Chapter 2: New Allies

• • • • •

Antonio comes to the aid of two Dalrson men, Sir Russell and Captain Grover, saving them from Rymin mercenary forces employed by Lord Dale. After the battle, the two men bring ill tidings: Fort Gigan, Dalrson's eastern border guard, has fallen to Dale's men. Antonio's plan to seek manpower there becomes all but null and void. He is left wondering what options remain, and what his next move will be. He is in a perilous position, with Dale's men scouring the countryside whilst his brother looms behind at the capital.

###

Fort Gigan, Eastern Border Guard of Dalrson

Mercenary: …and we found nothing but corpses. Everyone was dead, including Commander Cradely.

Dale: So the man was useless after all. He couldn't even run down the tattered remains of one small force without losing more than a dozen trained killers.

[Trey enters.]

Trey: My Lord.

Dale: General Trey. I was just discussing the fate of the blundering Commander Cradely.

Trey: My Lord, there could have been no more than two or three survivors from the force from Eretou that we defeated here. For such an outcome, the Dalrsonians must have received reinforcements from somewhere. Most likely the capital itself.

Dale: From Eretou? But Prince Aerik now controls Dalrson Keep.

Trey: He does, My Lord. But I have heard rumors. Some claim that Prince Antonio lives, and that he escaped the castle the day Prince Aerik took the throne from him.

Dale: How vexing. When I spoke to him last, Aerik promised me that he would kill Antonio himself. How hard would it be to do it—to kill someone who trusted you completely?

Trey: The rumors may be completely unfounded, My Lord. Gossiping merchants and dirt-brained peasants will say what they will, however prompted.

Dale: Let us focus on what we know for certain, then. Cradely and his men were slaughtered, meaning there is an enemy force inside Dalrson, perhaps close to the border, that threatens us.

Trey: That seems to be so.

Dale: Then they must be crushed! Take as many men as you like, so long as we are not too lightly defended here. Search the countryside and bring them down. Use whatever means necessary.

Trey: Yes, My Lord. It would be my pleasure.

###

Kingdom of Dalrson, Eastern Countryside

Antonio: Something has been bothering me.

Asyrm: What is it, Prince Antonio?

Antonio: It's about that commander we fought yesterday. He seemed very surprised to see me.

Asyrm: To be fair, Prince, I doubt anyone would expect to see you in that place, charging into battle with so few men at your side.

Antonio: True. Still, the man looked very pale. Like…

Grover: …he'd just seen a ghost?

Asyrm: Captain Grover.

Grover: Sorry for joining the conversation uninvited.

Antonio: It's of no concern. I'm curious, though. Have you come to the same conclusion as me, Captain Grover?

Grover: I may have. I think that commander was surprised to see you, Prince, because until that moment, he thought you were dead. It isn't common knowledge yet that Prince Aerik has usurped the throne and tried to kill Prince Antonio. Russell and I didn't know, and we heard many things skipping from village to village, on the run from Lord Dale's men.

Asyrm: I see now. The only way they would have known…

Antonio: Was if my brother had shared his plans. With Lord Dale, most likely. Lord Dale has been a prickly nuisance along the border for several years, but he's never been bold enough to lead a full assault on Fort Gigan. It makes sense, then, that the timing wasn't a coincidence.

Asyrm: Yes, you're right. Still, even knowing that—

[Russell approaches.]

Russell: General! Prince Antonio!

Antonio: What's the matter?

Russell: We have guests. Non-hostile… for the moment. One of them would like an audience with you, Prince.

Asyrm: They asked for the prince by name?

Russell: They did. I'm not sure how, but she knew Prince Antonio was here.

Asyrm: She? Who does she claim to be, to seek an audience with the prince?

Russell: I asked the same thing. She wouldn't tell me. She had a guard, too. Three savage looking men and a cleric. They make for a strange sight.

Asyrm: …

Antonio: I'll see her.

Asyrm: Prince?

Antonio: If she knows I'm here, then it would be dangerous to send her away. We'll need to show her some courtesy.

Russell: Tch. Despite showing none herself.

Antonio: General, Captain, Sir Russell. Please accompany me. If she has a guard, then I'd like to have one as well.

###

The Outskirts of Camp

Girl: Ah. And I was beginning to think you wouldn't present yourself.

Russell: You should mind your tongue—

Antonio: Peace, Sir Russell.

Russell: …

Antonio: I have presented myself, perhaps against my better judgment. So? Who are you?

Girl: You treat me as a stranger. We've met once, you know, but that's fine. It has been a long time. Fourteen years ago, my father visited Dalrson Keep to treat with your father, as he often did. He brought me along for the first and last time. I was quite a nuisance, as any tiny child who misses home would be. I stole things, broke priceless works of art, and antagonized many of the little lords.

Asyrm: My prince, this is—

Antonio: You are Lord Jardan's daughter. It's Violet, isn't it?

Violet: Correct.

Brutus: Lady Violet, it should be.

Russell: Aha. So the trained gorillas can speak.

Antonio: Sir Russell! That's enough.

Russell: …My apologies.

Violet: It's all right. With everything that's happened recently, I'm sure the nerves of you and your men have been sorely tested. That said, now that it's hopefully been established that I have no intention of harming the prince…

Antonio: Captain Grover, please see to accommodating Lady Violet's guard.

Grover: Yes, my prince.

Oberan: Brutus, Eve—with me.

Brutus: …Hmph.

Antonio: Sir Russell, you're also excused.

Russell: Aye.

[Antonio, Asyrm, Violet and Drath stay.]

Violet: This is Drath, my father's master of intelligence. His head spy, I suppose you could say.

Antonio: And this is General Asyrm, my closest advisor.

Violet: Yes, I remember. He spent some time chasing me through the corridors of Dalrson Keep.

Antonio: Ha ha ha. Is that true?

Asyrm: …It is. Lady Violet had some of the quickest legs for a child that I'd ever had to contend with.

Violet: So I've been told.

Antonio: Lady Violet, I feel I must apologize for how my men and I have treated you.

Violet: There's no need. To arrive here, unannounced, and at such an hour… I take no offense.

Antonio: Good. Still, it's a pleasure to see you again. Lord Jardan always spoke fondly of you during his visits to Eretou.

Violet: If only he offered the same praises to my face. What is it that he would say?

Antonio: Once, I heard him claim that in all his travels, he still had not seen a fairer maid from the shores of Isle Massive to the Bay of Farleigh.

Violet: Ha…

Antonio: To be honest, I always took him for a bit of a braggart. But, now that we've met again at last, I suspect I may have been too quick to judge.

Violet: Y-yes, well…

Drath: Milady, if I may.

Violet: Ahem. Of course. Prince Antonio, General Asyrm, I was able to find you here due to Master Drath's network of informants. They've been providing my father with good, up to date information on what's transpired inside Dalrson.

Antonio: And knowing what's happened, he's sent you out here to meet me?

Violet: That's right. It may seem… reckless, but I insisted. My father has many concerns inside Rymin, as you might imagine. To lead a party like this, he has so few capable men to spare.

Antonio: I see.

Violet: He told me to find you and immediately bring you and your men across the border into Rymin. But, with the fall of Fort Gigan, that seems to no longer be possible. For now, anyway.

Antonio: Is there no other way into Rymin?

Asyrm: None for the sane, Prince. The mountain roads are notoriously treacherous. They are home to bandits, bears, mountain cats… the Splendent's light hardly does a thing to stave off the bitter cold, and men go mad from the ceaseless howl of the wind.

Violet: It's all true, Prince. We've no choice but to retake Fort Gigan. But first…

Drath: Lord Dale has sent out a sizeable force to find Prince Antonio—although he may not know that the Prince is still alive.

Antonio: We've left our mark. He must know by now that there is somebody out here to hunt.

Drath: Yes, and I have an informant who has infiltrated their ranks. We can track their every move.

Asyrm: And what will we do with such information?

Violet: We attack. Though we'll be severely outnumbered, if we storm their camp in the dead of night, we can beat them before they know what's happened.

Asyrm: Sneaking about in the darkness to kill men before they've rubbed the sleep from their eyes…

Antonio: I know you have reservations, Asyrm, but Lord Dale and my brother have put us between a rock and a hard place. If it takes these kind of tactics to even the field, then we must use whatever advantages we have.

Asyrm: …Of course, My Prince.

Violet: I'm glad you have the stomach for it, General. I'm afraid we won't always be in the position to fight with a knight's honor.

Asyrm: …

Antonio: We have more discuss, but perhaps we could leave it for tomorrow. It seems Lord Dale's force won't move without us knowing it, so we may indulge in the luxury of rest.

Violet: Yes, I think so. We've traveled many long miles today. A good night's sleep would be most appreciated.

Antonio: Then you shall have it, to the best that we can provide. Tomorrow we'll decide our next move.

###

Kingdom of Dalrson, Eastern Countryside

Brutus: …Hmph.

Oberan: Brutus. Are you still sulking? And just over the words of that pompous knight…

Eve: There's more to it than that, isn't there?

Brutus: Of course. I've never been one to question orders, but all I've wondered these past nights… why did Lord Jardan bend to Lady Violet's wishes? Why did he agree to this?

Eve: Lady Violet is a woman grown. Perhaps he's begun to see that. It's within her right to be allowed more freedom.

Oberan: Yes. And I don't think Lord Jardan is the only one to notice that she's become a woman grown.

Brutus: J-just… just what are you implying?

Oberan: Ha ha, well. It was only speculation, but I believe you've just confirmed it yourself.

Eve: Ha ha ha.

Brutus: Augh. Listen to you two… you'll wake the enemy camp.

[The background is silent for a second.]

Oberan: That's our signal. Time to move.

• • • • •

1st Player Turn

Asyrm: It looks as though Lady Violet's men are advancing.

Antonio: Good. Then let us join them!

###

[When the first enemy unit is attacked.]

Mercenary: Attack! We're under attack!

Trey: What? How did they sneak past our watch? You dullards! Grab your weapons, form up, and cut them down!

###

[Russell speaks with Brutus.]

Russell: Well! If it isn't the biggest of Lady Violet's brick-headed toadies.

Brutus: Knight of Dalrson, I don't have the time now to heed your disparagement.

Russell: You are addressing Sir Russell. But I suppose you're right. If I distract overmuch, you may lose a handle on that axe of yours and lop off a limb. I'll leave you to your loutish butchery.

Brutus: …Augh.

###

[Violet speaks with Eve.]

Violet: Eve… I'm sorry for dragging you into this.

Eve: Lady Violet, I'm happy to serve you however I can.

Violet: Even so, forcing you to put your life at risk…

Eve: Milady, may I speak frankly?

Violet: Yes, of course.

Eve: Lord Jardan may be my employer, but the years I've spent with you, helping you with your studies and watching you grow into a fine, accomplished young woman… they are years I lived by choice, and I could not be happier for it. Even should a stray arrow catch me in the heart tonight, or in the days that follow, I would have nothing to regret.

Violet: Thank you, Eve. Sometimes… sometimes, I believe I do not deserve you.

###

[Violet speaks with Oberan.]

Violet: Master. Your opinion, please. How is my grip?

Oberan: Fine.

Violet: And my stance?

Oberan: …Fine.

Violet: Good. Now, if you'd watch me—

Oberan: Lady Violet, please focus on the enemy. That is one of the first things I taught you, isn't it?

Violet: Y-yes! Of course.

###

3rd Enemy Turn

Igro: G-General Trey! Where are you going?

Trey: This battle is already lost.

Igro: But sir… the—the morale of the men!

Trey: No amount of morale will reverse this hideous situation. I leave it to you, Igro. Someone must survive in order to report what happened here to Lord Dale.

Igro: W-wait! General!

###

[Antonio, fighting Igro.]

Antonio: Do you command these men?

Igro: I…

Antonio: Tell them to surrender. We'll let you all live.

Igro: …

Antonio: Are you listening?

Igro: …

Antonio: …So be it, then.

###

[Igro, fighting anyone.]

Igro: This… this cannot…

###

[Igro dies.]

Igro: Have I… fallen? General…

[The battle ends.]

• • • • •

Antonio: That went better than I could have imagined. They had us vastly outnumbered, and yet…

Violet: Because we caught them unawares, they could put up only a tiny resistance. Now we may focus our attention on retaking Fort Gigan.

Antonio: Is that our next target?

Violet: Yes.

Antonio: I appreciate the ambition, but… surprising a camp of men in the dead of night is one thing, but the walls of Fort Gigan are not so easily breached.

Violet: Master Drath spoke of a way. I sent him on to Fort Gigan to speak with one of his informants.

Asyrm: It seems Master Drath has had much success in infiltrating Lord Dale's ranks.

Violet: It is said that Lord Dale will hire any man who stands on two legs and can swing a piece of metal.

Asyrm: I see. That would also account for the quality of the troops that we've faced thus far.

Violet: Lord Dale keeps his best men closer to him. Perhaps you'll find a worthy opponent yet, General.

Asyrm: Mayhaps, Milady.

Antonio: The general is only containing his enthusiasm. Now, let's get some rest. Doubtless we have another long day ahead.