[size=+1]Senator Ferruccio di Capponi:[/size]
{{A man, much younger than many enters. He is not young in age, already no more than 41 years of age, but young in the entrapments of time that rules that of the Senate. He lacked influences, dynastic lineages, connections, high friends, and verbal victories which was the true marker of age in those ancient halls. Yes, Ferruccio was a young man.
In the streets of Northern Italy, the word of the Senate, nay, the Imperator were hardly given second thought. An "Empire of Greeks" was scoffed by the many members of the local aristocracy, and the Capponi were among them. They were the Latins, the Romans, and the Greek words that dominated the government were more spat than spoken. It would not be for nothing that drives a Northern Italian into the halls of the Senate, not for nothing.
Many of his family would gladly bear the flag of Pisa, many were said, though in nothing more than a servant girl's gossip, to be Catholic, with the rumors going as far as to say Cathar.
Ferruccio had been to Pisa, he had been to the halls of the German Emperors, the Limes were still weaker than the Imperium would wish, and illicit trade still existed, and wherever the Pisan or German was to be met, it was nigh certain a Capponi would be there, perhaps not as an actual transactor, but a living badge of a deal, a stamp of its authenticity.
It was not illegal trade, or German spies which brought Ferruccio to the Senate though. No, perhaps morality, perhaps something more drove Ferruccio. The atrocities and horrors, not of the Aztecs spurned Ferruccio forward, but the Timurids, and the Great Oriental Hordes. There was something about the rolling Steppes, of Horse-Lords, of an endless wave of fire and blood that brought Ferruccio here.
Entering the room, the Italian spoke, perhaps not with eloquence, perhaps not with power, perhaps not with persuasion, but he spoke}}
"I will not say I am honored to be here. My prestige and standing in my family is now practically dirt for standing in this very hall. Nor I feel any satisfaction to be standing in the Puppeteer's Amphitheater.
But one must stomach the medicine which makes it stronger.
The Imperium asks us to decide on the reformation of its administration? Though for this request I would advise the disbandment of the Senate, I fear such actions are beyond bureaucracy which owns the Queen of Cities. I shall hold my other opinions on such matters until time necessitates my vote. The same stands for other problems of Imperial management.
I will though, speak on foreign issues. As it may surprise many here, our beautiful earth continues outside of the walls of Constantinople. No doubt even more surprising to you all; people live there. One of these lands is a Kingdom called Aquitaine. I say with greatest sincerity, as I believe I am the only man to have stood in the Occitan lands, to have stood in there cities, I may know that path to take on their issue. Which is why I must decisively argue for payment of subsidies. What more, these tales of foreign adventures to the East may need more convincing to sway my vote. What are we to find in those Hidden Countries, save another horde, or a weak but vicious band of Infidels. Already, our paltry efforts of exploration has reawakened us to the existence of Sunni Muslims! I would have been less surprised to find the Breton Band living in the desert wasteland.
If we stick our heads out our windows, we must be prepared should it be raining.
That is all I have to say. You may accuse me of being a Pisan, a merchant traitor, but my only wares are facts. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Good Day."