241 Responsibility and Conscience

Ash and Harold were beside each other on top of the wall. A dozen guards stood around them as they watched the Castonians leave.

The Goldentooth legion sallied for war that same day. Centuries sent to various forts around Mythrille were recalled but none answered.

And so they marched out today. The whole barracks was swept clean except for a contingent of about five hundred Castonians left to defend the city. The bulk of the city watch and the defenders was composed of the Cantonese. Ash still worried without most of Goldentooth. She had a feeling that it wouldn't be enough. The Cantonese soldiers under her and Harold were weak, disloyal and few. She feared that the whole city would rebel with the exit of the Castonians.

She did some arrangements though, with Harold's permission of course. The gangs inside the city were bribed to keep an eye to the people's sentiments. She wrote letters to the governors of the Western Cantonese cities to send reinforcements. She even sent for mercenaries. But the most significant thing she did was to inform the monarchs of the situation in Eastern Canton. Everything she could do were just to bandage the bleeding but without the monarchs, Eastern Canton would remain in flames.

The last of the Castonians have exited the main gate. They trailed long towards the east. The banner of the Goldentooth legion- two fangs colored in bright yellow- was presented. Ash knew that a whole legion of Castonians would be more than enough to put down a rebellion even at this scale. She knew that they were tough men loyal to their cause. But deep inside she was afraid. Something doesn't feel right.

But alas there was nothing she could do. She was powerless even with Harold's support. She wondered, sadly and with angst, if these men would return alive.

*********

Corknip stood like a brown dying giant at the distance. Half of the city walls had crumbled. Half was burning. The towers bore the flags of Vanadis and Castonia. The streets were littered with corpses Timothy hoped were not civilians.

Around them, the defenders were tied. There were thousands of them with some still in their armor. They wore broken faces and shattered spirits. The flag of Hadea that, just this morning displayed proudly on top of the Governor's villa, now lay tattered on the ground.

It had been a hard victory. Corknip, the second largest city of Hadea, resisted the Castonian legions with grim determination. Even after sending numerous requests for surrender, the Governor of Corknip refused, even executing the messenger the last time and sending them the head.

That was too much. Timothy would let insults slide. He would let them resist. But killing a messenger was too much. And after consulting with Lucia, he gifted them with flame.

Hellfire rained upon Corknip this morning. The flaming projectiles shattered the walls like mudcake. It burned. The projectiles burned. But the explosions were more damaging. Hellfire put on pressured containers would explode. And so a huge part of the wall of Corknip now lay in pieces. Three Castonian legions then rushed with Rooster put in reserve. The fighting was fierce- fiercer than he expected. But they prevailed in the end.

The Governor was now on his knees, watching with muddled face and wounded body as Timothy and Lucia rode on their horses. Timothy halted just a few steps from the Governor.

He was a slender man, not tall, but looked so because of his body. He wasn't old, maybe just a few years older than Timothy himself. Golden stubble lined the Governor's chin as beard. His eyes were wide. His lips were thin.

"You know who I am?" Timothy asked. Fury raged in his heart after seeing the person who ordered the execution of his messenger "You know who we are!?"

"Yes.." The Governor answered with apprehension "Yes Your Majesty. I do"

Timothy couldn't bare looking at the Governor's face. His body was stiff. His face was burning. He slid off his horse and grabbed the Governor by the collar.

"We offered you truce. We offered you peace. We offered you a way to prevent this bloodshed. Just this morning we sent you a messenger. Bernard was his name. He was a young talented youth from Holm. Tell me, what did you do!?"

"I..." The Governor looked down. Not in shame. It was too late for such a man to feel shame, Timothy knew. When the Governor looked up again, his face was more anxious than before "I had him executed"

"You murdered him!" Timothy shouted. "Messengers mustn't be harmed, that is the rule of war. Soldiers die, even monarchs croak. But there are things that are forbidden in war. You murdered Bernard. For that you must be punished. I, Timothy Castonia, King of the United Kingdoms of Castonia and Vanadis, with the Omniscient as my witness, hereby exile...."

Timothy was interrupted by Lucia tugging the sleeve of his shirt. He hadn't notice her dismounting from her horse.

Timothy closed his eyes and felt a surge of tranquility flow. "What is it?"

"Exile is a far too lenient punishment" She whispered.

Timothy was surprised at first. But then he understood. Because of their lenient attitude towards their enemies lately, their other enemies had began abusing their kindness. Respect must be coupled with fear. They must show that they would punish transgressions. He nodded.

"You executed a messenger" Lucia said, looking down on the Governor "That is a crime we cannot forgive. That is also a breach of the rules of war. For that you must suffer an equal punishment"

Lucia straightened her back the way Timothy taught her. He knew she was still new to this and her posture was flawed. Nevertheless she looked regal, brimming with pride as a monarch.

"I, Lucia Vanadis, Queen of the United Kingdoms of Castonia and Vanadis, with the Omniscient as witness, hereby sentence you to die for the crime of murder. Long live the Union"

The Governor's eyes widened as Castonian soldiers dragged him to an empty portion of the street. He tried to shout for mercy. Such was a dying man's wish. But, as horrid as this was, Timothy knew that it must be done.

Lucia was firm beside him. She was shaking, he could see. But she did well to hide her trembles. He couldn't think of a better way to give her calmness than holding her hand.

The executioner's blade pierced the Governor's heart soon after. It was the Union's way of execution- swift and powerful. The Governor's body soon dropped limp on the cobbled street.

It was justice, Timothy thought. It was meant to be done. It was distasteful. It was horrible. But the world is not perfect. They cannot win every battle and every engagement with through peaceful ways like what happened in Inkit. Sometimes they have to shed blood.

***

It was horrible. She could still imagine the moment the executioner's blade went for the Governor's heart.

Lucia vomited on the jar. She lay squatting on the carpet of their tent. She just had a man executed. The executioner's blade was as good as hers. She just killed a man with a few words.

She vomited again. She was shaking until she felt a hand rub her back. When she turned her head, she saw Timothy's worried face.

"Tim" She coiled her arms around Timothy's neck.

"Hush" Timothy continued rubbing her back. It was soothing. It felt good. The trembling of her body lessened.

"I...I did that"

"You did that" He said "You ordered the execution of a person and saw the execution in person"

"It was needed" Lucia said "If... we just exiled him then what would the others think?"

Timothy put a warm kiss on her forehead. It felt good. His embrace felt good.

"I know" His voice was music "Our enemies and our allies would think of us as weak if we had given the Governor a lenient punishment. It had to be done."

"I feel horrible"

"You are supposed to feel horrible. Worry if you don't feel horrible. Listen..." He held both of her hands "In this path we took, we will encounter choices like this. Choices that would make our guts churn. We cannot avoid such things. We must carry the burden together."

Lucia nodded slowly. It was necessary, she took refuge in that thought.

"Sire!" Abraham's voice sounded from the other side of the tent.

"What is it?" Timothy asked.

"A messenger sire. He said that he's from Mythrille and has important news"

Lucia's stomach tied into a knot. She felt that the news was bad. Has Sarah Wismar returned already? It was earlier than they expected, too early in fact. She looked at Timothy and his face also displayed the same thought.

The two of them hurried outside. The messenger was raddled. His clothes were dirty, probably from several days of riding.

"News?" Lucia asked.

"Rebellion, Your Majesty" The messenger said "The whole of Eastern Canton is in open rebellion"