Eagle Byzantium

A few days later, shortly after Gawain's wooden bridge that stunned his enemies was completed, the pilgrims' defensive rock under the city of Antioch became stronger with the constant flow of material assistance. At this moment, the sun has moved to the position of Aries, and spring has begun to arrive in Antioch and even the entire Syria. Both the offensive and defensive camps are working hard and secretly preparing to win an overwhelming victory over the enemy in a decisive battle that may occur at any time. Advantages.

In the early morning, in the Norman camp, under the blue-grey sky, the distant mountains disappeared into undulating black lines. Bohemond's armor reflected the faint light, stepped on the stirrups, supported the saddle, and sat up. After getting on the horse, there were about 200 Norman cavalry behind him, all wearing nose helmets and fur blouses. The tail of the tooth flag was slightly following the wind, constantly telling Bohemond the arrival of the wind in front of his eyes. direction.

The Duke of Apulia coughed twice and looked back at the bonfire and smoke remaining in the camp. His nephew Tancred came over and said to him in the cold wind, "Uncle, please wait for a while." , I have sent a letter to Barak, the consul of Edessa, asking for help, and the gold coins will be received soon."

With his red beard covered with specks of frost and snow, Bohemond, who had become thinner, expressed his gratitude to his nephew and said that after paying off the interest on the Pisa people's debts, he would win the rights to the city of Antioch in the future. Together with Tancred, they established a powerful and continuous Norman kingdom here.

Then, Bohemond tightened the bridle of his mount, and the coughing and panting sounds of the Norman cavalry behind him continued. All 200 Norman cavalry, accompanied by an equal number of Calabrian light-armed soldiers, Carrying axes and crossbows, they formed a mighty column and walked out of the camp at St. Paul's Gate.

At the same time, Marquis Raymond also led an infantry and cavalry team composed of 700 Provençal people. Crossing the newly built pontoon bridge, we arrived at the camp of Gawain's brigade. In front of the camp gate, Gawain held up the cage gauntlet wrapped in leather and tied it, held his beard-covered mouth, and breathed between his fingers. Holding a white puff of air, he frowned and climbed onto the gate tower. First, he stared at Raymond's team walking among the decaying grass, and then looked at the direction of the distant mountains where the sun was about to rise. The light exposed between the mountains and under the clouds was dark purple, like winding snakes, slowly rising. Slowly trace upstream. With a faint light, the clouds were dyed into fish scale-like things with uneven light and dark.

Gawain then took a breath, took out the sundial plate given by Ajiehe, observed it carefully, tilted his ears, and then asked Mero, the camp manager, "In the sky. Is there any thunder?"

Mero listened carefully and said that he was not sure. It stands to reason that today is a clear day.

The Provençal people below have raised their flags. He shouted impatiently, asking the team in Gawain's camp to come out quickly, so as not to delay their return: because the food supplies pre-stored in various camps had consumed another two-thirds of their size, so Admar The chief priest asked Gawain, Raymond, and Bohemond to each dispatch part of their troops. Gather together and follow the route planned by Stephen, Count of Blois, from the Iron Bridge to Port Saint-Simon. This route is considered very safe by Ademar for escorting the supplies that arrived during this period. And it can bypass the pilgrim camp, where there are too many civilians, merchants and motley people, and the baggage team that passed here before has been maliciously robbed.

Amidst the creaking sound, several cloaked military servants pulled the door's latch and iron rope, followed the downward slope, and opened the camp door. About two hundred soldiers from West Cilicia opened the door. The Natal cavalry, shouting and pulling on the reins, led by General Orson, His "middle finger bone" black military flag was very conspicuous. He ran out of the camp, then joined the Provence people, along the west bank of the Orontes River, and marched side by side with Bohemond's men across the river, facing each other. Winding away in the direction of Iron Bridge Fort.

At this time, the sun had already risen halfway, and Gawain's face turned red. He and Mero almost looked at the shining mosque spiers on the Acropolis of Antioch at the same time, where there was a faint wind, and there was The chanting of New Moon worshipers.

After thousands of years of sun and rain, the walls of the Acropolis tower have become uneven, and the front of it is blurred by the sunlight. Patriarch John Oakshilt, who has fluffy and dirty hair, wears only a The tattered robes that could cover the body were worn, and the bare feet revealed a skinny body with bruises and bruises. His hands and feet were tied to iron ropes, which made a clanging sound. He was pushed to the tower by several Turkic soldiers. The wind blew, and the poor old man Trembling all over.

Then there was a long friction sound between the iron rope and the wall, and the old man was roughly pushed down. He fell straight along the tower wall, splashing dust, and suddenly stretched up at a fixed point, and then his bare feet moved forward, backward, left, and right. The ground swayed, and the city wall was stained with blood from the Patriarch's feet.

"If he wants a cross, give him this shape!" The Turkic soldier standing on the crevice of the shooting window of the tower looked down and laughed, "I heard that the enemies besieging the city are betting on when this person will be finished. "

Oxhilt instinctively lowered his head and looked at the city road at his feet, where an Armenian soldier wearing a helmet was looking up at him sadly.

This was the fourth time that the other party looked at him. The Patriarch could almost remember the duty times and locations of different garrison soldiers, "Plagit, my child."

"Yes, my father." The Armenian mercenary looked up, holding the edge of his helmet with his hand, and answered softly and timidly, so that the Patriarch could hardly hear it clearly.

"You should have fled to Cilicia that year, so as not to see my miserable appearance. Both the enemy and I are wondering when I will die."

"No, it won't last too long. Today, our king Achish will have a great victory." Amid the increasingly dense chanting around him, Pragit continued to whisper, "If he gets the victory he desires, it will arouse forgiveness and perhaps let you go."

"Child, your king is my lord, not Achish. A violent and treacherous person will never become king."

Before he stopped talking, a shadow suddenly passed over the head of the old Patriarch, and Pragit hurriedly walked away with his spear - a bright red flag was hung on the tower, facing the head of the Patriarch, and then fluttered in the wind.

"What is this?" the Patriarch wondered in his heart.

On the Holy Spring Stone Fortress on the top of the mountain facing the Acropolis, several soldiers in charge of observation also stood up one after another, holding the battlements, looking at the scarlet flag that was constantly fluttering on the top of the highest tower of Antioch, "Go and call Parkard up."

A correct version at a glance in the 16-9 book forum!

"What is this?" When Parkard and his son, who were stationed here, climbed up the observation tower with curved sabers, followed the winding gables and ramparts of Antioch, and saw this flag that was obviously a signal, they were also very puzzled. (To be continued ~^~)