Stories Thread

[TheFlax]

A Letter and a Book.

Imperial Palace, Constantinople, 1081

Anna had just taken her leave after the evening meal and intended of retiring to her quarters for the night. On her way there, she had crossed paths with a messenger, carrying amongst other things a letter for her. She had read it has soon as she had entered her study.

Sitting at her desk, she examined in detail the missive she had received. It had been sealed with a rampant lion seal. The velum was of medium quality and the sealing wax, pitch black. As she perused the words, she blushed slightly. Apparently, her appearance at the Hippodrome earlier had not gone unnoticed. She pondered on her admirer’s words, seeking clues of his identity through what he had written of himself and how he had composed the letter.

It was not that she truly wished to know who it was, but most mysteries usually piqued her intellectual curiosity. It became a puzzle and a challenge. Yet, in the end, she had too few clues to go on. The man was not of noble birth and served her father, but that was the case of many. He had alluded to danger in service of her father; as such he was surely a military man of some sort, unless he had exaggerated. An analysis of his writing style proved even less conclusive. It was obvious the man had a sharp mind, yet hints in the way he constructed his sentences had led her to believe he had only received a minimal formal education. Then again, if he was a military man, that might not be wholly unexpected.

Tired, Anna decided on postponing her efforts. Before heading for her bedroom, she changed her indoor robes of a light pink a blue, in favour of a plain white silk nightdress. Then, after combing her hair and washing her face, mainly to remove the rouge from her cheeks, she moved for her bed.

As soon as she crossed the threshold of her bedroom, Anna froze. There, lying on her bed, was an object wrapped in fine green cloth. Even from a distance, she could tell it was a book, for she spent most of her days with one in her hands. She wondered how it had gotten in her room for an instant, before taking a few light steps towards it. Sneaking up on the book without making a sound, she glanced furtively around, eyeing suspiciously every shadow in her bedroom as a potential offender.

Before long, Anna had silently reached her ample bed and if the book had been a person, it might have been surprised to see the young woman appearing out of nowhere. As it was, nothing happened and the eerie silence began to rake at her nerves. Slowly she reached for the package and immediately after wrapping her hands around it; she jerked her head to the side and scanned the room with her gaze. She was about to remove the green cloth, but flinched when the drapes leading to her balcony rippled lightly.

On the tip of her toes, she moved around the bed and towards the balcony, holding the mysterious package tightly to her chest. She quivered in anticipation of what she was about to discover and halted for instant, thinking she should instead run to the guards. Her hesitation only lasted a heartbeat, before her curiosity took over once more and she resumed her painfully slow progression. Moments later she was inches away from the drapes and decided the time for subtlety was over. In a bold and unladylike move, she burst through the drapes and onto the balcony, eyes wide open and searching for some sign of an intruder.

Relief and a touch of disappointment coursed through Anna when she realised there was nothing out of the ordinary on the balcony. Silently, she chided herself for reacting like she did, thinking herself quite silly. If someone had sneaked into her bedroom, that person was long gone and all she had seen was a trick of the wind. She couldn’t even be sure it was someone from outside the palace who had delivered the package.

Retreating from the balcony, Anna sat on her bed before removing the green cloth from the package. She smiled in satisfaction when she saw it was, as expected, a book and an exquisite one at that. Her fingers glided softy on the leather cover and for a time she lost herself in the sensation, before finally opening the cover. Inside, she found a message awaiting her.

From a humble admirer, who does not deserve the attention of the beauty unmatched in Court of Rome, or any other city under the sky.

Her eyes went wide upon reading the words. Was this another admirer, or perhaps the same man who had sent the letter she had received earlier? After a careful reflection, she decided the two were unrelated. This was another mystery she would have to solve, but not tonight. Tonight she would lie on her bed and enjoy this gift.

Turning a page, Anna smiled at the title as she read it out loud. “Illias and Odysseia, by Homeros”. Whoever had procured her this book had good taste. Even if this particular work was well known to her, she carefully read each page, taking time to admire the impeccable calligraphy she could never hope to match. Only when the candles in her bedroom were spent, did she drift away in peaceful slumber.

[Privateerkev]

1081:

Makedonios was taking a break from the Senate proceedings. The Emperor had not yet arrived and everyone was basically just sitting there staring at each other. So he had retired to his chambers behind the Order's section in the Senate. His room was spartan. A small bed was in one corner. A pad to pray on in another. A chest held his wardrobe. He was sitting on his bed reading the latest pile of letters when one of them made him laugh. It seemed the political games were starting already. No matter, he wouldn't let the petty jealousies of other nobles distract him from his Holy mission.

He finally put the letters down and laid in bed. It was the first time he had laid down in a couple days. He was exhausted. The past few days was a whirlwind of letter writing and politicking. Plus Makedonios had another reason to keep busy. For when he was busy, he wasn't thinking of "her". Well, at least not too much. Ever since last night, she kept invading his thoughts. As he laid there, he wondered if she was thinking of him too. He shook his head. Bah, she is probably being courted by half of the men in the Senate. She has other things on her mind. Makenodios tried to get to sleep.

[Kagemusha]

Kantakouzinos residence,the next morning.

Ioannis Kantakouzinos was having a simple breakfast. Bread, oil, olives, an apple and water to flush everything down. While the maids served this simple nourishment to their master, Naksos waited patiently in the corner of the room.

Once the maids were gone, Ioannis drank slowly the last few drops of water from a silver cup, without turning his eyes to Naksos he said:

"Were you successful? Does the princess now posses the book?"

Naksos took few steps forward towards his master and said with a happy smile on his face.

"Yes, the book is delivered. The boy who carried it into her chamber said that he was almost captured by the princess, but managed to escape through the balcony before he got caught. My lord, can i ask why did you want to give her the Illias?"

Ioannis shrugged to himself and replied with a little smile.

"I know that the princess is educated beyond belief and there hardly is an classic which she has not read. It is about the story. It is about how love and determination can bring down cities into dust and that men can do anything for love, even if it would mean death.
See, i have encountered the princess all my life as we are close relatives to the Komnenos and my interest towards her is not just merely to marry her in order to bring influence and prosperity to the Kantakouzinos family. I think i have loved her always.
The fact is that Anna Komnenos is lot more then just her staggering beauty and intelligence. She is a political tool and a weapon, in the arsenal of her father.
You dont court the princess of Bysantine Empire like any lass. If got caught of that could mean a scandal and even disgrace to princess and banishment of the man deemed guilty of that kind of behavior. Sure one can ask of her hand from his father, but that is a thing any sane man of noble birth should do. It is completely different matter what his father wills, so we must be careful, more then careful."

After a brief silence. Ioannis continued.

"Now Naksos, find out if there is any banquet this week, where the princess might attend.Those should be plentiful,since the Basileos is in the city and everyone wants to impress him. It is time to meet the princess in person"

[_Tristan_]

A night in a Royal garden

(Co-op story by TheFlax and TdC)

It was night. A warm breeze came from the Bosphorus, bringing a thousands scents from the city below the Palace. The man fully dressed in black had gained access to the gardens on which opened the latticed windows of the Princess’ apartments.

His heart was racing madly in his chest, not so much from the exertion of climbing walls and avoiding the patrolling guardsmen but from his proximity to Her.

Hiding in the bushes, his face upturned to the balcony where a feeble candle burned in the room, the man saw the lithe body of a small boy climb the wall, getting grips in between stones. The boy seemed to carry a heavy burden on his back, but apparently, this did not hamper his climb in any manner.

The black-clad man tensed, his hand going out of reflex to the dagger at his belt, his fingers tightening on the hilt.

The boy reached the balcony. The man began to move to follow, loosening the blade from its scabbard. The boy parted the curtains and stepped into the room. The man took some quick steps forward. He was almost out of cover when suddenly the curtains parted anew and the boy reappeared, his burden gone. He vaulted over the balcony’s rail, landed rolling and began to run as soon as he regained his feet. The boy passed a mere two feet from the man not noticing him, while the man took note of the boy’s face, intent on finding him again if anything happened to Her.

Thinking of Her, the man’s gaze returned to the window and he stood transfixed. She was standing on the balcony like a Greek goddess, a Christian Icon bathed in candle light. She peered at every inch of the balcony, seemingly searching for something. For a moment, she was visibly tense, yet once the futility of her search became obvious she visibly relaxed. Turning to face the man, she gazed absently at the night sky. In her arms she was holding the package that the boy had carried with him. The size and shape of the green-clothed packet reminded the man of a book.

That puzzled him. Who would deliver a book in such a way ? Unless it was some forbidden book… No, that was not possible, She would never meddle in these matters…

Before the man could move, She retreated as quickly as she had appeared. The man remained a few more instants. The candle still burnt brightly in the room when he left.

He managed to see Her… That was more than what he had hoped for…