Matthias Corvinus Hunyadi watched the approaching riders in the distance with a mixture of reflection and disdain.  Even through the trees he could make out the black and red standard of the Tepes family.  He laughed softly to himself – it sounded strange when put that way – “the Tepes family.”  All throughout his twenty-six years of life he had been required to refer to the Tepes family formally.  His father John would have disapproved of him referring to Lord Tepes with any less measure of respect.

But his father was dead, and so too were his ideals.  Looking down from the window of the highest tower in Castle Bran, Matthias realized that this was what disturbed him the most about this unexpected visit.  Lord Tepes and his own father had been the same, old soldi...

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