Zoe in the palace asked what should happen to Michael V, and was pressured to order death or mutilation, but refused to do so. Theodora at Hagia Sophia had no such qualms, as she and her advisers knew that Zoe would gladly see a stable-boy on the throne rather than share rule with her sister. They thought it likely that Zoe would scorn Theodora and secretly elevate Michael V again. Theodora sent a group, probably under the command of Nikephoros Kampanarios, prefect of Constrantinople, to blind Michael and his uncle. They arrived at Stoudios, finding it guarded by another citizen force