Page 131 of The Robber Knight's Love
The dukedidn't seem to notice. “The Emperor's Court? EmperorFriedrich?”[51]
“Is there another emperor?” Reuben inquired.“Dear me, I hadn't noticed.”
“But his court is in Palermo, in Sicily!Hundreds of miles away!”
“Yes. That will be a jolly journey, don't youthink?”
To judge from the words the duke utterednext, his Grace didn't think so at all.
Reuben popped another piece of mutton intohis mouth and chewed, thoughtfully. “We can be thankful that Motheris visiting Aunt Hildegard,” he pointed out. “I don't think shewould appreciate the way you express your opinion.”
“Why the blazes can't you prove your valorsomewhere nearer home?” the duke demanded. “There is a tournamentbeing held next week at Schweinfurt. Why not go there?”
“Pah.”Reuben spat another bone onto his platter, next to the first one.He didn't seem to have problems finding one whenever he wanted toexpress his disdain. “I went to the last one. A paltry affair. Onlya few local knights, and not one of them could last a minuteagainst me. I want adventure! To measure myself against thegreatest fighters of all Christian kingdoms. And those are to befound only in Palermo. I've heard that Emperor Friedrich even hasSaracen[52]fighters under his command.That would be a welcome challenge!”
“Yes, and they also say he's got a harem ofSaracen women, which I'm sure would be an equally welcomechallenge.” The duke's eyes narrowed. “That wouldn't have to doanything with your decision, would it?”
Reuben simply smiled.
With an angry grunt, the duke reached for hisknife—only to discover it was still stuck in the table. It took himseveral attempts to retrieve it, and by then, his trout had growncold.
“Next course!” he yelled in the direction ofthe kitchen doors.
Soon after, servants hurried towards him witha large platter of sausages and bread. The Duke grabbed one of thesausages and bit off the end, savagely.
“You can't really be set on going to Italy.It's folly!”
“No, jolly, not folly. If you remembercorrectly, I said it would be jolly.”
“Is it really for the tournaments or are yougoing for the women?”
“You know, I'm not sure why you always makeme out to be such a lady's man,” Reuben admonished his fathermildly. “I'm just looking for the perfect girl for me.”
“Well,” growled the duke, “nobody couldaccuse you of not being diligent in your search, with closeattention paid to every subject you study.Veryclose attention.”
The young knight shrugged. “You can't findthe perfect girl if you aren't looking, can you now? And as foryour question—I am indeed going for the tournaments. And if Ishould happen to stumble over a dragon that needs to be slain or adamsel in distress on the way, I wouldn't say no to thateither.”
“You're mad! Completely mad!”
“Why?” An amused smile pulled at one cornerof Reuben's mouth. “Do you honestly think I couldn't hold my own ina tournament at the Emperor's Court?”
The duke grunted noncommittally and bit offanother piece of sausage. All too well he would have liked to replyin the affirmative, but his son, though only eighteen years of age,was already a master of the blade. Only two months ago, the dukehad stopped “giving lessons” in swordsmanship to his heir becausehe was getting tired of all the bruises that pained him every nightwhen he went to bed.
He sighed. If only Reuben had half as muchpatience as he had muscle, maybe they wouldn't be having thisargument.
“Listen, son,” he said, leaning over thetable and putting the sausage down on his plate. “The politicalsituation in the Empire is precarious. The Pope has only justlifted the excommunication against the Emperor. There are rumblingsall across Germany...”
Reuben yawned. “I told you our noblesshouldn't eat so many beans and onions.”
“Silence! Don't you understand? If the Popereinstates the excommunication against Emperor Friedrich, and youare at his court at the time, don't you see what an effect willthat have on our family's fortunes?”
“You see,” Reuben said, yawning again, “thedifference between you and me is that I don't really care. I mean,you're a duke, one of the most powerful nobles of the Empire. Whatcould possibly happen to you? And as for me, I only want to see alittle of the world. Surely there's no crime in that. I'll be backfrom Palermo before you can blink twice, I promise.”
“The distance is several hundred miles!”
“All right, maybe you'll have to blink threetimes.”
Snatching up one of the sausages and wavingit at his son, the duke growled: “You won't go! Do you hear me? Iforbid you to leave the castle!”
