1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 271: Sultan Abdullah

In the middle of the changing of toasts and laughter in the Sultan's court Abdullah is seated at the highest place on top of all the other Mamluk lords and nobles, just right under the Mamluk Sultan in a distance where the two of them are able to clearly hear one another with out needing the need of a servant acting as messenger running around in this grand hall. 

The Sultan has displayed an unusual sense of fondness towards this ambassador from the Rumelian are observed by the other lords, allowing him to come in to a distance so damn close that it would almost be impossible in the usual times, because almost all lords in this region are pretty petrified by the high occurrence of assassins here. 

The Sultan smiled towards Abdullah with such a delighted face that his eyes formed a narrow curved line almost mixing in together with the rest of his wrinkles. Now after getting the idea that Abdullah resembles the younger himself, no matter how he looks at this ambassador, he has more of an uncontrollable liking towards this man, just like how he sees his grand children. 

"Servants! Where are you! Get Abdullah my best quality wine, fast!" 

He then turned to Abdullah, leaning forward continuing the smile and asked. "Abdullah, so how is the food tonight?" 

Abdullah hastily answered with a great respect. "It is outstanding, Sultan, I must thank with all my appreciations and sincerity to you for your overly lavish feast provided to this humble ambassador." 

The Sultan chortled raising his wine cup gulping it down. "How are the maidens in my realm? Can the lass in Rumelia and Anatolia be compared to the maidens over here? Tell me the truth! Son!" 

Abdullah looked at the maiden kneeling beside him with her head lowered  wearing a translucent silk gown and khimar revealing her beguiling feminine body shape that would make any looking man with a normal functioning part gulp his saliva enduring the scent and temptation from this attractive lady. Abdullah too, is no exception. He turned his head away from this lass' sweet and luring smile back to the Sultan and replied. "The lass here is indeed much more tasty than the women back there in Rumelia, Sultan." 

"Then why don't you leave your admiral and join my court, my son?" The Sultan asked with an eager look on his old face. "I can guarantee you that I can treat you like my adopted son, giving you all the gifts and treatments that you can only dream in Rumelia, as my adopted son you can earn much more privileges that all the people here cannot even think of! Like You can be chosen as the next Sultan." 

"You can be chosen as the next Sultan!"

"You can be chosen as the next Sultan!"

The last sentence instantly spread like a thunder bolt to the ears of every one on the spot, including that of the important nobles, the Atabek of the Sultanate Al-Muayad Shihab Al-Din Ahmed, the son and supposed legitimate heir of the Sultan, the governor of Mamluk Levant Janem Bey, and other influential or powerful lords across the Sultanate. They all raised their heads stopping their lowly gagging chatting session and paid full attention to what is going on up there between this unknown ambassador and the Sultan, making the entire dining hall so quiet that they can hear the rapid breathing sound of themselves. 

Looking at the Sultan's smiling face and noticing the sight of every other Mamluk lords which is like an unlimited blade work stabbing on to his back sending chills after chills down his spine, Abdullah made no further thoughts jumping up from his seating rug going to the front of the Sultan's dining Oriental carpet and kneeled down before the Sultan and in the sight of every one watching, and yelled out in an almost begging voice. "Sultan! I am merely no more than a humble ambassador under Lord Antonius De'Ricci, and I serve my lord with all of my heart and mind. Looking at all the lords and nobles seated around here I can see that they have an intellect and martial ability even greater than me, and besides" 

" I have my full loyalty to my admiral, I bet that you, such a modest and majestic Sultan ruling over the holy city of Makkah al-Mukarramah (Mecca) and Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (Medina), only needs trustworthy men that are loyal to one's lord sovereign. If I am to leave my sovereign and come to you for more power, prestige, wealth, woman or persuaded by any other of my lust, I shall be sinful with neither trust nor loyalty. Would you still want a man like that, Sultan?" 

Hearing the defensive words of the poor Abdullah the Mamluk Sultan laughed even merrier signaling the two maidens to get Abdullah off the ground back to his seat, drank from his golden wine cup and laughed again to Abdullah. "Don't worry, Abdullah, that sentence was only a joke to test you, don't put that in to your mind! Come! Mamluks! Abdullah! Drink!" 

The dining hall soon returned to its rowdiness with the exchanging of toasts, chattering and laughter between the nobles returning, but after the even every one could feel that the atmosphere in this place has changed. Every one seated here has an army and a piece of land with some titles under their name, which means that all of them has the ability to pursue the position of the next Sultan, especially Al-Din Ahmed, the son of the current Sultan, who sees him as the only legitimate successor of the throne, now has half of his attention on this ambassador called 'Abdullah'. He waved towards one of his guard leaving him an ear drop to pay full attention on this Abdullah man at all times.

After this scenario Abdullah's entire robe and turban has been soaked entirely wet in his own cold sweat, with chills still on his back every time he is paranoid about people staring at him. He too knows that every Mamluk lord here is waiting for the seventy plus years old Sultan to die and they can then take over. When the Sultan joked that he is going to make Abdullah as his successor, it definitely does not sound like a joke to their ears, and what are they going to do to get rid of their competitors? Abdullah don't know and don't want to further think on that. 

He wanted to leave this place, but the Mamluk Sultan on tipsy simply did not allow him to, pulling him to his side grabbing him by his wrist, telling him story after story of when they are of the sage age, fighting wars all the way from this side of the Mediterranean to that side of Mediterranean, and also complaining to Abdullah about the problems he faced when ruling this gigantic Mamluk empire that to the others sounded more like the old teaching the young the ways of governance. 

Abdullah groaned again and again helplessly in his mind while turning a hard smile on his perspiring face. The now half drunk Sultan now even moved on to tell him that among all the people in this hall, who is truly loyal to him, who is only pretending to be loyal to gain greater interest, and who is the rebellious prick constantly working against him which made his rule difficult. The more this kind of things Abdullah is not supposed to know enters his ears, the more he panics as that smile slowly freezes on his face. 

Just as the Mamluk Sultan is about to move on in to even more sensitive topics, the Amir e Akhur of the Sultan ,Hussein came to save the day. He came up to the Sultan and suggested. "My Sultan, since we are all here now, why don't we negotiate on the treaties on the Rumelian with 'Ambassador' Abdullah and the other lords?"

Hussein made a strong emphasis on the word ambassador. 

"Shush! Hussein!" The Sultan is pretty unhappy about this suggestion. "Cant you see that we are now enjoying ourselves? Why do you come and spoil the fun talking about that freaking trouble some diplomatic work?" 

"But you see, my Sultan." Hussein suddenly pointed towards Abdullah. "Ambassador Abdullah is already a little drunk and exhausted from the entire day of activities, I can feel that he needs a little bit of rest for the night." 

The Mamluk Sultan startled and observed Abdullah's face under the light, and indeed Abdullah looks tired from the scare after scare from the Sultan today. Thus, the Sultan frowned and sighed pointing at two gorgeous maidens. "Fine, you too, bring my son to the largest guest room in the palace to rest, look after him, soothe him well. If he compliments you two tomorrow morning, I shall reward you two, if he complains, I shall have your heads!... Abdullah, have a good rest, enjoy yourself and we shall go out for a hunt tomorrow." 

Seeing the opportunity Abdullah no longer stay seated here and excused himself leaving the dining hall. 

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