On the road to Constantinople 1138

The last couple of months had been good to Nevoulas ek Philadelphius , he had enjoyed the company if his Asteri hosts and grown to know and like this young Nikiphoras. It had not been all partying for Nevoulas, it had been a time for his family and a time for reflection.

As he rode on his trusted steed right now he looked back to see his caged brother, now looking somewhat more respectful but still rebellious. Over and again he had tried to escape, likewise he had resisted the logical arguments they had had about the new Roman empire under the Komnenus reign.

The Komnenus line, Nevoulas mused had delivered on their promise to restore the empire back towards its former glories and then some.... Say what you like about the current Caeser and soon to be next Basilues he knew how to fight and even now the house that he set up continue to hunt the Seljuk leadership now far out of Anatolia and into the lands from whence they came. Not that his allies were the only people to have done the empire great service, the crusade to sieze the riches in Egypt had almost wiped out the Fatamid Caliphate and the Order continued to wield its might in the holy land.

Nevoulas shook his head out of the daze, and looked around at the sizable army he had seized for himself. Good fierce men who knew the battlefield well, he had handpicked the best troops to travel with him on his quest. Leaving his fellow noblemen behind, leaving vague directions as to his plans Nevoulas had struck out alone. He calls a halt to proceedings now, and orders his men to rest as he dismounts and wanders back to the cage where his brother sat cross-legged.

'Is this supposed to impress me Nevoulas' spat out Makedonias. 'These roads, these clothes, I know where you are going and even that will not impress me, your capitol is full of decadence'

'and you would know about that wouldn't you Maka' Nevoulas replied quickly 'Yes, you have been there before'

'sure back when we were young' answer Makedonias '...come to think of it probably before you were born.... yes when father took me....'

'No' Nevoulas cut in angrily. It frustrated him to hear Makedonias speak of their father so. 'YOU were there recently, and I intend to find out why'

Makadonias glared at his younger brother 'Don't you see Nevo, you and your empire will never wipe us out. The more you tighten your grip, the more it will slip through your fingers. Why I wager even now their will not even be a Capitol when we get there' he smiles smugly. Then looking up at the sky he proceeds to start chanting.

Nevoulas let him, he had grown to accept the ritual now, his brother could believe what he wanted to believe and Nevoulas knew he was in part correct, he had heard reports of a large army of unknown warriors was now approaching the capital and even now the nobleman left there were scurrying to prepare their men. How many of these cursed Jihads did they have to kill? Nevoulas sat at the side of the road alone and proceeded to look at the map he had acquired off of a merchent in Iconium. One which pointed to a land from whence this new threat had come. These 'Moors' were not from the east but rather from within Christendom it seemed... Nevoulas intended to find out the nature of this threat and fully combat it.