"You want to be a paladin? he sneered in a harsh voice
"I only see a joker sitting in front of us who pissed in his pants. "He jerked his chin
on Fabio's dripping wet pants. His companions burst out laughing.
The redhead dropped the pan and grinned pulled out a long cleaver. The bald man shoved the prisoner to the campfire and swung the stick twice in the air, making it hiss.
The gnome immediately stormed over to her son, who was still rubbing his leg. The girl came out from under the car again. All three looked at Fabio anxious. He took a deep breath. Apparently, Sir Ludovico was a little late. If only he had listened to him! Now he was alone against three adult opponents.
Unfortunately he still did not know what all this was about. He already had a guess. Gnomes suffered in human society. As a traveling people, they traveled the world, arousing the mistrust and sometimes the envy of the people. But for Fabio, such prejudices did not count; in this situation, the gnomes were the weaker ones, and he
could not help but rush to their aid.
"So you're out for trouble," said Fabio to the leader of his opponents, trying to act as calmly as possible.
"But if you think I'm so easily lured out of my reserve, you're wrong, because you have not proven that you're the ordinary thieves I hold you for, you have to meet me three times alreadyinsult one after the other in order to attack me. Before that, my paladin is not allowed to join me
to measure you. So you should not let it happen.
"Pheasant Knight!" Hissed the leader with a devious view.
Fabio's eyes narrowed to slits. The guy was playing that the paladins, unlike the other knights in the country, also included commoners in their ranks. A nobleman in their order was little more than a freeman. Neither his master Ludovico nor he himself belonged to a noble family. Even His Excellency Silvestro, the Grand Master of the Order, came from poverty. Although the stars mystics had endowed the paladins with special rights and support the Order of the Dawn with their magical powers very few nobles of Astarias were willing to share their privileges with the common friars.
"Well, you're counting on it," Fabio answered, taking a step toward the three. "That was the second abuse. And now I would be very interested in what these gnomes have eaten. Or is it under common practice for one to attack the weaker ones? "
The three of them looked at each other with open mouths. For sure they were not used that someone talked to them in such a tone.
"This gang of thieves were in the village last night stabbing two of our guard dogs," the redhead grumbled.
"We have found their tracks and pursued into the Forest. Why else should they secretly camp here?
"That's not true!" Cried the gnome woman angrily. "My husband works for Baron de Vontade, ask in his house for Master Arcimboldo, and it turns out that
we camp here rightly. We only stay that way
Outskirts because we want to avoid trouble with the locals. "
Fabio raised his eyebrows in astonishment. The traces of gnomes and goblins are similar. Even the goblins were short in stature. But unlike the Gnomes they were raw and devious. Should these creatures have ventured near the village? That would indeed be more than disturbing!
"Shut up, Gnome Wife!" The bald man
clenched his fists. "None of us has to be justified. In front especially not against a runaway boy posing as a knight. We act on behalf of our Lord Raimondo de Vontafei, the nephew of the baron. And your Toothpick there impressed us not in the least." He
pointed to Fabio's short sword.
"It looks like you have just the third insult
pronounced, "said Fabio unmoved.
What do you care, you bastard? His opponent
spat on the floor. "Your mother has chosen to sell you not without reason. That was insult four and five. Is that enough for you?"
"Yes, that was enough" replied Fabio quietly.
"It's a pity you showed up here alone. For now
no one will witness how we give you your puffed-up mouth
Plug. His cronies, Fabio, caught the eye.
I'm not alone. "Fabio put two fingers in his
Mouth and uttered a powerful whistle. Gino trotted out of the darkness.
"A donkey?" The mustachioed boy laughed, the pack animal trotting
down to the clearing and snorting next to Fabio
on. The man's laughter died away. Still
dripped water from the luggage bags. But they had
three no look. Startled, they stared at the crest of the
Shield dangling from the donkey's back and from the fire
was lit up.
"Maybe this guy is a paladin, Vasco," he said
the redhead insecure and rubbed his shoulder again
" I do not care. We'll polish his face now. "With one
Loud battle cry, the leader swung the captured
Stuck and stormed Fabio. He dived under the
Slash away, his short sword whirled around and bounced Vasco
with a targeted blow the weapon hand. Cursing left
His opponent dropped the club and groaned it
injured wrist. His cronies stormed now as well
Come on.
"Gino!" Fabio parried the dangerous cleaver of the
Red-haired while his ass roaring for the schnauz bearded out-wedged. With two targeted strokes Fabio drove the
Knife stabbed against a tree and kicked his legs away.
The redhead collapsed and before he knew what was happening Fabio held his sword to his throat.
"Get away with your weapons or your friend here will regret it! I do not want to hurt any of you, but that can change quickly! "Fabio shouted to the other opponents. A long time ago Vasco and the mustachios had rallied again and looked at each other, startled.
"Do better what my knave tells you! "It said
Forest.
"My protege has an short temper and sometimes does things he regrets later."
Everyone turned to the speaker in surprise. The gnomes were looked like they would want to dissolve in the air. Ludovico came galloping out of a ravine. Surely the Paladin had the argument observed for some time. And something in Ludovico's tone told Fabio that he had aroused his master's displeasure.
Behind the paladin, two more armed suddenly peeled out of the dark. They, too, were peasants, only armed with flails. them
followed, like Ludovico also on horseback, an elegant dressed nobleman with feathered hunting hat. The stranger maybe six or seven years older than Fabio and wore a tunic with open sleeves, Slightly cut and padded at the shoulders were. Like Fabio's master he had a longsword girded, except that the scabbard was decorated with precious stones, that sparkled in the starlight. So he too was a knight, but one of nobility.
"What's going on, Vasco?" The gentleman said
with the bald head on.
"That, uh ..." Vasco looked up nervously at Ludovico, who for his part, fixed him sharply.
"That squire[or knave: a knight in training] prevented us from bringing the gnomes to justice, sir. We traced their tracks into the forest. And the woman behind it, "he pointed to the gnome woman, who was holding her daughter tightly to herself,
"still claims cheeky, her husband is in the service of the baron. "
Fabio concluded from the remark that the rider had to be Raimondo de Vontafei.
"Oh well,"
Raimondo cleared his throat, that's the same
Truth. He turned, after a glance at Fabios
Lord, to the gnome.
"So you're Munadella, the
Wife of Master Arcimboldo? "
"Yes." She stared defiantly at the nobleman.
"I regret the incident," Raimondo went on. "The Stellar have at least made it so that we are here in the woods met with Signore Ludovico. It seems like He has saved us from an error. In truth we are dealing with goblins. Still think always that you are only tolerated here. If I find you have killed the watchdogs, you my men will come back. Do you understand me? "
The armed men in Raimondo's entourage grinned and Munadella nodded silently. Fabio, meanwhile, had a spontaneous dislike to the young nobleman. He was one of these
typical nobility knights, for whom the old knight traditions represent outdated remnants of a bygone era.
As a true knight, he would have had to stand on the side of the Gnome.
"But enough of all that." Raimondo turned to Ludovico
"Signore, thank you on behalf of my uncle Baron Vittore de Vontade. His hospitality is praised everywhere, even though until recently I did not even know that really everyone, whether high, whether low, are welcome. Oh well. All this does not explain everything that you and your .... page have to look for in his forest at this late hour. "
"We just went a bit astray and my squire discovered the goblin track, so let's just say he knows how to tell goblin and gnome tracks."
Anger flashed in Raimondo's eyes.
"We have the order to escort Celeste, the Baron's daughter, to the Star Castle in Stella Tiberia," Ludovica said
unimpressed.
"Your arrival was announced for next week.
Raimondo's horse danced uneasily, whereupon he gave the animal one beat with the reins "now you are here, grant me the honor of taking you to the palazzo of my uncle. "
With a single wink, Raimondo de Vontade ordered his men to vacate the clearing. Ludovico also urged Fabio to follow him. The Paladin rode with his head raised and disappeared shortly after in the hollow.
Fabio finally put away his short sword, scratched Gino lovingly behind the ears and led the donkey pass by at the wagon. In passing, he discovered in front of the door a strange embroidery. Next to it lay the stone sling. He picked up both and walked, under the suspicious eyes of Munadella and her daughter, to the brave gnome
boy.
"Are you okay, are you unharmed?"
The boy raised an eyebrow and looked at Fabio in surprise.
"I think so," he replied strangely monotone.
"What is your name?"
"Yargo," Munadella answered in his place.
"And your daughter, that's your daughter, right?"
"Ambra."
She blurted out and gave her mother an uncertain look.
"You three fought bravely." Fabio gave Yargo the Slingshot back in the hand and smiled. "Next time aim on the head.
The boy nodded. "I'll think about it."
Fabio noticed how delicate the hands of the gnomes were.
No wonder that this people produced master craftsmen and inventors!
Finally he turned to the sunken road. There, between the shadows, Raimondo de Vontafei was still waiting for him, to his surprise. Fabio just wanted to pass the nobleman as he stopped him with the toe.
"Should you dare embarrass one of my men-
and thus me - against such vermin again you will be dealing with me personally. Remember that you, peasant knight!" Raimondo snorted contemptuously, turned his horse and disappeared in the dark. Fabio looked after Raimondo de Vontafei and counted in thought.
One.