Tyranny of Steel

Berengar's army or what remained of it had been marching since he successfully annexed the Prince-Bishopric of Trent into the County of Tyrol. It had been weeks at this point, and he could finally see the City of Kufstein and its impregnable defenses on the horizon. It had been over two months since he first began his campaign, and he had achieved an overwhelming victory against the rebellious forces.

A warm smile appeared on the handsome youth's face as he gazed upon his homeland with delight, muttering the words on his mind beneath his breath as he sat atop his war steed, which had proven to be an excellent companion during the last two months of his life.

"We are finally home..."

Berengar's losses in the war were quite low; less than 1,000 men on his side had perished in the conflict; as for the levies that were allied with him, their number was a bit higher. Still, he did not count them among his own casualties, as they were technically not his forces at the moment. As for the Army behind his back, it was less than half of what he had invaded Trent with; the region was given command by Arnulf temporarily until a time in which the rebellion had officially ended. As for Eckhard, he was in charge of South Tyrol and its garrisons.

The spirit of resistance was still within the hearts of many citizens who Berengar had conquered in this time, but at the moment, they did not act upon it. Once the war was officially over, Eckhard, Arnulf, and the forces left behind in the region would remain there until a more permanent garrison comprised of locals who had properly been indoctrinated into his army was established.

It had been two months since he felt his lover's warm embrace, or since he saw the dazzling sapphire eyes of his baby boy, and Berengar had missed them greatly as such when he rode into the City, which was currently covered in snow, he had a large smile on his face. When Berengar and his forces entered the city of Kufstein, the citizens of the city lined up across the streets, welcoming the return of their Liege as a conquering Hero. Cheers echoed across the city as Berengar rode at the front of his army, dressed in his garishly decorated blackened steel plate armor.

Berengar had thought to himself as he smiled and waved at his subjects

'So this is a hero's welcome? It is truly fitting...'

To the citizens of Kufstein, Berengar had accomplished the unthinkable; he spread the glory of their territory and captured the entirety of the County Tyrol and its neighbor, the Prince-Bisophric of Trent, from their enemies in a span of two months. Though many of his men had died in the conflict, Berengar would keep his promise and exempt their families from taxes for a duration of time. However, the people of Kufstein did not know about this promise yet.

After riding through the streets of Kufstein, Berengar dismissed his armies; they could return home to their loved ones for the time being; after all, they had more than earned it. It was only after his army fully gathered into ranks and fully Saluted Berengar at Kufstein Castle's steps that he understood the extent of their loyalty. Such a performance was not asked of them, yet they took it upon themselves to salute their Lord and Commander, who had to lead them against unthinkable odds and into an overwhelming victory.

Berengar returned their salute before marching into the Castle's gates. The moment Berengar stepped through the gates of his castle, he was practically mowed over by Linde, who rushed into his arms like a charging bull. Luckily for him, he was capable of standing his ground and accepted her embrace. Her family, as well as Henrietta, had gathered nearby and witnessed the loving reunion. Berengar began to greet Linde

"Did you miss..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Berengar's lover had pressed her lips against his own and parted them with her tongue in a passionate display of affection. Her siblings were quite shocked by her boldness and watched in embarrassment for some time as the two continued to fondle one another openly; it was only when Berengar reached for Linde's substantial breasts did that someone decided to spoke up.

Liutbert grunted to signal to the couple that they had company, and we were quickly getting out of hand. Realizing that her siblings were watching, Linde quickly retracted herself from Berengar's embrace and looked down with embarrassment, her cheeks were completely flushed at this point, and she could not help but be ashamed of her actions.

Berengar, on the other hand, smiled and licked his lips before greeting Linde and the others.

"So I guess that's a yes?"

Afterward, he quickly grabbed ahold of Linde's waist and dragged her over to the others. Linde's siblings each had a different expression on their faces, Adelheid considered Berengar to be a womanizer taking advantage of her big sister, but she knew he was capable of achieving great things and had helped topple her father's dastardly plans; as such, she was conflicted with how to treat the man in front of her.

Liutbert had already chosen to submit to Berengar and gracefully welcomed the man that would become the next Count of Tyrol. He had already received news of Lothar's defeat at Vienna. After becoming aware of his father's defeat, Liutbert finally realized that he had made the right choice in supporting Berengar. As for Herman, he was acting like a stubborn little brat, greatly scowling at the man who had rebelled against his father. the little misfit could not help but blame Berengar for the defeat and captivity of his father.

Linde also had one other sibling, a little sister, roughly Henrietta's age, and this girl was named Minna, and she was rather welcoming to Berengar. Minna had grown close to Henrietta throughout the past month of "captivity" in Kufstein, and Henrietta had filled her ears with stories of Berengar and his gallant acts. Berengar did not even need to sway the little girl to his side, as she had already developed the image of Berengar being a knight in shining armor; from how Henrietta talked about his past, he seemed like some form of Prince-Charming. As such, she was happy to finally see the man she admired, and his good looks did not disappoint.

Henrietta, of course, was beaming with a smile on her face as her elder brother returned home alive. With her parents retiring to the countryside and Lambert exiled, Berengar was her only family left, and she greatly dreaded some misfortune that might befall him. In her hands was the baby Hans, which she spent a great deal of time looking after, considering in his absence Linde was forced to deal with the civil affairs of Kufstein.

Seeing his infant son in Henrietta's hands, Berengar walked over to her and grabbed ahold of his child.

"Hans... Your father has returned!"

With that, Berengar held onto his child, surrounded by loved ones and allies. He felt completely safe for the first time in what appeared to him like a lifetime of war. As such, a grand feast was thrown that night to celebrate his return, and he had begun to invite his friends throughout Kufstein to partake in it.

During the extravagant meal, which tasted like ambrosia straight from the mouth of God after having eaten nothing but bread and salted pork for two months, Berengar forced himself to stop stuffing his face and made a victory toast. Everyone expected him to say something valiant, something bold, or a declaration of future prospects. Instead, Berengar merely lifted his glass and said the somber words that had plagued his mind since the combat began.

"To our fallen warriors! May they forever rest in peace!"

The serious toast brought the excited audience out of their celebratory mood and forced them back to reality; every victory was paved with the blood of the dead and those brave men who fought on the front lines. The fact that Berengar had used that as a toast undoubtedly killed the mood, but it also achieved the effect he was hoping for; it reminded everyone around him of the price of victory.