Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 16: Captain of the slaves(2)

The slaves exchanged uncertain glances as the man words spread though the chilly airs , their eyes darting between him and Alpheo. Some nodded in silent agreement as they tended to understimate the young man for his age, while others remained silent, watching the exchange with curiosity, for everyone loved a bit of drama.

Meanwhile, Jarva couldn't help but feel a bit insulted by the stereotype he was expected to fulfill – that of the big, strong black man. 'Alpheo, you bastard,' he thought to himself, brewing with indignation. 'You'll hear from me after this.'

"I believe you're all misunderstanding me," Alpheo interjected, his tone calm as that of a mother singing a lullaby "I'm not here to declare myself your ruler. We need to choose our leader collectively.A ship constructed without nails is sent only to sink in the sea, what good would it be to lead this group if my own men mistrust me?Is it not stupid for an brothers-in-arms to kill each other while the enemy is outside their camp?"

With a confident gesture, he beckoned the Jarva forward. "Please, brother, come here. I assume you wish to nominate yourself?"

Jarva stepped forward, his voice booming. "Of course, I'm the strongest among us. I should be the one to lead. Now what we need is strenght " he declared, though internally seething with resentment toward Alpheo, as his cheeks reddened in embarassement at shouting like a fool .

Alpheo continued, addressing the pressing issues at hand.

"We likely have riders headed our way, sent by the emperor himself. Our food supply will last us three days, maybe five if we ration it. And water... well, we can't stay here, as this will be the first place our pursuers check. So, brother, what do we do?"

Jarva raised a finger, forming a dumbstruck expression that belied his true emotions. With a forced, loud hum, he attempted to contribute, feeling Alpheo's supposed attempt to humiliate him.

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''Let me give you a small suggestion , there must be farms filled with food near us''

''Then we will raid them and take the food'' Jarva spoke his fist strucking his palm, as if he found the solution for all their problems

''We do that and we will die at the end of the weeks'' Alpheo said seriously ''Raiding is absolutely out of the question''

Jarva's face twisted in frustration. "But if we don't raid, we'll starve!"

Alpheo maintained his composure, addressing the concerns with a calm yet firm demeanor.

"Raiding villages will only draw more attention to us. The local lords will organize expeditions to hunt us down. And even if we evade them, the news of our presence will spread. We'll be met not only with armies but also angry nobles out for our heads, nobody like bandits."

Jarva shot Alpheo a glare of hatred "But we can't afford to starve!I don't want to starve " he exclaimed, his voice booming.

Alpheo responded evenly, "We have gold, and there are people we can buy from."

"But that's our gold!" came the collective response, reflecting the sentiment of the group.

Alpheo countered, "Would you rather have a few more coins and risk death or enslavement in the mines, or have a little less gold and live to spend it? I'd choose the latter. What about you?"

"Yeah, you're right. I want to live and spend gold, not die," one of the slaves concurred, echoing the sentiments of many.

"That's the spirit, brother," Alpheo praised, patting the man's back reassuringly as he approached him .

Turning to address the rest of the slaves, Alpheo spoke with conviction. "Brothers, many of us have suffered for years, enduring whippings and starvation. But that's all behind us now. I was the one who orchestrated our escape, who led us to freedom. Do any of you think you could have done the same? If so, come forward, show me the scars you've earned from this life. Come on, I'll show you mine.

I earned them in pursuit of this opportunity, I shared with all of you . I've been whipped countless times for actions taken months ago, all to pave the way for our freedom. If any of you think you're better suited to lead, then speak up now.Who among you think he has worked harder for me , than I have for you?"

He paused, allowing the silence to hang in the air for a moment. When no one stepped forward, he continued, "My name is Alpheo. I've spent twelve years as a slave, and I offer myself as your leader. Who will it be, brothers? Who will lead us to freedom or death?"

As Alpheo's impassioned speech concluded, a hushed silence settled over the gathered slaves. Egil and Clio, two of Alpheo's most trusted comrades, exchanged determined glances before simultaneously raising their hands to the sky. Their voices rang out in unison, breaking the silence with a resounding declaration: "Alpheo, the breaker of chains!We want Alpheo "

Their words echoed across the camp, stirring something deep within the hearts of their fellow slaves. Slowly at first, then with increasing fervor, others began to raise their fists to the sky, joining in the chant. "Alpheo, the breaker of chains!We want him to lead us" Their voices swelled in a cacophony of unity, each repetition growing louder and more defiant.

Soon, the entire camp was alive with the sound of their chant, a powerful symphony of hope and defiance. Not a single soul remained untouched by the fervor of the moment, as every man raised their fist in solidarity with their chosen leader.

Alpheo stood amidst them, his chest swelling with pride and determination as he beheld the sight before him.That was it , the first small stone he will throw to build his mountain of boulders . ALpheo the breaker of chains was his name .

''Be it , I accept your request with an oath, as I promise to never betray you and to spill my own blood for your well-being , as that is the role of a true leader''

The fists in the airs was his response, he had become the man he always thought himself to be, and this 530 men were the first army he would lead.