Chapter 654: Audacity Of Alexios
The garrisons across Thessaly found themselves under an unusual and somewhat perplexing command. The Strategos instructed them to tighten border controls and scrutinise all who passed through – an order that seemed out of place in the absence of any visible threat. The usual bandits and rogues that once roamed the region had been cleansed in earlier campaigns, leaving the guards puzzled over this sudden shift in protocol.
Intelligence reports indicated a significant military mobilisation. Over three thousand troops, spanning eight different units throughout Thessaly, were ordered to convene. Accompanying these directives were Elassona’s private guards, a clear message that defiance of the governor’s orders would be met with immediate and lethal consequences. Yet, there were junior officers who just freshly graduated from the military institutes of Thessaloniki, untouched by Elassona’s influence and corruption, who boldly stepped up to contest these seemingly irrational commands, keeping their soldiers in dock.
Elassona had anticipated rallying at least two thousand soldiers to his cause, but his expectations fell short. Only three units, totalling just over eight hundred men, pledged their full allegiance. The rest were caught in a tumultuous struggle, torn between adherence to the longstanding directives from Constantinople – which forbade any troop movement exceeding ten men without express orders – and the sudden upheaval in their barracks, even after Elassona has almost stayed here for numerous years.
Amidst this chaos, a contingent of riders, about one hundred and fifty strong, cut through the northern winds in a silent, determined procession. Leading them was none other than Alexios, his heart burning with a desire for vengeance.
The leading man is of course, Alexios, with the thirst of revenge.
He can still recall what happened in the barracks of Athens, a day ago.
"I am the lord chancellor, the Megas Konostablos," Alexios had proclaimed, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "I command you to seize control of the Athenian garrison at once! The unrest in the North demands it!"
The governor general of Athens, however, stood unyielding. "Your highness, our actions must be guided by protocol. Without a decree from Constantinople—directly from the emperor’s hand—I cannot, in good conscience, release even a single soldier to you. I implore you to understand! If not, me, both of us, we shall be accused of treason to the state!"
Alexios, his patience fraying, shot back, "Remember, Eugenios, I once commanded you in Epirus. Our past is not easily forgotten."
Eugenios, the Strategos of Athens, met his gaze with a solemn intensity. "It is because of our shared history, Lord Alexios, that I beseech you to pause. To commandeer this force by will alone skirts the precipice of mutiny. Should you proceed, I will be compelled to notify Constantinople of your actions—a move that could be construed as treason! Let me remind you again! You are the one who was part of the team making this law!"
"Then let it be," Alexios responded, his voice a sharp blade. "These troops are imperative to our cause, and I shall have them, with or without your consent."
In a moment laden with tension and unspoken recriminations, Alexios’s sword struck the table with a force that echoed like thunder through the chamber. The sound reverberated, a stark symbol of the chasm opening between the two men. Guards, alarmed by the clamour, rushed in only to retreat under the fierce glare and sharp command of their strategos.
In the ensuing silence, Alexios and Eugenios locked gazes, neither willing to relent. Alexios, steadfast in his resolve, found an unyielding counterpart in Eugenios.
"Your highness," Eugenios began, his voice a mixture of reverence and despair, closing his eyes as if to shield himself from the inevitable. When he reopened them, they were laden with a sorrow born of loyalty and duty. "You ushered me into this life, mentored me from Thessaloniki to Epirus, and now Athens. You’ve been more than a commander; you’ve shaped my very understanding of governance. My debt to you is immeasurable, I owe you, even my life, for everything you have given me."
Yet, as he continued, his voice carried the weight of an inevitable truth. "But, my lord, this path you choose threatens us both. Recall, it was you, in the state court, as part of the legislation team, who penned down and championed strictures against unauthorized troop movements by officers. Now, to contravene those very laws... by yourself" His voice trailed off, laden with regret and confusion.
The room’s air grew heavy as Eugenios drew his blade, not in aggression but in a solemn offering, causing Alexios to instinctively step back. The strategos’s action was not one of defiance but of resignation. He extended the sword, his insignia of rank, and the mantle of his command to Alexios—a gesture symbolizing the gravity of his decision.
"I shall help you this time, in the risk of me getting thrown into jail." Said Eugenios. "I will try to keep all news in bay, but the most I can manage to fork out, is only a hundred and fifty cavalries, and after this, I owe you nothing further, I hope... If I am thrown into jail with my ranks stripped, I hope that you can take up the responsibilities, and look after my family."
Alexios, understanding the magnitude of the sacrifice, accepted the symbols of command. "This is more than I could have asked for," he acknowledged, a solemn promise in his eyes. "Your family will not be forgotten. I swear, to you, sincerely, with my name, and you will be fine."
Their parting was a poignant moment of brotherhood amidst the storm of impending conflict. Alexios embraced Eugenios tightly, a silent acknowledgment of their shared past and the uncertain future. As he departed, the weight of their exchange hung heavily in the air.
A few minutes later, he went back to his office, and signed an executive order to the military office, that the cavalry unit of Athens shall march into the wildlands for their regular late spring training. At the same time giving orders to all posts, by force, saying that no one ought to intervene the troops leaving the borders.
Left alone, Eugenios slumped into his chair, the burdens of command, loyalty, and personal integrity pressing down upon him. With a weary hand, he massaged his forehead, contemplating the tumultuous path ahead and the profound cost of his decision.
He knows, that within hours, a boat will set sail from the port of Athens, carrying a message from the watching commissariat in the city heading for Constantinople. And within a week plus, another boat will come sailing down from the North to announce his capital punishment, for being the very first person to move troops around without order, just simply because of some unproved fallacy from his former superior.
...
Alexios led a contingent of one hundred and fifty cavalrymen, a small force but mighty in spirit, galloping along the country roads that wound through Thessaly.
Intercepting a messenger from Elassona had provided Alexios with crucial intelligence: the governor general’s call to arms was born out of desperation, not strength. It was clear to Alexios that Elassona’s appeal for mobilization, spreading across towns, villages, and garrisons, was a facade meant to mask his panic.
The very fabric of Elassona’s power was unraveling. Veterans and stationed troops were unlikely to rally for a cause shrouded in injustice, especially when the summons pulled them away from essential work in fields, industries, and croplands during a critical season.
Riding at the forefront, Alexios’s voice cut through the howling wind, a futile attempt to bolster the spirits of his men. "We shall pick up our speed, my brothers!" he declared, though his words were swallowed by the gale. "Our edge lies in our swiftness and the element of surprise! Elassona’s gaze is fixed northward; he won’t anticipate a strike from the south—a dagger aimed straight at his heart!"
Among the cavalry was the lieutenant, bound by blood and battlefield oaths to Governor Eugenios. Entrusted with explicit orders to heed Alexios’s commands, the lieutenant was nonetheless tasked with tempering Alexios’s strategic ambitions with military pragmatism, given the lord treasurer’s limited experience in warfare.
Approaching Alexios, the lieutenant voiced his concern. "What is our strategy, your highness? Our forces are wearied from the relentless pace. Our steeds, too, cry out for respite."
The lieutenant approached Alexios. "What is our plan your highness? I must persist that our force is unable to enter combat after riding for so long, our horses need to take a break as well!"
Alexios, his determination undimmed, responded, "I am well aware, Lieutenant! But our mission is clear and pressing. We make for Elassona’s stronghold directly!"
The lieutenant’s eyes widened at the audacity of the plan.
The clatter of hooves against the hard-packed earth echoed their resolve. Dust billowed in their wake, a testament to their haste. The countryside blurred past, a fleeting backdrop to their singular focus. Ahead lay uncertainty, the possibility of confrontation, and the hope that their swift advance could tilt the scales in their favour.
