The armor was clanking, and Askard was not only wearing a cloth face armor, he was also wearing a layer of chain mail.
He is almost thirteen years old and has a height and body that far exceeds that of Frank's peers in this era. Sitting on the stone platform of the fountain, in the eyes of Alicia and Gisla, this man with a tiny beard must be at least twenty years old.
Already.
Ascard's explanation surprised the two women. This man is only twelve years old?
"Isn't he the same age as me and the princess? Why?! This man is simply an overly strong calf?!"
He only wore heavy armor when he was sieging the city, and it would be false for Askard to say he wasn't tired even after wearing the armor.
He felt that he had completely conquered the two girls, the smart one with black hair, the dull one with brown hair. They should have realized the horrific consequences of fleeing. Now Asgard finally let down his guard.
He took off the blood-stained rosecloth robe. This robe was only for decoration. He quickly washed the robe in the hot spring. Most of the blood stains dissipated. The last traces were rubbed vigorously with soap and washed away.
The heavy cloth armor covering the upper body was taken off, and the interlocking chainmail armor underneath was fully exposed in front of the two women.
What does it mean to be such a warrior? In Frankia, only elite legions were qualified to wear double armor.
The iron helmet was placed on the stone platform, and Askard's blond hair was fluttering in the breeze.
He has deep eyes, and now he is sitting here with inexplicable sadness overflowing.
Princess Gisla subconsciously grabbed her maid Alicia. Her wrists were bruised from being tied up for a long time. She didn't know what the future would be like. She could only rely on the maid now. At least she really felt that her "sister" was better than her.
You are wiser yourself.
Indeed, Alicia had seen the world in Lombardy and heard many barbaric stories about the war.
The Lombard Goths rebelled against Charlemagne and were rewarded by the brutal attack of the Frankish cavalry.
There are still many real Roman descendants in the local area, and their black hair is the best proof. Black hair is considered noble, and foreign barbarian leaders are very keen to intermarry with them.
Of course Alicia has part of the Gothic blood, but the blood of the old Rome is still strong, at least her hair is black enough. However, her grandfather participated in the rebellion against Charlemagne, for which his entire family was punished and a large amount of property was confiscated
, some female students were also taken away and their whereabouts are unknown.
If I was taken away by another foreign nobleman because of my beauty and Roman origin...
If it is true that the young man who claims to be a Russian noble is "not a slave but a wife", it may not be unacceptable. Besides, the young man's Latin is fluent, which sounds nothing like what the priest teaches.
the difference.
Askard is sitting here, and the huge feather decoration on his helmet is a very eye-catching proof.
He didn't care that such decoration would inevitably become a loss on the battlefield. On the contrary, he was eager to duel with some ruthless characters, just like his father Arik, who was given some domineering nicknames by the soldiers.
No, one after another young people from the Seventh Flag Corps walked out of the blood-stained main entrance of the palace carrying heavy luggage and smiling faces.
The deliberately imitated Roman columns were stained with blood, the dead bodies on the ground were rapidly cooling to ambient temperature, and the flowing blood solidified into lakes of slurry.
The air was filled with an indescribable smell of fish and rust, which was the smell of blood.
Askard did not feel any discomfort when he witnessed this scene. He could hear the arrogant laughter in the distance, as if gold was thrown out of the ground. This is indeed the case. The Ross coalition forces that were looting the city were
With varying degrees of wealth, the soldiers from the backcountry in the north did not mention how many gold and silver coins they received. They just took away daily necessities from the houses that the locals had no time to take away. Taking these things back to their hometowns can greatly improve their lives in an instant.
For example, they were tearing cloths everywhere, including sheets, curtains, tablecloths, and all kinds of cloths, and bundled them together into big bundles. The soldiers would happily carry them on their backs and jump out to show off to their fellow villagers.
The young warriors easily spotted their flag captain and even noticed the two slaves sitting next to him.
Since the boss is sitting at the fountain, that should probably be the gathering place for the Seventh Flag Team.
Askard did choose an open area surrounded by a continuously gushing water source. This place can drink water to quench thirst and wash clothes, even if it is used as a camping site tonight.
They didn't know that Blue Fox had issued an order to plunder for three days (the day of siege was counted as the first day), and they didn't care about it for the time being.
All the brothers reported to their boss with playful smiles. The brothers were very restrained. Naturally, they had to take a closer look at the boss's two slaves. The door was locked tightly and they never talked about the slaves to avoid any form.
The offense was just to report to the boss what he found in the palace.
They looted gold and silver candlesticks, tableware, and strange gadgets. They also slightly opened the huge cloth bags on their backs to display the large amount of cloth they had captured.
"Gold and silver utensils, cloth, and leather. We all have these things in our hometown, and you just stare at them and rob them?" Askard said casually.
The brothers looked at each other, and one of them shrugged and responded with a smile: "I also found the huge hot water pool. I heard it is a place where nobles bathe. Now some brothers jump in and feel comfortable."
"Oh? I know that bathhouse. Some brothers jumped in to take a bath, why don't you jump in?"
"It's unnecessary. We...just want to find a place to rest. Oops, this armor is really heavy. Boss, since you have removed your armor, let's do the same."
"You are free to do whatever you want." Askard nodded and said: "We have no control over other armies. I am the boss of the Seventh Flag Team. Since you have come out, give me the order to go to the palace and recall all the soldiers.
Assemble here!"
Hearing this, all the soldiers were quite surprised.
"Don't understand? Execute the order quickly! Listen." After saying that, Askard suddenly stood up, and his majestic figure was displayed in front of the girl he liked. He scolded Fang Qiu and looked domineering: "Go to the palace quickly! Recall.
Soldier! Remember, bring out all the wounded and dead brothers. No one should be missing."
"Yes!" The soldiers stood at attention and replied, and some soldiers couldn't help but mutter: "Why bother. They are all descendants of the old Rus, they have to speak Latin."
All members of the Seventh Banner Team understand Latin, and their proficiency varies. However, learning this is a death order from the king. After learning, there will be an assessment. Those who fail the test will be punished by carrying an ax to cut down trees. Because cutting down trees is tiring,
Everyone would rather learn practical spoken Latin to satisfy King Rurik's strange needs.
Askard has not yet told all his brothers that one of his two slaves is a Frankish princess. He wants to prove to the woman he likes what it means to be a powerful Russian noble.
Five hundred people rushed into the palace, and the Aachen Palace, which was not large in nature, was almost completely ransacked in a short period of time. Naturally, there were secret rooms in the palace. It was a secret room after all, and it was a secret that had been buried until it was discovered.
"Brothers! Take your things and get out of the palace! The boss wants everyone to assemble!"
"Stop dawdling! Those who arrive late will be punished."
"Injured brothers, get out quickly! Carry away the brothers who died in the battle."
…
The first soldiers to come out were busy making arrangements, and soon, as the sky became darker and darker, the entire Seventh Flag Team appeared one after another. Each soldier brought trophies to varying degrees, and each one became bloated.
There were two soldiers who had died due to excessive injuries, and their bodies were also moved in front of Ascard. This was the price paid by the Seventh Flag during the entire siege of Aachen.
The more than ten wounded were only minor injuries to their limbs. The armor suits adequately protected most of the soldiers. The two who died in battle suffered fatal injuries to their necks and faces. This was a weak point in the armor's defense. It was really unlucky to die in battle.
Nothing can be done.
"Two brothers are dead. Is that all?" He said to himself, then looked up and saw a large number of gathered soldiers, and issued an order in Latin: "Everyone is here! Teams of hundreds! Line up!"
Just like in the past, the chants used in the queue are Latin words. Just like in their hometown, the soldiers who received the order first lined up each ship (platoon-level troops) and then formed a centurion (company-level unit). Four centuries
They lined up the matrix and stood in front of Askard very neatly. Even though the light was dim now, their uniform and heroic appearance was still clear.
Like a dark forest appears in the city square of Aachen.
No! All the young warriors are completely uniform in their clothing. Even if there are large and small bags of trophies piled up on the ground, their neat beauty cannot be ruined in the slightest.
Askard did it on purpose. He didn't want his warriors to be as messy as the Danish pirates who really entered the city. Besides, personal abilities have limits, and warriors cannot carry huge cargo like horses.
It is even more absurd to go to war with a large amount of loot. Greed is dangerous for a warrior. If the Seventh Flag is caught in the fight for money and property, and then indulges in the looted wine and fat, what kind of warrior can it be?
Combat power?
He was able to realize this because he had an expert professor. Not only his father Arik was educating him, but his uncle Rurik also gave him some warnings.
He also had his own selfish motives in doing so.
Askard did not say a word to his slaves, and the current scene indeed did not require any statement. The army in front of him could be easily mobilized by himself. In Frank, only the great nobles could do this.
After a simple lecture, he ordered the entire army to disband, but continued looting of the palace was prohibited.
Since it is the boss's order, then carry it out! The brothers all got more or less loot, and everyone comforted each other. Compared with how much gold and silver they got, they just invaded Aachen, the capital of the Frankish Kingdom. This is
The greatest honor in this life.
But it is said that the Blue Fox talked a lot to himself in front of Charlemagne's sarcophagus, and he also received great honors.
As the sky gradually darkened, his order of "three days of free plunder" began to be conveyed. Soon he himself walked out of the Maria Cathedral in Aachen, and the Palatine Chapel where Charlemagne rested was restored to a forbidden area that the Russian army could never set foot on.
He walked out of the church with a group of soldiers from Angklas' hometown. As soon as he walked out, he saw the young men of the Seventh Flag Corps openly gathering.
"What are these children doing? Askard, have all your people come out of the palace?"
The entire army looted freely throughout the city, and each unit had a tacit understanding of the division of labor. The Ross elite focused on the palace and plundered the cathedral, while the other units looted in divided areas of the city, so as to avoid conflicts due to uneven distribution of the spoils.
Secondly, it can also remove valuables more efficiently.
Blue Fox hugged his helmet and approached the Seventh Flag Troop who was already resting in the square with his soldiers in high spirits.
A bonfire began to burn on the stone floor, and the fuel was obviously furniture moved from nearby houses. Many soldiers took off their heavy armor, and the fountain was crowded with people, who were obviously washing their clothes.
"Hey! Askard!" Blue Fox yelled casually.
The clever Ascard stood up quickly. He had an idea and took the opportunity to show the blue fox that he had captured the Frankish princess.
He led the two girls closer to Lan Hu, who also clearly saw the figures of the two young women. Lan Hu couldn't help but smile knowingly, thinking that this kid had grown up, and he had just the right topic to tease.
Before Askard could tell himself, Blue Fox glanced at the faces of the two girls and said jokingly: "You brat, you are just like your father."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Askard was a little confused.
"Think about your Aunt Aslaki and how she met your father."
Askard, who suddenly understood, looked at the two girls with their heads raised beside him, and said bluntly: "It's still different. Aunt Aslaqi became noble because of my father, and my cousin Gustav.
Although we are relatives, you know, I don't actually know them very well."
He was telling the truth. Arik had two wives, and Asraqi had been living in New Roseburg as a concubine who was a prisoner of war. Asraqi rebuilt his family. In a sense, this revival was related to Ali.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Ke "borrowed seeds" from her. She is a popular person around Rurik. Although she is a female, she is actually a close relative of the family.
Askard could understand the meaning of Uncle Blue Fox's teasing, so he deliberately placed his two captives in front of him, "One is Princess Frank, and the other is the princess's maid. Now, they are both my women."
"Princess?! You caught the princess?!"
The blue fox, who was in a comfortable mood, suddenly became nervous, and every hair on his body stood on end, making his slightly curly hair look very fluffy.
"You captured the princess? Lothair's daughter? Which one is the princess? Tell me."
"Uncle, you are so excited." Askard pushed the black-haired girl forward slightly in a hurry. "That's her. It is said that her name is Gisla. She is very brave. She actually dared to duel with me in order not to be captured.
I like this kind of brave girl very much, and I will be her husband."
"Is that so?" The well-informed Blue Fox was immediately worried when he heard Asgard's suggestion. From his previous secret conversation with Ludwig, he learned that Lothair's family had gone to Strasbourg, and Aachen was
The defense should be empty, and that is indeed the case. One reason for the empty defense is that there are no members of the royal family. There are no big shots who need heavy troops to defend, so naturally there are no heavy troops.
But... what if Ludwig's intelligence is wrong? That guy has been staying in Mainz, can he still know the detailed information about Aachen?
"Where is the other one?" Blue Fox did not rush to question the princess and continued to ask Asgard.
"A maid."
"Maid? Maybe. Tell me how you captured these two girls."
What was extremely honorable about Askard was that his fantastic descriptions were naturally heard by the blue fox.
"Oh? What do you mean, it's the Frankish princess who is protecting her maid? Is it this girl? You even gave her our shoes to wear."
"I really like her."
"You are so innocent."
Blue Fox was already suspicious. The light under the setting sun continued to dim. Even so, he could detect obvious differences between the two girls. The most obvious one was the hair. The child who was said to be the maid had very curly hair.
, and then looked extremely orange-red under the sunset. As for the other one, although she also had curly hair, the curling degree was relatively weak, and the hair color was very dark, almost black.
"Someone! Find me a torch!"
After a moment, a young soldier gave Lord Blue Fox a burning stick. Through the light of the fire, he could clearly see the face of the girl with slightly curly hair, and also noticed the obviously different hair colors of the two girls, which further verified his
speculation.
"You!" Blue Fox immediately ordered in Latin: "Black-haired girl, put away your disguise! You are not a princess!"
He just asked tentatively, and this sentence directly penetrated Alicia's heart.
The girl did not answer yet, but her trembling eyes and frightened expression fully proved that she was a pretender.
"Who is the real princess?" he continued to ask, "It's you! Curly-haired girl. I have a very close relationship with your uncle Ludwig. I know that all of your family has curly hair, and it can never be black.
Princess, come forward, don’t worry, we won’t hurt a big noble."
Princess Gisla still had her head raised. She was very scared. After all, she was really just a weak girl who had never seen the world. She had experienced a hellish day and now she just hoped that none of this was true.
There is no need to pretend anymore.
Through some contacts, Alicia was convinced that these invading Russians were a branch of the Normans. Since their leader knew Prince Ludwig, presumably all the self-proclaimed promises of "not harming the princess" were true.
My mission is over, I continue to pretend to be a princess and give orders to bring disaster to the real princess.
"Yes!" The black-haired Alicia raised her head. She suddenly stood in front of Gisla, blocking her with her body. She raised her head and looked directly at another Ross noble general who knew Latin: "I am a princess.
My maid, I protect my master with my life. My master is the fourth daughter of His Majesty Lothair. Her status is extremely noble and her bloodline is extremely pure. She is a direct descendant of Charlemagne, and she is an existence that you must not tarnish.
"
She explained all this very straightforwardly, and the blue fox was very satisfied. Askard received a big mental blow, but he was not furious.
"You? An impostor?!"
Faced with Askard's questioning, Alicia felt that she would be executed if her identity was exposed now. Thinking of this, Alicia felt a little relieved. She was not afraid, silently turned her head and responded proudly with a smile on her face:
"Asgard, your name is Asgard, right? I'm sorry that I deceived you, but I am the princess's maid, and I will use all means to protect her."
"Is it your method to pretend to be her?"
"I'm afraid that you will tarnish the noble princess. You are the attacker. If you are really going to be tarnished, I would rather suffer on the princess's behalf."
"Ridiculous. I already told you that I won't hurt you. You are so bold!"
"I'm brave. Then, you kill me!" Alicia didn't care anymore. She turned around and raised her head, closed her eyes, deliberately exposed her white neck, and faced Askar with a look of being ready to be killed.