The Veneer of Injustice

Part 14

Earth Moon 28, 1527 C.Q

I planted my sword in the ground and leaned against it as I surveyed the battlefield. The war was finally over.

After Dacian's death, Kiersten's opponent, when they had heard of the news, having been harried for days by an unseen force attacking from the tops and sides of the gorge and at night, had quickly and easily surrendered. Kiersten had escorted those who had not fled back to Towering to the border at my command and had rebuilt the pass walls. She had left a detachment to guard the area, under Rafe's command, along with the sentinels in case of a reprisal and had joined Arras' forces.

Arras, whom my squadron and I had joined a day after our victory at Taaze, had, despite his initial successes, required the reinforcements. Though my strategy had been executed well, the enemy forces at Killstone had proven to be a tougher opponent than those at the Gorge. These divisions had not surrendered at news of Dacian's death but had instead fought harder and had retaliated by tracking and attacking Arras' columns.

Upon my arrival, I had examined the situation and had adjusted my strategy so that two columns at all times maintained a constant bombardment of their camp with arrows, stones, and the few siege engines we had built and had captured. After costly attrition, my combined forces had managed to batter the enemy enough that they had submitted. Instead of escorting them from my territory as at the Gorge, however, I had ordered Arras to imprison the survivors.

Soon after the surrender yesterday, Rafe informed me that a messenger had arrived at the Pass of the Gorge from the crown of Towering. Damia, because I had had the sentinels lower the guarding spells after Dacian's death, had learned of the defeat of Towering's armies and her own ascension to the throne. Assessing that Towering had little chance to proceed further, she had decided to sue for peace via communication spell.

She and I had negotiated all last night over the terms of the treaty. Damia wanted her soldiers and her brother's body returned – she had few soldiers left to defend Towering for Dacian had pored his strength into this invasion, against her advice, and she was obligated by Towering's customs to give the previous ruler a funeral and cared for Dacian enough to want to obey. However, she was not pleased with my demand that she accept the blame for the entire war and pay reparations. Demanding reparations was the method that Clara had decided would impress Everence and Neverfol the most about the risks of a war with Emerstones, and I had agreed and had not dropped the requirement, despite Damia's vehement refusals.

Finally, I had reminded Damia that, according to the customs of this region, since I had killed Dacian in battle and without his surrender, I could lay a claim to her throne. My army had proven its prowess and had lost only a fraction of the soldiers that Towering had lost. With the claim, my magic, and a strong military behind me, I could invade Towering in return and seize the princedom for myself. Even her subjects might not object, considering that Dacian's cruelty was well-known.

At that argument, Damia had finally relented and, in return for her imprisoned soldiers and her brother's body, had published a declaration of guilt for the war and was arranging a payment of twenty tons of iron ore and twenty horses under the supervision of my ambassador. The payment of metal and horses would be biannual for the next ten years and could not be suspended without risking another war.

Having come to an agreement, Damia and I had signed the treaty two hours ago through our various representatives at the border and in each other's capitals. We would later exchange state visits to make formal signatures.

Minutes after the agreement had been finalized, I had had the prisoners escorted to beyond the newly rebuilt pass walls. I had then ordered for my soldiers to prepare burials and organize a clean-up of the area. Four hours later, the burials, in which I had participated, were complete. Now, within a few minutes, as soon as the clean-up began, I would be returning to the capital with all my top commanders and my soldiers, save Rafe and Soren and two companies, who would reinforce the area for a while longer.