Adana, 1258

Wolfgang stared at Conrad Hohenburg in disbelief.

"More electors have bowed the knee you say? How can there honour stand such disloyalty to the Salian dynasty?"

Conrad nodded sympathetically as he continued.

"Ja, even King Salier has sworn allegience. Our very existance here puts us in great peril. Mein lord, we must flee the Reich's borders, lest we be seized and executed."

"As much as I hate fleeing, dear Conrad, Kaiser Hans will be served better by living men, not lifeless corpses. We shall ride west to Iconium; the Romans of Constantinople will be kinder masters, methinks, than those of Rome itself."

Buckling on his sword, Wolfgang turned to his page, Hermann Schultz.

"Assemble mein retainers in the stables assigned to me; we ride out at dawn."