136 Loyalty (1/2)
”Lord Macuy, welcome back to Saniya!”
”King Corco, this lord is glad to return to this grand city.”
With a hug, the lord and his king celebrated their reunion after only a few months.
”You were almost late,” Corco said. Although he had a jovial smirk on his face, the lord frowned, reminded of their path.
”There were some problems when we made our way through Lord Ogulno's lands. However, every other lord along the way has been very accommodating. As such, we managed to make our way back just in time.” He looked to the morning sun as it crept over the horizon and painted streaks of orange into the clouds.
”Yeah. Tenth day of winter,” Corco murmured. ”Today's the day.”
”Truly a shame that in the end, we could not meet at a banquet.”
”We're still a bit off the winter solstice anyways. Let's have that banquet once we get back home. With the kind of support you have brought us, it shouldn't take too long, right?” Corco looked behind the lord, and the two thousand armored soldiers in his back, armed with axes and shields. He knew that Utusku was a small estate, and a poor one to boot. Considering his means, Macuy had brought about as much as he could spare.
”Ahaha, I hope my men will prove useful against the northerners,” the lord laughed.
”Well, they won't have to do it alone. I'll show you to the rest.” Corco turned and marched back into the camp the camp, a silent Quato in tow. For lack of a better space, this was where the combined troops of the south would assemble for this campaign.
”So how goes it back home?” Before the most impressive sight came into view, Corco decided to get some small talk in.
”Quite well. My workers have begun to set up enclosures on King Corco's suggestion. I am sure Utusku's husbandry will grow like flowers in spring, enough to fulfill Saniya's growing demands.”
”That's great!” The king clapped his hands, to distract from his awkward segue. ”And on that topic, please take a look, at Saniya's growing armies!”
His arms spread in a grand gesture, the king strode through a line of tents and opened the view up to thousands upon thousands of red-colored men. All throughout the square, they were stationed in smaller groups, armed with various weapons. There were the traditional heavy troops of Medala, just like the ones Macuy had brought. Then there were small bowman contingents, troops of light-armored bola and net throwers, as well as tightly packed spear formations. And at the foot of the arenas, at the very center of the congregation, Corco's soldiers stood tall. Another two-thousand fresh recruits, together with their freshly minted rifles, formed a fierce core for the army.
”Oooh, what a view indeed!” Macuy said. ”The northerners won't know what hit them.”
To the sound of countless salutes, Corco stepped past the soldiers and arenas, to the tents at the back of the camp.
”Yeah, it's not bad. Though according to my sources, King Pacha's army should still outnumber by a bit. Not to worry though, our chances are pretty good.”
If everyone stays on focus, Corco frowned as he looked to the palanquins parked beside most tents. Although the king had urged the lords to leave them at home, most lords had still insisted on their prestige. And one of the worst offenders had only waited to make problems.
”According to this lord's sources, the northern army outnumbers us by more than two to one!” Lord Rafun's long hair stormed out of the tent to follow behind its owner.
”Rafun, are you a coward? Even if they have a few people more than us, they will never take the south!” Lord Queru rushed after him. ”No matter how many 'men' those northerners have, we will crush them one and all!”
”That's enough! Lord Rafun isn't wrong, and neither is prudence,” Corco silenced the bickering lords for the moment. ”It's true that our numbers are fewer, but that's only because the northerners have more people to begin with. Plus, our chances are much better than the numbers make it out. Winter is close, and we will be the defenders. We don't need to win an open battle, we only have to hold Qarasi until Pacha runs out of food or support. If we can't even defend the south under these conditions, we don't deserve to carry the names of our ancestors.”
For the moment, the king's words encouraged the southern lords, and reminded them that they all had the same enemy. Of course, things weren't as simple as Corco made them out to be. From within the tents, more and more lords began to assemble around him. Once everyone was present, he turned and marched back towards his troops. Although disunity was a problem, the troops would be under his control. The lords didn't matter.