Needless to say, he had not slept well. Still keyed up and tense after his almost-argument with Theodora, Achilleas had spent the night pouring over everything she had said, everything he knew, to see if there was anything that could give credence to her fears, to her sister’s fears. Letting himself think the things he did not dare to think until he was alone. It found him sitting in his study early ,before the day had even begun, head resting in his hands as he went over it again.



Stephanos had been suspicious, he had not needed that pointing out to him, but the antagonism between his cousin and his father was not a new thing, so Achilleas had not paid it too much heed. Olympia though...she had said nothing when he had seen her in the Palati those few days ago, had seemed in good spirits. But the events of the Senate meeting, the house arrest had clearly upset her greatly, and Achilleas found that harder to ignore. Was she so afraid that she really thought his father might kill them?



He could still hear the scorn in Theodora’s voice when he had refused her, and worse, it was echoed by a small voice inside his own head, chastising him for standing by and doing nothing when there was so much at stake, whichever was the cards fell. Perhaps.. If he could be clever he might at least be able press his father for some information? If there was nothing to be hidden then he would have nothing to hide and should be able to speak to his own son about it surely?



Or perhaps would have, if Achilleas had not rather fallen on his sword in the Senate meeting.His eyes slid sideways towards a stack of papers on his desk, ones he had set aside, and the man set his jaw. He would be playing with fire he knew...his father had not even spoken to him in the dikastirio when he and Emilios had gone to check on him. That had not surprised him - he had known what he was doing when he did not vote, even if there had been some hopeful part of him wishing it would just escape the man’s notice. But the letter..that had come with a healthy dose of realism about what he could and could not do. But this was different, he rationalised. This was not going against the man but just trying to understand what he was doing.



In the next moment, Achilleas had snatched up the papers and gone.





The Palati was astir. There was some Egyptian embassy expected later that day, and Achilleas cursed his timing as he followed the servant through the hallways towards his father’s study. All around there were slaves and serfs cleaning, preparing for the Court to be held that afternoon,



On the pretence of bringing over the documents that he was no longer allowed to approve, Achilleas would ask his father what the plans were for the trial, try and see what he could learn to put Theodora’s mind at rest.



“There is no need to announce me” he said to the servant as they drew near, weighting his voice with everything of his station and experience. He had decided he would not give Irakles the opportunity to deny him. “My father will see me.” The Lord Mikaelidas did not give the man chance to disagree, slipping deftly past him and into his father’s study. He could only hope such presumption would not see him fall flat upon his face as he looked upon Irakles.



“Good morning Father” Achilleas looked tired- he had not slept, after all- but his face was impassive as he set a tied bundle of papers down upon the desk between them. “ Euttica correspondence” he said lightly, hoping it did not show quite how hard he was having to work to affect such nonchalance. He did not sit, but stood straight backed before the man, waiting for some kind of acknowledgement of his presence at least.