Thread: To be conquered (Methos and PreciousPetra)

Denvorn had been invaded! No one had anticipated that particular step, although the previous day a perfunctory note had been delivered to the Duke and Duchess whereby the Duke of Alben accused the Duke of having poisoned his father. Naturally he demanded his claim to the throne be recognized, supplication and tribute granted and their children delivered to him as hostages. Naturally what had appeared to be such outrages demands and accusations had been refused and denied but then the young Duke appeared at the head of his army, the standards of three of the previously neutral earls whose territory had lay betwixt the two duchies now appeared among those of his vassals. Turbulence had beset the lands since the old king had passed away. War ever follows when kings have too many or too few children to succeed them. With no heir to the throne, all the great houses and even several of the earls had announced their claims to the throne. The elder Duke of Alben, William, had been considered a leading contender for the crown, he was one of the great landholders, hed married well, had several sons to follow him and reputation as an excellent general. He was related to the deceased king, albeit several generations back where they shared a royal grandfather. Yet none of the great houses had renounced their claim and rallied around any contender. Thus Duke William had sought to consolidate his power and campaigned against several of the earls to the north of him rather successfully, forcing them to pay homage to him as the rightful king. It had seemed a promising start and the Duke had promised his son Conrad that if he did not win a crown for himself, he would see one placed on his sons head. Fate would seem inclined to grant such a wish, then the duke had been poisoned. His fathers death had cast a black humor over Conrad who then at the age of merely eighteen had been proclaimed both Duke of Alden and King. But his advancement brought him no contentment, his eyes were said to burn with a murderous desire for revenge. Hed rallied his knights and soldiers and like some avenging angel had launched his lands into a state of permanent war. His wrath would not be sated, until hed punished those he held responsible for his fathers death. The lords of the land had not been inclined to take his anger seriously. They acknowledged that Conrad was a fine swordsman, and hed proven as much in various tournaments. Many a joust over the past several years had seen him proclaimed a victor, hence his skill at arms was unquestioned. But with many with aspirations to the throne older than his father had been he seemed but an angry boy and how much trouble could one of those be really? While his father had campaigned to the north of their lands, hed turned his attentions to the east. Ruthlessly hed swept through and crushed three separate earldoms whom had refused to align themselves with his cause. Slaying two of the earls and forcing the third to submit. Those that had counted him no more than an angry boy before now were forced to count him a very dangerous young man. Quietly the earls that had remained neutral who lay between Alden and Denvorn had pledged their allegiance to the young duke. Thus his army had rather unexpectedly lay just beyond the borders of Denvorn when hed sent his rather stern ultimatum. At its refusal hed led his troops into the duchy and began to lay waste to its town, forcing Duke Alistair to rally his vassals and troops and seek to meet his younger counterpart in open battle. That was exactly what Conrad wanted. Upon the battlefield he struck an imposing site. He stood just a shade over six feet tall, with a sturdy breath to his shoulders and the frame that came from constantly drilling the martial arts of the knighthood. Now nineteen, his form had yet to reach its maximum strength and size yet already his strength exceeded that of many. His features were considered handsome, with a strong jaw, cleft chin and intelligent eyes combining with thick dark hair. A rather harsh countenance had settled upon him of late which spoiled the yet youthful look to him. Clad in chainmail reinforced with pieces of plate, and a helm he wore a black and silver tabard with his houses silvery wolf crest upon it. Hed selected the battlefield himself and there he lay in wait for Duke Alistair and his men. Little was the older duke to know that in the forests to either side of the field Duke Conrad had secreted forces of crossbowmen. No sooner had the men of Denvorn taken the field, then they found themselves beset by flurry of crossbow bolts, which resulted in death and then disorder. The chaos that resulted from the ambush was followed by a more straightforward charge by the knight of Alden. Their lances struck and rolled through the army that was arrayed before them. Conrad himself fought straight to their heart, for Alistair himself and there engaged him in rather furious combat. Their swords ringing together as they traded blows, until Alistair was knocked off balance and then clout upon the head knocking him from his horse. The younger duke had dismounted to finish him off, but found himself impeded by two young boys who appeared to be squires. In a rage hed slain the squires who refused to leave his path and then had finished the duke off himself. The battle had raged for another short series of moments, though its outcome was never in question. Duke Alistairs body and those that were later identified as his children whom had ridden with him as his squires were collected as was the dukes sword and standard. Thereafter, Conrad and his army rode towards the dead mans stronghold. For while the man himself was beaten, he had business with his wife, undoubtedly word of his victory and approach would precede him.