Free Conrad's Last Campaign by Leo A Frankowski, Rodger Olsen, Chris Ciulla

He says that he is the son of the King of Lesser Armenia.”
    “Then by all means, bring him to me, captain. Will I need a translator?”
    “No sir. He speaks excellent Polish!”
    The man who the captain brought was well dressed in a conservative fashion, rather short, and in his mid-thirties. He had dark hair, he was physically fit, and he had the bearing of a warrior. He had six armed and armored men with him, but he motioned for them to stay back. I returned the courtesy by sending my standard-bearer, both of my bodyguards, and my three runners away.
    “Welcome,” I said. “I am told that you are Prince David, the son of Hethum, the Most Christian King of Lesser Armenia.”
    “This is true, my Lord Conrad,” he said in perfect Polish.
    “I hope that you don’t mind meeting like this, on horseback, but my tents are packed in carts, many miles behind us. I am surprised that you speak excellent Polish, and that you have the bearing of a true warrior.”
    “You wouldn’t be, your grace, if you knew my story. After your victory against the Mongols, over twenty years ago, my father thought it would be best if one of his sons went to Poland to see the manner with which you accomplished this great deed. Being the youngest of three brothers, I was the one he sent. After studying for a year in Cracow, I determined to join your army. My companions here were sent with me to Poland. We each ended up joining a different branch of your army, and we wrote to each other often. We each enlisted and served the usual twelve years. I left with the rank of captain.”
    “I assume that as a nobleman, you joined the Wolves,” I said.
    “My companion, Sir Jan did, your grace. I could have, but as a young man, I was more attracted to the Eagles. I wanted to fly! I applied there, and was accepted.”
    “Few noblemen are intelligent and learned enough to pass the entrance examinations for that elite group, and their physical fitness requirements are very high.”
    “I come from an old and honorable blood line, your grace.”
    “And doubtless a very competent one. I am impressed. But what can I do for you, Prince David? Or do you prefer to be called captain?”
    “In truth, I am prouder of being a captain in your army than I am of being a prince, which is a mere accident of birth. And I am prouder yet of having been a qualified pilot. Leaving the skies, in obedience to my father’s wishes, was the hardest thing that I’ve ever done. As to your first question, my father has bid me to ask you why you seem to think that you can take an army through his kingdom without so much as asking for his permission.”
    “Your father is right to ask this of me. There are two reasons. The first is that only three days ago, I learned that the Mongols were planning to attack Europe again. I have quickly gathered up this force to see what can be done about slowing them down, somewhat.”
    “Yes, your grace. We have received information about a new Mongol offensive, although we have not been informed as to who will be the victims of this new war. And what was your second reason?”
    “My second reason was that although your father, and your people, are Christians, you are in fact subordinate to the great khan! As soon as the Mongols came anywhere near this part of the world, your father immediately sent his submission to Genghis Khan! This makes you my enemy, and it is not customary to ask permission to enter an opponent’s lands! I am not happy about having a Christian kingdom for an enemy!”
    “All of what you say is true, your grace. I make no apologies for my father’s actions. But consider that Lesser Armenia does not have any great mass of fighting men available to it. We have neither Poland’s weapons nor its wealth. If my father had not done what he did, the Mongol Horde would have killed our people and burned our cities, as it did to those of so many other nations. We now must pay a yearly tribute to the Mongols, but my people are