A gentle wind blows your hair as you ride Regimore across the plains. Vradnik makes sure to stay exactly by your side. You look back and see legions of men all gathered for your cause. Your soldiers are not so comfortable with these mercenaries, but they know that they are necessary should Sielcland be conquered. You had later been joined by lord Dollis' son, Daedalus who had mustered about half a thousand men from Dullac. You slow your horse, and Vradnik holds up a fist, signalling a halt of all forces. You turn on your horse, eyeing your men.
"Know that as we step over this border, not many of you will make it back. But know that you will be remembered and that your death causes for the rest of us to live. Fight hard and bravely and we shall be victorious!", you boost them.
Your men give a load roar, so loud that you are sure that the Rivermen must have heard. With that you cross over into Sielcland with your forces. Your plan is to capture the nearest town and use it as a base. The town of Laggera.
You intend to march on the town without warning and quickly take it before any troops can have a reasonable time to react. You reach a hill in which you are able to look down on the town. And lifting your sword, you command your men to charge.
"Hurrah!", they scream, descending the hill and riding down to attack the town.
As you ride down, you hear a loud horn and then soldiers take to the fortifications and begin firing at your army from within Laggera.
Laggera is fortified, by both walls and men. But you charge in nonetheless and begin cutting down attackers.
The battle for the town went so easily that you had not many chances of delivering strikes of your own, but within an hour, Laggera had fallen to you.
Your soldiers jubilantly take down the Sielccan banner. A blue and white background with lines meant to represent rivers and then a sword plunged into it. They gathered all the banners and burnt them at the lord's hall. The Rivermen look at you with fear in their eyes. Women holding on to their children as they look at you with both fear and disgust.
"The town has been conquered, lord Alexander", the high knight interrupts your observation.
"The last remaining defenders are being rounded up for your judgement", he reports.
"My judgement?", you ask him, not understanding the purpose of that.
"Yes, lord. Your father normally did such things to those still left after a battle. He would look at them and decide if they should either die or be imprisoned."
You think about it for a while, and then you decide to let him make the choice. Vradnik doesn't refuse, and a proud and grateful look comes about his face.
"Lord Alexander?'', someone calls to you.
You look over your powldron. The son of lord Dollis stands next to you, decked his own armour with the colours of house Dollis.
"Lord", he repeats.
"We must decide what move to make next as I am sure it will not take long for lord Sielcco to learn of the invasion, and when he does he will muster all he can to repel us. Hence, we must act", Daedalus advises you.
You nod your head in agreement.
"And surely we must make sure that the news of it does not leave Laggera", you add on.
You call to one of the high knight's corporals.
"M'lord?", he reports with a professional salute.
"Do what you must to keep no one from leaving the town. I do not want anyone informing lord Sielcco of our attack", you instruct him.
The man salutes again and marches off to position soldiers at the town's gate. Daedalus then lads you into the town manor. There, the other mercenary leaders join you to discuss the next move.
YOU ARE READING
The Black Raven: plot of the three swords
Historical FictionLord Alexander has just come to the throne of Portswater, a province in the west known for aurens in times of trade, but steel in times of war. He thinks that being a lord isn't too complex, but what he doesn't know is that there are those cunning...
