At the same time, Anna, who walked out of the tent, saw the fat eunuch beside the excited Agnes, and glanced at her, to the effect that she should take advantage of this opportunity.

Gawain made his way to the gorge of Nicaea, took his guard, and had traveled from the edge of the Frankish camp, and had made an agreement with the Godfrey brothers in advance, because he was full of distrust of the cunning Normans, so he went down the northern foothills of the Frankish camp, avoiding Bohemond and going directly to Tetisius.

"Big barbarian, Agnes was actually discussing siege equipment with me just now, and she is now willing to assist us in capturing Nicaea." Anna, who was sitting on her small shoulder, said to Gawain through the curtain.

"Don't be stupid, someone like her who has the wisdom of a craftsman can't do it. Because this city can't be defeated with some equipment alone, only my siege strategy can be considered effective. Gawain rode his horse and replied beside his shoulder, that night was rising on the foothills, and the guards were raising torches, and soon the men and horses neighed, and out of the Frankish camp came a group of men, headed by Count Werner, a relative of Godfrey, who saluted Gawain on horseback, "Your Excellency, the Duke, have asked me to take charge of the negotiations. And, when you return, Madame Goldchild will be here to offer you and the beautiful woman on your shoulders some wine and food, and she is afraid that you will go hungry after the night. ”

"Thank you, Mrs. Goethehilde, for your kindness."

On the small hill, in the tent where the emperor's imperial flag was hung, Tetisius sat upright on his seat, Branas and Mikhail stood at his side, and Diognis, the lowest of rank, consciously stood at the entrance. Several counts who had come from the strait were also seated in their respective places.

But the Normans only sent Geoffrey, Count of Salerno, to intervene. Same with Godfrey.

Of course, this Jeffrey was also unceremonious, and came directly to ask Tetisius what he had to say. If not, then let him return as soon as possible after completing his mission, "for in two days, the great Duke of Apulia will storm the gates and walls of Nicaea, and we will all have a lot to do." ”

"I need to wait for someone of my weight to come, otherwise you alone will not be able to convey the full plan of the Emperor and this general." Tetisius also said unceremoniously, meaning to ask Count Geoffrey to be patient. So the Norman count. Dismissive, but anxious, he withdrew, and waited—and in a short time kept asking the Franks if there was any man of considerable weight coming from the Franks, and if not, asking the deputy chief of the march to let him go as soon as possible, and to arrange the camp and the siege.

At this moment, Gawain and Anna's shoulders had already arrived in front of Xiaofu, stopped at a safe place, and Gawain dismounted. He said to Muzafiadin that he would take care of Anna's location, and instructed Her Royal Highness the princess to stay where she was and not to move around at will. "It's okay big barbarian, everything goes according to plan, I won't be timid." Anna said with confidence.

Then Gawain and Count Werner. One entered the commander's tent, and Tetisius was a little excited in surprise. So much so that I involuntarily stood up, as if to greet it. And Diognis didn't know what emotions were driving him. Consciously holding the flail and approaching, it was as if they had returned to the days when they had gone out to Calabria, fought side by side with the Zahas pirates, and fought bitterly against the Normans.

The new Paphragonia Grand Public Security Officer Dronicus. Branas, for some reason, could only stand a little awkwardly to the side, and the rest of the Frankish lords also felt a little unable to get in.

"You don't have to be like this, I just saw the letter from General Tetisius, and contacted the honorable Earl Werner to come and receive the opportunity." Gawain's face was flat, and the whole scene was immediately like the identity of the master present, signaling everyone to calm down, and then in order to avoid the stiff atmosphere, he introduced Count Werner and said, "This is the dearest relative of Duke Godfrey, and the central nuclear force of the entire group of pilgrims, if General Tetisius has any plan, just tell us." The Duke of Godfrey himself also wanted to come in person, but because the affairs of the camp were very cumbersome, he could not get out, and he hoped that the general would forgive him. ”

"Why should you be so magnoir, Your Honorable Priesthood," Tetisius was extremely moved, and then he faced everyone and sincerely confessed, "The defense of the city of Nicaea is very familiar with the surrounding terrain, and it is impossible to take it by storm, and now His Majesty the Emperor thinks that the best tactic is to besiege and wait for the opportunity to break the army of the Sultan of Konya." ”

As soon as this remark came out, Werner and Jeffrey were very surprised, because the slashed general, and the Greek emperor, were actually exactly what Gawain had said beforehand. But then things changed, and Werner accepted on behalf of Godfrey, but Jeffrey excused himself by saying that he would go back to report to the Duke of Apulia, wait for the results, and quickly ask to leave.

Gawain immediately summoned the other party, and handed him a scroll of letters, "Give it to the commander-in-chief of Asia to read." ”

Then the rest of the lords and generals dispersed, but Gawain remained there, with no intention of leaving, "You stay here, and the commander of the march in Asia and I have only official business to discuss." Tetisius, who raised his hand, was evidently addressed to Mikhail and Theognes, so they could only turn around and stay where they were, and continue to wonder about Branas, who had previously defeated him at Fort Sophia, what he looked like and what kind of insight he had.

But then there was silence in the tent.

In the end, Diognis, who had been looking at Gawain, couldn't help but speak in a hurried tone, "Tell me Gawain, where did you hide Her Royal Highness the eldest princess, is it here in Nicaea?" ”

"Shut up Diognis, it's not all you can say and ask!" Mikhail, the chief of the palace guard, questioned sternly, and the former guard hurriedly held the flail and shrank to the corner of the tent with his head bowed.

But soon the curtain was lifted, and Anna, dressed in a goose-yellow shirt, suddenly walked in, "The captor is right, I am indeed in Gawain's camp. ”

Several Byzantine generals, seeing Anna, hurriedly knelt down and said, "Your Royal Highness, the most honorable princess, may you receive the eternal blessing and love of the Virgin Mary and the Holy Apostles." ”

"Why bother with Your Royal Highness the Princess, I guess I don't have the surname Komnenos now, right?" The princess, who was standing, looked at Gawain, who was sitting opposite, and said in a sad tone.

"There is no such thing, if Her Royal Highness the princess has any thoughts, but by command!" Tetisius spoke aloud, and Theognes, who was still trembling with the flail's hand (he was not sure if Anna had taken it to heart for the act of impersonating the princess with an arrow before), could only bow their heads as they all bowed. (To be continued.) )