Mack stood proud with his head held high. His soldiers had been split into two groups, one of fifteen thousand men that would attack the secondary gate to the south and Mack's main force of twenty thousand men attacking the main gate in the north. These two forces, in addition with Lucas' five thousand, totaled an attacking force of forty thousand soldiers. Mack also had the ten thousand soldiers garrisoning (and ransacking) Cardiff, so if he needed to, he could always retreat to safety.
Mack stood at the back of the twenty thousand strong formation, arm raised and prepared to give the order to charge. The arm fell, and with it so did the defender's hope of survival. Simultaneously forty thousand men charged at the walls of Winchester from three different points. Mack from the North, Lucas from the West and his loyal captains from the East.
The Northumbrian soldiers threw themselves at the defenders, completely willing to lay down their lives for their lord, and yet they would never lay down their arms. Bravely, one after another, they chanted their battlecry "For the King! For Northumbria!"
Admittedly, Mack was a little aggrieved to hear "For the King" considering he was leading the campaign, but he knew better then to complain as he didn't want to look petty or power-hungry. As he watched his men cut down the only barriers between him and overlordship of Wessex, he began to ponder his coming coronation. Upon arriving at this thought, he was filled with dread and despair, knowing that he would have to deal with the pressures of the royal court and the intrigues of the nobility that came with it.
In his short time as a military commander, Mack had already had to deal with two rebellions against his father's rule, and he knew that he would have to handle them during his reign as well. There isn't a kingdom in Europe that doesn't have internal strife, even Switzerland (HRE), a nation famed for its stability and security, had rebellions.
Mack fully understood the need for his subjects to like him, in fact, that is why he put so much effort into gaining favour with the army. If the people revolted, they could be crushed by force or diplomacy, however if the army were to revolt, then he would be forced to either negotiate or abdicate. Of which he would prefer to do neither.
A piercing scream interrupted his thoughts of an absolute monarchy like his father's and only then did he realise that his soldiers had breached the walls and were now clearing the city of anyone seen as potentially hostile. Mack had made clear to his soldiers before the battle, as advised by his father, that they should kill or maim anyone who seems like a possible threat. He had said "a peasant holding a stick is no longer a peasant, but a soldier defying Northumbria's rule", and thus he gave the order to kill on sight. His soldiers, however, seemed to have taken this to mean that women and children were acceptable targets as well, and whilst Mack did not like this, he knew it was too late to stop his men now.
Pondering the implications this slaughter may have, Mack realised that this would probably be considered a tragedy for the people of Wessex and yet a triumph to the people of Northumbria. This gruesome attack would also serve to remind the citizens of Wessex what happens when they deign to defy their new overlords, and while it may cause dissatisfaction and tension once the land is integrated as a puppet state (not a vassal), people should have sufficient fear of Mack and his "barbaric" army to think twice before they act.
Mack called for one of his trusted guards to bring the King so that they could proceed to the now secured wall together and observe the taking of the outer city and the surrounding of the castle.
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Elric glowered at the castle in front of him, seeing the delegation sent out by the temporary replacement of Edward, the late King. "Halt! State your business before the one true King of England," Elric's loyal bodyguard Ian called out, immediately cautious of the possible threat posed to his friend and king. "We offer surrender!" The delegation leader called out, "our terms are simple, we only dema-" Elric interrupted him mid-sentence "quiet you insolent fool! Either offer your unconditional surrender or accept that your life is doomed to end at the edge of a Northumbrian blade." The negotiator just looked on at Elric, dumbfounded by the lack of civility. Mouth agape and eyes wide, he hesitantly responded "W-we offer you our unconditional surrender. The regent is in the throne room with his council," the man said dejectedly, clearly hoping for a better outcome.
A Northumbrian soldier quickly detained the man and pulled him to the side, clear of the knights that would be breaching the castle. The man and his family would become prisoners of Elric, and would be treated as honoured guests. A much better outcome then death.
Elric and Mack looked to one another, both men clearly sharing the same thought. In perfect synchronisation, Mack and Elric gave the order to charge into the castle. Mack, however, would be staying back with Lucas and Charlotte this time as the castle of Wessex was guaranteed to be well-guarded compared to the castle of King Gruffyd of Wales.