News of Hamadan's fall could no longer cause much of a stir in Ctesiphon.
The great army led by Ali Atabeg had suffered a crushing defeat beneath Hadiseh's walls. Of the more than sixty thousand troops, fewer than three thousand had escaped back.
The Frankish army was pressing down upon them. Nothing could stand in its path, and it was already nearing Ctesiphon. Who still had the time to worry about Tatars who had yet to appear?
Mustafa stood beneath the laurel tree in his estate. This old minister, who had held power for forty years and served two generations of the King of Kings, was filled with sorrow.
"Father, what did His Majesty say to you? Did he give you more details concerning the evacuation?"
His son noticed something amiss with Mustafa and cautiously asked.
Mustafa shook his head. "After I die, you must act with great caution. Under Frankish rule, you must never act recklessly again. If they want to seize our property, let them have it. Do not struggle in vain. As long as we live, worldly possessions can be abandoned."
The young Persian noble was shocked. "Father, why would you say such things?"
"His Majesty has already met with the Frankish Basileus."
"What? When did that happen?"
"Just before His Majesty summoned me. That Lord of the Demon Dragon entered the royal palace as though no one existed, then left as casually as if he had been out for a stroll. Apart from His Majesty, not a single person realized he had ever been there."
Mustafa smiled. "A terrifying method, isn't it?"
"He must have been frightened out of his wits. That child was never some great and capable ruler, so he decided to hand over this 'treacherous minister who monopolizes the court' and abdicate to