The Next Day
As Rhaenal woke up the next day, He see a ceiling that looks like the ceiling of their house, his body hurts and has some bandages, it feels like he lifted a whole cart last night Then he remember what happen, he still thought it's just a dream until he saw Captain Devon in the door as he tried to stand up.
"How are you feeling?" Captain Devon ask.
"My body hurts, but aside from that i am fine" Rhaenal respond.
"Good, you can go in the hall there's food there" instructed by the Captain
"Where am i Captain?" Rhaenal ask out of curiosity.
"You're inside the castle with the other survivor outside the hall, this is a room for handmaidens" the Captain replies.
"Wait ... Captain about last night?" Rhaenal ask again.
"What about it? If it's true? Yes! All of it rhaenal" replied by the Captain.
That statement of the Captain silence him as all of what happened last night flashed back to his memory.
"You better get up now and eat" said by Captain Devon and leaves.
Rhaenal get up and go to the hall, there are a lot of people, usually this place is for Count Jerald and his officials when they're discussing or fixing some town matters but now it looks like a hall for refugees. There are some maidens serving food to the people especially to the elders and the wounded.
"Rhaenal, here take this" it's Elizabeth, i am glad she survived. She gave me a bowl of stew. And then he remember Mr.Carn when he saw her.
"Thank you, Elizabeth .... About Mr...." Rhaenal wanting to mention about the Old Man.
"I know rhaenal, i know what happened" she replied.
Her face turns gloomy in a second thinking about Mr.Carn.
"I'm sorry ..." Rhaenal apologise.
"There's nothing we can do except continue living for them" Elizabeth replied with a smile in her face.
She's right, he suddenly remember what happened to his mother. He indeed, need to be strong and to continue living for his mother. Rhaenal finished his meal, and head outside of the hall to see the aftermath of what happened last night and breath some fresh air if there is.
As the captain of the garrison, Captain Devon was in charge of finalizing the report of what happened last night
"Do you have the report?" the Captain asks his soldier.
"Yes sir" the soldier responded firmly.
"A total of 346 dead 65 missing and 487 wounded including soldiers sir" he added
"Okay, What about the supply?" the Captain continue asking.
"The supplies can last for 1 month sir that is all the food in the storage" the soldier reponded firmly once again.
"What about the reconstruction materials?" another question from the Captain.
"We will be lacking of timber and stones, but we already requested help from the capital sir" the soldier replied.
Cookenham the capital city of Brunswick, a large town where traders and travellers stay, where tournaments and huge festival happens, it is under Duke Barrington's governance as he is appointed by the King, it is where his family lives the House Tarsus inside it's castle that is doubled the size of Milton's castle.
"Keep me updated if you have something new" instructed by the Captain.
"Yes sir" another firm respond by the soldier.
"Good work" the Captain compliment the hard work of the soldier and taps his shoulder.
Captain Devon is ordering patrol in the area around Milton and the villages nearby as there are reports that Bandits are taking advantage of what happened to Milton he sends patrol units constantly to help secure the road for travellers, traders and people delivering materials to help the reconstruction of the Town.
At Prince Henry's camp in lake Wellington near Valley of Sena
"My lord, Alfwin's group is back" said by one of the soldier
"Good" the Prince responds.
Prince Henry, comes out of his tent to greet the raiders he sent
"My lord, we manage to sack some villages and their supply but in a when we came into one town we are met with some resistance and we lost almost half of my men" reported by Alfwin.
"Tsk that's too bad, i thought we can atleast rest in a castle like town like Milton" the Prince reply.
"Anyway, King Baldwin's army should be nearing Langford by now, We march at noon and meet with his army at Langford" he added.
Langford, a province north of andorre it is rich in minerals which is the most important province in the country and most importantly it borders the country of Andorre, Gaulandia and Prusia but in the middle there is the river of annexia which serves as a buffer to the three countries.
The country was at peace for more than 100 years now, that's why no one even expected that an army of prusian will come, together with the long forgotten Prince of the country who has been banished because he killed his mother in an argument 20 years ago when he was 18 years old. Who would've thought that terror will come to the whole country in the coming days.
At Duke Barrington's camp in the Hun's Plains near dalton.
A messenger came in from the Duke of Burgenda and Briton almost at the same time.
At the war tent.
"The prusian army is camped near the border of Langford hence the reason why Burgenda cannot lend their troops to us, they need to aid the men of Langford in the defense in case something happens since it is a pivotal province for the country" as Duke Barrington read the message
"But the Duke Hansel of Briton is on the march going here to meet us and expect an additional 20,000 men from them, That is what the letters told us" he added
"How come they crossed annexia without us noticing it?"
Count Sigfred asks
"We don't know, they could've crossed it at night or by small groups" Duke Barrington answered
"But one thing i know for sure, prince henry's forces is camping near lake wellington, if they decided to move, it would take them 2 days to pass near our position, contrast to that duke hansel will arrive tomorrow if he marched this morning that is enough time to mobilise everyone and cut off prince henry" Duke barrington added
At milton, during the afternoon
People are busy repairing their houses and cleaning the town street, they buried the deads lying in the streets including Mr.Carn and Rhaenal's mother. There are also supplies coming in and out of the town to help with the reconstruction, Robert and Colton are helping with getting the timber and stones from the supply cart, so Rhaenal decided to help as well.
"Oyyy, Rhaenal did you know that Mr.Carrn is one of the body they buried earlier?" Colton said.
"He knows that Colton already can we just focus on the work" Robert responded.
"And i saw your mother as well Rhae ..." Colton added but Robert stops him before he finish his sentence
"I know, ...." Rhaenal responded with a sad tone.
"But there's nothing we can do now so let's just focus on the task at hand" He added.
"You know what, i really want to get back on those bastard who did this to us, i want to punish them kill them if i have a chance" Colton said with conviction
"We can't though, we're nothing but young men who knows nothing but play dice and fool around" Robert said
"What if we enlist in the army?" Colton excitedly ask
"Are you crazy? Do you think we can be soldiers? We don't know how to properly hold a sword or shoot an arrow, can you even kill someone?" Robert ask colton
"I will if i have to, and i heard there's like a training for that, right Rhaenal what do you say?" Colton said
Rhaenal remember the fight he have with one of the attackers, if he can train and be better maybe he can protect those who he value the most.
"I want to, i can't do anything when those bastards arrived i just watched as they killed people like it was nothing, i want to fight and i want to protect the people who's important to me" Rhaenal responded with anger.
Robert and Colton just stare at Rhaenal as he said those words and after a while as they finished unloading all the timber and stones from the supply cart it took them long but enough to finish in time for dinner at the hall again, then Colton approach Captain Devon and ask about enlisting into the army, Captain Devon told them that if they want to enlist there's two way.
One is through militia where the Crown requires additional force from ordinary people to take arms, sometimes it is used to quell rebellion or riot but sometimes due to lack of men, just like 5 years ago where there's a big Rebellion led by some of the nobles, the other one is to the academy which we only have in larger towns, we have one in Cookenham, where you study military tactics, formations, strategies and physical training but only noble or people with power can only go there. Us? Impossible, well if someone recommend you i guess you can.
"We're at peace for more than 100 years, it is impossible for the Crown to call for a militia, there's no rebellion going on nor a riot" the Captain explain.
"Going into the academy is very hard since we don't know how to read or write, so there is really no chance" Rhaenal said to Colton and Robert.
"But we were just attacked, i don't know if they are bandits or rebel group but surely there will be some retaliation for that" Colton said.
"Since we're on the topic, Milton is currently in need of men right now to patrol the area due to Bandits taking advantage of what happened here, if you want boys you can join into one of my patrol groups and lend your help" Captain Devon said.
"Sure!" Colton agrees immediately
"But we don't know how to fight properly" said by Robert
"Be on the courtyard tomorrow morning and i'll let you guys train with one of my men, i don't want you to be killed on your patrol duties by a Bandit with an axe" said by Captain Devon.
At the Capital of Andorre, Wiltshire.
Where the funeral for the late King happens, some noble lords from each province comes to give respect despite the threat of Prusian and Prince Henry
The bishop starts and ends the ceremony with a prayer, after the funeral some of the lords start talking about the imminent threat coming, some are wondering who shall take the crown, where especially in times like this they need a leader but since Prince Edward is still not of age, a regeant shall be in place and it is only right that the Prince's mother shall be the regeant.
The royal court of the late King has called a meeting in one of the state room led by the former King's advisor Charles, their main agenda is who will be sitting in the throne for the mean time.
"It is only the right thing that the Queen Mother Anne be the regeant we need a figurehead in times like this as you know charles" said by Frederick of House Lindarya a noble family from the south.
"Maybe it's time to change the law and let the young King reign in his age, he is 16 and i am sure he is fitted enough with the right support it's not like i'm against the Queen Mother ruling but it is more powerful if it is the King himself that will sit on the throne as Lord Frederick said we need a figurehead, it will not just be a figurehead but the head himself" said by Gregory of House Tarsus from Brunswick the son of Duke Barrington and the current steward of the royal court.
After a long deliberation and debates from the royal court and some of the nobles, Sir Charles deliver the news that the one who will sit on the throne is ....