Chapter 695: Future King’s Responsibilities
It’s now the autumn of 1477. The emperor and his son have travelled into the heartlands of Bulgaria. The governor of Sofia, upon hearing about the emperor’s presence in the region, issued a region-wide order for a massive cleanup session. Homes of the poor were forcefully relocated under the pretext that their presence would mar the beauty of the city. Simultaneously, volunteers were summoned to clean the streets, despite this being the crucial time of the harvest season. These supposed ’volunteers’ were forcibly removed from their croplands, away from their efforts to rebuild war-torn country sides or tend to their families. Instead, they were handed brooms and set to work on the streets without any compensation.
The governor of Sofia, an ex-military man who transitioned to a civilian role after the conquest of Bulgaria, was confident that his actions would "greatly motivate" the emperor. He hoped to appease the emperor, leave a great impression on the emperor and perhaps even receive a generous reward for his loyalty and abilities as a civilian governor.
As the governor sat nervously on the city walls, anxiously awaiting the emperor’s arrival, he could not have predicted the conversation that took place.
Upon hearing about the governor’s preparations, the emperor turned to his son. "Leo! What do you think of this lord’s actions?"
The young prince, tilting his head thoughtfully on his little pony, replied, "Father, I think he has done the right thing in wanting to prepare the city to make it presentable for you. But he has done it wrongly, for he could have used his own efforts and resources instead of mobilising innocent citizens for this."
Antonius nodded his head in satisfaction and asked again. "Let’s say you put yourself in his boots. If you were the governor, stagnant in this position for years and desperate for a promotion, what would you do in this case?"
"I would probably invite you, Father, and then organise some people with my own funds to clean the streets. Or, I could have maintained a presentable city from the start instead of hurrying to do it now. Or, I could have initiated a new policy to at least pay and hire these volunteers. Yes, Father."
Antonius laughed heartily, shaking his head slightly, and gently touched the head of his son. He knew that this answer, despite its naivety, was already a good one for a boy of his age. The emperor then asked, "But I am angry now towards this man. What do you think? Why am I furious?"
Young Leo tilted his head to look at his still-smiling father, unsure of where the anger lay, and answered hesitantly, "I think... it is because he mobilised ordinary civilians?"
"No, my son. It is because he knows my plans, that I am going to Sofia in the near future. Let me tell you, son, I do not care how he knew my whereabouts and plans, whether he guessed it or sent someone after my trails, but I do not like this feeling. Do you know why?"
Young Leo nodded hesitantly. "Because... because..."
The emperor continued in a stern voice, the air around them growing colder. "Let me tell you why, son. This governor might be wanting to appease us this time around, but who knows? He might be here with the simple wish to treat us to a tour this time, but what if he has disloyal thoughts? Do you know how much danger this lies, if what awaits us are not flowers, but assassins?"
Leo’s eyes widened as he grasped the gravity of his father’s words. "I understand, Father. It is dangerous to let someone know your plans without your permission. It could lead to betrayal."
"Exactly, my son," Antonius said, his voice softening slightly. "A ruler must always be vigilant. Trust is something that must be earned, not given freely. Remember this lesson well."
But the young boy, his eyebrows furrowed, asked back, "But Father... we have an army of a hundred plus men! Isn’t it normal for any governor to be aware of our whereabouts?"
The emperor halted for a moment, then continued forward without looking back.
In the end, the father and son did not spend any time in this largest city of Bulgaria. Instead, they continued riding forward, bypassing the city and rendering the governor’s efforts in vain. What awaited this appeasing governor was no longer any favour or promotion. Instead, the outcome was clear: he might need to worry about his current position now, for no matter what, the emperor will have his final say in the offices of the lords, with his likings.
He didn’t wait long before orders came from Constantinople, instructing him to report to Anatolia as the assistant coordinator of trade and taxation between the Ottomans and the Romans.
The emperor continued east, crossing the mountains filled with silver and brownish autumn plants, and reached the plains of central Bulgaria—just a short distance from the fortress of Plovdiv.
The little pony, a recent gift to the young prince, had never been galloped on. Finally, they arrived at the cavalry training ground in the broad plains. After minutes of pleading for freedom, the emperor sighed and granted his son’s simple request to ride the pony on the plains, with supervision, of course.
The emperor, no longer capable of galloping on horseback, watched his son with peace in his eyes, as if nothing else existed in his world. Their guard, Cerberus, stood watchfully at the back, his eyes fixed on the emperor and the surroundings.
The boy rode freely among the grasses for the very first time, his excitement palpable. He felt the breeze on his cheeks, his hands on the reins, controlling the mount according to his own will as he flew across the greens. Only now did he truly feel what freedom was, and he had to admit that this feeling was indeed addictive.
The emperor continued to sit there on horse back for almost another half an hour until a steward approached, whispering something into Cerberus’s ear. Cerberus nodded, then stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, the sun..."
Only then did the old emperor lift his head, noticing the blazing sun overhead casting a threatening light ray on his forehead since a while ago. He suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, almost causing him to fall off his horse, had it not been for Cerberus’s quick action in supporting his shoulders against this danger.
"I am fine," the old emperor replied with dry lips and a hoarse voice. "I am perfectly fine, my friend. There is absolutely nothing to worry about me... Instead of watching over me, you ought to watch over that kid over there, remember?"
"Yes, my lord." Cerberus nodded as he assisted the emperor to get back on the horse, and took out the wine pouch.
Antonius drank some wine to refresh himself and called out to the boy. "Leo! Come back! It is time for us to go! Do not dehydrate yourself!"
Young Leo grumbled inwardly and called back to his father, "But I want to ride here a little longer!"
The emperor shook his head and rode forward to his son. He gently touched Leo’s forehead and smiled. "I know you are enjoying yourself under the heat and having a great time. Of course, you don’t want to be back under my control. But you mustn’t just care about yourself, my son. Look at the pony beneath you. She is already exhausted. If you make her gallop any longer, she might collapse. Remember, care not just for yourself but also for those who serve you. That is the true way to become a great king."
The young Leo looked beneath him, and just as his father had said, the pony’s hooves were shaking, her mouth gasping for air, and her head lowered, licking any moisture she could find on the ground.
"Now, she has served you well, fulfilling her duty," Antonius continued. "As her overlord, it is your duty to treat her well, reward her service, and replenish her strength so she can continue to serve you next time."
"But she is a horse, not a man!" Leo argued.
The emperor sighed and gently tapped the back of the young boy with his whip. "There is no difference between horses and men; they are all your subjects."
With a little pain, young Leo nodded. "Yes, father."
Then, the prince leapt down from the horse and led her to a nearby stream, where she eagerly quenched her thirst. As the pony drank, Leo gently brushed her mane and hair, speaking softly to her. The horse seemed to understand, reaching out her tongue to lick the prince’s palms.
The old emperor, with Cerberus, watched from the shade not far away, observing the scene with a mixture of pride and reflection. The gentle rustle of the autumn leaves and the soft murmur of the stream created a serene backdrop for this moment of teaching and learning.
