Chronological Influences IV: Legacy of Time

[TheExecuter]

I see the Stukovs are doing as well as ever! Good luck with your new goals!

TheExecuter

[SeanB]

It seems Ignatios suffers no lack of ambition. Hopefully he will eventually be able to drive the Germans completely from the Middle East in time, and turn it into rightful Stukov land.

[Fulcrumvale]

War against Germany may well prove to be a bad idea...but it'll make for good literature.

[TC Pilot]

Darks63: Welcome aboard!

TheExecuter: Thank you. I think I'll need it.

SeanB: Well, the Germans have quite a fair bit of the Levant, so that's a tall order.

Fulcrumvale: Going up against the German beast is indeed a risky move, but Alexandria's got the best army this side of Constantinople.

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August 14th, 1101

Ignatios was standing on the top of the castle keep, looking out over the eastward-facing battlements toward the wasteland of the Sinai Peninsula when he heard the messenger arrive. He turned with slow deliberateness, eyeing the messenger expectantly as he was quietly questioned by the sentries. After a moment, they let the messenger through.

The messenger bowed deferentially as he neared, holding out a small scroll marked with the sign of the Count of Quena. Ignatios took the paper and waved dismissively, sending the messenger away as he turned back around to read.

Ignatios's eyes darted across the paper before gingerly rolling the paper back up. He turned again, finding Shihab and Alexandria's marshal, Alexios Yaseen, a displaced Greek who was perhaps as good at leading soldiers as Adelaide was at intrigue, waiting expectantly for their liege to speak.

"Lord Quena has sent news," Ignatios began, "Cairo is ours."

Shihab and Alexios exchanged looks of relief as Ignatios announced the news. Ignatios understood their satisfaction. While the Nile Delta provinces were important, it had been decided over a year earlier that securing the Delta was secondary to the capture of Pelusia and Cairo; while Cairo was second only to Alexandria in terms of size and wealth, Pelusia boasted the land's largest castle, constructed just after the Crusade to control the flow of soldiers and civilians alike between Egypt and the Sinai, and was perhaps just as important, if not more so, than Cairo.

"Then that ends it; Egypt is mine."

The war had only begun a few months ago. After claiming to be the rightful King of Egypt, Ignatios had marshaled his very substantial force and sent calls to arms to his southern vassals. The plan was fairly simple and straightforward: Ignatios would head eastward along the coast toward Sinai while his vassals attacked Cairo from all directions.

Even though the new German King, Meinhard von Lenzburg, was still too young to assume the throne and the Duke of Damietta was merely a child, the German armies had responded more faster than expected. The venerable Count of the Delta had mustered his soldiers and marched westward to meet Ignatios's advancing forces. On June 3rd, Ignatios had his first battle.

Von Kryburg had been fortunate to survive the battle, and wise enough to see where his interests best lay. The Army of Alexandria drew closer to Pelusia, where a last rabble of soldiers had gathered to protect the stronghold the day before.

The 10-year old Duke of Damietta, Kuno von Querfurt, seeing his tiny army destroyed, simply bowed to Ignatios, throwing open the gates of his castle for the Alexandrians.

Ignatios was pulled back out from his musings by the conversation between Alexios and Shihab. "...still may send forces from past the Sinai," Alexios was saying warningly.

"Nonsense," Shibab replied, keeping his tone fairly even in Ignatios's presence. "Nothing Meinhard has in the Holy Land can compare to the forces mustered here. It would be a suicide mission, and the counts know it."

Ignatios nodded. "I agree. Even if the German King sends anything to reclaim the lands he's just lost, it will not be from the the Holy Land. It will risk exposing the whole region to an attack from the Emir of Medina."

Alexios nodded grudgingly. "True... but when we should be prepared for reinforcements by sea. No castle will keep all our shores safe from that."

"I agree," Ignatios replied, crossing his arms and stepping away from the battlements. "But the question is, will he risk the bloodbath it will take to recover everything? Is his throne that secure?"

Shihab smiled knowingly. "Are the locks on his bedchamber door that secure?"

"Rumor has it the stairs are very slippery," Ignatios chuckled. "Don't worry, Alexios. We may have peace before those ships arrive at our shore."

"I certainly hope so," Alexios muttered.

[Fulcrumvale]

I do hope that your spymaster proves to be up to some challanges...

[SeanB]

Ignatios is already kicking the Germans all around the cradle of civilization. I agree that one more assassination will likely bring the war to a favorable end, and secure Ignatios dominion over Egypt. Don't forget, you can make deals with individual counts to get their lands.

[TC Pilot]

Fulcrumvale: Well, Adelaide has an intrigue skill of 14, on top of Ignatios' own inherited skill (his own number escapes me at the moment), so I probably need to worry more about running out of money first.

SeanB: Oh, don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them.

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October 2nd, 1101

Ships had appeared on the horizon a few hours earlier. Normally, it would not have even been a remarkable sight in the bustling port city of Alexandria. But as the galleys, common sight in the Mediterranean waters, drew nearer, the flags and markings of the Kingdom of Germany became visible.

The alarm had quickly been raised and a panic had run through the docks. Many people could still vividly recall the last time German galleys sailed into Alexandria.

Ignatios did not wish for a repetition of history. The city guard had been mobilized, the landward walls stripped to face this potential threat.

Standing on a long pier stretching out into the harbor, flanked by a half dozen personal bodyguards and a few advisors, Ignatios watched silently as a single galley broke from the main group and rowed toward the harbor. He had arrived immediately after word of the ships' approach had reached the castle, and noticed right away that there had been no real cause for alarm.

There were only a dozen ships, enough perhaps for a raiding party, but hardly adequate to seize the city. If King Meinhard thought he could take Alexandria with the troops he could carry in a dozen galleys, Ignatios doubted he would have even bothered.

The Prince of Alexandria raised his hand, signaling to watchful guard captains to allow the ship to pass unmolested. Hundreds of soldiers, commoners, and dock workers looked on in silence as the galley ever-so-slowly moved into the harbor and settled itself alongside the dock.

As a boarding ramp was slowly lowered, Ignatios took a moment to recompose himself, glancing at the men and women gathered behind him on either side. His eyes passed over each individual before finally he spotted Adelaide, hiding in plain sight. His gaze did not linger on his mother but he could tell from the subtle expression on her face and body language that she was ready for and expecting some kind of treachery.

Ignatios felt infinitely more at ease suddenly. Standing confidently, he watched with head held high as an obese old man, at least 45 years old, Ignatios guessed, stepped off the boat, followed by two German soldiers. The man approached, wearing the typical attire of a noble, tailored to the climate and weather of Germany. Ignatios could not help but notice how utterly different they were.

If the newly arrived German was intimidated by Ignatios or the generally hostile mood of the entire city around him, he did not show it. "Greetings, Duke Ignatios," the man began insincerely. "I am Baron Meinhard, his grace the King of Germany's representative to Egypt. I come to speak on behalf of his majesty."

"Speak then," Ignatios replied tersely, matching Meinhard's obvious disdain.

The Baron tartly withdrew a scroll from his clothing and unrolled it, clearing his throat loudly. "His Majesty King Meinhard of Germany, Italy, and Burgundy does hereby acknowledge Price Ignatios Stukov of Alexandria's rightful claim to the throne of the Kingdom of Egypt and shall henceforth cease in the further perpetuation of armed conflict between these two kingdoms on the issue of the throne of Egypt."

Ignatios remained calm and silent as Meinhard offered out the paper. Ignaitos took it without taking his eyes of the German, alert to the possibility either he or his two guards would suddenly draw their weapons or some concealed knife and attempt to cut him down.

But nothing happened and Ignaitos had the paper, confirming Meinhard's acceptance of his claim to the throne. Just like that, he was a king. King of Egypt.

"Then we have nothing more to say to one another," Ignatios said dismissively, rolling up the paper and pocketing it. Just because he was King and no longer at war did not mean his opinion of the German had changed any.

Meinhard frowned, taken aback by the abrupt dismissal. As Ignatios began to turn away, the German spoke again, "Then you accept the Duke of Damietta's continued allegiance to the King of Germany."

At that, Ignatios stopped dead in his tracks, the words settling as he tried to process the revelation. Slowly, he turned back around, glaring at Meinhard. He suddenly felt the urge to strike Meinhard down and turn the city's defenses against the German vessels.

But another part of him urged him to restrain himself. The Duke controlled only Pelusia at this point, and though he had control of travel into the Sinai as well, Ignatios knew he would not be a problem. The threat the Duke posed as compared to the danger Ignatios posed to him.

"The Duke may keep his allegiance to your master," Ignatios finally responded at length, keeping his voice even, edged with a hint of malice.

Ignatios could tell the Baron had expected something different. Perhaps he had even been hoping for Ignatios to explode. Undoubtedly they knew how his father had behaved during his own rule. But Ignatios was not like his father.

Meinhard simply bowed and turned back to his waiting galley. Ignatios watched him for a few seconds longer before he himself turned around and proceeded down the pier. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his mother beaming proudly.

Ignatios Stukov's Kingdom of Egypt

[SeanB]

Hah! So he is a King now, is he? Excellent. But how long can peace with the Germans last, so long as they continue to control parts of Egypt and the Sinai? A day must come when they are ran out of the Levant for good!

[grayghost]

Okay, I haven't caught up yet, but I've started. Another round with Alexei Stukov has to be followed.

[TC Pilot]

SeanB: Don't worry. At the rate the German Kings have been losing Levantine vassals, it shouldn't be more than a couple decades. Of course, maybe now they'll stop dying and leaving toddlers on the throne.

grayghost: Huzzah!

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April 25th, 1106

Try as he might, Ignatios Stukov simply could not concentrate. The King of Egypt was sitting at a desk in his private royal chambers, stacks of papers scattered haphazardly over its wooden surface, as he usually did for a few hours every afternoon until the sun was positioned just right in the sky to cast an annoyingly bright glow to all his work.

But today was different. With a sigh of exasperation, Ignatios gathered up several of this papers and stacked them neatly together. "Here," he ordered, handing the papers off to his waiting servant. "See to it those messages are sent out immediately."

"Yes, m'lord," the servant replied obediantly, backpedalling until he nearly ran into Adelaide as she stepped into the room unannounced.

Adelaide simply rolled her eyes and side-stepped the oblivious peasant, walking further into the room. She cast a worried look on her son as Ignatios stood up from his seat and stared out the window, hands clasped at the small of his back.

"Trouble working again?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Ignatios sighed and looked down at his feet. "I don't understand why..." he trailed off, shaking his head in frustration.

Adelaide frowned, her expression growing darker. "You lose your wife and you wonder why you can't concentrate!?" she scoffed.

Ignatios's own frown matched his mother's as he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "Oh please, Viola?" He snorted derisively. "I don't think there was a single person in the entire kingdom who shed a tear when she died."

Ignatios looked back out the window, staring out over the city of Alexandria. Last month, his wife Viola Trpimorvic, the daughter of the King of Croatia, had suddenly caught a fever. Within a few days, Ignatios's harsh, wrathful, and bitterly cold wife was dead. Ever since their marriage had first been arranged by Alexei, her disposition had worsened, almost paralleling the declining health and well-being of the Croatian kingdom. The fact that her excommunicated brother, having lost large swaths of lands to the heathens, was facing severe internal dissent and unpopularity gave testament to just how foul a woman Viola had been.

"At least she knew how to bear children," Ignatios remarked, smirking slightly at his words. Viola had born Ignatios five children, one a year: David, Nikephoros, Ibtisam, Thomas, and Theodora.

"I don't remember raising such a cold, uncaring son," Adelaide retorted harshly.

"I'm my father's son," Ignatios shot back, not looking back from the window this time.

Adelaide snorted and shook her head. "At least your father would have shown something, like when Simon died..." she stopped abruptly, stopping herself from reliving the memories of all her dead children. Adelaide had brought seven children into the world. Only Ignatios and his half-sister Hedwiga still lived, though she had been banished from the kingdom for heresy and forced to live in Eliat in the German Levant.

Ignatios sighed and looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry, mother," he said softly, the sharpness in his tone faded away.

Adelaide smiled softly. "Enough of it then. Shall we discuss business?"

Ignaitos chuckled and turned around, resting both hands on the top of his chair. "Certainly. It's always a delight to hear your reports on our successes. So what is it this time? Another sacred mosque desecrated? Another heathen enterprise sabotage? Or something better?"

"No, none of that again. I'm afraid I'll start to bore you with the details," Adelaide waved it away dismissively. "It may be time for you to once again consider personal ambitions."

Ignatios frowned in confusion. "Personal ambitions? It's only been five years since I became king. If anything, I should be doing the opposite so we can consolidate a dynasty!" he retorted, emitting a short incredulous laugh.

"Ignatios, I know you," Adelaide replied. "You're not the kind of king who can stand to sit on his throne issuing laws, talking to sniveling vassals, and perform the occasional ritual now and again. I can tell you're bored."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ignatios said, shaking his head slightly as he sat back down in his chair. "There's still work to do in the lands I already have. Heathens need converting, taxes collected, laws written, and vassals to put firmly in their place."

"Even so, your standing among the other kingdoms isn't exactly impressive..."

Ignatios cut her off quickly. "If I go marching around the desert seeking glory, ten thousand different things to happen to me. I could catch a disease and die, or get wounded by a stray arrow or lucky sword blow, or get trampled under foot by a cavalry charge or knifed in my sleep by some damn assassin."

"And then what?" he continued, leaning forward in his chair. "Then one of these counts of dukes makes a grab for the throne, throwing my sons and daughters out into the street, or worse. And I doubt they'll look too kindly on Alexei Stukov's wife!"

"Ignatios," Adelaide said soothingly. "None of your vassals are the least bit disloyal. They nearly adore you, far more so than your father ever was. He never had a way with people."

"I don't trust them," Ignatios responded firmly, putting an end to the discussion.

"No, I don't suppose you do," Adelaide agreed reluctantly. "Still," she drawled as she moved toward the door. "At least consider it. The Emir of Mecca's been making some noise about the Germans and the Fatimid remnants are finally getting their act together. It may not be long before you're forced to march to battle."

Adelaide silently withdrew from Ignatios's chambers, leaving the young king to ponder his mother's ominous warnings.

[SeanB]

His mother is right, after all. You can't let the tide of expansion subside. Don't give the heathens or the German bastards any time to catch their breath. And I didn't even know the Fatamids still existed! Something absolutely must be done about that.

[VILenin]

Originally Posted by TC Pilot

"Ignatios," Adelaide said soothingly. "None of your vassals are the least bit disloyal. They nearly adore you, far more so than your father ever was. He never had a way with people."

Now THERE'S an understatement! If she only knew...

I agree with Adelaide that Ignatios should take the field. The Kingdom of Egypt is not so large yet that it can rest secure. Once it controls a good part of the eastern med, then it's kings can afford to take some time off for domestic pursuits.

[TC Pilot]

June 17th, 1109

Ignatios paced slowly back and forth in front of his throne, stroking his chin thoughtfully with his right hand and slightly hunched forward. Several paces in front of the throne there was a rough map of Egypt and the surrounding lands, the best Ignatios's servants and scholars could come up with on such short notice. In spite of its importance, Ignatios's concentration on other work had allowed the smaller details to slip his mind. Part of his distraction was due to his recent remarriage to Helene, the daughter of Grigor Siwnik, Count of Methone in the Pellopenese. Rumors of her administrative and stately talents had been well-founded it seemed.

But at the moment, his new wife was the least of his concerns. He already had enough male heirs and the marriage had only been to prevent any unseemly rumors to appear regarding his bachelorship.

Standing to the left and right of the map were Dukes Martin of Ulm, Nikephoros Al-Rhaman, of Cairo and Nubia respectively. Though it would have been perhaps more accurate to call them Princes by virtue of their orthodoxy, Ignatios preferred using the title of Duke, if only because he preferred to give his vassals no pretentions to proximity to the throne.

"I think it would be safe to say," Martin began, his face pale and his voice weak from illness, "That we are not looked highly upon very highly by our neighbors."

"That would be something of an understatement," Chancellor Ionnes Pahlavuni replied, stepping closer toward the center of the throne room. "The heathens see us as barbarian invaders and infidels, and the kingdoms of Europe see us as a ridiculous Greek kingdom of Arab subjects and German nobles."

"Not an entirely inaccurate assessment," Martin retorted, smiling wanly.

"No kingdom should tolerate being seen as some sort of laughing stock!" Alexios Yaseen bellowed indignantly, the realm's marshal’s chiseled jaw quivering in anger.

"Neither should a kingdom care what people thousands of miles away may think of a land they've never seen," Ignatios waved dismissively, stopping his pacing momentarily.

Duke Nikephoros spoke at last, his tone bristling. "We were not gathered here to discuss our prestige. What really matters is the issue of war!" A general murmur of ascent rippled through the gathered men.

"Obviously, any attacks northward or southward are out of the question," Martin observed. Ignatios nodded slightly. An invasion of Crete would be suicidal against the legions of the Komnenid Byzantines, and the lands south of Nubia were virtually unknown.

"And the lands west of the Old Hag's wasteland are barely worth spit," Nikephoros added. "It's east we should go! We should have crushed those damn heathens years ago."

Ignatios could not help but smile. Nikephoros had been plauged with a series of peasant rebellions he was convinced were being instigated by the Muslims across the Red Sea. The Duke was also convinced it was Muslim agents every time the cook ruined his dinner or he stubbed his toe, so Ignatios did not pay it much heed.

There was a pause as Nikephoros's suggestion was being considered. "The good Duke raises a good suggestion," Ionnes said finally, glancing around at the other nobles to gauge their own reactions.

"Hermann's servants in Aqabah have been bringing news of trouble in the Emir's lands."

"More than just that," a woman's voice called out from behind Ignatios' throne. All eyes turned toward Adelaide as she moved from her inconspicuous vantage point. "The emirate is in a state of civil war. The sheik of Tabuk has tried to break his vassalage and very nearly succeeded. The other Arab nobles are barely more loyal than that."

The Emir of Mecca was facing serious internal dissent


The Fatimids were beginning a slow recovery, starting with the recovery of Jerusalem

"We can have our armies in Aqabah by the end of the year!" Nikephoros blurted out. He turned to Ignatios, "My liege, just give the order and my arms will be yours to lead!"

Ignatios was silent for a long moment. The Emirate of Mecca was weak and vulnerable, more so than ever before, and probably more so than for a long time. The near total destruction of the Fatimid kingdom and the fall of Jerusalem had been a devastating blow to Islam. The capture of Mecca....

Ignatios grinned, he was almost giddy with excitement. At last he spoke. "My lords, return to your lands and prepare yourselves. We march for Aqabah and to war!"

[SeanB]

Excellent! Moving to crush the last of the heathens in the Levant and even in western Arabia! A wise decision. Oh, and after your conquests are complete, might we get a map of your newly expanded Kingdom? And how old is Adelaide now? She must be getting on up there.

[Darks63]

hopefully alexi left a warning about those damn mongols that will appear in about a 150 years.

[VILenin]

Good, crush the Fatimids sbefore they get a chance to recover.

[TC Pilot]

SeanB: Certainly expect an updated kingdom map in the next update or so. And as of this update now, Adelaide is 52 years old.

Darks63: To be honest, even I don't know about them.

VILenin: Well, currently, they only have 4 provinces under their control, none of which border my kingdom (the rest of the German crusader states are in the way), so they're not exactly the highest priority on my "to conquer" list.

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October 24th, 1110

A great cheer rose up from the assembled army. The roar of thousands of voices rising to a fever pitch in unison reverberated against the city walls, seeming to shake the masonry to its very foundation.

Ignatios looked up from his hushed conversation with Alexios, turning toward the city just in time to see the banner of the Kingdom of Egypt unfurl from the top of the castle keep on the far side of the city. A sharp breeze made the banner flutter in the air, displaying clearly the golden cross emblazoned on the blue cloth.

A triumphant smile appeared on Ignatios's face. That was the signal every man in the army had been waiting to see; with the fall of the keep, the last defenders of the city had either surrendered, fled, or been killed. That there were any prisoners or future concerns of raiders and armed bandits, Ignatios sincerely doubted.

"The city is ours!" a noble exclaimed proudly as he rode up on horseback. Pulling off his helmet, Ignatios immediately recognized Guy Capet, Count of Manupura and former heir to the Kingdom of France, covered in grim and blood. "Mecca is ours!"

Another exultant cheer rose up from the soldiers. Ignatios could not help but grin as he mounted his horse and rode up to Guy and several other vassals who gathered around him expectantly.

"This is a glorious day," Ignatios pronounced confidently as he drew closer. "A day long remembered in history. The heathens will surely lose heart now."

Without another word, Ignatios spurred his horse, guiding it toward the open city gates. Guy, Alexios, and several of their retainers and other nobles fell in line behind them. The ranks of soldiers parted deferentially for their king. Standing firmly upright in his saddle, brimming with confidence and vibrant energy, Ignatios looked every inch the chivalric hero.

After all Ignatios's vassals had gathered with their hosts at Aqabah, war with the Emirate of Meccah had followed. Marching down the eastern coast of the Red Sea, the Egyptian army had managed to brush aside the disorganized resistance of the Arab natives, occupying Tabuk, Hedjaz, and Medina one after the other. Finally, Ignatios and his army had reached Mecca, forcing the Arabs to battle on his terms.

The results were what could be expected. The Emir had not lead either of the two armies that came to attempt to lift the siege of the city. Badly lead and forced into action, the Emir's armies were destroyed one after another in September and October.

The dead bodies of thousands of soldiers still lay scattered before the walls of the city. Ignatios was pleased that few of them were his own. Though the vast majority of them were Arabs, the converted Egyptians often wore crosses stitched into their clothing.

Ignatios and the assembled nobles passed beneath the arch of the city gates and into Mecca itself. Behind the walls lay a scene of devastation. Wreckage of burned-out homes and looted shops lay scattered across the street. Ignatios spotted several dead bodies as he rode further along the road. Above all, there was silence. No doubt the survivors were huddled together in cellars or half-destroyed homes, fearing all the rumors of rampaging Crusaders. As Ignatios drew closer to his destination, several stray soldiers fell into line, Arab peasants watching in shocked silence as they passed by.

Ignatios didn't blame them.

Minutes later, they arrived. The silence that pervaded the city was almost oppressive, seemingly weighing Ignatios down. Ignatios stared, his expression set in stone, at the very heart of Islam.

Unlike the city surrounding it, the Kaaba remained in pristine condition. From what little Ignatios understood of the Arabs' religion, he understood quite well the importance of Mecca and the Kaaba.

And what could happen if he completely destroyed both.

The thought had occurred to him in the past, growing in frequency as his army drew nearer and nearer to their goal. The lose of Jerusalem had been a disaster. The destruction of Mecca would be catastrophic. Christianity would remember Ignatios as the greatest Crusader. But Islam would remember him as the emissary of the devil. Those who hadn't converted inside his kingdom would surely rise up and overthrow their monsterous king. The armies of the Muslim world would descend upon him with unbridled fury.

Count Hermann trotted his mount up alongside him. "My men can have this place leveled by the end of the day, my lord."

"No," Ignatios frowned, turning away from the black-veiled cube. "We will leave them be." Ignatios spurred his horse back into a leisurely trot. "And see how long their faith lasts them under our banner."

[Darks63]

A Tactful move by stukov

[SeanB]

A wise decision not to destroy the Kabaa, however I believe the mere presence of Christian troops in Mecca will cause widespread rebellions in Ignatios' kingdom. In my Byzantine Empire AAR, I had the Empire merely vassalize the Hedjaz rather than annex their lands directly, as it would cause a massive Holy War against them.

But good reading. I look forward to the promised maps. If Ignatios is invading the Hedjaz, then that must mean he owns at least some of the southern Levant now, right?

[TC Pilot]

Darks63: Apparently, bloodthirsty tyranncy isn't a genetic trait.

SeanB: Partially. The only expansion there was between the war to gain the crown of Egypt and the current war with the Emirate of Mecca was the vassalization of the Count of Manupura. As the first Kingdom map showed, Aqabah was owned by one of my vassals, which bordered the Emirate.

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March 1st, 1113

The walls and corridors of Alexandria Castle were lit up by the glow of countless torches burning and flickering in the warm night air, standing in stark contrast to the comparative darkness of Alexandria itself, even as large and bustling as it was.

Ignatios Stukov reclined leisurely in his chair at the center of the banqueting hall's center table. Adelaide sat on Ignatios's right, silently eyeing the crowd as she nursed her meal. His wife Helene was at his left, currently engrossed in a conversation with the castle's steward Alix Pahlavuni. The snippets of conversation he picked up over the general din were typical of her, admiration for her husband's crushing defeat of the heathens and how much better they would be under Christian rule. Ignatios simply rolled his eyes and took another swig from his goblet of wine.

It was not as if religion was unimportant to Ignatios - he had gone to great lengths to explain that to his eldest son David when he had asked if there really was a God - and Adelaide had often commented how he had inherited his father's dislike for the heathens, but the lengths Helene clung to an almost fanatical adherence to the crusading spirit of the West was grating. And with even half of Egypt still Muslim, such talk from the Queen was hardly prudent.

A dozen other long tables were arrayed before Ignatios, packed with men and women of noble birth or military background, people either born to status or who had earned it through force of arms. The celebrations were in full swing; trays of food and drink were almost ceasingly being brought it by the castle's servants. Every so often someone would stand up and bellow a toast and drown it in another cup of wine. The mixture of languages was almost startling: Germans, Greeks, Franks, a smattering of Armenians, and now even several glaringly conspicuous Arabs.

Ignatios's gaze lingered on the Arab nobles, most of them refugees or exiles from the war that had inexplicably decided it was wiser to flee to Alexandria than Jerusalem or Baghdad. Though many of them were certainly talented, Ignatios had refused to grant any of them positions within his kingdom. Whatever fortunes they had brought with them would be allowed to dwindle away, their sons sent to the four corners of the kingdom to serve in the army, until they either fled or could be dumped without repercussions.

"Enjoying yourself?" Ignatios heard a voice ask. He quickly withdrew from his daydreaing and looked. It was his mother who had asked the question.

"Immensely," he replied, stirring himself from his slumped posture and straightening in his seat. "Especially after three years in the saddle."

Today was in truth the anniversary of Ignatios's return to Alexandria, when he had crowned himself King of Arabia. Between then and the fall of Mecca two years earlier, Ignatios had left the relatively verdant and prosperous coastal regions and marched his army inland to subdue the remnants of Turki's domain. Vastly outnumbered, the Emir had retreated again and again, trading space for time, in hopes that Sirhan Najjar, the curiously titled Emir of Arabs, would ride to his rescue. His hope never wavered until he was at least cornered in the frontier fort of Madaba, where the last vestiges of his army had been crushed. The next six months had been spent subduing rebels and various opportunistic nomads from further inland, but Ignatios's rule over Arabia had been firmly established.

"Well, the nobles certainly seem to be enjoying themselves. Generosity can always go a long way," Adelaide said.

Ignatios frowned, a sour expression on his face as he took another sip of his wine. "If you're suggesting I parcel out Arabia, then absolutely not."

"Still worried about your throne..." Adelaide sighed.

"It's not only that," Ignatios snapped, eyeing the crowd for a moment. "I need to make sure that land can become a stable, productive, and reliable province in my kingdom. People have to be converted, taxes collected, law and order established. Plus there's the opinion of the Wes to be considered."

"They may not like you, but conquering Muslims is the way to make them like us more, not less," Adelaide pointed out.

"My decision is final," Ignatios concluded. "Arabia will remain fully under my control until I deem it fit to be portioned out. I have sons coming of age, in case you've forgotten..."

Adelaide smiled. "How are my grandchildren these days?"

"Numerous," Ignatios answered jokingly, cracking a faint smile as he set down his empty goblet. "David's been asking me a hundred questions a day, ranging from 'Does God exist?' to 'Where do babies come from?' Recently, Thomas has taken it upon himself to worry his mother to death with the games he and other families' children play, most of which end up being about who can climb to the highest, most dangerous point on the castle."

Adelaide laughed, and for a moment Ignatios saw his mother as he remembered her before Alexei died, young and graceful. But now her face had aged considerably, dulling her once warm and motherly appearance with innumerable wrinkles and grey hairs. Her grace had transformed into a slowness. But her sharp, devious mind remained unflawed.

"So where to next!" Ignatios heard Alexios's voice boom from down the table. Ignatios grinned and leaned forward to make eye-contact with his marshal, whose grievous sword wound had been miraculously healed just weeks before.

"One enemy at a time, Alexios," he said back. "Let's see if we can't defeat all this food and drink. And then...well, they say Jerusalem is nice this time of year."

Ignatios threw himself at once into the banquet, forgetting for a time all his troubles.

The newly-expanded Kingdom of Egypt in light grey.