1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 227: Bare Footed Sultan

"My fellow Ottoman warriors! I promise you that once we break through this city, there will be an abundant amount of gold, silver and jewels, all you have to do is to breach those walls for me!" Sultan Orhan had to come down himself personally shouting in front of the soldiers urging them to charge, but these men simply sat or squad down there and not listen. 

"Sultan! We want bread, gold and women now! Can you give us?" The soldiers replied Orhan in one voice. "And we want it now!"

The Sultan looked back at the bey commanding this army, who is simply standing behind watching with a wide grin on his face as his soldiers perform to the Sultan. He too does not want to see the Sultan push his private forces to death which will weaken the bey's power and influence in the Sultan's court. Actually Orhan knows there is a huge possibility that this bey put up this show in front of him, which is why he is not doing a thing now even things have evolved to this state. 

Orhan had no choice but concede to these soldiers' absurd requests, giving them each a sum of money getting their arse moved towards the walls. Though this time these soldiers for money still showed a hundred percent effort assaulting the city of Izmit with all their might, archers exchanging arrows with each other giving the other side a shower each time they poke out their heads. The battle of the foot men became even more intense this time as more and more defenders of Izmit fell down due to exhaustions and starvations, the troops of Sultan Orhan managed to make it through by ladders and occupied several corners on the walls getting engaged in close quarter combat. 

The situation became so dire that the flags of the enemy commander Ibrahim Pasha showed up on the walls boosting his force's morales and leading the counter attack himself, then did the defenders managed to push the attackers off from the walls. This wave of attack by the 'soldiers of fortune' failed again but at least it showed more progress than the last one revealing the weakening capabilities of the defenders, even Sultan Orhan feels inspired seeing this understanding that his wish is probably imminent, meaning that he will not have the need to cede the Peninsula of Erdek to that pirate admiral if he takes down the city of Izmit with out his help. 

However, it seems like the situation is not going in the way he is expecting it to be. 

The next wave of troops followed the 'glorious' traditions set by the previous wave throwing a tantrum right on the spot, this time they even went further, throwing a slogan right at their Sultan's face claiming that 'If we have no coins to feed our families, we will not feed our Sultan with loyalty; If we have no bread to feed our stomachs, we have no strength to pick up our blade and fight." 

Sultan Orhan almost fell off from his mount fuming with rage hearing such despicable requests coming from his men, but he gulped it back digesting that fume away in his stomach forcing a smile back on his twitching face almost pleading the soldiers to charge first, though they never complied and insisted for monetary rewards before they attack, or they shall disperse right on the spot, leaving the Sultan with no choice but to dig into his treasury finding some coins to satisfy these soldier's stomach. But as always when a bad thing happens it will not just stop there, there will always with out fail be a chain of events after it making the situation worse. 

These group of soldiers under the war lord from the far away border regions of the Sultanate, charged towards, or strolled towards the walls of Izmit like they are having a tour to the park, trying to put up a performance to the Sultan as if they are actors. The archers did not even bother using strength when pulling the arrow string as Sultan Orhan can see with his naked eyes the trail of the arrow flying in a distance landing even before reaching the walls. 

"Don't worry too much, Sultan." The war lord commanding this army, who is supposed to charge with his troops lazed around at the back watching his soldiers move while trying to convince the Sultan. "This is a common tactic that we use back on the rural steppes, we pretend that we are not being serious, and when the enemies get the false interpretation, we charge into them like a pack of wolves!" 

"Really?" Orhan asked back sarcastically. "Are your men trying to fool yourself or trying to fool the enemy?" 

The war lord scratched his bold head giggling in embarrassment and sat back on his mount. 

In a distance the situation of the siege began to have new developments. The slow as tortoise troops finally came into the range of the enemy archers, they dispersed and scattered away like a herd of scared rabbits the moment the arrows reached their feet, making it hard to believe that these are the same bunch of warriors that helped Orhan conquer half of Anatolia merely a few months ago. The commander of Izmit, Ibrahim Pasha caught this invaluable chance to charge out of the city striking hard onto these unorganised attackers, almost chasing them all the way back to the camp before reinforcements arrived.

"Now, what do you say? Your honour?" Orhan taunted back towards the commander with an emotionless face. "Are your warriors as honourable as you? Must I pamper them like a bunch of new born babies? Spoon feed them with my care? Because to me they cannot even endure through the slightest combat!" 

The commander still did not learn his mistake or try to do some thing, instead he chortled making excuses that his boys are not suitable to be deployed for sieges, they are more efficient out fighting on the fields or what ever excuse that of course Sultan Orhan will not believe in, the Sultan gave a cold humph and walked away feeling that watching such shows put up by the rogue soldiers only hurt his eyes.

This glorious tradition is soon passed on to other Ottoman soldiers demanding for a monetary reward before they set foot, but it is simply not possible for Sultan Orhan to give each and every one a reward every time before they attack. Thus the entire siege is put into an abrupt halt, just when the blink of victory can be seen before the Sultan's eyes. Burning with the flames of rage, Sultan Orhan went back into his tent and never came out since, until the his guards brought him some good news, at last.

"My Sultan." The Janissary came in kneeling down and reported. "The admiral of the Rumelian Antonius have arrived outside of the camp."

"Really?!" Sultan Orhan jumped up from his bed in rejoice. "The Rumelians are here?"

"Yes, my Sultan."

"Quick, organise the janissaries for a parade Wait, he is already out side the gate?"

"Yes, my Sultan."

"Fine, I shall welcome him by myself!" Sultan Orhan jumped onto the floor heading straight out of his tent towards the direction of the gate.

"Sultan! Sultan!" The Janissary followed closely behind yelling at Orhan. "You forgot to wear your boots! And you are still in your night wear!"

It is then did Orhan realise that he rushed out of the tent bare footed, but with a face full of grins and rejoice he laughed and continued walking briskly enduring the pain of sands and sharp pebbles causing friction on his feet, and the slight cooling Autumn wind blowing against his furry chest, leaving the poor loyal Janissary running hurriedly behind hugging his Sultan's trousers and boots, shouting and yelling behind the Sultan until he accidentally tripped over a twig making a laudable fall on the hard ground.

Sultan Orhan brisk walked to the gates of his camp with out feeling the inflammation under his feet, and finally did he see the man he has been dreaming about for nights after nights praying hard to Allah every single day wishing him to come faster. At this point of desperate time the arrival of the Rumelian fleet is a more joyful news than any other gold, jewels, woman. Now there is only one man' shadow he can see in both of his eyes, that is Antonius.

"Hahahahaha" Sultan Orhan broke into a chain of laughter as he saw Antonius and marched towards him in wide steps with his both hands swung wide open ready to give him a tight hug. "By the grace and blessing of Allah, after days and nights of prayers and wishes, you are finally here! My dear friend Antonius, you have no idea how I miss you, come! Join me! I shall treat you with the finest Jordanian Mansef lamb! Hahahaha"