Текст книги "Eric (СИ)"

Автор книги: Марина Шпак

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– So you that, when you told this Greek girl stories about Ares, did not joke?

" And what about the gods? "People create and destroy this world. Can not you really admit that I'm just an ordinary person, just having certain talents?

" It's easier for me to accept that you have not been you for a long time. "Eric, because the changes that touched you that night can not be explained by a blow to the stone. In that crypt, an unintentional boy ran in, and an adult and extremely dangerous man came out. "I'm afraid. " I've been through so much, but I'm scared like a child. For the first time I feel that I have encountered something mysterious, terribly dangerous and completely incomprehensible. Eric, who are you?

– Dear Rudolph, I understand that such a conversation has long been ripe, but it will be long, and therefore it is necessary to finish the case, which does not tolerate urgent. The city is full of corpses, if we want to take a prize from it, we need to act as quickly as possible – many bodies are already over four days old. They have already begun to decompose. I promise, after we talk.

Ok.

This event involved all the forces that could be found. All took off their armor and excess clothing. More than twenty thousand people were to be buried in less than a day. All the liberated slaves were organized into brigades and set off to dig the foundation pits with shock rates. The shovel was not enough for everyone, so many worked with improvised means – who planks, who are helmets. The servants and warriors of the baron entered the city and began hastily to load bodies onto carts and take them closer to digging pits. Of course – previously the bodies were undressed, since Eric needed a lot of old rags to set up a small handicraft paper production, and not write it out for huge money from China. In addition to people on the streets and in the houses of the city, there was a mass of dead creatures, from chickens to horses and cows. One and a half thousand people worked hard not only until the sunset, but also at night. Towards morning the city was liberated from rotting flesh, and the common graves were filled. It remains to make the last jerk and you can relax. All fell asleep together. But it was not the worst thing – the Baron did not let them all fall down and fall asleep right over the loose ground – he drove them all into the river and forced them to strip naked. Women and men from former slaves were unaccustomed to this, but so tired that they did not resist. Those people who had already washed themselves, approached the carts, took a clean piece of cloth and, using it as a sheet, went to sleep in the camp that a week ago they beat Eric's soldiers. It was already cool, but everyone did not care, as it was terribly like to sleep. Going around the camp, the baron smiled, looking at the way these people slept in the field, almost without clothes, and still huddled, like little kittens, to each other to keep warm. It was impossible to remain without protection, but he did not wake up those exhausted people and personally circumvented the perimeter and supported the fire in the bonfires. At nightfall, people slowly began to wake up. To disperse the chilled body, he forced them to jump and run a little. When a man had already accumulated a hundred, he sent them to wash the laundry, which they threw directly on the beach during bathing. The morning of October 14 was quite warm, although it was different. Around the fortified field camp, a whole crowd of naked people of both sexes slowly ran around. Well warmed up, they put on the already dried over the bonfires and began to breakfast.

" You see, Rudolph, there were too many of them involved in this business. When in places where there are so many rotting corpses, crowds gather, then wait for misfortunes. We were lucky that we were alive – they could have provoked some kind of sea. Rotting flesh is very dangerous for all living things. By the way, you need to send people to analyze the dam on the river. Troupes of cows need to be lowered into the sea, and preferably away.

Ok.

In the morning it was reported to the ships of the squadron about the successful end of the assault, and therefore a significant part of them was returned to their trade communications. In the port of Sugdey there were only five large naves that were supposed to provide transportation as part of the continuation of the military campaign of Eric. Demeter also departed with her fleet. She had new instructions – it was necessary to deploy a campaign to seize old antique statues and begin to transfer them to the domain of her master in the Crimea. In parallel, the process of methodical liberation of the taken city from everything valuable began. All the rags that were found in the city, were taken to the river, where they washed and dried. After drying, bales were formed from it, preparing for further transportation. The ships that remained from the Genoese merchants were in a very poor state. Almost all were deprived of a mast and rigging, and some lay at the bottom, pulled out by the crowd on that terrible night. A significant part of the goods on the ships was fur and amber. They could and had to be resold in Europe, because for the life purposes of Eric's possessions, neither of these was absolutely necessary. The city collected everything that represented at least some value – even clay pots and construction timber. To these tasks, he singled out all the servants and a significant part of the freed slaves, as well as military escort in the form of a second company. The case turned out to be quite inexpensive, and it was impossible to pull. Therefore, with the first company, he marched forward to Korchev. Rumors fled ahead of Eric, and therefore, when his people were in direct line of sight from the ancient city, they not only did not begin to obstruct, but also came out to meet. The news of the death of the Genoese Sugdei was the last straw, after which the limit of their cordiality towards the baron became inexhaustible. First of all, the new ruler of the eastern Crimea began to prepare warehouses for taking trophies from the ravaged city – like covered barracks for rags, grains and other, and aligned areas for the stone. He decided to disassemble the city wall and take it to Korchev to get a quick mass of building material. Disassemble is much easier than breaking in the quarries. In parallel, in one of the vacant estates of the city, his temporary residence began to be prepared, that is, everything should be washed and cleaned up. The empty estates were pretty decent, as the old town was in decline for 150 years. The inhabitants were very few – from around the city to the general meeting, which Eric organized, no more than seven thousand people gathered. Including women and children. At the general meeting, he said that the city returns to its ancient name – Bosporus, and made the capital of his vicegerency. While there was work to transport the property of the Genoese from the defeated city, and also created an elementary working atmosphere in the Bosporus, Eric began to draw together local feudal lords and village elders. Unfortunately, local feudal lords, unlike the mountainous part of the Crimea, were not. By the end of November 1202, there were twenty-four villages and three Tymariots. At the same time there are a lot of interesting events. First, the head of the Templar order, Monsieur de Plesier, arrives. Secondly, a delegation from the Kiev Prince Rurik II arrived. Thirdly, they finally finished eviscerating the ruins of Sugdeyi, there is now practically nothing left – even a stone suitable for construction.

Philip brought simply excellent news. Emperor Alexei, when he learned about his successes in the eastern Crimea, decided to make him a prince's dignity, and declare the lands that he had beaten to the glory of Byzantium for the principality of Bosporus. To this end, Eric was invited to Constantinople to conduct a rite of production for the princes in the cathedral of Hagia Sophia, in the face of the people and God, who certainly helped him in his affairs. Of course, such an idea did not arise in the Emperor's head. The great master and prince of Antioch, mindful of the baron's contribution to their prosperity, made every effort to ensure that the right thoughts were not only at the right time in the right place, but also at the right person. The emperor as a whole was and is not against such a step. But his surroundings resisted with all his might. Entering not only an outsider, but also a heterodox in the upper light of the empire was completely unacceptable for them. But de Plesier showed himself as a very flexible politician and was able to convince the emperor of the correctness of such an act. His move was very simple – or Alexei gives him this title, or Eric himself takes it, proclaiming his land as a county or principality. In the first case, the emperor retains the vassalage of an active baron, in the second case – no. The last straw was the disinformation launched by Philip, that the Tsar of Bulgaria is going to offer the title and allegiance to the famous German. Ambitions and common sense won a victory over prejudices, our hero was too interesting and active figure. Also, Philip brought a detailed report on financial receipts. After the sale of property stolen in Feodosia and Sugdey, the baron's account was estimated at twenty thousand marks in silver. This is the fourth part of all the means that the Order had! And this is even taking into account the fact that a significant part of the property did not go on sale, and crossed to Bosporus. All these funds were a dead weight, since they could be demanded at any time for presentation. It was completely wrong. Therefore, it was necessary to discuss the participation of Eric's means in the financial operations of the bank, that is, speaking in a simple way, de Plesier offered the baron a share and, accordingly, a change in the terms of the contract. Discussion of this issue was decided to continue after the construction of our hero in the dignity of the prince, as it was necessary to develop a general scheme of equity participation, which would prove to be not only mutually beneficial, but also effective, that is, bring in revenues. From the Slavs also the news came the most rosy. Princes Rurik and Vladimir, having collected a squad of seven hundred soldiers, and even up to two thousand armed husbands, attacked the winter camps of the Lukomorye Polovtsians, who, like Erik, warned, were left without protection. There was an ordinary carnage. Only young girls aged 12-14 years were left alive. You ask why? Yes, everything is very simple. In the Middle Ages, women very often died during childbirth, and therefore men often remained widowers in their reproductive years. Such polonnyanki were understood on hurray not only in the Slavic lands. It was a common tradition not only for Europe, but also for Asia. Corpses, of course, turned out a lot, but the extraction was colossal. In total, two Lukomorsky winter huts and one North Crimean were killed. Herds of cows, horses, fur, weapons, fabrics, crafts of masters, coins. And now the princes Rurik and Vladimir not only offered expensive gifts to their friend, but also offered to strengthen friendship. In particular – to exchange embassies and repair trade.

On the evening of the third of December, when Eric was sitting on a bench in a small but cozy garden that was located in the backyard of his temporary residence, Rudolph approached him and sat quietly beside him.

" Good evening, my old battle friend. "Agree, the beautiful weather is a light frost and silence. Only fresh, crisp snow is missing.

"You know why I came. "

"Dear friend, why did you come, you have written on your face," the baron smiled.

"Is this so obvious? "

Of course. Yes, and does not fit with your character the desire to sit in the evening on the bench and look at the night sky and the moon.

Right? But let's go back to that conversation, which began at the carcassed city. The longer I am near you, the more I get stronger in my doubts. You're not Eric. At least, certainly not that fucking little boy, that he could not see anything around except horses and women. Who are you?

– What led you to such conclusions?

"You do not want to answer? "

" We're in no hurry, so I want to talk. "Are you really against this?

– No, not at all. When I met you after that terrible night, I could barely keep my fright. At first, I thought that you were a rebel dead man – a descendant of hell, but your peaceful and calm behavior changed my mind. I decided to talk to you. And what did I find? Instead of a naive teenager, a completely unfamiliar person with a big and quirky mind spoke to me.

" Why did not you tell me about this uncle? "He would immediately use this to execute me, accusing, for example, of witchcraft.

– I was scared.

Why? Just why? ? I would not say that you are a timid man.

"It's one thing with enemies to fight and it's quite another matter to resist what you do not understand and even do not guess what the goals are. I remembered the old curse that I was lying on the family crypt, and therefore I decided that one of the founders of the family had revived in you.

" Dear friend, there are a lot of superstitions in you. Do you think that long-dead people will be able to reborn in foreign bodies?

" It does not matter. "The important thing is that I then believed it. Later, I changed my mind. I decided that I had faced something truly terrible and terrible.

"And what made you think that? "

" Your uncle, or rather, what was left of him, after the ritual that you somehow prepared your mother for an eerie deed. "She was all broken – legs, ribs. She was left only with her left hand so that she could eat. She was completely incapable of representing a threat even for the mouse, and here such an event. The knife is just predictable, but her behavior is still in my head. I thought it was some kind of monstrous coincidence, exactly until I saw those unfortunate people who, having lost their mind, threw themselves at us with only one desire – to kill, kill and die. I've never seen this. It's really scary and I do not want to see this anymore.

"Do you think I kept my mother up for four days? "

– No, I have no idea what you did there and, frankly, I do not even want to know.

And in vainI just talked to her. Why are you so shy?

– With you will. I've never seen people go crazy after a conversation.

– Come on, she was completely in the mind and clear consciousness, well, or almost clear.

"What happened to her? "

" Have you ever heard of warriors who fell into a battle rage? "So, you do not know that I wanted to pull her out and run away at first. But my mother refused and decided to die, as she could not survive in the state she was in by that time. I invited her to leave, as they say, "with songs and dances" and explained how to do it. And when my dearly loved uncle came to her, she was already in a trance of fighting rage and felt neither pain nor fear. Scary a mouse if you corner it.

"Especially when this mouse has a knife and foam from its mouth. "

– Now, you're already joking. You have nostalgia, you are all in your thoughts. And you do not care who I am anymore. Am I right?

" However! "How clever! Yes, you are a master to speak the language!

– Yes, where there. Where to me, wretched, to the master?

– Do not be weak. But since you returned to the conversation, why?

– I do not know how to explain everything to you, since there is no clarity on this issue. But since you went so far in your observations and generalizations, it's foolish to continue to maneuver.

– Why?

" I trust you and do not want my confidant to have faith in me. "After all, your doubts gnaw at you and torment you. Why do I need it? Who will drive my warriors instead of you?

"So you really are not Eric? "

Yes and no. The body is definitely his. But the consciousness you know, I can not explain how I got into his body, I do not even know what kind of place it is. "Eric waved his hand around the district.

– Why?

" Where I lived before that ill-fated morning, it was almost all the same, with the exception of time. "What year is it in our yard? It is true 6710 from the creation of the world. And I was born in 7488. – Rudolph already breathless and with wild eyes stared at Eric. – Yes exactly. After death, or what happened to me, I woke up not only in another body, but also in a completely different time.

– And what was your name in that life?

– Artem, Artem Zhilin.

– And what kind of people?

– It is not yet, it is only formed from the East Slavic tribes.

– The Slav?

– You can think so.

" But how is this possible! "You yourself know very well that these tribes were conquered by the Normans more than two hundred years ago. The same as France. In my head, all this does not fit. You behave like a blood Norman, but you say it's a different kind. Incredible!

" You see, dear Rudolph, the Norman is not blood, it's spirit. When he leaves you, you become a slave. Remember how in ancient times Charles the Great thundered his enemies all over Europe and what happened next. Remember? Oh, yes, you did not know. So I'll tell you – his descendants lost not only the crown and the earth, but also life, since they left that spirit that makes a man fight and stubbornly achieve his goal. They became civilized, thereby signing a death sentence.

– Why do you think so?

– Yes, everything is simple. Did the barbarians have a developed right? No. Therefore, they practically did not limit anything in actions and desires. Note – the more developed, if I may say so, civilization, the more laws appear that bind a man in the hands and feet. And not only official laws. After all, morality, ethics and other heresy are the same laws, only unwritten and affect just like ordinary ones. The more restrictions, the fewer opportunities and more order. All is well, but order is the opposite of initiative. Do you understand the general meaning of the idea?

Yes! It turns out that we ourselves are destroying poisoning, through the development of law and morality.

" And I do not even want to see or hear it. "I am satisfied and now calm. Eric or no, Eric. You're Eric. I do not care who you were there, you became exactly the one who causes awe and respect among people and rulers. I do not care about this terrible and, fortunately, unattainable future. It is important for me that my son lives well as my grandchildren. Here, in this world. And what did you say I hope that we can at least somehow change this terrible future.

" Why are you so nervous? "It is not so terrible, if you look at all. We now fly across the sky and on to other planets, swim under water and climb to the highest peaks. But here are the people. They became unimaginably many, and the quantity is always the opposite of quality. They crushed, became rotten and weak, very weak. Everywhere there are slaves and servants that can not lift their heads and state their opinion or their interests. Occasionally there are traders and artisans who have at least some kind of pride, but they are few. No real warriors, no real rulers who could lead their own people Can you imagine that the emperor would justify himself before his subjects for the fact that some of his executors screwed up? That's what it is, what not. And we have this ordinary phenomenon. Otherwise, it will be necessary to take responsibility for yourself, and for this the spirit is not enough.

– Yes, this is a terrible world. He sighed, put his hand on his shoulder and continued. "Eric, I'm glad you're with us. "May we not here fly in the sky, but we are real. Your past life has stayed somewhere far away. Spit on it and live here now. I need you, us. Yes, hell, we need you all. And remember, my friend, here, "he pointed to the ground with his hand," there is no Artem, only Eric is here – one name, one life, one body. By the will of the gods, you have found your place, and as for me, remember – the old Rudolph will now always be with you, no matter what happens. Up to any extreme.

All the time until the twentieth of December was devoted to preparing for a trip to Constantinople and in general – the process of erecting princely dignity. It was a troublesome business, since it was necessary to take into account not only the need for a formal trip, but to organize a big feast in both cities of the principality. Feeding and watering a crowd of three and a half tens of thousands of people is a very difficult task. Celebrations should begin around 28-29 and last for several days. For these purposes, Demeter, who received a pigeon-mail notification, was to bring a huge amount of wine. Morrigan was in perfect confusion, since she was an actual, not a formal wife. They, while living in Constantinople, completely forgot to marry, passionately engaged in vital matters. And now she, though not strongly and not deeply, but a believing person, was in terrible confusion. I had to quickly prepare this event. The Bosporus did not have time to hold it. Therefore, all orders, as well as the necessary property, were gone on the tenth day with the courier ship. And there was a problem with clothes. Preferring simple but high-quality clothes, that Eric, that Morrigan were absolutely not ready to appear before the public in something spectacular, due to the fact that it was not corny. So it was not only in a hurry to invent it, but also to sew. It's good that at hand was a silk fabric, captured in Sugdeya. Otherwise, they would be burned. No modern and utterly miserable style of princes and dukes decided not to endure. It was necessary to break stereotypes in favor of more comfortable and functional clothes. For the future prince sewn pants made of dense green silk, which turned out to be quite spacious, but not much. The shoes were soft, soft boots that rose to their knees. Instead of a kamiz, a quite modern shirt was sewn in a modern Italian, fitted style of silk, white. It snugly adhered to the body and was fastened with specially molded for Eric small round polished silver buttons, on which the emblem was stamped. The upper part of the suit was made in the form of a camisole with the length of the hem to the middle of the thigh. It was made of quality dark green cloth – simply, strictly and accurately. A silk lining brightly scarlet and large stamped buttons of polished gold emphasized the image of a strict but very wealthy man. The sleeves, like a camouflaged composition, were turned with a scarlet lining to the outside for about fifteen centimeters and were fastened with the same gold stamped buttons. Instead of a belt there was a wide belt from the painted white leather to which his favorite sword – a devil was attached to the left. In general, only a cocked hat was missing, until the image of an officer from the army of Peter the Great was fully recreated. For their time, these clothes were unique and amazing. For the Morrigan, they carried out accurate shoes and two dresses – bottom and top. The lower dress of thin, almost transparent white silk was almost tight and went to the knees. The top dress was made of bright scarlet silk, but dense. It was also made according to the figure and only from the hips spread out small pods. To make it possible to wear and remove, a vertical valve with lacing was made on the back. The dress was with sleeves going very tightly to the elbow and widening after. No extra details, just a light edging with gold embroidery. The neck and chest, according to the tradition of that time, had to be closed, so it was decided to do this in an oriental style, with a small button on the left. This button was decorative and made of a small gold-rimmed ruby. A woman with no headdress was impossible, so her hair was covered by a wicker cap – coif with a large step of a grid of round silk strings scarlet. In each knot he has a pearl interwoven, and was fastened to the chin with the help of a thin silk ribbon in the color of the net. In general, in comparison with the local kings everything is simple, but quite accurate, and most importantly – in this you can move normally, not being afraid to pull down a huge sleeve with a plate or catch on something with sweeping clothes. In such clothes they entered on December 25, 1202, in the cathedral of Hagia Sophia. Their appearance caused a furor and admiration. Eric, the Baron von Lenzburg, and his now official, the wife of Morrigan, the noble lady of the MacCarthy family, walked slowly and with dignity to the emperor of the once great empire, so that after some minutes be made into princely dignity.

" Eric, it's hard for me to believe what happened to me. "Is all this – a reality?

"My dear, what is it that prevents you from believing? "

– Six years ago I lay, gathered on the ground, torn, half-naked, thrown by all, and a crowd of peasants mocked me, beaten and wanted to drown in a village pond. This terrible cesspool, which was covered almost entirely by a floating goose litter. And now I'm lying on soft cushions in the imperial palace of Constantinople, the servants before me bow and honorably call the princess. Yes, although I am of a royal kind, but life has so much worn me about the bottom that I did not even dream about it.

– And I, running away from my native castle in a rusty chain mail and fleeing from my own uncle, that he wanted to die, could I think that in just six years I'll rise so high?

– Yes, everything flows, everything changes. It is good that we are not yet very much in front of ordinary people. But recently they sat in a cesspool with everyone.

– I think we will not go, not from that test. Although sometimes it seems to me that the diamonds have become shallow. And anyway, I should add my golden coats to my camisole, or I look like a poor relative to Alexei. – With a perfectly serious face, said the prince. Morrigan, almost suppressed by wine, pushed Erik lightly over her shoulder and laughed, so gulky that von Lenzburg, although he was serious, could not stand it and laughed too.

"By the way, remember, then, six years ago, did you propose to make fun of my brother? "

"Send him a letter, informing us about our marriage? "

– Are not you afraid to lose your beloved brother? He after all such happiness can not go through.

"I think I'll be just glad to hear such heartbreaking news. "

" Then I just have to do you such a favor. "Especially since I have sheets of blank paper with me.

In the last days of December 1202 Eric von Lenzburg was promoted to princely dignity by the hand of Emperor Alexis III Angel. He rolled out to the people, as usual, wine and snacks. We walked for a few days, but it's time to do business, because the principality is in a very neglected state. You always need to start with an understanding of what you want, so on the ship on the way to Bospor the prince began to work out the state structure of his power, that is, an assessment of what is and what is needed. So, the question of the state system. The various republican forms of government are ineffective and not sufficiently dynamic, so the choice was only from one form or another of the monarchy. After long meditations, he opted for the British form of government of the time of the famous Queen Victoria, of course, in a form adjusted to current realities. For the ordering of the right to inherit the throne, cognitive primogeniture was introduced. Under this terrible phrase, a rather simple explanation was placed: the throne passed directly to the senior descendant of the ruling monarch, regardless of whether he was a masculine or a female descendant. If it turned out that a man and a woman had equal rights to the throne, then the man received the advantage of sex. No boyars' thoughts or parliaments were to be introduced. For the first time in the Middle Ages, the prince organized a branch government, that is, he introduced seven of his assistants who are engaged in the development of given sectors in the state. All these seven people headed secretariats – finance, crafts and trade, agriculture, state security, the armed forces, education and science, as well as diplomatic relations. The Secretary of State had the right to very limited staff and a wide range of responsibilities. To conduct a variety of correspondence and accounting, Latin is introduced as a state language, Arabic numerals and a decimal system of counting. The problem arose with units of measures, so it was decided to bring the system to mind on the go. In other words, Erik scored on this question, finding an excuse for himself. A special problem arose in connection with the need to create an apparatus of officials who would manage certain objects and directly conduct business. The problem is complex, because, firstly, they will communicate against each other, and secondly, they will steal. Donations should be transferred to the State Security Council, where they established the procedure for their reception, more precisely, their registration for further production. They could now be done only by name, that is, by signing, since in the event of slander, the deceiver was punished. First poroli, and on the third libel – executed. But for the right denunciation was rewarded, and it is very tangible. The problem of theft was also solved quite simply. Since the officials were few, their work was paid very solidly. True, together with impressive sums, they bore no lesser responsibility, and not only the official, but his entire family, was subjected to a number of the most dangerous crimes of execution. There were no qualified guys to take from nowhere, so Eric solved the problem of personnel hunger, making a selection of poor teenagers, mostly orphans, who were placed in a closed boarding house where they studied far from other people. By the end of 1203 people from the poor had taken a number of positions instead of executed officials. The situation was frighteningly rotten, because he specifically adhered to the executions of most of the initially typed bureaucratic apparatus in order to have time to prepare new ones, so it was impossible to delay the training of personnel.