527:To Rome

Lucius here....
King Arthur sent Count Edar and us Leicestermen to forage for food, before going down to Rome. We did as we were told and we made a killing. I looted and pillaged until my heart was content and came away with 34 Libra of goods. I told Ellidyr to take part and he of couse refused. he is a good lad. Perhaps too good, to the point of foolishness. Even a monestary and a nunnery gave us trouble. I was with Ellidyr on this though. I would not harm holy men or women. Even I have my limits. Ellidyr foolishly tried to help the nuns who of course had no appreciation. Bledri Actually struck one of the nuns! The man has no limits!
On the way back from the gathering of supplies Sir Amadis met up with a strange dark skinned Foreign Knight who called himself Priamus of Alexandria, of the line of Tolomy. Whatever the importance of that is. Amadis jousted the man. After 5 passes neither could get the better of each other so the stranger called it a tie and he drank to their prowess. A strange custom and one that Amadis apparently liked because he has decided to adopt the custom. Priamus is a prince in his lands or something and he healed Amadis wounds with what he called the waters of the two holy rivers. Hmmmm.... whatever.
Before getting the goods back to Arthur we were attacked by the army that Priamus had warned us about. The King of the Vandals was leading the army he said. I am not sure where Vandal land is but we did not care. Priamus fought with us and somehow he used a strange influence ( Magic?) to cause the other saracens in the army to flee the field. It was Amazing!
With Count Edar leading the battle we pummled the Vandal King. I was with Edar's reserve party and we charged in pursuit when the enemy army was broken. Sir Bledri led our unit through most of the battle until those damned Crossbowmen shot his horse out from under him. Amadis picked up the slack though and we clearly whipped the Vandal army. I watched Young Ellidyr and he did well. It seems my training is helping. He is very good with a blade thanks to me.
After the battle we delivered the news and goods to Arthur who was most pleased and a little intrigued by our new foreign friend. Arthur said " On to Rome!"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rome was not what I thought it would be. During the siege I led some raids around the surrounding lands and collected over30 more Libra in goods over the next month. Arthur then finally spoke to the Pope, and he agreed to surrender to our King.
Edar was able to get his marriage to Queen Elaine Annuled and now next year he will Bring The Norweigian girl valerie and his two children to Leicester, and marry her. Clever dog!
I stayed in rome for 5 monthes and made a lot of contacts among the senators and poerful nobles of Rome. They were trying to use me for their own ends just as I was using them. I led them to believe that I could gain Arthurs ear. Even though the only contact I had was Edar.
I was able to find a fine and Aristocratic beautiful Roman wife, Olivia. She is all that a man could want. Clever , elegant and gorgeous.
On the downside, my quest for a rich orphabed boy to be my ward was not good. I have discovered that he is poor and a victim of politics and just another mouth for me to feed, Guido they call him, and he's dumb as pig balls. In short, Rome was not as Powerful as I expected and her Glory days are over, but she still has enough beauty and sophistication to be counted among the most worthy cities in the world.
Bledri disassembled two of their Roman monuments and took them home by sea to Britian! One Priamus said was an obelisk with an elephant that was from his egyptian homeland so Bledri boxed it up and took it. Also he took something called the statue of David. He put it in Leicester. Ellidyr and Aedon lived with the Roman monks and as tourists tried to see every worthy religious site in the area. Both men are good warrriors but we need to get rid of this religious zeolousness. Edar sailed his one ship, the " Beehive" back to London , and Bledri sent his monuments by boat, but everyone else traveled overland. In a mere two monthes we were home again and telling stories by the fire. I was happy showing off my wife, my new Partial platemail, and my 10 librum worth of Roman art and jewelry. Also there was a jewish apothecary who sold me a jar of red ungent that he says will aid in healing the most grievous of wounds. It cost 15 libra but i feel that it will be worth it! Rome..... splendid, magnificent, dirty, cruel, and decadent. I have learned in my recent travels that truly...... Britian is the best and most powerful kingdom on earth!

Sir Bledri here.
Ah, Rome. What can I say about Rome? A very rich land. Well, not as rich lately. The spoils of war were greater than any other campaign i have been in. The Roman army was not as great as i thought it would be. yet they did have this annoying habit of killing our horses. i think we shall have to do something about that. maybe we can put chainmail on them.Happily when we returned, our neighbors hadn't stolen all of our county, only part of it. It seems our king is going to right this wrong, so that is good news. And I have been made a Round Table Knight! I am happy to serve my king, though i hope i will not be separated from my fellow Candlebees by my duties. Truly, an honor and a great responsiblity.oh, and i brought the statue of David back from Rome. Yes, that statue of David. Sweet.

Sir Amadis here
More fighting on the Continent. Pretty countryside, yes, but it's no Leicester.
As we closed in on Rome I met a strange knight, the Lion of Tollomy, a Sir Primus from Alexandria. We jousted--he did alright for a foreigner. Nice enough chap. We saw him occasionally while in Rome enjoying the spoils of our fight; Bledri got some advice from him as to which monuments would be best suited for transport home to Leicester.
I also picked up a wife, a fine Spanish woman, Desdemona. No Scathach, but fiery in her own way. We were married and back home to Leicester by Christmas.