Chapter 337: The Dowager

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

-        John F. Kenney

The stance for being non aligned by Hamza Bey for his army only resulted in him offending all three factions making him an unstable factor in their hearts. Failing to join either side would mean that he might be the fourth faction that will join the political struggle, or he might potentially join one of the three factions if either side offers a higher stake that moves his heart. Either way it can only mean one thing – This man is their enemy. 

And thus under the advice of the Sultan's mother, Gulbahar Hatun, made an order promoting Hamza Pasha as the new Grand Vizier trying to make him come back to the capital as soon as possible, replacing the commanding officer with a cousin of her who is also an uncle of the Sultan that can be trusted in their faction in the hope to control this army that can prove to be crucial when a internal strife takes place, the Sultan Dowager is desperately trying to control as much force as possible to make sure that her sons are safe and sound in the worst cases. 

However, when the messenger arrives, the general only asked one single question. "What plans does the Sultan has for the current tense situation in the front line?" Which the messenger could not answer as he did not receive any single instruction on that. 

Seeing the messenger's blurred face, the bey instantly knew what is going on behind his new assignment and change of command. He sighed and then went on writing a letter placing it in the hands of the messenger stating that. "Please help me inform the Sultan that I cannot leave my office now, if not it would be deemed as being unconcerned about the urgent front line situation and a betrayal to the troops if I leave at the moment they need me the most…" 

The messenger took down the message in his note. "What else do you have to say honourable Bey?"

"Yes." Hamza Bey walked around in circles for a while and replied. "If possible, I urge the Sultan to come over here himself with the various viziers and have a look on what the Rumelians are planning… I am sure that they are trying to take advantage of the Grand Vizier's sudden death. Furthermore, the arrival of the Sultan will greatly motivate our fellow soldiers making them go in to war with more confidence and courage knowing that their Sultan is watching them." 

The messenger finished the note, took the letter, made a bow and left the camp…

… A day and half later, back in Edirne, in the Sultan's court room. 

"…That is what Hamza Bey said, he wished to convey this message directly to the Sultan and you, prestigious Sultan Dowager, and he has this letter for the Sultan." The messenger who was there meeting Hamza Bey can be seen kneeling on the carpet towards the Sultan seating on his throne with not a single emotion on his face like a statue, and behind the Sultan there is another window covered in curtains preventing the person behind from being seen.

"Leave." An ear soothing sound of an near thirty woman can be heard behind those curtains.

Hearing this order the messenger hurriedly stood up, bowed down passing the well wrapped letter to a maiden and left the room walking backwards. The thirteen year's old Sultan, during the entire meeting, kept his unemotional face and silhouette like posture on the throne despite the throne being definitely not that comfortable to sit on with the entire thing made from marble and wood. 

The room went back to utter silence, with only an occasional flipping of paper that can be heard behind the curtains. After a while when the young Sultan thought that he can call a day off with every thing ending there suddenly came a series of paper tearing sound behind him, and instantly the Sultan knew that there must be some thing going on that is not right. 

He is correct, following the tearing of paper there came a series of loud curses that even made the unemotional Sultan showed some fright in his pair of crescent clear eyes. 

"What is this aptalaca man thinking of? Huh?" The Sultan Dowager cursed while tearing the linen fiber paper with all of her strength. "Tell me! What is this amcık trying to mean in his words? What does he mean by the troops will be 'deeply disappointed and upset' if he leaves? Is he trying to threaten me? Is he trying to say that if we dare to remove his role of command, he would lead his troops in to an coup against us?" 

"And this! What is Şu götverenin trying to propose in his letters? Asking my child to go on to the front line and have a look at the Rumelians? Is he trying to get my precious son killed in the chaotic battle field? Or is he trying to make my child submit before his military power and become his puppet, following the 'glorious exemple' passed to him by Candarli Halil? And perhaps over take my son's throne some time later? And then finally have me and my son killed in the dungeons when every one has totally forgot about us?" 

Hearing the last sentence, the thirteen years old Sultan calmed down again clenching his tiny fist tightly. 

"Come here, my son." After a brief silence the Sultan Dowager called out to Beyezid II, who got down from his seat still in official ceremonial dressing and went up stairs to the dowager's room. The moment the young Sultan entered his mother gave him a tight hug in to her chest sobbing uncontrollably with tears flowing down her cheeks. She felt the curly hair of her child and said in a weeping tone. "Remember, my child, all of these happened because we are way too weak, if we got an army in our hands things will not have became like this…"

'…Every one, every person in and out of this palace is trying to harm us, every pasha and bey out there wants to have your throne, and every one wants to have both you and me killed… We are too weak! My child… we are too weak… We need to survive, do not worry my son, I will not let you die, I will not let you die at all costs… It is only in this little confined room that we can have some privacy and say some truthful words… Where else can we still go in the entire Sultanate? I guess no where, but for you my dear Beyezid, you will always have me by your side… I will not have any one lay their filthy hands on you…"

As the Sultan dowager finished her words, the young Sultan, still being a child, is also influenced by his mother and started weeping uncontrollably in his mother's hugs. Hearing the crying sound coming from the dowager's room the maidens and guards quickly evacuated out of the court room to be sure that they never accidentally hear any thing that they are not supposed to hear.

Following the messenger sent by the Sultan Dowager, the Janissary commander too sent a messenger requesting Hamza Bey's support in helping him 'make the Sultanate a better place' by wiping out the old and corrupted higher ups in the Ottoman court who has been sitting on their titles for too long making the entire government becoming stagnant and the promotion system coming to a halt. However, his actions in Edirne got reprimanded right on the spot by Hamza Bey as he threw the letter on the muddy ground ordering the young commander to return his Janissary to the rightful hands of the Sultan, and go back to fulfill their original duty as the Sultan's Janissaries.

Then lastly, the messenger from Mahumad Pasha Angelovic, the commander of the eastern army who is now partially encircling Edirne arrived in Hamza Pasha's tent, however this time out of an entirely different purpose. Mahumad Pasha Angelovic says that he understands the stress of Hamza Pasha over here facing the crooks and twits of that Rumelian Antonius directly with an army far lesser than his foes, and thus he has sent a two thousand army as his reinforcements despite Mahumad Pasha Angelovic too lacking man power for having only less than seven thousand forces under his command.

Mahumad Pasha Angelovic only had a simple wish for him: Stabalise the front lines from any Rumelian threats from coming in to their heart lands, buying him time to settle the chaotic situation in Edirne and then he shall join forces with Hamza Pasha and deal with the Rumelians further.

In the return letter Hamza Pasha first thanked his old pal's support, but in his return letter he continued to reprimand Mahumad Pasha Angelovic for abandoning his post in the east, asking him what if the Rumelians in Constantinople decides to attack? And finally urged him that soldiers should not participate in political activities, and he ought to go back to his defensive position as soon as possible.