With the tacit consent of those in power, Pauli made inquiries far and wide, finally persuading a captain to put to sea at short notice.
Winter seas were rough, and the merchant ship occasionally stopped along the way. The voyage from Rimini to Constantinople took more than a month.
The moment the merchant ship came to rest at the Golden Horn docks, Pauli felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. He led his family ashore and followed the coast toward Blachernae Palace in the northwest of the city.
Upon learning that her elder brother was safe, Agnes immediately sent word to Phil's family, who had arrived earlier, and welcomed these relatives from afar at the palace.
During the banquet, Agnes heard that the family residence had been looted. She could not hold back her tears and cursed Charles VII and Medici.
Romanus said nothing. He knew what his uncle was hoping for, but the imperial army was concentrated in the Balkans and had no strength to spare for opening a new front in Italy.
After having lunch with his relatives, Romanus returned to the Cabinet to attend to affairs of state.
For now, the highest priority was securing military supplies for the Balkan front.
Next came sending reinforcements to the Armenian front.
Last month, the White Sheep had heard of the troubles facing the Eastern Roman Empire and massed a large force along the border. In the past, the empire's Frontier Army had harassed the White Sheep's borders. Now it was the White Sheep's turn to retaliate.
Last was the Eastern European steppe. The Cossacks, the Moscow Grand Duchy, and the Tatar forces were all embroiled in a tangled struggle. The Central Administration had no reinforcements to send to Outer Tauris and could only have the local herders