Fotios was in his study when the arrival of the second Mikaelidas son was announced. Indeed, it seemed that the man had taken his words to heart, for he had arrived on the last day of the week. Fotios wondered if this was to avoid a possible run in with the Lady Theodora or if the man had just put off the inevitability of the meeting until the last possible moment. For it was inevitable. Fotios knew that his friendship with Irakles would have ensured the man's attendance either way, so he felt little satisfaction at his letter being responded to in person. The events had happened as he had expected - no need for self-congratulations on such a thing.

Instead, he simply nodded to the servant - a simultaneous excuse of their presence and thanks for their duty, before he finished up his correspondence. Upon being done, he secured the papers away and then rose from his chair, heading directly to the chamber Emilios had been seen to.

The room was fashioned very much like a study or library, with dark cases lining the walls and books lining the cases. several high-backed chairs from the west had been shipped to the Leventi household when Fotios had visited Italy and found them to his liking. He also had several side bureaus with decanters and paper and quills ready for any kind of use the patrons of the room may require.

Entering the room with several tomes he had taken from his office, Fotios moved directly towards the shelves as he greeted the second son of the prince.

"Lord Emilios..." He commented with a small smile and then a dismissive turn towards his library collection. "Thank you for responding to my note. Please..." He waved one of the books he was returning to its position towards a sideboard. "Help yourself to some wine and make yourself comfortable..."

Upon securing the books in their correct order - for he was fastidious in his organisation and did not have the time to go searching for books that had been returned out of place, Fotios then headed for one of the high-backed chairs and sat comfortably in his standard posture; one leg crossed over the other at the knee and one elbow raised on the arm.

He rested his head on his hand and watched the handsome man consider his offer as he then decided not to beat around the bush.

"I know of your relationship with my niece, Emilios."

Fotios's eyes shot up level with Emilios' sharp and hostile. At his next words, all fake friendliness and composure had been evaporated as his syllables came out clipped and harsh.

"Unless you want me to assume you to be sleeping with more than one of my relatives, do not play coy with me, boy."

Blinking away the momentary flash of anger as if it was never there at all Fotios simply stood up - as if he had all the time in the world, to change his mind upon what he was doing - and moved towards the bureau and poured himself a glass of the wine that Emilios had refused.

Settling himself back into the chair and taking a long draw from his cup, Fotios simply licked and then purses his lips for a moment, before his gaze trailed from the top of Emilios' dark flowing locks to the bottoms of his finely crafted shoes. He was a good looking man and held himself in a way that was far more easy-going than his brother. He could see where there were boundaries with Achilleas that were not present in his younger brother and understood quickly why one of the most headstrong and opinionated of his nieces would fancy herself in love with him.

"Theodora came to her father a week or so ago and professed her love for you, Emilios." He commented, dropping his title of Lord. He picked a non-existent piece of dust from the leg of his clothing where he rested one knee over the other. "She cited it as the reason she was unable to go ahead with the betrothal to your brother but fear not I soon stamped upon that fanciful notion." His eyes latched once more on the bright blue gaze of the Mikaelidas boy. "You can at this point, Emilios, admit to your relationship with the appropriate niece of which I speak, or simply identify her as a liar. Which is it to be?"

He watched the man closely as he lifted his goblet to take another sip of the very fine wine that Emilios had been foolish not to taste.

Fotios took a moment to answer the man's question, staring into his cup as he chose his words carefully and spoke them slowly in a tone of great innocence and sincerity.

"Former love life..." He repeated after the man, picking up on his key use of the word. "No, see, there's where we have a problem." He said to the Emilios, taking a final sip from his cup and placing it to one side. It was only after he had placed the goblet onto the little stand beside his chair, tapped the edge of the table thoughtfully for a moment and then turned back to look Emilios in the eye, that he responded properly.

Leaning back in his chair, hooking his legs more comfortably where they rested one over the other and steepling his finger as if he were the picture of relaxation, Fotios was shaking his head as he spoke.

"I'm afraid I cannot bear to see my beloved niece wounded so by making your relationship "former" as you call it, Emilios." He commented with great drama. His voice then went calm and formal, as if he were giving instructions to his slaves on exactly how he liked the sheets to be folded on his bed. His tone now almost sounded bored and superficial. He flicked a hand at the Mikaelidas lord. "You'll be continuing your relationship with Theodora." He instructed simply.

Making no move to stop the young Mikaelidas lord from fetching himself a cup of wine, Fotios allowed the man to process his words, understanding that sometimes good-natured and moralistic folk were a little slower on the uptake of ideas that flew in the face of normalcy.

When the man had settled down again and taken a mouthful of wine that Fotios hoped would calm his anxieties a little, he waited until Emilios reached the point of insisting that he left before speaking again.

"No, actually, it isn't." He simply stated when Emilios asked if that was all he was needing to discuss with him. Because Fotios hadn't gotten the answer he needed and until that happened, they were not done.

"Because you're right Emilios..." He said, gesturing for the man to take his seat again. "To a certain extent..."

His eyes sparked as Fotios rearranged his hands into his lap.

"Let us be honest, it is not the knife in your brother's back that you're concerned with. The blade is already in place after all... What you're concerned with, is the pain he'll feel if and when he'll discover that it's there." Fotios' eyes narrowed. "Which I can assure you will come to pass if my expectations are not met."

A polite, half smile graced Fotios' lips as he watched the truth of the blackmail fall over Emilios' features. The man was handsome but he had enough brains in his head to be assured of what Fotios was saying.

"And, of course, we know that such a discovery will have catastrophic results..." He commented, as if now talking to himself as he took up his cup of wine once more. He waved a hand in a circular motion as he listed all the pieces that would crumble and fall were such a discovery to be made public. "Achilleas will call off the wedding, Irakles will be furious, I would have to make an offering to appease the House of Mikaelidas. Which, given that it's his fault for raising such a wayward daughter, would naturally be to disown Georgios." Fotios sighed as if he were the one being forced into such action. "Georgios would be turned out, he and his daughters would no longer bear the Leventi name... Goodness, I do hate to think of what the girl's prospects would be then... for Theodora and her sisters."

His gaze turned sharply back to Emilios as he reached his final point.

"So, what is it to be Emilios?" He asked the man, before taking a sip from his cup. His next words came out friendly and innocent until the final question in which his tone turned dark and murderous. "Leave in place a blade of betrayal that has already been there for some time, hurting exactly no-one and securing everything you've personally ever wanted...? Or force me to start playing a very different game?"

Fotios's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched, his anger apparently but still tamed. He did not enjoy being bucked or his instructions being resisted and, as such, the arrogance with which Emilios tried to play a trump card was simultaneously enraging and amusing.

He was half tempted to remind the man that this was not some Senate dispute. This was not a negotiation in which he could name his terms and they would shake hands and strike a deal. This was blackmail. Pure and simple. And he already knew that Emilios would not risk the welfare of the woman he loved (or so Theodora claimed). Emilios' secretive and evasive attitude upon first entering the meeting had only served to confirm his feelings for, if there were none, there would be no shame in openly admitting to a past relationship no longer in play.

It was the lingering emotions that made such an admittance a shameful thing to speak. Because it hinted at a desire. One that went against his finer morals. A desire to take what he wanted and his brother be-damned. It was this impulse that Fotios was ready to exploit.

And Emilios gave him that opportunity almost immediately, with his counter for land and title.

As nephew to the king there was no need for Emilios - Lord Emilios of a royal House - to required lands or a barony. He had a home, wealth and standing and had all of it without responsibility or task. The desire to have something more - something on patented paper, to prove his role and his value was only to stand in direct comparison to one man, as far as Fotios could see... his brother.

Which meant that the jealous Fotios had expected and waited for was indeed there below the surface.

Fotios narrowed his eyes at the man as he took a steadying breath and considered his options.

He could refuse Emilios' demands. He could continue with his threat and kick the man all the way down the path he had so neatly laid out for him. Or, he could offer a token - a rather big one, if Emilios' choice of carrot was indeed a barony - and have the man walk it all by himself.

The latter was significantly less effort and held far less risk.

He just had to suck up his pride to do it.

And Fotios had always been a man focused on the long game - no short victories of hubris for him. It was what made him succeed where others fell to their own ego.

Pursing his lips in thought and offering a small shrug, Fotios nodded his head calmly, slowly and with shallow effect.

"Fine." He admitted to the man. "I'll ensure that you are gifted with lands and a barony." He told him. "Your father and I are friends, as I'm sure you're aware, I shall speak with him about removing one of the noble families from their position and placing yourself in their stead..." Fotios took a sip from his cup. "Failing that, I shall gift you a parcel of my own lands." He needed to at least offer the man some reassurance that he would be able to provide him with his demands, even if Fotios was fairly certain the latter would never come to pass.

"But our agreement comes with these terms." The Head of the Leventi House continued, placing his cup back on the side in order to straighten on his fingers one at a time and indicate the numbered allocations. "One, this meeting is never spoken of again. To anyone." His eyes narrowed at Emilios. "You think this information regarding you and Theodora was hard to come by - it was not. You tell anyone of our arrangement and I shall know, Emilios." He then straightened another finger as he moved on. "I'll give you the lands when, and only when, Theodora is married to Achilleas and I have seen evidence that - despite her official position in the House of Mikaelidas as his wife - she is still engaged in a romantic liaison with you." His eyes sparked. "Trust me, again, I shall know."

Placing hands on the arms of his chair, Fotios pushed himself to standing.

"And thirdly..." He continued as Emilios stood and they faced on another. "You try to renegotiate or hold this over me as you so delicately insinuated there..." Fotios nodded his head towards the seat Emilios had been sitting in. "And you will find yourself in a circle of Hades you never knew existed." Fotios' eyes sparked fire for, despite Emilios being an inch or so taller than him, his calm and reserved - almost deadly manner - seemed to make them on even par.

Fotios held out a hand with which to strike the deal with the boy, his tone suddenly becoming friendly and sincere once more.

"Do we have an agreement, Lord Emilios..."