“Tifar is a man of action. I am sure he was thinking of us all when he sent those men in. Meaning no doubt to catch the Druaidíi unawares, it would have been a great move indeed, had the Druaidíi not seen such action a thousand and more times before.”

Brandubh poured himself a drink and sat himself at General Maximo’s table, he eased himself down into the luxurious softness of the velvet chair and admired his surroundings, the Milesians did not cut costs when it came to their commanders it seemed. The General’s tent was a huge structure and would have easily dwarved many of Aileann’s Earls own halls, it was located at the centre of the camp they had just arrived to and served as the focal point for the sprawling mass of tents, barricades, men and beasts as they lay on the edge of the forests boundary.

The General stopped his pacing and gazed out upon the camp, he took a deep breath and returned inside to take his seat. “Yes, my fellow General has many such thoughts, unfortunately for him this one did not work out. Rest assured I will have words, he will be keen to rectify the situation. Willing to listen to other voices. My voice. In any case it is no matter, we may have lost a few men but it is now this where this war truly begins.”

Brandubh raised his cup in agreement, that the war had begun was not in any doubt, the charred remains of those scouts sent in by Tifar had been quite a strong indication of that. “It’s a big forest, and the Druaidíi have remained hidden all this time with good reason, only they know the hidden signs that lead to their shrouded pathways, if we are to get to Dún na Rí we must find one ourselves.”

Maximo regarded him coolly. “We shall, Milesia has not been an Empire all these centuries without facing such tasks. In conquering Alsaug the natives too sought refuge and safety within the secret depths of their forest bu they were outdone by General Talid’s scout strategy.”

Brandubh raised a brow. “What strategy would that be?”

“You said before of sending in wide circling groups of scouts as I recall, General Talid once had a similar idea, though his was somewhat more detailed.

We begin sending in men in teams, but not in pairs but in teams of 50 men, 8 teams should be sufficient, each man connected by chain to the other, spaced as far apart as can be allowed. We will move in waves, a continuous procession, making it impossible for them to launch a flanking attack. If one is attacked, the others are alerted and have time to sound the alarm, meanwhile we’ll be prepared this time, edging the bulk of our forest inwards and once the signal is raised, we move in with force.”

Brandubh nodded his head slowly. “Yes, yes that may work, the Druaidíi are fast but they’d never be able to get them all, one of our men is bound to come across their roadways sooner or later.”

“It will work. With the information we have, it is our best option available. Unless that is you or your men have managed to uncover some piece of knowledge which could aid us as to the Druaidíi location?”

Brandubh smiled at the General, he and many others still seemed to believe that they were still reluctant to share all they knew about the Druaidíi. For men 230 years was a long time to be in alliance, certainly long enough for certain secrets to be shared. For Druaidíi less so, and anything they had or did share in that time was always done as to avoid ever giving the men anything that they could one day use against them. Considering where they were now it appeared a rather shrewd move by their former allies.

“I’m afraid not General, unfortunately. We know almost as little as you do when it comes to our fellow Aileanners.”

Maximo smiled understandably, “Indeed.”

He would have continued but was interrupted by one of the Royal Guards as they stepped inside the tent’s entrance. He quickly saluted. “General. Earl Harfrigh requests an audience.”

Maximo laid his cup down gently, “Let him in.”

The soldier nodded and turned swiftly, when he returned he had Earl Harfrigh alongside him. Harfrigh gave the soldier an angry last look and marched purposefully in. General or not a man like Harfrigh didn’t take kindly having to request an audience. He gave a cursory smile.

“Gentlemen, I was out with Tifar giving an inspection of the camp when I was informed that you were both meeting for a discussion, I did not realise we were doing so. Could it be that you had forgotten to notify me?”

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Brandubh sat back in his chair, “There was no discussion, merely an impromptu converse.”

“Is there a difference?”

“Oh yes.”

Harfrigh waited for him to explain. He didn’t. Harfrigh scowled and turned to the General instead. They began discussing the men, numbers, spears, swords. The broader details. Brandubh took another drink.

Though it was Harfrigh as much as anyone that had allowed him to seize power their alliance and partnership was one borne of necessity than any great bond. Harfrigh would gladly have taken control himself if let but the Milesians had wisely pointed out that had he done so he would have lost the support of all the Earls, regardless of their thoughts on Milesia or Breogan. Already he boasted the largest standing army and the wealthiest Earldom, to make himself King would have been a step too far in their eyes. Brandubh on the other hand held no land of his own and had no army, not visibly at least. He knew their view of him. One who could organise and help them grow rich but never truly rule or rise above them.

They all bided their time, once the initial shock had passed and all was calm they would move against him. Every Earl would have themselves made King, Harfrigh chief amongst them. Each Earl looked down on him as they had done on his father and his before him, it was no matter, the lower they looked the higher he would rise.

Back at the table Harfrigh had moved on from discussing the army to discussing the Earls.

“We must not allow those which refused our call to be free from penalty or retribution. They must be made pay for their impudence, we are their rulers now, they must learn the fact or be relieved of their privileges.”

The General brought his finger to his lip and looked from Brandubh to Harfrigh. Brandubh cleared his throat, “That they refused our call here may be of some inconvenience however let us not be foolish. We have overthrown what was by most men’s minds a popular king and have allied ourselves with a former foe. Is it any surprise some have refused us so soon. Let them have their petty pride for now, if they continue to refuse then there will be need for action. Then, not now. Besides it is not those that have not joined us I would be concerned of. They have made themselves out plainly to be resistant to us, for all to see. The others however, though they may be here in body, it does not mean they are with us in mind. It is easy to join the winning side when all favours it. Easy and wise. For now we should be content, but no Earl should be free from suspicion, not yet.”

The General nodded casually at his words, Harfrigh continued staring, Brandubh stared back, each one his greatest ally, each one his greatest threat.

The Generals claimed to be unattached to the affairs of Aileann but he knew differently. They thought of all Aileanners as wild savages, fit for war and nought else, a welcome addition to their army. Yet Brandubh had spent what free time he had these past 16 years learning, reading and analysing Milesia. He knew as well as any what happened to new vassals.

For a start the Milesians were a relaxed ruler, little changed and a seamless integration usually occurred beneficial for both sides. The local people merely adopted some minor Milesian Practices but were largely left with free rein. That is until such time as the Milesians felt it safe, then in whatever manner they chose the native ruler was overthrown and cast aside in place of one of their own, a true puppet ruler which soon catered to their every whim and demand. Eventually those people of the vassal would be changed and altered until finally there was nothing left of their own culture but that which lay in the history books. It was always the same and Aileann would be no different.

Brandubh pushed himself away from the table and rose from his chair.

“Gentlemen, you will forgive me I hope but there are some matters I must attend to. General, the scouts are to be chosen and sent out into the forest at first light yes?”

“They are.”

“I trust Harfrigh will be able to provide you with some of our better men for the job, Tifar may have used up a few of the unwanted for his little excursion but now we must really begin our search for the Druaidíi, the quicker we find them, the quicker we deal with them, only then can we begin to put Aileann in order.”

Harfrigh eyed Brandubh. “I am sure we will manage. Allow us to organise it and it will be done. Attend to your other matters Brandubh. I am sure they are pressing.”

“Very well, then I bid you farewell and I will speak to you both again shortly no doubt. Until then.”

Brandubh made his way out, waved on by Maximo and a raised cup from Harfrigh. There was a great deal they could be talking about he knew, some concerning him, some not, it made no matter. For now all eyes were on finding and taking out the Druaidíi. He made his way to his own tent flanked all the while by four of his newly appointed Royal Guard, Fathach strode to his right, large and imposing. Once he was back inside he poured himself a large glass of Stokeshie wine and relaxed a moment in his chair. He laid the letters and writings out once again and began to perverse their contents. Each one held information, each one held potential power. He took out his quill and began to write. Let General Maximo and Harfrigh talk of their war, scouts and numbers, it was here with this scroll and paper he felt most in control. And it was through these he would have his fate decided, his and his enemies.