Tale of Four

”We have received word from King Anton.” Jacob held the letter for Issac. Snatching the letter, Isaac stared at the paper, his lips curling a little on his aloof face.

”I’m glad his majesty sees the benefits in my cause.” Issac held the paper between his fingers. The inferno ever present in his eyes flashed as the flames danced. From his fingers, a white fire formed, turning the letter into ash. Blowing the ash away, he wiped his ash-stained hands on his trousers to clean them. ”His Majesty has sent word of Lord Hilpply’s position. Call the commanders; there is more we need to discuss.” Jacob nodded and bowed before rushing off. Calmly walking foward, Isaac rubbed the back of the chair at the head of the table before unfolding the map across the table. Carefully placing chess pieces on the map, he smiled to himself before taking a seat. After five minutes, numerous men returned and began taking seats around the table.

Issac stared at the men, his face firm and cold, aloof, yet a stark contrast to his eyes that burnt with the ferocity of the sun. ”The King has sent word. He plans to secure the Crownlands completely, and eagerly expects my plan to work.” Isaac stared at the map. ”The Waterway has been crossed.” His voice turned sombre. ”The Hilllands are under siege.” Thinking of his home and not being the one to protect it, Issac couldn’t help but grit his teeth. Not wishing to let emotion cloud his judgment, he took a deep breath and carried on, ”Whilst the Waterway will be heavily protected, it means the majority of their forces will have begun their assault. The King will make his move. He has left his current position and will take the Waterway.”

The room erupted into excitement as they thought of Anton. If they were told anyone else was leading the siege, they would have been hesitant, but there was complete trust in Anton. One man, however, didn’t share their excitement. ”My Lord.” Lord Alfie Truman, spoke, ”If the King is leading the assault on the Waterway, who is taking charge of the Clover front. I understand the Clovers are fighting their own rebellion, but it will be crushed; I have no doubt about that.” The room nodded in agreement. Even with trust in Anton they one he couldnt be everywhere.

”Lord Bundy’s brother is taking charge. Alongside him, the Princess will join him. That way there is at least Cosmaton power to assist the defence. The King has decided that the Waterway takes the lead, especially considering Cleeve has been spotted again.”

”Prince Cleeve?” Jacob said in shock. ”Is there a need to worry?”

”He has taken command of the Waterway.” Issac said in a low voice, ”The King has decided that he cannot allow Prince Cleeve to fortify the Waterway and prepare a force to assault the Cornwlands.”

”Prince Cleeve.” Another man said, a large man whose bulging body looked ready to burst out of his armour. Lord Nester chuckled in recognition, ”He is a painfully annoying man to face in a siege. Stubborn as a bull with the ability to actually hold the fort.” Lord Nester sighed and reached into his pouch. Pulling a small cube of sugar out, he popped it into his mouth and played with it between his tongue. ”No one doubts the King’s ability to win a battle, but a siege is another beast. If it was Lord Bunker, I could see him taking it, after all that fucker is as stubborn as Cleeve but a master at siege warfare.” Swallowing the sugar cube, he clicked his tongue, ”I do not know the King’s ability at siege warfare.”

”Make no mistake, my Lord.” Another man, much older, with a bald patch at the top of his head and grey hair along the sides, spoke, his eyes sharp. ”I mean no disrespect when I say this, but a young lad such as yourself doesn’t understand what truly happened on those hills.” Lord Hunt looked up with a nostalgic gaze. Pulling up his sleeve, he showed a scar he carved into his skin: two very poor-quality swords crossed over one another. ”The Silent Hills was a siege in its own right, just one on natural terrain rather than behind stone walls. A much different and harder beast than the Waterway.”

”Holding and attacking are different, my lord.” Lord Nester replied, ”I speak with respect, but I hope you are not clouded by nostalgia when you say this.” Lord Hunt took no disrespect and stroked his self-inflicted scars with pride.

”Maybe, but my friend, let me put this clearly.” Lord Hunt pulled his sleeve down and leaned foward, ”Before him, war is a triviality. We sit here, debate and plan. We must carefully look at every strategy and plan accordingly, and even then we may fail. Put this into perspective. If I tasked you to hold the Silent Hills when thousands of Desert warriors stormed it, could you? How many men would you need, and for how long could you?”

Lord Nester frowned, ”The Silent Hills was different. The Waterway is one of the best fortresses in the Kingdom, both in terms of natural terrain and the fortress itself. Added to that, Cleeve Cosmaton, and it is a wall that may never fall. The Silent Hills allowed you to hide and attack.”

”You never answered me.” Lord Hunt replied. Lord Nester rolled his eyes.

”Hundreds, and even then I doubt I could hold it.” Lord Hunt chuckled.

”Then do not question if he can do it. He held those Hills, cut off from supplies, vastly outnumbered. You say Cleeve is stubborn; there is no man more steadfast than the king himself. When rations were low, and retreat would be what most men would do, he held the line. When we ate the horses, he refused to eat so others could. When we ate the grass after the horses were gone, just to feel like we were eating, he would not. When we drank blood and dirty water just to satiate our thirst, he did not. He did this all becuase he was forcing us to stay behind with him. And we did so, with a smile.” Lord Hunt slammed his fist on the table; the ferocity in his voice directed towards Lord Nester made the man flinch.

”Starved, dehydrated, covered in blood and shit, and grime, he didn’t flinch, he didn’t move, he didn’t cry in anguish about how unfair it was. He stayed calm, bound by his duty. He was ordered to stop the Desert and did so, even if it meant death. He thought clearly, and realised how to break them before they could break him and won the battle.” Lord Hunt pointed a finger, ”Do not question if he can do it or not; there is only one answer. He will, becuase to him, it is his duty.”

”Lord Hunt.” Isaac’s voice cut through the man’s anger, ”We are getting off topic. I appreciate your passionate speech about the King, but right now we have matters to discuss.” Lord Hunt glared at Lord Nester for a few seconds longer before turning to Issac and bowing his head. ”The King will take the waterway; Mabel Cosmaton will assist Kevin Bundy. Our job is to stop the Artlands assault. From what I discovered, it is being led by Lord Duskin.”

Issac smiled, ”Although the Artlands are pathetic warriors, that is not the same for House Duskin; they are the sole military mind in that cowardly region and therefore need to be treated as such.” The table nodded. ”It is great you brought up the King, for I believe the victory condition is a single one. Cut the head off the snake. If Lord Duskin falls, then the Artlands loses its greatest asset in war.” Looking at the map, Issac began moving pieces. Grabbing the white pieces representing Brandon’s forces, he pulled them across the Clearstream River.

”We lure them in. I will send word to Lord Hipply. He must cross the Clearstream from further back and flank around. If we drag Lord Duskin and the bulk of his forces across, we can trap them.” Issac smiled, knocking over the white piece. ”When Lord Duskin falls, we retake the rest of the Cronwlands. The Blackwell forces have begun their assault on the White Fort, according to reports, which means reinforcements will be delayed. We have a short window, and everything must be done before the CLovers have time to begin a full offensive.”

”In that case, my Lord. How long?” Lord Hunt asked. Issac closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

”Three months at best. But we must be done within two.” Isaac said and rose. ”I shall lead from the front. In the event I fall in battle, Lord Hunt, you are to take command from me.” Lord Hunt slammed a fist on his chest and bowed. ”Gentleman, I must not say how vital success is.”