Chapter Ten: Friendly Family Fire
30 September 1497
Nearly five years had passed since Khandesh had selflessly provided aid to the Horde. Despite Khandesh having nearly cured the Horde of her rebel problem by generously taking some lands from the Horde, lands which suffered from high revolt risk and were thus clearly the cause of the revolt, and defeating a few hundred rebels, whilst kindly leaving many thousands more so as to leave some glory for Temur, the Horde was surprisingly still riven by rebellion.
To such an extent that Orthodox rebels had succeeded in capturing and occupying the important centre of trade, Astrakhan, for long enough to hand it over to Georgia.
Such conduct disgusted Nasir. It clearly quite unacceptable that any nation take advantage of a struggling neighbour by stealing land from them without any justification. Nasir quickly ordered for war to be declared upon the perfidious Georgia.
Desperate as he was to continue aiding his close much loved relation of some sort or another, Temur.
The war was quickly concluded, Georgia's far smaller forces soon vanquished and Muscowy left impotent once again, too far from Khandesh to reach her by any means. Peace was soon agreed.
A very acceptable peace too. Nasir happily accepting control of Astrakhan, intent as he was on handing the rich centre of trade back to the rightful owner, the Golden Horde, soon. Sometime within the next few thousand years or so anyway.
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1 January 1498
"You are quite sure we cannot get the province from them?"
"I am afraid so, sire, it is quite impossible. We have a strong fleet but even our pedalos are not quite enough to allow us to land in Northern Italy." A regretful Miran replied.
Nasir sighed loudly. The war with Genoa was proving a considerable waste of time.
"Fine, fine. Just make sure Vikas gets something from them. I am not in the habit of declaring war on nations for no reason."
"Well, there was that war with Trebizond..."
"I had a perfectly good reason for beginning that war! I, uh, I had to get away from the Palace for a bit, let my wife get some quality time with Miran."
"And then the first war with Ramazan..."
"I had no choice but to declare war upon Ramazan! They, uhm, they have the same flag colour as Khandesh. You know I will not abide any other nation making use of our proud red and white flag colour."
"Oh and with Bihar, Madurai, Manipur, Vijaynagar, Gondwana..."
Hemant slowly stopped speaking as he noticed the look Nasir was giving him.
"As you said, sire, all wholly justified wars we were utterly unable to avoid."
"Indeed. Be sure to have Vikas deal with things." Nasir responded darkly before striding off.
Khandesh may not have restored her reputation as a peaceful, honourable nation with this war but, far more importantly, she did restore her treasury. Vikas securing a considerable sum from Genoa who were all too happy to agree to peace, if only to rid themselves of the decaying, foul smelling chancellor.
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1 February 1498
As Khandesh had been at peace for a whole month Nasir felt it time for war once again. With news filtering through that the Golden Horde remained in the grip of rebellion, even Khandesh's charitable seizure of Astrakhan failing to stop said rebellion, he had his target.
Evidently the Golden Horde required aid still and Nasir was more than willing to selflessly provide it.
With Vikas sent forth to declare war, to declare a mission of aid that is, Nasir began to look forward to some peace in the months ahead, away from Miran who had long since finished drilling the army. There were few soldiers left who had not suffered an injury at Miran's hands. He was thus left more than a little surprised and terrified when informed by Hemant of his wife's decision.
His wife had grown increasingly irritated by the lack of interest Nasir showed in his son and wishing for a break from Miran herself, she had him formally introduced to court. Whilst doing so she had warned Nasir that she expected him to bring Miran with him on this war-this mission of aid with the Golden Horde. Unable to disagree with his wife as she was, if anything, far more scary than Miran, both Nasir and Miran set off to the lands of the Golden Horde.
Leaving behind a very pleased Hemant. It was he who had pointed out to Nasir's wife that Miran was now of an age that he could be introduced to court. His plan was coming to fruition.
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20 April 1498
Hemant was growing increasingly worried. He had forced both Nasir and Miran together in a war and yet nothing terrible had happened despite over two months having now passed. In truth Miran was proving himself a surprisingly competent commander whilst serving under his father. Even if friendly fire casaulties remained rather high due to his over-eagerness to attack anything in a uniform be it friend or foe. Hemant was not about to lose this chance, it had to be now that he gained power and removed both Nasir and Miran. Thus he had travelled to the frontlines to meet with Nasir.
Nasir was currently locked in battle in the province of Kastamon, fighting the far smaller army of Candar. He was leading the right wing of the army, staying as far as he could from the left wing where Miran was leading Khandesh's troops to both victory and constant wounding at his hands. Noting Hemant's sudden appearance on the battlefield, Nasir motioned for him to come closer.
"What brings you here? Something wrong in the capital?" Asked an instantly suspicious Nasir.
"Oh no, sire, no. Everything is fine back home."
"Really? Tushar has not driven the nation to bankruptcy again? Nitin has not begun torturing the wrong people? Vikas has not coughed over someone important? Nothing is wrong?"
It was now that Hemant noticed a slight pleading in Nasir's voice. Clearly Miran had been getting to him after all.
"I am afraid not, my liege, all of Khandesh remains wholly content with your wonderous rule."
"Oh." Nasir responded in a tone of voice showed his unhappiness at such news. "Well, good then."
"However..."
"Yes?" Nasir asked, hope registering once again.
"Well, sire, I know you are hugely proud of your son, he has turned into such a fine young man after all."
Both men paused momentarily whilst watching Miran chase several Khandeshi units off the field, bloodlust having momentarily blinded him to their being troops under his command.
"Yes, yes that he has."
"However I also know you, how should I say, can become a little tired of continued exposure to him." Hemant stated this carefully, fixedly looking away from Nasir.
Nasir too looked out over the battlefield, rather than catch Hemant's eye. "Hmm, yes, you could say that. It is rather tiring looking after him for a long period of time."
"Right, sire, tiring, exactly the right word. Thus I have come up with a possible plan to give you a, ahem, break from his company."
"Oh?"
"It is not actually just Candar's troops you are fighting against in this battle, sire. The Golden Horde's leader, Temur, is also actually on the field with some of his handpicked warriors. He now joins any battle he possibly can against Khandesh, as for some reason he rather dislikes our nation despite the great aid we have offered him."
"How odd."
"Quite. My plan is that you could perhaps offer Miran as a hostage to Temur whilst our forces clean his nation of rebels. Just to show our good intentions in aiding the Horde, on the strict proviso that he is released as soon as we clear the Horde of rebels."
"What?! If I send him off to be a hostage my wife will kill me!"
She most definetly will Hemant thought happily to himself.
"I do not think that true at all, sire. We will make it clear that Miran is returned as soon as we clear the Horde lands of rebels. That may take a few years, perhaps even decades as we usually leave some rebels behind after a mission of aid, but he will return eventually."
"I, uh, hmm." The idea did have a certain appeal. Getting rid of Miran for a good few years, perhaps forever, would be no bad thing. "You are quite sure Temur would look after the boy?"
"Of course, sire, he is family. Faruqi always aid one and other."
"Well, since you put it that way..."
"Trust me, sire, this is for the best."
Hemant could barely believe his work was at last coming to an end. With Miran safely out of the way, a prisoner of the Horde likely to never be released, and Nasir more than likely to fall victim to his wife's wrath, he alone would be left to lead the nation.
"Very well then, pass the message on t-" Nasir suddenly stopped in mid-sentence as noticed a large enemy attack making considerable progress towards his position. The man leading the attack looked familiar. "Is that...?"
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Miran had noticed the sudden advance of a large body of well trained enemy men who seemed to be led by none other than Temur, who was singlehandedly carving a path towards his father. Without a second thought Miran hurriedly broke off fighting a half dozen troops, the majority of which were Khandeshi, and headed towards the right wing, intent upon saving his father who was already struggling against Temur's men.
As he neared the desperate struggle he could hear Temur yelling. "I thought I would come and give you some 'aid' against Candar, you Faruqing fool!" Temur slashed away in a frenzy at Nasir who desperately parried the blows. He had only survived this long because his sword skills had become rather impressive due to Miran 'practicing' against him day after day.
Launching himself forward the bloodlust descended upon Miran as he shouted towards his father. "Don't worry dad, I'll save you!"
It just a pity that Miran quite forgot red was the colour of Khandesh's uniform, not the Golden Horde's.
An excerpt from
Khandesh: How Not To Rule A Nation
No one is quite sure what exactly happened to Nasir during the Battle of Kastamon. Evidence strongly suggests either Temur defeated a man who had only ever proven a strong ally, as shown by his constant aid of the Golden Horde, or Nasir's own son, the next Sultan, Miran III, may have been the one responsible due to an overly exuberant 'defence' of his father.
There is also strong evidence showing both of the above theories to be nothing but fantasy. It quite likely that Nasir simply passed away at the hands of Candar's forces in one of the many defeats Khandesh suffered against far smaller opponents. Whatever the reason for his passing, his son would soon be crowned Sultan and Miran III's reign would be filled with many trials and tribulations.
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Thus this section of the AAR comes to an end. I strongly recommend reading the stupendous
Etruria: Forging an Empire, it remains one of the very best narrative AARs I have ever had the pleasure to read. A great many thanks once again to JDMS for foolishly/kindly giving me permission to insult his excellent AAR with my horrendous attempt at emulating his good self. Next it is loki100 who will suffer...