Agent Griff
Master Knight
Since I didn't find a classic short story thread, I decided to make one myself. So basically, this is a thread for anyone who wants to post a short-story or AAR (for the more Total War-inclined ones among you) about their exploits in-game. And the best thing about it is that they can be made up to your heart's desire (as if they're ever true). I'll start. Feedback is always welcome by the way.
~~~
The sun shone grimly on the walls of Grunwalder castle, near the borders of Swadia and the kingdom of the Rhodoks. Grunwalder had ever been a contested spot held by both the iron fist of the Swadian knight and the spear and crossbow of the Rhodok militia-men yet recently, the castle had come under a surprising Vaegir dominion...of sorts. Hoisted above the crimson castle walls was the banner of Prince Valdym the Bastard, held by many to be the rightful ruler of the Vaegir-Hold and alongside it were two smaller banners which belonged to a knight who championed the cause of the Prince, Sir Fortinbras. The banners matched, and not accidentally. The former mercenary Fortinbras had been knighted by the Bastard himself and, in gratitude, had made a banner which matched the one of his liege-lord with red diamonds on a white background. Prince Valdym himself favoured a plain white flag with several rows of horizontal red stripes as his own banner.
As the three banners seemed to dance around each other, the gates of the castle opened to reveal a host no greater than a thousand men. At its head were the two leaders of the host, Sir Fortinbras and Prince Valdym. Following them were several minor knights along with their retinues and men-at-arms, all mounted, and a great number of troops on foot armoured according to the weather and their own possibilities. None, however, complained about the share of loot given to them by their masters. Both the leaders of the host seemed to shine in their plate armours with their banner-bearers at their side. None of them were smiling, however, in light of the task ahead.
In front of them, on the field, awaited two armies. The first and farthest was a great Rhodok host of eight thousand which had marched at full speed from Jelkala so as to prevent Prince Valdym from fleeing Grunwalder. At the head of the Rhodok host were several seasoned leading lords of the Rhodok nobility and even the banner of King Graveth had been brought to the field in order to show that the host had been warranted by the Rhodok king himself. The second army was much closer and had come all the way from the Vaegir-Hold to apprehend Prince Valdym and bring him to justice in Reyvadin. At its lead was Lord Marmun, sitting tall atop his warhorse. Behind him were almost three thousand Vaegir warriors and many members of the lesser nobility.
All these forces would not have been deployed if Prince Valdym would not have declared himself openly and conquered Grunwalder Castle without losing a single man. After knighting the marauding Fortinbras so as to ensure the loyalty of both him and the men at his command, Prince Valdym gathered all those loyal to him, few as they were, and marched in secrecy on Grunwalder Castle so as to gain the first foot-hold of his rebellion and attempt to conquer the Vaegir throne. As most of the garrison marched out of the castle to defend the nearby village of Saren from a hastily announced Khergit raid, Prince Valdym marched his men right through the castle gates under Rhodok banners, pretending to be a support force sent from nearby Almerra Castle.
The few Rhodoks inside Grunwalder were shocked to see Prince Valdym taking control of the castle afterwards and opening the gates for his ally Fortinbras, who was the source of all the panic concerning an attack on Saren. With the conquest of Grunwalder complete the Bastard was left to perceive the aftermath of his surprising actions. Soon enough, orders pertaining to his capture were issued from both Reyvadin and Jelkala. If Prince Valdym was to be captured, however, not the same could be said for his ally and vassal, Sir Fortinbras. A price was issued on his head and he was declared an outlaw in both the Rhodok kingdom and the Vaegir-Hold. A short while after the orders were issued, armies heralded forth from both kingdoms in a bid to capture the Bastard and bring him to justice.
And thus, everything had come to this day which could be crucial for the start of a new era in the history of the Vaegir kingdom.
As the two leaders of the rebellion watched the enemy armies get into formation, they found time to discuss the events that had unfolded over the past few days.
"Lord Marmun seems eager to get into formation." Sir Fortinbras commented with apparent disinterest as he tried to make his steed stand still. With a violent pull of the reins, the horse lifted its head and stopped moving with little protest.
"Lord Marmun is keen on taking advantage of the fact that he is closer to us than the Rhodoks are. He probably wishes to take all glory for himself, by defeating our host and capturing me in the process. He also surely wishes to have your head delivered to him on a platter, Fortinbras." Prince Valdym said with a smile.
"So he's the ambitious sort, eh? Well if he wants my head, he can get it himself if he's a man and has some skill with a sword."
"Marmun's power lies in his wealth and the loyalty his men have for him. The other Vaegir lords respect him for that, but Yaroglek rarely gives him the position of Marshal, if ever. Lord Marmun is very prickly about that, as he is about the fact that Yaroglek favours Lord Meriga more than all the other lords. As you said, however, you will find Lord Marmun to be a man of immense ambition and envy to those who are more powerful than him." Prince Valdym said as he eyed the Vaegir host with cold intent. Valdym's steed, much as its master, stood calmly and waited for its master to do something.
"And those who are beneath him in power and wealth?" Fortinbras asked with interest.
"You seem to be taking a big interest in Lord Marmun, Fortinbras. I expected you to get into court politics much later than this." the Bastard said with a wry smile. "He treats most who are below him as most nobles do, with nominal respect and little to no consideration."
"It pays to be well informed, especially when someone you are about to face in battle could turn out to your peer in the future, my King." Fortinbras said as he looked towards his liege. The Prince nodded and seemed to think for a few moments.
"Perhaps there will be no need to fight our fellow Vaegirs. Have hope, my good and faithful Fortinbras. Not all such matters are resolved by way of the sword." Prince Valdym said with a smile as he prepared to spur his horse on.
"Perhaps, but most likely as not it's done with the sword held close at hand." Fortinbras said as he held the reins of his stallion tighter. "Horse, on me! Foot, form behind the King!"
With a shout, the rest of the rebel cavalry spurred their horses to a trot and followed their two leaders. The footmen were close behind, forming into an orderly line. As the rebel host neared the closer loyalist host, Prince Valdym made an appeal for a parley with Lord Marmun. Lord Marmun graciously agreed and set off with a party of knights close behind in case the negotiations got "heated". The Prince did much like Marmun and rode out with Fortinbras and a number of their own horsemen and knights. Both parties had a banner-bearer with a white flag following them so as to symbolize the peaceful terms under which they would negotiate. As the two parties stopped a few yards apart, their leaders rode forward in the small space in between and stopped close to each other. Lord Marmun saluted Prince Valdym with some respect and chose to ignore Fortinbras completely. Fortinbras, proud as he was, acted in turn.
"Your party is greater than a diplomatic embassy but somewhat smaller than an army. What do you wish to accomplish, my lord?" Lord Marmun asked in a slightly mocking tone, wishing to test the Prince.
"I would appreciate it if you were to address me as Your Grace, my lord Marmun." Prince Valdym said with the grace that was characteristic of royalty.
"As it please you, if that is how you style yourself. There is only one true king of the Vaegirs, however. Your Grace." Lord Marmun said, finishing with a smile.
"And he's standing right in front of you." Fortinbras said, entering the discussion boldly.
"Those who spend their time with common folk are to be respected in their own right, but I doubt you made the right choice in this case, Your Grace." Marmun said, throwing a disapproving look towards Fortinbras before continuing with Valdym. "But still, enough idle talk. We are here to discuss serious matters, matters of importance to the crown of the Vaegir-Hold. King Yaroglek has issued orders pertaining to your capture and the death of your companion."
"You are welcome to try and uphold those orders." Fortinbras said boldly, unsheathing his sword. Prince Valdym turned towards him with an angry look.
"Enough of that Sir Fortinbras, this is a parley, not a duel!" Fortinbras finally sheathed his sword after staring intently at Marmun for a few more seconds.
"As I said, you mingle with the wrong sort of commoners, Your Grace. But I have more important issues than your companion and his upbringing. You are a traitor to Vaegir law and thus must be dealt with accordingly. Since my men and our Rhodok allies greatly outnumber your own paltry host, I give you the choice to honourably surrender, and be treated according to your position while you are in the captivity of King Yaroglek. Your men will also be free to leave according to their own free will and no harm will be done upon them. What say you to these just terms?" Marmun asked as he reached the point of the parley.
"Perhaps you mean to say that I am a traitor to Yaroglek's law. Too long has this usurper sat on the throne that is lawfully mine. This man is not even of royal stock! Even your lordship's family, lord Marmun, is of greater standing than the family from which our current ruler descends." Prince Valdym said, trying to win Lord Marmun to his cause.
"I will agree. I know my king's virtues full and well and I can firmly say that they are not many. Yet our kingdom has not suffered during Yaroglek's rule." Lord Marmun, apparently unsure as to whether to support Valdym's cause or not.
"But neither has it prospered, you must see that!" Valdym replied abruptly.
"Well, that is not really of my concern, is it now? I myself have done well enough, and so has my family. Though Yaroglek may view others in better light, I am thankful enough with my position in his court, Your Highness." Marmun said trying to appear content with Yaroglek. Fortinbras smiled slightly since he knew that Marmun was obviously bluffing being the ambitious sort he was. He was now obviously trying to make Valdym tell him why he should betray Yaroglek. He even stopped saying 'Your Grace' in a mocking way.
"But not as well as you would deserve! No other lord of our kingdom has shed as much blood as you have, yet you are not rewarded according to your merit, and the spoils which should justly be yours go to others, of lesser worth. How Yaroglek can continue ruling without noticing the exceptional actions of a lord such as yourself is beyond my own notions of ruling a country. Do you not agree, lord Marmun?" Prince Valdym asked, continuing his rhetoric.
"You point out Yaroglek's flaws well enough, and I agree with your views but, in the end, why should I give the bastard I know for the one I don't? Begging your pardon of course, Your Grace. You cannot tempt me with money, for I am wealthy enough so what would you offer me to make me abandon this so-called king of mine?" Lord Marmun said, speaking plainly.
"Oh, but there are other honours than wealth to aspire for in my kingdom, Lord Marmun. Honours that Lord Meriga is currently enjoying to his heart's content while true soldiers sit in their halls, waiting for a chance that will never come under Yaroglek. If you would merely listen to the cause I and my men fight for." Prince Valdym said with a wry smile. Fortinbras, meanwhile, looked towards their men as if to signal the fact that Lord Marmun was on the edge of betraying Yaroglek.
"I am listening with all intent, Your Grace..." Lord Marmun said.
Slowly enough, the white flags of peace that held by the banner-bearers were lowered and their place taken by banners carrying the arms of Lord Marmun, the three-coloured flag. The Rhodoks on the other side of the field looked on, thinking that the Bastard had finally surrendered and ended his mad claim to the Vaegir throne.
to be continued
~~~
That's it for the first part, and sorry for the way it was posted. I accidentally typed something that made the message post itself while halfway through the typing process. Hopefully it won't ever happen again.
~~~
The sun shone grimly on the walls of Grunwalder castle, near the borders of Swadia and the kingdom of the Rhodoks. Grunwalder had ever been a contested spot held by both the iron fist of the Swadian knight and the spear and crossbow of the Rhodok militia-men yet recently, the castle had come under a surprising Vaegir dominion...of sorts. Hoisted above the crimson castle walls was the banner of Prince Valdym the Bastard, held by many to be the rightful ruler of the Vaegir-Hold and alongside it were two smaller banners which belonged to a knight who championed the cause of the Prince, Sir Fortinbras. The banners matched, and not accidentally. The former mercenary Fortinbras had been knighted by the Bastard himself and, in gratitude, had made a banner which matched the one of his liege-lord with red diamonds on a white background. Prince Valdym himself favoured a plain white flag with several rows of horizontal red stripes as his own banner.
As the three banners seemed to dance around each other, the gates of the castle opened to reveal a host no greater than a thousand men. At its head were the two leaders of the host, Sir Fortinbras and Prince Valdym. Following them were several minor knights along with their retinues and men-at-arms, all mounted, and a great number of troops on foot armoured according to the weather and their own possibilities. None, however, complained about the share of loot given to them by their masters. Both the leaders of the host seemed to shine in their plate armours with their banner-bearers at their side. None of them were smiling, however, in light of the task ahead.
In front of them, on the field, awaited two armies. The first and farthest was a great Rhodok host of eight thousand which had marched at full speed from Jelkala so as to prevent Prince Valdym from fleeing Grunwalder. At the head of the Rhodok host were several seasoned leading lords of the Rhodok nobility and even the banner of King Graveth had been brought to the field in order to show that the host had been warranted by the Rhodok king himself. The second army was much closer and had come all the way from the Vaegir-Hold to apprehend Prince Valdym and bring him to justice in Reyvadin. At its lead was Lord Marmun, sitting tall atop his warhorse. Behind him were almost three thousand Vaegir warriors and many members of the lesser nobility.
All these forces would not have been deployed if Prince Valdym would not have declared himself openly and conquered Grunwalder Castle without losing a single man. After knighting the marauding Fortinbras so as to ensure the loyalty of both him and the men at his command, Prince Valdym gathered all those loyal to him, few as they were, and marched in secrecy on Grunwalder Castle so as to gain the first foot-hold of his rebellion and attempt to conquer the Vaegir throne. As most of the garrison marched out of the castle to defend the nearby village of Saren from a hastily announced Khergit raid, Prince Valdym marched his men right through the castle gates under Rhodok banners, pretending to be a support force sent from nearby Almerra Castle.
The few Rhodoks inside Grunwalder were shocked to see Prince Valdym taking control of the castle afterwards and opening the gates for his ally Fortinbras, who was the source of all the panic concerning an attack on Saren. With the conquest of Grunwalder complete the Bastard was left to perceive the aftermath of his surprising actions. Soon enough, orders pertaining to his capture were issued from both Reyvadin and Jelkala. If Prince Valdym was to be captured, however, not the same could be said for his ally and vassal, Sir Fortinbras. A price was issued on his head and he was declared an outlaw in both the Rhodok kingdom and the Vaegir-Hold. A short while after the orders were issued, armies heralded forth from both kingdoms in a bid to capture the Bastard and bring him to justice.
And thus, everything had come to this day which could be crucial for the start of a new era in the history of the Vaegir kingdom.
As the two leaders of the rebellion watched the enemy armies get into formation, they found time to discuss the events that had unfolded over the past few days.
"Lord Marmun seems eager to get into formation." Sir Fortinbras commented with apparent disinterest as he tried to make his steed stand still. With a violent pull of the reins, the horse lifted its head and stopped moving with little protest.
"Lord Marmun is keen on taking advantage of the fact that he is closer to us than the Rhodoks are. He probably wishes to take all glory for himself, by defeating our host and capturing me in the process. He also surely wishes to have your head delivered to him on a platter, Fortinbras." Prince Valdym said with a smile.
"So he's the ambitious sort, eh? Well if he wants my head, he can get it himself if he's a man and has some skill with a sword."
"Marmun's power lies in his wealth and the loyalty his men have for him. The other Vaegir lords respect him for that, but Yaroglek rarely gives him the position of Marshal, if ever. Lord Marmun is very prickly about that, as he is about the fact that Yaroglek favours Lord Meriga more than all the other lords. As you said, however, you will find Lord Marmun to be a man of immense ambition and envy to those who are more powerful than him." Prince Valdym said as he eyed the Vaegir host with cold intent. Valdym's steed, much as its master, stood calmly and waited for its master to do something.
"And those who are beneath him in power and wealth?" Fortinbras asked with interest.
"You seem to be taking a big interest in Lord Marmun, Fortinbras. I expected you to get into court politics much later than this." the Bastard said with a wry smile. "He treats most who are below him as most nobles do, with nominal respect and little to no consideration."
"It pays to be well informed, especially when someone you are about to face in battle could turn out to your peer in the future, my King." Fortinbras said as he looked towards his liege. The Prince nodded and seemed to think for a few moments.
"Perhaps there will be no need to fight our fellow Vaegirs. Have hope, my good and faithful Fortinbras. Not all such matters are resolved by way of the sword." Prince Valdym said with a smile as he prepared to spur his horse on.
"Perhaps, but most likely as not it's done with the sword held close at hand." Fortinbras said as he held the reins of his stallion tighter. "Horse, on me! Foot, form behind the King!"
With a shout, the rest of the rebel cavalry spurred their horses to a trot and followed their two leaders. The footmen were close behind, forming into an orderly line. As the rebel host neared the closer loyalist host, Prince Valdym made an appeal for a parley with Lord Marmun. Lord Marmun graciously agreed and set off with a party of knights close behind in case the negotiations got "heated". The Prince did much like Marmun and rode out with Fortinbras and a number of their own horsemen and knights. Both parties had a banner-bearer with a white flag following them so as to symbolize the peaceful terms under which they would negotiate. As the two parties stopped a few yards apart, their leaders rode forward in the small space in between and stopped close to each other. Lord Marmun saluted Prince Valdym with some respect and chose to ignore Fortinbras completely. Fortinbras, proud as he was, acted in turn.
"Your party is greater than a diplomatic embassy but somewhat smaller than an army. What do you wish to accomplish, my lord?" Lord Marmun asked in a slightly mocking tone, wishing to test the Prince.
"I would appreciate it if you were to address me as Your Grace, my lord Marmun." Prince Valdym said with the grace that was characteristic of royalty.
"As it please you, if that is how you style yourself. There is only one true king of the Vaegirs, however. Your Grace." Lord Marmun said, finishing with a smile.
"And he's standing right in front of you." Fortinbras said, entering the discussion boldly.
"Those who spend their time with common folk are to be respected in their own right, but I doubt you made the right choice in this case, Your Grace." Marmun said, throwing a disapproving look towards Fortinbras before continuing with Valdym. "But still, enough idle talk. We are here to discuss serious matters, matters of importance to the crown of the Vaegir-Hold. King Yaroglek has issued orders pertaining to your capture and the death of your companion."
"You are welcome to try and uphold those orders." Fortinbras said boldly, unsheathing his sword. Prince Valdym turned towards him with an angry look.
"Enough of that Sir Fortinbras, this is a parley, not a duel!" Fortinbras finally sheathed his sword after staring intently at Marmun for a few more seconds.
"As I said, you mingle with the wrong sort of commoners, Your Grace. But I have more important issues than your companion and his upbringing. You are a traitor to Vaegir law and thus must be dealt with accordingly. Since my men and our Rhodok allies greatly outnumber your own paltry host, I give you the choice to honourably surrender, and be treated according to your position while you are in the captivity of King Yaroglek. Your men will also be free to leave according to their own free will and no harm will be done upon them. What say you to these just terms?" Marmun asked as he reached the point of the parley.
"Perhaps you mean to say that I am a traitor to Yaroglek's law. Too long has this usurper sat on the throne that is lawfully mine. This man is not even of royal stock! Even your lordship's family, lord Marmun, is of greater standing than the family from which our current ruler descends." Prince Valdym said, trying to win Lord Marmun to his cause.
"I will agree. I know my king's virtues full and well and I can firmly say that they are not many. Yet our kingdom has not suffered during Yaroglek's rule." Lord Marmun, apparently unsure as to whether to support Valdym's cause or not.
"But neither has it prospered, you must see that!" Valdym replied abruptly.
"Well, that is not really of my concern, is it now? I myself have done well enough, and so has my family. Though Yaroglek may view others in better light, I am thankful enough with my position in his court, Your Highness." Marmun said trying to appear content with Yaroglek. Fortinbras smiled slightly since he knew that Marmun was obviously bluffing being the ambitious sort he was. He was now obviously trying to make Valdym tell him why he should betray Yaroglek. He even stopped saying 'Your Grace' in a mocking way.
"But not as well as you would deserve! No other lord of our kingdom has shed as much blood as you have, yet you are not rewarded according to your merit, and the spoils which should justly be yours go to others, of lesser worth. How Yaroglek can continue ruling without noticing the exceptional actions of a lord such as yourself is beyond my own notions of ruling a country. Do you not agree, lord Marmun?" Prince Valdym asked, continuing his rhetoric.
"You point out Yaroglek's flaws well enough, and I agree with your views but, in the end, why should I give the bastard I know for the one I don't? Begging your pardon of course, Your Grace. You cannot tempt me with money, for I am wealthy enough so what would you offer me to make me abandon this so-called king of mine?" Lord Marmun said, speaking plainly.
"Oh, but there are other honours than wealth to aspire for in my kingdom, Lord Marmun. Honours that Lord Meriga is currently enjoying to his heart's content while true soldiers sit in their halls, waiting for a chance that will never come under Yaroglek. If you would merely listen to the cause I and my men fight for." Prince Valdym said with a wry smile. Fortinbras, meanwhile, looked towards their men as if to signal the fact that Lord Marmun was on the edge of betraying Yaroglek.
"I am listening with all intent, Your Grace..." Lord Marmun said.
Slowly enough, the white flags of peace that held by the banner-bearers were lowered and their place taken by banners carrying the arms of Lord Marmun, the three-coloured flag. The Rhodoks on the other side of the field looked on, thinking that the Bastard had finally surrendered and ended his mad claim to the Vaegir throne.
to be continued
~~~
That's it for the first part, and sorry for the way it was posted. I accidentally typed something that made the message post itself while halfway through the typing process. Hopefully it won't ever happen again.
