Chapter 573: The Unexpected
The Ecumenical Patriarch is starting to pity Giovanni Giustiniani, for he has such an unreliable father-in-law who made his hands dirty by doing this kind of treasonous things, but at the same time leaving all of the matters only to Giovanni himself evading from him when he is needed the most. And at the same time, the Ecumenical Patriarch finally now knows the true culprit behind this coup de’tat.
It cannot be Giovanni Giustinianni who started this coup, for obvious reasons. He is an Italian, a Lombard, and to put words in a harsher term, most of these senators, courtiers, merchants, only maintained friendship with the man only because they needed his protection, for they definitely have no guts to stand against an Ottoman army. But no matter what deeply in their mind, they still see Giovanni as an outsider, an alien who cannot be trusted.
Especially in terms of politics. Giovanni would have never gained so much support and assistance to launch his plans in the first place.
So, who could it be?
It must be a figure influential enough to start a coup.
It must be someone who has the ambition to control the city.
It must be someone who is tight on information, thus he is able to master the plans of the two royals.
And he must be close to Giovanni, very close, in order to make use of his army.
There can only be one man, but he chose to be not present here at this time when Giovanni needed him the most. Maybe he wants to escape from all the accusations, or maybe he is worried about his personal safety, or maybe he wants to wash away his scent of suspicions, but no matter what, Giovanni has to face the inquisitions of these senators by himself.
These senators might not be good enough to solve the Basileus and people’s problems, but they are pretty good in giving others’ problems.
Like this one.
A burly figure came forward, drew a cross before the Ecumenical Patriarch, and kissed the jewel on his ring.
"Germanus Laskaris..." The Ecumenical Patriarch is a little stunned. "You came back to Constantinople? Aren’t you..."
"Yes, your all holiness." The man looked up with an unusual pair of eyes. "I know, I was made to exile to Morea a decade plus ago, but I am allowed to come back, a month ago, by the senate."
The Ecumenical Patriarch gave a look at the senators beneath, and is shocked to see another man appearing here, a man of his age, a known opposition to the previous government and the previous emperor, Innocentius Zonaras, who should have been stripped of his roles previously before the passing of emperor Constantine, is here as well.
Something is not right.
The Ecumenical Patriarch realised something, he looked at Issac the Sakellarios, but the later had no expression on his face, as if he is thinking about something deep in his mind.
"My child, what made all of you come back here today?"
"..."
A dead silence.
There are at least thirty men here today inside this tent in the middle of the street, and the Ecumenical Patriarch can say that most of them have different ideas and thoughts on their presence here today.
"Let us be a bit more straightforward, your all holiness." Germanus suddenly stepped forward blocking all of the Ecumenical Patriarch’s sight with his body. "What do you think of this coup?"
The man is trying to force him to pick a side. The Ecumenical Patriarch knows that, and he suddenly felt that he does not know this Germanus any more, as he is obviously deeply shaped by the force of time, totally unlike that coward, undecisive, reluctant figure he was a decade plus ago. He remained calm and answered. "I am here for peace, my child, as the head of the church I cannot see bloodshed happen inside the holy city, on a holy ground, I simply cannot allow that."
"Then we are here for peace as well your all holiness!" Germanus suddenly raised his voice and made a step forward, coming in a dangerously close distance to the Ecumenical Patriarch that made the later felt extremely uneasy. "We are ambassadors of peace, as a part of the Senatus Populusque Romanus I must prevent the state from being torn apart again by a civil war!"
"Aye, indeed your all holiness!" Innocentius followed. "We are all here for peace! Your all holiness! Let us join your righteous act, let us join your leadership! Let us return peace to the state and end the dirty funny squabbles between Giovanni and Lord Thomas!"
The Ecumenical Patriarch remained calm despite having cold shiver down his spines. "Where is George Sphrantzes? As the chancellor of affairs, he must be called to the senate to discuss the issue."
"Lord Sphrantzes..." Answered Germanus. "He shall be fine, he has just left us for some urgent matters, he said... We should be only able to see him after all of these is over."
Issacs’s face grew even darker.
...
George Sphrantzes is on the way back to his hideout.
His estate is no longer safe, for he knows that people have been watching over him ever since the start of the coup. He wanted to stay today, with the senate, but his sharp political sense told him that something is definitely not right today, as he saw both Germanus, Innocentius, and a bunch of other men who lost their power previously, and most importantly, even Issac Phrangopoulos, whom should be in his political faction, mixing up with Germanus.
What is going on?
Fear began crawling onto George Sphrantzes’ already tensed up nerves, and hence he decided to return to his hideout – fast, and start gathering information on the return of Germanus, who is behind him, how did he come back, what is he up to?"
His chariot stopped out of a sudden, almost making George Sphrantzes bang his head on the roof.
"What is going on!" George roared as he poked his head of the curtains, but only to find out that his chariots have been surrounded by people, armed soldiers, to be precise.
George Sphrantzes is shocked, out of his life, his souls, who could it be? Giovanni Giustinianni did control all of the troops in the city beforehand, even those troopers Demetrios and Thomas brought from the Despotate of Morea, who could it be! Who could lay their hands on the troops! Who! Who! Who! Who dared, and could, lay their fingers on his forbidden property, the army, right under his eyes! Who! Can it be!
Our old George is mad but not crazy, stressed but not desperate, fearful but not hopeless. As a man of high statues holding the supreme office, he cannot and he would not allow himself to display a frightened look. Hence, he climbed down his chariot, with calm all over his face like usual, and took a look at the banner of the troopers that blocked him on his trip.
- Only to find out that he has never seen this banner before.
This is not an army that is stationed inside the city under Giovanni’s command.
George Sphrantzes instantly realised the purpose of this army’s unpleasant visit and what shall become of him, but still he walked towards the captain of this troop, and asked in a gracious manner. "Captain, may I know what is the purpose of this action?"
"Oh, lord Sphrantzes, forgive me." The man bowed slightly. "For I am just merely doing my duties."
"What is your duty? Who gave it to you?"
"For that I cannot say, forgive me, Lord Sphrantzes... Now, if you don’t mind, can you please follow our lead? We need to guarantee that you stay safe, under my lord’s orders."
"I will." George replied. "But do tell me before we go, captain, where did you come from?"
The captain is still a bit hesitant.
"I will follow your lead."
"We are from Mesembria."
"What?!" George Sphrantzes is shocked. "Then who is guarding the city now?"
The captain raised his hands and shook his head. "Like what I have said, Lord Sphrantzes, I am just merely following my orders from my political master. Now, I believe that we are done with all these chats, get onto the chariot please, lord Sphrantzes. We need to be fast; we are creating a traffic congestion here."
Then, the captain signalled two of his men to push George Sphrantzes onto the chariot, but George stopped them and shouted "Wait! Let me have one last word with my charioteer."
The captain sighed and signalled, the two soldiers let go of their grasp.
George Sphrantzes walked to the charioteer – under the close supervision of the charioteer, who is sensitive to politics as well for driving the chariot for a political master mind for decades, and spoke softly. "You have served me well, for decades, now, go, you are free, go to the accounts and withdraw a bounty for your long service, and then leave the city, never head back."
Then the head of the senate, George Sphrantzes, boarded the chariot prepared by the captain, without looking back at his own chariot and his weeping old servant ever again.
