call. How can we do less?’
‘Because the Old World is far from here. You don’t understand their politics, Catrina. It’s foolish to let ourselves be entangled in their quarrels just when our kingdom is on a firm footing.’
Sofia noticed how the ‘our’ made the queen’s nostrils flair, but Andronikos carried on blithely, ‘If we turn our back on the Radinate—’
The patriarch snorted, ‘We’ve nothing to fear from those gerbil-eaters. Their government is a thing without structure or foundation, like the tents they live in. Abraham’s children have become children once more.’
‘And any one of those children will cut the other’s throat for a few pieces of silver,’ the queen finished.
‘Fine,’ said Andronikos, ‘but the Concordians – the men you call infidels – were enemies of the Ariminumese until this summit drove them together. That makes them potential allies, as far as I’m concerned.’
‘Allies!’ Sofia interrupted. ‘Last night, you treated us to a vivid description of a Concordian legion marching to the walls of Byzant.’
‘Perhaps you slept through the end of the story, child: we saw them speedily off. Geography is the reason no Europan State can threaten us militarily – the Ariminumese plague us in other ways, stealing our markets, under-pricing us. They’ve made a pirate into their admiral. Need more be said? Let the Etrurians fight between themselves. Why search for infidels abroad?’ he asked, glancing at the slave fanning the queen. ‘We have enough of those at home.’
‘You’re right about one thing, Prince,’ said Sofia. ‘You don’t understand Etrurian politics. The Concordians covet territory like the Ariminumese covet gold. If the Concordians get access to the Ariminumese navy, Oltremare will be faced with a new Crusade, a Crusade that will supplant you.’
The prince’s child shrieked in delight and the queen looked up with a smile. ‘My kingdom’s strong enough to see off any pretenders.’ Sofia knew that this boast was for her uncle’s ears – and so did he. Embarrassed, he made his excuses and stalked out.
Unperturbed, the queen kissed the giggling baby’s stomach. ‘Where’s Papa gone? Where’s he gone?’ After the last of Andronikos’ retinue filed out, followed by Fulk and his men, she turned lazily to the patriarch. ‘Your Beatitude, what say you?’
Chrysoberges pursed his lips with great solemnity. ‘Since we have subjugated heresy so thoroughly here, the Evil One is trying to flank us. Our duty is clear: Etruria and Oltremare are one. Your uncle talks of commerce’ – a shudder shook the old tree – ‘and makes arguments of expedience, but there can be no compromise with apostasy! Evil must be vanquished wherever it manifests itself. The engineers of Concord deserve harsher treatment than the Ebionites. Abraham’s children languish in the old dispensation, but at least they fear God. The engineers worship an idol called Reason.’ He added mournfully, ‘If that poison were to gain purchase in people’s hearts, where might it end? What beastliness could not be justified in Reason’s name?’
‘Considering the sins committed in God’s, I tremble to imagine. Get to the point – should we go to war?’
His fervent manner changed entirely. ‘A more delicate question, Majesty. However just the cause, war’s not to be rushed into. Our long-term security rests on controlling the Middle Sea.’
‘And our fleet is old …’ the queen said, musing. ‘Thank you, Chrysoberges. You may go. You too, Podesta. I would speak with my sister queen.’
The queen waited till all the men were gone, then rolled her eyes. ‘I do apologise for Andronikos, Contessa. Do you have siblings? No? Consider yourself lucky. Uncle means well, but he has always been an ambitious dreamer. That’s what brought my ancestors across the sea: a dream of a heavenly city. When they found a pointless rock in the middle of a dry nothing, most of them went home. The ones who stayed were weak, weak and divided. Oltremare was several states, then. Impossible to do anything, impossible to agree.’ This was ancient history, but the queen appeared to take fresh umbrage at it. ‘They warred with the Ebionites, and with each other as well. The Ebionites took sides in our feuds, and year by year they won back more territory. Within a century, they retook Jerusalem. We could have stopped them if the nobles had united behind the crown. Jealousy almost destroyed us – my uncle knows this!’
Sofia attempted to look sympathetic.
‘Oltremare was doomed: friendless in Europa, enveloped by the Radinate, divided internally. The conversion of Egypt reprieved us for a few decades, but my grandfather Tancred was the