A weary and heavily limping Methodios walks into the Magnaura. Visibly struggling to stand up straight to adress the assembled Senators, he intones loud and clear.

My Lord Ioannis,

Though you are making my daughter the greatest of honours by asking for her to be married to your brother Andronikos, she is my first-born and ,with my only son, holds a very special place in my heart. I cannot force upon her a man not of her own choosing and she has made known to me that she has been wooed successfully by another man, whose identity I prefer to leave secret, at this point, lest pressure be applied upon him to desist.

I would have been pleased if you had consulted me before making the announcement, Sire, for I do not like to talk you down in public. The matter could have been resolved peacefully and more importantly, secretly...

I hope young Andronikos will bear me no grudge and that he will realize that he will find a worthy wife in due time... I would not have these two young people lead an unhappy married life.

Should you wish to press the point my Lord, you would find me most adamant... Though some may say I've spoiled the kid but I just couldn't help it. Should you wish to proceed onwards, Sire, you will have to sail to Egypt and take my daughter away from my lifeless body. But I am sure it will not come to these extremities.

Finishing his tirade, Methodios seems to have shrugged a huge weight off his shoulders and seems to liven up.

That said...

As to the legislation that has been proposed here, I fully agree with what our half-mad Protoasecretes has put forward (God knows where his enlightenment comes...).

I also fully support the legislation put forward by Tiverios. From my early campaigning days both in the field and before this assembly, I have always been an advocate of war on our Christian brothers. Now, with the Muslim threat almost at an end, the time has finally come to show them the erros of their ways and reclaim what is rightfully ours.

Methodios' face seems to light up from within and his eyes take on a fierce cast as if already seeing the fights coming up against the Christians.

While I also agree that our men under arms should all have the best armour we can provide, for it may make the difference between a living and a dead man, and only a living one can fight another day, I'd like to Captain-General Aristenos to amend his proposal so that it doesn't include the barracks part. Some of our settlements have other priorities than fielding men, be it producing trade or food for the Empire and rely on neighbouring settlements for their protection so I do not find that part relevant to our present situation. Maybe turning it so that only castles would be required to do so might be the best of both worlds.

Methodios nods with a smile at Nikolaos, intent on taking out some of the rebuke out of his speech.

I also fully endorse Edict 6.2. Castles will be less and less necessary in our heartlands as our borders grow. It would be more practical to adequately fund the improvement of Corinth, for example, than have three castles having to share the same funds, taking perhaps more than three times more time and funds to obtain the same recruitment capabilities.

Now, with your permission, I will retire to my rooms. My clerks will advise me of any event requiring my renewed attendance in these halls.

With renewed vigour but a still heavy limp, Methodios walks out of the Magnaura.