Conradin awoke the next day filled with enthusiasm and eagerness. He had been looking forward to the hunt that day, and he was ready to get out there and enjoy it. He had been looking forward to another day of fun, relaxation, and celebration since the previous day had been full of optimism for this celebration. He was also excited to see his falcon again, as he hadn't used him in about two months, something that he eagerly desired to try again,
Conradin then rose up from the bed and took some moments to observe the outside of the house. He witnessed a beautiful sunny morning, with the sun shining brightly through the windows and lighting up the room. The sky outside the window was a beautiful, sunny blue, with a few clouds scattered here and there. The birds singing in the trees outside were blessing the king with their melody, and the flowers were instead blooming and filling the air with their sweet, fragrant scent.
As Conradin had enough of the sight, he walked over to one of the basins of water in the room, leaned over the basin, and plunged his head inside. He relished the feel of the cool, refreshing water as it covered his face and refreshed and invigorated him. He let out a sigh of relief as the cold water splashed against his face, savoring the sensation of the water as it ran down his face and washed away any trace of sleepiness or fatigue. He felt refreshed and invigorated, ready to face the day ahead.
Conradin decided to leave his chamber and stroll out into the hall to await the arrival of the other hunters. While he was there, he asked the servants if the necessary preparation for the hunt was ready, as they should have supervised the final arrangements, such as making sure the horses and dogs just like the food and refreshments, and finally that the equipment and supplies were ready for the day ahead.
As Conradin was lost in thought , he missed Frederick's arrival, who appeared to be exhausted. Conradin was puzzled, but when he asked Frederick why he was so tired, Frederick abruptly changed the subject, indicating that he did not want to share the reason for his tiredness.
Conradin suspected Frederick had been up to one of his "night escapades" the night before, which was the source of his fatigue.
As they had nothing better to do than kill the time, they decided that it would be appropriate to converse and discuss various issues, trying to pass the time and relieve their boredom. Many times Conradin tried to discuss those nighttime hobbies of Frederick, but the subject was everytime, was ignored and supplanted by another one .The blows of boredom were, however,too strong, and as a result, they were craving for the other hunters to come so that the day of hunting could begin and so that they could have some fun and excitement.
Sure enough, some minutes afterward, the other arrived, probably called by the servants. After bidding their good morning, they all mounted their horses and started riding toward the woods, guarded by 100 knights employed for their protection.
After gathering up the hunting party, the hunters and their attendants set off toward the woods. As they rode toward the threes , the hunters made sure that the dogs had been fed and prepared,, but not too much, as hunger is something that motivates the beast to search for the prey's blood , the leashes had been secured and put on, and the crossbows had been loaded and made ready for use.
Orion, the falcon, was fed with the finest meat and prepared for the day ahead,as it was ready to fly and to aid in the hunt. The hunters would have seen to their own supplies of food, drink, and water, as they were no animals and could decide their preparations on their own.
The hunters set out into the woods, leading the dogs on leashes and waiting for them to catch the scent of anything that could be hunted and cooked. They followed the dogs as they tracked the scent and tried to find any animals that might be hiding in the woods. The dogs were eagerly sniffing the air and following the scent, and the hunters were likewise following closely behind, ready to spring into action once the dogs found anything.
The hunters had been following the dogs into the woods for about 30 minutes when the dogs became boisterous and began barking loudly in the air. The hunters would have noticed this right away and would have followed the dogs' lead and attempted to figure out what had caused the dogs' sudden shift in behavior. The hunters were alert and concentrated, their hearts pumping in anticipation of what they could find, and they were ready to act at a moment's notice. They searched their surroundings for any indication of the source of the dogs' enthusiasm or anything they could shoot at.
Minutes later, the dogs led the group towards an old tree; the tree itself was not as interesting as what was at its base for a hole; apparently, the dogs led them toward a refuge of an animal sort. As they finally reached the place, Conradin ordered them to surround it and put a torch in the entrance. The smoke would in fact invade the hole, revealing to the group the locations of the other holes so that they could prepare for when the rabbits would leave their refuge.
The hunters prepared their crossbows and aimed them toward the individual holes, ready to fire as soon as they saw movement or any sign of the animal emerging. They would have been focused and alert, ready to act quickly and aim accurately and effectively at the animal when it emerged. They were determined to get their first hunt and to enjoy the thrill of the kill.Suddenly,y a rabbit came out of one hole, and was shot promptly by Enrico. As Enrico took the rabbit , he swiftly weighted it and found out that even though it was a small prize it was certainly a fat one . The other hunters however continued to wait and kept aiming at the other holes, hoping to bring back more rabbits and to enjoy more of the feeling of killing that Enrico just had.
After this short encounter, the dogs continued barking, which led them towards something else this time. The hunters would have followed the dogs as they led them towards a different location, anticipating that they were now following something bigger and more dangerous. As they got closer and closer, they sighted a hell of a beast , a boar that must have been at least 179 pounds (80 kg) At the sight of the beast, many dryly swallowed the saliva and prepared themselves with their weapons . The boars were known for their aggressive behavior and for their willingness to fight and defend themselves, so the hunters were ready to face the danger and to hunt the animal down and shoot it to its doom .
The boars had different ways of behaving toward a threat; some tried to run away while others charged with all they had, as if it were their wish to do anything to kill the threat, even laying down their lives to achieve that . And well, this one was of the latter type, charging towards the group; alas, Conradin, Frederick, Galvano, and Maletta all shot toward the animal charging.
Bolt after bolt came hitting the beast , all of them hit the animal, and even though the boar had four bolts stuck throughout his body, he did not even slow his charge, but instead went forward as if the pain only served to fuel its rage. Once he arrived, the knights took out their lances and surrounded the group, so as to protect their liege. As the boar was coming, four of the knights got ready and charged forward. They attacked the boar from all sides, and a final, decisive blow would have pierced the boar's collarbone, killing it on the spot, but not before raising a grunt to the sky , maybe a cry of rage , or fear for death that was soon to embrace the animal.
After the intense encounter with the boar, the knights felt a sense of relief as the boar fell to the ground with a thud, after all it would be a disgrace if they failed to protect their king . The boar had been a ferocious and powerful creature, and the knights felt a sense of triumph at having brought it down, especially for having successfully defended their king , which brought them honor for having respected their vows of allegiance.
---------
Hey guys since the next two chapters are for the feast I have decided to publish each one day as to speed up the campaign, I can not delete them or skip because they are important to understand how the inner court of Conradin is