Chapter 22 - Prince Henry, Pride of the Grand Kingdom

Accompanying Truck-chan to the front comes with many dangers. But my advisors explained that it was worth the risk. First of all, Truck-chan will be doing all the fighting. I’m just an observer. Second, the line of battle is far ahead of my position. The only way the enemy would reach me is with a complete rout. Third, I have my own personal guard all around. That’s to ward off assassins or other unseen treachery. For instance, my sister.

She’s made it quite clear that as soon as she takes the throne, I’m going to wind up floating in the canal. In other words, either I need to usurp the position, or I’ll need powerful allies that she wouldn’t dare cross. Truck-chan fits with either strategy.

Over the last few days, we’ve been pressing our advantage by retaking more and more territory. In fact, we’ve crossed over our previous borders, and now we’re pushing toward the legion’s key cities. If this continues, the war may soon end. None of us is even sure what that would mean. We haven’t seen peace in ten generations.

Today, we’re facing the legion’s entire might. They’ve thrown all they’ve got at us. From my vantage point on top of my horse, I can see their hosts darkening the plains before us. Great fires burn and toxic plumes of smoke rise from among their ranks. This is the hallmark of their dark magicians and the foul elemental spirits under their command.

Between these fires lies the hordes of the legion. It is mostly goblins, but there’s a fair share of other monstrous things as well. Looking around, I see ogres, chimera, trolls, skeletons, zombies, and manticores. I even see a unicorn centurion in front screaming out for human blood.

They’ve dug in to construct ramparts and trenches. This also disguises their numbers. The unknown is even more fearful than seeing them charge. The various banners along their lines mark where each legion ends and the next begins.

Edward, my personal master of arms, steps next to me. “You will not be joining in the battle, but it is good to remain visible. Knowing you are here will raise our men’s morale.”

“Should I raise my standard?”

“Indeed. It will also serve as a rallying point if our attack is repulsed.”

I nod to his response, then motion to the knights under my command. Within moments, four blue banners rise around me, each bearing the sign of the crown of the Grand Kingdom. The king’s personal banner would also have his executioner’s mask. Showing only the crown communicates the presence of royalty, but not which one. Not that there’d be any doubt!

“Where is Truck-chan? I heard that she’d be here.”

To answer this question, Frederick, my personal tutor, points out across the battlefield. “She is scouting the enemy lines. It causes chaos while giving us information. Perhaps we will learn their weak points.”

“If I am here and she is there, will she even see me?”

“We’ve sent her a message. When she pauses to rest, you can give her your gift.”

My gift was actually chosen by my two closest advisors. We couldn’t ask Winnifred. It seemed she supported Guildsmaster Utherick’s endeavor to win Truck-chan’s heart. Luckily, those two hadn’t gotten far yet.

The gift was only part of our ploy. We had to guess at what Truck-chan would most appreciate. The hardest part would come afterward.

I am unfortunately looking backwards toward our baggage when a roar of triumph goes up from our battle lines. “What happened?” I shout out, but it’s perfectly clear once I focus on the field ahead.

Truck-chan has plowed right through one of the legion's entrenched redoubts, shattering the foundations. The whole thing leans sideways, then collapses to the earth. Goblin legionnaires boil around the base of the tower like a nest of furious ants.

“How did she do that? She drove right through a wall!”

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Of my two closest advisors, Edward is the more experienced soldier. That is why he is able to answer confidently. “I’ve heard that she went into the mountains for training. The only thing I can think is that she’s taken an unusual second-tier career.”

“Like what?”

“That… I don’t know. But, it’s quite impressive, is it not?”

“We’ve broken their line! Who will sound the horn to charge?”

“Her success is heartening, my prince, but it heralds only a minor victory. The tower’s fall has surely destroyed many of those pests, but their lines are several layers deep.”

“Then, it was for nothing?”

“A war is not won in one day. We push forward one step at a time.”

“Oh! Here comes Truck-chan!”

“Indeed. You’ve prepared everything you want to say?”

“I’m ready!”

Truck-chan comes roaring up the path to the top of the hill. As a trusted ally, my guards step out of her way. In the end, she comes to rest across from our strategy table. I can see the waves of heat rising from her … face? She’s been working very hard.

“Bring some cool towels for Truck-chan. Also, someone wipe off the dirt and mud!”

My servants and maids spring forward and begin work. This gives me time to dismount gracefully and move to her position. Tea is set out for both of our seats. It’s obvious by now that Truck-chan doesn’t drink anything, but it’s the gesture that matters!

“I had heard of your skill in battle, but seeing it first hand was astonishing!” That was a prepared line, but now I could say it with complete sincerity.

Her main lights blink once. In other words, “yes.” I suppose that it simply means that she acknowledges what I said.

“Have you ever been afraid in a fight?”

This time she blinks a combination of lights, followed by a swish of her windshield wipers. I’ve been studying the codebook, but there’s no way I could follow all of that. Instead, I look up at Frederick, my tutor. Given how many languages he already knows, learning another was not difficult.

Seeing my desperation, he translates her words. “She said she’s never been afraid for herself. Rather she is frustrated by the prospect of failure.”

“Wow!” That fits the expected dialogue, which opens up the primary path of responses. No matter what answer she had given, we were prepared. This conversation might as well be scripted beforehand. “What if you had a rider though, would they be safe?”

Another set of blinking lights, but this time she goes slowly so I can interpret them myself. To confirm my understanding, I repeat her words back to her. “You cannot guarantee the safety of a rider because you can’t know what weapon might be used against you.”

She flashes her main lights once to validate my reading.

That is about what we expected. Several times, she’s come back with battle wounds. Torn metal, broken glass, even punctured rubber. Luckily our healer’s magics are able to restore her to her former health each time. If not, our craftsmen, magicians, and alchemists would have been hard pressed to find a remedy.

We already knew it was dangerous. Life is full of risks. My choices here may lead to my injury or death, but my sister’s malice is a sure thing. Even assuming I don’t survive, I’d rather die honorably in battle than whichever of my sister’s schemes finally catches me.

This is my last chance to withdraw, but sometimes the best retreat leads forward. I draw in my breath and then recite the next practiced phrase. “If you would have me, I would like to ride with you into battle.”

Truck-chan remains silent. Not a single light blinks back at me. Is she thinking?

“Do you think that would be possible? I can wear full armor for my own safety.”

Both of her bright lights blink together. That’s a “yes.”

I breathe out a sigh of relief. That was the key point that we couldn’t force. If she refused to take me as a rider, then we’d need to seek another strategy. But now, the planned conversations all fall into place.

“Oh, I have a gift for you! I almost forgot!” Of course, that’s a blatant lie. This gift was waiting for her no matter how she responded. But, it’s more meaningful with me as her rider.

Edward, the man at arms, steps forward bearing a roll of blue cloth. When he unfolds it, the royal crown shows in the center. A strong cable runs through the top with loops to serve as attachment points.

“This is a cape bearing the insignia of the royal family. We designed it to snap to the roof of your cabin. If necessary, the cable can run through the doors instead. That would only require retying the knot. Will you accept it?”

She never moves, so I don’t even know if she’s looking at it. I wait while she considers. As a foreigner, there’s no way she’d know all of the ramifications of her decision. There's no way she'll see the trap that we've laid for her.

When her lights blink assent, I feel a smile rise to my lips. The plan is a success! Now, as an honorary royal, she couldn’t possibly marry anyone beneath her rank. In other words, Guildsmaster Utherick is out of the running!