Here's part of the next update... the thing has become far too long for a single post, so I've broken it apart into two, probably three parts. Enjoy!
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April 23rd, 1120
Normally the small chapel of Hagios Pavlos was host to a precious few parishoners under its crumbling roof. A few miles outside of Konstantinopolis but worlds away from the city's intrigue, the parish priest had little idea who the five travellers were that stopped for the night to shelter under his leaky roof - indeed, he was long asleep. This anonymity would come in handy, even if, as Christophoros Komnenos noted with a growl, water was dripping from the ragged ceiling above and into the midst of the small, rickety table they were all clustered around.
All the important dissent in the Empire were there - and a motley crew it was.
Christophoros himself cut a strong and dashing figure - tall and broad, in many ways he looked like a fair-haired version of Basilieus Demetrios in his youth. He'd served as Megos Domestikos for over a decade, and true, while the Crimean affair had been a debacle, the full blame did not rest on him - his father bore the brunt of the fault for the decisions made that resulted in the battles of Lukomorie. Yet in the ten years since he had distinguished himself well - Ankyra had been subdued with minimal fuss, as had Crete. Yet in the pantheon of Romanoi strategii, he was well behind Isaakios Thrakesios and his own brother Nikolaios, let alone the demi-god Demetrios Megos. Yet for some reason, that hadn't stopped Siddiqa from summoning him to this meeting.
Part of it was exciting for Christophoros - it was a chance to fully embroil himself in the past-time of the Romanoi - plotting. And in this case, plotting for something that he felt was rightfully his own. Christophoros had been born five weeks before Nikolaios, and had been accepted as a legitimate son, yet Nikolaios was the co-Emperor and heir to the throne, and more alarming, it appeared that Demetrios had come to simply accept the arrangement!
Yet Christophoros was no fool. He knew that taking on Demetrios himself was beyond question - the Basilieus was far too popular, even if he'd ceded day to day control of the Empire to his son. Yet if Nikolaios somehow fell, and the choice of successor fell to the elderly Emperor, Christophoros was confident his father would select him, not Ignatios as Siddiqa hoped. He was confident that almost everyone in this chamber conspiring was an unspoken future enemy of the other. Such was the way of Roman politics.
Take, for instance, the two Dukid cousins. Prince Andronikos of Thrace was the older of the two, almost sixty-one years of age. His movements, his speech, and even his mind, were slow and deliberate, years of experience honing him to carefully consider each and every action his mind or body took. When he did speak, it was with an impressive and gravelly voice - it was clear the greatness of the Dukas line fell on him, and sadly not on the Dukids who had worn the diadem. Despite the deep wrinkles of age, he was handsome to a degree, the remnants of a man that during his youth had the pick of the young maidens of Konstantinopolis.
Prince Michael was by only a few years the younger of the two, yet from his look no one would have expected it, and clearly he was the pawn of his elder cousin. His speech was slow and halting, but for a far different reason - his father and mother had been cousins, and in retribution, it was said that God had struck Michael with slowness of thought and speech. Where Andronikos was handsome in appearance and thought, Michael was misshapen, even ugly, and words tumbled from his mouth when he spoke without consulting his elder cousin. Which wasn't often - a lifetime of experience had made the Prince realize he needed Andronikos to even function.
Both, Christophoros had no doubt, would salivate at the opportunity to have a Komnenid child on the throne after Demetrios' death. A child could not defend themself, not without powerful backers and supporters. And other than Nikolaios and Christophoros, none of the Komnenid children had a significant faction that could back them - Ignatios spent most of his time with his uncle, the Metropolitan of Baalbek learning the ways of God, Michael was dead, Georgios had been sent to rule as comes of Senoussi and some other badland province in the theme of Cyrenaica because he slept with too many daughters of the nobility. Either Ignatios or Georgios would be chewed alive by the Dukids - if not these Dukids, then their successors.
Finally there was Siddiqa's personal pet, or so Christophoros had named the Metropolitan Kyrill of Thessalonike. He was a personal assistant to Patriarch Anathasios, and it was rumored that he'd shared Siddiqa's bed on several occassions. Tall and stately, with a flowing black mane down to his waist, he looked the part of the Patriarch - something Christophoros had no doubt that Siddiqa had promised him for his cooperations. Lately he'd become a mouthpiece for her rhetoric against decadence in the Imperial government, with a sermon in Hagia Eirene calling for the end of "certain sinful influences" in the Empire.
It was no secret to Christophoros that the Patriarch and the Church chafed at being so close to the Emperor, and even under his personal thumb. As much as the Patriarch might hate the Latin schismatics, he coveted the independence with which the Bishop of Rome conducted himself, freely thumbing his nose at the Western Emperor and kings. A weakened monarchy would give the Church just that independence that it sought.
"You are all gathered here," Siddiqa began, breaking Christophoros' reverie, "because in one way or another, we are all united against one common foe - Nikolaios Komnenos, co-Basilieus of Romanion. And I have information here that you would find most interesting..."
"So how do you plan to rid us of the prop holding up the Emperor?" Metropolitan Kyrill interrupted. The man hated Nikolaios in particular with a passion - the then-Crown Prince had publicly gone against some of Kyrill's more iconist sermons.
"The prop?" Siddiqa laughed. "Basilieus Nikolaios is far more powerful and far more dangerous than you give him credit ... he's proven himself on the battlefield and in the realm of intrigue I'm not sure there's an equal. Nothing short of full cooperation from all four of you will bring him down. Nothing less than a cooperative assault from the Church and by the armies of the Empire will bring him down."
"First," Andronikos said slowly, "how can we trust the Mistress of Spiders, and second, what is in this for us?" He leaned forward slowly, his long face drawn longer by worry. "We are risking much even by meeting you here... what would we have to gain from Ignatios succeeding to the throne?"
Christophoros nodded. He wanted to know his own stakes in this.
"Well, to start with the Megos Domestikos, young Ignatios would need a champion and counselor in court. I would ensure you were raised to Kaisar, and given the Principality of Varna, in addition to your present position as Megos Domestikos." Siddiqa smiled. "You would recieve lands to improve to pass to you and yours..."
And launch a bid of my own to replace the child-Emperor, Christophoros thought. That part was completely unspoken, and it alone made the prospect of a child-emperor favorable to him -- but there was one major problem.
Varna.
Varna used to be a border march, a theme on the edge of the Empire that held many troops - something which made its lack of resources and poverty an aside. However, now that the Empire had expanded and the theme of Wallachia was the new border (and on a now-peaceful border with the Western Empire at that) there were hardly any troops in Varna, and even more poverty without the business of the army buttressing up commerce.
"As for you, Andronikos and Michael, I promise you the lands of Chaldea and Trebizond respectively, once the Empire under my son goes on the march against the Turk yet again!" Siddiqa continued.
Christophoros frowned. His father had always promised that once the armies and resources were ready, they would ride again against the Turk, and Chaldea and Trebizond would be his. Both of these regions were immensely rich and powerful, and would not only be filled with rich coffers, but many soldiers as well, befitting their likely border status. It would be a powerful base to begin machinations against Nikolaios - as of now, Christophoros had a powerful title, but his command over the military was trumped by its loyalty to Demetrios and friends of the monarchy such as Isaakios Thrakesios. He had a large salary, but that was nothing compared to the income of holding vast estates and territories. He needed land if he was to make a bid on the throne.
And that...woman... had just offered up the sure lands he would recieve to the Dukids.
He restrained himself from frowning, while his mind, coldly and with precise calculation came to one conclusion. He smiled grimly.
"...further to the Church," Siddiqa was saying, promising lands in Armenia to the Church - Kyrill more specifically.
"Isn't it unwise to promise lands that are not yours?" Kyrill asked thoughtfully.
"The Turk is weak," Christophoros jumped in. If he was going to do this, he needed to act now, and keep the plot alive. "The next Emperor could be a babe in swaddling clothes and they will be able to make great gains against the Turk. In fact I am puzzled as to why mine own father does not move against them. These lands she has promised are as good as yours."
Siddiqa smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Thank you, Christophoros. If the Megos Domestikos in charge of all the Empire's armies says so, then surely it will happen."
Kyrill smiled, his fears apparently mollified. He nodded his head in thanks.
"S...s...so how shall we do this?" Michael asked. Christophoros noticed now that the Dukids' hands shook as he spoke. We are led by the weak... he groaned.
"Simple. Kyrill will launch some specific denunciations, and then..."
"Specific denunciations?" the Metropolitan asked, eyes wide. "So the rumors are..."
"True," Siddiqa said finally, and even Christophoros winced. Nikolaios, of all people, engaged in such blatant debauchery.
As temporal as the Imperial throne might be, in the eyes of the Romanoi it was also a spiritual position - hence the mosaics and icons around the conspirators that depicted past Emperors with halos and conversing with Christ. To have such a holy position in the hands of someone who did acts so dark, so deeply against the teachings of Christ and Church would undoubtedly bring the wrath of God upon the throne, and as a consequence, all Romanoi.
The Megos Domestikos winced. He wondered how damning Siddiqa's evidence was - the very act of her levelling so calmly such a dangerous accusation made him believe her. Speaking such things about an Emperor was tantamount to treason if they were spoken in slander. If they were spoken in truth...
Woe betide us and the Empire...
Christophorors muttered a quiet, brief prayer to himself, as Siddiqa continued.
"For the past ten years, Nikolaios Komnenos has, regularly and debauchedly conducted himself in carnal relations with one Ioannis Thrakesios," she said calmly. Michael Dukas started to speak, but Siddiqa immediately knew what he was going to say, and answered his question before he could speak. "I offer as proof the simple facts that one, Ioannis Thrakesios, despite his attractiveness, position in society and need for alliances has not married, or even looked at a woman. He is easily one of the more coveted men in the city, yet he refuses the touch of any woman - yet he is not pious to any agree. His drinking is legendary."
"Two, Nikolaios keeps a whorish wife around on purpose, as she distracts attention from himself and his sinfulness. His wife claims he is impotent, yet he has never shared her bed. Nor has he shared a bed with any woman! Third, by all known information, Thrakesios and Nikolaios have spent inordinate amount of time with each other, even after Thrakesios was moved from being the Emperor's bodyguard. Then..."
Siddiqa continued down the list of damning evidence, and as she spoke, Christophoros realized how utterly thorough she was.
Kyrill's face blanched, as did the Dukids as the list of Nikolaios' sins went longer and longer. After a few minutes, the collective mood of the room was one of disgust.
Nikolaios had to go, and for the briefest moment, Christophoros felt a unity, a purpose in the room. Once he remembered the lands at stake, that sense of unity quickly faded away.
"So as I said, it is imperative he is removed from the throne," Siddiqa said finally. "Kyrill, you and the bishops beneath you will begin a series of sermons on the decadence in the Imperial government, calling some members of the regime catamites and sodomites. You will be careful to target Ioannis Thrakesios first, and only mention the name of the co-Basilieus once the crowds have been whipped into a proper fury."
Kyrill nodded.
"When the mobs are good and ready, the Dukids will march their thematikoi on the city, along with the forces of the..."
"You plan to march on Konstantinopolis?" Christophoros asked warily.
Siddiqa nodded. "I have no doubt that in your position as Megos Domestikos that you'll be able to..."
"Wait," Christophoros held up a hand, eyebrow raised. "You expect me to order the army, the same army that loves Emperor Demetrios to no end, to march against him and throw him out?"
"We aren't going to throw out Emperor Demetrios, we're..."
"That is how the army will interpret it!" Christophoros snapped. "Even if Nikolaios has committed all of these grevious sins, the army will keep his sins and Demetrios separate. Any orders saying to march on the Great Palace will be seen as a coup against their beloved Komnenos, and not only will I likely lose my head, but also each and every one of you will be struck down by the army!" Christophoros shook his head, unable to believe that Siddiqa thought she could merely have him order the army away. He was beginning to doubt the chances the coup could succeed in the first place. He needed to stall them, but still lure them in - to not have a promise to march with them...
When he looked up, she'd already leaned back, and crossed her arms. "Well, what do you propose?" she asked.
"Something far simpler. I can arrange for the army units in the city to be demobilized or on garrison duty elsewhere through some more... palatable and normal orders," Christophoros offered. "Adrianopolis has been protesting their tax levies for the past year, and I have no doubt a simple parade of the Hetaratoi through the streets would persuade them to rethink their position - and get ten tagma of the Imperial Guard out of your way..." Little did they suspect...
Siddiqa leaned forward, folding her hands in thought, before turning to the two Dukid princes. "Would that still work for you?"
Michael immediately looked at Andronikos, and it was apparent numbers and times were moving in his mind. "Well..." he rumbled after a moment, "I'm thinking we should move the thematikoi of Dorostorum first, so that when we move, we move as one great mass. Dorostorum can marshal perhaps 10,000, and I can use the 15,000 of Thrace to place 'obstacles' in the way of your Hetaratoi should they attempt to return, Megos Domestikos..."
"Obstacles?" Christophoros asked warily. He wanted to be able to return quickly to the city, if needbe...
"Nothing too odd... checkpoints, a few felled trees a road here or there cluttered with troops clearly marching away from Konstantinopolis," Andronikos said. "Michael, I shall lend you my own Domestikos to manage your troops' affairs. Don't worry cousin."
"A...a...alright."
As the plotters continued, Christophoros began to develop the plot within his own mind... timetables, what needed to be discussed, what needed to be done. If Christophoros' plan worked, the thematikoi, as well as Kyrill and Siddiqa, would have a surprise waiting for them. The trick would be to let this coup succeed far enough to weaken his brother, but not so far that his brother was toppled. Siddiqa was too dangerous to have around.
Such was the honor among politicians and thieves.
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April 23rd, 1120
Normally the small chapel of Hagios Pavlos was host to a precious few parishoners under its crumbling roof. A few miles outside of Konstantinopolis but worlds away from the city's intrigue, the parish priest had little idea who the five travellers were that stopped for the night to shelter under his leaky roof - indeed, he was long asleep. This anonymity would come in handy, even if, as Christophoros Komnenos noted with a growl, water was dripping from the ragged ceiling above and into the midst of the small, rickety table they were all clustered around.
All the important dissent in the Empire were there - and a motley crew it was.
Christophoros himself cut a strong and dashing figure - tall and broad, in many ways he looked like a fair-haired version of Basilieus Demetrios in his youth. He'd served as Megos Domestikos for over a decade, and true, while the Crimean affair had been a debacle, the full blame did not rest on him - his father bore the brunt of the fault for the decisions made that resulted in the battles of Lukomorie. Yet in the ten years since he had distinguished himself well - Ankyra had been subdued with minimal fuss, as had Crete. Yet in the pantheon of Romanoi strategii, he was well behind Isaakios Thrakesios and his own brother Nikolaios, let alone the demi-god Demetrios Megos. Yet for some reason, that hadn't stopped Siddiqa from summoning him to this meeting.
Part of it was exciting for Christophoros - it was a chance to fully embroil himself in the past-time of the Romanoi - plotting. And in this case, plotting for something that he felt was rightfully his own. Christophoros had been born five weeks before Nikolaios, and had been accepted as a legitimate son, yet Nikolaios was the co-Emperor and heir to the throne, and more alarming, it appeared that Demetrios had come to simply accept the arrangement!
Yet Christophoros was no fool. He knew that taking on Demetrios himself was beyond question - the Basilieus was far too popular, even if he'd ceded day to day control of the Empire to his son. Yet if Nikolaios somehow fell, and the choice of successor fell to the elderly Emperor, Christophoros was confident his father would select him, not Ignatios as Siddiqa hoped. He was confident that almost everyone in this chamber conspiring was an unspoken future enemy of the other. Such was the way of Roman politics.
Take, for instance, the two Dukid cousins. Prince Andronikos of Thrace was the older of the two, almost sixty-one years of age. His movements, his speech, and even his mind, were slow and deliberate, years of experience honing him to carefully consider each and every action his mind or body took. When he did speak, it was with an impressive and gravelly voice - it was clear the greatness of the Dukas line fell on him, and sadly not on the Dukids who had worn the diadem. Despite the deep wrinkles of age, he was handsome to a degree, the remnants of a man that during his youth had the pick of the young maidens of Konstantinopolis.
Prince Michael was by only a few years the younger of the two, yet from his look no one would have expected it, and clearly he was the pawn of his elder cousin. His speech was slow and halting, but for a far different reason - his father and mother had been cousins, and in retribution, it was said that God had struck Michael with slowness of thought and speech. Where Andronikos was handsome in appearance and thought, Michael was misshapen, even ugly, and words tumbled from his mouth when he spoke without consulting his elder cousin. Which wasn't often - a lifetime of experience had made the Prince realize he needed Andronikos to even function.
Both, Christophoros had no doubt, would salivate at the opportunity to have a Komnenid child on the throne after Demetrios' death. A child could not defend themself, not without powerful backers and supporters. And other than Nikolaios and Christophoros, none of the Komnenid children had a significant faction that could back them - Ignatios spent most of his time with his uncle, the Metropolitan of Baalbek learning the ways of God, Michael was dead, Georgios had been sent to rule as comes of Senoussi and some other badland province in the theme of Cyrenaica because he slept with too many daughters of the nobility. Either Ignatios or Georgios would be chewed alive by the Dukids - if not these Dukids, then their successors.
Finally there was Siddiqa's personal pet, or so Christophoros had named the Metropolitan Kyrill of Thessalonike. He was a personal assistant to Patriarch Anathasios, and it was rumored that he'd shared Siddiqa's bed on several occassions. Tall and stately, with a flowing black mane down to his waist, he looked the part of the Patriarch - something Christophoros had no doubt that Siddiqa had promised him for his cooperations. Lately he'd become a mouthpiece for her rhetoric against decadence in the Imperial government, with a sermon in Hagia Eirene calling for the end of "certain sinful influences" in the Empire.
It was no secret to Christophoros that the Patriarch and the Church chafed at being so close to the Emperor, and even under his personal thumb. As much as the Patriarch might hate the Latin schismatics, he coveted the independence with which the Bishop of Rome conducted himself, freely thumbing his nose at the Western Emperor and kings. A weakened monarchy would give the Church just that independence that it sought.
"You are all gathered here," Siddiqa began, breaking Christophoros' reverie, "because in one way or another, we are all united against one common foe - Nikolaios Komnenos, co-Basilieus of Romanion. And I have information here that you would find most interesting..."
"So how do you plan to rid us of the prop holding up the Emperor?" Metropolitan Kyrill interrupted. The man hated Nikolaios in particular with a passion - the then-Crown Prince had publicly gone against some of Kyrill's more iconist sermons.
"The prop?" Siddiqa laughed. "Basilieus Nikolaios is far more powerful and far more dangerous than you give him credit ... he's proven himself on the battlefield and in the realm of intrigue I'm not sure there's an equal. Nothing short of full cooperation from all four of you will bring him down. Nothing less than a cooperative assault from the Church and by the armies of the Empire will bring him down."
"First," Andronikos said slowly, "how can we trust the Mistress of Spiders, and second, what is in this for us?" He leaned forward slowly, his long face drawn longer by worry. "We are risking much even by meeting you here... what would we have to gain from Ignatios succeeding to the throne?"
Christophoros nodded. He wanted to know his own stakes in this.
"Well, to start with the Megos Domestikos, young Ignatios would need a champion and counselor in court. I would ensure you were raised to Kaisar, and given the Principality of Varna, in addition to your present position as Megos Domestikos." Siddiqa smiled. "You would recieve lands to improve to pass to you and yours..."
And launch a bid of my own to replace the child-Emperor, Christophoros thought. That part was completely unspoken, and it alone made the prospect of a child-emperor favorable to him -- but there was one major problem.
Varna.
Varna used to be a border march, a theme on the edge of the Empire that held many troops - something which made its lack of resources and poverty an aside. However, now that the Empire had expanded and the theme of Wallachia was the new border (and on a now-peaceful border with the Western Empire at that) there were hardly any troops in Varna, and even more poverty without the business of the army buttressing up commerce.
"As for you, Andronikos and Michael, I promise you the lands of Chaldea and Trebizond respectively, once the Empire under my son goes on the march against the Turk yet again!" Siddiqa continued.
Christophoros frowned. His father had always promised that once the armies and resources were ready, they would ride again against the Turk, and Chaldea and Trebizond would be his. Both of these regions were immensely rich and powerful, and would not only be filled with rich coffers, but many soldiers as well, befitting their likely border status. It would be a powerful base to begin machinations against Nikolaios - as of now, Christophoros had a powerful title, but his command over the military was trumped by its loyalty to Demetrios and friends of the monarchy such as Isaakios Thrakesios. He had a large salary, but that was nothing compared to the income of holding vast estates and territories. He needed land if he was to make a bid on the throne.
And that...woman... had just offered up the sure lands he would recieve to the Dukids.
He restrained himself from frowning, while his mind, coldly and with precise calculation came to one conclusion. He smiled grimly.
"...further to the Church," Siddiqa was saying, promising lands in Armenia to the Church - Kyrill more specifically.
"Isn't it unwise to promise lands that are not yours?" Kyrill asked thoughtfully.
"The Turk is weak," Christophoros jumped in. If he was going to do this, he needed to act now, and keep the plot alive. "The next Emperor could be a babe in swaddling clothes and they will be able to make great gains against the Turk. In fact I am puzzled as to why mine own father does not move against them. These lands she has promised are as good as yours."
Siddiqa smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Thank you, Christophoros. If the Megos Domestikos in charge of all the Empire's armies says so, then surely it will happen."
Kyrill smiled, his fears apparently mollified. He nodded his head in thanks.
"S...s...so how shall we do this?" Michael asked. Christophoros noticed now that the Dukids' hands shook as he spoke. We are led by the weak... he groaned.
"Simple. Kyrill will launch some specific denunciations, and then..."
"Specific denunciations?" the Metropolitan asked, eyes wide. "So the rumors are..."
"True," Siddiqa said finally, and even Christophoros winced. Nikolaios, of all people, engaged in such blatant debauchery.
As temporal as the Imperial throne might be, in the eyes of the Romanoi it was also a spiritual position - hence the mosaics and icons around the conspirators that depicted past Emperors with halos and conversing with Christ. To have such a holy position in the hands of someone who did acts so dark, so deeply against the teachings of Christ and Church would undoubtedly bring the wrath of God upon the throne, and as a consequence, all Romanoi.
The Megos Domestikos winced. He wondered how damning Siddiqa's evidence was - the very act of her levelling so calmly such a dangerous accusation made him believe her. Speaking such things about an Emperor was tantamount to treason if they were spoken in slander. If they were spoken in truth...
Woe betide us and the Empire...
Christophorors muttered a quiet, brief prayer to himself, as Siddiqa continued.
"For the past ten years, Nikolaios Komnenos has, regularly and debauchedly conducted himself in carnal relations with one Ioannis Thrakesios," she said calmly. Michael Dukas started to speak, but Siddiqa immediately knew what he was going to say, and answered his question before he could speak. "I offer as proof the simple facts that one, Ioannis Thrakesios, despite his attractiveness, position in society and need for alliances has not married, or even looked at a woman. He is easily one of the more coveted men in the city, yet he refuses the touch of any woman - yet he is not pious to any agree. His drinking is legendary."
"Two, Nikolaios keeps a whorish wife around on purpose, as she distracts attention from himself and his sinfulness. His wife claims he is impotent, yet he has never shared her bed. Nor has he shared a bed with any woman! Third, by all known information, Thrakesios and Nikolaios have spent inordinate amount of time with each other, even after Thrakesios was moved from being the Emperor's bodyguard. Then..."
Siddiqa continued down the list of damning evidence, and as she spoke, Christophoros realized how utterly thorough she was.
Kyrill's face blanched, as did the Dukids as the list of Nikolaios' sins went longer and longer. After a few minutes, the collective mood of the room was one of disgust.
Nikolaios had to go, and for the briefest moment, Christophoros felt a unity, a purpose in the room. Once he remembered the lands at stake, that sense of unity quickly faded away.
"So as I said, it is imperative he is removed from the throne," Siddiqa said finally. "Kyrill, you and the bishops beneath you will begin a series of sermons on the decadence in the Imperial government, calling some members of the regime catamites and sodomites. You will be careful to target Ioannis Thrakesios first, and only mention the name of the co-Basilieus once the crowds have been whipped into a proper fury."
Kyrill nodded.
"When the mobs are good and ready, the Dukids will march their thematikoi on the city, along with the forces of the..."
"You plan to march on Konstantinopolis?" Christophoros asked warily.
Siddiqa nodded. "I have no doubt that in your position as Megos Domestikos that you'll be able to..."
"Wait," Christophoros held up a hand, eyebrow raised. "You expect me to order the army, the same army that loves Emperor Demetrios to no end, to march against him and throw him out?"
"We aren't going to throw out Emperor Demetrios, we're..."
"That is how the army will interpret it!" Christophoros snapped. "Even if Nikolaios has committed all of these grevious sins, the army will keep his sins and Demetrios separate. Any orders saying to march on the Great Palace will be seen as a coup against their beloved Komnenos, and not only will I likely lose my head, but also each and every one of you will be struck down by the army!" Christophoros shook his head, unable to believe that Siddiqa thought she could merely have him order the army away. He was beginning to doubt the chances the coup could succeed in the first place. He needed to stall them, but still lure them in - to not have a promise to march with them...
When he looked up, she'd already leaned back, and crossed her arms. "Well, what do you propose?" she asked.
"Something far simpler. I can arrange for the army units in the city to be demobilized or on garrison duty elsewhere through some more... palatable and normal orders," Christophoros offered. "Adrianopolis has been protesting their tax levies for the past year, and I have no doubt a simple parade of the Hetaratoi through the streets would persuade them to rethink their position - and get ten tagma of the Imperial Guard out of your way..." Little did they suspect...
Siddiqa leaned forward, folding her hands in thought, before turning to the two Dukid princes. "Would that still work for you?"
Michael immediately looked at Andronikos, and it was apparent numbers and times were moving in his mind. "Well..." he rumbled after a moment, "I'm thinking we should move the thematikoi of Dorostorum first, so that when we move, we move as one great mass. Dorostorum can marshal perhaps 10,000, and I can use the 15,000 of Thrace to place 'obstacles' in the way of your Hetaratoi should they attempt to return, Megos Domestikos..."
"Obstacles?" Christophoros asked warily. He wanted to be able to return quickly to the city, if needbe...
"Nothing too odd... checkpoints, a few felled trees a road here or there cluttered with troops clearly marching away from Konstantinopolis," Andronikos said. "Michael, I shall lend you my own Domestikos to manage your troops' affairs. Don't worry cousin."
"A...a...alright."
As the plotters continued, Christophoros began to develop the plot within his own mind... timetables, what needed to be discussed, what needed to be done. If Christophoros' plan worked, the thematikoi, as well as Kyrill and Siddiqa, would have a surprise waiting for them. The trick would be to let this coup succeed far enough to weaken his brother, but not so far that his brother was toppled. Siddiqa was too dangerous to have around.
Such was the honor among politicians and thieves.
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