Escape from the Past (32 page)

I stopped in my tracks. They’d determined I was an alien. A spy. “My Lord,” I croaked into the silence.

With the force of a tornado, the great hall erupted in shouts and screams. The noise was so great that the torches seemed to flicker with the air movement. I shrank back and began to shake. At last, Lord Werner stood up and waved his arms in dismissal. The hollering petered to a low mumble.

“My faithful knights are full of vigor and frighten who they want to honor.” Werner climbed from his chair and approached me. I stood rooted to the flagstone. Neither my voice worked nor my feet.

“Valiant Max,” Werner said, placing his hands on my shoulders. “Or should I say, Sir Dagonet.” The hall exploded with laughter. “No need to be thunderstruck. We wish to thank you for your brave deed.” I watched the blue eyes crinkle into a smile. “Without you we may have lost our beloved Castle Hanstein.”

New cheers erupted as the knights raised their mugs and shouted, “Hail Max.”

The terrible tension finally left my body and I nearly toppled forward. “I don’t know what to say.”

“No need,” Lord Werner said. “Make room for Max and his loyal friend, Bero.”

I slumped on the bench while half a dozen hands shoved dishes and mugs in front of me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bero rip the leg off some kind of roasted bird. He tore into it,
dipping a hunk of bread into the sauce and gulping loudly.

I sat unmoving. I was numb. Hands slapped my back in congratulation. Faces smiled at me across the table. Men raised their glasses. I drank and nodded. I smiled. They all seemed detached—floating. Unreal like the last few weeks and yet more real than anything I’d ever experienced.

In the background, Knight Werner recounted my appearance at Miranda’s, his outfit, the ruse and their escape. “How I wish to see wretched Schwarzburg right now? He must surely be surprised how his well-laid plans failed so miserably.” The men around the tables howled with laughter and smacked their mugs on the table.

I inspected the pewter mug with the Hanstein crest. The wine tasted strange, tinny like blood. Unreal. I scanned the table loaded with roasts and bread, the gnawed bones scattered in wine and beer puddles.

“We must remain wary,” Werner was saying, his voice grave. “Schwarzburg will watch for an opportunity. I have a feeling he will not give up this easily.”

Opportunity was the last thing I heard before I slid off the bench.

When I woke, I was back in the huge bed. Behind the curtain Bero lay curled up and fast asleep in front of the fireplace. The wood had settled, but the room was comfortably warm. The light behind the single thick-glassed window looked dim. I had no idea how long I’d slept or what time it was. My head pounded. I slumped back down and dozed off.

The second time I woke, Bero was shaking my shoulder.

“What time is it?” I said peering into the gloom. The fire smoldered low and a couple tallow candles flickered near my bed.

“Eventide.”

“How long did I sleep?”

“All day. You fell off the seat and lay there like a dead turtle. We carried you up here.” He chuckled and stretched his arms. It reminded me of a cat. “Juliana took care of you, but you just snored for hours.”

“Can’t remember a thing.” I leaned on my elbows, feeling hungry again.

“Better get up,” Bero said.

“What’s the hurry?”

“The Lord has asked us to attend the feast. They’re assembling in the great hall right now. We’ll be late because of you.”

I sighed. I was hungry all right, but I would’ve much preferred a quiet meal with Juliana in the barn.

As if on cue, Bero said, “Juliana and Lady Clara will be there, too.”

“In that case.” I climbed out of bed. This time they’d left me my linen underwear. On top I pulled on the various clothes I’d assembled, followed by my Nikes.

Bero sat watching. He had a funny look on his face. “Are you going to marry her?”

I turned around. “Who, what?” I’d been distracted, thinking about my promise to replace Enders’s boots I’d lost at Ott’s place.

“Juliana. Are you going to marry her?”

I stopped tying my shoes and stared at my friend who was a total pain in the butt and had a knack to bring up questions at the worst possible time. I’m in high school, a teenager, I wanted to say. I’m lost in your damn world. How can I marry a fifteen-year-old girl? It was statutory rape where I came from.

Bero took my silence as a no. “Cause if you don’t, you need to tell her. She loves you.”

I sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“What’s that?”

“I can’t explain it right now!” I groaned in frustration. Communicating was a total drag when you had to bridge six hundred years.

“Why not? What’s difficult about it? You’re either devoted or you aren’t.”

“Can’t we do this later?” I said. I wanted nothing more than to leave the room. I tried a smile, but Bero was obviously not in the mood to return it. In fact, his brows pulled together in an angry squint.

“She expects an answer. Soon. If not, she’ll have to marry one of the squires. Like Enders. He’s a good, strong lad. He’ll take care of her.” Bero sounded almost triumphant.

The thought of Juliana being patted down by Enders’s paws, made me cringe. “Not Enders,” I managed as we hurried downstairs and crossed the courtyard toward the great hall.

But Bero was on a roll, shoveling salt into my wounds. “He’ll be a knight when he turns twenty-one. And a good one at that. He’ll keep her safe from the other lechers. Including Ott!” Bero’s voice had risen. “She’ll need all the protection she can get.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” I said, nodding to the servant who stood guard in front of the entrance to the hall.

To my surprise, the man bowed and said, “Please wait here.”

I turned toward Bero. “I promise to talk to you after the meal. To Juliana, too. Until then I want you to keep your mouth shut. Can you do that for me?”

“Lackwit!” Bero muttered.

“What?

“Nothing.”

“Good.” I wanted to punch him.

The servant reappeared and bowed again. “Please follow me.”

We entered the great hall, blazing with a hundred torches. Instead of the usual craziness, the earsplitting noise of shouted stories and laughter, the room was completely silent. And every bench, corner and nook was filled with assorted knights, ladies, soldiers, squires, maids and man servants. To my surprise, the doorman headed toward Werner who sat regally in his formal chair I knew from court.

The servant curtsied and shouted, “My Lord, Max Nerds and Bero, the tanner’s son.”

Werner waved acknowledgement. Still the great hall remained silent. I tried to look around, but the blue eyes were drawing me in. Next to Werner, his first knight, Sir Konrad, dressed in a heavy blood-red cape, his black curls tamed under a matching hat, stood waiting.

I felt small and shaky all of a sudden. I carefully looked sideways. The spectators had gotten up. Lady Catherine, Werner’s wife, lingered near the spot, where Werner usually sat. In the back, Juliana and Lady Clara watched with stony faces.

“Sir Konrad, call forward by name those to be inducted into the Order of Squire of the Knights of Chivalry,” Werner’s voice boomed. “Let them stand and be honored.”

Konrad bowed, opened a parchment and began to read. “Today, there are two among us to be honored. Max Nerds, step forward and hear your order.”

I stared. What was going on now? The great hall hovered in stillness. At last, I saw Konrad’s forefinger twitch and wave at me.

“Step in front of your Lord and hear your order.”

I walked toward the great chair.

“Max Nerds,” Konrad announced, “are you willing to be inducted into the Order of Squire of the Knights of Chivalry, seeking to serve your master and all beside him, and those younger and in need of your help, exemplifying all the virtues of the Knights of the Chivalry?”

Konrad nodded at me while Werner sat motionless. His eyes had never sparkled bluer.

I looked back and forth between the two knights and wondered what I was supposed to do. The answer came thanks to Konrad who sensed my confusion.

“If you agree, you shall say,
With Gottes help and his ultimate wisdom, I am.
”

I nodded. “With
Gottes
help and his ultimate wisdom, I am.”

Enders who’d been half hidden by Werner’s fancy chair approached, carrying something in his hand. He handed it to Konrad with a solemn nod. With a slight bow, Konrad presented me the mug with the Hanstein crest chiseled into the pewter.

“Our Lord Jesus Christ stated that even giving a cup of cold water to the least among us is giving to Him. May you always do good to others, be merciful to the weak and generous to the poor. May you act with wisdom and honor and never forget your place.”

I took the cup and held it awkwardly in front of me. I wanted to say thanks, but that seemed somehow wrong. Again Konrad picked up on my confusion.

“The squire shall reply,
With Gottes help, I shall.
”

“With
Gottes
help, I shall.”

“Now repeat after me,” Konrad said. “I seek to become a knight.”

I repeated and Konrad went on.

“I will dedicate myself to the quest of becoming a knight of the chivalry. To improve myself physically and mentally. To achieve this quest I vouch to become my Knight’s liegeman. I will work to arm and armor myself. I will strive to earn the respect of the Knights of this
Haus
and so that I may too, one day, take the Mantle of Chivalry. I will honor my Knight in combat, for I will fight under the guardianship of his banner. All these things I swear to do until my Lord releases me from my vow or I am made a Knight of the chivalry.”

My voice quivered as I repeated after Konrad.

“May you uphold the oath all the days of your life. If you so swear, say,
This I shall do.
”

“This I shall do.”

Konrad stepped back and took his place next to Werner’s chair. For a moment, the Lord sat quietly. Then he rose. Still the audience watched in silence. I gripped the cup and squeezed
juice from it. I was sweating, my hands slippery on the slick pewter.

“Max Nerds,” Werner said. “You will serve me, Knight and Lord of Hanstein, as squire. You will agree to enter a time of education and training so that you one day can join the chivalry of my
Haus.
”

I stared at the Lord. I couldn’t believe it. Werner wanted me to be his squire. It was cool and from what I could tell a great honor, but I felt myself drawing back because all I thought of was my mom crying her eyes out at home, my dad pacing in his office and Jimmy, my best friend who’d saved my sanity more than once. I swallowed several times, realizing that whatever I had done or did now was going to disappoint the people I most wanted to impress.

Yet, I was stuck. Stuck in this terrible life I’d never be comfortable in. And at the same time I realized how lucky I was. Most people were peasants, one step away from starvation and deadly disease. Here I was going in and out at the castle, I had friends
and
a girlfriend. I should be glad, even happy. But I wasn’t. Not one bit. All I knew was that I had to continue and make the best of it.

“Will you swear to serve your Lord with honor and uphold the tradition of Hanstein?” Werner said, jerking me out of my thoughts. “What say you?”

I knew I had to put up a show. And this time I knew my words. “Yes, My Lord, I do swear my allegiance to you and the
Haus
of Hanstein.”

Werner nodded. “Then it shall be passed.” He turned toward the audience. “May I present to you my newest squire, Max Nerds.”

After a moment of calm, the crowd went berserk. Everyone seemed to shout at the same time. I looked in wonder as Werner stepped down from his chair and shook my hand while laying the other on my shoulder.

“Welcome to Hanstein.” This time, Werner smiled.

“Thank you, My Lord,” I whispered, trying to find my voice. The mayhem around the tables was slowly dying down.

“You may take your seat at my table tonight,” Werner said. “As of tomorrow you will join the ranks of my other squires, my sons Thilo and Christian. And Enders.” A smirk appeared around his mouth. “Now, we have one more squire to announce.” He nodded past me. I turned around to stare at Bero who I’d completely forgotten.

Bero stood quietly, though he looked pale and I detected a slight tremble in his right leg. He was actually wearing shoes.

Werner raised an arm and the hall quieted down. I hurried to Werner’s table and took up position.

Again, Konrad opened his scrolls. “There is another among us to be honored. Bero, tanner’s son of Bornhagen, step forward and hear your order.”

Bero ambled to take position in front of the Knight. Along with the crowd, I watched as Bero went through the ritual. His legs shook, but his voice sounded strong. I followed every word, more nervous and excited for my friend than I’d been myself. I stole a glance at Juliana who stood in the back. Her eyes were shiny with tears of pride.

Werner had turned Bero toward the crowd. “May I introduce Bero, the squire. He will serve Konrad, my first knight.” Bero bowed as another firestorm of applause broke over the hall. At last, Werner raised his arm and shouted, “
Silencium.
”

The crowd followed reluctantly, but at last the noise died down. “Now let us rejoice and not stop until our stomachs are bursting and our blood has been replaced by wine.”

Bero was shaking his head in disbelief as he joined me at Werner’s table. “I can’t believe I’m a squire.”

“Good work.” I thumped him in the shoulder. I’d never been so proud of my friend.

Bero looked up beaming. “And to you, squire Max. Let us
feast.”

One by one Hanstein’s squires and assorted knights, servants, ladies and maids filed past to congratulate us. They whacked us on the back; they toasted and shouted. Neither of us ate a bite without someone interrupting to clink mugs, slap us on the back or make a comment about my bravery. I watched the people at our table, Werner at the helm with head bent listening to Lame Hans, his forefinger tracing the crest on his beaker.