‘Comm—Ash?’
‘My lady?’
Her fingers clenched on his arm, but she doubted he would feel it through his mail shirt. ‘Tell me, do you expect to be defeated?’
Startled blue eyes met hers. ‘I do not consider defeat, my lady, but I had better warn you, I may not always be in a position to protect you. My Emperor has lost much support.’
‘The Varangians remains loyal, though.’
‘Naturally, it is a point of honour with us. If necessary, we shall fight to the death. We do not consider defeat.’ Catching the eye of a guard at the gate, he waved him over.
‘Sir?’
‘Please escort the Princess back to her apartments in the Boukoleon.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘And whatever might happen in the City, make sure one of my men remains posted outside her chambers at all times. For the Princess’s protection.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Giving her an ironic salute, Ashfirth swung on his heel and turned, the curve of his battle-axe winking as he went. She stared after him, dread lifting the hairs on her neck. Apart from Ash, the square appeared deserted.
‘Guard?’
‘My lady?’
‘What lies across that square?’
‘Why, the Milion Arch, my lady.’
She almost took an involuntary step after him. Would she see him again? Commander Ashfirth was a brave man, noble and honourable. Was he walking to his death?
His parting words rang round her brain. ‘I do not consider defeat.’
He is expecting to be killed!
Her heart was like lead. Ashfirth Saxon was a man like no other, he did not deserve to die. Although angry that she had deceived him, he remained mindful of her well-being. Of course, his Emperor had put her into his care; doubtless Ashfirth’s sense of honour forced him to care for her even though he knew she had deceived him.
She sent the man at her elbow a wry glance. If setting a guard over me could be construed as looking after me…
Am I your prisoner, Ash?
It was a question she was unable to answer.
The square behind her was entirely empty, Ash had passed out of sight. She forced her lips to smile and looked expectantly at the guard. ‘Very well, you may escort me to my apartments.’
The Varangians were in exactly the same position as when Ash had left them, drawn up in close battle array in front of the Milion. Palaiologos and his men stood alongside. Little had changed.
On the other side of the square, by the Hippodrome, a few more German mercenaries had arrived, but their ranks remained thin. Ash felt his lip curl; he would wager that at least half their number were on the rampage elsewhere on the City. Clearly discipline was poor in the enemy camp. The usurper’s mercenaries. Lord, he had never thought Alexios Komnenos would push matters this far!
‘Still at a stand-off, Captain?’
‘Yes, sir. There’s nothing to report.’
Ash took his place by the standard and settled in for what looked like a long wait. He had caught himself unawares when he had proposed marriage to her.
Marriage!
The strain of these past days must be taking their toll, Ash had bedded women before and marriage had never occurred to him. Had thoughts of death goaded him to pose that particular question today? Katerina. He had told her that he had not considered defeat, and that much was true. Death, on the other hand, was a real possibility.
Ash turned to face his men and lifted his axe high. Five hundred pairs of eyes locked on to him. His lifted his voice. ‘Varangians, are your blades hungry?’
As one, five hundred axes crashed against the shields; five hundred voices cried, ‘Aye!’
‘Varangians, will your axes taste blood?’
This time the axes crashed three times, steel against lime wood, as they yelled, ‘Aye! Aye! Aye!’
Helms and chainmail glittered as Ash strode to and fro before them and the cheering went on.
‘For the Emperor!’
‘The Emperor!’
Finally, Ash raised a hand for silence. ‘For now, men, we wait. And we watch.’ He turned to face the enemy.
Until today he had thought it no great matter if he should die in the service of his Emperor. It would be a glorious death, one for the bards, but now…now…
In his mind’s eye Katerina was smiling up at him and her mouth—that lying mouth that would not tell him everything—was as tempting as ever.
I do not want to die!
He eased his shoulders. For the tenth time that day, he tested the blade of his axe for sharpness and checked his sword. All was in order. Except for his thoughts. They seemed to be taking more twists and turns than the labyrinth of corridors under the Palace.
Why propose marriage? It is not as though I cared for the girl. How could he care for a woman who refused to admit who she really was?
To serve the Princess in such a way, she must be one of her ladies-in-waiting. Not a relation, though, if she was to be believed. She would be safe now, back in the apartments, thank God. Oddly, the mystery of Katerina’s full identity seemed less important than it should. The crucial thing—the only thing—was that she must not come to harm.
Lord, he did care for her! It would seem that the pretty girl who had assumed the identity of the Princess had somehow found her way into his heart. He was oddly unsurprised.
She has refused you. And in any case, you are not likely to see tomorrow’s dawning. He shook his head. This must stop! Too much introspection could weaken a man.
Ash scowled across the square at the random group of mercenaries by the Hippodrome and stamped his feet to keep his blood moving. What the devil was causing the delay?
‘Has General Alexios shown himself, Captain?’
‘No, sir.’
Katerina. What did he know about her? He knew her name. He knew she served the Princess, but there had to be more to it that that. To be willing to put herself into such danger, Katerina had demonstrated rare loyalty.
Why? Simply so the Princess might avoid marriage with Duke Nikolaos? Was that a good enough reason to risk angering an Emperor?
Ash might not think so, but clearly Katerina did.
He ran his gaze over his men, it was important to maintain morale. As if he had not a care in the world he shouted, ‘Sergeant Toki!’
‘Yes, sir?’
‘Give us one of your songs.’
One of the troop’s most popular men, Toki launched into a bawdy drinking song. Moments later, the entire Guard was belting out the familiar words.
Was Katerina driven by family loyalty? She had said she was not a member of the Doukas family, but she had lied to him before. Or might there be another reason? He eyed his troop, singing their hearts out. They were loyal to the last man. The Guard were paid to be loyal, and while they served they received the companionship of their comrades. A companionship that might—for those who had lost homes and family—come to mean the world. As it had for him, until today.
Katerina.
What other reasons might she have for serving the Princess with such devotion? Ash could think of none, not one. What else did he know about her?
She roused protective instincts in him, instincts he had not known he possessed.
She made him lose control—he would never forget the way she had looked lying across those mulberry sheets, holding out those slender arms for him. Even the memory had heat pooling in his groin.
But she has refused you.
Why? She liked him. Ash was not vain, but a man knew when a woman liked him. True, she mistrusted him, but she had confessed to mistrusting most men. She liked him, and when they had tumbled into those silken sheets, the joy had not been entirely his. Katerina might remain a woman of mystery, but she had taken her joy of him under those silken bed hangings.
Might she be promised elsewhere?
No, that did not fit either.
So…her name was Katerina. Faithful to a fault, she served her
princess with unswerving loyalty. She mistrusted men, but she must feel more than a little liking for him to have responded so warmly when they had lain together in that bed.
If he got out of this in one piece, he would build on that liking. One day, Lady Katerina, you shall trust me.
And love? Ash pushed the thought away—he had no time for love. Katerina had found a place in his heart, he was fond of her, but that was as far as it went. He would have to do his best to see that she did not suffer for playing the role the Princess had set her.
Ears ringing with Sergeant Toki’s lewd song, Ash stared blindly across the square. Whatever happened here, if he was alive at the end of it, he would help her.
It did not seem likely that Emperor Nikephoros would be sitting on the throne for much longer. Ash clenched his jaw. He would fight, he would ensure that his men conducted themselves with honour. And after that he prayed he would be given the chance to teach Katerina to put her trust in at least one man. Him.
Her father had—what had she said?—her father had betrayed her. She had told him that men had used their superior strength to impose their will on her, to abuse her.
Dear God, had she been raped? It would seem a possibility. Whatever had happened, she felt shame and obviously the hurt cut deep.
But it is not her shame! When this is over I will convince her she need not feel shamed by the sins others have visited on her.
When she understood that, she would realise there were no barriers between them. I will win her round to my way of thinking, she will marry me. Ash gave a grim smile. In this, as in other matters, he refused to consider defeat.
Chapter Fourteen
Ash marched up and down before his men. What he needed was more information about what the rebel troops were up to elsewhere in the City. ‘Captain Sigurd?’
‘Sir?’
‘Send three scouting parties, two men in each. Different directions. To report back in half an hour.’
‘Yes, sir.’
On his left, towering over a wall, the column in the main square gleamed like gold in the evening rays. Almost as tall as Hagia Sophia, it was crowned with a bronze statue of the Emperor Justinian astride his horse—he was said to be wearing the armour of Achilles. It must be true about the armour, Ash thought wryly, for Justinian had ridden up there like a god for centuries. And most likely he would continue to do so, long after the dust had settled from today’s crisis.
Twilight was thickening about them. The beacon had been lit in the Palace lighthouse; the Varangians had been battle ready for hours. At this rate, his troops would be exhausted before battle was joined. Ash was on the brink of redeploying more of the men simply to keep their minds occupied, when a red-faced messenger sprinted up to the standard.
‘Sir!’ The messenger saluted, panting for air.
‘About time,’ Sigurd muttered. ‘It has been far too quiet.’
The older warrior, Palaiologos, was nearby, tugging at his beard. Ash gestured him over. ‘Please, sir, come and share this news.’ He nodded at the messenger. ‘Go on.’
‘Commander, the Patriarch has called for the Emperor to abdicate!’
Ash felt his captain’s rising excitement and deliberately avoided his gaze. The Patriarch, as Head of the Orthodox Church, was almost as powerful as the Emperor. He was bound to be concerned about bloodshed in the City, not to mention the looting and rapes.
‘Has the Emperor responded?’
‘He is resisting, but he has been made aware that most of his support has melted away.’
‘Apart from the Guard,’ Sigurd said grimly, fingering the grip of his battle-axe.
‘Yes, sir, apart from the Varangians.’
Sigurd made a convulsive movement, his eyes gleamed. ‘Commander, I hope Nikephoros does abdicate, he is a pitiful excuse of an Emp—’
‘Enough, Captain!’
Sigurd’s gaze fell. ‘My apologies, sir, but you know my views.’
‘And you know your duty.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Ash gestured at the empty streets. ‘That explains the lull—everyone is hoping diplomacy might win the day, everyone is waiting.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Abdication! How long will it take for the Emperor to come to his decision? How long did they have before hell broke loose?
The messenger shifted. ‘Commander, there is more.’
‘Continue.’
‘The fleet is on the move. Sentries on the sea wall have reported seeing warships moving towards the straights.’
‘Is the Bosphoros clear?’
‘No, sir, they say there are ships everywhere.’
Ash glanced at Palaiologos. ‘Your son’s handiwork? George is Admiral of the fleet, is he not?’
‘Yes, Commander.’ Palaiologos ground his teeth together. ‘And from this day forward, he is no son of mine.’
Ash had no reply to that. The poor man was deeply embarrassed by his son’s disloyalty, and deeply wounded by Alexios Komnenos’s bid for power, which had literally torn his family in two. The father had remained loyal to the ruling Emperor, while the son, George, supported Komnenos.
‘Sir, you are not responsible for the actions of your son,’ Ash said.
Palaiologos mumbled into his beard.
‘You are not responsible for George’s disloyalty,’ Ash repeated. ‘That was his choice and his alone.’
The glow of the lighthouse beacon caught his gaze. As Ash looked at it, an idea began to take shape…the lighthouse…something to do with the lighthouse…
‘Hell, this will mean more waiting, while the Emperor makes his decision,’ Palaiologos growled. ‘Nothing is likely to happen until dawn.’
‘I am not so sure, there may be something we can do,’ Ash said. He was transfixed by that lighthouse. ‘Advise me, sir. I have a question and it concerns seamanship.’
‘Seamanship?’ Palaiologos gave him a black look. ‘It is my son who is Admiral, Commander, not I.’
Ash pointed at the glow around the lighthouse. ‘It is a simple question. At night, how much reliance would you say the fleet places on the lighthouse?’
Palaiologos stared blankly at him for a moment, before giving a reluctant smile. ‘You are thinking of dousing the light, Commander?’
‘Wouldn’t you?’ Ash spread his hands. ‘The lighthouse is sited in the Palace. It is under our control and, unless I am mistaken, the fleet relies on it to navigate around the point.’
‘That they do, Commander. Douse that light and at the least you will cause confusion.’
Ash grinned.
‘Shall I send someone back to the Palace, sir?’ Sigurd asked.
‘No, since we find ourselves in something of a lull, I shall see to the dousing of the light myself,’ Ash said. ‘Send a runner if you need me. There are other matters in the Palace that need my attention—in view of this news, I need to amend the orders of the Treasury guards.’
And there is a certain brown-eyed lady-in-waiting called Katerina…but she will have to wait, of course, until after I have completed my military duties.
He became aware of Sigurd exchanging remarks with Palaiologos. ‘What was that, Captain?’
‘Whatever the Emperor decides, we shall come out of this with honour.’
‘That is my hope,’ Ash said. ‘I am also determined that we shall come out of this alive.’
Servants had lit the braziers and lamps in the reception chamber, they were closing the shutters and drawing the heavy brocade curtains against the oncoming night. As they did so, Katerina noticed that the Sea of Marmara was filled with sails. Hundreds of them were bellied out with the wind, like ghosts on the evening sea. The faint pulse of a drum reached her, and then the shutters were closed and the curtains were pulled across. The drumbeat faded.
On the north side, the windows overlooked the Palace terraces and courtyards, the City lay beyond. Moving across, Katerina hooked back a curtain and peered out.
What is happening out there?
/>
It was very quiet. One or two torches lit up the pathways and fountains, shadows shifted in the courtyards, but she saw no one, not even a patrolling guard. Katerina had not been a resident of the Palace long enough to know it in all its moods…but something had changed. Was it her imagination, or did the grounds seem much darker than usual?
The lighthouse has gone out!
Now that her eyes were adjusting to the intense gloom, Katerina could make out the tall black point that was the lighthouse tower. On previous nights, it had lit up the Palace grounds like a giant’s torch, blazing a warning to ships: Land ahead! Beware the approaching landmass! Not tonight.
She chewed her lip. Had the lighthouse guards abandoned their posts? Or had the fire not been lit in hopes of putting the Emperor’s enemies into disarray?
Behind her, Paula, the older of the two children, murmured a sleepy protest, but before she could go to see what was wrong, Sylvia was kneeling in a pool of lamplight at the child’s side, stroking her brow. Sylvia was the maidservant Katerina had put in charge of the children and she was proving to be a good choice. Katerina smiled at Sylvia as she soothed the girl, her smile fading as her gaze came to rest on the empty pallet of the Frankish slave. Ash had seemed confident that the slave would not harm Lady Anna, but why had there been no sign of them? Katerina had not seen Anna since they had become separated outside Hagia Irene.
Something terrible must have happened. Has the Frank kept Anna safe? Or is he making a bid for freedom? Why haven’t they returned?
Katerina stared blindly at the empty pallet. She had had her misgivings about buying that slave, but Anna had insisted.
I will never forgive myself if he hurts her.
Resting a hand on the looped-back curtain, she peered into the darkness.
If only I could see beyond the reach of those torches; if only I could see over those walls to the Milion Arch. Has there been fighting? Is he safe?
Bound to the Barbarian Page 20