Tyranny of Steel

Vetranis stood upon the docks of Constantinople. Though he had just returned to the capital of his Empire after campaigning against the Saracens in the south. His vision was drawn away from the palace where his family lie in wait for him, and to the area immediately outside the Theodosian walls.

The vibrant landscape which had for centuries welcomed visitors to the grand city of Constantinople was now a scorched wasteland of ash and dust. The Theodosian walls themselves were undergoing reconstruction efforts after the damage they had received during the siege.

Unlike what the aging emperor expected, there was not an immediate greeting by Palladius, or the men of his royal guard. Instead, a group of German Marines were standing at the docks with instructions to escort Vetranis back to his family's home.

The sight of this immediately made the man concerned, but he decided not to resist. Having witnessed the power of the German military first hand against the Saracens, he could easily guess that such an overwhelming display of force is what defeated the golden horde, if that was the case any resistance to the Kaiser's will was a futile effort.

After being escorted to the Byzantine Palace by the German Marines, Vetranis found himself forced into a small room, where nothing but a table and a set of chairs awaited him. Seated upon one of these chairs was the Kaiser himself, who seemed to be sipping from a cup of coffee with a satisfied expression on his face. When Berengar noticed Vetranis's arrival, he did not stand to greet the man, but rather gave him a command, as if the Byzantine Emperor was his subordinate.

"Sit..."

Vetranis did as he was commanded, and waited for the Kaiser to speak his thoughts, knowing that any attempt on his part to defend himself would only enrage Berengar who continued to sip on his coffee for several moments of awkward silence before finally informing the Byzantine Emperor on just what had transpired during his absence.

"It is quite a thing to march into the Levant with a half-baked army, expecting to sacrifice yourself in a vain attempt to defeat your enemies. If not for your daughter's pleas, you would be a dead man, and your Empire a ruin. I don't know what you were thinking, but you have Alexandros to thank for the very survival of this city."

This statement caused Vetranis to raise his brow in suspicion. He could not fathom what role the young prince had played in the city's defense, and thus could not anticipate the story Berengar was about to tell him. Before he could ask any questions, the Kaiser continued his tale in a rather mocking tone.

"While you were off seeking your own death, a riot had broken out in Constantinople. Your sons hid behind their mother's skirt while the city burned in the background. It was Alexandros who took command of the situation and quelled the riots without shedding any unecessary blood.

He then seized control of the city's garrison and established a proper line of defense against the golden horde. Just long enough for my reinforcements to arrive and annihilate them. The boy fought a hard battle and came out on top. He is to be commended for his efforts, don't you think?"

Vetranis said nothing, instead he slightly nodded his head just enough to convey his understanding of Berengar's intentions. Upon seeing this, the Kaiser smiled before speaking of other matters.

"As for the Golden Horde, their army was burnt to ashes, and their khan along with them. Only their princess and a few thousand followers remain. I have negotiated with the Princess Khorijin, and promised her people safe passage back to their lands, under the condition that they pay you, and the Kingdom of Georgia back tenfold for the damages they caused over a fifty-year period.

In addition, the Jalayirid and Mamluk Sultanates have been weakened to a state which matches your own. For the next few decades, they will not be a problem. You can now rebuild in peace. When the time comes for Alexandros to seize his throne, he will lead his armies in a conquest of these pests, so that they kneel beneath the banner of Byzantium once and for all.

Now that I have solved all your problems for you, is there anything you wish to say to me, father-in-law?"

Vetranis bowed his head with humility. He faced the German Emperor as if he were a lesser man before responding to the Berengar's question with an overwhelming appreciation on his weathered face.

"Thank you, Kaiser Berengar von Kufstein, for once again aiding my family's Empire in our time of need. I don't know how I can ever repay you for what you have done, but I will make sure the court does not cause any petty squabbles once your son succeeds me."

Berengar simply scoffed when he heard this response before lecturing the man about the current state of his court.

"You won't need to worry about such a thing. That boy is a far more shrewd politician than I gave him credit for. It seems he has taken my lessons to heart. To put it simply, there is nobody left in your court who will cause Alexandros any trouble when he takes the throne."

A look of confusion spread across Vetranis' face when he heard this, before questioning how this was possible. Never in a million years would he suspect a boy as young as ten to be so ruthless as to purge his political opposition and blame it upon the rioters.

As for Berengar, he had an exceptionally proud smile on his face, but despite this, he told Vetranis the official story that Alexandros had concocted to cover his tracks, rather than the truth of the matter.

"It would appear that a lack of faith in the monarchy and the aristocracy in general is what motivated the rioters. Before my son could fully mobilize what little forces he had to quell the unrest, many of these men took it upon themselves to break into the homes of the wealthy elite and murder their families in cold blood.

Coincidentally enough, it just so happened to appear that the majority of these aristocrats who were killed belonged to the factions which acted against our interests. Thus, as it stands now, your court is united for the first time in a very long time."

Vetranis knew this was no mere coincidence and suspected that Berengar himself was behind these murders. It never would have dawned on him that it was the boy Alexandros, not his father, that had ordered the deaths of his political rivals.

Still, even if the Byzantine Emperor expected his German counterpart of foul play, he would never openly accuse him of such a thing. The difference in power between their two realms was as vast as the distance between heavens and the earth.

Upon recognizing this, Vetranis chose to remain silent, knowing that a petty matter like this wasn't worth pursuing. Instead, the Byzantine Emperor had one question on his mind, which he was quick to give voice to.

"Just what do we do now?"

A slight smirk appeared on Berengar's face as he finished what little coffee remained in his cup before responding to the man sitting across from him.

"Now you rebuild. At least as best as you can. Ultimately, it will be Alexandros, not you, who restores the glory of the Romans. Oh, by the way, you should work on finding a proper fiancee for the boy. If you wish, I can arrange for a nice German Princess to marry him. Or you can betroth someone from one of your noble houses to the boy.

Did Arethas not leave behind several small children? By now, they should be of a similar age to my son, if not a bit older. Perhaps my old friend's daughter would be the most appropriate bride for Alexandros. What do you think?"

Vetranis thought about this question for several moments in silence before nodding his head in agreement. Though he did not promise Berengar anything, instead he responded with a simple notion.

"I will look into it. If Arethas' daughters are unwed, then we can see fit to betroth one of them to the boy. If not, we will have to look elsewhere. Is that all you needed me for? If so, I would very much like to speak with Palladius about some important matters of state."

Berengar smiled and nodded his head before motioning for Vetranis to leave.

"You may leave now, go and rebuild..."

With this brief meeting, Vetranis had regained his purpose as a ruler, even if it was only to pave the way for his grandson's eventual coronation. The last thing the man wanted was for his successor to inherit a state on the edge of collapse. Thus, with all of their enemies beaten into submission, the next few years would be a time of reconstruction within the Byzantine Empire.