The Union

Because of the number of people involved, he didn"t get to see Skall personally. But he bet the idiot was shocked.

The initial effect of their charge was splendid. The Wismarines were trampled from behind. Those ugly lamellar armor they were wearing were no match to Castonian steel.

But now the effect of their charge had already been dulled. The Wismarines, Hadeans, Inkish and Cantonese had all turned around and surrounded Leopold"s men. Now it will be their turn to suffer. They were outnumbered, surrounded and their defensive line was stretched. So many of his soldiers had already defected to Timothy that his remaining forces were now outnumbered nearly three to one.

Leopold was at the very middle of the Castonians with his royal guards. The Leons were also with him and Prefect Solomon was visibly sweating.

"Our men are faltering Your Majesty. They cannot hold for long" Solomon, on top of his bulky horse, remarked while eyeing the battlefield with a grim face.

Leopold shifted his armor. The breastplate he was wearing doesn"t fit his chest anymore. It seemed he got thinner these past months.

"Make them. We need to hold the enemies until Timothy overwhelms them from behind with his infantry"

"But Prince Timothy"s infantry is slow. The line will be broken before he arrives"

"King Timothy, Solomon" Leopold corrected the Prefect with a smile "But if that"s your learned opinion, then take the Leons and the royal guards to reinforce weak points in our defense."

Solomon looked at him like he was crazy "Your Majesty, the Leons and the royal guards have sworn their lives to protect you. We will stay by your side until the end"

"And I"m ordering you to reinforce the lines. They will execute me if they break through anyway. Do it Solomon. Or would you rather have me reinforce the front lines by myself?"

Solomon didn"t move. He just stared at Leopold, biting his lips. Leopold understood his feelings though. The royal guards have sworn an oath to protect him and they were loyal to their oaths.

"Go Solomon" said Rupert beside Leopold "Take most of my men with you. I will defend His Majesty"

"Rupert!" Solomon shouted

"Go!" Rupert shouted back "Our King gave you an order. Obey it"

Solomon looked at Leopold and then back at Rupert. He was frowning but he agreed with a single nod. In just a few moments, the Leons and most of the royal guards left.

"Thank you" Leopold gave Rupert his thanks.

Rupert shrugged "Like what you said, they are going to kill you if our line breaks. Just doing my job"

Leopold didn"t say anything and just looked at the battle in front. He puffed a short sigh. Although he had been in battles before, the things that happen in battles still surprise him.

Paintings and songs and stories depict battles as honorable encounters between two armies. But the scene before his eyes does not display that kind of greatness. The paintings and songs and stories do not include the horrible screams men do when they die. Neither were the grit and dirt being flung around discussed. The fear on the soldiers" eyes, their dilemma when choosing between self-preservation and loyalty to their cause- Paintings, songs and stories do not include these details. What"s in front of Leopold was the truth.

A symphony of screams erupted from one portion of the defensive circle. With a turn of his head, Leopold saw hundreds Castonians rout all at once. They dropped their weapons and ran. Soldiers" bearing the flag of Hadea burst through the gap. The reserves immediately tried to fill the gaps but many of the Hadeans had already broken through. Cohesion and formation were a thing of the past in that portion. The fighting was reduced to a messy melee.

Rupert and the remaining royal guards unsheathed their swords and stood shoulder to shoulder in front of Leopold, eager to defend him.

"Do not worry. We will fight until our last breaths." Rupert promised with a confident smile.

"Like I want that" Leopold scowled. But his scowl turned to a grin. "Should I apologize for dragging all of you into this? You might all die because I am a stupid person who led his men into the heart of the enemies"

"Nah" Rupert shook his head "In fact we should thank you. We have been itching to fight those arrogant Wismarines for a long time. Ain"t that right boys!"

"Aye!" the royal guards agreed

Leopold was happy- an ironic feeling for a man who could die soon. But he was.

All of this started when he entertained Skall"s request for an alliance. This would end with him shoving that alliance into Skall"s throat.

The thunderous charge of cavalry then echoed in the battlefield. Leopold saw thousands of hors.e.m.e.n galloping towards the Hadeans. They were Castonians, proudly waving the flag of Castonia. The figure of the white lion with crossed swords flew in the chilly wind of late autumn.

The effect of their arrival was instantaneous. The Hadeans who were pounding many of the Castonians earlier flew into panic. But the Castonian cavalry didn"t show mercy. They slammed against the back of the Hadeans, driving them into a rout. Most of the Hadeans threw their weapons. Those who resisted were killed. Those who ran were butchered.

The Wismarines, Cantonese and Inkish retreated. Leopold"s struggling line was given respite. With the Hadeans utterly crushed, the rest of the enemies formed a defensive line. They could not run because of Timothy"s cavalry. So they formed a perimeter with their backs against each other.

Leopold then saw a man with a crown. It wasn"t a good crown- just an imitation of the real Castonian crown on top of Leopold"s head.

But the man wearing the crown was something else. With his white steed and purple cloak, he was a bringer of hope. No. The man was hope itself- hope for a united and stronger Castonia.

Timothy was frowning when he approached Leopold on horseback. He dismounted in haste and hurried towards Leopold

"Fool!" Timothy shouted and embraced him.

Leopold felt a satisfying warmth. Yes. This is his son- the son who had grown to be stronger than him. The son he had treated badly, tried to kill and yet still loved him.

"I told you last night not to do something stupid" Timothy said, still tugging him into an embrace "This is stupid! Letting yourself get surrounded- aren"t you King Leopold?"

"I am but at the same time I am not"

"I really don"t have time to listen to your philosophical mumblings right now"

Leopold chuckled "Yes you don"t"

Timothy stopped his embrace and looked at Leopold. There was a thin but sad smile on his son"s face.

"Thank you father. For all this"

"It"s the responsibility of a father to protect his son and it is the responsibility of a King to protect his Kingdom. You don"t have to thank me. But we should continue this talk later"

Leopold looked at the distance where the enemies formed a defensive circle. He couldn"t see it but he knew that Skall, Sachi and Chen were all trembling right now. As for Qilo… Leopold turned his eyes on the Hadeans being bound by the hundreds. He just hoped that Marquis Qilo survived. It would be a shame to waste such a hostage.

"Finish this" Leopold said to Timothy who was also looking at the enemies.

"I will" Timothy a.s.sured him with a smile "Watch me father. Watch me elevate Castonia into the pedestal of nations."

**********

It took a while but all of Timothy"s men had been gathered. Now they outnumbered the enemies.

He sent messengers asking Magistrate Chen to yield but his offer for peace was rejected. If that"s what they want, then he will have no choice but to use force.

With the full force of all the Castonians behind him, Timothy lifted his sword and pointed it towards their enemies. It started with a single trot but it turned into a ma.s.s charge.

The Castonians who were, just this morning, divided by a civil war, advanced as one. The Castonian cavalry and the Leons who were supposed to slaughter each other mixed into a cohesive cavalry unit.

Whether one supported Timothy or Leopold, none of that matters now. Their cries were one, their shouts in unison. It was a cry of the people who had been divided. It was the voice of men who had longed for the end of this cruel civil war.

Castonians fighting Castonians. That dark spot in history was but a history. Now they charge. United, unbroken and strong. A single people and a single Castonia.