Ford Legion Fall

1. Auflage 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4835-3374-2
Verlag: BookBaby
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 225 Seiten

Legion Fall takes place in a pre-renaissance period; describing a conflict from the view of multiple characters, describing the burdens of a common soldier to the intrigues changing political and financial climates. Desperate grabs for land and power, epic battles and the rediscovery of forgotten technologies; humanity caught in a revolving conflict between nations and civil upheaval.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ford, Nathan

Leseproben

Chapter 1 Late October, Year 320 of the New Kingdoms King Charles Speed Hessop, ruler of the Eastern Kingdom, sat in richly adorned chair in the War room. From his elevated platform, he could observe the enamel painted map that covered a lapis floor. This splendid depiction of the known world was nearly 35 feet across. Standing below him one level was a member of his personal guard. A Swords Master, mute and illiterate by design, no person was allowed to come between the King and his personal guard without the King’s assertion, including Crown Prince and the Queen. Any man who dared close on them the distance of the guard’s sword was to be struck down without hesitation. The Sword Master wore no sheath and the blade when removed from the rack in the guard’s quarters was never to be set down. There were a hundred Sword Masters in his personal guard; never less than five were around him. That included when working, eating, drinking, sleeping, shitting and fuk’n; even the Queen, though that hadn’t been the case in years. Today the Crown Prince, Charles Brian Hessop, was afforded the right to stand slightly behind the King as the next phase of his instruction began. Prior to this he’d spent every waking hour in study and training. He was a Sword Master at 18 and was fluent and literate in four languages. Standing over six feet in height, athletic build, blond hair blue eyes and imbued with all the knowledge the Masters could impart, was now ready to take his place in the King’s retinue. In attendance High General Sig Bjorn and Chief of Scouts Charles Blain, standing before the raised platform at the distance of ten feet, an honor reserved for the highest royalty. They stood, silent, with both hands cupped in front of them, faces straight forward, the only action allowed to them was to walk straight to the appointed place and bow their heads. After a minute of scrutiny passed, Hessop finally blurted out, “Speak.” Bjorn began, “A petition arrived from Lord Jessum for military intervention concerning one of his holdings in the Black Mountains.” King Hessup nodded slightly allowing him to continue. “If undertaken the objective is in the Western Kingdom a poor Fief with no more than a couple hundred defenders. Campaign will require six months.” King Hessop turned his head slightly toward Blain and nodded. Blain began, “Reports have said the Western Kingdom have been recruiting and training a vast force.” King Hessop extended the first two fingers of his right hand and made a sweeping motion toward the door. Bjorn and Blain nodded slightly then backed away. The heavy doors opened by two guards and then closed behind them. Five minutes passed in complete silence then King Hessop raised his right arm and wagged his index finger. Prince Hessop walked slowly in an exaggerated semi circle keeping the distance of five feet between them. Stopping in front of the King, hands cupped in front, nodded his head slightly. King Hessop then leaned forward and said, “Tell me what you have discerned.” “It is a feint meant to draw us out with a minor force that will be destroyed, or may possibly succeed, but will give cause for an invasion from the Western Kingdom.” “How would ye advise we proceed?” King Hessup said this with a tone that implied, get this wrong I’ll have you garroted and make a new Crown Prince. “Imperial Legion mobilizes a token force; Officers are appointed, half from Houses loyal to ye, half from Houses that are yer rival. Those appointed will be First Born from the Houses.” Enlisting the First Born from the dedicated houses would help ensure their cooperation. “Increase the recruiting for the Legion and City Watch by ten percent, specifically from the frontiers. Tax increase across the board; to pay for refurbishing the Imperial Armories. Double the Scouts and patrols along the frontier. Raise an army from Lord Jessum’s Fief, confiscate everything of value, and leave only enough for them to survive. Ready a force to do the same for the Fiefs adjacent to the Wine River Fife. Jessum’s army will campaign next spring under the guise of protecting our interests; more importantly will flush out the real danger to the Kingdom.” The Prince omitted saying the token force would be destroyed, unifying the Kingdom against the looming threat from the west. The omission was already understood the populace would not support a war effort unless the threat was dire; waiting for the first village to burn would delay the necessary build-up. If previous reports were true, King Jarl had been preparing for war for quite some time. King Hessup smiled and asked, “Why ravage the frontier of men and materials?” “Leave nothing for an invading Army. In the event this turns out to be nothing, we can put the Lords on the frontier on trial for abusing our subjects. A Royal contingent will bring in relief supplies under command of an agent favorable to the Throne’s interests; Crown appoints them as the new Lord.” King Hessup shouted, “Royal Decree.” A guard opened a side door and a scribe entered the room, sat on a desk that had pen and paper ready, another guard moved alongside the scribe, placing his sword on the scribe’s neck. Hessup continued, “I name Crown Prince Hessup as High Counselor to the King, with the rights to pass judgment on all Minor Houses; from this day forth will receive petitions for six hours each day; further promoted as Army Staff Council will attend all official military planning functions.” The new ink was powdered the document was taken from the desk by a guard and brought to the dais, a blob of hot red wax was applied the King applied his signet ring and it was Law. The scribe departed, a guard appeared form behind the Dias with an iron box. The King reached over, picking an ornate gold ring from the box, immediately all the Kings men dropped to both knees, heads bowed to the floor, swords held with both hands out from them. King Hessup approached the Crown Prince grabbed his right hand and place the ring on his right index finger. Then took him by the shoulders and hugged him for the first time. “I never allowed myself to love ye, the Kingdom cannot afford it. The people must come first, these guards do not protect me; they protect the Kingdom from civil war. Protect the people from others and themselves. Guards rise, from this day forward ye will never come between the King and the Crown Prince. One Swords Master will never leave his side. Accelerate the training of the recruits I want yer numbers doubled by spring.” These had been years of peace and plenty; storm clouds were building on the horizon. Year 320 of the New Kingdoms Henry Rose Jarl, King of the Western Kingdom, twenty two years of age was born on the spring equinox; prophecy foretold he would unify the Kingdoms that had been separated since the Great Civil War over 300 years prior. He had been King for six years now, since Henry’s mother had poisoned his father. His first Royal Decree was to have her burned. Henry spent eighteen hours each day training, studying and planning to be Emperor. Year one in his reign he stopped the trade route to the Eastern Kingdom and equipped and supplied the Hill Clans to raid every convoy going to and from the Kingdom. Year two, he emptied the prisons trained and equipped them in Hessup Livery. They raided his frontier Fiefs with impunity. Year three Jarl’s propaganda machine spoke of rejected treaties and slain ambassadors, the people cried for war. For the next three years the forges burned and hammers fell day and night. Whenever conviction faltered a new village burned, women raped then impaled, with the men and children. The Kingdom seethed with anger and revenge. Merchants that once were known to trade with the Western kingdom were taken from their homes by angry mobs and torn apart. The Kingdom was on fire, the people begged to invade. They withstood all taxes and privations; the military preparations had become more akin to a religious experience. This would not be an invasion but a crusade. His actions were sanctioned by the Clergy, the Great Houses, and all the Guilds. A few slaughtered serfs were well worth the cost of such fervent loyalty. Knowing that his military buildup could never be kept secret worked into the plan. The Eastern Kingdom would be forced to raise taxes and recruit; their populace would be on the verge of revolt. When his Army entered they would be considered liberators. Soon his criminal Army would be ambushed and slain by the Elite Rose Guard; a few would have their tongues cut out and paraded in the streets for public execution and consummation of the original prison sentence. King Jarl’s plans of conquest would usher in a new age. The Jarls would reign for centuries; with the power of the combined Kingdoms they could settle the frontiers, and subjugate the Forest territory beyond the Great Waste in the North and whatever lay beyond. King Jarl swung his leg over the dun stallion; he always smiled in public, tall, handsome, angelic face that beguiled the Kingdom. No King in the history of the realm was loved like he. The procession went through the streets; roses were thrown in front of him. King Hessop has loyal Sword Masters for protection; his entire Kingdom would gladly shield him. The troops riding with Jarl were only there to keep the crowd from crushing in. The small procession went through the Cities’ West gate above the harbor crowded with merchant ships. The sea faring nations had been sending aid, supplies and troops to support their cause. The crowd thinned and the retinue...