Yoglusburg, inside the Lord's Hall.
The great doors were flung open.
Leonard hurried inside and took his seat, the evening breeze he brought in making the lamplight flicker.
It cast long, distorted shadows from the chairs behind everyone qualified to attend.
At the center of the hall, a long table had already been laden with fine food and wine.
Lothar sat upon the lord's throne at its very center. Above him hung a massive shield bearing a single-headed eagle, its outspread wings framing Lothar perfectly from behind.
The aroma of roast lamb, cheese, and wine stirred everyone's appetite.
Yet no one raised a knife or fork. They were all watching Lothar.
Seated upon the lord's throne, Lothar raised a document stamped with red wax and showed them the king's seal.
"His Majesty the King's summons has been issued. Everyone must arrive in Jerusalem within the designated time."
Hans looked somewhat grim. "My lord, the territory's development has been getting on track lately, and our strength is growing every day. But it is clearly still not enough. From what I know, Saladin commands an army numbering several hundred thousand. With our current strength, it will be difficult for us to play any role in this battle."
Everyone looked deeply troubled.
They could not even imagine what several hundred thousand actually meant.
It had already exceeded their understanding of warfare.
Lothar shook his head. "It is not as exaggerated as several hundred thousand. Although Saladin has many troops under his command, most are untrained levies. His elite core forces number only ten or twenty thousand at most."
Claiming to have something and actually possessing it were entirely different matters.
"Nor can he truly mobilize his entire army to attack Jerusalem. The climate of the Holy Land cannot sustain an army of that