Stories Thread

[_Tristan_]

Having just ridden from Thessalonika, Methodios sat his horse on a hill overlooking the greatest city of mankind, Constantinople. The rays of the sun made the domes of the numerous basilikas glitter like so many diamonds, the most blinding the great dome of the Hagia Sophia.

Constantinople, the city that gave him life and made him a man.

"I would do anything to protect the city" he mused, his fist tightening on his horse's reins as his thoughts moved to the numerous enemies that had their eyes on such a priceless jewel...

The glitter on the domes brought him back to that fateful day, ten years earlier where in the marches of the Empire, he had marched with Joseph Tarchaneiotes, one of the young squire in the great general's retinue, the sun catching on the helmets and spear-points and sending back almost blinding rays into the men's eyes.

They had marched through the Armenian mountains hoping to find the main body of the Turkish army, only to get lost while their comrades were getting slaughtered at Manzikert, fighting those same Turks that eluded them.

So much had happened since then... Neither Tarchaneiotes nor any of his men had ever reappeared... Hopefully no one remembered that he had been part of the expedition... He was no-one at that time... "Nobody will remember me", he hoped.

Since then, he had made use of the skills gained in the shadow of such a great general to become a man of valour, someone who the powers that be could call whenever there was need for someone to lead an army in a field or a siege...

"Without land, without money, there was not much for me to do but put my sword for hire", he thought."I am no better than a mercenary... Now I have been called to sit in the Senate and I hope that I will be able to serve the Empire to the best of my abilities."

Spurring his horse forward, Methodios led him on the slow descending road towards the gates of the city, his small retinue following in his wake.

[Kagemusha]

Kantakouzinos residence in Constantinopol,

While the hot mid summer sun scorches the walls and buildings of the great city of Constantinopole, forcing the ordinary people to seek refuge from a shade beneath the scorching sun. Ioannis Kantakouzinos sits on a large wooden bench inside the Kantakouzinos residence in Constantinopole. In the large room without windows, which denies sun light to light its shine upon it. Ioannis sits in a flacid light of torches and candles, which are set around the room. His glance moves through the room moving from shield to shield, from armor to armor and from flag to another flag of his family.
For several days he has been waiting answers to several messages, but none have arrived.

"What should i think of this silence?Is it bad or good omen? I have been waiting patiently, but do i have to wait forever, if i dont do something which will give me answers. I see all these mighty arms and emblems of my family, a family which originates from the same family as the Imperial Comnenus family. How i can make my forefathers proud and raise my family to a status it deserves. How can i achieve that..."

The young Kantakouzinos remains in the room, pondering his options and planning strategy from each possible situation. While in the outside the scorching mid day sun is turning to more tender sun of early evening, making the ordinary man´s life bit easier, while the noble one gets no peace from his dreams, fears and ambitions.