Cert had lectures and exercises for the soldiers about new tactic, defense, and techniques of fighting, building and using of new kinds of weapons.
Knight Hugo treated the lectures with contempt. He did not attend the lectures because he was a supporter of the previous methods of fighting and he regarded the participation in the lectures as a waste of time. He spent time on improving his swordsmanship and entertainments in the town’s taverns.
After weeks of preparations, Roland’s army moved towards Champolion and in five days they pitch camp near the castle. The garrison of the castle immediately sent an envoy to Prince Leon with information about the situation. Prince Leon started to hasten the relief of the castle. In the mean time, when Roland’s people pitch up tents, Hugo with several of his people went for reconnaissance near the castle. When he was near the castle’s wall numerous troops from Leon’s warriors suddenly emerged from their hideouts. After brief confrontation and fighting Hugo’s group were beaten and their commander was captured by his enemies. Only Hugo’s squire miraculously managed to escape death and returned to Roland’s camp where he gave detailed account of the incident.
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Hugo was taken to the castle and led into the torture chamber. The commander of the castle garrison asked, “When will they attack, what istheir tactic of attack? What kinds of new weapons do they have, how do they work and what are the results of using them?”
“Can I answer all the questions together?” Hugo asked the commander.
“Of course, if you can,” the commander agreed.
“I don’t know.” Hugo told.
“You answered all the questions,” the commander told. “But, your answer didn’t describe in details the questions I asked you about. I think I’ve to jog your memory. Torturer, do your duties.”
The torturer made his job with great enthusiasm. He tried different kinds of torture techniques, not only European. When he was younger, after his torturer’s study, he practiced in China, India and Islamic country. He dreamed of being the great master in his job. He traveled around the World and learnt new techniques of tortures. He was one of the best experts in the World in his profession. But in Hugo’s case results of his attempts were feeble. Hugo was shouting, groaning but the entire time he did not confess anything.
The following day the commander spoke with the torturer reproachfully about the lack results of his work. The tortured retorted for it, “Please look at my equipment which I’ve to use for my work. It is old and worn out.”
The torturer moved to his box chest with tools of torture, took out some kind of poker and continued, “Look the branding-iron is totally burned.”
Next he removed pairs of tongs for plucking out nails and told, “The tongs are completely loose. I cannot use it to pluck out any nails. The whip is frayed. How can I get good results using these kinds of instruments? Beside it, I’ve no access to the torturer’s professional literature. I’ve no contacts with other specialists from my profession. But, I’ve heard that in Byzantine Empire there are organized special congresses due to in my domain and there are libraries with professional manuscripts and shops with specialist equipment.”
“Stop talking,” the commander told irritated. “If you want you can get good results in these conditions. The real master doesn’t require any or special equipment to get good results. You want to tell me that your paid peanuts.”
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The attack was successful because Hugo did not spill the beans to the tortures. When the battle was stopped, the search for the brave knight started. A group of warriors with Hugo’s squire found the maltreated knight in the main dungeon of the castle. They went there and the squire came close to his heroic master. When Hugo saw him with weak voice told him, “Learn my dear squire, learn. I haven’t learnt, I ignored Cert’s lectures and they almost killed me here because of it.”
Knight Hugo treated the lectures with contempt. He did not attend the lectures because he was a supporter of the previous methods of fighting and he regarded the participation in the lectures as a waste of time. He spent time on improving his swordsmanship and entertainments in the town’s taverns.
After weeks of preparations, Roland’s army moved towards Champolion and in five days they pitch camp near the castle. The garrison of the castle immediately sent an envoy to Prince Leon with information about the situation. Prince Leon started to hasten the relief of the castle. In the mean time, when Roland’s people pitch up tents, Hugo with several of his people went for reconnaissance near the castle. When he was near the castle’s wall numerous troops from Leon’s warriors suddenly emerged from their hideouts. After brief confrontation and fighting Hugo’s group were beaten and their commander was captured by his enemies. Only Hugo’s squire miraculously managed to escape death and returned to Roland’s camp where he gave detailed account of the incident.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hugo was taken to the castle and led into the torture chamber. The commander of the castle garrison asked, “When will they attack, what istheir tactic of attack? What kinds of new weapons do they have, how do they work and what are the results of using them?”
“Can I answer all the questions together?” Hugo asked the commander.
“Of course, if you can,” the commander agreed.
“I don’t know.” Hugo told.
“You answered all the questions,” the commander told. “But, your answer didn’t describe in details the questions I asked you about. I think I’ve to jog your memory. Torturer, do your duties.”
The torturer made his job with great enthusiasm. He tried different kinds of torture techniques, not only European. When he was younger, after his torturer’s study, he practiced in China, India and Islamic country. He dreamed of being the great master in his job. He traveled around the World and learnt new techniques of tortures. He was one of the best experts in the World in his profession. But in Hugo’s case results of his attempts were feeble. Hugo was shouting, groaning but the entire time he did not confess anything.
The following day the commander spoke with the torturer reproachfully about the lack results of his work. The tortured retorted for it, “Please look at my equipment which I’ve to use for my work. It is old and worn out.”
The torturer moved to his box chest with tools of torture, took out some kind of poker and continued, “Look the branding-iron is totally burned.”
Next he removed pairs of tongs for plucking out nails and told, “The tongs are completely loose. I cannot use it to pluck out any nails. The whip is frayed. How can I get good results using these kinds of instruments? Beside it, I’ve no access to the torturer’s professional literature. I’ve no contacts with other specialists from my profession. But, I’ve heard that in Byzantine Empire there are organized special congresses due to in my domain and there are libraries with professional manuscripts and shops with specialist equipment.”
“Stop talking,” the commander told irritated. “If you want you can get good results in these conditions. The real master doesn’t require any or special equipment to get good results. You want to tell me that your paid peanuts.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The attack was successful because Hugo did not spill the beans to the tortures. When the battle was stopped, the search for the brave knight started. A group of warriors with Hugo’s squire found the maltreated knight in the main dungeon of the castle. They went there and the squire came close to his heroic master. When Hugo saw him with weak voice told him, “Learn my dear squire, learn. I haven’t learnt, I ignored Cert’s lectures and they almost killed me here because of it.”