Eagle Byzantium

John was very angry, "My mother is protected by my guards. Why do you want Dukas to enter Brachna Palace?"

But such negotiations seemed to have no effect. Eight hundred of Ducas's private soldiers continued to be in front of the city gate. Their commander was Efraimius Ducas. The reason given was that the situation was currently unstable. If His Majesty feels that it is inappropriate for them to enter the palace, Queen Mother Irene may be sent to a monastery on the outskirts of Salabria, and they can be nearby for protection.

The quarrel quickly spread to the military camps and market towns outside the city, and then spread rapidly across the Theodosian Wall and the Old Wall of Constantine. Various rumors were flying around, and some people were deliberately leading public opinion, actually claiming that Emperor John had his biological mother under house arrest, just like he did to his grandmother Darasena.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Aksepokos, please follow me to my mother's palace immediately, and I will explain the matter clearly." Regardless of the fatigue during the day, John hurriedly asked the Turkic slave to prepare a guard of honor and prepare. Set out immediately.

At this time, the rain was much lighter, but two eunuchs who were close to the emperor rushed over in a hurry, "Just now, Your Majesty, your Queen Piloska was suddenly invited by the Empress Dowager for a long talk."

John felt a heavy blow on his chest. He held on to the pillar to barely stabilize his body. Then he asked the eunuch who reported the news in a trembling voice, "What did you talk about?"

The two people expressed their confusion.

When John anxiously walked to his mother's palace, he saw the young queen walking out of the gate, escorted by several Hungarian guard knights.

John didn't dare to breathe, because although some people in the palace knew about his relationship with Marlena, Piloska was at a loss. The group of Hungarian knights who came as dowry were even kept in the dark. If they had known, the anger and conflict would have destroyed the entire palace.

"Dear husband, respected Imperial Majesty." Unexpectedly, the queen seemed to be in a good mood and walked up to him to salute.

"I...the Queen Mother didn't say anything to you?"

Piloska shook her head and replied childishly, "The Empress Dowager entertained me very well and discussed some theological topics with me, and then we played a game of Zeno."

Only then did John feel at ease. He sent Piloska away and hurried to his mother's palace. Irene, who was sitting there watching the maids sorting out the chessboard and dice, saw her son walking in and smiled very much. Happy, "This child, Flaimius, has caused you trouble. I will write to him immediately and ask him to return."

"Trouble mother," John replied in a low voice.

Then the atmosphere in the bedroom became quiet, and just when Irene was about to ask if there was anything else, John suddenly started crying.

He just cried like that, with tears streaming down his cheeks. He knelt in front of the Queen Mother Irene's knees, held the belt of his mother's gown, and said incoherently, "You are the incarnation of the Virgin Mary in the world. The most merciful, I am your son, I hope you Please give me your mercy and help, mother, you are the only close relative I have left in this world. Your son has never and will never do anything to harm or disobey you. You are my mother and this is my mother. Patron of the city, for you are the incarnation of Mary.”

The worship of the Virgin in Constantinople was at the forefront of the world at that time, and the entire empire considered the Virgin to be its guardian.

Irene helped her son up and said to him gently, "You don't have to be like this. You are a true emperor who was crowned by Patriarch Masdas at the Cathedral of Holy Wisdom. Like all Roman emperors, you can share with Jesus." The supreme divine power. This city and all its people will not give up on you, just as they dare not give up on Jesus.”

"I just ask you not to give up on me, mother... I just ask you not to give up on me, be merciful and give me a little love..." John was already sobbing.

In the courtyard outside the palace, the freezing rain turned into hail and snow particles falling. Winter in Constantinople came extremely early this year, and it was also extremely cold.

In the palace of Prusa on the other side of the strait, Gawain put a leather cloak on the shoulders of pregnant Anna, and the two of them walked in the courtyard through the thin and cold snow. Anna's nose was slightly red, and she looked up. Looking at the dim waning moon amid the dancing snow, "Are you going to start taking action, big barbarian?"

"Yes, no matter what, we still have to take this step."

Anna nodded and reiterated, "Yes, there is actually only one core concept of the Romana-style empire, and that is 'the empire is universal and the whole universe', and the great Constantinople is the most beautiful place on the golden earth." The scepter symbol in the center must be held. Maybe one day in the future, I will really abandon my favorite Tarsus and my favorite Seleucia and return to Brachna. Go to the palace."

Thinking of this, Anna's cheeks also had hot tears falling down. She had both great ambitions and true feelings that were hard to give up.

At this time, in the whistling snow and wind at the port of Sinop, the wooden buoys half buried in the black sea water, with trembling and half-extinguished torches tied to them, looked like stars from a distance. On the pier, the ropes of many skuas were untied. Their bodies were similar, and one by one they began to leave the castle under the oars. Diogenes stood on the deck of one of the ships with the stern raised. The snow had covered half of his cloak and armor. He felt the bone-chilling cold under his feet. The floating ice kept flowing and hitting the side of the ship or the wooden oars, making a crackling sound. Diogenes picked up a leather bag of wine, but it was indeed filled with only standard wine. After drinking a few sips, he felt a little warm.

He looked at the military judge Argili holding the phosphorescent sword beside him, and he was almost speechless due to the cold.

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The Euxine Sea at this season will soon be completely frozen, including ports, ships, people and livestock.

But this is also a good time for them to launch a surprise attack. The target is several ports in Thrace. There is no specific and clear plan. Although the destination is Mesenbria, they will only choose the opportunity to land after meeting with the Count of Melo's contingent. They will land wherever it is cheaper.

Diogenes had just set out from Tbilisi, and then took a ship from the port of Fasis to Sinop, a cape castle extending into the Euxine Sea, and then set off with Argili, supervising about 120 "skuas".

In addition, in order to avoid accusations from the outside world, especially the Pope in Rome, they and Melo's contingent will not hold the flag of Tarsus at all, but will call themselves "Thracian Volunteers". The army also includes 700 Oghuz volunteer cavalry and archers. This is the second step of Maglundius Planis's strategy, that is, "unbridled" under the premise of "hiding people's eyes and ears".