Chapter 564: For One Simply Cannot Feel The Pain
George Sphrantzes is caught in bewilderment over the statement by his very own son in law, then did the sentiments of rage and frustration got onto him, as he realised that even his very own family, his own son in law, is unsupportive of him and is even assuming his loyalty to the nation and the government by thinking that he, George Sphrantzes, might become the next Mega Doux of the state and start to embezzle for power.
Realising this, the eyes of George Sphrantzes started to turn cold as he stared at the mercenary captain before him, icy cold actually. But still he nodded his head and replied. "I promise you."
Giovanni stood up, stomped his numb feet on the ground to release his nervousness, took a final look at his father in law, bite his teeth hard and rushed out of the room slamming the door behind him.
The commander hopped onto his horse, grabbed its kneels and started galloping down the pavement along the walls back towards his main encampments located in the East of the city.
His mind is filled with various thoughts clashing against one another, he knows of course how important he is in times like this. The deceased emperor Constantine left him with an entire army at the time of his death due to the fact that the state needs a coordinated command for their military operations a few years back.
The entire city’s security is now guaranteed by his hands.
There is a voice inside Giovanni’s head telling him that he ought to abide by the words of his father in law, support him in his coup and cleanse the dirt of the city.
But there is another voice reminding him again and again that the ambitions of his father in law has been expanding beyond a recognised and tolerated borders ever since the death of the emperor, which can be seen from him summoning various officials into his estate on a weekly basis to discuss state matters like a king summoning his subjects, and now he is trying to reach his grip into the army.
Then there is a third voice asking himself that what can he do in a situation like this if he chose not to follow the orders of his father in law.
Immediately it is followed by a forth evil voice, suggesting that he, who is currently controlling all the troops of Constantinople, has an unlimited power and authority that he is yet to use, he has the ability to raise up all of his troops and charge into the palace imprisoning all the politicians declaring him as the new emperor, just like how Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon river a thousand years ago, but soon he dismissed it as he knows clearly that if he would want to do this, it is very likely that he would end up with the same fate as Julius Caesar, and he would not get the fortune to rule over the empire for two decades.
Finally, Giovanni made up his mind, for the safety of his family, for the prestige and fortune he bears, for the title on his head, for the future of his independent army, and the last wishes of the old emperor, he shall follow the lead of George Sphrantzes.
But of course, he will watch over the man on his every move and his growing ambitions, George Sphrantzes can be the next regent, but he cannot become the next Julius Caesar.
Giovanni went back to camp and drafted two hundred men inclusive of his most trustworthy guards, led them out of the city telling them that they have just discovered a hideout full of Ottoman remnants that needs to be cleared. The officers and troopers followed their leader without any doubts, they were ordered to march in a completely different direction as of what they are told, spent a day wandering around the city beating around the bush not following any clear trails.
These two hundred men are ordered to march with their gears mounted on their back for an entire day, with no replenishment at all, by night fall these two hundred men are already suffering in starvation and tiredness, the only thing that made them go all the way here is the fact that their beloved commander, Giovanni Giustiniani, are marching here all suffering all the same things with them.
The army arrived at a beach off the coast of the Marmara Sea.
None of the two hundred men have any idea why they are here and what kind of threat are they supposed to deter as they looked at one another with ignorant looks.
Giovanni slowly strolled his way to the beach, throwing his gears one by one starting with his helmet, then followed by his whip, then his gauntlet, then his sword, onto the soft yellowish sand. Then, he casually stepped into the seas letting the sea waves wash his boots. The two hundred men saw this as a signal by their commander that they can finally take a bit of rest, they too threw all their gears around them and collapsed onto the ground circled in section levels, while the one on duty starts to ready themselves to be spread out and guard their pals.
However, just as the men are starting to take a bit of leisure time, their commander turned around, picked up his blade and gears, and started clapping for absolutely no reason at all.
Bewildered by their leader’s behaviour, the troopers began clapping as well, wondering if they have missed anything from their leader. But Giovanni did not just stop there, he continued clapping in a faster pace, making the troopers he lead accelerate their clapping too, with some even letting out cheers and roars of happiness, despite none of the folks here knowing what on Earth is going on.
Giovanni stopped clapping, raised both of his hands into the air, with one hand clenched into a fist and the other one drawing circles, signalling his men to seat in a circle surrounding him, which his men complied. Giovanni nodded looking at his best men getting into their desired positions in a swift and orderly manner, then shouted out.
"Can anyone tell me, comrades, why was I clapping!"
None of the men have an answer.
"Any answer is accepted!"
A bearded soldier came out of the line. "Because you ordered us to, my commander!"
"How?" Giovanni gave the bearded soldier a stare and asked back. "When? Did you, or anyone here, ever heard the word coming out of my mouth, asking you to clap with me?"
No one responded a thing.
"Go back and have a seat." Giovanni gave the bearded soldier a pat on his shoulder. "Attention all of you! I know, I have always told you that it is complimentary and compulsory for a soldier from one’s higher ups without any questions, but, tell me, what if, your higher ups ask you to do something completely absurd, completely felonious, completely against your own will, and it will lead an entire family, an army, a state into an absolute chaos, tell me, what do you do?"
The men remained speechless, some smart ones are already guessing the deeper meanings of their commander’s words, and the even smarter ones are already starting to question the true reasons on why their leader brought them here, or if there is actually any Ottoman threat that needs to be cleared. Of course, these men are not ignorant towards what is going on in the city, for their encampment is not that far from the Theodosian walls.
"We go against their orders." A man responded.
Giovanni did not reply to the man as he continued asking. "tell me! What if, your commander ask you to turn in all of your loot to him after every single battle, claiming that he will use it to transform your life to the better, but the next day you witnessed your loot appearing on the market, with all the revenues turning to your commander?"
No one said a thing.
"What if, your leader failed to give out your monthly allowance for ages, saying that the state is at its peak of crisis, but the next day you see your leader residing in lavishly built palaces squandering thousands of silvers away, but you have to face your starving family residing in a little cottage beneath the Theodosian walls, with your skinny daughters asking you where is the dinner?"
- Of course, this kind of situation would most probably not happen to anyone in the circle, for most of them have already gained a fortune from their plunders and sacked goods in the past.
By now most of the men here roughly have an idea on who is their commander really talking about, for it is already way too obvious in his words, but they simultaneously kept their mouth shut.
Because they are yet to feel the pain of the ordinary civilians.
