James Heneage - The Walls of Byzantium

Zoe looked directly into Luke’s eyes.

‘Yes, Father. We arrived at the stud to see the new stallion but Arsenius cautioned us about approaching him. Luke told Damian that he would be safe if he stayed close to him. They climbed into the arena and Luke shouted at the horse when it wouldn’t come to him.’

She paused. Then she said softly, ‘The horse charged and Luke threw himself behind Damian, pushing him forward to take the horse’s hooves.’ She stopped. Her voice was low, halting. ‘It was horrible.’

Luke could stand it no longer. ‘ That’s not true! ’ he shouted. ‘I went into the ring alone. I told Damian not to follow me! She knows that’s what happened!’

The Archon turned on him, spitting with rage. ‘And Arsenius? Does he lie as well?’

‘Arsenius wasn’t there!’

‘Silence!’ roared Mamonas.

And silence fell, an awkward silence in which several people strove to control themselves, Luke more than any. He was bewildered and very angry. The three Varangians remained motionless, staring directly ahead of them.

Then Luke heard the Archon address him, his tone suddenly formal. A sentence was being passed.

‘Luke Magoris, we find you guilty of the grossest neglect of your duty towards ourself and our children.’

Guilty? Guilty of what?

‘We find that you recklessly allowed my son to come into contact with an animal likely to do him harm and then deliberately sought to protect yourself from the consequences by exposing him to further danger.’

What am I hearing?

‘Your punishment will be as follows. It has always been the tradition that son follow father into my Varangian Guard, with all the privilege and status that goes with it. So it has been for generations. You, however, will not be permitted to do so. Neither I nor my son who, by the grace of God, will follow me, can count on your commitment to protect our persons.’

Luke’s world crumbled around him. He felt faint. He heard his father gasp.

But the Archon was not finished. ‘However, in view of your undoubted skill with horses, you will be permitted to continue as a groom in our household. Never again, though, will you ride out with any member of my family.’ The Archon picked up some papers resting on the table beside him and began to read. ‘You may go,’ he said.

But Luke couldn’t move. He felt his father prod him from behind. The Archon looked up.

‘Leave!’

Luke found his voice, forcing himself to keep it steady. ‘What about the horse?’

‘The horse? What do I care about the horse? It almost killed my son!’ shouted Mamonas.

‘It was frightened. It cannot be blamed.’

His father took his arm. ‘Enough, Luke,’ he said quietly. ‘This will not help.’

‘It is the best horse you will ever own,’ Luke went on, turning to face the Archon as his father tried to guide him from the room. ‘And I can tame it.’

‘You,’ hissed the Archon, ‘will leave now, unless you wish to be whipped. Magoris, take him away.’

Joseph felt the tension in Luke’s arm. ‘Luke …’ he whispered.

Luke was still glaring at the Archon, rigid with fury. Then he blinked twice, glanced at Zoe and turned. His father led him from the room.

Pavlos Mamonas watched the door close behind them. Then he turned to the other Varangians. ‘You may all leave!’ he barked. ‘And not just the room, leave the palace! I can’t bear to have you all sulking around me. The boy deserved his fate.’

When they had gone, he looked up at Zoe, who was standing apart, watching him. ‘Was that what really happened?’ he asked eventually.

‘More or less,’ she murmured. ‘Anyway, you’ve done the right thing.’

The Archon was silent for a while, wondering whether there was perhaps more to this. He knew his daughter better than himself. She was himself. Like him, she wanted everything in the world, especially those things she couldn’t have. She’d grown up with Luke yet now she’d condemned him. Was there something more to this?

‘Will you mind him no longer riding out with you?’ he asked quietly.

‘No, Father,’ she replied. ‘He was becoming tiresome. You did right to punish him.’

Pavlos studied his daughter. He knew that her fierce ambition had found its outlet in reckless promiscuity and a refusal to submit in marriage to any man. What a pity she would not inherit the Mamonas empire.

‘What about the horse?’ he asked.

She paused. ‘He’s probably right about that at least,’ she replied. ‘It’s a magnificent beast and will fetch a high price. You should let him tame it. It’s worth nothing to us dead.’

Her father nodded absently. ‘They both need taming. Perhaps one will tame the other.’

Zoe laughed shortly. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘He should be tamed.’ She paused and looked down at her hands. ‘And Damian? He’ll not be able to travel now.’

Damian was due to set off on a year of visits to the far-flung business interests of the Mamonas family. Now he couldn’t walk.

Her father eyed her speculatively. ‘What would you suggest, Zoe?’

‘Send me. I’m more than competent.’

Pavlos Mamonas nodded slowly, the thinnest smile on his lips. ‘Yes. I’d thought of that. And knew you would have too. We will discuss it over dinner.’

Later, when they’d eaten and talked of business, they had a visitor. There was disturbance outside the room and the doors flew open. The Archon was so astonished by the sight of the man who entered that he forgot to bow.

It was the heir to the Ottoman throne.

Zoe had not even considered bowing. She wanted an uninterrupted view of this man she’d heard so much about. It was not the first time that he’d visited the palace but it was the first time that she’d set eyes on him.

The eyes that looked back into hers contained a mockery that men found disconcerting and Zoe intriguing. There was something depraved in the way they raked her body, lingering on her breasts for a period that would have insulted most women. Then a smile spread across his lips as she held his gaze. His skin was dark and unmarked, his nose hooked and prominent and his short black beard oiled to a perfect point beneath his chin. He was more attractive than any man Zoe had ever seen.

‘Well, well,’ he murmured as he walked towards her. ‘Pavlos, you never told me your riches extended to such a beautiful daughter.’ He bowed extravagantly, sweeping his cloak over his shoulder and kissing Zoe’s hand, his tongue darting out to make secret contact with her skin. Zoe felt a shock run through her.

‘Prince Suleyman, you are welcome,’ her father said, bowing. ‘My daughter Zoe.’

‘Zoe, how charming,’ said the Prince, his eyes not leaving her face. ‘Are you married?’

‘No, lord. Not even matched,’ she replied. ‘And you, sir, are you married or are all your pleasures to be found only in the harem?’

Suleyman smiled and turned to her father. ‘What a girl! The second minx I’ve encountered in as many days! What on earth do you Greeks feed your daughters?’

The Archon raised an eyebrow. ‘Second, lord?’ he enquired.

Suleyman laughed. ‘I’ll explain everything, but first I need some of your delicious wine, Pavlos. My accursed religion prevents me from drinking with the army, so I must make up for lost time with you. Bring me some wine.’

Suleyman walked on to the dais and slumped into the Archon’s throne, throwing his leg over an arm, taking the wine offered him. He drank it in one gulp and stretched out his arm for more.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his arm and glanced at Zoe. ‘Does she-?’ he began before the Archon cut him off.

‘My family has no secrets, lord,’ said the Archon smoothly. ‘You may speak freely.’