[SS 6.4] Restoring Rome - Chapter Two: The Tragedy of the Komnenoi

[Schrödinger]

Thanks for the kind comments only a short update tonight and probably for next few nights but will repay at weekend with a proper one

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VIII.

Constantinople, 1104 AD



Ioannis

The child had a thin fuzz of blonde hair on it's shiny pink mildly repulsive scalp. Ioannis put his hand to his cheek and curled a strand of dark oily hair between his calloused fingers, looking at his wife with her curled midnight hair. Squalling the child thrashed in it's cot, whining disgustingly for Dimitra. Curling his lip in unveiled revulsion, he watched disinterestedly as his wife fed the child. Being of merchant birth she refused to let the child have a wetnurse. Lots of children are born with blonde hair though, Ioannis pondered, although he himself had left the womb with a dark shock of hair, as had both his brothers and his sister. The eighth bell of the day chimed and he left the room without uttering so much as a word to the new mother.

Over the past six months little had happened, as the aim of the council appeared to solely derive around moving money around and sweetening the Pope, the Crusaders and the Seljuks simultaneously. Ioannis comprehended the need for this and even the tactis that needed to be employed, but they roused little interest in him. Not when he could be in the north fending off Kypchaq raiders, in Anatolia dealing with raider bands or even back in Bari hunting Normans through the hills. Ioannis thirsted for blood and grew tired of the city, it's internecine plots, he grew tired of watching his back every day for informers, spies, tailers. Taticius had told him that Szekeres would know every time he used the privy and would know how it smelled too. The golden-nosed bastard probably knew himself as well. Ioannis hated it, he hated having to spend every day with bloody Dimitra and every morning with the Council. He missed Yaroslaw, he missed his warrior brethren. He missed the smell of blood.

As he entered the chamber, Mikhail Szekeres sat alone at the table, looked up and saw him... "Ah, my Lord, I have something to tell you..."

[Schrödinger]

IX.

Constantinople, 1104 AD



Mikhail

Ioannis' eyes were red and his nose was wrinkled with suppression, his clothing dishevelled and his stance aggressive. Fairly normal for the warrior king, but Mikhail wondered what it could speak of beneath his knowledge... "your lord father is intending to send you rebel hunting in the north, Bulgars and reports of Magyars and Cumans raining fire on the outpost villages have disturbed our Basileus. Later in this meeting he will tell you to select your men and leave with a group of five hundred to protect our northern boundaries. If we discover any King is sending men against us, he will ask you to send word here so we can wage war on the scum." he saw the co-Emperor's bloodthirsty eyes light up as he suddenly seemed brighter, more alert, somehow lax and fascinated by the prospect of leaving the war of words in the city for some skulls to cleave and spines to split. The bow-toting fool.

"You are certain of this, Szekeres?" his voice was hush, hungry sounding, and very disconcerting. Mikhail nodded as the door opened and Taticius swaggered in, his insolent manner offending both men as he gave a lazy smile from his golden nose and sat at his little chair, putting his feet up on the grand table.

"Aye, he is, and I am coming too. Your wet nurse as usual. The Balkans swarm with raiders, rebels and brigands, all sorts of uncouth folk imperial blood need not encounter. Rapers, pillagers, rootlers. Need a good honest man who knows how to deal with the scum of this earth. You won't be able to just charge them soft-headedly. They are horse archers, boy, they come and go as they please in those forests. We will lose more men than they do, but you get your war and some quality time with me." Taticius smiled, his nose glinting evilly in the light that seeped in from high windows, "And you can bring Yaroslaw the Silent with you too."

Four days later, they marched north, Dimitra watching from the walls, crying to herself as she held her baby swaddled in cloth, his blonde fuzz riffling in the light breeze.

The woods teem with enemies...

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Sorry for not responding to the last update, but I see you have already updated it again.

It's all getting really interesting, I can't wait to see what Ioannis finds in the forests. Should make for an interesting next few updates, I can't wait

Ah and Taticius what a guy, defiantly my fav character so far, but who knows if you plan to introduce anymore?

[Schrödinger]

X.

North of Adrianople, 1105 AD



Iakovos

It was a bright cold day in April, and Iakovos shivered as he sat on his horse, waiting with the archers above the cliff. Beneath him he could see the barbarian host galloping towards the boy Ioannis' soldiers, could hear the captain telling his men to draw. They had ridden out to the Danube itself and back, picking off rebels every day it seemed. Now the horsemen had come to meet them, a pitiful host but one that could well push the Byzantine forces. Taticius had planned the battle though, keeping the forces tight between two cliffs, but placing archers at the height of a cliff the horses could not mount. The idea was to with their backs to a wall, the groundmen could not be flanked and the infantry could fend off waves of attacks, the heavy cavalry of Ioannis' and Macedonian nobles the only horses that could be set against the enemy. With heavier army and weaponry, Taticius was confident that the Co-Emperor would survive victories. Although... he did seem remarkably lackadaisical with the young man's life.

The Barbarians

Without the hundred horsemen Iakovos had led north the young Ioannis would almost certainly have died here, today, in the cold. A warrior's death for the boy that he would have earned and probably enjoyed. Sighing, Iakovos watched the enemy grow closer and a hail of arrows depart down at the enemy who did not expect it and could never return from that depth. Even now, his brother Michael and the thug Zigopoulos could be enduring similar endless borderlands skirmishes with the Apulians who were taking so long to calm, definitely with encouragement from a threatened Norman Sicily. A panicked shout snapped Iakovos back into the present. "Spears! To arms!" as an arrow hail cut through and the sound of hooves came closer. Out of the woods behind them burst several mounted screaming warriors, with devilish faces. Iakovos froze, but his men-at-arms leapt forward and the spears felled the horses.

Horse and Spear

Warhorns halloo-ed as Iakovos' impetuous warriors gave chase in a wide arc down to Ioannis' men, who were skirmishing with horse-archers, arrows raining back and forth across no-mans land, making horses skittish as death spread slowly through the ranks. Looking around himself, Iakovos saw only he and his man-at-arms were left as horsemen to protect the archers. "We must... be wary Adrian there... will be a second... wave surely..." his drawl was somewhat out of kilter as his heart pattered at his chest. It had been years since Iakovos had been near death.

Raining Arrows

In the valley and in the woods the thwock of arrows and the shouts and screams of men passed Iakovos by as if he was a shadow... minutes or hours... he felt faint but he heart shouts of Ioannis' name and it seemed that victory had been secured. Unbidden, his horse meandered forward and over a hillock, over another. Iakovos felt as his he... was a child again... in his stiff hand he held a standard. Beneath him his horse skipped around a dead body and for the first time in what felt... like forever... he had silence wrapped around him like bliss... then he heard other hooves and the thwock of an arrow and excruciating pain...

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Hmm... what could all this mean?

A very good update, nice to see a bit more action And this Iakovos, don't quite no what to make of him yet

Looking forward to more of the mystery unraveled

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Nice intrigue being built up here. Good update

[Schrödinger]

XI.

Constantinople, 1105 AD



Nikophoros

Son-in-law of the emperor, Nikophoros Vyrennios' fruitful marriage to the famed historian Anna Komnene had been an indisputable political success for the Basil, gaining a powerful political ally and securing Achaian loyalty. Although Niko showed excessive war lust if allowed so much as in the same room as another warrior, he was nevertheless politically adept if need be and without too many courtly enemies, beside the Phillipus clan, who returned the hatred with equal measure. Zigopoulos of Epirus was the only buffer between the two men, who could only be held apart on occasion by the full power of the Empire. The marriage of Nikophoros when the younger Phillipus had also been available had been seen as a great snub and had inflamed relations further, with Szekeres engineering the conquest of Epirus and Bari as the only ointment to that wound.

The frenzied call for a second war after that one had not disturbed Nikophoros, who had hoped to gain more land following the warrior Ioannis, but Alexios had dealt with him easily, sending him off chasing shadows in Northern Thrace and along the Danube. Serbs, Bulgars and brigands would be dealt with before three years time, he had been told when he had queried the effective inaction. His wife Anna told him it was probable Mikhail was infiltrating the petty lords and spreading discord before Imperial troops would be sent into the fray. She was incredibly diligent, intelligent and beautiful, everything an important man wanted in a wife, not to mention her bloodline. Nikophoros was well aware his sons could become Emperors should accidents befall his brothers-in-law.

"My Lord, the Anatolian nobles will be at court today, the Gabras, Dalasennos and Kalamanos set." his servant bowed and left the room as Nikophoros moved another chess piece on his board, the easterners game captured his imagination and his wife's, but he was hard pressed to find anyone to pass hours with him on it. There was always Szekeres, but the one time they had shared the table it had taken half an hour to be checkmated. And then the next day everyone at court had found out after that bastard Taticius had seen fit to mention it as a riposte to Nikophoros' suggestion that time was nigh for a push back against the Seljuks. A push against the Seljuks... doubtless Gabriel Gabras would have brought his fellow lords from Asia to ask for that very thing, heedless of the knowledge that Alexios was concentrating on the north and west now. Anna doubted her father would move east in his lifetime, such was the value of peace with the Muslim world.

Rough Guide to Nobility

Peace with the Pope and the Italian peninsular, now there was a stickier issue and one it was plain Alexios would love to dip his imperial fingers into and stir. And one Vyrennios would like as well, he had an ancestral claim to lands in both Calabria and Sicilia and his sons would need lands to ever challenge for the Constantinople throne. An alliance with Henry V and his Holy Roman Empire had opened a whole new barrel of fish for his lordship and Nikophoros was loath to see Szekeres basically drooling every time a conquest was mentioned. The Rus' was landless here and would kill for a smidgen of Byzantine territory to call his own beyond his villa by the Horn. The eight bell chimed and Nikophoros stood to make his way to the chambers.

"It's not as though our trade is free and safe, my lord. Brigands and bandits- all Turks- prey on any merchant flying our arms. There is no open warfare but the hatred still bubbles under..." Nikophoros was late and the familiar tones of Gabriel Gabras, breathless and slightly shrill, echoed around the place. Gabras was sat at the seat Nikophoros habitually situated himself. "Ah, Vyrennios!" nodding, Nikophoros took a seat next to Mikhail Szekeres. Szekeres as ever looked politely attentive, the Basil looked faintly bored despite the twitch of his lower lip and the Anatolian lords had an earnest look to them, all with the imploring tones of their poster boy Gabras. Red-faced, light brown hair dank like a rat and his bulky frame expanding perpetually with age, he did not inspire confidence. He had held Nicomedia and Nicaea against the Turk advances though.

Niko's distant cousin Roman Dalasennos was a more sensible man, likely here for his own purposes, when they caught eyes Roman winked slowly. It was clear he knew a little more than Gabras, but he turned his whiplash neck when the emperor spoke... "We will not be moving east, gentlemen, should we move, we will be moving on the Balkans and the heathen upstarts there. On your own you cannot hope to defeat the Seljuk hosts and without you perhaps the Bulgars would turn their full strength on us. If you want war, the war we can afford is the war in the north and the east. We must fortify the Danube and secure all the land beneath her. At present we cannot do this, but should we have the support of the whole Empire there could be new lands recovered for us. The Phillipus and the Vyrennios have pledged their support, as has every lord of every theme in Europe. We would have you gentlemen join us."

Recalling no such pledge, Nikophoros wondered whether the Phillipus himself knew anything either. But in front of Gabras he could show no face, merely saw the glimmer of Szekeres smile as Gabras stuttered, "My Lord, the Venetians, the Pope, the Magyars... two have designs on those lands and one will fight us at any opportunity..."

"Remember we are the Roman Empire, Gabras. And none of those powers are as great a threat to us in the Balkans as the full might of the Caliphates are in Asia."

"But my lord..."

"I shall let you think on it over your sleep. You may depart now while we discuss dull matters of coin and trade. On the morrow I await your decision, sirs."

When Nikophoros told Anna what had happened, she laughed uproariously and proceeding to beat him at chess catastrophically.

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

North? West? East? Where are the might Romans actually going to go..

I sense some discontent amongst the court, surely something political is about to happen, but what

I can't wait to find out (Maybe some pictures would help me )

[Schrödinger]

Shankbot- thanks as always for the support I had played to about 1115 before I decided to AAR this, so screenshots are fairly scarce for a while, especially of campaign map. Have done some custom battles and made maps of my own to attempt atonement for the error... not a King of the screenshot anyway as my PC graphics are not up to much

Also considering making an update list in the first post, as well as summaries of major characters, could be worth it? Especially if AAR continues as a plan it to
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XII.

Phillippolis, 1105 AD



Ioannis

Truly, this pathetic excuse for a town was a hellhole. Even the easiest to please of his men were disappointed with the excuses for brothels on show here in this northern town, which the council said had been hurt more than most by banditry. So close to Constantinople and it had suffered, the thought angered Ioannis, but so did the town itself. They were only here because the idiot Iakovos Phillipus, with his worm-ridden guts and ridiculous beard, had taken an arrow to the eye and bloody Taticius had insisted he was taken to a proper physician, the field doctor having removed the man's eye but failed to clean the wound. Screaming and writhing in agony, it at least pleased Ioannis that the self-styled Lord of Macedonia (who had let Skopia fall to an usurper) no longer had that drawl and ridiculous accent. Just the bloody screams. Ioannis did not know which he found worse. At least he was away from Dimitra here, not only was she stupid, didn't understand him and of no worth for anything other than simpering and looking pretty, she'd be more argumentative since they returned from Italy. Bloody Italy, he didn't trust Zigopoulos to hold it, the friendly Greek was talented at war but nothing on Ioannis himself. And of course, Taticius was here...

If Phillipus the Beard died, Taticius had told him sternly, Michael Phillipus the Too Clever By Half would inherit all his lands, all his power and twice his grudges and abilities. If Phillipus the Beard died it would be seen as an attempt by Ioannis to claim Thessaloniki and her lands for himself and that could turn all of Greece against Ioannis. Bearded bastard or not, he had to survive. Opiates had dulled the man's senses and apparently the prognosis was that he would survive, but Ioannis was still loath to be dragged away from his favourite pastime of war, even a petty war such as this brigand-war to attend the healing of an idiot who rode off alone so soon after a victory against the barbarians. It was a good thing he had news of another threat coming his way.

"John, the enemies have built rams and are approaching the gates today." he recognised Yaroslaw's tones and knew only he would call him 'John', the handsome blonde boy was now a man, a faint stubble of wartime on his cheeks and a lazy manner which belied his speed with sword and adept ability with the bow. He was Ioannis' right hand man and with him he would entrust the world- he intended to reward the Rus' with some land of his own, should he renounce his mother city.

"Ah, how opportune. I would inform the governer that enemies are at the gates now." Yaroslaw nodded and strode away, sword at his side flapping in a merry fashion. Since they had first scouted the barbarian forces two weeks ago, they had been shadowed. Ioannis thirsted for war and had done his best to prevent Taticius finding out but doubtless old Golden-nose knew anyway and if he did he had done nothing to prevent the horsemen coming this far. The plan was to let them come close enough to the walls to be peppered with arrow fire and then march out and slaughter them.

Mounted Acritae fight before the gates

That evening, the sun set on four hundred dead barbarians, but only one interested Ioannis. He had been found in a surcoat which bore the mark of the Magyar Kings. A surcoat he was sending to the court in Constantinople in the vain hope it would sway his father towards realising that war in the north could well be forced upon them. The dead man had gurgled only in the barbarian tongue as Ioannis' torturer had endeavoured to find any information, a tongue the only translator in town claimed incapable of understanding. Nevertheless, unless the coat was plunder this could be an act of aggression from north of the Danube that may lead to a second wave...

"Soft-head co-emperor, if you show your father that sigil he will shrug and call it co-incidence. He intends to march east anyway, you will have Bulgars and Serbs to kill as you please soon enough, why this unseemly rush? You are twenty-two now and apparently a man grown, but still you seem capable only of the headlong rush into every aspect of your life." pausing to scratch his scarred chin, making an awful noise, Taticius looked down his nose at Ioannis, "Ah, what does it matter. Send it and learn the way of the world. And maybe spring after next you will get your war. Your bloody war."

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Ah I was wondering why the lack of screens I have to say the maps you have done are great, probably better than anything in-game. I know what it's like having a PC that has graphics leaving something to be desired, many a moment me and my COmputer have had some serious falling out

I think the summaries of major characters would be a brilliant idea I have to admit that I sometimes get myself lost in the array of characters

Good update BTW (I know almost forgot ) I think it's fair to say Ioannis will end up not listening to Taticius, and cause an all out war - brilliant!

[Schrödinger]

Somewhat barebones, might redo every five years or so as we see how the story develops also added to first post. We will have to see how wise Taticius is and how soft-headed Ioannis is first... and Alexios in the end is in charge here. Hate the graphical constraints, but hopefully have found a balance between epic numbers and 21st century graphics for when we get to battles... thanks again for your readership as well

CHARACTER LIST c. 1105 AD

MAJOR CHARACTERS Ioannis – son of the Emperor Alexios, young and impetuous co-Emperor Iakovos – a Phillipus, lord of Thessaloniki and Macedonia Nikophoros – a Vyrennios, son-in-law to Alexios and master of northern Greece Mikhail – a Kievan merchant risen to high courtly position in Constantinople Dimitra – daughter of a wealthy silk merchant and wife to Ioannis AUXILIARY CHARACTERS Taticius – Alexios’ chief general, attached to Ioannis for his education Yaroslaw – unbeknownst to himself, bastard son of Mikhail, a Rus’ ward serving Ioannis Priskos – Dimtra’s baby son Michael Phillipus – brother to Iakovos, considered far more adept Zigopoulos – lord of Epirus subservient to the Phillipus clan Gabras – master of Nicaea and Nicomedia Roman – a Dalasennos, a distant branch of the Vyrennios family, holding land on the Dardanelle Various Constantinople Councillors – the Patriarch, the Master of Coin etc.

[Schrödinger]

Update Quicklinks

CHAPTER I: ALEXIOS KOMNENOS I: Ioannis 1100 AD II: Dimitra 1100 AD III: Iakovos 1101 AD IV: Ioannis 1101 AD V: Mikhail 1102 AD VI: Dimitra 1102 AD VII: Mikhail 1103 AD VIII: Ioannis 1104 AD IX: Mikhail 1104 AD X: Iakovos 1105 AD XI: Nikophoros 1105 AD XII: Ioannis 1105 AD

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Nice updates to the AAR and nicely done with the character lists and TOC. Very informative

[Schrödinger]

Cheers Robin, update coming this evening, hopefully going to set up some interesting developments for the next week or so update-wise

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Sorry for late reply

The Character/Update List(s) are brilliant, well done!

have found a balance between epic numbers and 21st century graphics for when we get to battles

At least one of us has

Looking forward to tonight's update, it is really coming along nicely

[Schrödinger]

XIII.

Constantinople, 1105 AD



Mikhail

Eyes scrutinised calmly, Mikhail calculated coldly as Alexios let the fabric run through his fingers, the red and white stripes stained with mud and blood but still clearly held the Arpad arms of the Magyar people. The Emperor’s face was as always a perfect mask, but his powerful arms had tensed and Mikhail fancied he could hear the thought processes whirring behind the Basil’s finely chiselled features. If these rebels were in the pay of Koloman, King of the Magyars, it would mean war. A war ill-affordable now, Mikhail was certain only enough men could be mustered to defend the Danube, and if the Bulgars and Serbs and the Croats came to the alliance Mikhail had discovered the first tendrils of... it would take all of the strength of the Empire and the Patriarch's prayers that the Pope would remain neutral for no reprisals to occur.

And Mikhail still had another ball to put rolling in the Imperial court, having received a messenger in the night, a most intriguing messenger who assured him he was the first to reach the City. The Council waited for Alexios to speak, as their Emperor carefully put the surcoat on the great table before him. A smile played around Vyrennios' lips and the Dalasennos was watching his Eastern brethren carefully. The lords had pledged support to a war on the eastern minors of Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia, but the fish of Hungary was an entirely different one. Horsemen were no great friends of the Empire, but did hold a fear over the major generals of the Greeks especially since Manzikert... doubtless Taticius would relish a war with the Magyars. Mikhail did not see it happening though. "Men," Alexios spoke in a deep resigned tone, "would you have war on Hungary?"

"With all due respect, my Lord, no, we would not." Mikhail spoke first, "We do not have the men for a strike across the Danube, and if we did march on their wide open lands we would be torn apart by the mounted devils. Not to mention that seeing all our force cross the river the petty lords of the Balkans would doubtless descend on the rump of our Empire. A wiser choice to deal with these small fry first..." Alexios nodded, his eyes shut and his hands pushed together in prayer

"My Lord," Vyrennios spoke, his voice oddly paced, hushed but rushed "I know I have councelled war before, but as the Rus' says, on these minor lords, the small usurpers, the Magyars would take those men on their side if we warred with them and the prospects would not be good. Let Ioannis harry their raiders but if we mass our forces it must be against the Balkans, not the Carpathians."

Gabras' red face was flushed "Are we women to be cowed by barbarians?! We would not lose against these steppe men with hairy women! They would not like the taste of honest Greek steel..."

"No, Gabriel, nor so much as Greeks love the taste of an arrow." Alexios kept his eyes closed but his authoritative tones shut the bearded lord up, his men looked sheepish to have been so clearly embarrassed.

Northern and Western Sphere: Major Factions and Cities

It did not stand up to any argument, the claim of Gabras' that the 'barbarians' could so easily be crushed. They were Christian now, but part of Rome's flock, while the Balkans lords seemed unconvinced either way and could easily bow to the Hagia Sophia instead. That and the disparate weak nature of them, split between lords at Belgrade, Sofia, Scopia and Zagreb and each was of weak loyalty anyway. Alexios spoke, "I will not sanction war against our royal folk across the Danube. This surcoat is no flimsy casus belli, it would be a scornful attempt to deflect the blame away from the Bulgars to the Magyars when it has been discovered the outlaws come from the east, not the north. Gabras, Dalasennos, Kalamanos, you pledged the march east with me and so you shall. In Spring our men are moving east, this winter Ioannis returns to us and I would have you cross the narrow sea to bring forces enough here. Leave enough men to keep the Seljuks from smelling blood, but we will be fighting..."

"My Lord, a wise course." Dalasennos bowed his head, the Patriarch nodded his approval and the whole table followed suit, a palpable air of relief scenting damply in the morning air. The aging Doukas master of coin was near death, perhaps that was the smell... Mikhail as master of trade could not hold two offices, except he was Mikhail Szekeres so he would... unless the ambition of a true Greek Lord would send them to the City... but none could pray to the Golden God as he did. Or possibly know what he knew now.

Breaking the silence, Mikhail coughed and spoke his best obsequious voice: "One small matter, my Lord. I have received missives from Cilicia. From the garrison at Sis. Their leaders have been slaughtered and they themselves have been sent to flee whatever way they can. The new Armenian Prince Thoros is close to the Crusaders, but also we hear to the Seljuks. He is playing a dangerous game and the people he sees fit to assault are us. We cannot stand this stab at our strength my Lord..."

Alexios' mask of calm dropped for a second to reveal dark horror and anger. It had been unwise to leave a garrison so far away from any Byzantine power but Nicosia, but it was nevertheless provocative that Thoros had dared murder Greek men. The scent of Bohemund of Antioch and the Turks was all over this, but which? If the Seljuks planned an assault it could be wise to abandon the footholds gained in Italia, but they could prove invaluable in the future. That, and if the Magyars caught wind of a war in Anatolia they would be sure to attack from both sides.

Glacial stillness returned the Basil's face as he turned slowly to his son-in-law, his voice heavy once more: "It seems to me we must strike quickly back at this insolence. Vyrennios, you have your war. Sail to Cyprus, see our man there, muster any support you can, mercenaries if you must and reclaim Cilicia for the Empire."

The horselords have vast lands in old Dacia: will they stand for Byzantine forces enclosing their borders?

[Schrödinger]

XIV.

Constantinople, 1105 AD



Dimitra

The sun shone brightly in the fresh winter sky as Dimitra smiled an uncontrolled, natural smile. Her husband was returning to the City, and with him his retinue and most particularly the dashingly handsome Kievan Yaroslaw. It had been too long since last they had committed treason together, although her blonde boy Priskos, one and a half now, was a happy reminder of the death warrant hanging over their heads. Every day while her lover and her husband had been away she had feared for their deaths, whiling away the days in a life of luxury, rowing on the sea perhaps, or riding in the Thracian woods, knowing that to the north the same pursuit could well be the end of all her security. She had no true friends, although she had seen her parents, her father ecstatic both with his new nobility and new profits from such a close Imperial alignation. Dimitra had remained in her little palace all day, a little game with herself to see who would come and see her first.

At it's zenith, the sun seemed to wink at her as she blinked, golden like Yaroslaw... There was the sound of speech outside, a visitor! She walked as slowly as she could, well, ran as slowly as she could, to her door, her light cotton shift revealing nothing and hiding less. "Who goes there?"

"My lady, it is the Kievan."

"Let him enter." her heart pounded a beat like the Turkish drummers who played in the markets as her Varangians stood aside to allow a lithe, golden-maned man in a fine velvet cloak and leather doublet to stride up her stairs, see Dimitra and grin the most heartfelt grin she had ever seen. It took all her self control to merely beckon with her hand and turn away, walking demurely up the stairs to her bedchamber.

Half an hour later, she clinked glasses with a warm feeling inside her and wine making every moment scintillate beautifully in her mind's eye. The winter sun sparkled like a perfect jewel in the sky. "Dimi, how is our child?" Our child... her ears savoured the words, she knew it was of his progeny, her lovemaking with Ioannis had always been dutiful, but he had been negligent around the time, while her and the Kievan had been far and above any conceivable call of duty. That and the beautiful blonde sprigs of hair on her baby Priskos' sweet little head. Yaro had only met his son a few times before he had been dragged off to fight pointlessly in the north. Oh, how she had missed him... and how he must have pined for her every day and for his sweet child too. Wordlessly, she took his hand and gestured for him to dress.

The nursemaid was dismissed with the wave of a hand "The Prince Yaroslaw is fond of children and has had little cause to see one while fighting barbarians to keep you safe in your bed. Let him be." her love held the child in his arms, gazing softly at the face that had his hair and her eyes... and no Imperial blood in him at all. None of the cool disinterested, damn superiority of Ioannis, who did not care at all for the child or Dimitra herself. The child would be hers and would rule the Empire as Yaroslaw and her would, a paragon of justice, fairness and beauty. They would sing beautiful songs of him. Yaroslaw shed a single salty tear as he turned to face her and kissed her on the lips gently, "He is beautiful..."

In the shadows, a figure whispered inaudibly - "Armenia for the Bastard."

The Armenian Enclave

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

So Yaroslaw and Dimitra? Pretty serious, one can only wonder who the person in the background is Ioannis? Maybe, but knowing you (and me being me ) I think it might be Taticius

Another good update and the last line has got my (lack of) imagination rolling, I can't wait

I would rep you, but I need to spread some around first

[Schrödinger]

XV.

Nicosia, 1106 AD



Nikophoros

The governer of Cyprus was an aged old man, sitting in a fine silken robe in front of Nikophoros, a queer smile playing on his lips as he regarded his guests over a goblet of Cypriot wine. Efstathios Lampinos had been the hand of Emperor's on this island since he was thirty, had crushed several minor rebellions mercilessly and worked tirelessly on improving the infrastructure of his island. Famously loyal to Alexios, Lampinos was well ensconced here, but the rousing of the Turks had changed his position for the first time since the war with the Seljuks, even the Crusades having had little effect on this odd oasis of calm. Popular with his knights and unanimously supported, the potential support he offered was key to Nikophoros' designs on Cilicia. That and the local knowledge. At the moment he was talking about Antioch though.

"The Prince Bohemund has allowed trade with us but his tariffs have been too high... the Arab ports in Egypt have offered us better custom. Antioch is a Roman city and it belongs to us, Mons Silpius was promised to us I am sure..." his voice was deep and pleasing to the air, but the cut of his jib as plain as the greying of his hair, he wanted war on the Crusader States.

Cutting him off with a wave of the hand, Nikophoros interrupted "My Lord, we cannot afford a war with Antioch and Jerusalem, we are exposed in the West as it is and if the Pope were to turn on us we could lose Bologna, Apulia and from there how could we know Greece itself was safe? Alexios himself explicitly told me that we must attack only the Armenian pretender Thoros, he is the only one with whom we have a reasonable Casus Belli and the strength here to take them on. I have brought enough men with me only to..."

Angeloktisti Church, Larnaka, Cyprus

Sighing, Efstathios stroked his mane and muttered "To eat my people out of house and home until we get you off this island. Antioch would be a worthy prise for my people, Cilicia is an empty husk of a thing, why do you think the Seljuks are so easily allowing the Rubenids land there? Just because you can take it and they have wronged our people does not mean we should. At present they are playing a balancing act between the Crusaders and the Seljuks, if we were to conquer the Crusaders as fellow Christians we could win them over and win back all of Anatolia... with Trebizond, Cilica and the west ours how could the Turks hope to stand against us?"

Clenching his fist, Nikophoros returned "By us and the Crusaders beating ourselves to a pulp against each other, us losing our Italian holdings and the Venetians finally getting leave to seize our islands and market cities- hell, even your island! By drawing a tired, bloody infantry deep into Anatolian wasteland to re-enact Manzikert and consign the Komnenian Restoration to the backpages of history. You are too ambitious believing we have a hope of defeating Bohemund. Even with our forces combined we would need the greatest dose of luck - do not forget that Alexios has taken his son and Taticius into the Balkans, it is just us here to fight this war. I know of your prowess fighting angry village folk, but these knights of steel are terrible... you did not see them as I did in battle... let us bide our time..."

"Yes, let us bide our time and talk on the morrow, I must consult my star-seer." Nodding curtly, Lampinos swept his stately frame out his chair, grabbing his golden goblet and strode out of the room, a red cloak billowing behind him like a curtain of blood. Fists curled so tightly the nails dug in hard enough to break the scars on his knuckles, Nikophoros scowled as he levered himself out of the room. The crossing to Nicosia had left a lot hinging on the co-operation of this Lord. Loyal to the last for Alexios, Nikophoros would have to use that as a tool, even if the fool had eyes for the riches of Antioch, the true land of milk and honey. His command was for Cilicia and the head or capture of the bastard 'Prince of the Armenians', vengeance for the dead guard captains the stick to poke the fire with. That and the prospect of becoming a de facto Prince himself... something Anna seemed equally interested in, as doubtless his sons would. Returning to his chamber, it struck Nikophoros to wonder what had happened to the Kievan ward of Ioannis' he had been promised as a captain for this war...

Roman Ruins of Nicosia

[Judeman266]

Nice update. Looking forward to the next one.