General - Short story ( Part 2 )

Always that same feeling after combat, like every atom of strength is squeezed from my body. This last clash lasted more that a day. In that time rain stopped form almost a five hours and than again started harder than day before. Mix of human and horse blood all that in big pool of mud made this whole mess impossible to perceive. Not for me, but for my enemies. I had control over the battleground the whole time even when I fought eyes in the eye with the passionate units of disciplined soldiers. For a moment, I was on the brink of death not long after the beginning of battle, but my faithful bodyguard saved me.

Now, after the end of the first clash of our forces I was again in my tent. That old and rusty armor is in it's place in the corner of the tent. I got that same armor as a gift from old drunk soldier but I've earned it many, many times over and over again. This piece of my equipment is going to be buried in soil with my body. That's closest to a family that I have.

Tired as I was only sleep could save my body from collapsing but my tasks are not finished and the dream will have to wait. In the hours followed there was meetings that stretched the deep in the night, after which I had a couple of hours of sleep before I needed to take it all in my own hands again. Although I was surrounded by capable people, and I would trust many of them with my life, this whole circus can not function without my leadership. Sleep never came to my eyes that night but strange thoughts were there. Old memories and old victories.

While the second invasion of Northern Tribes lasted, a battle just happened at the end of the war, the same battle that made me the commander of the army. The enemy put all his forces at the center of our battlefield, and the pressure was inexpressible there. Number of enemies were not superior, but they concentrated all their forces on that one point. All this with the thought of killing our king thinking that it will lead to the collapse of our army. As it usually happens, I've always been in the most dangerous places, so it was the chase again. The trouble was that we had three commanding officers in the same place, the place of the strongest strike. They fought desperately, just as the wounded animal would when last moment of it's life came. The one who does not have anything to lose aside from her life and wants to take as many enemies as possible. The most dangerous aspect of the struggle, no withdrawal or surrender. Through three hours of frenzied fighting they managed to kill all officers of our army with some miraculous and incredible courage. At that time, I was an ordinary commander of smallest order in the army, but I immediately realized that no one wants to command. I grabbed the nearest horse and started issuing orders. I did not even know where it came from, I did not have military training, especially not as an officer, but people found a hope in me and my orders. I was not a threat to the enemies, and I managed to establish order in our combat lines and soon our army had an advantage in that fight.

It ended soon after, without any prisoners. After that, we did not have a king, but we had center of power in the capital of the kingdom, held by some bad people, and shortly after returning from the front, I proclaimed what I did and what I deserved. I did not miss the laurels and the responsibilities that followed me for one reason only. At those moments when the battle was in front of my eyes, and my word could have influenced the fate of all those thousands of warriors, I was alive. Live as never before, and confident in myself as if that's what I have to do. That was my life path.

Over the years, I secretly taught myself fighting various weapons, which brought me many benefits in the coming times. The young king who came to the throne was wise to realize that the absolute power over our military forces must belong to me and that I will not agree to anything less than that. In return, I gave him and only him the strongest possible oath that a living man can pronounce.

The only thing worth living in, the only thing I was worried about was the cast and the weight of my words. Nobody taught me that, it came naturally. It was the only bright thing I was proud of. There are many things I do not and I will never be proud of. The dirty jobs that the crown demanded from me. On one occasion I had to do the murder that even I was frightened to do it.. trumpets are heard somewhere in the distance, the sound of hooves and military boots. The trumpets, the enemy is on the move. In a few minutes I was back in the saddle of my horse, waiting. Rain made the curtain, and made the view possible only a few hundred meters in any direction. It will be bloody again, bloodier.

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