The Three Turks - Chapter II

The lord's face turned red with blood rushing to his face; he was surprised and angered by the arrogance of his servant. His former steward was suspected of stealing from him, a serious crime indeed, but he had also managed to escape the justice of his master, warranting an even more severe punishment. Now, he stood in the main hall with a fawning smile on his face, explaining his devotion to his lord and listing his claims of innocence. The lord listened to his steward's nonsense for a while until he had enough and lashed out at the little rat trying to cover his crime. The servant trembled with fear but quickly regained his composure and flattered his lord. He cut short his speech this time, fearing the master's wrath, and informed his lord that he was there to present his gifts, as he had always been loyal to his highness. As he spoke, three Ottoman soldiers entered the hall, chained together at the legs. Leading them was the soldier whom the servant had encountered on the battlefield that night. When there was no one around, he was taken in by the servant, cared for, and tied up to prevent his escape, although in reality, he could not escape even if he wanted to. During his recovery, the servant added two more pieces to his collection, who were now walking in the castle's hall. The lord was suspicious of his servant's actions and looked at the chained men with questioning eyes. However, the men remained indifferent to his curiosity. When the lord voiced his questions, they still maintained their unresponsive demeanor. The servant felt compelled to intervene on behalf of the men (and especially himself). He addressed the lord with great respect and explained that he had captured these men during his heroic defense of Christendom. He claimed ownership of these "barbarians" as a rightful spoils of war but was there to hand them over to his master as proof of his loyalty and honor. He also praised the men, saying, "These slaves, my lord, are as strong as bulls and as healthy as stallions. One of them even managed to wound your most humble servant." While these words might have been true at another time (except for the injury, as the servant was wounded by his own negligence), at that moment, the men were in terrible condition, worn out by hunger, sickness, and war. Their clothes and skin were torn, and the steward's attempts to nurse them had little success, as he was not a doctor. At best, the three soldiers could be compared to mauled animals adorned with ribbons. The lord listened patiently, but when the story ended, so did his patience. He knew his servant's treachery well and suspected that the slaves were either kidnapped from the battlefield or belonged to someone else. Regardless of the truth, he decided to keep the men for himself and teach his servant a lesson for his past wrongdoings. Smirking at the servant, he said, "You have proven yourself worthy, my dear retainer." The servant was pleased to hear these words, thinking his plan was a success. "I shall reward you," the lord continued, waving his hand to command the guards to bring three chests full of silver. The traitor was overjoyed, almost fainting, if not for being in the lord's hall. However, his joy turned to despair when the nobleman spoke again. "On the other hand, you still owe me the silver you stole, which amounts to three chests full of silver." With another wave of his hand, the guards took away the treasure, and the lord proceeded, "You are also found guilty of defiling your master's justice, which will be punished by being nailed to a log pole and left hanging for three days." The guards took the convict away, as the lord's attention turned to his new slaves. They were battered but strong, and he saw them as profitable assets for the future, ordering them to receive medical assistance.