Chapter 136: 131: Heros Are No Longer Needed

"There comes a time when the world no longer needs heroes. And then the true hero knows to walk away."

- "Lies" By Michael Grant

"Anyways…. Antonius, no, Lord De'Ricci…"

"Uhmmm… Yes!"

"If… If there's a day…" As Antonius sees it, she has a blushing but bitter smile on her face below those black cloaks, with her eyes flickering with tears that enhances her emotions which she is trying to hide under those eye lids, that makes Antonius maintain a non stop gaze on her eyes trying to see her heart through the window of her mind, but all he could see is worrisome, bitterness, and a little bit uncertainty for the future.

"If… There is a day, that I am stuck in some danger that I cannot handle, or there is a time I am caught in the middle of danger, I will be hiding here… Please come and save me."

Antonius just felt that there is some magical elements in her words, it just seems like the negative thoughts sowed and hidden within his minds have vanished, what replaces it is the fragments of warmth sent to him through that pair of eyes that traveled through the Mediterranean coldness shining into his heart, just like the rays of light donned onto men in the early dusk from the sun against the seemingly never ending winter.

In simpler words, he finds it hard to refuse.

"Of course." Antonius smiled and gently wiped the brunette fringe that blocks Anna's eyes. "I offer you my protection, for free, until I leave the city."

"What if you are no longer in the city?"

"Then I can only continue the contract if you leave the city as well."

Anna tried hard to make a smile appear on her face, which ended up making her look like she is resisting the tears from dropping.

"It is fine…. I cannot leave, my roots are planted here, it has already ingrown firmly attached to this piece of land I love, this city, I can recall every single corner of it, I have felt every inch of century old bricks and monuments of this city, the palace, the forums, the pagan antiques, everything… Understand me, Antonius, I am a flower that relies on the soil of Constantinople, and I will not leave unless my roots are plucked out."

"I see." Antonius don't know what more to say.

Silence now takes over and dominates this room.

"I shall lead you the way out, the followers should be cleared by now."

Anna led the two men out of the room through another secret passage into the city and dropping them at an exit near the Gate of Kantoskalian, which is perfectly decorated as a barn used to store merchandise by the merchants of the Arab world. A perfect disguise considering that this kind of places is bustling with people at half of the time and resided by no humans only rats perhaps on the other half of the time.

After the three people waves good by, Anna watches as the two men ventures further and further.

"Wait!" Suddenly, Anna cried out halting the two men and briskly ran forward stopping before Antonius.

"I have one suggestion for you." Anna said quickly under her breathe towards Antonius while shoving Abdullah aside. "Make some sources of information inside the court… Either by bribery or intimidate them, or kidnap them… Which I do not recommend, but you need sources of information."

"I will remember your advice by heart."

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"I have a feeling that they might do something about you and your men loitering around the city in the senate…. I don't have a good impression about those old but imbecilic nobilities… Just watch out."

"I will stick my eyes onto the window panes of the senate watching what they are doing at any minute."

"…"

"… And try to make friends with George Sphrantzes."

Antonius moved his eye brow.

"Trust me, he is knowledgeable and respectable as a noble, a warden of the state and as a friend, if you can earn his trust, he will help you."

"…I will try to approach him."

"That is all." Anna nodded and went back. "Watch out for yourself, the next period of time might be a little devastating for you."

"Trust me, I have went through hell." Antonius grinned confidently exposing his Canine teeth at the side, and patted his broad hand palm on the petite shoulder of Anna. "And I can yet again, make a hell, if anyone comes to me."

Anna turned a white eye on his words and left into the exit.

Upon her departure, the grin on Antonius' face s quickly disappeared. Abdullah comes back by his side, sighed and remarked. "Well, I have a feeling that she is indeed right… I can feel it, the atmosphere in the city has changed, they no longer need you, and without the Ottomans, you and your men are now the only aliens in this city."

"I know… I am now waiting for the island that the emperor has promised us."

"Do you know that the emperor has promised the same island to four different people excluding you and Lord Giustiniani?"

"I know that he offered this deal to others… But I did not expect it to be four…"

"Well…" Abdullah gave Antonius a hug before lying down on a pile of haystack nearby hugging his beaker of mead and sweet cheese rolls.

Leaving Antonius there by himself for the moment.

Antonius strolls out of the barn with nothing in his hands unlike his pal, the distant unwavering noises of dancing and celebrations of this victory can still be heard, accompanied by occasional cheers and fire works. Interested, Antonius climbed up to the roof of the barn, sat down there and stared blankly into that area.

The crowds are having fun, for the new life they gained after going through all that hardship, but their ruler forgot or chose to forget who pulled his people out of the swamp.

Where is the trust he emphasised over and over again? Perhaps this kind of intrigues and schemes which seems to be legit in the world of the court of Constantinople, but it is hideous in the west where the people puts more weight onto this thing called contract, if the pay for mercenaries are not granted…. It might end very badly for both sides.

Antonius climbed and laid onto the haystack with Abdullah, looked up at the moon and his mind started wandering away to wonder land, the crescent always hanging there bright as always, and there seems to be no difference between the moon of Genoa and the moon. He looked down at the people, still enjoying their festive mood over the victory relishing the hardship and bitterness they have endured. The people here, makes no difference with the country men of Antonius back in Genoa too.

Perhaps the only thing which has changed in the alien environment that feels awkwardly familiar but actually foreign to Antonius is his mind, and the people around him.

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