Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 104  Getting the hell in(2)

The army marched steadily through the city streets, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls as they moved toward the keep.The windows, doors were closed, and the roads empty with no people in sight.

As they passed through the final gate leading out of the city proper, the landscape opened up into an expanse of green fields. The land between the city and the keep stretched out like a soft, untouched carpet of grass, the only interruption being the dirt road they followed. For a moment, the soldiers almost forgot where they were, their eyes briefly taking in the tranquil surroundings. But the calm belied the intensity of what was to come. Once they reached the base of the keep, Alpheo signaled for his men to halt. The sound of their march faded into silence, and the soldiers gathered, their eyes fixed on the towering structure ahead. Alpheo surveyed the scene, his eyes sharp, measuring the defenses of the stronghold.

"Jarza," Alpheo called,

Jarza, stepped forward, his expression serious. He didn't need to be told what was expected of him.

"Encircle the keep," Alpheo ordered, his tone leaving no room for hesitation. "Make sure nothing and no one leaves without us knowing."

Jarza nodded, and with a sharp wave of his hand, he began organizing the soldiers. Under his direction, the men quickly fanned out, forming a perimeter around the keep, ensuring that every exit and weak point was watched. He directed groups to cover the rear and sides.

As the army spread out, taking their positions around the keep, a cold wind swept through the fields. Despite the outward calm he projected, Alpheo was deeply unsettled as he surveyed the looming walls of the keep. His eyes narrowed as he studied the stone structure, calculating the odds in his head.

Gold. Time was as valuable as gold right now, and they didn't have much of either.

The idea of besieging the keep made him crawl in nervousness . He couldn't afford to wait. They had no wood to construct battering rams, no proper siege equipment to break down the thick gates, and a direct assault on the walls would likely cost them more men than they could spare.The closes source of wood, were a forest hours away from here. And even if they got the wood for , he believed the would lose too many in the attack. Yet, he couldn't just sit idle.

'Siege or storm?' he kept thinking As he wrestled with his thoughts, he saw familiar figures approaching . Each of them bore the weariness of battle but remained resolute, their eyes fixed on Alpheo as they stopped a few paces away.

"What's the plan, then?" Asag asked, his voice low but firm. He crossed his arms over his chest, a faint frown of concern on his scarred face.

Egil glanced toward the keep, his jaw clenched. "If we're going to do something, we need to act quickly. "

Alpheo stood silent for a moment, his hands tightening on the reins of his horse. His mind raced. He could feel their eyes on him, waiting for a decision. For the first time he did not know what to do , he swallowed hard, betraying his inner turmoil.

"I..." He stopped himself, taking a slow breath, trying to push aside the uncertainty and to steel his nerve.  "Stay put '' he finally ordered '' If I am not out in 30 minutes, burn and loot the city. " his voice a little quieter and less sure than usual.

Without waiting for their reactions, he pulled on the reins and spurred his horse forward, riding alone toward the closed gates of the keep. His heart pounded as he neared the massive wooden door, a growing weight settling on his chest. He needed a way inside. Diplomacy, perhaps? Bluffing? He wasn't sure, but he knew one thing—time was running out, and he had to act. @@novelbin@@

From atop the gate, two small windows framed the silhouettes of archers, their bows drawn, arrows notched and pointed directly at Alpheo as he approached.For a moment he feared they would shoot, he could feel their gaze locked on him, sharp and wary, and the tension in the air was almost palpable. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm.

'All right, Alpheo,' he thought, swallowing the lump in his throat. 'It's all or nothing now.'

Taking a deep breath, he summoned a smile—a little too forced for his liking, but it would have to do. He got out of his horse and stood ahead of the massive wooden door. He spread his arms wide in a gesture of peace, showing he had no weapons as his voice rang out toward the gate.

"Good afternoon!" he called, his voice louder than necessary, betraying his unease. The fake cheerfulness echoed off the stone walls, but there was no response from the windows above. The archers remained still, bows drawn, ready to loose their arrows at the slightest provocation.Luckily Alpheo had good armor, so he believed the arrows would simply bounce against the steel plates. He hesitated for just a moment, feeling the weight of their silence, but he pressed on. "I am the captain of this fine band of men outside your equally fine keep!" he declared, hoping his tone sounded confident. 'Get a grip, Alpheo,' he scolded himself silently as his nerves threatened to fray. He could feel the sweat beginning to bead on the back of his neck, despite the cold wind.

His eyes darted to the gate, scanning for any sign of movement, but none came. Only the quiet creak of the wind through the battlements answered him.

He swallowed again, this time more discreetly, trying to maintain his composure. "I'd appreciate it if you would inform the princess and her daughters that I have come to discuss a matter of great importance," he continued, his voice steadying as he found his rhythm. "As you can see—" he gestured grandly to the empty space around him, arms wide again—"I come alone, unarmed, and with the sole intent of resolving this peacefully."

Still no response. He could feel the archers' eyes on him, waiting, watching for any hint of deception. Alpheo resisted the urge to wipe his palms on his cloak. Instead, he took a step forward, careful not to make any sudden movements.

"I believe we have much to discuss," he added, his tone softening but still firm. "And I assure you, this is an opportunity to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. I'm sure the princess would prefer that, wouldn't she?"

The creaking of the heavy iron gate broke the silence, sending a ripple of tension through the ranks of Alpheo's men stationed outside the keep. The soldiers' eyes were wide as they watched the door finally open. For a moment, nothing happened as some even thought they had come to surrender , and then three men in rough armor stepped. Without a word, they grabbed Alpheo roughly by the arms, hauling him forward. His forced smile vanished, replaced by a quick flash of surprise as they pulled him toward the gate. The crowd outside erupted in shouts.

"Hold it!" Egil barked, his voice trying to cut through the chaos as the men surged forward, seeing their captain taken by force.

Clio immediately moved in, pushing soldiers back and waving his arms to keep order. "Hold your ground! Stand down!Everything is under control! " he yelled, trying to prevent the situation from spiraling into shit.When in reality there was nothing under their control.

The shouting didn't stop, however. Men gripped their weapons, eyes darting to their captains for direction. Asag, standing at the head of his unit, had to physically hold back two men from rushing toward the gate.

"They've taken the captain!" one of them shouted, fury in his voice. "We need to go after him!"

"Stay where you are!" Asag bellowed, his voice like thunder. "It's the captain's orders!''

Just then, Jarza arrived at the scene, his expression darkening as he quickly sized up the situation. His face twisted in a deep scowl when he saw Alpheo being dragged toward the keep. "What the hells is going on?" he demanded, storming toward Clio.

Clio winced as he saw the towering figure of Jarza riding toward him, the man's massive frame entering his view. His expression was a storm of barely restrained fury, and Clio knew what was coming. Apparently, the sight of Alpheo being dragged into the keep by the enemy had clearly set him on edge, as he seemed ready to dismantle the fort stone by stone. Clio tried to steady his nerves, already explaining the little information he had, which apparently only managed to temporarily calm the man, stopping him from committing an action that would have certainly killed the man he wanted to rescue.