The Price of Power (Part 2)

After snapping my fingers maids with serving trays enter placing the preferred dish in front of my family. The wines presently being poured into glasses are wines I had sourced from the kingdom capital. The wines being poured for my Mother, 'Aunt' and sisters is Dark Elven Nights Brew wine acquired after the sacking of Mardel, the largest farm land the Dark Elves had in their possession before the retaliatory war for their sacking of Gongol. The Dark Iron Dwarfs Goz-Fire Brandy for my father and as for my brothers I got them local river water mixed with Golden Grain Ale. As for my self I took a bottle of Durmian Vodka out of my satchel resting on the table. I may have a frail physique but I'm still the son of a war general so strong alcohol is a must drink brew in this family.

As the family is talking amongst each other as my half-brothers and my blood related sisters have been living far away from home in distant cities of the Kingdom. I was not interested in what they had to say as I have been keeping tabs on them since they left when I was twelve. I was far more interested in this Mammoth steak, a rare delicacy in a small and young noble family such as mine, it was last served when my father went to war 4 years ago. Before I could think on the matter my mother called out to me but I wasn't listening.

I looked up from my plate and asked "Can you please repeat what you just said?"

"How was your stay in the capital Alex?" she asked me with a sigh at the end due to the look on my face.

"If you really want to know I had a terrible time in the capital, before you ask Pa due to a certain Captain of the Guard I was late to the registration and due to a certain exhibitionist I was treated as a pervert on day one. Those few who didn't know about that certain exhibitionist knew about a certain 'Soiled Soldier'."

After hearing about what I had to say he turned to Edil and smacked him on the back of his head before berating him about his conduct as a family member then about abusing his power as a member of the captain of the guard. My father spent at least five more minutes telling him what he should and shouldn't be doing as an older brother. Pouring my third watered down glass of vodka before he shat out my older brother and I had gotten properly drunk. Having a weak body helps at times in this family. Looking over at 'Aunt' Dianne she looks very displeased while looking at her eldest son and an emotion I can't quite put my finger on.

Ha

I was surprised. A sigh from the old man? I haven't seen that in a while.

"Now for the reason I called you all home" he sounded so tired, taking a minute to himself he continued "I have decided who is to be my heir apparent and it is Alex."

"What?"

"Why?"

""Thought so.""

I needed a minute to wrap my head around what he just said. After wrapping my head around the idea I realized what was happening. The kingdoms military build up, my sisters and brothers being home, strict mage exams, it all makes sense now. He doesn't think he's coming home from this one.

Looking around the table, the emotions on peoples face told me all I need to know, this war will make or break the kingdom and it's people. My mothers trembling shoulders, my sisters silent tears and Max being slumped in his seat.

As self centered as always all Edil can think of is himself, evidence by his outburst "Why Alex and not me your eldest son. He isn't even a soldi-"

Before he could finish, I blasted him with a weak rank 1 spell 'Wind Burst', then went to give my crying mother a hug. I looked my father in his eyes and he mine, we came to an understanding with nothing need be said. Dianne healed her son then smacked him over the head before hugging my mother, we all took a minute to calm our emotions before continue our conversation.

The first to speak was my father "What have you learned Alex and what gave it away?"

"The kingdom is going to war and you don't see yourself coming home. As for the give away first was when I was in the capital one of my friends, who is a junior officer in the royal army, he spoke about how the 5th army plans on doubling it's size in six months, that was four months ago. Second is the stricter regulations placed on mages with addition to half my class being trained as battle-mages. Third my informants in my sisters guild told me about royal envoys and noble houses buying up vast amounts of grain at twice the market price along side other resources of military value being purchased as it was made, grown or purchased by the guild and its affiliates. Fourth was Max slumped up in his seat and last but not least naming your only none nation affiliated child as heir apparent."

God that was tiring to say while drunk and emotional. Maybe I should drink more, yeah I will drink more, fuck the liver it's dying anyway.

"Spies?" asked my sister Sasha.

"I was named spy master while Pa, Ma and Dianne had gone to stay in the capital and the four of you decided to go on an adventure without warning."

"You were twelve" said Tasha.

"Somebody needed to take care of the information network and the butler was old and dying. I took over the territory when he was sick as well."

My father brought everyone's attention back to him before it digresses again. By his will we eight stayed up all night making plans upon plans, contingencies upon contingencies for the coming days, months and years; when this war kicks off in earnest we will be ready for all they will through our way.

*********

--28 months later--

I had barely slept these last few days. From the day I acquired that ancient tome I had been translating it from language to language until I finally after three months I had decoded the translated pages and it turns out this tome has the secrets of necromancy, a dark and forgotten magic. I have only recently gathered up the needed resources to commence with the dark ritual and become a Lich, the foulest and cruelest of all the undead. But one thing stands in way is, the army of 65 000 soldiers of the Kardesia, besieging my city.

Oh and before I forget the fortified border town of 8 000 is now a large city of 135 000 civilians, give or take a few thousand, and home to 27 000 permanent soldiers. Gone are the wooden walls and houses; to give way to a fortified residence surrounded by a 15 meter tall stone wall. Next is the Verdant Districts home to the fleeing noble families for a total of 100 people, wealthy merchants for a total of 300 people and family, free citizens for a total of 23 000 , the various churches along side expensive stores from clothes to swords and all magic in nature. Surrounding the Verdant Districts is the inner wall topped with a balista tower every 50 meters, 4 gate houses in the north, east, west and south.

Beyond that we have the Landsfall Districts home to 54 000 commoners, blacksmiths, red light district, farmers, small chapels, inns and the merchants district. Surrounding the Landsfall Districts is the outer wall with balista towers every 100 meters and areas to place trebuchets if need be.

Outside the outer wall is the shanty town with 23 000 people made up of debtors, mercenaries, deserters, the poor, the gangs and smugglers. They live in wooden houses and have no walls built to protect them but we let them in when the need arises as in this siege.

"Sir" spoke a soldier as he entered my study.

I close the journal I had been keeping to remind me of what I had been through. The tomes notes say loss of memory is common and to keep a journal just in case.

"What is it soldier?" I ask while standing up and placing the journal on the self on the wall to my left.

"Lord Hoffman the Kardesian army has launched an assault on the southern and western walls."

"How many?"

"35 000 light infantry and 10 000 heavy infantry sir."

"Mages?"

"As of yet they haven't committed their mage companies to battle."

Needing a better overview of the situation I leave my office turn right and walk to the end of the hall, up the stairs to the top of my Magic Tower. I arrive to a glowing sphere of purple energy with runes and symbols carved on it. Beneath the sphere lies a 25meterx25meter table with a real time realistic battle is happening.

I pull up my left robe sleeve and proceed to press the red jewel on my left arms bracelet.

"Send the 3rd,4th and 5th companies, of the 2nd regiment of heavy infantry, to the southern wall to secure the gate house. Send the 1st,3rd and 4th regiments of heavy infantry to swing round from the northern outer wall gate house. Send the 1st,2nd and 3rd Lancer light cavalry regiments to hold down the enemy rear guard for the heavy infantry."

As I send out orders to deploy soldiers and reorganize the affected walls while preparing for the inevitable attack on the east and north, I see the troops on the table move in accordance with my orders. Now where are their mages?

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Ek hoop jy het 'n wonderlike dag. (I hope you have a wonderful day.)