North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
OOC: This does not deal with a Civ 3 game. Nor do I claim that this story is historically accurate at all, especially after the point of divergence. It is an alternate history of sorts, after all, emphasis on the ALTERNATE, and it will most likely go nowhere near where our real history did. Note also that unlike stories like By a Single Decision, this will be heavily character based. Ironically, though, the main character is not in the initial post... Well, he is in a sense... 
But for mercy, the entire world would have been different.
Mercy for a young woman, Caroline, that would be. Our tale starts in the Early Middle Ages. About 497 CE, to be exact, on the eastern frontier of the Frankish Empire. Of course, it was only an Empire in name. A loose federation of nobles who roughly aligned themselves with the ones in Paris for little reason but their own protection. And of course, sometimes those nobles didnt want that protection anymore.
The day had dawned cold and red, and Clovis, King of the Franks, was determined to press on westward as quickly as possible. This was a prime area for raiding, and by raiding it enough, the people of the area would want to be with the raiders instead of the raided. Such was the nature of the Frankish Empire, such would it ever be.
Clovis was at the moment, however, frankly bored. They had been riding along this Roman road since they pitched camp at sunrise, and his army had not yet seen much to plunder. He turned in his saddle to view the rest of his army. It was a ragtag little band if you were going by Roman standards, but of course, the Romans were long gone. Their little Eastern Empire still vaguely claimed that the Germans had stolen the area, but then, the Romans had always been a little slow to grasp the situation. One could call them tenacious. One could also call them stubborn to the point of stupidity. Either worked, really.
The army might have been little compared to a Roman Legion, but it was not a small matter in the local area. In fact, they were probably the most powerful force in the area. About 2,000 horse and 8,000 men at arms, with twice as many camp followers, meant that he could deal with any nasty surprises that came up. Like the various Celtic raiders that were scattered throughout Britanny. They would have to be subdued this year, before the end of the campaign season. Before his freemen went home.
While he was deep in thought, a few of his forward riders called out. They began a heavy gallop back towards him, and he reigned up, raising a hand to call his army to a halt on its march. The riders came to a halt beside him, and the eldest, Carolus, spoke first.
My liege, there is a village up ahead. A decently sized one, as well, Id estimate as many as 1000 to 5000 people in it.
He smiled. Excellent. Call up the army. Cavalry first, hopefully we can surprise them.
Sir, Carolus interrupted hesitantly. Clovis eyes flashed with a hint of anger, but he waved at them to continue. They have a decent wall, as well. Most of it is stone, reinforced with wood. I think they saw our forward scouts at the least, not the main host, so we might be able to surprise them.
Gods willing, Clovis said. Like I said, cavalry first. We will make for the gate and attempt to take them by surprise enough to get through the gate without too much trouble. This probably wont happen, of course, so tell the forward rank to light firebrands to burn it down. Also get those infantrymen to work, bring up a battering ram, it shouldnt be needed, but we should be careful.
Yes, my liege. He galloped off.
Clovis, meanwhile, galloped back to the cart in the baggage train which held his personal belongings. Rummaging through it, he found a mail hauberk. Slipping into it, he found his helmet, a battered iron pot that at least deflected a few sword blows, but he was loathe to show it in Paris. And, of course, he favored double bladed war axe.
Thus attired for war, he remounted his horse and galloped back to the front, where his cavalry were assembling. A few men at arms were running around, giving the front ranks torches. He smiled to see his orders followed so efficiently, though he did frown a little on that idiot a few dozen feet down the line who was trying to eat the torch. He took a torch of his own, and watched as they slowly lit from torch to torch. Finally his was lit, and he passed it on further. He checked down the line, waiting for all the torches to be lit...
Franks! Free Peoples! Men of valor, men of courage, men of steel! Today we will ride to glory! Today we will ride to victory! The empire of the Franks knows no bounds, and today, another city will be added to it! Follow me, that you win a glorious victory! Follow me, and let ever man do his duty! Charge!
The cavalry line began to trot forward, then to a canter, and finally was racing along at a full gallop. They raced over a low rise, and then they saw the city, a massive, sprawling expanse. It reminded him vaguely of Paris as he urged his horse onward, towards the gate.
The city walls seemed to rush up to meet him as the horse galloped onward, further, further. Cries of alarm came from the watch towers of the city as the line approached, narrowing to meet the gate. They came on at a charge just as the men tried to close the gates. A few of the riders behind Clovis managed to loose an arrow or two from horseback, and he had to commend them. It gave them a little time, and they might just make it
No, the gates closed. He reigned up on the horse and tossed his firebrand with the full power of his arm. It landed atop the wooden guard tower that loomed over the gate and set it alight in ten seconds. Cheering, his men threw their own firebrands, and soon the whole gatehouse was alight.
The gates remained closed, however, and there was little they could do to stop it, until suddenly Clovis remembered something he had read in a book, and turned back to his cavalry as they stood, watching impatiently.
Men! I remember from a book long ago that the charge of a thousand cavalry could scatter the walls of even ancient Babylon before them! This gate is not nearly so thick, and it is weakened by fire! I ask you to follow me once more, and break into the city!
They cheered, and with a great roar the men galloped up to meet the gate. Horses rearing, they pounded at the gate with their iron shod hooves even as the men hacked at it with their swords and axes. The gates splintered and then shattered, and the horde of cavalry burst into the city. Marching to meet them were what he took for the city guard, a few hundred men wearing mail armor, roman helmets, and carrying pikes.
Carolus, take your men to the right and find a side street to outflank them. The rest of you, stay here with me!
A large contingent of cavalry broke off and rode off to their right as the rest of the cavalry watched with some trepidation at the advancing pikes.
To hell with that! Clovis suddenly shouted. Dismount and attack on foot!
Following his own words, he neatly leapt off the horse, and brandishing his axe, he led the charge to attack the pike line on foot. The Franks used their large shields to glance off the pike blows, and slipping in between the separate pikes in the phalanx, they charged up to the pike men. The pikes, to their credit, were brave, they kept the pikes up and tried to maintain the wall, but it was all in vain as they were cut down. Clovis axe soon was dripping with blood, and his chest was splattered with it, though none of it his.
The pikes were finally demolished as Carolus brought his riders up around behind the pikes, and the Franks now ran back to their horses, mounting again just as the infantry reached the gate and began to pour into the city themselves. Now the entire Frankish army ran amok in the city, pillaging and plundering. Clovis lost count of how many he slew as he ran about, killing all that resisted. He needed no plunder, so he didnt bother to take much. A few gold amulets from the various people he slaughtered, nothing more. By high noon the entire city was in Frankish hands, and was now the subject of a ferocious sack.
Clovis, again, took little part, riding around the city to see how it was progressing. For the most part the Frankish soldiers did not seem to be too cruel, but he knew that to the inhabitants, they must seem like hell on Earth. Hell on Earth...
While he rode, his thoughts turned, like they often did these days, to hellfire and damnation. Suddenly he felt an enormous sympathy for these peoples. Gods, I might as well be a Christian!, he thought derisively, trying to suppress the feeling.
But at the sight of a young women who was being tossed about by Frankish soldiers, who were shouting cruel taunts and threats at her, who, indeed seemed on the verge of rape, he broke.
Men, stop that, immediately!
They looked around hesitantly, and started. Yes, my liege, sorry, my liege, they babble at him, and retreated off to find somewhere else to burn. The women looked up at him with searching, intelligent green eyes. From that moment, he knew, he was in love.
OOC: Hope you liked. More later, probably tomorrow.
But for mercy, the entire world would have been different.
Mercy for a young woman, Caroline, that would be. Our tale starts in the Early Middle Ages. About 497 CE, to be exact, on the eastern frontier of the Frankish Empire. Of course, it was only an Empire in name. A loose federation of nobles who roughly aligned themselves with the ones in Paris for little reason but their own protection. And of course, sometimes those nobles didnt want that protection anymore.
* * *
The day had dawned cold and red, and Clovis, King of the Franks, was determined to press on westward as quickly as possible. This was a prime area for raiding, and by raiding it enough, the people of the area would want to be with the raiders instead of the raided. Such was the nature of the Frankish Empire, such would it ever be.
Clovis was at the moment, however, frankly bored. They had been riding along this Roman road since they pitched camp at sunrise, and his army had not yet seen much to plunder. He turned in his saddle to view the rest of his army. It was a ragtag little band if you were going by Roman standards, but of course, the Romans were long gone. Their little Eastern Empire still vaguely claimed that the Germans had stolen the area, but then, the Romans had always been a little slow to grasp the situation. One could call them tenacious. One could also call them stubborn to the point of stupidity. Either worked, really.
The army might have been little compared to a Roman Legion, but it was not a small matter in the local area. In fact, they were probably the most powerful force in the area. About 2,000 horse and 8,000 men at arms, with twice as many camp followers, meant that he could deal with any nasty surprises that came up. Like the various Celtic raiders that were scattered throughout Britanny. They would have to be subdued this year, before the end of the campaign season. Before his freemen went home.
While he was deep in thought, a few of his forward riders called out. They began a heavy gallop back towards him, and he reigned up, raising a hand to call his army to a halt on its march. The riders came to a halt beside him, and the eldest, Carolus, spoke first.
My liege, there is a village up ahead. A decently sized one, as well, Id estimate as many as 1000 to 5000 people in it.
He smiled. Excellent. Call up the army. Cavalry first, hopefully we can surprise them.
Sir, Carolus interrupted hesitantly. Clovis eyes flashed with a hint of anger, but he waved at them to continue. They have a decent wall, as well. Most of it is stone, reinforced with wood. I think they saw our forward scouts at the least, not the main host, so we might be able to surprise them.
Gods willing, Clovis said. Like I said, cavalry first. We will make for the gate and attempt to take them by surprise enough to get through the gate without too much trouble. This probably wont happen, of course, so tell the forward rank to light firebrands to burn it down. Also get those infantrymen to work, bring up a battering ram, it shouldnt be needed, but we should be careful.
Yes, my liege. He galloped off.
Clovis, meanwhile, galloped back to the cart in the baggage train which held his personal belongings. Rummaging through it, he found a mail hauberk. Slipping into it, he found his helmet, a battered iron pot that at least deflected a few sword blows, but he was loathe to show it in Paris. And, of course, he favored double bladed war axe.
Thus attired for war, he remounted his horse and galloped back to the front, where his cavalry were assembling. A few men at arms were running around, giving the front ranks torches. He smiled to see his orders followed so efficiently, though he did frown a little on that idiot a few dozen feet down the line who was trying to eat the torch. He took a torch of his own, and watched as they slowly lit from torch to torch. Finally his was lit, and he passed it on further. He checked down the line, waiting for all the torches to be lit...
Franks! Free Peoples! Men of valor, men of courage, men of steel! Today we will ride to glory! Today we will ride to victory! The empire of the Franks knows no bounds, and today, another city will be added to it! Follow me, that you win a glorious victory! Follow me, and let ever man do his duty! Charge!
The cavalry line began to trot forward, then to a canter, and finally was racing along at a full gallop. They raced over a low rise, and then they saw the city, a massive, sprawling expanse. It reminded him vaguely of Paris as he urged his horse onward, towards the gate.
The city walls seemed to rush up to meet him as the horse galloped onward, further, further. Cries of alarm came from the watch towers of the city as the line approached, narrowing to meet the gate. They came on at a charge just as the men tried to close the gates. A few of the riders behind Clovis managed to loose an arrow or two from horseback, and he had to commend them. It gave them a little time, and they might just make it
No, the gates closed. He reigned up on the horse and tossed his firebrand with the full power of his arm. It landed atop the wooden guard tower that loomed over the gate and set it alight in ten seconds. Cheering, his men threw their own firebrands, and soon the whole gatehouse was alight.
The gates remained closed, however, and there was little they could do to stop it, until suddenly Clovis remembered something he had read in a book, and turned back to his cavalry as they stood, watching impatiently.
Men! I remember from a book long ago that the charge of a thousand cavalry could scatter the walls of even ancient Babylon before them! This gate is not nearly so thick, and it is weakened by fire! I ask you to follow me once more, and break into the city!
They cheered, and with a great roar the men galloped up to meet the gate. Horses rearing, they pounded at the gate with their iron shod hooves even as the men hacked at it with their swords and axes. The gates splintered and then shattered, and the horde of cavalry burst into the city. Marching to meet them were what he took for the city guard, a few hundred men wearing mail armor, roman helmets, and carrying pikes.
Carolus, take your men to the right and find a side street to outflank them. The rest of you, stay here with me!
A large contingent of cavalry broke off and rode off to their right as the rest of the cavalry watched with some trepidation at the advancing pikes.
To hell with that! Clovis suddenly shouted. Dismount and attack on foot!
Following his own words, he neatly leapt off the horse, and brandishing his axe, he led the charge to attack the pike line on foot. The Franks used their large shields to glance off the pike blows, and slipping in between the separate pikes in the phalanx, they charged up to the pike men. The pikes, to their credit, were brave, they kept the pikes up and tried to maintain the wall, but it was all in vain as they were cut down. Clovis axe soon was dripping with blood, and his chest was splattered with it, though none of it his.
The pikes were finally demolished as Carolus brought his riders up around behind the pikes, and the Franks now ran back to their horses, mounting again just as the infantry reached the gate and began to pour into the city themselves. Now the entire Frankish army ran amok in the city, pillaging and plundering. Clovis lost count of how many he slew as he ran about, killing all that resisted. He needed no plunder, so he didnt bother to take much. A few gold amulets from the various people he slaughtered, nothing more. By high noon the entire city was in Frankish hands, and was now the subject of a ferocious sack.
Clovis, again, took little part, riding around the city to see how it was progressing. For the most part the Frankish soldiers did not seem to be too cruel, but he knew that to the inhabitants, they must seem like hell on Earth. Hell on Earth...
While he rode, his thoughts turned, like they often did these days, to hellfire and damnation. Suddenly he felt an enormous sympathy for these peoples. Gods, I might as well be a Christian!, he thought derisively, trying to suppress the feeling.
But at the sight of a young women who was being tossed about by Frankish soldiers, who were shouting cruel taunts and threats at her, who, indeed seemed on the verge of rape, he broke.
Men, stop that, immediately!
They looked around hesitantly, and started. Yes, my liege, sorry, my liege, they babble at him, and retreated off to find somewhere else to burn. The women looked up at him with searching, intelligent green eyes. From that moment, he knew, he was in love.
* * *
OOC: Hope you liked. More later, probably tomorrow.
