Herald of Steel

845 Lord Theony's Roll of the Dice (Part-1)

"I forbid you to do anything that would jeopardize our rule of the city, Lapitus!"

Lady Felicia was really afraid that bolstered by his success with Petrino, the man would try and pull a similar stunt with Alexander.

But Alexander was no Petrino and seeing Lapitus go quiet, Lady Felicia urged him so, hissing, "Say it! Say you won't do anything. "

Ultimately, it took Lady Felicia a while to make Lapitus abandon any notions of even petty revenge against Alexander.

With Lady Felicia's issue decided, Alexander then at last turned his attention to much greater matters, such as leaving for the enemy's capital that was supposedly set to fall imminently.

So taking most of the men and many of the nobles with him, he rode along the River Diannu towards his destination, at last leaving Lady Felicia and Lapitus in charge of Thesalie with a small garrison.

While his wives, children, and Fabiyana was made to at last return to Zanzan.

They had spent six months here and really could not afford to say any longer.

Though Cambyses did grumble, "I really do not want to return to that hut. Why can't we live here?"

And she was indeed right that compared to Lord Ponticus's sprawling mansion with not just one but two swimming pools, Alexander's large bungalow was indeed like a hut.

Being a woman who had come to love the nicer things in life, Cambyses hence was slightly reluctant to return.

But this was also really just her rambling.

He knew Alexander really could not switch his 'capital' from Zanzan to Thesalie just yet.

Thus with a strong entourage of about 500 men, the women and children finally returned to their home.

While Alexander was on his way to Parthenigh, unbeknownst to him, Lord Theony decided to do something on his own.

Something that Alexander did not quite know how to feel about.

"Hahaha, I was right, I was right." On the very afternoon, Menes had defeated Perseus, this sudden loud, boisterous laughter of Lord Theony could be heard reverberating around his luxuriously furnished study, as he read the rolled paper presented to him by a servant.

It came from a messenger bird sent by his scouts whom he had sent to covertly trail Perseus and up until even last day, the information he had gotten made him quite concerned.

His men very confidently reported that Perseus had 40,000 men with him, while Alexander would at best be able to bring 30,000.

A mismatch that seemed very hard to overcome.

Due to the 'leave' Lord Theony was given from court, he had been unable to keep up to date with the latest information as quickly as he would have liked, and thus the addition of the 20,000 troops caught him completely off guard.

'I did not think Thesos would send so many. At best I thought it would be 5,000. How is it 20,000?' Lord Theony had incredulously thought when he first got the message, muttering to himself, 'Weren't Cantagena and Exolas tearing each other apart?'

He was unaware of Manuk's surprise visit and his gifts, for the spies he had in court and with Perseus were not able to deliver these messages to him thus mistook the entire boon as from Thesos.

But as Lord Theony read the latest report, all such considerations were naturally turned mute.

Perseus had been defeated and was confirmed to be seen running.

He had no army and little way to defend himself.

Thus Lord Theony saw a clear chance, the chance to take the capital over before Alexander's army could capture it and then hand it over to him on a silver platter.

For a reward of course.

It was with that thought that Lord Theony quickly activated the various sleeping pieces he had covertly placed throughout the capital, as his eyes glowed with greed and ambition.

"So…. it has come to this?"

Lord Theony's son Theony was one of those secret pieces.

In fact, he could even be said to be one of the most important pieces as placed inside the very heart of the palace, he had the greatest access of them all and hence was trusted with leading the most macabre of acts by his father..

It was a supposed act that made the young man's heart tear itself to even think about committing, but then again, the fear of disappointing his father and earning his ire was equally terrifying.

So when he learned that a messenger bird had come for him from his father, and knowing of the king's defeat the day prior, Theony even thought of pretending to ignore it, so that he did not have to carry out the treasonous instructions he could easily guess written in there.

But he knew deep down that that was not really possible.

Theony would have to make a brutal choice- stand by his family or by his oath and occasional lover.

And it was this choice that the young man tried to grapple with day and night over the next few days as Lord Theony readied his pieces.

Until finally the fateful day came!

"Open the gates! We are here to reinforce His Majesty!" On one clear afternoon, around 4,000 men, waving Lord Theony's house standard were seen standing in front of the main gates of Parthenigh, being led by the lord himself.

These people were the very last dregs of manpower Lord Theony could muster and taking advantage of Perseus's vulnerability had come here disguised as friendly forces, wishing to infiltrate the sturdy walls like a trojan horse.

"Open the gates! Open the gates! It's Lord Theony! He has come to aid us!"

And this naturally worked, given the man's timely arrival with 'coal in the winter' in the eyes of many of these demoralized garrisoned men.

Many had learned of their brave king's defeat and fear and uncertainty had gripped every single man, woman, and children of the city.

Hence, Lord Theony's forces were a sight for sore eyes, for every single additional man was one more bulwark against the imminent onslaught from the enemy that was surely about to come any day now.

And since Lord Theony had never shown any sign of betrayal up until now, nobody suspected even the slightest whiff of conspiracy as almost an entire legion worth of men were let into the city no question asked.

In fact, they were even received with a royal reception, with Lord Theony being personally received by the crown Prince Philips, who immediately congratulated him for this selfless help by hugging the man and grinning,

"Lord Theony, I really cannot express how grateful we are for you coming to our aid even amidst all the danger."

"I very well appreciate the perilthat you must have had to put your own territory in to come here with so many men."

"It must have been not easy."

"Rest assured. Hand on my heart, once we win this war your bravery will not go unrewarded."

Philips sounded ecstatic at Lord Theony's arrival.

To this the well groomed man outwardly chuckled in an amicable tone, "Haha, what are retainers for if not this, Your Highness?"

"When I learned of His Majesty had….. *sigh*," Lord Theony put on a facade of bitter regret, as if unable to pronounce the word 'lost' as he only shook his head,

"I lamented day and night that I could not go to battle with His Majesty. So this is the least I can do. We are after all Tibians! Never surrender!"

The man pumped his armored fist in the air zealously as he shouted, his cheeks ruddy and healthy.

While inwardly, in a complete night and day contrast to his outer self, inwardly, Lord Theony was only sneering menacingly,

'Heh, brat! Win? You dare say you will reward me after you 'win'? You think that you can still win! Are you delusional? Or are you trying to keep up morale by loudly claiming this?'

Unnoticed by anyone, Lord Theony's dark eyes narrowed at this thought, saying in his heart,

'If it was not that I wanted to kill all of you and hand the city over, you think I would have come to his doomed city? Do you think my head has been screwed over?'

'Once the gates are breached, who knows what the enemy men will do? Nobles, commoners, slaves, all will die.'

'I certainly did not come here to defend the city with my life!'

But of course, all such thoughts remained hidden from Philips, who quickly even set up a feast that very night to celebrate Lord Theony's arrival and as a way to lift the fighting spirits of people.

In the midst of that merriment, the shrewd prince even apologized for Lord Theony's dishonorable discharge from court, saying with a bit of reddened ear,

"Lord Theony, I believe the people have a saying- A friend in need is a friend indeed."

"I believe this can apply to us too. A retainer's true face is only revealed when his lord is in trouble."

"I know that recently royal father has not been fair to you. But hear me swear, with as the ancestor's as my witness, once I ascend, I will make Theony my right hand man."

"And your family will be compensated with all the lands of the traitors!"

With Lord Theony's four thousand (4,000) strong force being the biggest contingent currently inside the city, the crown prince thought it was imperative to gain the man's unquestioned loyalty and remove any grievance the man might harbor.

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