16. The Man of the East
January 30th. Gocelin the Norman commander renegade to his own kin was sent to help the Eastern Romans relieve the city of Bari, to his shock and awe, he saw the lightning bolt on a green flag over the battlements, his Eastern Roman insignia hailed by the walls, but bolt shooters and catapults turned at him, and he was shocked to see what was before him. Short blonde hair, with a shaved face and blue eyes, his light blue eyes looked at the ocean and then the flags fluttering from the battlements, staring him in the face with its sheer might and brilliance.
“What flag is that?” Gocelin said pointing at it, incredulous and with a quivering nervousness in his voice, did the city fall already, but that isn’t Guiscard’s standard?
“Halt!” One man said from the battlements, “state your business!”
“I have come to relieve the city of Bari from siege!” Gocelin shouted at the guard of the naval wall.
“Guiscard has been driven away! Bari is free!”
“Bari is free?” Gocelin turned to the Eastern Roman troops behind him, “What the hell do you mean!”
“Praise the gods! We were saved.”
“Gods?” Gocelin said, again he turned to the men behind him.
He blinked in sheer consternation.
“I wish to talk to your leader. Just me and him, my fleet will stay here. Is that ok?” Gocelin shouted.
Adaneus was summoned, likewise Kwame and Butros, Gocelin got a rowing boat with a few Eastern Roman soldiers. The fleet sat there, as they cautiously accepted the man into the port. There were perhaps 800 bolt shooters on the walls, and Adaneus got them equipped, there was extra in storage with not enough technically able people to actually use them.
“I can’t believe they sent a fleet,” Adaneus said.
“Of course the city was under siege for nearly 3 years, they must have thought of sending a relief army,” Butros explained, “the city was starving they needed reinforcements.”
Soon enough Gocelin rowed into the port, his small escort looking at the port authorities, the port authorities likewise armed with crossbows, local townsfolk seemingly picking up pikes, merchants looked at the escalating scene.
“By the gods we will defend our city!” One man shouted raising a spear.
Gocelin was astonished, the fighting spirit of the city was not to be taken lightly, he saw the preparations, a part of the city he had not heard about, for it only had been built recently, the entire city mobilised and ready. Gocelin was a relatively tall, his Norman genetics exposed with the soldiers behind him carrying mail and spear, looking at the port before them.
“I have come to relieve the city of Bari,” Gocelin said, inspecting Adaneus’s appearance.
Gocelin looked around, the reports about Bari slightly off from what he was told.
This does not look like a city under siege.
“I am Adaneus,” Adaneus said, showing a hand to shake.
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They shook it and Gocelin shook it with a nod. Blue eyes looked at green, the blonde looked down at Adaneus from his vantage point, checking everything.
He’s not a military man, and yet he has made the city bustling. An interesting figure to be sure.
“Who are you?” Gocelin asked astonished at what he saw, “sorry I am Gocelin commander of this force to relieve the city?” He said in an inquisitive tone.
“Adaneus, the preacher of Magec or Helios you could say, our faith has made this city a beacon of light. How many men do you command?”
“1500, 20 ships, plus food and some gold.”
“Keep the gold for yourself,” Adaneus said, Butros and Kwame looking at him as he steered the conversation, “I will give 10 solidi to every one of your soldiers, plus an additional 1000 solidi to you personally if you join our cause.”
Gocelin stepped back, blinking in consternation. Laughing for ten seconds, his soldiers likewise astonished.
“Surely Stephen didn’t have the gold?” Gocelin asked.
“Let me show you something,” Adaneus said.
His guards flanked him, bringing Gocelin and his entourage to the spice production facility, there they witnessed it in all it’s glory, he took a crystal and showed Gocelin how he could grow the spices, and the water.
“Just so you understand,” Adaneus said, “what happened here.”
“Right,” Gocelin said, still in awe.
“I will reward your crew with the amount I stated, plus I will hire you new mercenaries for your mission,” Adaneus said, “I have big plans, and if you wish you can be part of it.”
Adaneus noticed that some of the men around Gocelin were blonde, noting that they must have been Norman likewise. Gocelin looked around the thriving markets, people obviously fed and watered; bread, sausages, fish, and a curious lack of the well known effects of siege. Gocelin could see that the city was bustling, people were smiling, some even putting on some weight, and the deal was better than even Gocelin could have hoped for.
“I have 50,000 solidi,” Gocelin admitted, “it was to relieve the city and to help procure food.”
“It is a a considerable amount,” Adaneus said, “We have what is it Butros?”
“42,500 solidi,” Butros said.
“We had nothing when we entered,” Adaneus said, “now look at us. This is the power of Helios. I would be honoured if you joined us Gocelin, although I will not hold anything against you if you reject the Western Roman Republic.”
“Western Roman Republic,” Gocelin repeated, his Norman companions likewise laughing, “fine I will join it, allow us shelter and food from our journey, we will fly your banners.”
“No subterfuge,” Kwame said pointing a finger at him, “we will shoot you with the bolt shooters if you do, and the locals will resist,” Kwame was emphatic, scared to show weakness.
“Noted,” Gocelin said, nodding and laughing, “15,000 divided among the crew and another 1000 solidi for me, you swear on it?” He asked with a finger jab.
“On my life,” Adaneus said without a shred of fear, eyeing the Norman resolutely, eyes in his eyes.
“I think I have found a cause worth fighting for,” Gocelin said, “Republic?”
“Yes I am not a king,” Adaneus said, “nor do I wish for one, I merely produce, that is my role in the Republic.”
Gocelin stared at him in a long stare, and all of his men laughed, shook their heads and went back to their rowboat. People brought cloth of the new banners, the green banner with a thunderbolt. He merely produces does he? Gocelin thought.
“Refreshing,” Gocelin said, “we will put these on our masts, then let us in.”
And it was so, 20 ships put the purple banners of the Eastern Romans and lifted the green banners of the Western Romans, and the Norman renegade Gocelin sailed in with great fanfare, but also some caution from citizens and soldiers of the city.
“I understand the Normans are your people,” Kwame said almost lecturing, “how will you square that with swearing allegiance to Adaneus?”
“You,” Gocelin cleverly retorted, “and you too,” he said staring at Butros, “neither of you are his ethnicity, so clearly he values something more than mere people. It is undeniable that Adaneus is a man worth following for he has made a siege stricken city into a near paradise. I’m not sure about Helios, my soldiers likewise, but we will fight for the Republic! We have heard many rumours of the intrigues of the East, and we don’t wish to be part of them, so like I said it is refreshing to see not an autocrat, but a man of wisdom biding his time. We swear on our old god, and by the news gods we will come to believe in.”
Butros and some soldiers brought the gold as agreed, 15,000 solidi for the soldiers and sailors who were astounded by the generosity, with a personal 1000 gifted to Gocelin himself. 26500 solidi was left in the treasury, still a fortune for a mere city, his soldiers’ eyes glinting more than the gold did, cheering at the sudden fortune. Merchants resumed their trading, and there was calm. Gocelin and his lieutenants looked at the nation they had decided to join, negotiations would follow.
