There was an already established trade route from the North: from Scandinavia across the Baltic into the Gulf of Finland, then overland to Lake Ladoga, Novgorod, and down to Smolensk, where it met with another route from across the Baltic into the Gulf of Riga, and then overland. Carefully hugging the shoreline, the trading fleets stopped at Tyras and Mesembria to take on water before going on to Constantinople.
This year, when the trading fleets put into Mesembria, their owners found themselves invited to dine with the new ruler. As Alexander was no polished Byzantine courtier who played at word games he always came right to the point. “Tell me,” he asked quietly, “what you’ll get for your cargos in Constantinople?”
One merchant, cannier than the rest, named a figure that the prince knew was double the actual figure. Alexander laughed. “Half your price, my greedy friend, and then add twenty-five percent to it. That is my offer to you. Take it either in gold or in trade goods, or in some of each. I can offer you the same fine quality merchandise that Constantinople does, and at less cost to you.”
For a moment the merchants were silent. Then one asked, “Why do you offer to buy our cargos at a price you know we would be foolish to refuse? Not only can we return home with fine merchandise to sell, but for the first time in years we will have gold in our pockets as well.”
“I wish to rebuild my city, friends,” replied Alexander. “For too long Constantinople has taken from us, yet we have received nothing in return. With your cooperation I shall make a great commercial center of Mesembria. Soon I go to Trebizond, the state from which my mother came. I shall speak with my uncle, its emperor. Already his emissaries have assured me of the emperor’s interest in my plan. When you come again next year the riches of the Far East-the silks, the jewels, the spices-will be here for you, for Trebizond will do business with me first. The Commenii family have little love for the Paleaologi family.”
“Let us see the quality of your goods, my lord,” said the merchants’ spokesman, and Alexander knew he had won this first round. Clapping his hands, he sent a servant to fetch Basil. “My chamberlain will take you,” he said. “I realize that my presence might intimidate you. Talk freely among yourselves. When you have seen my goods we will speak again.”
The merchants trooped out and Alexander sat back in his chair reflectively sipping wine from a Venetian crystal goblet set with silver and turquoise. The merchants would be foolish to refuse Alexander’s offer.
And when they saw his trade goods they would be more than anxious to come to Mesembria rather than go to Constantinople. Mesembria was a shorter trip, but the real savings in time was the fact that their entire cargos would be bought by Alexander. There would be no more haggling with Constantinople’s merchants for bits and pieces of cargos. There would be no port taxes, landing fees, or trading permits. There would also be no officials seeking bribes. And Mesembria offered sailors amusements just as varied as Constantinople’s.
Upon returning the merchants could not hide their enthusiasm. The bargain was quickly struck. The prince would personally inspect their cargos and then payment would be made. Alexander was jubilant. His dreams were beginning to come true.
Adora had been working hard to give substance to her dream of education for all the city’s youth. Schools were opened offering both classical and practical education. The new queen decreed that all the children of her city must learn to read and to write. From the age of six to the age of twelve they were expected to attend school six months of the year. People of any age, however, were welcome to attend.
Even little girls were expected to go to school. When at first a grumbling arose about the foolishness of educating women, Adora reminded the parents of Mesembria of their proud Greek heritage. The maidens of ancient Greece had been taught along with their brothers. She then offered to dower the ten best female students each year, thereby greatly enhancing the value of an educated wife!
The days moved swiftly in a haze of hard work, for neither Alexander nor Theadora was an idle ruler. The nights were slow passages of sensual delights. The lovers strove to found a new dynasty for Mesembria, but Adora did not conceive.
Two nights before he was to leave for Trebizond, Alexander surprised his wife by designating her his regent in his absence. Adora was furious. “But I want to go with you,” she protested. “I cannot bear to be separated from you! I will not be!”
He laughed and, pulling her down into his lap, kissed her angry mouth. “I cannot bear being separated from you either, beauty. But I must go, and we should not both be gone from our city at the same time.”
Her violet eyes were mutinous. “Why not?”
“What if you are with child? What if you came with me and the ship sank? Mesembria would be without a Heracles for the first time in five centuries.”
“Mesembria,” she answered with logic, “would be the poorer without the Heracles family. I will admit that. But it would survive. And besides, I have just finished my show of blood and so am not with child as you well know!”
“Ah, beauty, but we have tonight and tomorrow before us,” and indeed his hands were wandering provocatively.
“No!” She leapt from his lap. “I am not a brood mare! A wife’s place is by her husband’s side. I would go with you, and I will!”
He sighed. “You are behaving like a child, Adora.”
“And you, my lord husband, with all your talk of dynasties are sounding more like a pompous ass every minute. I am not with child, and the likelihood of my becoming so in these next two days is zero! However, if you will let me go with you we may return from Trebizond with not only a trade agreement but the hope of an heir as well. Or is it that you have some agreeable little creature who eagerly awaits your arrival in Trebizond?”
“Theadora!”
“Alexander!”
Her outrage and determination heightened her beauty, and he nearly succumbed. But a man must still be master in his own house. With a swiftness that quite surprised her, he caught her and, turning her over his knee, pulled up her gown and paddled her bare bottom. She shrieked, more with outrage than with pain.
“If you behave like a child you must be treated like one,” he said sternly, giving her a final swat. He turned her back over.
“I will never forgive you for this,” she sobbed.
“Yes, you will,” he answered with infuriating calm, and his mouth turned up in a mischievous smile as he bent to kiss her. She compressed her lips tightly together. Chuckling, he persisted, nibbling at her mouth while her eyes flashed outrage at him. Then he stopped and said quietly, “Theadora, my sweet Adora! I love you!”
“Damn you, Alexander,” she responded huskily, and her arms encircled his neck. “First you beat me, and then you want to make love to me. I have heard about men like you, and I do not know if I approve!”
He began to laugh. “Where on earth did you ever learn of such things, Adora?”
“The women in Orkhan’s harem may be cloistered, but they are quite knowledgeable, and there is little to do there but talk.”
“It is a husband’s duty to correct and chastise his wife,” he teased her.
“Not just before he wants to make love to her,” she teased him back.
That night he made love to her slowly and with such controlled passion that several times she screamed at him to take her now! She had never known him to be so deliberate. He used her body as he might have used a fine instrument-with great delicacy and with a skill that left her breathless and pleading for more.
His head moved slowly down her body, kissing softly, until he reached her secret place. He tasted her, and she moaned, her head thrashing wildly. He raised his golden head. “Do you remember the first time, beauty? The first time I loved you like this?”