Performance, Alexander called it. The Senate had gathered and the two hundred old men in rich clothes sat on the amphitheatrical steps of the Senate House watching their monkey named Alexander Kronne dance in the center, turning to and fro to face this question and that. Soter was not a senator – far too young – but was permitted to watch the proceedings with the sons of other senators. They all sat on the bench at the front of the room facing the senators. It made for great learning watching the reactions of the senators – the cheering and jeering for this speaker and that, the disgust at propositions, as if they were physically about to regurgitate from the sheer awfulness of the bills presented.

A glint of some metal caught Soter’s eye and he turned to see Senator Nassos glaring at the Consul in contempt.

Another one of those idiots who have nothing better to do than fret over the smallest hint of tyranny, Soter thought.

Just as he thought of it, the word was uttered in the speech of the Senator who was currently speaking. Tyranny. It echoed through the senate chamber, carried on the whispers and thoughts of other Senators.

The Speaker took his seat and Alexander rose to give his response, brushing aside his hoarse, grey fringe of hair and clearing his throat.

“I am no tyrant. I fought the Infidel with my armies, as did my father before me. When I was a child, my father told me of the debauchery of the Kings of old, just as your fathers told you all. Though you fine gentlemen think you can dictate who has power and for how long they have it, it is not so. Only the people have that power and so long as the people support me I will not step down.”

“No one supports you! I was molested by a beggar on my way to this very senate house screaming, not for money, but for the tyrant to be stopped!” Said Nassos.

Anger flared in Alexander’s eyes. “A single demented gutter rat is not representative of the whole…”

A voice cried out from one of the senate seats, “They want jobs! There are no jobs!”

“There will be many jobs.” Said Alexander, turning to his anonymous accuser, “I have sent messenger boys to all the best blacksmiths in the city. We will begin recuitment soon. I am raising an army to send east.”

“War?” cried Nassos, “You want war? You want to send yet more of our sons and fathers to die?”

“We are in a war whether you like it or not, Senator. The armies in the East need reinforcements. If they don’t receive them, those sons and fathers will die.”

“It shall go to a vote then,” declared Nassos.

“Indeed,” said Alexander, “All those in favour?”

A portion of the Senate raised their hands.

“Against?” Said Nassos.

It was a forest of hands. A clear majority. Soter saw something on his father’s face he had never seen before – surprise. Alexander was completely taken aback.

“What is this? Why do you not support me?”

There was murmuring and whispering among the Senators. Alexander began shaking his head.

“I refuse to allow… a hundred pale, togaed men to decimate our army. I will send the reinforcements. You hear that? The army marches!”

The Senate erupted in furious discussion. The word tyrant was thick in the air like the pong of a corpse. Senators stood from their seats and entered the floor, senators screamed at each other flinging their arms about. Soter found it difficult to draw breath so thick was the air. A senator’s son leaned over to him.

“Your father’s really overstepped his authority this time,” he said, “he’s in the shitter!”