Morrigan looked at him in horrified eyes.

" What, you think they were born like that? "Remember everything that surrounded you all this life. How everyone was talking and what they were actually doing. If their God is so omnipotent, then why should his faithful servants need money, lands, armies to solve their difficulties? You never thought, why the hell did we all surrender to God? What will he do with us? Where is he to the whole heap of the people that has been born and made strong, will it be? In barrels, pick it up and put it in a pantry for a rainy day? Thinking? Clever. But how convenient, when the people you control, consider themselves slaves. Yes, alas, not by your slaves. But it's even better, because you are the official representative of their owner, so he gives all the joys and hardships to them, not you. You just manage his property at his request. Do you think why your rulers are so closely friends with the church? Just the same in the gums of each other kiss.

"What about the Mohammedans? " - her face was confused with surprise, confusion and fear.

- And what about them? The same eggs, only in the profile. And they are at war with each other, because they are competitors.

"I'm afraid. "You so correctly say that my soul is already bursting with doubt. You, as if, are completely alien to this world, but at the same time it is so organically intertwined with it, literally feeling, feeling, seeing through it. As a foreign grain, that took root, having taken root. Why did you come to this world? Are you really the same Antichrist scared of the holy fathers?

" For them, yes, I'm probably Antichrist. " He laughed. "You ask why I came? "Are not you afraid to hear the answer?

No. Even though you are at least a devil, I will still be true to you. Even if it is a road to eternal torment in the Underworld.

" But how will you turn this world over? "You're just a man! One man against the whole world!

- One person against the whole world one person You can not even imagine how much this is! - Erik stood a short pause, looked into her eyes, that they were completely frightened and confused. "Tell me, now do you understand why I can not accept your offer? "

" I understand everything. "Do not worry, I will not distract you further on such stupid questions - Her eyes were full of sadness and sadness.

"But you, I hope, will remain and will you serve me? "

" Of course, my lord "But surely you will always have such a position?

" I do not know. "Now I'm just starting my hard way. Eric grinned and turned to the window. "Do not pant. " Look - you're just a little bit and you will cry. Do you think I'm made of iron and just scoff? Wake up, beauty! I am also a man, only more stubborn, smart, consistent and efficient than most around. So, are you clear or have more questions?

" It's all clear. "Forgive me for my stupidity and weakness.

Ok. I hope you guessed that you need to keep quiet about our conversation?

Of course.

Excellent! And now for the cause! We need to get out here and clean it up properly. I do not want to live in mud.

In the evening, Eric, accompanied by Valentino, went for a walk around the city. It turns out that he and his brother were from here. Eric walked around the city and was surprised at how rapidly he differs from those he had seen before. There were still a lot of wooden houses in it, but small stone buildings flashed here and there, and in general, development was felt, albeit chaotic. Towards evening, seeing, next to St. Mark's Basilica, a cozy tavern, they decided to look there, and sit for a while - listen to people's conversations. What was Eric's surprise when, literally at the entrance, he came across a table, behind which sat his old acquaintance - Rudolph. He also saw him, recognized him and invited him to sit down in a polite gesture.

- What are your destinies? Like our old cunning, is he? " - Erik was pleased with the meeting, although he knew about its danger.

"And to you," he smiled. "The things that brought me here will be a complete surprise for you. "

- I escaped from the castle. Here he captured his son, and fled. He left everything.

" You intrigue me. "Tell me - what happened? Just give it from the very beginning, otherwise I'm horrified as to what happened in the castle after my departure.

" At first, when you heard about the flight, Karl loudly laughed and called you a coward. After drinking in honor of his victory, he went to enjoy this event Bert. There, completely lost his vigilance from fun and alcohol, began to rape her. But this time he was unlucky. Someone tossed a kitchen knife to her, so that she cut off all male dignity. How the cow licked her tongue. And he, instead of wresting the instrument of his castration from her hands, began to yell in a wild voice. Bertha though half-alive was, but broken all, but did not lose her head and began to beat him on the face and neck. I cut my left eye, practically cut off my left cheek, cut off my right ear and tore off part of my nose. I would have beaten to death, if the guard had not arrived. He worked out clearly - with one blow of an ax, he took off her hand with a knife, and cut off his head with a second blow. How your uncle survived - no one knows. They were preparing to bury him, but he did not introduce himself. And then and at all - the amendment went. As oklemalsya, summoned me and sent to your search. He ordered to kill at any cost, since it was you who threw a knife to Bertha.

"What a clever uncle. " Eric smiled.

- Yes, everyone understood this, not only him. There was simply no one else. - Well. Sent, it means he was looking for me, and at the very mind he began to tighten his veil. That guard, that he had beaten off your mother, told me to quit for slowness. I took a walk, including by your grace, quite well. I return to the castle, and there even on the gate no one stands. I look - on the old oak, that near the dungeon grows, a lot of people are hung - servants, combatants. I go to him, I pass your letter and message that you have departed to the Holy Land. He gritted his teeth, but thanked him. We lived for some time, as they walked around scorched earth. As that is not in his - for weapons grabs and beats. And he began to run away from him. By the spring of last year, in the entire castle, two dozen people would not have accumulated. And around the neighborhood a cadaveric smell is such that people turn around. And two months ago I decided to remember my youth with my wife. I flirt with her, I caress her, she laughs. But nothing happened, only to undress the steel, Karl runs in with a sword in his hands. I saw her in my nightgown, and how she rubbed her head. And cut it to the breast. Then I could not stand it. I beat him in the ear, and brush it, so that the sword will drop. He committed in a fury turns and on me went, yelling that he would kill. I did not dare to check, I grabbed a candle and stuck it in my eye. Yes, well, from the heart. He collapsed unconscious. And I quickly dress and my son. That night we galloped off. We've been sitting here since, waiting for the fleet to go to the Holy Land to go there and look for happiness.

In general, we sat and talked heart to heart. Since Rudolph escaped with almost no means, Eric gave him a dozen denarii, and then offered to think about serving him. Immediately agree, he did not, he wanted to think everything over and discuss with his son. On that and dispersed, having previously agreed that they would meet tomorrow morning in the same place.

The next two days passed in rather pleasant conversations and discussions of the action plan. It turned out that our old friend was well acquainted with the commander of the local courtyard of the Templars by a certain Pierre de Chamond. On the third day, in the morning, the whole procession went to visit this gentleman. The task of the former uncle's associate was to recommend the young baron to the commander and be the guarantor of his personality. The task of the others is to fulfill the function of the retinue of the noble lord. The meeting began, surprisingly, very cool. As it turned out later, Monsieur was already well aware of the rather strange, if not to say more, behavior of the lord of the stronghold von Lenzburg, and therefore all his thoughts were circling around the desire to maintain a balance between courtesy and unwillingness to conduct any business with Karl. But everything changed when, finally, he ceased to cute talk about everything except the case, reported on why they came and outlined the situation. The situation was as follows. Beloved uncle of this guest, lies in his bed at death, and must die from day to day. And especially it was stressed that his recovery, not only is not planned, but completely out of the question. After his death, flax passes by right of inheritance to Eric, as he is generally the only one of the whole family who will soon survive. But the young baron does not have any desire to grow bedsore on the pope, sitting up his pants in the castle. Therefore, he would like to transfer all the grounds together with the castle, that they belong to the leen in the management of the Order of the Knights Templar, and - he offers quite broad powers, right up to the reorganization of the castle. Of course, not for free. In return, he asks to keep a standing account in the order bank, notifying all the branches, to which to translate each year, on the first day of the winter solstice, the equivalent of 5% of the annual income received from the loan in silver coins. On each transaction of arrival or expense, immediately inform all offices by means of letters. Replenishment of this account is allowed by any means with an on-site assessment, entering into the register and indicating the final receiving amount in silver. The specified register is sent together with the notification of the conduct of the transaction in all branches of the bank. . Eric made himself the first in the history of a permanent settlement account, with a very convenient form of replenishment. But the withdrawal of cash had to go exclusively in silver. For the measure of the standard was taken Viennese brand of silver. The funds were to be issued at the first demand within the balance of the account. If the required amount in the office was not, then the time was specified in which the funds could be delivered. All operations are free of charge. The proposal was so interesting to Pierre that, on his part, he proposed to add to the agreement another point where it was noted that Eric von Lenzburg had the right to stop along with his retinue at any courtyard of the Order of Residence. All that day our hero spent in the work on the conclusion of the treaty and came to bed only when it was already getting dark. In his hands, he had a copy of the contract and an extract of the first incoming operation - he transferred 15 marks of silver to the Templars account, leaving only three stamps in dinars and obols, for running operations. Also, he agreed to transfer 500 cuts of wool fabric to the account balance, but the assessment was postponed until tomorrow. Eric was terribly pleased, he literally shone, because his actions, finally, began to acquire a solid scale. However, in this case there was a small problem - it was necessary to bury the uncle, and he, unfortunately, was still alive. It was necessary to do something, and it was urgent. The worst thing was that he himself had to stay in Venice and meet with various famous people to save the iron alibi.