Chapter 226 - 193: Falcon and Peregrine Falcon

"I shall provide the Seat of St. Peter with all due aid. For my Monarch, for myself, and especially for my wife."

He awoke at dawn.

The window was open, letting in the pale light of the south.

The bed curtains were still drawn open, just as they had been when they fell asleep last night. Matilda was curled up in his arms.

She breathed quietly, her reddish-gold hair splayed across the pillow. He propped himself up to look at her.

’It’s all settled. Tuscan is mine, as is this beautiful Duchess. Our union is better than I ever expected.’

He gently caressed her arm from shoulder to hand, admiring the silkiness of her skin.

Her eyes fluttered open, her vision blurred with sleep.

Eric moved to kiss her again, but Matilda turned her head away. "I haven’t washed up yet."

The bitter taste in her mouth was unpleasant.

But she couldn’t resist Eric. Her body yielded to the sensation, the friction of their skin bringing her pleasure.

’She felt ashamed and sinful for being this way.’

But just as she gave in, ready to continue, Eric pinched her cheek. "We have to get up early today. Temperance is a virtue, is it not? We must maintain the purity of this wedding."

Eric said with a perfectly straight face.

’It was as if he were still wearing his Monk’s Robe, not here for a wedding but to give a sermon.’

Matilda knew he was doing it on purpose and couldn’t be bothered with him. She slapped his hand away and sat up in bed.

’If he had truly followed the Church’s rules, they should have knelt together before the altar after their first time last night, praying to God for a son.’

Matilda didn’t put on yesterday’s wedding dress, nor her usual linen robe. Instead, she chose a coral-red silk robe embroidered with pearls.

After putting on the robe, she gathered her reddish-gold hair and tucked it into a golden hairnet.

Eric wore the same blue robe as yesterday. He wasn’t particular about his clothes; convenience was key.

He opened the door, intending to leave first, but came face to face with a little girl: Vagina.

The little one had her ear pressed against the door, apparently eavesdropping.

The sudden opening of the door made the little girl jump.

"Ah! What are you doing here? You, the Norman!" Vagina recognized Eric.

She wasn’t shy at all.

"I should be asking you that. What are you doing here?" Eric chuckled, ruffling the little one’s hair and messing it up.

"They said my sister got married. I came to hear if she was singing a Hymn."

"A Hymn?" Eric was puzzled. "Isn’t that something for a Priest to do?"

"The bride has to sing a Hymn, too. At night, the groom and bride sing a Hymn together in bed. That’s how you have babies.

The louder the sound, the more likely you’ll have a boy."

"Is that so? I had no idea."

"Of course! I know everything. And you’re a Norman. Even though you’re a Monk, you’re still a Norman.

Maybe your teacher told you, but you would just forget."

"Alright, then let me hear which erudite teacher told you that?"

"Isabella, the head maid. She told me. So I came to check on my sister. She said my sister can’t sing as well as her, and I’m going to prove her wrong." Then Vagina noticed Eric’s clothes, which were not a Monk’s Robe. "By the way, why are you wearing noble’s clothes and coming out of my sister’s room?"

Just then, Matilda, now fully dressed, came out.

"Sister!" Vagina ran over and hugged her leg. "Sister, why didn’t you sing the Hymn?"

"Hymn? What are you talking about, Vagina?" Matilda looked confused.

Vagina then explained it to her all over again.

"They’re talking nonsense. Don’t listen to them, Vagina." Matilda was a little annoyed.

"Okay. But Sister, why did this Norman Cultivator come out of your room?" Vagina quickly moved on to another question.

However, before Matilda could think of an answer, Eric spoke up.

"I am her Priest, here to guide the Marchioness in singing her Hymn," Eric said with a straight face.

"Eric!" Matilda exclaimed.

"But Sister said she didn’t..." Vagina frowned.

"Because she was singing off-key. She’ll sing it beautifully one day, I’m confident of that.

My musical cultivation is quite..." Eric said with a smile.

Before he could finish, Matilda pushed him away.

"Vagina, go find Julia and have her take you to breakfast. Your sister has other things to do."

"Is it to practice the Hymn?" Vagina asked.

"No! No, because there is no Hymn!" Matilda said, her face flushing red.

"No Hymn?" Vagina was confused.

"No, I mean the wedding doesn’t have that part!" Matilda said, flustered and indignant.

...

After Eric and Matilda quickly washed up and ate, an envoy from the Holy See soon arrived to escort them to the main hall. Eric was to be crowned, officially confirming the legitimacy of his rule over Tuscan.

When the two arrived at the main hall, it was already filled with people.

Gregory, Otto, and a delegation from the Priestly Order had already arrived. Belem and a number of Norman Knights were also present to observe. Also in attendance were the Vassals of the Tuscan Feudal State, who would soon swear their fealty to Eric one by one.

Tuscan’s system of Vassals was different from that of Normandy. The urban Nobility formed an important part of the Vassals, shouldering many of the obligations that were borne by Knights in the Northern Countries.

These nobles were responsible for providing the Marquisate with substantial tax revenue and Civilian Militia. In return, the Marquis would grant them certain autonomous privileges. Unlike the cities of the Northern Countries, the cities of Tuscan had possessed such privileges from very early on.

The Marquis’s army consisted mainly of Mercenaries and Civilian Militia; the proportion of Knights was much smaller than in the Northern Countries.

Due to the large number of Infantry, the army was better at defense than offense, lacking the aggression of northern armies. Furthermore, the Civilian Militia were mostly untrained, poorly equipped, and only conscripted in times of war. Many were ordinary citizens who had their own businesses to run in the city during peacetime.

If their own city was in peril, they might be able to unite as one. But when asked to fight desperately for matters that did not directly concern their interests, their will to fight was far weaker.

This had also been the case in the past when the Emperor attacked Tuscan. Often, as soon as the Emperor’s Knights began a charge, many in the Civilian Militia would start looking for the best escape route.

The situation in Flanders was somewhat similar to Tuscan’s, but Flanders was much smaller in area. Its citizens felt a greater sense of belonging to Flanders as a whole, its feudalization was more advanced, and its cities were not as developed as Tuscan’s. Thus, its situation was much better.

A Tuscan like this could not contend with the Emperor, not to mention its ruler was a woman. Many of the city’s Nobility used this to attack Matilda, rebelling against her in an attempt to break free from Tuscan’s control and become completely autonomous cities.

Just like the autonomous cities of Urbino and Ancona near Tuscan.

A Tuscan like this could, at best, protect itself; it was utterly incapable of protecting the Papal States. This was why Gregory pinned more of his hopes on the Normans to the south, rather than on Tuscan to the north.

This was also a key reason why Gregory had agreed to the marriage between Eric and Matilda. It would bring in the power of Normandy from the north to resist the Emperor when necessary. He could even stir up conflict between the northern and southern Normans if need be, all to maintain the absolute status of the Papal States and the Roman Curia.

After all, the struggles between Giscard and his brother Roger, as well as the previous conflicts between the half-brothers of the Outville family, had left a deep impression on Gregory and Otto.

The Normans were valiant Knights, but they were also more than willing to slaughter one another for immense wealth and land.