The first days of March of 1199 were in progress. The novel with Maria received a small extension in the form of her pregnancy. Therefore, it was necessary to do something in order to avoid scandal. After thinking over the situation with the lady, they decided to provoke her husband, so that he had to return to his direct duties. So the next two weeks Eric at general meetings played a trick on Baldwin in such a way that there was nothing to answer. At the same time, the young baron was only retelling rumors that the servants were dismissing that this or that servant had suffered from the count. But he did not just retell, but reworked literally, adding tales of reluctance to have normal children, because of greed, since if he has new daughters, the amount of the necessary dowry will greatly increase. Well, all in that vein. These rude jokes with the implication of Thibaut were perceived as helping his own daughter, who, using her good attitude to the young baron, asked him to help. At least, that was the legend that was poured out to Maria's father. He also took a lively part in the fate of his daughter, and therefore supported the jokes of Eric and was amply rejoiced. In general, after two weeks of methodical dumb and jokes, Baldwin could not stand and visited his wife's bedroom in the evening. And anyway, I began to do it from time to time, because he liked a well-groomed, pleasantly smelling woman, even if not in his taste. And the affairs of our hero in Venice were finally settled. The information was confirmed, and in the house of the Banks, it turned out to be the same. The latter he learned again through his mistress, through whose hands passed a curious letter, in which the duke was interested in Tibo success in preparing the campaign and, as if by accident, asked about what forces on the campaign is ready to put the suzerain Eric. In general - a kindergarten, pants on the straps. So, having said goodbye to Maria, he arranged with Pierre and, on March 22, on his birthday, departed Venice to the island of Corfu. Where I wanted to stay for a while.
Chapter 4
Sail on the Adriatic Sea was on a very poor pelvis, which was an early form of the nave. The ship was absolutely clumsy and very wobbly on the wave, evoking memories of the once-received unforgettable sensations during a walk in tow on the high seas. Fortunately, our hero did not have seasickness, and he just quietly left in the sediment from his vehicle. Long it was 25 meters, width of 7 meters, the draft was unclear to him, but it was as if a large, surface board towered a meter and a half to two meters high. The speed was such that Eric wanted to jump into the water and push this awkward trough. Fortunately, apart from the crew of the people there was not much, and therefore it was possible to lie down all those almost six days that they sailed to the island of Corfu. When the port of Kerkyra appeared on the horizon, our baron simply had an itch at his feet, so he rushed to rush along the deck, worried that they were sailing so slowly. His problem was solved by Morrigan, having planted on a barrel and having started to massage a neck and shoulders. The massage was very beneficial, and he calmed down.
On the shore, they did not expect anything special - an ordinary medieval town, moreover poor. The only serious visual difference from Vienna and Venice was in the style of architecture. Unfortunately, the ship did not go any further and after the unloading was returning, so it was necessary to wait another couple of weeks for another loch, which should come from Athens. We went around a couple of inns - full of horror. I had to rent a small house to fit comfortably. So it was led, but the requirements to the level of housing he had very solid - everything should be modest, but clean, sound and accurate. For that period, it was available only at the expense of their own efforts. Therefore, the first two days were spent on cleaning up a muddy house and establishing a normal comfort zone there. The ruins of ancient buildings were covered with earth and garbage, there were no sights in the city, except for the churches. But they already tired of him, after a long life in Vienna and Venice. In general, soon the fighting, and solid, so that he spent the remaining time preparing the guys. Of course, he did not have much of them, but this is already a combat detachment, which for efficiency of efficiency should work together. In addition to the girls in his squad were Ostroneg, Valentino, Vincento, Rudolph with his son George and Antonio. The simplest drill training, combat training in a circular defense, well-coordinated shooting from crossbows and so on. Of course, pulling up for such a time does not work, but it was necessary to begin. The work quickly flew by, but, alas, after two weeks, the ship from Athens did not arrive. By the end of the third week, another one had come from Cyprus and had brought a few sailors that he had picked up in the sea at the site of the shipwreck. Well, and at the same time it turned out that the expected pelvis will not be, as it is on the bottom. Uncertainty is not at all pleasing, and therefore it was decided to contact your favorite bank and find out when they will send the next transport, but already to Athens. Pierre responded fairly quickly - his answer came about two weeks later. News was not encouraging - the ship was scheduled only in the early days of May. To engage in monotonous and tiresome training was not a desire, especially since Rudolph himself could drive the guys. So he decided to take a little distraction and went on a small horse ride with Morrigan to the mountain ridge that was going on in the northern part of the island. Less daylight, but still nice.
In the evening there was a small picnic in the mountains, Eric decided to remember his forever lost world, and therefore prepared a little shish kebab. He still picked it up from last night in Kerkyra and in this form and drove all the way. There was no press, so I had to use the skin, in which everything was laid and tightened to a good fit. For the marinade he used red wine, salt and onions. Pepper, unfortunately, was not, as spices in Europe are worth their weight in gold and only very few kings can afford them. In general, we sat well. They ate, drank a little, and he began to talk about the ancient world, about the great empires and mighty heroes. She fell asleep much earlier than he stopped telling, noticing her sleepy snuff. And he still sat - eating up the remaining meat and sighing about how he misses at his dinner tomatoes with potatoes. In the morning they gathered unhurriedly and decided to move back, as the relaxed state of our baron began to depress. Already before they left, they saw a small, barely noticeable path leading somewhere to the mountains. Well, for the unknown - a path in the mountains? But his curiosity attracted to see where the path leads high in the mountains and away from people. He left the Morrigan to pack things, and, having adjusted his armor, went to explore what was there and what. After a couple of miles of an improvised game in a mountain goat, he stumbled upon a neat entrance to the cave. He opened his sword and went in. Strange place - like, a cave is wild at all, and there are traces of people - there, on the walls, torches that were extinct not so long ago. After a couple of hundred steps along the winding canal, he went into the great hall, where a small temple was built. Something in the spirit of the ancient Greek cults. There were values, but heavy. So he turned and quickly went back. To return him, the girl has almost prepared everything.
" Listen, download now to Corfu, take Rudolph with the guys, pair a clockwork horse for each and drive here. "Antonio leave in the city, he has not woken up from his wounds, let the property guard.