Chương 318: Chapter 569: The Empire Stands

Far to the South, in the hours prior to the the events of last chapter. Duchess Claudia, aka Captain Bernice of the Red Banner, was thoroughly hating this war. This wasn't the fun and excitement of patrolling with cavalry and destroying threats to small villages or keeping orc and ogre tribes trimmed down and in their own lands: This was a true war, and she was slowly losing it with little options available to her.

She had spent months attacking Winter's flanks, taking small victories where she could, and denying them the large battle that they wanted. With its hordes of rabid wolves and plodding frozen dead, Winter had the numbers to wear her down, and then the elite troops would carve into her line while the huge monstrosities came in like a hammer blow. The only parity was in wizards.

The Winter Council were skilled Ice Mages, but she could match their numbers with Fire Mages from the academies, and the vengeful mages from the siege of Crystalthorne. The other elemental mages gave her an edge in magic, and she had a large number of healers. Carl had taken her advice and declared that any hedge witch or warlock who joined the army would be forgiven any past transgressions and considered for further training in the future.

This had brought her over two dozen unconventional magic users, and a secondary bonus: Players. The visitors were often barred from full entrance to the magical universities and collegiums unless they committed for long periods of time serving the guilds in the future. Most refused, and instead practiced a hodge-podge assortment of shouted spells magnified by strange abilities they earned from the System.

Offers of gold, access to military training, and further magical training once the war was over had brought her over a thousand players to bolster her ranks. It was hard to pin them down, as they flitted in and out, but at anytime she needed someone to bolster patrols on dangerous missions, she had volunteers. And many chose to embed themselves in units, living with their fellow soldiers, training with them, and adding their martial and magical skills to the unit.

Some player guilds had even asked to form their own cadres, requesting hard nosed training sergeants to put them through basic training. She shook their hands, signed them up, and turned them over to the tender hands of her most vicious non-coms to whip them into shape. One unit numbered over a hundred players, and when that many combatants showed up and volunteered, she was flexible.

She had to be, as even with hedge witches and players, she couldn't meet Winter head on in battle, and yet, now she had to do just that. The front lines were too close to Wolfsburg now. Behind her was was the fertile lands and large villages that were the breadbasket of her duchy. Losing them would force the people into Wolfsburg, and while Carl was doing his best to supply the city, there was little extra food in those villages to send on to the city.

Money was the problem, and the barons and large land owners were selling their stores of meat, cheese, and grain to the highest bidders. With less food coming from the south, and the havoc wrought on the teleportation system, the war profiteers were selling for three to four times normal. She and Carl couldn't stop it, but they would remember. The only baron who wasn't charging a fortune was Baron William of Gadobhra.

One after another, small supply trains were coming from the city bringing mostly smoked and salted meat, but also magical healing beer and apple wine that would let a soldier work for extra hours. Along with the food and alcohol came an assortment of magical weapons. Some were from the dungeons, others made in Gadobhra itself. She'd been delighted with a shipment of two-hundred hardwood pikes tipped with the spiral horns that could piece the plate armor of a charging knight.

She'd been assured that the horns came from a type of giant rabbit, and not unicorns. The men in the unit they were given to called them 'rabbit teeth' and were proud to have such fine weapons. As were the few engineers she had with her when two shipments of ballista and catapults arrived. Each was masterfully made and bore the mark of the Priests of Ares. With them came priests trained to help with their assembly and training new crew to fire them.

Some even remained afterward, to observe the coming battles and help where they could. Every shipment came with paperwork to be signed in quadruplicate, with a copy for her, a copy for the Emperor, another for the Office of Taxation, and a copy for the Baron. Somehow, Gus and William had made an agreement that payment would come from future tax payments, a huge blessing in wartime, and something no other Baron would accept. She wondered what the true price of this deal would be, but didn't care.

That was for the Emperor to worry about, and she wouldn't have to deal with the consequences until she won this war, or at least, didn't lose. Not losing her army was on her mind now as Winter consolidated its forces and drove toward her city. She was forced to do the same, forming up in their path, creating what defenses she could to protect her troops on the front lines. Soldiers had been streaming in for two days, less than she'd hoped for.

House Franklin was conspicuously absent, still in the field, still keeping her flanks safe. Harmonia's last message had been simple: "Light cavalry looping on both flanks to cut off retreat and resupply. I'm sending you all the troops that I can, and will keep my household in the field to keep them busy. Also, the roaming packs of wyverns and goats seem to be on our side, and they are cutting down what's left of the roaming wolfpacks. Let's make a date to raid Carl's wine cellar soon."

Claudia had tucked that note away, inside of her armor, making a promise to live and keep that date. Hopefully, it wasn't during a siege.

"Captain! Resupply and a couple of units from the rear." The messenger was out of breath on a lathered horse. She stepped closer so he didn't have to shout out something that might shake the troops.

"And what else? Have they seen fighting?"

"I'd say so, captain. The wagons of supplies are battered and some of the barrels cracked. They're tossing them to each unit as the go by, and tapping kegs." A cheer went up in the rear of the army.

"It's two small units, ma'am. One was the wounded we sent south and the other is new recruits from Wolfsburg." She raised an eyebrow, "The wounded? Why are they back here?"

"They told me that they got better. There's a few in the wagons drinking beer and singing, but most are limping along in good order. They say they're well enough to man the ballistae and onagers they brought along. And, shit ma'am, I'm not sure what's going on. The recruits all have heavy beards, crazy eyes, and are growling and ready for a fight." Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Duchess Claudia looked to the back of the army, and saw the auras of who was walking toward her. One of them was bright red and familiar to her.

"They've got Ozzy the Butcher with them."

"Yes ma'am, probably, big man, really big. The sentries challenged him and he just grinned and said, "Tell the Duchess we're here for the party, and we brought snacks." Then he just walked past them and the lines parted while the sentries tried to find that phrase in the code book. Corporal Soon thought you'd want to know."

"Corporal Soon was correct. Ride back and clear the route for the Butcher's party, and send those war machines and units to the far right flank. Get a priest of Ares to work with them, I'll want enfilading fire across the middle of the advancing forces." The rider saluted and left, leaving the Duchess with the thought of promoting Corporal Soon. The family produced good officers, even with an unfortunate name.

The founder had decided on the eve of a great battle that he wasn't going to his grave with the name Quisling. His father had sold out to the invading orcs and kept his lands whole. His son swore an oath to renounce his name and chose as his new one 'Soontodie' before throwing himself into the fray and fighting like a madman. The gods rewarded him and he lived, keeping the name. His son was Johan Soontodie2, and his grandson Joseph Soontodie3. Both were still soldiering well past the age of retirement.

Johnny Soontodie4 had made corporal, but had a good sense of when to bend the rules. She liked that in her officers. She added his promotion to her list of things to do if they were still alive tomorrow. The sound of the Butcher's group coming her way obvious, as was the giant of a man leading them. He was only ten foot tall today, looking battered and bloody as usual, but seemed in good spirits. With him were a Butcher's Brigade, armed with adzes and armored in leather butcher's aprons.

Walking to one side was a beautiful woman of elven or fae heritage that had to be the Mayor of Sedgewick. She was smiling at the soldiers, who clapped and shouted, getting a glimpse of the lonely barmaid who sent them kegs of ale from her little bar in that far off town. On the Butcher's left was the Shepherd, limping with one arm in a bloody sling. His pet today was some sort of fairy that flitted about his head. Then Claudia saw the aura and she shuddered.

That wasn't a pet, that was a monster, and despite the small stature, one as powerful as the Butcher or herself. Maybe more powerful, there was a lot hidden underneath. Something she had in common with her Shepherd. And walking behind the Butcher, staying out of sight, was an older woman, with dark red hair, and wearing a witch's hat. This one's aura was black as a dark hole at midnight on a night with no moon. The murderous artifact at her belt was another clue to woman's identity.

Claudia's muscles stiffened, then she made herself relax, but loosened her sword in her sheathe and firmed the connection to her lands. Just in case. Ozzy stopped a few feet away from her.

"Hope you don't mind us coming along with the supplies. Their escorts got sent elsewhere and a few of us had the rest of the day off." She envied the casual way he could talk in the middle of a war.

"Well, and how was the trip?"

"The usual. We had into a two-hundred strong tribe of unfriendly bear worshipping barbarians. we taught them the wisdom of why light cav shouldn't charge defended positions with onagers. Then we got a little creative with our magic and had to fight their totem spirit. One hell of a fight, for all of us, and what was left of the tribe has decided to go home to the north." Claudia had felt when the Great Bear had manifested, trying to claim her lands, and then when it died moments later.

This was another mystery solved.

"Good enough. Now tell me how you captured Titania Blood-axe and why she's in the middle of my camp and not in chains?" Titania sighed, "Never should have posed for those wanted posters. Makes it hard to sneak around." Suzette stepped forward.

"Ozzy didn't capture her. I defeated her in a trial of Witches and she is now in the white circle of Sedgewick. She's got some rough edges and bad habits, but she's handy to have around. It was her magic that saved the soldiers after the battle and gave them some lasting benefits. Likewise, she aided us in curing many of the wounds of the group of soldiers Rolly saved. He fought off thirty barbarians while they reached the safety of our camp."

"By himself?" She grinned, "He's never alone. He always has Princess Squirmie to watch his back, and he said a half dozen geese were nearby. Geese never miss a good fight." Claudia looked from the Butcher to the Shepherd to the Mayor Sedgewick.

"The three of you are vouching for her and taking responsibility for her actions? She's the seventh most wanted person in the Empire." Titania cursed, "What the bloody blazes? Seventh? That's what I get for trying to be good." Rolly said helpfully, "What if you tracked down the six people on the list ahead of you and turned them over to the Inquisition?" She stared at him, then at Suzette, "And... that would count as a good deed?"

Rolly nodded, and Ozzy added, "I notice their are large rewards for each, and most say 'Dead or Alive.' State sanctioned, so it has to count as a good deed." Titania looked thoughtful, "I do have a few grudges to take care about. Have to think about that. Well, if I get to keep my head today." Horns blew, and miles away, Claudia could feel Winter on the march.

"I won't have you beheaded today if you fight. But maybe tomorrow." Titania grinned and cackled, "Good enough for me! Come on, Susie, let's get my cauldron boiling." She grabbed the barmaid's hand and pulled her along. Ozzy watched them go.

"She really is trying to do the 'White Witch' thing. We're helping her by changing her perspective. And she does love her work. As do I, so where do you need me and my brigade? We're ready to slice and dice our way through the enemy." The Duchess of the North looked across the intervening distance, and felt the approach of winter as they trod up her land and claimed it. Some of the feet were large and clawed.

"There's a big contingent of ogres with huge teeth. They're all yours." Ozzy nodded, "Good choice. We'll take care of the monsters, and hopefully after this war is over, they won't think we're the monsters." Claudia saw the hard look in his eyes, "They won't if I'm alive. I know who my friends are and who has my back. You stand with the Empire, and I'll see that they Empire stands with you."

"Good enough for me. Let's go folks, time to make the sausage."