One should not worry about prisoners before cuffing them. Count Herbert will take credit for plans that succeed and distance himself from failures. Thanks
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Well, yes. Even so, Herbert plans to capture the capital, so he'll likely have prisoners, and it's always nice to be prepared.
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The Eve of War, Part 2 (Narrative)
“Unfortunately, both of his mercenary captains were aware that he was listening into their discussion, and it made them more snappy with one another. Captain Meginhard began insulting Captain Gyrth’s reconciliatory plan, calling him a coward for making it. Captain Gyrth refused to rise to the bait, continuing to argue in a reasonable manner.
Indeed, his response to his temporary ally’s direct attack was simple. ‘I seem to remember that we were having a reasonable discussion. Can we please keep things civil? Anyway, returning the prisoners immediately would help ensure that the war does not cause a permanent rift in relations between the warring parties, which, in turn, ensures that an endless cycle of warfare does not begin.’
Captain Meginhard smirked. ‘Yes, but any good leader would cripple his enemy beyond any capacity for resistance, you fool. There would be no threat of this so-called endless cycle of warfare if the dispossessed party has been stripped of all power. Letting an enemy remain in any position of power, much less a powerful enough position to have an army, is far too much mercy. Killing the prisoners immediately would help ensure that no one emerges on a quest for revenge against you. I would have expected you to know that, given your experiences.’
Captain Gyrth stiffened. ‘You know nothing of what I have gone through. Do not even pretend to understand my pain. Even so, your own declaration betrays your plan’s folly. Sometimes, the grieved party is too powerful to defeat in a single war, and an attacker cannot seize their land and their army from them. Would not angering them completely merely give away your plans? Even if you could seize all of their lands, someone is bound to survive. Someone always survives to enact revenge. Perhaps it now occurs to you why increasing their reasons to want revenge is not a good idea?’
Count Herbert blinked. He had not expected such a… spirited conversation. Still, he was glad that he got one, as it revealed many things about both of his new allies. Briefly, he wondered what events Captain Gyrth was referring to… and if he could use these to cement their alliance. He considered asking but soon thought better of the idea and settled for merely clearing his throat.
‘What an… enlightening conversation, my new allies,” he said. ‘However, I believe that we have far more pressing matters. Both of you speak as if this war is already won… but we still need to fight it. Are your men ready to move?’
Captain Meginhard smiled cruelly. ‘This war is already won. After all, I am your ally, am I not?’
Count Herbert raised an eyebrow. ‘Does that mean your men are ready to march now?’
‘Of course,’ Captain Meginhard said. ‘They are ready to march at any time. You could force them to march through a river during a rainstorm at night and arrive at their destination before the sun shows her face, and they would still grant you victory. I do not fear the elements or time, and I have trained my men to ignore both of those things.’
Captain Gyrth, for his part, was looking outside the tent’s doors. ‘Even if my colleague’s soldiers were as well trained as he claimed…’ - and Count Herbert could hear the doubt in his voice about that claim as though it were a tangible thing - ‘my soldiers cannot do any such thing, and I highly doubt that our host’s can. It might be best to rest until at least dawn and begin our march then. Starting a march tired could easily ensure that many of our forces die. Do you believe that such a decision would be wise, O Heir of Charlemagne?’
Count Herbert didn’t and said as much. Their meeting quickly adjourned, and the count soon fell asleep in his royal tent.” - The Valois War
Indeed, his response to his temporary ally’s direct attack was simple. ‘I seem to remember that we were having a reasonable discussion. Can we please keep things civil? Anyway, returning the prisoners immediately would help ensure that the war does not cause a permanent rift in relations between the warring parties, which, in turn, ensures that an endless cycle of warfare does not begin.’
Captain Meginhard smirked. ‘Yes, but any good leader would cripple his enemy beyond any capacity for resistance, you fool. There would be no threat of this so-called endless cycle of warfare if the dispossessed party has been stripped of all power. Letting an enemy remain in any position of power, much less a powerful enough position to have an army, is far too much mercy. Killing the prisoners immediately would help ensure that no one emerges on a quest for revenge against you. I would have expected you to know that, given your experiences.’
Captain Gyrth stiffened. ‘You know nothing of what I have gone through. Do not even pretend to understand my pain. Even so, your own declaration betrays your plan’s folly. Sometimes, the grieved party is too powerful to defeat in a single war, and an attacker cannot seize their land and their army from them. Would not angering them completely merely give away your plans? Even if you could seize all of their lands, someone is bound to survive. Someone always survives to enact revenge. Perhaps it now occurs to you why increasing their reasons to want revenge is not a good idea?’
Count Herbert blinked. He had not expected such a… spirited conversation. Still, he was glad that he got one, as it revealed many things about both of his new allies. Briefly, he wondered what events Captain Gyrth was referring to… and if he could use these to cement their alliance. He considered asking but soon thought better of the idea and settled for merely clearing his throat.
‘What an… enlightening conversation, my new allies,” he said. ‘However, I believe that we have far more pressing matters. Both of you speak as if this war is already won… but we still need to fight it. Are your men ready to move?’
Captain Meginhard smiled cruelly. ‘This war is already won. After all, I am your ally, am I not?’
Count Herbert raised an eyebrow. ‘Does that mean your men are ready to march now?’
‘Of course,’ Captain Meginhard said. ‘They are ready to march at any time. You could force them to march through a river during a rainstorm at night and arrive at their destination before the sun shows her face, and they would still grant you victory. I do not fear the elements or time, and I have trained my men to ignore both of those things.’
Captain Gyrth, for his part, was looking outside the tent’s doors. ‘Even if my colleague’s soldiers were as well trained as he claimed…’ - and Count Herbert could hear the doubt in his voice about that claim as though it were a tangible thing - ‘my soldiers cannot do any such thing, and I highly doubt that our host’s can. It might be best to rest until at least dawn and begin our march then. Starting a march tired could easily ensure that many of our forces die. Do you believe that such a decision would be wise, O Heir of Charlemagne?’
Count Herbert didn’t and said as much. Their meeting quickly adjourned, and the count soon fell asleep in his royal tent.” - The Valois War
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The Battle of Laon, Part 1 (Narrative)
“Mercifully, Count Herbert didn’t dream and awoke prepared to march - and prepared for a battle. He looked up - the sun was out, but it wasn’t that high in the sky. It was still morning, which should mean that the march could be quick.
Count Herbert left his tent. Thankfully, most of his men seemed to be awake and ready to fight, as the camp appeared to be very busy. Count Herbert moved towards the command tent, where he saw that he was almost the last one there. Both of his hired commanders were waiting for him, although Evrard was absent.
Count Herbert wasted no time. ‘When do we begin our march?’
Captain Meginhard raised an eyebrow. ‘I believe I made the fact that I was ready to leave last night quite clear. I am ready to march whenever.’
Captain Gyrth rolled his eyes at his fellow commander. Normally, Count Herbert would disapprove of such disrespect, but, quite frankly, he was getting a bit tired of Meginhard’s extreme arrogance. ‘The rest of us need to sleep before battles - and I suspect that you do too, even if your pride won’t let you admit it.’ He turned his attention back to the count. ‘I am ready to leave with my men whenever - we just needed the rest. That being said… should we not wait for the man who will be commanding your soldiers to arrive before having this discussion?’
Count Herbert smiled. ‘No. I can get my men to follow me toward my enemy’s land, and Evrard will take a long time to arrive. I’m unwilling to wait. We march now.’
Both of his commanders agreed, and their march began. They marched into Valois, and the calm autumn alleviated the sun’s cruel heat. They marched into the county unopposed, and Count Herbert decided that sending scouts to look for enemy forces would be a wise move. These scouts didn’t initially see any opposition, so the march continued.
It didn’t take very long for the scouts to spot the enemy, though. The moon had still not risen when the scouts reported to Count Herbert that their foes were also on the move. Seemingly, their target was somewhere in the County of Vermandois itself, and Count Herbert quickly decided that he couldn’t allow them to exit their county.
Aware that he was not positioned at the army’s front, he quickly forced his way through his own men to reach the front and meet with his commanders. This took a while, but he still managed to get there before the sun journeyed under the world. He ordered them to lead the men towards the border of the two counties, hoping to intercept his enemy’s force.
After that, he snuck back behind the front lines, although his annoyance with how long it took to get in touch with his commanders encouraged him to stay a bit farther away from the back. His future convenience was worth more than the possibility of a quick retreat if things went south. The army quickly marched, following his orders, and the count smiled. It was nice to know that he could still command with such authority.
Soon, he could spot a nebulous mass in the distance, and he suspected that he had found his enemy. He drew his sword and braced himself for battle.
Chaos reigned when the two armies collided. It seemed as if his opponent had not expected to encounter his army, and, despite his warnings, his soldiers appeared unprepared as well. Mentally, he cursed Evrard for failing to properly prepare for a battle. He was a great strategist, but that upside was becoming increasingly unclear due to his laziness.
Count Herbert drew his sword and waited for the enemy to attack his position. Under the light of the moon, he waited to fight his first true battle - for his dynasty’s sake. Soon, a man finally attacked him, and the count’s worries about his dynasty, his glory, and his legacy all faded. All he could focus on was the fight.” - The Valois War
Author's Note: I was going to cover a bit more of the actual battle, but this is a good stopping point for now. Pray for our ambitious count's safety... or his death, if you happen to dislike him.
Count Herbert left his tent. Thankfully, most of his men seemed to be awake and ready to fight, as the camp appeared to be very busy. Count Herbert moved towards the command tent, where he saw that he was almost the last one there. Both of his hired commanders were waiting for him, although Evrard was absent.
Count Herbert wasted no time. ‘When do we begin our march?’
Captain Meginhard raised an eyebrow. ‘I believe I made the fact that I was ready to leave last night quite clear. I am ready to march whenever.’
Captain Gyrth rolled his eyes at his fellow commander. Normally, Count Herbert would disapprove of such disrespect, but, quite frankly, he was getting a bit tired of Meginhard’s extreme arrogance. ‘The rest of us need to sleep before battles - and I suspect that you do too, even if your pride won’t let you admit it.’ He turned his attention back to the count. ‘I am ready to leave with my men whenever - we just needed the rest. That being said… should we not wait for the man who will be commanding your soldiers to arrive before having this discussion?’
Count Herbert smiled. ‘No. I can get my men to follow me toward my enemy’s land, and Evrard will take a long time to arrive. I’m unwilling to wait. We march now.’
Both of his commanders agreed, and their march began. They marched into Valois, and the calm autumn alleviated the sun’s cruel heat. They marched into the county unopposed, and Count Herbert decided that sending scouts to look for enemy forces would be a wise move. These scouts didn’t initially see any opposition, so the march continued.
It didn’t take very long for the scouts to spot the enemy, though. The moon had still not risen when the scouts reported to Count Herbert that their foes were also on the move. Seemingly, their target was somewhere in the County of Vermandois itself, and Count Herbert quickly decided that he couldn’t allow them to exit their county.
Aware that he was not positioned at the army’s front, he quickly forced his way through his own men to reach the front and meet with his commanders. This took a while, but he still managed to get there before the sun journeyed under the world. He ordered them to lead the men towards the border of the two counties, hoping to intercept his enemy’s force.
After that, he snuck back behind the front lines, although his annoyance with how long it took to get in touch with his commanders encouraged him to stay a bit farther away from the back. His future convenience was worth more than the possibility of a quick retreat if things went south. The army quickly marched, following his orders, and the count smiled. It was nice to know that he could still command with such authority.
Soon, he could spot a nebulous mass in the distance, and he suspected that he had found his enemy. He drew his sword and braced himself for battle.
Chaos reigned when the two armies collided. It seemed as if his opponent had not expected to encounter his army, and, despite his warnings, his soldiers appeared unprepared as well. Mentally, he cursed Evrard for failing to properly prepare for a battle. He was a great strategist, but that upside was becoming increasingly unclear due to his laziness.
Count Herbert drew his sword and waited for the enemy to attack his position. Under the light of the moon, he waited to fight his first true battle - for his dynasty’s sake. Soon, a man finally attacked him, and the count’s worries about his dynasty, his glory, and his legacy all faded. All he could focus on was the fight.” - The Valois War
Author's Note: I was going to cover a bit more of the actual battle, but this is a good stopping point for now. Pray for our ambitious count's safety... or his death, if you happen to dislike him.
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It is good to see Count Herbert spread the blame and hoard the glory, while trying to remain safe in the rare echelon. Thanks
At least Count Herbert is fighting in the battle...
That being said, the lack of a strategy actually is the commander's fault. Technically. Of course, Count Herbert probably bears some blame for giving him his job in the first place... although he did have his reasons for that.
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The Battle of Laon, Part 2 (Narrative)
“The fight was glorious. Count Herbert defeated his first opponent quickly, killing him with a single stroke of his blade. The feeling of victory felt better than anything that he had ever felt before, but he had no time to focus on that. He continued onwards, cutting down his opponents like a scythe cuts down wheat. He killed many men, but there were always more to fight.
His enemies attempted to retreat, but he refused to allow that. Letting them regroup could allow them to utilize strategy and make a formation, which would remove any advantage that the ambush had given his men. That would almost certainly mean a loss for his forces, who didn’t have a formation despite having had adequate time to make one because his army’s commander was too lazy to even do his job.
Unfortunately, Count Herbert couldn’t take out his anger on his incompetent subordinate because he remained useful. Fortunately, there were thousands of other people to take out his anger on, and they were even allies of unjust usurpers, so he didn’t even need to feel guilty about it.
Soon, Count Herbert was covered in blood, but he was given no rest. His enemies had apparently realized his military prowess and continued to attack him. He had no room to maneuver, and all he could do was kill one enemy after another. No matter how many he killed, there was always more to fight… and he loved it. The feeling of justly killing servants of the man who had usurped his throne was amazing.
Sadly, it was also tiring, when the enemy attempted to retreat a second time, he let them. He needed a second to catch his breath… and a second to figure out where his army was. He looked around, and he discovered that there was a great distance between himself and his army. Thankfully, no natural barriers were visible in the space between them, so he could retreat at any time…
His men seemed fine, although they were scattered across the battlefield. Many of them looked winded, but he saw no dead bodies. The mercenaries didn’t seem like they had moved from their initial position and were forming a line around the battlefield. Count Herbert figured that they would deal with any stragglers from the enemy. All in all, there didn’t seem to be a single reason to stop his rampage, and every moment that he wasn’t adding to his blade’s crimson hue was a moment that his foes could use to regroup.
He turned back to where the enemy army had once been, and he found that only a few men remained within his sight. He briefly shut his eyes and considered what this meant. He briefly considered that the few men were meant as bait to draw him in that direction, but he quickly dismissed that thought. After all, surely there wouldn’t have been time to set up such a plan during the short period where he had been checking on his men.
Under his breath, a single whisper escaped Count Herbert’s lips. 'I hope I don’t regret this.'
He also decided to command his soldiers because, clearly, his chosen commander had been too lazy to do even that. Against his better judgement, He went with the oldest tactic in the book - he raised his blood-soaked blade and yelled, 'we have them on the defensive! We can annihilate them completely now! Charge!' " - The Valois War
His enemies attempted to retreat, but he refused to allow that. Letting them regroup could allow them to utilize strategy and make a formation, which would remove any advantage that the ambush had given his men. That would almost certainly mean a loss for his forces, who didn’t have a formation despite having had adequate time to make one because his army’s commander was too lazy to even do his job.
Unfortunately, Count Herbert couldn’t take out his anger on his incompetent subordinate because he remained useful. Fortunately, there were thousands of other people to take out his anger on, and they were even allies of unjust usurpers, so he didn’t even need to feel guilty about it.
Soon, Count Herbert was covered in blood, but he was given no rest. His enemies had apparently realized his military prowess and continued to attack him. He had no room to maneuver, and all he could do was kill one enemy after another. No matter how many he killed, there was always more to fight… and he loved it. The feeling of justly killing servants of the man who had usurped his throne was amazing.
Sadly, it was also tiring, when the enemy attempted to retreat a second time, he let them. He needed a second to catch his breath… and a second to figure out where his army was. He looked around, and he discovered that there was a great distance between himself and his army. Thankfully, no natural barriers were visible in the space between them, so he could retreat at any time…
His men seemed fine, although they were scattered across the battlefield. Many of them looked winded, but he saw no dead bodies. The mercenaries didn’t seem like they had moved from their initial position and were forming a line around the battlefield. Count Herbert figured that they would deal with any stragglers from the enemy. All in all, there didn’t seem to be a single reason to stop his rampage, and every moment that he wasn’t adding to his blade’s crimson hue was a moment that his foes could use to regroup.
He turned back to where the enemy army had once been, and he found that only a few men remained within his sight. He briefly shut his eyes and considered what this meant. He briefly considered that the few men were meant as bait to draw him in that direction, but he quickly dismissed that thought. After all, surely there wouldn’t have been time to set up such a plan during the short period where he had been checking on his men.
Under his breath, a single whisper escaped Count Herbert’s lips. 'I hope I don’t regret this.'
He also decided to command his soldiers because, clearly, his chosen commander had been too lazy to do even that. Against his better judgement, He went with the oldest tactic in the book - he raised his blood-soaked blade and yelled, 'we have them on the defensive! We can annihilate them completely now! Charge!' " - The Valois War
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Yep, what could possibly go wrong? It's not like this is the perfect setup for an ambush or anything...
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The Battle of Laon, Part 3 (Narrative)
"The charge went well at first. His men followed him into the fray, and their blades met many human bodies. Initially, it appeared as if they had won easily. Corpses littered the field of battle, and the few survivors on his enemy’s side seemed to be engaging in a disorganized retreat. They shouted at one another, attempting to find a route to escape from the conflict. His enemies were faced with chaos within their own ranks, and the sight made Count Herbert smile.
He sensed victory at hand, and he led his men towards his enemy’s command. That was the most likely place for the commanders of the opposing force to be - and, if he could capture them, he could easily use them as leverage - perhaps even leverage to end the war in his favor. If he managed to capture the Count of Valois himself, the war would be over that day.
This sense of victory was all he thought about, and that caused him to stop paying attention to his surroundings. He didn’t notice when he had walked too far ahead of his men, and he initially failed to notice that he was in danger.
It was only when his sword met another blade and he simultaneously felt pain in his back that he noticed what was going on. That sensation ended his feelings of victory very quickly, and he quickly glanced at his surroundings, which revealed exactly how screwed he was.
His closest allies weren’t very close, and he was completely and utterly surrounded. Men blocked every possible escape path. No matter which direction he looked, all he could see was men, and he recognized none of them. He felt as if he was looking death himself in the eye.
Against all odds, Count Herbert didn’t panic. He knew that he was screwed, so there would be no point in panicking. Instead, he felt a strange calmness. Although he knew that this confrontation wouldn’t end well for him, he did know the only two ways that it could possibly end - either he died or he was captured.
He also knew exactly which of those outcomes was preferable. If he was captured, then this war would be over. He would be forced to surrender, and the cause of his glorious dynasty would have suffered a setback - perhaps an irreversible one. He had no idea if the circumstances that had allowed this war would ever occur in the Kingdom of France again. If he was killed, on the other hand, his relatives could avenge him. They could take over the war effort - and they would be motivated to continue his dream - they would be motivated to continue the dream that he had died for.
Yes, death was preferable to capture, and it was that conviction that caused Count Herbert to scream in rage and attack the men who had him surrounded. He fully intended to take as many of his foes down with him as he could.
At first, his strategy succeeded beyond his wildest dream. Apparently, his opponents weren’t expecting him to be quite that bold since their initial response was to freeze in shock, which allowed him to cut them down.
Unfortunately, that reaction didn’t last, and he quickly found himself trapped dueling multiple people at the same time. Merely dodging all of their attacks quickly became tiring, much less actually striking back, but he continued for as long as he could. He refused to allow his exhaustion to end his chances of avoiding capture." - The Valois War
He sensed victory at hand, and he led his men towards his enemy’s command. That was the most likely place for the commanders of the opposing force to be - and, if he could capture them, he could easily use them as leverage - perhaps even leverage to end the war in his favor. If he managed to capture the Count of Valois himself, the war would be over that day.
This sense of victory was all he thought about, and that caused him to stop paying attention to his surroundings. He didn’t notice when he had walked too far ahead of his men, and he initially failed to notice that he was in danger.
It was only when his sword met another blade and he simultaneously felt pain in his back that he noticed what was going on. That sensation ended his feelings of victory very quickly, and he quickly glanced at his surroundings, which revealed exactly how screwed he was.
His closest allies weren’t very close, and he was completely and utterly surrounded. Men blocked every possible escape path. No matter which direction he looked, all he could see was men, and he recognized none of them. He felt as if he was looking death himself in the eye.
Against all odds, Count Herbert didn’t panic. He knew that he was screwed, so there would be no point in panicking. Instead, he felt a strange calmness. Although he knew that this confrontation wouldn’t end well for him, he did know the only two ways that it could possibly end - either he died or he was captured.
He also knew exactly which of those outcomes was preferable. If he was captured, then this war would be over. He would be forced to surrender, and the cause of his glorious dynasty would have suffered a setback - perhaps an irreversible one. He had no idea if the circumstances that had allowed this war would ever occur in the Kingdom of France again. If he was killed, on the other hand, his relatives could avenge him. They could take over the war effort - and they would be motivated to continue his dream - they would be motivated to continue the dream that he had died for.
Yes, death was preferable to capture, and it was that conviction that caused Count Herbert to scream in rage and attack the men who had him surrounded. He fully intended to take as many of his foes down with him as he could.
At first, his strategy succeeded beyond his wildest dream. Apparently, his opponents weren’t expecting him to be quite that bold since their initial response was to freeze in shock, which allowed him to cut them down.
Unfortunately, that reaction didn’t last, and he quickly found himself trapped dueling multiple people at the same time. Merely dodging all of their attacks quickly became tiring, much less actually striking back, but he continued for as long as he could. He refused to allow his exhaustion to end his chances of avoiding capture." - The Valois War
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There is dying in captivity before the peace deal (I did it in CK2 and won war). Keep fighting, thanks
Fair point. Of course, Count Herbert is proud - he believes that he must guide the cause of Karling restoration personally.
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The Battle of Laon, Part 4 (Narrative)
"He fought on as long as he could, but it wasn’t enough. A sword hit his right arm - his sword arm - and drew blood, although it wasn’t a deep cut. Therefore, his movements became sluggish, and Count Herbert felt his life flashing before his eyes. He felt something hit his chest, and then he blacked out.
For a brief moment, Count Herbert could’ve sworn that he heard beautiful singing, and he thought that he saw a speck of white light. Then, he felt his body being shaken, and his eyes snapped open.
The singing stopped, and his location remained the same as where it had been - a place of battle. There was no trace of white anywhere. The most prominent color was crimson, as it was on most battlefields. He looked down at his arm, and a crimson liquid dripped down from it. He supposed that was blood.
He looked around. He was still surrounded by enemies, but they had seemingly ceased their attempts to kill him. Indeed, many of them seemed to have expressions of shock on their faces. He looked back at the man who had woken him up and blinked. He recognized this man - it was one of his men. It was actually his spymaster, one Jaspert.
He turned to face his ally. ‘How did you get here?’ Then, he blinked. That really wasn’t the important question right now. ‘Actually, never mind that. How do you expect us to escape from this trap? In case you didn’t notice, I was surrounded by our enemies, and I’m sure that they’ll escape from their shock at any moment now. What, exactly, do you intend to do now?’
Jaspert merely smiled. ‘I have a plan. I’ll cover your escape. You are far more important than I am in the grand scheme of things. You need to survive - and, no matter what happens, you cannot surrender.’
Count Herbert blinked. Wait, he didn’t seriously intend to? He couldn’t actually expect that he would be that ungrateful? Only a single word escaped his lips. ‘How?’
He meant ‘how do you intend to escape?’, and Jaspert clearly understood that because his response was to place his hand, positioned in the perfect position to chop - on his own throat. Then, he moved it across. The Count of Vermandois understood the meaning well enough.
He grabbed his spymaster, raised his sword, and charged at the spot where he thought the weakest opening was. He charged at the small area that was defended by only two men, and he attacked them. His spymaster followed his lead, using his own sword to attack one of the men. For the briefest of moments, time seemed to slow down. The two men managed to get over their shock and fight back against their attack, but everyone else stayed perfectly still.
The only movements there were those of the blades. The only sounds were of clashing swords and panting. The only thing that Count Herbert could taste was something that he couldn’t identify but seemed bitter and metallic. The only thing that Count Herbert could feel was his own adrenaline and desperate desire to escape.
It was a moment upon which history turned, although no one involved at the time truly knew that. The only concern anyone fighting there - except Jaspert - had was their own survival. Both Count Herbert and Jaspert managed to kill the men blocking their escape, and the Count of Vermandois even managed to get out of his previous position. He was no longer in danger of being killed by people from every direction.
He beat a hasty retreat, but, before he started doing that, he looked back at his companion - he looked back at his savior. The man was still alive, but the shock that everyone else who was surrounding them had seemed to have worn off, as he was being attacked from every direction. At the moment, he looked to be doing alright, but Count Herbert knew how untenable his position was. Jaspert caught his liege’s eye and nodded.
Count Herbert shut his eyes, turned around, and began heading back toward his camp. He hoped that the battle was at least nearing its end, but he knew better than to expect it. For his spymaster’s sake, though, he also hoped that his men were still charging towards his former position. Perhaps, if they arrived quickly enough, they could buy enough time for him to escape. He doubted things would turn out that well. This was war. There were always losses.
It didn’t take long until he encountered his amassed army and turned around and charged with them. They quickly reached the spot where he had been ambushed, and the men there quickly scattered. The battle was over, but Count Herbert still had one last thing that he needed to do.
He checked the spot where the enemy had finally been completely defeated and searched it. Unfortunately, he found what he was looking for. It seemed that Jaspert had been slain. Count Herbert picked the body up and brought it back to his private tent. This man served him faithfully in life. More importantly, Jaspert had died for him - he had tried his own life for his liege’s. The least that liege could do was grant him a proper burial." - The Valois War
Feel free to tell me how much you hate me!
For a brief moment, Count Herbert could’ve sworn that he heard beautiful singing, and he thought that he saw a speck of white light. Then, he felt his body being shaken, and his eyes snapped open.
The singing stopped, and his location remained the same as where it had been - a place of battle. There was no trace of white anywhere. The most prominent color was crimson, as it was on most battlefields. He looked down at his arm, and a crimson liquid dripped down from it. He supposed that was blood.
He looked around. He was still surrounded by enemies, but they had seemingly ceased their attempts to kill him. Indeed, many of them seemed to have expressions of shock on their faces. He looked back at the man who had woken him up and blinked. He recognized this man - it was one of his men. It was actually his spymaster, one Jaspert.
He turned to face his ally. ‘How did you get here?’ Then, he blinked. That really wasn’t the important question right now. ‘Actually, never mind that. How do you expect us to escape from this trap? In case you didn’t notice, I was surrounded by our enemies, and I’m sure that they’ll escape from their shock at any moment now. What, exactly, do you intend to do now?’
Jaspert merely smiled. ‘I have a plan. I’ll cover your escape. You are far more important than I am in the grand scheme of things. You need to survive - and, no matter what happens, you cannot surrender.’
Count Herbert blinked. Wait, he didn’t seriously intend to? He couldn’t actually expect that he would be that ungrateful? Only a single word escaped his lips. ‘How?’
He meant ‘how do you intend to escape?’, and Jaspert clearly understood that because his response was to place his hand, positioned in the perfect position to chop - on his own throat. Then, he moved it across. The Count of Vermandois understood the meaning well enough.
He grabbed his spymaster, raised his sword, and charged at the spot where he thought the weakest opening was. He charged at the small area that was defended by only two men, and he attacked them. His spymaster followed his lead, using his own sword to attack one of the men. For the briefest of moments, time seemed to slow down. The two men managed to get over their shock and fight back against their attack, but everyone else stayed perfectly still.
The only movements there were those of the blades. The only sounds were of clashing swords and panting. The only thing that Count Herbert could taste was something that he couldn’t identify but seemed bitter and metallic. The only thing that Count Herbert could feel was his own adrenaline and desperate desire to escape.
It was a moment upon which history turned, although no one involved at the time truly knew that. The only concern anyone fighting there - except Jaspert - had was their own survival. Both Count Herbert and Jaspert managed to kill the men blocking their escape, and the Count of Vermandois even managed to get out of his previous position. He was no longer in danger of being killed by people from every direction.
He beat a hasty retreat, but, before he started doing that, he looked back at his companion - he looked back at his savior. The man was still alive, but the shock that everyone else who was surrounding them had seemed to have worn off, as he was being attacked from every direction. At the moment, he looked to be doing alright, but Count Herbert knew how untenable his position was. Jaspert caught his liege’s eye and nodded.
Count Herbert shut his eyes, turned around, and began heading back toward his camp. He hoped that the battle was at least nearing its end, but he knew better than to expect it. For his spymaster’s sake, though, he also hoped that his men were still charging towards his former position. Perhaps, if they arrived quickly enough, they could buy enough time for him to escape. He doubted things would turn out that well. This was war. There were always losses.
It didn’t take long until he encountered his amassed army and turned around and charged with them. They quickly reached the spot where he had been ambushed, and the men there quickly scattered. The battle was over, but Count Herbert still had one last thing that he needed to do.
He checked the spot where the enemy had finally been completely defeated and searched it. Unfortunately, he found what he was looking for. It seemed that Jaspert had been slain. Count Herbert picked the body up and brought it back to his private tent. This man served him faithfully in life. More importantly, Jaspert had died for him - he had tried his own life for his liege’s. The least that liege could do was grant him a proper burial." - The Valois War
Feel free to tell me how much you hate me!
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A life for a life. Honor Jaspert by taking Valois. Does Jaspert have a child? Thanks
Count Herbert definitely intends to.
No. I do need a new spymaster to replace him, but that can wait until the end of the war.
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The First Critique (Historybook)
“At first, the Battle of Laon - and the Battle of Senlis that followed shortly after - meant very little. It was a military victory, but almost none of the larger political implications that have been attached to it by centuries of mythologization actually existed. As much as determinist historians would like to make Laon important, the truth is that it barely mattered. Contemporary observers mostly failed to notice that it happened - our only sources for it were brief mentions in letters, and even the official court records of Vermandois gloss over Laon, although they cover Senlis in slightly more detail.
Despite this, the myths are not purely lies. There is a shred of truth to many of them. Laon was not the best shot that the Capets had to stop the Carolingian Resurgence, but, if Count Herbert had been killed, it is extremely likely that the Resurgence would have been stopped in its tracks… but that’s true of Senlis as well and many other battles in the early days of the New Carolingian Dynasty besides.
In many ways, the surprising thing is that there was a Carolingian Resurgence at all. The pride of Count Herbert could easily have been a burden upon his dreams, but he managed to turn it into an asset. His deft negotiations and promises would have been impossible for a more humble man to make… and those allowed him to make many allies. Even so, his refusal to acknowledge his own mistakes would haunt him until his grave - and some say that it haunted his successors from beyond that grave.
During his early reign, though, Vermandois seemed almost idyllic - peaceful and ruled justly. Even after the first war of the Carolingian Resurgence, little suggested the horrific fate that would eventually be visited upon its residents. The count’s ambitions were obvious - but they still seemed very impractical. It was the way of the feudal system that even a little change could cause great suffering, however, and even the state borne out of the efforts of the Carolingians recognizes that now.
If anyone had bothered to look, they would’ve seen the signs. They could’ve predicted the great conflagration that the Carolingian Resurgence was… and someone might have been able to avert it. Unfortunately, the only ones wise enough to see the signs benefited from the coming bloodshed. If anyone else had been wiser… perhaps much darkness could’ve been averted. Or perhaps the feudal system would’ve produced another ambitious man willing to give up the lives of a generation in exchange for personal power. The feudal system encouraged war, after all. Still… one wonders if that urge couldn’t have been directed outward somehow. There are other continents that were far more stable than Europe at the time.
Still, it is not my duty to bemoan the past or consider how much better things could be. It is my duty to tell you what happened. The facts of the matter are simple, then - Count Herbert won the Battles of Laon and Senlis, seized Valois, and his ambition grew because of his success. That ambition drowned Europe in blood.” - Christendom’s Tragedy, A History of Europe During the Age of Interregnum
I've decided to break up the narrative before we get to Senlis. This author... has his own biases. I'll probably use him more in the future (especially if I want to cover great periods of time).
Despite this, the myths are not purely lies. There is a shred of truth to many of them. Laon was not the best shot that the Capets had to stop the Carolingian Resurgence, but, if Count Herbert had been killed, it is extremely likely that the Resurgence would have been stopped in its tracks… but that’s true of Senlis as well and many other battles in the early days of the New Carolingian Dynasty besides.
In many ways, the surprising thing is that there was a Carolingian Resurgence at all. The pride of Count Herbert could easily have been a burden upon his dreams, but he managed to turn it into an asset. His deft negotiations and promises would have been impossible for a more humble man to make… and those allowed him to make many allies. Even so, his refusal to acknowledge his own mistakes would haunt him until his grave - and some say that it haunted his successors from beyond that grave.
During his early reign, though, Vermandois seemed almost idyllic - peaceful and ruled justly. Even after the first war of the Carolingian Resurgence, little suggested the horrific fate that would eventually be visited upon its residents. The count’s ambitions were obvious - but they still seemed very impractical. It was the way of the feudal system that even a little change could cause great suffering, however, and even the state borne out of the efforts of the Carolingians recognizes that now.
If anyone had bothered to look, they would’ve seen the signs. They could’ve predicted the great conflagration that the Carolingian Resurgence was… and someone might have been able to avert it. Unfortunately, the only ones wise enough to see the signs benefited from the coming bloodshed. If anyone else had been wiser… perhaps much darkness could’ve been averted. Or perhaps the feudal system would’ve produced another ambitious man willing to give up the lives of a generation in exchange for personal power. The feudal system encouraged war, after all. Still… one wonders if that urge couldn’t have been directed outward somehow. There are other continents that were far more stable than Europe at the time.
Still, it is not my duty to bemoan the past or consider how much better things could be. It is my duty to tell you what happened. The facts of the matter are simple, then - Count Herbert won the Battles of Laon and Senlis, seized Valois, and his ambition grew because of his success. That ambition drowned Europe in blood.” - Christendom’s Tragedy, A History of Europe During the Age of Interregnum
I've decided to break up the narrative before we get to Senlis. This author... has his own biases. I'll probably use him more in the future (especially if I want to cover great periods of time).
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The author-character is interesting. It sounds like he might've been personally affected by this tragedy in some way.
As for Count Herbert, hopefully Jaspert's death and his experience give him some caution at Senlis.
As for Count Herbert, hopefully Jaspert's death and his experience give him some caution at Senlis.
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The Aftermath of Laon (Narrative)
“Unfortunately, that burial would have to wait until the war ended. There was hardly time to conduct a funeral without giving up far too many strategic advantages. Still, Count Herbert resolved not to forget his spymaster’s sacrifice and to grant him a fitting sendoff to Heaven once he had finally won.
In the meantime, he would just have to settle for yelling at one of the men who was most responsible for how disastrous the Battle of Laon almost was… Evrard. It was his fault that the count was so close to losing his life… it was his fault that the Capets almost gained an iron grip on France… and it was his fault that Jaspert had to give his life to save the rightful ruler of France - the rightful Emperor of Rome.
He stormed into the command tent a little after dawn. All three of his commanders were already there, which meant that he didn’t have to track down Evrard to give the man a piece of his mind. Good. That meant that this would be done more quickly.
He glared at Evrard. ‘I’m going to make this as quick as possible. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? That was the most disorganized battle I have ever seen, and it looked like our army had no plan at all. In order to ensure that this isn’t an issue during our next confrontation with the Count of Valois, we are going to make a plan right now, and you are going to follow it. I hired you to make plans, so make plans.’
Evrard shut his eyes at Count Herbert’s outburst. ‘Very well, my liege. In order to do so, I must know where our next battle will occur…’
Captain Meginhard raised an eyebrow. ‘That battle was rather disorganized. My men didn’t even get to do anything. I would quite appreciate it if we were included in these plans of yours.’
Count Herbert whirled on him. ‘And why, exactly, did you not attempt to recover the situation once it became clear that it was about to become a disaster? If you longed to fight so much, why didn’t you attempt to restore order to my collapsing army?’
The captain smiled. ‘You didn’t ask me to. I was waiting for orders from your illustrious personage. It wouldn’t do to implicitly question your authority, after all.’
Count Herbert was reassured by this, so he turned his attention upon Captain Gyrth and asked him what he had asked Meginhard.
The man’s response was surprising. ‘For a brief moment… I did consider implicitly questioning your authority. My old homeland taught me many lessons about how recklessness could lose battles, and I considered ordering your army - and asking you, by extent - to stay put as I was ordering my army not to charge as well. However, I then remembered what I had been told of you… you were proud. You wouldn’t like being ordered by someone in your employ…’
Ignoring Captain Meginhard’s whispered ‘craven’, Count Herbert stepped closer to Captain Gyrth. ‘Are you implying that I am overly arrogant? Are you implying that I am partially to blame for this debacle?’
Captain Gyrth looked his employer directly in the eye and said, ‘I believe that you were reckless, but I can’t blame you for that. I was reckless too, once. Even so… the blame for the disorganized state of the army goes to whoever designed the battle plan.’
Count Herbert stepped back, satisfied. ‘Which was Evrard, and that mistake shall not be repeated. I’ll let you two help us make this plan, though.’
The four men created a new plan for their next battle, hoping to avoid the mistakes of Laon. They had gotten lucky once - it was highly unlikely that the Lord would allow them to make the same mistakes a second time.” - The Valois War
In the meantime, he would just have to settle for yelling at one of the men who was most responsible for how disastrous the Battle of Laon almost was… Evrard. It was his fault that the count was so close to losing his life… it was his fault that the Capets almost gained an iron grip on France… and it was his fault that Jaspert had to give his life to save the rightful ruler of France - the rightful Emperor of Rome.
He stormed into the command tent a little after dawn. All three of his commanders were already there, which meant that he didn’t have to track down Evrard to give the man a piece of his mind. Good. That meant that this would be done more quickly.
He glared at Evrard. ‘I’m going to make this as quick as possible. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? That was the most disorganized battle I have ever seen, and it looked like our army had no plan at all. In order to ensure that this isn’t an issue during our next confrontation with the Count of Valois, we are going to make a plan right now, and you are going to follow it. I hired you to make plans, so make plans.’
Evrard shut his eyes at Count Herbert’s outburst. ‘Very well, my liege. In order to do so, I must know where our next battle will occur…’
Captain Meginhard raised an eyebrow. ‘That battle was rather disorganized. My men didn’t even get to do anything. I would quite appreciate it if we were included in these plans of yours.’
Count Herbert whirled on him. ‘And why, exactly, did you not attempt to recover the situation once it became clear that it was about to become a disaster? If you longed to fight so much, why didn’t you attempt to restore order to my collapsing army?’
The captain smiled. ‘You didn’t ask me to. I was waiting for orders from your illustrious personage. It wouldn’t do to implicitly question your authority, after all.’
Count Herbert was reassured by this, so he turned his attention upon Captain Gyrth and asked him what he had asked Meginhard.
The man’s response was surprising. ‘For a brief moment… I did consider implicitly questioning your authority. My old homeland taught me many lessons about how recklessness could lose battles, and I considered ordering your army - and asking you, by extent - to stay put as I was ordering my army not to charge as well. However, I then remembered what I had been told of you… you were proud. You wouldn’t like being ordered by someone in your employ…’
Ignoring Captain Meginhard’s whispered ‘craven’, Count Herbert stepped closer to Captain Gyrth. ‘Are you implying that I am overly arrogant? Are you implying that I am partially to blame for this debacle?’
Captain Gyrth looked his employer directly in the eye and said, ‘I believe that you were reckless, but I can’t blame you for that. I was reckless too, once. Even so… the blame for the disorganized state of the army goes to whoever designed the battle plan.’
Count Herbert stepped back, satisfied. ‘Which was Evrard, and that mistake shall not be repeated. I’ll let you two help us make this plan, though.’
The four men created a new plan for their next battle, hoping to avoid the mistakes of Laon. They had gotten lucky once - it was highly unlikely that the Lord would allow them to make the same mistakes a second time.” - The Valois War
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You'll probably find out soon. I intend to use him again.
It definitely affected him. We'll see if that was for the better soon enough.
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None of it was Count Emperor Herbert's fault. Now, the new battle-plan will be his pride and joy if it works and someone will be the scapegoat if it doesn't. Thanks
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