Summit - Nicosia

[AussieGiant]

Apionnas nods in agreement.

Your Majesty, Caesar, neither of you are accomplishing anything by conducting a Civil War in which neither side is prepared to do anything.

As Tiverios just stated, this is actually weakening you both.

The final embarrassment will the end of the Civil War by way of death for one of you.

Is that how you want to be remembered?

[_Tristan_]

My Lords,

However much I wish to see this situation resolved, I will not bow down to such a tyrannical authority without guarantees that in the future my family or those who supported me and there are few of those will be free of any retribution.

I know I may not be long for this world of sorrow. But I will not leave it cowed. I will leave it proud, proud to have stood up to the egomaniacal lusts of a power-hungry and nepotic ruler.

I have clearly no wish to pursue this war but the longer it festers, the more Ioannis' authority is lessened and though I have no wish to see the Empire torn to shreds, I hope that my example will drive others to stand up to him and find someone more deserving of ruling upon this greatest of Empires.

The ball is the Basileus' camp to try and find the means of a peaceful resolution of this conflict.

Let him show us how he intends to govern in the future in the respect of his vassal and then, I will certainly be able to make concessions.

And Senator Tiverios, indeed, a grant of land would not be much to give for the benefit of knowing my daughter will live happily in a united Empire but I think I have paid more than any other of the nobles of the Empire. And I would have no assurances that Ioannis would not seek another quarrel against other nobles, tearing for good the fabric of our Empire.

I have lost Durazzo, Zagreb and Scopia, through different ways, to different people but all in the service of Basileus Aleksios. I paid my debt to the father, and gladly because I thought he deserved it, would you have me pay again to his undeserving son ?

[AussieGiant]

A pained look crosses the face of Apionnas at some of the words used by the Caesar.

Finally once he is finished he speaks.

Lord Caesar,

What would you be prepared to concede as part of a settlement to the matter?

[Ituralde]

Pavlos grumbles something to himself, but then remains content to just listen. Maybe gazing at the sky from time to time to follow the flight of the local birds.

[_Tristan_]

Lord Apionnas,

What I'd like to hear is what our Basileus is ready to concede himself as part of the settlement of this conflict. He created the situation by forcing my hand as I have already stated.

Had he acted differently, more respectful of his vassal's well-being, we would not be in this mire.

Until now, we haven't heard any wish for atonement from Ioannis, we haven't heard a lot from him anuyway but all we heard was more demands.

The relationship between a lord and his vassal must work both ways if it is to work efficiently. But in Ioannis' view, everything's due to him from everyone with only a few reaping the benefits of his scant generosity.

But to show my good faith in resolving this conflict, I'm willing to accept my confinement to my provinces of Egypt and those of House Ilios Korakas, if they will accept until such time as Death comes knocking at my door. Further conditions may be applied but will be subject to discussion.

[Ignoramus]

Leaving aside the Caesar's "concession", I am willing to pardon the Caesar and acknowledge and grant my blessing to his daughter's marriage, on condition of the above two requirements being met. The Caesar is in the wrong for breaking the Charter of the empire.

The Caesar should acknowledge that losing a province and a bit of pride is a small price to pay for being pardoned for committing treason.

[AussieGiant]

Apionnas hisses air from between his teeth at the last remark. Glancing at the Emperor for a fleeting moment it is hard to tell if the usually calm Chancellor has lost his patience.

He takes a moment before continuing.

My Lords, I would ask you to refrain from making comments about anything outside of the immediate topic. It will simply not advance this discussion in any positive fashion.

It is common ground that we must focus on.

If I can summarise, I believe that this "common ground" could be phrased as follows.

Steeling his gaze at both men, it is with a certain force of will that he makes the following statement.

The Basileus would pardon the Caesar for not following the law of the land. He would then sanction the wedding, therefore officially recognising the husband of the Caesar's daughter as part of the royal family.

In return the Caesar would apologies without reservations for breaching the law. He would do that in the Magnaura. He would then confine himself to his holding in Egypt at the pleasure of the Basileus.

Taking a moment he hold the gaze of the Caesar before turning to the Basileus.

In response, the Basileus would acknowledge that the events leading up to the civil war and the wedding itself could have been handled in a far better fashion, and the Basileus will endeavour to address his relationship with his vassals in the future in order to avoid such incidents from occurring again.

Apionnas pauses for a moment. It's clear to both mean and also the on looking Pavlos and Tiverios, that if there is no agreement here the next option will be far different.

My Lords,

I ask you to find common ground. Either my statement above of something else.