The Plunderer Has Returned

"Butcher of Marmara? That sounds nice, I like that name." Antonius laughed so hard that tear appeared in his eye sockets. "Hope that the 'butcher' wont have to turn his butcher cleaver on his fellow sailors anymore."

"Oh yes, I need to warn you my friend. Don't pressurise your soldiers too much, or else they might revolt against you. You wont wanna see a shining knife in the mid of sleeping aye?"

Giovanni raised his beaker of ale and called for the bartender and asked him to refill his beaker to the brim.

"Aye I know, I will prove that I am a benefactor rather than a dictator." Antonius took a sip of his ale and replied.

"With that…" Giovanni took out a letter from his front pocket. "I have acquired information provided by the Mega Doux of the Greeks, he says that there will be a large treasure fleet sailing from Alexandria to Izmir, perhaps you can do me a favour too because it is said that they are transporting horses alongside with treasure."

"Leave this business to me." Antonius grabbed the letter and requested. "I would need something else from you, my friend."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I will need a couple more Milano crossbow of yours."

****

Meanwhile, in district of Triton, near the Golden Gate. A shadowy figure, dressed in black hood, left the gate under the cover of the dark night sky and rode in the direction of Edirne.

His name is Loukas Notaras, serving as the Mega Doux, or the Grand Duke in Constantine XI's court. He is already in office since the times of Constantine's predecessor, John VIII. A rather complex character he is, tight rope walking most of the times between the Ottoman and the Romans, a major benefactor of the current semi-peaceful relationship between the two states, because then he can sell the information of his country to earn money through 'certain' channels in the Sultan's court. In other words, the head of government of Byzantium is a traitor that exploit national interest for his own good.

He soon rode to Edirne, thrown a few golden coins and flashed his Grand Vizier granted pass at the guards, then rode inside the city without any restrictions. Loukas knew where the person he want to find is at this hour of time.

Soon he arrived at Üç Şerefeli Mosque, or The Mosque with Three Balconies. Inside another old man with white beards is doing his morning prayers Salat al-fajr. Loukas stood quietly behind and waited for the old man to finish.

The old man, already senses that someone is behind him, calmly finished praying and then rose up with his crutch and asked the man in a cultured tone. "What has brought you here this early, here to do your morning prayers with me?"

"Oh yes sure if you would allow me." Loukas joked and pretends he is going to do his morning prayers.

"Stop it, the Christian church is in the opposite street." The old man looked at Loukas and asked in a suspecting tone. "Jokes aside, what has brought you here to me?"

"I am here because I have deliberately leaked the information of Ottoman treasure fleet to the new grand admiral of the Roman navy, who is a pirate from Genoa, my dear Candarli Halil Pasha. They should be on their way to hijack the fleet now."

The old man, or Grand Vizier is stunned and paused, then stopped one of his guard from drawing his blade. He looked at Loukas with anger and doubt. "Tell me Loukas." He slowly asked. "I do think that you came here with reasons."

"Yes, my friend, I am helping you and the Sultan to get rid of any potential threat of the Sultanate." Loukas replied with a cunning smile. "These two men, two bandits, two pirates from Genoa has proven to be a great threat to the peace and stability of the Aegean. We can take this chance to remove them permanently for good."

"What do you mean by this. I am not convinced, are you trying to provoke war again between the Sultanate and the Romans? You know that is the thing I am trying to avoid."

"Yes, my Grand Vizier, the new emperor is dangerous and has unfaithful thoughts on the lands belonging to the Sultan, thus he gathered these bandits in preparation for a more powerful military force. The Sultan, by all means, need to punish this new emperor, teach him a lesson on what is the consequence of being a not loyal tributary." Loukas replied and bowed towards the Grand Vizier, hiding his facial expression.

The Grand Vizier is filled with anger, as the treasure fleet also contains his ships and property, he almost wanted to order his guards to arrest this man and execute this man in the name of espionage. However, as a matured politician he knows consequences of things. He took a deep breathe, crunched his fist and asked again.

"You old cunning Greek fox, what motivates you to do such an unhonourable deed this time."

"I shall be honest and modest with you, my friend. With the two pirates removed from office, I can arrange my own men to take over their office and control the army. Then I can make Constantine my puppet with the army in my hands."

He also took a deep breathe, with greed and lust full in his eyes. He rose up and continued. "Then I will be the master of Constantinople, the Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans, the owner of the red apple. Don't get me wrong my friend, I shall be a faithful tributary of the Sultan, and hand over the red apple as soon as the time is ripe."

The lust for power and the throne is so intense in Loukas's eyes that it scared the Grand Vizier, it is his first time staring into the eyes of a power-hungry man, as-if staring into the eyes of a wolf lunging for fresh meat.

Loukas continued, trying to lure the Grand Vizier. "And for you, Grand Vizier, you can save your properties in the treasure fleet, defeat the Romans once again, gain a huge political reputation from your military success, and have more influence on the Sultan, I know as a head of state myself… that you do need influence over the monarch now, am I right?"

"I will help you this time, Loukas, you cunning, greedy, imbecile fox, a living man with all the sins on you… may Allah descent lightening upon you. I will send battleships, and I will deal with you later."

"It is my honour doing business with you, Grand Vizier, my friend."

"Now go, I don't want to see you again in my sight, sod off before I slaughter you."

Loukas bowed towards the Grand Vizier while the Grand Vizier turned around and waved his hands in disgust. Loukas then donned his hood and rode off in the direction of Constantinople.

The Grand Vizier, after a while, called for his guards and ordered him to deliberately spread the news of an imminent Roman attack on the treasure fleet, right in front of Kapudan Pasha, the admiral of the Ottoman navy.

Before he steps out of the charge, he exhorted his guards. "Next time you see this man, lock him up in the Armenian's pig pen."

****

While in the port of Neorion, Antonius horned the assembling siren and raised the flags of battle, the Roman Christogram of Chi Rho, and the pirate flag.

"Raise the sails! Lads! We've got work to do! We've got riches to plunder! I shall offer you the opportunity to get forever riches this time!"

"Hooray!"

"Hooray!"

"Board the ships! Battle stations! Ready for actions!"