Army of the Wolf Read Online Free Page A

accepted a goblet. Another servant appeared with a second tray and proceeded to serve the guests with wine while the first one gave wine to Count Henry and Bishop Peter. The king stood and raised his goblet to Bishop Albert.
    ‘To victory in Estonia.’
    Albert smiled as the others repeated the toast and drank from their goblets. He liked this king. The queen sighed loudly and waved over one of the servants, placing her goblet on the tray before retaking her throne beside the king. Valdemar was rather plain looking notwithstanding his blue silk tunic and yellow surcoat bearing a single blue lion. His wife however, was a raven-haired beauty. Queen Berengaria of Portugal was twenty years younger than the king and had dark-brown eyes, flawless olive skin and full lips. She had the looks to melt the hardest heart and it was ironic that her own heart was as cold as ice. She had been married to the king for four years, during which time she had given birth to two sons and one daughter. This had made the king immensely happy but his people, subjected to increasingly heavy taxes to pay for his foreign wars, did not share Valdemar’s love for his wife. In fact the Danes despised Berengaria, blaming her for the burdens placed upon them. For her part she was only too pleased to reciprocate their animosity. They called her taeve – ‘bitch’ – and Bishop Albert was about to find out why.
    Valdemar drained his goblet and placed it on the servant’s tray as the others likewise unburdened themselves of their drinking vessels.
    ‘We are happy to support your crusade against the heathens, bishop,’ the king informed Albert. ‘I have heard much about the triumphs of the Sword Brothers.’
    He leaned towards Albert. ‘Tell me, is it true that one cut off the head of this Lembit, the leader of the pagans?’
    Albert nodded. ‘Yes, majesty. A brother knight named Conrad Wolff smote him with his own axe.’
    Valdemar clapped his hands together. ‘I would have liked to have seen that.’
    ‘We have heard that the pagans were defeated on St Matthew’s Day,’ said the queen.
    ‘That is true, majesty,’ smiled Albert.
    ‘Then why do you seek our help with your crusade against a beaten foe?’
    Albert smiled graciously. ‘Though the Estonians are defeated, there are remnants of resistance that still survive and need to be vanquished.’
    ‘And vanquished they shall be,’ stated Valdemar firmly.
    ‘You are truly a generous and noble king,’ enthused Theodoric.
    ‘Generous, certainly,’ sneered the queen.
    Count Henry frowned but the king laughed it off.
    ‘I shall be happy to lend my support to your crusade, Bishop Albert. Count Henry, when can an army be readied to sail to Estonia?’
    Henry stepped forward to face the king. ‘I fear that it will take many months to assemble the ships, supplies, horses and men, majesty.’
    ‘Next year, then,’ said the king. ‘It is the best I can do, it would seem.’
    ‘God will reward you, majesty,’ smiled Albert.
    ‘And what reward will the church give my husband?’ asked the queen. ‘For am I right in thinking that without Danish help your crusade will come to a halt?’
    ‘We do not seek any reward,’ Valdemar reproached her.
    ‘Of course not,’ said Berengaria, ‘but Count Henry, is it not correct that in war the victor keeps his conquests.’
    ‘As you say, majesty,’ replied Henry.
    Theodoric looked annoyed. ‘His Holiness the Pope has bequeathed Estonia to the servants of the Holy Church, majesty.’
    Berengaria shot him a hateful look. ‘Has he, bishop? The chancellor informed me before you arrived that you are the Bishop of Estonia.’
    Theodoric smiled at her. ‘That is correct, majesty.’
    The queen curled her lip. ‘But how do you intend to assume your bishopric without the assistance of Danish soldiers?’
    She looked at Count Henry. ‘Perhaps we should send our German subjects to subdue the pagans.’
    The count seethed but retained his