PRINCE OF FOOLS: CHAPTER TWO

i. The Desert Snake Lays Waste

The men who wished for reprieve from the hot desert sands, were the first to complain about the unrelenting cold that swept across the rocky Steppes. Not many soldiers on this journey had ever been this cold in their entire lives and for many it will be their first time seeing snow. The white capped mountains that laid straight ahead created discussions of awe and excitement, fear and trepidation took hold the minute the army crossed into the foothills and the sheer size and scale of the mountains became a reality. And just beyond the mountains lies the Yenisei River, and a clear path to Borea.

The Prince remembers the words of caution his father shared with him before he left, “I give you my blessing, my army and a promise upon your return. Every mile you march outside my kingdom will be yours. Now go north towards your future. There I left a Queen in waiting. You will go to her and finally bear sons that will secure our northern borders. Most importantly, forget this plot to burn Borea. There is no profit in revenge. Heed my words my son, and soon everything you’ve ever wanted will come true.”  

It was the first real cold night, the first of many, and the men suddenly realized what they were faced with. It would still, however, be a few days until the first reports of frostbite; for now the soldiers huddled together around immense fires to stay warm. The Prince saw this with dismay. His army should not remain idle. No. He should test these men to ensure they are ready for the task at hand. Despite the Sultan’s words of caution, the Prince’s thirst for revenge surpassed the order for restraint. 

The Prince thought to himself, 'These men need to know what it’s like to sack a village, lay waste, and slaughter innocent lives—there can be no hesitation.' 

He called in the young Captain to advise him. 

“Tell me, what lies ahead of us, my Captain?”

“Your kingdom, my Prince,” the Captain replied. 

“Yes. I’m aware of that. But what do the scouts say? Any reports of cities or villages that would offer resistance?”

“None, sire. There are only a handful of small villages and farms along the foothills, and they are still loyal to the Sultan.”

“These villages will be the first to know our might and rules of obedience. I will spread word to the generals. My kingdom starts here. You will have the honour to choose the village that will provide an example of my might.”

“But my king, these villages are loyal to the Sultan’s kingdom.” The Captain did not want to have innocent blood on his hands this early in his military career. 

“But they are not loyal to my kingdom, are they?”

“No sire, they are not…” The Captain was young, but he was not so naïve that he couldn’t see what the Prince truly wanted: to plunder and pillage for sport.

“Good. I’ll inform the generals, and I will help secure your place with my military advisors. I’ve noticed that my father’s generals don’t seem to have my best interests at heart, so I expect you to be my eyes and ears when I’m not around,” said the Prince. “And this village will allow us to resupply before heading into the mountains.”

“Yes, my king.” 

And with that the young Captain turned and exited the tent excited about his quick rise in the military ranks. His mother would be proud, even if she learned of what was about to happen to the village that he chose. Afterall, this was a time of war, and the death of innocent lives was a cost that each and every one of the fifty thousand men would be happy to pay -- especially when ordered to do so. 

The First of Many Villages to Greet the Prince's Wrath.

A young girl was the first to spot the long and slithering army as it made its way over the ridge. It was the first day that the snow left a thick and hefty blanket over the village. All the children were out building snowmen, sledding down the hills on old metal shields -- just regular kids stuff. The sheer spectacle of fifty thousand men led by an army of elephants, horses, chariots and machines of war was enough to delay the town’s warning bell. No one who saw it could look away. The young children especially were frozen in wonder. The elders simply sat and stared at their impending doom for none had ever seen an army of this size so far north. 

The Prince on his war elephant and endless waves of soldiers quickly surrounded the small, but well fortified village gates. The first warning bell began echoing carelessly off the valley walls. There was no warning or terms of surrender. No, the Prince wanted his men to drink deeply from the conqueror's cup and take every spoil of war. It was their right.

“Fire!” Shouted the Prince. A dozen siege engines, almost one for every home, threw their flaming loads over the short wall as families huddled together in fear. The Prince’s own war elephant was the first to lead the charge by breaking through the flimsy village gates. His sword raised high he would remember every detail for the portrait he would have commissioned of this moment. How he, the King of the Northern Mountains, single handedly tore down the massive gates of his enemies to liberate the innocent villagers who would be the first to join his ever expanding empire -- at least that’s how he would have it written and remembered. No soldiers lived long enough to return to tell the real stories of how horses trod over banner men, and how spearmen pressed too tightly into the village walls had to turn on their own brothers to avoid being crushed to death. The flaming huts would also do their part in claiming soldiers’ lives as the men tripped and fell into the large smouldering embers of timber, cloth and charred bodies. Some villagers, with scythes and pitchforks in hand, survived enough to revolt; only to be met with a warrior’s death as they were finally struck down like sheaths of wheat. The only ones to survive the assault were the young children who watched as the Prince’s army swept past them and left their homes in piles of rubble in what seemed like a blink of an eye. 

The Prince sat high on his war elephant watching the destruction with a smile. The young Captain sat next to him stoically on his horse as he tried his best to hide the horror he saw from creeping upon his face. A gang of soldiers approached them with the Oldman and a young boy of about 13 years in age. Both were in chains. The son was crying as the old man walked with his head held high and the Sultan’s family crest emblazoned on his chest plate. 

“My king! This is apparently the leader of this village and his son. What should we do with him?” Ask the soldiers. The moment the Oldman saw the Prince he started to laugh out loud.

“I know you! You disgusting whelp! And I remember what you did here 15 years ago when you and your father finally took these Steppes. He didn’t take you past the mountain. And do you know why? It’s because of the things I saw, with my own eyes. What you did to those bodies brought him shame!” Turning to the old generals who began to gather at the sight of their forgotten brother; the Oldman looked longingly at the men he used to fight beside. “I know you remember! But it seems like your rank has rendered you mute and dumb.”

“Enough!” The Prince shouts. He remembers the Oldman now: a young and high ranked captain, but one with a loose tongue and strong moral code -- which is likely why his father left him here. Why would his father let a man like this live with such knowledge? The Prince remedied this mistake with a simple command and a jerk on the elephant’s reins. Without hesitation the elephant pierced the Oldman’s chest with its steel tipped tusks and then stomped performatively on the body. The Oldman’s son dropped to his knees.

The Prince thought this place looked familiar. He was here a lifetime ago while expanding his father’s empire. But unlike before, he would now use his own soldiers to repopulate the village upon their return from Borea. This moment of nostalgia also made him realize that his father was not here to... well... let’s just say, to correct his inappropriate desires. Again he smiled. But not about his morbid desires, but about what his reign would look like. Perhaps his own son might be in this very village laying claim to what is his. Lost in thought of future conquests, his mind turns to the Northern Queen. Despite his want to stay and play, he took his new responsibilities as king seriously.

The Prince climbed down his war elephant. “Stand him up,” commanded the Prince, as the old generals gently lifted their mortally wounded comrade onto his feet. “Wow. You’ve still got your legs. Good for you. Now listen to me! And that goes for anyone left alive! I am now your King! My reign starts here and ends in Borea!” 

The Oldman's voice seemed to gurgle from the gaping chest wound. “B-B-Borea! Ha! Stupid  boy... who likes too...”

In one heroic swing of his sword, the Prince tried to cleave the Oldman’s head from his body. Unfortunately for the Oldman, the Prince’s swing was wild and unpracticed. The power move glanced off the Oldman’s shoulder armour and sliced off his ear. His laughter grew louder.

“Shut up and die!” Shouted the Prince, as he swung his sword like a weak and wild child. Visibly tired, he finally landed a killing blow. The generals turned and looked away, saying a prayer for the Oldman. The Prince saw this fealty and didn’t like it. He’d now have to regain the respect of his generals, either by showcasing his strength with a sword or by beheading a few to reaffirm their loyalty. Fear was the quickest way to win loyalty -- a lesson he learned from his father.

“No!” A broken scream echoed off the mountain cliffs. Obscured by the smoke of a burning hovel, another young boy with a pitchfork made a mad dash directly for the Prince. “Father!” Said the boy, before he was quickly struck down by the young Captain. The boy only had a few more feet to go before the Prince was in any real danger, but it was still close enough that the Prince accidently relieved himself in his armour. Only the young Captain took notice. This would be the first of many times when he witnessed just how dishonourable and bloodthirsty his Prince’s reign would be. It would also be the first of many quick promotions, as the Prince tried to regain control of his army for the long march to Borea.

The Prince smiled that smile again. “What do you think, my dear Captain, one more village for good measure?”

ii. Long Live the Northern King

All Hail, the King of the Mountain!

With the mountains firmly at his back, the Prince had finally followed in his father’s footsteps. He stood out and gazed upon the edge of the Sultan’s kingdom and the beginning of his own. Using the wine-fueled courage that festered in his belly and the bloody conquests of eight other villages on his sword, he looked back at the mountain pass and scoffed at the size of his father’s kingdom. Then he took the best piss of his life. The Sultan’s army, no, the Prince’s Army, had only marched for six weeks. According to his cartographers, it would take another 12 weeks to reach Borea -- if not longer. The Mercenaries were constantly requesting time and horses to haul their loot from the pillaged villages. He killed 1,000 of them for taking too long. Looking forward, the Prince saw a vast future of fertile fields, rich meadows and craggy Steppes. All that stood before him was now his own for subjugation. 

Many torches burned brightly in the Prince's royal tent that night as he sat upon his bed of pillows. The young Captain knelt before him with the evening's report. “My Prince, I have rather... undesirable news. The cold has caused many of our strongest elephants to break from their pens and wander back south into the mountains. We’ll have to abandon a quarter of our siege machines if we are to survive the mountain pass.”

“My dear Captain, don’t you see how far we’ve come already?! We have done what only one army in the history of the empire has done before. We sit at the forefront of the next great kingdom. And we won’t do it with elephants and machines. No, my reign will be secured by the hard work and loyalty of my men. Butcher any animal that refuses to walk our path of glory: elephant, horse or man.”

“Your confidence warms me, my Prince. But I fear our men do not hunger for meat, they yearn for battle and more conquest! And they are becoming... uncivilised, with every village we plunder,” said the young Captain. 

“Good. This is good, and exactly what we require of them when we reach Borea. Restrict rations from here on out. I want my men to fight like the ravenous dogs that they are,” said the Prince.

“I also regret to inform you that your royal chambers must stay here, if we are to abandon the elephants,” said the young Captain nervously. This was the only part of the report where he feared a reprisal.

Remaining stoic in the face of his men, the Prince breathed silently through his disdain in an attempt to control his anger over this last bit of news. “This is how we build empires, Captain. We must all make sacrifices in the name of the new empire. I shall require your horse.”

“As you wish, my Prince,” and the young Captain turned to leave only to be brought back to attention.

“And one last thing,” said the Prince. “Now that we’re no longer in the Sultan’s lands, you may refer to me as King.”

“King?” Asked the young Captain, quickly realising his mistake in asking the question. The Prince was in a good mood, so he overlooked the indignation. 

“Why of the mountains -- and soon to be of the northern sea,” said the Prince with that smile of his.

“As you wish, my... king,” said the Captain. Standing at attention in the tent, he couldn’t help but think that this claim to a new northern throne would be seen as more of a threat to the men, then a fresh beginning. All of the Generals and many soldiers were loyal to the Sultan -- even the Captain himself, but he was too afraid to say it to anyone.

“Now get out of my sight and spread my message amongst the men about their new King of the Mountain! And Captain, do feel humbled that you are the first to herald my legendary reign amongst my army.”

Before the Captain could leave the tent a Guard burst through the thick furs and hides that kept the Prince’s tent warm. “My Prince! They have surrounded the camp. The Northern Queen demands an audience.”

“The Gods smile on us this day, my Captain. Stay and watch how the King of the Mountain will slay his new Queen.” 

iii. A Northern Queen and the Desert Snake

The Northern Queen

The largest woman that the Captain had ever seen, dressed in thick brown fur with a bear’s face upon her crown, shoved her way past the guards and entered the tent alone. The cold and bitter frost of the evening’s snowfall had pushed all the warmth out of the tent the moment she entered. Had she not been announced, the Captain would have mistook her as some kind of snow monster. Then the Queen pulled the bear skin from her beautifully braided black hair. The bear’s head fell back across her broad shoulders along with its frozen roar of defiance. Her raw, windswept face held a beauty that the Captain did not think was possible. The guards inside the tent closed their formation around the hulking woman, but still maintained their distance. Her presence stoked an unspoken fear within them that every one of the men would take to their grave.

The Prince piled up his best pillows beside him to make space for her. He gently patted the top of one and smiled that smile of his. The Captain stood at attention while the Servant shakily poured the wine into two ornate chalices. The Queen preferred to stand.

“Greeting my Queen,” said the Prince, standing to meet her only to notice that she was at least a foot taller than he. “ Your King has finally arrived to personally satisfy you and the peace between our people. Though I was told of your strength and beauty, witnessing it with my own eyes warms both me and my bed.”

The Queen’s cold blue eyes shot daggers of ice at the Prince’s advancement. “I’ll admit, I am confused,” spoke the Queen casually and in the Prince’s mother tongue. The mood inside the tent shifted as quickly as the northern winds for this was no monster, but a true Queen. “I was told by your Generals that I’d be meeting a Prince. I didn’t expect a king. So tell me, your majesty, are you here to offer me a gift or a curse?”

“Allow me to speak plainly, my dear,” said the Prince. “You are my gift from my father, and this army that I’ve forged myself and brought over the mountains will be the sword that keeps peace between the kingdoms. Not only will it be used to expand our future kingdom, but march in search of conquest and revenge that will wipe Borea off the map. Then we will rule the desert, mountains and steppe from the southern to the northern sea.

The Queen let out a laugh so deep and raw that it caused the servant to drop both chalices of wine. “Ah. So this army is what? A wedding present from your father? For if you march to Borea, it might as well be your funeral procession.” 

The Prince’s look of conquest and lust soured quickly. 

“You dare mock your King? To his face? Stupid woman. Your outburst makes me think I should plunder you and your people before Borea. You might have woken up a Queen today but by sundown you’ll be another pet in my bed.”

The Queen struggled to keep her anger from revealing more truths about Borea. Despite being familiar with the way of southern men, the Prince’s arrogance was hard to stomach. Besides, now that she knows they plan to take Borea means they are on a one way trip to their grave. No need to let her own pride needlessly spill the blood of her people. The Queen paused to plan her next words carefully. She thought back to a memory of the Prince’s father, the Sultan. She was only a child,  but she still remembers how his ruthless advancements upon her mother created a war she would rather avoid. Afterall, this Prince was just a grown child who was given an army. An army that may even have a tactical advantage over her own. The lives of her people were worth more than any man or anything she saw in the Prince’s camp. She was, however, impressed by the Captain’s display of restraint and how his eyes held a natural kindness that she did not see amongst his peers. Best to let the Prince take Borea first. 

“The sun will soon set for many moons, my Prince. But your offer is one that I will take to heart. My mother was... impressed by your father’s sword, and I can’t wait to see how firmly you wield your own.” 

“More astutely I assure you, my dear Queen. What say you stay warm in my tent while we wait for the dawn.” The Prince sat back down and patted the soft pillows on his throne. The Queen stepped back slowly and pulled back the door of the tent. The cold air rushed in once again, the torches flickered and flared. Four women of equal stature entered. They were also crowned with animal heads and kept warm with thick fur coats. A wolf, ram, yak and snow leopard stood at attention behind their Northern Queen.

“I think I’m going to like being your King,” said the Prince.

The women laughed. It was a sound so surprisingly powerful that it caused the poor Servant to spill both cups from the tray for a second time. As an act of presumed strength, the Prince cleaved the head off the Servant’s body in a single blow. In defence to their Queen, her Warrior Women drew their weapons the moment the Prince drew his. The soldiers who surrounded them all stepped forward, weapons ready. Only the Captain’s sword stood between the Prince and the Queen. She raised her hand slowly and gently placed it on the Captain’s arm. The warmth of her touch surprised him. The Queen’s cold eyes softened as she looked at the Captain and revealed a kindness that would never be shared with the Prince. An unspoken promise of a future the Captain never considered.

The Prince interrupted the moment. “Tell your women to stand down, my dear Queen. I may not like your terms, but I will honour them. After all, I want my rule of the north to be one that is fair and prosperous. Your death will serve neither purpose.”

After much discussion and little persuasion, the Prince finally gave up on the idea that the Queen -- or her entourage -- would be spending the night. “Then we agree, my ... king. I will await your triumphant return from Borea and we will then rule these lands together. It would be my honour to show you the way to the Yenisei. It’s only a few days’ journey from here. Stay the path along the banks and you will make it to Borea by spring.”

One of the guards dragged the dead servant out of the tent. The Prince smiled again as he picked up both cups and refilled them himself, spilling most of it as he was unfamiliar with the skill.

“And here I thought my conquest of the north would be hard,” said the Prince.

The Queen finished her cup and quickly left the Prince’s tent without further bloodshed or more broken promises. She was grateful that the Prince didn’t force himself further on her or her people. Men like the Prince rarely took ‘no’ as a sensible answer. 

At least this conqueror was an easy one. Every season there seems to be another Prince with another army looking to expand their piece of the map, but not since Alexander had an army of this size make it this far north. Thank the Mother Yenisei that this one was foolish enough to think they could take Borea with any southern army. And this one was different, it reminded her too much of the time she would spend with her mother endlessly learning how to deconstruct even the strongest of men, and where to find a hero worthy of bringing into the fold.  

Understanding the difference was easy, once you knew what to look for. Her mother had taught her many lessons in her long life, but the one that keeps resonating the most involves the thoughts, words, and deeds of a man. ‘It’s rare for a man to align and put into action all three,” she remembered her mother saying. “What they say rarely reflects their deeds, but the thoughts will always be clear based on what they do.” 

She hopes she is right about the Captain. A betrayal like that would be reason enough for the Prince to turn his army around before feeding it to Borea. But it was a risk worth taking. Even the Boreans will see losses from an army this large, perhaps if she were to syphon off some of it’s muscle and brain power, then she’ll be giving them a much weaker opponent. She does have to be careful here though, as the Boreans will look for their pound of flesh if they were to learn that their enemy was weakened on purpose. No. That was not the Borean way. They will attempt to find this army’s strength and then test it at full strength amongst its own -- another lesson the Queen had learned from her mother.

The flag she planted was just far enough away that it could be seen from the tallest point of the Prince’s war camp. It was also the same design and colour of the paper she was able to secretly give the Captain before the Queen and her entourage left the Prince’s tent. If he was smart and did his job well, then the Captain will either be notified or notice the flag himself.

The Captain rode out under the veil of darkness. 

iv. Conquest of Mountain to Sea

Lit by moonlight, a vast stretch of frozen boggy wetland with twisted trees and small rocky hills stretch as far as the eye can see. The Yenisei River snaked its way towards a  horizon that seemed to always be swallowed by darkness. 

"It was a gloomy land that seemed to hold

All winds and clouds and dreams that shun the sun,

With bare boughs rattling in the lonesome winds,

And the dark woodlands brooding over all,

Not even lightened by the rare dim sun

Which made squat shadows out of men..."

-- Robert E. Howard

The Prince’s army had entered polar night. The sun will not rise again for many moons. In the dim infinite twilight, village after village appeared along the well worn path that ran alongside the Yenisei River. Each was lit by torches as farmers tended to livestock and children hid in the open fields as the army walked solemnly past. The icy grip of this place helped the Generals advise the Prince that he should not stir up trouble with the villages until they’ve reached Borea. Besides he could always assert his dominance on his new lands after the deed was done. He had already promoted his young Captain to Admiral General, as a way to confirm his position amongst his generals. Soon, he would know who would follow him and who would remain loyal to his father. 

A shame that it would be the Captain, the only person he trusted completely, who would be the one to betray him. On the night when the Prince first met his Queen, the Captain followed through with the secret message to meet outside the camp. There the Captain was met by the Queen and her warriors. She couldn’t decide if his coming alone was an act of bravery or cowardice. Either way, the Queen saw an opportunity to split the Prince’s ranks while ushering in a new generation of Northern Warriors to help keep her people strong.  

The Captain was, in fact, a coward -- or at least a pacifist with a knack for failing forward. It was the constant memory of endless nights remembering the death and destruction that came with every swing of a Borean sword. He didn’t only follow the Prince as he watched his fellow palace guards get butchered. No. The Captain was running home. Had the Prince remembered these coincidences did not reflect loyalty but circumstance, then he never would have been promoted that Palace Guard to Captain. But at this point, it's useless to assign blame. Had the Prince only seen what his young Captain had seen, then maybe this war campaign would have been different. But the course was set a long time ago, and no one or anything had the power to deny the Prince’s campaign of conquest and revenge. 

Remembering back to that day when the Prince’s palace burned to the ground, made the Captain’s decision clear. He did not wish a Borean sword to fall upon anyone again, especially the soldiers he had grown to know as brothers. He would not have them be put to slaughter. He will escape for the last time.

Things only went from bad to worse once the Prince’s army reached the mouth of the Yenisei River. Every day the terrain became rockier and the tall trees loomed menacing over the narrow road. Staking a tent was almost impossible as each wooden splint would shatter as it was pounded into the ground -- a simple task that became much harder in the dark and it was dark often. It wasn’t long after the dark set it when the men started to share their childhood stories of Borea. The broken land was just the start of the many curses that would befall upon them. 

The narrow and well worn path that flanked the Yenisei River was just wide enough to fit four soldiers marching shoulder to shoulder, two horses, a single elephant, or a siege engine. But that only accounted for width, as the forest has spent millenia finding ways to grow up and over the well worn path making it impossible to cut through the dense treetop canopy that shaded the way north up the river. Only the catapults could be collapsed and transported, and even that proved difficult as the ice and mud made it especially difficult to haul what was left of the Prince’s machines of war to their final destination.

Still riding on the back of his war elephant, the Prince was grateful for his new Queen’s advice. She assured him that his soldiers, armaments, and even war elephants could make the trip. Her advice so far has proven sound, and every night he was alone he did his best to remember her. The Prince was also grateful with the advancement of his Captain’s addition to his council of Generals. Having someone young take charge of his army’s division of innovation made sense. However, the Prince was surprised by how much respect the Captian’s subordinates showed up. At times the cordial nature of the Captain’s leadership made the Prince feel uncomfortable, as the power of a man’s station should be wielded like a weapon of war. And yet the Captain’s men seemed unafraid to follow orders. 

“All is well”, thought the Prince. He still had lots to teach the young general. 

Despite all of the Prince’s faults, he did lead a sizable force further north than any of the royal family. The loss of men from heat exhaustion, frostbite, and collateral damage from the village sieges, these men were prepared to sacrifice their lives for the good of their new King. But loyalty always comes at a price, meaning it can be won or lost. This is where the Prince’s abilities to create truths began to shine, one of the many lessons he learned from his father. The moment they left the mountains, the Prince supplanted rumours amongst the men of temples filled with gold and ancient jewels that were waiting to be plundered, and the further north they went tales of the amount of gold and silver that would fill their pockets also grew. The Prince in all his cunning even brought a few chests filled with gold and jewels from the family vault that he would plant in villages along the way to help make the stories feel true. 

v. Northern Queen Captures King

The young Captain, who was now in charge of the Prince’s entire army, retreated to his tent thinking critically over his meteoric rise. His mother would be proud. He gave himself a moment to relish in his new role and title of Admiral, but only for a moment. As he entered the General’s quarters with the new orders, he finally saw the damage that the Northern Queen created without killing a single man. She showed the Young Captain a future he could live with. She also made it sound like paradise where men and women were free to live and fuck whoever they wanted as long as they worked hard and contributed. The Young Captain’s only demand in return for this future was an equal opportunity for 25 of his brothers. 

“There will be enough boats for exactly 25 men. It will be  waiting for you along the east side of the river. I make this promise as Queen, you will be welcomed as part of the village and as my tribe. Just remember to tell your men that this isn’t the south. Women and children are not treated as property here. In fact, you and your men will be my property until you’ve proven useful,” spoke the Queen. The Captain agreed to the terms. All he had to do now was wait and then retreat back south down the river the moment they encountered a Borean Warrior.  

The true number of the Prince’s army was no surprise. Of the initial 30,000 men that left the city, there were only 20,000 left. Between the losses and injuries from the village raids, only 15,000 were battle ready -- this includes the Sultan’s 10,000 mercenaries. The loss of 25 men seemed insignificant at first, but in reality it would mean the difference between a real fight and a mass slaughter. In the short time that the Captain became part of the Prince’s inner circle, he quickly befriended the fellow Captains. For many of them, this was their first campaign and first time away from home. The excitement for an adventure to the edge of the world became old quick, once the Prince began his many raids on the defenseless villages. The pillaging and violence were not surprising, but the Prince had unknowingly planted the seed of mutiny through his treatment of the Old Man who fought and earned his freedom. 

Each of the Prince’s Generals were responsible for 1,000 men, and relied entirely on their Captains to coordinate movements and supplies. Turns out it wasn’t the Generals or the Captains that held the power, but the flags they used to direct the positions and flanks of the army. Flags that were kept under lock and key and only accessible by the army’s Admiral. An Admiral who knew their value as he set them all ablaze. By breaking the chain of command with just 10 Captains, 10,000 men were left rudderless on the battlefield. This meant that the majority of the Prince’s army was now 10,000 mercenaries -- the type of men personally selected by the Sultan as a way to flush out his jails and rebuild the next phase of his empire with blood that could spill without consequence.

Then there were the catapults and siege machines that would be left securely in their crates, for that was the young Captain’s duty and sole responsibility. Although these machines of war were helpful for the raid on the villages, they proved useless in Borea. Not a single scout had managed to find an outpost or village, let alone a wall big enough to require such brute force. It wasn’t hard for the Captain to convince 15 of his most trusted soldiers to abandon their posts with the promise of a better life amongst the Northern tribes. 

The Prince and his Captain were in a meeting with the Generals when the first Borean appeared in the camp. With their backs to the Yenisei River, the final fortifications were in place when a group of soldiers entered the tent. Two of the strongest soldiers in the Prince’s royal guard were struggling to hold a small boy, whose hands were tightly bound. 

The moment the Captain saw the black eyes, white skin, and raven hair he flashed back to that moment in the Prince’s palace when he saw the Borean and his terrible strength and ferocity. Like a wheel in a cog, everything finally clicked into place for the Captain, ‘if one man could create that much destruction so far away from home, what chance does any invader have against a horde or these men as they fight for their home? The Prince is a fool.’ The Captain looked over to three other generals who quietly withdrew to rally the other men for their escape. 

“My Lord,” said the Royal Guard. “We found this one stalking about the northern perimeter. Careful, he’s stronger than he looks. He’s already killed two men.” 

“Then why isn’t he dead already?” Questioned the Prince. 

“The General ordered that every man along the perimeter was ordered to capture and detain any Borean they made contact with,” replied the Soldier looking at the Captain. 

“We don’t know much about our enemy,” interrupted the Captain. “I thought you would want to personally inspect one so you can learn and strategize your next move.”

“Good. Good,” smiled the Prince. “Tighten those chains and secure him in my tent. He’s a bit young for my taste, but that hasn’t stopped me before. Excellent thinking, my young General... Or should I say, Admiral! That’s the kind of thinking my father’s generals could never bring to my table. Congratulations on the new title and standing,” said the Prince.

In one gesture of kindness, the Northern Queen had managed to remove the heart of the Prince’s vast army. What was once a force of 15,000 battle-ready soldiers became a pithy lot of 2,000 swords, shields, and spears ready for war against the raw, unrelenting force Borea.