章節 8: Chapter 8
Up high in the clear blue sky far beyond west of Perma.
A great white falcon with black spots was hovering with a wingspan of 50 inches at more than 3000 feet, when suddenly something caught its eyes at a distance.
The bird manoeuvred its body and swiftly dove downwards like that of a bullet.
Diving in around almost 400 miles per hour, and in only a mere couple of seconds, the falcon brought its talons forward, curling it like a fist and punching a messenger pigeon out of the air, killing it instantly.
Although the smaller bird desperately tried evading the attack it still got caught.
However, the falcon did not chase after its prey on its way to the ground, instead it continued to fly towards the front of a long column of people, horses, and oxens hauling supplies, it's an army marching.
Eventually, it glided down spreading its wings to facilitate its descent, and landed majestically on an extended arm with a thick leather gauntlet.
For a while it stayed, being petted by its handler, until the bird of prey flew once more.
"That was the third pigeon it intercepted today, m'lord." An attendant in the general staff was trying to make conversation, and commented with a praising tone.
He was riding his mount beside the old general and the army's second-in-command, and it has been almost an hour since someone in the group has said anything, making the atmosphere a bit awkward.
Not earning a response from the falconer himself, the attendant remained quietly.
Next to them, the tubby old general suddenly jerked awake, looking around to see what's happening.
"Wha-what was that..?"
"Yes, m'lord. I was saying that it was amazing how Lord Roderic's falcon had already caught three homing pigeons."
"Haha. It's an amazing beast!"
"It hasn't even been a whole day, and these Bosilian swines are already trying to cry out to their mothers."
"Hahaha!"
Seeing that his deputy, the knight falconer didn't even crack a smile, the general didn't continue on. He was just trying to lighten the mood, yet this man is just as stiff as a rock.
The aged general was complaining internally, and despite being one of the greatest generals who had served the kingdom since the late emperor, the court still hasn't given him their complete confidence.
'That damn brat!'
'He dare, to stick a babysitter with me?!!'
Marquis Rivelli was a military man through and through, and has served his kingdom for forty-six years. During the battle for succession in which the current emperor emerged triumphant, he and another general stayed neutral.
At that time, he was stationed at the southern border, and even though he commands a rather sizable troop, he chose not to get involved. Even when the two factions had asked for his fealty.
Then here he is, like a caged beast that was now allowed to roam but with a handler. He was once a marshall, a grand general with almost hundreds of thousands of men under his command at one time.
Now only leading a division, for the primary purpose of being reinforcement.
Although the old marquis openly complains about how he is being treated, he can't argue that now is probably the empire's golden age, under the current emperor's reign.
Norstedt's was formerly only a kingdom, then more than four hundred years after its inception, its territory was reduced after a civil war broke out which facilitated the creation of the new kingdom of Vremen. Furthermore, during the said conflict the neighbouring allied city states of Altion sent an army to seize the south-western region and eventually held it until it was finally returned recently, and more.
It took the current emperor two years to stabilise the affairs of the kingdom, after which a rapid reform was carried out.
Among others, the military had undergone unprecedented and revolutionary transformations, and in only less than a decade, its armies had captured several kingdoms already.
Marquis Rivelli initially thought that times had changed and rulers had become weak.
During his youth, Tevian monarchs would wage wars with full intentions of trying to claim more lands, some would even go far beyond and declare that they would unite the whole continent under one banner once again.
Despite showing discontent with the current emperor in regards to the orders he is receiving, by being loud and fiery at times, the old general is actually very thrilled.
. . . .
Two hours past midday, and Marquis Rivelli's contingent finally has the Perma fortress in their view.
"What a sight!!" The general declares with genuine admiration referring to the state of the battlefield before him. In regard to this new siege approach created by the empire's new military high-command.
The senior general, surrounded by his deputy, his staff and guards on their mounts are on a hill overlooking the terrain from north west of the fortress, while their whole division continues to march past them to their supposed destination.
Examining the battlefield, Count Hutten has split his forces into several groups. The aggressors commence the siege by placing six artillery companies and 1 battalion of line infantry on two fronts, one is facing the fortress's north west corner from 1500 yards away while another detachment with the same numbers is towards the stronghold's south west corner.
Moreover, the 900 light cavalry was set out in between the two siege fronts, on standby to aid defend their exposed flanks.
Finally, the count had established a camp further behind the first siege front, with him the remaining light infantry in reserves.
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