The Ramblings of a King -- Pt 2.

 

For When You Return

Day 7,665

I met Basil today. He's done much since I last saw him, back when you were still with me. He broke the Bulgarians, subdued the Croatians, and even marched on the north, to the Tauric Peninsula. 

But he knows. Even as he spoke of Sicily, he could tell. He is greyer now. Smaller, less muscular. The only part of him that remains the same are his eyes. 

He seemed angry that the same had not happened to me. I suppose I would be angry too, perhaps. 

You never were. 

Regardless, he knew why I had come. He reassured me that he would not, even if I was gone. But I did not come for the reassurances of a man that I knew was too smart to give me reason to kill him. I came for the one that sat next to him, the wastrel that knew only to gorge himself on food and expensive women. Where Basil was too smart to try, this one was too foolish to succeed. 

Still, he assured me he'd taught his generals otherwise, at least. Crete was to be an unspoken ally, a shield to never try and break themselves against.

Considering that they received the 'Dógis' a year earlier, perhaps he means it. 

I am leaving for Cathay tomorrow. The vikings up north could not give me anything worthwhile, but I hear that Cathay has seers, and alchemists, and people who have spent their whole lives trying to figure out a way to stop what I could not. 

And if they can stop it, they must have ideas on how to dispel it.

I miss you.

Day 40,375

Zhongguo is on fire. Zhao Ji acts as if it is not, and in truth it does not look it, but I have been here long enough to tell. The fight between those who want to reform the country and those who wish to keep it the same has grown only more desperate as time goes on, and Zhao Ji is too enamoured with his paintings to put a stop to it. 

But that is not my problem to deal with. China has collapsed a thousand times from what I have learned, and with how useless it has been, it can very well collapse ten thousand times more.

That is not to say I have not learned. It does not compare to all that you taught me, but I know much more now. Medicine, history, even poetry. I took up painting for a while, and the man who accomodated me said I have a talent for it. 

My first piece was one of you. 

Their language is... weird, I should mention. I don't mean to disparage it, but it is different. It also varies, depending on where you are from. That reminded me of Crete for a while, of how differently the few Romans in the island spoke from those in the City. 

Perhaps, once you are back, I can teach it to you. You were always proud that your father taught you Latin. You saw it as a mark of pride. I severely doubt any of the Basileus know this one. They'll have to admit you are far more learned now.

 ... I am going to Vinland. I know, I swore that we would explore it together, but I have walked the whole of this kingdom twice. None can give me what I need here.

I'll make it up to you, somehow. Perhaps I'll get one of them to make you a sword.

I miss you.

Day 93,330

There is this small kingdom, to the south of where the Itza inhabit. It has ancient roots, even older ones than the Romans did, but the kingdom itself is only beginning to form. 

Who does that remind you of? 

Still, the fact that it is somewhat new offers a chance. Their shamans and priesthood are old, and have many traditions and myths to investigate, but their state is new, which means someone like me can easily gain the chance to meet them, if I help in the slightest of ways. Making sure their crops do well, or helping with the river that goes through their lands to avoid a flood. 

Perhaps I can even turn this damnable curse around, and heal someone of importance.

Crete is doing well, naturally. The destruction of that enemy fleet and the ransom for it helped finance much. I hear they are even giving Chandax new fortifications. Even without accounting for me, I dare say its defenses will stop almost anything.

I have to go now. The ruler of this land, the Sapa Inca, is near the borders, on some sort of tour. It would be better, I think, if I met him where there are less people. I will make my way to him now. 

I miss you. 

Day 166,300

The most entertaining thing has happened. 

You know, of course, of the ones that stay close to your place. They do not dare enter, but they keep the outskirts clean, and they seem to... train. A fair few of them are descended from those Varangians we kept with us, and I suppose they have not forgotten the oath their forefathers swore to us. 

But recently, they have been joined by a new group. They are... they are from Constantinople. Many of them came to Crete when it was taken, and your heritage is known to them. They seem to consider you a figure worthy of honor. They call you, I hear, a ruler of Rome. They see you as a symbol of hope, I suppose. Their basileus could not keep their empire safe, but you have kept your kingdom. The kingdom they now seek to have as a home.

...I do not know if you recall, but back then, when we first had the crowns put upon our heads, I told you that you shone just as brightly as any heir of Rome. You laughed, and said I was wrong. 'I do not shine like them', you told me. 'We shine brighter than any of them', you corrected. 

Seeing these people come to honor you, I cannot help but admit you were right.

I miss you. 

Day 299,160

I have met him, the one they call Liberator. It was not, I admit, done because I believe he will be of help. I have roamed the same places he has, and though Haiti's voodoo held my interest once, it will not be of use. 

No, I came because Spain is risen in fury over his actions, and because no matter what they do, they cannot stop him nor extinguish the fire he has turned into a blaze. I did not care to meet Napoleon, or Washington, or even Augustus. None of them really called out to me, but this one...

It is weird, I must tell you. To meet a man perceptive enough to know I could bring him and all he holds to ruin but with a snap of my fingers, and yet to still have him treat me as nothing more than an equal. 

He speaks of much. The shine in his eyes tells me he honestly believes in what he says. He will bring victory, and form a state fit to contend not only with the rest of America, but even with the rest of the world. 

I do not know if it will come to fruition. I doubt it, from what I have seen of those around him. They will fight him at every single step, even if it brings everything they have accomplished to ruin. 

Yes, I rather think he will fail, but... 

The Cordillera Central. Hm. 

Yes, I suppose you would approve of this. Very well. 

If he fails, it will not be because of the path he must march through. I will give him that much, at least. 

Perhaps, if he succeeds, I will bring you to see what he dreams to create. It will be a good first step, I believe, in showing you the world. 

I miss you.

Day 343,690

Europe is aflame. The failures of the last generation are clear for all to see, certainly, but those truly at fault are the devils that rule now. The world grapples with itself in a deadly match, all over beliefs that not even the charlatans of our times would have considered. 

The one that leads Crete today, at least, is not like them. If anything, he is rather valorous. The Parliament was under attack, and if what I hear is true, he helped defend it himself, rifle in hand and pistol in belt. 

Perhaps I should meet him. He knows something of war, at the very least. The Germans have tried twice now to come up here, and he throws everything he has to deny them the chance. He has even brought the Guard in, and they are helping make mincemeat of the fools. 

Maybe he knows what I will do to Europe if they break through.

Germany is paying for it, regardless. By now, I have sunk at least a dozen ships, both Italian and German. Berlin is flooding at the moment, as are Berghof and that other place they're building, the Wolf's Den or whatever. Berlin's dead are over a thousand now, I believe. 

I am not superstitious, but I hear the fool in command of Germany is. I have kept it weak, so that... so that what happened back then does not happen now that you are not here, but even as weak as it is to me, perhaps the gullible idiot will take it as a sign of God. A divine message to stop, before I do to him what was done to Sodom and Gomorrah.

... I have to admit a part of me wants to do it regardless.

I hope that when you are back, the world is at peace. I would like to show you its beauty.

I miss you.