1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 304: You Are...?

"You are Ibrahim Pasha?" Julian looked at the suspicious old man standing in front of him with his back bent to an almost forty degrees with a fishy but appeasing smile on his face, as Julian compared this old man before him with the supposed drawing portrait of Ibrahim Pasha on a warrant poster he is holding in his hands. "This Ibrahim Pasha here looks much younger than you." 

Ibrahim Pasha hurriedly explained trying to prove that his true identity. "My apologies, may you allow me to explain to you, majestic general"

"I am not the general." Julian interrupted. "We only have one general in this army, and that is our admiral Just call me captain." 

"Yes, captain." Ibrahim Pasha changed his use of words instantly. "I am really that Ibrahim Pasha who was facing you people in battle for the past weeks, it is a pity that all of my guards and advisors has either been killed or ran away leaving me behind, and thus I cannot find any one around to prove my identity Please, believe that I am Ibrahim Pasha." 

Julian seemed to be pretty upset angry that he did not manage to catch the biggest fish the Grand Vizier. It is not just him, the first priority of the army in pursuit just now is to seek for the main culprit for this battle. However, it is only a day ago that did they manage to find out from a surrendered Ottoman officer that their Grand Vizier has left this area long time ago. He frowned and asked this little man back. 'Where are your guards and your subjects then? Why is there no one beside you?"

Ibrahim Pasha answered this young captain's question in a frank and honest way. "I was a hidden blade used by my the ex Sultans Murad and Mehmed, to persecute the other pashas in the Sultan's court breaking their factions apart stabbing them on the back all to win the heart of the Sultan, and thus I offended almost every single pasha and bey which is why they pushed me here to put up a defense for them, while they ran all the way towards the north to try to reach the city of Serres before your cavalries catch him."

Julian squeezes his wrinkles even tighter not understanding this little man's behavior. "Then why did you not run with them? If you decided to run you might still be able to establish a new career some where else, but why did you decide to come out of the captive camp and proclaim to me that you are the main commander in chief of the Ottomans? What is your purpose in doing so?" 

"Yes, you are right captain." Ibrahim Pasha sighed and agreed. "I do have some purpose of doing soFirst, I demand that I should be treated like a noble even after I has been defeated. Second, I believe that I can be of greater use if I am to surrender and end this damned war faster And thirdly, if I am to follow them and go back to Edirne, I believe that I will be torn in to several pieces by the Grand Vizier and the rest of the nobles." 

"You are afraid that you will be seen as a criminal and be striped of your rank and Honour by your Grand Vizier and your Sultan?" 

"Yes And no, captain." Ibrahim Pasha elaborated telling Julian more knowledge about the Ottoman court. "We are not like the Rumelians, we are still a relatively young Sultanate with out a full and proper set of laws. We would usually give out titles, rewards, punishments and charges depending on three major factors. How many troops does this lord has, what is the distance between his troops and the capital city, and whether he has a close political tie with the other lords in both Edirne and the border region." 

Julian nodded taking these information down in his memories and wanted to further question this supposed 'Ibrahim Pasha' that looks legit when suddenly a round of cheers broke out in a distance interrupting their interesting conversation. Julian grew frustrated as he has specifically ordered his infantries to keep quiet at all times to prevent provoking the already tensed nerves of the refugees seating around here creating another riot or mess that they cannot handle due the massive size of the number of captives. He ordered his guards to go out to investigate what has happened and remind his soldiers of the rule once more grinding it in to their minds. 

However, when his guards returned they too joined in the celebration along with others cheering and laughing as they returned to report back to their captain bringing him the news. "Captain! The admiral has moved his command here in to our infantries camp, now he is there at the gates chattering with the soldiers and distributing rewards!" 

Julian is surprised that Antonius came at such a speed but still he relieved himself knowing that this is merely the usual behaving style of his old captain that has never been changed. He instantly stopped this interrogation and informed his guards. "Bring this man away, give him a clean set of cloth, and then take him to the admiral with me. And where is that tent of the Ottoman Sultan? Prepare it at once! We must make the admiral feel that our unit is even better than his head quarters!" 

Indeed, Antonius came way too fast than any one has expected, the moment when he made sure that the Ottoman army in a distance has completely crumbled he shifted the entire head quarters forward by twenty miles to the front line infantry camps under the protection of only two dozen guards. Not only did he want to not be like the commanders of other armies plainly seating behind doing nothing wanting to have a full inspection on the situation of the battle field by himself, also because of another reason. 

Hearing the victory, a person suddenly popped out in Thessaloniki to Anjelo in the government house proclaiming that he is the ambassador sent by the Autocrat of all Romans Constantine XI, coming here to commemorate and applause the victory recently acquired by the loyal, faithful, valorous Karabisianoi of the Roman Empire Antonius De'Recci. This man made a strong and persistent request to Anjelo standing out there until the middle of the night making Anjelo to have no choice but to inform Antonius. 

Doubtlessly Antonius moved out of his original position also partly because he is disgusted by the deeds of this man, and also that emperor Constantine this man represents. Does he really thinks that Antonius is unable to see through these kind of trickeries behind the diplomatic actions of the people in Constantinople? He has only achieved a full victory for less than two days and oh, the ambassador suddenly popped up on the port of Thessaloniki? Antonius do not believe that any ships can sail from Constantinople to Thessaloniki in less than two days against the southern wind. 

Which means that this so called ambassador must have been here in Thessaloniki for a long time hidden in the dark waiting for his chance. Antonius can assume that this man has two plans, if the Ottomans conquer the city of Thessaloniki this ambassador will turn himself in to the conquerors congratulating them for the victory offering gifts, if in the unlikely case of Antonius beating up the Ottomans, they can use the legitimate noble titles of Antonius granted to him by the emperor and then carry on to take a share of the grand prize with out offering any true valuable help since the start of the battle. 

Well frankly speaking even if he dislikes this ambassador from Constantine, he still got to see him eventually, though the final date of this meeting is of course up to him. Meaning that our admiral Antonius is merely showing some temper in protest to the emperor's little diplomatic Greek plays. Well, in the end of the day he is still merely just turning twenty seven this year, still can be considered as a 'boy' to some extent. 

Of course, no one would doubt that Antonius don't have the authority to do so, because every one knows that Constantine's sovereign over Antonius is simply nothing more than a joke, and definitely no one here would say any thing about it. 

"Congratulation's lads! We have secured another grand victory in to our collection of trophies!" Antonius raised his hands in the air facing the commanders and officers who hurried themselves here from their posts to welcome their admiral's arrival. 

Seeing their admiral the old captains hoorayed and whistled, while the newly recruited commanders panickily bowed down facing Antonius, with some people even kneeling down. Antonius laughed getting off his horse and got these people back up standing one by one, giving them a pat on the hand and reassuring "Don't worry lads! We don't do crappy things like kneeling over here, just be yourself!" 

Julian and Ibrahim Pasha then hurriedly came forward.