Revelations

FORTY-SIX

Having deposited the new key with the others in the safety of the Assassins’ Constantinople headquarters, and having delivered the copy of the Socrates Fables to a grateful and marveling Sofia, Ezio decided that it was time to make a report to Prince Suleiman on what he had discovered at the Arsenal.

He’d had some indication of where to find him and made his way to a fashionable park near the Bayezid Mosque, where he found Suleiman and his uncle Ahmet seated in the shade of an oriental plane, the sunshine intensifying the bright green of its broad leaves.

A Janissary guard detail stood around them at a discreet distance while they played chess. Ezio took up a position where he could watch, unobserved. He wanted to speak with the prince alone. But he was interested in chess-its strategies had taught him many skills to be applied elsewhere-and he watched the progress of the game with interest.

The two players seemed pretty equally matched. After a while, Suleiman, having pondered a move of his uncle’s that put his king in danger, responded by castling.

“That’s not a legal move,” said Prince Ahmet, in surprise.

“It is a European variation- arrocco.”

“It’s interesting, but not exactly fair, when you play by different rules from your opponent.”

“You may think differently when you are sultan,” replied Suleiman, flatly.

Ahmet looked as if he had been slapped but said nothing. Suleiman picked up his king. “Shall I take it back?” he asked.

In response, Ahmet rose to his feet. “Suleiman,” he said, “I know it has been hard on you, watching your father and me quarrel over Bayezid’s throne.”

The young man shrugged. “Grandfather has chosen you, and his word is law- kanun. What is there to argue about?”

Prince Ahmet looked at his nephew in grudging admiration. “Your father and I were close once, but his cruelty and ambition have-”

“I have heard the rumors, Uncle,” Suleiman cut in, hotly.

Embarrassed, Ahmet looked away across the park for a moment before returning his gaze to the chessboard. “Well,” he said finally, “I have a meeting with the council of viziers shortly. Shall we continue another time?”

“Whenever you wish.” Suleiman was cordial.

He rose and bowed to his uncle, who bowed in return, before leaving with his bodyguard. Ezio waited a moment, watching Suleiman as he sat down again, contemplating the chessboard in his turn.

Then he moved forward.

Suleiman saw him approach and gestured to his guards not to hinder his visitor.

“Ezio,” he said.

Ezio came straight to the point. “Tarik has been selling guns to a local miser-Manuel Palaiologos.”

Suleiman’s face darkened. He clenched his fist. “Palaiologos. That is a sad sound in my ears.” Once again, he rose to his feet. “The last Byzantine emperor was Constantine Palaiologos. If this heir of his is arming a militia of some kind, there will be conflict, and it will escalate. All this at a time when my father and grandfather are at odds with one another.” He trailed off and grew thoughtful. Ezio imagined that he must be brooding over one of the hardest decisions he’d ever had to make in his short life.

“Tarik knows where the rifles are headed,” Ezio said. “If I find him first, I can follow the weapons straight to the Byzantines.”

Suleiman looked at him. “Tarik will be with his Janissaries, at their barracks. So, if you want to get close, you will have to ‘become’ a Janissary yourself.”

Ezio smiled. “Not a problem,” he said.

“Guzel,” said Suleiman. “Excellent.” He thought some more, and it was clear that the decision he was coming to caused him distress; but once he’d made it, he was firm. “Get the information you need-then kill him.”

Ezio raised an eyebrow. This was a side of Suleiman he had not seen before. “Are you sure, Suleiman? You told me Tarik and your father were close friends.”

Suleiman swallowed hard, then looked defiant: “This is true. But such naked treason against my grandfather deserves death.”

Ezio looked at him for a moment, then said: “Understood.”

There was nothing more to discuss. Ezio took his leave. When he looked back, Suleiman was studying the chessboard again.