Counterattack, Prologue and Chapter 1

  

Western Anuire, Erntenir 1585 H.C (Haelyn's Count), Reign of Emperor Kendar Kalien the I

Imperial Side:

1. Lord Mourde Daelor, Commander of the 1st Avanese Horse Company, Marshal of the Offensive , often reffered to as General of the armies.
2. Lord Agelmore Taliern, Lord of Glocaester, Captain of the Imperial Heavy Cavalry.
3. Jarod Thalles, the Pirate, Commander of the Mieran Mercenaries.
4. Slevan Klingea, former Captain of the Five Star mercenary company. Captain of the Mieran Cavalry.

Boeruinean Side:

1. Commander William Noeld, Captain of the Archducal Guard, Right Hand of the Archduke Boeruine.
2. Alexander Katleaf, Seargent of the Archducal Guard
3. Lord Endre Reanlien, Lord of Caelwyn

Prologue:

If there was one thing halting the Boeruinean advance into the Heartland, it was the reformed Anuirean Empire;  the brightest remnant of the once great Anuirean Empire. The Boeruineans had a sound foothold in the Bindier and Coere Regions, but the angry majority of the populations made it no easy task for the militias to maintain public order.

Bindier had faced many strikes and riots, while Coere had already suffered two revolts, both of which resulted in widespread crop devastation and created an opportunity for the Imperial forces along the borders. Though both revolts had been crushed, they left the surviving forces based in Coere diminished and low on morale. The Imperial Leader, Lord Mourde Daelor, seized the moment to strike, and marched his forces west in order to lay siege to Nicaea. His army was 3,000 men strong, consisting mainly of Spearmen, Peasant Archers, Cavalrymen, and his General Bodyguard. Once Daelor's army crossed the border, word had already reached the officer in charge of Coere's defending Captain Noeld.

Captain Noeld had only led the Coere town militia once against the second revolt following the death of the late Captain Daeron, son of Lord Anders, during against the first revolt. Defeating an angry mob was one thing, but defeating a fully armed Imperial army led by its General was a completely different matter. Reinforcements could not be available either because the Boeruinean armies were fighting against the revolting forces at Bindier. Captain Noeld was in command of several Town Militia, Peasant Archers, and a unit of Boeruinean Infantry which acted as the commanding unit of the garrison. Nicaea's defence was only 1,000 strong, and did not nearly had as much battle experience as the Imperial  forces. The Imperial army was expected to be outside the town wall by the end of the month, but they had sent a small emissary ahead to demand the town's complete and unconditional surrender.

Chapter One:

William let his eyes roll along the vast plains as he strolled along the wooden wall of the settlement. He watched the Boeruinean emissary ride across the outlying field, two cavalrymen on either side. They slowly grew from small black specks in the sun-scorched grass to normal size as they approached the gate. William called the guard to open it, and made his way to the staircase. He began to feel his heart pound against his chest as his anxiety grew. He even felt his temples throbbing when he the bottom of the stairway and made his way outside the gatehouse to greet the emissary.

The emissary had already dismounted from his horse. It was black and grand looking, like the man who was now approaching him.

"A fine looking horse." William said politely.

The emissary stopped and looked back at his steed before replying,

"It is a Basarji horse. I purchased it from the grand bazaar in the Imperial City."

William pondered for a moment. This man was definitely not of Anuirean blood, nor did he look Khinasi. From the skin colour William guessed he may have been of Coeranyean origin, or some other tribe beyond the swamp plains of the Eastern Empire.

"Am I correct in thinking that you are the commanding officer here?" the emissary inquired in a slightly impatient tone.

"I am." William replied. "William Noeld of Seaharrow." he added.

The emissary eyed him down meticulously, scanning his posture and attire. William knew he didn't look much of a commanding officer in his nearly torn chain-mail armour, then again, it was not uncommon for a Boeruinean birth to have such a status.

"I see." the emissary said finally, "In that case, my Lord wishes for me to tell you that he has graciously offered you all a chance to surrender."

By this time, the soldiers that had all gathered around William and the emissary began to murmur and whisper amongst one another. All eyes were on William; awaited his response uneasily. William thought about his next words carefully.

"Is the mighty Lord willing to accept our terms?" he asked.

The emissary could not help but scoff at the captain's question:

"I am afraid that your surrender is to be unconditional." he answered.

The murmurs grew louder and even more uneasy.

William then said, "Then I am afraid that surrender will not be possible."

Gasps of disbelief erupted from the surrounding soldiers. They could only think that the captain had just signed their death wishes. Shouts of anger came from all directions.

Abuse was aimed at both William and the emissary.

"Who the hell put you in charge of us anyway, Boeruinean?" another bellowed.

The emissary smirked and spoke above the shouts of offensiveness.

"It appears that your fellow soldiers disagree with your decision."

William remained calm under the pressure that was bearing down on him. He smiled and repeated his last words;

"Surrender will not be possible."

The emissary grew annoyed at William' stubbornness. His lips went thin with impatience and his hands clenched into fists. The shouting had died down now; everyone was once again listening in on the conversation.

"My wise Lord expected such a foolish reply." he said sternly, "As a result, he told me to tell you that if he is victorious, you will all be his slaves until the day you die, and will make an example of you all for the rest to come! You will all wish you had never been born.”

The surrounding area went deathly quiet. William took a step towards the emissary, but a lance stretched in front of him, blocked his path. The emissary raised hand, and the cavalry man backed away. William never took his eyes off the emissary. He took several more steps until he was right in front of him. There was a long as William began to think to himself. He thought of the Boeruinean history and how they fought and lived. How the soldiers responded to orders and threats of attack. Then he remembered the famous response his dear friend gave many years ago to the Prince of the Empire threat of invasion. William leaned over the emissary's shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Nobody heard it; only the emissary who, in turn, proceeded to walk towards his horse with a new found mixture of uncertainty and disbelief on his soldiers noticed the change in the emissary's stance. It looked as if he had just been slapped across the face. Even his guards looked taken aback by the emissary's change.

The emissary never said a word from the time William had whispered in his ear to when he rode out of the town gates with his bodyguard. As the soldiers watched ride off into the distance, one of them asked the captain,

"What did you say to him?" Alexander shoved a couple of mean aside taking his place next to his commanding officer amongst the crowd.

William didn't look away. He just continued to gaze out into the fields.

"I gave him a short response." he told him.

Alexander looked at him in disbelief.

"What does that even mean?” He asked.

"A concise statement." William said, "Do you recall what the emissary told me after I refused to surrender?"

Alexander was known to be quick and hasty in response and did not take long to answer that question.

"Of course! He said that if they beat us, they will make us wish we were all dead men."

"Precisely." the captain said. Making Alexander was still confused.

"So?" he asked, "What did you say to him?" William finally turned, looked the soldier in the eyes, and said,

"If."