"Our scouts reported that they seem to be heading northwest." Edmund said.
Six men were seated together. Their frowns were heavy except for Leopold which was heavier. They should be glad. The Wismarines were gone. Holm was saved. But they were not, especially Leopold.
"The villages" He said. "Three days walk from here right?"
"Two and a half. I've made trips there hundreds of times already. The region is rich with commerce."
"And these villages," Leopold nibbled on his lip. "They are populous right?"
"Thrice the population of Holm. I have sent messages to the local Barons to evacuate the region and find shelter but I doubt everyone listened or were able to find means of transport."
"So we have a whole region of unprotected villagers. And now that the Wismarines realized that it is impossible to take Holm, they are going to slughter the villagers instead." Leopold found himself furious about such thing. Of course he was. He turned his head to William. "I have visited Solon and the effects of the Tulosan pillage last year is still apperent. I have seen fatherless children, widows, orphans. I have seen them weep for justice for their dead. I have seen the devastation. No. It wasn't pretty."
"Then we must go after them in haste" William said. "But it is also possible that all of this is a ploy of the Wismarines to draw most of our forces out of the city. They could be lurking somewhere, waiting for Holm to be left underdefended. We will leave seven cohorts here for the defense. We can't be too sure."
"That much?" Arthur said. "Those people with bird masks... they are scary."
"They are not people Arthur. No anymore." Leopold said. "We will crush them in the field."
"We?" William raised an eyebrow to that. "You should stay here father."
Leopold opened his mouth as protest but found it difficult to say anything. He had no reason to go with William.
"And I'm also not going" William added. The other people including Leopold heaved their confused looks on William.
William's head drooped. He folded his sleeves and presented his arms. The wound had festered, black and wet with pus.
"I am having the wound fever already. The Falconhead's blade was poisoned. The medicus said that I am going to lose both arms."
"No" That came out of Leopold's mouth with a gasp.
This cannot be. His son, his beautiful, beautiful son will losr both arms? He had the urge to rush out of the gate and just slaughter all of the Wismarines especially those Falconheads.
"There were some who recovered." Leopold said. "Maybe if we cleanse the wound enough..."
"They were merely grazed father. The Falconhead's blade bit to my bones. Anyway we cannot dwell on the matter any longer."
"Not dwell on the matter?!" Leopold slammed two fists on the table. "You will not lose your arms. You will lead us. You will..."
"Father" William stopped him with a calm smile. Leopold realized that his hands were now red. His hair was drenched.
"You should rest. I will personally write to the Queen. Maybe she knows something. We will send Arthur in your stead."
"Him?" Edmund asked.
Arthur leaned forward. "Me?"
"We have no other choice but you. You will not lead anyway. Our men need a royal to look up to in the field. I'm sure Henry's knights will be more than enough to shatter the Wismarines."
"He will be safe under my care." Vice Duke Ventil said.
"I'm sure he will." Leopold was calmer now. "Let's not waste time. You should go now."
***
Henry knelt to the ground, his kneeguard falling to the damp soil. He closed the eyes of a corpse. The victim was a young girl, a couple of years shy of twenty, with a stab wound to the chest. Her blood reddened the mud where her corpse lay.
"Rest" Henry said. "May the Omniscient's light give you justice. May his true words lead you to peace. Rest"
Around him hundreds of corpses were scattered. The same butchery was inflicted, some ever worse. These people hid behind the manor of their local lord. The manor itself was strongly defended with iron fences and barricades. But the Widmarines got them.
Poor things, Henry thought. Casualties of war. No. This is not war. This is just... evil.
He rose, armor clanking. "Bury them with dignity."
"At once Grand Master." replied one of the knights.
Henry walked to his horse and mounted. He could see the devastation the Widmarines caused. Entire fields were burned. Pets and livestock were not spared. He even suspected that some of the women were defiled.
He clenched his hand. Evil. Those peoplr were evil an it was his duty to vanquish them. He knew the feeling of being given the order to bitcher innocents. He had done it. He was a criminal once and his deeds still haunt him. But he fled. He disobeyed the orders of General Sigurd. Many Wismarines must have been disgusted by this act. Just like him then, they had a choice. And they chose orders over morals. That was a sin, their sin.
"Grand Master" One of the knights called, a bearded Prefect with blue eyes.
Henry turned his head.
"Holm's forces had been spotted by the scouts. They are expected to arrive soon."
A combined force of Castonians, Vanadians and Borondians soon arrived. Most of them looked battered especially the Vanadians.
A thin man in fine armor and bright purple cape greeted Henry. Both he and Henry dismounted and gripped each other's arms.
"Prince Arthur Vanadis" Henry said, not smiling. It would be too disrespectful to smile with the corpses still spreading mangled all over the place. "By the Omniscient's will, we met again"
"Sadly under the grim circumstances."
"We will give them justice. I promise by the Omniscient, I will find them justice. God is justice, Arthur. His command is peace , forgiveness and repentace but all crimes must be punished under his might."
Arthur nodded fast to that though a grimace was on his face. "We thank you dearly for your aid. But what are our chances or winning? I... I honestly don't know what to do. Help me Henry."
Henry looked behind. There were actually Nineteen thousand six hundred fifteen. Half were knights. A few cohorts were Queen Emily's men. The rest were from the plains in the tribes. They dotted the field behind him. Even he felt a certain trepidation just looking at such a mass of men on top of Tulosan horses.
"Have no worries. God is with us. We will get justice by the Omniscient's will."
***
William was burning now. He was sweaty and Leopold doesn't know what to do. The medicus had given him herbs. The wound was already dressed cleanly. But the fever was still ravaging his son.
Leopold sat beside the bed with Rupert standing to his back. William was sleeping.
"He will recover sire." Rupert said.
"Of course he will. He is William Castonia. And that old medicus is senile. William will not lose his arms. I will not allow it. You hear me Rupert? I will not allow my son to be crippled. I will also not let the wound fever get him."
"So you will stay here?"
"Yes."
"And if the Wismarines attack?"
"I will go out for a bit, smash those bastards and come back here."
Their talk was interrupted by knocks on the door. Those fast knocks worried Leopold.
"Sire we bring a message from Higness Edmund."
Rupert went to open the door. A couple of Vanadians entered. They made swift salutes after arriving.
"Spill it fast" Leopold demanded.
"We caught a spy sir. Wismarine. The man was lurking in the harbor. He tried to swim away but we caught him."
"A spy?" He swiveled a look at Rupert and then at William. It needed to leave him for a while.
Edmund was already talking with the spy when Leopold arrived. The spy was drenched and had a bloody face.
"A hundred gold coins" Edmund said. "Tell us what you know."
The spy shifted on his seat. His tied hands were slipping but a Vanadian guard held it firm.
"I piss on you" The Wismarine then spitted to the shiny floor of the palace.
"Very well." Edmund straightened his back. "Two hundred. We will also give you a home here."
The Spy smiled. "You poor old sick bastard. I piss on you!"
Leopold couldn't bear listening to the spy's insult. He walked to Edmund's side. He turned his head towards one of the Vanadians.
"Bring me some needles, a knife, a saw, a hammer and a cup of Hellfire."
Edmund eyed him with mixed curiosity and worry. "What are you planning to do?"
Leopold looked at the spy. Poor man. He hated doing this but it must be done.
"We will break him" Leopold said and the spy's eyes widened.