Volume 2 – Chapter 8 – A Likely Friend …

| Morning of September 5th –1248 - Mediterranean Sea - Attila |

We left a day ago, the soldiers and volunteers from all over the empire who joined the crusade amounted to 25,000 units.

The ships that were used to transport the soldiers and food were more than 150 ships, an effort that for being the Middle Ages is impressive.

I think the Emperor has spent a lot of money, I am amazed at how all this was organized in just two months.

I would like to clarify that the ships were not all located in Palermo, in fact many ships from the north of the Italian peninsula were encountered and reunited on the Strait of Messina.

The ships were not the same, in fact there were great visual differences between the Palermo ships and the Genoese and Venetian ones. Obviously the last two were far inferior, at that historical moment, to those of Palermo and Naples which were the most numerous type of ships in this fleet.

While I was at the stern of the ship, in which the Emperor and his advisers resided, a strange individual approached me.

He was very young, almost my age (in-game), and had blonde hair. His build didn't seem to be necessary to fight, yet he wore the uniform of the Templars.

""Historical insight: The Knights of the Temple, simplifying Templars, were actually what you expect them to be, that is, a religious order, created after the first conquest of Jerusalem, whose purpose is to definitively snatch the holy city from Arab hands . Even if they were respected in their historical period, in fact they did not help much. In the various stories we find them as great heroes and religious faithful, but we all know how humanity can go down. It was the French King Philip IV who tried them all under false accusations of preaching the devil and secretly performing satanic rites. From that moment on, the French Templars completely ceased to exist, while the Templars of other kingdoms disappeared over time.""

He approached me and said: << Hi, nice to meet you, my name is Alexios >>

But what does this Templar want from me? Can't you see I'm doing my own thing?

I would like to tell you so much but I don't want to turn against the Templars.

<< Good morning Alexios. What does a Templar knight want from a simple knight? >>

<< Actually I just wanted to talk to someone my age. There aren't many young people on this ship to talk to. Can I bother you or am I bothering you? >>

Yeah, it's bothering me. But I can't tell him to his face.

<< No, don't worry, you don't bother me >>

He stood next to me to watch the ships, I hope he doesn't want a gay relationship. Also because if he is a Templar and 99.99% he will not be homosexual.

I told him: << To be a Templar you are too young, how did you become part of the order? >>

<< We can say that I was forced to enter >>

So it was that we kept talking to each other.

| Morning of September 28 - 1248 - Alexandria - Attila |

We have already been traveling for 23 days, we finally see the coast of Alexandria.

During these days I understood what it meant to live inside the ship. Needless to say, I was also the cleanest one. The smell of the sea was pleasant, but not that of my companions.

Also, unexpectedly, after all these days I managed to make friends with Alexios.

His story, in short, is that of an orphan born in Constantinople who was adopted by a Templar. Obviously his adoptive father trained him to become a Templar even though Alexios inside himself didn't want to be one at all. But he couldn't say no to the man who gave him a dignified life.

From that point of view, Alexios and I are the opposite of each other. I tend to be ruthless with those who hinder me. While he is a good-natured, that is to say that he is too kind, despite the fact that life has been cruel to him.

In any case, our entire fleet was divided into two groups: half of the ships remained at sea and the other half docked.

Alexios and I got off the ship together with the Emperor and his advisers, I could not believe that you will end up here, in an ancient Alexandria rebuilt down to the smallest detail.

We both decided to take a tour, when the Emperor promptly stopped us: << You two, stay next to me. The city is not safe >>

What did he mean when he said the city wasn't safe? For me it was all quiet.

In fact, he soon realized that only the port area was. For a few weeks it had been militarily occupied by the troops of King Louis IX of France, who with 20,000 men decided to start the seventh crusade himself.

After a few minutes of walking some French troops reached us, kindly asking us to follow him, since the King wanted to see them.

Theoretically, the title of Emperor is superior to that of the King, but in fact, the forces of the two rulers were equal. So the King can speak with his head held high with Frederick II.

We entered one of the tents located just outside the city, there was the King waiting for us inside.

As soon as he saw Federico he exclaimed: << Hello Federico! How long have we not seen each other in person?! >>

The emperor replied: << Since I became Emperor >>

The two embraced, even though the Emperor's face was that of one who had to put the best in a bad situation.

After which the two sat down on their respective chairs, and the King spoke: << So tell me, has the Pope finally convinced you to leave? >>

<< Let's say yes, even if I have no desire at all to make this useless crusade >>

<< Yes I understand you, lately the Pope doesn't seem really intelligent, but at least we have Alexandria for the moment. Where are you headed? >>

"Actually I went through here to get enough fresh supplies to go to Acre. Do you think you can offer them to me? >>

<< Don't worry, Egypt is famous for being the granary of the Roman Empire. In fact I will also give you a friend discount just for you. Also because if you land in Acre you will force the sultan to divide the forces >>

<< Yes, I am aware, I count on your support then >>

The two shook hands and said goodbye. What a very short meeting.

| Morning of October 1 - 1248 - Alexandria - Attila |

After two exhausting days of me and Alexios helping to pick up the supplies, the ships resumed their route to Acre.

I decided to go to my bed and finally rest.

All of a sudden when I closed my eyes when I opened them again it was all black. It seemed to see the most absolute black.

From that moment I realized that I was back in real life.