1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 307: Or Should I Not...

"Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate" "Abandon all hope, you who came here." 

-        Dante Alighieri

". Including the city Constantinople! We can help you get it! If you want!" Ibrahim Pasha pleaded with cold sweat dripping down his fore head. "We can recognize your ownership of Constantinople We can admit you being the new emperor of Romania! We can become your vassal! We can pay tribute to you! Admiral! If you simply help me!" 

The whole tent fell in to a sudden silence after Ibrahim Pasha shouted out the words that they did not even dare to think of in the past, nothing can be heard except the heavy panting sounds of every captains and courtiers as they glanced at each other with a thrifty pair of eyes. After some discussion and gossiping all of their eyes are now focused on to the man who makes the final decision their admiral. 

Antonius too knew from their facial expressions that they are touched by these offers from this man kneeling beneath them. He himself is touched too by these offers. However, there are two things that still lies on the path of him making the decision. 

First of all, what confidence does this Ibrahim Pasha have in his mind that if he got his assistance, he would definitely break through the defenses of Edirne? Antonius knows his troops pretty well, being relatively lesser trained for only a brief three month, endured through a prolonged fighting that lasted for an entire month, exhausted after a hundred mile long chase they are basically ill prepared for any further combat missions, further more Antonius don't believe that his men are warriors of steel that can march all the way to Edirne, lay siege to the thousand year old fortress city and conquer it with only ten thousand men with almost no siege equipment. 

Second thing is that even if Antonius acquired Edirne for Ibrahim Pasha, why would he even bother complying to those strict treaty terms turning himself fully in to him, when he could simply raise another banner solidifying his foundation of governance Like taking another even stricter anti Roman policy vowing to pacify his presence, that will no doubt gain him a large popularity enough to stabalise his government, for sure Antonius can guarantee. This man too must know that, and so even if he became the next Grand Vizier, he can definitely crumple the piece of paper treaty bin it and declare it invalid, remember that all treaties are guaranteed on force, with out the force one simply cannot make sure that the other side will act as stated on the treaty. 

In other words, Antonius do not trust this man. He is not that stupid and can think behind this man's action. This Ibrahim Pasha indeed put up a great performance for him almost making him belief his words. However, thinking deeper in to this with a logical sense and instinct he can smell that there is some plot behind this. 

"I still have some deep doubts inside my head, please answer my doubts, if you can pasha." 

"I will answer every question you ask, majestic admiral." 

"Why are you acting like this?" Antonius asked with a deep emphasis on the 'acting' word. "It is not like your Sultanate is going to be doomed even with this defeat, you still have twenty thousand men stationed in Bulgaria and fifty thousand men stationed in Anatolia It might mean some loss for your sultanate, but it definitely does not mean you need to give such terms to seek my pardon Why, Ibrahim Pasha, I am curious." 

It seems like Ibrahim Pasha already has an answer for this prepared in his head as he lowered his head and replied. "Look at my neck, admiral, can you see any thing?" 

"I don't see any thing except for black stain marks." 

"This head, this beautiful head shall be chopped off the day I goes back to the familiar yet alien capital city of Edirne." Ibrahim Pasha sighed. "This is now not only for the Sultanate admiral, this is also for meThe Grand Vizier needs a culprit for this defeat I know it for sure, and he best candidate for this is for sure me. Thus from the moment of this defeat I knew that my relationship and friendship with the Grand Vizier has came to a dead end"

"You mean he shall hunt your head to get him out of the responsibilities for this defeat?" Antonius instantly realised this and asked. 

"YesIndeed admiral, that is exactly why I had no choice but to come and ask for your aid." Ibrahim Pasha pleaded again. "It is not only for my country, but also for my own very survival!"

"Before this I must remind you, that I only got a ten thousand men." Antonius shook his head. "How can you be sure that I can break in to the city of Edirne?" 

Ibrahim Pasha rolled his eye balls facing the ground. "You know, admiral, that in my home town there is a proverb that says a smart desert fox always leaves two exits in his den just in case if one is being blocked by its prey I can tell you that I do have some connections inside the city that remains faithful to me keeping in contact. If used well they can provide quite an astounding effect, admiral." 

"A smart desert fox always leaves two exits for his cave" Antonius murmured this proverb silently in his mouth, then went back to silence staring at the neck of Ibrahim Pasha tubing his hands gently on the leather handle of his blade. "So, you want me to bet on this 'back door' you have dug? With my army?" 

"Yes I agree with you admiral that this is a gamble." Ibrahim Pasha rose his head up meeting his sight with Antonius once more. "I can assure you, admiral, that the chance for a great success is much higher than the chance of a failure. And when you succeed, you are going to get a lucrative reward that is able to surpass the result of your entire year of hard work, please, just help me admiral it is worth it." 

The time seems to have stopped in its tracks as every one has their eyes on the admiral, who is still deciding on the final decision. The darkness of night is soon to arrive with the interior of the tent still bright as dusk with the flickering candle sticks and cracking fire place, casting the shadows of the captains on the inside and the patrolling guards on the outside. Antonius gazed at the flickering fire moving in the fire place and slowly seems to go in to a state of daydreaming, leaving the poor Ibrahim Pasha kneeling there until he could nearly no longer fell any thing in his legs except for numbness. 

"Ibrahim Pasha, how do you see me?" Finally, Antonius moved his eyes concentrating back on Ibrahim and asked with a sincere tone. "Do you think that I am a qualified leader with a sense of honesty and dignity?"

Ibrahim Pasha did not quite catch why did Antonius ask this question but still hurriedly answer yes. 

"Then I must tell you that, a person with honesty and dignity never lies, especially to a near dead person." Antonius continued looking at this man before him with a pair of eye as pure as crystals. "Ibrahim Pasha, I do not believe you, for there are two obvious holes in your speech just now. First, if you have a secret connection in Edirne, why don't you go there yourself with the troops you have in your demesne? And second, you only said that I shall only need to escort you to Edirne, but what happens after you took over Candarli Halil? Do you think Zaganos Pasha will be so obedient to accept the changes? No, he shall come back through the Bosporus straits with all costs and come to get you, by then I would find myself caught in a chaotic never ending conflict between Zaganos Pasha, Bulgaria and the remnants of Candarli Halil Pasha, I am not that dumb to do that. And thirdly" 

"Really, Ibrahim Pasha, do you think that all of these, from your personnel honors to your simple existence, to the stability of your state, can be depended on your foe who is still slaughtering your men a few hours ago?" 

Ibrahim Pasha' body began trembling uncontrollably on the ground, he has already known his fate from the words of Antonius. 

"I respect you, Ibrahim Pasha." Antonius poured two cups of mead, one before him and one before Ibrahim on the ground. "I respect you as an enemy, a dangerous enemy. I can see through you, that you are a very dangerous person. And I tend to keep dangerous enemy's dead Come, lets have a toast, and then you can be on your way May your next life be more peaceful with less intrigues and plots around you.