Eagle Byzantium

In fact, before Alexios crossed the canyon of Brasilon, Taticius quickly used the imperial capital's edict to "solve" the "little bird" and his army still camped in Nicaea.

When Tatisius appeared in front of the little bird, the palace steward did not show much surprise. He just shed tears and mourned for the emperor who had been loyal to him all his life. "The sun in the day has fallen, and the morning star in the night has fallen." It is sunk, and the old man will face the eternal darkness." Then the general manager accepted the verdict of the imperial capital and the punishment of blindness. Most of the officers and soldiers in his camp came from the Thracian region and showed no resistance to the prince's order.

So when the scout officer came to report, Taticius walked out of the monastery, threw the seriously injured bird to the accompanying medical officer, and rode his horse to the forest on the east side of the camp.

It was a purple-black oak forest. Wasn't it "black" in the eyes of the weak emperor?

This group of trees, as strong and entangled as kings, continued to sway their heavy branches and leaves in the wind, whining like a cry. On the grass covered by the mottled tree shadows below, Alexios was lying there. He originally rode The pony he was sitting on had slipped more than ten feet away. After hearing the officer's description, Taticius did not dare to step forward too much. He and several of his confidants leaned against a big tree to take a peek, secretly staring at the emperor over there...

In the eyes of the emperor, the sky surrounded by oak tree crowns was spinning, rolling, and slowly turning black. He was in great pain, with a beard-filled mouth, and trembling hands holding his waist, where he was He hit two crossbow arrows that were engulfed in his skin and bones, and blood continued to flow out from the grooves of the arrow fins.

A group of secret sentry soldiers hidden in the woods, after receiving the signal from the scout officer in front, fired a row of crossbow arrows at the emperor: Even though Alexios deliberately concealed his identity, he was still recognized. In fact, he was a scout. It had been like this from the moment the team met him, so the officer deliberately said, "Our general Taticius has been arrested, and now his boss is the palace steward." This was a cliché that Taticius had already instructed. .

So the emperor was shot with two crossbow arrows, both in the waist. He struggled briefly and then fell off the horse.

Then the soldiers hiding there put away their "Latin crossbows" and fled one after another, quickly disappearing into the deep oak forest.

Titicius now covered his face with his cloak, still leaning on the tree trunk with his head tilted, and looked carefully at the emperor who was silently enduring the pain of losing his life on the ground. Sadness and guilt surged in his heart, and tears fell.

Alexios did not shout anything or groan. He already understood everything in his heart, "I finally used my own life to understand the revelation of the dream, the black woods and the eyes of the beast. I also know why the dream I can kill that beast..."

In addition, he also had to preserve his final dignity as an emperor.

Three days later, the death bells rang loudly in the churches of the entire imperial capital, from the Golden Horn to the Bukeleon harbor outside the Palace of Lions and Oxen. “His Majesty the Emperor returned from the battlefield, but he was met by unknown people near the Nicaea military camp. The gangsters attacked him, and he was hit by a poisonous arrow. He could hardly speak. He was moved to a monastery on the shore of Lake Nicaea, and he was afraid that he would die soon." All the citizens, nobles and foreigners in the imperial capital were discussing this. Terrible and sad news.

Soon fifty heavily armed warriors surrounded the Saviour's Monastery where the emperor's mother Darasena lived to "protect the safety of the empress dowager".

Another fifty people came to Brachna Palace and arrived at Irene's palace.

"I want to see my husband for the last time." Irene asked calmly to the soldiers and court officials in front of her. "Tell my son that I want to see my husband for the last time. In addition, let the local monks perform the last death ceremony for the former emperor of the empire." relief."

When Irene crossed the strait in a boat, John had already arrived at the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom to accept the coronation ceremony, and announced that he would find a wife who could help the empire as soon as possible, that is, the future wife. Imperial Queen.

In a secluded and dilapidated monastery on the outskirts of Nicaea, Irene walked in and saw her husband, who was very angry. He was lying on a couch covered with rush mats, with his feet stretched out there. The soles of his feet were dirty and waxy. , the monks were lowering their heads and constantly praying for the dying Alexios.

The emperor seemed to be holding on. He saw the queen sitting next to the couch, trying to squeeze out a smile from her black and swollen face, and then shook the only movable finger, reaching out to try to reach Irene's cheek.

Seeing this, the monks retreated one after another.

But Irene's cheeks were cold. She seemed to be rejecting her husband in her heart, but she was sad at the same time, "This man finally wants to beg for my forgiveness. I once thought that if such a day really comes, it will be him." The day he died."

"I only confess to you. I confess to you that I fell in love with Marlena because of men's dirty desires. This desire is not only wrong, but also sinful." Alexios breathed heavily, " I want to die after saying this to you."

Somehow, Irene's warm tears flowed down involuntarily, moistening Alexios's fingers little by little.

"After I die... be careful with everything in the palace. There is one thing that can't be let go... If possible, tell Anna that if her second child is a boy, he must be named Heli. "Stopher, because that's the name I gave her, if not, I would leave it to her for the third child, until it's a boy." The emperor, who was moved by Eileen's tears, seemed to regain his consciousness, and his spirit was somewhat lifted, "This." The name represents my heritage, I don't have any gold or clothes It was left to Hristov, because Alexios was so miserable before he died." Then, the emperor turned his head with difficulty, hooked his fingers on Irene's clasped palms, and suddenly became strong, "But my inheritance is. The entire Roman Empire...I want to reconcile with Gawain. Only his and Anna's son can inherit this empire...But I want to reconcile with Gawain, a barbarian, not to admit defeat to him. He shouldn't be too proud. , and what I have to say to John..."

"He is not our child." Irene held the emperor's hand and lowered her forehead in great pain.

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Hearing this, Alexios smiled, turned his face back, and looked up at the simple dome. There was a rough portrait of Jesus overlooking the bed in the center. The eyes of the Savior were gazing at him compassionately, " There is no need to say more about right and wrong, Erin, as long as you forgive me, even if it is just a pretense before I die, I can put down all the burdens and rest forever, forever... Life is not about longing for Iraq. But win death."

On the green fields of Thrace, young Alexios galloped happily, chasing his prey. When he saw a pear tree full of white flowers standing there alone, he jumped off his horse and wiped it. Holding the water bag while holding the sweat on his forehead, he raised his head and admired its dignity and beauty.

At this time, a young girl with braids hanging loosely on her shoulders, rubbing her muddy calves with some embarrassment, turned around from the tree trunk, put her hands behind her back coyly, and raised her big eyes Look at him...