A Flame in Byzantium

Drosos stopped in the act of loosening the buckles that held his lorica and said, 'I decided against it. She's tempting enough but… I never trust a slave in bed. Who knows why they're there?'

Chrysanthos held out the larger of the two cups to Drosos and lifted the other. 'Well, here's to forgetfulness.'

'Amen,' said Drosos as he took the cup. He drank greedily, a little thread of wine sliding down his chin from the corner of his mouth. He wiped this away on his cuff. 'No, I changed my mind about the Egyptian girl.'

'You miss your Roman widow,' Chrysanthos said, making the suggestion a teasing one; in Drosos' mercurial mood he did not know how he would react to such a remark.

'Yes,' he said after taking a second draught. 'That is just what I need,' he told Chrysanthos.

'The wine or the widow?'

'Either. Both.' He picked up the cup a third time but did not drink at once. 'She would understand.'

'Then it's a pity she's not here,' said Chrysanthos, feeling his way with his Captain.

'Yes, a great pity.' He drank and held out his cup for more.

They sat together until the sun came up; gradually their words became slurred and indistinct and their thoughts no longer held together. But though Drosos drank with single-minded determination, the anguish remained at the back of his eyes and nothing he could do or say touched it.

* * *

Text of a letter from Captain Ghornan to Pope Sylvestros.

To Pope Sylvestros, currently in Puteoli, Captain Ghornan sends greetings and thanks for his perseverance.

The tables and chests you found for me when we last dealt together have brought a higher price than we expected, and I have paid the monies to your wife's family, as you requested. You will find that they are more pleased with your absence now than they were a year ago.

However, I must warn you that the Emperor has ordered that more inspections for contraband be carried out on ships landing in Byzantion, and therefore I am considering marketing our goods elsewhere. There is a good market in Nicopolis which is not as profitable as that of Konstantinoupolis, but has the advantage that there are very few questions to answer and no soldiers to seize questionable items. It might mean that we do not realize as much gold, but we will have our hands and our ears which means much to me.

You mentioned that you found a villa near Vivarium that has eight fine chairs inlaid with ivory. That would be a treasure, but something that distinctive might be too risky for us just now. We've had some cargo identified as smuggled, and we had better save those until later. If you still have space in that warehouse in Ostia, it might be worth taking the chairs there and storing them for a while until a suitable market may be found for them. The same is probably true of those statues you mentioned, although shipping them is difficult. As to your suggestion that we take the last of the couches from that villa near Roma, I would recommend that you stay away from there for the time being since I have learned that the owner was able to identify some of the pieces when we offered them for sale in Konstantinoupo-lis.

It might be wisest if you were to return to your church in Konstantinoupolis for a short while. Your continued absence might create more questions than you or I wish to answer, and I for one do not want to come under suspicion, for then we will all have to be circumspect in a way that has not been necessary before. When you return, you need only claim that the battles in Italy were too costly for you to be able to continue your ministry without great risk. It might be fashionable to court martyrdom, but your metropolitan will endorse your prudence if you are not foolish about it.

The jewels you discovered in the villa near the Via Valeria are more promising than some of the other discoveries you have made, for they are small and it is not likely that the owners survived the onslaught of Totila's men. You can put the jewels into large barrels and fill the rest with grain or some other anonymous substance and the chances are excellent that it will go undetected through the inspections that are being imposed upon us all. You can indicate that you are bringing grain or something similar to your family or the poor who come to your church and it is certain that you will be unscathed.

Let me also remind you that once you are back with your wife and your church that it will be necessary for you to have a consistent tale to tell them all. You can prepare that in advance, but once you have decided on it, you must memorize it and hold to it, or there are those who will be prepared to leave your name with the officers of the Censor and then you would be in a very bad position. As harsh as the magistrates are being with sailors accused of smuggling, they are more severe with popes who take advantage of their cloth and calling to turn the service of their faith to profit. In your case, they might want to make an example of you. Guard yourself well, you Orthodox heretic.

As soon as it is safe, we will deal together again, but not, I think, in Konstantinoupolis. If you think of a market we might exploit, let me know of it.

This by my own hand and with the recommendation that you not keep it in your possession for more than a day or two since it would go hard for us both if it were discovered,

Ghornan

9

When Eugenia came into the vestibule of her house she was startled to discover Simones waiting for her. 'Is… has something happened to your mistress?' she asked, unable to account for his presence and wanting her majordomo to hear whatever it was that the eunuch had come to tell her.

'She is doing much the same,' said Simones as he made a reverence to Eugenia.

'The General then? Has there been a change in his condition?' She felt puzzled and worried and when she spoke again, her words came faster than before. 'You are disturbing me, Simones.'

'Perhaps you might spare me a little time, great lady.' He sounded so self-deprecating that Eugenia nearly called him insolent.

'I have other tasks,' she said, starting to move away.

'It is important, or I would not have come.' He looked at her directly, without any apology. 'There are some questions that I hope you will answer for me.'

'What questions are those?' Her voice was sharp.

'They are only for your welfare, great lady. You need not fear my motives.' He glanced at her majordomo. 'If you were to grant me a little time and privacy… ?'

'Oh, if you're determined,' she said, her mouth turning down with irritation. 'The smaller reception room is this way.' She indicated the way as she said to her majordomo, 'Isa, leave us alone until I send for you.

There is more than enough work for you and the others. Tend to that while I discover why this slave has come.'

'As you speak it is done, great lady,' said Isa, making his reverence and withdrawing quickly.

'Very well; tell me.' Eugenia was following Simones down the hallway, her patience already wearing thin.

'That is my intention,' said Simones as he entered the smaller reception room and closed the door behind Eugenia so that they were alone. 'You have not called at the house of my master of late.'

'Your mistress is ill,' said Eugenia bluntly.

'My mistress is no longer influential,' Simones corrected her. 'If she had kept her position, you would not have let her illness keep you away.'

'Of all the brazen—' Eugenia began indignantly.

'Great lady, if you insist on these performances we will accomplish little.' Simones had folded his arms over his wide, muscular chest and he waited while she turned startled eyes on him and fell silent. 'You have not come to see Antonina, and she finds this troubling.'

'I'm sorry to hear that, but she understands my predicament. She would tell you that herself.' Eugenia smiled beguilingly. 'If that is what you were sent to tell me, I'm sorry to tell you that Antonina and I have—'

Simones moved a few steps closer to Eugenia. 'I think it would be very wise of you to resume your visits.'

Eugenia laughed in disbelief. 'You think that, do you? You? A slave?'

'Yes. It would be sensible for you to write Antonina a letter, telling her that you have heard that she is not well and that you wish to spend some time with her in spite of the risk you run in terms of making the match you