Read Online The Walls of Byzantium by James Heneage - Free Book Online

She placed her hand on the Prince’s sleeve and he turned to look at her. She was very calm. ‘No one questions your judgement, lord,’ she said quietly, looking directly into his eyes.
    The Archon cleared his throat. ‘And when do you intend to take the city, lord?’
    The Prince turned back. ‘We will take Mistra, Pavlos, when we are ready to take Mistra. It may be news to you, but my father’s plans for conquest do not rest on the convenience of the Mamonas family.’
    The two men looked straight at each other. The silence lengthened.
    Then Zoe spoke. ‘There is, however, an agreement.’
    Suleyman glanced at her, a small smile parting his mouth. His teeth were very white. ‘You seem to know a great deal.’
    ‘I know that you are about to change our agreement and I’m interested to know in what way.’
    Suleyman was too surprised to answer immediately. Then his smile broadened. He began to walk up and down.
    ‘Yes, well, I know you’ve given us money, Pavlos, and we will honour our side of the bargain when the time is right. Make no mistake, you will eventually rule Mistra in our father’s name, but you’ll have to wait just a little longer. This was a raid to weaken them and show them our power. If Mistra had surrendered, as you assured us it would, then we would have occupied it and given it to you. But it didn’t surrender and I was persuaded that it might be difficult to take … especially since they have cannon.’
    He stopped and looked askance at the Archon, the challenge there. There was no reply and he went on: ‘Our plans have changed, Pavlos. We intend to take Constantinople first. Our ships will leave soon to form a blockade.’
    He paused, letting the news sink in.
    ‘So we cannot afford to lose men on the hill of Mistra just now. We are grateful for the money and everything else … but we need something more. We need cannon. Can you get us cannon?’
    The Archon was thinking hard. ‘Cannon, lord?’
    ‘Yes, cannon, Pavlos,’ the Prince continued. ‘Cannon for our ships. And another thing. We need you to stop any of the Emperor’s navy going to Constantinople until we’ve got the cannon. Can you do that for us?’
    ‘You ask a lot, lord,’ Pavlos Mamonas said gruffly.
    Zoe had been watching the exchange with her head tilted to one side. She was beginning to like this prince. ‘Father, as the Prince knows, the Empire’s navy is here at Monemvasia and we could find reasons to keep it here. Venice makes cannon and we are friends of Venice. Would you like me to look into it? I am, after all, to visit there.’
    ‘Excellent!’ laughed Suleyman, looking from father to daughter. ‘I knew we could depend on you.’
    He clapped his hand on the Archon’s shoulder. ‘One more thing, Pavlos. You’ll only be able to stop the fleet sailing if the Despot trusts you. Can you think of a way of getting him to trust you?’
    Unconsciously, the Prince had turned to Zoe. He saw that she was watching him; there was something unreadable in her eyes.
    She turned to her father. ‘I have an idea for how we might arrange that, Father,’ she said softly.
    Suleyman laughed again. ‘Archon, this daughter of yours should rule the world! Now, I must get back to my army. Is there a discreet exit somewhere? And might your daughter be persuaded to show me the way to it?’
    Zoe looked directly at her father. She gave the slightest of nods.
    ‘Of course, lord. Zoe, please show Prince Suleyman out.’

    Zoe led Suleyman through corridors in the basement of the palace. She was heading for a door that led on to a small alleyway that ran by the side of the building, a door that she knew would be unguarded.
    As they walked, Suleyman watched the gentle sway of her bottom beneath the rich folds of silk that accentuated its shape as she moved. He felt himself harden against the silks of his caftan. He quickened his pace.
    ‘So you are going to Venice?’ he asked as he drew level.
    ‘I am going everywhere my