One minute you were on your regular patrol of Florence's Westernmost town, Pompeii, and the next second your were fleeing for your life on horseback back to Sicily's Western capital of Florence city.
You can't make sense of what just happened. Wessex had long been an ally of Florence, so for them to invade was unthinkable.
Thinking back though, it may have been somewhat rooted back [[a few days ago]].
[[No time to reminisce, get to the capital!]]You were stationed in Pompeii, the Westernmost town of Florence, near the border between Florence and Rouen, an unwilling vassal state of Wessex, Sicily's Western neighbor. It was a typical routine, until one day when bandits attacked the town.
Like all the other guards, you rushed to the town's defence, but noticed an oddity among those engaging the bandits: The Prince and Princess of Florence, Lorenzo and Fiorella respectively, as well as Ennio, the Prince of Napoli, the other state of Sicily.
You noticed that the Princess was struggling a bit with some of the bandits, but also that a townsperson was surrounded, and there were only so many guards. Do you [[help the townsperson out of concern,]] or [[help the Princess to possibly gain fame?]]You ride right through the gates, without even parking your horse at the stables. You scream to civilians to move out of the way through your exhausted breathing.
"Urgent message for the Marshall and Queen Rosa! Let me through!" Thankfully your armor gives you away as one of their own, and the guards [[let you through.]]You barge into the throne room, cathing the eye of Queen Rosa and Marshall Vito, who asks you "Aren't you supposed to be stationed at-"
You interrupt him, frantically warning him about the immense invasion force that Wessex has used to almost instantly capture Pompeii, and headed this way.
Their eyes widen with fear as Vito grabs your hand to lift you off the ground. "You had better not be lying, or there will be grave consequences." You explain the sight of the massive army taking Pompeii, thanking luck that you were able to outrun them on horseback.
As the Queen finishes gritting her teeth, Vito asks her "Lady Rosa, how do we proceed?"
Having clamed down, she looks at you and Vito. "I should've known this would happen. Both of you, listen carefull. Mobilize the military to [[help civilians escape]] and [[ready our defenses]]." You rushed towards the aid of the citizen, but there was still a gut feeling that the Princess would be hurt. Still, you served the people as well as her parents, and you thought she was certainly capable enough to be alive so far.
You stepped into the path of a bandit's axe, deflecting it away from the citizen's chest with your shield, getting it damaged in the process. Your training proves to be too much for a single bandit, and he started panicking and rushed away.
[[The chaos eventually died down. ->End of Bandit Siege, Saved Townspeople]]You rushed towards the blade that would've contacted with the Princess's arm, and block a relatively minor force, knocking the bandit back.
[[The chaos stared to die down.->End of Bandit Siege, Saved Princess]]You decide to help the citizens of Florence city escape. You immediately head over towards the guards' barracks to coordinate an escape plan for them, deciding which other cities near the Florence-Napoli border you can head to, which platoons go to which cities, etc.
One household at a time, you help the troops escort the people of Florence City out of the soon to be besieged capital, until the horn signalling the arrival of enemy forces is heard. You get many of the town's people out of the city in time before the horn signalling enemy forces arrives.
You immediately unsheath your weapons. [[Prepare for Battle.]]You decide to help ready the city's defences. You start out by handing out weapons to every able-bodied soldier in the city you could see. Swords, spears, axes, bows, the works. You then go off to help prepare the ballistas, pushing them as far out as the gates will allow.
You see the outer wall lookouts raising their horns and blowing loudly, signalling the armies of Wessex arriving on the horizon.
You and your fellow compatriots ready your weapons. [[Prepare for Battle.]] [[It all happened so fast...->Running]]Eventually, everything settled down at Pompeii. The townspeople thanked you for your efforts, and even the Princess, despite receiving a minor injury on her upper left arm, thanked you for your part in saving lives. You couldn't help but groan, as you knew how mad the King and Queen would be. She reassured you with "Don't worry, I'll handle my mother."
[[You decided to help round them up while they were down.->Bandits Rounded up. ]] Eventually, everything settled down, with some thanking you, while a few were slightly annoyed at your presence, seeing as you went for momentary glory. The Prince of Napoli took his time to thank you for saving his loved one and her brother.
[[You helped tie up the unconcious bandits.->Bandits Rounded up. ]]The soldiers of Wessex march upon the city, bringing with them a large battering ram and a large platoon of archers on both foot and horseback. So many arrows are fired that your fellow soldiers' shields can only block so much. Some fall, others stay to fire back with their own archers, ballistas fired alongside their own arrows.
As much as they try to push back, the troops of Wessex won't stop, as their legion is comprised of many soldiers. You notice one of their men fire a flaming arrow, to the city's Northern gate. As soon as it hits the ground, what you see fills you with horror. A second legion approaching from the North.
"Sound the alarm, we're being flan-ugh!" The arrow freshly placed in his back forces his fall from the gate's walls as you reach for the secondary alarm horn and blow with as much air as your lungs will allow. You descend the ladder down and run to the [[palace's entrance.]] You spot Marshall Vito again, and he quickly gives you and some other soldiers orders.
"I won't lie to you. These next orders will hurt me to give out. I need some of you to [[stay behind and buy us time to evacuate.]] The rest will [[come with us to cover our retreat.]]You knew that if these soldiers kidnapped or killed the royal heirs that were helping to defend the home that was both yours and theirs, that all would be lost. Yet you weren't going to let the ally turned enemy take your home without a fight. You volunteered to stay behind and risk yourself getting either captured or killed.
Vito looked at you and the other soldiers that volunteered, a mix of negative emotions flooding his face. "Thank you, fellow soldiers. You will be remembered and revered for your bravery."
You and the other soldiers prepare for battle with the opposing forces. You can't help but look back at those that volunteered to go with the royal heirs, wondering if they'll even be safe.
Your thoughts are ended by the sudden booming of a battering ram swatting open the gates. [[Wessex troops have begun flooding the city.]] You knew that if these soldiers kidnapped or killed the royal heirs that were helping to defend the home that was both yours and theirs, that all would be lost. Every step that Florence and Napoli took to reunify Sicily would be wiped out in an instant if the army of Wessex got what they really wanted.
You volunteer to go with the forces escorting the royalty. Vito looks at you and the rest who volunteered. "Being forced to leave one's home behind is a painful experience. I thank you all for choosing to endure that pain with me. Get the escort convoy ready, we depart as soon as everyone's here."
You and the rest of the escort troopers begin to get the convoy ready, but you couldn't help but look at those who volunteered to stay behind and feeling conflicted. You wished you could help them, but you had your duties. One of them looks back at you and yells [["Quit staring and go!"]]The sounds of clashing steel and the smell of smoke overload your senses as your fellow soldiers push back against the large force of Wessex troopers.
"Keep pushing back! Make them bleed for it!"
The captain's rousing words can only motivate your forces for so long, as eventually their overwhelming numbers push through. No matter how many Wessex troops are struck down, it seems as though another one takes their place.
In the midst of the chaos, one of them hits you with their shield hard enough to distort your senses for a bit, but not enough to be unable to strike them down in retaliation.
Soon, though, your vision starts going fuzzy and you fall over and faint. You try to stay awake, but you can only make out three things, a flaming castle, the sounds of screaming, and the smell of smoke. [[You pass out.]]But that was a while ago. Pompeii has been taken, and you need to warn Queen Rosa and Marshall Vito, so [[get to the capital!->No time to reminisce, get to the capital!]] You hastily go to the Western sub-gate and get things like food, camp supplies, currency and weapons ready.
Later during your preparation, you and your fellow soldiers hear screaming coming from the palace, as if sorrow had suddenly filled the air.
Suddenly, Prince Lorenzo arrives, shock on his face, requesting horses at once. You get the horses to him asap.
You could tell something terrible just happened, but not what it was. Marshall Vito and a group of people, including the royal heirs of both Sicilian states, rush out.
[["Get this convoy moving, now!"]]Your head feels heavy, your skin feels dirty, and your vision is blurry, but eventually you regain full conciousness. You've found yourself in a cell, with nothing but some hay and a bucket, wearing only your pants and shirt. You call out once to see if there's anyone else, finding that it's only your voice and the droplets of water breaking the deafening silence.
Eventually, however, a guard opens the door to the hall, continuing a patrol. From his garb, it's clear you're in a Wessex jail, but he looks a bit uneasy, like he knew something was wrong. Eventually, he looks at you, even more unease filling his face. Suddenly, he gets angry and goes away, closing the door behind him.
[[You decide to rest a little longer.]]The bandits were rounded up, but when you were about to arrest them, soldiers from Wessex arrived at the small town, and their group's leader, who called himself Donovan, demanded the crooks at once. The bandits seemed horrified of the prospect at the time, but you couldn't make out why. He and the Princess had a rather heated argument, something about forgone obligations.
The next few days were rather uneventful, aside from hearing about King Benicio meeting with Napoli's King Ezio about the reunification arrangement. Your garrison received some small reinforcements, but none of you knew the full extent of [[what was to come.->Back to Present]]Eventually the guard returns, carrying a set of light armor and a hood with him, opening your cell and throwing them on the floor.
"Get those put on. You and I are sneaking out of here."
You couldn't help but be confused, yet also grateful at the same time.
[[You put the armor on and follow him out of the cell.]]No one has spotted you yet, so far so good. You ask him why he's helping you. "Let's just say I'm not the only one with doubts."
You two press on through the dark, the only light source being the moon.
Eventually, you two make it [[to the courtyard.]]There's a few soldiers on watch here, so escaping won't be easy.
You follow your prison breaker through the place, carefully moving to ensure neither of you are found out.
Suddenly, you both hear shouting and guards start moving quickly. [[They know you've escaped.]] "Search the courtyard! Don't let the prisoner get away!"
You two start moving quickly along with the rest to keep up appearances.
[[You reach an exit and quickly leave.]]You and the rest of the convoy soldiers begin speeding out of the city through the Eastern sub gates.
Some of the soldiers fend off some stray Wessex troops that managed to spot them, your forces eventually managing to find sanctuary in a forest near the Sicilian border between Florence and Napoli.
You dismount your horse, spotting the royals as you do. Prince Lorenzo shoves Marshall Vito into a tree, who manages to grab his incoming punch.
"You could've gotten her out of there-!" "And you and your sister would be dead!"
You ask a fellow soldier what happened, and what they say paralyzes you.
[["Queen Rosa is dead. Pushed off the top of Castle Florentine by Commander Donovan of Wessex."]]You hear them scrambling to find you from the other side.
"There could be other escapees! Check the other cells!"
"They've stolen a set of armor! Be on the look out for anyone out of the odinary!"
The prison breaker looks at you.
"All right, new plan. We could either [[split up]] or [[continue together.]] Your call."Deciding it would confuse them more to split up, you opt for the former.
"...Alright. I'm trusting you."
You split up and look for alternate exits.
Soon you find yourself at a dead end, sans a small window.
You need to decide to [[turn back]] or [[take your chances and jump.]]Deciding it would be safer to stick together, you decide to stick with him.
"...Alright, keep following me."
You both run as fast as you can, making sure to blend in as much as you can with the rest of the guards.
Someone running by looks at you funny. You pay no heed to it, as she doesn't look like a person from Wessex.
You both make your way outside of the prison.
"Come on, [["Let's go. I want you to meet someone.]] You don't feel it's worth the risk, and decide to turn back.
You avoid as many guards as you can, taking careful measure to obscure your face.
Suddenly, you bump into a stranger, wearing heavy armor from their armory. "Who are you?" she asks.
You notice your hood is down, but it's too late. The guards sound the horn. "Damn it, out of my way!"
She pushes you away and starts running. Should you [[follow her,]] or [[run off on your own?]]You decided to take your chances jumping out. Luckily, you landed on a small area, but just barely missing a steep fall. Thankfully the climb down isn't as perilous, but there is still danger in losing your grip.
Carefully, you [[make your way down.]]When you reach the bottom, you look up at the imposing prison you just escaped from.
"You alright?"
You turn around and find the man who helped you.
[["Let's go. I want you to meet someone.]]Whoever she is, she certainly isn't from Wessex, that's for sure. She would've reported you in if she was. You decided to follow her, seeing if there was anything to back up your hunch.
She spots you, and rolls her eyes. [["Alright, follow me. I know a way out of here."]] You decided that it wasn't the best strategy to follow someone you don't know, and run off again.
Sadly, you bump into an actual Wessex guard this time, and get caught. You're stripped of the armor the stranger gave you, and [[thrown back in.]] You instinctively follow him, as he might be from Wessex since he wears their armor and knows their terrain.
You keep walking until you both reach a [[secluded hideout.]]Suddenly their shock and anger makes sense. After everything calms down, you decide to give them some space and calm down a bit yourself.
After walking away a bit, you decide to sit down and think to yourself, the only comfort being the noisy bugs chirping in the forest grass.
[[You head back to camp.]]You ask where Marshall Vito is, and told he's gathering firewood and using the oppurtunity to scout the surroundings for enemies. You've also been told that an archer from Napoli is out gathering some extra food. A young man by the name of Sergio, supposedly a close friend of Prince Ennio.
You head to a tent that's being shared by some of your fellow soldiers and [[get some rest.]]
Your instincts feel right, so you continue to follow her. She leads you safely out of the prison.
"Let's go. I want to let you in on something."
You continue to follow her throughout the countryside until you reach a [[foreign looking campsite,]]Once you get inside, you ask him who he is.
"My name is Robert Beaumont. I'm a spy for the Rebels of Rouen, and I want you to meet our leader."
(To Be Continued)You wonder what's happening outside, wondering about the status of your country, of your comrades, of your would-be rescuer.
(To Be Continued)"You're not from around here, are you? Sicily, I take it? Florence or Napoli?"
You ask her why she's helping a complete stranger.
"Rouen isn't the only one with a bone to pick with Wessex. I'll tell you everything on the way to my home."
(To Be Continued)You awake to the sound of shouting. The royals, their friends and Marshall Vito apprehended a Wessex spy who deserted, a young man by the name of Thomas Beaumont, who had tried to warn Florence about incoming invasion before he was arrested for disturbing the peace.
He began speaking about Commander Donovan being irrational while carrying some sort of unholy sword. You don't know what to make of it.
Later, preparations are made. The force is divided into two groups. One who will [[go to recruit Prince Ennio's tutor]], a former strategist of Wei, Sicily's Eastern neighbor, who taught Ennio quite a bit about tactics and warfare. The other will go with Ennio and Lorenzo to [[convince his father to lend his support.]]You figured that having a strategist to help your country would be a boon, and decide to join Princess Firoella and Marshall Vito's group to recruit the strategist.
(To Be Continued)You decided that having the support of Napoli's king would be a boon to reunification efforts, and go with Prince Ennio and Prince Lorenzo's group, and head for Napoli.
(To Be Continued)