Suicide missions are kinda our thing part 1

Rufus woke up in a tent with burn marks all over his body. He was bandaged and wrapped up like a mummy. Count Hunyadi was sitting next to him, like a worried father.

"How are you feeling?" the count asked.

"Crispy and cooked."

Hunyadi laughed and smiled.

"We haven't talked in a while. I was not sure would you have wanted to," Hunyadi said.

"You are my most trusted advisor. You are always welcome by my side."

Rufus then started to get up from the bed.

"Who was that man who did this to me?"

"There was only one person who could have done that. Berig Phokas, the first child in purple. He is the strongest of all the emperor's warriors."

"Felt like it. Didn't even get a scratch on him…..."

"There is no reason to feel ashamed for losing, but only if you have not learned anything from it," Hunyadi said and reassured Rufus.

"Truly my trusted advisor is back. Always with a motivational quote when needed."

~ ~

Juan Flores had commanded all the leaders of the army to his tent. As Rufus and some of his friends entered, they saw a huge problem. All commanders representing different states were in an open argument and were bickering amongst themselves.

"This seems somehow familiar..." Doreen said as it reminded her of the nobles and grey skin fighting during the civil war.

Ximena was at the side smiling with a couple of her men. She did not care much since she would be paid non the less. Only her future employment made her loyal, for if she left, no one would ever hire her. No one would hire a mercenary, no matter how good she was if she would betray her employer.

The recent setback of the ambush had made every leader and commander hesitant. Berig was fighting unconventionally and knew alliance armies were not as united as his professional imperial army was.

The morale of the leaders was low. Many of the leaders threatened to leave the army altogether and fight the imperials themselves from behind their walls. Some openly suggested surrendering to the emperor and Berig.

For Rufus, this looked like they all were dancing and singing on the palm of Berig

"I think this is your time to step up, my king," Hunyadi whispered to Rufus.

Rufus took a deep breath.

"LISTEN! THE KING WISHES TO SPEAK!" Amala yelled loudly and then kicked Rufus to the center before he had time to collect his thoughts.

Everyone stared at the young king. Rufus then calmly looked at them and showed a confident face like a proper king

"This has to stop now. We had only one fallback. This is not the end yet. If I would have stopped after the first setback, I would not be a king and would not be talking to you. I would either be in the slums or dead in some ditch. That is why we must not let one failure define us," Rufus proclaimed.

They all started to listen.

"We need to now get our troops in order and not lose hope. We will now counter-attack them and make them suffer as they did to us," Doreen counseled.

"Then what do you suggest we do. We do not have men that are strong enough to catch up to them raid them at the same time. Let the leading be done by us good king Rufus," Junez said who felt insulted.

"We have strong men. Knights to be exact. I will lead them personally and destroy their artillery with a small group of my knights," Edward said.

"It would be a suicide mission for them"

Edward chuckled and smiled like a villain.

"It's kinda our thing nowadays."

~ ~

Edward went to his own personal men, the knights of the black sun. They had not yet fought much, neither against the nation of Sparv nor during the recent ambush.

They were at full strength and eager to prove their prowess. Both Edward and Joan had given them tough training and put them to kill monsters in the Saxon forest. Fighting one of these monsters was considered suicidal, but the knights were doing it on daily basis. They had grown in number to around two hundred men who now believed they were fighting for a purpose.

Many of them were still old veterans of the first civil war and all other combat situations from the old regime. These knights were the most experienced and with just one swing of their sword, could cut a horse and sometimes an entire horse wagon in two.

"What idiotic plan did the council have?" Joan asked.

"Such an idiotic plan that we get to go on a nice suicide mission," Edward said as the knights were listening.

All the knights stopped sharpening their blades, tinkering with their armor, or eating. Joan and all the knights smiled.

"It's about time," Joan said and looked happy.