House Ilios Korakas

[Warmaster Horus]

A ruckus can be heard outside the hall.
"I'll go in if I @#$%^&!!! well want to!"
The doors slam open: Nikiphoros enters the chamber again, with a furious look on his face, and a sharp looking sword in his hand. He is accompanied by 2 bodyguards right behind, bearing arms like him. He steps to the middle of the hall, looks straight at Methodios, and...
He sheathes his blade. His bodyguards do the same.
Nikiphoros kneels, as do his bodyguards.

Methodios, I'm sorry. I have read the reports over and over again, so much that I practically know them by heart. I have considered this situation as much as is humanly possible, and I come to the only conclusion possible: you were right to do it. Sacking Alexandria was the only thing that could avenge our dear friend, and those infidels are heretics. This was a Holy War you were fighting, and as such it was normal to think such things could happen. I daresay the Jihadists would have done worse, killing man, woman and child with no noble idea of revenge, but to prove they were the best. If the Jihad had been successful, we'd be left with Basileus Ioannis Komnenos (Aleksios would be dead). And I don't specially wish for that.
I was wrong to doubt you. I know now I would have done the same thing as you. And I realize that others have not been condemned for crimes much, much worse.

I therefore ask for your forgiveness, Lord. I thought at one point that I was the only one with Honor left, but then I remembered you were "The Chivalrous". With all that entails. I thought that you enjoyed sacking Alexandria, but I believe it must have been a terrible action for one such as you to make.
I beg for your forgiveness, Lord. And if you would be chivalrous enough to give it to me, I would ask - nay, beg - for one other thing: let me be part of this House again. I would offer you my sword once again.
Saying this, he bows deeply, and unsheathes his blade, but with the pommel pointing to Methodios. It is clear what the meaning is: Nikiphoros' is Tagaris' to command.

[_Tristan_]

Nikiphoros, my friend...

You cannot know the extent of my grief for what happened in this city, both to our Crusaders and to the people who have suffered through my actions.

I understand that you may have had doubts about my actions and that you questioned them.

Now, raise up... I welcome you once more into this House for the greater good of the Empire. May we, together, put an end to the threat that lives in those sands...

(OOC : you will need to re-swear your oath...)

[Warmaster Horus]

I swear my oath once more to Methodios Tagaris.

[_Tristan_]

And I gladly accept it.

Please accept my gift of Scopia as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

[Warmaster Horus]

I thank you. I will manage Scopia as well as possible.

[Warmaster Horus]

Nikiphoros Manouelitis, having left the Magnaura earlier, enters the chamber of House Ilios Korakas. Once again, he is not alone. In addition to his bodyguards, there are a couple more scribes from the Magnaura with him, and surprisingly, half a dozen armed men. They are dressed exotically, giving the appearance of being mercenaries. Judging from the loud clinking noise coming from them, they are just that. These men are professionals, as two stay to bar the exit, and the four others deploy in a manner that secures the place.
The occupants of the chamber, that is to say Methodios Tagaris, two of his retinue and some scribes of House Korakas, raise an eyebrow at this; one of Tagaris’ men starts to unsheathe his sword, and one of the scribes starts sweating a bit.
Nikiphoros walks to the centre of the hall, and after checking the situation, addresses Methodios Tagaris.

“Lord, first of all I wish to apologize for what I will do. If others will not move, then I shall. If those others find my actions lacking in honour, then so be it. I do this to right a wrong, and men like that are often viewed with distrust. If what I do brings me that, then so be it.
Recent times have tested us all. The sacking of Alexandria, the Caesar’s near open treason, the Organization… Those are the events that have shocked me the most, and I must say that in the case of the latter two, the unmaking of which have been most commendable. The Basileus himself has realised his son and heir was dangerous for the Empire, and resolved it with one swift stroke. The Organization’s destruction was just as admirable, and I marvel at the Patriarch’s work.
However, you will notice that of those three events, one of them has not yet been resolved. Alexandria.
Methodios Tagaris has done it to avenge Kosmas Mavrozomis. Noble? Yes, of course. Chivalric? Naturally.
But in spirit only. 2000 men have died for one man. Other senators have died, yet did we avenge them in the same manner? No! Why? Because it is horrendous! If I were to die at the hands of infidels, I would not want to be remembered as the catalyst of such a monstrous act! And I do not believe dear Kosmas would want to either. The fact that it is on the occasion of a Holy Crusade makes it worse; I believe the Lord preached peace. That we deliver death to men is bad enough; but what kind of person would extend that death to women and children?
There is another matter at hand. Two laws have been broken; a public edict strictly, and a private rule of the Charter Methodios wrote himself. Both express the same idea: Alexandria should have been occupied.
Some would say that this doesn’t matter. Laws have been broken before. Cities were exterminated; the Caesar himself focused his term as Megas on his allies, and not on the whole of the Empire. The criminals in both cases were maybe judged, but not punished. In this case as well, the perpetrator appears to be getting away with this act. I will not let that happen. I will take a stand. If nobody does that today, then some day in the future the Empire will be betrayed, a Caesar will be assassinated, and all the traitor will get is a slap on the hands. Do any of us honestly wish for this? I do not.
Methodios is not without resources, though. He has admitted his crime, and believes that will reduce his sentence. He has given the examples of other law-breakers. And most interesting, when I clearly said I would think of bringing him down, he threw me out of the House. Cunning man though he normally is, he was foolish enough to let me back. This is what I wish first and foremost to apologize for – the fact that I have lied and cheated to later punish a man. Once more, if dishonour is to be mine, I will bear that sentence.
So this is it. Lord Methodios Tagaris, Comes of Alexandria, I make a motion for your punishment by House Ilios Korakas. The sentence I am putting forth is expulsion from the House until the beginning of the next Senate Session, the one starting in 1140. As I am the only other member of House Korakas, and you cannot vote for your punishment, I declare you expulsed from the House.
For the record, this implies that he is demoted and gives his lands, in this case Alexandria, to the House. Since I am the sole member of the House, I will take that province and administer it personally. And I am also no longer his vassal.
There it is, Methodios. I order you to leave now. If you will not cooperate, then my men will make sure you do."

Finally finished with his speech, Nikiphoros rests his hand on the pommel of his sword, ready to act. It is clear that he is anxious. Tagaris is a cunning man, much more experienced than Nikiphoros, and he might have an ace in his sleeve still… Nikiphoros can only wait until his former lord replies.

[_Tristan_]

Sitting by his desk, Methodios slowly rolls up the parchment he had been reading. A brief motion of his hand has his men put their weapons back into thier sheaths. Reclining in his chair, he looks up to Nikiphoros.

What a devious little twat you are, Nikiphoros...

I almost wish I pushed that sword point some inches forward last time you were in these chambers... But now is not a time for regrets...

I need no excuse for what I did... I know full well the extent of my "crimes". Had you been there under the walls of Alexandria, seeing a man you respected and loved die a gruesome death at the hands of fanatical heretics, I hope you would have acted the same...

I fail to see how the fact that I did this on Crusade is aggravating and do not try to lecture me about the "Holy nature" of this Crusade... We all know the Crusaders have only been pawns into the hands of the Patriarch.

Do you truly think this Crusade had God' sanction ? Have you seen how the elements were against us ? We were beset by whales, by furious tempests as few sailors have ever experienced ? Is that a sign of God's willingness to see that Crusade come to a successful end ? Not in my book...

Please ask the Christians of Cairo what they think of this Crusade... Oh, sorry, I forgot... They are no more Christians in Cairo, thanks to the Patriarch's scheming. He unleashed the Caliph's dogs of war by faking some rebellious intent of these pious and unwarlike men only to divert some of our military power to Egypt, for his own ends. Nevermind that it brought the death of thousands of good Christian souls...

More than this, his devilish plot brought up the whole power of Islam against us, threatening our heartland.

I call this a graver crime than my own and that doesn't raise a single outcry. Yet you wish to punish me for doing what I saw and still believe as just and honourable in these particular circumstances.

You want to kick me out of the House I founded, please do... But if you want to assume control over Alexandria, you'll have to pry it from my dead hands...

Alexandria belongs to me personnally and I won't release it into your hands, so if you want it, you'll have to come and get it...

So Lord Captain-General, if you will excuse me, I have some business waiting for me in Cairo...

Methodios stands, adjusts his cape and scabbarded sword then walks over to Nikiphoros. Stopping one foot in front of the younger man, Methodios just waits until Nikiphoros steps aside. He then walks out the door.