surprise to anyone that the face on the banner belonged to Lady Katherine.

Behind them rode six hundred mounted English archers, organized in companies of one hundred men apiece. Few were mounted on the best of horses, but they would be more mobile than they would be if they were afoot. There were also two hundred crossbowmen, similarly mounted. There were six hundred mounted spearmen, mounted on horses and mules. The spearmen ranged from near naked savages from the fringes of the Celtic world to heavily armed and armored Flemings. Equally savage were five hundred local light cavalry, known as stratiote, who would screen the army on the march. Lastly were a hundred and fifty knights and non-noble men at arms. They were mounted on the finest warhorses, and the riders were covered in plate armor. Almost all carried pole arms of some sort: Lances, halberds, bills, poleaxes and the like, as well as swords, axes, maces and daggers.

As the army reached the southern gate, they found Duke Rodrigo of Istria, Lord Pietro, Sir James Walden, the new Bishop of Pola, and an entirely new Senate, waiting for them.

"Greetings, Sir Richard." Said Duke Rodrigo, with a smile.

Sir Richard dismounted and knelt before Duke Rodrigo. "I serve you as my liege." He said as loudly as he could.

"You are my most favored liege man." Duke Rodrigo took an ornate baton, covered in red silk and gold inlay and handed it to Sir Richard. "Take this baton so that all men may know that you speak and act in my name."

"You honor me, Duke Rodrigo." Castle stood.

Rodrigo leaned forward and said quietly. "We honor each other Richard. Now go kill those bastards and come back to my army. The damned Venetians are hiring too damned many soldiers for de Braquenne for my taste. Keep me informed and I'll do the same for you."

Sir Richard stood, bowed to Duke Rodrigo and remounted. The Polans cheered as Castle led his army out of the town gate.

Once outside Lady Katherine moved up to ride beside her husband.

"I can't convince you to remain safely in Pola?" He asked,

She smiled at him. "Of course, you can."

Sir Richard looked at her quizzically. She had always refused to even consider staying before. "In that case, please do so."

She laughed. "Only if you'll remain safely in Pola with me."

"I love you, Kate." He said with a laugh.

"I know." She teased.

Immediately outside of the southern gate a band of horsemen waited.

Will Fox rode towards Castle and rode beside him. "Greetings, Sir Richard."

"Greetings to you, Captain Fox. How is your company?"

Fox shook his head and spat. "God's truth. Except for Angelo they ride like sacks of oats tied to a saddle. They're more likely to slay an enemy by hitting them with their crossbows than shooting at them. And their blades? They'll be useful for chopping firewood or some other domestic tasks."

Castle clapped his old friend on the shoulder. "But they are willing, they know the land south of here from birth and they have every reason to hate the pirates."

"True. Everyone has suffered in some way from the pirates. I just hope it doesn't get them all killed for no benefit for us."

Castle nodded solemnly. "As do I. As do I."

"And now?"

"Divide your company up and go to Captain Paleologos. I want each of his patrols to have at least one of your scouts to provide local knowledge. Then you can take command of your company of archers."

Fox smiled. The company he now commanded had been Castle's when he was but plain Captain Richard Castle.

Fox nodded and rode off to talk to Captain Michael Paleologos who commanded the local light horsemen, who would patrol on all sides of Castle's force to warn of any enemies.

They expected to find little for the first few days of their journey. De Braquenne's forces had raided every village for miles around prior to the invasion of the prior year. Partly to gather in food and other necessities, which unfortunately included young women, for the invaders. But, also to drive the frightened and starving peasants into Pola where Duke Rodrigo would have to care for them to the detriment of the needs of his army.

Mostly they found only destroyed villages, destroyed crops and rotted corpses.

"Rider coming in." Someone called.

The rider pulled up in front of Castle and made a clumsy bow. He said something in a language that no one knew and then handed Castle a slip of parchment. Castle read it and then swore. "Bloody hell! The bloody bastards."

"What is it?" Kate asked.

"You should stay with the main body as I take a look." Castle suggested, knowing it would do no good.

"Not a chance."

Castle sighed. "There's a monastery ahead. Or what's left of one. And…..You'll see."

There were the remains of twenty-one monks in the ruined monastery. All had been crucified.

One of the stratiote, who spoke Italian well enough, told Kate what had happened. "He says that whoever did this knew what they were doing. Drive a nail through a major blood vessel when crucifying a person and he'll bleed out quickly. Place the nails just right and the victim will take a long time to die and will live in agony for days, perhaps, before that. This was pure evil."

The stratiote, an Albanian named Gojtar spoke again, then crossed himself.

Kate nodded and turned to Castle. "He says he's never done anything like that. He says he's a good Catholic."

"Do you think he is?"

Kate shrugged. "I'm sure he's a good Catholic when serving a Catholic master, a good Muslim when serving a Muslim master and a good Orthodox Christian when serving an Orthodox prince."

"The best we can expect, I suppose." Castle turned around. "Take them down and bury them decently. Find Father Ryan and have him supervise. We can't bury all the dead we find, but we'll bury them."

They camped the first night on a long, low ridge in the remains of a destroyed village. Castle had had his tent pitched at the highest point of the ridge and was able to look out at the campfires of his army. Although he couldn't see them, he knew that his light cavalry formed a watchful circle around his camp at a distance of several miles.

"What are you looking at?" Kate asked, coming out of their tent.

"I'm wondering how I got here."

"On a horse?" She said, smiling.

He laughed. "No, I was wondering how I got to this point in my life. I'm married to the most wonderful woman imaginable. I have wealth and property and I lead an army, a small army to be sure, but an army none the less. And I'm married to the most wonderful woman imaginable." He shook his head. "Not very long ago I was a poor soldier leading a small company of archers earning my bread by hiring myself out. I expected to die on the field of battle, or at best enter a monastery someplace when I was too old to be a soldier. And I never expected to marry the most wonderful woman imaginable."

"You keep mentioning the most wonderful woman imaginable and that you married her. Is there some reason for that?"

"Certainly. It's the best thing that's happened to me."

She reached out and took his hand. "Then let me be wonderful to you tonight." She led him into their tent and blew out the candle.

Castle was shaving the next morning while Kate still slept. He was just finishing when he heard a rider pull up in front of his tent. Not wishing to disturb Kate, he stepped outside to find a stratiote just dismounting. The man bowed and handed Castle a scrap of parchment. He opened it and read it.

Caviliere Castle,

We have found a crossbowman following your army. He states he wishes to join us. I will bring him to you.

Kotta.

The note did not mention the time or place when it was written, not how long it might take to bring this crossbowman with him. Castle decided to have breakfast.

The army was again on the march when a patrol of Albanian stratiote rode up to him with a tall, dark haired and weather-beaten man. The man was roughly dressed, but the sword at his waist seemed in good shape. He rode a good horse and he led a pack horse that appeared to be carrying armor and several crossbows.

"You wish to join my army?" Castle asked while riding with Kate.

"Si, and I speak English. I served in the retinue of the Earl of Warwick in France, but my heart has always been in the fight against the pirates who infest the Middle Sea."

Castle became interested. "And why would you care about that?"

"I am Don Pedro del Valle y Feced, and I'm an Aragonese. My family served King Pedro IV and the Kings of Aragon before him. My father was appointed as intendente of the city of Palermo in Sicily. While my family was traveling to Sicily, we were taken by pirates. My father and mother were killed, my younger sisters were dishonored and then killed. I was seventeen and large for my age. I was chained to the oar of a pirate galley. I remained there for eight years until we were taken by a Christian ship. I was returned to Aragon, but I remained filled with rage. I studied the profession of arms and began to prepare myself for revenge. I have served in many places in the ten years since. But I have never forgotten the men who destroyed my family and my desire for revenge."

Castle nodded. "I can understand, and I can always use a good crossbowman….."

"I am no crossbowman, Don Ricardo. I use the arbalest."

"I'm not familiar with the term, Don Pedro."