>
> ‘There are two ways to get a deal done in order to dig yourself out of a pool of deep shit, without losing your head or drown in it. Wit small variations. The first requires to keep yer cards firmly in fist -tighter than how yer beating yer cock and reveal nothing. Allow the grown ups to find common ground on how to divide various properties. Say take back what you gave as dowry plus something along the desert coast where lords sleep with them fat flies near their mouths dreaming of plump goat cunts. Play the long game and avoid opening yet another front for no reason. Offer something a weary sane man or a family-first guy will be willing to give up to avoid further bloodshed. The kiss and make up solution. They are brothers so they could even share them wives to solidify the deal. I would!
>
> Now, don’t get all defensive, yer sister would go along with it. Bunch of sentimental fools. Heed this old Crow's words! Women love a good railing and a coin in hand son, worth’s more than a treasure fought over till yer six feet in the ground, worms eating yer other eye. Ha-hah! Anyways, ye need character for that though. Those with more water than sperm in their scrotums will look to find a shortcut to hide their blunders or crimes and toss the uncomfortable blame on those that can speak for themselves no more. He-he. Don’t you get it? Like dead folk! This is the feast of Oras descending upon us, ayup. A man’s true colors reveal themselves in triumph and all that crap but sneaky folks’ loyalties tend to waver when they smell defeat or doom. Why, no different than fucking rats on a sinking ship!’
>
> -
>
>
>
>
>
> Lord Ruud De Weer, second of his name, (born in the summer of 111? NC and ruling Scaldingport since the distant 138 NC, taking over from Duke Gust the first) in conversation with Sir Rik, third of his name, his second (legitimate) son, about the developments in Regia’s Succession War. Recorded ‘unofficially’ during early summer of 193 NC by an eavesdropping court’s servant, during the ancient Grand Duke’s visit to see his grandchildren in the desert coastal city of Sabretooth. Lord Ruud stayed for the whole week in order to celebrate his eighty second? named year ‘wit them desert wenches’ as he was officially quoted saying by the Baron’s scribes.
>
>
>
>
>
> */ or 113 NC according to some sources.
>
>
----------------------------------------
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Lucius Alden,
‘Bloody Tiger’
Lord Lucius Aldenus the third,
Praetor Maximus,
King Lucius III
Lorian Plains | A dead tiger
Part I
-The kind ye don’t come back from-
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
-
> Lord Scylla tried to march out of the city but he was harassed by ‘Half-ear’ Pike’s Rangers and Sextus Mellitus 2nd Century of the 4th Cohort, who Quintus Gratian had guarding the city center.
>
> Scylla managed to communicate with Cad Seneca who had taken over the battered Alden and Royal guard troops outside Islandport. Commander Seneca’s younger brother, third son of the elderly Earl of Vinterfort Vel Seneca (Scylla’s vassal) briefed his man the morning of the 16th and Scylla learned of his son’s (Sir Sylvan) demise along the worrying developments. The grief-stricken Baron dispatched Davos Scylla his cousin and Shield to the Dazzling Opossum with a few trusted men in order to warn King Jeremy of a potential catastrophe. Davos also carried a message for his wife and younger son Fabio who were in Sabretooth in case he didn’t make it.
>
> It is disputed whether the Baron had lost heart in his grief and the overall deteriorating situation or had preemptively tried to protect the stripped of the four platoons of guards that had come with him from Alden young King.
>
> What everyone agrees on today is that the Master of Silence Marc Laudus was the first to be informed about a potential defeat through spies inside Ligur’s headquarters. Ligur had learned of the disastrous defeats of his cavalry wings that had led to the demise of Sir Sylvan and Optio Sorio. With Trifer killed earlier the previous day Ligur kept Slaurus near the road and his center but faced dwindling supplies without the artillery camp near the city.
>
> Regulus, who had managed to retreat his east wing during the night abandoning the slingers in Worm Lake to stall Sorex and had ordered Centurion Crito’s Century to hold the gap for as long as he could against Falx, took positions with the remaining two Centuries of the 2nd Cohort on Ligur’s now shorter east flank. During the late night war meeting Regulus advised a general retreat while Seneca still controlled the road. The idea was to regroup at Tenor or even defend at Aldenfort. Ligur admonished his experienced officer for ‘defeatist talk in the open’ while the battle was still unfolding and ordered him to defend east flank while coordinating with Seneca who was overwhelmed trying to fix the mess Dirk’s attack had caused. Betto was to hold the west flank with help from Glycia since Lucius had no cavalry left to maneuver there.
>
> According to one of Regulus’ aides, probably serving as the 2nd Cohort’s scribe, who was present in the meeting, after everyone was dismissed Ligur admitted to his close friend Memon that they needed to prepare for the worst. ‘We shall do our outmost and give the King the time to seek another solution if it’s available. An army can only fight for so long taking casualties. We cause Lucius enough damage here to make him stop for six months or a year and Scaldingport might have another Duke on the throne with the blessings of the Queen of Kaltha.’
>
> While the aide returned near Regulus, Ligur’s words were overheard by one of Laudus’ agents who didn’t stay in First Legion’s headquarters for much longer. The man rode immediately for Dazzling Opossum, ahead of Davos and Sir Rik De Weer.
>
> Inside East Coast Woods an ailing Legatus Sula, who had been informed of III Legio’s presence near Islandport (Lucius orders gave him carte blanche but called for action) and the developments in the city by Dirk Curd himself, quickly formulated a plan for a three pronged attack by all split commands the coming day.
>
> After dismissing Dirk’s initial cautious plan for part of O’ Leary’s regulars to hold the road of retreat as a ‘pile of crap since we ain’t gonna retreat no more’, he messaged Gratian (Prefect Rufius Valens had been evacuated seriously injured) to coordinate with Centurion Glean Lale (IICH, 2nd Century’s officer from Kas had taken over command of the mauled 2nd Cohort instead of injured Opiter Carbo that had also been moved to the hospital) for an assault against Cad Seneca’s force while he assisted O’ Leary and Ludolf smash Lord Scylla’s trapped soldiers. O’ Leary was to attack from the west and Gratian to attack south out of the city towards the road.
>
> The rest of the Cohorts (the III and I under Chad and Surinas respectively), Marlene’s Brutes and Willard’s Clan warriors under Dirk Curd were to join for an attack against the older Seneca. (Around seventy Nords but a dozen of them were ‘giants’ which isn’t that far from the truth. No one reached Layton’s height though.)
>
> Boston’s machine crews were placed under Prefect Jacobred (around two hundred men issued spears, swords or any other weapon available) and were all to march out of the coastal forest ‘even on one foot,’ as Sula passionately expounded, ‘and hit those desert bastards so hard they’ll shit themselves and run back to their mothers!’
>
> The ailing Sula (he was to collapse after the attack but miraculously survive after losing twenty kilos from severe dysentery) with the limping Prefect Dumont in typical manner marched alongside the legionnaires of the 4th Legion.
>
>
-
Eighteen Months Offensive
16th of Primus 194,
Code named -18 plus 14-
Campaign Day 406
Early dawn, end of III Legio’s 2nd war meeting of the night near the still burning 1st Legion’s camp four kilometers north of the half-destroyed Mercator’s Inn.
-
A tired but alert Lucius listened to Veturius summing up the offensive plan for the coming day to every officer present in thoughtful silence.
“Falx will march after Regulus with Sepofa and Lepidus Centuries help, keeping an eye on their east side for them slingers. Sorex is to clean out Worm Lake with the Croton lads,” Nasica had been hospitalized and his second in command another Croton man named Gavros had taken over. “While Sir Gatrell looks to exploit any openings between Regulus and Seneca’s rear. The rest of 4th Legion’s cavalry under…”
“Decurion Ville Hunt,” Trupo helped out. “A Halfostad lad.”
Galio pursed his mouth. “Hunt will help Fallon root out the rangers lurking in the coppice south of the road and give us a direct line of communication with Sula. The Legatus has been informed during the night of our intentions and is expected to do his duty.”
“Brevis,” Trupo said looking over Sirio’s notes. The LID officer had been tasked with updating the roster after the casualties suffered but was on scribe duty for the meeting given his ability to speedily transcribe clearly with minimum light.
“Brevis, Mede and Mangas will attack Prefect Betto’s west flank on open ground. He’s almost half a kilometer from Glycia so we need to cut him off there.”
“Expect artillery to be present between the flanks,” Lucius intervened. “Durio has been redeployed to answer though. Colt has brought forward a lot of wagons to address the matter of supplies and provide better accommodation inside the city for everyone looking for it, but it was a necessary ruse as you are all aware to use the civilians to push all the ammo carts forward.”
Galio nodded. “Silvius and the 4th Cohort will resume attacking Glycia and keep him pinned. Gaeta will assist positioned east of him, with Prefect Merenda’s and Centurion Domus’ redeployed 2nd Cohort as a reserve in the center that’ll probably be needed. Dio’s Century is to attempt also to split Glycia and Memon from Regulus attacking at the seams with Gaeta. Prefect Draco will have overall command of the center.”
A hurt Merenda glanced at Lucius.
“Your men are tired and we don’t want any deviations from the plan Antonius. We don’t need them at this time. Draco you know what to do. I expect everyone to perform timely Prefect.”
“Yes sir! Absolutely!” Julius Draco boomed pounding his chest with a fist, which caused Trupo to wiggle his mustache startled. “They’ll be no delays or shenanigans whatsoever sir!”
Merenda sighed pensively.
“You are dismissed lads,” Galio grunted stiffly. He had a journey ahead of him as the Tribune was to take over the east flank effort and assist Falx. Lucius wanted to free up the way for Duke Holt who was probably attacking near the bridge with everything he had already. While the Duke was days away, his cavalry was needed after the casualties they’d suffered in both men and horses.
Nothing was over yet.
----------------------------------------
“What about the Crows my lord?” Ramirus inquired after the officers had departed. Lucius wanted to join Sir Valgus’ small cavalry force in the west flank. A lot of medic crews were there already helping the injured and locating the dead from the previous day.
“Sir Rik appeared eager to depart,” Lucius replied getting up. His left arm was stiff after the night and an hour of restless sleep hadn’t helped.
“My Lord, if I may note here, risking your life amidst enemy lines had everyone greatly worried,” Ramirus said.
“I started this journey with a group of men and women half a decade ago. More really,” Lucius replied evenly looking at the LID officer. “One of them had just lost his life, the death kept from his best friend who is risking his in the woods. I approached them after sunset but they weren’t a group of lowly thugs and we’re in Regia.”
“My Lord,” Ramirus protested but grimaced not wanting to disagree with him. “We are at war.”
“Not with Scaldingport. I know it was a risk but I am still human,” Lucius replied and breathed out. “Most of those knights I grew up with, competed against Ramirus,” he grimaced.
“You are the King of Regia,” the LID officer reminded him.
Lucius nodded. “Sometimes I forget it still,” he admitted. “It’s good that Faye wasn’t here.”
Ramirus said nothing.
“And Monica of course,” Lucius added pursing his mouth.
“News travel sire,” Ramirus noted simply.
“Rik alluded to something similar,” Lucius murmured with a frown. “Who is Sir Turner?”
Ramirus stood back. “Not an Issir knight. Varenhorst and Hakkar you knew already.”
“That’s true,” Lucius agreed. “Varenhorst had been Rik’s squire in the tourneys.” He paused deep in thought. A squire. More than ten years later he would be a knight by now.
“My Lord?” Ramirus queried seeing his face.
“Sir Gillmor Ursus is still in Lesia yes?” Lucius asked.
“Apparently he is. They kept the detail from us. Lord Victor -his brother- was killed defending Novesium. Lady Elvira Brakis, the Duke’s daughter Labiena from his first wife Beatrice and his youngest son from Lady Elvira were lost during Lord Nattas’ attempt to take the city.”
“Lost as in killed? Good grief!”
“A lot of civilians were killed in the chaos, the Mayor, his whole family and the palace was also raided, parts of the city burned. We have no further details and this we learned from Drusus Sula after he took the city, but perhaps Lord Nattas might know more?”
A troubled Lucius nodded. “Sir Gillmor had a young squire named Turner I believe,” he told Ramirus. “Perhaps this is the man.”
“I’ll look into the matter,” Ramirus assured him. “Any idea who the Northmen were?”
Lucius grimaced. “I couldn’t learn more. Sula has Northmen with him though. Plus Martha could field a couple of Cohorts herself.”
“Sovya’s Northmen are pretty civilized and could hardly be mistaken for raiders my Lord. Wouldn’t Sir Rik recognize them?”
“Eh, Scaldingport has no real contact with the North,” Lucius replied but the LID officer had a point. He signed for an aide to bring his horse. The sun was about to come up.
> The three Centuries of the 1st Cohort under Brevis marched against Prefect Betto’s 3rd Cohort half an hour after dawn, the 16th of Primus especially chilly. Brevis had widened the front putting three Maniples one next to each other with one kept in reserve per Century. Mede’s 2nd Century situated at the east edge of Betto’s flank tried to penetrate at the gap between him and Glycia but received artillery fire (mostly by Scorpios but around ten catapults as well).
>
> Prefect Durio responded upon locating Slaurus’ machines (two hundred meters behind the lines facing the gap) and moved forward his own. Under bombardment Mede swung two Maniples left to attack Betto’s 3rd Century’s sides but also make it difficult for Slaurus to fire on his men.
>
> Slaurus moved forward his lighter Scorpios and ordered his catapults to lob at the 1st Cohort’s rear. The whole field was pre-measured but markers had been removed or destroyed the previous day and night by Brevis. Durio kept advancing covered by a platoon (around sixty men) of Gaeta’s regulars with Silvius 4th Cohort attacking Glycia’s west flank to prevent his attempt at closing the gap.
>
> Slaurus’ Scorpios now about a hundred and fifty meters away turned on the Cartagen spear infantry and fired a volley that almost broke them. The Centurion (of engineers) ordered his men to reload despite their lack of ammunition and loose their bolts again. He had his mind on the catapults preparing to lob their more risky distant shots slantwise, the bulky machines taking more time to turn on their stands.
>
> Durio who was trying to gauge the distance for his own catapults (fourteen pieces loaded with jugs of oil, three with naphtha soaked chunks of coal and hay in thick hemp sacks that were to be lit and lobbed immediately after) ordered five of his Scorpios to fire sequentially range-finding shots (starting at a hundred meters and increasing ten meters each time) towards the enemy machines.
>
> Slaurus’ catapults (fifteen remaining, plus thirty Scorpios also in two groups of fifteen) lobbed their rounded rocks and hit Mangas’ 3rd Century’s rear. Six found the mark killing eighteen legionnaires. Seven missed everything but plowed at the ground deep, with two boulders landing amidst Betto’s front rows killing or maiming seven legionnaires and collapsing his shield-wall injuring Centurion Torus.
>
> The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
>
> Betto and Mangas tried to stabilize their rattled men. The Prefect rode near the front that buckled as Brevis pressed forward, but in the meantime Durio had gauged the distance from the enemy Scorpios when his fourth bolt skewered a sergeant (of engineers) inspecting a malfunctioning machine through the back and nailed him on the damaged Scorpio.
>
> Durio ordered the Catapults to fire at the correct mark and they did lobbing their jugs of oil first and then their burning sacks of coal to ignite the ground. Eight of the Catapults overshot the Scorpios and their crews (a thirty kilo jug did kill an unlucky engineer landing on his head) but seven crashed amidst the Scorpios and the next moment everything within twenty meters was set alight. The crews run away to save themselves and Durio ordered the Catapults to switch to rocks and his own Scorpios to unleash at their discretion.
>
>
-
“Fire in the field sir!” An aide reported to Lucius but he could see for himself. The King had continued to close the distance with his mounted entourage towards the infantry lines, mindful of enemy Cavalry. But there was no sign of horses on the plains and Ligur’s west flank was completely open. If Lucius had twenty more lancers with him he would have charged Betto and rolled him up.
Lucius was itching to do it even with one working arm, but he reined himself in.
“Brevis broke the shield wall!” A knight yelled, men and horses nervous at the ruckus of battle coming from less than two hundred meters away.
“Nah, they plugged it back up,” Sir Valgus commented.
Lucius nervously watched the smokes billowing over the locked lines of infantry trying to locate the enemy machines. He turned to Trupo who was watching with the field glasses.
“Anything?”
“Well, I can see them alright sire,” Trupo noted. “Durio has started a barbeque.”
“We don’t find jest in people’s suffering Prefect!” Lucius admonished him.
“Your grace possesses obviously a far nobler soul than me,” Trupo replied calmly. “I thus retract my statement sire.”
Lucius turned Nightsilver around and relocated twenty meters away, the others following after him. They wanted to avoid some overeager eagle-eyed engineer turning a catapult their way. While not a big cavalry force, they were visible from the enemy lines.
“Find out what’s going on in the center,” Lucius ordered the young aide, a bright twenty year old named Thomas from Trupo’s staff. He immediately galloped away towards the still smoking legion camp, more smoke now coming from the rear of Betto’s pressured Cohort.
“If they break,” Trupo commented sucking at his upper lip and some of his mustache. “Ligur might lose the whole legion sire. He has to retreat.”
Lucius set his eyes to the north beyond the lines of the fighting legionnaires.
The sun was up, just over an hour into the second day of battle.
“I should have had Merenda move here,” he rustled. “Ligur has no reinforcements coming.”
“Is Sula engaged already sire? Because only a seer could have predicted that,” Trupo replied and seeing Lucius’ bitter expression he added meaningfully in an attempt to lift the King’s spirits. “There are no pretty or flawless wins outside fantasy tales your Grace. Rare are also the so called ‘good defeats’. Mostly it’s just ugly wins and nasty losses.”
“Mister Trupo, sometimes I feel you could fit right in late Di Cresta’s academic circles,” Lucius said glancing at the mustached nobleman. “Sometimes.”
Trupo scrunched his mouth one way then the other and raised the field glasses on his eyes again. “I can’t really tell about the fit sire,” he replied in his upper-class Flauegran accent. “But I shall wager a full coin purse that as ugly a win as it may look for us, this shapes to be a very nasty loss for Ol’ Scrawny. The kind ye don’t come back from.”
-
> Gratian’s 2nd Century under Mellitus missed Scylla’s retreating soldiers, but Pike’s rangers harassed the trying to get out of the city troops in fierce small engagements with enemy ranger elements that had been trapped with them. Scylla managed to march out of the last buildings, the huts of west district- skirting the Flooded Bogs and Mandarin Forest. He turned south at early dawn and an hour later he was two kilometers from the road heading towards Tenor.
>
> Inopportunely for him he got attacked at this point by the seething with blood-rage Ludolf’s warriors that had burst out of the gloomy trees, but despite the fright succeeded in advancing slowly pushing them back and some of his Sabretooth regulars even reached the large gravel road. O’ Leary’s soldiers that had been alerted to Lord Scylla’s actions, counter-attacked blocking his path completely with Ludolf still on his west flank and Pike’s rangers harassing his rear.
>
> Caught in a cauldron the sleepless, tired and demoralized troops started losing cohesion against much-fresher equally well-equipped and well led soldiers. Scylla seeing his lines backing away, gathered his troops (about three hundred plus fifty rangers) and tried to break out towards the plains without success. Mellitus’ fast marching 2nd Century had located them again during the chaos and blocked his desperate maneuver. The known for his parsimonious usage of army materiel Centurion ordered his legionnaires to equip and hurl javelins (pilums). ‘This is it boys! Those that still have it,’ he declared waving his sword ‘save it no more!’
>
> Scylla’s force disintegrated surrounded from all sides and despite valiant efforts most of the soldiers were cut down. The Baron got injured from the sides with a spear that punctured his right lung but luckily O’ Leary’s troops were nearer and he was spared. Mellitus had to physically restrain Ludolf to prevent him from butchering the surrendering soldiers using two Maniples worth of legionnaires to cordon his warriors. The low-character brutish warrior had sworn a blood oath to avenge Manfred’s death.
>
> Gratian’s remaining 4th Cohort Centuries (around 450 strong) plus Lale’s battered 2nd Cohort (less than three hundred legionnaires out of 650 originally) attacked through the flattened wheat fields Cad Seneca’s Alden soldiers and the first platoon of the royal guards (around four hundred and fifty in total) in a one-sided engagement that turned into a rout. The younger Seneca lost control of his troops with the royal guard making a stand against Lale and his twice mauled already Alden regulars retreating leaving them exposed.
>
> Despite his efforts to galvanize the troops (some units turned to fight the marching rows of legionnaires) Cad Seneca’s command was first cut off, the rest of his force split in three parts, then killed suffering ghastly wounds to his stomach and face from sword thrusts. An hour later Gratian’s soldiers reached the barricaded portion of the road making it the fourth of Sula’s Cohorts that managed to gain control of this gory part of the battlefield that was still littered with hundreds of bloated, slow-rotting corpses of their own.
>
> Sula’s remaining Cohorts, Marlene’s Brutes, Dirk Curd’s warriors and armed engineers (plus work crews and several civilians, adventurers and many locals that had tried to help his men survive in the woods) attacked all out against Commander Seneca’s main army. Sula had around four hundred legionnaires of the 1st Cohort under Centurion Surinas’ (With Papus and Sissena Draco helping) out of 850, three hundred plus from the 3rd Cohort (out of 650 originally) under Centurion Demeter ‘Jim’ Chad (with Cropp and Willie Page assisting.)
>
> Willie’s twin brother Gavin Page had been killed earlier that week, but all in all Sula had a total force of over a thousand two hundred troops (local sources give as many as 1500, but those were probably very-low quality troops, youngsters or untrained civilians that got caught up in the advance). Seneca had four hundred high-quality soldiers drawn from Vinterfort’s guards, sixty from Tenor (the small city suffered the highest percentage of casualties around 95% out of the initial four hundred troops) and around four hundred soldiers from Sabretooth (they had low moral after they learned of Sir Sylvan’s fate). The problem was that he had readied about half of them (under orders) intending to march them towards the pressured Ligur, not anticipating of course an attack from Sula.
>
> While people and military ‘scholars’ tend to demonize Lord Seneca’s children today (especially since they can’t defend themselves) it must be noted here for the erudite readers that Sula had been retreating for days deeper inside the woods abandoning equipment behind and he was out of supplies.
>
> Seneca had a real crisis in his hands to focus on since the previous day and that was Krakenhall’s sudden attack to his west flank and rear areas. He was also well aware (and under inscribed orders) that he needed to reinforce Ligur who had lost Trifer and his artillery advantage (Ligur’s Cavalry wings had also been defeated). Ligur needed numbers on his flanks against Lucius or his position was unattainable. With Sula showing no signs of life Seneca rightly deduced that a desperate all-out attack was a very remote possibility.
>
> One must observe without bias what a general has available as options before outright condemning him especially given the mystery surrounding the 3rd Battle of the East Coast Woods.
>
> At any rate, despite being hit hard initially Seneca managed to plug the gaps in his lines bringing the troops he had held across the road to bear. His east wing managed to defend against the poorly trained engineers and civilians pushing the majority away from the road. With his flank collapsing under appalling casualties (Isaak Boston was killed during that time when a spear punctured his spleen) Sula himself was all but cut off. Chad managed to push against the Sabretooth soldiers on the other wing closer to the city but the Centurion was fatally injured and his advance stalled.
>
> Twice Seneca ordered the soldiers to charge on the weakened legionnaires but the gore-covered Chad heroically held his ground which saved the Legatus as it gave time for Curd’s warriors to break him out shattering the encirclement. With the fighting turning especially brutal, Cropp took over from Centurion Chad (he died from severe blood loss not soon after and was found with a broken spear tip lodged in his neck) and attempted to regroup the men.
>
> Centurion Lale’s first advancing elements of the 2nd Cohort leaped over the ruined barricades at about that time (they had triumphed against Seneca’s younger brother) and marched against the Vinterfort commander’s west flank. Seneca turned the Sabretooth troops to face the new threat but his force was split in two with his east flank advancing against the weaker of Sula’s troops and his center retreating unable to cope with Dirk’s deadly strike group. There are actual accounts of a tall Nord actually cutting three soldiers down with one blow of his long-shafted cleaver, another shattering an officer’s cranium with a crude broken branch.
>
> It is this author’s opinion that Seneca should have retreated here. He hadn’t made any mistakes in the whole battle. Not of this magnitude. He should have retreated with Sula’s attack losing steam beyond the road and then regroup near Ligur’s rear. Why he didn’t is one big mystery with no comfortable answer.
>
> Sula’s victorious Legion was a spent force running on fumes (the Legatus was to collapse soon and had to be carried to safety) but for some bizarre reason he didn’t.
>
> The prevalent (in this author’s opinion completely ludicrous) theory is that Commander Seneca suffered a sudden case of ‘manic delirium’ or ‘grief-related terrain blindness’ and wandered off until he was conveniently cut down by one of Marlene’s Brutes with a sharp blade that all but beheaded him. The culprit was never identified and Marlene’s small force was fighting nowhere near Vinterfort’s lines. Either way Seneca’s bloody half-eaten body was discovered days later two hundred meters away from the battle site itself, in the plains east of the road. Out in the middle of nowhere. This doesn’t make any sense and it was scandalously convenient for Nonus Sula.
>
> This was one of several documented weird events (along with the Legatus’ miraculous recovery, surviving the siege of Pascor and the events around the treaty of Tollor) highlighting Sula’s ability to get out of a universally admitted ‘death trap’ yet again. The Legatus and his legion should have been destroyed, but while they suffered appalling losses in soldiers, valuable officers and personnel (more on this later) they survived with the ‘guts of the 4th intact, granted somewhat mangled,’ as Prefect Pete Dumont wrote in his personal and later published diary.
>
> Two hours after sunrise, the 4th Legion had regained full control of the road from Smugglers Beach exit to the overrun HQ pavilion on the road to Asturia, along the city of Islandport itself.
>
> Ligur had nowhere to go.
>
>
-
Centurion Mede
Battle of Islandport road
2nd Day,
III Legio, 1st Cohort, 2nd Century
Army’s center
The artillery duel is dying down
An hour afore noon
-
> “DONLON! Allgods damnit!” A sprinting Mede bellowed maniacally, his ears ringing, throat clogged with deleterious fumes since the engineers had fallen in love with burning shit down lately.
>
> The legionnaire holding the corner of the 2nd Maniple that had been guarding the west flank of the Century glanced his way stooped under his Scutum, right arm stabbing through the split in the shields blindly.
>
> “Are ye serious? I’m fucking busy Mede!”
>
> “Shut yer mouth! Shite!” The Centurion cursed realizing he’d overshot their own lines.
>
> Mede kicked a leg out to break the momentum, caught the lower part of a Scutum and then received the enemy Decanus’ wrath for trying to mess up with the corner of his formation. An enemy legionnaire from the second row used a pilum to try and poke Mede’s sole eye out, but the blade clanged on his badly dented helm -at least a couple of solid holes on it as well.
>
> “Arggh!” Mede roared his bandaged head hurting and parried a sword thrust aside, then kicked again with his other leg and got the legionnaire fighting with Donlon right at the knee. Splintered the bone, a sharp broken piece poking from inside the skin. The man screamed and dropped on his ruined knee messing it up even more which gave Donlon the chance to stab him hastily over the lip of the shield, the gladius clanging on the helpless soldier’s helm.
>
> Mede cursed the clumsy Nord’s lineage, almost lost an arm when the angry enemy Decanus’ sword hacked at his shield splitting it half-way down and Tertius found the opportunity to savagely hack slantwise seeing an opening.
>
> He got more neck than helm on his fallen opponent but received a puncturing wound on his shoulder and groaned irate.
>
> “I told Knut to widen our front!” Mede growled dancing with his opponent outside of formation, the occasional bolt or flying boulder whipping over their heads as the engineers enthusiastically killed each other from a distance.
>
> “Knutson!” Donlon retorted and leaped over the spraying blood everywhere man Mede had initially wounded to push the second line back. “Knut stayed in Maza Burg!”
>
> “Knut had the gout!” Aron guffawed finding it hilarious but slipped on the pool of gore under his feet and broke his teeth on the rim of his own Scutum.
>
> Not all but he cleaned the upper row out.
>
> Eh.
>
> Mede used part of his ruined shield to keep the Decanus away but the man just hacked at the remaining part cutting him once across the left forearm. The heavy-breathing Centurion pulled back with a pained groan and the advancing Decanus got hit by a charging horse that appeared out of the dust and smoke haze. He tumbled twice afore standing on his two feet and the Prefect riding the horse slashed him once across the face with a saber making it look easy.
>
> “Mede!” Durio said, all glamorous in his fancy armour from atop the saddle. Mede hadn’t forgiven him for getting his friend Kato killed with his stupid bridge. “I need you to move your Century ten meters to the east! We are putting too much stress on the springs!”
>
> “What?” Donlon gasped getting slowly pushed back, losing all his gains by two enemy legionnaires, one holding the Scutum and the other shoving him from behind.
>
> “Prefect get the fuck back to yer position!” Mede barked at the turning his horse this way and that Durio rising even more dust. “You stand out alike a sore thumb!”
>
> “They’ll miss Centurion,” Durio assured him. “They have a lousy aim. Now kindly move your men out of our machines way.”
>
> “That’s what I’m fearing Prefect! We are right behind ye for pity’s sake!” Mede protested irate and Durio waved his arm frustrated.
>
> “Just do what you’re told—” Durio bellowed but he never got the chance to finish. A bolt had stricken his horse’s hind-sides, went clean through tearing at the flesh, disemboweling the hapless animal but missed the collapsing on the ground Prefect completely. Aron who was coughing up blood three meters away from Mede got skewered through the sternum and was killed instantly apparently having none of Luthos favor.
>
> The badly scarred Decanus Surus who was bringing up the 1st Maniple to rotate the men, helped the stunned Durio to his feet and then pointed him to the rear without a single word.
>
> He kept that word for the sour-faced Mede.
>
> “Decanus Knutson swallowed a catapult shot,” Surus rustled, melted cheeks and mouth shuddering as if ready to come apart behind the cheek-guards. “Ye need to promote someone to take over the 2nd. I suggest Donlon.”
>
> That would be the unit’s third killed Decanus in just forty eight hours.
>
> “Ye son of a bitch!” A worried Donlon cursed him irate still trying to keep his position behind the Scutum. “Fucking ruffian!”
-
A tensed Lucius rode Nightsilver back towards the center of his army well ahead of his entourage and pulled at the reins to stop the protesting warhorse the moment he reached the advanced field headquarters. The stout signifer Brim Solomon saluted the jumping from his horse Lucius and Prefect Draco raised his head from the map of the units he was reading.
“Lord Lucius!” He saluted crisply, his armour covered in dirt and soot. “Durio has burned through seven carts of ammunition sir!”
“Has Dio made any progress?” Lucius rustled stooping to see for himself where his soldiers had advanced.
“Minimum gains sir,” Draco replied stiffly. “Ligur brought a reserve Century from the center to reinforce Regulus. But Sir Gatrell send message that he’ll attempt to cross Ligur’s rear.”
Ramirus brought him a flask of water and he washed his face and hands with it afore taking a small sip.
“Reach the road?” Lucius asked with a grimace.
“He intends to cross over sir.”
Lucius breathed out. “Could he hit Slaurus from the rear?”
It seemed Ligur had no meaningful cavalry left and nothing in reserve.
“If it’s possible. The horses are in a bad way.”
“Gavros?”
“Nothing since he charged at Crito. I believe Veturius will report again within the hour.”
“Falx has a clear path,” Lucius decided. “Order him to angle after Regulus afore he can establish a defensive line. He’s to attack with all Centuries. We can’t dislodge Glycia from the barricades but how much depth would Ligur have prepared? Surely he expected some manner of help from Lord Scylla or Seneca.”
Draco grabbed a runner and hastily gave him the King’s instructions. Lucius walked nervously out of the shade to watch at the thick smoke raised over the frontlines.
“Decurion Vile Hunt has reached Fallon’s slingers,” Ramirus informed him coming to stand next to the thoughtful king. “There’s heavy fighting in the coppice south of the road but also several unconfirmed reports that Sula has attacked out of East Coast Forest.”
Lucius gulped down, fists clenched and tried to control his emotions. “Unconfirmed?”
“Wanderers, not army,” Ramirus explained. “A brother and sister. Half-breeds. They are with Veturius.”
Lucius glanced at the LID officer. “They came from Sula’s rear?”
“It’s not clear sire. Veturius believes their report legitimate.”
Galio was very difficult to fool or trust a source. Lucius nodded extremely moved. “As usual, Nonus has come through,” he told Ramirus hoarsely.
Ramirus nodded with a rare smile. “I’ll try to verify the reports. Decurion Hunt would learn more as he’s very close to the Legatus.”
It ain’t over yet, Lucius reminded himself. Don’t get swept up into celebrating prematurely. Tyeus shall reward the braves that stayed the course. Praise be the Allgods.
-
> Sir Gatrell circled behind enemy lines unopposed and rode as far as the 1st Legion’s rear. While discussing the next action they should take, his lieutenants pointed at Slaurus’ ammunition wagons and carts urging the Yepehir knight to go for broke. Gatrell stalled giving time for his tired horses to rest and issued a water break for men and animals. While he was waiting a scout he’d posted near the road two kilometers to his east reported streams of injured soldiers filtering towards Ligur’s rear.
>
> He sent a score of riders to charge at the broken troops and they did scattering them into the plains. Gatrell got a couple of miserable prisoners from the ordeal who revealed the events of that morning’s fierce battle around Islandport. Upon learning that Sula and his northern allies controlled the road towards Tenor and the city, Gatrell dispatched a messenger to Lucius’ small cavalry force posted at the west of the frontlines under Trupo.
>
> The brief missive and the King’s reply saved today in a framed case in the Baron’s ‘room of mementos’ in his castle at Yepehir and is mentioned in his memoirs.
>
> ‘Sula controls the road. Krakenhall troops in the field. Request permission to lick Slaurus sir. Scylla has surrendered.
>
> PS. The unit should charge, your Grace.’
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ‘Luthos be with you good knight. Go forth,’ Lucius had replied.
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