Chapter 69
Nirma immediately recognized them as the personal guards of the Palaiologos family, an elite force distinct from ordinary city guards, evident from their more ornate klibanion adorned with silver embellishments across the chest, the long swords at their waists with intricately carved hilts, and the round shields bearing the emblem of the Palaiologos house, a double-headed eagle with outstretched wings, embroidered in golden thread upon a surface of black-painted leather.
Their faces were the faces of men trained to reveal no emotion, their eyes sharp as they pierced toward each member of the newly arrived procession, assessing potential threats within seconds, their hands already resting upon the hilts of their swords though none had yet drawn a blade.
A commander clad in a black cloak trimmed with silver stepped forward, his posture upright like the marble column behind him, and without preamble he raised his right hand, signaling firmly for the entire procession to halt in place.
"Halt here, procession. No one may proceed further without the permission of Georgios Palaiologos himself."
The commander's voice was deep and resonant among the porticoes that were beginning to fall silent, holding neither hostility nor warmth, only a factual declaration of rules that must be obeyed.
His eyes swiftly scanned from Nirma and Arya at the front to the dozens of Prefect's soldiers behind them, then returned to the two women seated calmly upon their horses, a composure that surprised him slightly, for few could remain so steady when confronted by eight elite guards with faces as forbidding as these.
"The Prefect's guards behind you may accompany you, but they must wait here, outside the portico. Only the two of you are permitted to enter, in accordance with the procedure applied to all official guests of Georgios Palaiologos. This is not a matter of trust. It is a matter of security."
Arya glanced back at the Prefect's soldiers, who had already begun to tense, then gave a subtle signal with her eyes for them to remain calm and comply with the procedure.
The soldiers nodded almost imperceptibly, their posture loosening slightly though their vigilance did not diminish in the slightest, remaining ready to act should anything undesirable occur.
Nirma dismounted with a graceful movement, though she did so without Arya's assistance, who was still signaling to the soldiers, her feet landing upon the forum's stones that were beginning to cool beneath the evening air, a thin dust swirling around her ankles.
Without hesitation, without being asked twice, she retrieved the wax tablet she had carried since the beginning of the investigation, a tablet that had borne silent witness to their journey from the Kapeleion to the Mangana Palace, from the Warehouse of Theodosius Harbor to the workshop of the Greek alchemist, from the monastery in the hills to the lodging house of Latin soldiers, and lastly from the residence of Konstantinos Dalassenos in Psamathia to this forum.
She lifted the tablet with both hands, a gesture showing that she offered it voluntarily rather than under compulsion, then stepped forward and handed it to the commander who still stood upright.
"Please examine it, Commander," she said calmly, without the slightest trace of offense or humiliation in her voice.
"This tablet contains the complete record of our investigation since the first day. Nothing has been concealed, nothing withheld. You may read whatever is written there, though I doubt you will find anything dangerous to the Palaiologos family within it."
Beside her, Arya offered a faint smile, then with a more relaxed motion, almost as though lending a book to a friend, she withdrew her own wax tablet and handed it to the commander as well.
Yet Arya did not stop there, for her other hand reached into the folds of her cloak and produced the same parchment scroll that had been read earlier by the Prefect's soldier before the city guards, the scroll bearing the purple ribbon and red wax seal that could not be forged.
She placed the scroll atop the two wax tablets already in the commander's hands, forcing him to receive all three items at once, a stack of documents whose physical weight was nothing compared to the political weight they carried.
"This is a warrant issued by Emperor Alexios I Komnenos himself, Commander," Arya said in a tone that remained relaxed yet impossible to disregard.
"Please examine it as well. Ensure that the seal is genuine. Ensure that the purple ribbon conforms to palace standards. We do not mind waiting as long as necessary, for we understand that the personal guards of Georgios Palaiologos must carry out their duties with diligence. The sea has taught us that patience is the key to reaching a safe harbor."
She cast a brief glance at Nirma, and for a fleeting moment a spark of humor flashed in her eyes, humor understood only by two people who had endured too much together, humor that said they were accustomed to such procedures and would not be provoked by them.
Twelve seconds passed in silence, broken only by the fading footsteps of the guard commander retreating beyond the portico door, the increasingly loud chirping of crickets from the gaps between stones, and the impatient breaths of the horses waiting outside.
Nirma and Arya stood where they were with patience, betraying no restlessness though inwardly they continued to measure the passing time, for in investigations such as this, every wasted second could mean a lost clue or a dead witness.
Behind them, the Prefect's soldiers remained in a state of readiness, their eyes scanning vigilantly in every direction, none speaking, none moving, eight living statues prepared to act in an instant should anything untoward occur.
The evening wind blew stronger, carrying with it the scent of cooling earth, the fragrance of incense drifting from small churches around the forum, and the faint aroma of food from distant homes, a scent that signaled the day's end and that the citizens of Constantinople were preparing to rest.
When the portico door opened again and the guard commander emerged with brisk steps, the imperial warrant scroll still in his grasp, his expression was different now, no longer rigid and wary as before but more open, almost cordial.
He approached Nirma and Arya and returned the scroll with both hands, a gesture of respect that required no words, then offered a brief military salute.
"Forgive me for keeping you waiting, Sir and Ladies. Security procedures are not negotiable here, especially since Georgios Palaiologos is one of the high officials most frequently targeted by intrigue and assassination attempts in recent years."
He gestured toward the portico door, then continued in a more official tone.
"Now, I must ask you to meet first with an officer responsible for this matter. He is the one who will assess the authenticity of your warrant more thoroughly, and if everything is in order, he will arrange your meeting with Georgios Palaiologos. Please follow me."
Nirma and Arya exchanged a glance, then followed the commander without hesitation, stepping through the thick teakwood portico doors carved with intricate scenes of naval battles, leaving the Prefect's soldiers faithfully waiting outside with their horses.
To be continued…