Chapter 707: Monuments of Thessaloniki
"Nothing, nothing," Antonius waved his hand. "According to the court physicians, it is nothing but merely all those old injuries that have come back to me. I call this a punishment by God, for I have killed just way too many people in the past... Give that to me, Cerberus."
Cerberus passed a bottle to the old emperor, who took it and gulped it down.
"What is that, father?" Leo asked, despite already knowing from the strong scent of liquor emanating from his father’s mouth.
"Good things."
"I see."
The old emperor seemed revitalised, as he stood up by himself again.
"Now, we ought to get back to Constantinople. We have squandered too much time out here, and your mother is already mad at us."
Then, the old emperor glanced at his adopted son as well. "Well, Giovanni, there is no need for you to go back to Commander Aurelian now; you shall come back with me."
"Yes, father."
...
The royal family set off once again the next day.
Before leaving the city, the old emperor called for the entire fleet of wagons to stop. Slowly but surely, he climbed onto the walls of Thessaloniki, supported by Leo and Giovanni, each on one side, despite protests from Leo that it was cold on the high grounds.
"Everything that I have planned for and carried out comes with a purpose," the old emperor said to his boys.
The walls of Thessaloniki, although not as impressive as the Theodosian walls of Constantinople, are still among the best-defended walls in the empire, if not the entire world. From the top, one could see almost the entire city, stretching one’s vision to the woods and mountains to the west and the shores to the east. The city’s streets were bustling with activity, merchants and traders plying their goods, while the harbour was filled with ships from distant lands, their sails billowing in the gentle breeze. The grand churches and marketplaces stood as testaments to the city’s prosperity and resilience. The fortifications were solid, with vigilant guards patrolling the parapets, their watchful eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. It was a city that had weathered many storms and emerged stronger each time.
Antonius stretched his eyes further up north and pointed out. "There! Look at that direction!"
The two boys looked out, seeing nothing but a few gigantic piles of sand and dirt in the distance. "What is there, father?"
"That is the remnant of the Battle of Thessaloniki, where I, for the first time, defeated a whole army led by a man called Candarli Halil Pasha, almost wiping out their combat-capable forces. I can say that after that battle, I managed to solidify my foothold on this land and also sealed the fate of the Ottomans!"
But immediately, the eyes of the old emperor dimmed, as he yelled towards the governor of Thessaloniki. "I ordered that any remnants of that glorious battle be preserved! Why do I see civilian houses blocking off what I decreed to be national parks and memorials?"
The governor wiped the sweat from his neck. "I have a reason, Your Majesty. The city of Thessaloniki is already way different from the one you once governed decades ago! The population of the city has doubled, with many having no choice but to build their houses outside the walls..."
"I do not care!" Upon hearing the governor’s retort, the old emperor sunk himself in rage once again. "I want my memorials! I want to see monuments commemorating all the lost brothers that I once had but did not manage to bring back! I will give you a day’s time. Tear down all those civilian houses and rebuild all the monuments that I have told you to do so!"
"But..." The governor, with a bitter face, still wanted to say something but had to swallow his words upon meeting the threatening eyes of his liege.
Seeing this, Leo stepped up. "Father..."
"Say no more, son. I know that you are a kind person," Antonius interrupted. "But, to be fair and frank with you, I promised every single brother who followed my lead that I would provide them with a living when they are alive, and honour when they are dead. I have already failed to fulfil the first promise, and now I must at least fulfil the second promise."
The two brothers looked at one another, frowning.
"What are you waiting for!" the emperor yelled at the governor again. "Go!"
"Aye! Your Majesty!"
With a cold huff, the emperor turned around, descended the stairs with his face entirely red, boarded the chariot, and left without looking back. A fleet of soldiers and workers emerged from the gate, heading toward the area, leaving the fate of those households unknown.
Leo closed his eyes on the chariot.
"I know you’re not feeling well," Giovanni tried to comfort his younger brother. "I don’t think this is what our pioneers fought and sacrificed for. We will need to change this in the future, but for now, just get yourself prepared for what is going to happen next."
Leo nodded heavily, as the hands of the two boys held tightly together.
...
The fleet of wagons and chariots headed right for Constantinople, without heading back and stopping at any stops, for there is one reason, the old emperor’s health has severely deteriorated ever since the last accident, totally dependant on herbs and alcohol to keep his body in full condition. As according to the words of the court physician, it seems like there are something ’spiritual’ and unknown that is keeping the emperor from God.
Just before the emperor reached Constantinople, right under the Golden Gate, the emperor called his son Leo into the chariot.
"I am sorry, my son." Said the emperor as he leaned on the couth, with his eyes full of apologies.
"For what father?"
"I promised you, my child, that I shall bring you to see the Most south corner of the empire, I promised you that I will bring you to the edge of the Mediterranean, but now, as you can see, I am no longer able to keep my god damn promise, just like in the last occasion."
"Say no more, father!" Leo plunged forward, coming into the hugs of his fragile and thin father. "Say no more, I do not feel anything about all of these, for now, I just need you to be alive, and well!"
Antonius closed his eyes, and gently swept his hands across the hairs of his son.
...
Anna and Agatha were already waiting anxiously in the Great Palace for the arrival of the father and son. As soon as the chariot arrived, Leo stepped out first. Anna immediately noticed the tear streaks on his cheeks. She hugged her son tightly before helping him back into the chariot to assist his father.
The old emperor, in a rare display of vulnerability, made a shy grin upon meeting his wife. "I am sorry, Anna, I came home late."
Anna, without saying a word, embraced her husband, giving him the warmth he needed.
The old emperor gently touched his wife’s back and sighed. "Say something, Anna, let me hear your voice."
"I wanted to scold you, my dear," Anna said, burying her face in his chest. "But seeing you like this, I don’t have the heart to do it. I wanted to ask how you are, but I don’t have the courage to know your specific condition. I wanted to stop you from venturing out again and just stay by my side to at least enjoy our old age together, but I know I would be too selfish to ask for that. So, I have nothing to say."
The emperor laughed heartily, though it quickly turned into another coughing fit. He looked into his wife’s eyes, full of love, and continued to pat her on the back. "Worry not, my dear. You see me; I can still be well and alive for another couple of years!"
"Can’t you just say a couple of decades?" Anna retorted.
"Of course, of course!" Antonius hurriedly agreed. "We shall be alive for another couple of decades!"
The emperor then turned to his daughter, with a complicated look in his eyes. "Agatha... it is time for you to get married already."
Agatha’s face fell. "Is that the first thing you want to say to your daughter after finally meeting her for who knows how long?"
This time, unlike in the past when the emperor would comply with his daughter’s words, he remained firm. "No, my darling, you MUST get married, either this year or next year."
Without listening to further protests from their daughter, the emperor turned to his wife. "Now, let us go, my dear."
Anna, who did not seem to mind her daughter’s objections, made a gentle grin. She held her husband’s hand, and they walked up the stairs together.
Just like when they first met decades ago, in Constantinople.
