"Those European Crusaders are faster than I expected."
"Indeed…. They did a much better job than the Sultan of the Ottomans."
"…"
"You not going to help the Crusaders my friend? I mean, provide some fire support or helping them lay siege or something."
"Why should I...."
"..."
"Oh by the way, how is your family? Did Mehmed…"
"They are safe now, don't worry my friend."
"Thanks god."
"…"
"…"
"Hey look, the Crusaders set fire on the city."
"The Ottoman flag is still standing on the other gate."
"Indeed."
"How did that gate fall so easily? I studied its structure and layout of defense, it should at least hold its defense for two weeks."
"I guess that someone sold the city for a nice sum."
"You might be right."
"The fire is spreading… Oh wait, that Ottoman flag fell…"
Antonius and Abdullah are closely observing the siege from sea leaning on the wooden railings of the quarter's deck. The blood moon did cause a wide spread among his fleet, but the fuss is soon gone as Anjelo wisely took up the job of a priest and started paddling around different ships organizing mass and prayers, claiming that the blood moon is a message sent by the God gifting all Christians with courage and intelligence.
The ship crew actually believed his trifling words, then every ship went on singing the holy rhythm of Gloria and Agnus Dei, which greatly boosted the fleet's morale and everything went back to normal again.
That's how you solve unexpected problems with intelligence.
"Admiral, we got intel for ya." Anjelo boarded onto the ship from a small boat beneath and passed a scroll to Antonius. "The patrol fleet intercepted a messenger sent by the emperor of the Greeks, a personnel letter… to you, admiral."
"Thank you, Anjelo, go and take a rest." Antonius took the scroll, opened the seal and started reading frowning.
Abdullah took a peek at the frowning Antonius and sighed. "You know what my friend, every single time I hear you receive a personnel letter from the emperor, it is always accompanied by more troubles for you to save the day."
"Aye you are right." Antonius gave an irritated humph and passed the scroll to Anjelo and Abdullah. "The Sultan of the Ottomans offered our friend Constantine that if he stops aiding the Ottoman pretender prince Orhan, the Sultan would cede the city of… Chritoupolis, Mosynopolis and Nicomedia…and a mutual peace treaty for ten years."
Abdullah finished reading the scroll and smirked confidently. "Indeed a smart move by Candarli Halil Pasha…"
"Indeed." Anjelo followed.
"There is some more below." Antonius pointed at the scroll and continued staring blankly at the sea surface.
"The Sultan would also like to return…. The Mega Doux of Rome? Loukas Notaras?" Anjelo blurted out in shock unable to control his sound level, Abdullah quickly lifted his hand upwards and blocked Anjelo's mouth and talked softly.
"What is the Grand Vizier trying to hint in this statement? Is he trying to say that the Mega Doux is the biggest agent of the Sultanate on the Roman's side? The postern of Kerkaporta…"
"Say no more!" Antonius suddenly interrupted.
Anjelo and Abdullah stammered and gulped their words back into their stomach.
"Admiral, are you…"
"Yes."
"Admiral, I gran dolori sono muti." Anjelo stepped forward and patted Antonius on his back. "There is no need to dwell into the past and feel sorrow for Harald and the hundreds of our men who sacrificed before that damned gate now… We need to look into the present."
Antonius nodded.
Out of a sudden, the sentries on the observation deck rang the bells. In less than a minute, dozens of crossbow men, archers and guards rushed onto the deck and got ready in combat locations, while other ships in the fleet began pulling anchor and starting to search for potential enemy contact. The entire atmosphere suddenly became tense as everyone is expecting a potential reinforcement fleet from the Ottomans or other states following the teaching of the Great Prophet coming here to aid Avlonya.
Antonius massaged his forehead and closed his eyes sitting behind the barricade on the deck. He trust the proficiency of his men, and trust that they will be able to make the ship safe even without him at their back.
After a while, Abraham came reporting with a few young boys bare footed tied up with ropes.
"Why are you people approaching my fleet?" Antonius almost laughed when he saw these few poor boys, armed with only daggers, kitchen knives, wood chopping axes, and still have the wits to try to sneak onto a war galley and hijack the ship. This is just like what he was like last time back in his teenage days, not a single piece of copper in pocket, not even one inch of steel in hand, no knowledge in head… The only thing he has was a dream of becoming a master privateer and valor to rob enormous merchant ships on the Mediterranean trade routes.
The boys tilted their heads away and refused to answer.
"Aye, aye, aye, hard bones I see." Antonius laughed even louder. "Come on, we are not bad people, just tell me what forced you onto a path like this, seeking gold? Food? Ship? Shelter? Just an advice, being a privateer is not an entertaining job to seek."
"You are not bad people?" The leading young kid retorted back in a sarcastic tone. "You, you people are the evilest demons I have ever seen, O you Latin devil, demon's kith and kin, servant of lucifer himself! Really, really, what kind of knight, what kind of Crusader are you guys?! Look at what you kind of people have done…"
"Wait, wait, wait, we here are not Crusaders?"
"Then who the hell can you folks be?"
Abdullah stepped up and explained. "We are sent here by the emperor of the Romans. We are not Crusaders."
"You are not Crusaders?" The boy's eyes suddenly became lit with hope. "Please, please help us! Save us from hell! I know that Romans are helpful friends who are also on the same front line fighting the aggressions of Turks and Crusaders! Please help."
Antonius and Abdullah looked at each other trying to control their laughter. This kid here was cursing them relentlessly one minute ago, even trying to sneak upon them and kill them, and now he is begging for help from them.
Anjelo returned with his priest's dressings, he touched the boy's forehead gently with his hand and looked at him with a gracious and amiable sight that really made him look like a father together with that white robes and head dress. "Tell me, child, we are ignorant about what is going on land, please kindly explain to us so that we can take appropriate actions to help you."
The boy looked at Anjelo, and suddenly went up sobbing hugging his legs rubbing his tears and mucus on Anjelo's robes giving the latter a cold shiver down the spine, then the boy started explaining what is going on in the city choking in tears.