By the morning of the third day, it was getting busy outside the gates. My men were roasting a ram and half a dozen rabbits at a safe distance, which they had brought in a wagon of supplies. Outside the walls, white flags began to appear tied to the handles of spears, and others immediately pulled them down again.
They are fighting among themselves. We rushed to our saddles, all of us tuning up and preparing for one last fierce battle.
I was helped to fasten my light armor, swung myself up on my horse and waited at the head of the cavalry for the infantry to open the gate. We were within sight of the camp, hopefully it would be safe.
"Kill anyone carrying a weapon! Attack!" I yelled as the wings of the gate flew open and the infantry bit down furiously. I spurred the gelding and he bolted from the spot with a high-pitched neigh.
They were weak to the point of tears. We pushed them out of the courtyard and rode down the streets in small groups. The omnipresent stench of blood and shit was unbearable. To my amazement, we managed to conquer the city within two hours, encountering no resistance worth mentioning.
Soldiers were already rounding up prisoners outside the walls.
"Ask the queen to meet me here." I called out to one of the soldiers of my guard when I didn't see her when I returned. I waited for her to arrive, passing the time walking between the prisoners.
They were exhausted and hungry, pale and apathetic. It will be better that way.
My men took up shovels and dug joint graves for the dead and the living. We'll get the information we need from them and leave them behind.
"Oh my God..." came half-voiced from behind me. I turned around to find Valleria in my arms, her eyes filled with tears.
I reached out to wipe them away, leaving a bloody stain on her cheek. In amazement, my eyes skipped from her face to my arm covered in thick blood.
She shook her head and looked up at me desperately.
"Don't do this Max. Please don't..." She took a ragged breath and her chin quivered "They're our men. Our people. They made a mistake. Punish those behind your betrayal, but these men have suffered enough. You don't have to have their blood on your hands, too." She whispered softly to me so no one else could hear. I leaned down to her lips and kissed her briefly.
"I have no other choice." I got out quietly and nuzzled behind her ear. I couldn't understand why every time I touched her, a new trail of blood appeared on her soft skin.
"Then give them to me." She insisted, kneeling in front of me in the packed dirt, oblivious to the attention she was drawing, "Give them to me, Maximilian. " She kissed my fingertips and hung her eyes on me desperately.
My left ear was still ringing, I was a little numb after the recent battle.
"Who led you?" I asked aloud, looking around at the prisoners. An older man came forward and introduced himself. He was some impoverished nobleman with too much ambition.
I bent down to my wife and helped her up. I brushed a lock of hair from her face and kissed her ear.
"Your queen begs for the lives of your men. Would you give up yours so that they might live? I offer you a quick, merciful death if you choose to save them." I shouted to him. He didn't answer. After a moment, he stood up and resolved, "I want to live, my lord! I have made mistakes, but I will serve you faithfully. My support is worth more than..."
"Max." She addressed me and took my face tenderly in her hands. I did not listen to his further desperate attempts to save his own life. I stared into the eyes of my beloved wife, seeking approval.
"They're yours, Valleria." I wiped my lips on her forehead, then said loudly, "Feed them and treat the wounded." I ordered the soldiers, who set to work without single objection.
"Swear allegiance to the crown and fight by my side as bravely as you fought today." I said loudly, turning to one of the men of my guard, "That one," I pointed to the nobleman behind the rebellion, "Hammer him into a coffin and bury him with the fallen. Alive." I hissed softly and led Valleria quickly away from the sight.
Valleria held onto the crook of my elbow and clung to my side. She shooed away the servants and helped me take off my armor herself.
"Let me take care of you, my love." She requested as she sat me down next to the tub.
She deftly scrubbed the dust and blood from my skin and when she didn't find any injury, she sat me in the tub so she could rinse me off. Everything was sore. My ribs and left shoulder were strained after I got hit by some dull mace. She washed my hair and carefully rubbed the blood from my eyebrows as well.
When I got up, I realized how horrible I must have looked. The bathtub was pink even though she thoroughly washed me before. I didn't realize I had been on such a rampage. I got too carried away.
I didn't let her step out of the tent again today, in case she wandered off to the slowly filling pits. I cuddled with her until late afternoon when she fell asleep curled up in a ball. I carefully covered her up and went out to oversee the preparations for departure and to personally interview the former prisoners.
I sat down and let them come closer one by one to kneel.
___________________________________
Dear reader!
I'd love to personally thank you for taking the time to read my novel. I hope you are enjoying this medieval love story.
Why am I even interrupting - This is a story I have been working on for some time before I decided to upload it on this platform. I had no idea if someone would like it or not. I have some drafts and much more smut lined down, I just need to know if there is any interest on your part.
I'll pick up this novel in a few weeks again, please add it to your library, so you will be able to continue where you ended ;)