Fostering Faust 3

by Randi Darren

  “And then some, because you’re not taking into account that even after cashing out all that land, he and his wife still owe a goodly amount of gold,” Alex said, shaking his head. “The disaster and fate of borrowing too much, I suppose. It never stops.”

  “Yes, I suppose that’s right. I honestly forgot about the debt he has with you and Baron Ulles,” Valeria said, looking at Sylvia.

  “His debt would exceed his projected income. At least based on his taxes, that is,” Sylvia said, looking shocked.

  “As I said. It never stops once you get too far into it,” Alex said. “His best option would have been to end the war outright and start recovering. Though I wonder if his rage, anger, and bitterness outweigh his common sense now.”

  The room fell silent. The light clacks of teacups on saucers were the only sounds in the whole tent.

  “I was doomed the moment you caught me, wasn’t I?” Carla asked. “I borrowed gold and sold myself away, and I kept telling myself I could make it back and get out. Eventually.”

  “Yes, Two, you were trapped. I had designs on you from the moment I saw you,” Alex said, looking at the bandit with a soft smile.

  Carla sighed at that, shook her head, and smiled back at him.

  “Well, you have me,” said the ex-bandit, taking a dainty sip from her tea. “What’s our next move, Alex?”

  “For now, nothing. We’re going to have our first touch of battle in… an hour? Two hours?” Alex asked, looking around the room.

  “Six went to check,” Valeria said. “That’s where she’s at.”

  Alex nodded. “Well, we’ll have our first engagement for this season’s campaign.

  “I’m sure we’ll hold our front and send the enemy tumbling back. With any luck, Dan will rob them of their pay-chests and secure me some hostages, and then we can begin going through the whole thing all over again.

  “After that… well, we’ll see. My overall plan is to make the duke surrender without destroying his duchy. If I could hand it over to Regina on a platter, she’d probably have enough land under her to be an archduchess.

  “Then everyone could leave me alone to run my county,” Alex said with a sigh. “Maybe I’ll actually get a chance to get some of my ideas off the ground.”

  “You… really do just want to be a count, don’t you?” Valeria asked after everyone sat in silence for several seconds.

  “I mean, yeah? It’s what I am.” Alex lifted his teacup and took a sip from it.

  As always, it was excellent tea. Riley had trained her girls exceptionally.

  Smiling, he turned to Riley. “Good work; this is perfect tea.”

  Riley bobbed her head once, her bell tinkling, and smiled at Alex. “I’ll pass your compliments on to my girls.”

  “You don’t want to be a duke or… a king… or anything?” Rebekah asked.

  “No. Why would I? It’s not as if I’d make more money with a title change alone,” Alex said with a grin. “It isn’t as if I need more wives. Or vassals.

  “With a moniker like Count Inferno, it isn’t as if I could aim for more prestige, either.

  “No… I’m quite content as Count Brit of Brit.”

  “Alex, my love, dearest,” Valeria said. “Everyone here knows you’re not what they originally thought you were. Did anyone ever tell you about the fall? The fall of Brit and Caen?”

  He wasn’t surprised that everyone knew he wasn’t a normal person. Or that he wasn’t the original Alexander Brit.

  “No. I’d be curious to hear about it, but I’m not sure how it’s relevant?” Alex asked.

  Everyone was staring hard at Alex and Valeria.

  Clearing her throat, Valeria looked around the room quickly.

  “The fall of Brit and Caen, or just The Fall, is a cautionary tale about taking sides in a civil war,” Valeria said.

  “Oh. Is that all it was? Goodness. Everyone made it out to be such a big deal I thought it was something scandalous,” Alex said with a soft laugh. “There’s always a winner and a loser in civil wars. Better off not picking a side unless you have to.

  “Your family name title was that of an archduke,” Valeria said. “Both Regina’s family and Gaelis’s family were your vassals.”

  “That’s nice. And?” Alex asked. He didn’t quite understand where the thrust of this conversation was going or where it had been meant to go to begin with.

  “I guess nothing. If you don’t wish to reclaim your family titles,” Valeria said with a shake of her head. “It’s just… strange. You don’t want anything to do with advancing yourself.”

  “I don’t need to,” Alex said. “I mean… okay, listen. I have plans and things I’m having built in the basements of the Brit family fort. Have any of you gone down there? Or looked at the plans?”

  Half of them nodded their heads while the other shook them.

  “Okay, so, I’m having something called a printing press put together first. It’s a very simple machine that allows a book to be put together very quickly, compared to it being written by scribes,” Alex said. “A scribe can do… what… a couple pages an hour? Maybe? I can have a single machine do at least a minimum of twenty-five pages an hour.”

  Alex looked around the room, person by person, making sure they all were listening and heard him.

  Eleanor had joined them at some point but hadn’t said a word.

  “Now, imagine a room full of those machines. All printing out different pages of a book,” Alex said. “I could have every single tax-paying citizen of Brit receive several books for free every year.

  “Now what if those books included all those learning worksheets I made for you all? What if even the most common of children could learn to read and write before they were eight?

  “What if every family had the codex of Brit laws, workbooks on reading and writing, and workbooks on mathematics? Can you even begin to imagine what that’s going to do to this world?”

  Speaking from his heart, Alex felt like this was the right path.

  He would enlighten his people, bring them up from the muck, and put them on the path to greatness.

  The citizenry of Brit would become the middle class by virtue of their education in comparison to the rest of the world.

  “Imagine it,” Alex said. “What if any of you had been taught to read and write as a child? To do numbers and figures? If you knew all the laws and what was expected of you?

  “And this is just my first machine. The first blush of a technology that will empower Brit for countless generations.

  “All in here.”

  Alex tapped the side of his head.

  “Imagine, a machine powered by heated water that can do any number of things,” Alex said. “Just with heating water, and some metal wrought parts. A machine that could be put on wheels and used… anywhere. And anything else I can remember enough of to become dangerous. Very dangerous.”

  With a sigh, Alex finished his tea in a final sip and then put his elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand.

  “I just need to start putting pen to paper soon and writing down all the various ideas, inventions, technologies, and general practices in my head for my children. So they can benefit from it and continue to bring Brit further forward than anywhere else.

  “All under Leah’s watchful eye,” Alex said. “Of course. I couldn’t let these things off the leash without them all being committed to her by name and deed. She’ll be a better gatekeeper than any mortal could.”

  Everyone glanced upward as if Leah would respond to that.

  “She’s busy,” Alex said. “Though I met her sister the other day. Seems nice, but crazy. Must be a family thing.”

  Eleanor cleared her throat, walking over to stand in front of the table.

  “My lord Alex, we’ve been instructed to form up. Battle will likely commence in a few hours, before noon,” said the knight formally.

  “Grand,” Alex said with a heavy sigh. “Whatever. Let’s hopefully get this whole thing o
ver and done with so we can go home.”

  Chapter 18

  Alex looked down across his defenses and at the plains between them.

  The last time he’d stood on a line like this, he’d watched Duke Gaelis crush Regina’s father.

  Crush him and run the man’s entire army off the field in a full route.

  “I don’t honestly understand why they’re attacking,” Sylvia said, shaking her head. “Logically, it’s not the right move. We have more soldiers than they do. We have prepared positions. It makes no sense.”

  Grinning, Alex couldn’t help but laugh.

  It felt like he was always talking to someone about strategy these days.

  “When strong, show weakness. When prepared, look chaotic. When large, appear small,” Alex said. “In this way, we’ve prepared. We’ve hidden our numbers and done everything we can to appear smaller.

  “These defenses look like almost nothing to our enemy across this distance. We’re using the terrain to our advantage.

  “We’ve brought up our lighter infantry forces to hold the first six ranks of the line, but every soldier behind them is heavy infantry. Our cavalry has been dressed out to look like they’re winded and part of the supply forces.

  “And to top all that off, I had you sell information—even give it out for free in some cases—that we suffered many losses in the south. That we’re tired and wounded. We’ve held out bait they can’t resist, especially now that we’re on the left flank again.”

  Alex nodded at his own words.

  “We’ve done everything we can to appeal to their beliefs of how things should be, and we’ve offered nothing contrary to that,” Alex finished. “They’ll attack us this time. After this, if they’re smart, they’ll evade us and we’ll have to change our tactics.”

  “You’re very tricky,” Sylvia muttered.

  “All warfare is deception,” Alex said simply. “Feel fortunate that I abide by your rules. Your happiness is important to me.”

  “Master is kind and loving,” Riley said, hugging tighter to Alex’s arm and pushing it deeper into her cleavage.

  “I… never really thought of it like that,” Sylvia said.

  You there? Are they both sworn to me at a soul level?

  Yes, and yes.

  As are Valeria, Carla, and Rebekah. You taking all the Numbered with you?

  The only ones left are Eleanor and Riley.

  Might as well, I guess.

  The enemy forces were marching across the gap. Their shields were up and over their heads as they came on.

  Arrows constantly rained down on them. With every step they took, they risked taking an arrow from above. Alex’s investment more ranged combatants was paying off.

  “Three, we got out the notice to everyone about bounties on officers, right?” Alex asked, looking over to his left. Valeria and Carla were standing side by side, watching the battlefield.

  “Yes, Alex,” Valeria said, turning toward him and giving him a beautiful smile. “It’s taken care of.”

  She thanks me often for having met you.

  They all do, though some more frequently than others.

  Somewhat unsure of how to respond to that, Alex didn’t.

  “Tael, give the order to shuffle the line,” Alex said. The enemy appeared to be beyond the point of no return. There would be no moving back from here.

  The general nodded and then gave someone else an order.

  A trumpet was blown in some sort of signal Alex didn’t understand.

  With a stomp of boots, the front line of Alex’s soldiers broke formation and started to jog forward.

  They were all dressed in hard leather armor, carrying good shields, and each man had several light throwing javelins. Alex had chosen a design that was almost exactly like old Roman pilums.

  They were what he called his light infantry, or auxiliary. They were to be used as skirmishers, hit-and-run attackers, and flankers.

  All the soldiers pulled back and threw once they were in range of the enemy. Hundreds of javelins went up in the air and then came down. Then a second wave, and finally a third.

  Before the enemy could even think to respond, Alex’s soldiers were wheeling left and running away.

  The enemy could only curse at their heels, even as the Brit soldiers laughingly cleared the field.

  They knew their jobs and had been told to do exactly this. They weren’t retreating, they were following orders.

  Clanking forward, the heavy infantry soldiers of the Brit army took up the vacated lines.

  Alex could practically feel the amusement from his soldiers.

  “They think it’s funny,” Eleanor said from behind him and a step to the right.

  “Wouldn’t you?” Alex said with a grin. “Everyone loves to win, and nothing feels better than making your opponent look stupid.”

  Stopping at the edge of the line, the auxiliary forces turned as a unit and made up a column right there.

  The enemy came on, though. There was no call to stop, to retreat, to turn and reconsider, to change in any way.

  They marched ever onward, despite having taken losses before they’d even had the chance to engage.

  “Fire at will,” Alex said to Tael.

  Turning, Tael shouted another order.

  Behind the front line, standing on a constructed platform, were the crossbow soldiers.

  One and all, that unit was made up of women. And veterans. Blooded in combat, both melee and ranged. They’d earned their pay and respect.

  Stomping up to the top of the platform, the first row raised their weapons and fired into the mass of enemies. Kneeling down, they began working to reload as the second line fired, then the third line, and then the fourth.

  When the last line had fired, the front line rose up and fired again.

  Seems to work well with crossbows instead of muskets.

  Finally, the enemy reached Alex’s line and the melee crush began.

  The crossbow soldiers could keep firing into the middle and rear enemy ranks, though the archers now had to hold their fire.

  Moving into the flank of the enemy, the light infantry reengaged and immediately worked to turn the enemy in on itself.

  “I’ll take left flank any day over being stuck in the line,” Alex said. “I can at least maneuver and have options with the flank.”

  Alex could do nothing more than watch for the moment. His soldiers were going about their work, and little more could be done right now.

  Echoing dully, the roar and clash of swords and armor was the entirety of his existence.

  A series of distant, panicky-sounding trumpet blasts woke Alex from his stupor.

  Looking across the field, he saw a black cloud rising up into the skyline.

  “Seems Dan’s finished his task,” Alex said. Turning his head, he looked out to the far side of his left flank. If Dan was done, it meant he was on his way back.

  Distantly, he could see a mob of what looked like cavalry storming across the plains back to the Brit encampment.

  “It’s Dan,” Nannie said, getting Alex’s attention. She was directly behind him and to the left. “Can see his stupid banner from here.”

  Alex turned back to the mob and looked for said banner.

  The black bird of Brit, with a fire surrounding it. The battle standard for Dan’s brigade as a whole.

  Turning, the enemy began trying to withdraw from the field of battle. Disengaging from the soldiers of Brit and moving away.

  “Keep hitting them as long as we can,” Alex said.

  Tael said nothing and gave no orders.

  Hm. Standing order is to keep firing? Good.

  When the crossbow soldiers stopped firing due to range, the archers took up the job and began firing en masse.

  Several deep, booming drums sounded, and Quinn with her massive light cavalry brigade bolted out from where they’d been held in reserve.

  Coming up and around the lines, they blurred past the infantry and bega
n carving away at the enemy army just as they made it out of range of the Brit archers.

  Following behind Quinn, at a far more methodical pace, was Drew. His heavy cavalry and Quinn’s were moving in a giant wedge.

  “It’s another slaughter,” Riley said.

  “And things were set on fire,” Sylvia added.

  “Count Inferno the Butcher,” Eleanor said softly. “That’ll be the full moniker, I’m sure.”

  Alex sighed and shook his head.

  “I’m a butcher because our enemy is a bunch of idiots. I’m going to my tent to wait for Dan. I’m sure he has presents for me,” Alex said. “Please prepare accordingly otherwise.”

  Riley leaned up and kissed his cheek, then left in a different direction. Probably to prepare for prisoners.

  Nannie, Eleanor, and Carla all followed him back to his tent but waited outside.

  “Oh? All done, baby?” Rebekah asked. She was trying on a new uniform in front of his dressing mirror. She cupped her breasts and shimmied the fabric around. “There we go. What do you think? Do you like it?”

  Turning toward him, she smiled and gestured to herself.

  It fit her provocatively and emphasized her amazing figure. Rebekah once again looked sexy and beautiful while still appearing somewhat classy.

  “I like it, personally. Definitely gives off a concubine feel, though. Noblewoman turned concubine, but still concubine,” Alex admitted. He did really like it.

  “Noblewoman turned concubine is the goal,” Rebekah said with a smile as she walked over to him. “I’m your comfort wife; my goal is to make you happy and make you smile. I feel like this is what you like to see me in, and it still preserves your prestige. That and I enjoy wearing it.

  “Now… all done? Can I tend to you and ease your burdens?”

  “Almost all done. Dan’s going to show up with what he stole, I’m sure,” Alex said as Rebekah came to a stop in front of him.

  “Oh? Good. Come, come. Let’s have a sit. I’ll keep you nice and relaxed until I can tend to you,” Rebekah said, catching up his hand and leading him toward the table. “That’s right, baby. Let your comfort wife care for you.”

  Sitting down in his lap, Rebekah immediately gave him a kiss, then began to rub her fingers into his temple and the sides of his head.