Chapter 26: The Folly Of The Underhanded

First General's Tent, Medinan Encampment, Outskirts Of Nestra...520 B.C...

  Nightfall brought an interesting change of pace as once more Lycidas of Medina found himself alone in his battle tent naked after having stripped off his armor and weary from his efforts in the previous battle. He'd been unable to sleep not trusting their surroundings for even a moment knowing just how underhanded the enemy had been. His mind traveled back to the gates of Medina and his family that awaited him. Before his departure, he'd been informed that his servant girl lover was pregnant right along with his wife and smiled at the thought of having another two sons to run wild and carry on his name along with his eldest Milo.

His boy was getting to be quite a handful and it only pleased Lycidas all the more. He knew that in time Milo would lead his armies and conquer the known world with his brothers at his side and quite possibly his sister if she had anything to say about it. He smiled some thinking of his little lass, she'd been the apple of his eye from the moment she'd been placed into his arms and so much like her mother even as an infant.

Lycidas thought of Lady Mira then, the sweetest love he'd ever known and the most ferocious when she had gotten going. He never could forget the day they met and how much blood they had spilled together. His body had been covered with blood following his latest victory against his enemies and he couldn't help but relish it despite his mind already calculating the next move against their enemies.

The second Prince of Medina had been about to turn in for the night when young Craxton came by his tent for a visit. It seemed this time around he'd known exactly where he'd been going as he stepped inside braving the chance to see the hero of the hour. Lycidas noticed that the lad had a large goblet in his hands that was filled to the brim with mead and was about to drink some of it when Lycidas suddenly swiped the mead from his hands.

The lad was confused about why the elder general had not wanted him to drink after their victory, but the older man put his finger to his lips and the lad stared in awe as he watched the second prince become poised for an attack. They heard a strange commotion coming from the outside of the tent. Both of them rushed to see what had been going on outside only to find a good deal of panicked warriors as a handful of young men were doubled over in agony complaining about their collective bellies aching as they vomited profusely and spit blood onto the ground as some even keeled over.

Craxton stood in total silence, as he'd been shocked by the chaos of the events and pleased that it had not been him due to the quick reflexes of the prince. Lycidas had been quite keen in understanding as he grabbed the nearest general via the collar and very bluntly asked if had he followed his orders to the letter.

"Did your men burn everything they found in that tainted camp?" Lycidas growled as he gripped the throat of the general.

"I-I believe so..." stammered the general.

"The camp was tainted via poison and if you so much as took a leftover keg of mead it was no doubt poisoned now I shall ask you again...did your men burn everything?" growled Lycidas once more.

The general thought quickly back to the men he grew suspicious of and shook his head. They were complete fools, young men new to battle and eager to share in the spoils, but neglected to heed the advice of their commanders and The Second Prince himself.

"Fools." said the general looking over at the culprits who had been lying on their backs vomiting up blood.

Lycidas was furious as he approached the foolish young men gutting them one by one in a bid to put them out of their collective misery. He turned his attention to the able-bodied men and instructed them to rid the camp of the dead and to throw out anything that those fools had their hands on. He had specifically instructed his men to burn everything at the camp, it was much more difficult to explain to the young that in war one did not have the luxury of taking chances.

He had smelled the sickeningly sweet scent of poison when he first entered the camp and suspected they'd left behind mead and other tainted objects to ensure they slowed down the advancement of the Mediana forces. A sound strategy if nothing else, but one they would pay dearly for in kind. He took them for cowards and they had just proven that was all they had no honor in their hearts to fight for only cowardly slaughter and they expected to retreat from his pursuit after something like this.

Two months had passed as he spent his days and nights chasing them toward the border of the Kingdom of Tema. A place allied to Median and Nestra. The king of Tema knew all too well that the kingslayer intended to break the treaties with the bordering nations so he could grab power, but he had overplayed his hand against Medina and it cost him dearly. The King of Tema, Rocso wasn't so inexperienced nor foolish. He had valued his alliance with Medina and was just as disgusted by the murder of King Milkus as anyone.

Lycidas remained vigilant as he had known there was bound to be more underhanded tact from the cowards he'd been chasing. He made his way back to his tent, pleased that Craxton had taken the hint and gone to bed with the other young warriors. They had a long day ahead of them but not without a few drills due to the idiocy of the now-dead younger fighters within their ranks. He had not been of the mind to take any chances, not when complete victory had been so close at hand.

His prey would not be so fortunate as to escape him this time around.

As for his army, his men would be ready, or they would fall by his blade, he had no time for weakness when they were already at war.

Gothphis