“We’re guiding the troops and should be there in another half an hour. The duke wishes to know about the enemy battalion’s current condition, my king.” It was Isa.

“Nothing has changed. They are still stuck trying to save their comrades. I’ll inform you if anything changes.”

“Understood, my king.”

Did she think I wouldn’t notice her phrasing, well; regardless, I didn’t care. It had nothing to do with me. None at all—

Who could help power?

Half an hour later Isa spoke anew. “My king, we are a quarter of a league away. The duke wishes to see you.”

Shaking my wings awake, I scattered the bed of leaves on which I was lying. Looking back down to the carnage. I found that the battalion had rescued more than three quarters of their men, but most who had been taken out of the hole now had their arms in slings or their ankles and knees wrapped between branches.

They were in no state to fight. Hopefully, they would surrender and the count would realize that this battle and war was hopeless.

Sighing, I beat my wings and slowly ascended from the tree. I believe the soldiers saw me, however, so tired and desperate they were, they didn’t dare point me out in hopes that they wouldn’t be noticed. They were like deer. Humans were like deer.

#

“You’re back!” Landing between two rows of men, the duke greeted me with a large smile. “You decimated half a battalion?” Although he had a large smile, he had large red eye bags and his beard stubble had begun to resemble a patchy beard.

“I wouldn’t say decimated, I was focused on slowing them down mainly. There aren’t a lot of deaths, but many are injured. They’re still trying to recover the men who were trapped in the hole.”

“Hahaha, so they have a lot of injuries. No, that’s good Gregoire, that’s better.”

Better than deaths, I agree—

“They can’t leave the injured behind so it slows them down more. If you had only killed half the battalion, then the others would have continued ran off to the other battalions…”

I couldn’t keep listening to him. What was he talking about? So, he means to tell me that in maiming them I did more harm than death?

“And it also reduces their animosity towards us. If a third of their forces are routed, then winning shouldn’t be difficult. You’ve saved my ass this time. This was the hardest one. The next wars should only be easier now.”

Next wars?

“Yes, it’s not like I want to, but I’m hearing that the King of Brittany wants to do a little invasion. He thinks we’ll be too weak to defend ourselves after this incursion.”

“But, aren’t we under the protection of the king?” After this we should have focused on building up Normandie, more wars wasn’t what I wanted … at least not right now.

“The king of Britanny has paid tribute to the crown for the past decade, and is doing so even now, even though the new king is weak.

On the other hand, the crown is focused on retaining and regaining their power, they do not have the political power to deal with Britanny, especially since we’re the crown’s most independent vassal. In their eyes, this is probably a good thing as it weakens one of their strongest vassals.” Frederick grinned.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Well, I didn’t know much off the kingdom’s political situation. “But, if we win this war without losing men, wouldn’t the king of Britanny reconsider his actions?” I asked. If I had to push my gargoyles and myself a few more times to avoid another conflict, I would do it.

But the duke shook his head. “Unfortunately not, the old king is stubborn and he has already begun calling up his men. To disband them, even if we came out of this conflict more powerful than before, would be an assassination of his image. He cannot afford that at his age.”

God, the pride of the nobility was disgusting. “I understand.” But still, I would do my best to save as many people as I could.

“Anyhow, lead us there Gregoire.” The duke tapped me on my chest and I could only tell because my sight caught the action.

Humans were less than deer.

#

It did not take long to reach the decimated battalion. “Tell the duke that he will be able to see the enemy any moment now.”

“Yes, he says that a few of his scouts have spotted them. He is in the process of reorganizing his troops.”

Setting myself in the same tree as earlier. I waited.

And soon enough, when looking down, both the duke’s army, and the battalion were in the same frame.

I suppose it was because of their general exhaustion. But the enemy seemed to have just realized that the duke’s army was on their tail as some of their men were running about to the scattered groups pointing towards the approaching army.

I could not see their expression from here, but their lack of movement told me they had had enough.

And sure enough, when a messenger approached them atop a brown palfrey, their commander put their palms to the sky in surrender.

He was not crazy enough to fight an army thrice his size, well equipped, and well rested, when his men were; if not dead, dead of exhaustion.

But now? If they had surrendered, but remained alive. Would they need to be taken captive? How?

Jumping down the tree, I glided down next to the duke. He was in the back of the formation alongside Isa, Bale, Réel, and the rest.

“My lord,” I said.

Instantly I felt Isa’s stare pierce through me. Glancing over, her hands were strained, and her stone claws straightened, ready to stab either myself or the duke. And on the other hand, Damien had his hand on his sword’s pummel. Although he did not exude the same sense of dread and fury as Isa, he was no doubt much stronger than her.

The best would be to ignore it this time. I’d need to find another way of addressing the duke when Isa was there. Or easier would be to have her always be off on a mission.

Anyhow, I continued my question, “How are you going to deal with all these people? You can’t take this many prisoners, can you?”

“No, but you’re here, no.” He smiled.

“Me?” What did he mean by that?

“Lead them away, I heard that the count is heading here. If he sees that his men are capable of causing chaos behind our lines, he might not bend the knee.”

“But I only have ten gargoyles, we can’t keep an eye on all of them.”

“But they are the ten that did this to them. Just believe me. Lead them towards Le Mans. They’re less likely to rebel, after all I’m sure they’d love a warm bath and a healer.”

Bowing slightly, I called over everyone and flew over to the captives.

“Men of Maine, the duke has decided that you are to be sent back to Le Mans,” I tried my best to speak as a general would, but the vocabulary or something else wasn’t there. Thankfully, the irony grate of my voice and the fact I was the gargoyle who put them in this situation helped.

As I spoke their faces turned blue, and many who were nearly unconscious sat up, forgetting the pain that had them lying down.

“We’re leaving now, so get up and start moving.” And as I finished talking Isa, Réel, and Bale landed nearby.

The captured soldier didn’t speak up, but they didn’t move either, until finally, one of them stood up.

“May … may I speak.” It was a young man, perhaps even a boy. He had dirty blonde hair and grey eyes, and a terribly crooked nose.

“What is it?”

“Half of our men can’t walk. And those of us who can walk aren’t enough to carry them all…” His words petered out towards the end.

Looking around, it was true that many had their legs wrapped against a piece of wood or other support. But we didn’t have a choice. “Then choose who to take. Choose who will stay.” With those words most took a downcast expression. I didn’t know how they couldn’t see that this was for the best. If they stayed and a battle broke out, they would die first. Why was everyone so stupid?

The boy’s mouth fluttered. He wanted to add something, but eventually, another, older soldier pulled him down.

Repeating myself one last time, I said, “Choose who stays, choose who you will carry. You have two minutes before we depart. If by that time you do not start moving, I will have to bury you once again, and this time I won’t give you time to climb out.”