As the envoy moves to retort to Nikitas, a cold presence pervades the Magnaura. A tender hand lays itself upon that of the envoy, who looks up startled to see Chara staring back, her eyes cold and pitiless. "You speak no more for my Lord, and if you do not leave now, you will speak no more for anyone. Is this clear?"

The envoy nods meekly as Chara firmly pushes him from his seat and towards the Magnuara's exit. After the envoy leaves, Chara turns her attention to the Magnuara.

"Senators of the Roman Empire, forgive the fool who spoke before. He was neither empowered to speak for my lord, nor was he given permission to do anything beyond relay a message even by the man who sent him."

"His speeches, not only presumptuous of my lord, carry only few grains of salt. From here on in, no one speaks for my liege, except himself. Anything you here of his intentions hereafter, will be considered falsity."

"My liege owes you all an apology, for more then breaking Imperial Law. It has been alleged my Lord has lied about his identity - this is true, but not of his character. There was a man named Helarionas Anargiros, who lived in Durazzo. When he was but 20 years of age, he died from a terrible sickness. Then there was a man named Sergios Echter, who was from Bran. He was but 16 and almost nothing but a servant, a child conceived through adultery, his mother a married noblewoman, his father a pariah. One day, a man from Durazzo of the name Nikolaos Aristenos came to see this boy, and handed him a new identity, so as to fulfill the request of him by that boys father."

"And so it came to pass that Sergios Echter ek Kallipoleos, son of Aleksander Echter ek Kallipoleos, took the name Helarionas Anargiros, took the senatorial papers given to him, and he came to Constantinople. It was here that he reunited with the one person whom he cared for - Aleksandra Tagaris."

"In 1161, Sergios, along with his mother, were given sanctuary in Alexandria. It was there, for a year, that Aleksandra and Sergios first met, grew to know each other, and fell in love. That love never disappeared, carrying on even when the two were separated by oceans and borders. It was so strong, that Sergios was willing to defy Imperial Law to marry Aleksandra."

Chara takes a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing.

"Few men have I met, that compare to Sergios. Few men have I met, that would fight for what eh has, let alone die for it. Sergios's youth and innocence maybe the very reason he has not lost his heart, or his compassion. Few men do I know that would risk their lives for the love and affection of one woman, yet he would do it for any stranger, any commoner, for nothing in return."

"But he is also a stubborn man, an idealist. He believes in an Empire that was told to him by the fire when he was a child, one filled with Heroes that worked selflessly, tirelessly to preserve the Empire, stories told of men that served not themselves, but the people of the Imperium. That is what Sergios fights for, and why he still holds an army, and why he is not here before you, waiting to be shackled in chains."

"He will fight for his beliefs, to the last gasp. And he will continue to fight, until he sees that the Empire is what he heard in those stories when he was a child."

Chara bows respectfully, if coldly, to the Senators from each House, and then turns and walks calmly out of the Magnuara.