I'm fuming no I'm beyond furious. what right does the lord of dohemina command an imperial prince I think as I arrive back at the city of Dohimina. The garrison comprises of 2,000 Dohiminan soldiers and 500 of my household troops. I issue orders for my household guard to march out the city gates and I remount my gryphon. In five hours my force and I make it to the city halfway between the battlefield and the province capital. this city has a garrison of 6,000 soldiers so I requisition 4,800 soldiers. This 5,300-strong force sets off towards the battlefield at a breakneck pace. about 3 miles from the battlefield we encounter fleeing soldiers from the combined army who say the battle is lost.
"Come my friends the enemy is in front of us and our fellow countrymen are in danger follow me to glory" I shout. Thousands roar back with enthusiasm. An hour later around dusk my force storms onto the field driving back the Imperial forces who had taken the road and blocked the rest of the army from retreating. The enemy begins reeling back in a panic. my forces pursue them leading to a partial collapse of the enemy forces in on our left flank. Centurion crashes down into a solid block of Imperial levy infantry which causes them to withdraw in confusion. I look across the field of battle to see tens of thousands of imperial troops on the field and only a few thousand of the original combined army and many of them in clusters being surrounded. Defeat seemed likely when the enemy began withdrawing across the river.
"Hold your positions and reform ranks" I bark to the soldiers closest to me. The soldiers begin reorganising their ranks and do not give chase. The remnants of the combined army withdraw onto my position. 12,000 combat effective soldiers with 8,000 walking wounded and 10,000 wounded in wagons we abandoned the rest of the wounded and dead for the enemy to deal with. Lord Harold of Dohemina was very disappointed in me for disobeying his orders but he was also thankful for me saving what remained of the army from certain destruction. Lord Harold proclaimed me the Savior of Heldanhoyf.
The army rapidly withdraws towards the city of Bymaple which I borrowed a portion of the garrison earlier in the day. the garrison troops I requisitioned rejoin the garrison. I had been on the road for basically all day at this point so I was utterly exhausted. The army stays in Bymaple overnight and marches back to the provincial capital in the morning. This allows me to get a night's sleep. I hadn't had time to sleep in over 48 hours. I collapse into the bed exhausted as the remaining soldiers of the Silvergard corps take positions at the doors to the room.
I woke the next day feeling moderately refreshed. I had been tossing and turning all night. I look out the window to see the army on the move and quickly send for breakfast that I then eat while on the move. I swiftly mount Centurion and we take flight with a few swift flaps. Reaching the province capital in under two hours I head to my quarters to compose a letter of this battle to my eldest half-brother far in the north of the realm.
The army slowly snakes into the city and I watch it from the window of my apartment in the castle. "So many lives wasted. For what end" I thought. The killing has only just begun. thousands of fresh volunteers have arrived in the city over the day and I'm unable to believe that this force will hold this city. A contingent of 700 soldiers arrive in the city under Flavius Artorius. This contingent was formerly part of the Imperial army until the coup after which they defected to join the Royalist army. I soon learn that the great Imperial host that had thought to have been shattered at Holdenhoyf was still advancing on the city in reduced strength while their emperor according to intelligence had ridden out of the imperial capital with 7,000 troops to join this host.
The army now numbered 15,700 troops and 70 guns mainly on the city walls. 3,000 of which are new volunteers the rest had seen combat. Being a prince of the realm I am expected to fight however, I am told to escape northwards to my elder half-brother. I'm reluctant to go as it'd look bad in front of the army for their prince to flee. I resolve to remain on the field for as long as possible despite all the risk to my personal safety and despite being told to flee.
"My Prince Flavius Artorius is here to see you" a servant says.
"Send him in" I reply.
"My prince," says Flavius Artorius as he enters. He pulls out a map and begins explaining the current military situation to me. "With respect things are Dire my Prince you should withdraw while you still can" He adds.
"My lord I cannot withdraw in the face of the enemy it'll have a bad effect on the army. furthermore, I have reason to believe that the fight up ahead is winnable" I state with confidence
"Yes my Prince" replies Flavius Artorius as he nods his head and leaves through the door to my chambers. Three days later the enemy would arrive and camp three miles away from the city as the layout of the defences meant they couldn't get closer to the city.
The defences were constructed with three redoubts guarding the further away bridge of the two bridges that cross the two rivers that the road uses to enter the city. Furthermore, the City has two sets of walls guarding it The outer walls and the Citadel walls. these defences meant that there would be a field battle before a siege.
A further 3,000 volunteers from the city population would volunteer and be trained within the night. At Dawn the next day 18,000 soldiers would march out of the city walls to join the 700 soldiers guarding the redoubts. I resolved myself and joined the army in the field.
