Chapter 360 - 254: The Die Is Cast
Eric didn’t respond, merely gazing at the Turkic slave. The slave was young, with dark skin and a small, thin frame, his clothes caked with filth.
"I think I should get a share of this," Count Evler said, watching the goods being continuously carried out of the Church.
"Everyone will get a share. These spoils of war will be sold in Constantinople, and the money from the sale will be used to cover all our expenses there.
There are spices in here that will earn us a handsome profit—enough for the hundred of us to stay in Constantinople for a very long time."
"And the rest? We can’t stay in Constantinople for long, Gloucester." Count Evler stared intently at Eric.
"The rest will be used to cover maintenance costs for the Knights’ equipment, and to provide new Armor or Warhorses for those in financial difficulty. Of course," Eric said, "the requests of the Knights who contributed most in today’s battle and during our time in Constantinople will be given priority."
"I want a new Warhorse." Evler pushed the Turkic slave toward Eric.
He then left without waiting for Eric to reply.
’Evler was a greedy man, but maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.’
Afterward, Eric summoned Brinyos and had him question the surviving Turkic man.
The Turkic man had been prepared to spin a lie, but when Belem stuck his fingers into the wound on his thigh and twisted, he gave in.
He told Eric that he served in the navy of Zacas Bey of Smyrna.
They were on a raiding mission against the territory of Mansur Bey, the ruler of Nicaea, on behalf of the Rum Sultanate. He also told Eric that Mansur Bey was the biological brother of the Sultan of Rom, Suleiman Shah, and that Mansur was attempting to usurp his older brother’s power.
Zacas Bey sided with the Sultan of Rom, Suleiman Shah, and was helping him attack Mansur.
That was why they were raiding the region of Nicaea, which was under Mansur’s control.
(Zacas Bey, also known as Chaka Bey. "Bey" is a title similar to a "Count" in Western Europe, used to refer to Turkic Nobility. Zacas was a Seljuk-Oghuz Turkic military commander active in the 11th Century. He once served the Byzantine Empire but began to rebel after Alexios ascended the throne, attempting to seize the Byzantine imperial crown for himself.)
....
Though the haul was impressive, it was ultimately just a minor episode. Eric and his company continued on their way.
It took them a day to cross the Hellespont Strait and reach the region of Thrace. From there, they followed the coast north for three days until they reached the waters outside Constantinople, at a place known as the Arm of St. George.
Belem had been bored on the ship the past few days, so he started learning Greek. He was planning to find some Greek girls in Constantinople and, having learned firsthand how cunning the Greeks could be, figured learning a few phrases would reduce his chances of being swindled.
Brinyos gave him a Greek dictionary.
He spent the next few days memorizing Greek vocabulary.
"ἀπολείπω (to abandon)..."
"ἀπολείπω (to abandon)..."
"ἀπολείπω (to abandon)..."
"...."
Brinyos stood at the prow of the ship, gazing at the faint silhouette of Constantinople on the horizon. "Alea iacta est," he said suddenly.
Belem, brimming with confidence, said, "Oh, I know that one! It means ’I’m definitely scoring tonight,’ right?"
Brinyos nearly choked on his own spit. His literary sensibilities compelled him to make a correction, but not wanting to antagonize the man, he held his tongue.
"It means ’the die is cast,’" Eric said. He turned Belem’s upside-down dictionary right-side up and looked at Brinyos. "It’s the famous line from Caesar when he crossed the Rubicon River."
"Yes, yes, Lord Gloucester! Julius Caesar, a great ruler of extraordinary courage, was destined to shatter all obstacles and bring greatness back to Rome! I believe Alexios will also bring greatness back to Constantinople." Brinyos, looking much more relieved, said with a smile.
A Pisan navigator suddenly interjected:
"Caesar? A great ruler? Sorry, that’s not how we see it. We call him a slaver. He turned a bunch of free men into slaves. As far as we Pisans are concerned, his only achievement was that the bread he used to buy off the freemen was a tiny bit more generous than anyone else’s.
Besides, he shamelessly attacked Rome City. I don’t see what’s so admirable about that. Only the Greeks like to kiss up to him."
"The Empire needs an iron-fisted leader," Brinyos retorted.
"Perhaps the people don’t think so," the Pisan replied.
"No, no, no, you’re all wrong. Maybe the Greeks *need* to be ruled that way. They’re always obsessed with their little plots and schemes, always waving their little daggers around. Someone has to be there to take the daggers away," a Norman Knight suddenly interjected.
"Oh, for Christ’s sake, you should have told Caesar that! Advised him not to walk into a Senate full of daggers. Believe me, Caesar would’ve loved you for it." Another Norman Knight clapped the first one on the shoulder and roared with laughter.
The men on the ship erupted in laughter, leaving Brinyos red-faced and humiliated.