Eagle Byzantium

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This scene was so grand that the warriors, including many ordinary Italian soldiers who came to join in the fun, jumped into the river beside the big oak tree, used countless large wooden barrels loaded with grain and wine to scoop water from the river, dragged the barrels to the shore, and placed them on the fire, with fireproof boards in the middle. Then many people peeled off the bark and threw it into the boiling water, because this is a common practice in the Varyag and Slavic land of Kiev, which can make the water full of alkali for descaling.

"Wow, haha!" Farov was the first to pinch his nose and climb up the big oak tree, then used the thickest trunk as a springboard, and fell into the wooden barrel like a big black iron ingot, splashing the hot bath water, all flew onto the faces and bodies of the comrades around who were caught off guard, causing them to scream and curse.

"Gawain, I'm on first!" This time it was Francesco who joined in the fun. He quickly took off his robe and underwear, climbed up the tree branch, and jumped into another barrel.

The whole camp and the surrounding villages were in an uproar. Many women and girls gathered behind the wooden fence, watching this scene with hot smiles.

Then it was Cranmer, the adjutant of the stable master. He climbed up the tree trunk naked amid laughter, but he lost his balance and slid down with his legs apart. He happened to sit hard on a hard branch. Amid screams, he lay on it with a grin in pain, slowly climbed to the end, curled up and jumped into the big barrel.

"Gawain. Russell!" With this shout, the soldiers rushed towards Gawain. Ericson and Fitias stepped forward to stop them, but were pushed away by others with their heads twisted and laughing. "Hey, put me down!" Gawain laughed and was lifted up by many people. Some people took off his smock and chain mail, untied his sword, and then threw him into a large wooden barrel full of boiling water.

"Wow!" Gawain was so burned that his whole body turned red. He hurriedly grabbed the leaves hanging on the edge of the spit and wiped them on his body. Then he saw Farof naked, being pressed against the tree trunk by several smiling comrades, and whipped with soft tree branches all over his body until all the dirt and blood stains came out. This is said to be conducive to the elimination of toxins in the body and the cleansing of the body.

Then, Gawain looked back and saw dozens of women from the village holding tree branches and rushing towards the wooden barrel where he was. He was so scared that he hurriedly climbed out, put on his clothes while running, and then jumped into the river and swam to the other side...

When he got ashore from the other side, wet, he saw a group of very strange armed men walking out of the valley outside George's camp. They all carried very heavy weapons - iron darts, flails, iron forks, and wooden sticks, but most of them had no armor and only covered their clothes with cloth robes. At first glance, they looked like a group of farmers, but their walking order was extremely strict, and they were obviously well trained in military affairs.

Their flags did not have totems or patterns, but were distinguished by colors. They marched forward in a vigorous manner to three miles outside the camp, within the distance where they could watch each other, and began to set up forts and camp.

"They are heretics in the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor. They call themselves Paulicians or Tevrisists, but the Saracens call them Neo-Manichaeism. They worship the gods of good and evil and the eternal flame, and prohibit any physical objects from being added to church ceremonies. Stay away from them. They are a group of mysterious, unpleasant and gloomy guys." After the celebration, Farof, who put on his clothes again, answered Gawain's question.

"There are about five or six thousand people. They all came out of the valley of Mount Heims to reinforce the stable master?" Gawain, holding the wooden fence, continued to ask.

Farof looked at Gawain and lowered his voice, "Listen Gawain, I can only suggest that you have less contact with these people. This group of heretics once used the Typhris Fortress as a base and fought with the Roman emperor for a long time. It was only two hundred years ago that the emperor pardoned them and moved them to the Hims Mountains to establish an autonomous region. Now this group of people also serve the emperor, but in hindsight, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, because when they were at the border, they spread the heresy everywhere. In the Battle of Durazzo, this group of black sheep was also a group of people who fled in the face of the enemy, endangering His Majesty's business. Sooner or later, the wise Majesty will deal with them!"

"Heretics are always more hateful than pagans, I understand this truth. But what I am worried about is that the stable master hired them..."

Then Gawain's words were interrupted by Farof, "The situation is very delicate now. Our Red Hand Guard is the Red Hand Squadron, the emperor's direct guard. Soldiers should stay with their officers, officers should stay with their soldiers, and we should stick together. Any mobilization and dispatch shall be subject to my orders, understand!"

Hearing the words "stick together", Gawain looked at the stout and short Farof and laughed in his heart.

Three days later, the army continued to gather. This time, the troops were about 5,000 Turkic warriors brought by Giliki Arslan after wintering. George then held a military meeting and formulated tactical goals to be implemented immediately after the spring: except for a small detachment, all others would advance to Paphlagonia and Trebizond. "Now that the situation in Asia Minor has stabilized, we will continue to move forward, acquire more territory, and request the emperor to place more Pechenegs and Cumans in the army. In time, the empire in Asia Minor will be revived."

When the stable master's order was passed to the grassroots of the camp, all the soldiers were in high spirits and cheered. Only Gawain sat at the dining table thoughtfully, and no one knew what was in his heart.

The whole camp was preparing for war, and everyone was preparing armor, horses and weapons. At this time, in the tent of George the stable master, his adjutant and chief of staff Cranmer walked in with a mysterious man in a cloak. Then the guards and soldiers understood and quickly lowered the curtain outside. The whole area was dark, and then a servant lit the candle. George put down the official documents in his hand and whispered, "You are here, what business do you have? I just hired you to join the army."

The man lifted the cloak, revealing black hair, a slightly dark and pretty face, and then a gold-plated metal Gloves, "Master Stable Master, I, Cabe Amiya. Helisochir, the descendant of the Golden Hand Archon of the great Tevris Republic, am here to help you climb the shield with the word Christ painted on it."

George, under the candlelight, did not look too surprised. He slowly crossed his hands and dragged them under his chin. Of course, he understood the meaning of "climbing the shield", which was the traditional program for the Roman emperor to be supported by the army. "Can I place my hope on you?"

"Of course, I have chips in my hand." Cabe Amiya said confidently.

A correct version in 1619 Book Bar!

"But it is said that you originally went to Philip Castle in Thrace?"

Hearing George's question, Cabe Amiya's slightly dark face turned pale, which obviously evoked her horrible memories, and her whole body twisted, "Because of some terrible changes and people, I had to change my original plan and escape back to Asia Minor."