A Venetian Betrayal

[Severyane]

Athenian Coast
12 March, 1754 A.D.

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To stand on the white cliffs and look out upon the vividly blue sea seemed so surreal to Andronikos, so much so that he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. It was partially due to the fact, he thought, that he was the first member of his family to step foot in these lands for more than two-hundred years. As unbelievable as it was he was really there, mounted upon a great Frisian horse. Around him several Venetian Dragoons, armed to the teeth, sat mounted on similar horses. The Doge had assigned them to act as Andronikos' personal bodyguard, fearing that once he arrived in Athens some brave Turk would attempt to take his life. He admired their uniforms, the white and blue of their uniform coats, the small cavalry carbines they carried, and the ornate black and gold trimmed helmets that sat low upon their brow. They looked like a force to be reckoned with, something he would take into account when he began to form the new Athenian military. Even from the cliffs above Athens he could still hear faint sounds of fighting. The Venetian Lieutenant in-charge of his bodyguard assured him it was Ottoman holdouts that would soon be defeated and he would march through the streets victorious by the end of the day. The red and gold flag Andronikos had carried with him during the journey across the Mediterranean was now flying above the city's seat of power, an old Byzantine palace constructed some time before the fall of Constantinople.

He could also see a small party of riders approaching from the city itself. Some of the dragoons readied their carbines as their horses stirred anxiously. The tension in the air abated when the party came closer and the familiar teal and gold flag flew high above and the Venetian General rode at the front. He stopped just yards away from Andronikos and dismounted, and Andronikos did the same in turn. The Greek king stood motionless as his horse was led away and the General approached. The man knelt before Andronikos and raised his hands above his head wit the red and white ensign of the Sultanate spread so that all could see.

"Vasiliás Andronikos VI Palaiologos: rightful heir to the Consulship of the Eastern Roman Empire and Protector of the Orthodox faith, I present to you the Ottoman colors that only hours ago flew high above the palace in Athens. Let this be a symbol of the beginning of your reign."

Andronikos regarded the man. He was old and wrinkles graced his face and forehead. He was bald except for a tuft of white hair on the center of his scalp, but he looked deceivingly strong in his military uniform. Clothed in that finery that came with  his title and wealth he nearly looked as strong as any man twice as young. He took the cloth and ran his fingers over the white crescent moon and star before he handed it off to one of his aides. "I appreciate your efforts General, and all that the Serene Republic of Venice has done to help me return to my people. We owe much to you and your soldiers."

The General stood and smiled kindly at him. "The Doge is ever grateful to assist the rightful ruling family of Greece return to  where he belongs. It is a great day for all of Christendom that we have begun to remove the Ottoman... disease from these lands."

"I couldn't agree more. The day Constantinople fell to those heathen scum was an embarrassment to Catholics and Orthodox Christians alike. Perhaps soon we shall see the return of the Hagia Sophia to Christian hands."

"Even now Hapsburg and Venetian armies are spreading throughout Greece to rip the Turks, root and stem, from their strongholds and force them to sue for peace. We shall not have to wait long."

Andronikos smiled broadly. "Excellent. The sooner we finish this war, the better. Once the Ottoman commander surrenders the inner city, mount his head on a spike. I'd like to see it above the gate as I enter the city."

"As you wish, Your Grace."

[Severyane]

Athens
22 June 1755 A.D.

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Vasiliás Andronikos VI walked across the hard-packed dirt of the training grounds followed closely by members of his Varangian Guard and a tall olive-skinned man in a finely made, gold accented military uniform. In the yard ranks of Athenian infantry stood at attention, ready for inspection. Their uniforms were crisp and their weapons remarkably clean. These men would be the guardians of all of Greece when the Ottoman menace decided to rear its ugly head. The royal party stopped in front of one of the platoons of men, and the king gave a sniffle in their direction. The uniformed man took a few steps forward and barked commands to the men in greek, putting them at ease.

"Your Grace, I would like to present to you the men of the Twelfth Infantry Brigade. They have been finely drilled and are prepared to slay the Ottoman menace in your name. Might I say, within the next five years we will be able to look to go on the offensive against the Seljuk invaders!"

"General Anthistopolis, your sergeants seem to have done an excellent job with these men. I would only wish that we could see the downfall of that vicious Muslim Empire sooner. What with the betrayal of the Venetians, stealing away Achaeia and the Agaean from us... We must begin to strategize General, would it not benefit us to seek allies and retake the south? Or should we grovel to the Venetians and beg they bring their armies back, so that we may invade the Ottomans once more?"

The party of men began to walk away from the formation of soldiers, towards a marvelous marble building. "Your Grace, that is the question of the ages. We are in a precarious situation. Enemies to the north, and unloyal allies to the south. My suggestion, if I may be so bold Your Grace, is to seek an alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor. While they may be pretenders to the Consulship of the Western Roman Empire, they are strong and they have no love for Venice. Perhaps we could... legitimize them? If we retake our mantle as rulers of the East then perhaps they would be the ideal power to rule over the West. If not, your daughter and your youngest sons have come of age. They would likely be willing to cement a bond between your royal house and that of the current Emperor."

The King pondered over what the General had said and smiled after a moment of thought. "I like this idea, General. Double the number of troops we have, we will need them all. I am going to dispatch diplomats to the Germans."

The General bowed. "As you wish Your Grace."