Death is Eternal #376

Saturday. November 25, 2023. 1,810 words.

Welcome to the last Death is Eternal! As I mentioned last week, there was a reason I said, “And as I said last week, get used to it. But not for long...” And now, you know the truth... Not quite, actually. After this unnecessary drama, let me explain that, in reality, this is the last “live” newsletter because I’m going away on vacation, so I already wrote all the new Death is Eternal that I’ll publish from 2023-12-4 to 2024-1-15. Since I have already written them, things will be a bit different structurally; after all, how can I talk about my life when things haven’t happened yet? So, while I’m away, the newsletter will only be a short story and two reviews. And since it’ll be shorter, there’ll be no free-for-all version in January. Now that you know the truth, we shall begin the “last” Death is Eternal!

Contents

1. The Byzantine Civil War of 1341—1347

2. Writing: Vacation

3. Bye!

4. Life (from November 20 to December 3, 2023)

5. Death is Eternal review #247: The Flash

6. The end

1. The Byzantine Civil War of 1341—1347

“Leave us!” thundered John Kantakouzenos, the chief minister and megas domestikos beneath the recently departed Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos. The guard, compelled by authority, promptly withdrew.

With the door sealed behind him, Kantakouzenos pivoted towards Empress-Dowager Anna of Savoy. A mere hour prior, the megas domestikos had stood before the Byzantine Senate, proclaiming himself regent and master of the Byzantine Empire. He also insisted that John, Andronikos III’s son, wed his daughter, Helena Kantakouzene.

“The Emperor is dead. Long live the Emperor,” Kantakouzenos declared, his lips curved in a sly smile directed at Anna. In response, the Empress-Dowager spat at the megas domestikos, demanding to know her son’s whereabouts.

“He’s safe,” Kantakouzenos assured; a pledge of security for the bereaved mother. “And he’ll remain so as long as you desire.”

Anna comprehended his ulterior motive. Though fear gripped her maternal instincts, she refused to cower at this crucial juncture. To do so would forfeit her son’s rightful legacy. “Forget it!”

“You sound like one rejecting a proposal, but I haven’t proposed anything to you...”

“Yet.”

The chief minister’s smile lingered. He admired Anna, understanding why Andronikos III held her in such regard. “Yet, indeed.”

A charged silence enveloped them as they scrutinized each other. Kantakouzenos broke the stillness. “I will restore the throne to him. That’s why I desire him to wed my daughter. Do you think I would strip the empress title from my own flesh and blood?”

“You’re a deceitful scoundrel and a cheater,” Anna retorted, her words falling short of the vehemence she desired.

“How am I a liar and a cheater?” Kantakouzenos erupted, defending his actions. To him, he merely executed the deceased Emperor’s wishes. “When Andronikos fell ill in 1331, he insisted that I become regent or even Emperor if he died! Fortunately, he recovered and lived ten more years. But now, he is dead! I’m obeying him!”

Anna, seething with anger and frustration, unleashed her retort. “Tell all the lies you want. You know the circumstances have changed. You’re nothing more than a usurper!”

“How? How did the situation change?”

“He was heirless when he fell ill a decade ago! John was born the following year. He is nine now, and he can take the throne! You’re using his death, his ten-year-old words, to usurp the power! According to the law, I, the Empress-Dowager, should be the regent until John is declared Emperor. So cut the act! We both know you’re nothing more than a vulture eating the scraps of power you can find!”

Kantakouzenos, stung by the truth, found himself defenceless. Anna had exposed his machinations, revealing him as a vulture scavenging morsels of power. Acknowledging defeat, he realized the impending solitary battle for his proclaimed title.

“You’ll remain secure, both of you, but within my watchful gaze. The palace shall be your realm henceforth,” Kantakouzenos conceded, ready to exit the room. Anna, however, delivered a parting prophecy:

“You will fall.”

“Maybe, but I will rise again, and again, and again.” Defiant, the self-proclaimed Emperor departed, leaving behind the echoes of a power struggle within the hallowed halls of Byzantium.

The end

---

The Byzantine Civil War of 1341–1347, sometimes referred to as the Second Palaiologan Civil War, was a conflict that broke out in the Byzantine Empire after the death of Andronikos III Palaiologos, over the guardianship of his nine-year-old son and heir, John V Palaiologos. It pitted on the one hand Andronikos III's chief minister, John VI Kantakouzenos, and the other a regency headed by the Empress-Dowager Anna of Savoy, the Patriarch of Constantinople John XIV Kalekas, and the megas doux Alexios Apokaukos. The war polarized Byzantine society along class lines, with the aristocracy backing Kantakouzenos and the lower and middle classes supporting the regency.

2. Writing: Vacation

Credit: Substack (an otter using a computer)

As a writer, one of the intriguing aspects of my craft is the dual nature of writing—it can be both work and entertainment. Back when I had the luxury of dedicating more time to being a professional writer, primarily focusing on books, I found myself navigating the delicate balance between “writing for fun” and “writing for money.” But the distinction blurred as I sat in front of my keyboard, typing away.

To be perfectly honest, the line between work and entertainment became increasingly fuzzy during my writing sessions. Regardless of the mental divisions I attempted to create, I couldn’t escape the realization that typing those words was both my job and my source of enjoyment. It might seem absurd and a bit challenging to grasp if you’re not a writer, but that internal struggle was very much a part of my creative process. Even now, as my focus has shifted more towards editing than writing, that confusion persists—where does the realm of work end, and the domain of fun begin? The answer fluctuates depending on the day and, more significantly, the words.

So, it’s with this preamble that I announce my intention to write during my upcoming vacation. It’s not because I find it impossible to relax or because I’m a workaholic, but rather because, for me, writing resides on a delicate continuum between work and entertainment, even serving as a tool for relaxation. Having had limited time, motivation, and energy for writing over the past six months, I aim to rediscover the joy of playing with words while away. It’s been quite some time since typing brought me genuine fun consistently, a sentiment I’ve shared with you before.

The challenge lies in convincing myself that I’m writing because I want to, not because I need to. With the freedom of vacation, away from the usual obligations, I hope my mindset will naturally shift from “you have to do something” to “do whatever you want.” While the complexity of writing as both work and entertainment might be confusing, the distinction between “have” and “want” is clear-cut. Unlike the nebulous and intertwined nature of writing, these two feelings remain straightforward.

On a fun note, the plan for this section is to conceal my inner thoughts, presenting them as tips for aspiring writers. However, in retrospect, I fear I may have been too heavy-handed, inadvertently revealing that I use writing, particularly in the form of Death is Eternal, as a therapeutic tool to navigate the world of writing. I seem to have transitioned from the role of the talker to the listener. Well, I never claimed to be more than I am or to know more than I know. We’re on this continuous journey together, navigating the intricacies of the writer’s mind.

3. Bye!

Here’s where we say our farewell to the free subscribers. If you want to read the rest of Death is Eternal, consider becoming a paying subscriber. If you already are a paying subscriber, first of all, thank you very, very much! And second, I’ll see you on the other side of the paywall.