Chapter 84 - The Fire in his Eyes
The letter in Emperor Gelawdewos’ hand was short, but it carried the weight of an entire war.
Ottomans and Portuguese allies against Abyssinia.
New ally found : Prince Khisa of Nuri.
Need supplies for new navy, blueprints for new ships provided.
Adal camps eliminated between Shewa and the border by Prince Khisa.
Plans to purge spies have begun.
He did not wait for formalities or debate. Nobles and generals were summoned without delay. The emperor didn’t have time for lengthy council sessions — not with what this letter implied. A chance. A fighting chance.
By the second day, his royal convoy reached Shewa.
The town did not stop for his arrival. No golden banners flapped in the wind. No processions lined the cobbled streets. The air was thick with the scent of ash, oil, and sweat. Workers passed hurriedly with crates of supplies. Blacksmiths hammered steel like war drums in the background. A cart rumbled by, laden with rough metal fragments and large clay pots filled with unfamiliar black powder.
Only murmurs and furtive glances marked his arrival.
"That’s the Emperor..."