Nothing had gone right.
They had tried to arrive first and drive a wedge between the two forces — but the coalition that arrived first was routed instead.
Nor could they resist in open battle; fear had driven them behind castle walls.
Now that the fighting had entered the realm of siege warfare, all they could do was hold out.
And wait for reinforcements that might never come.
"If you speak of the North's Main Army..."
"I've already sent orders to the nobles and ministers in the North. If they don't surrender within the week—"
"I fear it may stir unrest among the nomads or other regions."
"Dorgon, you know as well as I do that won't happen."
"I know. But I worry we're bringing too many hands to kill a single chicken."
"Don't. That's precisely why I set a deadline."
The deadline I had in mind was this week. If they didn't surrender by then, there would be no choice but to finish it entirely.
I had culled the soldiers who could be predicted and deployed immediately.
Dorgon and James had performed their roles admirably. A thousand troops, with House Barth's support to boot.
For a hastily assembled war, they had done well.
But if this wasn't wrapped up within the week, the Grand Duke of the North would have no choice but to arrive in person — with justification in hand.
"The North's Main Army will come."
"How large a force are you planning to deploy?"
"Well, since you and James departed, I've been properly mustering troops."
I couldn't afford to neglect surveillance of the nomadic tribes, so the soldiers stationed at the extreme frontier would stay put.
But the interior was another matter. I had decided to gather nearly all the troops stationed within.
Of course, it was possible I wouldn't need to march out myself. House Leily might yet surrender.
But if they didn't—
"Approximately seventeen thousand."
"That is truly worthy of being called the North's Main Army, Your Grace."
"Indeed. Infantry, cavalry, and the soldiers to move the provisions — all being managed with precision. They're already converging on the Corridor."
"That is swift."
Dorgon likely sensed it, if only dimly.
That I had no intention of ending this war quickly.
Not that I planned to drag it out into a prolonged campaign — that was never the idea.
But I needed to show the common lords of the South something worth seeing.
*So House Leily and Darapont's forces were crushed like that.*
*The North has more than enough reach to intervene in the South.* That sort of impression.
"Were the southern forces formidable?"
"Not at all. There was only a single engagement."
"Hmm. I heard the report, but it must have been quite a pitched battle if nearly six hundred men were killed."
"Hardly. One ambush was enough to break their spirit."
"Having only ever faced nomadic armies, I find it difficult to understand."
They simply don't fight back.
Nomadic armies are genuinely fearsome — everyone knows that. But if you don't stand and fight, everyone dies.
No villages left standing. No castles left standing.
That is why soldiers who go to war against the nomads have no choice but to fight with their lives on the line.
Because if they die, their families and friends die with them.
Of course, once morale collapses, even that resolve crumbles.
"Your Grace. I will send word demanding their surrender."
"Yes. Do that."
The North's Main Army was finishing its preparations to march.
The North's Main Army — soldiers, supply troops, all combined. Seventeen thousand.
Provisions enough to weather the spring comfortably, with whatever shortfall to be purchased from House Barth's domain.
Though House Barth's lands didn't hold an abundance of supplies.
"Then Dorgon, you draft the letter in my stead. I'd like to go meet the soldiers."
"This James shall escort you, Your Grace!"
"Yes, yes. Dorgon, I'm counting on you."
I stepped outside the tent.
Coming to a battlefield was never something I relished. But these were the first soldiers ever deployed to the South — not against nomads.
The men began to gather, slowly.
"These are the soldiers who annihilated the vanguard at Kadana Castle."
"Splendid! You have shown them the terror of the North!"
"Those men over there as well."
Good. Very good.
I made my way through the ranks, offering my hand to each soldier in turn.
Some wept openly. Others greeted me with unfeigned joy.
But the more I saw of them, the more I felt the urgency of completing this war's grand strategy — and quickly.
I couldn't afford to push this into a siege and get these men killed.
"The North's Main Army is coming."
"Our... our Main Army, you say...?"
Somehow I had ended up standing in the middle of the soldiers.
I began a speech — to give them steadiness and momentum.
*Hmm. I'm not exactly the type for rousing oratory in places like this. A bit awkward.*
"Look at the elite force assembled here. Barely a thousand men — and yet did the common soldiers of the South not fall nearly to the last?"
"They did, Your Grace!"
"Now the armies of the North will come and sweep through this place. Divine punishment shall be visited upon the traitors in the South!"
*Divine punishment. Traitors.* Words used to describe those who stood against House Wintergard — though they sat a little strangely with common soldiers.
"You have fought magnificently. Now let us end this war."
*Root out the traitors. Root out the traitors!*
The soldiers' voices rose and carried on.
—
"A-a letter has arrived, my lord."
"Who sent it?"
"It bears the seal of the Grand Duke of the North."
"Th-the seal?"
"Yes. The seal of the Grand Duke of the North."
The head of House Leily carefully drew out the letter and read it.
The words written there were bold — and entirely predictable.
That the current deployment was only the beginning.
And that the longer this war was drawn out, the less mercy would be shown.
The final line, a single sentence.
*The North's Main Army has not yet departed.*
"The-the North's Main Army hasn't even marched yet, it says. What do we make of this?"
"A foolish question. There are already a thousand soldiers here — how could they have raised more troops so quickly on top of that?"
"Are you not underestimating the North's military strength?"
"Are the facts not plain? Raising more soldiers in the middle of a hastily assembled war like this — that takes time. It simply isn't possible."
That was the South's perception of things.
Mustering more troops would require more time. In a war thrown together this quickly, there wasn't enough time to raise additional soldiers separately.
Even with considerable preparation,
there wasn't enough time to gather a larger force.
"All we need to do is continue the siege from here."
"Is there not too little chance of victory?"
"Reinforcements from House Darapont will come. I received a letter myself."
A letter had arrived from House Darapont.
The captain of Darapont's mercenary company had slapped his knee in satisfaction upon reading it.
The reinforcements numbered over a thousand.
A clear declaration of intent not to let this war end quietly.
And the one who had provided the war funds was none other than the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince had even sent word that he earnestly hoped for victory in this war between House Darapont and the North.
"Then what shall we do?"
"Darapont's reinforcements are coming. A thousand soldiers — that should be more than enough."
"Then we may be able to break the encirclement."
"Precisely. This is where it truly begins."
House Darapont's mercenary company may well have felt the same.
The war is not yet over. The war starts now.
But the head of House Leily could not suppress the vague unease that gnawed at him.
*Would that be enough?*
*What if the North went mad and pulled the soldiers holding back the nomads — and marched south?*
House Leily would burn to the ground.
"I'm not sure about any of this, but I..."
"Trust in it, my lord. There is no turning back now, is there?"
"Yes. I suppose not."
It was the arrogance of a man who believed he had no need to trust his own ill omens.
House Leily's main stronghold was not so easily taken.
And even if it fell, there was always House Darapont's domain to flee to.
"Then reinforce our defenses. A siege may come at any moment."
"Then we are not surrendering, my lord?"
"Of course not! Hold fast!"
He spoke like a hero — but he could not hide the unease beneath the words.
What the head of House Leily did not know, however, was this:
The North's Main Army was bearing down on them in overwhelming force.
—
In the end, the war did not conclude in the week of the Grand Duke's arrival.
Only the movements of soldiers bracing for siege were observed.
"Has the Main Army departed?"
"At today's pace, they should be passing through Kadana Castle."
"Any other intelligence?"
"House Darapont has sent a thousand reinforcements."
"Tell them to repel those first. I'll remain here."
No one came out from behind the castle walls.
*Can't come out* would be the more accurate way to put it.
The castle was already loosely encircled, and Darmian's forces continued to pacify the surrounding domain. According to the reports I'd received, they had already razed ten more settlements.
"Make sure Darapont's forces are thoroughly crushed. No need to do anything elaborate."
"I will relay that, Your Grace."
I had no intention of leaving this position.
Nor any need to.
Above all, I trusted the one leading the North's Main Army.
"Your Grace, is it truly all right for you not to return to the North?"
"Yes. It doesn't matter."
*I am the North. Wherever I stand, that place is the North.*
"Truly worthy of you, Your Grace."
"When the Main Army arrives, tell them simply to encircle the castle. I have no desire for a siege."