A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor-Chapter 2068: Justice - Part 3

"But you are here," King Emerson pointed out.

"As is he," Prince Hendrick said. "Did I not warn you, father? Did I not tell you this was not a man to be trifled with? I have fought with him, and I have fought against him, and still I am certain that there is no man I would wish less for my enemy. Now you force me into battle against him again."

"Do I?" King Emerson said. "If you fear him so, you can join him."

"You have stained your honour in betraying him," Prince Hendrick said. "I will not follow your example and stain mine. As much as I know your decisions to be wrong, you are still my King, still my father. There is no option left to me but to fight for you. Even though I am certain, we shall all die here this day."

"Why are you so certain?" King Emerson said.

"For the two men that stand outside our gate are amongst the most fiercesome in the kingdom. And because Fitzer sits too far behind to assist us."

"Does he?" King Emerson said, turning and crossing to the other side of the tower, finally pulling away his eyes from the sea. "Come, look with me, son of mine. Are those not our banners? Is that not the General I dispatched some days ago?"

Prince Hendrick followed along after him, and sure enough, he saw the banners of General Fitzer beginning to rise up the hill, just behind where King Blackthorn and General Patrick were making the last of their battle preparations.

"...It is," Prince Hendrick said.

"So I am right in this?" King Emerson said. "Do you not suppose that I might be right too in other things? Do you suppose I would invite calamity on our kingdom without reason?"

"Your plan has already failed," Prince Hendrick pointed out. "You planned to burn Ernest to the ground, and see King Patrick killed. By all accounts, you have succeeded in neither."

"Did I?" King Emerson said, holding his gaze. Prince Hendrick looked back. His father was well advanced in his years now, but he still saw a fierce intelligence in those green eyes. It was not the look of a monarch that has given up.

"What gives you such confidence, father? Is it arrogance? Do you simply lack the battlefield experience against this man?" Prince Hendrick said, shaking his head. "I cannot fathom it."

King Emerson put a hand on his son’s shoulder. "I do not discount the experiences of you and Fitzer. He is a foe that I do not take lightly. Trust me when I say that I have listened – and yet trust me too when I assure you of our advantage."

"I can hardly bear to do that," Prince Hendrick said. "But what choice do I have? What would you ask of me?"

"See these walls defended," King Emerson said – the battle will soon enough begin.

Already, as they watched, half of the combined Patrick and Blackthorn army were turning to face their enemy in Fitzer. Fitzer held his position half a mile away from them, staring them down, threatening them, not yet engaging, choosing instead to forestall their movements.

Then there was a command given, and something separated from the front of the Patrick army. Pulled by four horses, it went crashing down the hill at some speed.

"...What is that?" Prince Hendrick said, feeling a touch of dread.

"A device they had built," King Emerson said.

"You were aware of it? And you did not see fit to warn me?" Prince Hendrick said. "We ought to have taken measures against it! Look at the speed it’s travelling at, look at the size of the thing!"

"It will not make its way to our gates," King Emerson said dismissively. "The road is not straight, nor is it entirely flat. It’s a suicide attempt. They’ll get it closer, I suppose, then attempt to place it right with infantry. Then, there will be opportunity to worry – but without the hill to lend to it, it will not have the force to be a significant threat."

"Father, they’ve made their own road!" Prince Hendrick said, as the battering ram came flying down the newly made road, pulled along at great speed by Diocles. It bounced on the wooden panels that Lord Idris had seen placed to reinforce the mud earlier, and almost threatened to fly off the road, but somehow, by the grace of the Gods, Diocles kept it steady, and he let off a great hoot of thrill that they could hear all the way from the top of the tower.

"Yes, yes, they made their preparations," King Emerson said. "But do you not see the speed this fool is travelling at? The horses cannot stand to stay ahead of the battering ram. They’re going to be crushed flat by it. Already, their plan is falling apart."

"They think not," Prince Hendrick said.

"FORWARDDDDD!" He heard King Patrick cry, as an army of Patrick men and Treeants came charging down the hill, following after the path of the battering ram. The Blackthorn men turned on their heels to face Fitzer, and they seemed to be about to charge at any second as well.

"If they near, you can pepper them with arrows," King Emerson said. "All will be well. We want them to commit to the attack. This favours us."

"You’re a fool, father," Prince Hendrick said, shaking his head. "I am needed below. Stay up here, and keep the doors bolted shut behind you. We will do our utmost to see the enemy driven away."

King Emerson sighed, wishing that he could share more with his son, so that the Prince might wear the same reflection of calm. But he knew if he did that, then the enemy would be more likely to see through their plans. "All will be well, Hendrick, I promise you," he said to the empty air instead, as he rested his elbow atop the wall, and placed his chin in his hand.