Breothyia hummed slightly while she over looked the Augustaion, the plaza where the Palace's main gate was. From her perch she watched the sea of people bay at the walls of the Palace. The gates where on fire and angry, black smoke rose into the afternoon sky. It was a poor fire, tossing a lit lamp on the hard wood of the gate would burn weakly with a short lived flame, they should have pored some pitch or tar on it first. But thats a side thought as she looked towards the surrounding buildings and paid attention to the wind.

Othya's desire was for the flame here to sputter and die on the gate. A new spark was to be set off by another finger on the western edge of the Augustaion and the new flame to consume the Senate House. With that this riotous sea of men with hot blood will boil and grow more violent. That was supposed to be when the Daughters of Athena would appear and march down the unruly mob and bring them to heel.

"As the Daughters of Athena often say," Breothyia hummed as she watch the fire at the gate. "The best of strategies never live long in battle."

Her smile grew as the wind picked up in a gust like a dead god of the sky let out it's last breath. The flame roared in a energetic but temporary fervor, tongues of fire licked the air and reached for fuel. Embers flew up and out, pieces of still burning wood that soared with a dull red glow. She watched as the one barely visible glow landed on the rough of the Sainta Sophia and the pitch caught.

As Justinius entered the solar he entered a storm of raised voices courtiers and ministers attempting to talk over one another. The deafening noise cut through the rush of blood in his ears and his ire found a new target. On his third step into the room let out a near primal bellow that cut through every other voice, "enough!"

The deafening noise was replaced with deafening silence as everyone present in the solar turned to him. He was a rare sight in this room as it was considered by most within the palace to be the domain of Augusta Theadora.

"Are you all quite done?" He asked, his voice projected to fill the room with out yelling, like a commander discipling an unruly soldier. "This is just another riot, we have weathered worse than this. The city will be scarred when all is over but the people will bleed out their wrath and anger like a barbarian slamming his head against a wall. It will more than likely be done in a night and then peace will return. We will use the guards to keep them from the more important portions of the city and then deal with the aftermath like always.

"It is Ianuary, first month of this new year, there is a second game in the Hippodrome in three days time. They will calm their blood and ready for it. Then it will all be over"

"He's right," a senator said, "a fire at the gates has never happened before, though that does not mean that this is any different than what happened last month. The riot then calmed down as the sun set and did not even go into the night."

There were more sounds of assent and agreement as the panic of the room slowly faded and a calm settled on the men in the room. For many of them it was the first time they saw Justinius act as any kind of leader in their eyes as they only knew of him as a soldier and commander. To see him act as an Augustus for the first time had an odd effect.

For Justinius, he felt like he was on familiar footing for the first time in years. It was combat, he was under siege by a disorganized and emotional enemy. It would be a temporary one, short lived and erratic with no clear leader. His ire sufficiently culled he went to each man in the room and assured them of his certainty.

Othya watched from inside the palace with Theadora and Pheobe as the Sainta Sophia went alight. The unpredictability of fire made it her least favorite tool to use for matters like this. Like a starved hunting beast it would leap and pounce to anything it could consume and harm any who got too close. But over shadowing it's uncontrolled nature was its effectiveness, fire was dangerous and invoked the notion of wrath quite easily. In the proper setting an out of control fire could entice an angry mob to grow violent.

"How is the mob, is it what we need?" Theadora asked from Othya's side.

"Sixteen of the twenty thousand from the Hippodrome throw fire as they chant 'nika Justinius' as one," Othya told her. "It was easier than expected with my finger only chanting once to the glory of the Demes. The crowd began the chant of nika on their own. It appears that the fires are spreading faster than expected but the addition of more chaos will only help us when the plot runs its course."

"I expected three days of this," Theadora said. "Three days of riot with fire and violence, but now that I hear their voices and see the flames I think it will be longer."

"A week at most," Othya told her. "Any more and those not of the riot will think of the Empire a weakness that can not even protect it's throne."

Theadora nodded as a new column of smoke rose from the south of the Augustaiun, curling like a snake as the winds took it higher. Othya sighed at the evidence of a new fire.

"That is from the Baths of Zeuippos," Pheobe said.

"It appears that the Senate House might be the last building to catch fire," Othya sighed as she rubbed her brow. "Though this might be better that it is more uncontrolled. It will color those who we will give the blame worse and make our cause greater in comparison."

Theadora nodded and then added, "it will also grant us greater permissions and good will from the public. If we are seen as the bringers of order and safety then we will be under less scrutiny."

"So this was one of your little plans," a cold and familiar voice came from behind the trio. Turing they found Justinius red with anger. "Was I to play the fool in you machinations? Some kind of game piece to be moved at your leisure?"

Othya began to respond when Pheobe squeezed her wrist to stop her. Instead she remained quiet and turned her attention to Theadora.

"Your reaction needed to be genuine," Theadora said calmly. "Despite my running of all matters of court and most matters of political regency, many still think you puppet me with your will. If your reaction even hinted at a fore knowledge of what was to come then the enemies within our walls would use this against us. You do not have to like it, you do not have to be happy about it. Just know that it needed to be done this way for it to work."

"You may believe what you wish but know that I am not some tool for you to use as you wish. All actions have cost and this will cost you dearly," was all Justinius said before he left.

Othya waited until she was sure he was gone before speaking, "you give your Gorgon too much leniency and freedom. I ensure mine are docile and obedient to my orders."

"He is not a Gorgon," Theadora said in a warning tone, "he is my husband that I care deeply for.""A husband you met and married in your role as a Daughter of Hera," Othya reminded her. "As a Daughter of Hera you have made an Oath to your fellow Sisters and I am the Oathkeeper of the City. If you wish to keep you position remember that."

Theadora matched her gaze with Othya quietly with the only sounds being the distant chants of the riot they enticed. Othya could see the arguments bickering in Theadora's mind. In the end Theadora pursed her lips and turned back to the smoke, acquiescing to Othya's point. She was a Daughter of Hera after all and all Daughters of Hera put their power before all else, like how Othya always put forth her duty to the Amazons. A small reminder was all it ever took for Theadora to retreat from the matter of Justinius' Independence.