[RoS] Soldiers of Fortune (IC)

[Dienekes]

"Take me to Sahala then, if I'm lucky I might get a good axe finished before I actually need it."

Gerric was quiet for a moment, as he munched on the slimy snail thing that Windsteel had offered. The confirmation that Windsteel knew who he was wasn't a surprise, and it was somehow refreshing to stop pretending to people. "Last time I marched south without Euric. I was able to capture one city and burn another to the ground. It took a combined force to finally drive me off. Euric is more clever than I have ever been. Maybe not as adept at actually commandin' a battlefield, but he's patient. He knows to attack sideways, if you take my meanin'." Gerric shrugged, and tried to go over everything he had seen and heard since he'd been in this stinking city. It did not look good.

"From what I've seen o' this place, I ain't impressed. Yer own soldiers tormented the best archer I ever saw and pushed him away, who knows who else got treated similar. There are knights, and they'd be trouble, but how many do you have in this one city? Yer guards get cut up by some dandy, who may be workin' for Unaric. Which brings up the important matter, Euric will find the weak thread and pull it. If someone in your council can be bribed he will find and bribe them. If there is any tension he can exploit he will exploit it, say perhaps, from the families o' those council members that just stepped down. Who see their position gettin' worse unexpectedly. And when the city is tearing itself apart he'll step in bringin' peace in one hand, and chains in the other. There will be a battle, no doubt, but he usually tries to win before the first catapult is ever even constructed. There are ways to defend against all o' this. But it requires power, complete authority. And you just gave up yer position. And I don't think anyone is goin' to hand me a throne anytime soon. Maybe Kate, but I don't think she has the stomach for this work. But that girl has surprised me before."