Eagle Byzantium

John felt that this was a normal thing, so he felt at ease, said a few words to Piloska, and then rested.

On the couch, John was lying on the young queen's body, moving back and forth mechanically, while Piloska didn't even take off the blouse, she just stared with a bit of pain, her legs were slightly apart, and she actually put her palms Putting his hands together on his chest, twisting his fingers around the amulet pendant, he was actually praying to the Virgin Mary and Jesus.

But this was already considered a good night for Piloska after her marriage, because she knew that the Patriarch would soon give her an Orthodox name, which would mean that she would truly become the empress of this empire. So she was still in a good mood at this time, otherwise she would have gone to the prayer room to meditate, and then went to her dormitory to rest.

The continuous low voice of the scriptures, the boring and dull sound of the bed, coupled with the dry pain in the Queen's heart, and her silent and boring expression, made John lower his head and gasp, and turned his eyes away in pain. He even I wonder how long I can keep this marriage going.

But at the last moment, Piloska suddenly looked at him, her eyes bright, she held John's arm with her rare hand, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Husband, you will grow old together with me, right? I I know some books blame women for always trying to use sweet words to draw men back from the battlefield of fame and power so that they can stay with them, but I really won’t be that selfish.”

John thought to himself, just like you, I wish I could be out on the road all year round.

But considering the alliance between the empire and Hungary, he used words to coax his young wife, saying that of course, you and I were approved and blessed by Masdas, the religious head of the empire, and this marriage is the most sacred. .

After this puritan-enhanced version of the bed affair was over, John was in so much pain that he couldn't close his legs, and he was in a bad mood. With the help of the eunuch, he put on his coat and hurriedly said goodbye to Piloska, saying that he still had some military matters to attend to. Deal with it, the two of them won't rest together tonight.

After John opened the curtain and strode away, Piloska slowly sat up from the couch and arranged her skirt and jewelry with a dull look. Then she also walked out and sat on the little throne with a sad expression. , watching the back of her husband leaving the gate.

At this moment, a maid with a headscarf carrying a kettle came to the little queen and whispered to her:

"This is the third time he has deceived you. You don't have to doubt the Empress Dowager's previous warning to you - every time he leaves in the middle of the night, he will go to the chief lady of the palace to do unspeakable things."

Tears fell from Piloska's face, "What should I do, Belia... I'm still young and don't understand this, but I just know that my husband's behavior is the greatest insult to my kingdom! "

"Everything will end on the Feast of the Entrance." The maid Belia said with a certain tone.

In the city of Prusa, the messenger cavalry galloped into the courtyard of the palace, bringing crucial news from Italy to Gawain and Anna who had been waiting here, "During the severe cold season, Caesar Henry the Fifth of Salian With a large team, he crossed the Sprugen Pass (the road connecting Germany and northern Italy through the Alps) to the city of Rome, and started negotiations for the coronation ceremony with the Lateran Palace and Pope St. Peter.”

"Henry V's father, it is said that his coffin and coffin have been sent back to Liege, so his father's ghost has returned to Alemannia." Anna said with a knowing smile, “The coronation of the Iron Crown of Lombardy shall be haunted by this specter.”

Gawain, who was sitting in another chair, was determined not to hesitate anymore. He walked to the map table, and his mentor Maglendius stood next to him and told Gawain: "We must be good at deriving coins from this side of the coin. On the other hand, the news now available from Constantinople is that the Patriarch will organize a city-wide feast of the Entrance of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ceremony, not only to name the queen who married into Hungary, but also to perform the immersion ceremony of the Virgin's Clothes - and the pseudo-emperor John, who was overwhelmed by our invasion of Thrace, must choose to perform this ceremony. Before and after, we must take action to allow foreign ships to pass through the Bosporus, my majesty.”

"Everything in the Lateran Palace has been entrusted to the Renewal Society and Anselm in Bari. What we have to do here is to take risks, take risks, take risks again! And brave the wind and snow to officially march towards Constantinople. ." Gawain stared at the map table and made his final decision.

"The dice have been thrown." Anna also stood up and said the famous saying of her predecessors, "The Marimara Sea at this time is the Rubicon River in the past!"

That night, in the cold night around the city of Prusa, thousands of torches were raised: the Nikan Brigade, the Opushkin Brigade, the Hierapolis Brigade, Marinus's Bithynian Marchers, Brenus's Mysian naval forces rushed to the cities of Abydos and Nicomedia, which were gathered on the coast, to prepare for a large-scale cross-sea attack.

And a large number of skuas boats there began to move wildly, shuttled through the inland sea, with light cannons mounted on the bows, constantly approaching the coastal defense walls of Gallipoli and even the Imperial Capital, frequently bombarding them, creating a tense and urgent situation. Atmosphere.

In addition, at Fort Caltarimon, the remaining six detachments of soldiers and horses from the Red Hand Brigade and the Guardian Brigade, as well as the attached muskets and cavalry, also arrived here and began to march towards Media. The port made a gesture of sailing at any time.

After receiving the news, John clenched his fists in Brachna Palace, "Gawain, sister, finally couldn't hold it back and showed your fangs? Go and tell Molitor Russell about the big ships in Venice and Sicily Prepare to leave early. In addition, send a messenger to the city of Rome to complain to the Patriarch there about Gawain’s treachery!”

However, what John didn't know yet was that the papal cardinals were currently in a small town called Sutri, holding intense and arduous negotiations with Henry the Fifth who came here.

Henry the Fifth was a tall, high-cheekbone, energetic but somewhat graceful young king. He wore a velvet cloak with a huge ruby ​​inlaid on the gold button. His hair was very soft gray. He faced the man sitting opposite. Pope Owen Seth Eugene maintained a kind and courteous attitude, but it was obvious that his final decision was influenced by his confidants-a group of local German archbishops and palace bureaucrats.

The young king made three demands:

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1. To be crowned by the Pope himself and put the Iron Crown of Lombardy on his head;

2. Disband the anti-Salian alliance throughout northern Italy;

3. He hopes to inherit the territory of the Duchess Matilda after her death. If Matilda passes the territory to her husband Welf, then Welf should be loyal to him and become a fief of the Salian Dynasty. minister.