CHAPTER VI – THE BAD PAST
It was already past midnight. Sun was trying to slowly rise above the horizon, yet only a few little sunrays were seen on the pitch dark sky filled with stars. Paweł kept on riding the horse forwards on the road. His paws were clean of blood now and all he was trying to do was to reach South easily.
Even after running for hours, Paweł's horse did not seem to be tired that much. But the cats were. Even though Paweł managed to ride through whole this time fully awake after having fought his way out, it still was not indifferent to him.
„Why are these forests so big, companero?" Puss asked.
While still looking forward, Paweł responded: „They have always been this way… Do you have such forests too?"
Puss slowly shook his head for no. „No, no, senor. But we have great landscapes of deserts and steppes."
Paweł responded: „...Maybe I'll get to see them someday, if God lets me to. You might want to see our steppes also, back in the East. They might seriously be beautiful for the eye."
Little did Puss know that on these steppes, Polish soldiers waged great battles against various tribes of Mongols and even Cossacks. Due to the vast and flat nature of the steppes, the need for specialized cavalry rose. And thus Poles were known to have the mightiest cavalry in Europe of that time. Yet it wasn't free of flaws and mistakes, just like every army in the world.
Just after a few minutes, Paweł spoke: „We shall rest right there. Let's dismount."
The horse went off the tracks and Paweł immediately got off of it. He searched the saddle pouches and found some flint and steel. Once he grabbed it, he pulled out a carrot and gave it to the horse. The mighty creature ate it with appetite and with no time. Paweł patted its nose carefully and then moved deeper into the forest to find some branches.
Puss walked forward while commenting a bit nervously to Kitty: „I-I guess I'll collect some wood too, senorita.".
After grabbing enough sticks, Paweł came with another portion of them. He stared at Puss while moving over and said: „Tak, that will do."
That was when he smiled and both cats tossed the wood to one place. Paweł crouched down and began to use his flint and steel. He hit the parts against each other a few firm times until sparks showed up and eventually lit up the branches, making a small-sized firepit.
„Not bad." Kitty spoke just when Paweł immediately went for another item in his horse pouch.
„If you want anything to eat..." He told them. „I have some bigos."
„B-Bigos?" Puss stuttered and Kitty stared at Paweł with a stunned expression. „Like jalapenos? What's that exactly? Is it even Spanish"
At these words, Paweł pulled out a small closed metal pot hung to the saddle and went back while holding it in his paws. He casually looked around, as if to check whether anybody is nearby. Then, he opened the pot.
Inside, there was a whole mix of orange-coloured cabbage with pieces of various meat in it. The dish was served with a pinch of salt and pepper too. It did not look amazing at all, even the smell of it was strange for both Puss and Kitty. Paweł seemed to notice their hesitation and just nodded while describing:
„Tak, it's cooked cabbage mixed with chicken, pork, and even venison. You could try it if you can."
The truth is, Puss and his fiance haven't really eaten for the past many hours since the time they caught a single mouse and bird in front of the tavern.
„No, no, no, senor." Puss immediately told him. „Why such indifference? Surely we'd eat something from you."
„You ain't seem to be too interested, that's what concerns me." Paweł spoke. „...I just do not like forcing anything down somebody's throat."
Kitty laughed: „Forcing down the throat? Relax, senor, you are not forcing us at all."
„It's just that..." Puss added. „That it's a whole new experience for us. We've never eaten anything like it."
„Alright." Paweł agreed and grabbed a few metal rods from the saddle. Then, he made a rack over the fireplace and placed the pot with bigos on the rack, cooking it.
„We're not used to vegetables either." Puss said.
„They're as good as decent meat." Paweł spoke while staring at Puss. „Trust me with this one."
„I hope so." The Spaniard responded and after an awkward pause asked: „Did you know these men?"
Paweł raised his head up a bit. „Whom exactly? These mercenaries?" he asked to be sure.
„Si. These mercenaries."
The Polish member of nobility sighed. „I was aware of only their profession, nationality, and names. But I had no idea they were after me."
„And their talk, senor Polaco?" Puss inquired.
„What were they talking about?"
„Si, don't play a stupido! I heard clearly they were having a chat this night in their room." Puss explained with a slight frustration this time. „Were they talking about something in particular? Maybe their reason to hunt you down?"
This time Paweł leaned forward a bit more. „Tak… They really were talking about me. The only thing they fear… is me. For the whole time being."
„Was it because we are trying to get the White Eagle?" Puss asked and tilted his head.
„I do not know. It seems more probable that it is because I did a few terrible things in my past."
Kitty interrupted there: „Senor, if this quest is so serious it ended up with two Germans dead, we would love to know the entire thing from the beginning to the end."
Paweł suddenly gave her a death glare and Kitty stopped in her speech and leaned backward. „You wouldn't understand." He spoke.
But then, Puss took off his cavalier hat and opened his eyes. He opened his eyes so much that his irises now filled them and made them black and mirrored. Right now, he was performing his known „cute eyes' trick".
However, Paweł just stared at Puss as if the ginger was a total fool. After a few seconds, however, he summed it up: „I'll make an exception this time. If you want bigos, prepare barks for yourself off the trees so I could give you the helpings."
And so they clawed off their barks of considerable sizes and went back to Paweł who has just put the bigos pot off of the fire. Then, he opened it and placed a spoonful of bigos to each cat with a steel spoon he had. Paweł did not forget to have a portion for himself either. After everything was done, everybody took a bite from the strange dish.
At first, it tasted a little bit too harsh. The Spanish tongues certainly were not used to Polish cuisine consisting mainly vegetables and rich meat. However, with a few more bites, they got used to the different taste and needless to say – it was not bad at all.
„Perhaps I'll learn how to prepare it myself." Puss thought very deep inside. Soon, he switched his gaze to Paweł and sugggested: „You can begin, senor Polaco. From the beginning to the end so we would know how we manage to get through this.".
Paweł gave a deep sigh, swallowed, and stared at the fireplace shedding light onto everybody. In a while, he began his story.
If you think that my saber and my horse came at my birth, then unfortunately you are mistaken. I was born somewhere on the Eastern steppes of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, a place in which there were frequent skirmishes between the Polish forces and Crimean Khanate tribes, along with rebellious Cossacks.
I was born in one of the villages there and never knew my father, like nearly all of the cats in this God-forsaken world. My mother, on the other paw, was a literal concubine, spending her pleasurable time with every male she came across every summer just for her own joy. She hated me. She hated me and told me what a reek of weakness I always was. The left blind eye, blunt claws, incorrect teeth. That was more than enough for her to call me a runt and abandon me. And so she did when I was approximately a month old. She just stopped taking care of me. However, the lord of the village thankfully noticed my state and agreed to take care of me so I could work as a mouser for him in the future. At least I did not starve as I was catching all the mice.
As I grew into early adolescence, I saw my master being attacked and his village robbed by a tribe of Crimeans. They were evil wild beasts, wearing fur, shooting bows, and riding on horses. What was worse, some of them learnt to use gunpowder to their own advantage. I sneaked up one night and saw my lord being held on gunpoint. I crept to one of the Crimean wagons holding explosives and angrily hit the fuse a few times with a piece of flint.
You know what happened later. The whole wagon exploded and burst in flames and this gave my lord and his people a surprise element to fight back. Dozens of angry peasants and infantry soldiers, here called hajduks, smashed the raiders down and the rest of the Crimeans fled in panic. My master walked up to the center of the explosion and saw me. I was scared to death back then. And without a proper reason.
My act of recklessness saved the whole village. And my master was nobody other than Michał Wojodyjowski – one of the best swordsmen in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, if not in the whole Europe. He considered my role as a mouser as not ambitious enough and thus began training me in the art of war. I learnt how to read, how to handle a saber, a pistol, a bow. Even how to ride a horse from the beginning. And, of course, he managed to tell others about me. The rumors spread until they managed to stumble across one powerful noblewoman. One very powerful noblewoman who was influential to the whole Commonwealth. Nobody other than Wiesława Hundziakówna.
True, she was old, very massive, and enormously plump due to frequent feasts she was having. She could barely even fit herself in a horse cab. However, she had hundreds of villages and a few cities under her reign and she managed to gather so much gold that she could afford everything she wanted and could influence politics to her own liking. A strange cat who rescued a village certainly wouldn't be indifferent to her. She wanted to know me. And so she did.
As to give an example to others and that she is a friend to nature, she literally ordered our king to nobilitate me, give me emblem, and one of her lands. This land was a small hamlet named Mieszkograd in częstochowskie voivodeship, a region somewhere more to the West of the Polish Kingdom. And thus I was named from now on Paweł Mieszkogradzki.
Wołodyjowski suggested joining the Polish Hussars after months of exhausting training. Polish Hussars… The literal shredders on horses, dressed in full yet light armors and having enormously long lances. Able to withstand anybody and anything thrown upon them. Even after dropping off of a horse, they managed to be indestructible with their sabers and skills. This required money since having an armor, saber, horse, and other equipment was too expensive. And thus Hundziakówna managed to buy me everything I needed. It was far from the best armor, yet also was certainly not the cheapest and not the worst. I was ready to fight for my kingdom.
I served in a few campaigns as a Polish Hussar. Murdered anybody who dared to be an enemy to the Commonwealth. Slaughtered any rebel, any bandit. I couldn't count. All I was thinking was to give justice and prove that since many noblemen believed in me, I can give them all what they expected from me. I was ripping. I was tearing. And eventually, it was done. I served a few years and managed to head back home with a considerable amount of salary gathered throughout all the months. As a form of graditute and a warm welcome, Miss Hundziakówna invited me to a feast to her palace. All I remember from it that I was introduced to Anna. A tortoiseshell she-cat who actually managed to tolerate me, contrary to all the other females I have met so far.
We have spent so much time together. Then, I was offered to serve in Hundziakówna's private military company – they were frequent in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and they were often better paid and better armed than national solders. I agreed and signed the contract. During these months of service, I saw on my own eyes why Hundziakówna could be that influential.
One of the reasons was that she used her army to take down any rebellion on the lands belonging to the Teutonic Order. This order was defeated a very long time ago and thus becamse our vassals. The relations were very uneasy. There were even a few skirmishes, but I didn't see anybody talking about that due to the fear that the vassalage might break. I took part in these battles. And that was what Heinrich and Klaus were talking about. They talked about how cruel I have been back then. And they were right.
In the meantime of my service, I managed to spend my wealth on my peasants' well-being and I expanded and upgraded my fief. Anna really missed me. After two months, I was blessed with one kitten. Only one, even though I expected a whole litter. A calico she-cat with icy blue eyes.
I named her…
Bożena Mieszkogradzka. Derivative from „Bóg" - which means „The God" in Polish.
At the same time, the Mieszkograd hamlet was peaceful. The sun hasn't really come yet and many folks were in their houses. At the outskirts of the village, there was a rich-looking one-story villa made out of white wood. Right next to it, a training place bordered with a wooden fence stood. It had many hay dummies here, along with rotating stick machinery simulating attacks and other things like these.
This place was currently being occupied by a young calico she-cat dressed in nothing but a sturdy leather belt and cheap black leather boots. Her neck was covered by a red thin yet wide scarf. But her paws were in constant motion. She was practicing every single cut, every single strike with her training wooden saber. In fact, it was made heavier than a real cat-sized saber, mainly due to practice purposes. Her moves were striking and deadly, she jumped around, made backflips, even kicked the dummy mid-air a'la karate kid.
Yet her focus was soon broken by a messenger who rode there as fast as wind on his horse. She turned around, only to see him stop right at the fence. The messenger dressed in a blue Polish żupan tunic and a magierka hat hopped off of his horse and it neighed from exhaustion.
„Miss Mieszkogradzka? That… Bożena Mieszkogradzka?" The messenger asked while panting and holding his lantern up in the air to see in the near-dark.
The she-cat wasn't concerned much. Moreover, she was a bit angry that somebody dared to interrupt her moves.
„Tak, Bożena Mieszkogradzka. What brings you here?" She spoke in a slight frustration in her voice, her eyes giving a death glare to the messenger.
„I am here to… Deliver you a message from your father." And that was when he fished in his bag awkwardly for a long time which made Bożena visibly even more angry. Soon, he pulled out a sealed envelope and handed it to her.
„Anything else?" Bożena spoke as she rather violently snatched the letter out of his hand.
„Yes, yes!" The messenger spoke when panting. „Couldn't me and my horse have a glass of water maybe? We have been running for hours trying to deliver you this message."
„Yeah, I don't care." She responded coldly. „I don't care. There is a stream nearby and even a small tavern, perhaps they will give you something to drink. Now GO!" Bożena waved her arms in an outburst of fury and the messenger backed off from fear. He immediately mounted his horse and rode off, mentioning something about impolite youth at these days.
As the messenger was gone and nobody was to interrupt her activities anymore, Bożena examined the letter carefully. It really had the Mieszkogradzki's seal on it, proving its authenticy. She grabbed her practice saber and went back home. With a kick, she opened the door to the villa.
Inside, there was a baroque-styled furnishing everywhere. That time's fear of space was effectively countered by putting as many furniture and tools as the walls and the floor could contain. She moved to her own room and took a while to look at her surroundings. Inside, there was a bookshelf with lots of dusty books, especially those about the art of war. Next to it, there was a desk filled with scribbles on pergamin. On the opposite side, there was a cat bed and what seemed to be her favorite toy – a stealth mouse made out of plant fibers.
Since it was after midnight and Bożena was still keen to play, she dropped the letter and the saber and pounced on the mouse. She kept her strongly with her front claws, her back paws kicking the toy in enthusiasm and her jaws biting and chewing its head. She wiggled on the floor with the toy while kicking and swiping it in a sincere play. By an accident, she eventually swiped her claw against the seal of the letter and a decent rrrrip was heard.
Bożena halted her play in shock and stared at the letter as if at a holy relict. She dropped the mouse from her mouth and ran for the letter. Thankfully, only the envelope had a cut. The inside was untouched. She sighed in relief.
Since it was partially open now, she pulled the letter out of the envelope and hopped on the chair next to the desk. She tossed the envelope aside, unfolded the letter and placed it in front of her on the desk. It was written fully in Polish and therefore she began reading:
Dear daughter,
my plan to gain monetary gain in the Spanish Kingdom was a complete success. As you know, I have spent the last of our coin on your Hussar equipment for your first year's birthday and thus I warped to Spain using one of our Anjbenjgistan Candles. I came to San Ricardo, a city of power and prosperity, in order to ask for direction. There I was told about Puss in Boots – a great outlaw whose bounty was worth of thousands of our Polish zlotys. After successfully apprehending him, he seemed to be a fair match and offered me an even bigger reward for sparing him.
Now I have warped back to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to continue my long-abandoned quest of finding the White Eagle of Polans' tribe. My new party consisting of Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws, his fiance, is less than enough to fulfill the task. Therefore, I need your aid. As I am writing this, we will be heading to the Carpathians soon for more answers. Meet us in Zakopane, that is our primary destination.
Merely open the chest in which you have all of your equipment necessary for the journey. Make sure you have everything ready and head to Zakopane. There you will receive further instructions.
With love
Pawel, your father
Bożena's face immediately switched to an excited expression. In fact, this is what she had always been dreaming of. To eventually help her father for real.
She left the letter on the desk, grabbed a ring of keys, and immediately rushed to a wardrobe in her room. After opening it widely, she pulled out a mediocre chest with a grunt. She put the first key she could find and it didn't fit. The second, nada. She kept doing that until the fifth when the key finally managed to open the chest.
Inside, there was a cat-sized red Polish żupan tunic. On top of that, a Hussar armor was shining with goldened lining. Next to the armor there was a saber with goldened handle lying safely in a black sheathe. Just by looking at this equipment, it was obvious that Paweł really cared for his daughter.
He pulled out each and every piece one by one. She began with taking on her tunic and later put the armor pieces individually one after another. After the zischagge was put on her head, she tied her sheathed saber to her belt. She went out of her room, only to step up to a mirror in the corridor.
At first, she nearly didn't recognize herself. She looked so different in a massive Hussar armor! Nevertheless, when she rotated slowly and carefully, she came to realization it fits her well and will indeed serve her for the journey.
„I am coming for you, ojcze." She spoke to her reflection in the mirror, giving it a death glare through her zischagge.
Bożena ran back to her room, undressed quickly out of her attire, and folded the tunic, placing the armor on top of it. Next, she stuffed it all in a bag and closed it. The calico she-cat prepared everything for the journey: small rations, a packet of wine, her armor, her saber, and her keys to the house. She left the house in a hurry, only to close it later and pat the door a few times. While carrying her equipment, she ran to the back of her household. There was a brown horse with white spots standing and eating grass from the field. And it was definitely her horse obtained even before her first year's birthday. She knew how to ride it well and she even gave it a special treatment. This time was no exception:
„Come on, there! We need ya! Carry it all!" Bożena shouted at the horse which now stared in shock at this enthusiastic she-cat. With a few quick swipes, she stuffed all her belongings for the journey to the saddle pouches. The horse neighed from surprise yet Bożena only patted its legs calmly and said:
„Shhhhh, relax! We will be home back soon right before you say carrot tenders!" With these words, she mounted her horse in literally one move.
Bożena was already too excited due to the fact she was going for a real adventure. A real adventure to at least see the White Eagle on her own eyes! She only heard about it in one story about origins of Poland! She desperately needed to go there.
„Eeeeyah!" Bożena shouted at the horse as she waved the reins with a smack! The horse trotted forward and walked on the dirt path. She felt the might of the animal she was riding on, she tried her best to keep herself on it, just as she was trained to do. Just as she was about to leave, she violently stopped the horse by pulling the reins and it reared, showing its great power of its unstoppable body, and neighed loudly. Bożena climbed up to its neck and drew her saber which now began to shine in the few sunrays of the dusk.
„Here I go, adventure! Remember to change your pants should you piss them from fearing me! HURRAAAAA!" She shouted nearly like a maniac.
Right after that, Bożena heard a door slam open. Her face went blank and her eyes got wide. She turned her head around, only to see a typical middle-aged Polish villager with moustache, very angry and gritting his teeth while resting his mighty fists on his hips.
„On behalf of the Lord Almighty, Mieszkogradzka!" He shouted and waved his fist at her. „We are trying to sleep!"
„NO!" Bożena yelled back in fury as she still balanced on the rearing horse. „GO F*** YOURSELF! IT'S MY TIME OF GLORY NOW!"
And without any further engagements, the horse began galloping far far away from Mieszkograd, straight to South where the town of Zakopane was located. She felt the cold breeze of the very early morning while riding the horse at full speed through the Polish plains. And she liked it. It was the most satisfying feeling she had ever felt. This breeze alone gave her unlimited motivation to overpower any obstacle given by the fate. This breeze let her heart pump in adrenaline. This breeze made her feel like a hero!
With these feelings in her spirit, Bożena started her trip to Zakopane.
