Deep Russia, anno 1278

"Little Russians around, hey Sir?"
"Stop calling me Sir Helmut, how many times do I have to tell you?" Ansehelm was looking around while sitting on a rock. The Teutonic Crusade was now well on it's way into Russia, and was ready closing in on Moscow. Ansehelm reckonned it wouldn't take more than 4 maybe 6 years before they would be in Moscow. Moscow would be his, his moment of glory, he himself would be first to storm the walls, he would take the city square. While he had to thought of this he couldn't help thinking about poor Helmut. His cousing came along with him on this lonely mission, Ansehelm never knew why. He would dearly have given Helmut the command in some small, minor battle, but there were so little Russian armies around. Ansehelm hoped on loads of battles, but in reality he only fought 2 really. All Helmut commanded was the detachment of Light Cavalry, the most succesfull part of Ansehelms army, but he would never be able to command an entire army.
"Hah, Helmut can lead the road back to the Reich," Ansehelm thought, "it might be better for me to ride forward, to solve some political matters, Helmut is more than capable of bringing an army home. Or we could attack some Polish castle on our way back, Franconia is safe, but we could drive south and strike against Hungary. The morale is still high, and after we sacked Moscow it will even be higher."

But Ansehelm himself thought about the Reich, about his Heimat, it was now almost 15 years ago since he left, or so he thought, if one goes away as long as this he loses the count. But then, here he was safe from politics, from annoying people, from all that. Well, that isn't true, Ansehelm send scouts ahead, if there wouldn't be many Russian armies he himself would head back to the Diet. There was a route still open to the Reich, it was the one used by messengers, but it was dangerous, it would mean travelling through Polish territory, till he would reach Breslau, but it might also be needed. A Duke should be at the Diet Sessions.



to be continued...