The Empire Raid

Following the lively harvest celebration, the village settled back into its routine daily life. Many villagers toiled in the fields, the mill worked tirelessly to process the wheat, which kept Eric quite occupied. Additionally, numerous sacks of produce were loaded onto carts and sent out of the village as part of the kingdom's levy.

However, a sense of unease began to permeate the village as rumors of the incursion from the neighboring empire grew more ominous. It appeared that the threat had extended deeper into their territory than ever before, and the villagers couldn't help but worry about what the future might hold.

On a cloudier day, Eric sat in front of the mill, a sheen of sweat visible on his forehead, as he took a momentary break. Nearby, Thorian, accompanied by one of his fellow guards, came along. Eric didn't notice them until they drew closer, at which point he greeted them.

Thorian couldn't resist a tease, saying, "You told me you had so much work to do, and now here you are, sitting and slacking off."

Eric chuckled. "Well, I'm taking a well-earned break. What about you? Are you out looking for the empire's incursion?"

"Eric, you know this could get serious. It's not something to joke about," Thorian cautioned.

Eric's gaze dropped to the ground, and the jovial atmosphere swiftly dissipated. "What could they even want from our village? Grain and wheat can be found everywhere in the valley."

The other guardsman chimed in, "What about the fabrics? People have been earning a bit more in recent years."

"But raiding this deep into enemy territory for a few coins and fabrics? How would they even know about all of this?" Eric countered.

Thorian took a moment to consider the words. "People have fought for less, but we also need to get going. We have work to do, unlike some other people." He smiled, managing to lighten the somber mood before bidding Eric farewell and returning to his duties. Eric, too, resumed his work, lost in thought about the potential threats looming beyond their village.

In the following days, life in the village continued much as it always had, except for one crucial difference: the incursion from the neighboring empire was escalating, drawing closer to the village with each passing day. The situation grew increasingly ominous, and the villagers couldn't shake the feeling of impending danger.

Even Captain Finian received a letter, instructing him to be on high alert and announcing the arrival of additional soldiers for their garrison. These reinforcements eventually reached the village a few days later, a clear indication of the growing threat that loomed. The village prepared itself for what lay ahead.

Two days after the arrival of the additional garrison, at noon, the village scouts returned with horrifying news: a battalion's worth of enemy soldiers was advancing toward the village. Panic swept through the community, and people began to voice their concerns.

"We should leave the village," one person suggested.

"Where would we go? To another village? We'd need the Duke's permission for that," another replied.

"We could hide in the forest," suggested someone else.

"They will search the forest," countered another voice.

"What if we give them what they want?" one desperate individual proposed.

"That would be treason," came the stern response.

Amidst the discussions, some villagers decided to flee the village, while others opted to hide within their homes. Eric's family chose the latter course of action, as it seemed to be the least shameful choice, and they clung to the hope that raids typically didn't result in the total annihilation of a village. But luck would need to be on their side.