No one knew how the battle would turn out in the end. As a safety precaution, the long baggage train that followed Varre’s army was ordered to enter the capital, while the fighting was still going on. If the worst came to pass and Charles became the victor today, the fleeing troops could take cover behind the walls. These additional supplies would become invaluable then.

  Fortunately, that worst case scenario was avoided. Still, now that the battle was over, it meant there was one less task for the soldiers to worry about. As they worked deep into the night, burying corpses, gathering equipment, and capturing the last remaining stragglers, a slow trickle of carts was constantly heading into the city, ready to be processed.

  The enemy’s own wagon train was ransacked. Everything valuable was sent to the capital, to be examined by the Head Merchant and his men. All of Charles’ equipment, supplies, and even his pack horses. With the duke dead, all of his property would now fall to Varre.

  It wasn’t that simple of course. Though he was a rebel, he still governed an entire province out East. Even after his death, all of his lands were supposed to pass down to his heirs. But that presented a problem.

  Both of his sons were currently in captivity. They fought alongside their father, defending the banner for as long as they could. They were willing to fight to Charles’ last breath. But not their own. For now, they had been taken to the castle's dungeons, kept under constant watch of the Royal Guard.

  That only left the duke’s wife and daughter. They stayed behind, hiding themselves inside their Charles’ castle. While they now lacked the troops and resources to properly defend themselves, citadels were designed to allow small groups to reliably fight back against hundreds. Despite Varre’s victory today, the castle would still need to be sieged. A process that would take months, cost tens of thousand thalars and result in multiple casualties.

  Perhaps negotiations were the better solution. From the point of view of the law, as soon as Charles had rebelled, the king was fully justified in executing anyone who had sided with the enemy. He’d rather avoid that option if he could, but not everyone knew that. Offering to spare the lives of her sons might be enough to convince Charles’ widow to surrender. If that wasn’t enough, the stakes could go from there. Perhaps they could retain some of their titles. Or liquidate them for cash and be exiled to another country. They’d live out their lives in luxury, but be unable to reliably threaten Logres from a distance.

  Either way, these were all problems that tomorrow’s Varre would be better equipped to handle. For now, what he needed most was rest. And so did his men.

  There existed a pervasive image of a victorious army celebrating and drinking deep into the night after each victory. To be fair, the soldiers did exactly that after each of their previous battles.

  This time was different though. They would not only celebrate felling a single foe, but ending the entire war. A far grander occasion. Now, if this battle had occurred somewhere far out in the field, then sure, the soldiers could enjoy two feasts. But with everyone already in the capital there was only one chance to truly impress the populace. Both military and civilian.

  Fortunately, since the men worked deep into the night, the labor had tired them out. They didn’t protest when told to wait for the real celebration tomorrow. They knew great things were coming and were willing to sit by for now.

  Meanwhile, as the soldiers rested, the civilians got to work. A plan for tomorrow’s events would need to be prepared, the meals cooked, and the drinks arranged. An appropriate split of responsibilities.

  Despite all that, first impressions were important. Many citizens were far too curious to wait until tomorrow and were already crowding the streets, eagerly cheering on the men slowly trickling into the city. The real parade would be held tomorrow, but the people hoped to get some early look at their champions tonight. Some had even climbed all the way to the top of the walls, trying to get a glimpse of the soldiers from higher ground.

  Therefore, Varre wasn't allowed to just ride into the city and head straight home, even after the work was done. As the last tasks were concluded, with the captives properly secured and sent away and the battlefield mostly cleared of corpses and weapons, the soldiers began arranging themselves into columns.

  The guards went first. They organized the mass of commoners filling the main boulevard into some semblance of order. Then, they waited for the monarch’s arrival.

  The first signal was the sound of trumpets. Heralds stationed on the walls announced Varre’s presence and the people began cheering before they could even see him. Then, the sound of hooves on wood, as the horses passed over the lowered bridge. Finally, the civilians could spot the magnificent royal banner.

  Everyone instinctively understood the power and importance hidden inside it. It may be just a piece of cloth, but it represented the spirit of the entire army. Varre saw first hand just how hard people were willing to fight for it, when Charles’ men sacrificed their lives by the dozen trying to recover it.

  Once the flag had passed, it was finally time for the monarch. As he left the gatehouse, he made sure to straighten out his back and triumphantly held his sword above his head.

  The crowd went wild. The civilians cheered, waving colorful pieces of cloth in the air and singing their leader’s praises.

  The king couldn’t be sure how genuine they truly were, but the enthusiasm seemed real. He compared the reaction to what he’d seen shortly after his coronation. The people were no longer concerned. Rather than show fear and uncertainty, they believed in the power of their monarch. He proved his abilities in the field of battle, beating his most dangerous rivals as well as an enemy invasion.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  There was no one left in the kingdom who could oppose him now. All who had were already defeated. Either dead, or captured and awaiting their fate. If anyone else felt unhappy with their monarch, they understood it was far too late to act. It was better to hide their feelings and get used to this new normal.

  The knights of Logres came next in formation. While many of the city folk held no love for the nobility, especially the wealthier merchants angry at their influence, no one could deny the impressive visual at hand. The cavalry looked simply magnificent. Their armors may have been scuffed and dented during the battle, but the servants had the time to enact some simple repairs and cover up the damage.

  Now, the aristocrats could proudly display the colors of their houses. Their banners may not have been as impressive as the royal one, but the sheer quantity and variety provoked wonder in the onlookers. Especially children, who were too young to witness such sights before now.

  The regular infantry came next. They looked the least impressive, but the cheers were even louder. Many of the troopers had friends and families in the city. Even those that hadn’t, had a lot more in common with the citizens than either of the previous groups. They reveled in this opportunity, unused to receiving gratitude at this scale.

  The army slowly marched through the city all the way into the largest square. Their journey began here, when they gathered in this plaza just two months ago. Now, they had finally returned.

  A large crowd of onlookers had already gathered here, ignoring the news that the real ceremony would be held tomorrow. These were the people who didn’t manage to find a good spot along the streets, or hoped to catch some early glimpse of the monarch in these historic circumstances.

  They wouldn’t regret waiting. As soon as the monarch arrived, he dismounted his horse and walked up the steps in front of the town hall. He wouldn’t waste time climbing all the way to the balcony today, like he had done when he gave his first speech here, but he needed to gain some height to ensure his voice was heard by everyone.

  It took about twenty minutes for the remaining soldiers to march into the square and fill out the available space. There were noticeably fewer than there had been two months ago, but at least the fighting was now over. There’s be no more casualties after today.

  Once the last footman got into position, Varre slowly looked across the gathered thousands and took a deep breath “Men of Logres!” he had to pause for the cheers to die down, “you have done me proud today! And you deserve a proper reward! For now, I want you to get some rest! Let your fellow countrymen house and feed you for tonight.

  “That is an order! Perhaps the most crucial one you’ve heard all day!” he paused and enjoyed the confused looks on the faces of the nearby soldiers, “you must recover your strength, for we have an even more important task tomorrow! For tomorrow, we celebrate! Your skills will be truly tested! We will drink and eat to our hearts content! Like the heroes we are, deserve!

  “So hear me, my warriors! Rest easy and recover today, for tomorrow there will be no more time for that! We will celebrate, and we will cheer so loudly that your voices will be held in each corner of our kingdom! That is my order for tonight! And trust me, you do not want to disappoint your king!”

  Varre raised his sword triumphantly in the air again and the crowd exploded with shouts of approbation. This time he didn’t wait for them to finish. He walked down the stairs, mounted his horse, and rode off towards his castle. The Royal Guard surrounded him, leaving the sergeants in charge to take care of the minor details, while Varre’s entourage headed back home.

  The streets of the noble quarter were again filled out with people. Not quite as many as the commoner areas though. The women and children came out to watch the knights pass by, enjoying the sights. The men were either a part of this force already, or ashamed for having stayed out of this moment of triumph and hid in their mansions.

  The cavalry only followed their leader to the gate of the castle. They saw him off, before returning to their own homes, or the manors of their friends.

  Meanwhile, the gate doors were already thrown open, invitingly. The Royal Guards who remained here were bowing down, welcoming their lord. He triumphantly rode through the narrow passage and took a deep breath when he finally stopped in the center of the courtyard. He was home.

  Servants threw themselves at him, eager to display their loyalty by taking care of his needs after this long period of absence. He smiled at them, showing his gratitude in turn, and finally entered the castle interior.

  The Councilors who remained in Westbridge had lined up, waiting to receive him here. Steward Marna, Head Merchant Lester, Treasurer Johann, and Chancellor Anastasia, in order.

  The Head Merchant was the first to react. Ignoring protocol he threw himself forward and held the monarch in a deep hug. “I knew you were going to make it! Good to see you back, Varre!”

  The king clapped his friend on the back. “It’s good to be back, Lester.”

  The men separated and Varre could get a closer look at the other advisors. Johann frowned slightly at this uncouth display, but quickly brought back a polite smile as soon as he noticed his liege’s gaze. “Your majesty, I never doubted you for a second. Congratulations on a splendid victory out there.”

  The chancellor kept a wide grin watching this entire exchange. “Oh cut the boys some slack,” she chastised, “I think there are more important things at the moment than decorum. Welcome back, your majesty,” she took a deep bow.

  The steward on the other hand tried to plaster on a smile too, but it looked a little more awkward. As if she wasn’t sure which side to take. “Your majesty. You’ve truly outdone yourself. You’ve done more than anyone could have expected,” she paused, then quickly added, “not that I didn’t think you could do it, it’s just an impressive victory! Stopping three enemies in such a rapid succession. And so soon after taking the throne,” she stopped herself and straightened her back, “at any rate, congratulations once again. I imagine you might be tired after today’s ordeal. We took the liberty of preparing your quarters for you. A warm meal, a bath, and a freshly made bed. Whatever you prefer.”

  “Thank you all. You’ve done well keeping the ship steady in my absence,” Varre replied, “but for now, I think I’ll take you up on that offer. I’m beat. I hope you can keep things running for just one more night, for I’m afraid, I’ll be heading straight to bed!”

  And with that, the king retired to his quarters. It took an uncomfortable amount of time to take off his plate armor. He considered throwing himself immediately onto the bed afterwards, but decided to take a soak first.

  It was heavenly. He enjoyed the best baths possible during his journey, especially whenever the army spent the night in a city, but nothing compared to the luxuries available here. After spending his time relaxing his muscles, he finally returned to the mattress. He jumped on it and closed his eyes, finally allowing his mind to relax as well.

  It was much softer than he remembered and he quickly drifted off to sleep.