by Randi Darren
“What? It wasn’t,” said the career soldier.
“That right there is why I don’t want to go on these ever again,” Alex said, getting off his horse. He flicked the reigns to an attendant and didn’t bother with anything further.
“Welcome home, Alex,” Riley said, giving him a wide and bright smile.
He’d been sending the wounded back to Fis’Er along with correspondence as to what he was doing. He didn’t want to be considered missing in action. He was afraid it might alter the way Quinn handled her duties if she thought he was dead or dying somewhere.
“Thanks,” Alex said. “Anything I need to know? And where’s Four and Quinn?”
“Ah, nothing you need to know, and they’re currently both out in the field. The enemy general seems to be preparing to attack Fis’Er directly rather than threatening us in the field,” Riley said. “Quinn thinks it’ll take Niqil—that’s the general—a few days to prepare her forces for the assault.”
“That’s different. Somewhat of a surprise,” Alex said. “I thought they were all against things like that. That the fact we did such a thing ourselves was why we were the evil Imperial dogs.”
Riley smoothly walked up to his side and slipped an arm into his, bringing it up into her side and her breasts.
“You’re right of course,” Riley said. “But that was when they had the possibility of winning. Now that they’ve been forced into battles that end in draws or losses, it seems the general is reevaluating her position.”
“In other words… they can’t think of a way to defeat our tactics and strategy without employing them,” Alex said.
It made sense. It was the right way to look at it.
In fact, if one cared enough to look into history, they could see examples of it all over.
An army would adapt to the situation and enemies they faced.
Alex had a vague memory of the ancient Roman army changing its configuration and troop types several times to match the enemies they were fighting against.
And stagnation of ideas and tech becomes a factor for defeat.
Quinn and her entire culture are stuck in a stagnant belief system.
There are simply no new thoughts or ideas being generated.
“That seems apt, Alex,” Riley said.
Glancing over his shoulder, he found Eleanor, Nannie, and Katherine all being tended to by Riley’s maids.
Only a small number of personal house guards were following him and Riley into the Fis’Er keep.
Now more than ever, he was glad the whole thing had been renovated. With new ideas on how to stop enemies from breaching its defenses.
Because if I don’t miss my guess, our dear enemy general has gotten word that a number of the clans supporting her just withdrew their support and their troops.
Which means she’s about to suffer a massive morale loss.
She’s on a timer now.
Alex realized that Quinn and Sylvia were right.
This Niqil has to do something or risk losing her authority.
A general without authority results in insubordination.
“Mm. Alright. Can you send a note to Tael to get the soldiers bedded down, fed, and told to form a reserve force?” Alex asked. “They’ll probably be worthless for an actual stand-up fight, but as a reserve they’ll have a chance to keep resting.”
“Of course, Alex,” Riley said, petting his forearm. “That’s not a problem at all.”
“You’re a peach, One,” Alex said. “That reminds me. I have a gaggle of young women back there. They’re all hostages from various clan heads I more or less strong-armed into surrendering to Quinn.
“They’ll need reasonable accommodations and probably a guard detachment.”
“Not a problem,” Riley said. “Now, how about you just come with me and have a nice warm bath. We’ll get you all scrubbed up, cleaned, and ready. Because if I don’t miss my guess, not only will Quinn come back tonight, Niqil will want to talk to her and you.”
“Think so, do you?” Alex asked, letting the busty head maid lead him ever deeper into the fort.
“That I do. It’s something I’ve come to realize,” Riley murmured. “They never want to talk when they’re winning, unless you offer them something they want. As soon as they’re up against a wall, they want nothing more than to talk till they’re winded.”
“Rather astute of you,” Alex said.
“I’m paying attention as best I can, Alex. I’m not as smart as Seven, but I’m learning,” Riley said. “And she’s helping. Just you wait. I’ll be not just One, but the one the rest turn to. I’ll be One and your number one.”
Grinning at that, Alex turned to face her.
“I wish you the best of luck with that. They’re a rather strange lot,” Alex said. “My lot, and I fit in with them, but a strange one.”
Riley nodded, yet she still looked just as determined.
She might actually do it, you know.
Carla, Valeria, and Nannie all favor her because she works for them. She gets what they want from you and folds it into her own needs.
Which you happily serve her.
The number of times she’s gotten you to do something for them is considerable.
Rebekah might be your sex kitten and your drug of choice, and perhaps their leader, but Riley is a massive blind spot for you.
It’s a good thing she’s madly in love with you
Chapter 12
Alex sat himself down at the table in the middle of the large command tent.
Folding his hands in his lap, he began to quietly go through the mental checklist of things he needed to do today.
Regardless of making himself available to Quinn for this meeting, which he honestly wanted to be here for, he still had things he needed to get done today.
Least of which was to start getting his invitations out for his vassals feast. He imagined this little campaign would be over one way or the other relatively soon. There was no way it could continue on as it had for much longer.
The simple reality was that the enemy had taken too many loses. Culturally, politically, and literally.
Niqil’s dead was in the tens of thousands. They littered the landscape all across the plains, long gone to rot and become the provender of carrion eaters.
Many clans had been forced at sword point to surrender themselves into Quinn’s servitude and were no longer independent.
A large number of cities had been burned to the ground, and their ruling families given to the queen of the Xer like so much cattle. Quinn in turn parceled out those women to her husband who would swear to him, those men into the military who would swear to her, and then executed anyone who wouldn’t.
The finishing touch to all that destruction was that a swath of farms that would have provided the army and citizenry with food were simply gone. Burned to nothing.
Now Niqil had even sunk so low as to begin using Imperial tactics. The very thing they were claiming they were fighting against, they were now guilty of.
And all she had to show for that was a long list of defeats.
The Wilds were ruined and ripe for the taking
It was unlikely that any of the clan kings and queens would survive the purge that would follow.
Quinn would sweep through the vast plains and make them hers.
Sighing, Alex picked at a thumb nail that was starting to peel away from the edge.
I really do miss nail clippers. Maybe I could have those made as a simple test of mechanical precision.
At the sound of people coming, Alex lifted his head up, overjoyed. The sooner this was all done, the sooner he could just go home.
He wasn’t interested in any of this. The only thing he actually wanted in his life was to sit at home and enjoy being nowhere.
To have sex, eat a lot of food, and just… live. He’d done precious little of that in his previous existence.
Glancing over his shoulder, he checked his surroundings.
Nannie an
d Eleanor stood behind him. One in each corner, looking impressive, lethal, and bored.
Next to him on his left was Sylvia, sitting just as quietly as he was, her hands folded in her lap.
A step behind his right shoulder was Riley, her left hand resting on the middle of his back since he’d sat down. There was hardly any time she wasn’t touching him.
Just behind his left shoulder was Katherine, who had remained at his side since he’d brought her into his bedroom games. Though she’d definitely earned a fair amount of respect from the Numbered for having accompanied Alex on his wild ride when she didn’t have to.
“Feel like I’m surrounded,” Alex muttered, looking at the tent flap.
“You are, Alex,” Katherine replied. “It’s a veritable who’s-who of the broken and damned, all repaired and fixed by your loving hand. Given a purpose and a drive and told that they matter and have worth. Because they do.”
Sylvia and Riley both froze up at the words. Alex actually heard Nannie’s breath catch.
Stealing a glance around him, he found that Eleanor seemed equally affected.
“It’s… it’s a pity you haven’t taken on any more Numbered, then,” Riley said, her voice gaining strength as she spoke. “There are many more out there who could use kindness.”
“I’m not in the business of kindness,” Alex said, disliking this conversation.
“He’s afraid his attention is split too far,” Katherine said. “He won’t take on more because he’s afraid to forsake you all.”
Sylvia’s head turned fractionally toward him, her eyes moving toward his face.
“Katherine,” Alex said dangerously. He was done with this.
“Yes, husband,” said the woman. Then she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “When we get back, let’s formalize our marriage, and you can have my maidenhead. I’m really tired of taking care of myself after we’re done playing.”
“I miss rubbin’ them out,” Nannie said with a sigh.
“Me, too,” Sylvia echoed.
Nannie started to laugh at that. Followed by Sylvia, Eleanor, and finally Riley.
“Bah,” Alex said, waving a hand over his shoulder.
The tent flap opened, and Quinn walked in along with Tael and a middle-aged woman he didn’t know.
Her eyes were the Xer blue he’d come to expect of Quinn’s people. She shared all the normal traits that made them all one people, though she was considerably taller and had a long, dark-brown ponytail. Given that she was probably in her mid to late thirties, she wasn’t unattractive. There was still a youthfulness to her.
Quinn gestured to the seat laid out for Niqil, then walked around the table to sit next to Alex.
“You wished to speak,” Quinn said. “So we’ll speak.”
Niqil looked from Quinn to Alex, and then back at Quinn. Slowly, she sat down at the table and adjusted the hard leather armor she was wearing.
“I would like a white peace,” said Niqil.
“No,” Quinn said, shaking her head. “My goal is to take all the clan lands into my own holding. You all started this war, I’ll not let you survive it to fight me again another day.
“I’ll be Queen Quinn of the clans, or dead.”
Niqil’s mouth became a flat, impassive line. It was obvious she had feared that answer but had also been expecting it.
“You’re working at the beck and call of the empire. You’ll just bring us all to ruin under them,” Niqil said, then gestured at Alex. “Even you serve as little more than a pillow to him, do you not?”
“I do not,” Quinn said without any heat to her voice. She’d been accused of this often enough that it seemed not to bother her at all. Reaching out with her left hand, she took Alex’s right hand. “I’m his wife. We’re hoping to be expecting our first child within the year. I’ve taken all the normal steps, and we have been married accordingly by our own customs as well as Imperial law. I’m his baroness, queen, and wife, all at the same time.”
Niqil shook her head, looking extremely upset. Her eyes locked on her enemies’ joined hands.
“To be fair,” Alex said. “We were quite happy living our life without your interference. You all decided you needed to end us. Now you suffer for your actions. Do not expect any leniency when you take the role of the spoilt child.”
Looking taken aback now, Niqil stared at Alex. “How d—”
“I’ll cut your head from your shoulders if you don’t watch your shit-stained tongue,” Nannie growled from the corner. “And Quinn can take it out of my hide.”
With her mouth open in mid-response, Niqil’s eyes flicked over to Nannie. Slowly, she closed her mouth, then laid her hands on the table. Looking as if she was reconsidering everything.
“What can I do to get the remaining clans under my lead out of this situation?” Niqil asked.
Quinn laughed at that, then glanced at Alex.
“She’s a little old for you, isn’t she?” Quinn asked.
Alex shrugged. “She’s pretty enough.”
Quinn sighed and looked back at Niqil.
“If you get under the table and service my husband with your mouth, then lie down on the table and be claimed by him, I’ll let you have a version of white peace,” Quinn said with a flick of her hand. “Otherwise I’ll make you his concubine after I shatter your world.”
Alex rolled his eyes.
He didn’t have to work very hard at his deals anymore. More often than not, his Numbered and wives did all the work for him.
“…do no such thing! My family has led our clan for longer than yours has even existed!” Niqil said, her teeth locked together.
Quinn shrugged.
“As you like. Do not fault me when he’s putting a child in you and you’re nothing more than a bedpost forever after,” Quinn said. “I embraced my fate, ran as hard as I could with it, and benefited.
“With that said, I believe this is over. We’ll see you on the morrow and end your little war.”
Niqil looked angry, but also frightened. Frightened and very nervous.
The possibility of defeat was real to her, and Quinn had just pronounced what’d happen to her if she lost.
Not that Alex would actually allow it without Niqil being given an out.
Alex did many evil things but he would always give someone a second choice that they could choose. Niqil would be given the same choice given everyone. Their fate, or a break from that end.
Niqil nodded once, got up, and then left.
Alex said nothing, nor did he move.
Time crawled by, all eyes on him.
Eventually, Tael stuck his head in the tent. “They’re all gone.”
“Good. Get Dave, Dan, and Drew,” Alex said. “We’re going to attack Niqil tonight.
“No sense in letting them set up or play by their own game. We’ll hit them in the small hours. It’s time to end this and go home.”
***
“My lord,” Drew said from off to one side. “I’m not one to complain, but this is… this is dangerous.”
“Admittedly. And we’re going to take losses. But this is how we break them. Here and now,” Alex said.
Out somewhere ahead of them, in the dark gloom, Alex’s entire army was on the move. They were marching without torches. They’d secured everything they could to make their movements quieter, but there was little one could do to hide a horse charge or mass infantry movements.
He was hopeful the enemy would just take it as pre-battle maneuvers.
“And if you think you’re feeling nervous, imagine how they feel. Their entire army is almost completely cavalry,” Alex muttered. “Their infantry might as well be non-existent. They melt against anything they’re thrown against.”
“Not everyone has the luxury of a liege lord who outfits them appropriately for war,” Tael said. “I had to buy my own first set of armor when I joined. I rented the sword from the blacksmith.”
“That’s a thing? Renting a weapon?” Alex asked.
“It can be. Though that typically only happens in areas with a more… miserly… lord,” Dave said. “I’m afraid we’re going to miss most of this chance, sire. I think it’ll be sunrise much sooner than we anticipated. Even with the attack starting right now.”
Alex could only nod at that. They’d done the best they could to get everyone bunked, rested, armed, armored, and ready to fight the same night.
It was a lot to get done correctly in a hurry and without being obvious.
Their attack would land perhaps twenty or thirty minutes before dawn, and the sun would rise behind them. Most of Alex’s infantry were meant to flank the enemy around the side and rear.
Distantly, Alex could hear people shouting. Or at least, he thought he could. He wasn’t sure.
The night was moonless and cloud covered. It would be a difficult endeavor to see anything, let alone to fight in this.
But that was half of the reason they were doing it. A trained and competent force was far more likely to gain an advantage in this type of fight.
Standing there, Alex could do nothing but wait.
Wait and trust in his commanders to execute his orders when and where they could, or to adapt when they couldn’t.
“I know he knows his business, but I’m afraid I’ll ever be worried when he’s fighting,” Dave muttered.
“Who, Dan? Ha,” Nannie said. “Wouldn’t worry about him. Knowing him and how he picks up on Alex’s trickery, he’s probably decided he wants to abduct Niqil and whoever else he can. Bring Niqil back with a bow on her head. Or her rear end.
“Worked with Mary, and he got rewarded for it.”
Frowning, Alex couldn’t help but wonder what Dan would do now that Nannie had mentioned it. The man was versatile and could flex his mind as easily as a muscle.
Slowly, the sounds of shouting became the discordant song of engaged battle.
The clash and bang of arms and armor coming together.
Under and over that was the dull, muted roar of soldiers screaming.
Sunshine began flooding over the enemy camp from behind his soldiers. They’d all gone far out of their way to approach in such a way.
When he saw the carnage, Alex could only nod his head.