Page 139 of The Robber Knight
“Try it first, before you decide.”
Suspiciously, the herald uncorked the bottleand took a sip of the contents. His face lit up. “By the Apostles!I can keep it, you say, Sir?”
“Of course.”
“You, Sir, are a true knight. No doubt aboutit. I will enter you onto the list of competitors for thetournament immediately.”
Reuben clapped his hands. “Splendid.”
*~*~**~*~*
Reuben spent the next few days exploring thecity and soaking up the exotic atmosphere, smelling the air thatsmelled of adventure. He could not believe how satisfied he waswith this wonderful city of Palermo. The days passed in a blur, andReuben was filled with the difference to his homeland: a tournamentto be held so soon after his arrival, all loathsome money mattersout of the way, and now... now the Emperor was arriving.
Reuben watched from the window of his room aspeople began to gather in the streets. Emperor Friedrich neverarrived without a spectacle worth seeing. Not for nothing was hecalled “stupor mundi”—the marvel of the world.
Reuben turned and heard a squeak from theinnkeeper, who, having just pushed Reuben's meal through thehalf-open door, hoping the knight wouldn't notice him, wasscurrying away down the corridor. He certainly didn't think ofReuben as a “stupor mundi,” rather as a “terror mundi.” Theconfrontation down in the parlor had given him, if not respect, atleast a healthy fear for Reuben, and he hadn't mentioned a billonce since the young knight had beaten Sir Wilhelm to theground.
As is onlyproper, Reuben thought, and breathed in the deliciousscent of the food with relish. How could a mere commoner expect anobleman such as himself to think about such lowly matters asmoney? His noble presence alone should be enough payment.
Taking up the tray, Reuben sat at the tableand took up the spoon. Normally, he would insist on being waited onby the house's servants, but since he had thrown both servants outof the house a few days ago and in the process given them both agood number of sprains and bruises, he supposed they weren't veryeager to come near him. And the meal smelled so delicious...
Without much delay, Reuben dug into his food.He believed himself to be a true knight, following all of theideals of the codes of chivalry—it was only the idea ofmâze, the restraint towards all thedesires of the body, that he had slight problems with from time totime, especially when such a delicious dish was standing in frontof him and his stomach was growling like an angry dog.
But, Reuben promised himself, as soon as hehad finished his meal, he would go back to his ideal of restraint.Then, he would be the most restrained knight in all of Palermo.Until the next meal.
The roast which his host had prepared wastruly a masterpiece. Reuben's heart softened a little towards theSicilian innkeeper. It wasn't his fault that he had been born acommoner, and thus had a sense of honor and propriety akin to thatof a porker. Noblemen such as he himself had to forgive suchinferior beings and continue on their righteous path in spite oftheir hindrance.
Reuben washed down the roast with a fewglasses of the excellent Sicilian wine the innkeeper had alsoprovided, and then rose from his chair. His hunger was sated, hisabode assured—it was time to explore the wondrous city of Palermosome more. The Emperor was approaching. After having heard so muchabout him in his father's tales, Reuben wanted very much to seethis man, one of the most powerful rulers of the Christianworld.
The streets were packed with people.Nevertheless, Reuben noted with pleasure, he had no troublereaching his goal: the people of Palermo made way for him whereverhe went. They seemed to have the proper respect for his superiorstation. Though, the fact that he was two heads taller than most ofthem and three times as muscular also probably had something to dowith it.
When he reached the street that led to thecity gates, an excited crowd had already gathered. There werepeople of all countries and stations assembled here, men and womenboth. Reuben noted that there were several dozen young Sicilianmaidens in the crowd, with dark eyes, bright smiles, and intriguingforms. His gaze lingered on them. And why not? The Emperor hadn’tarrived yet, and there was no sin in looking. Even if there was, hecould confess it later...
Suddenly, the crowd in front of Reubenstarted backing up, gasping, and crossing themselves. That surelycould only mean one thing: they had beheld the exalted presence ofthe Emperor. Yet although Reuben could see over the heads of thecrowd, he could not see the man he had come to see. EmperorFriedrich still had to be beyond the city walls, and Reuben pushedto the front of the crowd to be able to see through the gate.People got out of his way very quickly.
When he stood in the first row, Reuben lookedthrough the gate and saw a procession coming from between the hillsaround the city: gilded wagons drawn by white horses, knights inall colors on powerful steads, falconers displaying their chargeson their outstretched arms, musicians accompanying the processionwith sweet tones of the harp and flute.
And at the very front was...
Reuben frowned. That couldn't be the Emperor,could it? If it was, his father's descriptions had not been veryaccurate. In fact, now that the thing was slowly coming closer,Reuben could see it looked more like an animal. A huge animal, hugeand gray. No, this definitely wasn't the Emperor. Or if it was,Reuben would quickly emigrate to another empire.
Around him, the crowd drew back with gasps ofmingled horror and fascination as the gray thing approached thegate. None of them had ever seen something like this before. Thething raised its gigantic nozzle and trumpeted like a battalion ofbuglers. With cries and a cacophony of Sicilian curses, the peopleretreated further. Even the guards, who were supposed to be liningthe streets, ducked into alleys to cower in the shadows. OnlyReuben stayed where he was. Bravery was one of the most importantchivalric virtues. He would stay where he was, even if he was aboutto wet himself—which of course he wasn't. Not at all.
The giant gray beast wasn’t alone at the headof the procession: soldiers marched on either side of it, some inSicilian, some in German, some in Saracen garb. And it wasn'tguideless either: on its neck, like a pea on a pumpkin, sat a youngman with pitch-black skin and curious headgear such as Reuben hadsometimes seen Saracens wearing in the books of his father'slibrary.
Behindthe black youth, a wooden sedan chair[54]rested on theback of the beast. At the very moment it passed the first guardoutside the city gates, who was cowering behind a bush, the curtainon the sedan chair swung aside, and there he was: Friedrich II vonHohenstaufen, by God's grace elected Roman Emperor, exaltedsovereign, at all times furtherer of the Realm and King in Sicily,Germany, and Jerusalem.
Reuben had to admit, the man's titles wereeven more impressive than his own. This didn't go for his looks,though. Reuben was perfectly well aware that he was a superbspecimen of manhood. The Emperor, in comparison, appeared to him arather thin man, with longish red hair a neatly-trimmed red beard.His smile was pleasant, though not charming. All in all, he wouldhave been a rather average looking man...
Would have been, were it not for hiseyes.
They were as clear and sharp as a hawk's.Even at this distance, Reuben could feel their gaze piercing him.He suddenly understood why his father had followed this man all theway to Jerusalem and back, even with old women showing him theirderrieres on the w—?
Hurriedly, he shook his head. No. He wouldnot think of that today. Today was a day for celebration.
The beast raised its nozzle again andtrumpeted so loud Reuben's ears hurt and he twitched back. TheEmperor just smiled and raised his hand, greeting the crowd asleisurely as if he were riding on a sweet-tempered gelding.
Oh yes. Reuben swallowed. He could definitelysee how this man had become Emperor.
