Chapter Seven: A Nepalling Chapter Title
5 June 1488
A relieved Hemant crossed the tiled floor of the imperial palace, heading for the Imperial Nursery: Nauseating Green Version, which had formerly been a stable. Knocking on the door he waited for a barked command to enter from Nasir before pushing his way inside. He quickly noticed Nasir crouched behind a turned over table whilst young Prince Miran was wielding a scimitar in the middle of the room, making wild slashes.
"Take cover man, before he slices your legs off!" Nasir hissed urgently at Hemant.
Hemant dived for cover, joining Nasir behind the table, just as Miran performed a particularly impressive looking swipe with the scimitar, disemboweling a stuffed toy as he did so. With pieces of stuffing raining down around them Hemant turned to Nasir.
"I, uh, I see that you are looking after the Prince today, sire."
"Yes. My wife thought that with my having been gone for so long recently it was about time we bonded," Nasir responded dully. The terror of looking after Miran had shredded his nerves.
Hemant looked at his Sultan, a man he was desperate to depose and replace, and felt some pity for him. No one deserved to be forced to spend time with Miran.
"Well, sire, that is quite a pity."
"What do you mean?"
Both men watched aghast as Miran threw the scimitar two handed through a nearby doorway, narrowly missing a passing soldier who was forced to quickly change his underwear after the incident.
"He certainly has quite a throw on him for a six year old, sire," Hemant said with a glazed look covering his face whilst uttering a short, nervous laugh, "You must be so proud."
"Oh. Yes. I suppose I am," Nasir said whilst in a daze. Finally coming around, he asked again, "So what did you mean before?"
"Oh that, sire. Well, I'm afraid to inform you that your time with Miran will have to be cut short. I managed to arrange a new mission which will require your personal attention right away."
"Oh?" Hope showed in Nasir's eyes.
"Yes, sire, a mission which will require you to travel far from the palace for a good few months at the very least."
Both men cowered further behind the table as a number of arrows began thudding into their cover, fired by Miran.
"Thank you Hemant, brilliant work," Nasir stated with feeling, "Uh, I mean being far from my family once again so soon after I have returned will be deeply regrettable..."
He was interrupted by the point of a spear appearing mere inches from his face, thrust through the table by Miran.
"...that is, uh, very regrettable but, uhm, I need do what is best for the country," Nasir finished slowly, staring at the spear point all the while, "Before I begin arranging matters, I think it would be best if I visited the toilet firstly however."
"A brilliant idea, sire, I think I may just visit the toilet myself."
Both men stealthily removed themselves from the room, watching with horror as Miran decapitated stuffed toy after stuffed toy with grim precision.
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21 September 1488
His escape new secured, it had nonetheless taken Nasir a number of months to arrange matters so that the subjugation of Nepal could finally begin. With troops at last in place, and a happy Nasir far from the palace, Vikas was sent in to deliver the decleration of war whilst also providing a cunning germ warfare attack.
The war had exceeded Nasir's wildest expectations, it was taking far longer than he could have ever hoped, the pitifully small forces of the Delhi led coalition still fighting on over a year later despite the massive force arrayed against them. Nonetheless it was likely peace would be secured soon, something Nasir was not too keen on. So it was that he purposefully acted incompetently whilst leading a Khandeshi force against a large rebel army wishing to prolong his absence from the palace for as long as possible.
Nasir was once again left mystified when informed that his troops had believed him to be leading with his usual level of ability. He could not believe they were unable to differentiate between his attempting to lose a battle and attempting to win one.
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1 December 1489
Prathamesh hurried towards Nasir who was resting in his tent after a difficult day sitting down ordering people about. Once again Prathamesh had the chance to give Nasir some good news and this time he had made sure to tell no one else about it. Finally he could win Nasir's favour and hopefully Nasir would finally learn his name. However just as Prathamesh was about to lift the tent flap, he heard voices in conversation within the tent. It sounded like Nasir was chatting with Hemant. Who was once again giving Nasir the news Prathamesh had rushed to tell the Sultan.
A saddened Prathamesh quietly slunk off.
Nasir thanked Hemant for bringing him this welcome news. Admittedly it was saddening that Miran Mubarak Shah Bonjani, a much respected diplomat who greatly aided Vikas in his work, that is he was skilled at sewing Vikas back together again, had died from shock at the news that Khandesh had actually advanced technologically at last.
Pondering what new idea to adopt, Nasir found his hands tied. Both the cabinet and the military forced Nasir to enact stricter Military Drill.
Both bodies were tired of Faruqi leadership proving so inept that it brought about numerous military defeats. The recent rebel victory at the battle of Delhi being a case in point, a battle Nasir still assured everyone he had lost on purpose. They simply hoped that with better drills, that is with some actual drills at last, the army may perhaps be able to achieve victories despite suffering the hindrance of Faruqi leadership.
Despite the many battles Nasir had lost 'deliberately', the war with Nepal had gone well, the small nation unable to withstand Khandeshi power. All too soon for Nasir, it was time for Vikas to be sent in.
Or, rather more accurately, it was time for parts of Vikas to be sent in. The poor chancellor was missing numerous body parts as no replacement for Miran Bonjani had yet been appointed, this thus meaning that the sewing work was piling up. One look at him had been enough to prompt the horrified Nepalese diplomats to quickly accept terms.
With the subjugation of Nepal now secured, Nasir waited filled with dread to find out what the next mission would be. The war itself was not yet finished, Delhi still holding on, but if no justification for further war was uncovered by Hemant now, there was a very real prospect of his having to return to the palace. A worried Hemant approached.
Nasir accepted the new mission suggested by Hemant with sombre resignation. An apologetic Hemant did offer Nasir a crumb of comfort, the rebels of Delhi were still terrorising the nation and crushing the rebellion would likely take a few months yet. Thanking Hemant for this timely reminder, Nasir set to work.
A beaming Nasir happily surveyed the battlefield and his routing troops, he had done well. His escape from the palace was secured for another few weeks at the very least. Suddenly he noticed a messenger approaching him. Cheerfully accepting the proffered dispatch, his mood quickly darkened as he read the message. His wife had somehow learned of the fact that he was messing around with rebels in Delhi, rebels which rightly should have been defeated long ago. She was demanding his return to the palace and the instant defeat of the rebels. Cursing quietly, Nasir turned for the capital.
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16 October 1490
As Nasir reached the capital he was greeted by a cheering populace. Perking up slightly, clearly his citizens were delighted by his return, he waved graciously to the crowd accepting their applause. Suddenly he noticed the crowd were paying him no attention, they were instead cheering a messenger who had just brought wondrous news from Delhi.
The rebels, who had proven invincible whenever fighting against Nasir, had finally been defeated. General Nasir Khan Bonjani was being lauded as a general without peer, whilst Nasir himself was widely derided. Hearing this, Nasir sadly turned towards the palace, muttering to himself as he entered through the massive gates, "Bonjani only achieved victory due to me. The rebels killed so many hundreds of my troops in the battles I fought with them that they got tired, but do I get any credit? Of course not."
An excerpt from
Khandesh: The Years of the Pointless Wars
The war with Nepal now at an end, Khandesh had gained yet another vassal, subjecting another small, peace loving naton to tyrannical Faruqi rule. There has been much debate regarding the questionable tactics employed by Sultan Nasir whilst fighting the rebels at Delhi. Some historians shocked at the horrendous ineptness in his leadership at both battles. The majority however agree that he was simply showing his usual level battlefield prowess and there is nothing exceptional in the level of incompetence he exhibited.
However with the ending of the war Khandesh was granted a brief respite where she would be free from war for nearly a year. She would need this rest period, as she was about to face one of her strongest opponents thus far.