Volume 4 - Chapter 5 - Anger after the holidays ...

| Morning of January 3–1249 - The provisional throne room of Acre Castle - Attila |

We are in 1249, the New Year has now passed and with the new year, new problems also arrive.

For example, the fact that, even if it doesn't snow, I feel bitter cold.

By now I was locked up in my bedroom working under the covers.

Still, so it seems that I'm a sleeper and that I don't work.

So, to keep up appearances, I walked out of my room and sat on the throne I had.

Come to think of it, it wasn't a beautiful throne.

But I knew very well that this was only a temporary throne, the real one would be waiting for me in Jerusalem once the construction of the castle was finished.

You hear a knock on the door and a voice from outside said: << Can I enter Your Majesty? >>

It was Bruno's voice.

<< Sure, come in >>

Bruno entered and approached me with a letter in his hands.

Once he approached me he gave it to me saying: << This letter is from Pope Innocent IV >>

From the Pope huh? I wasn't expecting a letter from him so soon.

Bruno remained still in the room as if to make it clear that he was very curious to know the contents.

Well, that was normal. A man who now despises something is also interested in it.

Open the letter (too bad, it had a nice seal) and I read it.

""Letter written directly by Pope Innocent IV, addressed to the new King of Jerusalem.

Attila, the new King of the kingdom of Jerusalem.

First of all, I thank you for being able to steal the city from the infidels with your intelligence and the courage that you have shown during the crusade. He does not know how happy God and all his most faithful subjects are.

Having said that, I am a little irritated by the fact that not only is Christianity not the official religion but that it even made agreements with the infidel Sultan.

I don't know why you have decided to act in this way. But, unfortunately, I cannot accept your actions.

I, therefore, ask you to do the following: make Christianity the one and only official religion and stop all agreements with non-Christian countries.

I hope that you will come to meet me since if you are King of Jerusalem it is also my merit.

May God be with you""

While I was reading the letter, Mansour and Aaliya too had silently approached alongside Bruno, also interested in knowing what was written in it.

Who does the sender of this letter think he is?

How dare you send me such a letter?

The only one I have to take orders from would be from Frederick II, certainly not from a clown at the Vatican!

<< Ahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahha !! >> I suddenly laughed nervously.

Then I said aloud without realizing it: << You! Poor fucking Pope, how dare you send me such a letter! You're worth less than the shit on your shoes, and even let me write something like that!

But don't worry, if God exists then I swear by it that I will kill you for even thinking of giving orders to me when you are nobody!

The time will come when you will be there begging me to spare your life! Yet I'll kill you without even thinking twice!

I swear, on all that is dearest to me, that you will die by my hand! >>

In my face there was a murderous smile, if I had someone in my hands, I would have strangled him to death.

My 3 collaborators, once they saw that I was pissed to death, stood in the corner of the room trembling with fear.

Once my outburst was over I said to Bruno: << Bruno, bring me paper and ink. I have to write a letter… >>

| Morning of January 4th - 1249 - The provisional throne room of Acre Castle - Attila |

It had been a day since I let off steam after the Pope's letter, that piece of shit.

The same day I sent a letter to Frederick II, to inform him of the Pope's behaviour, and that I was curious if he would offer me his support (in the doubt that it would lead to war).

At this time I was sitting at the table, along with my two ministers, working on all the important issues.

But I realized one thing, which is that I can't handle all this paperwork myself, so I need more ministers.

There would be the nobles, who are not even calculating them.

I'm sure they were the ones who brought down the kingdom before.

Yet from the test I had done a few weeks ago, only Mansour and Aaliya had completed 70%.

Perhaps it is better to also look for some other capable person outside the kingdom.

I called Bruno.

After a few seconds he enters the door: << Tell me Your Majesty >>

<< Do you remember that announcement I made to hire new ministers? >>

<Yes, certainly >>

<< Well, I want this announcement to be made public not only in the kingdom but also in Europe and the Arab states >>

<< So, to search for capable people, would you also search outside the Kingdom? >>

<<. But that's enough, I have to work. Did you understand what you have to do Bruno? >>

<< Yes, Your Majesty. Leave it to me >>

Having said that he closed the door and left.

Soon, I will have to clash with the Pope, and I will be the one to kill him.