Then, with torches, several soldiers pushed open the gate of the stables on the other side of the square, and Sabina ran out, and soon came to her master's side, rubbing her neck intimately against Gawain's arm.

Gawain put his saber on the side of the saddle with a blank expression, then slowly rolled up the shroud he had been covering and tied it to the back of the saddle, he turned to one of the Varangian warriors holding the red-handed banner and said, "Keep this flag well, I'll send it off, and I'll be back soon - rest assured, I won't abandon anyone, and I'll get you safely wherever you wish, I swear here." ”

After saying that, he patted Sabina and gently touched her long eyelashes with his hand, "I am the only hostess now, and your manure shoveler still has to rely on you." As a result, Sabina snorted meekly and continued to lick Gawain's hand, indicating that there was no problem.

Gawain smiled and nodded, and then subconsciously said, "Fetyas, fetch me chain mail; Erikson, keep up with the axe, don't fall behind, don't run around. ”

But no one answered him, and Gawain's heart suddenly emptied, and after a long silence, the two Varangian warriors were silent and handed over the chain mail and weapons. Gawain turned his back to everyone, and without making a sound, put on his armor, tied his leggings, and then straddled Sabina, with his iris shield behind him, and another warrior presented the softer Byzantine spear of oak seedlings, and then, in the firelight, Gawain squinted his eyes, and inserted a wisp of dyed horsehair into Sabina's halter.

"Let's go, Sabina!"

Nicaea was not far from Nicomedia, but Barromeo, in order to avoid the pursuit of the Turks, did not dare to take the regular road through the canyon, but went around the rugged path, so it was a lot more tortuous to reach the destination.

At the second hour of the morning (10 o'clock) on a barren plateau full of rubble and dead grass, a company of Italian soldiers who had been deceived by Barromeo broke out in discontent, and they surrounded the commander and demanded that he explain all this: What is the matter with our Count Commander, and have you framed him like infighting?

Barromeo and his son, surrounded by his own soldiers, stood on a large rock, their faces full of impatience, and kept saying, "If you want to go back to Nicaea and die, then go back." But I also warn you that if you break your oath of allegiance to the Emperor and the Lord, you will no longer have your status in the Empire, and you should go back to Italy to fish! Of course, the premise is not to be taken into slavery by the Turks. ”

Hearing these coercion and temptations, the Italian soldiers hesitated again, they really didn't dare to go back now, if they became prisoners of war, they would really be sold into slavery, but with Barromeo they would be spared? Most people don't have a bottom in their hearts, so Gawain. Lusail is still alive or not, only he can make everyone's hearts solid and stable.

In the empty valley, there was a sudden cry of a horse, "The Turks are coming!" I don't know who shouted in panic, and the rest of the soldiers drew their swords and erected flags, and looked around busily.

As a result, at the top of the valley, Gawain, who carried a shield on his back, and a spear with a small flag, stood there.

"It's Gawain, he's still alive!" The Italian company immediately cheered in a low voice, fearing that the joy would be too loud and would attract the attention of the Turkic patrol cavalry.

"Bastard, kill him." Barromeo seemed to see a ghost, and his voice changed, and then his own soldiers drew their swords, and the soldiers of the Italian company also drew their swords, and the blades of the swords were densely pressed against each other, and the situation was about to erupt.

At this time, Gawain took the reins, rode slowly down from the top of the hill, and when he was not far from Barromeo, he jumped off his horse and stuck his Byzantine spear upside down into the ground, and then he groped under the saddle a few times.

Barromeo was about to cry, he thought that Gawain was holding the sword of phosphorous fire, but out of expectation, Gawain finally pulled out a short axe commonly used by the Byzantine army, also a one-handed axe, which was also used by Gawain's servant Fethias, who used to run around the barracks with this axe, cutting brackets for his master's tent, or arguing with other servants for the place where the tent and luggage should be placed.

During the whole scene, everyone stopped moving, and their eyes were focused on Gawain, and soon the one stared at Barromeo, "I want you to pay for the lives of my two military servants." ”

Then, his gaze shifted to the Greek nobleman, Barromio looked at his own soldiers, and then nervously looked at his equally nervous son beside him, and then forced a forced laugh, "Ridiculous, the Roman army is disciplined, there is no way to pay for your life, your servant violated the order I gave and insisted on opening the city gates, and was disposed of." ”

"Barromeo, in this situation, there is no law and order in the Empire. I want to take back my subordinates, and I want you to die, so I came up with a good plan, that is, I once heard Farov say that the ancient method of arbitration of the Vikings, laholmganga, two people in a naked duel with an axe on an isolated island under eyewitnesses, let the gods decide the victory or defeat of life and death, and decide who is righteous and who is evil, I think it is much better than the protracted polishing time of hiring a lawyer or something. Gawain said, sat down on a small rock, stripped off his chain mail, and stood up in his single coat with an open collar, then he pulled the shroud from his saddle, spread it on the ground with a shake, kicked the stone and pressed it, and then pointed with his axe at Barromeo in the distance, "Come down, let everyone be here to witness who will end up lying on this shroud." ”

"Go down, go down, go down!" All the Italian soldiers, with their swords and spears, shouted in unison to Barromeo, who was turning around in the face.

"Damn, you stay here, take the crossbow that the Franks are accustomed to use, and find an opportunity to shoot this brute who knows no more than the height of the earth." Barromeo gritted his teeth and whispered to his son, then he jumped off the rock, dressed in scaly armor and a skirt trimmed with tassels, and with a sword in his hand, and his outfit provoked a chorus of boos.

"You barbarian, no, you're a madman, no Varyag would fight a duel for a mere servant." With a trembling voice, Barromeo approached Gawain in the whistling wind, and raised his sword in his hand.

"You're wrong, Fethias and Eriksen are my relatives." Gawain held the axe across his chest and replied, "Hey, you two boys, melt the hatred on my blade." ”

After saying that, Gawain held the axe and trotted against Barromeo, and gradually, the speed became more and more fierce!