kingdom of nations

Chapter 202 The Eve of the Wedding (Bonus Chapter)
As the ascetics embarked on their pilgrimage by boat to Antioch, Princess Anna had already arrived at Castel Santa Croce. As the drawbridge was slowly lowered and the horses moved forward, Anna couldn't help but press her hand to her chest, where she kept a letter from her foster mother to Queen Mother Maria. She wasn't sure if the letter would serve its purpose, but it was at least the only solace she could find in this unfamiliar environment.

The knights gathered on the roads and squares of Holy Cross Castle. When they saw the king, dressed in a white robe and clad in silver chainmail, appear in their sight surrounded by ministers and generals, they all let out earth-shattering shouts, startling countless birds into flight.

Some of the knights couldn't contain themselves and, in the Roman way of celebration, raised their short swords and slammed them against their shields, producing an even louder clang.

If the great victory at the Sea of ​​Galilee was a miracle created by Baldwin, then the decisive battle against the Seljuk Sultan Arslan II undoubtedly solidified Baldwin's undisputed position as commander-in-chief. This demonstrates that even in a fair and square battle, their king could still lead them to a glorious victory.

He is still so young. Even if he is destined to die young, he still has at least a decade or so to lead them across the battlefield, where they will be invincible.

This was a shot in the arm for the Crusaders, who had become increasingly sluggish in recent years and had to shift from an offensive to a defensive posture.

Among these people, Belial of Ibelin, who was closest to Baldwin, even stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "We originally wanted to hold a triumphal procession for you, but..."

“But there’s also Cyprus, right?” Baldwin laughed, putting one arm around Belion and the other around Cesar. The three of them walked side by side into the Holy Cross Castle, leaving Raymond behind.

At this moment, no one, from the Grand Master of the Knights to the most ordinary squire, would care about Raymond's feelings. They already knew that Manuel I of the Byzantine Empire had married Princess Anna to Cesar in gratitude for saving his life. Although this could be considered a beautiful story in a fairy tale, all the knights cared about was Cyprus. It was Cyprus!

They crowded around Baldwin and Cesar, asking about every detail, from how they saved Manuel I, how they were entertained by him, how the marriage was promised, Princess Anna and the enormous dowry she brought, and they even inquired about the wedding date—for the Crusaders, the sooner the better.

Baldwin had previously suggested that the wedding ceremony be held on his name day, February 2nd of next year. This timeframe was quite tight, but the knights still felt it was too long. Their concerns were not unfounded, as it was hard to say that such a joyous occasion wouldn't encounter any unexpected complications.

It would be best to get them married as soon as possible, so that Cesar, the Crusaders, could completely possess Cyprus.

But this date is unlikely to come any closer. Rather than allowing the bride to better adapt to life in her husband's family, it's more about giving the Crusaders time to fight for power.

That's right, Cyprus was Princess Anna's dowry, and in the future, the ownership and right to use this dowry should belong to her husband, Cesar.

The problem is that Cesar did not have the financial resources and energy to control such a huge island.

He was indeed the Earl of Edessa, but everyone knew that the County of Edessa had ceased to exist decades ago. His father left him 200,000 gold coins, which could certainly allow a person to live a life of extravagance, but for an island, it was just a drop in the ocean.

"He needs soldiers, knights, craftsmen, and countless laborers!" The Grand Master of the Knights Templar paced back and forth in the hall with unusual excitement, unwilling to even return to his chair.

“The Knights Templar can provide all of these, and we can even draw our men from the Franks and the Apennines—whatever men or things he wants, we can give him. We also have tens of thousands of farmers, and if the people of Cyprus dare to defy his will or rebel, he can have them all executed and thrown into the sea. Even if he kills everyone, we can guarantee that the yields of wheat, grapes, and olives will not be affected next year.”

“Cyprus isn’t Arrassa,” the Grand Master of the Good Hall Knights couldn’t help but remind them. “He’s going to rule that place, not to cleanse it.”

“I’d rather he clean up that place,” the Grand Master of the Templars muttered, though he knew Cesar would never do so.

"Aren't Cypriots always good at weighing the pros and cons?"

Baldwin said, using a rather polite adjective instead of directly saying that Cypriots were used to changing course with the wind.

"So when he came to Cyprus, he had to have an army with him."

"An army? Is it his or the Knights Templar's?" This was a rather impolite remark, but the Grand Master of the Knights Templar couldn't bring himself to be angry with this person.

This man was Patriarch Heraclius, who held several positions here: the king's teacher and the religious leader of the holy city. At the same time, Cesar was also his student. He had acknowledged this connection long ago, but unlike Baldwin, Cesar was just an ordinary servant at that time. Becoming Heraclius's student meant that Cesar was likely to take over his mantle in the future, and this relationship was similar to that of an adoptive father and son in ordinary people.

If Cesar did indeed become a monk, or rather, a knight-errant (a member of the Knights of Favonius), he would have the right to inherit all of his teacher's estate. In that case, if the student's interests were harmed, the teacher could certainly speak up.

Heraclius knew very well that both the aggressive Knights Templar and the silent Good Order had the same goal.

Manuel I chose Cesare, possibly partly because Cesare happened to be a landless count, which meant he was unlikely to have the power to support his brother-in-law, and the half-deposed Alexius would not have a strong arm to lean on.

But this inadvertently suited the wishes of both the Knights Templar and the Knights of the Good Samaritan Order.

If Princess Anna's husband were Baldwin, Raymond's son David, or any other lord's son, it would be difficult for them to interfere. Cesar's isolation and weak foundation became his greatest advantage at this time. He had no troops, no manpower, and little money. Wouldn't he inevitably have to seek their help?
The Grand Master of the Knights Templar believed he was not greedy; he only wished to obtain a portion of Cyprus, where they would build castles and walls. In a sense, this was all to fight against the Saracens and to do things for God.

But from Heraclius's perspective, this was an encroachment on his students' territory.

This practice was not uncommon. Manuel I of the Byzantine Empire used these methods to quietly infiltrate the Crusader kingdoms. Every gold coin he paid, whether to help build castles and fortresses, to redeem lords and knights, or to arrange marriages, could bring him considerable returns, just like Antioch, which he has now conquered most of.

Cyprus belonged to Cesar, and he would never allow anyone else to take away the food in his mouth while he was still young and vulnerable.

“But I’m right,” the Grand Master of the Templars insisted, “He needs to quell the internal strife and fight against external enemies. No matter how much God favors him, he can’t send angels down from heaven to help him fight all his enemies—are we the kind of people who are so greedy as to be shameless?”

Upon hearing this, the Grand Master of the Charity Knights coughed uncomfortably twice, earning an annoyed glare from the Grand Master of the Templar Knights—"Don't hold us back now," his eyes seemed to say.

“We only need a small portion of the territory, and perhaps a few charters. We are his allies, but I swear the Templars will obey his orders and act according to his wishes…”

The Grand Master of the Knights Templar coughed a few more times. Even back on Arrasa Road, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar and their king had argued more than once or twice. And here they were, confidently declaring they would obey the orders of a young knight? To hell with it. Even the devil wouldn't believe it if you told him.

Despite being interrupted twice, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar refused to give up. He even mentioned that the Knights Templar had many secular members in Frankish territories, including officials and merchants, who could also serve Cesar. In short, with just a nod from Cesar, they could build him an entire administrative system from scratch.

These things couldn't wait until after the wedding to be prepared. He earnestly explained that once married, Cesar would be the master of Cyprus and would have to deal with all sorts of affairs. If he was at a loss and overwhelmed at that time, he would surely incur the contempt of the Cypriots.

If that's the case, it's hard to say what kind of tricks they might pull behind the lord's back.

The worst-case scenario was that they believed Manuel I of the Byzantine Empire had abandoned Cyprus, and their new lord was merely a Christian knight whose power was far from sufficient to rule the entire island. They were likely to completely side with the Saracens, luring them to Cyprus and turning it into a thorn in their side in the Mediterranean.

While his words may have been driven by personal motives, they did contain some truth to them.

Baldwin and Heraclitus exchanged a glance; they were now certain that, as the Grand Master of the Templars had said, it was absolutely impossible. Thus, Cyprus was nothing more than a title for Cesar.

If Cesar truly lacks officials, merchants, and knights, both Heraclitus and Baldwin could provide some support, and then there's...

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"She is the Damara of the Gerald family."

Hibil pointed to the young girl who still had a somewhat childish air about her and said, "You may not know, but Cesar was once her knight. Do you know what 'knightly love' means?"

This question was so malicious that even Damara, who was not usually so sensitive, couldn't help but frown.

Baldwin was initially hesitant to allow Hibil and her husband Abigail to return to Holyrood Castle so soon, but since Princess Anna of the Byzantine Empire was about to marry Cesare, the most important female members of the family should have been present to greet her upon her arrival at Holyrood Castle, as a sign of respect for the princess and the importance placed on the marriage. After all, her status and her dowry were significant factors. And Hibil, after being allowed to return to Holyrood Castle, behaved herself well for quite some time.

But how should I put it? I can only say that one's nature is hard to change.

At this moment, the noble ladies were gathered in the "needling room," which was where the noble ladies and their maids did needlework. It was naturally spacious and well-lit, and was often used as a reception room.

Queen Mother Maria arranged for Princess Anna and the other noble ladies to meet for the first time in this place, hoping to make her more relaxed—the Grand Palace in Constantinople also had a "needle room."

Hibyl's provocation was somewhat expected. Maria came from the court of the Byzantine Empire and knew that the decadence and chaos within the court far surpassed that of the Crusader knights' castles.

"Knightly love" is indeed easily misunderstood by others. Although this kind of "love" must be free from any carnal desire, if the knight and the mistress really have something beyond a spiritual ambiguity, they will be despised, as they are considered to have defiled this sacred emotion.

But which young woman waiting to be married doesn't have expectations for her husband and marriage?

When she hears that her husband once had a passionate love and absolute obedience to a beautiful young woman, she will inevitably feel depressed and find it difficult to get over it.

The room was quiet, everyone waiting for Anna's answer, and a cruel smile played on Sibil's lips.

“I know,” Anna said, then she turned to Damara, who was sitting opposite her, and extended her hand to her. Damara immediately stood up, sat down beside her, and took her hand. “Hello, Damara,” the princess said with utmost gentleness. “How beautiful you are. I can see your purity and piety in your eyes. You must be a good person to have earned Cesare’s loyalty.”

“Now this loyalty belongs to you,” Damara said without hesitation. “I have long since broken the oath he made with me. The love he gave me was that of a knight to his master, not a man to a woman. He loved me not because of me, but because he had received a favor from my uncle, Dean John. He was such a righteous man that he could not repay my uncle, so he kept this favor in his heart and used me to repay my family.”

“I will repay you in return. Because you helped my husband.” As Anna finished speaking, a faint blush rose on her cheeks. This was the first time she had so frankly admitted her feelings. This flutter of emotion initially came from that handsome face, which resembled Endymion's, but it ultimately settled and solidified during that short yet long journey.

The men she had met before, even those with handsome faces, were as vicious as snakes and scorpions. They not only did not love her, but they also did not regard her as a complete person.

Although she knew that most men at this time were like that, she had hoped that her husband would respect and cherish her, and now she finally had that.

It's certain that she wasn't worried or apprehensive about it.

But not at that moment, nor with Damara—when she was led into the depths of the castle by the maids, the first thing she saw was a beautiful young girl running towards Cesar, crying and laughing, and hugging him tightly in her arms; her heart did indeed skip a beat for a moment.

She was only relieved to learn that the girl was César's sister, the daughter of Count Josephine III of Edessa.

As for Damara, having witnessed countless intrigues and power struggles among women in the court, how could she not see through Hibil's not-so-well-hidden malice? She could even taste other flavors in this malice, like a bitterness that was hard to conceal.

She didn't doubt Damara's words; whether there could be an affair between a man and a woman—though she hadn't experienced it herself, she had seen too much to doubt it at a glance. Damara might have some vague feelings for Cesare, but Cesare…

She didn't know what to say.

The only certainty is that César was an absolute novice when it came to love.

(End of this chapter)