1453: Revival of Byzantium

"εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἦτε, ὁ κόσμος ἂν τὸ ἴδιον ἐφίλει· ὅτι δὲ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου οὐκ ἐστέ, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, διὰ τοῦτο μισεῖ ὑμᾶς ὁ κόσμος."

"f you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you."

-        Gospel of John, 15:19

"Oh, you must be lying right! Your old hag I know you! Boasting about things all day long!" Another villager interrupted, with the others nodding their heads giving the fantasy maker a face of suspicion. The fantasy maker has his entire face blushed with redness as he stomped his feet arguing that what ever he said is true. Then in the middle of the argument he saw Antonius over there drinking his wine, feeling like he has saw a life saver he asked. "Hey! Guest! You have seen the emperor right? Tell us! What is he like? Did I describe the emperor correctly?"

Antonius opened his mouth wanting to say that the 'supreme leader' is just a normal human being. But immediately he realised that if he said that the villagers would definitely not agree with him as almost every one here has an exaggerated image of him. Thus with this thought in mind, and also a little bit of mischief Antonius nodded, and added on "Aye indeed, the emperor is just like what you have described, and he can run from Thessaloniki to Serres non stop in just one day's time!"

"You see! You see!" The fantasy maker rose his head again like a c.. Chicken filled with pride.

"Wait a minute! Then what does the emperor eat every day!" A child asked excitedly. "Does he eat pottage like us? Does he have pies to eat? Does he have to herd sheeps like us?"

"Oh, be patient my dear child, the emperor…" The man pondered on the question for a few seconds probably thinking of how to make a fantasy. "The emperor has big pies, made from the finest grains the land has to offer for every single meal! He too has a big bowl of pottage which even contains some meat! For every single meal even when it is winter!"

The kids and the adults gulped; this is probably the finest possible meal they could have ever imagined from the current living standard now. Antonius controlled to control his lips from bending and jeered in his heart, yah indeed, he does pies and pottage as his meal, so this man is still partially correct, although the pottage and pie he consumes is almost a totally different thing from what these people eats. Antonius observed these people and started thinking about how he used to live back then when he was a child.

"Guest… Guest?" Just as Antonius is staring at the horizon and counting on the years he had as a poverty kid going around Genoa without a shoe, finding work to do or rich man to steal to feed himself, the fantasy maker approached him and woke him up. "It is getting late… guest, we still need to patrol around the life stocks and fields to prevent those beasts and thieves from coming in as a daily routine… I know that you are a noble who probably would not want to do such hefty works with us peasants, and we have prepared the best room for you, and a hostel for your men…"

Antonius immediately understood the hidden meaning of this man, he never forgot that this village is a relatively isolated village and the only reason they let Antonius and his people in is because he has behaved and dressed like a noble, making people believe in his words that he shall not be here for long. But this certainly will not make him, the alien, be completely trusted by these villagers, and thus this man is here requesting them to remain in the village, stay in the rooms allocated for them and do not any how move while the majority of the men in the village goes out in to fields to do their work with no one watching this huge group of outsiders.

Indeed, the art of words coming from an old Greek living in a civilised world while the others in Europe are still digging caves, it is indeed more polite, but Antonius would often wish that these people can be more straight forward in the method instead of beating around the bush hiding meanings in their long sentences. To be honest Antonius prefers the way how Yuri and his varangian speak; They might be rough in their words, but he is able to understand what they are trying to say with only one short sentence which is a crucial trait in a war.

"Ahhh… My friend, despite I would very much to accompany you to herd the animals, and study on your life styles as a student. But please do forgive me, the long winded journey and the near summer heat has stripped me from any further energy to embark on this trip with you, I would thank you for your kind hospitality on behalf of my servants, and I would like to wish you all the best in life, once again friend, may the crops you sow be always ripe, and the animals you herd be always sturdy."

A civilised solution for a civilised problem, Antonius thought for himself. Indeed, the villager looks pleased because this is exactly how a noble man speaks in his stereotype. He ushered Antonius in to his room which is basically a small sized wooden hut that got no difference with the other housings in the village. The interior design of the hut is of course not that wonderful comparing to the houses in the cities, but it is neat and tidy with every thing needed being present.

From this sink alone Antonius can see that this hut is probably the best in the village, as there is a carving on the bronze sink resembling a Greek phrase saying that 'This bronze sink is being made under the supervision of his majesty the Basileus Alexios of Imperial Romanum', and the last Alexios in throne Antonius could remember is from ages ago. He made a smile expressing his gratitude for the villager, and even offered him a pouch of Ottoman akche silver coins which is still in circulation in this area as a gift. The villager grinned with satisfaction and took his leave.

Slowly the night falls and the crowd have not returned, Yuri is still guarding faithfully before the gate of the hut performing his duties, Mikhail is in the hut too serving as secretary, compiling all the reports and letters sent from Drama, the other Varangians are probably playing cards and dices in their own bunk and Antonius is laying down on his bed frowning, trying to read a book that is supposedly written by some military genius in Alemannia gifted by a lord from Italy, saying that this gift shall make sure he shall achieve victory after victory fighting on frontier against infidels.

The door came swung open with Yuri's big face showing up. "Admiral, there is a lass outside with a tray, saying that she wants to offer you some thing."

"Let her in."

A young girl, in the age of probably fifteen showed up, carrying a tray containing a jar of what it seems to be wine and several cups. She has her head lowered since the moment she entered the room, placed the tray of wine and cups on to the table, bent slightly forward and then fled from the room before Antonius could even say a word of thanks, leaving Antonius and Mikhail bewildered looking at one another.

They soon forgot about this tiny insignificant event, as the crowd of villagers came back from their evening work making the quiet village rowdy once more. Antonius went out of his hut to greet the villagers. It seems like the villagers are celebrating some thing cheering loudly, one of them enlightened Antonius mentioning that this whole evening patrol thing is because there was a peck of wolves which has been preying on the life stocks of the village for three months eating countless goats and chickens which is a greatly valuable asset of the villagers even babies on some occasion, and today three wolves have finally fell in to the death traps laid by the villagers.

In order to celebrate this victory against these thrifty predators, the villagers decided to bake and smoke the meat of the wolves, and take its fur as cloths. The villagers even sprinkled some of their very precious salt on the meat, and invited Antonius over again to have one last meal. The admiral took a bite on the wolf meat and immediately he regretted it, as the meat tasted bitter and sour, some what resembling the taste of alegar they use in Modena. If it is not for the lack of fresh meat in countryside like this, Antonius cannot possibly think of anyone who can grow a liking in having a taste of this meat.