The Magnaura

[_Tristan_]

Methodios stands up, glaring at Machonios.

I would have been first to celebrate you, had you claimed the city with no or few losses of lives on either side... War is grusesome, that I know at first hand but even so, that does not mean we must become beasts and conduct ourselves without reserve or mercy...

I'd like to remind our "colleague" that Iconium was still a Byzantine city, less than fourty years ago... (OOC : Manzikert dates back to 1071)... So most of those 6000 men and women you killed were subjected to our rule until then... Do you think they had a choice when the Turks invaded ? No, they had none... They bowed like the reed in the wind, if only to survive... And what kept them going was the hope that one day our Empire would recover to come and save them... And now, at the moment of their liberation, they are cast into the fires of Hell at the hands of the man they could have greeted as their saviour...

Or are you such a fool that you may mistake Turks for rabbits, breeding more than 6000 in a mere 40 years ?
The Turks dealt fairly with our former Emperor when they captured him, they dealt fairly with our people when they advanced in Anatolikon... And that is how we repay them...

I will not cry for the Sultan's life nor for any of his soldiers but I'll cry till the end of my days for the people that died in Iconium...


Leaving the benches, Methodios walks to the Asteri benches where Machonios is sitted. He plants himself in front of him and spits on the floor of the Magnaura at the feet of Machonios.

Here... Take this as your reward, Machonios...

Finally, staring dejectedly at Machonios, Methodios adds

And let me tell you what I think of your God-sent dream... These are delusions of a madman... Perhaps one day, God will send me a dream asking me of having your mother raped by a donkey... But will I bring a donkey to your mother's house ? I think not... Though it may bring down on me God's wrath... That is the saddest excuse for your crimes you could offer...

Lastly, your enemy do not fear you, they hate you... It will be pure blind luck if their religious leaders do not call for a Holy War against us, to eradicate us before we eradicate them for that is what you are doing... The Turks could have been brought into the Light, they could have learnt to live under our rule... If we continue with your policy of exterminating the cities we conquer, we will perhaps be masters of the known world, but it will be a sad and empty world...

Methodios walks back to his bench, not sparing one look towards Machonios.