Chapter 176: Know Or Not To Know

"Hahahahaha…." The Despot, who is already seventy plus years of age, stood up by himself shaking. "I understand you, of course, I understand you! Your, Grace!"

Honestly speaking John Hunyadi feels a little bit creeped out by the despot's chain of frantic laughter, it does not sound like the normal kind of laughter that a person produces when he is having a positive mindset like joy, excitement, relief, alive. Instead the laughter sounds like that of a deceased person filled with the tones and symphonies of despair, hopelessness and pain deep inside the heart.

The Despot turned to his Secretary of State Stefan Ratković grabbing hold of the hand holding the blade, and slowly pushed it downwards muttering. "Sheathe it, young man, do not show your blade when you are controlled by the devil of madness, for it will only make you fall down the cliff of ignorance."

Stefan Ratković followed exactly as told.

Seeing this, John Hunyadi sat back into his seat. "Alright men, sheathe your blades, you should know that you can never show your blades towards our guest, and he is still…. A king."

An Hungarian knight jeered in Hungarian. "It has became possible that nowadays even a person filled with hazugság and bűnök can become a king."

The Despot stopped Stefan from retorting, and walked out of the tent fast paced pulling Stefan Ratković watched by a dozen teasing sight from inside the tent.

He knows, that after the drawing of blade at each other, the relationship and trust between the two armies are already impaired beyond repairs.

"Your majesty, why are you not angry?" After they leave the Hungarian camps, Stefan Ratković could no longer resist himself and asked his lord.

"Angry?" The despot asked back in a calm tone. "Why should I be angry? Will angry help me from accomplishing anything?"

"You are right, my lord… But I don't understand, what do they mean, or what purpose do they have by humiliating you so much?"

"Don't you understand?" The Despot sighed, his silver hairs flying against the wind making him look even a decade older. "They have already told you pretty clearly, the reason behind they not treating me with courtesy, not giving me utensils and all that is because in their mind, I no longer even exist as a man, a fellow Christian, a follower of God."

"Then… what do they see you as, your majesty." Stefan Ratković roughly knew the answer in his mind but still could not resist himself from asking.

"A traitor probably…"

"Your majesty, are we really…."

"Hell no!"

"…"

No more words were said as the two men continues riding against the wind down the mountain trail back into their own encampments.

"Stephan."

"Yes, your majesty?"

Durad Branković stands on a hill top having a clear view of half of the Serbian encampments, where he can see his sons of Serbia carrying on with their daily activities. "Look, Stephan, look at these robust young lives that are still mostly in their early twenties, brought by the 'old hag' on an expedition coming all the way this far into a land unknown ruled by a bunch of infidels, tell me, Stephan, what do you see in this ten thousand young Serbian men inside this camp?"

"Your majesty! Please don't refer yourself as old hag!" Stephan Ratković protested on his monarch's misuse of words, then thought for a while inside his head and replied. "Trained hard soldiers that are capable in expanding the lord's demesne shining more people in the saviour light of Christ?"

"You got it wrong, Stephan." The Despot shook his head. "I see the future of Serbia… If there is any after this ill fated war."

"The future of Serbia?"

"Yes, the future of Serbia." The Despot could no longer remain standing and found a rock to be seated under a tree. "My country, my Despotate, my property and my source of taxation, is only safe with these young men protecting her, these young men are my properties, if they are gone, those burglars can break through my castle gates in broad day light with little resistance and effort, looting all of my wealth, taking my land and enslave my family."

Stefan Ratković stood firmly behind his despot on guard like a tree.

"I am going to bring them home, I need to bring them home." The despot murmured leaning on the trunk of the tree. "I see no hope in continuing this crusade, the Bosnians O only god knows where are they at the moment, the foundation of partnership between John Hunyadi and I have vanished, we will be defeated by the Ottomans that is a sure thing, that is a sure thing…. I must bring my boys back to my country… Even…"

"Even?"

"… Even if it means doing business with the devils…"

After finishing these words, the despot closed his eyes and dozed off leaning against the tree. His age simply cannot allow him to maintain long times of activeness like that of a young man.

Stefan Ratković stands behind gripping his blade with a complicated look. He is well educated since young as a noble who follows the chivalric code of conduct, and also a faithful worshipper of the Orthodox church, a knight who serves both his despot and Jesus Christ with loyalty and courage.

But what should he do when the two sets of princeps clash with each other?

Yes, although the despot did not mention it clearly, but Stefan Ratković is not stupid, he can catch what the despot's thoughts hidden under his words. And he is not ignorant, for he clearly knows why is his Hungarian allies having that sentiment of mistrust and disdain. Actually even he himself is not really sure if his Despot is really having a 'secret connection' with the foes.

So the question now comes, what should he do or what can he do facing a problem like this conflicting between his believes and his loyalty to his sovereign? Which is his priority?

He don't know.

And he don't want to know, for this question is already blowing his head up.