Chapter 644: Our Plutus
"Silence! The emperor approaches! Form ranks!" barked a voice among the senators.
In mere seconds, the assembly of senators swiftly arranged themselves in orderly queues at the palace gate. The elder statesmen positioned themselves at the forefront, with younger members behind them. Even when these men have already lost their powers for ages, they still act like what they used to be, for various reasons. Their eyes, filled with a mix of respect and expectation, were fixed on Antonius descending the stairs.
Antonius frowned upon seeing these men, but he too knows that these men, although currently with limited power and influence being as troublesome and stubborn as rocks in the bathroom, still represents the old factions and part of the legitimacy of the throne, thus since they have already no more power and incapable of threatening the positions of his government, then there are no need to offend these men as well. In other words, these men might not bring benefits to his rule, but they can definitely bring harm if they choose to.
"Your Majesty! Please, listen to our words!"
As he approached, the senators surged forward hurdling by his side. The eldest among them, now brimming with energy, thrust a proposal letter towards him. "Your Majesty! Please! Consider our request! The senate’s role is crucial for the empire’s future!"
Others joined in, their voices echoing the sentiment. "The governance of the city falters, Your Majesty! The senate must be reinstated!"
Antonius greeted them with a warm, inviting smile, extending his arms in a gesture of openness and readiness to listen. "My esteemed friends, I am here, ready to address your concerns. Your proposal to reestablish the senate is under serious consideration. Trust that I am giving it the attention it deserves."
The bunch of senators looked at one another.
One mustered the courage to ask, "Your Majesty, may we inquire about the current focus of your deliberations?"
Antonius, pausing thoughtfully, replied, "I am considering many matters. Rest assured, the restoration of the senate is a priority under active consideration, yes, active consideration."
Another senator, voice tinged with hope, questioned, "Might we know when we could expect to reconvene in the senate, to aid in policy-making once more? I am sure that we, as experienced democratically elected civil servants, can aid in the job of governance."
"When the situation is ripe." Antonius and his guards squeezed through the line of men as he responded without turning back. "In the fullness of time."
"How would you define the fullness of time your Majesty!"
"Can you give us a precise date your Majesty!"
"Please, your Majesty, at least pay us!"
Antonius, weaving through the throng, half-joked in exasperation, "Gentlemen, you seem more suited to be journalists than senators with your persistent inquiries!"
Cerberus as at his highest alert right now as he and his boys squeezed their best through the crowd of two hundred plus senators who are all pushing forward forming a corridor of safety. While constantly watching out for any hidden movements among the crowd. One can just simply have a look on his face to know that this thing is not an easy job.
Amidst the chaos, one of the Varangian guards couldn’t help but mutter, ""О Боже, эти так называемые сенаторы создают больший беспорядок, чем на влажном рынке!" drawing a sharp glance from Cerberus to maintain discipline.
However, just as Cerberus had his attention somewhere, a young senator, in the age of around in his early thirties, emerged among the crowds, sneaking in towards the position of emperor with his feet silent trespassing through the crowd with his fit body. The young man is Menelaos Makrembolites, a young noble from a traditional Greek noble family who was significant a couple of hundreds of years back then, but greatly dwindled beyond shape now as the majority of the house have already fled to places beyond like Milano, leaving him the head of the house in his branch here.
He, is angry, as one can see from his eyes.
He is from a notable family, a sincere house of high regards, which is why he acquired such high ranking office as a senator of the state at such a young age ruling a city and a peninsula, but at the same time he is concerned, for he has, somehow, made a series of wrong actions since the beginning, for he once joined the faction of Thomas Palaiologos partaking in the mutiny of the senate, then he chose to join the senate to refuse against Antonius’ request to take the city, which led to him being rejected a post in the new government.
In fact, the only reason why he is not purged unlike his fellow others, is because he did not directly participate in the killing of George Sphrantzes and Giovanni Giustinianni, and he was the first ones among the senate to willingly surrender to the army when Antonius arrived at the scene.
Months had passed, and the initial relief of surviving the chaos had long since evaporated. In its place burned a consuming hatred, fuelled by the loss of prestige, wealth, position – everything he once held dear.
His heart thundered in his chest, each beat pounding harder than the last, as if threatening to burst. Clutching his robe, he felt the weight of his resolve. He was no stranger to history’s tales of betrayal and vengeance; he had pored over the stories of Brutus and Julius Caesar, drawing dark inspiration.
Sleep had eluded him, his nights spent replaying the sequence of events, refining his plan to the point of obsession. And now, the moment had arrived – the day of reckoning was at hand.
And just nice, the day is here, time is ripe.
He noticed the emperor’s guards, scattered and preoccupied among the senators; their attention diverted. Under his hood, his presence went unnoticed, a shadow amidst the crowd.
With widened eyes and a swift, silent stride, he weaved through the crowd, edging ever closer to the emperor. His heart raced with a mix of fear and hatred, emotions peaking as he neared the man who embodied the source of his deepest loathing.
Menelaos Makrembolites measured each step with deliberate care – three meters, two meters. His heart raced as he prepared for the final move. In one fluid motion, he unveiled the dagger concealed within his robes.
Suddenly, a senator’s loud plea to the emperor shattered the moment. "Your Majesty! Please, at least pay us!"
This interrupted the plan of Menelaos, instantly, as the emperor obviously turned his head to look at this direction, with still that formal diplomatic grin on his face, answering. "Sure thing, retirement funds can be collected in..."
But Antonius, ever the seasoned warrior, sensed something amiss. His eyes locked onto Menelaos, whose hand was still hidden in his robes.
Their gazes met – a mix of confusion, anger, and horror flickered in the emperor’s eyes. It was a moment of revelation for Menelaos, his resolve hammering inside his head. No more hesitation – he lunged with the speed of desperation, dagger in hand, aiming for Antonius while bellowing the word, "Caesar!"
All of these just happened in merely two second’s time.
"Caesar!"
In that moment, Menelaos’s demeanour shifted eerily. His face twisted into a wild, frantic grin, his eyes bloodshot, veins pulsing visibly. The dagger in his hand, now fully revealed, gleamed menacingly, its sharp tip aimed directly at Antonius the emperor. A mere touch against the emperor’s unprotected chest would be catastrophic, dire, unforeseen, for the emperor never had armour piece on his body when travelling in the city, as he had the confidence that no one will ever dare to conduct any mischief to him in his city.
Seems like today is simply just not the day.
But at this crucial juncture, another senator intervened. With desperate strength, he shoved Menelaos aside. Reacting instinctively, Antonius, honed by years of combat, seized Menelaos’s arm. The blade only managed a shallow cut on the emperor’s left upper arm.
The world seemed to fall silent for Antonius, a ringing in his ears, the ground tilting beneath him. He gasped for breath, still reeling from the near miss.
Menelaos, having lost all semblance of sanity, strained to drive the dagger deeper, shouting, "Gentlemen, help me overthrow this tyrant! I will be the Brutus of our time! Aid me to restore the senate’s rightful rule! Kill the tyrant! Kill..."
But before he could finish, Cerberus delivered a swift, powerful kick, sending Menelaos crashing to the ground. A Varangian guard, clad in full armour, landed on him with a force that threatened to crush his ribs.
"Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor!"
Varangians and guards swiftly encircled the emperor, forming a human shield. They pushed through the stunned senators, swords drawn, and shields raised, issuing stern warnings against anyone who dared approach as they escorted Antonius back into the safety of the palace.
While the two hundred plus senators found themselves in trouble too, as waves after waves of guards emerged marching out of the palace, and surrounding all of them, just right on the Messe, with their blades pointing right at them.
