Chapter 177: Request For Aid
But this would obviously damage the relationship between Byzantium and the Principality of Antioch. Bohemond III certainly hoped for a king grandson, and this child could also be said to be Komnenos blood. Compared to her little Isabella, who would take more than a dozen years to show results to Manuel I, the other side obviously had greater investment value.
In the letters brought by Manuel I’s envoy, the Byzantine Emperor gave Queen Mother Maria a quite veiled but direct warning. Speaking of which, in terms of blood relation, Bohemond III’s only heir Abigail’s relationship with Manuel was even closer—after all, that was his “niece.”
But so what? The one who became the wife of the King of Ayyarasa Road was still Maria. She entertained the envoy lavishly, acting quite humble and fearful. For the Emperor’s questioning, she denied everything outright, striving to defend herself, with reasons similar to what the people of Ayyarasa Road thought.
In this era, child mortality was far too common. Isabella was now only two or three years old. Even if she were twelve or thirteen now, Queen Mother Maria would have no need to do so—who knew what would become of a child in the future? Perhaps a cold or a high fever could take his life. Only those knights who had fully grown could truly participate in politics or military combat.
She didn’t know if the envoy believed her words, or if Manuel I had already made a decision. More likely, he had just come to warn this true daughter, nominal grandniece, to stay put—at least while he and the Duke of Antioch Bohemond III were campaigning together against the Turks of the Sultanate of Rum, not to cause trouble.
He could rest assured.
Maria thought that at least in these few years, she wouldn’t do anything more. This time had already exhausted most of her connections and money; doing anything else would surely be discovered. She smiled, gently watching Baldwin sitting beside her, and her daughter in his arms.
This young monarch had a rare purity and determination. These two precious qualities fused in him into a stubbornness only a young man would have. His world might have no gray—everything was black or white to him.
Sibylla failed because of this. She also had to guard against someone exploiting this in the future to sow discord between her, Isabella, and Baldwin’s relationship.
She unconsciously turned her gaze to Caesar waiting nearby. In the Byzantine court, the one wielding the greatest power might not be officials, but eunuchs—the person closest to the King here.
He had become even more handsome. Though his face still bore some pallor and thinness from exhaustion, it only made one feel more pity for him.
Such a young man—even a Byzantine princess would be eager to marry him.
Queen Mother Maria pondered: his mother was still greatly favored by Manuel I, and she had several children with her true husband, including several beautiful sisters. Unfortunately, her relationship with them was not good, so she couldn’t count on them coming to Ayyarasa Road to assist her instead of causing trouble.
What about others? She meant her aunts and their children, but she couldn’t pick a suitable candidate from them. After all, they had been enemies before, not to mention that Caesar’s future wife would surely need Baldwin’s approval. And Baldwin was, after all, the King of Ayyarasa Road—he would surely prefer Caesar to marry the daughter or sister of a Crusader knight, ideally with some territory, a castle, and a large sum of money.
This marriage would have been somewhat difficult before Caesar’s true background was revealed, but now it should not be a problem.
But she could always do something.
Baldwin took out the gift he brought for the little princess. Though this doll was made of bronze, since it was offered to Baldwin, it was naturally gilded, silvered, and inlaid with gemstones—colorful and gleaming.
The little princess fell in love with it at first sight and hugged it to her chest. Baldwin instructed the handmaids: when the princess played with this toy, they must be careful she didn’t draw the sword from the knight’s hand—that sword was real fine steel, honed to extreme sharpness.
Also the spikes on the helmet, the spurs on the boots, and the sharp corners of the cloak needed care.
The handmaids, upon hearing this, of course took utmost care. Though they surely grumbled inwardly—since they knew this toy could harm the little princess, why did Baldwin bring it as a gift?—at least on the surface, they all showed joyful expressions, praising how exquisite and delicate the gift was, how lovable, and promised to let the little princess play with it carefully.
“In the future, I will tell Isabella: the first knight in her life was given to her by her brother.” She laughed. The gift’s value was secondary; crucially, it had been the King’s beloved possession and could fully serve as an amulet in the future: “But since she has a gift, you should have one too.”
The handmaids soon brought a box. “This is for you. And Caesar’s.” Queen Mother Maria, of course, wasn’t foolish enough to prepare only one gift. Opening the box revealed a cuirass plate wrapped in velvet.
Speaking of cuirass plates, many mistakenly think they come from some protective gear from the East.
In fact, they first appeared on Ancient Greek soldiers. Because the Ancient Greek regions were always very hot, wearing armor—whether leather armor or cotton armor—made soldiers sweat profusely and feel unbearably hot. So soldiers used leather straps to secure a perforated copper disc over their bodies. After the Ancient Romans defeated the Ancient Greeks, they naturally adopted what they found useful, and this chest copper disc became the most prominent protective gear on Roman soldiers.
Though people now mostly wear chainmail, chainmail has undergone several transformations—from the original long-vest style to the current version reaching the knees, which can be fitted with chainmail long socks, hoods, and iron gloves. And in recent times, some have begun considering enhanced local defense for key positions, mainly the chest, back, shoulders, elbows, and knees.
The plates for these positions require extremely high quality—they must be light, thin, and yet tough.
The two cuirass plates Queen Mother Maria brought fully met all these requirements and were crafted exceptionally beautifully. Both plates were hammered with lion heads—the difference being Baldwin’s lion faced front, its eyes sharply watching approaching enemies, while Caesar’s was in profile, following current custom. When Caesar stood at Baldwin’s right side, that lion was also watching the one on Baldwin’s chest.
This gift indeed won Baldwin’s favor. He picked it up, tried it on himself, then took another piece and placed it on Caesar’s chest to see if it covered the vital spots.
While turning to thank Queen Mother Maria, he asked: “Do you know we’re forging new chainmail? I’ll have the craftsman come see if they can inlay these on my new armor.”
“You’ve both grown quite a bit lately,” Queen Mother Maria said. She had initially worried these two children would grow into little giants, which might be too intimidating.
Fortunately, though their current height was already astonishing, the growth rate had slowed, shifting toward sturdy rather than lanky builds.
But the chainmail they had worn before, though only a year or so apart, could no longer fit.
Though it could be altered, the reassembled iron rings would surely not be as secure as the originals. Neither Baldwin nor Caesar was short on funds, so of course the best was to forge a new set of chainmail.
However, Baldwin’s action also indicated that after assuming personal rule, he was likely to launch a campaign—though whether far or near, large or small, was unknown. The Crusader knights were naturally thrilled at this—they most needed a king who could lead them to further conquests, not a bedridden invalid or an infant needing to be carried.
But for some others, this might not be good news.
Queen Mother Maria didn’t voice this. Her actions had already shown support for Baldwin anyway. Even as Queen Mother, she probably hadn’t expected her gift to come into use so quickly.
Just a few days later, Bohemond sent word back. At first, people thought it was about Sibylla’s unfortunate stillborn fetus, but it turned out to be a plea for aid through and through.
The allied army of the Byzantine Empire and the Principality of Antioch had suffered a major defeat.
