The Knight´s Legacy

The Mongol Girl

NEAR THE NOWADAYS PYRZYCE - POLAND

WINTER 1247

The snow fell permanently forming new thick layers over the previous already frozen ones. Visibility was very poor and the small family wandered aimlessly , looking for protection against weather of one of the toughest winters of those years. Narantsetseg pregnancy was very advanced and it was clear that birth would occur within a short time. In these conditions a successful birth was unlikely and it was clear that the mother and the newborn baby would be at risk at all times. Konrad behest his horse so it would not fall exhausted by the effort and hunger, leaving the family at the mercy of the elements in a completely inhospitable area, with a few forests of conifers in the middle of the plain. The old animal already fainted by exhaustion and probably because instinct showed it of the desperate situation. Konrad already started to lose his own fighting spirit, unique factor that had brought them so far. The numbness was defeating him although he knew that if he fell asleep it would be the end for all. To increase his fears shortly before he had heard howling of wolves, no doubt hungry in that part of the year in which all of nature is retracted.

At one point he realized that the horse had raised its head and that was walking faster and wondered for the reason, not wanting however to encourage false hopes. To be completely awaken he passed his hand through the eyes introducing therein the knuckles, as his vision sharpened Konrad  realized that the animal had altered its course eastward and after a while he could perceive a smell of burnt wood in the air. Hope was reborn in his soul: where there was a fire there would be human beings, and at this point disregarding their identities and intentions it was better to find them than to die in that desolation. After a while he spotted a tiny flashing light in the middle of the surrounding darkness. This recalled Konrad another day dying on the shores of Lake Peipus when also drawn on the back of his horse he had spotted a discontinuity in the plain and his life had been turned upside down.

The cart stopped in front of a very small hut; awoke from the dream mixed with astonishment product of cold and hunger, the she tucked the girl. ; travelers saw with relief that an out of hole in the ceiling actually smoke was coming out denoting that the House was occupied. A wooden door slowly opened and an old peasant appeared at the uncertain light of a fire inside the cabin.

The old man called Udo helped Konrad to carry Narantsetseg down of the truck and take her to the poor bed in the hut, which he shared with his wife Willa. Despite being in a Slavic area, the old folks were of German origin so they could communicate with Konrad, although for doing it they had to overcome dialectal differences. Willa fed the little  Odval and put her to sleep near the fire; then approached them and examined Narantsegseg. She soon stated that birth was imminent so they decided to be prepared for it. Konrad left the cabin  looking for water in an old wooden bucket full of leaks. As he did so, he fell on account of how providential it had been to find that House in the middle of nowhere. Indeed, there would have been no other possibility of carrying forward the birth in the midst of the storm that was already breaking out with force. His chest was filled with gratitude for these old peasants willing to help some unknown and poorly dressed travelers.

Konrad decided to name  the newborn after his father Klaus von Steinberg. It seemed relevant and promising now that they were returning to his homeland.

With the rest and the attentions of Willa -a skilled midwife- Narantsetseg quickly recovered from childbirth, but anyway they decided to accept the invitation of Udo to remain in the place until the worst part of winter was left behind. Udo and Konrad conditioned another semi-derelict hut located within a walking distance, where the children of the old, who then immigrated to Saxony had lived before. Space and comfort were minimal, but allowed the family to survive the winter.

CHAPTER 1.2

CASTLE STERNBERG - NEAR THE NOWADAYS PRENZLAU - BRANDENBURG-GERMANY

SPRING OF 1248

Otthild von Sternberg walked to meet the short caravan. The villagers had carried the news that his son Konrad, heir to the County, approached in an old wagon accompanied by a strange woman and two creatures along with another cart carrying a couple of old peasants. As she approached the wagons, Otthild became prey to strong feelings. Her eldest son they knew nothing about for years and who had been presumed dead in the disastrous campaign of the Teutonic Knights in Russia, not only lived, but was now approaching his place of birth. The mother's heart beat quickly for the news. On the other hand she wondered how would Konrad now be, what kind of man was now returning. Would he remain worthy of the best family traditions?

When Konrad descended of the wagon and headed toward her Otthild suffered an emotional shock. His appearance was not only dirty, what was expected, but also a bit wild. When her son spoke to her it was clear that he had lost the dominance of the German; indeed his sentences were short and primitive. Then, when they lowered the woman accompanying him holding a baby young and another girl hiding behind from her wide dress, her heart gave a turnaround. He had never seen a person of so dark skin, flattened traits and strange eyes. Slowly taking conscience that these creatures were the sons of Konrad, the aristocrat was invaded by strange warmth.

“You are welcome Konrad.” She said, beating the storm of emotions that embargoed her. “ I always kept the hope that you would return.”

“Thank you mother.”Answered also excited Konrad. “ I had already lost mine.”

Mother and son, after a few moments overcame all protocol barriers and  ran to embrace each other in a sea of tears. The courtiers broke out in exclamations and greetings to the returned hero, and engaged two additional horses to the cart to speed up its arrival to the property.

Otthild led the family into the Castle and ordered that the old couple accompanying them were Housed with the servants of the Castle, no doubt with some amenities that have never known before.

Narantsetseg came through a secondary door into Castle Sternberg, an old and construction of medium-size for European standards of the era. When she had seen it from afar it had seemed enormous, since the woman had not met in her short years other dwellings  than huts and tents, but from the inside it looked grim, frightening and secluded, reminding her of a cavern that she had known when she was a little girl. Slowly her view and understanding were capturing the elements of comfort available in the building, including worn carpets and other decorations that filled her with wonder. Inside, Narantsegseg processed a dark determination that, as well as years before she had managed to make Konrad her man, in the future this castle would be hers too.

Klaus von Sternberg left the remains of the deer piece that he had being devouring and drank a long sip of wine. He watched on either side of the long table where members of the family and other notables of the fief had gathered. He looked carefully at each of the diners trying with his usual sagacity and cunning to unveil their emotions and intentions. He looked first at his wife Otthild, wondering what would have prevailed in her: her love of mother who reunites with her son given by lost or her boring attachment to forms and prejudices, which would no doubt have rejected those  that fate had given her by daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Then looked at Konrad, thinking what impulse would have led him to take as his wife the woman he who could have taken by concubine. The nobles of the family always had lovers of all races that existed in the area, and his own brother Emeric had a Gypsy lover who had borne him children and lived in a comfortable but discreetly secluded cabin. Klaus' other children would no doubt be happy to see their brother, except perhaps Adalrich, the second in the line of succession and the heir of the fiefdom if Konrad had not returned. Indeed, Klaus was an old fox and knew the depths of the human soul. He wondered if he should keep Konrad as his successor in any way, or if he should press him to hide his wife and their offspring and marry a young noble woman of Brandenburg or Saxony. Anyway, he mused, it would have been an exercise in futility because he knew that his son wouldn't change what he had chosen and would only move away.

“What the hell!”  Klaus finally concluded his solitary meditation. “I have never cared about conventions or protocols. If Konrad wants to keep his Tartar, let he have her! Let's now take a look at my grandchildren, especially to the little boy who bears my name and that will be in the Sternberg succession line.

Klaus approached Konrad, with whom he spoke briefly, then to Narantsetseg and asked her by signs to hand him over the little boy; the woman the baby after a moment of hesitation. Klaus von Sternberg firmly held his grandson, aware that those present were pending of his gestures. The old warrior toured the small body with his eyes until his view stumbled upon a strange diamond-shaped spot at the base of his neck. When he looked at the baby´s eyes found in them an unexpected sheen. He raised the child high and exclaimed with a stentorian voice.

“My grandson Klaus!”

Then the old noble toured the wide space between the banquet tables, arranged in U exhibiting the child to the whole Court.

Everyone understood the symbolism of the scene and its implications. A formidable Hurrah! Emerged from the throats of the diners. Konrad smiled and poured wine and drank it whilst it ran down his reddish beard, Narantsegseg, although she had not  understood the words had captured the message of the strong scene and his heart was full with joy as she confirmed that the purpose that she had conceived had begun to be fulfilled. Otthild thanked her husband who, for once, had imposed her a decision that was for her so hard to take. Adalrich lowered his eyes.