1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 206: Good Law

"Law is order, and good law is good order."

-        Aristotle

The crowd of people reluctantly followed their new lord and his pirate looking soldiers out of the chantry, through the street to the beach at the other end, where there stands a wooden make shift stage laid by four smaller boats, and another group of people awaiting them with their hands being tied by ropes kneeling towards the sea, guarded by soldiers holding their glittering cutlasses under the afternoon sun light. 

This sparked another round of terror and concerns among the people recounting their past bad memories about barbarians having a massive beheading session on the same beaches.

Antonius took seat on the make shift platform with Abdullah on his left and Anjelo on his right, in that clergy white robe again. 

"Some of you might be curious why did we lead you here." Antonius shouted out to the whole lot of people that covered the entire beach. "And I shall tell you now, look at those people! Julian bring them over here." 

Julian and his sailors formed these land lords in a line with wipes and cutlasses making them trudge in front of the make shift stage bare footed then forcing them to kneel down in front of the crowd with their eyes looking up showing their faces to the people, bringing another range of shock and quiet discussions among them, as they recognize these familiar faces for they are the true over lords and the uncrowned noble on this island. 

"I have to state my princeps of governance clear over here!" Antonius continued without even giving these people a peek. "My government on this island is based on justice, equality, and fairness. I do note tolerate anyone, anyone! From mistreating other people exploiting from them using their advantage in social statues, wealth and force. Remember that folks."

"When I first landed on this small island today, I got a shock of my life. You know what did I see a couple of hours ago? I saw a dried moat, filled with the remains of newborn infants. My mind was blown and traumatised seeing this atrocity and cannot believe it when it is being done by their own parents! I cannot imagine what kind of mentality do you have when you do such sinful deeds, are you still Christians? Where is your moral dimension? Do not look away, I know a lot of you have done such things here." 

A lot of men looked away tilting their heads in another direction in shame and remorse, while the women started lowering their heads shading tears silently hearing Antonius' words that are like daggers stabbing into their ears again and again, the children however, remains ignorant about what has happened some not even realizing that they once had a sibling. 

"Then I studied your situation with one of your fellow friend You, come over here, what is your name?" 

The man who disposed his baby gulped, stood up and walked forward. "Cleon, my lord." 

"Cleon? Do you really think you suit that name?" Antonius started being sarcastic.

"No, my lord." The man Cleon looked down in shame. 

"Thanks to this man called Cleon, I am able to get a brighter view and insight about what really caused this atrocity." Antonius shouted to the crowd pointing at this man. "But this does not make him evade from his crimes. It is God's decision to forgive him or not, but I will not. This man, shall receive a lighter charge of imprisonment for three years, any objections?" 

"No, my lord."

"Good. Now for these people." 

Antonius changed his focus finally to the line of land lords and his family kneeling before him. "You see these people before me, and all of you should be pretty clear of who they are and what have they done in the past Now I shall bring each and every one of these people onto the stage, and everyone of you can come out shouting out the sinful deeds and good deeds this man has done to you in the past, and I shall decide what kind of trial and punishment shall be given to him."

Antonius looked around and then fixed his eyes on an obese middle aged man, perhaps the fattest man on the entre island, and ordered. "Bring this man onto the stage, we shall start with him." 

The man is brought onto the stage howling like an animal fractioning his feet on the sands, with his past prestige and pride totally gone from him unlike the past image he posed in front of the locals, then pinned down by the guards kneeling towards the crowd. 

"Now, who has anything to confess?" 

The locals all began vigorously discussing among themselves, but still no one had the guts to be the first to step up. Even some of the clergy belonging to the local chantry, according to the guards at the back, was trying to tell the locals and the guards that this man is a huge benefactor of the church donating a lot of his revenue, and a faithful follower of Christianity devoting at least two days per week participating in liturgy sessions. 

Antonius slowly got impatient in waiting, jiggling his feet, clenching his fist, and keeps on looking at the position of the sun. 

Seeing this, Anjelo stood up, went in front of this man, pounded his metal rod pretending it is a clergy scepter on the ground attracting the attention of everyone, and announced. "On behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarch, I hereby declare that this man before me has been excommunicated for his sinful deeds done in the past!" 

The entire place instantly quietened down with only the mewing sound of sea gulls and the pounding surf of sea waves can be heard. 

Immediately after Anjelo went back to his seat, things made an abrupt change as a skinny woman who looks like she suddenly received a sudden burst of strength and power, charged out of the crowd breaking free the pulls of several men, right to the stage and sunk her finger nails into the thigh screeching her words of hate through her teeth.

"You imbecilic piece of !@%*, return me my son! You !#&$"

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