April 11, 1189 --Late Evening, West Field
Alexandre looked at Walker for a moment before speaking. The two men got along well enough, but there WERE times when they clashed. Du Kayne seemed to be seeing if tonight was going to be one of those times. With an inward sigh, he began speaking.
“I’m not going to go into what the hell happened today,” Alexandre frowned,” But I am presuming that you did pay attention to some of the knights who were at the West Field?”
Walker grimaced and spat out his wine,” Tastes like vinegar. I had Giuseppe watching them.”
“And?” Alexandre prompted.
“Oh,” Walker grinned,” You’d like some information, yes?”
Alexandre rolled his eyes,” Obviously.”
“Fine,” Walker took a swing from a new wineskin,” You have five possible sergeant types from what Giuseppe informed me earlier.”
“They would be…?”
“A Dane by the name of Christian. He brought some of his own retainers as well,” Walker shrugged,” I don’t speak Danish. There is a Pole whose name is Casper Prast.”
Du Kayne looked at a list in his hand before chuckling,” That’s pretty good. Kazmierz Piast is his actual name. Damnably hard name to pronounce.”
“I don’t speak Pole either,” Walker snapped.
“That’s two,” Alexandre’s lips quirked,” How about the other three?”
“There is a German named Rudolph Steinbach,” Walker continued,” Some fellow by the name of Lorenzo, and Henry of Tintagel.”
Alexandre brows furrowed,” That last name sounds kind of familiar, but I just can’t seem to place it. I’m sure it will come to me at some point.”
“What else does Giuseppe say?” du Kayne inquired.
“Henry is poor,” Walker mentioned, taking another long drink of wine,” He tries to hide it, but it is a fact. Or so Giuseppe says.”
“Nothing wrong with poor,” du Kayne murmured,” It’s not like I have chests of gold lying around.”
“You have enough,” Walker spat out a stream of wine at a nearby fly, ripping it out of it’s flight pattern.
“Continue.”
“The Dane is wealthy,” Walker shrugged,” Or so Giuseppe claims. He is definitely in charge of the men he leads. They follow his every word like it was gospel.”
Du Kayne crossed himself,” Don’t blasphemy.”
“You’ve never cared that much about that,” Walker smirked.
“We still more than close enough for the Pope to hear of this and cancel this crusade,” Alexandre sighed,” Or at least our part in it. I want to take no chances.”
“You just want to get your lands back near Jerusalem,” Walker replied dryly.
“So?” du Kayne stared at the other man,” They belong to me. I EARNED those lands. Blasted infidels have probably destroyed my grapes and my olives.”
“Regardless,” Walker shrugged,” You also know most of the men we’re taking to the Holy Land are likely to die. Those that don’t won’t make out as well as you did.”
“Let’s hope you are wrong about that,” du Kayne frowned,” Can we get back on topic?”
“The Pole also has wealth, and is some kind of noble,” Walker finished off the skin of wine, and took up another.
“Terrific,” du Kayne ran his fingers through his long hair,” He’s that one.”
“That one?” Walker inquired.
“The one who demanded that Erik give over the transports so that he could get to the holy land before his brother could get there,” Alexandre explained briefly,” I’ll have to knock some of the arrogance, I would imagine.”
“Probably,” Walker agreed,” The other two are harder to figure. But they seem solid enough, I suppose.”
“I’ll have to do some thinking,” Alexandre sighed,” I seriously doubt I need five sergeants. I’ll have to see how many total knights I have before I can really make a complete decision.”
“Not my problem,” Walker waved his hand lazily,” I have enough to do with the infantry.”
“And I don’t envy you it,” Alexandre ran his fingers through his hair again,” That is not a job I’d want.”
“You’ve become a bit soft, du Kayne,” Walker sneered,” You’re toying with your hair like a woman.”
“I’m enjoying the feeling of hair again,” Alexandre countered,” I’ll be shaving it mostly off once we reach the Holy Land. This much hair is a nightmare in a land with limited water resources.”
Walker rubbed his hand of the bristles of his own head,” That is why I always keep my hair short. No fussing with it. Soft, I tell you!”
Alexandre stood up,” I’m off to my own bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long enough day as it is, without watching you get drunk. Again.”
“Like you don’t drink,” Walker heckled him.
“Of course,” Alexandre nodded,” But I try to avoid getting drunk when I have things to do the next day. Like train men.”
“Bah!” Walker snorted,” I’ll be fine.”
“Meaner then an Egyptian asp is more like it,” Alexandre sneered,” But it is your problem. I just almost feel bad for the men you’ll be training.”
With that, du Kayne walked out, leaving Walker to his wine and his own thoughts.
