Act XI: The Promised Land (Part Four)
Four
When Yubi first met Eudosia, she was 14 years old, an innocent girl. Six years later, the young woman's face bore a hint of mature melancholy, and her tears carried a more bitter taste. She looked older than Yubi, yet seemed to still possess a naive and childlike heart—once on the ship, she hooked her lover's finger around his and wept incessantly, as if the boundless ocean were made of her tears. She embarked on her journey, began a new life, and was now free. Why did she still weep? Yubi couldn't understand.
Tables and chairs were set up on the deck at night, and candles were lit. "Did you come to my ship on purpose?" Yubi waited until Yudosia had finally cried herself to sleep before daring to ask with concern, "Don't you think I would harm you?"
“I don’t know many people, Lord Euboeus…” Eudosia reverted to his usual obedient and docile demeanor, his voice barely audible. “You are more trustworthy than others.”
“…Diophantus must have said a lot of bad things about me to you.” Yubi cleared her throat. “Don’t you think like your brother?”
The girl opposite him glanced around nervously, her fingers tracing circles on her skirt. "...You're the only one who's ever asked me if I wanted to." She lowered her head. "You've truly cared about me, even my mother never asked me that."
These words made Yubi feel ashamed. He turned his gaze away and uncomfortably picked up the golden cup beside him. "Did Diophantus know about your affair with your lowly lover before?"
When she spoke of her lover, Eudosia's eyes softened and sparkled. "Lord Eubius, you will understand," she said, her tone both sorrowful and resolute. "Love is pure and beautiful. It is a gift from God, and nothing in this world can ever hinder it."
“That’s true.” Yubi nodded in agreement, sipping the blood from his cup. “Love also gives people courage!”
Yakov and Schumer were eavesdropping on the conversation from a distance. Eudosia's "lover" stood by the railing—the handsome boy, like a dazed parrot, was being led by Eudosia, his eyes vacantly staring at the sea. "How will this little girl survive alone?" Schumer sighed. "Where do we put her? Rhodes, Cyprus, or take her all the way to Acre and dump her in some filthy place?"
“There’s nothing she can’t survive,” Yakov said dismissively. “She’s still a noblewoman, and she has the guts to run away with her ‘lover’.”
“What’s a runaway noblewoman with no land or property?” Schumeer shook his head. “I’m more afraid that her ‘lover’ will ruin her. From the moment she boarded the ship, that boy hasn’t said a single word for her.”
“She knows Yubi, and Yubi will help her.” Yakov crossed his arms. “Connections are the advantage of being born into nobility.”
Schumer fell silent, as if deep in thought. Frankly, Yakov didn't believe such absurd love could offer any help to the pitiful, vulnerable girl. He listened intently as Yubi and Yudosia discussed the monastery. "I won't inherit anything, sir..." Yudosia stammered, trying to explain to Yubi, "If my husband had no children, and I bore him a son, I could inherit his children's property as their guardian... But he already has children, who are the legal heirs. Once married, I'll become a widow and will be sent to the monastery by my stepson..."
Yubi blinked, looking at Yakov and Shumel with a puzzled expression. "I've been to monasteries," he said, both innocent and cruel. "Actually, there are books to read, and people take care of your meals and daily needs. Aside from the daily prayers and worship being a bit tedious, life there is quite happy and the atmosphere is peaceful..."
Upon hearing his words, Yudosia suddenly shed a few dignified tears—Yakov was also angered by this unreasonable remark, and he coughed forcefully a few times.
“…I misspoke.” Seeing Yakov’s expression, Yubi awkwardly took a handkerchief from her person and handed it to the girl. “So where do you want to go? You can’t possibly come with us to the battlefield, to Egypt.”
“As long as I’m with my love, there’s always a way.” Eudosia lowered her head and wiped away her tears. “You just need to let us off the ship where my brother can’t find us.”
“Rhodes and Cyprus are both Roman territory. Come with us to the Holy Land,” Yubi said after a moment’s thought. “Once we reach Jerusalem, I will give you some money so you can find your own way to make a living.”
"My lord, you are too kind!" Eudosia's tears continued to flow, and she sobbed. "We will definitely repay you!"
Yubi couldn't ask any more questions. He sighed deeply, gave his servants some instructions, and then told them to escort the two uninvited guests back to their rooms—they had to make room in two decent rooms within the limited cabins of the ship, so that the noblewoman would have a place to stay while maintaining her dignity. Once Eudosias had finally disappeared from sight, Yubi leaned against the railing with a sigh of relief, looking up at the moon that was faintly visible through the clouds.
“It’s good that I have you two by my side.” He turned to look at Yakov and Shumel who had come up to him. “With you two here, I don’t have to worry about anything. If I were her, I would be so worried that I would lose my hair.”
Koyakov wore a forced smile, while Schumer remained silent, pursing his lips.
"Do you have any complaints?" Yubi asked in surprise, straightening up from the railing. "Yakov, I told you to let her on board, and you agreed!"
“I have no complaints.” The knight sat down in the chair. “Ask him.”
Yubi's gaze shifted to Schumacher's bandages.
“Lord Jubius, I think you understand that I did not mean to antagonize you... so I have to warn you about this.” Schumeer hesitated for a while before speaking—Yakov could tell that he was blaming not only Jubius but also himself. “You really shouldn’t have taken her on board at the port.”
Yubi's mouth dropped open, astonished that Schumacher dared to oppose him at this moment. "Why do you say that?"
“I can’t tell if you truly don’t understand, or if you’re just indulging in your own reckless behavior… I hope that after hearing my words, you can tell me your thoughts, so that your loyal advisors won’t speculate in private.” Schumeer nervously rubbed the railing back and forth. “If you really want to help this girl, you must consider her situation: is it better for her to elope with her penniless lover to a place full of pagans and live a life of poverty, or to marry an elderly nobleman and enjoy her old age in a monastery? Sometimes people just foolishly do things that are of no benefit to themselves.”
"But if you indulge your own emotions and cannot resist others' pleas, you must consider the consequences of such indulgence: helping Philaxtus' daughter and servant elope will damage your reputation."
Unsurprisingly, the more Yubi listened, the uglier his expression became. Yakov quietly observed the two of them—thankfully, Schumer couldn't see Yubi's annoyance.
“I’m not trying to help her, nor am I succumbing to begging.” Yubi frowned, glancing cautiously at Yakov. “Pure love should not be hindered by anything; that’s a truth. I’ve heard that the Emperor’s cousin escaped from prison and eloped with his own niece to Trabzon, where they had two children. If such an unconventional love can lead to marriage, why can’t Yudosia find happiness?”
The awkward expression shifted to Schumeer's face. Yakov casually glanced over; the nose beneath the bandages wrinkled, and the mustache swayed. "What you're describing isn't just elopement, it's... well, it's not just outrageous, it's morally reprehensible," the Jew said. "His own niece is the widow of the King of Jerusalem. They've committed a crime, utterly shameless and immoral, and broken rules and agreements."
"The widow?" Yakov couldn't help but interject. "Is she the one we met before?"
“Not that one, but someone from before. But so what? Does that mean young women have to be widows for life?” Yubi retorted angrily. “Sometimes I really feel that you older people are just jealous of beautiful things, always finding all sorts of reasons to stop love. Age, gender, status, race, religion, bloodline—basically, you can’t allow people you don’t approve of to be together. I really wonder, have you never been young, never longed for beautiful love?”
Upon hearing this, Yakov's face contorted into a comical expression, as if he couldn't suppress a laugh. He then glanced at Schumacher's embarrassed face—the Jewish man's lips trembled, as if he were racking his brains, waiting to offer some earnest rebuttal; or perhaps he regretted having spoken those words, provoking the young vampire to argue with him.
“…If that’s how you think, that’s fine, because you’re different from everyone else and have the freedom to be selfish,” he murmured. “But it’s fine if you do it alone, but please don’t impose this freedom and selfishness on others… Many people can’t bear the weight of this freedom.”
Yakov then looked at Yubi's reaction. He suspected the vampire didn't understand the meaning of these words—"I don't think this is selfish." Sure enough, Yubi's tone rose a little more, "Whom each person wants to be with and how they want to live is none of anyone else's business. It's those who seek contradictions in right and wrong who are selfish, trying to use their own reasoning to hold others hostage!"
He was no longer the child who readily accepted whatever was said. Yakov thought that Yubi had his own ideas and was willing to argue them endlessly, even at the cost of offending those around him—though the ideas were indeed somewhat naive, but that was common among young people his age, and there was nothing wrong with that. Unfortunately, it went too far for Schumacher: the Jew's back bent again, like that of an old man, and he shut his mouth in a humble manner.
“When I agree to someone’s request, you think I’m indulgent, foolish, and selfish,” Yubi sighed angrily at the sea. “But when you beg me to heal your eyes, my restraint is no longer considered a virtue.”
“I didn’t mean that, Lord Jubius…” Schumeer’s voice sounded like he was about to cry.
"Don't call me that, Schumacher, I've told you too many times!"
Too many times? How many times had this conversation happened without his knowledge? Yakov thought warily and irritably. The knight tapped the table with his finger, stopping the conversation from sliding further into disaster. "It's come to this," he said sternly. "There's no point in you arguing any further."
"What do you think about this?" Yubi pressed on, glaring at him. "Tell me, Yakov, do you think I harmed Eudosia?"
Yakov watched his angry expression without fear, then grabbed Schumeer's sleeve and pulled the blind man behind him.
“It’s pointless to talk about empty theories. Everything should be judged on its own merits.” He said in a deep voice, “I bet you that when we get to Rhodes Island, you’ll know who’s right and who’s wrong.”
As he expected, the anger in Yubi's eyes dissipated. "What does this mean?" his young master asked疑惑地问道, "What are you betting on?"
“I’m betting on love,” Yakov said. “I’m betting on the difference between ‘love’ and ‘lover’.”
Yakov knew this route intimately—he had made it every three months for the past five years. The fleet departed from Constantinople, crossed the Sea of Marmara, and traveled from the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea. However, the fleet's sheer size, discipline, and logistical needs slowed them down, making them less agile than the Knights' merchant ships. General Condor Stefanos planned to stop at two ports along the way, the first being Rhodes.
The Aegean Sea was breathtakingly beautiful, its clear, deep blue waters shimmering like sparkling jewels. But the vampire was deprived of the sunlight to admire them—Yuby's constant reading had shifted from the Aeneid to the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and he frequently showed Yakov the illustrations. "There used to be a colossal statue of the sun god here, and all ships passed by his prairie!" Yubi murmured in the dimly lit cabin. "But it was destroyed by an earthquake a few decades later, leaving only the marble base."
Yakov frowned as he looked at the painting: the colossus was a naked man striding between the breakwater and the peninsula, holding a spear in one hand and a sword in the other. The painter had exaggerated it; the colossal structure was so enormous that it was unbelievable even today that it could have been built by human hands, let alone over a thousand years ago. He leaned out into the scorching sunlight, comparing the painting to the harbor—now, where the colossus's feet once stood, on one side were ordinary windmills, and on the other, a beach where naked Greeks lay sunbathing.
"The pedestal is nowhere to be found either," the Blood Slave replied dismissively. "You don't need to come out and look."
However, the vampire beside him wouldn't listen to him at all. Yakov only glanced away for a moment, and the head, its turban loosely wrapped, peeked into the blinding sunlight. A terrible cloud of smoke billowed out, carrying a burnt smell. "If you dare do that again, I'll nail you to a coffin!" Yakov said angrily, shoving the vampire's forehead several times. "Don't you know the sun gets stronger the further south we go?"
“It’s a rare opportunity to come all this way, I want to see it too,” Yubi retorted. “Getting a little sunburnt isn’t a big deal!”
Yakov knew it was pointless to argue with such an ignorant young man. He only glanced reproachfully at Naya behind Yubi—the Greek slave they had bought was busy caring for her young child and had less time to serve Yubi. Yakov pulled the vampire aside and stepped in front of Naya. The slave girl knelt obediently on the ground without a word, her eyes lowered in fear.
“I brought you here not just for blood donation,” Yakov commanded, his demeanor terrifying. He spoke half his words to her and half to Yubi. “If I see him do that again, I’ll throw your child into the sea.”
The underhanded tactic worked perfectly; Yubi indeed stopped yelling. He just bit his lip, reluctantly watching Yakov's obnoxious expression. Yakov was pleased to see his trick succeed. He didn't have time to waste here, and stepped onto the deck—more dizzying, important business awaited him.
The knights and the Cuman mercenary commanders had gathered on the ship, awaiting Yakov's orders and supplies. "The ship will remain here for one day; it must return before dawn," Yakov said, summoning Daoud and distributing bags of gold coins counted by Shumel to the men, then adopting a stern demeanor. "Next time we stop in Cyprus, you must prepare at least 20 days' worth of food and fresh water."
The group didn't linger and went to the market. After they left, Eudosia approached again with her lover. "My lord, we also need to go to the market to buy some things..." the young woman said timidly—her lover was even more reserved and delicate than she was. "Could you lend us some gold coins? We can put it on Lord Eubius's account and calculate it together..."
Before Yakov could finish speaking, he shoved a money pouch into her hand and waved for her to disembark. Eudosia thanked him in a very low voice and, with someone who appeared to be either her lover or a servant, headed towards the harbor. At that moment, Schumeer, supported by Nuk, slowly walked up behind him.
"What if this little girl doesn't come back?" the Jewish man sighed. "It's not really our responsibility, is it?"
“Of course not, I’d rather she never come back.” Yakov picked up another heavy money bag, but frowned and hesitated. “…I want you to bring back some local specialties and delicacies, anything is fine, the more the better.” He crumpled the leather bag in his hands.
“Lord Jubius couldn’t eat these anymore.” Schumer opened his mouth in surprise beneath the bandages. “What’s the point of buying them?”
“Who said it was for him to eat? It was for me.” Yakov tossed the money bag into Daoud’s arms, which the boy caught in a flurry. “You should go with them.”
He sat alone on the deck, gazing at the crystal-clear, turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea until sunset. He had sailed here for five years, and this was the first time he had felt such a surge of emotion at this magnificent scenery. The sunset here was different from the enchanting pinkish-purple of Constantinople; it was a languid, comforting warm orange. Twilight enveloped the white rocks and sand, making them appear faded by the sun, like a pristine world, intolerant of even the slightest impurity, being scorched to ashes by flames.
Yubi opened the cabin door behind him, his steps halting in the shadows, the twilight trapping him. "It's beautiful," he complained from afar, "more beautiful than you ever told me before."
Yakov glanced at the setting red sun and realized it was getting dark. "Seeing it with your own eyes is always more real than hearing it from others," the Blood Slave sighed deeply. "I'm afraid you'll never want to see it for yourself again, content with descriptions and interpretations."
"You want me to see it with my own eyes, but you won't let me leave this shadow."
"Whose fault is this?" Yakov turned around and looked at him with raised eyebrows.
Yubi lowered his head, annoyed by the scolding. "It's not Naya's fault at all," he said, sounding wronged and lonely. "She got scolded by you because of me, and she's become sullen and doesn't dare to get close to me anymore."
“It’s not because of you, it’s because of your power.” Yakov shifted his gaze back to the orange-red sunset. “Your power allows you to make others take the blame for your sins, and as a result, others distance themselves from you.”
"But power can also make me compensate them."
"After the compensation, is everything the same as before?"
Yubi didn't answer him, only stubbornly snorting. The terminator moved slowly, and in the distance, Schumeer and his party returned first. They were accompanied by servants and porters, carrying their purchased goods on the gravel road. Yakov smelled the aroma of food coming his way, rose from his seat, and took off his heavy iron hat.
“I brought you fruit tarts, made with olives, pomegranates, and oranges; and milk coffee, sprinkled with roasted black sesame seeds.” Schumer patted Nuk and Daoud on the back and told the two henchmen to take the things to Yakov. “And squid ink pasta, you won’t find it any further east.”
Yubi stepped out of the cabin into the night and was surprised to see servants and attendants had laid out a table full of delicacies. "But I can't taste anything anymore, Yakov..." he muttered softly, feeling ashamed and envious, "You're the only one eating this."
Yakov didn't answer him, but took a delicate fork from Daoud and twirled the dark noodles garnished with basil and herbs. "It wasn't meant for you anyway." He devoured it, sauce splattering onto his lips. "You can only watch."
"You're so stingy!" But the vampire whispered in his ear, "After you've finished eating, I'll eat you next, won't I?"
Yakov's face contorted with rage at the nasty words, his heart pounding. He hastily pushed his master away, trying to finish his meal as calmly as possible. But things didn't go as planned: for the second time, amidst the port teeming with soldiers and servants, he saw a head of disheveled, long, golden hair crowding towards him, this time accompanied by a heart-wrenching cry—Yudosia's shoes had come off again, his feet were chafed raw by the stones, and his socks were soaked with bright red blood.
No one stopped her from rushing onto the ship. Yubi winked at Naya, and someone helped the poor girl forward. Yakov rolled his eyes and helplessly put down his fork.
"Lord Jubius..." she cried, her voice trembling with grief, "My beloved is gone, I can't find him!"
Yubi immediately summoned several of his slaves with pity. "I'll send someone to help you look for him," he asked with concern. "What's your lover's name?"
“…I don’t know, sir…” Eudosia seemed to wake from a dream, clutching her tear-streaked face, “…I didn’t have a chance to ask him!”
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