"IN THE NAME OF THE KING" "The 13th century is upon us and the Czech lands are ruled by Premysl Otakar II." "A King aware that to keep an empire seemingly mighty and stable is hard, and all the harder is to placate the quarrelsome noble families." "Al!" "the greater necessity for knights that can be relied on." "One of the most faithful is the wise investigator and fair judge, who supervises the building of the royal castle at Bezdez, as well as representing Royal interests in northern Bohemia." "The Keeper of Bezdez Castle, Oldfich of Chlum." "The threat of clan wars has been extinguished, Oldfich." "We have reconciled the gentlemen of Dubé and Vartemberk ensuring peace in the northern part of our kingdom." "Peace will be sealed by marriage of warring families' children." " May God be praised." "And your King not?" "We entrust you to represent us at the marriage ceremony of Beneé of Dubé and Ludmila of Vartemberk." "I've heard you promised to add to the ceremony grace of your presence." "Last year we lost our way in the Tyrol, high up in the mountains." "We slept over in a shepherds meagre lodgings." "And even among the poorest may a King find enlightenment." "At night wolves came." "When the man saw he couldn't drive them away he gave them one sheep." "But he saved the flock." "Talks await with Austrian nobles." "I will try to explain it to the wolves." "The wolves are beyond our borders, not in northern Bohemia." "Now off with you." "Not even on the Hungarian plains did we see such oppressive heat." "I hope we will be in Vartemberk by lunchtime." "Oto !" "Hunters perchance?" "Go and take a look." "A merchants wagon passed by." "Filled with goods." "Here is something!" "A blow with a sword, no mere plunderer." "They dragged the wagon somewhere towards Lipé." "The fourth hold-up this year." "Oto!" "Take a few men and ride with Divié on their trail." "Can't have got far with the wagon." "We'll meet up in Vartemberk!" "Girls..." "That goes down a treat..." "Here." "Now, now..." "Lass, you should be in the kitchen." "Well then?" "How does it look with the nosh for the feast?" "Everything will be ready in time." "I needed a bit of rosemary." "That'll wait!" "You can choose." "A looker." "We'll finish it later." "I welcome you." "I am burgrave Joét." " I represent King Premysl Otakar." "If you will..." "Welcome to Vartemberk." "On behalf of my son too." "How is it going, Mark?" "What about your sister Ludmila?" "She's getting dressed." "It's lovely to see you, Oldfich." "Likewise." " The King is coming later?" "No, he sent me instead, Markvart." "But..." "He gave his word." "A lioness in your coat-of-arms too." "Do I have to explain how a lion rules?" "Stop!" " It seems the trail stops here." "So it seems..." "Everything valuable was transferred on to horses and taken away." "We'll move on!" "Whoa!" "If God doesn't punish him our master will search him out." "How can this be?" "Nearly didn't recognise you, Ludmila." "Have I changed so much after a few years in the cloister?" "When I saw you last you were just a little girl." "We sat by the pond and kept throwing stones into it." "But before that you managed to save my life." "Exaggerating a little?" "You just got lost hunting." "The wolves could have ripped me apart." "Or the bears." "But fortunately they didn't." "You're lovely, I'm almost envious of Benefi." "I am waiting for you..." "Not here." "It must have fallen out of the looted goods." "Come on." "Here we will not be disturbed." "What ails you?" "MY groom." "Has he hurt you?" "Not yet, but..." "All the local lasses are envious of your choice." "When my mother was alive she kept telling me that good fortune can't be measured by how many people envy me." "Don't think of good fortune." "Refinement is like a weapon." "It protects, gives a sense of security, but also limits one." "Daughter of the Lord of Vartemberk cannot marry for love." "Surely God cannot be that indifferent." "But people can." "Will not you help me out?" "Not even the King's agent can order your sire as to his choice of groom." "What are King's offices for then?" "God ordered that children honour their parents." "King would add that interests of the State stand above interests of subordinates." "If you had a daughter would you marry her off to Beneé of Dubé?" "I have no children." "God took my wife away." "I will talk to your father." "What are you doing here?" "This is my father's castle." "you are a mere guest, Benes." "God shouldn't have given women mouths if He didn't give them sense." "He shouldn't have given men swords if He didn't teach them manners." "I will go and change." " Sir!" "Shhh." " They ran away." "Come, you will tell me inside." "Good evening, Joét." "You must be waiting for some juicy titbits at the evening feast." "Yesterday was too late." "What do you know about it?" "On the way I met a merchant travelling this way too." " Let's see." " We'll agree a price for certain." "Sure." "Like always." "Come with me." "Welcome." "Thank you for the welcome." "I'm pleased to see you, Master Hynek." "Please accept greetings too in the name of the masters of Dubé." "Let's drink to the health of our King Premysl Otakar." "Cheers to the happy couple." "Where are they anyway?" "A little patience." "We'll be rewarded." "Come here." "What have you here?" "Sorry." "My second wife." "Love and happiness that God blessed me with." "Her name is Kléra, like Mother Superior from Assisi." " Now, now, Master Markvart." "I'm Oldfich." "Lest I know not the saint that carries my name." "That is a pity." "St. Oldfich." "Sounds nice." "One doesn't jest about holy ones." "My stepson Mark thinks that only his name sounds holy." "Even though the Venetians have appropriated Mark the Evangelist," "Oldfich was our Prince." "Burg rave!" "Go and bring Ludmila." "Distinguished guests, taste these unusual apples." "They grow beyond the sea in lands of the heathen." " You wish to poison us?" "Like this?" "An interesting taste." "From the hands of my stepmother even poison would taste fine for you." "Enough!" "I'm still lord of the manor in Vartemberk!" "Hear my song about a most unhappy lady..." "Virginity adorns her fine, burgrave abased her in her prime," "burgrave abased her in her prime." "You will pay for this!" "He insulted me!" "Play then!" " Bloody time too!" "it'll get cold." " What's up?" "Look, someone's over there." "May I?" "I haven't danced for ages." "Why make the exception?" "Not sure." " I am not asking for charity." "This is not charity." "Burgrave!" "Someone has murdered him." " Find the lute player." "He'll hang." "You have no proof." "A vassal killed a man of high birth." "We have the right to punish him." "Call our men and we will finish him off." "I represent the King here." "I'll not put up with any injustice." "At Vartemberk laws of the Bohemian King will be respected." " Where is he?" "Y'mean the lute player?" "Don't know." "You'll hang with him!" "We've done nothing." "He's not one of us." " What are you cackling about?" "We met him this morning." "He offered to play with us." "In return for a dinner." " You're lying!" "Father does not lie." "Can't find the lute player anywhere." "Well, now, Master Oldfich, still claiming he is innocent?" "Master Oldfich, this yellow apple was in the murdered merchants Waggon." "How did the others get to the feast?" "My father was unable to offer a finer delicacy for my betrothal." "May I accompany you?" "Sour crap." "Where can that musician be?" "The gate is closed, he couldn't have gone this way." "If I was him Divis, I'd also hide somewhere and disappear at dawn." "I've looked in every cranny." "Musicians and magicians know all kinds of tricks." "Like make themselves invisible." "Kfenek, where is your cloak?" "Don't know, it's got lost." "Think, Divifi, whomsoever might need an army cloak?" "Oto, you think..." "Did you open the gate for anybody?" "Yep, but not to that comedian with the lute." "One of our soldiers went out, hey?" "In a cloak with the King's crest." " He was in a hurry." "Had a document." " On a horse?" "No, on foot." "The mystery where the lute player went is solved." "Divié, you think we should find Kfenek his cloak?" "He won't be far." "We'll ride and catch him in a few moments." "I said I'd forgo compensation for all you've stolen from me in war." "On the condition that my daughter remains happy." "How do you weigh happiness?" "As far as livestock is concerned you took more of mine than I yours." " Your son is behaving strangely." "Ludmila is no obedient wife either." "Knight fights for a woman's heart." "Only when wed he uses a strong hand." "What do you want to reproach Beneé for - that he has his own fun?" "In that case it might be better if I don't pay out her dowry just yet." " So, you don't believe me?" "I do, but not that son of yours." "We're closed." "Vesper bell rang long while back." "Will you help us?" "It seems you have a foreigner here." "In a cloak with the Kings crest." "He wanted to hire a horse but it was late, clad told him not until morn." "Where is he now?" "He's asleep in the barn." "And I'd like to lie down too." "With me?" "This is an honest pub." " You know what, Divié?" "Sure thing." "I'll look after the musician." "Ride back to the castle and tell Master Oldfich that we've got him." " Why me?" "Because you've no musical ear." "What you gabbling about?" " We're looking for a musician, see." "I get it." "Will you take me to him?" "You have weird tastes." "He's accused of murder." "I have to hear him out." "You've work to do, right?" " What's up?" "Not really a clever question." "With a sword stuck in your throat you mightn't be clever either." "Sit up and put your hands out." "Slowly." "Have a nice time." "Come on, sit down." "Let's have it." "Why did you argue with the burgrave?" "You'll guard until morning." "If you fall asleep I'll skin you alive." "How can you think that, my Lord?" " Has anything happened?" " We have a murderer in the castle." "Burgrave must have known the thieves carrying out the local robberies." "Can we talk?" " It concerns those yellow apples." "Y'mean lemons." "What's up with them?" "I tasted them for the first time." "The other knights too." "They don't grow in our lands." "They grow beyond the seas." "I assume you had them brought specially for this feast." "I know what you're thinking." "You've discovered the merchants body and you are wondering who brought these lemons." "But perhaps it is not connected to his hold-up." "There are other merchants too." "My burgrave knew his name but he won't tell us anything now, and no Vartemberk robs merchants." "Anything else, Oldfich?" "Behaviour of Benes of Dubé seems to me rather strange." "Let God judge others, not us." "It concerns Ludmila, doesn't it?" "You are meant to protect the King's interests and not of my daughter!" "If there is nothing else on your mind it's time for bed." "Make way!" "Make way!" "Commander Divié sends me here." "Are you looking for your cloak?" "He says that you shouldn't return to the castle yet." "That's all I know." "Don't take your eyes off him." "I will be a While." " What's for breakfast?" "You'll have to wait." "What you gaping at?" " You're a fine..." " Yeah?" "A fine rogue." "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it." "I told you clearly that this was an honest pub." "What's dishonest about it?" "You're beautiful." "You're not a waste of time either." "Get the breakfast ready." "So, the lemons were brought into the kitchen by the burgrave." "Personally." "Is that right?" "Where did he get them from?" "Master, you think I had time to worry about such frivolities." "Something is up with Markvart." "His door is bolted but doesn't open." "He wasn't even at morning Mass." "Markvart, Sir." "Markvart, Sir!" "What's wrong with my husband?" "We'll knock the door down!" "Where is he?" "I'm afraid somewhere down there." "Gracious God, mercy on his soul." "Amen." "He drank a great deal yesterday." "He drank." "But not enough to fall out of the window by himself." "Are you saying that father took his own life?" "Why?" "He looked forward to the wedding." "He was a good Christian and would never commit such a mortal sin." "Hang on. it wasn't an unfortunate accident." "Someone stabbed him." "Murderer used a dagger with a thin blade." "Such a wound doesn't bleed." " Only then was a shirt put on him." " Crossbar was closed from within." "I suggest we send for an experienced inquisitor." "No." "This is the work of a human." "Who?" "You argued with him last night, Master of Dubé." "If there's anyone who will find Markvart's death handy it's you." "Half of northern Bohemia belongs to the Vartemberks and you inherit." "The other half though is yours." "Everyone knows you want northern Bohemia for yourself." "Father's death has clouded your judgment." "There is no ledge here." "Nor a secret exit." "Though I'm at a loss how the man got away I don't believe in the Devil." "Couldn't have got out through the window." "A rope would be left behind." " May I be at your service, sir?" "Anyone visit my father at night?" "Just Master Oldfich of Chlum." "When I left your father was alive." "That's true." "I saw Markvart soon after that." "Where did he go?" "To see Kléra." " Did you see him when he returned?" "Of course." "You didn't leave the corridor for one moment?" "Mark, who did it?" "Father was strict." "Maybe too strict, but he loved us." "God will surely forgive him all his sins." "You should abandon this afternoon's tournament and send guests home." "Death belongs to a knights life." "Only cowards die in bed." "If we wish to honour his memory then a tournament is the way." "It doesn't just concern the tournament." "My betrothal too." " What's the problem?" "I will not marry Beneé!" "What about the promise father made?" "Don't make things harder for me!" "It'll take time before I manage to entice father's allies to my side." "I cannot start another war." "Try to understand!" "I am praying for his soul's salvation." "Even though it may not be tactful I have to check something out." "Did your husband visit you last night?" "Yes, but he didn't stay long." "He was in a bad mood as he had argued with Mark." "Why?" "Destiny of second wives tends to be bleak." "Usually all hate her and, above all, the stepchildren." "Because of property." "Mark wanted father to disinherit any forthcoming children were we lucky enough to be blessed by God in our marriage." "Any children, Master Oldfich?" "No." "I am scared." "Whoever was brazen enough to kill my husband may do the same to me." "Is there any reason for this?" "Kingship will protect you." "All fixed, squire Oto has remained at the inn." "We'll ride over, I want to question the musician." "You said that he didn't kill the burgrave." "The tournament is about to start." "Really?" "Even though the lord of the manor is dead." "There is no reason to abandon the tournament, same as the wedding, which was the purpose of our visit." "No-one wants to go to war." "The betrothal of my son and Ludmila was the condition of peace." "Nothing has changed in that." "Let's have it." "My father has a smithy in the neighbouring manor." "We live well there." "God blesses humble Christians." "I have even found a lass with which I have fallen in love with..." "Hang on, just hold on, we'll be here until eve like this." "In a nutshell, his beloved is in service in Vartemberk." "The burgrave had intentions to dishonour her but then we arrived." "He let her be but threatened that he'd get his way anyroad." " But I didn't kill him." "How did it happen then?" "I admit I wanted to wallop him." "But someone beat me to it." " Do you believe me?" "Perhaps." "I went after him as far as the courtyard, he went off with somebody and only the other one came back." "Which other one?" "Not sure, don't know his name, but I'd recognise the bloke." "You'll sit in judgment over me?" "I'll let you go." "Divié, give him Kfenek's cloak." "During the joust mingle." "I hope he recognises the killer." "Oto, you come with me." "So no-one recognises you." "Fight honourably and bravely as befits a knight." "Pity it only applies to the arena, Master of Dubé." "Will you pledge me your support, lady?" "Keep your eyes peeled." " There!" "That's him, the murderer." "Adalbert?" " I can take off then right?" "Wherever to?" "Your master promised me I could go free." "Yeah?" "Don't like my company?" "I've found something out." "The nightshirt my father wore wasn't his." "It was too small." "You are the only one who noticed this." "Women understand certain things better than the King's Office." "It looks that Master Markvart didn't die in his bedroom." "Come, we'll try something out." "This is Markvart's bedroom." "Now I'll go to Lady Kléra's room." "Garland for the winner, Master Beneé of Dubé." "Bravo, my son!" "Archery competition is starting." "Divié, try to take one of Adalbert's arrows unobtrusively." "I will talk to your brother." "He is now the Master." "I'll tell him you don't want to marry Beneé." "It's probably irrelevant now." "Beneé and my stepmother Kléra will make a fine pair." "Don't you think?" "I don't understand his behaviour." "He insults you publicly." "Thank God he is unfaithful to me." "This arrow was found in the driver's body, this one belongs to Adalbert." "So, Adalbert holds-up merchants." "And he murdered the burgrave." "The lemons are the link." " What?" "The foul sour crap." "Soldier remembers Adalbert brought the sack with lemons and spices." "What if burgrave wanted to accuse Adalbert of robbing the merchants?" "Brings the lemons in the afternoon, gets rid of the witness at night?" "No, that's not the reason the burgrave died." "Maybe it's folly but the lute player saw just before the murder" "Adalbert chatting to Beneé of Dubé." "What about?" "I don't know." "Didn't ask." "Next time maybe you should pay less attention to beautiful chicks, Oto." "Off we go." "I'll let you go but I need your evidence." "In front of the court." "Supposedly you saw burgrave's murderer talking to Beneé of Dubé." "Beneé of Dubé, the knight who won the tournament." "He said to the other that burgrave blackmailed him 'cos of some woman." " Did he mention her name?" "I don't pay attention to harlots." "Kira, Kate..." "No, wait." "Kléra." "Sure, it was Kléra." "Be careful." "Lady Kléra is the wife of murdered Markvart, and not a common harlot." " Did he say anything else?" "I didn't hear any more." "Give him a drink." "He's not very respectful but he deserves it." "Guard him." "Get up!" "I see you are diligent on duty!" "On guard last night in the castle?" "Until morning." "When Master Markvart left his wife's bedroom didn't Lady Kléra go somewhere?" "Like along the steps to the loft?" "You know you're right!" "She said to visit Lady Ludmila." "She was back straight away." "All right, diligently carry on." "If it was on Bezdez I'd lock him up." "Perhaps." "But at least we know how the killer got from the Markvart's bedroom." "Oto, during morning Mass search through Beneé of Dubé's things, his room is in the loft." "I am afraid for my soul." "I will purchase as many indulgencies as you wish." "From the Pope if need be." "What if Oldfich of Chlum finds out?" "He's not that clever." "And if he accuses me father has enough influence to silence him." "Go to sleep." " Y'know what punishment lies ahead?" "Don't even think about it." "I found it." "Is the chamber ready for the Court's sitting?" "Yes, sir." "It seems Master of Dubé bribed some knights to oppose you." "He must sense what's coming." "Forgive me, sir, but would it not suffice just to execute Adalbert?" "Sir, things could get out of hand." "Who's afraid of death dies every day." "The markings show arrows are yours." "You used this at the tournament, with this you killed the driver, stole the goods and brought them to Vartemberk." "I don't know how the arrow got there." "The robbed merchant brought these yellow apples but we managed to taste them at the feast later." "You were seen selling them to the burgrave." "It was just booty." "It was a robbery." "You murdered innocent Christians." "All right, I'll pay the King's treasury a fine for spilled blood." " I'll buy out my sin." " As a nobleman you have the right." " May I go?" "No." "Apart from the driver and merchant you also murdered a noble." "Bu rg rave Joét." "You stabbed him from behind and in such a case a fine is not enough." "That's a lie!" "Arnofit, are you ready to swear?" "I swear in front of Almighty God that I saw this man..." "How can you believe a perjurer?" "He's not a perjurer." "He saw you leaving the ramparts." "From the spot where the murdered Joét lay." " Many men wear capes on their head." "You know the killer had a cape?" "That's an admission." "I could sentence you to death by a number of degrading ways but you are a knight and I will allow you to be beheaded by a sword" "if you tell me why you murdered burgrave Joét?" "In fact, I had nothing against him." "Burgrave blackmailed Beneé of Dubé." "He saw him leaving Master Markvart's wife's bedroom." "As Beneé knew I held-up merchants we came to an agreement." "He'll keep quiet and, in return, I'll help him." "You bastard, how dare you spit out the name of my son out of your gob?" "Not enough for the King to build Bezdez in front of our windows as if wanting to mock us." "You now accuse our sons in his name?" "And what about you?" "What now?" "They'll take away our property?" "Put us in jail or, taking no chances, chop our heads off?" "Why are you all silent?" "Just going to remain like dumb, silly sheep?" "Provoking insurrection against the King?" "I'll agree to your wish." "My Office will ignore the accusation that your son instigated the murder of burgrave Joét." "My Office accuses Beneé of Dubé of much graver crimes." "If I omit adultery with Lady Kléra," "I accuse your son of the murder of her husband, Markvart of Vartemberk." "This Court is prepared to prove such an accusation." "I will not listen to these insults." "I will listen to Oldfich of Chlum." "And I hope that my guests will too." "We respect the King's Laws." "I respect them also, have no doubt." "In that case let us try and find the truth." "Proceedings will carry on at the place where murder took place." "Beneé was with Kléra in her bedroom." "But he could not foresee her husband's argument with his father, that Master Markvart would go to bed early." "Further, he would have a guard at the door and Beneé couldn't leave." "You are getting a bit mixed up." "According to knight Adalbert burgrave saw me leaving Lady Kléra." "The time you are talking about burgrave was already dead." "It wasn't surely the first time you were in Kléra's bedroom." "Don't try and take away attention from your crime." "Master Markvart decided to visit his wife and, of course, found you there - that is why you killed him." "You put on his clothes and threw his body out of the window." " Anyone can substantiate your lies?" "I do not need people as witnesses." "My squire threw a sack out of Markvart's window." "The sack weighed roughly that of a grown man." "But the sack fell elsewhere than where we found Markvart's body." "Then we threw the same sack from Kléra's window and, behold, it fell to the right spot." "You wish to accuse me just because some sack fell to another place than you would wish?" "You threw the dead body out and disguised as him you entered Master Markvart's bedroom." "It wasn't difficult to fool the guard." "The corridor was almost dark." "You bolted the door and returned to your room in the loft." "Maybe my son is able to become invisible?" "Or perchance can fly like a bird?" "Is this meant to be King's justice?" "Look around Markvart's bedroom." "There is nothing different than how it was that fateful night." "And, nonetheless, I can depart unobserved." "If he manages it we will smell the brimstone as the only the Devil, the Devil...!" "Shall I break it down again?" "In this Kingdom it is unique for a righteous and noble knight to be convicted only because some comedian scales a rope." "Rope which was in the bedroom of your son." " You want to judge Beneé?" "That is difficult." " I ask for some proof." "But there isn't one!" "My conscience is clear." "It was hidden in your casket." "One can find them anyplace." "None of my guests has a dagger with such a thin blade." "Only you has a room above this bedroom." "Only using a rope could the killer escape." "Why was Kléra upstairs?" "To tie the rope." "That's enough!" "You've offended me and Lady Kléra." "I've the right to demand your blood." "As King's Officer I am not dutybound to fight you, but as a knight I agree." "Under one condition." "That the Church declares the duel as God's Judgment." "Yes, God's Judgement is the most reliable way to attain the truth." "Master of Dubé, will you comply whatever the result?" "You don't surely believe you will beat my son?" "Yes, God's Judgment does not rely on who is a finer knight." "God will decide." "It take place after Mass in the yard." "Promise me you will not be defeated." "Why should God forgive a murderer?" "Especially when you don't forgive him." "It's not that long ago that I was winning tournaments too." "Still, be careful!" "I remind both of you that this is not a duel but God's judgment." "And only the Just are given strength by God to be victorious." "You have the last opportunity to confess your sins and cleanse your soul in humility." "Now then..." "In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti." "Amen." "Better for her this way than to feel the axe of the executioner." "Only the body would suffer, this way she lost her soul." "Even then by the pond I knew that you are the bravest knight in the world." "You were just a little girl." "I haven't changed my view even though I am older." "You were attractive even then." "Rather a strange betrothal." " I've lost my father." "And me a son." "Even so we shouldn't battle again." "Let us forget enmity." "Under one condition." "Master Oldrich of Chlum will never woo your sister to be his wife." "Why?" "He represents the King." "In northern Bohemia our clans have always ruled." "I prefer the King in Prague too." "I am pleased we understand each other." " Tomorrow we shall return to Bezdez." "Yes, sirrah." "You managed it." " You think so?" "Certainly, sir." "Maybe." "Maybe." "I've punished the murderer." "But Master Hynek won't ever forgive me for killing his son." "Our King was mistaken." "Wolves are not just beyond our borders." "We'll have to learn to live among them also here in Bohemia."