Siege

Chapter 21

SATURDAY 26 MAY TO SUNDAY 27 MAY 1453, CONSTANTINOPLE: DAYS 56 TO 57 OF THE SIEGE

William awoke to the sound of yelling. He rose and went to the window, tiptoeing so as not to wake Tristo, who shared his room. He looked out, and in the pre-dawn light he could see a man running down the street, crying out loudly as he went. All along the street men and women were stepping out of their homes, forming an excited crowd. Some people cried to the heavens, while others began to weep. Several women fainted.

'Tristo!' William shouted. Tristo snorted and rolled away from him. William went to him and shook him awake. 'Come look at this.' Tristo joined him at the window. Just then, bells all over the city began to ring. There were renewed shouts from the crowd in the street.

'The bells… it must be an attack!' William said.

'We must get to the walls!' Tristo replied. They rushed downstairs and out into the street. Tristo saw one of Longo's men and grabbed him. 'Where are you going?' he demanded. 'You should be at your post.'

'My post?' the man asked. 'What?'

'Are you daft?' Tristo yelled, struggling to be heard over the noise of the crowd and bells. 'The Turks are attacking. You must get to the walls.'

'The Turks aren't attacking,' the man shouted back. 'It's over! The siege is over!'

'What do you mean, it's over?' William put in. 'What has happened?'

'Haven't you heard? The emperor reached terms with the grand vizier. It's over! We've won!' With that he moved off down the street.

William and Tristo looked at each other, and then embraced, Tristo lifting William clear off the ground. 'Thank God!' he roared. He put William down. 'Let's celebrate! I'm going to get famously drunk!'

'Let's find Longo first,' William said. 'I want to hear this news from him.' William and Tristo found Longo atop the wall, standing with the emperor and Dalmata. They were looking out at a pavilion that had been erected on the broad field that lay between the city walls and the front lines of sultan's army. 'Is it true?' William asked. 'Will there be peace?'

'Last night the grand vizier and Sphrantzes agreed to terms,' Longo replied. 'This morning Halil returned to request a meeting between the emperor and the sultan. They are each to be accompanied by only one guard. That is all we know.'

'What about the bells?'

'Rumours often travel faster than the truth,' Constantine said. 'And they are more easily believed, I fear.'

'Look, there he is,' Longo said. He pointed to the plain below where the sultan, accompanied only by Ulu, was riding out to the pavilion.

'Ready my horse,' Constantine said.

'Do not go, My Lord,' Dalmata urged. 'It is a trap.'

'Trap or no, I must go,' Constantine said. 'Look at their numbers.' He pointed to the Turks' endless camp, stretching away to the horizon. 'We cannot hold out forever. I must make peace with the sultan.'

'Then at least let me be the one to accompany you, My Lord.'

'No, Dalmata. I will take Signor Giustiniani.'

'But My Lord, I should be the one,' Dalmata protested.

Constantine placed his hand on Dalmata's shoulder. 'Stay here, old friend. If anything goes wrong, I want you to lead a group of riders to rescue me. And if I die, then you will protect my family.' Dalmata nodded. 'Very well then,' Constantine said. 'Come, Signor Longo. I am eager to meet the sultan face to face.'

Longo and Constantine descended from the wall to find that a crowd had gathered around the Golden Gate. The people knelt when they saw their emperor and scattered cries of 'God be with you!' and 'Bless you Constantine!' accompanied him as he mounted and rode out through the gate. He and Longo passed through the double walls and trotted out to the pavilion, a square, open-sided tent that had been set up over a red carpet. Next to the pavilion, the sultan sat astride his horse, waiting for them. Beside him was Ulu, grim and stone-faced. He showed no sign of recognizing Longo. Longo turned his attention to the sultan.

Mehmed was younger than Longo had expected, twenty or twenty-one years old at the most. He was of average height, with an athletic build and striking features: full lips, a prominent nose and high cheekbones. But Mehmed's eyes were what caught Longo's attention. Intense and penetrating, they seemed to burrow into Longo's very soul.

'Emperor Constantine,' Mehmed said in accented but correct Greek. 'Your presence is most welcome.'

'Sultan Mehmed, I am honoured to meet you,' Constantine replied. 'I hope that we can establish peace between our peoples. This siege has lasted too long.'

'I certainly agree,' Mehmed said. He gestured to Ulu. 'This is Ulubatli Hasan, the supreme aga of the janissary and my personal guard. As promised, he is unarmed. And who is this who accompanies you, emperor?'

'Count Giovanni Giustiniani Longo of Genoa and Chios, the commander of my forces,' Constantine replied.

'Ah, the defender of Constantinople,' Mehmed said, regarding Longo with renewed interest. 'You have proven yourself a worthy adversary, signor.'

Longo bowed at the compliment. 'And you, great Sultan, have shown wisdom beyond your years.'

'You flatter me, signor, but it is flattery that I am happy to receive. Now, shall we be seated?' There was a table in the centre of the pavilion, with one chair on either side. Mehmed sat in the seat on the side of the Turkish army; Constantine on the side of Constantinople. Ulu and Longo stood behind the chairs of their respective leaders. 'You have, I believe, discussed terms of a peace with Halil?' Mehmed began.

'The grand vizier and my councillor, Sphrantzes, have agreed upon terms that I am willing to accept,' Constantine replied. 'I will pay an increased tribute for three years, to cover your costs for the siege. And the pretender Orhan will be returned to your court.'

Mehmed waved his hand dismissively. 'There will be no such peace. I have not come for your money or for the head of Orhan. I have come for Constantinople.'

'But this is an outrage!' Constantine protested. 'The grand vizier…'

'The grand vizier means nothing,' Mehmed said with finality. 'I am the sultan. My word is the only one that matters. And I tell you that there can be no peace between us so long as you control Constantinople. The city is a thorn in my side and a threat to my empire. As long as it is in Christian hands, my people will never feel secure.'

'Constantinople is not mine to give,' Constantine replied sternly. 'It is the key to an empire that has lasted for over a thousand years. I will die before you set foot within its walls.'

'You are a noble man, Constantine. I expected nothing less. But know that if you choose to fight, then no quarter will be given to you or your people. Your men will be slaughtered; your women raped and sold into slavery. Their blood will be on your hands.'

'No, Sultan. It will be on yours.'

'That may be,' Mehmed agreed. 'But I can live with their blood. Can you?' Constantine made no reply, and Mehmed continued, leaning forward over the table as he spoke. 'Surrender, and your people will be spared. Those who wish to leave Constantinople will be given free passage. And you may keep the Morea to rule over as you see fit. I will also grant you a fiefdom elsewhere in my empire, wherever you desire. But if you choose to fight, then I swear to you, you will die and the streets of Constantinople will run with blood.'

Constantine sat speechless, his head bowed. When he looked up, Longo met his eyes and saw in them anger battling with a hopeless resignation. Finally, Constantine spoke. 'You will have my answer, but not now,' he said. 'I need time.'

'Very well,' Mehmed said, and rose from his chair. 'You have one day to answer, no more. And let me remind you. Our law allows for two days of plunder. If you do not accept my terms, then you and your people can expect no mercy. You have one day. Farewell, Emperor.'

Mehmed turned and went to his horse. Ulu stayed behind. 'Leave this city, Longo,' he said quietly. 'If we meet again, then one of us will die.' Then he turned and followed his master.

'Come, Constantine,' Longo said. 'We must get back to the walls. It is not safe here.'

Constantine rose slowly, his eyes still fixed on the retreating figure of the sultan. 'I am the protector of my people. Shall I allow them to be slaughtered? What should I do?'

'You are the emperor. It is for you to decide.'

'You are right.' Constantine straightened, and his jaw took on a firmer set. 'Come. There is much to decide and not much time. I must speak with the council.' The council met that evening in the emperor's palace. Sphrantzes, Notaras, Longo, the Archbishop Leonard and the various commanders were all there. When the emperor arrived, he looked as if he had aged years since that morning. His shoulders were slumped, his brow creased and bags had formed under his eyes.

'Thank you for coming,' he began. 'We face a difficult decision. The sultan has offered to spare the lives of my people if I surrender. He will give free passage to any who wish to leave the city, and he has offered me the Morea and a fiefdom in his lands.' Constantine paused and looked at each of the men around the table in turn. 'I will not surrender Constantinople,' he said finally. 'I will stay and fight, to the death if necessary. If we withstand this final assault, then victory will be ours.

'But I will not force you to stand beside me,' Constantine continued. 'If any of you wish to try to escape tonight by sea, then I will understand. You will have my thanks for the sacrifices that you have already made.'

'I will stay by your side to the death, My Lord,' Dalmata said.

'And I,' Longo echoed. One by one, each of the men around the table pledged themselves to stay.

'Thank you all,' Constantine said. 'Tomorrow I will send a messenger to the sultan telling him that I have refused his offer. Whoever delivers the message may not return. I will not order a man to his death. Ask amongst your men for volunteers.'

'I will go,' Notaras said.

Longo had not expected anything like this. 'No, Notaras,' he said. 'We need you here, at the walls. The Greeks look to you as their leader.'

'And if I die, then they will fight to avenge me,' Notaras said. 'But I do not plan to die. I have heard that the sultan is an honourable man. I do not believe that he will dare to put to death the megadux of Constantinople. And if he does, then I will not die without a fight.'

'I thank you for your offer, Notaras,' Constantine said. 'But I forbid it. You are too valuable to risk your life in such a way.'

'You cannot forbid me this,' Notaras replied. 'As megadux it is my right and duty to speak for Constantinople. I will not send another to do my duty.'

'It is not your duty to die like this,' Constantine said.

Notaras met the emperor's eye. 'You said it yourself, My Lord. If I am not willing to give my life, then how can I ask the same of my men?'

'Perhaps Notaras is right,' Sphrantzes added. 'The sultan has killed lesser emissaries, but he will hesitate before putting the megadux to death. Notaras might even be able to persuade the sultan to let us evacuate some of the women and children.'

'Very well,' Constantine said. 'You will deliver my message to the sultan, Notaras. But I expect you to return. Do nothing foolish.'

'I will not, My lord,' Notaras replied. 'I swear it.' The next morning Notaras stood in the shadow of the Golden Gate, dressed in his finest silver-plated armour in preparation for his visit with the sultan. The armour was for show only. Notaras had no intention of fighting. He had spent the night before at the Haghia Sofia, praying. Now he felt calm and ready. He would do what needed to be done.

The emperor and Longo had come to see him off. Constantine stepped forward and embraced Notaras. 'God give you strength We will be watching and waiting on the walls. I expect you to return.'

'I will do what I must, My Lord,' Notaras replied. Longo stepped forward and offered Notaras his hand. After a moment's hesitation, Notaras took it.

'It has been an honour to fight beside you,' Longo told him. 'Do return, Notaras. We will need you in the days to come.'

'If I do not return, guard the city well,' Notaras replied.

'I will,' Longo said. He lowered his voice. 'About Sofia…'

'You are a good man,' Notaras cut him off. 'I cannot blame you for loving her. I ask only that you protect her.'

Nearby, bells began to ring, signalling a changing of the guard on the walls of Constantinople. 'It is time,' Constantine said. 'God be with you, Notaras.'

Notaras nodded and mounted his horse as the Golden Gate swung open before him. He rode out past the walls and on to the plain beyond. Ahead of him loomed the Turkish fortifications: pointed logs projecting from a rampart of dirt some four feet high. Notaras headed for a low point in the middle of the earthen wall. When he reached it he found a troop of janissaries in their black armour waiting for him. At their head was a giant of a man.

'Dismount and come with us,' the huge janissary said in heavily accented Greek. Notaras dismounted and the troop closed around him, forming a large square with Notaras in the centre. Together, they set off into the middle of the camp. Notaras could see little past the janissaries around him, but from what he did see, the camp appeared to be in a frenzy of activity. He glimpsed several men piecing together wooden ladders, and many others sharpening weapons. Clearly, the sultan anticipated a fight.

The square came to a halt, and the janissaries in front of Notaras stepped to either side, revealing a large red tent with the sultan's standard flying atop it. Notaras stepped towards the entrance, but a tall, thin man in luxurious robes came out of the tent and stopped him. 'Greetings,' the man said in perfect Greek. 'I am Halil, grand vizier to the sultan. What is your name, and why have you come?'

'I am Lucas Notaras, megadux of Constantinople,' Notaras replied. 'I have come on behalf of the Emperor Constantine to deliver his response to the sultan.'

'Very well,' Halil replied. 'You must remove your weapons.' Notaras unbelted his sword and handed it to the janissary leader. The giant man began to search Notaras, but Halil waived him off. 'I will search him personally, Ulu,' he said. He quickly searched Notaras, patting his sides and feeling under his armour. When he had finished, Halil waived Notaras forward. 'Follow me.'

Notaras followed Halil into the tent. The floor and walls were covered with thick carpets, and the space was well lit with braziers and lanterns. On the far side of the tent the sultan lounged upon a divan, surrounded by generals in dark-grey armour and advisors in robes of gold and scarlet. Janissary guards lined the sides of the tent. Ulu followed Notaras inside and stood directly behind him. Halil motioned for Notaras to stop some twenty feet from the sultan. The grand vizier then spoke to Mehmed loudly in Turkish. Notaras understood nothing but his own name.

When Halil had finished, he turned and addressed Notaras in Greek. 'It is customary to kneel before the sultan.'

Notaras frowned. 'I am megadux of the Roman Empire. I kneel before no man but the emperor.'

There was grumbling from all sides at his response. Ulu leaned forward and growled in Notaras's ear, 'Bow before the sultan, dog.'

Notaras stood his ground. Ulu began to draw his sword, but the sultan waved him back. 'Let him be, Ulu,' Mehmed said in Greek. 'If the megadux will only kneel before his master, then so be it. He shall kneel before me soon enough. Now tell me, what message do you bring from the emperor?'

'The emperor will not surrender,' Notaras said. 'Nor will he ever serve you. He does ask, however, that you give safe passage to any women or children who wish to leave the city.'

Mehmed laughed. 'The emperor refuses my offer, and yet he makes demands.' The smile fell from Mehmed's lips, and when he spoke again his voice was harsh. 'There will be no safe passage. The people of Constantinople have had their chance to flee. When Constantinople falls, my soldiers will be given two days to sack the city. That is our law. I cannot change it. Tell that to your emperor. You may go.'

Notaras did not move. 'I have not finished. There is more that I must tell you, but I must speak to you alone.'

'Alone?' Mehmed retorted. 'Do you think me a fool? Whatever you have to say, you may say it here.'

Notaras glanced around the room at the men lining the walls. He would have preferred to speak to the sultan in private, but what he had to say would become known soon enough. And besides, most of the brutes in the tent probably did not speak Greek. 'I wish to make you an offer, Sultan,' Notaras said. 'You have seen how strong the walls of Constantinople are. The people of Constantinople are equally strong. They will fight to the death, and your army will be broken upon our walls.'

Mehmed sat upright. 'You speak of an offer, and yet I hear only insults,' he snapped. 'What is it that you wish to say? Speak quickly, Megadux, before I lose my patience.'

'I can show you a way into the city.'

'And what do you seek in return?'

'The emperor is a fool to reject your offer,' Notaras said. 'I am no fool. I ask for that which you offered the emperor: the territory of the Morea to rule as emperor.'

'Is that all?'

'I ask also that the Orthodox Church be allowed to remain in Constantinople and that the monk Gennadius be made patriarch. He is a wise man. It is he who showed me the way into the city.'

'A pity that he is not here, then,' Mehmed said. He paused, studying Notaras. The seconds passed, and Notaras could feel sweat beading on his forehead. If the sultan did not accept his offer, then all was lost. Finally, Mehmed spoke, but not to Notaras. 'What do you think of this offer, Halil?'

'I know of this monk, Gennadius. He is the one who warned us of the attempt to burn our fleet,' Halil replied. 'He can be trusted. I think that you should consider the megadux's offer.'

Mehmed nodded and turned back to Notaras. 'I have heard of you, Megadux. You have a reputation.'

'Then you know that you can trust my word.'

'What I have heard,' Mehmed continued, 'is that you would do anything to protect the Roman Empire, even sacrifice your life. Yet now you offer me Constantinople. Why?'

'I fought for the people of Constantinople,' Notaras said. 'They have betrayed their faith. They have betrayed me. There is nobody left there to fight for.'

'Not even the emperor?'

'The city will be better ruled by you than by Constantine,' Notaras replied. 'He turned our defences over to a Latin and sold our city to the pope for nothing. He has sealed his fate. I would rather live under the sultan than under such a man.'

'Very well. Show me the way into the city. If you can offer me Constantinople, then you will have everything you ask for and more.' Longo and Constantine stood on the wall above the Golden Gate, their eyes fixed upon the distant tent of the sultan. Sphrantzes and Dalmata had joined them, and they all waited in silence. Sphrantzes bit at his thumbnail, while Dalmata fingered the hilt of his sword. Constantine gripped the wall. Longo stood with his hands clasped tight behind his back. Finally, Notaras emerged from the tent. His polished armour flashed in the sun, making him recognizable even at this great distance. His horse was brought to him, and Notaras mounted.

'He is safe,' Constantine said. 'Thank God for that. The megadux is a difficult man. But he is brave, and his men love him. I do not know how we would have replaced him.'

Longo merely nodded. Notaras was not out of danger yet. A dozen mounted janissaries surrounded him and led the megadux some twenty yards from the sultan's tent. Then they stopped. 'Look,' Longo said. 'The sultan.' Mehmed had emerged from the tent, and all around him Turks were kneeling. A horse was brought to Mehmed, and he mounted and joined the group around Notaras. Together, they all set off at a trot, riding towards the walls of Constantinople.

'Perhaps the sultan is honouring the megadux by escorting him from his camp,' Sphrantzes suggested.

'Or perhaps Notaras is being led to his execution,' Dalmata countered grimly.

The group of horsemen had passed the Turkish fortifications now. They stopped just short of the range of the Christian cannons, turned to their left, and began to ride parallel to the walls. They were close enough now that Longo could make out their gestures. Notaras seemed to be pointing to the walls as he rode.

'What is he doing?' Constantine asked. Notaras brought his horse to a halt opposite the point where the single Blachernae wall met with the Theodosian double walls. A huge round tower stood at the juncture of the two walls. 'It is there,' Notaras called back to the sultan, who sat astride a horse some ten feet away. He pointed to the dark wedge of space formed where the curve of the tower met the Blachernae wall. 'There is a sally port called the Kerkoporta hidden by the curve of the tower. It allows troops to emerge and surprise anybody who is attacking the Blachernae wall.'

'That is all you have to show me?' Mehmed called back. 'What good will this do?'

'If you attack just before dawn in two day's time, I will see to it that your men find the door unlocked and unguarded,' Notaras replied. 'From there, your men can enter the city. They will attack the defenders from behind, and the city will fall.'

Mehmed rode his horse closer to Notaras. 'How do I know that this is not some trick? I see no door. Perhaps you hope to have my men ride into an ambush.'

'The Kerkoporta is there,' Notaras insisted. 'Come closer and I can point it out to you.' After a pause, Mehmed spurred his horse forward, so that he was now only a few feet from Notaras.

'Where is it?' the sultan asked.

Notaras leaned over and pointed with one hand, while his other hand slipped inside his armour. 'There.'

'Yes, I see it!' Mehmed said. The words had hardly escaped his lips when Notaras pulled a pouch from inside his breastplate and flung the contents at the sultan. A white cloud of powder enveloped Mehmed. He collapsed in his saddle and then fell from his horse, shaking and coughing violently. At the same time Notaras was pulled from his saddle from behind. He landed hard on his back, and before he could move he found Ulu's curved sword inches from his face. Out of the corner of his eye, Notaras could see that Mehmed had stopped moving. Notaras heard cheering coming from the walls of Constantinople. He smiled, then Ulu kicked him hard in the side.

'You will pay for this, dog,' Ulu growled. 'You will wish that you had never lived.' Halil had watched as Mehmed's motionless body was taken back to the sultan's tent, and then he had called a meeting of the army's generals for that night. Now, he watched from behind a curtain as one by one the generals filed into his tent. Only Ulu was missing. The generals shifted uncertainly and talked in hushed tones. They needed somebody to take command, Halil thought, to tell them what to do. They would be grateful to Halil for seizing power until the next sultan was of age. Halil let them wait a few minutes more and then entered.

'Greetings,' he began. 'I have called you here tonight to discuss what must be done in the wake of the sultan's death. These are dark times, but we cannot let ourselves forget the task at hand. The army is uncertain. We must show the men strength, despite this tragedy.'

'What are you suggesting?' Ishak Pasha asked. 'That we continue the siege even after the sultan's death?' Halil nodded. 'But how will we get the men to fight? Some of my men have already begun to pack.'

'My men have no stomach for a fight either,' added Mahmud Pasha, the bazibozouk commander. 'If I order them to fight, I will have a mutiny on my hands!'

'You are wrong, Mahmud Pasha,' Halil replied. 'If we let the men go, then we will have mutinies and chaos. Think! If we disband the army now and retreat, then we will be weak and defenceless. The Christians armies of Hungary and Poland are waiting for just such an opportunity to strike, and who knows if we can rally men to a child sultan? But if we stay and defeat Constantinople, then all the world will know of our strength.'

'But the men will only fight for a sultan,' Ishak Pasha insisted.

'And they will,' Halil said. 'They will fight for the memory of Mehmed. He began this siege. It was the great work of his reign. He would want us to see it to the end, to take vengeance for his death. Tell that to your men.'

'And who will command the attack without a sultan?' Ishak Pasha asked.

'I am the grand vizier,' Halil replied. 'It is my duty to rule until the next sultan is of age.' He met the eyes of the men around him, challenging them to question him, but none of the generals spoke. 'Very well, then. It is decided. I…' Halil was interrupted by the arrival of Ulu. 'What is it?' Halil snapped.

'The sultan wishes to see you, Grand Vizier.'

'The sultan?' Ishak Pasha asked. The other generals began to whisper amongst themselves. The blood drained from Halil's face. He felt as if he might be sick.

'What do you mean? The sultan is dead.'

'No, he lives,' Ulu replied. 'And he requests your presence immediately.'

'Very well. Tell the sultan that I will be there shortly,' Halil said. 'Generals, you may go.' As the generals filed out, Halil hurried into the inner chamber of his tent. He grabbed a sack of gold coins and poured it into a dish. It was customary to bring a gift when called suddenly into the sultan's presence. If the sultan wished merely to speak with you, then the gift would be a welcome reminder of your value. If the sultan was angry, then the gift might save your life. Halil only wished that he had something more lavish to bring.

As he stepped out of his tent, two janissaries grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back. The dish fell from his hands, spilling coins everywhere. Ulu stepped forward and pulled a black cloth sack over Halil's head. The world went black, and Halil began to scream when a brutal punch to the stomach cut him short. The janissaries dragged him away, limp and unresisting. They were gone before the last of the coins had stopped rolling. When the sack was removed, Halil found himself face to face with the sultan. Halil was lying on a table, his hands, feet, and head tied down so that he could not move. Mehmed was standing over him. The sultan was pale, but other than that he looked no different than he had that morning. Halil swallowed nervously.

'What is the matter, Halil?' Mehmed asked. 'You look as if you have seen a ghost.'

'The poison,' Halil managed. 'How did you survive?'

'Have you not heard?' Mehmed asked, smiling. 'It is a miracle. Allah favours me. All my men believe it to be so. They are sure that now, with Allah on our side, the walls of Constantinople will fall.'

'But I saw the megadux attack you,' Halil insisted. 'I saw your body. You were dead.'

'Perhaps you only saw what you wished to see, Halil.'

'Me?' Halil protested. 'But surely Your Highness does not believe that…'

'Silence!' Mehmed snarled. He then resumed in a more even tone. 'I do not wish to hear any more of your lies, Halil. But you will tell the truth soon enough. You will tell me everything. Isa will see to that.'

'Isa!' Halil exclaimed. He had thought Isa dead. If he were alive and here, then Halil was doomed. Isa would have told Mehmed everything. 'Do not believe anything he says, great Sultan. He is an assassin. You cannot trust him.'

'I trust nobody,' Mehmed said. 'But Isa saved my life. He gave me the antidote even before the megadux tried to kill me. He also told me about you and Sitt Hatun, about your child Selim. No, Isa is not the one who has betrayed me.'

'Lies. I never betrayed you. I swear it,' Halil pleaded. 'I knew nothing of the megadux's plot. I dealt with the monk Gennadius only to defeat Constantinople.'

'No, you plotted with Gennadius to kill me so that your son could rule in my stead. You betrayed me, and you will suffer accordingly.'

'But I have given you the key to the city!'

'Indeed?' Mehmed asked. He leaned forward until his face was only inches from Halil's. 'Speak truly now. Is the plot with the monk Gennadius real? Will the Kerkoporta be unlocked and unguarded as the megadux said?'

'Yes,' Halil said. 'I swear it. You may kill me if I lie.'

'The megadux says differently. He says that it was only a lie so that he could get close enough to kill me.'

'The megadux is a fool, Gennadius only used him as a tool.'

'I see. And how do I contact this Gennadius?'

'There are tunnels…'

'The tunnels have been destroyed, Halil,' Mehmed said. 'If that is all that you have to tell me, then I have no further use for you.'

'No, please!' Halil begged. 'There is another way. Spare my life, and I will tell you.' Mehmed nodded, and Halil continued. 'The megadux, he can deliver the message.'

'The megadux will be dead before another day passes.'

'Exactly. His dead body will bear the message,' Halil explained. 'Gennadius is a monk. If he performs the burial, then he will find the message.'

'And if someone else finds it?'

'Then you will have lost nothing. But you have everything to gain if Gennadius does help you.'

'Very clever, Halil. We will see if your scheme works.' Mehmed stepped away from the table so that Halil could no longer see him. 'Isa, he is all yours,' Halil heard him say. 'You may do as you wish but do not kill him. I wish to reserve that pleasure for myself.'

'No, wait!' Halil screamed. 'You said you would spare me!'

'You of all people should know better than to be so trusting,' Mehmed said, and Halil heard him walk away. A second later Isa appeared over Halil. He held a bowl in his hand and was slowly stirring something.

'Do you know what this is?' Isa asked.

Halil ignored him. 'Help me, Isa,' he pleaded. 'Set me free. I will give you money, women, lands.'

'This is a special poison,' Isa continued as if he had not heard Halil. 'Eaten, it is fatal…'

'Please, Isa, listen to me,' Halil said. 'I can give you anything you want.'

'… but placed on the skin, it acts more slowly.'

'Damn you, Isa,' Halil cursed. 'If you will not help me, then you can go to hell. I do not fear your poisons. Death does not frighten me.'

Isa shook his head. 'This poison will not kill you, Halil, but it will make you wish for death.' He took a brush from the bowl and dabbed a small amount of the poison on to Halil's forehead. Halil felt nothing at first, then there was a tingling that grew in intensity until it was a burning pain, a live coal set on his forehead. He began to scream.

'Make it stop! Please, Isa! I'll do anything, anything you want!'

'I only wish for you to suffer as my family suffered,' Isa whispered in his ear. 'That, Halil, is all I want from you.'