Conquest

Leo looked down at the amulet. Hanging from a heavy silver chain was a translucent stone the size of a quail’s egg. It was set in scrolls of silver, each of which was a filigree snake, so finely worked that the oval eyes and forked tongues of the serpents could be seen in detail. The stone itself was yellow in colour and, at first glance, apart from its size and smoothness, seemed unremarkable. But then Leo held it to the light of the campfire and grimaced in horror at the image he saw. Silhouetted in the baleful yellow glow of the stone was the face of Satan, the horned beast that had haunted men from the beginning of time. Close to the hideous face, trapped in the stone like the devil’s familiars, were a tiny spider and a group of small winged insects.

‘It’s an abomination. God help us. Surely all who see it are cursed.’

The young Prince of Byzantium tried to reassure the man of God. ‘It is what it is, but it is not to be feared.’

‘Sire, I don’t understand, it is Lucifer himself.’ Leo held it as far away as he could without dropping it.

‘Look again, Father.’

With a squint of revulsion, Leo examined the amulet again. As he twisted it in the light he saw something else. Cutting through the stone was a streak of red, like a splash of blood, which, at a certain angle, obscured the face of the Devil.

‘My father told me it carries five messages of abiding truth. The first message of the stone is courage: that we must face up to our fears and anxieties. The second message is discipline: it tells us that only through discipline and strength of will are we able to control the darkness within us. The third message is humility: we are reminded that only God can work the miracles that make the world what it is. The fourth message is sacrifice: just as the sacrifice of the Blood of Christ saved our mortal souls, so we should be prepared to sacrifice ourselves for God and for one another. Finally, the fifth message is wisdom: the wisdom not to be afraid of the stone, but to gain truth from it. The amulet reveals the face of the Devil surrounded by his acolytes, but they are trapped — entombed by the Blood of Christ. It is a sacred amulet and the man we seek has been its guardian nearly all his life. Now I am returning it to him, in the hope that he will feel that I am also worthy of it, thus anointing me as a true sovereign, just as he endorsed my father many years ago.’

As Leo clenched his fist around the amulet and thrust it deep into the pocket of his cassock, the Prince could sense his inner turmoil.

Leo turned to the Prince. ‘Sire, does this man have a name?’

‘My father didn’t give me his name.’

Leo suddenly realized that although he had met the man, he too had no idea what his name might be. He referred to him simply as the ‘Old Man of the Mountain’.

John Comnenus interrupted his train of thought. ‘Go to your altar and pray for us and then get some rest. Rise early and go to this man. You will not be followed, you have my word. Give him the amulet and ask him if he’ll see me.’

Leo responded with relief. ‘Thank you, sire, for understanding my hardship in not immediately doing your bidding. I do know a man who lives high in the mountains. He may be the one you seek but he has asked me to respect his solitude. I will go to him; it will take a day to get there and to return.’

The Prince smiled at the priest. ‘Only a truly honourable man would protect a stranger in such circumstances. The bishop was right: you are a good shepherd to your flock. Come, I will walk with you to your chapel.’

As the pair walked across the clearing, Leo felt uplifted by the Prince’s words and honoured to be entrusted with an object so close to the Emperor’s heart.

John Azoukh began to play his flute. It was a balmy night in a perfect setting, a rare opportunity for the warriors of Byzantium to enjoy a few moments of quiet reflection and to dream of home and their loved ones.

Several hundred feet above them in his high pasture, with his own vivid reminiscences fresh in his memory, the old man had fallen asleep. He now woke with a jolt, his body aching in parts, numb in others. He managed to pull himself upright and slowly made his way to his humble shelter. He was soon asleep again, but not before his thoughts had once more returned to the turbulent events that long ago engulfed his life.

Early the next morning, the Captain of the Guard and a dozen men took Leo to the beginning of the steep path into the hills before turning back to let him make his long journey alone.