"Samael, give me a head count of our knights. The dead and the wounded. I need you to cut off the heads of the enemy soldiers, and burn their bodies."
"Cut off their heads?"
"Yes, it's a war tactic, you will see why by morning."
"What about the prisoners?" Samael asked.
"You caught prisoners?"
"Yes, my lord, some surrendered, it is unethical to kill off people who surrender."
"Sorry Samael, but all is fair in war. Kill them all…or wait. I have better use for them. Call Dagla for me."
"As you command, your majesty."
Dave was thinking hard about his the decision he was about to make. It was ugly, and he knew it.
'This is a quest related to my legacy. If I fail it, all is gone. The only way for me to secure victory is to show my ugly side. Damn, I never thought I'll have to call upon Evil Dave…
Soon after Samael went away, Dagla entered the throne room.
"Your Majesty, We have lost 620 men, 250 archers and the rest were all foot soldiers. The enemy casualties, however, are in the thousands. At least 6,000 dead. I say this was a complete victory."
"Yeah, but this was just a probing. The real fight is yet to come."
"Samael said you called me for something regarding the prisoners. Do you want them to be tortured out of information, your majesty?"
"No, what I have in mind is far cruler than torture. Take me to the dungeons." Dave said.
"Follow me, your majesty." Dagla walked ahead of Dave.
The smell of burning flesh spread through the city, there was cheering but Dave could still feel the somber mood of many other knights. They had lost friends and family members. War had never been a cheerful occasion.
Dave ordered some knights moving along the street to clear up the traps and pitfalls from the bodies of the Vinnaldians. Thankfully, Dave ordered the closing of the portcullises and didn't let any enemy inform their headquarter of the traps inside the city. He still had the element of surprise if the enemy manages to go over the walls.
Knights had chained up wounded enemy soldiers and led them inside a one-story building.
"This is the entrance to the dungeon. We keep prisoners underground," Dagla commented.
Dave called over two knights. "I need you to catch as many rats as possible and throw them in with the prisoners."
"Rats?" one knight asked in surprise.
"Your majesty, are you trying to cause the plague?" Dagla asked.
"Yes, when the prisoners show signs of fever or vomiting, cut off their tongues and release them back to the enemy. I need only two willing men to manage this."
Dave turned and walked away from the catacombs followed by Dagla.
"Sir, won't this cause our own men to be infected?"
"Give the order for the knights who will do this operation to put a cloth over their mouth. If the knights show signs of the plague, quarantine them alone and let no one come in contact with them. Also, burn off the vomit and excrement the feverish enemies release."
"As you command," Dagla nodded to Dave.
"Your majesty," A knight came to Dave.
"What is it?"
"The enemy is invoking the Law of War. They wish to retrieve the bodies of their fallen soldiers."
"Loot the enemy first, take all of their weapons and armor and then let them clear the battlefield for us. Also, recover the dead bodies of our own soldiers from outside and clear the rubble. Someone call over Samael," Dave ordered.
"I am here, your majesty." Samael was right next to Dave giving him a heart skip.
Taking a breath, Dave said, "You need to accomplish your mission this night, burn all of their food supplies."
"As you command, your majesty."
All of the fighting didn't last more than two hours. But Dave knew this was just the beginning. There were many days left and many variables to account for.
Poisoning the river, burning the food and causing the plague in the enemy ranks. For Dave, though this was cruel, and rare were those who would partake in it, he didn't have a choice but to do it. He needed to kill off as many of the enemy as possible and in the most gruesome of ways. All was fair in war.
Chapter end
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