Fate/Lost Horizon [ Dogs of War]. Volume 1

Chapter Nine [Wolf Knight]

[Chapter 9]

I've never killed someone. Never wished death on someone, not even my family, even if what they did hurt. No, no one has ever brought me to such a level of anger, pain, or reason to where I decided their life was a problem for me. Animals sure, I've hunted many. But, even then ending their life felt more like a necessity. Something I had to do if I wanted to eat, besides...I couldn't keep running from them after a certain point.

Even the beasts I slayed have caused some form of discomfort in the beginning, maybe I rationalized it as something gray, not black or white. They did it themselves, it was natural to them, so I believed doing it in return wasn't some sort of sin. They're animals, they don't think like us, but I can't say that with honesty. As, I'm sure Sif is a lot smarter than most men. I'm riding her right now, she's about the size of a horse, still she's pretty big.

Crap, I'm trying to distract myself. What kind of idiot starts thinking about morality when he's already leading an army, well a portion of one. I just...aside from the time my teacher would take me back to the village I grew up in, to socialize with kids my age is what she said. I never really interacted with other people. Well, I didn't even make any friends, so It's a miracle I didn't come off as more than just a weirdo to the people here when I journeyed to this land.

I'm nervous, I know that much. Even after what I told Arthur, which I said to help him. Even so, he trusted in me, that's what's stopping me from giving up. He's definitely something more than me, he's a king now, so I just gotta keep my head up like usual, and trust in the confidence he has in me. Even if I can't wrap my head around it.

But, can I really take someone's life? I...how did they do it. Those heroes, they all were tasked with and challenged by enemies that threatened their life. Some were evil, others were just bad men. But they all had a reason why they needed to kill the threat. In that aspect, I admire and am even jealous of them. They have it easy.

But, there's no villain for me, the people I'll soon be fighting, potentially, no I will be killing have done no wrong to me. I'm a foreigner, these people's struggles aren't mine. I am only here because of Arthur, and my choice to agree. Their blood may just be more innocent than my own... Why didn't I speak to someone about this! But Arthur, I didn't wish to worry him anymore than he probably worried himself. Merlin, she's easy to talk to, but I couldn't find her when I got back from talking to Arthur.

I can't make this decision myself, I need someone to do it for me... Order me.

Arthur decided to split our forces into three separate groups. He would be leading the main force, which was north, Kay would be leading the east, and I would be leading the west. The plan from what he told me was to appear as if our forces were smaller than believed, making use of the short amount of time he had to raise an army. No one expected Arthur to raise one this large in just under a month, so his strategy sounded fine to me. The goal was to get the Saxons to take the bait, and use their superior numbers to overwhelm Arthur. Then Kay and me, once they were positioned correctly, would come in from the sides and surround them. Essentially flanking them, making sure to either raid or destroy their supplies if they were to somehow retreat.

But that's where I really come in, I'm in charge of most of our Heavy, Medium, and light cavalry. Paired with the infantry, Arthur believes I can keep them from doing such a thing. He wants them to surrender, so having them completely surrounded by a tight wall would increase the likelihood of that potential decision. But that is the main plan, he already informed me of possible changes.

Still, when it comes to my own planning, It definitely needs work. Arthur from what he has told me was provided with a king's education. So, something such as this comes easy to him. I'm a fighter, sometimes I think one by nature. I know how to win a fight, what tricks to use, what to do when someone does what. It's instinctual for me, my teacher, she helped honed that. War is different, it's larger, and you're not just worrying about your own well being. I got men to lead, and every order I give they gotta believe in me if I want them to flourish, and my plans succeed.