Battle of Italica: Prologue
"Myuute, I told you to use your magic to assist my men! You're worthless demi-trash just standing back here, what use are you if you can't help us to combat this fledgling resistance!" A commanding bandit shouted as his forces were losing ground and were being forced away from the entrance of Italica.
The initial raid on the city was easy pickings for his men, enough food and supplies to last for a few days, but they wanted more. They wanted and craved battle, the like of which was denied to them on their assault of Alnus Hill. The second attack should've gone like the first, but this time the civilians were being led by the princess and somehow managed to repel them when they outnumbered their resistance three to one. Now on their third assault, they barely managed a small group through the gates before his forces were being shoved right back out and were losing ground fast.
"That bitch managed to regain control of the ramparts!" The bandit commander knew his forces wouldn't last now that she had the high ground and the latest attacks she's thrown were causing chaos within his ranks. "Retreat!"
His order was relayed across the battlefield as his men scurried away back into the forests, him riding away on his horse leaving Myuute to ran after him like everyone else. Though he knew that he was wearing down the princess and her forces and it wouldn't be long before her forces fell beneath the blades of his men. He got one more glimpse behind him to see the bright red hair of the princess wave in the wind atop of the towers, vowing to himself that she would become his conquest while her people were slaughtered around her.
While he rode off in defeat, Princess Pina Co Lada sighed a breath of relief as the remainder of his forces began to shrink into the horizon and was glad the ordeal was over for now. She hadn't expected to face such overwhelming odds and it was a miracle that the city's forces and civilians managed to hold out for this long. She prayed to the gods that her Knights would arrive sooner because she had no real idea how long they'd last if the attacks remain the same. Such thoughts clouded her mind, but she had to make sure her people were still alive.
"Hamilton, Norma are you alright!" She called down from her tower, overlooking the countless number of dead bandits that had managed to pass through the gate.
"Alive and accounted for Princess!" Hamilton called out as she sat on the floor, completely exhausted after fighting bandit after bandit at the barricades, while Norma gave a meek wave trying to hold himself up with the barricade.
"As uncaring as ever Princess, you didn't bother finding out if I was alive." Grey joked as Pina made her way down from the ramparts, a relieved smile on her face as she made it to ground level.
"After all these years, I know you wouldn't fall at the hands of a bunch of bandits, Grey." Pina replied and the older knight laughed in response to her words.
"Too true Princess, we'll take care of clean up here. Best that you make your way up to the Mistress' estate to rest up for the next battle." Grey suggested and Pina often took his words as wise decisions, it would do her no good if she were too tired to wield her blade.
"Fine then, separate the bodies and burn the bandit ones. We'll bury the fallen at another time once this is all over. Hamilton, come with me." Pina commanded and those who still had energy left began to work as she and the brown haired knight made their through the city for the estate.
Hamilton walked behind her princess, her mind muddled with thoughts now that she wasn't fighting for survival and only one persistent question came to mind. It had all the reason to do with them coming to Italica over searching for more clues about the whereabouts of the two factions that decimated the Imperial army and the Allied Nations army. She wanted to word this to the best of her abilities as she knew her princess was at the point that she wouldn't mince words anymore for the sake of manners. Afterall, she did kill a number of bandits for the purpose of holding the ramparts. As they made their way up the steps towards the estate, the young knight found it to be the best time to ask her this question before it was too late.
"Your Highness, why are we out here in Italica fighting hordes of bloodthirsty bandits instead of our mission?"
"Because we didn't have a choice!" Pina exclaimed, surprising both Hamilton and the group of militiamen around them with her loud response. "They raised the alarm that an armed force was trying to storm the walls and I had thought that it was the army we were looking for from the otherworld. We came to their aid like we were supposed to and what do we find?
"Soldiers from the Allied Nations all turned rogue attacking these people!" Pina clenched her teeth in anger of who was her enemy and turned to face those around her. "All of you listen to me, we don't have time to lie about! The bandits will return, so bury the bodies and reinforce the gates! The rest of my people are coming to aid us, but they are still three days away so we must hold out until then. We need only to hold out, after that the Order of the Rose will avenge your fallen in battle!"
Pina turned away after that and marched her way to the estate, Hamilton quickly following behind her in silence as she could tell that this was weighing on her princess heavily. Once inside, Hamilton excused herself and Pina found the opportunity to get out of her armor for a brief reprise from battle. She sat herself within the main parlor in exhaustion from the past day as one of the Mistress' advisors came up to her.
"Your Highness, if I may?"
"Go on, what is it? Are you surrendering?"
"Of course not, still... I'm hoping there's a way we can end all this fighting without further bloodshed." He had been an advisor to the family for many years and day by day, he had to witness the amount of dead piling up. People he helped govern going to waste away in a coffin once the fighting stops.
"Well there is a way, you simply open the gates and let all those bandits in. After that, prepare to have everything taken, let your men be shackled and thrown into slavery, your woman raped and allow them to make every decision for you. That's the way to stop the fighting." She didn't miss a single beat in her explanation and once she finished, she took a sip of her wine.
"You speak so coldly, Your Highness."
"Of course I do, I'm trying to make a point." She swirled her wine in her cup at the thought of it all occurring right down to the letter. "Once you surrender, then you lose everything." A minor silence befell them until the parlor doors briefly opened as someone came in.
"I hope you enjoy." Came the voice of the Head Maid, bringing a serving platter with only a bowl of porridge and two slices of bread.
Pina looked at the platter with mixed feelings, picking up a slice of bread and taking a simple bite. She frowned at the bland taste it had, immediately coming to the conclusion that the porridge wouldn't fare any better to satiate her appetite.
"It completely lacks in flavor and isn't sufficient for me." Pina commented and the Head Maid merely closed her eyes as she responded.
"When one is physically exhausted, eating enriched food could actually have a negative impact in shutting the body down." She said in a matter-of-fact tone and Pina looked questioningly at her.
"Really, you've dealt with such a situation before?"
"Of course your Highness, I'm a native of the City of Rosa which to this day is a loyal part of the Empire." She replied and Pina could feel the sarcastic tone of her voice, but couldn't call her out on it as it was a bloody conquer of the people there.
"Very well..." She said dejectedly, knowing of the horrors that took place during the battle and went about to eating the served meal.
She took her time to eat as the advisor and Head Maid stood by in silence, allowing her to be left to her thoughts as she ate. Pina did her best to let the silence surround her, trying her utmost to avoid her personal worries at the idea of failing to protect the city.
"I'll be resting in your guest room, bring me any urgent news immediately." She ordered, making her way towards the door only stopping to ask the Head Maid one last question. "What do you plan to do if I don't wake at your calls?"
"I have an ice-cold pitcher of water at the ready if you do not rouse from your slumber, your Highness."
"Hmm, that will do nicely." Pina commented as he made her way out of the room and into the guest room.
She stripped down her under garments and laid on the available bed, draping the bed sheet over her body. She wanted to rest, but her body refused to relax as she began to recount the days past and the current condition of the city now that it has entered its third straight day of battle. Her mind wandered through the many images that have imbedded themselves into her mind of the many bodies, blood and tears that she witnessed her first night in the city.
"We're running low on true soldiers; the more experience and brave fighters are the first to die on the front lines and morale keeps dropping." Pina mumbled to herself, gripping the bed sheet within her fist as her anger began to pour out. "My first battle as a knight should've been glorious, not this pathetic defense against such numbers. What was all that training for if it led me to this?"
Pina closed her eye in a bid to stop herself from letting her emotions run wild and as time passed, she felt herself fading. The world around her began to grow quiet and the faint chirping of birds began to zone out as she began to fall asleep. Her body finally began to relax as her aching muscles found a way to ease their tension and as the sights of the ceiling faded to the black nothingness of sleep, Pina could have sworn she heard her younger self shouting drill commands. Her dreamscape had taken her to a time that really meant something for her, to the time that the tales of the War Maidens truly motivated her and made her believe that women, too, can be brave knights.
Pina saw her fledgling Rose Order made up of only herself and six other girls from the esteemed court come together and train to be knights under the teachings of Sir Grey Co Aldo. She watched them all grow and improve in their skills with weapons, drills and combat tactics until that fateful day she realized that her father saw her order as nothing more than an ornament to his parades. She did everything in her power to prove that her knights were ready for actual fighting like all the other orders and then came the day her father chose them to locate the people from the otherworld. This was what Pina had been waiting for, the chance to prove herself to her father and just like that the dreamscape came crashing down as she found herself surrounded by bodies, a city on fire and a shadow army before her.
Pina awoke with a rush as she felt the cold-water splash around her, looking up at Grey and the Head Maid in urgency as she looked for her clothes. All the while exclaiming that the enemy has returned, but was slowed down by the Head Maid since Pina was still entangled with the bed sheets.
"The enemy force isn't in sight, but something has been sighted. We aren't certain to what's going on out there, but you should come take a look at this."
Grey and Pina made their way towards the entrance the last battle had taken place as militiamen took their positions. Norma and Hamilton had been watching the road awaiting the arrival of the strange carriages from the peephole of the main door. They have yet to see anything since word came about, but have been ever vigilant of any differences on the horizon.
"The tower spotters noticed them making their way here; five metal carriages that weren't being pulled by any horses. Three of them are green while the other two are both gray and black." Grey informed as Pina made her way to the peephole. "What are your orders?"
"Aside from the fact that they said the carriages were moving without horses, we need to see them in person. For now, we'll wait and see. If they're allied with the bandits, than we strike hard and fast."
"If they aren't?"
"Then let's hope we can persuade them into joining us in the upcoming fight. Gods know we'll need every hand we can get."