The Crusader's Crown (Tales of the Brotherhood Series Book 1) by James Mercer (ink ebook reader txt) 📗

of the Order Brothers. “You are a knight of the Teutonic Order are you not?”

  The knight in question glared at the visitor who had humiliated him in front of his compatriots.

   “And you,” he said again, pointing at another who sat to the left of the room.

   “You are the Master of the Templar knights in France.”

  The Grandmaster began to feel agitation in the room as the Order Brothers started to stir. If their new ally was not careful the likelihood was that his blood may soon spill on the flagstones he stood upon before he had even sat down.

   “And you,” he said turning to another. “You are one of the most powerful lords in Normandy are you not?”

   “I think you have proved and impressed us enough of your knowledge of our Order Brothers,” intervened Pierron sharply.

   “I meant no offence my lord. I am merely pointing out that your Order’s secrecy is slowly starting to diminish.”

  Sir Alexander Pierron’s eyes burned with anger at the insult while others in the room began to scowl dangerously at the proclamation.

  Sir Aguillard Chevalier rose from his seat.

   “Forgive me Grandmaster, but I did not travel all this way to listen to this man bleat on about our Brothers. Do not waste our time Templar. What do you want?”

  The knight’s voice was calm and carried no trace of anger or concern.

  Although Garcia was momentarily silenced by the speaker, he quickly regained his composure and continued.

   “You are correct Sir … I am sorry but your name is unknown to me.”

   “My name is irrelevant at this time. I say again. What is it you have come for?”

  Garcia smiled, this knight was clever.

   “Very well. I come here for support,” he answered.

   “Support?”

   “Finance, men and your Order’s knowledge.”

   “Oh is that all?” mocked Chevalier. “You enter these halls and chasten our Brothers and then request our help?”

  Whoever this knight was, Garcia realised he was a man of intelligence and could pose a problem if he was not dealt with carefully.

   “My number of supporters are few. The funds at my disposal are limited and the risks I take would bring about my death if I were exposed.”

   “So you are saying that your fellow knights of the Temple have no knowledge of your actions. For when it comes to finance, who is wealthier than the knights Templar?” replied Chevalier.

   “Why the Order of the Blooded Cross of course. And I am sure that many of your Brothers here would also be in peril if their superiors knew of their involvement in such a quest.”

   “You play a dangerous game Sir Alejandro,” said the Grandmaster coldly.

  Garcia could tell he was losing his position on the board, so tried a different strategy.

   “With the influence and support of the Pope, King Alfonso of Castile has united the armies of Navarre, Aragon and Portugal, Their intention: to take back the southern realms of old Hispania. When his forces march south they will take the cities of the infidel one by one. In one of those cities lies the Crown of Lombardy.”

   “And you have proof of this?” asked Pierron.

   “A cleric came to me with scriptures stolen from the Vatican. They tell of a man who took it there to keep it safe from the papacy’s greed.”

   “In the kingdom of Navarre, we discovered an abbot, whose monastery held a multitude of scriptures and volumes of days gone past. Its records included histories of old Hispania during the reign of the Visigoth occupation before the arrival of the infidel. Amongst the volumes held by the monks, the cleric who had come to me discovered manuscripts which related to those that he had seized from the vaults of the Vatican.”

   “And in which city is the Crown supposed to reside?” asked a younger Brother within the hall.

   “All in good time,” answered Garcia.

  He had gained their interest again.

   “And the cleric who came to you with these scriptures. He can be trusted?”

   “He would be a fool to deceive me. He is without power, without influence and without protection. He needs me as much as we would need him.”

  There was silence within the cold hall, while the Order members considered the Templar knight’s proposal.

   “You have told no one else of your discoveries?” asked the Grandmaster suspiciously.

   “I presume you refer to the Brothers of the Turin Shroud,” answered Garcia with a slight smirk. “No. You are the only Order I have come to. I know full well of the Brotherhood and their petty belief that the weapons of Christ should remain hidden to gather dust.”

   “And what of your own Order?”

  It was the Grandmaster’s turn for a little sarcasm.

   “Come, come Sir Alejandro. I commend you for your discovery and your knowledge of our Order Brothers. Including some here who even serve the Templar Order like you. So surely you didn’t think I would allow you into my halls without knowing about you as well. I am well aware that you have fallen out of favour with the Grandmaster of the knights of the Temple.”

  Garcia paused before he smiled again.

  “No my lord. I have not shared my findings with the Templar Order,” he replied. “So do we have an agreement?”

   “An agreement?”

   “That we combine our knowledge and resources and recover the Crown. With its influence over the Iberian kingdoms, we can drive the Almohad savages from the south and the Templar Order takes its share of the realms recovered.”

   “And by that, I take it that your contribution will be noted by the Grandmaster of the Temple Order,” sneered the French Master of the Knights