kingdom of nations

Chapter 135 What the Countess of Jaffa Said (Bonus Chapter!)

Queen Mother Maria even felt a pang of pity.

"Moreover, Josephine III became a Zengi when he was five years old, and then a prisoner of Nur ad-Din. We do not know how he fared in the enemy’s fortress—although, according to the Saracens, he was treated the same as Nur ad-Din’s sons, if that were the case, he would not have risked offending the Sultan by sending his two children away… He must have done so for only one reason: he did not want his children to suffer the same torment and humiliation as he did."

And when he returned to Castel Sainte-Croix, back to Arrassa Road, wouldn't he feel jealousy and resentment when he saw César standing beside him? He and César had been separated for over a decade, and there was no affection between the father and son; they were just strangers. Men are not like women; their child hadn't spent ten months in their womb, and the initial joy had gradually lost its original color and shape with time.

He may have loved César, but he could have taken back or changed those feelings… and there's nothing we can do about it.

Maria opened her arms and shook her head slightly.

In fact, in Byzantium, there was a simple way to do this: a bottle of poison.

But just as Baldwin couldn't command Cesar to turn against his father, Maria wouldn't bring up anything about the poison.

"But this conflict is not without ways to resolve it—for example, by letting him go and greet his father."

When a person is rescued from the blades of an enemy, the hooves of a galloping horse, and the collapse of rocks, he will kneel before him, weeping bitterly, regarding the person as an angel sent by God to save him. Even if he later learns that the person is his son, he will still subconsciously regard him as a reliance—this period may not be long.

But if you can persuade Josephine III to make some concessions for his son and his savior during this time, such as sending him to a monastery, then the things we were worried about might not happen.

But if you insist on keeping Cesare by your side and sending someone else to greet Josephine III, do you have such a trustworthy person? Even if you do, are you sure that during this time, he won't say anything to Josephine III at the behest of others?

Baldwin was speechless; he truly did not have such a trustworthy person.

Mary laughed, but not with much sarcasm. Baldwin was too young. Apart from his illness, he had not suffered any setbacks. And with God's blessing, he was the master of the Spear of St. George, and before he was even sixteen, he had achieved a great victory, capturing the Saracen Sultan Nur ad-Din, a feat his father had never accomplished. His elation was not surprising.

But the young king had not yet realized that he was not only facing bees and ants, but also hyenas and lions. If they joined forces, they might not be able to accomplish anything, but they could certainly prevent him from doing anything—a challenge that every new king must face.

They are like newly sharpened swords, sharp and incisive, yet they are forced to retreat in political struggles time and time again. Each defeat makes them more rounded and gentle—even if only on the surface. They must learn to be moderate, yield, patient, appease all forces, and ensure that everyone is placed in their proper place, including themselves.

No single foot can ever support the weight of the entire throne, whether it is made of brass, iron, or even gold.

“Abi is a fool,” Queen Mother Mary said bluntly. “But once Cesar is gone, you can promote David to your side. David is a good boy; he is honest and simple-minded. His father is your regent, and even when you turn sixteen and he relinquishes power to you, he will still be a very important figure in your court. You should support him and let him contend with Bohemond, no matter who you choose as your successor—”

These are invaluable words of advice.

Baldwin listened quietly, and the boiling emotions within him gradually subsided. He continued to think.

The Countess of Jaffa arrived early the next morning.

Although some suggested that she, as the king's biological mother, should reside in Sainte-Croix Castle, she declined, not wanting to become the castle's second mistress and then vie for power with Queen Mother Maria.

After all, the Queen Mother had already sided with her son, vying for power with her allies while leaving the real enemy aside and letting him develop unchecked—that would be foolish.

She had been informed of Cesare's situation—that she should have come immediately after he was identified as Joseph III's only son. Unfortunately, after the Battle of Galilee, in gratitude for God's protection of Baldwin, she vowed to undergo a month of penance, and when the news arrived, her penance was not yet complete.

As soon as her asceticism ended, she rode into Arrasa Road, only to hear from the knights she had left at Holy Cross Castle that the young king and the patriarch had quarreled over Cesare. She was startled and immediately went to find the patriarch, only to learn that her foolish son had recently done a lot of stupid things.

Compared to Queen Mother Maria, the Countess of Jaffa was more direct and intense in her attitude towards Baldwin. When only he and Cesar were left in the room, she even lightly slapped the King of Arathal, saying, "Just to wake you up."

She then turned to Cesar, her face showing a complex mix of emotions, but then she slapped him lightly, just as she had slapped him, though the reprimand was still very clear: "Even if you are not my nephew, nor Baldwin's blood relative, as his friend, you should have warned him and stopped him. If you couldn't, you should have sent someone to me."

“But, madam…” Cesar still found it difficult to call her aunt: “Baldwin is only fifteen years old.”

He didn't finish speaking, but the Countess of Jaffa understood what he meant: "You are his brother, not his grandfather." Where did this strange, indulgent tone, bordering on pampering, come from?

“He will be in power next year, and such times will become increasingly rare,” Cesar had to add.

“That sounds like a curse,” Baldwin muttered from the side.

Countess Jaffa could only sigh. The way these two children interacted was simply... She leaned forward slightly, cupped Cesar's face in her hands, and carefully examined the spot where she had slapped him. "I used to think you looked alike, but back then I never imagined that there was indeed an inseparable connection between you."

She carefully traced Cesare's features; they were truly God's most prized creation. She tried to find resemblance to her brother—there were indeed some, but compared to Cesare, Josephine III was nothing but a rough draft. However, it was also possible she was mistaken. When she left Edessa, her brother was still a child hiding in her mother's skirt; she had little memory of him, only that many people said he was like a shy little girl.

This shy little girl probably never imagined that she would suffer such a calamity just a year later, and the Countess of Jaffa could hardly have imagined that a smile from the goddess of fate would send her child back to her.

She had once hated her husband for refusing to help her homeland, Edessa, and for refusing to pay the ransom on behalf of Joseph II to redeem her brother. Now she was at peace with him, for no matter how cruel Amalric I had been to her, he had inadvertently saved her nephew, her brother's only heir.

She suddenly pulled Cesar into a tight embrace. Cesar was stunned; it was the first time he had ever been treated so intimately by a mature woman.

In another world, his father and mother were both reserved people who never said "I love you." Although he knew they loved him, he couldn't recall any memorable hugs or intimacy. Now, however, he could feel a burning body enveloping him completely, trembling slightly, or perhaps from the vibrations caused by an overly intense heartbeat.

He placed his hands on the Countess of Jaffa's firm back. "I'm fine," he murmured, not knowing to whom he was saying it, "I'm fine." He repeated it.

He was held for quite a while before being let go.

The Countess of Jaffa agreed with both Patriarch Heraclius's advice and Queen Mother Maria's teachings, and even openly expressed her contempt for her own son.

"What makes you think Abi should be a role model?" The countess smiled cruelly. "Why is Bohemond always so gloomy and unlikable? Isn't it because he knows that after his death, the Grand Duchy of Antioch might not last long? In the future, it will either become part of Arazare or part of Damascus, and everything he has done will be in vain."

However, some people might become frustrated and give up on themselves because of this. Bohemond is still struggling, after all, he is in his prime. If Princess Hibernath could have a child with Abigail soon, he might have the opportunity to teach the child until adulthood.

Even if Antiochus were to reunite with Arazarus by then, he would have no regrets.

But what do you think Abi should be considered in this process? Calling him a clown is too lenient a term; people probably just see him as a stud, his responsibility being to produce one son or more.” She snorted. “Do you think Cesar should be like that too?”
When people talk about him, they don't say how intelligent, wise, or noble he was. They only say that he got his current position purely because of his blood ties with the king, or that he was quite a good decoration when he stood in the hall.

Do you want them to say that?

"But, Mom, he will go to the battlefield with me."

“It makes no difference; people will only remember the invincible Spear of St. George,” the Countess said crisply. “Even if you were willing to share your credit with Cesar, you would find that in people’s discussions, there is always more ridicule than praise.”

“Many people like César.”

“That was true before, but not necessarily now.” The Countess said, “He is now the heir of Josephine III of Edessa and the brother of King Arrassal.”

“You don’t seem very happy either.” Baldwin was puzzled. The Countess had once said that Cesar’s only shortcoming was his birth.

"Of course I'm happy. I even thought my brother was dead, like my father, in the Saracen fortress. I only had you and your sister left in this world. And now I know my brother is alive and has left me with two children, my nephew and my niece."

But you must also know that people are always wary of things that are too perfect. They could have sincerely praised and supported César back then, because he always had a huge flaw, a flaw that might have stayed with him until the last moment of his life.

But now he's gone, you understand? His only flaw is gone, but his enemies are still there. They won't stop there; they'll keep attacking him, looking for weaknesses and mistakes. And beyond the well-known flaw of his unknown identity, we don't know where they'll start their attacks.

So from this perspective, I have to say that this situation isn't actually that good.

She said helplessly, looking at Baldwin who finally showed a hint of regret, "It seems you understand now. During this time, you've been like a merchant of Isaac with a jewel box, showing off everywhere—giving him all sorts of honors and privileges, letting him sit next to you, and even because he quarreled with your teacher, Patriarch Heraclius—and some people are already dissatisfied with him."

The Patriarch made this suggestion because he hoped you could use this time to calm down and think carefully about how you and Cesar would get along. You can trust him, and you can also become closer to him. You are indeed brothers, but you cannot show it. He is not the King of Arazarus; you are. And the moment you assume power, countless people will rush to serve you.

But if you act like you only want to believe Cesar, and he becomes the only obstacle between them and you, what do you think they will do?
If you continue to be stubborn, they might even turn into enemies of Cesar and you, which is dangerous.

Baldwin lowered his head, now finally looking less like a king and more like a child of his age: "I...I know I was wrong...Mom, I'll go apologize to the teacher."

Countess Jaffa sighed, reached out and touched the hair of both children. Baldwin's hair looked very soft, but it was actually coarse and stiff, with unruly curls. Cesar's hair, though as dark as night, was very fluffy, fine, smooth and manageable.

“There is another person you should apologize to as well,” the Countess said. Baldwin paused for a moment before understanding, and he turned to Cesar: “I’m sorry, Cesar.”

He said dejectedly, looking utterly pathetic.

César was somewhat moved, but that feeling disappeared on the day he set off.

Baldwin drew thirty knights from each of the three knightly orders—the Temple, the Good Church, and the Holy Sepulchre—for him, for a total of ninety knights.

"Hey, isn't this our Earl?"

"Geoffroy called out, and then whistled loudly."

(End of this chapter)