"The State always stands for swindling, intrigue, and privilege, and cannot stand for anything else."
- Ignazio Silone
Durad Branković lays hopelessly on the make shift bed massaging his forehead.
It has been two days, two freaking days, that there is completely no message or connections from neither the Hungarians and the Bosnians.
Actually, John Hunyadi is not even inside his camp at the present moment.
He knows jolly well, that if it continues becoming like this and the Ottomans knows that their relationship has deteriorated to the point where they are pointing their blades towards each other, that sly old fox Zaganos Pasha would launch a full scale attack on the Crusaders, for sure, actually his acute sixth sense is already telling him that there might be an impending attack coming very, very soon.
Just as he got up from his bed about to issue a defensive order for the army, the curtain to his camp is swung open.
"What is it, Miroslaf?" It is the Depost's personal guard.
"Your majesty." The guard bowed. "There are three visitors who want to see you."
"Let them wait for a while."
"They mentioned that they have urgent issues coming from the local Bulgarian Orthodox churches."
"Church of Bulgaria?" The Despot is startled. "For what? They have not send a single representative to see me from the day I stepped onto Bulgarian lands… Fine, call them in."
"Yes, your majesty."
The guards led the three men into the tent after conducting a thorough security check and removing their hoods.
"Greetings, your majesty." The three men bowed towards Durad Branković seated on the bed. "We have brought message for you… May you excuse other unrelative personnel around?"
"Hell no! What if you are some members of the Hashashins? Taking my head for a bounty?"
"…"
"…"
"Now speak, what kind of news have you brought me?"
"I think you would like to read this piece of letter first, your majesty."
The guard by the Despot's side took the letter from the 'messenger's hand and passed it to the Despot, and within the first glance of the letter the strong emotions of fear and worrisome appeared in the Despot's eyes as he almost fell down throwing the letter on the ground.
"What… What…"
The letter has nothing but a simple message. "I am Zaganos Pasha."
Cold sweat broke out on the old despot's forehead as he stares into that pair of eyes of the 'Zaganos Pasha' and after a while of scrutinizing, he stabalised his body and gave a cold grunt and threatened. "Are you not afraid that I will execute you on the spot right now."
Hearing this, the Despot's guards instantly drew out their blades stepping forward placing it beside the messenger's neck.
The messenger did not move by a single inch, he took a glance at the blade and the guard holding it, them simply pushed the blade away from the neck. "Your majesty, I have always believed that you are a smart person, and I know that smart people always choose the smart choice."
Multiple thoughts emerged in the Despot's mind on how to deal with these three people. And after a long internal debate within different thoughts analysing each of their consequences, he finally made up his choice and stood up signaling his guards to go out of the tent.
"Secure this premise, I don't want any one to drop their ears around the tent… I have important matters to discuss with this… gentleman over here."
"Yes, your majesty."
The loyal guard commander went outside with his men securing the area bringing the other two men with them, leaving only the despot and the 'Zaganos Pasha' behind.
"Hahahaha…" The Despot suddenly bursted into a chain of laughter as he picked up that piece of letter and patting the dust off the paper. "You are pretty daring aren't you, coming all the way from… The other side, not even blinking your eye when there are two blades on your neck."
'Zaganos Pasha' grinned back. "I always believe that modesty and honesty is a trick to bring more stakes in negotiation… And let me start with this, I am scared, really scared, scared out of my life just now."
The Despot is curious. "Oh? But you don't look like you are scared by a bit."
"Because I believe that showing temporary signs of courage will bring me greater interests."
"I see, I see." The Despot nodded in approval, continued staring at the man, grinned and suddenly asked. "You are not Zaganos Pasha right?"
"Indeed." The man answered without any hesitation. "Greetings, I am not Zaganos Pasha, but Selim Pasha. I am the co-commander of the army group north, partner of Zaganos Pasha."
"Very honest of you… You don't look like a warrior…. Instead, you look like someone who plays with words and trick."
"Thanks for your compliment, your majesty." Selim Pasha bowed.
"So, Selim Pasha, want news do you bring for me?"
"My army is getting prepared for a full scared attack on you and John Hunyadi in less than a day's time."
"I see." The Despot replied plainly as if he has already known about it. "Thanks for your news, I shall assemble my forces at once preparing them for the holy war, and call upon my faithful allies Lord John Hunyadi, together with the incoming reinforcements of King Stephan Thomas, we will achieve a grand victory against your people, and by then I can be merciful enough to spare your life, and your commander's perhaps for he carries the proud Serbian blood, if he aggress to convert to the correct faith, of course."
Selim Pasha just smirked and watched the old man putting up a performance before him.
"Your majesty." Selim Pasha applauded at the Despot, whose face is already in a pinkish red after all those words. "I am sorry to say, that the Bosnians will not be coming."
"Huh?"
"And we know about all those conflict and mistrust between you and John Hunyadi."
"…" The Despot forced a grin that looks rather like a sullen look on his face. "There is nothing between me and Lord John Hunyadi."
"I wrote those letters."
"I made the plans."
"I am the man behind all of this."