Read Online TLV - 01 - The Golden Horn by Poul Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Poul Anderson
Tags: Historical Novel
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stone in the nose and lurched, his face a red mask. Ever after, his nose was flattened and crooked. However, it was no great wound and he went on fighting.
When the ship was gained, Harald returned to his own and had it rowed to join another battle. The task had almost been completed, though. When the big soft stars of the Southern heaven bloomed, they heard a hymn of thanksgiving from the victorious Greeks.
Subjects of the Emperor who had been aboard, taken to sell, were freed. A share of proceeds from the loot that was regained would help them start life anew in their homes; though some had been so abused that Harald wondered if they would care to try. The pirates themselves took their places. Those men were not exchangeable like ordinary prisoners of war, and would ha rdly make safe slaves. The Thra cian captain explained, '"We will take them ashore and impale them."
Harald was at sea till the autumn storms grew too fierce for these ships. He fought against Saracen regulars as well as outlaws, had the best of every encounter, even took and burned a couple of strongholds. When he came back, to a city of rain and chilly nights, he was counted a proven chief. The Varangians flocked to him and demanded him for their commander.
2
He set aside most of his share in the summer's plunder, entrusting it to a Russian of known honesty to take to Jaroslav with the trading fleet. The Grand Prince would keep it safe for him. This practice he followed throughout the time he was in Constantino ple. Though part of a Varangian's pay was held back until he left the service here, what Harald received made him well off. He did have to buy a great many things at first, and he wanted a house in the city itself, which would be costly.
Before he could put this plan into effect, he received word that the Empress desired audience with him.
"Why her?" he asked Ulf, who had been here longer and picked up all the gossip in taverns and bawdyhouses. "I suppose it's this matter of setting me over the Guard, but the Emperor himself—"
"Oh, yes, in time, no doubt." Ulf hoisted a goblet and drained his wine thirstily. "But the Empress Zoe had an eye for the men. Be careful, or you're apt to find yourself in bed with her."
Harald considered what he had heard during idle watches at sea. Zoe was the second of the old Emperor's three daughters. The third was disfigured by disease and spent her life in a convent. The other two, Theodora and Zoe, had dwelt long in the Gynaeceum, the women's quarters, supposedly hidden from the world. These Byzantines kept their women secluded in a way that none of the free-striding girls in the North would have suffered. It worked well enough for Theodora, who was ugly, strong-willed and pious, but there had been some racy tales about Zoe even in those early days. She was fifty when the Emperor got her married off.
That was to Romanus Arghyros, a gentle old nobleman who was forced to it by threat of blinding; his wife entered a convent to save him, and he wed the princess and was presently crowned. He wore himself out with her and with the aphrodisiacs he took for his flagging vigor; she made up for lost time elsewhere. She also forced her sister Theodora to take the veil lest a conspiracy arise against her.
Meanwhile, a Paphlagonian eunuch named John, a monk, became powerful at court and introduced one of his brothers, a handsome young fellow named Michael, to court circles. Both the Emperor and Empress took a great fancy to the young man.
Ulf snickered. "Michael used to be sent to the Imperial bedchamber to rub His Majesty's feet," he said. "It were a wonder if he never touched the Empress' too. ... He has a falling sickness, but they say he's a lusty one otherwise, and he and Zoe had fine sport even while the old man lived."
When Romanus died on Holy Thursday, 1034, there was good reason to believe that Zoe had had him poisoned. That same night Michael was wed to her and crowned Emperor.
"The strange thing
When the ship was gained, Harald returned to his own and had it rowed to join another battle. The task had almost been completed, though. When the big soft stars of the Southern heaven bloomed, they heard a hymn of thanksgiving from the victorious Greeks.
Subjects of the Emperor who had been aboard, taken to sell, were freed. A share of proceeds from the loot that was regained would help them start life anew in their homes; though some had been so abused that Harald wondered if they would care to try. The pirates themselves took their places. Those men were not exchangeable like ordinary prisoners of war, and would ha rdly make safe slaves. The Thra cian captain explained, '"We will take them ashore and impale them."
Harald was at sea till the autumn storms grew too fierce for these ships. He fought against Saracen regulars as well as outlaws, had the best of every encounter, even took and burned a couple of strongholds. When he came back, to a city of rain and chilly nights, he was counted a proven chief. The Varangians flocked to him and demanded him for their commander.
2
He set aside most of his share in the summer's plunder, entrusting it to a Russian of known honesty to take to Jaroslav with the trading fleet. The Grand Prince would keep it safe for him. This practice he followed throughout the time he was in Constantino ple. Though part of a Varangian's pay was held back until he left the service here, what Harald received made him well off. He did have to buy a great many things at first, and he wanted a house in the city itself, which would be costly.
Before he could put this plan into effect, he received word that the Empress desired audience with him.
"Why her?" he asked Ulf, who had been here longer and picked up all the gossip in taverns and bawdyhouses. "I suppose it's this matter of setting me over the Guard, but the Emperor himself—"
"Oh, yes, in time, no doubt." Ulf hoisted a goblet and drained his wine thirstily. "But the Empress Zoe had an eye for the men. Be careful, or you're apt to find yourself in bed with her."
Harald considered what he had heard during idle watches at sea. Zoe was the second of the old Emperor's three daughters. The third was disfigured by disease and spent her life in a convent. The other two, Theodora and Zoe, had dwelt long in the Gynaeceum, the women's quarters, supposedly hidden from the world. These Byzantines kept their women secluded in a way that none of the free-striding girls in the North would have suffered. It worked well enough for Theodora, who was ugly, strong-willed and pious, but there had been some racy tales about Zoe even in those early days. She was fifty when the Emperor got her married off.
That was to Romanus Arghyros, a gentle old nobleman who was forced to it by threat of blinding; his wife entered a convent to save him, and he wed the princess and was presently crowned. He wore himself out with her and with the aphrodisiacs he took for his flagging vigor; she made up for lost time elsewhere. She also forced her sister Theodora to take the veil lest a conspiracy arise against her.
Meanwhile, a Paphlagonian eunuch named John, a monk, became powerful at court and introduced one of his brothers, a handsome young fellow named Michael, to court circles. Both the Emperor and Empress took a great fancy to the young man.
Ulf snickered. "Michael used to be sent to the Imperial bedchamber to rub His Majesty's feet," he said. "It were a wonder if he never touched the Empress' too. ... He has a falling sickness, but they say he's a lusty one otherwise, and he and Zoe had fine sport even while the old man lived."
When Romanus died on Holy Thursday, 1034, there was good reason to believe that Zoe had had him poisoned. That same night Michael was wed to her and crowned Emperor.
"The strange thing
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