Bedřich of Strážnice, a born propagandist, had noticed it and immediately used it to his advantage. Less than an hour went by before he was celebrating a Hussite Mass on the camp common under the open sky. After which the preachers gave communion sub utraque specie almost until the evening to anyone willing.

The changeable wind bore the smell of burning from all sides.

Reynevan didn’t participate in the evening’s council of leaders. Firstly, because he hadn’t been invited, and secondly, because he was still trying to find a way to go and meet Scharley. Dobko Puchała talked him out of it. When, with the aim of pissing, he had left the barn where the council was taking place.

“Drop it,” he said over his shoulder, pissing in the corner. “Only God knows where Scharley is now, you won’t find him. The smoke from fires won’t help you, because they’re moving quickly to avoid being followed. And to create the illusion that there are more of them than there are.”

It was noisy in the barn, the commanders were arguing and yelling at each other. It was probably about zones of influence, because the names of towns kept being shouted out: Gliwice, Bytom, Niemcza, Kluczbork, Namysłów, Rybnik.

“I’ve heard that three days ago Scharley was torching villages near Rybnik,” said Puchała, hopping and shaking his member, “but I don’t advise searching for him there, physician, you’re more likely to encounter Racibórz forces and you’ll get short shrift from them. Wait for Scharley here, he should be with us any day. For we march tomorrow or the day after. We’re heading for Koźle. And Konrad.”

Scharley didn’t come and the invasion of the Koźle lands took place two days later. The allied army was raring to go, ready to invade the lands of the hated Konrad the White; Bedřich and his preachers took efforts to carry out an effective propaganda campaign, presenting the Koźle duke as a bloodthirsty monster, guilty of numerous crimes committed during the crusades and invasions of Bohemia. In actual fact, it was the Bishop of Wrocław, Konrad the Elder and the Duke of Oleśnica, Konrad Kantner, who had taken part. Konrad the White’s guilt was established simply by the fact that he was their brother. In any case, mistakes were inevitable with such a gaggle of Konrads.