kingdom of nations

Chapter 304 Baldwin's Deception

Bishop Andrei rushed outside to call the priests to treat Patriarch Heraclius, while César quickly turned Heraclius over and laid him on his side to prevent his condition from worsening.

Stroke is also a complication of malignant malaria—the medication was ultimately a little too late. Hopefully, the symptom was not serious. As the priests gathered around and continuously offered their blessings to the Patriarch, César finally made his decision.

"Poppy oil?"

Bishop Andre asked in surprise, while Cesar nodded firmly.

He knew, of course, that if Heraclius regained consciousness, he would do everything in his power to stop him from continuing what he was doing. His teacher liked him and cared for him, but his mindset was not much different from that of the nobles—in short, they did not believe that the lives of commoners were worth sacrificing for a knight or a lord.

Moreover, he had already realized that someone was using this method to hunt down Cesar. Even if coercive measures were used, he would demand that Cesar leave Bethlehem immediately, but it might be too late. Cesar thought that this could not be called a conspiracy, but rather a well-intentioned scheme.

It could be said that from the moment they had to return to Bethlehem because of St. Jerome's apparition, they had already lost. He could not go against the values ​​and moral standards he had established in another world, and he could not stand by and watch the people of a city die because of an unwanted plague when he knew he could provide aid.

This wasn't the first time he'd done something like this, nor would it be the last; they had indeed found his weakness. The problem was that the Patriarch's current condition didn't allow him to expend any more energy or become emotionally agitated. Using drugs that could induce a drowsy state was a last resort.

Cesar was also thankful that Baldwin had not stayed in Bethlehem because he had been away from Arathi Road for too long, and had now returned to the Holy City, otherwise he would have had to face another difficult-to-convince relative and friend.

However, it's likely that the Holy Cross Castle isn't so peaceful right now.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

César was right; the people in Castel Santa Croce had already had several arguments.

Upon hearing of the plague outbreak in Bethlehem, the young king's first thought was to immediately mount his horse and rush to his brothers and friends. But before Pollux could be led out of the stables, Bohemond arrived in haste, and the Archduke of Antioch firmly blocked the king's path, refusing to allow him to step out of Holyrood Castle.

"You are the King of Arazari, the Guardian of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Commander of the Crusaders."

The responsibility you bear is not just yours alone—I thought you understood that long ago.

"I'm going to Bethlehem."

“Bethlehem is under lockdown,” Bohemond said without room for argument. “We have also blocked the roads leading to Bethlehem, so anyone who wants to go in or out will be stopped.”

If they persist in their course, I have already permitted my knights to shoot arrows at them—Your Majesty, this is a plague, no small matter. You must consider not only your friends and brothers, but also the Holy City and the millions of people surrounding it.”

“Indeed,” another voice suddenly interrupted their conversation, and people turned to see Princess Hiberl walking out of the side hall with her head held high. Her marriage to Abigail had not been going well.

Now, Abigail has become a complete waste again, and people are discussing when the marriage will be declared invalid. But for now, it seems that she and Bohemond are still allies. "I saw Cesar walk into Holy Cross Castle with my own eyes, and I know why you value him so much and like him so much. I admit he is a good boy, loyal, brave and strong."

And you, my brother, although you have unfortunately contracted a terrible disease, you are in no way inferior to him in anything you possess, and you should not make sacrifices for him.

The devil that comes with the plague has always been indiscriminate. He invades everyone’s body, without changing his status, age, gender or character. How many monarchs have died from the plague?
Pericles, the architect of Athens' Golden Age, also died of the plague. His death directly impacted the Peloponnesian War, ultimately leading to Athens' defeat and surrender to Sparta, which in turn contributed to the decline of ancient Greece.

In ancient Rome, smallpox and measles were rampant, claiming the lives of two Roman emperors in succession: the first was Verus, and the second was his successor Marcus Aurelius Antony.

In 270 AD, the Roman Emperor Claudius Scotus also died of malaria.

Closer to us is Emperor Justinian. The Black Death took away not only his 20 million subjects, but also his health and ambition. Although he avoided death and rebellion, in the end, he had to watch his empire decline.

Now, are you going to become the fifth monarch to die from the plague? People who see this history will laugh at you, for you could have lived a life of ease, yet you chose to walk towards death.”

“I swore an oath to Cesar,” Baldwin replied calmly, “and he swore an oath to me as well. We swore that no matter what dangers or difficulties we encountered, we would face the enemy together and never betray each other.”

"We have faced the Seljuk Turks and the Saracens together," he said, his grey-blue eyes, inherited from Amalric I, sweeping over the crowd, "and perhaps even the rebels. Now his enemy is the plague, and I should be by his side."

“No, you should stay here. I believe that what Cesar needs right now is not you—at least not you as a person. Although you are deeply favored by God and blessed by Saint George, how can a knight compare to a king? What he needs now is not your lance, but your power.”

"Mother."

The Countess of Jaffa stepped out from behind Hibil. “I know you share a deep bond with him, a blood connection that can never be severed. But you must consider not only your own situation but also his. If you were here, you could provide a continuous supply of support to Bethlehem.” She glanced at Bohemond and the messenger standing beside him, and asked, “What is the situation in Bethlehem now? Besides Patriarch Heraclius, what is the situation with Bishop Andrei and the Knights of Bethlehem?”
Have they contracted any diseases, or are they overwhelmed by fatigue and exhaustion?

The messenger hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No, they were all fine when I left, and the Patriarch's condition was under control. The priests were treating him day and night."

However, given his age, his recovery will inevitably be slower than others.

Bishop Andrew and the Knight of Bethlehem are both well, and there has been no riot or disturbance in the city. He hesitated for a moment, but continued, "The people have great faith in the young saint; no one would refuse to obey his commands. He is gathering the sick and trying to treat them..."

"Are there that many priests in Bethlehem?"

One of them muttered to himself, while a pleased and smug smile appeared on Bohemond's face.

"You may be right, Mother, I am the King of Alassa, and it is precisely because I am the King that you think I can only issue my decrees and implement my policies within the Castle of the Holy Cross? Do I become just an ordinary knight once I leave the Castle of the Holy Cross, having to grovel before others to ask them to aid Bethlehem?"

Baldwin's words immediately put the Countess of Jaffa in a bind. She turned to the Queen Mother of Arrassal, wife of Amalric I, for help, with whom the Countess had a very awkward relationship. To avoid conflict or being plotted against, the two noblewomen rarely appeared in the same place.

But Queen Mary had no choice but to come; now was not the time for her to stand idly by. If they failed to dissuade the king, he would indeed go directly to Bethlehem and fight the terrible plague with Cesar there.

Plagues are not like wars. Although they are also classified as natural disasters, wars are controllable—people, horses, supplies, equipment, or fortifications can all directly affect the outcome of a war.

The plague, however, is different. Human power is negligible in the face of a plague, a fact proven by countless lives. But compared to others, Queen Mary, upon learning the news, guessed that Baldwin would disregard all advice and set off for Bethlehem. Therefore, she was prepared, and her messengers arrived in Bethlehem before anyone else.

"This is a letter from César to you."

Even Baldwin was momentarily taken aback. "When did Cesar write to me?"

When the outbreak of the epidemic in Bethlehem was first discovered, Queen Mary thought to herself that her messenger was not so fast, but as if by telepathy, he was fortunate enough to meet the Bethlehem messenger, who was also riding a horse, on his way. He was carrying a letter from the knights of Bethlehem to King Allazarus.

"Open it and take a look," the Empress Dowager urged.

Baldwin was reluctant to read Cesar's letter to him in front of others; he had a pretty good idea of ​​what Cesar would say, but he opened it anyway.

“My brother, I am writing to you from Bethlehem. By the time you receive this letter, you will surely know that a severe outbreak of malaria is occurring in Bethlehem.”

I say this because this plague far surpasses any previous epidemic.

Because malaria outbreaks were frequent in the military, many people underestimated it, thinking it wasn't as terrible as smallpox or the Black Death. But just as much, it could cause pain and death, with symptoms like high fever, convulsions, vomiting, and diarrhea... In more severe cases, it could cause changes in your organs—unpleasant changes, of course—causing them to rot inside your body and resulting in the discharge of dark blood.

You will feel very cold while having a fever, accompanied by severe pain.

Baldwin, I've described this in such detail because I want you to know how serious this matter is. I know you're eager to come to me, and I know you're willing to share this heavy responsibility with me.

But I hope you will not come. As a knight, a subject, and your cousin, I have never considered myself a coward. I can take responsibility for my knights on the battlefield, and I am willing to take responsibility for my people in my city.

But you alone, my King, are like a mountain to me. I wish I could rely on you, depend on you, but I cannot accept that I would bring danger to you. Please forgive my cowardice at this moment. The thought of you coming here and suffering the torment I have witnessed fills me with dread and unease.

Similarly, I believe that a sage will surely favor you and me. He will not let you lose one of your dearest friends, nor will he let me fail to live up to your love and expectations.

I believe we will meet again someday.

Your subjects and brothers.

After Baldwin finished reading the entire letter, everyone present looked at Queen Mary with admiration. They couldn't help but admire her foresight, or rather, her understanding of the two children.

Even if the devil crawled out of hell, or to put it more profanely, if an angel descended from heaven and landed before Baldwin, it would be difficult to stop him from going to Bethlehem, unless they could bring Cesar from Bethlehem back to Holy Cross Castle.

Cesar's letter was also cleverly written. If he had tried to persuade Baldwin by appealing to his own interests and safety, like others, Baldwin would likely have ignored him. But Cesar used a different approach. Baldwin had to consider the extent of Cesar's guilt should he actually die from the plague.

No, it should be said that even if no one held Cesar accountable, he would die from the torment of this guilt.

This was the only way to stop Baldwin, and Baldwin didn't even dare to risk trying it.

“We can send some necessary supplies to Bethlehem—food, fuel, cloth, grease, or some herbs—of course, this must be done under the supervision of the church.”

Berlion seized the opportunity to speak.

"As the Duke of Antioch said, their knights have blocked the roads around Bethlehem, so the plague should not spread to more places, but there will certainly be some shortages of supplies in the city."

"Have people already begun to flee?" Queen Mary asked.

“These things are always unavoidable,” Bohemond said.

It is perfectly reasonable for them to ensure the safety of the holy city and the surrounding cities; in fact, it should have been the king's decree in the first place.

By this time, people had already grasped the concept of isolation, which is why pilgrims and merchants had to hold passes. Besides the possibility that they might be enemy spies, it was also to see if they had passed through areas ravaged by plague. Once a plague broke out in a certain place, the surrounding cities would immediately prohibit outsiders from entering, even if they had not passed through the plague area. Such lockdown measures could last for a whole year or even longer, until it was ensured that no new outbreaks occurred in the city.

“All the churches and monasteries in the city of Arrassa will pray for Bethlehem,” said the bishop of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. “We will also hold Masses, one sacrament after another, in the hope of appeasing God’s anger and causing him to withdraw his punishment.”

“Punishment? Is there any place in Bethlehem that can be called sinful? St. Jerome just performed a miracle at their St. Jerome Monastery!”

The king's rebuke immediately made the impetuous bishop lower his head. It was indeed his fault, but it was unclear whether it was unintentional or deliberate.

The priest beside the bishop quickly stepped forward, “Perhaps the devil is at work. Maybe they are doing this to prevent our Lord from gaining more and more devout followers. They use disease and death to frighten believers, shake their minds, and bewitch their intellects—as the saying goes, the shadows are deepest under the sun.”

Baldwin had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He was surrounded by familiar faces—from Queen Mother Maria to his mother, Countess Jaffa, to his sister, Princess Hibil, and Grand Duke Bohemond of Antioch, as well as several neighboring lords. They had practically watched him grow up—they were his father’s subjects, and now they were his subjects. They had come to dissuade him in the name of their duty and morality.

After all, they were neither Baldwin nor Cesar, and could not comprehend the profound emotions between them.

He just couldn't shake the feeling that Bohemond's smile was strange, like a hunter watching his prey walk into a trap. He suppressed his last unease.

Should he insist? But César's plea still echoed in his ears, "You are the king." Queen Mary urged again, "César must be very busy now. Your teacher Heraclius, the Patriarch, is too ill to get out of bed, and the people of Bethlehem are suffering endlessly and cannot find relief."

If you go, he will have to greet you and serve you. Even if you refuse, he can't possibly treat you like an ordinary knight. Do you expect him to spare any effort to receive you at that time?

That's true. If Cesar hadn't done that, it wouldn't have been Baldwin who was questioned, but Cesar himself.

“Come,” Queen Mother Mary extended her hand to the King, “let us think carefully about how we should aid Bethlehem.”

(End of this chapter)