ex-lovers to put you in the ground. No, that was Antonina’s doing.”
I had suspected as much, but it was good to have my suspicion confirmed. That said, I would have been a fool to place too much faith in his words.
“I see Belisarius has made you an officer,” he said, “I am guilty of misjudging him. He is a far more subtle man than I thought.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded. If Narses wished to turn me against Belisarius, he was going to have a hard time of it.
“He has made you his ally, showered you with favour and promotion s, and succeeded in persuading you that he is your only true friend. All lies, Coel. It seems our golden general is not immune to deceit. I have always been your friend. Did I not rescue you from Theodora’s bed of pain?”
I hesitated. It was true Narses had saved me from being broiled alive by the Empress.
“You did it to spite her,” I snapped, “rather than any concern for my wellbeing. I will not be poisoned by your venom, snake.”
Narses sighed, and ran a hand through his beard. “ I cannot do right, it seems. I am accused of being a typical lying politician, and yet when I tell a man the truth he throws it back in my face. Ah, well. You will learn. Belisarius is using you. Shaping you to his own ends.”
His squealing voice had an oddly seductive, persuasive quality, but still I refused to listen.
“What are you doing in Italy?” I asked, “why has the Emperor furnished you with an army, instead of sending the troops to Belisarius? You are no soldier.”
Narses shifted into a more comfortable position on the divan. “Perhaps not, but I am a reasonably competent chess player. Chess is a game of war, is it not? One moves the pieces on the board, tries to predict the strategy of one’s opponent, to outflank and outmanoeuvre him. It has the advantage of being bloodless, though occasionally a game ends in blows.”
I almost laughed. It was absurd, the notion of this twisted little half-man leading a Roman army into battle. He was fit for nothing but court intrigues, and should have remained in the lethal warren of the imperial court in Constantinople, where he reigned supreme.
Narses noticed my amusement, and gave one of his lazy smiles. “Seven thousand men, Coel,” he said, “the Emperor gave me all the troops he could spare. Why not send them to Belisarius, you ask? Because it is possible to be too successful, and emperors have fallen victim to over-mighty subjects before now. In short, Justinian trusts me, but not Belisarius.”
“Then he is a fool indeed,” I retorted. I was keen for the interview to end, but at the same time wanted to know the eunuch’s plans, and the Emperor’s reasons for sending him to Italy without informing Belisarius.
Narses sighed again and sat upright, swinging his short legs over the edge of the divan. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, and that I would have to provide some evidence of my good faith. Like everyone else, you judge me by my appearance and reputation.”
I started to mouth a denial, but Narses raised his hand. “Please. I don’t blame you. What right-thinking person would believe the words of an abomination like me? I ought to have been exposed at birth and left to die.”
“My evidence is this. The woman Elene, your ex-lover, is inside Ravenna. She disappointed Antonina once too often, and threw herself on the mercy of the Goths to escape retribution. King Vitiges has taken her as an agent and a bedmate. She is still an attractive woman, and knows how to snare a king, especially one in such desperate need of comfort.”
This s hook me a little, but it had a ring of truth. Narses had no conceivable reason to feed me lies regarding Elene.
“I care not where she is,” I replied, “or what she does. Elene means nothing to me.”
Narses sniffed, and tapped his fingertips together. “She is not alone.
I had suspected as much, but it was good to have my suspicion confirmed. That said, I would have been a fool to place too much faith in his words.
“I see Belisarius has made you an officer,” he said, “I am guilty of misjudging him. He is a far more subtle man than I thought.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded. If Narses wished to turn me against Belisarius, he was going to have a hard time of it.
“He has made you his ally, showered you with favour and promotion s, and succeeded in persuading you that he is your only true friend. All lies, Coel. It seems our golden general is not immune to deceit. I have always been your friend. Did I not rescue you from Theodora’s bed of pain?”
I hesitated. It was true Narses had saved me from being broiled alive by the Empress.
“You did it to spite her,” I snapped, “rather than any concern for my wellbeing. I will not be poisoned by your venom, snake.”
Narses sighed, and ran a hand through his beard. “ I cannot do right, it seems. I am accused of being a typical lying politician, and yet when I tell a man the truth he throws it back in my face. Ah, well. You will learn. Belisarius is using you. Shaping you to his own ends.”
His squealing voice had an oddly seductive, persuasive quality, but still I refused to listen.
“What are you doing in Italy?” I asked, “why has the Emperor furnished you with an army, instead of sending the troops to Belisarius? You are no soldier.”
Narses shifted into a more comfortable position on the divan. “Perhaps not, but I am a reasonably competent chess player. Chess is a game of war, is it not? One moves the pieces on the board, tries to predict the strategy of one’s opponent, to outflank and outmanoeuvre him. It has the advantage of being bloodless, though occasionally a game ends in blows.”
I almost laughed. It was absurd, the notion of this twisted little half-man leading a Roman army into battle. He was fit for nothing but court intrigues, and should have remained in the lethal warren of the imperial court in Constantinople, where he reigned supreme.
Narses noticed my amusement, and gave one of his lazy smiles. “Seven thousand men, Coel,” he said, “the Emperor gave me all the troops he could spare. Why not send them to Belisarius, you ask? Because it is possible to be too successful, and emperors have fallen victim to over-mighty subjects before now. In short, Justinian trusts me, but not Belisarius.”
“Then he is a fool indeed,” I retorted. I was keen for the interview to end, but at the same time wanted to know the eunuch’s plans, and the Emperor’s reasons for sending him to Italy without informing Belisarius.
Narses sighed again and sat upright, swinging his short legs over the edge of the divan. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me, and that I would have to provide some evidence of my good faith. Like everyone else, you judge me by my appearance and reputation.”
I started to mouth a denial, but Narses raised his hand. “Please. I don’t blame you. What right-thinking person would believe the words of an abomination like me? I ought to have been exposed at birth and left to die.”
“My evidence is this. The woman Elene, your ex-lover, is inside Ravenna. She disappointed Antonina once too often, and threw herself on the mercy of the Goths to escape retribution. King Vitiges has taken her as an agent and a bedmate. She is still an attractive woman, and knows how to snare a king, especially one in such desperate need of comfort.”
This s hook me a little, but it had a ring of truth. Narses had no conceivable reason to feed me lies regarding Elene.
“I care not where she is,” I replied, “or what she does. Elene means nothing to me.”
Narses sniffed, and tapped his fingertips together. “She is not alone.
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