A Hundred Genoese

"By the way, where is Loukas?"

No one knows.

George, not knowing the where abouts of the Mega Doux, eyed at Julian for help. But the latter shrouded his shoulders signaling that he do not have any idea also.

"I have not seen my Mega Doux for around a week." Constantine took a deep breathe to control his fury which is causing his cerebrum to ache acutely. "I want to know his whereabouts immediately, send people all over the city looking for him."

"Yes, your majesty."

Constantine took another look at Antonius, who seems to be drinking a cup of tea that Anna just passed him. Enjoying the afternoon breeze and warm sunshine with a charming lady by his side. While Constantine himself is there on the walls enduring enemy bombardments and a worsening ache in his head.

"It seems like it is just not the best time to disturb him." Constantine sighed and started walking away. "Julian, later please inform lord De'Ricci that I need his fleet out in the seas."

"Sure, emperor, I will tell him… But what mission do we have on the seas?"

"Reinforcements are coming anytime soon." Perhaps this is the only thing that can change Constantine's mood today. "I just received a letter from the pope Nicholas V. In the letter he wrote that he and the Dominican order has sponsored an expedition force of six hundred heavy infantry mercenaries which set off two and half weeks ago, they should be arriving anytime now."

Julian finally showed some emotions on his face. "That is great news! Finally, I can get less reports of my men falling down one by one daily."

"If you are just a soldier, Julian, I will tell you yes, we will have a much easier life in the future."

Constantine turned to face Julian with a thoroughly serious face while massaging his forehead on the carriage. "But since you are a trusted commander, I must ask you to prepare for even tougher days ahead."

"…"

"You know why?"

"No, emperor."

"Seems like the people inside Lord De'Ricci's navy has adopted the way his way of speaking and addressing me." Constantine sighed.

Julian scratched the back of his head and gave a shy smile.

"Julian, you are a commander of a ship in the navy. Tell me, if the Latin ships are to sail into the sea of Marmara through the straits of Dardanelles, if it possible to keep the entire fleet in disguise not being discovered by any Ottoman patrols?"

Julian thinked hard for a while and answered. "It is hard, but they cannot do anything. We have successfully destroyed their fleet and blocked the remaining vessels they have inside their port, and we have demolished all potential threat on the coasts. So, take no worries, emperor."

"I am not worried about the Latin fleet not arriving. I am worried that the Ottoman onlookers will catch sight of the fleet manoeuvring in the strait on the way to Constantinople and inform Mehmed before the reinforcement arrives in the city."

Julian realised that something is wrong here, he rubbed his hand against his thigh and asked. "You mean… Mehmed will try to launch an attack never seen before on the city to try to take her before further help arrives?"

"Yes."

After this, the three men remained silent throughout the journey with different things in their minds.

…

Meanwhile, outside the Theodosian walls, Gate of Xylokerkos. The Ottomans have launched another assault on this gate with a levy division from the Eyalet of Aydin.

Giovanni has donned his full gears of Italian plate helmet, Pavise helmet, long sword and Milano crossbow on his back. He and his mercenaries are preparing to launch a counter attack outside the walls.

This is not the first time he is doing this; he is a battle experienced veteran that firmly believes in the ideology that attack is always the superb way of defence. Wars are never won with retreats and like wise one can never successfully deter a siege by being sitting ducks inside a walled garrison.

Giovanni has conducted several raids in smaller scales on the outskirts of Ottoman camps. Gathering a small amount of mobile and trusted men onto ships and storm, land on the vulnerable and unexpected spots of the Ottoman encampments, storming the camp burn down some Ottoman properties and battlements, then retreating through ships back to the port of Theodosius.

But this time, unlike any other raids they conducted before, they are going for a face-to-face confrontation to stop these never ending day and night bombardments. His men are already assembled waiting for him below the keep, fully equipped with the finest out of the finest gears newly forged from Orban's iron works. A hundred elite out the elites are gathered from various vocations for this task.

Giovanni walked in front of them and took a quick look on all of them trying to remember their faces, knowing that most likely half of them will not be able to come back in full shape later. Then he lowered down the visor of his bascinet and shouted.

"Aut cum scuto aut in scuto! Onwards we march!"

"Aye sir!"

"Let's go! Open the gates!"

The heavy and enormous iron coated gates of Xylokerkos screeches as it moves along the ground, letting out a silent groan after not having been opened in four months. Behind the gates, the hundred mercenaries did their final warm up and checking of their gears before they line up in formations. A typical Genoese heavy infantry but adapted to some minor changes by Giovanni in order to cope with the fast-changing battle scenario with demand for quick mobility and flexibility. Instead of the usual formation whereby the soldiers form up as a whole with shields covering in front and crossbows at the back, Giovanni trained them to form up in groups of five, each with different roles and responsibilities, able to cover for each other, quick to react and also swift when pulling out.

As the first dawn of sunlight finally shines into the curved gate ways after four months of darkness filling this place full of spider webs and moist, what comes out of the gate are no longer usual peaceful Roman military envoys and parades, but a hundred armed to the teeth Genoese men.