17 17 Don't Tread On Me

Over the next weeks, my people and Aleksander Gosiewski's army avoided major clashes with Swedish troops. We wanted them to feel more confident and be less careful ... As I suspected, Mitawa fell after three weeks of siege, and then Gustav Adolf turned his gaze to the city of Kokenhuza... He not only directed his gaze, but also his hands.

The Swedish King sent 1000 infantry, 200 cavalrymen and 10 cannons towards the city ... Knowing his intentions, together with Aleksander Gosiewski, we prepared a little surprise for his soldiers. Despite the advantage in the number of the enemy, I was sure of our victory. Gosiewski had already won this battle with smaller forces, now thanks to me he had 80 more soldiers and precise information. If compare it to the poker game, Gosiewski originally had four of a kind, thanks to my presence he was now holding a royal flush.

"I heard that the Lithuanian Field Hetman gathers his troops... but probably only after the new year will he start attacking the Swedes. Gustav Adolf will also have to camp for the winter." (Aleksander Gosiewski)

"He probably did not think that Mitawa would surrender so quickly, or he waited until he would be appointed Grand Hetman of Lithuania... but during the King's lifetime, for sure it will not happen." (MC)

"Before his death, Chodkiewicz handed over the maces of the Great Hetman of Lithuania, to Lubomirski." (Aleksander Gosiewski)

"It is probably only for the time of battle, the King will decide who will be the Hetman, and knowing the King, he probably will not appoint anyone and will use the position for political games." (MC)

"You are young ... what do you know. You haven't slept with the woman under the quilt yet." (Aleksander Gosiewski)

"You don't need to be old to understand it. The king is a Catholic, Radziwiłł is a Calvinist. So he won't get the mace of Hetman, the second largest family in Lithuania are the Sapieha. The Radziwiłł and Sapieha families are like fire and water, the King can gain a lot if the position is vacant." (MC)

"And if he has to decide, who will he choose?" (Aleksander Gosiewski)

"Lew Sapieha, he is Catholic and he is old, so the position will soon be vacant again." (MC)

Of course, I could pretend to be a political expert because I knew the history and knew it would happen, and I only told Gosiewski because when Lew Sapieha would receive the mace of the Great Hetman of Lithuania, due to his age, most of the duties will fall on Aleksander Gosiewski ... and a man in that position, it is better to have him as a friend. Probably when my theories are confirmed, I will also gain in his eyes.

"Time will show if you're right, young man, but first, don't get killed in this battle." (Aleksander Gosiewski)

"Worry for yourself, old man. The tree for my coffin has not yet grown." (MC)

"Chort with you ... Your saber is as sharp as your tongue?" (Aleksander Gosiewski)

We've spent the last few weeks together so our relationship was friendlier now and less formal, despite the twenty-year gap between us.

"... quietly and listen carefully ... the infantry is approaching, you can hear them marching." (MC)

The Swedish troops were well trained in marching, they could only be mistaken for the Janissaries or the Zaporozhian infantry ... but we were so far in the north that Turks or Cossacks could not be expected here. My companion agreed that I was right, he gave a signal with his hand that we should start the attack.

We had a total of 780 soldiers, Alekasnder Gosiewski divided the army into eight companies and appointed each of them a place and time of attack ... The Swedes marched in a column ... infantry, cannons, infantry and finally cavalry. We did not intend to attack their rear, we wanted to leave a way for them to escape, it was my idea which Gosiewski agreed. I explained to him that more soldiers are killed during a retreat or escape, there is more chaos and it will be easier for us to hunt Swedish infantry as cavalry.

The first company attacked the cannons in the enemy column, and in less than a minute, they began to retreat. When the Swedish infantry began to prepare for defense, two more companies attacked their rear ... then two more companies joined them ... the battle looked chaotic, but short clashes, quick retreats and repeated attacks did not allow the opponent to create an effective defense. The losses on our side were small, but the grim reaper was taking a heavy toll on the Swedes.

I was riding a horse and I was hitting my saber left and right, I turned my horse ... and suddenly I felt something was wrong. The horse reared up, staggered and began to fall to its side ... I jumped at the last moment because it would have crushed me.

I got up, looked around... At the moment I was close to the cannons and carriages, my company was already retreating ... and I felt like a Japanese po.rn star ... I was alone and there were a hundred Swedes around me ... Fuck.

I ran to one of the carts, there were several barrels on it, I hit one of them with my saber. Some gunpowder spilled out. I grabbed the pisolet I had on my belt and aimed it at the scattered gunpowder ...

"One step ... and we all die ..." (MC)

I don't think they knew German ... because they didn't listen to me or thought I was bluffing.

"You can all kiss my ass ..." (MC)

I fired, the gunpowder began to sparkle ... and I did not wait what would happen next, I started to run away as much as I had strength in my legs. I don't know how many seconds have passed, two or eight. I heard an explosion and then I felt something pushing me with great force ... and that great force was pushing me towards a tree ... a thick tree.