Vonalt: Blog

Chapter Twelve is in the Queue.
Johannes once again finds himself in Rome, ordered there by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. The city is once again in the same condition as it was the first time he entered Rome. The central government that he had helped form—an alliance between the Imperial Crown and the Papacy, assisted by the Commune of Rome—has fallen into disarray. Loyalties have shifted, infighting between various factions continues, and support for Pope Adrian IV is shrinking.
If that isn't enough, guests whom the King of France asked Johannes to accompany have arrived on a mission to offer an alliance of their own, one intended to replace the Holy Roman Empire as the Mother Church's principal supporter.
Then there are the personal demons Johannes must face: the family of his deceased wife, the betrayal of those he had considered friends despite being warned not to trust them.
Being back in Rome is a trying time for Johannes Braun, Imperial Knight. And he doubts that he will make it through this time.

Chapter 11 is in the queue.
Johannes Braun and his Frangipani men-at-arms travel to Paris and the court of Louis VII, King of France. While there, he is introduced to French court life and learns to refine his diplomatic skills under the guidance of an old French knight who befriends him and becomes his mentor.
Things proceed well until Johannes receives a missive from his Emperor informing him that he is needed once again in Rome. The alliances he helped establish are beginning to collapse, and the Holy Roman Emperor believes that Johannes’s presence in Rome may restore what he had worked so hard to build.

Chapter 10 is in the queue to be posted.

When Imperial Knight Johannes Braun is presented at the court of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, he quickly discovers he knows more faces than he ever expected. Some once sought to consign him to a monastery, and only the intervention of the then-King Frederick spared him that fate.

His father's warning echoes in his mind: trust no one, and be slow to call anyone a friend. The imperial court is a place of ambition, intrigue, and hidden rivalries. Johannes's celebrated arrival earns him admiration from some—but resentment from others who see his rank as a threat and are eager to test the young knight's worth.

Yet not everyone at court is an enemy. Johannes forges friendships and begins to believe he has found his place among the emperor's household. Just as life seems to be turning in his favor, tragedy shatters everything. Left grieving and consumed by guilt, Johannes must find the strength to endure a loss that threatens to break both his spirit and his future.

As Imperial Knight Johannes journeys north from Rome toward the Holy Roman Empire, he crosses the Alps through the Great Saint Bernard Pass, finding shelter with loyal lords along the ancient Roman road. A chance discovery leads him to the nearby manors of his mentor, Count Simon, and his own father, where he is warmly welcomed.

As Johannes recounts his service as the Hammer of the Emperor and the turmoil he left behind in Rome, both men assure him that he acted wisely in sending his wife back to Rome. But as he takes his leave, his father offers a solemn warning: never trust anyone at the Emperor's court. It is a place ruled by envy, jealousy, and ambition, where today's ally can become tomorrow's enemy. Johannes continues his journey knowing the greatest trials ahead may not come from the road, but from the court he is venturing to.

The next chapter is ready to be published.

No one thought it would happen, but an agreement is struck between the papacy and the imperial crown of the Holy Roman Empire. To seal the fragile alliance, Imperial Knight Johannes Braun is wed to Apollonia Frangipani, niece of the head of one of Rome’s most powerful families and a staunch supporter of Pope Adrian IV.

What begins as a symbol of unity quickly turns fragile. Rome resents the alliance, and unrest brews beneath the surface.

For Johannes, the conflict becomes personal. Apollonia has never been denied anything in her life, and she expects the same in marriage. Her demands grow increasingly difficult to meet, threatening both his standing and the empire’s delicate diplomacy.

Bound by duty and trapped in a collapsing union, Johannes must choose what he will sacrifice: his honor, his loyalty, or his marriage.