kingdom of nations

Chapter 185: War (2)

“I know you rarely contradict Baldwin, no, I should say you’ve never stood against him,” Raymond said coldly, his lips drooping down, his two deep nasolabial folds like ink marks on a portrait. Fortunately, he remembered that the person standing in front of him was not an Isaac slave, but the Earl of Edessa.

Therefore, he did not reprimand the servant, but rather advised him gently, like an elder advising a younger person: "I know you are a humble, kind, and loyal young man. We can understand your respect for Baldwin and your unwillingness to go against his wishes. But if you are to continue serving him as a lord and minister, rather than a sycophantic servant, you should know that sometimes indulging your king too much is like pushing him into a dangerous abyss."

Moreover, such feelings are not lasting. As soon as he develops a little rationality in his reckless life and realizes his sins, he will distance himself from you and banish you from the Castle of Sainte-Croix and the court. What will you do then?
Instead, you should start now and try to be an upright person; that's the path you should take.

After speaking, he carefully observed Cesar's expression. Although the boy had been listening to him respectfully without arguing or showing any signs of annoyance, what angered Raymond was that he still didn't take these words to heart. It was easy to imagine that after he left, he would still do as he pleased and act on his own.

“If you weren’t a descendant of Flanders, I wouldn’t be saying these things to you at all,” Raymond said, forcing down his disappointment. “But I won’t blame you; it’s not your fault—but you should know that when it comes to how to be a lord and a subject, you can’t compare to my son David, or Abigail, Guy, Arthur, and the like.”

You were forced to wander in enemy territory, without receiving a systematic knightly education, and grew up spoiled by women, becoming a wicked and unruly child, until those pagans took you away from your foster parents and made you a slave to the merchant of Isaac. This is your misfortune, and it is also ours.

But this is no reason for you to belittle yourself. Whatever you think, I sincerely hope you can become an upright person worthy of your surname and background.

Raymond's persuasion sounded very reasonable, considering not only Baldwin's side but also Cesare's. A naive young man would surely be moved by his words, after all, Raymond had been in the court and court of Alassa since Baldwin III, and even according to genealogy, he was also Cesare's uncle.

But for someone who already has a well-established set of values, Cesar can interrupt the logical chain of the other person's words at any time.

First, he accused Baldwin of making a rash and impulsive decision, which was laughable—Cesar didn't believe he couldn't see that the battle was inevitable as long as they didn't sever their alliance with the Byzantine Empire.

Leaving aside Bohemond, the Grand Duke of Antioch, who was their common vassal, even Manuel I, whose contracts with Alassalus began during the time of Amalric I, were negotiated and signed. These documents, if accumulated, could almost fill an entire box.

If he were to die, and his successors refused to recognize these treaties, it would mean that all the alliances between the Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire over the past few decades would vanish. Moreover, if the Byzantine Empire were to collapse or change its attitude towards the Crusaders, it would mean that on the Anatolian Peninsula, the Crusaders would have only enemies, no friends.

The conversation ended badly, with Raymond storming off, vowing never to speak another word to the stubborn fellow. Cesar watched him leave, remaining remarkably calm compared to his bewildered servants.

Raymond's words may not have been entirely driven by personal motives; to a large extent, he still hoped that Baldwin could be a good king and that he could be a good subject.

Had it not been for the looting, Count Josephine III of Edessa would indeed have served alongside them in the court of King Arathal, and their heirs would have been inseparable, trusted friends.

But life is so unpredictable. Cesar also knew that it was difficult to persuade a stubborn person—he wasn't silent about anything Baldwin did out of fear of losing Baldwin's trust—behind Raymond's back, he was even quite harsh towards Baldwin.

Baldwin would sometimes jokingly say that, although they were the same age, Cesar saw him as a strict teacher disciplining a naughty student.

On this matter, Cesar was absolutely on Baldwin's side. The reason why Raymond and others objected was because they still couldn't shake off their past thinking and still regarded Baldwin as a child. But in the face of the Crusaders' enemies, Baldwin was already a true king.

Arslan II proposed a meeting with the King of Arrassal in an equal manner, referring not to Baldwin but to Baldwin IV. It was a meeting between two monarchs and should not be interfered with or obstructed by their subjects.

Even from the perspective of this war alone, Baldwin could not refuse. Could he say that he refused to meet with the Turkic Sultan because his subjects feared that the Sultan was setting a trap for him? People would laugh at him for being too cowardly and timid, or a puppet unable to escape the control of his subjects.

If that's the case, even if Arslan II is defeated in the subsequent battles, he will not have any respect for this young monarch.

Raymond's excuse was still Baldwin's youth—a sixteen-year-old king, which seemed to suggest that he might still be in a stage of ignorance.

But should we refuse to face this cruel and dangerous world just because we are young?
Sixteen is too young, eighteen isn't much better, twenty is still immature, twenty-two is still hard to believe, twenty-four, twenty-five... does one have to wait until they're in their grave to be considered mature and credible?
Raymond was simply unwilling to relinquish his power.

But if Raymond were to use this reason to retaliate, he would certainly deny it vehemently and claim that it was a sign of wariness and humiliation. He would still leave in a huff, only feeling more indignant.

Therefore, Cesar didn't bother with that.

Cesar was unwilling to side with them, and the old ministers, led by Raymond, were still unable to stop the young monarch's reckless actions. Of course, this was only from their perspective—although there had been a great victory in the Sea of ​​Galilee, that victory came from a surprise attack and could not be considered a formal battle between two monarchs. Now, Baldwin was appearing before the world for the first time as the King of Arathi Basin.

They agreed to meet on a hill between the two armies. To demonstrate his sincerity, Arslan II allowed the Christians and his subordinates to set up a large tent. The tent was open on both sides so that the two monarchs could enter at the same time and then sit at opposite ends of the tent.

This is a rather peculiar sight.

The two ends of the tent were decorated in completely different styles. The Seljuk Turks' style was opulent and oriental, yet tinged with a touch of savagery and crudeness. Arslan II sat on a massive, gilded and silver-plated throne. The armrests, footrests, and panels of the throne were carved with countless birds and clouds. In front of him was a low footstool upon which rested a bulging, dark blue silk cushion tied with a gold ribbon. The Sultan wore a long robe with a crossed collar—buttons on the right, a characteristic of Persian attire, slightly different from the Turkic style. The robe was embroidered with crowns, lions, and plant motifs, each with its own symbolic meaning.

This robe was not a formal suit; it had a special name for him: a riding coat. The Sultan dressed like this not to meet an enemy, but to meet a friend. This could not be considered disrespectful, for he wore two crowns properly: a smaller crown on his head and a larger crown connected to the smaller one by a ribbon.

He was accompanied by six ministers, each wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a honeycomb hat, or a Mongolian hat.

The other two were scribes wearing headscarves, responsible for taking notes on the meeting. These officials were also dressed in brightly colored silk, and two of them were probably generals, with the outlines of their lamellar armor faintly visible under the thin silk.

Among the Christians, their attire was much simpler. Only Raymond and Baldwin wore silk; the others wore either cotton robes or linen overcoats.

Today, Cesar is wearing a white cloak with an Arazari cross over his heart—to indicate that although he is a subject of King Arazari, he has not yet become the guardian of the Holy Sepulchre—Baldwin still wants to see him get married and have children.

After all, the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre are a religious organization, and once you join the order, all members except the Grand Master must keep a vow of chastity.

He wore only a silver belt around his waist, which served as decoration and to reflect his current status. If he had continued to wear a leather or cloth belt casually, some might have thought it was a hypocritical display of seeking fame and fortune.

Arslan II entered the tent and his eyes immediately fell on Baldwin.

"A young man who isn't particularly strong," he thought to himself. "As a monarch, he can hardly be described as calm and composed, but his enviable youth and ambition are as dazzling as the first rays of morning sunlight."

They sat down facing each other and greeted one another.

Arslan II still hoped the Crusaders would withdraw and did not intend to fight them. Although Baldwin had previously rejected him, he still made an effort during their face-to-face conversation. However, as Baldwin had said before, he could not abandon Manuel I and the Byzantine Empire behind him, and Arslan II could not easily give up this opportunity to severely damage his old enemy.

He had once personally gone to Constantinople, knelt before Manuel I, kissed his feet, and promised to pay tribute and allow him to send bishops and officials—now he could not only destroy his former enemies and wash away his shame, but might even go further.

But Baldwin's attitude was firm, and Arslan II also realized that the young king was preparing to use this victory to consolidate his power—he would not be able to assume personal rule until February of the following year, and a great victory at this time would be very advantageous for him.

He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, but the Sultan was no coward—he smiled as he looked at the young man, wondering if the man was so sure he could win.

“Not all wars are the same, King of the Christians. You have already won a great victory at the Sea of ​​Galilee, and you should cherish this glorious achievement and not let it be overshadowed by the defeats that follow.”

Baldwin replied, "I think it's better to regard this honor as a sword, constantly sharpening it on hard stone so it won't rust, corrode, or break than to treat it as a crown that should be constantly wiped clean to keep it from getting dusty and wet."

I will not abandon my vassals and allies for money, nor will I treat a king who is my equal with intrigue or trickery. Let us go to war.

Sultan, nothing convinces the people more than a victory decided by sword.

“You’re right,” said Arslan II. “You are a courageous young man. Although you have refused me, I am willing to grant your request. Let us go to war.”

"But before the war begins, at least tonight, you should receive my hospitality," he said, clapping his hands as a group of young girls walked gracefully into the tent, carrying pipa, hand drums, piccolo, and bells.

At Arslan II's invitation, everyone sat on the ground and enjoyed a sumptuous meal, drinking night wine and morning wine. It was a rough but grand banquet, and everyone enjoyed themselves immensely.

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On the eve of the appointed day, Christians prayed to God, while Turks prayed to their Allah.

As dawn broke, Baldwin and Cesar, fully dressed, emerged from the tent. Baldwin mounted his horse first, while Pollux, dressed entirely in black, snorted, seemingly dissatisfied with the damp, cold air. Cesar then mounted his horse and reached out to comfort Castor—Casto, in turn, disliked the people around him.

Raymond turned his head away. People might call him mean, but he really couldn't stand it. The white horse should belong to the king, and even if it was a gift from the king, Count Cesar of Edessa shouldn't accept it so readily.

Baldwin, however, was quite pleased. He had given Castor to Cesar with the idea that one day they would ride side by side on the battlefield—back then, Pollax and Castor were still ponies, but now they had grown up, and so had the ponies.

(End of this chapter)