“Everyone in the city realizes that.”
“But some of us appreciate it more than others. Those of us who lived through the anarchy of Anastasius’ reign do not want the factions to return to the prominence they had then. Do you remember how they stoned Anasatasius at the Hippodrome? How they sided with the usurper heretic Vitalian? How Anastasius went to the factions without his crown, and humiliated himself to keep the peace? You do not, because you were not in Constantinople that many years ago.”
“If you will excuse me, I must return home, Narses. It is late.”
They had reached the end of the walkway, presided over by a bronze of Emperor Constantine, the founder of the city. Clearly, the man had been a soldier. A square featured face with a cleft chin sat upon a bull-like neck. The statue presented a sad contrast to the shrunken figure of the treasurer who wielded so much power in the present empire.
John turned away to cross the courtyard leading to his residence.
Narses raised his hand, gesturing John to stop. His voluminous sleeve slipped down, revealing a preternaturally thin wrist, the wrist of a skeleton or a starving beggar. Rings decorating his fingers flashed in the torch light. “Justinian intended to present the Green and the Blue to the masses at the Hippodrome. A surprising and magnanimous gesture which would surely have pacified all but the most hardened troublemakers.”
“They were not murdered on my watch.”
“I know that, my young colleague, but does Justinian appreciate it? What do you suppose Theodora is telling him? I am glad she does not display such enmity toward me as she does to you. Perhaps you do not realize the extent of your danger. Otherwise you would not risk failing in your assignment by refusing to employ every means at your disposal. And mine.”
“The means at your disposal?”
“Why should we not assist one another? After all, we are much alike, are we not? And consider. The credit would belong to both of us. Your failure will belong to you alone.”
“I would prefer to do the job myself and take credit for my success.”
Narses lowered his hand, his gaunt face as expressionless as that of a snake. “You are a naive young man, John. You may find such success to be as unhealthy for you as failure.”
Chapter Four
January 11, 532
The full-bearded excubitor loitering near the Chalke gate to the palace took another bite from a wrinkled apple and pulled his cloak tighter around his broad shoulders. He looked toward the mouth of the wide thoroughfare of the Mese, past the beggars and hawkers of soiled goods both animate and inanimate who clustered in the courtyard near the massive bronze doors from which the gate took its name, not so close as to attract unwanted attention from the guards on either side but near enough to catch the attention of those passing in and out of the grounds.
On many mornings Felix stood guard here but today he was on watch for his own reasons. They did not include buying the half dead chicken thrust toward his face by a beggar, who had probably just stolen the pitiful fowl from a vendor. He swore and waved the man away.
Felix’s colleague Bato laughed. “A bird like that’s enough to make a man stick to apples and turnips like our emperor.” Having finished his own apple, Bato tossed the gnawed core to the ground. It hardly had time to collect filth before it was snatched up and devoured by a thin boy.
“Here they come!” Felix exclaimed.
An eddy disturbed the crowd, which began to part, making way for a contingent of soldiers.
“That’s not Belisarius,” Bato replied. “It’s Mundus.”
The tall man at their head strode along with an easy swing born of countless days of foot marching. His men wore no armor or helmets, revealing hair bleached of color by the strong sunlight under which they had served in hotter climates. Each man was armed either with a spear over a shoulder or a long sword. The regular thudding of heavy boots echoed against the walls of the surrounding buildings.
Felix grunted. “Belisarius wouldn’t be walking, I wager.”
“Your Belisarius seems to spend most of his time consulting Justinian. Now, Mundus, there’s a real commander. His Heruli are disciplined fighters, not the usual rabble who wave blunt spears at some old village women for the glory of Justinian and expect a fat purse at the end of it!”
“Mundus didn’t force the Persians to beg for peace!”
“You don’t suppose Belisarius did, do you? From what I hear, he had his men hiding in ditches. He was afraid to fight until his officers shamed him into it. Then he was forced to turn tail and run-from a gang of peasants armed mostly with shields. He probably would’ve bought that sick chicken just now to avoid a confrontation. If it hadn’t been for Cabades dying and Chosroes taking the throne, the Persians would be at the walls of Constantinople right now and we’d have Justinian’s eternal peace all right, being as we’d all be dead!”
Felix glared at Bato, who broke into a grin.
“You shouldn’t take everything so seriously, Felix! Now I’m off to the Inn of the Centaurs to get a skin full of wine!”
“Don’t wager on that racing game that was set up in front of the place the other day.” Felix advised. “You may think only Fortuna influences those colored balls rolling down chutes and tunnels and popping out of archways here and there, but it’s my belief the proprietor’s found some way to fix the results. I lost half a month’s wages!”
Mundus and his soldiers had tramped through the gate into the palace grounds and Bato went up the Mese in the direction from which they had come.
Felix wondered what, exactly, the soldiers had been doing out in the city on foot. Unrest in various quarters signalled the factions’ way of demanding the release of the condemned men held at the Church of Saint Laurentius. The Urban Prefect had sent men to guard the church. Perhaps Mundus had been needed to quell violence elsewhere while Belisarius had been sent into the streets to make a show of force, to let the disgruntled factions see what they would come against if they were, in fact, looking for a fight.
Despite what Bato said, Justinian seemed well pleased by Belisarius’ efforts on the Persian front. If the Persians hadn’t been able to defeat him, a mob certainly couldn’t.
Felix stamped his boots, trying to warm cold feet. There was a promise of frost in the crisp air. If snow fell, as it did occasionally, it would take its toll on the homeless who spent their nights huddled under porticoes. The boy who had eaten the remains of Bato’s apple had stationed himself nearby, hand extended in a mute appeal for charity, the rags covering his feet fluttering in the icy wind. Felix tossed his core toward the urchin who deftly caught it on the downward arc.
Might have been me, Felix thought. The lad has a keen eye and looks sturdy despite being half starved. He might make a good recruit if-but at that point his speculation ended as he spotted the flash of sunlight on the Mese where the gathered people were scattering again.
“Belisarius,” Felix breathed.
Led by their general, the mounted force clattered toward the Chalke, horses steaming in the chilly air. Felix caught a glimpse of Belisarius’ face beneath the polished helmet-high cheekbones, straight nose, a black, closely trimmed beard. He presented the appearance of a patrician more than a warrior, looking too young to have seen combat, let alone to serve Justinian as a general.
As he drew even with the spot where Felix stood, Belisarius reined in his horse. For an instant Felix had the irrational idea that the great general had paused to speak to him. Instead, he turned his head in the other direction and Felix had the impression he was exchanging a few words with someone.