1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 310: Lets Have a Party

Abraham and Khalid got carried back to Antonius being carried on a wagon pulled by a cow, stable enough unlike the carts pulled by horses allowing them to have a steady sleep on top there, after reading probably more paper and manuscripts in the past two days than their entire life. It proved a challenging task especially for Khalid who has only joined the literacy program for not more than three months trying his best to understand what does this fancy little alphabet means. 

Khalid almost felt like this old man is trying to deliberately torture them, he can see it from his evil grin that although he willingly surrendered his city to them but there are still some distresses inside his mind, and thus the two of them became the perfect culprit suffering through the sea of papers on behalf of their admiral. 

Nevertheless, they achieved some thing remarkable that no one has expected them to accomplish from the very start. And by the time they returned to Thessaloniki it is already near the end of November, more than two months since the start of the epic battle. 

As they passed through the plains where the former battle has taken place, the blood stains painting the Earth and the corpses of both animals and humans laying around has been almost totally removed, what replaces it is patches after patches of holes dug on the ground by surrounding soldiers and laborers. These holes are obviously a massive grave for the deceased to be burnt and buried in order to cut off any possible source of plagues and epidemics that frequently occurs after a war. 

Looking at the scale of the burial Abraham can confirm that that flowers in the region next year when the spring comes shall blossom more vibrant than ever, the grains planted on this plain shall have a grand harvest feeding tens of thousands more people; All of these is created on the basis of these deceased people. Yes, plants can literally eat human beings, feeding on nutrients provided by men decomposing in order to grow, leaving nothing left except for an ashen white set of bones. 

Abraham chased away these messy thoughts from his head trying to not think about this kind of stuff. Suddenly the cow wagon came to an abrupt stop almost bumping his head on to the wooden plank with his head. Feeling frustrated he sat yo in the wagon shouting to his men. "Who asked you to stop going? Get moving! I did not give any orders to"

However, a cough and a familiar voice interrupted his shout coming from just beside the wagon. "Do not blame them, I asked them to stop." 

Abraham and Khalid turned to the direction of the voice and there they saw, the admiral Antonius standing right over there grinning at them. After he got their attention Antonius pulled down the boarding panel of the wagon down and grabbed hold of the hands of his two cavalry captains. "Welcome back, I have heard of your accomplishments in this journey. Nice work done boys. Come, get me up this cart." 

The two captains quickly pulled their admiral up the wagon closing the panel behind him, and then the massive formation started moving again with a new passenger. 

It is only then that Khalid realised that they still have a distance roughly three miles away from Thessaloniki, and their admiral did not look like he has brought omg any guards with him for this trip. Feeling anxious Khalid asked. "Admiral! Where are your guards? Where is Julian? He has failed to protect you and he ought to be punished for his poor performance of his duty!" 

Antonius laughed back holding the hands of Khalid tightly. "He cannot be blamed, if you two want to blame some one, then blame me! Because the moment I heard about your success in Serres my mind has already been beaming with anticipation to meet you, and so when I heard the news about your army coming back I wasted no more time seating inside the city, and ran straight out down to the stable grabbing a horse galloping all the way here for three Roman miles just to welcome you people back with out informing Julian, it is my fault, it is my fault." 

Feeling touched by the admiral's words Khalid and Abraham felt that their past two days of 'suffering' in that pile of paper is worth it, they took a look at each other with droplets of tears already developing in the sockets of their eyes. Though before they started weeping and complaining about how much trouble they had along the way, Antonius quickly stopped them having heard too many of these during the past week and comforted holding both of their hands. "Come, there is already a Grand Feast prepared by the chefs from restaurants all over the city of Thessaloniki, leave all troubles aside, for tonight, we raise our cups gives off toasts and cheers to celebrate!" 

It is already entering mid winter, with the commemorating tent built right beneath the ruins of the first wall outside Thessaloniki where all the cavalries who came back got their share of the feast of wine, bread and dried grapes. No meat and vegetable of course as these things can even over price gold in this freezing winter. While for Antonius and the other captains they celebrated right in the center of the camp in the largest tent that the entire city of Thessaloniki had to offer, enough to shield them off from the coldness outside providing a warm cozy environment with three furnace and countless torches. 

The various captains and their admiral sat down in a circle facing each other regardless of their ranks and position with food and cups in front of them. Antonius is really trying to do his very best to make the entire squad look like a big family when it is in peaceful times trying to relax and celebrate. They chattered and enjoyed their meal exchanging cups cheering under the glistering light. Time passes slowly and after a while the lights of the sun began to fade away, with the darkness of the moon coming up to the sky calling it off for the day. 

Seeing this Antonius sighed standing up and raised his cup towards the direction of the west. "What a pity! What a pity! In such a feast of commemoration between true heroes we still have some pals who are still busy in the front line Such a pity that our well built Nordic boy Yuri and our old man Anjelo is not here! What a pity" 

Abdullah, Alexios and the other captains all sighed and agreed with their admiral that this is indeed a pity, if not the entire fleet shall be complete as one making a rare gathering together enjoying their time being united, before they separate soon to various garrisons. 

"Ahoy! Who be callin' me name?" Just then the curtain of the tent came wide open with a gigantic figure blocking off the entire door coming inside chortling like a pirate. "I chased a supposed Ottoman bey all the way for twenty miles to the city of Kilkis, then I slaughtered the bey, took his troops as captive crashing them right in front of the eyes of the mayor, who is already opening his city gate trying to let them in. I forced them in to submission and now we have the city of Kilkis! One more thing to commemorate!" 

"Not one more! But two more!" Antonius guffawed slamming the metal cup against the table. "Abraham and Khalid have gotten the city of Serres! Though it is an achievement to be commemorated, but you still need to do some thing to repent your lateness!" 

Yuri took a quick glance and there he saw a drum for signaling laying quietly in the corner of the tent. With an idea in mind, he let out a roar tearing the robe he is wearing apart showing off the well built upper body with crawling scars and stomped to the tent, carrying this almost one man tall drum up and began beating a rhythm out of it, which sounds familiar, the rhythm of the burning sea scripted from the song Antonius and his men sang during the sea battle outside the coast of Anatolia. 

"Hey! Youngsters! Sorry I am late!" When the song is just about to reach the climax the familiar smiling wrinkled face of that old man Anjelo came inside the tent. "How are you enjoying your day? I" 

Every captain interrupted this old man laughing banging their mugs on the table. "You are late! You are late! Anjelo! DO some thing to repent your lateness!"

The old man chortled looking around with his arms on his waist, and instantly he saw the familiar bear like figure Yuri there beating the battle drums. Thus, with out any further thinking he replied to their request by taking off his shirt revealing his skinny upper body too just like Yuri and started dancing clumsily responding to the rhythms of the drum.