Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 107  Rising the ladder

Outside the keep, the men outside were about to erumpt into violence. The army stood ready, restless hands gripping weapons and eyes fixed on the stone walls of the keep. The infantry had formed tight ranks, shields at the ready gripping axes that they would use to smash the door , while archers were preparing to nock their arrows. .

Jarza stood at the forefront, his eyes narrowed as he glared at the keep's walls. His broad frame was tense, muscles coiled as if ready to spring into action. His fingers gripped the hilt of his sword, white-knuckled with barely restrained frustration.

"Damn that reckless fool," Jarza muttered under his breath, pacing back and forth as he cast another wary glance at the gate. "Alpheo's gone and walked straight into the lion's den without a second thought. One wrong move, and they'll have his head on a pike."

He stopped, staring hard at the closed gates of the keep as he spoke to himself. "What does he think he's playing at? We don't have time for his games. The whole damn thing could go sideways in an instant, and we'll be the ones left cleaning up his mess."

Jarza clenched his jaw, his worry mixing with a deep, gnawing anger. "I should've been the one to go in. Alpheo's too confident—always thinking he's got it all under control. But this... this is madness.We invaded their home..." His gaze softened for a moment, betraying the concern behind his gruff exterior. "I'd die before I let anything happen to him, but how in the gods' names am I supposed to keep him safe from himself?"

He let out a heavy sigh, his frustration bubbling to the surface again. "If he doesn't come out of there soon, I swear I'll tear this damn keep down brick by brick myself." He spat into the dirt, the soldiers nearby casting uneasy glances at him as they saw his commanding officers talking to himself. Many preferring to diver their gaze than to attract his attention.

The tense atmosphere outside the keep suddenly shifted when the heavy wooden doors creaked open. Every soldier tensed, hands gripping weapons, thinking that the guards inside decided to make a sortie. But instead of an attack, Alpheo stepped out, flanked by several men, his expression relaxed and confident. His armor gleamed in the sunlight, and a wide smile spread across his face as he waved casually toward his companions.

Jarza, standing at the head of the gathered troops, narrowed his eyes in disbelief. He blinked, momentarily stunned by the sight of Alpheo strolling out so nonchalantly after all the worry he had . His hand loosened on the hilt of his sword as a small smile erupted on his lips

As soon as he saw the wave, Jarza kicked his horse into motion, galloping forward with a few others close behind him. His horse's hooves kicked up dirt as he rode across the green stretch that separated the army from the keep. He stopped just a few feet in front of Alpheo, his face a mix of barely contained anger and relief.

"Gods, Alpheo," Jarza growled as he dismounted, his heavy boots hitting the ground with a thud. "You had us ready to storm this damn place. What in the hells were you thinking?"

''I was thinking on how to solve the pickle we were in.Which ,no need to thank me, I managed to do'' As he said so he slightly tapped on the black giant cheeks, before waving to the other to follow him in his tent.

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As the others gathered inside the tent, Jarza, Egil, Clio, and Asag exchanged curious glances, their expressions ranging from confusion to curiosity. They looked at Alpheo, who sat casually in a chair at the head of the tent, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Egil was the first to break the silence, scratching the back of his neck. "So... what was all of that about?" he asked, his brow furrowed. "Are we taking the city or what? What's going on?"

The others nodded in agreement, eyes narrowing in confusion as they waited for Alpheo's explanation.

Alpheo leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together as if he were enjoying this moment far more than he should. "Nothing of the sort, my friends," he said, his voice calm yet full of certainty. "There won't be any need for a siege or looting. The battle is already won—without a single drop of blood shed here. Although..." He paused for dramatic effect, glancing around the room. "Our swords are still required."

Alpheo's smile widened. "From now on, we are no longer mercenaries. We are subjects—subjects of Princess Jasmine, first of her name of House Aveloni-isha. Soon, there will be a formal ceremony where we will all swear fealty to her, the rightful ruler of this land."

Clio raised an eyebrow. "Wait... what? Swear fealty? To her?" He exchanged a look with Egil, who simply shook his head, baffled''What the hell have you done now?''

 Alpheo replied smoothly, his eyes glinting with ambition. "We are no longer mere sell-swords. As of today, we are the standing army of Princess Jasmine. And also dutiful servants for her soon to be husband..." He paused, locking eyes with each man in the room before grinning. "Which would be me."

The tent went into chaos.

"Her husband?" Egil scoffed, leaning forward with disbelief. "You married her?"

Alpheo leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, a smug grin plastered on his face. "Yep, married into royalty. Who would've thought?"

Jarza, still looking dumbfounded, passed his hand over his bald head as if trying to smooth out the confusion. "How in the hell did you manage to convince a highborn to marry a commoner like you? I mean... looks can only carry you so much..."

Alpheo chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. He glanced around the tent, letting the suspense hang in the air. "Well," he began slowly, "I pointed out some rather... obvious facts that she may or may not have missed ."

Jarza raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like the fact that her succession will almost certainly be contested by her uncle , a fight that she would certainly lose " Alpheo said, his grin growing wider. "The fact that she had no army to back her claim, and even fewer supporters among the nobles. And, let's not forget, the angry army of mercenaries—who, by the way, were still owed their due payment—happened to be stationed right outside their walls, with torches in hand, ready to burn the city to ash and to piss on whatever remained. It's mindblowing how people get impatient with torches in hand you know..."

Egil burst out laughing, slapping his knee. "Gods above, that's ruthless!Did not think you had that in you. I thought you were an eunuch...."

Alpheo shrugged, his grin never fading as he ignored the last part of his friend's assertion . "It's called leverage, and I used every ounce of it."

"Still" Jarza muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "A commoner marrying a princess? You'll make an enemy out of every noble, a single lose and everybody will turn their swords toward you....."

"That's exactly the point, my legitimacy will be based on victories and victories alone" Alpheo said, his tone turning a little more serious as he knew he could not afford to lose. "And of course, soon enough, all of you will be raised to nobility as well. We're building something here. We're no longer mercenaries; we'll have lands, be knights, lords , and commanders. Every one of us will have a place at court. Just to be clear, though, the rule belongs to Princess Jasmine. I'm merely... a humble consort."

Egil, who had been watching Alpheo with a grin spreading across his face, suddenly stood up and crossed the room. Without warning, he threw his arms around Alpheo in a tight embrace, laughing heartily. "You mad bastard!" he exclaimed, planting a rough kiss on Alpheo's cheek. "You're the most beautiful madman I've ever known!You are the most stallion among us. " Alpheo laughed, patting Egil on the back. "I take that as a compliment. Whatever that means"

As Egil released him, he shook his head in amazement. "To think I almost doubted you. But now? We are set for life...."

Clio, who had been watching the exchange, folded his arms and leaned against the tent pole. "Well, We're really doing this, aren't we?"

"We are," Alpheo replied, his voice calm but resolute as he put his foot on the table . "And this is just the beginning.''

Jarza, still shaking his head in half-disbelief, furrowed his brow as he looked at Alpheo. "Alright, you've got the marriage, the army, and the title. But what about the civil war? You know this won't be as simple as sitting pretty on a throne. Her uncle's not going to let this go without a fight. How do you plan to deal with that?You said that the princess has few friends among the nobility, won't this mean more and more lords will assemble under whatever-his-name-is' banner?Won't we be outnumbered?" @@novelbin@@

Alpheo's smile turned sly, the kind of grin that sent shivers down spines. Without a word, he reached inside his coat and pulled out a small dagger. The men watched, their eyes narrowing, as Alpheo leaned forward and, with a swift motion, stabbed the dagger deep into the wooden wall of the tent. The blade sank in with a satisfying thud, vibrating for a moment as it embedded itself.

"We will simply stop that with a quick and strong blow to the stem," Alpheo said, "just like that."