Stories Thread

[TheFlax]

Constantinople 1101

Anna fidgeted with her dress as she eyed the assembled crowd with apprehension. Her gold silk gown was decorated with pearls and gemstones. Over her shoulders she wore a semi-circular cloak lined in cerise silk, featuring a tablion of pearls and jewels. Her long raven hair and pale round face was revealed to all on this sacred day of matrimony.

Having just cleared the narthex with her attendants, she was now crossing the naos, where everyone was assembled in anticipation for the wedding. She noticed Ioannis Kalameteros waiting for her near the abside and slowed her pace. He looked slightly uncomfortable and nervous in a dark short tunica with embroidered sleeves over his light-colored camisa and cloth leggings. His mantle had a richly embroidered border and tablion and was fastened with a fibula. Ioannis could wait a little longer.

Anna let her gaze take in the majesty of Hagia Sophia which was covered by a central dome of more than a 100 feet across and nearly as high as the sky itself. It seemed rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of arched windows under it, which helped flood the colorful interior with the light of the Heavens. The dome was carried on pendentives—four concave triangular sections of masonry which solved the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. It's weight passed through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners and, between them, the dome seemed to float upon four great arches. At both ends of the great church, the arched openings were extended by half domes carried on smaller semidomed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements built up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome.

Finally, she joined him in abside, near the altar, and awaited for the priest to begin the ceremony. Anna was lost in her thoughts for most ceremony, trying to figure out how she could possibly endure sharing a bed with the man beside her. Nevertheless, when the two crowns where brought into view, she snapped back to attention. A discrete smiled made its way on her thin lips as her head was adorned with a gem-encrusted crown complemented by pearl dangles. Ioannis' crown in comparison was much plainer and bore no gems or pearls.

The assembled crowd fell silent as the priest intoned the ritual of matrimony. "O Holy God, You formed man out of the dust of the earth, You fashioned a woman from his rib and joined her to him as a helpmate, for it pleased your great generosity that man should not be alone upon the earth. Now, O Master, stretch forth your hand from your holy dwelling place and join these your servants Anna Komnenos and Ioannis Kalameteros, for You alone join the wife to her husband. Unite them in one mind and in one flesh, granting them fruitfulness and rewarding them with good children. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen."

The ceremony lasted a while longer, but Anna's thoughts wandered once more until it was time to for the heart of the wedding ceremony to take place. Most of the guests present at Hagia Sophia took the streets of the capital in a noisy procession led by the newly wed who guided them to their new home, where festivities awaited.

((On to the Wedding party here: https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=105625))

[Ignoramus]

Bithynia, 1101

As Ioannis Komnenos walked back to his tent, he heard loud shouting coming from inside his tent. As he entered, two of his retainers abruptly broke off their heated argument, looking shamefaced.

"Now what is all this about?" inquired Ioannis sternly. "Have you forgotten that I expect better of my retainers? Andronikos, you speak first!"

The more senior of the two stepped forward. "Forgive me, Caesar, but young Bardas here was not paying you due respect. He has been complaining to me about your orders over the past few years."

Ioannis turned to the younger retainer, 'Is this true, Bardas?

Taking a deep breath Bardas turned to Ioannis. "It is true. Forgive for disrespecting you, Caesar, but I am sick of camping out in this deserted place. Ask the soldiers, and they'll tell you the same. We are marching to relieve Sinop, yet we have not moved a mile in the last four years!"

Smiling gently, Ioannis responded, "It is true that it most unusual, and I myself am partly to blame. I authorised Comes Chrysovergos to march on Trebizond, thus making it unwise for us to march upon Sinop. However, it cannot hurt to move closer to Sinop, providing we proceed carefully. I will pardon you for your disrespect, knowing it was frustration, not disloyalty that caused it. Try and trust me next time."

"Thank you, Caesar. I should have held my tongue, and I will learn my lesson.

[00jebus]

Bozkurt, Black Sea Coast, 1101

Lisas Attaleiatis had been awakened early on Sunday afternoon (well, it was early, as he saw it) by a member of his bodyguard who had been serving as an advanced scout.

Apparently, the heretical army that had taken Sinop, were not content to hold this prize just out of the reach of the Caesar’s army, but were actually arrogant enough to attempt to turn citizens of the empire to their side, and one of their priests (for want of a better word), had been preaching (for want of a better word), his cult to a town he had never heard of.

After swearing at his man for being awakened, forgiving him once he heard the news, and finding out where Boskerp or whatever its name was, actually was, Lisas and his men set out at once, and now they had arrived, on a hill overlooking the tiny town, in the dead of night.

"How fitting" Lisas muttered, "dead of night", he grinned, this would be his first action and he was trying too look braver and colder than he actually was.

He looked to his men
"Do we know where their staying?"
"Sir, A small tavern on the east side of town, it doesn't have a name, but then, it’s the only one in town.” came the reply from the man who had woke him up earlier today.
"Good," smiled Lisas, finishing his sentence in his head "...thing that my soldiers do nothing but drink when their off duty"
"Sir, his escort?"
"Expendable, we want the priest, and grab some ale too, the owners protest, gently remind them they were harbouring an enemy of the empire, dismount and move forward"

There were some appreciative laughs as they began the long quiet march into town

On their way to the tavern, Lisas smiled, realising that the local priests saw them for heretics and didn’t allow them to stay in their chapel. That means the locals were almost certainly pro-empire.

Once across the street from the tavern, hidden in an ally behind a wagon, they saw two guards pacing up and down the front, and a small flag gently flapping from a window on the second floor.

”Numbers?”
”There should be two more men on guard round the back, when I was here last there were 20 in total, including the priest.”
”Did you see what weapons they were carrying?”
”Yes, a mix of axe’s, knives and those weird two handed things Muslim’s use, the priest has a stick...”
”You mean a staff?”
”it’s big, made of wood and doesn’t have a spike on the end sir, that’s a stick to me”
”very well, no armour?” he questioned after observing one of the guards in the moonlight
”none, sir”
”Good, you” still not knowing his men when they were armoured, he just pointed and hoped it was one of his best “take your pick of 5 men and go round the back and clear the cellar, the rest of you were going straight through the front door, crossbows, release”

two dull thuds were heard and the guards fell like rag dolls

”move”

they ran to the front door, which was miraculously opened for them, a second later it a woman of about 30 appeared on the street, thinking fast one of Lisas’ men had grabbed her from behind and was now holding her in some wrestling position Lisas didn’t recognise, but it kept her quiet.

”As soon as its over, let her go, we’ll talk then” he addressed to both the man holding her as well as who he hoped was the owner, “now in”

Dull candlelight lit the room, revealing two drunks slumped over a table, “not a religious order then” Lisas mused after seeing two cudgels nearby them.

One of the drunks stirred “who was that thud?” he slurred, his answer came in the form of a spartha to the gut.

Lisas threw up, straightening up; he looked at the cups, “what were they drinking? God… that smells like it’s been drunk before” so maybe it was a religious cult then, he finished to himself.

”What’s going on?” came a cry from the stairs.
There, rubbing his eyes, was the very priest who had caused so much trouble.
His answer came in the form of a shield roughly bashed into his face.

”Easy” announced Lisas, “clear the building, you two, tie him up and carry him outside, you two go get the horses” he ordered his men

Walking outside, his intuition about who the woman was proved right, as he was greeted with a slap across his face, dull moans started to fill the night.

”Im sorry” he said to owner
”you should be, they were paying 100 florins a night!”
”So you’re only worried about money? You didn’t agree with whatever they went on about”
”yes, do you know where else I can get 100 florins a night these days?”
”yes actually, but not now, the empire is rebuilding, liberating new ground every day, what if I promised you a new Inn, under your control, in say, Sinop?”
”I don’t want to move”
”We’ll pay your moving costs, who do you know that drinks more than sailors or soldiers?”
clearly thinking about this the woman extended a hand “you have a deal… mr… I didn’t get your name”
”you have a deal with the house of Komnenodoukai you don’t need my name, don’t make me regret it miss, Oh yes, and one of my men couldn’t stand the sight of blood, so… have fun cleaning that up”

He walked away before she could protest.
She re-entered the bar with a disgusted look on her face as the cellar team rolled ten barrels of ale towards him

”load up that wagon, this should raise morale a bit, and if there’s still room when the priests on, liberate some livestock and maybe some fruit from those farms we saw on the way here, I’m sick of grain”

ten minutes and a rather full wagon later, and they were speeding off back to the main camp, Lisas wondered what the priest knew, but wondered more about what it would take to make him tell them what he knew, people who think their right with god, he was told by his teacher one time, are a real pain to make talk.
He grinned, for three years, he hadn’t realised that pun.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Comments, criticism welcome.

[TheFlax]

((Coop story with AussieGiant, YourLordAndConqueror and Deguerra))

Constantinople, 1105

The afternoon sun was still high as Anna was waiting for Apionnas Vringas in an out of the way building. She paced impatiently in room near the entrance, finally only stopping a moment to undo a white silk veil completing a then robe of varying pastels overlaying a warm tunica embroidered with purple and gold threads.

A clearing of a voice was the first startling moment that Anna realized she was not alone. Turning rapidly, her eyes widened at the sight of Arab clothing but she quickly realized who it was.

He was dressed seriously. The blue Saracen Mansuriyyan officers cloak covering his faded crimson brigantine jacket. Twin scimitars at his side. His eyes blue and sharp a constant contrast to his dark burnt skin.

Bowing, he straightened.

"Assalaam Alaikum my lady, sorry for the deception. I'm a little concerned. Should I be?"

As soon as Anna composed herself, she replied.

"Possibly." She pulled out a scroll. "Have a look at this." Handing it to him, she continued. "This was in my things after I found my room in Antioch ransacked."

He scanned the scroll quickly. The familiar raised eyebrow the only obvious reaction to what he was reading.

"I'm unaware of this Aleksander ek Kallipoleos. Should I know who this is? What and where are these letters and contract he speaks of?"

Anna shook her head. "No. The letters and contracts were proof of his family's involvement in a plot to kill me, it was all a ploy, of course, to occupy me while he want through my letters and notes. I cannot suffer such an insult to pass without retaliation, I hope you understand this."

Folding his arms across his chest Apionnas studied the woman before him. After a moment he said in a steady voice.

"Are you saying that the very family that you are supporting in Antioch tried to kill you? Surely this is something for the Grand Master to deal with if true? I understand retaliation, but what do you have in mind?"

She held out a hand for the scroll. "The talk of a plot against me was simply a distraction, nonetheless I do not appreciate being played. I will attempt at another meeting and if successful, I need you to capture the man who will present himself there."

Again another moment passed as Apionnas' steady gaze appraised the Princess.

"As you wish. I have just one question. What is the information this man seeks?" It was clear the answer was important.

Anna turned her gaze away from Apionnas, obviously troubled. "I know not. He did not seem to want anything in particular, I suppose any of my secrets would have satisfied him."

"So a family member of Iakovos ek Kallipoleos identifies himself clearly as the person who ransacked your apartment, he then states that he did this because you would never tell him the information he seeks and finally states that he hopes you would not hurt Iakovos.

What is the reaction that will provide the most benefit for you? I am certainly prepared to help, but a disturbing yet harmless act could escalate here if we are not careful. What is your plan?"

Her stern expression and years of training kept at bay her growing rage, for now. "I want to make it clear that I will tolerate being spied upon and that no one will rummage through my room without consequences. There can be only escalation if there is a conflict, I intend to make sure that such a conflict will be prevented... permanently, if you get my meaning." Calming herself visibly, she continued. "Now, it is simple. I will lure a man to a location I will give you once the meeting is set, you need only set a trap for him. I want him alive though."

Apionnas noticed the imperceptible signs of annoyance from the princess. Satisfied that this was no flippant wish of a compulsive woman he bowed deeply.

"By your command. I will take the person alive.”

---------------------------------------

The next day, by way of Balatro, Anna had set up a meeting in one of the back alleys of the capital and in her most discrete clothes she had rushed there as twilight fell on the great city. Two sturdy and well armed guards accompanied her in the dimly lit streets until she reached the designated alley, which she entered alone, leaving them to stand watch at the entrance. She took a few careful steps in darkness and scanned her surroundings for any signs of the person she had come to meet.

A voice crept from the darkness. "So you came, interesting. I know few with such bravery, or foolishness, in them." A shadow moved from the darkness, tall imposing, and hooded. The only thing that stood out was the slight clink of mail. "To business I suppose?"

Anna's voice was surprisingly confident. "Yes, to business."

From a recess in the alley another figure emerged. Anna's guards also detected movement from outside the alley.

The hooded figure, turned sharply, keeping Anna within eye shot but focusing on the intruder. "Declare yourself!"

A calm and icy reply was combined by the hands of the shrouded figure falling to the pommels of his twin scimitars.

"I might ask you the same question. The answers are irrelevant. Yield now!"

The hooded figure flexed his hands, and two knives appeared in them, whether they could be thrown or not, one could not tell. "What is this? Treachery? I have no quarrel with either of you, and nor will I yield to useless threats."

The scrap and glint of Damascus steel reflected in the light. The twin scimitars now held low and ready.

"You have trifled with the wrong woman my friend. It is you that have been playing games and it is you who need to face reality."

At that moment four additional figures appeared at the end of the alley. The way is now blocked, the odds now dire.

"I say again friend, yield. I can assure you your life is not under threat."

The hooded man chuckled under his breath. "I am to believe that once I lay down my arms I will not be shoved into one of the Empire's dungeons to be forgotten? That is a quite a boast. And you confuse me with playing games. Games are reserved for mere children." The hooded man's hands tightened upon the knives, but then let them fall to the floor.

The twin scimitars remain drawn. The fact that the man has dropped his weapons does not seem to convince the shrouded figure.

With a nod of his head his men approached the figure.

"Take his weapons, search him and hold him."

The hooded man submitted to the search. four knives, two daggers, and three vials of a clear fluid, along with a few sheets of paper were found on him.

Anna, now once more flanked by her two guards, led them back to the unremarkable building where she had met Apionnas earlier. Leaving the guards at the entrance, she brought the others to a secluded room where two men were already waiting.

The more immediately obvious of the two lent against the far wall in an uncomfortable manner. He was a terrific sight to behold. Despite a dark complexion that identified him as Mediterranean, he was taller than most Greeks and had a head shaved save for a topknot of black hair. A brutal scar ran down the side of his face, disappearing underneath a patch where is left eye should have been. In its place, the patch itself contained a crudely drawn eye, painted in vibrant red. Across his back he had strapped a large western two-handed sword.

As they entered he gave the newcomers a grimace and burst out.

"Took you damn time didn't you. We were getting bloody worried that something had gone Q&%@$ wrong!"

"I thought I told you to watch your tongue!"

The other man stepped from the shadows. Unlike the first he was no imposing sight. He was of slender stature with arms that seem to large for the rest of his body. His face looked gaunt and tired, contrasting only with his intense eyes. A mere two weeks ago, his appearance would have elicited no comment in the streets of Konstantinopolis and his name would most likely have been greeted with a questioning "Who?". That was the way he liked it. Ever since his recent marriage to the Basileos' daughter, he detested his brief flash of fame, and hoped it would all be forgotten soon. His face impassive, he turned to the man holding the prisoner and gestured towards a chair.

"Put him over there."

With a nod of his head Apionnas's men place him in the indicated chair with some force. With a second nod of his head they retired into the next room.

Moving to a corner of the room to better observe proceedings Apionnas nodded at the intense figure.

"My Lord, congratulations by the way. I never got a chance to say that in the great hall."

The hooded man seems to cock an eyebrow, even from under the dark recess of his hood. "Do I know you? Oh, yes, Ioannis Kalameteros, husband to Anna Komnenos, leader of House Asteri? And you, you're Apionnas, the Emperor's lapdog? What an interesting collusion we have here..."

"Thank you Apionnas". Ioannis walked over to the hodded man, looked at him silently for a moment and then took a chair opposite him, and studied his face for a while, before beginning to speak.

"I don't know who you are. I don't care who you are. I don't know what you do for a living and I don't care what you do for a living. But, it would seem my lovely wife has been receiving rather unwanted attention from either yourself or those you work for."

At this Ioannis lent in closer. "I don't much like it when people threaten my wife." He shrugged. "But that is for another time. For now, my wife has questions and she wants answers. I want answers."

He sat back again and studied the other man some more.

"I suppose at this time it is appropriate to show my willingness to hurt you by some sort of show of force. I would like to avoid that, but even if you have hopes concerning my squeamishness, I am sure you will not feel the same way about them."

He gestured towards Apionnas and the tall man.

"Just do not waste my time. It is late and I would much rather be in bed. Answer my questions, and I promise you you will not be harmed. But if you screw around with me, if you make me feel like you are not being honest with me, if you make me feel ridiculous...then I swear by god you will not leave this place alive."

He gave a forced, thin smile.

"Now. Can we get down to business?"

The hooded man laughs weakly. "I would not think I have much of a choice, so ask your questions. I ask only that my identity be not revealed, otherwise, you will get nothing from me. My life ends when it is known."

"Save the drama for a better audience. I've told you already I don't care who you are and I don't think my wife cares any more than I do.

What is of interest is what you are. Despite the theatrics, I cannot assume you are a spy because spies don't usually let themselves be caught quite so easily.

So tell us, oh mysterious one, who do you work for, and what exactly is it that you do? What was your purpose this night?"

The hooded man's body seemed to smile. "To the point, I like you. I work for an Organization, lead by a dead man, and I think that is all you need to know. As for myself, I am a simple saboteur, and my mission tonight was simply to make contact with Anna if she should request the services of our our Organization."

Ioannis brought his face very close to the hooded man's.

"Oh you think do you? I don't recall asking you to think. I think, however, that I need to know much more. Let me give you a little advice on publicity, a specialty of mine. When attempting to offer your services, ransacking rooms and making threats is generally not the way to success. Such behavior is liable to leave lasting doubts about your motives with those to whom you are offering your services. To the point, then, seeing as you like being to the point, I would suggest you expand on your necromantic organization or you will be joining its leader very shorty."

The hooded man was unfazed. "You will have to excuse that rather rash action on our part, it was both an error in judgment and mixed signals from one of our operatives, who has been dealt with."

The hooded man took a deep breath, and prepared himself for something he has known would come.

"Maybe you do not see it, so let me explain to you. If I tell you anything, then the Organization will see to it that I die, and even if I do tell you something, I am sure you will kill me. I have absolutely no incentive to tell you anything, for I will gain nothing in doing so."

"Rash? Error in judgment? I'll say. So, you are prepared to die, oh hooded one? Then why bother with the theatrics of your identity? Why tell us what you have so far?

Ask yourself again, if you truly have nothing to live for. No goals, no family, no hopes and aspirations?

And are you truly ready to die? To face your creator? To face what comes before death? Tell me, mystery man, have you ever drowned before?"

The hooded man seemed frozen, his tone flat, his voice a whisper. "You put in me in quite a position Ioannis. Your arrogance puts me off from telling you anything, as does your foolishness. Kill me, see where it gets you, see what dead men tell. I live to serve the purpose set out by the Organization, and to tell you that would betray it: this I cannot do. So drown me, and suffer what ever consequences may befall you."

The hooded man smiled and pulled back his hood to reveal close cut brown hair, a scar across his face running from above his right eye, across the bridge of his nose, and ending under his left eye. His eyes were a near colorless blue, and they stared deep and penetrating, giving the impression he saw through his interlocutor to something else.

"I fear neither pain nor death Ioannis, for such fears where washed away long ago when I joined the Organization as a child. I was born Ignatios Angelus, I will die Ignatios Angelus."

Ignatios chuckled to himself. "I would be careful about your daughter, Helena, I am sure the organization will want to replace me with something of suitable value. Oh, and do be careful that you do not break those vials of mine, two are acid, and two are liquid fire. Wouldn't want this whole place to burn down around you, now would you?"

While Anna had remained inscrutable during the interrogation, the mentioning of her newborn daughter broke all the self-control she had left. Her voice was hard and charged with emotion. "You can't be serious? You people would go so far as to threaten an innocent child for your own twisted agenda? You sicken me! What had I ever done to you people to be dragged into this? I never asked to have anything to do with you lot and yet your "organization" barged into MY life and into MY family's life! You had no right! So keep your threats wretched creature, I want nothing more to do with you or your people." Her voice faded to a barely audible whisper accompanied by a quiet sob, she seemed spent and on the verge of collapse. "I simply want to live in peace, is that too much to ask?"

Ignatios turned to Anna, his eyes took a more sympathetic light, along with his voice. "Your highness, maybe you will never understand us, and I doubt you ever will, but what happened to you on that fateful night was in fact a rogue element, something we had suspected, but never realized to the degree Symeon would pursue his ambitions. As for your child, I make no threat, I give only warning. It would be foolish of me to die before the Lord in such a vile manner. I would not be here, where I am now, if it were not for Symeon, who even now eludes us."

Ignatios's gaze turned blank. "We all want peace, and we each seek it in our own way. If you would but allow me to kill Symeon...then maybe I can die in peace, knowing that both the Organization will only be in debt to you, and a dangerous element, a very danger to the empire, is extinguished...

Ioannis walked over to his wife. He hesitated, briefly placed a comforting hand on her arm and then returned to the seated man. He looked at him in silence for a while, then smiled.

"It was you who brought up death. I never intended to kill you. But it seems you are a hard man, prepared to die for his beliefs. Good. I'm a reasonable man. You have given your assurances that the threats on my wife were unintentional and will be punished. I can accept that. You must forgive me if I get angry, but when my family is at stake...Now I am quite prepared to do as you say, to let you go and find this...Symeon. But I must know more of this...Aleksander character first."

Ignatios's gaze turned back to Ioannis. "He is an associate of mine, from long ago. I have no idea why Symeon would use Aleksander's name, except to implicate his brother, for reasons I cannot fathom. In the short time I new him though, Aleksander might have been considered...a radical, in many, if not to many, ways."

Ioannis sighed audbily and then yawned. "Well, this has been a complete waste of our time. Tell your organisation we are not interested, and we do not care to ever hear from them again. We are not interested in anything you have to offer. Primos. Show our guest the door."

With that, the big man detached himself from the wall, took the seated man carefully but firmly by the shoulder and directed him towards the door.

Ignatios chuckled as he was being lead away. "I can do no such thing Ioannis, in fact, I will never see another Organization member ever again. They will make sure I cannot find them, ever, so there will be no way to let them know of your wishes..through me at least."

Ioannis and Anna walked through another door without acknowledging the other man.

[ULC]

Antioch, 1105

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Coop story done with PK

The last few days, Makedonios has felt a near presence, following him just as surely as his shadow does. Each day it has drawn closer, but whenever he would attempt to catch this would be pursuer, he finds only empty air.

Finally after days of mind numbing waiting, Makedonios returns to his rooms late at night only to find a dark figure sitting in a chair in the corner. The dark figure speaks with a voice that is melodic, feminine, and soothing.

"Come, sit Hypatos, I am sure you are wondering why I have been following you."

Revitalized by finally being free of that dreadful sickness, Makedonios lunges to a fighting stance and draws his sword. Yelling for his shieldbearer Nick, and his bodyguards, he moves forward to the corner while men rush into the room with weapons drawn.

The figure continues. "Please, do not force my hand, nor underestimate me. I wish only to talk, and I had to be sure that the situation was firmly in my own hands before I moved, to avoid having myself so quickly killed. I understand your dislike of...my profession, but let us put that to the side for the moment, please, and talk to me as if I were human."

Makedonios just stands there sword at the ready. The room is filled with people now. Nick, the large hulking Greek, stands next to his lord with a small axe in his hand. Makedonios turns to one of his guards and says, "get the militia regiment to turn out and surround this building."

As the man runs out, he turns back to the figure in the chair. "You are not in a position to make threats. There are over a dozen men in this room and in the hallway. If I sound the alarm, the other Order members will turn out with their own retinue and bodyguards. In a matter of minutes, the regiment that guards this city will form up and will surround this building with over a hundred men. So, unless you have an army marching this way, you will find that your position is quite precarious. If you want me to listen, your going to have to try a different track than threatening someone who has far greater power than you."

The voice takes on a more apologetic tone. "I am sorry if you took my words as threat Grandmaster, they were never intended that way. May I start with a question with your permission?" The cloaked figure stares at the drawn weapons for a moment. "And may I ask that the weapons be lowered...I am unarmed, and will indeed do what you ask to prove my claim."

The Grandmaster stands there and evaluates the situation. Finally he nods. "Alright, the men will leave the room but will be right outside the door." Makedonios gives an order and the men file out. Makedonios sheaths his own sword but doesn't sit. He just stands there with his arms folded and waits for the woman to speak again.

The figure seems to breathe for easily now. "Thank you." After a pause, she continues. "What do you know of the Organization?"

Makedonios's brow furrows as he tries to recall if he had ever heard anything about the group. "No, never heard of them."

"I am a member of the Organization, and it also another part of that Organization I am here to discuss. Sometime ago, one of our own operatives went rogue. His name is Symeon, and he is a serious threat to the well being of the Empire, as well as a threat to the security of the Imperial family and the Order of St. John. I came to warn you of him, and to let you know I have been assigned to you as personal liaison to the Organization, if you so desire."

A grim smile crosses Makedonios's lips. "What are you? A den of thieves? If there is a threat to the Imperial family, then it seems more appropriate to bring this up to the Emperor. I must say I am amused by the idea of a rogue going rogue. I apologize, but when you get to my position, you get all sorts of people coming to you claiming to represent one group of people or another."

The smile fades. "Before I decide this has all been a complete waste of my time, how about you tell me a little more about this 'Organization' and why I would need a liason."

The woman's voice takes a hurt note. "Please...we are not thieves, nor are we rogues, we serve the Empire loyal, just as you...and we cannot approach the Emperor with this, he would never take us seriously. We come to you...forgive me...we come to you because of Iakovos. It has to do with Iakovos brother...Aleksandros, the current head of the Organization. He believes you would be more receptive to our offer, because of your relationship with Iakovos. We do not speak to Iakovos though, since Aleksandros does not even want his brother to know he is alive, and Iakovos wields little power."

The woman waits, and one could almost feel her anxiety.

Makedonios's eyebrow raises at the mention of Iakovos. "Iakovos certainly has a... colorful family. You do realize that if you had sent Iakovos to me, instead of trying cloak and dagger tactics, I would have been more receptive. Plus, I have never heard of Alexsandros. I'm going to do my own digging. If I find some of what you say, then I would be open to more conversations in the future. But I warn you here and now, that if I find something I don't like, the results will be quite... dramatic for those in your 'Organization.'"

The woman sighs, somewhat relieved.

"We would have, but Aleksandros feared detection. Is there another time and place we may meet, without the cloak and dagger? You may impose whatever terms you like, we are willing to accommodate to bring Symeon to justice."

Makedonios, still with his arms folded, nodded. "Anywhere but here would suffice. The number of people that can simply appear in my bedroom with me knowing, without causing me to become annoyed, is very small. And you are not one of those people. I'll talk to a few people that I trust and see just what has been going on in this city while I've been stuck in bed. If I find anything out, I will contact you. I can either write a letter and send it to an address of your choosing, or I can do something cloak-and-dagger and leave my curtains drawn a certain way or something." With that last, he allowed himself a small smile at the joke.

The woman shrugged. "As I said, I would prefer that we meet openly. It is better then Aleksandros deciding to have me one of your servants again." She seems to chuckle at that. "Is there some place you frequent?"

"There is a market I frequent that serves the kind of tea I like. I try to happen by there every day when I'm in town. You'll find me there." His tone turned more serious. "But let Aleksandros know that if he causes trouble around here, even being Iakovos's brother won't save him. My patience for these kind of games is quite short."

The woman nods in agreement. "I understand, and will convey your message to him." She gets up to leave, but stops for a moment. "And, please, do not tell Iakovos his brother lives...it may create unnecessary complications."

His face takes on hard features. "That depends on what my investigation finds. If it's bad, I will have no choice but to have a conversation with Iakovos. Aleksandros would do well to keep that in mind. If he knows I am going to find something I do not like, then it would behoove him to talk to Iakovos and come clean. I will try to be sensitive to family matters but I can not let that get in the way of a possible threat to the royal family or the Order."

The woman bows to Makedonios. "Till we meet again M'lord. It was a pleasure meeting you."

A few weeks later:

Makedonios sits in Antioch at his favorite market sipping mint tea.

A woman of with dark, short hair and a mild complexion sits down next to the Senator. She wears a veil to obscure her face, and is dressed as a noble woman, but it is obviously her, for she carries the same voice as before.

"You wish to speak to me M'lord?"

Makedonios sits and sips his tea. Finally, he addresses his guest.

"I wish you to know we are surrounded by my men at this moment. See the bum, wandering down the alley? He is one of my men. The man serving trinkets in the next stall? One of my men. The group of travelars walking up this aisle? All my men. The man at the table to my left? One of my men."

Taking another sip, Makedonios calmly continues.

"Now that we have established that you are quite trapped, I have a question for you. Your honest answer will ensure that you get out of this alive. Why was the Princess's daughter threatened by someone in the 'Organization'?"

The woman seems taken aback. "I believe you speak of the recently deceased Ignatios Angelus, a prominent arsonist and assassin? He was a good man, and it is sad he passed away, and I honestly don't see why he would make such a threat, especially against a child...that would be most unusual of him."

Makedonios's eyebrow rose. "Well, I got this information from someone I trust. Apparently, this man threatened the royal family. I have a hard time believing all of this is the actions of some rogue agent. The Princess herself had her apartment broken into when she was staying here. And my Marshall tells me that she was assaulted in an alleyway here."

He took another sip and then stared at her with hard eyes. "I want to know why the Princess has been attracting such attention. And I want to know right now. I consider her a close and dear friend of mine. She suspects that your whole 'organization' is out to get her. If this is true, I will tell you here and now that I will overturn this whole city to root your group out. Do not test me on this."

The woman nodded. "Initially, Symeon made use of our own agents in his plotting. But now he acts alone, or with others we are unaware of. Symeon has some vendetta against the Komnenos family, and now he is trying to put that into action, all the while shifting the blame to us, his only real rivals."

The woman pauses a moment before continuing. "As to the Princesses assault here, I do not know what you speak of. Is the person that assaulted her taken care of? Do you wish for us to take care of it?"

Another tea sip. "As far as I know, it is taken care of. But it disturbs me that the Princess has been bothered so much while visiting here. And you have failed to convince me of your organization's innocence. I fear your group is playing a very dangerous game..."

The woman's voice takes on a more serious tone. "Do you wish for us to insure her safety? We would gladly accept such an offer if it would ease your mind. I would offer myself as...collateral, if you so desire. I assure you, the Organization is much in the mood to prove it's innocence, yet at the same time, we must not compromise ourselves. It is a difficult task..."

Makedonios allowed himself a small chuckle. "No, I seriously doubt that the Princess would take well to your group 'protecting' her. In fact, you would do well to stay away from her. If you truly wish to help us, then give us the information we need to catch the person who is after her."

Yet another sip of tea. "Keep in mind that I seriously doubt as to the innocence of your group. Even if you are in fact innocent of this specific crime, then your likely guilty of many others. Your group's very existence seems to be a threat to the Empire since it trains and supports men to go and cause trouble. If you want redemption, you better produce results. Your group made this mess. I expect you to clean it up."

The woman nodded her head. "Then it is done. The Princess will no longer be bothered by anyone from the Organization. If you want information on Symeon though, I ask for your cooperation with me."

It is Makedonios's turn to nod. "Then it is settled. I warn you though, I have very little patience for your group. I want results. And I want them soon. Or I will turn this whole city upside down and bring your whole group before Kalameteros in chains."

The woman smiles at Makedonios. "Then I shall stay with you, and be on hand at all times, to aide you in anyway you desire, and act as collateral. In return, I ask you do not reveal my identity. Is this acceptable?"

Makedonios shakes his head no. "Sorry, I have no need of a keeper. We'll keep meeting like this. Good day m'lady." Makedonios gets up to leave.

The woman gets up as well. "Then I will report to Aleksandros of our agreement. You will know if he accepts or not. Good day M'lord."

[TheFlax]

((Coop story written with Andres))

Outskirts of Belgrade, 1100

The afternoon was well under way when a carriage flanked by a handful of heavily armed guards made its way slowly through the military camp of Savvas ek Militou. The small group progressed directly to the central tent of the commander, halting only a few feet away from it.

Savvas moaned. He tried to get out of bed, but as soon as he had lifted his head, it seemed like his tent was turning round and round. He reached for the bucket that was always near him, early in the morning.

After emptying his stomach, he started to laugh hysterically at the memory of Kristophoros, his loyal bodyguard, who fell in a pool of mud last night, while he was trying to kneel for one of the prostitutes that are always travelling with a marching army.

Somebody entered his tent.

"General!"

"Oh come on, can't a man have a few moments of rest, please?", Savvas murmured.

"General!", Aleksios, Kristophoros younger brother, entered Savvas' tent. "We have a visitor! You should get up now."

"Who's there? Peasant number 154 worrying about the three sheeps we took from his farm? Screw him. He still has 100 sheeps left."

"Eh no sir, it's the Basileus' daughter."

"What? Anna is here?"

Savvas stumbled out of his bed. "Don't stand there like that, you idiot. Go out and tell her that the General is leading a patrol, scouting the hostile area. Then you politely offer her to set up her tent next to mine. Ask her if there's anything she needs and tell her the General will be with her soon, after he ends his patrol. Once she's inside and resting, give me a sign. That should give me more then enough time to dress up and make myself presentable. Oh, and send me Larna, the older prostitute, and tell her to bring make-up."

"You should ask the Emperor for a name change, General. Savvas the Cunning would suit you much better."

Aleksios left the tent and walked towards the princess and her guards...

Some time passed as Anna waited patiently in the newly erected tent, wondering why a general would lead a routine patrol. Perhaps he was one of those men who chose to live the same hardships as their soldiers? It mattered little to her, with the help of a few choice scrolls she could wait indefinitely.

Digging through her chest, she found a text which suited her fancy. She took this opportunity to remove her veil and store it in the chest. Text in hand, she propped herself on a few plush cushions and began dissecting the public address she had chosen.

Meanwhile, in Savvas' tent, Larna arrived. She was carrying a large wooden box.

"Larna, darling, thanks for coming." Savvas whispered, "I'm afraid that today I'll need some of your other...", Savvas grinned, "talents."

"Savvas darling, I noticed you have an highly esteemed guest. I can make that tired look on your face disappear in no time and that awful smell can be easily replaced by something more adorable, but of course, my other... talents also come with a price."

"Oh, come on darling, please, this is no time for haggling!"

Larna took her wooden box and started to walk away...

"No, no, please stay Larna! In return for this favor, I will recommend your services to my bodyguards."

"As if I need any recommendations," Larna said, an insulted look on her pretty face.

"Oh damn it, take this silver goblet all right."

"Sit down, little darling of me, I'll make you look as handsome as you were at the age of 25 and smell like a rose."

Larna started to work on Savvas. After she put her instruments back in the box, she started to undress, a naughty expression on her pretty face.

"No no, not now," Savvas said. "Maybe later..."

"As you wish darling", Larna said, with a smile.

"Ehm, please, put your dress back on before you leave my tent, darling."

Larna giggled.

Savvas put on his armor and his black cloak and sneaked out of his tent, towards the tent of Aleksios and Kristophoros.

"Come with me, Kristophoros, we need to sneak to our horses, ride them a few hundred meters and then come back. Aleksios, when you see us coming, yell as loud as you can and ask me if we encountered rebels on our patrol. Then you tell me that the princess has arrived."

In the very late afternoon, two manly horse riders entered the camp.

Savvas, stopped at his tent, staring with a surprised look on his face at the magnificent tent that had risen next to his.

"Sir! Did you encounter any enemies during your long patrol?"

"We encountered three bandits. Those bastards attacked us from behind" Savvas said, while he was wiping of some dust and looking ostentatiously at what looked like some blood on his armor.

Aleksios was a bit puzzled about how Savvas managed to get blood on his armor, but he continued the charade.

"Now Sir, how did they fare against you and Kristophoros?"

"Nobody needs to worry about them scumbags anymore," Savvas said with a loud voice. "Tell me, Aleksios, do we have a visitor?"

"Oh, where are my manners, General! Her Royal Highness, Anna K..."

"What?" Savvas said, apparently sincerely surprised, "The princess is here? Why didn't you say so before?"

Savvas walked towards Anna's tent.

Hearing some commotion outside her tent, she rose and left her text on the cushions. She took this opportunity to smooth out the ruffles in her light green robe with gold filigree. As Savvas entered the tent, she gave him a polite smile.

"It is good to finally meet you in person. You look well." Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the blood on his armor. "I trust you did not encounter too many troubles in this patrol of yours?"

Savvas bowed for his princess.

"Just a couple of bandits, mylady. The blood is theirs, not mine. Please don't worry about my well being and please, accept my sincerest apologies for any inconvenience my absence during your arrival may have caused. I hope my men have treated you well?"

Anna nodded. "As well as can be expected. Come, sit." She indicated some cushions. "We have much to discuss."

"Indeed we have, mylady." Savvas sat down, seemingly accidentally close to Anna, but not too close to be inappropriate. "In one of your latest letters you spoke about an alliance? Please tell me, your highness, what services would you want me to offer you in return for your valuable friendship?"

She shifted slightly in the cushions, as to get into a more comfortable position. "As you well know, I have no voice in the Magnaura and yet, I hold certain matters close to my heart. You can help me make these matters come to pass."

Anna's maneuvering in the cushions amused Savvas.

"Is mylady feeling well?" he asked, with a gentle smile on his face. "Maybe your highness is getting a bit hungry? After all, it's already the ninth hour. This reminds me, one of my men shot a deer a couple of days ago. The flesh should be just about perfect for consumption right now and I have with me these excellent spices. I would be very honored if mylady would join me for diner, later this evening. We can go outside, out of these hot and uncomfortable tents and have a pick nick on the nearby hilltop, where we have a splendid view over the valley. Sunset is extraordinary beautiful around here."

Savvas clapped his hands and Aleksios, who had been waiting outside, entered the tent.

"My dear Aleksios, can you please bring us two goblets of wine?"

"Of course, general."

"We might as well start with the aperitif, don't we?" Savvas said, a friendly and warm expression on his face. "Please tell me, what are these matters you just mentioned?"

She chuckled lightly. "All in due time Savvas, the next Magnaura session is still sometime away. As for that aperitif, water will do fine for me."

Savvas nodded in agreement.

"Very well mylady. I will be happy to act as your spokesman in the Magnaura, if such is your desire."

Aleksios entered the tent with two goblets of wine, two empty goblets and a carafe of water.

"Thank you, dear Aleksios. Can you please prepare everything for a picnic on the hilltop. Tell our cook to prepare some of the meat from the deer your brother shot a few days ago."

Aleksios discretely left the tent. Savvas poured water into the two empty goblets and offered one to Anna.

Anna took the offered goblet and took a sip from it. "So, you are still heading from Belgrade? Even after Methodios' victory?"

"The Megas Logothetes, who has a better view on the current situation, asked me to continue my march to the north. The Empire is still facing many dangers. We almost faced a complete disaster because of the lack of sufficient military presence in the north. Methodios did very well and he truly deserves his nickname. Once I reach the area, I will probably be responsable for the defense of the Belgrade region. I hear your brother is marching to Sinop. Do you have any news of him?"

It took all of her restraint not to grimace at the mentioning of her brother. "I haven't heard of him for quite some time. He feels he does not need me and for some reason unknown to me, despises me."

Musing out loud, she took another sip. "I wonder how my father deals with him..." Anna refocused herself on Savvas. "Anyhow, there are far more interesting topics than my brother. I wonder about Methodios, do you not think his acts of glory-seeking will avail to nothing more than placing at risk all we have worked for? It is a selfish and dangerous gamble he is playing."

Savvas took a sip from his goblet of wine. "Mylady, I insist, you should try out this wine. It's outstanding! Just take a little sip, only to taste it and to give me your opinion."

Savvas took the other goblet of wine and placed it next to Anna's goblet of water, while continuing to talk: "It saddens me to hear that your relationship with your brother is problematic at the moment. If there's anything I can do to intermediate, discretely of course, feel free to ask."

Savvas leaned back and looked at Anna's eyes. "As for Methodios..." Savvas shrugged. "He is a hero, or at least, that's how the people perceive him. The common people look up to him. We need people like Methodios to keep the peasants, our tax payers, happy. Yes, he is selfish and his gambling is indeed dangerous. I would prefer Methodios to be more... careful. But he has a strong argument to defend his reckless actions: they have all been successful thus far."

Savvas reached for his goblet of water. Before taking a sip, he looked at Anna.

"I take it you're not very enthusiastic about his recent adoption into the Royal Family?"

Annoyance played on her features. "Everyone has their part to play for the Empire to function efficiently, those who go against the state of things always end up harming the whole to serve their own selfish aims. I do not appreciate such people."

"I understand. But dangerous as he may be, Methodios isn't a powerful man. At the moment, he doesn't even have a territory of his own. I am more concerned about the Order and their religious fanaticism. They also don't seem to understand the real threat, which lies in the West. Do they really think that the Catholic crusaders will fly to Jerusalem? Well, they won't. Soon we will see more then one crusader army in our Empire and those will be much more of a threat then some rebel armies. Our Empire simply can't deal with the muslims, and especially those damnable Turks, and a combined West."

Anna took a sip of the wine this time and smiled. "While these so called "Crusades" are a serious threat for us, since they have become inevitable, we must find a way to turn them to our advantage instead of simply bemoaning their presence. As you said, they will not "fly to Jerusalem"." She paused for an instant. "I think you are not very fair in your assessment of the Order. While their holy mission lies in the East, they have done nothing but bring wealth to the Empire and have not marginalized the need for defenses on the West. From what I understand, it is not them who pushed for a war with the Turks, but another noble household.

She handed back the cup of wine to Savvas. "I concur, it is a fine wine you have here."

Savvas took Anna's cup and put it on the small table.

"Maybe you're right about the Order, but...", Savvas stared at a distant point for a brief moment and said very silently, almost whispering. "I simply don't like those fanatic religious nutjobs." A sad expression came on his face, immediately followed by an angry look. He shivered and his facial expression went back to the usual warm and friendly. "But that's a completely different story and not relevant to our current conversation."

Aleksios entered the tent and bowed.

"General, mylady, diner is ready."

"Ah, thank you Aleksios." Savvas turned back to Anna, stood up, bowed and offered Anna his arm.

"Can I escort mylady to the diner table?", he gently asked.

Anna indicated for him to wait an instant.

"I cannot leave the tent like this."

Turning to her chest, she rummaged through it for a few moments before pulling out a headscarf which complemented her robe. After securing it tightly around her head, she took Savvas' offered arm.

"You can take me there now, I am famished."

While he was escorting her to the diner table, Savvas wondered how Anna would be able to eat with such a garment on her head.

"Lovely weather, isn't it? Do your duties allow you to spend much time outside, mylady?"

Anna shook her head lightly, regret etched across her face. "Not as much as I would want to, I have a complexion to maintain."

"Don't worry about that today. The sun will go under within an hour or so."

Savvas and Anna arrived at the hilltop. The table was richly dressed, plenty of delicious smelling deer meat was already served, cooled wine, water, grapejuice, cheese, bread, ... Candles were put on the table and six torches were put around it. A warm fire was still burning not too far away from the table and it seemed like nobody was in the vicinity of the table.

Savvas walked to one of the chairs. While offering the chair to the princess, he gently said "Please, have a seat mylady. What can I offer you: water, wine or juice?"

She smiled at the whole dinner arrangement. "Water will be fine Savvas."

"Water it will be then," Savvas said, and poured water in Anna's glass.

"Just pick what you like. Bon appétit, as the French say."

Savvas filled his plate with meat, cheese and bread. Surprisingly, he didn't touch the wine, but took grape juice instead.

Anna frowned at the strange words, before washing down her annoyance with a drink of water. She took a small portion of meat and cheese at which she nibbled absently.

"Have you traveled much outside of the boundaries of the Empire?"

"I've seen my share of the world when I was still young. My father, who was of noble birth, but member of one the lesser houses, was also a merchant. We needed the additional revenues from trade." Savvas shrugged, as to apologize himself.

"My dear father traveled a lot and he occasionally took me with him. I've been in Toulouse, in Paris, in Novgorod and in Jerusalem. French is very much like Latin, which is why I easily picked up a few words here and there."

Savvas drank a bit from his grape juice and continued.

"But I am sure mylady has seen her share of the world as well. Compared to our Empire and even the muslims, the west seems so, uncivilized, I'd almost say barbaric."

Savvas reaches for some more deer meat

Anna's features once more curled up into a dismissive frown. "Latin? French? Why waste time learning the languages of barbarians? I, myself, learned Magyar in the Kingdom of Hungary. It is a crude tongue, lacking the civilized intricacies and nuance of our great Greek language."

Savvas shrugged.

"Of course our own language is a very beautiful one, but it doesn't hurt to know something about the ways of foreigners nor to understand their language, does it?"

She shrugged. "Maybe so, but that is work best left to envoys and interpreters."

"I see. By the way mylady, have I already show you how exactly I took Arta a few years ago?" Savvas asked, pointing at his horse that was standing next to a tree about ten meters further.

Anna finished chewing a small piece of meat and then took a sip of water. "No, you have not."

"Well then, here we go," Savvas said and he stood up, walking to his horse.

"My esteemed audience, I hereby present to you: 'The Assault on Arta', featuring your favorite actor Savvas ek Militou as himself, his Lord Aleksios, his men, the enemy and the narrator."

Savvas bowed.

Anna smiled and give him a mock applause, joining in his jest.

Savvas climbed on his horse and immediately fell back on the grass. He got up and climbed back on the horse, only to fall back again.

"Ahem," Savvas said, looking around him.

He climbed on the horse for the third time and pretended to fall asleep. After a few moments, he started to snore extremely loud.

As he pretended falling asleep, Anna gave out a soft laughter.

Savvas shook his head and slapped himself in the face.

He turned and looked at some distant point behind him.

"Don't worry mylord, after winning a drinking contest against you, these rebels shouldn't be much of a problem."

Savvas jumped of his horse, took of his helmet, walked a bit further and looked at the horse.

With a worried expression on his face, Savvas said, with a slightly different voice : "Oh no, what have I done? Why did I give Savvas the command of this army?"

Savvas ran back to his horse, putting on his helmet again: "Why Lord, you lost the contest and you said the winner would command the army!"

Savvas put of the helmet again and walked to the supposed position of Aleksios. "I did? I don't seem to remember that? Oh well, I'll take your word for it."

Savvas put on his helmet again and jumped on his horse.

"You won't regret this, mylord." he said, over-acting.

Savvas jumped of the horse, using it's tail as some sort of fake beard and he imitated a cripple old man.

"And then," the "old man" coughed... "Sorry, my audience, I'm a man of old age and apparently they still didn't find a new guy to do this job... So, and then, Savvas divided his forces into two groups: one attacked the south gate, another, smaller group, under his command attacked the eastern gate."

Savvas took a log of wood and moved it forwards and backwards, imitating a battering ram, meanwhile screaming "Bam! Kadang! Kaboom! Oh, this is heavy and that lazy drunkard of a general is just sitting there on his horse, trying not to fall asleep!" Savvas shook his head and then continued "Kabang, boom, boink!"

Anna joined in the theatrics, showing exaggerated excitement and wonder. Her laughter slowly increased with each new act.

Savvas dropped his cloak, turned his helmet ninety degrees and jumped on a nearby rock, yelling with a high voice and a very strange, foreign sounding accent:

"Oh no! Ze Romans are at our zgates! Sally through ze South gate and for the East Gate, eh, just stand there and watch zhose spearmen battering our East Gate!"

Savvas jumped of the rock, and again used the tail of the horse to imitate the old man.

"And while the enemy attacked the large group of Aleksios, Savvas' men broke through the East gate."

Savvas put on his cloak again and took the log.

"Crash! Yes, we are through the gate!"

Savvas jumped on his horse and yelled: "Advance! Attack!"

He jumped on his feet and made galloping sounds "Kadang, kadang, kadang!"

Using the tail of the horse, the old man said to the audience: "Of course, we can only imitate the charge charge, because, if the esteemed actor would charge his horse for real, it would become difficult for the audience to keep following the play."

All of the sudden, the horse dropped what horses sometimes tend to drop and Savvas managed to jump out of the way of the droppings just in time. Acting as if nothing happened he again imitated the old man, this time without using the horse's tail, saying : "It seems like one of the actors is improvising..."

This time, consternation was etched on her features, yet it was hard to say if this was an act or true surprise at what had happened.

Savvas took back the role of himself and pretended to look at the "old man": "In fact, that also happened at the siege of Arta, not that I expected my horse to remember that."

Savvas dropped his cloack and gave his helmet a turn and started to talk with the funny accent again.

"Oh no, ze Romans are through the East Gate! We are doomed! Doomed!"

Savvas put his helmet back to normal and put his cloak back on.

"Indeed you are, rebel scum!"

He unsheeted his sword and started to swing it at invisible enemies.

"Haha! I decapacitated their leader! Victory will be ours!"

Anna applauded softly once more and smiled.

"Verily, Savvas, you might have missed your calling." It was obviously a jest.

Savvas bowed for the princess, shouting: "Thank you! Thank you! You were a fantastic audience! Thank you! I love you too! Thank you! Oh please, stop throwing flowers and applauding, it's becoming embarassing, thank you very much!"

Savvas made a final bow and grinned at the princess.

"Now mylady, shall I show you how I kidnapped the Russian princess, Victoria Annanova, on a hot yet beautiful evening in Novgorod when I was still a young man aged sixteen or do you prefer to enjoy the sunset while sitting by my side?"

Anna emptied her cup of water. "I think there has been enough storytelling for the day. I will tarry a bit longer for the sunset Savvas, yet I must soon retire. I will have to leave at the first hour in the morrow."

"But of course mylady. Surely you have to be tired after your journey to my camp."

Savvas sat next to Anna and looks at the magnificent sunset.

"Ah, one of the advantages of being in the field, outside city walls. Did you ever take the time to enjoy sunset or sunrise during one of your travels, mylady?"

Savvas took some grapes from the table and offered some to Anna.

She picked a grape and absently rolled it between her thumb and forefinger. "Certain preoccupations often prevent me from such indulgences."

"But not tonight, mylady. I feel that we still have much to discuss, but maybe that should wait until later. Allow me to offer you this moment of rest and peace in a magnificent setting as a small gift in return for your friendship."

Finally, Anna ate the grape and reclined her head to watch the sky. The silence appeared to soothe her, as if some burden had been removed for now. A thin smile of appreciation crept on her face.

As the sunset was over, Savvas silently stood up and offered Anna his arm.

"Mylady, can I escort you back to your tent?" he whispered, as he was afraid to disturb the princess' rare moment of peace.

She simply nodded as she rose and took his arm.

When they arrived at Anna's tent, Savvas talked softy to her.

"Mylady, I understand that you have been promised to another man. Whoever he is, I sincerely hope that your marriage will be a happy one,... or at least bearable", he added, an empathic look on his face. "I would never want to dishonor you, so I can only offer you my friendship. Whenever your family is in need of help or whenever your highness would need a moment of peace and silence in her busy life, just find me."

Savvas took Anna's hand and gently kissed it, in the process discretely letting a small parchment drop into her sleeve.

This elicited a warm smile from Anna. "That is very kind of you Savvas, yourself should never hesitate to contact me, for any reason at all. The was a very pleasant evening." With those word she retreated into her tent and once away from prying eyes, examined the parchment.

[flyd]

Thessalonike, 1110

"What does illegitimate mean?" asked the little boy.

"Huh? Um," stumbled Markianos Ampelas, "it's, uh, well, eh... something that is... not legitimate. So, it's... something that's not officially recognized... by law." He paused to look at a boy with an unsatisfied curiosity. "Run along and play then."

So the boy did run off, and Markianos slumped in his seat.

"At least he didn't ask what a bastard was," he said to himself.

He laughed. It was funny. Sort of. It was funny in that way where it's not funny at all, where it's, in fact, so far in the opposite direction from funny that the only thing you can do is to laugh that half-insane, half-dejected laugh.

He sat on a bench outside of a building in the moderately poor, but not so poor to be dangerous, part of Thessalonike. It was daylight, and children were playing in the street. At this time, the half-insane bit had increased to somewhat past two-thirds, so he decided to get philosophical.

"The problem with politics," he said, probably to a bum who sat on the ground near him, although equally probably just to himself, or maybe even to some other himself, as that two-thirds-insane bit may well have been closer to three-quarters by now.

"The problem with politics," he said again, maybe just to emphasize the point, or maybe because the narrator had gotten off on a tangent last time, and there would have been too much crap between two parts of a split statement. He didn't like the new narrator, and wondered whatever happened to the old one.

"The problem with politics," he said, (and that's all he did), "is that you are supposed to be a moral, upstanding, and noble citizen, and that you must associate yourself with likewise people."

"The second problem with politics is that nobody is and does."

"The third problem with politics is political opponents."

"The problem with the third problem is that it would use the combination of the first and second problems against you."

"The solution to the problem with the third problem is to keep your second problem secret."

"The problem with the solution to the problem with the third problem is..." he paused, "well, there is a great multitude of problems with it." He sighed.

After a short and (insanely) thoughtful pause, he continued.

"Really, the chief problem is that all the interesting people are in the lower classes. And that they murder, steal, and do all sorts of other 'improper' things. Or they used to, but the third problem wouldn't much care for the distinction."

"And the problem with religion is that priests don't like secrets."

"And that," he said with a grin, satisfied at his logical deduction process, "is how bastards are born."

He sat in silence for a moment while the three-quarters-insane bit reduced to about one-third, while the one-quarter-dejected one increased to fill the gap. He stood and tossed a coin to the bum.

"There you go. Get some lunch and enjoy it, you lucky sod. I have a Senate session to get to."

He walked into the building and walked out after about a quarter of an hour, and walked off toward the fancy part of town, leaving a rather lovely young lady in tears at the door.

[deguerra]

(with theFlax. Duh)

Iconium, 1110

Ioannis Kalameteros stood at the flap of his tent, peering out at the darkness. The fires of the besieging army lit the night and filled the air with an eerie glow. Again a siege. And again he could not sleep. He sighed. He hated campaigns.

Slowly, unwillingly, he retreated to his bed. The slim shape of Anna stirred beside him as he lay back, eyes wide open, and contemplated the tent’s ceiling. He was too tired to think.

A flash. Ioannis is in the garden again. This time, the smells and colours seem faded. But the memories are all the more vivid. Young Aleksandra and her friend are playing in the grass again. His father approaches, talking to another man. He is dressed plainly. His face is sinewy but old. His eyes look thoughtful as he listens to the other man, happy as he observes his daughter. Ioannis’ dagger hangs at his side.

Odo. A man from the north. A childhood friend of his father’s and his closest advisor. They have much to be happy about this day. This day Basileos Diogenes was raised to the throne. Odo has told Ioannis this means much to his father, to his family. Odo knows these things.

A flash. Odo sitting in a chair, his head in his hands. On a nearby stretcher Ioannis’ father thrashes and moans. His bandages are drenched in blood, his speech incomprehensible. Basileos Diogenes is dead. Odo is muttering to himself. Ioannis doesn’t understand, but a name is repeated. Andronikos.

A flash. There is no sound. He looks down and sees his father at rest. No more thrashing. No more screams. He looks calm and peaceful. The plain dagger protruding from his chest gives off a metallic gleam in the beam of light from the window. His dagger. Odo’s dagger. Odo stands by the bedside, his hands drenched in blood. His father’s blood. He is talking rapidly, then yelling. Ioannis cannot hear a word.

He sees himself reach for the dagger, watches as he pulls it from his father’s unmoving body. In pain he lashes out at Odo. There is still no sound. The old man is quick, but Ioannis’ thrust catches him in the side. He falls to the ground.

Just then, Aleksandra rushes into view. She throws herself over her father protectively, her arms outstretched to keep Ioannis at bay. He can feel the pain rising, the pain and the fear. The room suddenly seems tiny, the air thick. There is still no sound.

Panicked, Ioannis runs. The house goes past him at a blur, as does the garden, as does the road beyond. Like a wild animal he runs, faster and faster. He trips over a stone on the pathway, fails to keep his balance, falls, screaming. There is still no sound.

In his tent, Ioannis wakes to the sound of screams. It takes a second of realization that they are his own. His body is drenched in sweat and shivering, his breathing rapid and panicked.

With a soft moan, Anna stirs to wakefulness. She wipes a lock of hair from her face before propping herself on her elbows and looking over to her husband, deep concern etched on her usually pleasant features. Her voice is little more than a soft whisper.

"Ioannis, is everything alright?"

Still breathing heavily, Ioannis tries to compose his thoughts. He replies in a hoarse voice.

"A dream. An old dream. I once told you the shadows of my past have all but consumed me. I hope you know that was not quite true."

He shrugged. "But they do catch up with me occasionally."

She gently passes the back of her hand on Ioannis' face, her voice remains soft yet contains traces of concern.

"You are completely drenched!"

She rise from the bed, motioning for him to remain there.

"I will get you some water."

Opening his mouth as if to protest, he thought better of it and lay back. It had been such a long time ago. He had been a boy, nothing more. More importantly it was the past, and it did one no good to bring out the past. He was Ioannis Kalameteros. That was the present. Focus on the present.

Moments later, Anna returns with a bucket of water she holds with both hands. She stumbles into the tent, cursing the uneven ground as some of the water spills on her nightgown. After closing the distance to the bed, she kneels besides her husband and pulls out a cup of water from the bucket which she then offers him.

"Refresh yourself and the tell me about this dream you just had."

Taking the cup, Ioannis gulps it down, nearly choking in the process. His immediate thirst quenched he leans back and looks down at Anna, sighs and gives a tiny smile.

"I don't suppose 'Just a bad dream' is going to cut it?"

In jest, Anna's expression turns stern and uncompromising. "Not unless you scream like a little child at every nightmare."

With care, she passes a damp piece of cloth on Ioannis' brow. "Come now, tell me what ails you so, I doubt we will be able to go back to sleep anyway."

Ioannis looks back defiantly.

"I did not scream like a little child. I was a very manly...scream."

He gives a brief smile and sighs. "My father died when I was still a boy. But...I remember nothing of that day, my memories of my entire life before that seem...fragmented, as if bits are missing, except for one moment. I am in my father's room, and he lies dead before me, his servant Odo's knife in his chest and the man standing at his side, drenched with blood.

Shaking his head, Ioannis continues. "Then things get hazy again. I ran. I was scared, scared for my life. My father was murdered and I was scared that I would be next. But I remember nothing. My father was murdered and I do not remember why."

Anna finds herself at a loss for words, part of her expected Ioannis to dismiss her, yet now that he has revealed his plight, she cannot abandon him. Having finished cleaning his face with the cloth, she drops it to the floor. An awkward silence passes as she simply stares at him, still unsure if she should say what she truly thought.

"That must have been very painful Ioannis, perhaps part of you does not wish to remember that moment?"

Nodding, he sat up and touched her arm lightly. "Do not...anguish yourself over this. It is nothing. It is the past. This is now. You are now, Helena and Magnentios that is now. What's gone is unimportant."

She rises and sits on the bed, beside him. "Ioannis, this isn't something you can just brush away. It pains you, I sense it. Do not seek to shelter me in false comfort, I will give you what succor I can, I am here for you."

He looked at her somberly. "I know."

He paused, then continued in an equally serious tone.

"Do you know what else pains me? You, my dear, have cold feet. Icy one might call them, and that would still fail to accurately represent the sensation. And you couple it with a most alarming habit of warming said ice blocks by sucking the warmth from mine."

Grinning at her initially shocked expression, he let himself fall back onto the bad and stared at the ceiling.

Pulling her feet on her, she rolls over her husband and finally lies on her side of the bed. Nevertheless, she does not relent, her voice taking more playful tones.

"Dear husband, if you try to deviate the conversation once more, you will feel a different kind of pain my "cold feet" can deliver..."

Still staring at the ceiling, Ioannis winced but grinned.

"All right. What would you have me say? I am repressing a painful memory? Probably true. But it changes nothing of the here and now."

Anna's voice also turns more serious. "If you do not want it to trouble it anymore, you need to remember, part of you needs to remember this or you would not dream about it."

"You may well be right. But I have tried. If the memories are there, they have sealed themselves off quite formidably. And perhaps it is better that way."

She props herself on one elbow and locks her gaze with Ioannis' eyes, seeking the truth. "Do you truly believe that?"

Ioannis' eyes, usually so intent, shy away from her gaze.

"There are aspects of what I do remember that could do me some harm, even now, if put into the wrong hands. What if there is more? The less I remember the less I can give away."

"And the less you know of yourself." Anna quickly adds.

"Granted. But given how hazy my childhood is in my mind, I like to think I define myself more from those parts of my life I do remember."

She gives an exaggerated sigh. "Very well, back to sleep then?"

Ioannis turns towards his wife and smiles.

"Thank you. I am lucky to have you. Even if you have cold feet."

Anna returns the smiles. "You sure are." She turns away from him, settling to sleep. Some time drifts by in silence before she can be heard again in a slightly annoyed voice.

"I do not have cold feet."

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Cairo, 1110

Two men entered into a small chamber. Room had no windows and the few candles didn't show much light.

"He is here, My Lord" said one of them.

The other one, papers in his hands, looked around but did not see anyone. Once the guard left someone spoke from the darkest part of the room.

"So what did you found out?" the voice asked.

Although still not seeing anyone the man started his raport..

"This is all what we wound on this man so far..

Name: Efstathios Laskaris

Birth place: Estate of the Laskaris', near Constatinople

Son of Nicholas and Isabel Laskaris

He is considered quite intelligent. Also he seems to be a man of faith.

But the following things makes us worry..

In 1071 he lost his grandfather from fathers side in Manzikert and in the same year his grandfather from mothers side was killed near Bari by the Normans.
His father was killed in Alexandria in 1087. He was accused being a spy but there is no proofs that he really a spy.
And in 1090 his mother and younger brother was killed by the pirates who were supposedly on the Venetian pay-roll.

After those losses he have started to hate the surrounding nations. He could cause a headache to us.

The last news are that he joined the Crusade. Against what city it was called it is uncertain but I think he have joined the Western Christians in a Crusade to "liberate" Jerusalem.

This is all at the moment."

The man stops speaking.

"Go! That is all" the mysterious voice said.

After the man, most likely the head of the Egyptian spies, left from the room the mysterious man said quietly to him self..

"How long to I need to Hear that damned name. When will the last Laskaris be dead!?
I must use my power as a Chancellor of the Fatimid Caliphate so that Caliph would make every effort to kill him! I got rid of his father and now it is time to do so with the son."

Saying this he left the room through a secret door.

[Ramses II CP]

It was the dream again.

Vissarionas ek Lesvou was back on the fields southwest of Antioch. In his apartment in Constantinople Vissa screamed in his sleep, startling several people reasting in nearby rooms. It was a scream of utter hopelessness, of abandonment.

As before the dream ran through Vissa's sleep addled awakening, his casual pursuit of the fleeing garrison of Antioch with his Order mates, and their laggardly return to the tents of the Grandmaster to find him injured. Once again the sergeants of the Order made haste for the gates of the city, but this time before they could enter a cowled figure strode out and raised a hand to halt them.

Vissa was unaware of his brethern fading out of the dream, unaware of Rafi and his guardsmen vanishing from his thoughts. All that he could see was the gray robed figure slowly drawing back his... no, her hood. It was Aliya al-Badawiyya, concubine to the Caliph of Egypt, and for a period of many months Vissa's companion in wit and entertainment. And his lover.

In his sleep Vissa struggled against the import of the dream, tossing in his bed and muttering,

No. NO! I atoned. I am forgiven. Redeemed! Please, please, please...

In the dream Aliya raised her hand in a gesture clearly recognizable from many depictions of the Virgin Mary. Vissa felt a vague sort of guilt at the near blasphemy of it, but it was quickly overwhelmed by his spiraling dread. Then Aliya spoke, not in the dulcet tones of a court lady, but with the shattering voice of an angel,

For this... For Antioch... You are forgiven.

Her raised index finger swept around to point at the city, which took on a hazy, sun glare sort of look behind her. Then the high church tower of Antioch's abbey was replaced by a series of minarets as the walls of Cairo formed. Aliya spoke once more, still with the voice of an angel but now twisted into an implacable, cruel tone,

For this... For Cairo... You will burn!

So saying her face melted away into a blackened skull, and a drop of blood appeared on her extended index finger. The figure, no longer Aliya, took one menacing step towards Vissarionas before turning and drawing back it's hand as a person might to throw a stone. The creature made a gesture of hurling an object high into the air, and that tiny drop of blood, somehow still clearly visible, hurtled into the sky over the city of Cairo. As it reached the highest point of it's arc the figure vanished, and Vissa, his horse somehow no longer under him, turned to run afoot from the city.

He'd not gone three steps when the thunderous roar of a splash, greater than any wave he'd ever heard living by the sea at Lesvou, pulled him up short. Turning about he was terrified to see a tide of rich, red blood lapping over the very walls of the city of Cairo. There could be no further purpose in flight. Vissa sank to his knees, turned his face to the sky, and accepted his dream death as the red wave rolled over him.

...

In the morning he rose refreshed, and remembered nothing as he prepared to return to the Senate. Unaware of the dream that might have arisen out of guilt over his dealings in Cairo, where he traded slaves, took a woman, and sent men to gamble in his name all to fulfill the Patriarch's confusing, rudderless, but holy mission. Or might have been a genuine prophesy? Or just as easily might have merely been an aftertaste of the Polish sausage he'd bought from a street vendor on his way home last night?

[TheFlax]

((Coop with PrivateerKev))

Constantinople, 1110

A light breeze blew through the streets of Constantinople. There was a lull in activity in the Senate as the nobles voted. It gave Makedonios a chance to get away for a private meeting. Walking with him down the street was his shieldbearer, Nick. In a relatively good mood, because of who had invited him to a meeting, Makedonios decided to strike up a conversation with the normally quiet man.

"Where are you from anyways?"

A shrug. "Greece, m'lord."

"Is Nick short for something?"

Another shrug. "It is short for Nichopolaphous. My mother simply called me Nicky."

"Does anyone call you Nicky now?"

A small rare smile creeps on his face. "None have done it twice."

"Ah, point taken. Your not much for conversation are you?"

Yet another shrug and no answer. Such was typical with conversations with Nick. Both men arrived at the estate. The Order held the deeds to many such pieces of property. And this one had been quietly made of use to a very special guest. Nick stood out front and kept watch while Makedonios went inside.

He found Anna seated and waiting for him. Her colorful long sleeved tunica of light pastels was ruffled from apparent extended use and her dark hair, usually loose in the presence of Makedonios, was held tightly in a bun by several pins on the back of her head. The warm smile with which she greeted him did little to conceal the weariness in her expression and her voice.

"Makedonios! It has truly been a long time since I've had the pleasure of your company. Come, sit." She indicated a seat across from her.

Makedonios smiled warmly and sat down across from her. While he looked better than the last few times she saw him, he still was not completely over his illness. An omnipresent napkin lay at hand for those periodic coughs.

"Your Highness, as always, it has been entirely too long. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She avoided the question. "You look better, I am gladden to see you recovering from that horrible sickness. Tell me, how are the proceedings at the Magnaura going?"

"Thank you Your Highness. I am sure your prayers had something to do with it." After the pleasantries, Makedonios regarded her carefully. He had not spoken to her about politics in years and was unsure how much to tell her.

"Some things are going well. Some things are not going so well. There are various pieces of legislation that are important to me. Some have passed quite easily. Others are close to failing. But the big thing this session is the Megas election. I have made no effort to hide my opinions on the matter so you have undoubtedly heard of my thoughts concerning the Caesar."

Anna sighed in exasperation, making clear the source of her weariness. "Ah yes... My dear brother. He has a peculiar talent for alienating everyone, even those helping him. I can understand why you wouldn't want him as Megas and by all rights his victory should be unattainable..."

The Princess had never spoken ill of her brother to Makedonios before so he didn't know what to say. Of course, since his thoughts were already public knowledge, it wasn't as if he could possibly get in any more trouble for telling the Princess.

"Yes... It 'should' have been unattainable. Believe me, I tried to derail it. I offered your husband concessions so large they caused quite a stir from amongst my men. He very much wanted to make a deal but the Emperor twisted his arm rather hard and reminded him of the loyalty your husband owes for gaining your hand."

Anna nodded. "I know all about your proposal, Makedonios, but in the end, my father must be obeyed. As you say, that was the covenant in which my husband entered when he took me for his wife. My brother will need help, and yet he is either too arrogant or too paranoid to accept it."

Makedonios sighed. "Must your father be obeyed when he is wrong? Your brother is going to get good men killed. He won't support this Crusade. He can hardly run his own House and people think he's going to run the Empire for a term. He has an almost magical ability to alienate every single person he meets. The only reason he won this election is because the Emperor fears for his dynasty. And on this reason, the lives of at least six good nobles hang in balance. Three of them, my men." He shook his head in frustration.

"I understand your concern Makedonios, I truly do." Delicately Anna rubbed her left eye with her forefinger. "Yet, what would you have me do? I have tried reconciliation with my brother, I wish to help him, but he cares little for me."

His features softened a little. "Sorry Your Highness, I was only ranting. I appreciate that your willing to listen to it. As for what to do about the Caesar, he needs someone to make clear the dangers of 'eating alone'. It's an old saying. But basically, a good ruler makes sure his subjects are getting something out of the deal. This is something the Emperor very much understands."

"But the Caesar does not seem to understand this concept. He seems to believe that everything belongs to him and we should be happy to have any of it. The man once had the gall to order me to stop expanding. And not only that, but he twice ordered me to give up the only province the Order had at the time on the main land. His opposition to the Crusade is born out of this same trait of his. He can't stand the fact that it will go against his master plan for the Empire. To him, Anatolia is all that matters and the rest of the fronts need to wait until the whole thing is secure. He's even on record saying that very thing."

Makedonios pauses from his speaking to cough for a moment into his napkin. "But that is why I believe he needs to make sure he 'doesn't eat alone'. There is more than enough for everyone. If he was able to grasp that, and relax his urge to control every aspect of the Empire, then I think he might do ok after the Lord takes the Emperor."

Anna nodded once more. "I, and others, would grant him succor in assuring he can live up to the legacy of our father, but in every instance, those well meaning people are pushed away by his vitriolic personality."

She took a deep breath and gave another restless sigh. "Anyhow, all of this is moot while my father lives. In the mean time we must trust in the Basileus and do our duty." She paused before adding very quietly to herself "Or my duty at least."

Makedonios gave a small chuckle to take the edge off of his next comment. "Well we certainly have our work cut out for us."

His face turned more serious. "As for trusting the Emperor, it does bother me that this Magnaura session has essentially become a contest of wills between the two most powerful men in the Empire. The Emperor is not happy about the Patriarch's call for a Crusade so he backs his son to swing the balance back into his favor. The Patriarch doesn't like his will questioned on such a Holy Matter and backs a pro-Crusade candidate. Which only causes the Emperor to dig in and twist arms to make sure his candidate wins. Meanwhile the rest of us are very much caught in the middle."

"That we are." She shifted slightly in her seat, perhaps out of anxiety. "As for that Crusade, I gather from what you said that you will not be going yourself?"

Dissapointment can be heard in his voice. "No, I have responisbilities back in the Levant. Right after this session I will assault Adana to bring it into the fold. After that I will need to defend our southern borders from Fatamid raids when the war starts. They already have a scouting party outside Antioch. Plus, with so many people going, some need to stay behind. I have a feeling the whole Order would go if I would let them. The Crusade can only be successful if some stay behind to defend what we already have."

Makedonios lowers his head a little and sighs. "I do admit the pull to go forth on the Holy Mission is a strong one. But I'm not getting any younger. Plus I never really got over my sickness. It could be a disaster if it flared up while I was on Crusade."

Anna gave him an encouraging smile. "Take heart Makedonios, you are doing the right thing." She rose slowly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have to end this discussion and return home, I fear my days of late are hectic at best."

He smiled in return. "The same can be said for you. You look like the Magnaura session has gotten to you as well. I'm sure everything will be ok. It was nice to see you again. I hope we can do this again sometime."

[TheFlax]

((Coop with YourLordAndConqueror))

Ancyra, 1110

"Leave me alone! I told you to stay away from me!" Juliana yelled at the men. She had it up to here with this. "Both of you, leave me alone! I will get the money, I'll have it by the end of the week."

The smaller of the two men stepped forward. "Sure Juli, we believe you, like the last dozen times you said you would. We don't like being played Juli...I think it's high time that we take what is ours."

Juliana suddenly realized what was going to happen and turned to run out into the street, but was tackled by the bigger of the men and pinned to the ground. Juliana screamed.

The ruckus forced a halt of the procession navigating the street, as what little passer byes there were, scattered in all direction. Anna opened the carriage's door and peered out, looking fruitlessly for the source of the commotion, until finally she addressed a guard.

"What is going here? Why have we stopped?"

The man snapped to attention. "Your Highness, just some local trouble, as soon as the street is clear, we'll be on out way."

When the man finished, Anna was already stepping out of the carriage. He tried to protest, but an upraised hand in his direction immediately silenced him. As she made her way into the alley, the guards fell in line and followed her in.

The sight which greeted her brought forth disgust and rage. Her imperious voice rang clearly above the screams of the girl pinned to the ground.

"Desist your actions and answer for your crimes!"

Her eyes glared them while the rest of her features remained impenetrable. A palla of a light purple covered her head and draped itself over her shoulders, covering most of the upper body. Extending from under it was a rich purple silk robe with gold filigree and embroidered motifs of light pastels in shades of yellows, oranges and greens.

The smaller of the two men looked up to Anna. His jaw dropped as he started to kick the other, bigger guy.

"Nothing your maj...majesty, we're just collecting a debt this one owes us. She tried to run and-"

Juliana yelled at the smaller one. "I don't owe you anything! I've paid it all the time!"

Anna motioned her men forward and as soon as she gave the signal they moved upon the two debt collectors.

"I care little for your excuses. If you have a legitimate claim you shall have take it up with the Imperial law. Now, yield!"

The little man waited just long enough for the big man to let go of Juliana before both stood as far back from Anna as possible, both fearing that if they ran they would sign their death warrant.

They were promptly surrounded by the armed men.

"Take them to the local magistrate." Anna's voice had returned to a more measured tone. She watched as a handful of her guards dragged away the offenders, before turning back toward the street from which she came.

Juliana quickly got back up and dusted herself before fixing her mangled tunica, then chased after Anna. "Your Majesty, your Majesty..."

Anna turned brusquely, annoyance crept on her features and yet her voice was measured, even soft. "What is it?"

Juliana stopped short and bowed deeply. "Thank you your Majesty, not many people I know of would have been so kind." Juliana seemed on the verge of asking something, the words caught in her mouth.

"Yo-your Majesty...I beg of thee most humbly...please, do not leave me here."

Anna's face remained impassive. "Very well, one of my guards will accompany you back to your home."

Juliana's eyes started to tear. "I...I have no home your Majesty...I ask humbly...I ask humbly that...may I accompany you as a servant..." Juliana's eyes filled with fear and hope, but also with great strength and resolve.

Pitying the pathetic girl, Anna nodded and spoke softly. "Hush now, get into the carriage and calm yourself."

Juliana's eyes lit up slightly, and she bowed again. "Thank you, your Majesty." Juliana quickly stepped into the carriage and tentatively sat down.

Anna followed her in and sat on the opposite side. No sooner she was seated, the carriage got under way once more. She studied thoughtfully her newest charge and finally broke the silence after few minutes.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

Juliana was startled by the sudden break in silence. She nervously brushed her dark brown hair out of her eyes, and tried to wipe a bit of the dirt from her face. "Juliana, your Majesty."

Mechanically, Anna pushed back her palla, revealing her dark hair. "Juliana, you look tired. Come, sit next to me." She indicated the empty space next to her.

Juliana tentatively stood up and then sat back down next to Anna. "Yes, I am a bit tired, your Majesty, I've...I've had a long day so far." She seemed a bit tense at being so close to Anna, and seemed to stop and start to say something.

Anna gave the girl a comforting smile and continued in a soothing voice. "Calm yourself now, you have nothing to fear from me. Rest yourself on my lap." Before Juliana could protest, Anna's forefinger found itself on the girl's lips. "Hush, you are no good to me tired."

Juliana nodded to Anna and gently rested her head on the woman's lap. A few moments passed before she spoke. "Your Majesty, may I be so bold as to ask why you are in Ancyra?"

Anna gently ran her fingers through the girl's matted hair. "It was a convenient stop. I am on my way to join my husband who is besieging Iconium."

Juliana sighed to herself. "I wish I had a man to look after me...I wouldn't have had to deal with those...those pigs of Markellinos'. I would have a home and children..."

"You have a home now, worry not, those men cannot reach you now." Anna's voice was but a delicate whisper. "Rest, there will be ample time to recount your tale later on."

Juliana closed her eyes and whispered "thank you" before dozing off.

[TheFlax]

((Coop story written with YourLordAndConqueror and Cecil XIX))

Antioch 1098

Already three years had passed since her last visit, but Anna had not forgotten even a detail of her previous experience in Antioch. Again, she had come for Iakovos' project, of which she had become the chief patron. Not only did she wish to monitor the progress that had been made, but she also had one last item to deliver in person.

This time her escorted her carriage was accompanied a large cart carrying a heavy bundle secured by many ropes. Yet, the destination was the same and after cutting their way through the main thoroughfares of the city, the procession reached the main square.

As Anna exited her carriage, she readjusted her fluttering pale blue silk robe and secured her matching veil more tightly. With purpose, she sought out the familiar figure of Iakovos Kallipoleos.

Iakovos was waiting with the foreman at the Plaza with a small retinue and an honor guard. Stepping forward and bowing low, Iakovos smiled at the Princess. "Welcome to Antioch once again Princess Anna Komnenos, we are honored by your presence here."

Anna gave him a barely noticeable smile under her veil. "It is as always with great pleasure that I visit this city. I trust your project is progressing well? I have brought the statue, as I said I would." She motioned to the large cart.

Iakovos noticeably brightened at Anna's words. "Yes your Highness, already much of the structure is cleaned and fixed, although the interior is another story." Iakovos's eyes shifted over to the cart, looking over the statue. He chuckled to himself, and then motioned to the foreman and his men. "I trust it is acceptable if my men take care of it now?"

She motioned her men to bring forth the cart. "That is agreeable. Now, show me how the reconstruction has advanced."

Iakovos nodded in understanding. "Yes your Highness, this way." He led Anna back to the run down building, only too amazed that at the very least the facade had been restored to it's original glory.

The weeds, mold, and vines have been stripped away, and the courtyard has been restored to a brilliant white luster, the fountain merrily gurgling in the center of an elaborate garden in the shape of a Gordian knot, The pillars have been restored, the graffiti long since scrubbed away, and the once beautiful friezes slowly being restored.

Iakovos turned to Anna with a smile born of satisfaction. "I do hope you like it."

She took in every single detail before nodding with approval.

Iakovos motioned to the men to begin mounting the statue before he turned to Anna. "Care to step inside? We have only just begun putting in the new walling, but I can at least show you your room."

"Very well." She indicated with these words that she would follow him inside. "I must commend you on the diligence with which you have started rebuilding this place, I now see I choose wisely in supporting your project."

Iakovos straightened and blushed slightly. "You are to kind your Highness, I am merely trying to live up to your expectations."

Iakovos led Anna into the massive marble building, winding through the well lit halls, the light reflecting off of the white marbling. He stopped in front of a massive set of oak doors guarded by two well armed men in Imperial colors and proceeded after a slight nod to the guards, they opened up to reveal a wide open hallway well illuminated from several windows. There were three doors, one on the opposite end of the hall and one on each side.

Iakovos shook his head. "I am sorry it is not furnished, but they are on the way."

Anna took her time in observing the room and then moved beside a window. "This will do nicely, you have no need to apologize for such excellent work. I had not hoped for the reconstruction to be so advanced and I am more than satisfied with the progess I see." She turned to him with a warm smile. "Now I have delayed you quite enough for my own whims, I will leave you to your work. Worry not, I can easily find my way back to my retinue."

With these words, she slipped out of the room and made her way out of the university in construction.

The eleventh hour was already fast approaching and the sun was already dropping from the sky. Hemera was coming soon and if she wanted to get to the Order Chapter House before she would have to hurry. Acting on impulse, Anna decided to cut through an alleyway which by her estimate would get her quickly to her destination.

She had not foreseen any danger and was thus taken by surprise when she felt a strong grip on her shoulder. Letting out a yelp in surprise, she tried to jerk away from the viselike grip, but it only tightened as a result of her futile effort. Pain flared in her shoulder and Anna cried out, until an instant later her voice was muffled by a coarse hand. Then man stayed silent as she struggled in vain, soon she wouldn't have the strength to fight back and then she would be doomed. The man patiently waited for her to exhaust herself, thinking nobody else would venture in this alleyway.

He stared at Anna, admiring his catch with such focus that he was taken completely by surprise when another man clad in plate tackled him from the side, bringing him to the ground. Anna might have followed if two other men wearing lamellar hadn't held her fast. Suddenly they were surrounded by about two dozen soldiers.

The man in plate roughly dragged the criminal to his feet, before handing him off to his men. He paused to regard Anna, then lifted his visor. He had a stern look on his face.

"My lady, I pray that you are all right. Has he harmed you?"

She calmed herself with deep breaths. "I..." Although unnerved, she tried to keep her voice steady. "I am fine." Silently, she hoped the men had not recognized her in the growing darkness, else she would have to explain herself.

"Very Good. I am Armatos ek Naksou, Prince of Antioch and Marshall of the Knights of St. John. If you would but tell us your destination both I and my men would be happy to escort you."

Anna almost decided to mislead her savior out of habit, but realized there was little to gain in doing so. "I was hoping to reach the Chapter House of the Order of St-John. It seems I was careless."

Armatos's eyes lit up. "Aha! Well then, it must be the Lord's providence that we should meet up at this moment! Shall we go?"

She simply nodded.

He gestured back to where they came, and she followed. The party made it's way through the streets of Antioch before finally arriving at the Order's Headquarters. When the reached the foot of the stairs Armatos stopped, and turned to his second.

"Andronikos, take the rest of the men and continue the patrol. I'll catch up to you later."

As the soldiers resumed their duties, Armatos and Ann climbed the stairs and entered the Grand Hall. They stopped, and he turned to her.

"Now then m'lady, what business do you have in our humble abode?"

Anna paused for a moment considering her options. "I dare hope I can trust you in this matter." She took out her seal, before offering it for inspection. "I wish to visit your Grandmaster."

Armatos examined the seal, and his eyes widened. He quickly knelt, and averted his eyes.

"Your highness, please forgive me for not recognizing you sooner. I beg your pardon, but the Grandmaster suffered a particularly nasty bout of illness today, and the doctors have instructed that he is not to be disturbed. If it suits you, I can act on his behalf in matters concerning the Order."

She motioned for him to rise. "I'm sure you can, but this was to be a more personal visit. I have no outstanding business with the Order. Before I depart for my quarters I would appreciate some tea, can you arrange that?"

Armatos stood. "Of course, your highness." Quickly motioning to one of the attendents in the room, he ushered the Princess into a side chamber. There another servant was ready with tea for the Princess, and a glass of water for Armatos. They sat down at a nearby table as they were served.

"I do apologize for that trouble earlier." Armatos spoke as in between sips. "Antiokheia is but a shadow of it's former self, and the rehabilitation is largely a matter of time."

She gave him a warm smile. "Do not trouble yourself with that incident, such dangers are common, even in our illustrious capital. As I said, I was careless."

Armatos returned her smile. "I thank you for your understanding, your highness. If I may ask, are you staying in Antioch for very long?"

Anna took a delicate sip of water. "Unless I am delayed, I will leave within the week."

"I see. How do you find our fair city?"

She paused to consider a polite reply. "Antioch has always been one of the pillars of our Empire and our Faith. I am gladden to see it in good hands." Anna then rose from her chair. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really should get going."

Armatos rises as well. "As you wish, your highness. I shall arrange for an escort to take you back to your quarters."

[flyd]

Camp of the Army of the Megas Logothetes in Anatolia, 1105

Megas Logothetes Markianos Ampelas sat alone in his tent. The most prominent thing in the tent was a large desk and several chairs. Even on the road, the Office of Megas Logothetes required lots of paperwork. Appropriately, there was much paper on the desk. In fact, the only thing besides paper was a large pitcher now half-filled with wine, and a cup also half-filled with wine. That is to say, the cup was empty. Well, now he refilled it. The cup was most certainly full of wine.

"Interesting," Markianos thought out loud, as he took a sip from the cup, his attention still on a piece of paper, "it seems the Turks have attacked Trebizond, and old Pavlo has attacked them."

"Interesting," he said with a slight expression of annoyance, "but tricky."

"We certainly have our casus belli. Trebizond was our loyal city. Well, it was our city, in any case. There was a tad of a disagreement, but they were still under our protection. The problem is, if we start making a big fuss about this, the Sultan might back down, given how powerful we have become. He might wish to appease us, and then the war would look like our aggression."

"So the trick is," he scanned the tent as if to prepare to say something nefarious, "how do we get the Sultan into a war he will not try to leave?"

Markianos chuckled an evil chuckle, insofar as sounds can be ascribed a good or evil morality. "Ah, but that is a puzzle that has a simple answer. All one has to do is compose one's complaint appropriately."

He took a blank piece of paper, and began to write a letter:

Sultan Meliksah of the so-called Sultanate of "Rum", Thief of the good Roman name, more properly called the Sultan of Seljuk prostitutes, debauchers, fornicators, heretics, pederasts, zoophiles, and necrophiles, and the Sultan of the Sultanate of small aggregations of huts filled with equine feces, and the follower of the False Prophet Muhammad, whose teachings are a plague upon this world:

I, Makrianos Ampelas, Megas Logothetes of the Roman Empire, bid you, the offspring of a horse and an ass, though much less useful than your average mule, fair greetings. I wish to outline the grievances of the good Roman people against you:

1. You continue to defile God's Earth by your pestilent and irritating existence upon it.

2. Your followers, described above, do the very same.

3. You have, with no provocation, attacked our city of Trebizond. You may try to claim that the city was in revolt, and even claim that they invited your protection, but both of these are false. Trebizond was still our city. We were having some differences, but the man we sent for peaceful negotiation with the city leaders personally witnessed your violent attack.

4. You spread the heretical teachings of your False Prophet, whose lunatic delusions you have taken for a religion, among the good, God-loving Greeks of Anatolia.

We have entertained the false pretense of peace for long enough. It is the sacred duty of the Roman people to drive you back to the barren steppes from which you came. There you may worship any devil, and engage in any acts you wish with your comrades, family, and horses, but our Anatolia you may not sully any further.

The Roman Senate, reinstituted by the great Basileus Alexios Komnenos, has authorized a declaration of war against you in the session of 1095. I am prepared to make that declaration, but in the interest of civilized diplomatic negotiation, I will offer an ultimatum. In light of the serious grievances listed above, I believe these demands are most reasonable:

1. You will immediately hand over Trebizond, Iconium, Caesarea, and Adana to the Roman Empire.

2. You will immediately abandon Armenia, which will be put under the traditional protection of the Roman Empire.

3. You will pay 60,000 florins in reparations for occupying our lands.

4. You will immediately convert to Christianity.

You have exactly two weeks to respond favorably to these most reasonable demands. Failure to do so will result in war. Do not expect a second letter, if you fail to comply, the next thing you will see will be our armies.

Markianos Ampelas, Megas Logothetes of the Roman Empire
Μαρκιανος Αμπελας

The evil chuckle had grown to an evil laugh as he read over the letter he composed. He helped himself to more wine, sealed the letter, and called in one of his assistants.

He handed him the letter, saying, "This to be delivered to the Turkish Sultan in Iconium. Tell the messenger not to wait for a response. In fact, recommend to the messenger to leave with all the haste as soon as he delivers the letter."

The assistant left and Markianos raised his cup.

"To..." he paused, "new conquests."

Reasonably satisfied with the toast he thought of, he drank the wine.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Fun OOC note: the Turks sent a diplomat on the 1104-1105 transition who proposed a ceasefire. I already planned to insult the Sultan as above, so I made them a counter-offer they... could refuse. In fact, they would be guaranteed to refuse and be mad about...

[Ramses II CP]

OOC: I'm writing this in the future so that it will eventually pull together better with the flow of events, but I have the RL time now. I don't know that word of these events would reach the Empire from any source but Vissa, but it's plausible that someone might hear a part of the story on the wind somehow.

Cairo, 1107

The great city, recently arisen as the mightiest in all of the Fatimid Caliphate, sat fetid and sweltering under a burning sun late in the summer. The Nile was unusually low this time a year, and many of the swamp basins west of the city had drained and become rich beds of black, bubbling mud. Farmers were carting off this fertile soil by the truckload, north and south to their fields, and the roads of the palace city were all freshly coated in a vile slime. Alas for the citizens, the smell of the soil, sewn through with rotting organic mass, was worse even than the traditional fertilizer utilized by farmers, camel dung, and a dank miasma hung like a cloud over all of Cairo. The odor was nowhere worse than at the slave market, just outside the Christian quarter, where the influx of slaves taken had also been increased by the drought, and the traffic of farmers leaving and slaves entering met and slowed roads all through the zone.

Vissarionas ek Lesvou was taking a break from the noise and bustle of the slave market at a little cafe nestled in next to a date merchant's warehouse. The dates here were exceptional and sold in every imaginable fashion, dried, seasoned, roasted, and even fried with a crushed nut and grain crust. In concert with the rich, black drink favored by the locals it was a snack which very nearly overwhelmed the stench carried on the hot winds.

Very nearly, but not quite. Vissa returned his last date to the tray he was eating from, drained his mug, and stepped away from his table to return to the market. All around him he could hear the strange up and down pitches of the various local languages, primarily Arabic among the educated, but still mixed with a smattering of others. Though he'd been studying Arabic it was still much a matter of intelligent guesswork when he was actually trying to understand it, and all mixed together it simply sounded like madness. That is why as soon as a voice speaking Greek came into his ears he immediately latched onto it and followed it's onrushing flow.

Followed it, grinning slightly, until it's full import struck him and he stumbled in the street. The voice was one of exceptional beauty in itself, clear and high, obviously a woman's voice, but the words... This woman was cursing like the crudest dock worker. A string of the most unimaginable insults, to lineage, intellect, and sexual ability. Some of the things the voice listed as among the qualities of the berated were surely not even possible, but nonetheless exquisitely vulgar.

Blushing furiously Vissa cast about for the source of this rich mix of sensations. There, among a trio of Palace guards, stood a woman covered from head to toe in deep purple cloth trimmed in gold, with a narrow band of thinner cloth forming a window for her to gaze out of, but still keeping her eyes from being seen. She stood in the street facing one of the guards while the two others gazed about to either side, and her fury was palpable. The group was just outside a small shop that sold beaten gold ornaments brought up out of the deep desert, and perhaps her anger was that the guards refused to allow her to go in and shop. In any case Vissa followed the sound of that golden, furious voice and walked to the front of the shop himself, gazing at some wax impressions the merchant had set out to display his wares without risking the actual gold.

When, at last, the woman paused for breath Vissa remained facing the display and spoke in a musing tone, as though to himself, in Greek,

'I had not expected to hear the mother toungue so basely treated in these streets today m'lady.'

Without the slightest hesitation the veiled woman replied, still in a tone of anger seemingly addressed at the guard, 'If your ears didn't hang open like the useful part of a whore riding a camel's hump you could have passed back to your Quarter without it, Christian!'

That voice. Rich, sly, angry, and uncompromising, but as pretty as a flower hanging in the air. Appropriate to Cairo in a way, a beautiful city itself now suffering under a magnificiently vile stinking heat wave. For Vissa, who had never known the touch of a woman and had not heard his language spoken by one in a very long time, that voice was capitvating no matter it's words.

'I must cry your pardon then my lady! I meant no offense, but to hear Greek spoken in your exquisite voice took me aside from my labors and gave me reason to pause. If you wish it, I will leave you now.'

A silence overtook the girl. Even were his back not turned Vissa could not have read anything from her features under the heavy veil, but the tension in the air was such that he was very nearly drawn to turn about and confront the girl's guards. A moment later the woman had walked right up beside him and reached her right hand out to stroke one of the wax structures delicately. Her hand was tiny and pale brown, but encrusted with the most remarkable array of rings imaginable. Her voice rose up again, but pitched just for him now,

'No, stay. You are the most interesting thing I have encountered all month. What is your name?'

Still Vissa did not turn to look at her, tried not to betray any sign to the guards who must be watching that they were speaking, as he replied,

'I am Vissarionas ek Lesvou, a senator of Byzantium, late of Antioch. I am most pleased to meet you.'

'And I,' she replied, 'am Aliya al-Badawiyya. The Caliph's favorite concubine.' Her voice somehow carried the sound of her eyebrow raised in curiousity to discover how the Christian would react to such news.

Vissarionas was stunned and amazed. Stories had been carried all through the city of this young woman, who had been asked by the Caliph himself to join his court and had the temerity to decline. The Caliph was not a man to accept such over easily, and so he requested that Aliya's Bedouin tribe marry her to him. Of course they assented. She was reputed to be a poetess of unparalleled skill, the daughter of a rich nomadic trader, well educated and incomparably beautiful.

'My lady your extraordinary reputation has come before you, and I am deeply honored. I pray your forbearance that I do not bow, for I believe your guardsmen would attempt to unman me if I did.'

Laughter erupted from her, and to cover it she turned with one of the wax works to show it to the guard, commenting something about it in Arabic. When she turned back she spoke again, in Greek,

'I take it then, Christian, that you do not know the meaning of the word eunuch?' The last word is spoken in Arabic.

Vissa replied cautiously, 'It is a term I have heard used to refer to the Palace guards dressed as yours. I presume it is a term of respect for their office.'

Again the trilling laugh, high and clear, and again the wry tone, 'Indeed, of respect! You intrigue me little Greek. I will see you again.'

'If you wish it my lady, but how is such a thing to be accomplished?'

Her tone turned to one of rich disparagement, 'Why I shall simply tell the Caliph I must have a Greek tutor. One hour a week I will send for you to come to the Palace and entertain me. So long as you do not become boring the wages will be sufficient to secure you here.'

'My lady your Greek is perfect. You have no need of a tutor, no more than I have need of wages.'

Once again her voice emerged full of wit, and carrying a laugh unrealized behind it, 'Then perhaps we shall see if you have other lessons, other talents. Indeed, perhaps you may teach me something for the Caliph!'

Turning once more to the guards the concubine abruptly ends the conversation, and Vissa can think of no further reason to speak. She addresses the guards in Arabic, and they move to form a triangle around her once again, impassively clearing a path as she once more resumes cursing them richly in Greek. As her voice fades into the distance Vissa stands somewhat awestruck before the absurd little wax display, considering what strange turns of fate time may bring. For years now he and Stephen had been slowly working their way into the confidences of some of the well placed slave traders, and making no small amount of money in the trade as a sideline. For years Rafi had inculcated himself with the beggar's network in Cairo, seeking a way to make a better placed contact. All of it to little avail, but all of it his duty, his destiny, to redeem himself in the eyes of self, Patriarch, and God.

And now one chance meeting with a slip of a girl shouting in Greek may turn out to be precisely what he required. As she faded into the distance he followed her divine voice lashing out horrific insults as long as he could.

'And you Ali. Your were born of a whore who stupidly rode a goat from Damascus to Cordoba without stopping, and when she finally stood up you rolled out coated in the beast's hair for him to piss on as you lay squalling in the dirt! And you Beram. Your father raised you solely on milk from the finest bulls in his herds, fed you only the most tender parts of pigs from his own left hand, and groomed your loving mother's hairy face every day! And you...'

[deguerra]

(Co-op with theFlax)

Kalameteros Estate, Constantinople, 1101

Ioannis closed the door to Kosmas'...no they were his now...to his private chambers to shut out the noise of the servants cleaning up down in the main hall. He had told them to leave it until the morning, but as usual had received a bow and a "Yes, Lord." and everything had continued as if he hadn't uttered a word. He sighed.

He turned around to Anna. She had switched the wedding gown for a delicate light purple tunica, embroidered along the edges. Her face was devoid of the usual makeup and she regarded him without expression.

So far he had been taken aback. He had expected more resentment than he had received from her, but he supposed her sense of duty had compelled her to play the accepting wife in public. But now that they were alone...

He studied her again. The memory of when he had done so last caused his cheeks to redden slightly and he gave a small chuckle. Giving her a wry grin he said: "You are certainly the most beautiful woman I have ever told that I don't like her. I cannot say I ever expected then to have you as my wife."

She shrugged. "I do as I must."

He nodded. “We all work with what is given to us.”

Removing the belt with his plain dagger, he threw it on a chair beside him. The thought occurred to him that he had never been unarmed in her presence before and he fought to resist the urge to put the belt back on. Instead he sat down in a chair beside it and looked up at her.

“I am curious. How do you expect this marriage to work?” There. Let her do the talking.

Anna slowly moved near him with a tired expression.

"I am your wife now, surely you have some inkling of what that entails? What is there to discuss? I am now bound to you, or have you already forgotten the oath? It is in my best interest to see you thrive, it is up to you to decide if you will let me help you, instead of letting your pride as a man get in the way."

He nodded again, looking thoughtful.

“You are bound to me, as you say. Bound to husband as to father before him.” He gave a brief smile. “The Kalameteros family has estates overlooking the sea outside Athens. They are yours. Use them as you please. I have heard of your work on the university at Antioch. I expect you to continue it, and if they offer you the position of Dean, I expect you to accept. I am grateful that you would help me, and I will let you do so as best I can. But you are no use to me if you try to bind yourself to me so hard you neglect yourself in turn.”

He held up a hand to forestall her speaking.

“You cherish your freedom, Anna, do not try to tell me otherwise. This is no compassion or kindness. I need you.”

He gave her a shrug and a smile. “Strictly business.”

Anna gave him an amused chuckle. "I think you misunderstand me Ioannis, while we are bound, I never intended of being your slavish little follower. As we are one, if one half suffers, the whole suffers. Do not worry about the possibility of my neglecting myself, I won't."

“Good.”

Ioannis looked at Anna and continued in a very innocent tone.

“Now I am just a petty country noble, who does not know the proper etiquette and customs of court. I am afraid I must ask your help in these matters occasionally. Tell me for instance, how would a royal princess react if her husband told her on their wedding night that he had the servant prepare her another bedroom, to use if she so chose?”

She frowned. "You do not want me?"

He sighed. “That’s not it. But it was I who arranged this marriage. I made that choice. I merely want…to give you some small choice of your own.”

Chuckling softly he added, “Plus, I do not relish the thought of you stabbing me in my sleep. When we last met before all this, you were going to make my life miserable, remember?”

Anna lowered her head, dark hair shrouding her features. Her words came slowly and with some measure of pain.

"Do not make this harder than it is Ioannis. Do not dangle before me illusionary choices. We both have a duty and cannot risk the shame of others learning we did not share the same bedroom in our first night together." As she lifted back her head, the matted black her clung to the side of her cheeks and her voice softly turned tender and reassuring. "I will not harm you Ioannis, neither will I think ill of you when you take me this night. There is nothing to fear."

Ioannis winced.

“I have kept bigger secrets than where I spent the night. But very well, sleep in my bed if you wish. But I’ll not….” He sprang up and paced to the other end of the room. “Why is this so hard? I have always done as I please and if I have knuckled under and done what was expected of me because it was necessary then I did it….”

He trailed off briefly before continuing softly, “I did it and I’ll be damned if I can’t do this.” He sat down again, face in his hands. “Fine. If this is what it takes to make this marriage work, if this is what is expected, if this is what is necessary I will do it, I will share your bed, I will sleep with you I will even love you.”
At that he started softly giggling or perhaps sobbing into his hand. “Good Lord, I think I’ve gone mad…” He started chuckling louder. “Yes, definitely mad. Even mistook someone for the Grandmaster at my own wedding.” He laughed harder at that, sprang up wagging his finger at Anna on the verge of saying something before bursting out into a giggle again and sitting back down, only to jump up again and dig at something in his pocket.

He produced a small elongated package, plopped down on both his knees and held it up for Anna with an smile “Here my lovely wife. Consider this your wedding present.”

She brushed most of her hair away carelessly and considered Ioannis. Slowly, as if uncertain, Anna reached out for the gift. Seeking to mitigate the growing tension in the room, she produced a playful smile. "Tradition would have you wait the morning for that, but I appreciate the gesture nonetheless."

She unwrapped the offered present, a necklace with a small, but bright, jasper stone. As Anna placed the piece of jewelry around her neck, she continued mellow voice. "Thank you Ioannis, as long as we are joined, I will wear this." With that, she gave him a hesitant kiss on the cheek.

Taking his hand, Anna helped him back to his feet and pulled him close. Placing a finger on his lips, she whispered to him. "Let us get this over with." Without giving him room to reply, she suddenly led him hastily to their bedroom, as if in a great hurry.

[Ignoramus]

Constantinople, 1101

Ioannis stood proudly by his wife's side. As he gazed down upon his first son, he smiled. The Komnenoi dynasty was now assured. His father's work had not been in vain.

Calling a page, he thrust a hastily scribbled note into his hand. "Go and deliver this to my father, at once! Tell him that a son was born. A Komnenoi. Now go!"

As the page hurried off, Ioannis looked out the window towards the Hagia Sophia.

[00jebus]

Bithynia, Black Sea Coast, Caesar Ioannis’s camp, 1101

Captured side

Omar Al-Jeziz was sweating uncontrollably, not for fear of death, he had been true to the word of the prophet, praise be upon him.
Yes he was true to the prophet, Zhiznomir would have been proud of him.
Instead, he was filling this miserable tent he was being kept in with the horrid stench of sweat and urine due to him being kept drunk and deprived of a chamber pot, and Zhizomir made sure all his followers knew that alcohol was created by the gods for cleaning and purifying metals, not drinking like the Christian heathens or the payed guards that took him and others around the local villages, but here he was, every half hour, three men clad in chain mail would enter, force his throat back and pour some sweet alcohol down it all the while with odd pained expressions on their faces, as though they wanted to hear what he had to say, so he tried to tell them every time they came in.

He had not betrayed the garrison at Sinop, he knew it, and it was safe, like the prophet.
The three men came back in, this time there were the usual questions, the usual punishment for preaching the word of the gods as one man poured warm ale down his throat.
Their leader stopped them before they left, asking him about Sinop again and something else he didn't hear properly, Omar replied with a rude hand gesture and the words “I’ll never betray them!”.

Next thing he knew he was falling, When he woke again, he was quite sober, but also realised at once he was also naked, in a garden, could this be paradise?
maybe the gods would forgive him since his alcohol consumption was unwilling.
There they were, all three gods, all old men, with mighty grey beards and clothes of the whitest silk.
He kneeled before them, mumbled “Oh blessed fathers, thank you for forgiving me, I swore I would never betray the 800 at Sinop, nor the payed guards we were using to bolster the numbers, or tell them your prophet was in the wilderness, or that we were still having problems converting the locals to your word, even after the priests had been disposed of… wait… wha?”

Omar finished suddenly, as the smiling face of the leader of the three men who had been forcing him to drink was bobbing its way to him with a look of arrogant pleasure.

Before they could restrain him, he had lifted a dagger from his captor’s belt and stabbed himself in the heart.




Captor’s side

Lisas Attaleiatis was at a loss, in a wagon trailing behind his guard was an unconscious cult leader, he had to extract information on Sinop’s defences and the extent of the cult from him, that had been the whole point of the raid on Bozkurt, but how to do this, was a much harder feat than the raid itself.

Torture was out, Lisas though it was a barbaric practise, and his tutor back in Constantinople always said torture was too slow and unreliable anyway.
In the end, he settled on getting him drunk, an idea inspired by the fact that the most quiet and insular soldiers in the camp opened up about themselves when they had a few measures of ale down them.

On the hour, every hour, 4 men would go into his tent with Lisas, restrain him, and lift a cup (why waste good glass on prisoners? Lisas thought) of sweet wine to his lips, at first they had to pour it down, but after two hours he was hooked on the stuff.

After two days of this, and unfortunately no use of the pot that had been provided for his own relief, he really did start to smell, even the Alan mercenaries in the camp decided his tent stunk too much to venture nearby.

Still all they’d got from him so far was drunken slurring about his cult, before he greedily drank the wine that was brought.

Getting sick of the sight and especially the smell of this man, Lisas decided to ask him one last time about the defences of Sinop, warning that unless he received an honest answer about what he was asking, the wine would stop, and he’d use the bitterest of meads instead. In response, the idiot tried to punch him, but fell over and knocked himself out on a guards knee.

When this happened, Lisas volunteered three old members of the militia, giving them white silk clothes, and telling them not to cut their beards, had them take the cultist to a small wood not three miles out from camp, and told them to act like Zeus of the old gods.

There, his “gods”, a writer and his guard waited for the cultist to wake up, when he did, he rocked back a forth a few times before telling the “gods” everything they needed to know.

A smiling Lisas strode out to him, about to tell the cultist he was free provided he not preach to anyone, but before he could, the cultist darted for Lisas’s belt, withdrew a knife he kept for skinning game, and stabbed himself in his chest.

”Sir?” someone enquired to the side of him “is that all, or would you like to add anything?” it was the writer.
”Yes, 1200, seems like too many for me, unless the Caesar is both very good and very lucky, add my recommendation that we should hire more mercenaries.
He’s at the Princess’s, his sisters wedding right now, but as soon as he’s back, give it too him”
”Yes Sir” the writer bowed and left to fetch his parchments from behind a nearby tree.
He looked at the militiamen
”go back to your unit, you can keep the clothes, we are leaving” he added to his guard.
”No burial sir?”
”Suicide is a sin, if you kill yourself you deserve no dignity, no burial, especially when you do it with my best game knife” he added in an annoyed and slightly put out voice
”shame too, I think if he could be brought into the orthodox faith, he would have made a good priest, ahwell, Im sure some animal will make more use of him in death than he was in life.”

Though adopting a somber expression, Lisas was excited at the thought of finally seeing a proper battle on the walk back to camp.