Viscount's Rise

“Now that we have played hide and seek, shall we go and win a staring contest?” Braydon said to himself as he watched his men get back in order after disarming the captured enemies. He did not really have a great idea for dealing with nearly 200 captives and was trying to leave thinking about the problem until he could ask people more experienced in dealing with large numbers of captives.

It was not like he could just let so many men go so near to what could become an important battlefield in the next week or so. That would be a little too irresponsible. Nor could he easily assimilate so many into his own forces in that time either. That would be even more irresponsible. He could not really keep them or get rid of them; and that was going to be a problem if he planned to keep winning battles since the number of captives would only increase.

“Let’s hope our mercenary friends used to deal with captives a lot.” Being a large mercenary group that had taken part in battles in Ciai for years, he at least hoped that they had dealt with captives by more than just execution in all of those years.

“Get moving, we are doing this again tomorrow!” Braydon shouted to his men. He hoped that they would be doing it again tomorrow. It depended largely on if the retreating lord decided to run to his ally waiting outside of Braydon’s other captured castle or to the reinforcing lords that would be coming in the next week. He at least knew which one he hoped for.

“Welcome back, Sire. Is it me or you came back with more than you left with?” Roan welcomed Braydon with a straight face.

“When you tell jokes, I never expect it, Roan. Any ideas on what we can do with our captives?” Braydon asked. Whilst Nela had the best sense of humour in his fief, Roan was no slouch when he tried. It was just that he hardly ever did make jokes.

“You could send them up to Marquess Serchi. I am sure that he would be more than willing to be a ransom broker. Or at least will know some.” Roan did make some sense. Even if he did not take part in the civil war, he still guarded the border. There were bound to be some people that came afoul of the law and ended up being sold to the ransom broker.

“I was planning to ask our paid help about how he handled these sorts of things in the past but I think just offloading them to Serchi might be good enough. I am sure that he will be more than thrilled for whatever money he makes out of this.” Braydon knew that he would likely be ripped off in that exchange. Not that he cared too much about the pittance he would lose out on in using Serchi to get a ransom broker when compared to the benefits of his invasion.

“Before or after you attack Lord Ganz?” Roan asked but he could guess the answer.

“Lord who?” Braydon gave Roan a blank look.

“At least try to remember the names of the lords who you took castles away from. This was his castle, and he is out there.” Roan shook his head and pointed to the east.

“Ohh, but he is unimportant. And yes, after that.” Braydon might have cared to learn if it was not a minor lord that he had already dispossessed of his belongings. But now that he had already done that, why should he try to learn it now?

“Tomorrow morning?” Roan was just checking that Braydon was not planning on doing a night attack. Whilst he might be running on a high from all of the victories lately, it was an unnecessary risk.

“Of course, tomorrow morning. The men have been marching all day.” Braydon did not want to exhaust his men too much. Otherwise he would have gone for a night attack.

“And that is the only reason why you think a night attack might not be the best idea?” Roan sighed, he knew Braydon knew the ‘correct’ answer but that did not mean that Braydon agreed with that answer.

“Do you want the answer I think or the answer you expect?” Braydon looked at him with a smirk. Roan’s suspicions had been entirely right. Braydon had no qualms about doing a night attack unless there was some major reason not to.

“I know both answers already, Sire.” Roan kept his straight face trying not to sigh a second time.

“Haha, I am just messing with you. Of course I would not do a night attack with the possibility of reinforcements showing up for him any day now.” ‘Though it would be tempting nonetheless.’ Not that Braydon would admit that much out loud. As much as he liked battle, he did not want to voluntarily put himself in the position that he could end up like his father did. Sharing a family name was bad enough, he did not want to off himself in the same manner too.

“I am not Gerald, Sire. There is no need to torment me too.” Roan was obviously in a joking mood today. Not one but two jokes in the course of a single conversation. Braydon was almost inclined to think it was a new record.

“That is true. You don’t give nearly as entertaining reactions.” Braydon smiled, he was not sure Gerald would have been happy to hear him admit as such.

Darkwood

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