IV: Holding ground and the redrawing of the lines in the map.

The capture of Olga's fortress was a hollow victory without the presence or the capture of the Dark Queen, to make matters worse was the Diamond Wolves deciding to withhold their much needed supplies, damn that Wilund, damn him, Vault thought drinking wine from his goblet as he looks around and saw his men demoralized, the food stores and the loot that they took in was miniscule than what was promised, the besieged had already used it all up, the men took their frustrations on the populace, slaughtering what they could and raping every women that they can.

Then there was the death of Hicks and his party, Vault shuddered to remember when Hicks returned, and very not much alive, the fastest swordsman wasn't anymore as his hands were cut off, he was emasculated and his head was carried by a comrade who was being dragged by his horse, the man's hands were also cut off and he had a mad look at him, and the singing of the man, the man was always singing or humming the same song with its foreign lyrics and haunting tone that some of the men have wanted to put a rug on the man's mouth.

"Þat mælti mín móðir,

at mér skyldi kaupa

fley ok fagrar árar,

fara á brott með víkingum,

standa upp í stafni,

stýra dýrum knerri,

halda svá til hafnar

hǫggva mann ok annan,

hǫggva mann ok annan.

Þél höggr stórt fyr stáli

stafnkvígs á veg jafnan

út með éla meitli

andærr jötunn vandar,

en svalbúinn selju

sverfr eirar vanr þeiri

Gestils ölpt með gustum

gandr of stál fyr brandi"

No one knows what the song means until Shamuhaza broke into the insane man's mind and the whole of Black Dogs learned that Wilund was singing it repeatedly while killing all of their comrades in gruesome ways, I have never seen that man shiver except when it is very cold, Vault thought as he shivered at the way the insane man could only see the Diamond Wolves captain as anything more than a rabid wolf snarling and snapping at everyone he sees.

"Who would have thought that it will be Hicks who will be killed first?" Kin states as Vault only grunts, "you saw what they did to him and Hicks, they can't be reasoned with" and we can't expect for them to aid us, as far as Vault could say, the Diamond Wolves are more than eager to fight them and the Seven Shields alliance themselves, they'd rather see the whole of this nation in flames and chaos and let everyone sort themselves out.

"There is also a problem of how to proceed..." Shamuhaza interjects as everyone turns their attention to him, "without the Dark Queen we can't exactly start our rebellion with a full momentum, then there is also the problem of that Wolf-man...and...his company" the Diamond Wolves had them by the balls and could yank them and make them eunuchs, with the fact that they were now able to make a palisade and are now receiving steady supplies and manpower, Vault can't exactly walk towards them.

"A march towards the palisade the Diamond Wolves created will be suicide, even if we were to use the ogres, the beasts, the goblins and the orcs" Shamuhaza said pointing south of the direction of the Dark Fortress.

"My wards have been detecting probing spells, it seems the Diamond Wolves have been using the Mages from Geofu and Rad to assess our numbers and Wilund most likely alerted the Seven Shields of our plan to rebel" Kin said as he placed pieces around the map, the black ones were his wards, and the white ones were the mages that were probing around them.

"Its like we are besieged as Olga herself" Vault grunts as he looks at Shamuhaza, "any reports from our fast riders concerning the location of the Dark Elf bitch and her servant?" Shamuhaza shook his head.

"Its like they disappeared further north of their fortress" fuck, Vault served himself another goblet of wine.

"We have to breakout" he grunts as he looks at the map before him, "we must first determine their numbers, Kin..." their second spellcaster nods.

"Take some of the men and scout their palisade, determine their numbers, their positions, anything we could use to our advantage" I will win, I will always win, Vault thought as he took a sip from his wine.

Afterall gold, glory, and women are only for the strongest and if anything else Vault will prove he is the strongest by destroying those foreigners and killing their leader that had cost them their first victory over all of Eostia, a victory that would have harken their rebellion, Vault would make sure that what happened to Hicks would pale in comparison in what he would do to Wilund and his company.

The engineers were able to create the stockade Wilund had wanted, it wasn't a fortress or a castle but its enough to hold a cavalry and monster charge, it had towers and elevated platforms with which their crossbows and archers could shoot their missiles from, and at the same time provide a drop point for the supplies and men coming from the south. Inicus had to give it to the captain who was always discussing his plans to Dawn Templar knight-lieutenant and liaison, Dorothea, who seem to be taking his words as if it were orders from her High Queen.

"With the defection and rebellion of the Black Dogs we could only try and pin them down by withholding supplies against them" Wilund explains as he puts pieces around the map of the region, Dorothea meanwhile was listening to Wilund explaining the positions of the Black Dogs, "so far the Black Dogs had managed to get the allegiance of the Dark Queen's monster army, all of them encamped around the surroundings of the Dark Fortress" he places the black pieces around north of the captured fortress.

"And what of Dark Queen Olga?" Dorothea asked as Wilund shook his head.

"No reports as of yet, Vault doesn't seem to be moving so we might be safely assume that they have Olga in their hands" Wilund responds as he pulled out his wineskin and drank, "any news from the High Queen and the court at Ken?" there's the onion, Inicus thought as Dorothea shook her head.

"I have no idea as to what news from the court of Ken" she said as Wilund could only sigh and take another swig.

"The Creator and Saint Calros spare my arse! Are you really our liaison?" Wilund utters in exasperation and exhaustion as Dorothea took a step back, her face showing clear offense of the man's statement about her presence.

"Of course I am your liaison! I was assigned by the goddess to watch over you and to make sure that your part of the contract is fulfilled for both of our benefit!" she insists as the mercenary captain merely put a hand on his face before retrieving his wineskin and then drinking from it.

"And yet you don't seem to communicate much with the home front as to the development of certain events"

"That was the job of Garin and his lieutenant"

"A job that he doesn't seem happy to do and now the Grand Commander is dead, and its safe to assume his lieutenant is also dead as well, fuck..." Wilund took a deep breath and then sighed, "but can you send a message to Ken?" Dorothea nods and there was a look of relief on Wilund's face as he drank the last drops of his wineskin.

"More wine captain?" Inicus asks as Wilund nods and he went to the tent flaps to leave.

"And bring some mead, I'm too sober for this" Wilund calls out as Inicus did so and went to their tent stores where the newly arrived and much needed supplies are put, Reinaud was there at the entrance with three other soldiers guarding the supply tent.

"Quartermaster Reinaud" Inicus greets as Reinaud smiles.

"Inicus! What brings you here?" Inicus looks at him and Reinaud gave him a knowing look "Captain wanting his wine again?"

"Aye, although he wants mead as well"

Reinaud sighs good naturedly at those words as he looks at his assistant who began to list the stuff their captain is going to requisition. "He'd also want his salted eggs along with that? I'm surprised that man's still alive with his drinking" Reinaud said as he looks at the two men who quickly went in to retrieve the items requested.

"We've all seen him down a keg of rum with the sailors and still got to bed with Corein punching and slapping him as they went below the decks" Inicus interjects as Reinaud shrugs at that.

"Fair enough I suppose, bastard has a liver of steel if I might say so" that's a fact, Inicus agrees with the Quartermaster as he looks at him, "don't worry about it, just send word to the captain that his spirits are coming, The Creator and his saint bless us all for our captain, may his liver keep him alive" with that said and a farewell to the company quartermaster, Inicus went back to tell news of the captain's request for wine and mead.

"Captain?" Inicus went back to Wilund's tent and then saw that the Diamond Wolves liaison has left.

"You just missed the woman report back to her superiors, she's pretty angry too" Wilund simply said as he looks at him "my mead and wine?" he asks as Inicus checks the table and then back at Wilund. It seems there was a consensus between him and their liaison, I'd have to talk to her about it.

"Reinaud will send it here, captain" Inicus answers as Wilund sighs.

"Did you know I was planning to retire if we win the battle of Ortysia? Go back to my dead brother's estate and help manage it along with my sister and her husband, or at the very least buy myself a pardon and then buy myself a land in Vlandia? Did you know how much it will cost, to do all of that?" Wilund asks as Inicus shook his head.

"You tell me captain" Wilund sighs at his response.

"Eighteen thousand denars for bribes to lords, Fifteen thousand denars for a plot of land, a thousand for a proper titling, and two thousand to hire some staff, all in all thirty-six thousand denars, I'd have to cut off some of the spending to my men just so I could save that all up for myself, but I can't Inicus, I can't do that to my men...we have bled so much that keeping a money that I know I deserved but didn't is like cutting a limb for me" Inicus could see the tired look in his eyes at that and realized something.

"You bought Corein in the slave markets for twenty-two thousand denars" he said as Wilund laughs.

"She's a good scout and a daughter of a king, a princess, if anything else she'll be sold to the markets of Aserai to become a part of a harem of their sultan when she has skills that are far more useful than being a concubine" Wilund states as he looks at Inicus "do you have any women waiting for you?" he shook his head at that and Wilund sighs, a soldier comes in the tent carrying a barrel of mead.

"Captain?"

"Just open it up and me and the boy will share it, talks like these are not done sober" Wilund said as the soldier did so.

"Sir..." a look silenced him as his captain gave him a goblet which he quickly filled with wine.

"We are going to drink, boy, don't argue with me on that!" Wilund insists "you really are green, even if you are knighted..." Wilund then utters as he stood "Inicus, my boy, here's two pieces of advice, first on women, women are creatures too complicated for us men to understand, but you have to look for a woman that will not hesitate in hitting you, so long as you also hit back, a fierce woman will defend you as much as she will help you around" Wilund states as he drank from his goblet.

"I'm not sure the relationship between you and Corein can be classified as healthy, no offense, captain" Inicus said as he drank from his, remembering the times when the two couple would often leave their rooms and tents as if a storm had passed through it, but still there was a happy and contented smile on their faces as they talk and Wilund would often help Corein in preparing breakfast.

"None taken" Wilund sips again from his goblet, "lastly for the company, the men of the company are important, treat them right and they will follow you even to the seven gates of hell, the company is the family, they are all nothing but the wretched, the scum, the deplored, but people you can trust to have your back" Inicus nods at that as he was often reminded of the captain's generosity for his men back in Calradia. "Do you get what I'm saying Inicus?" the half-Vlandian nods.

"Aye, I can understand you captain"

"Good, I've already taught you everything I know and I can sleep well knowing that I'm not going to die leaving the company to a brain dead moron" Wilund said as he refilled his goblet this time with wine.

Corein stops at the entrance of the tent listening to the conversation between the two half-Vlandians, she couldn't help but sigh as she remembers that event she and Wilund first met, at the impromptu slave camp where I was being checked on by those Imperial bastards, Wilund bought me and haggled for my price upwards, she still remembers Wilund cutting off the slaver who was trying to reason with him that she and the others would have to be brought to the Imperial city slave markets but Wilund kept insisting on a price until finally the slaver decided to sell her and a three Battanian noblewomen to him.

She had thought that the man that was to be her captain and lover was a depraved one, she was preparing a lifetime of being a bed slave until the man simply asked her what she could do for the company, he simply gave me a composite bow and a dirk and told me I was the scout of their company, a stir came from inside the tent.

"Sir?" came the worried voice of Inicus, the boy was like a son to Wilund ever since the Princess Nadea brought him before the mercenary captain presenting him as his dead and dear friend's son.

"I'm fine, boy, the alcohol had just taken effect" there was a tiredness to Wilund's voice as Inicus stood.

"Captain, you should sleep" Inicus insists and Corein could hear protestations from Wilund but nonetheless the man conceded and let the boy put him to bed, Corein took a step back as she sees Inicus finally approaching the entrance of the tent.

"Lady Corein?" Inicus greets as she regards him.

"Inicus" she greets as the boy sighs and shakes his head, "I'm just here for Wilund, and no I am merely going to watch over him" the boy sighs conceding as he lets her get pass him.

"Inicus?"

"No you drunken oaf its me" Corein snarks as the man seems to just ignore her sarcasm and just stirs.

"I still remember your father's dead eyes...staring back at me..." she turns wide-eyed at Wilund, not knowing how to respond as the man shakes and she could hear him biting back tears, "it was a battle...I thought...if I just captured him then..." there was a sob "but...he...killed some of my men that...he captured...Gorm, Alais, Brenod...he killed them...I was so blinded by rage that..." Corein simply embraces him "I know! I know! He is merely protecting you, but I was enraged Gorm...he had a son waiting for him, Alais and Brenod are about...to be married...but that monster...he killed them and he simply smiles when he presents their heads at the walls!" Wilund cries and chokes.

"Hush! Wilund! Don't blame yourself!" Corein mutters as she held him close to her, her captain, her lover, a shell of a man as she finally understood everything he had done for her and for the company. Wilund cries into her as she could merely only hold him tight and close fearing that if anything else the man will fall apart, something that she swore she will never let happen.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Wilund continues to choke and cry and she could only cradle him and try to calm him down until he fell asleep in her arms.

Author's note: Edited the chapter with a pov for Corein, she's still main waifu next to Nadea and Liena, Rhagaea is trash slut! Fight me! Lol!