Eagle Byzantium

I went on a short trip during the day, and I will update twice as usual at night. Please help me vote for recommendations, thank you.

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Anna's hands tightly grasped the curtain, but she did not dare to make too big a move. She heard Constantine's weak and miserable body, and her former fiancé kept calling her mother's name, begging for her help. Her fingers kept scratching at her clothes, tables and chairs, feeling extremely painful, "Mom, mother, help me."

But Marlena still sat there, like a dead person, saying repeatedly, "I have been in the palace for so many years, and I can't continue to be unlucky and fail. Originally, I placed all my hopes on you, Constantine." , but now His Majesty wants to abandon you and depose you, because the stable master's rebellion actually found you as a flagpole, Constantine, you will bring your mother under suspicion, and your mother will be deprived of the right to protect John. Wouldn't that make the mother too pitiful?" After saying this, Marlena stood up and came over to support her son, who was already turning blue. "So, you pity the mother, I can only treat John as As my own son, I can no longer be dragged down by you. Didn’t you always say that you want to leave this palace with your mother? Then leave now. My mother will still stay here, and she will still stay here... ..."

Anna gradually couldn't hear the following words clearly. She continued to cover her mouth, tiptoed on her heels, lowered the curtain, and stepped back silently. Then she and the equally understanding maid escaped through the side door. .

The rain below was getting heavier and heavier, but the maid holding an umbrella and carrying books on her back could not keep up with Princess Anna who was running away. It wasn't until outside the palace wall that Mikhail saw the eldest princess, who was wet all over her head and feet, with a pale and trembling face. He was extremely surprised and took off his cloak and covered her body, "Hey, you! "Mikhail shouted sternly to the maid who came later, scolding her for not fulfilling her duties.

"Don't be arrogant, Mikhail! Don't say that I have been to this palace and go back now."

At noon that day, the eldest princess fell ill, suffering from cold and fever. Brachna Palace was in chaos, and Queen Irene was still out. It was said that she went to St. John's Cathedral to pray for blessings. She was not informed of her daughter's condition. What an irony.

After a while, the bell rang in the Brachna Palace Monastery, and everyone knew that disasters do not come alone: ​​His Excellency Augustus Constantine fell seriously ill and passed away. All the court officials and maids were going crazy. They were all waiting for the return of His Majesty the Emperor, who was handling official business.

Half an hour later, Alexios came in a hurry on horseback. He jumped off the horse and rushed directly to the palace. In the couch with curtains on all sides, His Majesty saw his daughter with a positive expression. As she lay there, several medical officers were busy applying herbs and placing blood-sucking locusts on her wrists.

"What's the use of this?" Alexios angrily took off the locust, threw it on the floor, crushed it with his boots, then squatted down, touched his daughter's forehead, and held her little hand.

"Father, you should go to Constantine, may the Lord accept his soul." Anna opened her eyes and said to Alexios, her voice was very weak.

"Why, why, the Lord punishes me like this." Alexios also panicked. He also hoped to deal with Constantine's funeral as soon as possible, but he was afraid that after leaving, he would never see his daughter again when he came back.

"Don't worry about my father, I will get better, but before that I hope to see Gawain who is about to go on an expedition." Anna pursed her pale lips.

Alexios was stunned, not knowing what expression to make.

"Because I sent a maid to Constantine's palace today to retrieve the books, and then I saw the ghost of the dead Constantine, who was possessed by nightmares and had a fever. Neither the monks nor the medical officers could do it. Only when Gawain guards the entrance to the palace can the daughter calm down." This is Anna's explanation, "Father, please don't worry, Gawain will go to Apulia, Italy soon, and he will not pester me... ....Please, father..."

"Okay, okay. Call my herald and attendants to come!" In fact, Alexios knew in his heart that his daughter just wanted to see Gawain because of psychological needs. Otherwise, why wasn't she "The Rice with the Sword"? "Hail" and "Diogenes with the Flail" are staying here? But as a father, he was completely confused and could only agree to his daughter's willful request as long as she could recover as soon as possible.

Sarabria is a wild land covered by meadows and woods, surrounded by dense farms and fields. It is warm in winter and cool in summer. It is a perfect camping site. If it weren't for the annoying rain today, Gawain would totally want to hold him. Sabina can go out for a walk to relax her mind.

As a result, unexpected guests came in the rain, Queen Irene and Caesar Macaulinus dressed in casual clothes.

This was beyond everyone's expectation. Most of the five hundred Tecopo soldiers were resting in the tent. Diognis and Gawain respectfully welcomed the two leading figures in the empire into the tent. Take a seat and wait for them to explain their intention.

"Your Excellency, Border Guard, I am the mother of Princess Anna, the wife of His Majesty the Emperor, and the Queen of this empire." When Eileen sat down in her seat, her first words to Diognis were So, introduce yourself.

The guard hurriedly lowered his body to show his greatest respect for the queen.

"Please forgive me, Officer Guard. I know your respect and supreme loyalty to the royal family, but this meeting I came to meet with Commander Earl Gawain is personal and will definitely not cause any harm to the empire. Any harm in form or substance, respected Diogenes, in order to verify this, please listen at will. "Irene has already understood the psychology of this half-blood warrior, so she should not exclude him. He doubted it, so he might as well open the skylight and speak frankly.

Afterwards, Irene and Macaulinus turned the topic to the newly appointed sword-bearing nobles, "The Ducas family started when the previous dynasty served as the Grand Duke of the Military Region (Dukas's semantics is Grand Duke dux). Today, His Majesty In the struggle to ascend the throne, he played a more or less minor role. , therefore, Count Gawain’s expedition to Italy this time is related to the empire’s vital interests there, and the Ducasse family will not sit idly by. In addition, I heard that Count Gawain and Anna have a very good relationship, so... ...." After Irene finished speaking, she reminded her brother with her eyes.

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Caesar Macaulinus immediately put on a bright smile, held up a lead-sealed document in his hand, walked down from his seat personally, and handed it into Gawain's hands. He patted him on the shoulder to convey the feelings of the queen and the entire family, " The Ducas family owns some properties in Thrace and Thessaly. Immediately after you go on an expedition under the emperor's order, I will ask for farms, monasteries and old officials belonging to my name along the way to provide you with convenience and supplies. ”

Gawain wanted to give it up in vain, and was worried that the emperor or Sebastocrat would use this to make things difficult for him. Unexpectedly, the most powerful Dukas family came to give him warmth, so he did not hesitate to give it up. He took the lead-sealed certificate into his arms and expressed his gratitude to the Queen and Caesar.