Excerpts of the Cretan Kingdom's First Treasurer.

Excerpts from the Private Journals of the First Treasurer.

03/08/961

The Romans are gone. I know I wrote on it before, but I cannot believe it yet. They held us hostage within our own city for the better part of a year, and in one morning, two... children, for they are absolutely children, shatter the whole of their army and see them thrown back into the sea?

And their reasoning makes even less sense than their feat, if that could be believed. It is not because they seek to conquer our island for themselves, or because one of the Emir's allies has paid them to. No, they did it because "Phokas is a cunt", and they disagreed with how the man waged his war. 

They have killed an army. An entire Roman army, and they have done it because they disliked its leader and his methods. Or, rather, the woman does. The man barely speaks, seemingly more content with following her every word. I could say I disapprove, but I don't dare to. The man may not speak, but his eyes say everything. He looks at me- at us, rather, as if we were all prey. 

But how do I know this? Because they summoned us all! They asked the commons to point them towards any remaining men of importance in the city, and foolish as they are, and desperate to please their 'saviors', they almost trampled over each other in their attempts to show us to them. 

I was terrified when I was brought into the main room of the Emir's palace, half-sure they wanted to be rid of any remainder of the Emir's vassals, but they did nothing of the sort. The woman instead simply asked if any of us were part of the city's governance. 

Rather late to ask that, considering they gutted the Emir and his retinue themselves, but one of the other fools pointed to me, which was half a lie. Still, I couldn't exactly call him out on that, as the woman suddenly appeared a few steps away from me and requested I help them with running the city. 'For a short time', she insisted. 'Only until everything is settled down'. 

Settled down into what? 

05/16/961 

So they are to be our new rulers, then. I found out only a few hours ago, as they returned from a ship in the harbor. I suppose I ought not to be surprised, but it is hard to accept it as fact when the woman who is to be Queen herself seems half-shocked and even more pale than normal at the idea. 

I've gotten to know them better, in the past two months. They are not exactly learned, not in the way I am. They seem to have a commoner's understanding of things, more concerned with practical matters than anything else. They were not born to any of Constantinople's great families, that is for sure. 

Still, they are not all bad, I suppose. I have seen the woman deal with a few matters herself, and she seems to have knowledge of at least one act of ruling. She already acts as if her word is law, which means everyone else must, too. Her decisions are... not soft, exactly, rather a little biased to the poorer folk, I suppose, but that is not necessarily bad. 

The man is... less easy to deal with. He addresses me at times, but what I wrote before remains the truth. He seems not entirely at ease around large groups of people, and his eyes maintain that beastly glint, but I've seen him speak to the Queen. He is soft around her, in ways that one wouldn't believe if they didn't see it themselves. I don't know what words to use, exactly, but... she has access to a side of him, I guess, that he doesn't share with anyone else. I suppose that can be Kingly in its own right. He seems to be inquisitive, as well. He asks me things at times, that I had not expected of him. About the city, about the building we inhabit, and even about the people themselves, and how I act around them. 

All that aside, they have asked me to remain and continue helping them with the matters of the city, and now even beyond. Not just as a stand-in, but in an official position, and I think I shall accept. 

The chance remains that they could force me, but I do not think they would. The truth is I have enjoyed helping them. Some of the other nobles will call me a traitor, of course, but they are not the ones who are to advise the Monarchs, nor were they the ones scorned by the Emir. 

...Besides, they are young enough to be my grandchildren. It would be irresponsible if I dumped the matter of ruling on them now, when they clearly have no idea of how to do it. 

06/14/962 

I was sure it'd be insane. It had to be, of course. There was no way it'd work. 

And yet somehow it has. 

The Queen has divided all lands equally between different peasant families to till, and appointed overseers to make sure it is all done properly. It was a desperate solution, one I only agreed to because I wasn't keen on seeing more courtiers dead for suggesting the use of slaves, and because they, unlike the Emir, seemed smart enough to be against raiding the Roman coasts, but I didn't think it'd be sustainable. It would keep us fed, surely, but anything more? I had no reason to believe that. 

I had no reason to think it'd make the coffers full, and the people happy enough to already have songs about them.

...For a few minutes after the report, I reconsidered if I was really right about the two of them not knowing anything about rulership. This alone was enough to make me think otherwise. 

Until, about five minutes later, I saw the Queen break into a dance when I passed the information along. 

I remain sure in my assumptions.

09/27/962

It has taken a while, but the Castle is done. It is on the hills near Chandax, about an hour of walking away from the city itself, but it looks proper enough. Not exactly impressive when compared to the Caliphates or Constantinople, but I suppose it is grand enough for two brats, the six dozen vikings or whatever they command, and a tired old man who spends half his day catering to the brats' whims. 

Aside from that, I have finally convinced the Queen that she could use an army. It took me quite a while, as I could not exactly argue with the point that 'she can see Mansuriya and Cordoba destroyed in the same afternoon', but posing it as a matter of improving the people's view of themselves and the prestige of her kingdom made her far more amenable to the idea. 

The King, for his part, has grown more comfortable in the position as well. He is a bit more easy with his tongue than I'd recommend, but he treats the petitioners properly, and even offers the basic courtesies needed for the important visitors, as long as they know their place. 

01/06/962 

They are fighting again. I don't mean in a bad way, or anything of the sort. No, they never fight like that at all. The Queen knows only to ask, and the King only how to give it to her. These two have a more agreeable... are they married, now that I think about it? Anyway, they love each other, that much is true. They get along better than me and my late wife did.

No, when I say fight, I mean that they are 'training', which translates to 'the castle will shake for an hour while they punch each other, and then shake for another one as they try for heirs'. 

I have had to change the time of my meals. Last time I tried to have dinner while they fought, I ruined one of my best robes. 

03/24/964 

Finally! Official looking ships from the Fatimids, and the Abbasids, and the Shaam as well! We have had contrabandists, of course, but these are no criminal ships, these are actual, proper merchants. It has taken three whole years since they took over, but they have finally realized we mean them no harm, and that trading with us would be nothing but beneficial. 

The King and Queen are to meet with a few of the envoys tonight. They have ordered a feast to be prepared, and called a few musical practitioners to come in, including one group of those men from the north that they are supposedly 'friends' with. 

I have disavowed the Queen from possibly serving mead, so I believe everything will go well tonight. I have instructed them in the way to address them, how to properly deal with a possible threat, and how to refuse to offer tribute, in case they ask, without causing a war. 

Now, unless one of them is foolish enough to flirt with the Queen and get laughed out of the room, I think we are going to come out of this the best we possibly could. 

04/15/966

 

The skies are angry. I would not be worried about that normally, but the King and Queen are not here. They have gone to the Romans, for some sort of festival they have been invited to, and left me in charge of running things until they are back, as if I don't do such a thing even with them here. 

But the air is heavy with something, I think. The sea seems unsettled, just like it was on the day they turned on the Romans. Perhaps a storm is coming. I shall need to order supplies for a few more days brought into the castle, and order the peasants to not come to petition if the weather continues to get worse. 

04/20/966

The new people are settled in now. It was hard at first, getting them enough tents, but the King and Queen have worked day and night to build them proper houses to live in. They have dubbed it a new district of Chandax, and insisted it will be called Niki, after some goddess. 

...They are asleep now, by the way. I do not blame them, they seemed exhausted, even before they started building. I have assured them I'll take over for the next few days while they recover, and insisted they owe me no explanations until they are better. 

Besides that, everything is going well. The sky is calm after the past few days, and the people have stopped talking about that stupid 'dragon's roar'. I have dispatched the merchants who were stranded here because of the storms, and set the guards to distribute the food amongst the new citizens.

Now, I have to go. I can hear that Roman envoy's furious screams, even from the second floor, so I should deal with him before he wakes my kids.