" However! "How clever! Yes, you are a master to speak the language!

- Yes, where there. Where to me, wretched, to the master?

- Do not be weak. But since you returned to the conversation, why?

- I do not know how to explain everything to you, since there is no clarity on this issue. But since you went so far in your observations and generalizations, it's foolish to continue to maneuver.

- Why?

" I trust you and do not want my confidant to have faith in me. "After all, your doubts gnaw at you and torment you. Why do I need it? Who will drive my warriors instead of you?

"So you really are not Eric? "

Yes and no. The body is definitely his. But the consciousness you know, I can not explain how I got into his body, I do not even know what kind of place it is. "Eric waved his hand around the district.

- Why?

" Where I lived before that ill-fated morning, it was almost all the same, with the exception of time. "What year is it in our yard? It is true 6710 from the creation of the world. And I was born in 7488. - Rudolph already breathless and with wild eyes stared at Eric. - Yes exactly. After death, or what happened to me, I woke up not only in another body, but also in a completely different time.

- And what was your name in that life?

- Artem, Artem Zhilin.

- And what kind of people?

- It is not yet, it is only formed from the East Slavic tribes.

- The Slav?

- You can think so.

" But how is this possible! "You yourself know very well that these tribes were conquered by the Normans more than two hundred years ago. The same as France. In my head, all this does not fit. You behave like a blood Norman, but you say it's a different kind. Incredible!

" You see, dear Rudolph, the Norman is not blood, it's spirit. When he leaves you, you become a slave. Remember how in ancient times Charles the Great thundered his enemies all over Europe and what happened next. Remember? Oh, yes, you did not know. So I'll tell you - his descendants lost not only the crown and the earth, but also life, since they left that spirit that makes a man fight and stubbornly achieve his goal. They became civilized, thereby signing a death sentence.

- Why do you think so?

- Yes, everything is simple. Did the barbarians have a developed right? No. Therefore, they practically did not limit anything in actions and desires. Note - the more developed, if I may say so, civilization, the more laws appear that bind a man in the hands and feet. And not only official laws. After all, morality, ethics and other heresy are the same laws, only unwritten and affect just like ordinary ones. The more restrictions, the fewer opportunities and more order. All is well, but order is the opposite of initiative. Do you understand the general meaning of the idea?

Yes! It turns out that we ourselves are destroying poisoning, through the development of law and morality.

" And I do not even want to see or hear it. "I am satisfied and now calm. Eric or no, Eric. You're Eric. I do not care who you were there, you became exactly the one who causes awe and respect among people and rulers. I do not care about this terrible and, fortunately, unattainable future. It is important for me that my son lives well as my grandchildren. Here, in this world. And what did you say I hope that we can at least somehow change this terrible future.

" Why are you so nervous? "It is not so terrible, if you look at all. We now fly across the sky and on to other planets, swim under water and climb to the highest peaks. But here are the people. They became unimaginably many, and the quantity is always the opposite of quality. They crushed, became rotten and weak, very weak. Everywhere there are slaves and servants that can not lift their heads and state their opinion or their interests. Occasionally there are traders and artisans who have at least some kind of pride, but they are few. No real warriors, no real rulers who could lead their own people Can you imagine that the emperor would justify himself before his subjects for the fact that some of his executors screwed up? That's what it is, what not. And we have this ordinary phenomenon. Otherwise, it will be necessary to take responsibility for yourself, and for this the spirit is not enough.

- Yes, this is a terrible world. He sighed, put his hand on his shoulder and continued. "Eric, I'm glad you're with us. "May we not here fly in the sky, but we are real. Your past life has stayed somewhere far away. Spit on it and live here now. I need you, us. Yes, hell, we need you all. And remember, my friend, here, "he pointed to the ground with his hand," there is no Artem, only Eric is here - one name, one life, one body. By the will of the gods, you have found your place, and as for me, remember - the old Rudolph will now always be with you, no matter what happens. Up to any extreme.

All the time until the twentieth of December was devoted to preparing for a trip to Constantinople and in general - the process of erecting princely dignity. It was a troublesome business, since it was necessary to take into account not only the need for a formal trip, but to organize a big feast in both cities of the principality. Feeding and watering a crowd of three and a half tens of thousands of people is a very difficult task. Celebrations should begin around 28-29 and last for several days. For these purposes, Demeter, who received a pigeon-mail notification, was to bring a huge amount of wine. Morrigan was in perfect confusion, since she was an actual, not a formal wife. They, while living in Constantinople, completely forgot to marry, passionately engaged in vital matters. And now she, though not strongly and not deeply, but a believing person, was in terrible confusion. I had to quickly prepare this event. The Bosporus did not have time to hold it. Therefore, all orders, as well as the necessary property, were gone on the tenth day with the courier ship. And there was a problem with clothes. Preferring simple but high-quality clothes, that Eric, that Morrigan were absolutely not ready to appear before the public in something spectacular, due to the fact that it was not corny. So it was not only in a hurry to invent it, but also to sew. It's good that at hand was a silk fabric, captured in Sugdeya. Otherwise, they would be burned. No modern and utterly miserable style of princes and dukes decided not to endure. It was necessary to break stereotypes in favor of more comfortable and functional clothes. For the future prince sewn pants made of dense green silk, which turned out to be quite spacious, but not much. The shoes were soft, soft boots that rose to their knees. Instead of a kamiz, a quite modern shirt was sewn in a modern Italian, fitted style of silk, white. It snugly adhered to the body and was fastened with specially molded for Eric small round polished silver buttons, on which the emblem was stamped. The upper part of the suit was made in the form of a camisole with the length of the hem to the middle of the thigh. It was made of quality dark green cloth - simply, strictly and accurately. A silk lining brightly scarlet and large stamped buttons of polished gold emphasized the image of a strict but very wealthy man. The sleeves, like a camouflaged composition, were turned with a scarlet lining to the outside for about fifteen centimeters and were fastened with the same gold stamped buttons. Instead of a belt there was a wide belt from the painted white leather to which his favorite sword - a devil was attached to the left. In general, only a cocked hat was missing, until the image of an officer from the army of Peter the Great was fully recreated. For their time, these clothes were unique and amazing. For the Morrigan, they carried out accurate shoes and two dresses - bottom and top. The lower dress of thin, almost transparent white silk was almost tight and went to the knees. The top dress was made of bright scarlet silk, but dense. It was also made according to the figure and only from the hips spread out small pods. To make it possible to wear and remove, a vertical valve with lacing was made on the back. The dress was with sleeves going very tightly to the elbow and widening after. No extra details, just a light edging with gold embroidery. The neck and chest, according to the tradition of that time, had to be closed, so it was decided to do this in an oriental style, with a small button on the left. This button was decorative and made of a small gold-rimmed ruby. A woman with no headdress was impossible, so her hair was covered by a wicker cap - coif with a large step of a grid of round silk strings scarlet. In each knot he has a pearl interwoven, and was fastened to the chin with the help of a thin silk ribbon in the color of the net. In general, in comparison with the local kings everything is simple, but quite accurate, and most importantly - in this you can move normally, not being afraid to pull down a huge sleeve with a plate or catch on something with sweeping clothes. In such clothes they entered on December 25, 1202, in the cathedral of Hagia Sophia. Their appearance caused a furor and admiration. Eric, the Baron von Lenzburg, and his now official, the wife of Morrigan, the noble lady of the MacCarthy family, walked slowly and with dignity to the emperor of the once great empire, so that after some minutes be made into princely dignity.