Winter, 1425

For all intents and purposes, the revolution was won; one by one, the Northern Themes declared independence and joined the Arcadian Republic; faced with massive local uprisings, most local imperial forces melted away or switched loyalties. Even in Antium, the traditional home of the Jamersonians, rebels had risen and seized Duiwelspiek Castle from the emperor’s brothers, severing the century-long ties between Duiwelspeik and Caldern. There were important opposition however; Minister Buckingham had fled to the loyal horselords of the Southern Plains, and a few sizable armies remained loyal to the faltering kingdom in the South, notably the former Guesters in their returned homeland of New Cales. Most important was the 11,000-strong Imperial Guard, which remained in the Ardea, protecting king and capital from rebel attack and dominating the Southern rump of the empire. So long as the Emperor remained, victory was not yet complete and Nalbin remained divided. The New Army of the Republic was still based in Alba, and due to the long and devastating Northern campaign currently lacked the transportation infrastructure to move South, leaving the two smaller forces in that location, the Piedmont Army and the Second New Army, to confront the empire’s best. They would soon need all the help that they could get, for the Imperial Army finally began moving out to destroy them.

The commander of the Imperial Guard was none other than General Cecil Stanley. In the face of the massive military disasters shaking the foundation of the Dominion, the Court of Emperor Beck decided to risk recalling the ambitious, scheming but militarily brilliant commander, and give him control of the last Imperial Army remaining with offensive capabilities. General Stanley’s orders were simple: take the Imperial Guard, destroy all rebel opposition in the South, and allow the Dominion to regroup. The North could be retaken later, or abandoned if necessary.

The general had been confident about his eventually recall to duty, and enthusiastically set about growing the guard with a massive recruitment drive, funded by the promise of plunder from defeated rebels, enhancing drilling and training, and adjusting the force into a field army. Armories glowed through the nights, producing munitions arms and armors and gonnes. The Imperial Guard, already the best armed and trained force in Nalbin, was soon unrivaled in discipline and fighting ability.

Events soon showed Nalbin just how powerful the Imperial Guard was. As the Guard moved through Corioli, the Second New Army attacked. Hoping to destroy the Imperial forces in detail, it converged its full strength on a single brigade garrisoned at Eger. Quickly warned of the approach by scouts, Colonel Danjou had deployed his unit and confidently confronted the attacking army. His confidence rested on firm foundations, firm discipline and strong initiative; the line of Imperial pikemen proved impenetrable to General Hassan's attacks and the five blocks of pikes defended by aquebusters and archers quickly moved autonomously and independently, herding the attacking spearmen and men-at-arms back line so many sheep. In an hour of fighting, Danjou’s pikes had created a semi-circle, having driven Price’s men into a chaotic mass. Then they reformed into lines and closed in, crushing the Arcadians in a vice. It was slaughter. By the time the day was over, the 6000 men of the 2nd New Army had lost to a unit 1/6 of its size, and had suffered 3000 casualties, including 800 dead. Imperial losses were minimal. Hassan retreated into the River Triangle, ceding the Cnaeus Plains to the Imperials. An effort by Termain's Army of the Piedmont to reinforce their embattled comrades was intercepted at Furth by the Guard’s Water Watch and routed, losing another 4000 troops. In the span of only two months, the Arcadian cause in the South was back at hanging by a thread.

News of these developments went North by messengers and pigeons, but the rumors went faster.

Roza was handling the informational correspondence, and as soon as confirmational information came regarding Furth she went straight to the Alba Barracks, now serving as the headquarters for the Arcadians. Both Jayna and Chagraff were in the administrative office; having mostly recovered from his wounds, Chagraff was tabulating the costs of transporting the army, while Jayna poured over maps for land and sea routes to take the war back South.

“Stanley’s crushing our forces in the South. The combined southern armies are down to 4000 troops. They’ve lost Goldsboro again.” Roza mentioned without preamble as soon as she entered the room.

Jayna immediately shot up and took the messages Roza handed her. “We need to relieve them as fast as possible.” The Arcadian commander announced.

Chagraff sighed and put down his new spectacles, acquired after too many long nights pouring over documents. “Jayna, our troops are exhausted. We’ve marched through half of Nalbin in the span of six months.”

“It’s my home-”

“-which has been occupied before.”

“And thousands died and Triford was destroyed. Butcher Stanley will slaughter everyone this time around.”

Chagraff shook his head. “It can’t be helped. If we move out now, we’ll run out of supplies in twenty days.” The Ruthenian handed his calculations to Jayna, who skimmed the data before returning it. “Besides, while we have twenty-five thousand troops, only half have any real combat experience. Our advance will be slow. Stanley will cut us off at the mountain passes or the ports and destroy us in detail.”

“Then Mera and I will go and preserve the situation.” Jayna stated flatly, pointing back at the calculations. “We can use air transport and fly two thousand veterans to reinforce the southern forces and keep the routes East open.”

“That’s a lot for only 2000 troops, Jayna.”

“We did it before.”

“Not against the Imperial Guard.”

“We weren’t even supposed to succeed against Imperial soldiers, Chagraff, we defeated them. We took Alba. We can do this.”

Chagraff got up.“I feel that this is a lot of unnecessary hazard, Jayna. We risked a lot earlier because we had to.”

“Is it a risk to try to help people as much as we can?”

“We can’t help everyone, Jayna.”

“We can do as much as we can.”

Chagraff sighed again and massaged his eyes. “One of these days, I feel we will court disaster too strongly.”

Jayna turned to Roza watching the exchange between the Arcadian leadership. “What do you think Roza?”

“As a Breakshirian, I know what it’s like to fight outnumbered. I also know what it’s like to have the fury of Imperial frustrations bore out on your people.” The colonel replied, before adding: “Still, you cannot help those who suffered if you lose.”

Jayna looked at her subordinate, before she threw up her hands. “Yes, you two are both right.”

“I’m glad you agree-” Chagraff started before Jayna interrupted.

“-I will be careful, but we need to reorganize our Southern front. It is essential for the long-term survival of our revolution.” And with that she abruptly turned and left the room.

***

In full battle armor, Jayna rode atop Meratezatgh, the likewise armor-clad dragon flying through the morning mists of Corioli. As the sun began to break through the clouds it revealed behind them a massive fleet of 23 Arcadian airships, the bulk of the combined Alba and Imperial Air Forces. Attack, scout and supply balloons, all had been temporarily converted to transport ships, holding 87 soldiers and their supplies. Mera flew like there was no tomorrow, and the airships tried to keep up, traveling the length from Alba to Cirrus in the span of four days. In contrast to when they had last left the Southlands half a year before, fleeing like harried foxes beset on all sides by hounds, Jayna and Mera were now returning in triumph.

The foxes had slain all the hounds set upon it, and now they were coming for the hunter.

---

Paul Brady and Iarla Ó Lionáird - Óró 'sé do bheatha 'bhaile

Awesome work from  Zionnefitta!

Original: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/38.....#cid:150509809