Description

All of Europe is waiting for the ultimate battle of the Teutonic Order against Poland. Volunteers from all over the continent are traveling east towards Prussia and Poland. Both sides are winning support for their causes. Those supporting the Teutonic Knights believe they are venturing into a Holy Crusade for Christ. While those who support the Poles believe in freedom and Poland's right to exist as an independent Christian country. Many have experienced the prejudicial cruelty of the Order and know of their hypocrisy as righteous priests serving Christ. They know from experience the Order's thirst for power and hunger for territorial gain. Fights break out throughout Europe as these two opposing views are expressed. The time of reckoning is at hand and everyone anxiously waits to see who will win. Meanwhile, Andrew III Bortniak is preparing to ride in the Palio Race despite threats of assassination on him and his horse. They seriously trained him in secret with the Petrucci and Bernabei families. There is an investigation that leads to a carefully planned ruse to find a murderer and to bring justice upon him. The Jacopo Bernabei of Siena proposes to work with his long-time rival, the Medici family of Florence, when he discovers a great danger to both cities.