The pope sat at the head of the table, with Sofia and Bessarion to his right and left. The rest of the guests were cardinals and bishops who Sofia did not recognize. The table was set with silver, gold and crystal — a sharp contrast to the plain wooden dishes that served the Greek court. Each course was more delicious than the last: a tartara of egg, cheese and ground almonds, spiced with cinnamon and served with sweet white wine; fried sardines stuffed with marjoram, sage, rosemary and saffron, accompanied with a sparkling Lambrusco; hare with a fennel and almond sauce and a full-bodied red from Montepulciano. While the assembled cardinals and bishops gorged themselves, Pope Nicholas ate little and spoke much, engaging Sofia and Bessarion in philosophical debate upon the merits of Saint Augustine and the brilliance of Averoes.
As the evening dragged on with no mention of union or the Synaxis' letter, Sofia's mind drifted away from the conversation, which currently focused on the question of free will. She found herself thinking of Longo, of their kiss. She wondered what he was doing now, if he thought of her, and at the same time wondered why she should care so much.
She was brought back to the present by a tap on the shoulder from Pope Nicholas. To her embarrassment, she realized that he had just asked her a question. 'I fear you were somewhere else for a while, Princess,' Nicholas said, smiling. 'Perhaps you were contemplating the beautiful logic of Aquinas.'
Sofia blushed. 'Something very like, yes Your Holiness,' she murmured.
'I was asking what you think of the basilica of Saint Peter,' Nicholas said. 'I am contemplating tearing it down and replacing it with a grander structure.'
Sofia was surprised at this. The basilica was a spectacular building. Its towering entrance — massive columns leading to two tiers of arches that held up a peaked roof — was justly famous around the world as a symbol of the papacy. 'Saint Peter's has stood for over a thousand years,' she said. 'I would hesitate to destroy something so ancient.'
'The laws and beliefs of the Catholic Church are also ancient, Princess, yet the Synaxis would have me cast them aside. They claim it is to build a greater, unified Church, but just as you say, I am reluctant to destroy something so ancient, so beautiful.' The Synaxis at last, Sofia thought. The other guests fell silent and leaned forward to hear her reply.
'You would not be destroying the beliefs of the Church,' Sofia countered. 'You would only be adding to them.'
'And what if I grant the Synaxis' requests and they still refuse union? I will have humbled the Church for nothing, and perhaps ruined any chance of ever achieving a true union.' Assent echoed down the table. Only Bessarion kept quiet.
'What you say is true,' Sofia replied. 'The Synaxis might still reject union, even if you accept all their demands. But then the emperor will be free to force the Union through, even if he has to remove every bishop in the Synaxis. They will be unable to stop him, for they have already agreed to union on these terms by signing the letter.'
'If only I could be as sure as you are, Princess, that Emperor Constantine would indeed enforce the Union even over the complaints of his clergy.'
'If Leontarsis were not ill, I am certain that he would be here to pledge the emperor's word. But, since he is not, I will pledge it myself as ambassador of Constantinople.' Sofia offered a silent prayer of thanks for Leontarsis's absence. He would have promised no such thing, and in doing so would have ruined all of her hard work.
Nicholas nodded. 'Very well then,' he said. 'I believe that this matter is settled. After the details are attended to, I shall hold an audience where I will recognize the desires of the Eastern bishops, as a prelude to a true union of the Church. I do hope that Leontarsis will be well enough to attend that meeting.' Nicholas winked. 'In the meantime, let us begin dessert, and there is a question that I have for you, Princess, concerning our friend Aquinas…' The audience the pope had promised came sooner than Sofia had expected, only three days later. Sofia was visiting the studio of the famed painter Vittore Pisano when a messenger entered and told her that she was to come to the pope's audience chamber immediately.
Sofia found Leontarsis wringing his hands as he waited for her outside. 'Do you know why we were summoned so suddenly?' Sofia asked. 'Is the pope ready to officially recognize the Synaxis' demands?'
Leontarsis shook his head. 'I thought we were still weeks away from any declaration. Yesterday, we were still working out the exact language of how the pope would be referred to in the unified Church.'
Far above, in the tall square tower of St Peter's basilica, the bells began to toll the hour of noon, and the doors swung open before them. Sofia's eyes went first to the pope, sombre on his throne, and then to the man standing beside him, the man whose presence explained the suddenness of this audience: Gregory Mammas, Patriarch of Constantinople.
Sofia and Leontarsis reached the throne together and made their obeisances before the pope. Nicholas gave them a brief, strained smile, and then bid them rise. 'Leontarsis, Princess Sofia,' he began. 'Your presence at our court has been most welcome, as have been the kind words that you have brought from Emperor Constantine. Know that you will both always be welcome in Rome.' Both Leontarsis and Sofia bowed in recognition.
'You have offered wise council, and we have had much to reflect on,' Nicholas continued. 'In light of all that we have heard and learned, both from you and from the recently arrived Patriarch of Constantinople himself, we declare and decree, in the name of God the Father, the following response to Constantine, Emperor of the Romans.'
A tonsured priest stepped forward and began to read from a sheet of parchment: 'If you, with your nobles and the people of Constantinople, accept the decree of union, you will find Us and Our venerable brothers, the cardinals of the holy Roman Church, ever eager to support your honour and your empire. But if you and your people refuse to accept the decree, you will force Us to take such measures as are necessary for your salvation and Our honour.'
Sofia frowned. The pope's declaration was even worse than she had feared. It was a wholesale rejection of the Synaxis and all they had asked for. 'But Your Holiness,' Sofia protested, 'this will only strengthen the Synaxis. What of your decision to accept their demands?'
The pope only shook his head; it was Mammas who answered her. 'The Synaxis and the people who follow them are fools and heretics. They will never agree to union,' he said. 'Giving in to their demands will only make them bold and sanction their unholy attempts to usurp the power of the patriarch. If they will not willingly join the Union, then they must be made to join. There can be no compromise with such people.'
Sofia ignored him and addressed the pope again. 'You would turn your back on Constantinople then? You are abandoning us to the Turks!'
'No,' Nicholas sighed. 'You yourself said that Constantine has the power to force the bishops to adhere to the Union. I agree with Mammas. It is not reason that prevents the Greeks from accepting the Union, but stubborn pride. Let Constantine force their adherence, and then we will send what aid we can to your city. Until that time, we cannot help those who lie outside of the Church. The fate of Constantinople is in God's hands.' Nicholas paused, and when he spoke again his voice was softer. 'I am sorry, Princess, but I cannot place even your advice over the word of the patriarch. He knows his flock better than you or I ever could.'
Sofia nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She bowed and strode from the room, not even waiting for the pope's dismissal. Once outside the audience chamber, she leaned against the wall and sank to the floor, her head in her hands. She had failed. This entire trip had been for nothing. One ship each from the Venetians and Genoese, and now no help from Rome. They might as well have never come.