Pluto was now standing on the throne hall. Nobles gathered around the throne, with Pluto and a disguised Phastos near the throne, standing as advisors.

Anna was standing beside them, along with the other princesses and prince John. Anna had grown to a beautiful and capable young maiden, she stood beside Pluto, seemingly whispering to him.

“What did father do?” whispered Anna. “The nobles were anxious..”

“You’ll see later, princess.” Pluto whispered back. “Quite a big deal I might add.”

“Then could you just tell me now?” grumbled Anna.

“I believe, even if you knew, you couldn’t do anything.” added Pluto. “Just focus on your marriage Anna, you have a husband to impress.”

“Well, I don’t want to marry..”

Pluto hummed. “Then please, drop your ambition to become Empress too.”

Anna just went silent, she then stepped back from Pluto, and didn’t talk.

The Emperor then entered the room, people bowed their heads, the emperor walked through the hall, and sat on his throne, and the others stopped bowing.

“Phastos, the news.” said the emperor lightly.

Phastos nodded darkly, he opened the letter that was on his hand, and opened it. He scanned the letter, and summarised the entire letter.

“Kingdoms from the west requested passage, your majesty.” spoke Phastos clearly.

“For what?” questioned the Emperor.

“For war.” answered Phastos grimly. “They are launching a crusade. They will ride to the holy land, and fight against the muslims.”

The nobles instantly argued against one another, they were arguing whether or not to let the catholics pass.

The emperor became irritated. “Silence!”

The hall was in total silence. The emperor looked at Phastos and Pluto. “What do you think, advisors?”

“Your majesty, I think this is a great opportunity, the Seljuks in the east are going stronger, and we are only getting by, we could ask for the Crusaders to take back our lands.” said an advisor beside Phastos and Pluto.

The emperor turned to Phastos. “Phastos?”

Phastos clenched his fist. “Forgive me.. your majesty.. As the contract goes, I am only advising you on internal, and economical affairs, I do not have an opinion on military affairs.”

The emperor hummed.

“Your majesty!” shouted a noble. “Surely you are not going to take the advice of these outsiders! Are you going to let those Catholics enter our city?! After they exiled our patriarch!?”

The nobles kept arguing on another, torn between two sides. The emperor watches as they fight, and announces.

“My advisor is right.” said the emperor, silencing the hall. “Our army is tired, we should let these crusaders pass, and let them deal with the muslims, while we recover, maybe this is their answer for my request for help.”

And so, the emperor announces that they will help the crusaders, opening their doors to the holy army.

—

In the Emperor’s solar, Phastos and Pluto were standing opposite of the emperor, answering his call. The emperor looked tired, and annoyed at the same time.

“Phastos, Pluto, are you sure your kind can’t intervene with human affairs?” questioned Emperor Alexios calmly.

“Not directly.” answered Pluto casually, which made Phastos elbow him.

“Forgive us, your majesty, but we really couldn’t.”

The emperor then slammed the desk that was in front of him, angry at the situation he was in. “These damn catholics!”

“Something happened, your majesty?” questioned Pluto.

“A monk.. called Peter, is bringing a mob of peasants.. they ransacked our cities and villages, yet they still call themselves god’s army.”

“So you want us to deal with it?” questioned Pluto nonchalantly.

“Pluto..” murmured Phastos dangerously.

The emperor’s eyes lit up with hope. “Can you?”

“Well, no, I was just asking..”

The emperor frowned in an instant. “Do not test my patience Pluto, I am tired, and in need of hope right now.”

“Sorry..”

The emperor sighed. “Phastos, you can leave, I want to talk to Pluto alone.”

Phastos raised his eyebrow, and left the place, leaving Pluto alone with the emperor.

“How is Anna?” asked Alexios worriedly.

Pluto sighed. “Honestly, she’s quite ambitious, she still insists on becoming the Empress.”

The emperor hummed. “Did I make the right choice? Choosing John as my heir instead?”

“The nobles won’t be happy if you choose Anna.” answered Pluto. “So I’d say you choose the right path.”

Alexios looked at the window beside him. “Could you.. take her in? If I died and John took the Throne, if she carried on with her schemes.. Could you bring her on your travels? I don’t want her to be put to death by my son.”

Pluto looked at the emperor for a second, before sighing. “You could just stop this all you know?”

The emperor shook his head. “I couldn’t. Enemies are everywhere, if I castrate my family publicly, they’ll take advantage..”

Pluto walked towards the window, looking at the majestic sight of the city.

“Could you?” the emperor asked once again. “She’s my dear daughter.. the one who followed me all the time when she was a child, she idolises me too much..”

Pluto didn’t answer, instead, he changed the topic. “Did you know she’s talented at writing?”

Alexios frowned. “I didn’t know that..”

Pluto continued. “I gave her books that I got from my travels.. the Iliad, Herodotus’s writings, Aristotle’s memoirs, everything.”

“You gave her heretical material?” chuckled Alexios. “I should not have hired you as her tutor.”

Pluto ignored the emperor’s words. “I will not bring her on my trip.” answered Pluto finally, making the Emperor sighed. “But I’ll help her dream, like my children before her.”

“Children?”

Pluto just smiled. “You should rest, your majesty,” said Pluto calmly. “The Crusade has just begun.”