Chapter 75 - [Prince]

“I hadn’t put much thought into it,” David said. “I was an adventurer before the campaign started five years ago. I guess I’ll just go back to doing that.”

“Is that right?” Erasmus said those words mostly to himself. “And what of your men? Will the beastfolk return to their tribes and the elves return to their isolated forest sanctuaries? Without you, there will be no place for combat-trained demi-humans.”

A noise of annoyance escaped from David’s mouth. “Yeah, that’s right, but there’s nothing I can do about it. We’re all being paid out of the King’s coffers. Funding a battle-company of a hundred men costs thousands of gold pieces per year. I can’t afford that.”

“Maybe… you won’t have to,” Captain Erasmus Thorn said opaquely. “A week ago, you told me of your dream. What was it, again?”

“My dream…” Captain David York thought for a moment. It was hard for him to remember what he had said. He was pretty drunk at the time. “Oh yeah,” David said, remembering. “My dream is to become fabulously wealthy. I want to live in a massive mansion. I want to have hundreds of servants, millions of gold pieces, and a dozen wives. I want to retire when I’m forty and spend every day swimming through a pool of golden treasure. I would prefer to be the King of Etronia, but I suppose being the Duke of the Lowlands would be acceptable as a compromise.”

David jumped to his feet as he was recounting his dream. His words became more and more fervent as he visualized everything he wanted. It was only when he expressed his desire to be the King that he started to wind down.

“You know,” David said meekly, “the usual stuff. I’m sure every man wants the same, as long as he’s being honest with himself.”

“Funny that you should mention the King,” Erasmus said at a volume that David could barely hear. “What if I said that there was a way for you to reach your dream and keep your men?”

“I’d probably call you a liar,” David said with a smile as he returned to his seat. Despite his flippant attitude, his eyes locked on Erasmus. David was very interested in what Erasmus was about to say.

“A war is coming, David,” Erasmus said. “A real war, not like this campaign of extermination we’re running right now. One day soon, King Theophrastus will be dead. There will be a succession crisis, one the likes of which this world has never seen. When that day comes, I want you on my side.”

“Succession crisis?” David asked, confused. “I don’t really follow politics, but I know that the King only has three daughters. When he dies, Princess Rosa will become the Queen of Etronia. I don’t see how that could give rise to a succession crisis.”

Erasmus laughed at a joke only he understood. “Three daughters? No, King Theophrastus has seven children, and three of them are sons. Up to now, he has kept four of those children a secret.”

It was at this point in Erasmus’s speech that David understood what the other captain was getting at. House Polaris was well known for the snow-white hair and inherited Talent of its members. The Talent was [Time Stop].

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“The eldest of these sons was adopted by a merchant family in the capital city of Etron,” Erasmus said as if recalling a memory. “When that son came of age on his fifteenth birthday, he learned the truth of his birth, and he decided to head off to war so that he could prepare for his ascension.”

“You…” David sputtered.

“Yes,” Erasmus got to his feet. He stood with his back to the bonfire, wreathing his head in a halo of yellow light. “Before you stands Prince Erasmus Polaris, the rightful heir to the Kingdom of Etronia. Join me, and all of your greatest dreams will be fulfilled.”

After less than five seconds of thought, David came to a conclusion. David climbed to his feet and flashed his large, white teeth at Erasmus. David said, “Working for a Prince, eh? That works for me.”

David firmly grasped Erasmus’s outstretched hand and shook it vigorously. If Erasmus had been a weaker man, the handshake might have hurt him.

“And maybe you can set me up with one of your sisters,” David said with a smile. “I’ve always wanted to sleep with a Princess.”

Erasmus laughed and clapped David hard on the shoulder. “We’ll see, we’ll see. I’ll keep your request in mind once I’m King.”

“You know, I really should have seen this coming,” David said. “What with the white hair and ability to stop time.”

“House Polaris has hundreds of unclaimed bastards,” Erasmus said. “Only a handful of them can actually claim to be a prince, however. More than ten percent of the men in this army have the last name ‘Thorn.’ That’s why we’re the ‘Band of Bastards,’ after all.”

“I guess that makes sense,” David said with a shrug. “Hey, why don’t you bring the rest of your battle-company over to the bonfire. If we’re all going to be one big unit after the campaign is over, our soldiers should take this time to co-mingle.”

“Excellent idea, David,” Erasmus said. “I’ll bring them over right now.”

Within a few minutes, the crowd of soldiers surrounding the bonfire doubled in size and the fire expanded at almost the same rate. There was some minor awkwardness at first, but that soon dissipated. The alcohol, the rush of victory, and the twinkling light of the great bonfire brought the soldiers together, despite any preexisting racial tensions. Before they were humans, elves, or beastfolk, they were soldiers of Etronia. Griswold had wrapped his arms around the shoulders of two men from the Fifth Company, and he was drunkenly singing a song of victory.

The two captains sat off to the side, watching their soldiers celebrate. They smiled at the mirthful atmosphere that had filled their encampment.

“So, Prince Erasmus,” David said with a smile, “what about your siblings? Do you think they’ll cause us some trouble in this succession war?”

“Naturally,” Erasmus frowned. “My legitimacy will be highly disputed, especially if the truth of my parentage only comes to light after the King’s death. If we can prove my legitimacy, however, my claim to the throne will be stronger even than Princess Rosa’s.”

“Male-preferred primogeniture,” David said. “That’s the inheritance system, right?”

“Exactly,” Erasmus said, surprised by David’s knowledge. “Though, ‘legitimacy’ is mere justification. The throne will be held by whoever has the power to hold it. If Princess Rosa is able to defeat us in battle, then she will be more ‘legitimate.’ Hell, any of my six other siblings would have a fine claim to the throne if they could accumulate enough power.”

“‘All authority is derived from force,’” David said, quoting a book that did not exist in Ferrum.

“Exactly. I have never heard that quote before, but it is the truth,” Erasmus snapped his fingers in agreement as he heard David speak. “I just hope that Haydith and Tancred don’t get pulled into this war.”

“Who are they?” David asked.

“My younger siblings,” Erasmus sighed. “We grew up together, and they don’t yet know the truth of our parentage.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” David smiled. “We just need to take the throne before any other nobles can pull them into their political machinations. Easy peasy.”

“Yes, I’m sure you're right.” Erasmus said, but it was clear that he was lying. If there was anything Erasmus knew about the coming war, it was that the war would not be easy.