1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 341: The Forgotten Vow

Mahumad Pasha Angelovic could almost feel that amount of determination in this vivacious woman's eyes as she re affirmed her statement again.

"I gathered the four of us for no other reason except the sole purpose of peace, I know that you may suspect that I have ambushed troops nearby, or try to kidnap you two in order to make your troops surrender. Let me be clear and frank with you, I did have this stupid idea in my head for once, but I instantly gave it up once I thought about it."

"The entire Sultanate with all the Ottomans, no matter whether sailing on the seas or walking on the ground, shall appreciate your clemency and charity with gratitude." The leader of the Janissaries became the first to react coming out of his seat kneeling down towards the Dowager. "You are trully the mother of our nation, as your faithful subject I shall follow your words without any delay."

"You theatrical appeasing bastard." Mahumad Pasha Angelovic cursed in his mind knowing that this commander only said these words because he needs the legitimacy that only the Sultan, or also the Sultan Dowager, that can give it to him. But still he reacted quickly coming out of his seat and bowed down. "Me too, your highness, as the Pasha of the Sultanate I shall follow your lead and guidance wherever it goes."

The Sultan Dowager, with the Sultan, stood up and bowed slightly to the two men below them and signalled them to go back to their seats.

"My intention is clear, honourable Pasha, valorous commander." The dowager restated her statement with her unique crispy voice once more. "You should have realised that our Sultanate needs a peaceful inner environment more than ever, as we got a monster called Antonius De'Ricci, like the eytan overshadowing us for an entire five years, staring at us behind his walks just like how a spectator appreciates the performance of a bunch of clowns, holding that fork and spoon in his hands with his saliva of greed dripping on to our impure Ottoman lands waiting for us to split ourselves further, and then he will eat us up piece by piece!"

The Pasha and the commander looked at the ground knowing that every thing the Sultan Dowager saying is definitely true.

"Sorry for being so aggressive in my words gentlemen But have you not realised, the more we fight within ourselves slashing our blades against our own population, the more we throw our advantages away to our enemies! And if we do not stop this increasing meaningless self destruction, we might end up here next year as a bunch of people with out a country! And your army, honourable Pasha, will end up becoming an army without a nation! Do you want this kind of thing to happen?" 

Hearing his name is being mentioned, Mahumad Pasha Angelovic had to make a response. "No, your highness, I would die if that kind of thing happens."

"You, Valorous commander." The Sultan Dowager continued becoming even more firm in her words. "You are your Janissaries are built for the purpose of protecting the Sultan wherever he goes. Tell me, commander, if there is no more Sultan, who do you protect then? Who do you fulfil your allegiance to? Who do you pay your loyalty to? Do you and your army have any more means of continuing your existence by then?"

The commander of the Janissaries lowered his head too with his face supposedly being flushed red with the sensation of shame.

"Honourable Pasha, Courageous commander, I am definitely not in the position to reprimand you today." The lady on top continued speaking holding the little hands of her son tight. "I know that you two will not withdraw your forces willingly from our capital city going back to your posts with just me venting these useless words of frustration. But I beg you that, if you still have that patriotism in your inner heart, or if you still remember that piece of Oath you two took when you are enlisted in to the Sultan's Janissaries, please, listen to my proposal."

"You have our ears, your highness."

"The Grand Vizier, Candarli Halil Pasha May the Mighty Allah bless his souls in Jannah. His death is the centre point on the sudden emergence of conflicts and civil disputes revolving around the capital city. We can all confirm that his death has no natural cause, but it is definitely not the time for us to try to chase down the culprit behind this, we need to put this at the back of our mind first and deal with the ongoing war right there less than three hundred eski mil away from us! Against that demon who can take our lives, Antonius De'Rici! He is already there with his pawns waving their blades at us! Do you agree with me?"

After a while Mahumad Pasha Angelovic nodded slightly in agreement, but the commander of the Janissaries instead clenched his fist lowering his head not making any obvious response. This reaction, of course, is caught by the eyes of Mahumad Pasha Angelovic seating right opposite him.

"I will leave the capital city, with the Sultan Beyezid." What the Sultan Dowager said next proved to be absolutely shocking to the ears of the two men, but before they had any chance of interrupting the Sultan Dowager continued spitting out even more explosive information. "I and the Sultan shall learn the examples set by our glorious fore fathers, who acquired this piece of land we call home in battles and walls with iron, blood and sweat, and my son, the current Sultan, shall be no different form his fore fathers. He too, shall experience the very first battle of his life."

"Your highness this is way too frantic. Way too courageous for the majestic Sultan to take." Feeling urgent Mahumad Pasha Angelovic neglected all kinds of courtesies as a noble man almost jumping up from his carpet exclaiming his worries to the Sultan and the Sultan Dowager. "You have never experienced war before your highness, if there is anything that happened to the Sultan, or you the Sultanate and the Ottoman people shall suffer an immeasurable lose"

"Do you have any other options that can show Hamza Pasha our support against those Rumelian invaders, Mahumad Pasha Angelovic?" The Sultan Dowager questioned back. "Or can I ask you to lead your army towards the west and fight the Rumelians? Or can I ask the commander of the Janissaries, Gedik Ahmed to lead his men out of the capital city and help Hamza Pasha representing the Sultan? Will you too listen? Obviously no right?" 

The two men lowered their heads again. 

"Thus, I have decided that since all of us three factions are trying to struggle for the grip on the capital city, non of us shall be able to get it. The Janissaries shall be deployed to the North to fend off any possible attacks by that traitor Abbas, Mahumad Pasha Angelovic shall return to your post at the East defending against that emperor of the Rumelians in Constantinople while waiting for the reinforcements of Zaganos Pasha, while I, with the Sultan, shall march off with our little army towards the west showing our support for the bitter Hamza Pasha, who allowed us to struggle and debate over here wasting time only because he is the one shielding all the blades, arrows and bolts from those ruthless foreign invaders."

The Sultan Dowager looked at the facial expression of the two men knowing that they are still hesitating being absolutely unwilling to take up this piece of order, she sighed and made her already decided statement on the reward she has to offer. "If you comply, Mahumad Pasha Angelovic, you shall have my support in taking over Candarli Halil Pasha and become the next Grand Vizier of the Ottomans Commander Gedik Ahmed, I am sorry but you cannot become the Grand Vizier due to your inadequate experience, age and the limited amount of military achievement you have, but the Sultan shall make you jump your rank directly to Pasha becoming the Vizier that is in charge of the economics and trade of the Sultanate" 

" While I, shall go back to the harem fulfilling the duties I have on me as the Sultan Dowager. I can swear here that this shall be my last time interfering with government politics as a woman While for the Sultan he shall go back to continuing his pursuit for academics achievements, with you two being his mentors offering him guidance. How do you think about this?"

The two men hurriedly stood up once more and kneeled before the Sultan once more. "We shall listen to your orders, my Sultan, and your most holiness Sultan Dowager"

"Do not call me most holiness." The Sultan Dowager made a bitter smile. "I am a sinful woman Please, do stand up."

She then turned to her boy. "Come, Beyezid, go hold the hands of your two new mentors."