Chapter 344 247: Setting Out

After the hunt, at the royal banquet, Robert first announced the victorious news from his uncle, the Count of Flanders, in the East. The Count of Flanders, leading five hundred Flanders Knights and the Flanders Fleet, had helped the Greek Empire successfully recapture a coastal region near Constantinople known as the Arm of St. George. He had also successfully repelled the raids by the Pecheneg heretics on the Greek Empire's Thracian region.

This news greatly invigorated the Norman Barons.

Robert then seized the opportunity to officially announce the Eastern Expedition. The Earl of Hereford and the London Mayor, Odo's son Arno Conteville, would serve as Regents in England, while the Queen Mother, Matilda of Flanders, would be Regent in Normandy.

Rufus was forced to join the Eastern Expedition. As for Odo, his enthusiasm for the campaign was perhaps the greatest among all the Normans. It was not, of course, to save the Christians of the East. Odo hadn't indulged in such hollow fantasies since he was ten. He hoped the prestige from the Eastern Expedition would be enough to allow him to ascend to the Seat of St. Peter.

For the past few years, Robert had suppressed all news in England of the Pope's call for an Eastern Expedition. As a result, most of the English were unaware of what had happened two years prior. They only knew vaguely that the Pope had gone to the lands of the Franks to hold a special council, and that the Emperor of the Teutons was heading to the East to punish the heretics. Only merchants, townspeople, and a small portion of villagers knew the full details.

At Robert's behest, the nobility ordered merchants and townspeople to remain silent on the matter, claiming this decree had received a special dispensation from the Pope.

Of course, this order of silence did not extend to Normandy. Some fanatical knights from Normandy had already started heading to the East in stages over the last three years, along with some of their equally zealous Frankish compatriots.

Such fanatical knights were still in the minority; most Norman Knights remained patiently on their lands, waiting for their King to launch the expedition.

Late last year, Robert convened another Third Estate Meeting, demanding it provide funds for God's cause. About forty thousand pounds were raised, half of which was paid by the Jews.

Although the Pope, at Eric's suggestion, had ordered churches everywhere to protect any Jews who donated to God's cause, this still failed to completely stop fanatical Christians from persecuting them.

As a result, many Jews left their original homes over the past three years and began traveling to Normandy and England. The Normans' long-standing tolerance of the Jews, a policy dating back to Conqueror William, had already encouraged a considerable number to enter Normandy and then cross into England.

To win the favor and patronage of their new lords, they had to make their contributions in the form of money.

The Third Estate Meeting raised forty thousand pounds in funds. Robert drew another thirty thousand from the treasury at Winchester and took out a low-interest loan of twenty thousand pounds from the Jewish Community. On top of this, the Pope sent twenty thousand pounds for the Eastern Expedition.

In total, the funds for England and Normandy's Eastern Expedition amounted to one hundred and ten thousand pounds.

Next came the levying of troops and the gathering of supplies.

With Eric's help, Robert decided to conscript two thousand five hundred Norman Knights, two thousand regular archers, one thousand longbowmen, one thousand crossbowmen, two thousand Saxon spearmen and shield soldiers, and one thousand five hundred engineers and auxiliary staff.

The army totaled ten thousand men, not including the knights' attendants. The expedition's funds were sufficient to sustain this force for nearly two years, provided the Byzantine Empire could offer adequate supplies in the East.

Then came the materials: tens of thousands of horseshoes, nails, cured pork...

The army was scheduled to depart in mid-to-late May. By that time, the spring rains across most of Western Europe would have subsided, leaving the roads in good condition for a large army on the march. The moderate temperatures, not yet excessively hot, would allow both soldiers and horses to conserve their strength.

At the same time, crops would be entering their harvest period, allowing the army to purchase supplies and resupply locally along the route from Normandy to Tuscany.

The journey from Normandy to Tuscany was expected to take a month, with an arrival in Tuscany around June. The weather in the Mediterranean region at that time of year is typically stable, with fewer storms and favorable sea conditions.

Sailing then would minimize the impact of severe weather on the fleet, ensuring the ships could reach Sicily safely.

Upon returning from Luton to Gloucester, Eric levied his own troops: one hundred and fifty knights, five hundred longbowmen, and three hundred Saxon Shield Soldiers trained by Leif.

After mustering his forces, Eric led them across the Channel ahead of the main army. He would act as the vanguard, arriving in Tuscany early to ensure the maritime cities of Pisa and Genoa prepared a fleet large enough to transport the Norman army.

Emma had initially insisted on going to the East with Eric. Fortunately, the signs of her pregnancy became increasingly obvious—she was indeed expecting—and she was ultimately forced to abandon the idea.

Before departing for Normandy, Eric went to Aogu Village to see Cecilia. She had given him a daughter the year before last.

As for Gwen, Eric had only heard word of her last year, but he hadn't seen her. She had left a letter for him with Martha, telling him that she was on Ireland Island in the northern county of Lancashire, fighting alongside the Saxons, Danes, and Welsh to resist the Normans. She added that she was happy he had become a Count, because she knew he was not like the other Normans.

Martha reminded him that when Gwen had come back, she had seen Eric with Cecilia and left right after.

Eric had originally intended to go north to find her, but after inquiring with Belem, he learned that Ireland Island was surrounded by vast swamps, wetlands, and forests. It was the heart of the resistance against Norman rule for the Saxons and the northern Welsh, and the Normans had long been unable to make any headway against it.

Eric tried to seek help from Edgar.

But Edgar claimed he had already been "excommunicated" by the northern Saxons. If he went there himself, he wouldn't just be shot full of arrows until he looked like a porcupine, he might even be turned into a taxidermy trophy. He did, however, promise to find a way to contact the "troublemakers" on Ireland Island.

...

After crossing the Channel, Eric traveled to Mannfuer Castle, where another of his wives lived.

Eric had told Eleanor about the Eastern Expedition the previous year.

Eleanor said nothing about it, but Eric could tell she was not pleased.

She had never shown any interest in words like "Church" or "Christians." Though her mother was a Greek woman, she had no desire to understand or learn about the East.

While she had no fondness for heretics either, she did not want anyone to risk their life over it.

Eleanor's silence on his decision was perhaps a relief to Eric, as he doubted he could have convinced her, nor did he want to force her to yield to his will.

Over the next few days, Eric took Eleanor riding around the manor, through fields, woods, and pastures full of sheep.

He tried to find gifts that might delight her: a gold cross on a chain, set with rubies; a belt with an exquisite gold buckle; silk ribbons for her stockings and gold filaments to weave into her hair.

On the third day, a traveling peddler arrived at the manor on his way to England. His pack was filled with jewelry: smooth black jet, garnets, and amber from the Baltic Sea.

Eleanor was particularly taken with an irregularly shaped piece of amber. A strange insect was trapped inside, looking as if it had drowned in honey. The details were so clear one could even see the fine texture on its unfurled wings.

Eric bought the piece of amber from the peddler and had it mounted with silver fittings to be made into an ornament. He also purchased a deep-red garnet to adorn Eleanor's hat, a large sapphire to be set in her pendant, and pearls—said to come from a 'heretic's bay'—to be woven into her hair like stars.

On the seventh day, Eric decided it was time to leave.

The early morning air was cool.

"Alright, off you go. Say hello to God for me," Eleanor said, tugging on Eric's belt. She then patted his chest and put her hands on her hips.

She spoke with a tone as if she were the one about to set off.

Bertrand, cradled in Ejiva's arms, sneezed and dropped his rattle. The baby reached out, grasping at the air where his toy had fallen. He then looked toward his mother, Eleanor, but she didn't notice him at all.

"I feel like there should be something more."

"Oh, right. Let me think." Eleanor tapped her chin, pondering for a moment. "Silk veils, embroidered cloaks, perfumes, books... that sort of thing. In short, just bring something interesting back."