1453: Revival of Byzantium

Chapter 267: The Ambassador

"An ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the good of his country."

-        Henry Wotton, 

After the praying ceremony has ended, people dispersed through the doors cleaning up this place once more, and Abdullah with his followers is ushered upon to a waiting room inside saying that the mentor wants to meet them in person after he has finished his business.

"My old friend! Abdullah Miralai! marhabaan bieawdatik! ma aldhy jaealak taqarar aleawda?" 

"Ah! My old buddy Fahim! How long has it been, ten years? Twenty years? Never mind, yes, I am back! My pal! Tueal 'aetani einaq!" 

The two middle aged men laughed and hugged tightly together, then kissed each other on the cheeks, and went down sitting on the only two seats while the disciples of Fahim came forward to serve the two men two cups of tea, leaving the group of five followers of Abdullah with no choice but to stand the corners of the room acting like they have committed some mistakes standing there as punishment. 

Abdullah took a sip of the tea and remarked in a surprised tone. "Em! What kind of mint shay is this? Why is it so fragrant and bitter at the same time? I have not had a taste of this kind of tea before!" 

Fahim laughed and slammed the handle of his wooden chair. "I would be bewildered if you say nothing about this shay, let me tell you what my friend This tea, is from the distant lands of Serica, harvested in a kingdom called the 'Ming'. Sold all the way to Hindustan first then transported here by Kerman merchants. Just one packet of this tea's dried leaves is equivalent to a piece of gold! It is only because you came, that I decided to take this invaluable tea out and use it to treat you." 

"I don't know how to thank you my friend." Abdullah stood up holding the hand of Fahim. "You see, I came in a hurry this time round, I did not even have the time to prepare any gifts. But don't worry, I shall go out to get some gift of the same value by today and give it to you tomorrow"

"I don't need your gift Abdullah." Fahim laughed and clapped. "Now, Abdullah, tell me, what made you come back here? For the last time I have heard from you, you have joined the Rumelia's fleet against your own people I bet that you ventured all the way this far to Alexandria not to only see this piece of aging bones and flesh, am I right?"

Abdullah nodded.

Fahim waved a hand gesture for the servants and slaves to leave this room, then took a sip of the tea and asked. "So, you are here asking me for help?"

Abdullah nodded.

"Let me see" Fahim grinned and peeked at Abdullah through the cup. "You must be here asking me for advice regarding the recent developments in Cairo, because you need the Sultan to help your Rumelian lord, am I right?"

Abdullah nodded.

"Then I must be frank with you, my friend." Sighed Fahim. "Not gonna lie, but even I am not really familiar with this new Sultan who has merely ascended to the Sultan's throne for less than a year by popularity among the other Mamluk's support and a not so violent rebellion."

"Wait" Abdullah frowned and interrupted. "You mean that the Sultan of the Mamluks have changed? It is no longer that Zahir Saif al- Din Jmqmq?"

"Yes, since when did you get that piece of out dated information? Sultan Jaqmaq may Allah bless his name. has deceased more than a year ago. He forcefully implemented his son Sultan Uthman on to that unstable throne which greatly upset the other powerful Mamluk lords who are either competing for the throne themselves or have some one else in mind. The young Sultan is no doubt unable to suppress the situation and he is immediately over thrown with a new supposedly elected candidate, the current Sultan Inal, and the poor young Sultan is imprisoned here in Alexandria People claim that he has died, brutally murdered by the new Sultan, but who knows?" 

"I see." Lots of thoughts rammed through Abdullah's head as he drew a clear map in his head on all the various stuff going on trying to make a clear analysis. "Thank you, my friend, this information really served as a great help to me." 

"Abdullah, do be careful." Fahim lowered his voice. "This new Sultan, although merely a year in place, is already known for his stupidity when handling matters on economy, forcing other people to pay tribute to him even after they have paid their taxes, and treating rich people like his private properties taking them away at will. The reason why the city of Alexandria still looks so prosperous is because the Mamluk Emir of Eskendereyya has publicly rose up against him closing the province borders refusing any of the Sultan's man to enter his state. 

Abdullah frowned and massaged his fore head groaning in his mind that why did fate decide to make his job even harder. 

"And things are growing worse, you came at the wrong time my friend." Fahim continued. "I have not mentioned that this Sultan, like the predecessor, is also in sympathy with the Ottoman Turks which is the reason I believe made you come here Every one can feel the tide in the Sultanate is changing Remember how I said that the Sultan is supposedly 'elected'? In fact that there are a lot of Mamluk lords that did not participate in this election because of the chaotic situation, and secret meetings are going on every where with troops are assembled, it is just like a gathering storm." 

"A gathering storm" Abdullah held his fore head with his hand. "So, you are trying to say that the Sultan most probably will not have the time to intervene in the mess of the Ottomans?" 

"Indeed." Nodded Fahim. "The previous Sultan had the idea, but he is dying in the coffin, the new Sultan still needs to stabilize his throne, if not he will see another Sultan occupying the citadel of Cairo once he has returned from the front line, and he need to concentrate all of his forces to suppress the Mamluk lords in the state that don't agree with him Though there is one advantage you can use." 

"What is it?" A glimpse of hope is risen in Abdullah's mind as he opened his eyes. "Please, enlighten me." 

"The Sultan wants to expand his influence in to Anatolia and Cyprus." Replied Fahim. "And, because the Emir and Beys controlling the fleet mostly does not agree with him, he currently do not have a powerful fleet of his own to launch his expedition, perhaps you can use that to your disposal and strike in to an agreement with him. Even if he used to be sympathetic to the Ottomans, I bet that his heart is itching wanting to bite a meat in to his own mouth seeing the messy situation in Anatolia But that Sultan Orhan, you are sure that you and him does not have a deal?" 

Abdullah startled a bit and laughed. "We do have a deal, but how coincidental is that Sultan Orhan also wants additional support in to Anatolia to balance the local war lords and punish the Karamanids, you see, if your Mamluk Sultan is going to advance in to Anatolia, his sword will be pointed towards Cicilia which is under Karaman control, so"

"I see" Fahim nodded. 

The two middle aged men looked and smiled at each other. 

"So, my friend Abdullah." Fahim took a final sip of the tea and then poured some more boiling water in to the tea cup from the jar on the table. "Is there any thing more you want to ask from me?" 

Abdullah rolled his eyes and replied. "There is nothing I want to ask you, but there is some thing that I want from you" 

"What is it?" Fahim continued blowing air on to his hot tea trying to cool it down. "I don't have any money with me, you can't get a copper from me." 

"I don't need money; I have a lot of them." Abdullah grinned as he got up from his seat and walked to the back of Fahim's seat sending eye and hand signals to the five followers of him standing in the corners, two followers went to block the gate, while three others approached from different directions. 

"I need you, my old friend, can you please come with me?" 

Hearing this Fahim almost dropped his cup of hot tea burning his own lips in the cup of boiling water almost turning his lips in to sausages. "What? You serious? Come on! My old body is way too fragile to embark on a travel like this!" 

Abdullah laughed holding Fahim's shoulders. "Don't lie! You are of the same age as me. Get him!"