A coup. It was a coup - what else could it be? The war, thought the Warlords was over. Pierre was on his side, good loyal Pierre, but the others, persuaded by Polk, were definitely against him. They used him when they needed a good plan, and now they betrayed him.
Ofcourse, he tricked them. He had the antidote to their poison, and he survived - and he led them to war against the clearly-hostile Hudson Powers. The Winnebagos were routed, again Canada triumphed, but not as well as was hoped.
For Jonathan Shade, the Regent of Canada, fell ill. The poison was worse then he thought. He fell ill. The Warlords seemed saddened by it, but Jonathan knew that these dogs betrayed him and tricked loyal and horribly naive Pierre.
The great conqueror was not allowed to conquer more still. He was unconscious, and the Canadian people weeped as their beloved regent was put on a ship and sent to Honduras. To "recover". Already, however, rumor spred that poison played part. The Warlords used this - yes, there was poison! The honorless Winnebagos! They had to be punished for their perfidy - they poisoned the Regent!
For the Warlords, for all their flaws, were also Canadians, patriots. They, too, wanted Canada to win.
But they knew not how.
---
The Canadian offensive stalemated - Hurons and Winnebagos proved too strong for the suddenly-beheaded nation, and the Montagnais rushed forth... as did the Cree. More powerful then anybody thought, the Cree war-machine lumbered through the Canadian "impregnable" defenses. Man-for-man, the Cree were not all that strong. But the way it was, with allies all over Canada's northern borders, the Cree marched on. Sometimes they seemed invulnerable. Sometimes... there was just too many of them.
But the Warlords then received an even worse defeat, on the southern front. Far, far to the south... Jonathan Shade lived. He survived. The poison didn't kill the Regent.
The Regent was coming back.
The Warlords prepared for the worst. Admirably, they imprisoned Polk, who wanted to "fight the tyrant as long as we live". They didn't want to spill Canadian blood. Not in a time like this. Especially the blood of such a distinguished Canadian. Even his enemies acknowledged this - he knew what to do and he did it, and he could save Canada. And even those very enemies knew, though no Warlord save for Pierre admitted it, that they themselves needed him. Without him... they knew not what to do.
They were quite dumbfounded.
And even more so when he returned. Polk was executted... but the others were spared. Allegedly for loyalty to Canada and to him - for they offered no resistance. But really because he felt that he needed them as well.
For not even the greatest genius of tactics and strategy can do anything without those assistances, those executors.
And on the fifth day after his return he assembled the Warlords. He needed to explain something. He was brief and his voice said much more then the words.
---
"Warlords. Some of you betrayed me, tried to get rid of me. It was a passion of moment that drove you to do this, I doubt it not. I too wanted to get of you - but decided against it, for I had time to think.
We cannot, for some envy, hatred, bias, discard of each other. Forget about our petty rivalries! Canada now stands before greatness or ruin. United we stand, divided we fall.
Tomorrow, we ride to war. Let us stand and charge united. Our enemies can triumph over a divided Canada, can eat its flesh like the jackals they are. But an united Canada will throw them aside, will destroy them.
Let us - until the war is over at least - stand united. Let us stand together. Let us not settle scores now, now when there are better things to do.
Cast aside your doubts, Warlords! Follow me to battle. Not for me - for Canada."
- Jonathan Shade. June 1st, 850 CE - of Canadian Era. An adress to the Warlords.
)
I don't have much time, so here are my orders:
