Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 306: Watching over the sea

Chapter 306: Watching over the sea

Alpheo rode tall in the saddle, his sharp eyes scanning the roads of Aracina, the salt-tinged breeze a familiar reminder of the town's place by the sea. Beside him, Ratto rode silently, his compact frame hunched slightly as he occasionally glanced at the Golden Steeds, the company of sixty men, all in gleaming gilded armor following behind. The rhythmic clinking of chainmail and the steady beat of hooves on cobblestones echoed like a heartbeat through the streets.

Alpheo allowed himself a moment of reflection, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he recalled his first days in this very town. Aracina was more than just a, coastal settlement of the crownland to him—it was the birthplace of his rise in these lands. One year and some months ago, he had been no more than a sellsword when fate intertwined him with the late Prince Arkawatt. Tasked with holding Aracina until the royal army could arrive.

He still remembered when his companions had been against being hired by Arkawatt as they could not understand the reason , he would pledge his service to a man without coin.

Now I am the ruler of that princedom, and all of them were made lord.Fate is a fickle thing ....

He could still picture the walls of Aracina at dusk, the fires flickering in the dark as the army of Prince Shamleik of Oizen loomed outside the gates. It was here that he had devised his boldest ambush, luring Shamleik's forces into the town's narrow streets, turning their numbers against them. The bloody skirmish that ensued became a defining moment—a triumph that not only saved the town but also gave them a good amount of coins and equipment for his soldiers, that would not come from Arkawatt's pocket.

As he rode now, the sea breeze stirred memories of that fateful night. The cries of battle and the sight of Shamleik's banner falling still lingered vividly in his mind. A slight frown darkened Alpheo's features as another thought emerged—the fragile truce signed after that victory was coming to an end. By December, the Principality of Oizen would be free to renew hostilities. And if Alpheo knew anything about Shamleik,he would probably not miss an opportunity to pay back the man that had thwarted his plans.