Chapter 346: Preparing the Rear

Aleksander awoke with tired eyes. Trying to reach the side like he usually did, he felt his hands tied up and instantly awoke, fighting to free himself from the restraints. "Stop!" Horace called out from the next room, hearing Aleksander make a fuss, and walked in with a slight limp.

Dragging a seat over, he placed it in front of Aleksander and took a seat. "I thought I was going free," Aleksander said mockingly, making Horace smile. Watching Horace, he could see the man was breathing heavier than the last time they had met. Added to how he walked into the room. "You’re injured." Aleksander smiled, and Horace sighed.

"Yes. Konrad was a tough one. But a small injury was worth it." Horace leaned back and looked at Aleksander. There was no change in expression, but seeing him open and close his mouth showed he didn’t expect the news.

"You killed him." Aleksander looked to the ground and chuckled, "Of course he dies at the hands of an Underwell. He should have let it go."

"Obsession is a dangerous thing." Aleksander could only nod in agreement, "I saw Oskar. He decided siding with the Empire was the right idea."

"You went into the Palace?"

"It was easy. Your security really needs to be improved."

"Snowid took all the best. Left the Palace with the bare minimum." Horace chuckled, grabbing his shoulder in pain afterwards.

"Let’s skip all this. You don’t like me, and I don’t care about you. I offered Oskar a deal to side with the Empire. In return, he had a few demands. One of them was to make sure you and your brother lived. I can’t guarantee the Duke will live. He is a slimy bastard and represents the old guard. But you can live. Only if it is feasible to keep you around."

"I don’t believe it. Oskar wouldn’t..."

"What makes you so sure. The Commonwealth has lost; he is young and still has the chance to inherit a fortune. Finally, his father has taught him to prioritise the family above all else, even his king and kingdom. He is doing his job as future patriarch, that’s all." Aleksander clicked his tongue, knowing that Horace had a point.

"And if I disagree?"

"You will be dealt with. It’s just a case in which if you disagree, Oskar may forget his duties as family head, and if he does that, then he is forcing my hand."

"So bend the knee or have my family slaughtered." Aleksander dryly chuckled, "How long do you think the Empire can work like this. You kill everyone who even thinks of treason. You’re building a society of fear. No, you already have it."

Horace looked at Aleksander like an idiot, "Why does that matter? It’s better to be feared than loved. Besides, only those with power fear the Empire; the common people love it and its Emperor. It’s why you’re scared. The rich and powerful have more to lose when they fall. The Empire is a place that has proven it will take everything. You know it’s not an empty threat."

"Even if I accept, there is no way you will trust me. Eventually, and I would assume soon after the Commonwealth falls, I will end up in an accident or peacefully pass in my sleep. You keep Oskar and deal with an enemy of the Emperor."

Horace landed forward and stared into Aleksander’s eyes. He patted his knee and smiled, "Then I guess I should ask this. Do you want to die a meaningless death now that will ensure your family’s end? Or die later and allow it to live on?"

"You people really are disgusting. No wonder Konrad was obsessed with you." Aleksander turned his head and looked at the wall, his eyes seemingly looking through it into the distance. "Okay. If it means Osakr will live and the Laskas will continue, I’ll join. Fighting anymore is not brave, just stupid; the Commonwealth is gone. We all knew it." Aleksander looked back at Horace, "Just know if you do try to do something to my family whilst I live, I will rain hell onto the Empire. I still have sway here and abroad even if I’m not connected to a king anymore."

"Of course. A mutual partnership." Horace leaned back and clapped his hands. Getting up, Aleksander tried to move.

"Can I be untied?"

"I’m not stupid." Horace shook his head and walked out. Halfdan walked in with a bowl of porridge and some water. Sitting before Aleksander, he slowly fed him.

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William stood at a crossroads with his men. Half the army had left to head north and assist Alfred, leaving him to protect the flank. Looking around, he sighed. It wasn’t a great place to hold. No natural terrain to give an advantage and no preexisting fortifications to use. Any battle that would happen would be pitched.

Whilst he favoured him and his men in any pitched battle, the Church wasn’t a weak force; it was equally skilled and better equipped than his own people. His soldiers quickly worked on creating small fortifications. Spike walls, makeshift towers and anything that could give a small advantage.

"General." One of his commanders came over, "We have received a report. The Enemy forces are gathering. It looks like they are preparing for an attack." William sighed and nodded. His main job this time wasn’t to defeat his enemy but to stall them. Give another time for his marching army to meet up with Alfred’s and lay siege to Tourn. Marcus had volunteered to hold the line, but William couldn’t risk it.

While he was a better leader in defensive warfare, it wasn’t the main reason to protect the rear. Mainly, it was because Marcus wouldn’t accept any retreat. In the slim chance that his forces were routed and needed to retreat, Marcus would hesitate and never call it. He couldn’t risk losing so much of his force in that rare case. Not when they would need the men in the coming years to pacify the newly conquered lands.

"Have the men on high alert for the coming days. I need them to be ready to mobilise at a moment’s notice." The commander saluted and left William alone again to look into the distance.

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"We can’t split our forces. We won’t catch the advancing force, and those who attack the rear guard will be heavily outnumbered." August said coldly to Michael as the two men stood over a map.

"We need to slow them down somehow. You left your King vulnerable by mobilising so late. If the two separate armies meet, Tourn will definitely fall." Michael countered, making August scoff.

"Two things. One, I know this land better than you. Unless we send a force or just cavalry and a small one at that, we will never reach the splintered force as they march. Anything that could reach them would be decimated. Second, King Snowid will be held up in Malbork if forced to retreat. It’s been built to withstand a siege against overwhelming odds."

"So we ignore them. Let your King be surrounded. I don’t doubt Malbork’s defences, but once encircled, they will have no access to food anymore. Starving men can’t hold a position."

"They will have supplies lasting at least four months in there. It shouldn’t take four months to break through the rear guard." August snapped, making Michael click his tongue.

"So we throw everything at the rear guard?" Michael looked at August, who could only nod.

"There’s no way to use any tricks. It’s an open field. And manoeuvring them to flank will take too long. After providing enough time, the rear guard may have fallen back by that point." August slipped his hand through his hair. "How confident are you in facing the Empire in open battle?"

"Don’t worry about the Tempalrs; your forces are the weakest here, remember." August clicked his tongue and turned away. "Do we know who remained behind to lead the rear guard?"

"Flanders." August looked down at his scout’s reports and quickly replied.

"Leadership is about equal, equipment, the Templar have the edge, skill, the Empire and the church are equal, whilst your forces are subpar. They have a slight numbers advantage but lack any heavy cavalry." Michael looked at the map, playing a battle after battle in his mind, "It’s winnable, but not without cost."

"Hire mercanaires from Chent. My lands are on its border." Michael fell into thought. He knew August was asking him to pay for them. The man would never want to pay for anything when the cash cow known as the Church stood before him.

"Do it." Michael finally agreed. His mission was to kill Alfred. Part of him felt like he should have stayed with Snowid and faced Alfred at the bridge, but Michael knew it wasn’t possible. If Alfred died, one of two things would have happened. The Empire would slowly collapse, having lost the man holding it together. Whilst it may have been possible for any other nation, he couldn’t be sure with the Empire.

Alfred was titled a Blessed One. In history, when the Church had put an end to the other Blessed Ones, they were martyred, their death reinforcing the beliefs they had already created within their lands. He needed to dismantle the things Alfred had created around him before even daring to kill him. That meant destroying William and the Ammary military.

"Prepare your people, Mercanaires from Chent will take a while to arrive. We can’t wait that long. We need to put pressure on them to avoid a sudden retreat."

Michael nodded as August left the room. Looking at the map, he played more and more battles in his mind. He had seen the Empire’s fighting style already; it was now just time to find a way to counter and break it.