After the night’s heavy storm, the morning air rose cool and clear over the Tannenberg plains. Edgar Kegel looked to his left.  With his visor up, Marshal Wallenrod was scanning the enemy lines on the horizon. There was no fear in his eyes as there was no fear in Edgar’s heart. God was on their side. The enemy was a mismatch of pagan barbarians led by the treacherous Poles. They called themselves a Christian nation but deep down in their rotten hearts, Edgar knew, they were nothing more than unholy heathens. God would not support those traitors; God would go with the righteous.

The Knights of the Teutonic Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary were righteous. They were righteous and pious; they were fearless and utterly devoted to carrying God’s banners to the shamefully pagan Baltic shores. They had brought God to Samland on the tips of their swords and, over the last hundred years, they had forced the Sambians to either their knees or their graves. And now the Sambians had crawled to the Polish king and begged for help. The Poles had gathered an army of heathens and dared to challenge The Order to a battle. They would be wiped out. It was God’s will.

It was July 15^th, the year of Our Lord 1410.”

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This is part 2 of the “In the Web of Time” trilogy. Just like the first volume (“Be Gone”) it has taken me only a few months to write. The entire story was ready-formed in my mind – it flew onto the paper. There was no sweat of the brow to speak of: the characters were alive in my imagination, the place was a familiar town I frequently travel to for work and the plot was a story I hear about only too often. People simmering with prejudice and contempt for anything out of the ordinary and for anyone who dares to be different are probably in majority today as much as they were in the Dark Ages.

And this is what this book is about: intolerance and bigotry. But it is also about survival through friendship; it is also about standing up to the overwhelming majority, and about about holding your ground.

I am glad I have written this book. Before I write part 3 however, the last in this series, I may venture into writing for adults. There is a story that is asking to be put on paper – for some reason it is very persistent. I may well give in to its demands. If I resist the temptation, then part 3 of “In the Web of Time” will begin to take shape. In some ways, it would be neat to finish the trilogy first, but I don’t seem to be the master of my Muse.

If anyone finds time to read the extract, please let me have your thoughts. Any feedback will be treasured.