"This is a headache," John muttered, his brow furrowing in frustration.
"What happened?" Anna who was engrossed in the book she was reading the book in her hands turned her head towards John.
"It seems like I have to cut short my vacation and immediately assume my position... Adrianople is in quite a trouble that needs immediate response."
'This is a mess.'
Thirty-two reported dead and hundreds of possibly injured, this is not a simple riot; this is a full on massacre. The veins on John's forehead were visible and his usually calm and composed showing a rare expression of distress.
His left hand continuously massaging his temple as if trying to ease up the feeling of a nauseating headache he currently felt while reading the letter which contains Demetrius's report of the current situation in Adrianople.
"Is it very that bad?" Anna inquired as she proceeds to return the book she was reading back to the shelves besides her and began to walk slowly from her seat towards John.
Over the past few days, she and John had been spending time together.
The two began to somewhat build a relationship over time; sharing humors and tales with one another, all the while John awaits his departure to Adrianople, and Anna's full recovery who were still under constant observation from her attending physician, Father Andreas.
"That, I do not entirely sure... But from the way Demetrius describe it; I fear for the worse."
John send out Demetrius as the peacekeeping leader alongside his retinue while he enjoys his much earned rest after the war and frantic efforts to save Anna.
In his mind, as long as Demetrius were there, he should be able to maintain order and stability before the co-emperor can finally assume his post. But, that was a huge miscalculation on his part.
He didn't include the possibility of an angry Greeks and Bulgarians who were the victims of the Ottoman's ruthless edict not that long ago.
The Turkish residents who decided to remain inside the city were targeted by the wrathful and grieving Greeks and Bulgarians of whom, lost many of their loved one due to the edict.
Unfortunately, that misplaced wrath towards the innocent regular Turks who had nothing to do with the tragedy turned into another tragedy that could have been prevented.
Regardless, the ongoing riot deeply troubled John who, despite being a co-emperor for some time now, had never experienced such problems like the one he currently has now.
During his time as the co-steward of Constantinople alongside his father, Manuel II, John continuously advocated for equality and justice for the non-subjects of the city, especially for the incoming Turks.
Most of the Turks living in Constantinople were former refugees from Anatolia who had escaped from the Timurids in the aftermath of the Battle of Ankara, and were reluctant to return back to Anatolia eventually accepted being the citizens of the city.
This was mostly in part due to John's tireless effort in integrating the influx by giving them generous opportunities and benefits despite not being the citizens of the city.
The incentives given by John were widely controversial amongst the citizens of the city and especially the imperial bureaucracy at first; who mostly regarded the Turks as lowly barbarians who are uncivilized and vile heathens who stole their lands and tainted the people of the lands with their unsympathetic forced assimilation and conversion.
Yet, eventually, John's policy inadvertently saw many of the Turks being Hellenized and converted into the faith. Of course, most of which were done so willingly by the Turks themselves.
The co-emperor's seemingly harmless efforts revitalized the once depopulated and isolated city into a state of a livable city for everyone.
The Turks who essentially already had their livelihood secured were eventually reluctant to return to the war torn and essentially despotic living in Anatolia in favor of Constantinople, and in general, the Empire itself.
Consequently, they became proud citizens of the city and the Empire, serving it wholeheartedly and loyally in every capacity – not to mentioned that most of John's personal retinue, Imperial Marines were in fact, majority Turkish-Hellenic background.
Nikos being the first Turkish-Hellenic person who held the position of Demarchos, or Mayor of Constantinople.
In conclusion, John had ironically becomes the patron saints of the Turkish people living in Constantinople throughout his tenure.
Which then brings us to the current situation in which the Turks in Adrianople were in contrast to the Turks in Constantinople.
Not only does the matter caused a tremendous hole in his reputation as the Turks benefactor, it might as well complicated matters even even more; a cultural city he envisioned cannot be realized if such event were to continue especially under his watch.
He had to stop it at all cost, or else, everything goes in flame.
"If it is that urgent for you to go, then you should immediately go – I can take care of myself."
Throughout her short yet meaningful interaction with him, Anna had learned of everything that she need to know of the man known as John Palaiologos, co-emperor and despot of the Roman Empire.
Dedication, perseverance, idealistic and visionary, just and kind; a rare attributes only found within few worthy leaders of the world.
In John, she saw an unchanging and untainted charisma, and hope – a hope for the future and a dying empire.
Who wouldn't admire such a man like John? Regardless whether if they are a man or a woman, anyone who come to know the man himself, they will eventually be attracted to him like a moth to a flame.
"I understand that, as a future emperor of an empire, the burden that you carry as its standard bearer… I am but no one to stand in its way, nor am I capable to do as thus."
"…"
Pristine, unblemished innocence, untouched by the wretched plague that once afflicted her, radiant like a polished gemstone, glittering brightly amidst thousands of jewels the world could offer.
This lady, Anna, anyone who saw her without her veil would immediately be enamoured upon seeing her once.
John, who had been raveled by this marvelous sight more than once, couldn't get enough of it; resplendent beauty that would rival even the fabled Mona Lisa, and would even be mistaken with the famous Da Vinci's masterpiece.
The only dissimilarity that set them apart would be Anna's ethereal-like presence and divine-like natural beauty unlike Lisa del Giocondo stuck in a painting of a famous polymath and inventor.
"I'm sorry…"
The co-emperor simply said his apology, looking away as he was unable to face the temptress that is Anna.
Chuckle.
"What are you sorry about that you couldn't look at me with your eyes, your highness John? Was my beauty that unbearable that you had to look away?"
Anna jested to John whose face was all red from the blushes.
"No---no that is not it…"
It was a mystery to him why he acted like this only to Anna. He still couldn't understand why; even the event that happened that day he could not solve much less the matter of his heart, which he still could not comprehend – yet.
"If it does bring regret to you couldn't see me again, you can just simply bring me with you, if you must – that is."
She continued to tease him while slowly getting her face closer to John's.
Badumbadum.
"I---I think, that is not something I can do, for you to be in a dangerous place like that, absolutely not…"
Trying to hold himself back from kissing her, John instead gently pushed her away while he stood from his chair trying to back away.
Anna did not give up, instead, she proceed to try inching herself closer,
'This is dangerous.'
John thought in his heart, the crisis at the back of his mind at this point; simply trying to find a way to stop this lady from doing something that might as well bordered taboo for both of them.
This was especially true to the cultural viewpoint of this era where unmarried man and woman should not be too close, or privately seeing each other; an unacceptable behaviour for a society at the time.
Not to mention, John's mother, Helena, explicitly cautioning and scolded him numerous of time for his interaction with Anna.
Impressively, she did not do the same with Anna, which makes John somewhat flabbergasted by this biased treatment between him, as her son, and Anna, who is still a stranger to her despite their recent friendship.
He himself couldn't fathom how this lady can be so forward with a man, knowingly that her reputation as a noble lady is at stake.
It happened a couple of times, not just this once, but a few. Her advance progressively aggressive as time went. Nevertheless, rather than being discomforted, John instead rejoiced.
Yet somehow, it felt wrong.
'This is wrong… Most movies would show men being the most aggressive one here.'
Little did he knew, it was all due to how inexperienced he was with women.
Of course.
Far from discussing what happened in Adrianople, it was John against Anna, until, untimely interruption come to the rescue.
"Desp--- Ehem…Sorry, you both should continue."
Pavlos, the elderly advisor of John was about to enter the room when he saw the whole thing. John were almost against the wall while Anna with her hands behind her back were already a breath away from John.
In the old scholar mind, 'This is wrong…' Well… No one can blame him for thinking as such, the image he saw in front of him were somewhat different than what he knew of a meeting between a man and a lady.
'Wasn't it usually the man being the dominant one?'
Thought the celibate old scholar.
"Oldman--- wait."
Pavlos was about to shut the door again when John, who, as if trying to find a way out immediately, shouted at the old scholar.
"I don't see and I ain't hear nothing."
Pavlos replied cheekily which caused the helpless co-emperor speechless.
"…"
Anna who saw this humorous moment decided to finally step back, glancing at the door and then to John, saying,
"It seems like there are something to discuss between you both, see you later, Your Highness."
Her enchanting voice echoed in John's head before she proceed to slowly left John alone and walk to the door.
After she had left the room, John could finally heaved some relief, probably of embarrassment, and of all, his mother's nagging afterwards if it ever comes to a moment his impulse took over 'prematurely'.
Pavlos, who moments ago seemed to not want to have anything to do with the moment between Anna and John finally re-entered the room, albeit his expression is impressive to say the least.
He tried to hold his laugh which John noticed and gave a stern and intimidating gaze.
"Don't say anything."
Not going to look directly at the co-emperor's eyes, the old scholar feigned ignorance.
"I don't see and I ain't hear nothing."
He replied while continuously shifting his eyes elsewhere except towards John.
"You--- sigh… What is it?"
Give up arguing with this old bugger, John went straight to the point.
"Yeah?"
Feeling like throwing a punch towards this cheeky old man, John restrained himself quite well indeed.
"Do you want to receive a fist or a kiss?"
"Neither."
"…"
He couldn't argue with this old man, he really can't.
"Your father, he is asked me to bring you and me to see him right now."
"Huh? Why? Anything in particular?"
It cannot be that the emperor already knew what happened in Adrianople. If he knew, that would be in itself a disaster for him since he was the one who stressed out that he would assume his post as soon as he finished enjoying his holiday for one week.
"How would I know, you are his son…"
This…
"I don't have the strength to argue with you old man… Let us just go and meet him…"
John tried very hard not to punch this old bugger squarely in the face which elicited a hearty crease from the man himself.
"Not often do I see a student of mine got angry after he got the title… This is somehow refreshing."
Pavlos quipped which caused the co-emperor to finally snapped. Realizing his mistake, the old scholar immediately exited the door while the now 'angry' John followed suit. Someday he would torture the old man.
Nevertheless, what happened in Adrianople now coming back into his mind rendering everything that just happened, especially the ones with Anna to be immediately forgotten.
The headache continues.