Sitting up, the general leaned forward, setting his wine aside as he mentioned, “I did not expect you to return so soon.”26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7x7zZ78vf
“The general’s more willin’ than anythin’.” Adam told half the truth.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMnYNKYhni
Alexandria stepped aside and the lieutenant brought his soldiers and lancers before the judging eyes of Nikola. Their faces of defeat had been eradicated of innocence, their blades rusted with death, and their hands were stained red with blood. The putrid stench of their clothes reminded many of a stagnant swamp, drenched in mud, and its colors were difficult to make out of. But seeing their uniforms, proper and professional, he knew that they were not of his own. Searching behind them, the man in question who the squad must have belonged to stepped forward in time for his own trial. Nikola rose from his seat and dismissed his servants and cup-bearer. The brigadier marched beside him and the archer reeled himself closer to a developing courtroom.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNRW7xqDn7
“Major.” Nikola summoned him, his sight pinned on the foreign troops. “I presume they are yours?” Knowing its answer anyway, he asked for clarity.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡks2NvcAP96
Taking another step forward, Codrington gulped, swallowing his dread of having been singled out and came to meet his commander. “Yes, general.” Loudly, the major responded.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxzI22u2cn
But the general had counted, over and over, however small their number may be, the reports which he had received must have been false or misread. Marching nearer, he sensed their growing despair, as the squad tightened up their formation as if their movements had been coded into them. Burdened with the fear of anyone else except for themselves, in their eyes from hours of loneliness on the battlefield, anything that moved had become an enemy.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHA13SBfaL
Tracing around the squad where he found no additional soldiers who hid behind the rest, Nikola confronted the major, “You reported seven as missing in action.” Like an interrogator, his unsteady hands were rubbing behind his back as he faced Codrington, “Looks to be two met their fates.” Bringing up his hand, he began to pray when the lieutenant added to his words.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHHe1K9D6f
“In the infirmary.” Adam corrected.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWex99NdYs
He had hardly began his first stroke of prayers when Nikola paused his hand on his chest. Sighing, the general resolved to proceed for the vast audience who he had unaccounted for.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQK2mddBSQo
“But the rest, here they are,” Nikola looked over his shoulder and began with the obvious. “Intact.” His word was articulated with a bellow.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJKSrJIqpj
Glaring, the commander returned to Condrington knowing that he could not retreat from whatever was to come. Backed by a swarm of officers and men which continued to grow in number, suddenly finding an interest in their general’s words, the Alber did his best to stand his ground. Keeping his back straight, he took on his questions and judgement.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGznxfjFzu
The general lessened their gap as he admitted, “It disturbs me so,” Nikola shed a glance at Alexandria who braced herself when he spoke of her, “A soldier of your century seemed to have known where they were.”26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcSWUrGhJS
His breath grew heavy as he marched until they were face to face. The major straightened himself more, seeming taller and unafraid. But even those behind him pushed backward.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIdm6324Ga
Doubts in his allies began to sprout as the burden of his generalship piled, questioning the only foreign commander in his ranks. “Were you aware of their intentions?” Nikola seemed to hold a shallow grudge against him, digging a trench between their alliance that only grew further apart. “Or were you the feed of their intentions?” The general blatantly accused without hinting at any evidence that he could provide.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwgr4XqnHJ
The major swapped his focus between the near and far, over the shoulders of the general, seeing his troops still faced, disciplinedly ahead, their backs illuminated by the sun’s light. Codrington hesitated, as would any commander for the soldiers he led, listening to their silence. But he was not alone. The squad had eavesdropped on their talks and their hands were clenched into fists, moving closer to their swords. Their heads were fixed still, dreading the word or gesture that would signal them to act.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSygQTv0Ii
Sensing that whatever he said would determine his own fate, the major returned to his commander and spoke honestly, “I was made aware of the situation at the same time as you were, general.” It alleviated a weight off his chest but it was not all to it yet. “When we met on retreat?” He spun it into a question for the general to recall for himself.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jYlSScPng
“Then you knew nothing?” Nikola swiftly replied.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyrC1cSErQ
In a second of hesitation, Codrington wondered if what he had said was best. But he had already begun telling the truth.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubFiLM7Rd5
Knowing he could not back out any longer, the major reaffirmed, “Nothing at all.”26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW59k5sV0cp
The general stared into the eyes of the major which kept straight ahead. Seeing his soul was unwavering and the aura around him unchanging, he knew it was all true. Nikola relaxed his questioning and nodded in acceptance of his testimony. Pivoting around, he saw his brigadier awaiting his orders, and when he drew his eyes towards him, his aide gave a gentle tip of his head. Whistling and waving, from out of the gaps in the crowd, among officers blind to their surroundings, guardsmen rushed past bearing sabers of cavalrymen. A captain emerged out of the squadron with a plumed helmet and the standard of a lion and watched as his elite guard grabbed the five before they could execute absolute treason. Giving no quarters, they twisted their arms and placed them into lock. Those who fought were thrown to the ground and even the giant was suppressed by eight grown men. Julien, who was last standing and unwilling to submit, fought against a guard pushing against his head. Only when his legs were struck by a baton that almost fractured his bones, he fell to his knees with a cry. Pressed against the grass, the squad had been apprehended, without means of escape, their weapons confiscated and their equipment stolen. The archer stood in awe, in shock, with an expression of dismay, who only saw the soldiers his age as heroes who had nearly took the enemy’s head. Alexandria sought to rush in to help, despite how she was not so usually easily moved, but an arm held up against her chest. In her stead, the lieutenant stormed.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3gLVNx6NS
In confusion, Adam yelled, “Oi, what’s dis?” Spotting the major stepping back in shame, the lieutenant growled and scoffed with a tensed smirk.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknS8P1pakp
The general marched around his prisoners, feeling every eye of the squad laying upon him. With a sense of justice embedding him, overruling his any compassion, every step towards his spear trapped in a table marked his own downfall. Nikola grabbed its shaft near the polearm’s shoe and with composed strength, ripped his spear from the wood, tearing the surface of the table in half. Toppled, the goblet of wine fed the hill as he thrusted his arm forward and pointed the tip of his spear at Julien. The steel laid an inch away from the boy’s eyes who somehow found himself bearing the leadership of the squad.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJo3HtYWHsC
“For crimes of insubordination, desertion, conspiracy, and treason against the Crown,” Nikola listed as their judge and jury, imposed with his power. “The seven of you are to be executed at dawn.” He tossed his words with weight and made his command known.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaAWBLXEvR
Vestige XII
Extract from The Confessions of Thomas Ascot, Pt. VI
Recalled on the tenth day of Sepirus, the tenth month of the year four hundred and ninety-two26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUx5xHlPG6l
A man could live his life, satisfied, knowing that war will never come to him. Working nine hours a day, six days a week, for the next forty years of his life. For most, unlike the both of us, mandatory service on our sixteenth year is enough of a taste of a life in war. They would complete their two years and would never look back. For those of us who have found thrill, sense, and purpose in the military, we have just signed ourselves into a life that we must take to our graves. I did not understand that even as I was bound in the chains of my liege. But you have done something far worse.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmOamIduM3
The moment you have relinquished a life of normalcy, the moment you sailed across the great north sea, the moment you stepped onto that beach, the moment you landed on his porch, you had forsaken any path that could take you back. After serving my time, I had two choices. Return to my family in shame and live out the rest of my days as a salaryman who earns no rest. Or, subject myself to the king and suffer for it, alone. But you’ve only left with one. Despite the strength which you possess, you chose to avoid it as best you could. And I helped you. I recruited you from confinement and sought you a role in my regiment. Even when I heard that you were what they claimed as the ‘child of Sol’, it became my effort to have you pledge allegiance to your own self. Not to the king. Not to our colors. To train those who have volunteered themselves here and regardless, be absolved of war. Yet, somehow, you were not satisfied.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mSQR2KrY7
Then I understood. War cannot be absolved from man. If man could be absolved from war, they would not be man, but something we cannot comprehend of being. It has chased you and you sheltered it in your spirit, dying to return to the battlefield. You are wasted here, lieutenant. I command you to heed war’s call.
- Adam Skowroński26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CJgYk9JQE
