“Piotr was captured by the Wrocław men a year ago,” said the director, grimacing. “They’re holding him in the Tower and are squabbling over the ransom. I shall entrust Niemcza to somebody else. A new ally. Oh, talk of the devil…”

The door creaked and into the chamber, stooping under the lintel, walked a powerfully built knight with a jutting jaw and shoulders as wide as a cathedral door. Reynevan gasped.

“You’ve met, haven’t you?” asked Bedřich. “Sir Hayn of Czirne, Lord of Nimmersatt Castle. Once in the service of Wrocław, for some time an ally of the Tábor. He joined us after the victory at the Battle of Domažlice. Where we triumphed resoundingly, indeed.”

Reynevan detected a faint note of mockery in the preacher’s voice. If Hayn of Czirne also noticed it, he didn’t show it.

“Sir Reinmar of Bielawa,” he said. “Well, well. Who’d have guessed I’d see you alive.”

“Exactly. Who indeed?”

“I shall leave a garrison in Wierzbno and at Otmuchów Castle,” summarised Bedřich, clapping for servants to bring wine. “And Sir Hayn in Niemcza. Well, unless Sir Hayn desires to ride with us to battle in Bohemia.”

“Thank you kindly,” said the Raubritter, adjusting his sword and sitting down. “But it is your—Czech—battle. I prefer to stay here.”

The old chronicler monk from the Augustinian monastery in Żagań shooed away an intrusive fly and dipped his quill pen in ink. He examined it in the light before beginning to write.

It happened in Anno Domini 1434, on Sunday, in crastino Cantianorum, ipso die XXX mensis Maii. The sun was in signo Geminorum et luna in gauda sive fine Piscium.

When the Thaborites et Orphanos left Prague New Town, the Catholic lords and those of the Calixtines who sought agreement with Emperor Sigismund gave chase. And they pursued them from Kouřim to Český Brod, and there were nobiles barones et domini Menhart of Hradec, Diviš Bořek of Miletínek, Aleš Vřešťovský of Rýzmberk, Vilém Kostka of Postupice, Jan and Burján of Gutštejn, Přibík of Klenové and Zmrzlík of Svojšín, with them the Catholic Sir Jan Švihovský, the Plzeň landfried, the contingent from Mělník, and also knights, squires, clientes and Oldřich of Rožmberk’s domestic servants. In all there were thirteen thousand armed men, of which one and half thousand were heavy horse. And they formed up near the village of Hřiby.