Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Seems like I was right to mind my own business, Alpheo thought as Shahab passed him the news of the Romelian fleet’s crushing defeat at the hands of the Confederation of the Free Isle.

It was exactly as he had predicted. When the envoys had first arrived, practically begging Yarzat to join Veritia’s grand league and purge the pirates from Harmway—and from the Southern Sea entirely—many in his court had clamored for action. To stand with the old powers.

To rid the world of the scourge of the sea.

Alpheo had done the opposite.The choice had been his, after all. The fleet and the army did not move without his command. The reputation of a warrior prince had its benefits—when he spoke, soldiers listened.

Officers listened.

Even the highest lords knew that while Jasmine may have carried the blood of the throne, no sword was drawn and no ship set sail without Alpheo’s word.Both Jasmine and Shahab had tried to sway him. Their hatred for the sea rats burned deep, and was the hands that steered the ship towards its destination.

But Alpheo saw what they did not—the advantage of claiming neutrality. as there were gains to be had on whoever won or lost. And now, the outcome was clear. The mighty Imperial fleet was gone, shattered beneath the waves. Harmway belonged to the Confederation. The Southern Sea was theirs.

And Alpheo, once again, had been right.

Jasmine crossed her arms, her brow furrowed as she let out a frustrated sigh. ”I still believe that if we had joined Veritia, with our fleet added to theirs, we could have turned the tide of battle.” Her voice was firm, unwavering.

Behind her, Shahab gave a small nod of agreement, though he said nothing. His stance alone made his thoughts clear—he, too, had believed in the fight against the pirates.

Alpheo leaned back in his chair, fingers idly tapping against the wooden armrest. ”Perhaps,” he admitted, his tone almost dismissive. ”But it would have been a risk—a risk not worth taking. The rewards Veritia offered us were scraps compared to what we would have sacrificed. We would have spent our men, and our ships on a gamble, and for what? To fight a war that brought us no tangible benefit?”

Jasmine’s furrow deepened. ”And now look at what’s happened,” she shot back. ”The Empire has lost its grip on the sea. There is no power left to challenge the Confederation. You think we avoided war? You’ve just ensured that our coasts will be plagued by pirates for years to come.”

A flicker of amusement danced in Alpheo’s eyes, though he masked it well. He had expected this argument.

But that did not mean she was wrong.

What she said was true with them gone; there was no power that could stop them now , at least yet....

Alpheo exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple as he regarded his wife. ”Regrettable? Perhaps. But not truly a problem for us. We have a fleet patrolling our coast. Do you think any pirate captain worth his salt would be foolish enough to test us?” He shook his head. ”No, they’ll steer clear. There are far easier, softer targets than us—ports with little less than wooden palisades and fishing boats to defend them.”

Jasmine didn’t look convinced. Her arms remained crossed, her sharp gaze still locked onto him. ”And how much do we pay to maintain this fleet of ours?”

Alpheo let out a sigh, tilting his head back as if the ceiling might hold the answer. ”Three thousand silverii a month,” he admitted.

Jasmine scoffed. ”Three thousand silverii. And yet, we’ve had occasion to use it.”

Alpheo smirked. ”And yet, we can afford it with our trade income alone. A small price for security, I would say.”

Shahab, who had remained silent up until now, finally cleared his throat. ”Perhaps. But we may have another problem,” he said. ”Our allies might not see things the same way. What you did—standing aside—it could be seen as a betrayal of sorts. We may not have joined the Confederation, but we did not aid Veritia either. That might not sit well with them.Aren’t we allies with the empire?”

Alpheo snorted, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. ”Allies?” He spread his hands, his expression almost amused. ”We have no alliance, Shahab. We trade with them, nothing more. A relationship of convenience. The only commitment we ever made was a simple courtesy—an understanding that we may ask for each other’s help if needed.” He let his hand fall to his side and scoffed. ”Tell me—when did they ever beg for it?Did they drop on their knees, asking for our help?”

Shahab exhaled deeply, rubbing his chin as he leaned back. He knew very well that what Alpheo was saying was true. Veritia would never have asked for help outright, let alone begged for it. It was unthinkable.

He could only wonder what words would come from their envoys now, with the sea lost to them.It could cause them troubles

As the conversation lingered in silence, a voice finally rose from the corner of the room. ”I agree with Alpheo.”

All eyes turned to Jarza, who until now had remained quiet. But that was nothing new—he, Egil, and Asag rarely spoke unless the discussion turned to war, where their knowledge was unmatched. Jarza, the eldest of the three, was a man of few words, and when he did speak, it was with the certainty of a soldier who knew his own strengths and weaknesses.

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall, his voice calm yet firm. ”Now that we know the outcome, it is clear this was the right choice. Our officers and soldiers have fought in many battles, and there are few on the continent who could match them in battle. But that is on land.” His dark eyes swept over the room. ”At sea, we are little more than babes.”

Jasmine, clicked her tongue. ”And how do you expect to gain experience without trying?”

Jarza only shrugged, seemingly unbothered. ”Perhaps your grace. But this was not the fight to learn in.”

Alpheo, rather than responding, simply turned to Jarza and gave him a look of gratitude. He had expected resistance from all sides, yet at least one among them had backed his decision openly. He might have been able to outmaneuver Jasmine and Shahab with words, but having another voice of support—even a simple and practical one—was a relief. It was a rare thing to be validated in matters of state by men who preferred the battlefield.

He allowed himself a small smirk as he leaned back in his chair. ”At least someone here has some sense.” Alpheo’s smirk deepened as he leaned forward, tapping a finger against the wooden table. ”It seems also,” he said, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction, ”that we’ve just found a solution to our lack of experience.”

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, while Shahab watched him carefully, waiting for an explanation.

Alpheo exhaled through his nose, as if amused they hadn’t already come to the same conclusion. ”The Confederation’s victory wasn’t just over ships. They now have thousands of slaves in their hands—men who lived their lives on the sea, fought on it, died on it. Captains, though those will pay their ransom on their own, helmsmen, deckhands, navigators.” He spread his hands as if presenting something obvious. ”And the sheer number of them means that prices will be low. Far too many mouths to feed, far too many to keep shackled. They will sell them, and they will sell them cheaply.”

Jasmine’s expression shifted slightly, realization dawning. ”You’re saying we should buy them?”

Alpheo nodded. ”With a handful of coin, we can have men who know the sea better than we ever could. They will teach our sailors how to properly move a ship, how to fight on water, how to master the tides and the winds.” He opened his hand and gestured lightly. ”And all of it without risking a single ship of our own. No wasted men, no lost armaments, no reckless gambles. Just a simple exchange—silver for knowledge.”

He sat back, letting the weight of his words settle. ”We don’t need to learn from our own mistakes. We can learn from theirs.”

Shahab crossed his arms, skepticism clear on his face. ”And how exactly do you think we’ll even approach them?” he asked. ”Any ship sailing toward their ports with coin will be pillaged before it even reaches the shore.”

Alpheo scoffed, shaking his head. ”Pirates may be thieves, but they’re not fools. They need someone to buy what they take—especially the things that aren’t silver or gold. Fine silks, spices, dyes, weapons—those don’t turn into coin on their own.” He leaned back, stretching his arms. ”And there are men in Yarzat who deal with them.”

Asag, who had been silent for most of the conversation, let out a dry chuckle. ”So you’d trust these merchants—men who already work with pirates—to handle thousands of silverii for us?” His grin was sharp. ”And you just hope they don’t set sail with it themselves?”

Alpheo only shrugged, unconcerned. ”They must have families, don’t they?” His tone was light, almost amused. ”And men with families always have a home to return to...”