For he knew his decision was irreversible, and once the dream of conquering the Greek Empire was over, Sergita would focus his energy on finding a way to eliminate him.
So he left Apulia, wearing the Cross Cloak personally bestowed by the Pope, taking with him the Norman Knights who couldn't stand Roger Borsa, and headed for the East. Once again, he set foot on the lands of the Greek Empire, a place he had only recently departed.
He had once thought he would set foot on this land as a conqueror, but now he was a wanderer—a wanderer with nothing, here to seek help from a rival he had once despised.
The moment he set foot on the Empire's soil, he was received with courtesy by Alexios. At times, he couldn't help but admire the man's magnanimity.
In response, he did his best to restrain his unruly Norman Knights. He even had one knight flogged for raping a Greek woman, though it wasn't as if the cunning Greeks were all behaving themselves either.
