Thus we departed for the Great Palace, eighteen barbarians, ten Sarazens, and a handful of monks, leading one baleful eparch and three Armenian pirates through the streets of Constantinople: a strange procession, perhaps. But no more strange than that which had brought the thieving quaestor to justice.
The imperial guards and the two komes remained at the villa, bound hand to foot, where they were watched over by a dozen disgruntled Sea Wolves, who would rather have been among their comrades going to the palace.
Nikos walked along, head down, eyes on the ground, neither speaking, nor struggling. He knew well enough when to keep his mouth shut; I reckon he was biding his time and saving his breath for when it would serve him best. Once he stumbled and would have fallen, but Harald reached out a hand and steadied him. Had Nikos's look been a blade, Jarl Harald would have lost his hand. As it was, Nikos turned his eyes once more to the ground without a word.
The only time he spoke was to confirm his name to the scholarae at the gate, who was understandably reluctant to allow our party into the palace precinct without better authority than he possessed. This difficulty had been anticipated, of course. "We are an official delegation," I declared. "Please summon the Chief of the Palace Guard."
The soldier stared, uncertainly. "But I-"
"All is well," I assured him. "We will wait here until he can attend us."
With a last backward glance, the soldier departed, leaving us in the company of his fellow guards. He was gone longer than I imagined it would take-enough time for me to begin thinking our ruse had been discovered. Patience, I thought, smiling at the staring, suspicious scholarii; brazen it out and we are soon finished.
My resolve was soon rewarded when, a few moments later, I stood looking into the face of my friend, Justin.
"So," he said, his aspect solemn as his voice, "you have returned at last." His eyes flicked from me to those with me, taking in the Arabs and barbarians at a glance. "What do you want?"
I felt a sudden queasiness ripple through my inward parts. Had I misjudged my old friend?
"It is good to see you, Justin," I said. "You helped me once-"
"And now you expect me to help you again," he observed, his voice hard.
Nikos, seeing his chance, announced, "They have taken me against my will. I demand you seize them at once."
Justin turned his face slowly towards the disturbance. "Who are you to make demands of the emperor's men?"
"I am Nikos, Eparch of Constantinople," he snapped in exasperation. "Make them release me at once and I will see you rewarded."
"Will you now?" Turning to me, he said, "What do you intend with him?"
"We intend bringing him to justice," I replied.
"Then I fear you will be disappointed, friend," he said. "There is no justice in this world-here least of all."
"You helped me once," I reminded him quickly. "Please, for the sake of the righteousness you once cared about, help me again."
Justin regarded me dully, his expression unfathomable. Then, shaking his head slowly, I saw a smile begin spreading across his face. "There are other gates, you know. Why must you always come to mine?" Then he seized me by the arms and embraced me like a brother. Turning to the worried scholarii, he said, "These men here have important business with the emperor. We will provide an escort. Follow me."
With that, we were ushered through the gates and into the palace precinct beyond. At each impediment, Justin called upon his personal authority to remove the obstacle and allow us to proceed. So it was that we eventually came to be standing in a large hall called the Onopodion, which formed the entrance to the Daphne Palace, where the new basileus was staying until his preferred residence, the Octagon, could be refurbished for his use. We were admitted into the marbled hall with its blue-painted ceiling, and had come under the severe scrutiny of the magister officiorum-not the same who had served Basil, but another-who was distressed to see the eparch in the rough company of so many strange people, most of them barbarians.
He was on the point of calling out the emperor's Farghanese bodyguard, but Justin presented himself and patiently allayed his fears, assuming full responsibility for the attending company. Nikos-the hidden swordpoint jabbing painfully in his side-remained belligerently silent. "Explain to the basileus that the eparch seeks immediate audience," Justin commanded, "and I will alert the bodyguard."
The magister, perhaps relieved to have the matter taken from his shoulders, scuttled through a smaller door which opened within a massive great door the size of a city gate. Now, like everyone who came into the palace precinct for any reason, we waited.
Having come this far, Nikos recovered some of his swagger. "What do you expect will happen in there?" he inquired shrewdly. I glanced around to see him regarding me with undiluted loathing.
