Version 2.0
As Alex removed his helmet, Brandon had the chance to truly observe the man before him. He was Strikingly handsome, he possessed eyes of a captivating hue, blending the warmth of chestnut with a very light tinge of green that draws you in. His short tousle of rich, dark hair that seemed to catch the mid-day sun, led down to a stubble that ran the length of his jawline.
At Alex's command, the men put down their arms without question or complaint. They followed his lead. Brandon's men moved swiftly, taking them as prisoners.
"Your family name is Amber; I assume you are related to Alden then. Are you, his brother?" Brandon asked.
"Unfortunately, not, I am his son," he spoke.
Brandon raised an eyebrow "No love for your father?"
He shakes his head "He is a foolish king and a lousy father. He is no warrior and can barely lead and take care of what he owns. My only gratitude to him is that he gave me life and taught me everything that I should not be."
Brandon gave a quick sidelong glance to Theon, wanting to gauge his reaction, and quickly saw that he was just as surprised as he was. "Wow, what could a father do to make his son hate him so much?" Brandon asked.
"What does it matter? We have lost, and we are prisoners," he said, though defeated, still standing upright with his chest out.
They were then taken away to the rest of the prisoners while Brandon stood there contemplating.
"My King?" asked Theon.
"The father, a coward who cannot accept defeat and runs to his men to try and turn the tide of battle, creates a son who gracefully accepts defeat and continues the fight even when it is lost. Families sure are interesting, Theon."
"If you say so, my King," Theon said.
"Apologies, Theon," Brandon said, aware of Theon's family situation or lack of.
"It is alright, my King. You did not kill them," Theon said, still seemingly unaffected by it.
/
As the battle drew to a close, the battlefield became a scene of controlled chaos. Brandon's army, triumphant, started to return to camp, their ranks interspersed with prisoners and the spoils of war. The air was filled with the sounds of soldiers, some cheering in victory, medics tending to the wounded, applying what they had learned, and being shown what to do by Edric and Brandon. The rest counted loot and a few oversaw the captured enemy soldiers.
The absence of the Amber King among the prisoners became apparent, a notable absence that stirred frustration among Brandon's forces. Despite their success, the Amber King had managed to slip away like the worm he was. The Winter King's gaze scanned the battlefield, and though the victory was evident, Amber King's escape left a bitter taste in the air.
The sun was heading for the horizon, casting long shadows over the grass field as the victorious army regrouped at their camp, the clacking of pots soon starting as cooks prepared food. With the Amber King himself not prisoner the prospect of another battle could loom as the King could retreat gather what few men he could that held out in his castle and draw out the war. Something that Brandon would not want.
Instead, Brandon turned to deep within the camp, amid the few tents they could spare, and in the open field designated as the prison camp, Brandon sought out one particular man.
The prison camp was a sombre scene, with captured soldiers from the Amber King's forces confined within makeshift boundaries. The prisoners, disarmed and subdued, cast wary glances at their captors, though grateful for the 'medics' that tending to their wounds, a show of kindness and consideration by Brandon.
Among the captured, one man stood out. He stood with a proud and still defiant demeanour, surrounded by his close men who like him looked like they could and would fight again.
"Alex." Brandon addressed him with a measured tone, his gaze locking onto the captive's captivating eyes. "Your father managed to elude us, I would ask you to tell me his next plans but I feel you would not tell me, so I would ask would if your father would be willing to stop this war for you and his men's return."
"My father still does have some brains and he knows the importance of having back his fighting force, so I would say he would," Alex said.
"Good, then I plan to end this war soon and you and all the men will be able to return home," Brandon said.
"I don't know if I would say that this is good." One of Alex's men says.
"Why are you so ready to die in battle, nothing is gained in death," Branon asked.
"We fight for something greater than us, of course, we are ready to die for it." He speaks.
"Care to elaborate on that?" Brandon asks.
The man looks towards Alex who seems to only look at his man before turning to Brandon.
"We work to return our house into better order, return it to what it should be," Alex says. "My father has brought our house to the lowest it has been since its creation by my great grandfather. He lives in delusion that the world looks down on him and that he needs to prove that he is great like his father, despite no one saying so. He surrounds himself in possession and looks down on everyone for being lesser than him. I will change that for my house." He says as he bared into Brandon.
"Interesting. Well, if what you say is true then I wish for your success, you are an interesting man Alex, and I can easily see that you are different from him. It might be odd for your captor to say this but if you wish help in your success then feel free to ask. I have no interest or want of wars, just the betterment and unification of the North." Brandon says leaving Alex with a curious expression.
Brandon returned to his tent and called Halvar to send word to the Amber King and the end of this war.
/
The return message was quick. The terms were set, and a deal was struck, in exchange for the release of his son Alex Amber and the captured soldiers, the Amber King agreed to cede a portion of his lands and provide provisions to Brandon's forces.
With the agreement settled, Brandon secured new territories across the White Knife River, expanding the influence of his domain. The spoils of war, gathered from the defeated Amber forces, became a boon for Winter King's army and house.
As the news of the successful negotiation spread through the ranks, cheers rang out for the end of a quick and easy battle and the good look that many of the men had gathered. The prisoners, once confined, were released, and a subdued cheer resonated in the air. The soldiers, laden with the loot from the battle, prepared for the return home with a victorious stride.
/
"Alex," Brandon said before Alex returned home with his men. "If what you say about your father is true then you have your work cut out for you, but you seem like a good man and a capable warrior, you just need to prove that to everyone. Hopefully, in the future, we can meet as friends rather than warriors opposed." He said strong straight into Alex's eyes.
"Thank you, Brandon," Alex said. "I will succeed in my endeavours, and I think one day we will be friends, I have great respect for you Brandon for all of your achievements and I hope one day we fight on the same side as well." He said as he picked up the rest of his stuff and marched off with the ex-prisoners, back home.
/
The march back to their lands became a triumphant journey, and the joyous atmosphere among the victorious troops echoed them to their homes. The horizon witnessed the Winter King's forces, laden with both spoils and newfound territories, heading home with a sense of achievement and satisfaction in their hearts.