The Restoration of Rome: In the Name of Augustus

Chapter 36 Andronica

In February, February 6689 (Julian calendar 1181), a gloomy afternoon.

Before the gates of the Constantinople palace, courtiers and nobles, dressed in heavy formal attire, stood with their heads bowed in solemn silence. Even in the damp, biting cold of winter, they did not complain, like snow sculptures on the white earth, waiting in silence.

Suddenly, a restlessness seemed to creep in with the biting wind. A faint tremor ran through the earth, and the sound of hundreds of horses' hooves striking the ground grew louder as they approached. On the horizon, the Roman eagle banner appeared and disappeared in the snowstorm.

A glossy, muscular black horse led the way, leaving the riders far behind. On its back sat a tall man draped in a heavy bearskin cloak. He was about sixty years old, with frost-covered, thick white beard at his temples, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

Most strikingly, he held in his hand an ornately decorated longbow inlaid with purple enamel and the imperial eagle emblem—a hunting bow reserved for royalty. He abruptly pulled on the reins, surveyed the respectful crowd before the gate from his elevated position, casually untied the belt from his waist, and tossed a dead rabbit into the air.

The crowd, which had been standing silently, suddenly became agitated, like hunting dogs that had smelled blood, rushing towards the stiff prey in mid-air, and the scene immediately descended into chaos.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Andronica!"

Amidst the gratitude and worship of the crowd, the man known as Andronica curled his lip in disdain. He did not dismount, but instead raised the Purple Chamber Hunting Bow high in his hand, as if displaying his spoils of war.

His voice boomed like thunder as he addressed the crowd: "Today at the hunt, His Majesty displayed remarkable prowess, personally hunting a stag! This is an auspicious sign of the Empire's military prosperity! Don't you agree?"

"Long live Your Majesty! Lady Andronica is mighty!" The crowd erupted in even more enthusiastic cheers.

Andronica accepted the blurred praise without hesitation, lightly kicking his horse's flanks as it slowly moved forward. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the incongruous figure beside the gate.

Valangi's captain of the guard, Rolo, stood solemnly to his side, his left hand resting on his simple longsword and his right hand on a long-handled battle axe. He stared at him with icy eyes, his unfriendly gaze lingering for a moment on the hunting bow.

Andronica's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. These mercenaries from the frigid North were as stubborn and unyielding as iron lumps, neither greedy for money nor power, yet he couldn't openly offend them—after all, these were the Empire's finest infantrymen.

Just then, the main force finally arrived. Surrounded by armored riders, Alexius strained on the reins and galloped towards Andronica. The young emperor's face was red from the cold, but his expression was joyful: "Uncle, wait for me!"

Andronica nimbly dismounted, bow still clutched in his hand, and strode to Alexius's mount. He stretched out his strong arms and embraced the boy, gently setting him to the ground. His tone instantly softened, becoming kind and gentle: "Haha, my good nephew, your riding skills have improved so much!"

Alexius shook the snow off his cloak, looked up at his uncle, and his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the hunting bow that belonged to him but was held so naturally by his uncle. A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly overwhelmed by admiration: "It's all thanks to Uncle's excellent teaching! When I was a child hunting in Mercia, I could only ever catch small rabbits. But now..." He pointed to the laden game at the back of the group and said excitedly, "I can hunt deer now!"

"Yes, Your Majesty will eventually grow into an excellent hunter," Andronica replied meaningfully, handing the hunting bow to the attendant beside him and instructing, "Keep it safe and clean for Your Majesty's next use."

Andronica then gently stroked Alexius's head and said with a smile, "Very well, Alexius, we'll have roasted venison chops tonight!" He turned to his attendants and ordered, "Go and inform the Queen Mother that His Majesty and I have returned from the hunt and invite her to the banquet." He paused, his face suddenly darkening, and stopped the attendant who was about to leave, adding, "Tell her this is a family dinner, and someone who is not worthy of the occasion would better not appear before me."

Alexius walked to the door and asked Rollo, "Rollo, has anything happened in the palace lately... or with Mother?"

Luo Luo bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, everything is well in the palace and with the Empress Dowager. However..." His expression was solemn, as if he had made a great decision, "Your Majesty should perhaps reduce your indulgence. Although we are rough mercenaries who do not know how to govern, we are grateful for the late Emperor's kindness and hope that Your Majesty can carry on his legacy."

Alexius immediately deflated: "What can I do? My mother won't let me get involved in politics; she handles everything. Besides hunting, what else can I do..."

Just then, a girl in a blue dress appeared at the doorway and fluttered towards Alexius like a light butterfly. Her guard, Roy, followed closely behind, his face filled with helplessness.

Feeling the girl's warm embrace, Alexius blushed and stammered, "Ah...Agnice, good...good afternoon!"

Andronica laughed loudly, "Your Highness, please stop teasing His Majesty. Look at his face... haha!"

Agnes blushed, quickly loosening her embrace and tidying her disheveled hair. She scolded Andronica playfully, "Wasn't it Uncle Andronica who insisted on taking him hunting? He should have stayed home to keep warm in this cold weather!"

Lyon, preoccupied with arranging a marriage between his friend and sister, selectively ignored the fact that Alexius already had a wife. Agnes, the beloved daughter of King Louis VII of France, had been engaged to Alexius a year earlier, while the late Emperor Manuel was still alive. The people of Constantinople knew that the two would be married, but the naive Alexius was clearly unable to accept it; he remained in the innocent romance of childhood, completely unaware of the responsibilities that marriage carried.

Agnes tried countless times to guide him, but Alexius, apart from blushing like this now, showed no reaction and continued his carefree life of pleasure.

In a seemingly harmonious atmosphere, the group slowly entered the palace. Rollo exchanged a glance with his younger brother Roy from afar, and was about to follow when he suddenly sensed someone silently approaching him from the crowd. Rollo's muscles tensed instantly, and he instinctively swung his giant axe in that direction—but only struck thin air.

The previously noisy crowd suddenly fell silent, and everyone took several steps back in fear, staring apprehensively at the gleaming battle axe in Rollo's hand.

Rollo cautiously looked around, but the mysterious figure had vanished without a trace. However, a strange object suddenly appeared on his belt, catching his attention—a small, unfamiliar leather cylinder was hanging there.

Rollo followed Alexius's party without making a sound and stepped into the palace gates. The moment the doors closed, he pulled his bewildered brother Roy over and emptied the contents of the cylinder into his palm.

A letter lay quietly in his hand.

The envelope was stamped with a coat of arms that was almost universally known throughout Eurasia—the Royal Cross of Jerusalem.