1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 218: Erkan Again

"For siege works against bold and venturesome men shoulde be constructed on one plan, on another against cautious men, and on still another against the cowardly."

-        Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

The siege is still ongoing stagnating at the same stage two weeks into the siege. 

Antonius and his men are unable to achieve a complete encirclement on the fortress due to the Ottoman superiority in numbers on land. Although they are assembled and came in a haste, but the sheer number of them outnumbering the varangian and marines five to one making it even hard to advance deeper. Mean while the Ottoman rebellion coalition kept sending supplies and reinforcements through the narrow strip of land. Bombarding this strip of land is not helping too, as the Ottoman reinforcements can simply evade it by taking the other side of the strip. 

Realising this Antonius had to shift the attention of his troops on the other  strategic places of the peninsula, but all faced the same fate, the fleet is able to seal off the surrounding seas, but that is it, they are unable to move even one inch further expanding onto the land. Just as Antonius is reluctant on whether to drag on this fight making it a prolonged battle, or retreat now to cut the loss, another envoy came for him, this time right before his ships. 

It is a group of ambassadors from Orhan in Prusa. 

And the ambassador too he sent is pretty familiar, it is that man named Erkan, who found a new job in Orhan's court as a Yanziji thanks to Antonius. Antonius chose to meet him in the ship's cabin, but before the ambassadors enter Erkan did something very unconventional just outside Antonius' cabin he started changing cloth. 

Right before the eyes of every one, Erkan gave himself a smack on his forehead, then quickly removed the leather armour from him throwing it onto the deck, detaching his Kilij blade from his wrist, taking off all of his inner clothing leaving only his breeches on covering his ding dong. Then he opened a linen bag in the staggered eyes of Antonius' guards and his own companions, started changing into a robe that looks like the toga virilis people wear back in ancient Rome. After all of this are done, he kept all of his belonging back to the linen bag passing it to one of Antonius' guard asking him to keep it for a while, then walked into Antonius cabin totaling not giving a thing about the bizarre sights on him. 

Antonius too saw what was happening outside from his angle seeing an enormous chalky clunibus hanging over there behind his doors, thinking it might be a strange ritual or a very drool method of the Erkan man to relieve his stress. Immediately after Erkan came inside greeting and sat down there Antonius began asking him the intentions of his actions prior, even before asking what is the purpose of his visit. 

"Well" Erkan struggled to make a dry smile with both of his hands on his knees replying. "You remember what did you say to me a couple of weeks ago?" 

"A couple of weeks ago?" 

"Yes, admiral." Erkan cautiously took a peek at Antonius. "A few weeks ago, you said back on Marmara Adas that you hope in the next time we meet I will be wearing robes, if I come wearing armour equipped with a blade, you will you will." 

"I will kill you?" Antonius suddenly realised and began laughing frantically until he almost fell from his seat, after a while he wept his tears and replied slamming his desk. "Do not worry, all of us here are civilized people, gentlemen of virtue, we are not into killing the ambassador of another state that sort of crap." 

"Thank you, admiral, may the grass you walk be always green with scent of spring." Erkan stood up and bowed.

"Seat down, seat downNow, what did my friend Orhan send you here for?" 

"Admiral." Erkan stood once more. 

"Seat down and talk." 

"My Sultan has sent a request to you to help him in urgent times, as he has always believed, that true friendship and partnership between the two glorious states of Rome and Ottoman can is able to endure hardships with complex tests that lays on our paths of mutual greatness, our Sultan hopes that in this year filled with dilemmas and troubles the Sultan and Lord De'Ricci is able to strengthen our bonds and return peace, stability and prosperity to the region that we all shares making it a more conducive place for all of us to live in." 

"Just say what does Orhan want." 

"Our Sultan have noticed Roman fleet outside the Ottoman possessions of Marmara Adas, mral Adas, Ekinlik Adas, and now Erdek. But my Sultan, being an always forgiving lord blessed with the kindness and intellect of all mighty Allah, embraced the interdisciplinary teachings of the Great Prophet, has decided to be forgiving and not take these things into serious concerns for the sake of the friendship between the two great states of the Mediterranean both inhabiting in the lands of Rumelia" 

"Must your diplomats always be so long winded? Cant you just say what is your purpose of visit?" 

"Emmm" Erkan hesitated staring at the manuscript in his hands which is only one third completed reading. 

"Your Grace." Just as Erkan is standing there rooted to the ground hesitating, a middle aged man came from behind bowing to the admiral and started introducing himself. "I am very sorry for my disciple's obtuse way of handling diplomatic matters, wasting your precious time. Greetings, I am the hoja in the Sultan's court mainly in charge of all diplomatic actions in the state. Our main intention today here, is of course, like what my disciple have said, to improve the relationships between the two states preventing misunderstandings and accidents like this, while for our second intention."

"Is to invite the majestic fleet of Lord De'Ricci onto a joint operation with the stubborn rebels who is still faithful towards the illegitimate ex Sultan still occupying the unrightful capital of Edirne."

"Joint operation?" Antonius' interest is aroused, leaning forward staring at the 'hoja' while the later looked into the admiral's eyes without fear. "What do you mean, by joint operation? I will always be happy to provide my convoys helping my friend Orhan to transport supplies, be his commander of logistics, how about that?"

"No, admiral, my Sultan wants to make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

"Yes." The hoja spread a map on the table. "Our Sultan needs you to help seal off the gulf of Izmit, bombard the city's port and lay siege to the city's sea walls. Also, our sultan requests you to help him pluck out the bay of Pendik, the naval port in Glck, and the enemy's remaining holdings in Darica which has always been pretty much of a nuisance to the Sultan and his army of Allah."

Antonius did not bother looking at the map, for he has already memorised the geographical location of the surrounding areas, major settlements, terrains and oceanographical intel of that area. He continued staring at the Hoja for a while and then asked slowly. "These areas are pretty tough area to pluck out It is hard to perform the miracle of Glck last year one more time"

"My Sultan shall gift you a total of fifty thousand ducats, a hundred jewelleries, and a thousand horses." The Hoja bowed with his hand on his chest.

"I rarely put the lives of my men at stake If I am going to put them in a life and death situation I must make them worth it, worth for what they are fighting for"

The hoja bit his teeth hard and stepped one more step forward to Antonius. "Lord De'Ricci We will cede the peninsula of Erdek to you, with our new borders at the centre of the strip."

"Orhan is pretty generous this time." Antonius' mind is moved by this offer.

"Lord De'Ricci, may I remind that we shall only fulfil the deal if you helped our Sultan."

Antonius gave a sneer. "How am I going to trust you? I propose that we divide this deal into four segments, with every segment fulfilled, each fortress conquered, your Sultan shall also fulfil one part of the promise. How about this?"

The hoja frowned saying sternly. "Then I have to consult my Sultan first before making this decision."

"It is fine for me But what about your Sultan?" Antonius seems to be totally unconcerned leaning back fiddling with his fingers. "Although I have no intel about what is truly going on there, but judging by the sheer price your Sultan has offered, I guess he must be really anxious about the situation over there at Nicomedia right?"

The Hoja is stunned, no one told him that this admiral knows the rules of diplomacy as from his intels it says that this man before him is an illiterate pirate. Biting his teeth he nodded his head hard and sighed.

"Agreed."

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