1 A beautiful sight

Constantine sits down in his chair and collects his thoughts. "Why would I be sent to Morea? Im not the most experienced commander, I only have a small bit of experience against Turkish raiders into my territory."

"This will be a problem once I've departed, they will begin raiding again," he speaks to himself. "I'll have to inform Iovinus of this problem."

He walks towards the corner of his room where his gear stands. The young man slides his hands across the Paramerion(sword) hanging next to his armor. It's sharp, long, and curved with a leather handle and iron hilt, a fine weapon he had received after the death of his father. He looks towards his armor, scale klivanion, an armor used by the older generations. It was his most prized treasure out of all the things he had been given. It would shine from across the room with its iron scales and a red cloak on the backside of it.

A man knocks on the door of his room

"Who is it?" Constantine demands.

"It's your favorite captain, Domianus!" Yells the man barging into the room.

Constantine looks at the man with a serious look

"You, my favorite? Never in a million years, maybe once the Theodosian Walls fall," he grins.

They both begin to laugh and Constantine comes to hug Domianus

"My friend, I haven't seen you in 5 years! Last time we talked was back in Constantinople during our military training." Exclaims Constantine.

"I know my friend, I had no one to pick on after you left the capital," Domianus grins. "Luckily, you'll be able to see my face a few more years as your brother has asked me to accompany you to Morea."

"Now that you bring it up, why was I asked to go to Morea?" Asks Constantine.

Domianus sighs, "Your brother was doing well in his efforts in Morea, well, up until the Venetians arrived to support the Latins and Epirus against him. To make it worse, the Turks had breached the Hexamillion and damaged it. Thousands of them poured into the peninsula pillaging the land."

"I see, that is an issue, would we really even be able to change the issue in Morea? I only have 400 men under my command," questions Constantine.

"You have a Droungos of men? That's more than enough! I am also bringing a small retinue of 30 men to come and assist in our situation in Morea. The real reason why we're needed is because we can change the tide of the war, if we were there, we would've beaten them back by now." Proudly exclaims Domianus.

"However, the leader of Epirus is a cunning man named Carlo Tocco, and he has a Tourma of men under his command (2,400 men). We have 8 Droungoi (3,200 men) under our control, and they have a large fortress to defend their lands in Glarentza. To make it worse, the Latin principalities there also have a about 4 Droungoi (1,600 men) under their command. The Turks are another factor, but the report on them says that there are thousands of them." Domianus sighs, "The situation is hopeless at the moment, which is why we're being sent."

"I see, we should depart as soon as possible, by tomorrow, we should be loaded up with men and supplies," says Constantine.

"I'll leave you to your thinking Constantine, I'm going to go drink a little bit before we leave, if I'm too drunk just leave me here!" Domianus laughs out.

Constantine looks back out to the sea, it was already night, the sun had fallen and the moon risen, it was beautiful. He moves towards his bed, lays down and thinks "we only have 3,600 men against 4,000 or more?" He turns over and looks out towards the window once again, "Tomorrow, tomorrow is the day my story truly begins."

avataravatar
Next chapter