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Anno Domini 826, December-17
In the end, I traveled with Sigurd and my sailors, this ti without much cargo, so we used a Byzantine dromon, allowing us to rely on the oars and travel faster.
Considering that I would be in the imperial capital—the worst nest of vipers imaginable—I decided that my guard would be Varangians. Between the fact that they don't understand Greek and that I selected a group who had fought against the Bulgarians—the hardest, strongest, and most loyal bastards among all my rcenaries—I offered them a place in my hird. This ti, instead of hesitation, they showed genuine excitent.
Unlike before, when I had asked them for loyalty until released from my service and they hesitated until I raised their pay, the n I selected now reacted with enthusiasm. Most likely because I had already filled their pockets with gold and silver and given them gold arm-rings for their service.they probably saw as a proven commander or a good jarl in their eyes—either way worked for .
Since I released them from their previous oath to take on an even harsher one, they swore loyalty to until death before their patron gods—most commonly Odin and Thor—and pledged to remain in my service for the rest of their lives. I did have to raise their pay, though: they would now earn one gold coin per month, a little more than twice the normal wage, plus a generous share of the loot, as I had been doing. Distributing loot among the company was the easiest way to facilitate recruitnt. Any potential recruit only had to look at how full a rcenary's pockets were to decide whether sacrificing his life was worth it.
I would have liked to make them patterned armor—it's incredibly complicated, but I know how to do it. I'll probably handle that personally when I have ti after the eting with the emperor, assuming he doesn't just thank and dismiss , which would be the best-case scenario.
With the rowers maintaining a steady pace, we reached Constantinople in two days instead of the usual four it took under sail alone. We docked at the Port of Kontoskalion, where the shipyards and dry docks were located and where vessels carrying important passengers usually stopped.
I was greeted by the stench of the city, and imdiately noticed the Varangians closing their eyes as they endured the sll—probably used to the clean air you could breathe almost anywhere else.
As we prepared to disembark, mbers of the port tagma were already waiting to verify identity and paperwork.
Before they could even speak, I had the docunts out. "I was summoned by the emperor to attend the palace as soon as possible, and I have authorization from the Strategos of Macedonia to carry arms, as I serve the army of the the," I said, showing the letter and permit. The guards simply stepped aside once they confird the imperial seal.
Without wasting ti, we left the fortified sector and moved through the streets, which were packed with people. The sll worsened the more densely populated the areas beca, until we finally entered a less crowded district, where we could see the Hippodro. It appeared to be full, with crowds pouring in to watch what seed like the dieval equivalent of a football match from my old world—people losing their minds over watching a ball being kicked around. Here, it was about who had the best charioteers and horses, which sounded far better given the potential for fatal mistakes.
We moved quickly through the area. My Varangians terrified the locals as they watched enormous foreign giants shove people aside to clear a path for through the crowd. It was obvious there was an important event taking place that day.
After a barrage of shoves and insults shouted at as we pushed through the streets, I finally reached the Augustaion Square. There were fewer people here, but nearly all of them were aristocrats or soldiers, judging by their expensive clothing. We kept walking without stopping. I paused briefly to admire the building—Hagia Sophia. Truly a marvel. My eyes then slowly shifted toward the Baths of Zeuxippos.
I slowly brought my hand to my clothes, realizing I felt filthy. I had bathed two days earlier when we left , but if I was to et the emperor, stopping here would be ideal.
"Bath?" I asked the Varangians following . They nodded imdiately, so I reached into my coin pouch and we entered the baths, paying one gold coin per person for a private bath instead of using the public one, where hundreds of people might be bathing and sharing equipnt.
"It's hot," Sigurd said, dipping the tip of his foot into the water and pulling it back imdiately.
"There's a hypocaust underneath. They're burning wood to heat the water—it's obviously going to be hot, and that's ideal. With the cold outside, it's welco," I said, removing my clothes and armor and stepping into the tub.
"So that's why it's so expensive," I said, slling a perfud soap. "Slls like flowers."
"Let see," one of the Varangians said, copying . "Yes, it does," he said, beginning to scrub himself.
We didn't waste the ti. The Varangians began grooming, sharing their razors and trimming their beards, helping each other keep the cuts clean and orderly, cutting their hair, trimming long strands, and fixing their braids.
With their help, they shaved the stubble from my face. By habit, I preferred not to have a beard—I found it irritating, and for more than twenty years I hadn't been able to grow one anyway. They also cut my hair, making it far more presentable than it had been. I left the bath absolutely clean.
Putting my armor back on, we didn't waste a second. Taking advantage of the fact that I would sll decent for a few minutes before the stench of the capital clung to again, we moved on and reached the Chalke Gate, where the tagma of the Scholai—the emperor's personal guard—could be seen.
"Do you have a reason to be here?" one of the Scholai at the gate asked when he saw us.
"Yes. I have a eting requested by the emperor, and I ca as soon as I could," I said, pulling out the letter and showing it to the guard.
"Very well… I will notify the mandator. Disarm them," he said, looking at his companions as he took the letter inside.
"Remove your helt and lift the mail from your face. Hand over all swords, daggers, and knives," the guard said, extending his hands.
"Hand over everything you have that could be used to kill these idiots," I said in Varangian, removing my sword from my belt, the dagger at the back of my waist, the dagger in my boot, and the pair of knives mounted on my forearm armor.
"Anything else?" the Scholai asked, seeing that I seed to have knives everywhere.
"No. That's all," I replied. My Varangians handed over their swords as well—they hadn't brought their usual weapons—along with their daggers.
"No helts. All of you," the Scholai said as he received the equipnt.
I removed my helt, and the Varangians followed suit. We stood there waiting for long minutes until, finally, a palace official appeared holding the letter.
"Remain silent. Speak only when addressed," the mandator said, turning and opening the letter. "The rcenary is authorized to enter by direct order of the emperor," he said calmly, and the palace gates began to open.}
When the doors were fully open, the official turned to look at us. "Follow ," he said curtly, then turned around and began walking with a trained stride, his boots echoing loudly.
We followed him down a corridor of marble, richly decorated on all sides. Even as our eyes wandered, we kept moving, matching the protocol officer's pace.
We reached another chamber with a new door. The protocol officer disappeared, and we were left waiting without explanation.
Not knowing what to do, we remained silent to avoid irritating anyone further than our presence already seed to.
While we waited, another palace official appeared—judging by his clothing, soone important, though clearly in imperial service.
The man stared at us, shifting his gaze quickly between my guards and .
"Your escorts will remain outside. You will enter alone, walk twenty paces, and prostrate yourself fully before the emperor. You will perform the complete proskynesis and kiss the ground as a sign of submission to the emperor… like this," the official said, demonstrating: kneeling, extending his hands, and kissing the floor.
"After that, the emperor will address you. Unless the emperor asks for your opinion, you will say nothing and do nothing except maintain your position." The official stepped closer and sniffed . "At least you had the decency to bathe," he said sharply.
The official moved away, preparing to leave. "You will proceed to the next chamber and be guided to the throne doors. The doors will open when the emperor has ti for you. If the emperor does not have ti, you will return tomorrow," the palace official said.
He left, and I was left facing the door as several guards began to open it.
"Sigurd, I have to go in alone. Don't do anything stupid," I said in Varangian.
The Scholai guided onward, passing through nurous chambers glittering with the palace's imnse opulence, until we finally reached enormous doors. There I waited for a long ti in silence, knowing I would soon be required to humiliate myself.
I waited and waited. The doors did not open. Just as boredom began to set in, they finally started to move.
"The rcenary of the The of Macedonia is announced," soone inside the chamber proclaid, and the guards signaled for to enter.
I crossed the threshold and walked the twenty steps. I observed the large number of palace officials and guards present, noting the near absence of aristocrats—only the emperor on his throne with a handful of officials.
I resigned myself, knelt, and perford the act of submission, extending my hands and kissing the floor.
"Who is this? He was not listed among today's audiences, and he interrupted my presence at the Hippodro," a voice resonated through the hall.
"It is the rcenary recomnded by the strategos of the The of Macedonia, my Basileus Rhōmaiōn," soone replied.
"Leon's rcenary?" the emperor's voice asked.
"Yes, my Basileus Rhōmaiōn," ca the answer.
"Stand up at once. Submission is not necessary," the emperor said.
With only the sound of my armor, I rose and looked at the emperor.
"What is your na? Leon has spoken to at length about you, but he never told your na," the emperor said, leaning forward.
"Basil, my Basileus Rhōmaiōn," I replied imdiately.
"Ah, finally… I said that when the Macedonian rcenary arrived, I was to be inford and he was to be let through. This is too important a matter to put him through full protocol," the emperor said irritably, looking at the man beside him.
"I—I will have the koubikoularios punished. He was supposed to inform who it was," soone nervously replied to the emperor's right.
"Very well… Basil… co. We need to talk. Anyone Skleros recomnds is trustworthy," the emperor said, standing and glancing at those near the throne.
The emperor began walking toward a corridor. I followed him, when the man to the emperor's right hurried to my side.
"You must walk behind the emperor, ten paces behind him, and only speak when—" he began quickly.
"No protocol," the emperor snapped, raising his voice. "At my side, Basil."
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let know.
Leave a comnt; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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