Chapter 458 - Things Of The Past

"You are right, indeed. I know that this man has indeed served me for a prolonged period of time from the time when he was still a boy to now where while hair started appearing on his head." Antonius said slowly as he got up and came down slowly to the bunch of people kneeling down. "I have promised him back on the long gone flag ship of mine out in the open sea facing the burning city of Avlonya that I shall give him a prosperous life rewarded with gold and silver, keeping him and his family out of poverty for at least three generations. That is what I have promised last time to get the most of you to jump overboard to my ship. It is my wish too for everyone to have a good ending, trust me."

Antonius went to the side of Fisnik and gently wept his hand against Fisnik's curly hair, revealing the scattered ashen hair roots hidden beneath. However, his soothing hands certainly did not calm this man down, instead the man realised from his past experience that if the admiral is spitting harsh words on one, most likely he still can get a chance to reperform himself. But if he suddenly turned benign in his tone, it would most likely mean that he has already given up in giving him a second chance. 

"I know that a lot of you people are confused on why I would make such a hustle gathering you all here, and I know that a lot of you do not fully understand what did your pal here do in the past… Fisnik, let me ask you, what did you mean by 'We all shall lose our profit if the country goes back into peace' and 'Lord Antonius is being way too authoritarian and artless to not allow us to draw additional funding from the citizens for the country's war effort' and 'Why haven't the he admiral claim the throne of the empire so we can be awarded with real noble titleship of dukes and counts unlike the real emperor who is so generous in giving out titles and lordships'."

When Antonius asked the first question, Julian, Abraham and Khalid raised their eyebrow and stared at Fisnik with a questioning look. When Antonius asked the second question, Apostolos, Alexios and the leaders of the allied city states started discussing within themselves with occasional humph of demise. When Antonius uttered the third question, all the others who are begging on behalf of Fisnik for mercy stared back at their colleague with a bull's eye filled with shock and surprise, they do not understand that since when has their friend became so daring to say this kind of thing in public that it even entered the ears of the admiral. 

"You mentioned that you have always been reluctant to end the wars through a decisive victory during one of your visits to the stadium for gambling to your fellow gambler addict friends, saying that if the war ended too fast then you shall lose one of your biggest income of wealth which is through plundering the enemy lands. You got to thank Abdullah, it is him who convinced me that you are just being way too drunk beyond consciousness, and it is a common misconception that is widely popular among the army commanders. So I did not give you any severe punishment counting on your service history and contributions." 

The other commanders who are kneeling down felt cold sweat started rolling down their back like rain droplets. Some of them at the back slowly crawled all the way back to their original position to keep a clear distance from Fisnik, and Antonius pretended that he never saw what these people are doing by turning his back away. 

"You mentioned that you felt irksome and irritated with the admiral, which is me, rejecting your proposal to increase the taxation rate by five percent during times of war. After that you went back to your own camp and disobeyed the military law by getting yourself half drunk in your own dormitory Infront of your vice commanders and lieutenants and started complaining to them about how inefficient and naïve I am in making policies. But I still pardoned you, considering your thirst for wealth I removed you from your post as sentries and posted you as the commander of the guards which restricts you from stepping into cities and towns by yourself… But Fisnik! Fisnik!"

Fisnik started shivering violently with his head buried deep into the carpet. 

"I can say that I have already guaranteed you the wealth you have wished for, and now you have increased your appetite to aim for a title? A lordship? Have you forgot what kind of background did you come from? Have you forgot your initial intention as a hot blooded youngster during that night of revolution in the city of Avlonya? Do you know see yourself more prestigious and higher than those comrades who died to make you what you are today against the crusaders? I am disappointed in you, instantly when I heard that you said that the imbecilic fragile old man in Constantinople is a better ruler than me, because he is what, more generous in giving people titles of dukes and counts? You have met him in person before, tell me do you really know what kind of condition is he in right now? And do you still remember the pledge you vowed Infront of my face towards God years ago?"

Fisnik repeatedly wanted to open his mouth and swear his loyalty towards the admiral, but he too knows that any words of refute, and exploitations seems to be way too pale now against those words of stupidity he has said in the past. 

Helio, who is still kneeling by Fisnik's side almost felt like slapping himself multiple times in the face, asking himself repeatedly that why did he not see through the heart of Fisnik and realise what kind of person he is behind that mask hiding his thoughts.