Traveling with carts was always a pain in the ass, but this time we were accompanied by traveling brothels, which was even more annoying. One day I could no longer withstand this chaos and ordered the owners of these houses of pleasure to be summoned to me. Several minutes later, four men were kneeling on the floor in my tent.
"Effendi, it's an honor for us. Do you want a woman? We have virgins, or maybe a pretty boy? White or black? We are able to please everyone and fulfill even the most secret fantasies." (Wh.orehouse Owner)
Even the most secretive fantasies? I always had this problem in the 20th century, when browsing the internet I couldn't remember the title of a po.rn movie, or the breed of dog that appeared in it... I wanted to test them to see if it was some kind of false advertisement, but I doubt they would find a ginger dwarf, duck and whipped cream.
"You may not have noticed, but we're going to the war, not the market, if you delay the march... I'll make sure you serve the whole army and their horses with your ass.es personally... And one more thing... let each of you send to my tent tonight the best wh.ore from your stable. Just not virgins, they're so boring." (MC)
I tried to stay calm, although it was not easy, I also understood these men. They were in business and wanted to earn money, feeding and dressing hoo.kers, it costs too. Their faces were terrified... I just wasn't sure if it was due to the prospect of being fuc.ked by the entire army and their horses or the loss of income... because I wasn't going to pay for their who.res.
But spending the night in the company of four women turned out to be beyond my strength, I could hardly make it three times and I ordered the fourth hooker to clean the tent... I'm not a rabbit... but my method worked, the brothel owners had better discipline and marching pace than the rest of the army. It took us almost forty days to get to Trebizond...
Although it was not easy for me to admit it, Islam Giray was quite a capable commander. I sent him for scouts several times, hoping that something might happen to him, but he always came back safe and sound, bringing back valuable information... maybe I will have to find another way to get rid of him.
"Set up camp around town, then we'll send a messenger there. If the city surrenders, that's good, if not, it's good too and have a few troops scout the area, they can loot food and everything that is valuable, burn houses and fields." (MC)
(Sultan Murad IV / Grand Vizier Tabanıyassi Mehmed Pasha POV)
"Your Royal Highness, Protector of the Two Holy Cities..." (Grand Vizier Tabanıyassi Mehmed Pasha)
"Speak!" (Sultan Murad IV)
"Your Royal Highness, Lachy are attacking, we got a message that a large army is coming from the north, the Moldavian hospodar joined them." (Grand Vizier Tabanıyassi Mehmed Pasha)
"It's a bad moment, we're fighting the Persians, call the generals." (Sultan Murad IV)
"That's not all, a pigeon from Trebizond has arrived. In the east, the Tatars and Cossacks have crossed our borders and are besieging the city." (Grand Vizier Tabanıyassi Mehmed Pasha)
"That traitor !!! The unfaithful dog !!! I will destroy the entire Giray family. I will lead the army to the east myself, the Polish King must cross the Wallachian lands and the Bulgarians before he reaches the capital, and Constantinople will withstand the siege." (Sultan Murad IV)
(End POV)
A week had passed since our arrival in Trebizond, and within 80 kilometers from the city, no settlement, village or lonely cottage survived. Everything fell prey to the Tatars and Cossacks, our chests slowly filled with valuables, silk, tobacco and other goods.
Fortunately, we came to the Empire before the Sultan introduced his reform... in which he prohibited the consumption of tobacco and limited its production. Similarly with alcohol, which was surprising because he was an alcoholic and died of cirrhosis of the liver... well, people in power always keep the best privileges for themselves.
Selim walked into my tent, interrupt my attempts to fill the pipe with tobacco.
"Lord, a messenger has arrived from the city. They want to negotiate the terms of surrender." (Selim)
"Bring him in, we can't let our guest wait." (MC)
A few moments later a messenger appeared in my tent, accompanied by Selim and another officer for my safety... but it wasn't really necessary, it's not like he was hiding a bomb in his backpack.
"Heard you want to surrender the city?" (MC)
"We don't want to, we have to, Lord." (Messenger)
"Why? We're not attacking the city, we're not trying to capture it... we're letting you live." (MC)
"You want to starve us, you don't attack the city, but no merchant or food cart can enter the city either." (Messenger)
"I don't understand, you have a port that we don't block, you can bring food by sea, you can catch fish." (MC)
"Lord, as soon as you camped, all the ships left the port, and those few fishing boats won't feed the city." (Messenger)
"So you came to negotiate the terms of surrender, unfortunately you will be disappointed. If you have the terms, then we do not want the your city, your surrender can only be unconditional. Go back to town and deliver my words." (MC)
As an army of almost 100 percent cavalry, it was not in our best interest to occupy the city and then defend it if necessary. Of course, if they want to surrender, we will accept their surrender, but without any conditions.
As he was leaving, I threw an apple to the messenger. I didn't want the poor man to starve to death, or maybe he has a family and has to feed his children... Sometimes my heart is too soft and it will probably cause me problems in the future.