Chapter 297: William’s Arrival in the South

"Where are we heading now?" Halfdan looked at Horace, who was breathing heavier than usual. Taking his wig off, he clicked his tongue and looked back at the Piast manor.

"Idiot. Why didn’t he accept my offer? I just don’t get it?" Halfdan looked at Horace, wondering if it was another mind trick. After seeing him for so long, he recognised Horace as a master at reading people. His not being able to realise what was so easy to understand obviously was a trick. "Oh well. I’ll try Oskar next."

"Are you sure?" Halfdan squinted, "He’s the son of a Duke. If you have to kill him it will be hard to predict what happens next.

"It’s fine." Horace waved off the concern. Taking the small knife on Halfdan’s belt, he picked in between his fingernails, trying to clean all the blood. His eyes focused intensely as if it was more important than anything. The carriage was silent as he did so, and Halfdan had learnt the hard way what interrupting Horace when he looking after himself meant.

After a few minutes, Horace blew the reaming specks of blood but frowned, seeing he couldn’t get it all. "Killing Oskar isn’t an issue." He carried on the conversation as if he never paused, "If he dies, the Commonwealth will simply be thrown into more chaos. Not a big issue. I tired to make it seem like Piasts murder was Snowid’s doing. It all depends on the guards who overheard me how that goes."

Halfdan looked at Horace, grabbed the knife again, and desperately tried to clean his fingernails. He was terrifying to Halfdan, more so than his father. Esmond was a man who could predict to an extent and followed very similar ways he did when it came to dealing with people. He was amazing at his job but someone he could understand.

Horace, on the other hand, felt alien, like Helga, like Alfred. Even Helga didn’t make him feel scared. She was insane but manageable if you knew how to please her ego. Horace was different. He knew how to break and control people without violence. He hid his true self behind the mask of a gentleman when he was one the greatest killers he had ever seen. He wondered if he had ever seen his boss’s true face or, even now, it was a mask. It was like he was looking at someone with no identity. Was it why he willingly lowered himself and became a dog for someone else?

Halfdan didn’t dare ask and only watched as Horace frantically tried to clean himself and return to his perfect cover.

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"Your Majesty, a message has arrived." Alfred looked up and held his hand out. Seeing the crest of the Underwells, he smiled slightly and tore it open without hesitation.

’Greeting Your Majesty,

The Laska’s will be mobilising soon. I have confirmed this through Oskar Laska, Duke Laska’s son. I will begin my work in dealing with him shortly. If he can not be of service, I will remove this obstacle for you. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Your Servant, Horace Underwell.’

Alfred smiled and went up, going over to a small torch. Burning the note, he turned to the messenger. "Send word to Duke Henryk and my wife. Tell them the Laska’s are on the move. Also sent word to the South and inform General Flanders." The messenger bowed and quickly left, leaving Alfred alone.

’So that’s why Snowid has stopped his attacks.’ Everything felt like it was falling into place. He thought they stopped because of his arrival, but if reinforcements were coming, it made more sense. ’Dowe attack or wait?’ His finger twitched, thinking what the best step would be to take. Unlike others, Alfred wasn’t a great military commander. He had knowledge of battles from his life on Earth, and he may be able to implement some of the strategies from the greats of his world, but it required the right conditions to make them work.

It was a risk to take a front himself. He knew that. But he had to prove himself. It was one of the curses of being an Emporer. Even if he knew, he had to show others that he was near omniscient. Show that he could handle every problem thrown his way. If that facade fell for a moment, it would leave an opening. A weakness to be exploited.

’I’ll wait for their response. If they attack, then so be it.’ He was happy that he wasn’t the sole decision-maker in times like this. If it failed, he would get the blame, but Henryk and Isra knew war. Their judgement would be a thousand times better than his.

"When will Catherine be ready?" He thought about the duchess’s plan to open a third front. It was risky, but if it worked, the Commonwealth would surely collapse. Getting up, he went over to his small desk and took out a pen and paper. Writing to Catherine, he quickly sealed it up and attached the letter to a messenger bird.

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The march from the Empire to the Southern Island of the Commonwealth was long. William had made sure that his supply line was perfect before he even dared to begin his campaign. Thirty thousand wasn’t a small force, and if even one shipment was delayed, it could destroy everything he worked for.

Looking around, his men quickly got to work setting up camp alongside the Commonwealth rebels and Marcus’s forward force. Adam quickly ran over with a bright smile and saluted William. "General. it’s an honour."

"Where is Marcus?" Looking around, he couldn’t see his second. Adam’s lip twitched as he looked back.

"He is still recovering. He was exhausted and injured in the last battle." Adam turned and led the old warrior deeper into the camp. Looking around, he could see the Ammary troop Marcus had taken with him had greatly shrunken as they surrounded the commander’s tent in the middle. All of them saluted him, full of respect.

"Commander Marcus. General Flander has arrived." Adam opens up the tent. Marcus and William’s eyes met, and forcing himself up, Marcus proudly held his head high and looked at him.

"General. It’s good to see you." William looked him over. The wound across his face wasn’t small, and if it was a few inches to the side, Marcus wouldn’t be in front of him. His body was covered in light wounds, and it was obvious he was still in pain but suppressing it. "Leave us, Adam." Ordering his subordinate, the two were alone in the tent.

"Sit, Marcus. You can barely stand." Marcus smiled and did as told. "What happened?"

"I won," Marcus said confidently. "The southern forces have been dealt with, and those who remain are bogged down in the south or north. Either that or are reserve forces. You should have an easy time claiming the rest of the Island."

William looked at him, and although Marcus was proud of his achievement, he could see it wasn’t without sacrifice. "How many?"

Marcus lowered his head. "Three hundred. As for the rebel force, I don’t know."

"Three hundred good men," William said bitterly. He wasn’t mad at Marcus’s achievement, understanding it was a good trade for the South being secured for a while. "You did well, Marcus, but you are in no condition to continue right now."

"General..."

"No." William stopped him. "This is an order. Rest until you’re healed. I can’t risk losing my second because his pride tells him to fight. Besides, I’m here, which means this front will be won." Marcus could only nod, and William smiled. "Who led them? Did he escape?"

"No. He should be in the camp somewhere. We couldn’t lock him up with the others because he was a noble. Adam should know."

"Good. I want to see this man. To make you look like this, he must be something." Leaving the tent, Adam stood outside waiting. "Where is the enemy leader."

"This way." Adam quickly walked off and led William through the camp. Whilst Marcus had done his best, it was still split between nobles and the common soldier. William frowned at the noticeable difference in luxury between the two but said nothing, knowing it was his problem to deal with now. "He’s in there."

William nodded and looked at the two Ammary guards outside. They opened the tent for him. Looking at the man who was reading with a peaceful look, William couldn’t help but be surprised at how young he was. ’He should be Issac’s age. Maybe younger.’

Kacper quickly stood up and lowered his head. "Greetings, Your Grace."

William took a seat and pointed to the other for Kacper. "So you know who I am."

"Of course. I have read about some of your achievements. I had to learn who my enemies where." Kacper leaned and straightened his back. "So why has the Duke come and seen me?"

William smirked, "You led the southern forces." Kacepr nodded. "You did a number on Marcus. For that, I have to give credit."

"Commander Hardly won in the end. It doesn’t matter."

"You don’t seem bitter about the loss." Kacper smiled, and William shrugged.

"At first, I was. Of course. But at the end of the day, if you think about it. Is it strange I lost? Being a prisoner gave me time to reflect, however. I realised he wanted it more. Your men wanted it more." As he recounted everything, William heard the respect in his voice. "I just wonder why? How do they fight like this? Give their life so easily for a man. An idea. It’s almost beautiful."

"They fight for the Empire. The Empir gave them and their families a new life. The Empire taught their children how to read and write. The Empire prevented them from working in the fields from dawn to noon. But that wasn’t all. They were Marcus’s soldiers. Men who pledge allegiance to the Empire and him. They fight because they know he will fight with them. If he orders them to die for a victory, they will die, knowing the Empire will look after the family they leave behind. If they have none, they will die knowing they let one of their brothers live."

"Is that true, however?" William frowned. "Is the Empire really such a great place? From where I sit, your Emporer is a bloodthirsty conquerer who stops at nothing for his ambition. How could they fight for such a man when he doesn’t care about them."

The tent went silent for a few seconds, broken by William’s light chuckling. "Maybe he doesn’t care. Maybe they know. But so what." It was Kacper’s time to frown. "He still changed their lives. He may not remember their names, but he gave them a reason to fight."

"Why have you come, General?" Kacper asked the question he really wanted to know.

"You see. The Emporer doesn’t really care about titles and those things. He made a slave one of the most powerful people in the Empire. He made a man who betrayed his Kingdom, a mayor of an important city. He likes people two types of people. Those who will bend the knee and those who are skilled."

"You may survive after we take the Commonwealth, but your family will become nothing in it. Maybe it may get wiped out in a few years. Who knows? But I can make sure that doesn’t happen." William leaned forward. "I don’t know exactly how the battle went, but to push Marcus to become like that means you have some skill. So why not join us? Swear fealty to his great Empire and become something."