Chapter 196: A Condition Impossible To Refuse
Born in the Purple Chamber, what an ironic title, they are the eldest son and eldest daughter of Manuel I, second only to the Emperor in nobility. When people call Manuel I Basileus, they also call her brother Caesar and her Basilis（a variant of Basileus） or Augusta.
But today, her brother can only share the title of most noble one with Manuel I’s illegitimate sons, and she, her mother was once Augusta, but now that title has been taken by her stepmother, people can only call her Illustrious One, almost equal to those noble ladies with no royal blood, this ambiguous, equivocal title stings her ears and heart every time.
But these things she cannot change, just as she cannot change her father’s mind, remind him to choose a suitable husband for her, leave this suffocating court, she even cannot see Manuel I—the supreme ruler surrounded by eunuchs and consorts, he only ever sees the faces he wants to see, and she has been ignored by the Emperor for over a decade.
Anna gripped the scroll in her hand tightly, it was a poem written by the famous scholar Agathias, she lowered her head, the black letters leaped into her eyes: “Death is the mother of rest, she relieves pain and poverty. Why fear her? Man dies but once, no one can die twice.”
When she realized she was yearning for the scene within, she threw away the scroll in her hand like tossing a handful of burning coals.
She had to admit, in these years, she had more than once thought of death.
People always love to trample the weak, especially when that weak one has a lofty status, that secret pleasure, except for those with firm will and noble character, regardless of men or women, old or young, lowly, all cannot help but quickly sink into it—if not for Manuel I’s favored consort Theodora always accompanying and protecting her, her fate would probably not be much better than those poor girls wandering in the Hippodrome.
When they are young, they have to do all sorts of tedious chores, when grown, they are pushed onto the auction block by their fathers, or their mothers, or even their husbands, where guests bid competitively.
The Grand Imperial Palace is no cleaner or nobler than the Hippodrome. In fact, the filth hidden within is more than people think. Even though Manuel I has publicly taken his own niece as a consort.
Besides Manuel I, every man who can come and go here can freely toy with the girls in the court who have no one to look after them, whether he is their father, uncles and elder cousins, or even brother.
“What are you thinking?”
The sudden voice startled the Princess. She leaped up from the chair she was sitting on, only to see her handmaids had all silently knelt, they did not warn her, which was not surprising.
“Alexios.”
Manuel I’s eldest son Alexios, that is, the crown prince who lost everything overnight, her brother. By rights, the two siblings should support each other in this cold den of demons, help each other, but in fact it is not so. When Manuel I married Mary of Antioch, Alexios was already grown, he was once ambitious and protective of his little sister, but all that was based on him still having glory and power.
If others dared to touch what was in his hands, Alexios would unhesitatingly draw his sword and chop off their heads, but the one doing so was their father and Monarch, the unique dictator in their lives.
And before this expedition, Manuel I had never disappointed his subjects and people, he was high in position and power, majestic, no one dared easily provoke the lion’s mane, not even her brother, but to say he was willing to accept such defeat and torment would be greatly mistaken.
He is still trying. Although every attempt ends in bloody failure under Manuel I’s deliberate connivance, in the end even Anna saw through it, she once tried to persuade her brother, only to be slapped by him.
But to say she was disheartened with Alexios from then on? No, not at all, after their mother died, she left them little inheritance, or rather that inheritance had been stripped by Manuel I and used on himself or other consorts—he looks at them not like his own offspring, but like his enemies.
For Anna, Alexios is the only relic left by her mother, and the most important one. But Alexios clearly does not think so, seeing Anna’s guarded expression, Alexios showed displeasure: “What are you afraid of, Sister?”
“What am I afraid of, don’t you know?”
Anna retorted, she thought it would make her brother feel guilty, but her brother just sneered disdainfully, “That was when you were twelve. And now you are twenty-five. If you had followed my arrangement back then, you might have become a grandmother by now, what man would like a grandmother?”
Anna pursed her lips, staring at Alexios, saying nothing.
Alexios was right, when she was twelve, no, should say eleven—that night was a few hours before her twelfth birthday—Alexios suddenly found her and secretly took her out, he took her to a small chapel not far from the Grand Imperial Palace.
At that time Anna naively thought Alexios intended to perform a sacrament for their mother together, after all their father did not allow them to publicly mourn his first Empress, but unexpectedly, Alexios only asked her to marry a middle-aged officer.
Of that day’s events, Anna no longer remembers clearly, the only thing she remembers is that extreme madness and fear.
These two emotions drove her to let out a banshee-like scream, the officer still intended to force her, but because her previous cries had attracted some priests, he had to abandon her and flee. Afterward her brother angrily accused her, saying she did not know what was good for her.
But though Anna was young then, her new guardian Theodora, the first thing after taking guardianship, was to explain in detail to her the various provisions in the Justinian Code and Roman law regarding women and marriage.
She knew very well her brother was not giving her a marriage, but using her as a fine gift to someone he might want to bribe, once she was defiled, she would henceforth be just a pawn in her brother’s hands, in any bet he thought might benefit him, he would throw her out, he does not love her, even can be said does not cherish her.
And as she stared at Alexios, Alexios was also gazing at this sister, their father simply did not want to care for them, Manuel I’s deliberate neglect also made those around start turning a deaf ear.
But as a man, Alexios can still get the title of most noble one, and hold an official position in the court. But his sister—as long as Manuel I does not speak, no one dares overstep and inquire about the Princess’s marriage.
Otherwise Alexios would not have resorted to such a desperate measure back then.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” he said: “Our father has found you a husband.” He saw a spark of hope in Anna’s eyes, and immediately smiled maliciously, “You don’t think it’s a very good match, do you. He is not a man of the Byzantine Empire, nor some Caliph, Sultan or Christian King. He is just a Crusader knight, with only a very small city as territory, and the castle and everything his grandfather and father owned have become spoils of war of the Arabs, he is seven or eight years younger than you, still very young, serving as attendant to the King of Ayyarasa Road.”
He deliberately drew out his voice, to let his sister taste the ominous meaning, “But to me, he has not received much favor either. At least he has no official position yet on his body, though he has a Count’s title, but everyone knows he was just an Isaacites merchant’s slave a year ago, how pitiful,” his words pierced the Princess’s body like a cold wind blowing from a tomb, making her tremble all over.
“Our father has not forgotten you. But when he thinks of you, his choice is to marry you to a parakoimomenos.” This title is quite vicious, literally meaning the one who sleeps beside the Emperor, when it appeared in the fourth century, it was exclusive to eunuchs. Even now it can be used for a favored minister close to the Emperor, but for a woman who was once Basilis, there is no greater humiliation.
“While this matter has not been announced, let me give you a suggestion.” Alexios said, “In these years, I have still allowed you to keep your chastity,” he eyed his sister’s face and body up and down with a gaze like appraising some goods.
For some men, a twenty-five-year-old woman is too old, but this is after all Manuel I’s harem, no matter what, Manuel I’s eldest daughter would not be mistreated in food, clothing, housing, and moreover Theodora is indeed not the kind of woman who would use dirty tricks on a child, she raised Anna very well.
Anna lacks Theodora’s glamour and charm, but fits the current image of a good wife and mother, her hair is jet black, braided into two thick plaits, a coronet made of black felt inlaid with gold-set gemstones, a rectangular white veil fixed on the coronet, draping from her crown to her shoulders, her skin is fair, flesh tender, eyebrows somewhat sparse but can be filled with charcoal pencil, her eyes especially beautiful, though not matching her betrothed, but those doe-like brown eyes would be liked by many.
Her lips are rosy, fingers pink and white, figure somewhat slender, but no matter, after bearing one or two children, she will soon plump up. “If you are willing to come with me now,” Alexios said, “I will take you out of the Grand Imperial Palace, marry you to an officer under me, as long as you hold the wedding, father will be angry but will not say much.”
“What if I say no?” Anna asked, she did not want to trust her father, but equally unwilling to hold expectations for her brother, her answer made Alexios’s face change abruptly, “That is not up to you, my sister.” He said stiffly, then advanced.
Anna screamed loudly, Alexios had just grabbed her hair, wanting to slap her, when an angry shout rang out.
Alexios’s movements froze, he turned his head. Seeing Manuel I’s favored consort—also their cousin—hurriedly lifting her robe running here. Behind her followed handmaids and eunuchs with disordered steps, all running out of breath, he snorted lightly, it seemed his previous plan could no longer succeed.
When he heard Manuel I intended to betroth his sister to a Crusader knight with no power whatsoever, he felt the situation was bad, this might be his most important bargaining chip, Anna is very beautiful, even if not, just as Manuel I’s eldest daughter, her status alone can make many infatuated, and his enduring until today without ruining her chastity is for this reason.
Why Manuel I does this, he could guess a bit.
Caesar was once captured by a group of pirates, the pirates demanded 20 talents（one talent about twenty-six kilograms） of silver as ransom, he laughed, saying no, this is an insult to a noble, you should demand 50 talents, the pirates half-believed but did so, after getting 50 talents, they released Caesar.
But later, Caesar led troops back and netted all those pirates, that is another story, set aside for now, but it also shows from the side that from early on, Romans have been extremely cautious about their own value, and this awareness has radiated from Rome to many places, including the barbarians who overthrew the Roman Empire.
From kings to knights, if the one who defeats them does not demand a ransom equal to their status, they instead become furious, feeling insulted.
An Emperor goes without saying. But the problem is, the Byzantine Empire in this expedition, though lost few men and horses, was indeed forced to spend much money—emptied nearly half the treasury, not counting the apparatus burned, which must be reforged later.
Before, the Emperor to seek reinforcements, promised the King of Ayyarasa Road fifteen hundred thousand gold coins and a hundred purple silk robes, another huge expense.
Now he wants to reward those two young men who saved his life, the King of Ayyarasa Road is one thing, but the Count of Edessa by his side gave Manuel I some special thoughts.
He has no army, no territory, not even people willing to support him. Though he has extremely deep affection with the young King of Ayyarasa Road, no matter how sincere, Manuel I has seen plenty, such things that can vanish anytime anywhere are worthless in his eyes.
The Emperor pondered again and again, still unable to decide what reward to give to return this young man’s life-saving grace—until he remembered he still has a dispensable daughter, no matter what, she is the Emperor’s daughter, if not for Manuel I’s suspicion, she should now be one of the most noble women in the entire Empire.
A small Crusader knight can marry such a wife, should he not be extremely fearful and grateful?
Note that Amalric I married not Manuel I’s daughter, but Manuel I’s grandniece.
——————
“You agreed?!” David could not help but exclaim first, he even jumped up from his chair, drawing a fierce glare from his father, Raymond thought it quite fitting—a illegitimate daughter with no title, no dowry, no territory matching a attendant of unknown background, simply a match made in heaven, a perfect pair.
He even thought Caesar was reaching above his station.
But David did not think so, as a Count’s son, the first terms he encountered in lessons were not the Bible or poetry, but the genealogies of various families, he shared Baldwin’s idea, Caesar originally had weak foundations. To make up for it, they must find a way for him to marry a female heir with vast territories, or rather, the Grand Master, Provost, or some Bishop’s sister or daughter in the Knights.
With their support, Caesar would have a chance to stand firm and grow strong on the battlefield and in the court.
What help can a Princess of the Byzantine Empire be? Let alone one with no power, an illegitimate daughter.
Amalric I also died soon after, otherwise he would now regret it.
Baldwin could only gesture for David to sit, he looked at Caesar, found him not panicked.
“You are not worried?”
“With you I am not worried.” Caesar said calmly: “He must have given you an offer you could not refuse.”
