Capture of the Seaside Palace, April 13

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 01:36 AM

"..rode all along the shore to the palace of Bucoleon, and when he arrived there it surrendered, on condition that the lives of all therein should be spared. At Bucoleon were found the larger number of the great ladies who had fled to the castle, for there were found the sister of the King of France, who had been empress, and the sister of the King of Hungary, who had also been empress, and other ladies very many. Of the treasure that was found in that palace I cannot well speak, for there was so much that it was beyond end or counting."
-Chronicle of the Fourth Crusade

Philip had left the Great Palace and strode down the southern corridors and out to the small, but beautiful seaside palace, untouched by looting.
His men were outside of the closed palace in large crowds, yelling at the guards in the high windows and towers.
The entry was closed and barricaded.

Philip was mounted again, and rode up to the small palace, and spoke up to the guards.
"Surrender the palace! The city is lost!"

**Lucius Malfoy** · August 09, 2013, 01:41 AM

The gates swung open as guards dropped their weapons, holding their hands up at the very demands of Philip.

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 02:03 AM

Philip dismounts and leads the Franks into the palace slowly.
He quickly orders them out of the Palace as he realizes its contents however, only a small handful of his knights staying with him.

He kneels before the French Princess, as well an entire court of Imperial queens and princesses.
"My lady," he said respectfully, as if he was a small child being caught in an act of evil.
She was visibly older than she was before she was sent away from France, but more beautiful in other ways.
The subtle, few wrinkles on her face, her pale complexion, and her thin, delicate limbs gave a sickly look.

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 02:17 AM

"Did you kneel before the peasant woman your men despoiled?" she replied, nearly spat. She would have struck the kneeling man in the face, if she were not terrified of the men in the room. Anna had been hearing news that the so-called Crusaders had been advancing toward the palace, but she hadn't, couldn't believe it. She had held faith that God would have held back the advancing heretics.

God did not keep us from slaughtering them fifteen years ago, why should he stop them now?

She let out a short burst of hysterical laughter at the thought.

"I suppose one of you has crowned himself emperor? Evidently not the messenger-boy. On your feet, spare me the theatrics." She glared at Philip. "What do you want of me?"

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 02:21 AM

Philip didn't know what to say.
Somewhat astounded by her rejection of the west and her own people, he simply glanced around awkwardly as he stood.
"..How would you like to be treated, my lady?"

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 02:28 AM

"For my person, I would like to be treated to a nice cup of wine in the palace, which I will no doubt have. What I desire is another issue entirely. You wanted tribute, you ransacked the whole city, and now Italians are running rampant through the palace and churches. I can't bear to imagine the state of the Haghia Sophia. What next? Will you use the plunder to finance a move against Nicea? Perhaps you can join up with the Mahometans, since you apparently have lost all connection with Christ."

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 02:40 AM

Philip didn't seem to care. He relaxed now, giving her a wry grin.
"Anything else, Lady Agnes?"

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 03:12 AM

"I imagine immolating yourself would be a stretch too much to ask, so you might as well carry on and see how many commandments you can violate in a set amount of time. You can also tell his Holiness that Anna curses his name."

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 03:27 AM

D'Alencon took that last with a grunt of amusment and then a bow as he dismissed himself from her presence, and walked over to the rest of the courtier ladies, looking at each of them.

He stopped on one of them, and gave pause. A tall, high-cheekboned woman, but a soft expression.
"Lady Maria, I am sorry for your loss" he said in Latin, not knowing Hungarian or Greek.
She was almost as old as Agnes, probably, but much younger in appearance.

*Another Empress, Margaret, from Hungary. She was married to Isaac Angelos, and her step-son was Alexius IV.
Both of them were killed by Alexius V just recently.

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 03:30 AM

"I appreciate it, good sir." she answered, her head bowed. "It is a tragedy that so many lives were lost, but I am happy that the traitor will be brought to justice."

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 03:38 AM

Philip looked puzzled.
"The usurper Alexis has fled across the strait."

He then looked around, giving the Frankish knights and soldiers stern glares.
"If even a hand touches one of these ladies, you will be held responsible. They are now under my protection." The Frenchman declared before leaving the room, moving on back to the Great Palace.

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 03:41 AM

One of the guards who had surrendered attempted to move toward Philip, knowing he would be restrained by the knights.
"My lord! A word, if you please."

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 03:42 AM

They grab him of course, holding him back.

D'Alencon looks at him, a disdainful glance.
"Who are you?"

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 03:55 AM

The man was in his late thirties, short, stocky, with a short brown beard and a limp.

"Andreas is my name, was a Varangian till my knee was injured. I was later assigned to protect the women."

From his tone it could be understood that he did not like his new career very much.

"I can help your lordship reestablish a city guard, I know the city and I know the men who will serve."

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 04:57 AM

"City guard?" He narrowed his eyes.
"Why would I want to do that?"
It made sense, he supposed, but it wasn't really his concern.

**Nesimî** · August 09, 2013, 05:06 AM

"For the simple fact that you would be the one in charge of policing the city, unofficially if you wish."

**Dirty Chai** · August 09, 2013, 05:20 AM

Philip paused, and then continued onwards.
"Just come with me for now." He said, somewhat dismissively.

**╬Ritterbruder╬** · August 09, 2013, 05:27 AM

(ooc: the dick inside me could not help notice her ladyship desired a cup of tea, which would seem odd, since there won't be any tea in europe or nearby for another 350 years