Eagle Byzantium

When Theodoro walked down the last step in a daze, the figures in front of him were shaking and the smoke was filled. Many Orthodox monks at the top of the city were holding gorgeous crosses and singing hymns, martyrdom for the upcoming expedition. The soldiers prayed, which was always the case in Trabizon - Theodoro was an extremely devout Orthodox Christian and longed for the "spirit of holy war" of the ancient emperors Heraclius and Nikephorus. During the singing, the old general didn't know whether he felt glory, excitement, or desolation.

The peacock feathers were swaying. He pulled the bridle and got on the horse's back. He held the whip in his hand and looked up. On the road between the city walls, the Trabu Grandmaster Regiment, which has always been known as the elite, went out again. The core of his army was still 6,000 infantry plus two regiment-level peasant cavalry. The soldiers were vigorous and vigorous, and the infantry were all carrying He carries a spear made of oak, with various shields on the tip of the spear, including the Greek Scuta, the Turkic round shield, and the new-style teardrop. They wear shields, machetes or axes hanging on their belts, and they all wear robes and coats outside their armor. The patterns pierced on them include mesh, twill, straight lines, etc. to indicate their team affiliation. The baggage train passed by, and the backs of the animals in the yoke were hunched, spraying out strings of white breath, and the whips falling on their heads and backs kept making a sound like a rainstorm.

Further away, Alanian and Georgian light cavalry also galloped past with their horses' heads and hooves shaking. These vanguards on the grasslands only wore Persian pointed iron helmets and leather armor or linen armor. Carrying a large arrow basket, in the middle of their queue was a tall The caravans, the wheels of which thundered like thunder, rolled over the streets of Trabzon. Whenever there was a battle, these caravans could quickly form a temporary fortress, allowing the light cavalry to go out at lightning speed to plunder and attack, and they could also return at lightning speed to hold on. This is a long tradition of Alan warfare.

The last ones passing in front of the general's horse were the Russian mercenaries from the Principality of Kiev, led by the young attendants of the princes. They were also sent to this side of the sea. All of them were tall and had red or golden hair. Wearing a nose helmet, half-body chain mail, carrying a long shield, and holding a sharp battle ax in his hand , looked at the beautiful women from Trabzon who came to watch with a smile, many of them whistled, they got the news that their home country was invaded by the Polovtsi people, but most people on this trip thought that it would be soon The general of Trebizond would send them back from the port of Amissus to fight the damned Polovtsi in their homeland.

People were coming and going, and the luster of the helmet was shaking. Theodoro saw that on the pedestal on the first floor of the monastery, his eldest son Monsank, his eldest daughter Gabuasia and his youngest son Dimitri were all wearing helmets. robed, standing in a row, singing songs to bid farewell to their fathers. Monsank and Gabu Yaxia are both adults, and Dimitri, the daughter of Marianne, is just four years old and also uses a childish voice. , singing hard, singing...

In addition to the troops left behind in Chardia, Amasya, and Kherson, Theodoro can be said to have gone out in full strength - 6,000 infantry, nearly 1,000 peasant cavalry, and 5,000 barbarian light cavalry. , plus more than a thousand Russian mercenaries, left Trabzon in a mighty manner, which was as beautiful as a mythical fairyland, and slowly and leisurely assembled towards the port of Amisus.

The news quickly spread to Constantinople, "What is Theodoro going to do? The assembly point I designated for him is not Amisus, but Amasya!" At the imperial meeting, the emperor angrily and uneasily said Throwing the riding whip on the silver plate of the map, he said to many palace guards, "Matthew, use your spying intelligence to answer me whether the group of Komaloi barbarians attacked the Kingdom of Ross."

"Your Majesty, I can guarantee that everything is as you wish. However, Trabzon has not responded to the Ross chiefs' request for help so far." Matthew, the newly promoted nobleman in white robes and swords, immediately replied fluently.

"Is this guy going to make a desperate move?" The emperor narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth, "Does he want to end things with me, Theodoro Gabuas - what happened to the Venetians, what happened to the Rela Duck, Mailai Si!”

"Everyone is willing to fight for you, Your Majesty. Among them, the Venetians elected for the fifth time Fereille as doge-consul. The golden ball fell on his house. All the councils at this extraordinary moment have no other candidate except this old man." .Feleille promised us that he would immediately command fifty galleys to cooperate with the Ancona people to blockade Bari and cut off the money and money sent from Bari to Tarsus. In addition, the Red Ducks and Pisa people also began to expel the merchants of Bari and Tarsus in Smyrna and Chios, and expressed their willingness to provide ships, money and trade for His Majesty's sea march. The siege network has been formed." The imperial officer was rarely excited. "Finally, both Cyprus and Marash sent secret messages, saying that they were willing to assist your majesty in besieging Gawain."

"Finally, there is no need to hesitate anymore. Choose an auspicious date as soon as possible. I will sit in the royal battleship and personally command the entire army to cross the strait. The forward assembly points will be designated in the three cities of Nicaea, Prusa and Doliraem, so that An All the heavily-armed Plonian cavalry in Natolia went to Doliraem, waiting for the arrival of my royal banner, and gave orders to Diognis, Raymond, and Breanus. The imperial generals, Harold and Stephen, are preparing for war in various fortresses and territories to form a comprehensive offensive against Gawain! As for Theodoro, let Robert Curtis of Puveral monitor him. If he dares to do anything, If you act rashly, I have a way to deal with him." When the emperor waved his hand, the entire imperial capital was shrouded in gray cumulus clouds, and cold rain began to fall.

At dusk, in the courtyard of Brachna Palace, Queen Irene held Prince Adyoan and sat quietly on her seat. The emperor who had finished the imperial meeting stood silently more than ten feet away from her. Outside, there was the sound of rain hitting the eaves of the bucket, and the sound of falling again and again, "Now John has entered the city, and will immediately take charge of the general affairs of the empire."

"You are really good to him." Eileen half lowered her eyelashes and replied calmly.

"Of course, John and Adyoan are both my descendants, and the empire will be under their control in the future."

Hearing this, Irene thought it was a cliché and sneered, "With such arbitrary methods, you are simply treating the patriarch, nobles, and senators of the empire as nothing."

"So what? Even a beast like Gawain knows that the power of the empire should belong to one family and one leader." Alexios raised his head and looked at the gloomy clouds and scattered rain, "Irene, I I had a dream last night."

Seeing that Irene was silent, Alexios narrated to himself, "I dreamed that when I was still young, I was riding a horse and holding a bow and arrow, galloping on the hunting grounds of Thrace. The sun was very bright. The trees are very green. A stone's throw behind the grass, I saw a pair of eyes hidden there...the eyes of a beast..." When the emperor said this, his tone couldn't help but change. Gotta be low. (To be continued ~^~)