"Well, maybe if people did speak to you like this more often, you wouldn't have almost lost half of your force in an ambush." Tomoe responded seriously to the angry King Rameses II.
"And how would I have done that?" King Rameses II angrily replied.
"Ordering your men to push ahead and take the central stage based on some information from captured prisoners. Where was the scouting party? Where was the main army?" Tomoe said, raising her voice. "Commander Subutai had to scout, and we had to come up with the tactics to use our lower numbers to our advantage!"
"Oh, so you are saying that myself and my Commanders are useless?" King Rameses II shouted back, standing in front of Tomoe and ready to attack the female Samurai. Dom stepped between them, followed by Subutai, meaning that King Rameses was facing off against the two Riverside Leaders. They were all armed and it wouldn't take much for blood to be spilt.
"I think you should step back." Subutai stated calmly, staring at King Rameses II, Subutai was slightly taller and his long hair and dark eyes were intimidating. Dom could hear the squawks of Genghis from outside, wanting to enter the tent and see what had angered his master.
"And why should I do that?" King Rameses II questioned arrogantly, his muscles tensing on his stomach and chest as he squared off against the Riverside duo.
"Because if you don't, our alliance will be short lived." Dom replied seriously, getting frustrated by the attitude of the side they had chosen to support. He was starting to think that maybe he should have chosen the Hittites in this battle.
Rameses stared in to Dom's eyes for a few seconds, causing there to be tension and silence in the tent. The Egyptian commanders placed hands on their swords, ready to react at their kings order, even if that meant attacking the terrifying allies they had just made. However Dom and Subutai kept their hands away from their weapons, showing they were not afraid.
"I will step back." King Rameses II said, throwing his arms in the air in peace with a grin on his face, "But only as I respect a man that will stand up for his woman, especially his concubine, even if she is a rude one."
"Not a Concubine." Tomoe grumbled angrily, ready to continue the argument. She was more than happy to challenge the King or any of his Generals to a duel and show them who was a real Concubine.
"A Main wife then?" Rameses teased to Dom with an evil laugh, "A strong choice, but I expect she'll give you strong heirs, if she can keep her mouth shut long enough to live that long."
Tomoe was about to continue, but Subutai placed his arm against her armoured shoulder to let her know to stop. She had done her part and it was now over to him and Dom to get control of this situation. Rameses walked back towards his chair and sat back down again, looking down at all of those in front of him.
"An interesting find General Tau." Rameses continued, "These Riverside Warriors have an attitude, but I suspect there is some truth in this Concubines words?"
"There is some truth in what they have said." General Tau responded meekly, bowing his head.
"I agree." Rameses laughed, "It's about time we had some more tacticians join us, rather than the normal mediocrity that is being offered. Tau, you and the Ra are my Hammer, Sadiki and his Amun are my Anvil. You are both important to me and have my trust. The Seth and the Ptah are my wings, but none of you are my brains."
"Thank you our King." Tau and Sadiki both responded with a bow.
"So Lord of Riverside, what do you suggest we do next?" Rameses teased as he pointed at the map. He sat back in his chair as he watched those below him come up with plans.
Dom headed forwards and looked at it, it showed the terrain he was expecting with the Oasis to the west of a small river and a city. There were four blocks that represented the Egyptian legions, two that were central where the Ra, Amun and the Commanders were currently based. To the north there was two more blocks, representing the Seth and Ptah.
"Originally, we believed that the Hittites would not be here yet." General Sadiki commented as he walked towards the table. "However, we have fought nearly twenty thousand of them. In total we believe that we have fought the majority of their force."
"We believe there to be around twenty seven thousand in total." Subutai commented, using the information Dom had provided from the mission brief. "I believe we fought closer to seventeen thousand."
"They have retreated in the direction of here." Sadiki replied, pointing towards the river that was between their location and the city on the map.
"Then we have a fight against an enemy with the river at their back." Subutai continued, "This will make them dangerous, as they can only retreat in to the water."
"A fight to the death is never ideal, having them surrender and join our empire would be easier." Tau commented from the side. "This is what is normally done.
"What are our provisions like?" Dom asked, looking at the map and trying to think about what he had learnt in his studies.
"We have enough for a short campaign." Tau replied seriously, "We can not stay here for a long period."
"If they retreat in to the city and barricade it, do you have enough for a siege?" Dom asked. "Are you prepared for siege warfare?"
"No we do not." Tau responded, his hand on his chin as he thought. "We need to defeat them on the field of battle."
"Or take their provisions." Dom mumbled, trying to work out a plan.
"What are you thinking oh Lord of Riverside." Rameses joked from his chair, enjoying the sight of his Generals and his guests working out some plans.
"I think we have three options, we fight them at the River and defeat them. If we win, it's mission complete, if they retreat across the river and in to the City then we lose." Dom started. "Option two is that we take their Provisions, we will need to locate them, but this gives us longer and them a much shorter time to extend any battles. The third choice is we take the city before they can retreat in to it."
The Generals all looked at Dom in shock, they had only thought of defeating the enemy on the battlefield, but taking the city had not crossed their minds as a primary tactics.
"Let's take the city then." Rameses laughed, "That is definitely the most interesting option."
"The King is wise." Tau replied.
"The King speaks wisdom." Sadiki agreed.
Dom rolled his eyes in Subutai's direction at their responses, realising that this was going to be a very long special quest.
Dom sat in his tent with Subutai and Tomoe on one side, eating some simple food that had been provided by the Horse Archers. Opposite them sat Leonidas, Cleombrotus and Banas, who were also eating the same food. They had earlier returned to the Oasis shore line and had set up their tents that they had brought with them on the side of the horses. They had left them behind with the baggage when they had organised the ambush on the ambush with General Tau.
Dom was relieved they had brought the tents as per Octavian's wishes, and was impressed by how simple they were to set up. They didn't have all of the comforts of a modern tent from the real world, but from a historical gaming perspective they were impressive.
The Ra unit had also set up camp at the Oasis side with them and they had been happy that it was these allies that they had been encamped with, and not the Amun under General Sadiki, who seemed to be King Rameses II's closest advisor out of the General's that he commanded. The Ra unit under General Tau had also set up some tents for their lead commanders, but the majority of the troops were falling asleep in the open air, with blankets and their comrades as their protection.
"Are we all happy with the plan?" Dom asked the group as he took a bite from his food, it was a gruel like stew with some beef in it from the Animal Husbandry that had been set up for a good few days now. The quality of the Ox that had been provided was impressive and Lucius had made sure to have some dried meat packed in their travel sacks. They had also been able to procure some good items from the newly established Market and Dom was excited to investigate it properly when he returned.
"I am, but it is risky." Leonidas responded, taking a big bite from his loaf of bread as he did. "Are you sure we want to put ourselves in this situation for some strangers? I understand it is a quest we must complete, but do we need to get so involved?"
"My experience tells me that the better we perform, the greater the rewards." Dom responded, to which Subutai nodded in agreement, having been in Riverside since the beginning.
"As long as it gets me away from the frustrating King Rameses II, I am happy!" Tomoe responded, "What an arrogant person, and to think he wants to lead the main attack!"
"He is arrogant, but he is also a King." Subutai replied, "And this is what those with power can be like. Let's be grateful that Lord Lazarus is not."
"I highly doubt this king is as annoying as those Athenians when they have something to debate." Cleombrotus added.
"Damn those Athenians!" Leonidas agreed, before adding "But Gregarious is ok."
"Yes he is." Cleombrotus agreed, "But that Leon is not!"
"Yes, your dislike of each other is outstanding." Subutai commented, "But back to the subject at hand."
"Yes, the plan is sound." Banas commented, "The main Egyptian force will fight against the Hittites at the rivers edge, with the Seth, Ptah and Amun divisions as the attackers against the Hittites on the Rivers edge. We will enter the City as an elite squad and take over the gates, allowing the Ra division to enter."
"Exactly." Dom replied, happy that Banas was a knowledgeable person and not easy to get distracted such as the loyal Spartans.
"Then we take over their provisions with our Ra reinforcements and lock the City gates, giving the Hittites no where to escape to." Tomoe replied, "Killing anyone that goes against us whilst we are at it."
"It sounds so simple when you put it like that." Dom agreed, constantly worried about the blood lust that she gave off, "But I'm sure it won't be as simple as that!"
"No it won't be." Subutai lamented, "Not when Abubakar is the Egyptian leader who is joining us on our infiltration. A capable leader, but not a man who inspires loyalty."
"If he calls me a Concubine one more time!" Tomoe growled angrily.