The Morea, a Palaeologid AAR

Thanks for the answers, guys. Sorry its been almost a week without updates. o

I'll try to post one tomorrow.

It was late June, 1114.

Alexios Dekanos had hosted a party at his house, to celebrate the wonderful summer that they were having in the Morea. His home, though not too big, was large enough to hold twenty guests, including King Athanasios, Queen Morganna, Princess Zoe, Spymaster Kyriakia, and Aba of Persechen.

Alexios and his wife, Princess Nest, had chosen to let Alexios the Younger join in the celebrations, even though he was still a small child. Alexios the Younger would have to drink grape juice, instead of the wine that everybody else drank.

Alexios the Elder raised his wine cup, "A toast, to this wonderful summer! May King Athanasios rule over us through many more summers such as this! Long live the king!"

The guests all raised their cups and toasted as well, "Long live the king!"

Alexios the Younger was very excited. This was his first toast. He drank his entire cup of grape juice. Then he realized that he wouldn't be able to toast anyone else. He tugged on his father's cape and asked for more juice.

Alexios the Elder summoned one of his servants, Ioannes by name, and said, "Ioannes, why don't you bring my son some more grape juice!"

Ioannes bowed and left.

Aba then said, "My gracious host, if you will excuse me for a moment, please." He had to use the restroom, but was to embarassed to state this as the reason for his temporary departure from the celebration.

"Ofcourse! But don't be gone long," said Alexios the Elder, "The games will begin soon!"

Aba left to use the restroom.

The party continued, however. Kyriakia took Zoe aside and said, "What are you planning?"

Zoe looked confused, "What do you mean, Kyrie?"

Kyriakia glared at the princess, "You know exactly what I mean. I saw you, that night when you left Queen Morganna's chambers. You looked about, as though afraid that someone might see you. You're up to something, now... tell me what it is."

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about, Kyrie. Perhaps you were dreaming when you saw that."

Kyriakia said, "You are up to something. And I will found out what it is. Mark my words." Then she left the party.

Meanwhile, Aba had finished using the restroom, and had decided to explore the house a little. As he entered the kitchen, he saw Ioannes finishing Alexios the Younger's grape juice. He was doing something to it though, something that seemed strange. Aba said, "Hello, Ioannes! What are you doing?"

Ioannes jumped back, startled. He looked to see who had spoken, and when he saw Aba he said, "Oh... uh... I was uh... just... making my little master's juice, that's all. I was just leaving."

Aba didn't like the look of things.

He went to Alexios the Elder, and tried to tell him, but the host would not be bothered during the party.

That night, after the party, Alexios the Younger became very ill. He began to vomit intensely. Aba told Alexios the Elder what he had seen Ioannes doing, and Alexios ran straight to the servants quarters, and Aba followed him.

He found Ioannes, sleeping. He grabbed the servant, and shook him awake, saying, "What the hell have you done to my boy!?"

Ioannes was very frightened, "What are you talking about, sir?"

Alexios drew his sword and put it to Ioannes chest, "You know damn well what I'm talking about! Aba, tell him!"

Aba said, "I saw you doing something funny to the younger Alexios' drink. I know that the illness he now suffers is your doing."

Alexios then shouted, "Why? Why did you do it, Ioannes?"

Ioannes began to hyperventilate, but tried to talk, "Your cousin... Isaakios... he... paid me seventy silver coins... he said to put something into the little one's drink... to distract you... so that the king could be killed..."

"You would betray your own master's child... and ultimately your king... for seventy silver coins?"

"Let me explain..."

"NO! DIE NOW!" And Alexios stabbed Ioannes, killing him. He immediately began to to walk to his stables, and he shouted, "Ready my horse!" His servants readied the horse right away. He mounted it, and Aba mounted his own horse. The two of them then rode straight for Isaakios' house.
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When they had arrived at Isaakios' manor, they dismounted. But the two guards at the entrance refused to let them in. The senior guard said, "Master Isaakios is not to be disturbed."

Aba said, "We are here on the king's business. Stand aside and let us enter."

"Shut up, you Pecheneg dog!" barked the guard. "I'll not be taking orders from the likes of you!"

Alexios then drew his sword, "If you do not let us pass, then I shall kill you where you stand!"

The guards drew their swords as well, and the senior one said, "Is that a threat?"

"STAND ASIDE!" Shouted Alexios. But the guards would not move. Soon, Alexios and Aba were upon them, and the guards were quickly overwhelmed.

Once the two of them had entered the courtyard, Aba said, "I'll hold off any other guards he may have. You go and find that dog cousin of yours!"

Alexios rushed into the house, screaming insults, "Traitor! Worm! Dog! Scum! Vile Beast!"

He stormed up the stairs, continuing to shout, "Coward! Craven Animal! Loathesome Worm!"

He burst through the door to Isaakios' room. There stood his cousin. Isaakios said, "Are you quite done insulting me?"

Alexios pointed his sword at Isaakios, "You would betray your own flesh and blood..."

"No, Alexios. You are the traitor, serving a devil disguised as a king."

"Whether or not I am in the right..."

"...YOU ARE IN THE WRONG, ALEXIOS!"

"...MY SON WAS INNOCENT!"

"Sometimes, the innocent must pay for the crimes of the guilty."

"What the hell kind of reasoning is that?"

"The reasoning of reality, Alexios."

Alexios had heard enough. He shouted at the top of his lungs, grabbed his cousin, slammed him into the wall, and readied his sword for the kill. Isaakios facade cracked, and he squeaked, "Don't kill me!"

"YOU DESERVE TO DIE!"

"If you spare me, I'll tell you who's going to kill the king!"

"Go on..."

"Its Queen Morganna! In two nights. She will kill him in his sleep."

Alexios released his cousin, and began to walk away. Isaakios sighed, "So you have spared me?"

Alexios turned around, pointed his sword at his cousin and glared, "Do not thank me yet. You have still poisoned my son. His fate shall also be yours. If he lives, you live. But if he dies, you will die by the sword you now look upon!"
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The apponted night had come. Athanasios was ready to go to bed. He asked his wife, "Are you ready to come to bed, dear?"

"No," she said, "I want to sew for a while, I'm not sleepy yet."

Athanasios shrugged, "Suit yourself." And went off to bed.

Once she was sure he was asleep, Morganna drew her knife, and thought to herself, "Now he shall pay..."

She crept into the bedroom, she saw him sleeping. She moved into position and raised her knife...

Morganna thrust her dagger downward, into her husband's body. But something wasn't right. Instead of the squishy sound of cold steel entering flesh, she heard a light (thoom), as though she had stabbed something softer. And there was no scream of pain. She drew the dagger out... there was no blood. She pulled the sheet back, and instead of seeing her husband's dead body, she found a bunch of pillows, one of them with the hole her knife had just made. She dropped the knife and stepped backward.

Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her, and another cover her mouth. She heard the familiar voice of Athanasios say, "Looking for someone... dear?" Then he shouted, "GUARDS!"

Suddenly, Alexios and three armed swordsmen entered the room. Athansios delivered Morganna into the hands of one of the swordsmen, who put her hands in chains. The queen looked at her husband, "How did you know?"

Athansios nodded in Alexios direction, and the general answered her, "Your co-conspirator, my cousin Isaakios, betrayed you in order to save his worthless life."

Athanasios then glared at his wife, "You have been caught in an attempt on your king's life. This is the highest treason you can commit. The penalty is death by beheading. You die at dawn!"

Suddenly, Princess Nest rushed into the room, and shouted, "No father! Don't kill her!"

Athansios turned and looked at his daugher, "Why shouldn't I? She tried to kill me?"

"And I would have hated her for it!" shouted the princess, "just as I'll hate you if you kill her! You two may not love each other, but I love both of you! Please father, I beg you, spare her!" And Nest began to cry.

The one thing Athanasios could not bare to watch was his daughter crying. Her tears were the only things in the world that could soften his heart. He smiled at her and said, "Alright then. I won't kill her, for your sake. She will be placed under house arrest for the remainder of her life, she is never to leave the quarters I designate for her."

Nest wiped her tears, "Do you mean it?"

Athanasios smiled, "Have I ever lied to you?"

"No," and the princess smiled.

Alexios began to protest, "But sire, she tried to kill you! Our law clearly states that any one who would try to kill the king must die by beheading."

"I HAVE SPOKEN!" Was all that Athanasios said. Alexios got the message.
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Zoe slapped the messenger hard across the cheek. As he recoiled, she said, "WHAT!?"

The messenger cringed, "Please, don't beat me, madam! I am only the messenger. I didn't make anything happen! It wasn't my fault that Isaakios betrayed the plot, or that the queen failed to kill Athanasios!"

Zoe cupped her chin, "You say that Isaakios failed to mention my part in the plot?"

"Yes, madam. And Queen Morganna is too depressed to talk about anything."

"Well, they will become dangerous to me soon enough... send word to my best agents..."
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It had been one week since the failed attempt on Athanasios' life. Morganna had spent the last seven days in her designated chambers.

Gwyn, of her servants, was bringing the queen her morning meal. Gwyn opened the door, and dropped the dish. It hit the ground with a loud "CRACK!" Gwyn stared for a moment, then shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Alexios was nearby and hear her shriek. He rushed to the scene, and drew his sword.

When he arrived, he saw her staring at something, and he turned to look at it. He dropped his sword in shock. There was Morganna... she was hanging by the neck from a rafter in her room. She had apparently been hanging there since about midnight.

A suicide note had been found nearby, but at times it did not look like the queen's hand-writing...

Two days later, word came that Isaakios Dekanos had also killed himself. One of his servants had found him lying in bed, with an empty bottle of poison in his hands. Although no one knew how he had come across the poison in the first place...

Many people suspected that someone was behind these deaths, but no one could prove anything...
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It had barely been a month since Queen Morganna had died at the age of only 46 years old.

Princess Nest was still in mourning, and the Morea was still in shock.

One day, out of the blue, Athanasios made an announcement to his court, "Members of the court, there is to be a celebration!"

He had never seen so many blank stares in his life.

"I am getting married!"

Again, the court was nothing but blank stares.

"I have negotiated with our protectorate, the Prince of Kappadokia. I am to marry his daughter, Princess Kale!"

Finally, Alexios spoke up, "Sire, are you sure it is wise to get married so soon after your wife's death? And what will Nest think?"

"I have made up my mind! There is no going back now..."

And so it was done. Athanasios and Kale were soon wed. Princess Nest did not attend the wedding. Athanasios did not mind. He was too excited. Perhaps Kale would give him the son that Morganna had failed to provide.
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Zoe screamed. "He what!?"

The messenger repeated his statement, "King Athanasios has married the young Princess Kale Komnenus of Kappadokia."

Zoe swore, "She's young enough to give him many sons. This ruins everything!"

"We could... get rid of her..." offered the messenger.

"No. We have to lay low for now. Hope that chance will present us with a golden opportunity to remover her... or her progeny..."

And lay low is just what Zoe did...

stnylan said:

Now if Zoe had not acted no one might have known anything. As it is, that's too many deaths not to arouse some suspicions.

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True. But then again, as long as Morganna and Isaakios were alive there was the chance that they could have revealed that Zoe was behind it all. Now that they're dead, there's much suspicion, but now no one can prove that she did anything. All we have is Kyriakia's suspicions...

Chief Ragusa said:

Just what will that do for relations with and the succession to Gwynedd?

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I don't think it will affect anything with Gwynedd. Morganna produced no sons, so I have no claim to the Duchy. And she was pretty much the last Cynfyn. Duke Merfyn will be dead very soon, and with no male heirs, the Cynfyn line will die.

Chief Ragusa said:

Suspicion is usually enough for Athanasios and Kyriaka will be watching Zoe very closely from now on. I'm extremely interested to see what Nest does. Her fathre promised not to kill her mother and, now, she's dead. She seems a rather deternined young women and unlikly to let the matter drop. Alexios is in the same boat as far as his cousin is concerned. I wonder if he will confront Athanasios about it, in a non menacing way, of course. It's quite frightening the power young Nest has over her father.

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What's really scary is that she is also Alexios' wife. If they wanted, the two of them could basically become the real power in the Morea, as Nest can control Athanasios, and the troops are more loyal to Alexios than to Athanasios...

Chief Ragusa said:

If Athanasios were to go of on a Pechneg hunt, it would leave his young wife exposed to an attempt on her life.

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Unless he were to bring her with him. A Morean queen Crusading with her husband is not unheard of. Queen Lavinia went with Georgios I on the First Orthodox Crusade.

Chief Ragusa said:

How is young Dukas doing with the Empire. It's been a while since matter Imperial impinged upon the Morea?

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He is holding it together better than his father, the late Andronikos the Heretical, had.

Olaus Petrus said:

Old queen suffered a very nasty faith. I hope that the new queen is luckier.

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I do too.

It had been only a few days since Athanasios' wedding to Kale Komnena when Nest, his youngest daughter by his first wife, Morganna, came to speak with him. Spymaster Kyriakia was with her.

"Father," Nest said, "I... Uh... You know what happened to mother... I... was... wondering..."

Athansios looked at her, "You think that I had something to do with it?"

"No father, never."

"Good. I gave you my word that I would not harm her, and I would never lie to you."

"I know that father."

"Then what is your question, Nest?"

Kyriakia answered that, "We think that Princess Zoe was behind Queen Morganna's death."

"WHAT!?"

The spymaster continued, "Yes. I saw her sneaking out of the queen's room many months ago, in the middle of the night. I suspected her of collaborating with the queen... and now Queen Morganna has died before she could tell who else was in conspiracy with her."

"SHUT UP KYRIE!"

Kyriakia had not expected such a harsh reaction.

Athansios continued, "I don't see where the hell you got this idea that my sister-in-law had anything to do with the conspiracy against me! And what do you mean that Morganna had no time to rat out her compatriots? She killed herself a week after her assassination attempt! If that isn't time, then I don't know what is. You're making accusations based on hunches. A good spymaster doesn't make accusations without proof. Do I need to get a new spymaster?"

Kyriakia bowed her head, "No sire. I will do better."

"Good. Then the matter is closed. Let me hear no more of it."
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Kyriakia was not convinced yet that she was wrong. There was only one other person who could convince Athanasios, and that was General Alexios. So she asked him to meet with her in a secret room, so that Athanasios wouldn't know that she was still discussing an issue that he had just forbidden.

"Alexios," she said, "Your cousin was one of the conspirators, was he not?"

"Yes, he was."

"Did he tell you of anybody else in the conspiracy besides the queen?"

"No. The only people who we know were involved were my servant Ioannes, my cousin Isaakios, and the queen."

"But there has to be someone else."

"What are you talking about?"

"Alexios, it must be Princess Zoe."

"There you go about that again!"

"I'm serious, Alexios! I wouldn't make this up! Don't you think its strange that Queen Morganna and Lord Isaakios would both kill themselves in mysterious manners at almost the exact same time?"

"Not really."

"NOT REALLY? And why not?"

"Think about it, Kyrie. Morganna tried to kill Athanasios, and he spared her life. That has got to cause a lot of guilt. She probably couldn't stand the guilt and killed herself."

"But what about your cousin?"

"Easy. The bastard poisoned my son. I told him that if my son died, I would kill him, too. He probably knew that my son would... would... and so... he..."

Alexios couldn't take it anymore. His son was still suffering from the poison, and he broke into tears. Kyriakia couldn't stand to see the strongest man in the Morea weep like that, so she patted his back and left. Perhaps everyone was right, she tought. Maybe she had only imagined that night when she saw Zoe...