Mysia, 1086

The sweat dripped from the weary soldiers' faces as they staggered, rather than marched, towards Nicaea.

"With all due respect, Caesar, I have seen better roads in rubbish pits than this mess!" gasped Anatolius Laskaris, a veteran soldier who rode with Ioannis, "Must we rush back to Nicaea? After all, we have only just restored Roman rule in Dardanellia."

"Ah, my good Anatolius, always eager to get into battle, but in your aged years, you don't appreciate the toils of campaign as much." responded Ioannis, "We must return to Nicaea so that Strator Chrysovergos can set out on his expedition. I will not have the second city of the empire exposed to the Turks."

"Yes, but surely we could have waited until the roads, rudimentary as they are, have been cut?"

"No, time is essential. The Turks will not be idle, and we are as yet still very weak.