Chapter 28
The Emperor Attends an Afternoon at the Races
Andronikos, (co)Emperor of the Romans was dripping with perspiration by the time he climbed the stairs and entered the Kasthima. The viewing box was not large, so with him came a few selected guests, a minimum of servants, and the Verangian guard receded to a pair of veterans who remained by the stairway door. His concubine took a white cotton cloth and standing on her tiptoes reached up to dab the salty drops off of his forehead. Together they walked to the ornately carved railing. Glancing about the vast racking circuit Andronikos could see the crowds were sparse again today.
Why could the common folk not come out? Why could they not see he loved them and would have held magnificent spectacles for them, if only the treasury could have borne it? The Imperial purse simply did not have the wealth for great races. He had tried to keep the executions interesting - something beyond the usual hangings and beheadings. He had told his new master of the games to aim for something grand to emphasize the moral message while keeping things entertaining.
Hot and humid with heavy clouds to the north and east. The crowd’s greeting was unenthusiastic and as he boredly waved back a desultory response. To the right of the kasthima he spied the unmistakable skull-like face of Stephen Hagiocharistophrites lounging by a column.
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Ah Stephen. He had wanted to talk to Stephen about the boy’s mother. The paperwork was all signed now. Shuffled in among other letters and official documents, Alexios had not even noticed he had signed his own mother’s death warrant - an official looking parchment in a stack of parchment waiting for a signature in red ink and an official seal. Alexios was fourteen and full of energy. He did not want to sit in hot cotton, linen, and silk robes listening to mass after mass and reading endless legal documents. Andronikos remembered being young. He wanted to be done quickly and go play polo with the other (suitable) young nobles. Too easy. No need to threaten, no need to cajole.
Of course, she could not be executed here at the Hippodrome, even though she richly deserved it - deserved it more than the wretched tools of hers which were going to be sent off today between the races. Even with an order of execution signed by (co)Emperor Alexios himself, getting rid of the dowager Empress Regent would have to be less public and more discreet. As much as Andronikos wanted to be there himself - to watch her suffer - after all she had done to dishonor poor Manuels memory, it was important he be seen as impartial and deliberate, not hot-tempered and vengeful. He would have Stephen quietly carry out the deed.
Then he would have Stephen tell him about it. At length. Just as Stephen had talked to him in the dark long ago about the other crime.