Chapter 579: Therma Behind Bars
The original plan of Therma Sphrantzes was to lay down for a period of time, gather the news revolving around Antonius and Thessaloniki before any further actions.
But instead, they are caught red handed right by the immigration board immediately after they leave the harbour, because supposedly according to the new law set by Lord Abdullah, all merchants who wish to leave the port and free trading area stepping foot into the city are supposed to apply for a "temporary visiting pass" with their names, nationality, a description of their look and their purpose of visit. Both Mauro and Therma Sphrantzes had definitely no knowledge of this, and hence when they are asked for this temporary visiting pass by the owner of the lodge, they could not provide him with anything.
This made the owner of the inn grow increasingly suspicious with each word these two persons say, and just nice there was a new law by Abdullah saying that all people who reported foreign espionage or spying activities shall be rewarded accordingly, he trapped Mauro and Therma Sphrantzes in his inn, and contacted the patrolling guards.
And so, Therma, Mauro and Giovanni Junior got their first residence after they stepped foot on the soil of Thessaloniki – the detention barracks for foreigners.
Mauro was thrown into a room with ten other captives, while Therma and Giovanni Junior were kept in a separate room for themselves.
Hence, they were kept away from gathering any information from the outside world, instead they are kept to themselves waiting for their fate. It is funny that they are captured and jailed by neither the Ottomans nor the senate of Constantinople, instead by the guards of Antonius and Abdullah. Therma became overwhelmed by uncertainty again making her become more and more fragile as days passes, to an extent that she began eating nothing. While Mauro on the other hand knows that jail cells are sometimes the safest place to stay in when you know that you have people tracking your backside, and so he finally began to relax having chats with his bunk mates and playing games of cards while he waits for his interrogations.
Still, after several days in captive, Therma Sphrantzes finally got a chance to meet the interrogator, thanks to the sheer number of foreign visitors who have no idea of this special visiting pass and the lagging speed of the government of Thessaloniki. In fact, Therma got prioritised on the list as her conditions are reported by the guards directly to their superiors, if not she and Mauro would have to wait for another week.
Therma was led into the interrogation cell, where she met the warden Baron, an old captain from Antonius’ navy who had to retire from military services after he received a wound when combatting the Venetians in Neapoli.
"What are the issues with you, kind ma’am?" Baron asked without raising his head. "Do you know that suicide by all forms, inclusive of self-starvation, is a crime punishable by highest up to a death penalty? Lemme see... Therma... A nice name... The boy’s name?"
"The boy’s called Giovanni, sir." The guard at the side replied.
"Giovanni... I miss that name... Giovanni... Therma?"
The old Baron seems to have realised something, as he lifted his eyebrow and looked up at the mother and the son standing there, finally, for the first time.
"I... I... I... You can’t be..." The warden, Baron, opened his mouth wide and gulped as he stared at Therma recollecting the figure from his past memories with the woman standing before him. He knows Giovanni Giustinianni well, too well, for he too was under Giovanni’s leadership back then a decade ago during the siege of Constantinople. And indeed, he has seen Therma Sphrantzes before when she was still young, and he knows that she gave birth to a son three yours ago with the same name as her husband.
Therma Sphrantzes too sensed that the old Baron is still doubtful about her true identity, and hence she took out a golden Stavraton of honour, with the icon of Giovanni Giustinianni on top, minted specially under the order of Constantine XI after the victory against Mehmed II.
The warden Baron had no more doubts regarding the woman’s true identity as he stood up and led Therma to the chair. While the guard watching over Therma for the past few days too began trembling in anxiety, fearing that this woman might be some big shot and he shall bear the blame for not taking care of her. "Madam Giustinianni! I... Please, I would like to apologise for me and my man’s faults not taking care of you and lord Giovanni Junior..."
"There is no need to apologise, your highness." Therma replied with a slight smile of relief. "Instead, I must thank you, on behalf of my husband, for keeping our safety in harbour for the past few days."
Baron sensed something in Therma’s words, he kneeled down on one knee and frowned. "Do you mean, madam, that you have been facing any form of danger? Or threat? And why are you here alone with the boy though? May I ask, Madam Giustinianni, where is lord Giovanni?"
"My husband..." The eyes of Therma Sphrantzes dimmed. "He is proclaimed to be a national traitor and brutally killed, by the senate in Constantinople. There have been spies and assassins going after my back for the past few months, until I came here under your custody, and I would not have made it this far without the protection of Lord Mauro."
Baron held his breathe in shock and sadness. He has received news from the events of Constantinople almost instantly, but many of the past followers and mercenaries in Giovanni’s band, like him, simply treated this as a rumour not believing that their ex-boss would let himself succumb to fate so simply. In fact, one of the captains went to have a good beating on an newspaper vendor for shouting the news of Giovanni’s death on the streets, and was thrown into jail end up compensating a handsome sum of money.
But now, the wife of Giovanni has proclaimed the legend’s death, which is like a blow to Baron’s head.
"Where is Lord Mauro then? Why is he not by Lord Giovanni’s side when he needed him the most?" The sadness in Baron’s mind is slowly being converted into anger on Mauro.
"He is here in your cells, and I have mentioned earlier that it is him who escorted me all the way here."
"But, as Lord Giovanni’s right-hand man he should..."
"Honourable warden." Therma Sphrantzes interrupted. "It is my husband himself who sent Mauro here with me, with a clear message, he openly rebelled for the future of the citizens of Constantinople, for the fate of all his soldiers, for me and my son, but just not for the destiny of himself. But no matter of the cause, his acts are still considered an open rebellion and high treason to the state. Thus, he wanted to drag as little people down with him as possible. Lord Mauro is still young, he can still have a bright future for himself, either continuing to serve in the army, or raising a mercenary band of himself, or retiring back in Italia, instead of dying meaninglessly in Constantinople baring the filthy name of a traitor in history."
The old warden Baron could finally no longer control himself and started weeping, while the guard hurriedly went out to pass the message to his pals to find and release a man called Mauro and get him here as fast as possible.
"I need to see Lord Antonius." Therma Sphrantzes stood up holding the hands of his child. "Fast, may you help me convey my words, honourable warden?"
...
"Lady Therma Giustinianni?"
Abdullah paused his work and looked at the old warden.
"She and Mauro showed up here in Thessaloniki? Why did no one ever tell me about that?"
"My lord, I too only acknowledged of their identity today, and I came here reporting this to you at once without any delays."
Abdullah stood up and began walking around the room with his hands on his back. "No wonder none of Apostolos’ agents managed to find her after that accident involving Giovanni’s estate in the Marmara... To be honest we almost presumed her dead... Apostolos really need to improve the quality of his agents, I guess. Where is she now?"
"She is right outside the government house right now, my lord, with Lord Mauro. Do I let them in?"
"Wait." Abdullah went back to his seat but began thinking.
"They are real, legit, my lord." Baron tried to explain.
"I know they are legit; I trust you." Abdullah replied. "But I know that they must be here to ask about the whereabouts of his Majesty, but the intel on the location of his Majesty must not be leaked to anyone at the current moment."
"Then... Do I bring them to the palace and settle down first?"
"No, bring them in."
