Fourteen Years Later

Rogue Sword, CHAPTER I.

Transiting from PROLOGUE to CHAPTER I in Rogue Sword, we enter territory already traversed by guest blogger, Sean M. Brooks. See Finding An Unexpected Connection.

In 1306, Lucas Greco, back in Constantinople, waits in the Augustaion (see image). Varangian Guards stand on the walls of the Imperial grounds.

Lucas sees:

the Brazen House, the Varangians' barracks;
the Daphne Palace;
the Sigma Palace;
the domes of St. Sophia;
the Hippodrome.

The city surges with humanity like many described by Poul Anderson. Citizens, wearing "...long dalmatic and cope...," (p. 25) are "...more Anatolian than Greek..." (ibid.) Slaves carry a noble in a palanquin. Anderson lists sounds and smells, ending with sunlight on a high white seagull.

Lucas waits...