Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 33: Looking for employment(2)

The wind whispered through the plains, tugging at the fluttering herald of House Yarzat as it trailed behind the fifteen men. As the hearld fluttered , Sir Robert and Alpheo engaged in a silent duel of scrutiny, each assessing the other's intentions. Alpheo, nonchalantly munching on cheese and bread, seemed unperturbed by the weight of the negotiations. Behind him, Jarza, Clio, Egil, and Asag stood as a silent but vigilant guard, though they doubted the need for drawn steel.

"Robert is an uncommon name in these parts," Alpheo remarked, his curiosity piqued. "Are you perhaps from the north?"He asked with a smile as he drummed his index on his nose, as if he could smell the foreign out of him .

Sir Robert met his gaze with a measured expression, the suggestion of his northern origins seeming to sting his pride. "My father hailed from the north. He brought me south in me' youth, and I entered into service under Yarzat's father. But enough about me. It is time we discuss matters of importance ," he declared, producing blank parchment and ink, ready to commence the negotiations.

"Let us start with the basics," Robert began. "How many men do you command?"

"512 in total, 540 if we include the cooks and other support personnel," Alpheo responded casually, revealing a subtle hint of pride. During their journey south, they had recruited women to serve as both cooks and whores for the soldiers.

A brief silence followed as Sir Robert absorbed this revelation, his surprise evident. Alpheo couldn't help but relish in his reaction, a smirk playing across his lips.

"Are they all armed?" Sir Robert inquired after a moment, his demeanor betraying his underlying unease.

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"Indeed, the men are armed. The women, not so much," Alpheo quipped, attempting to lighten the mood, though Sir Robert remained unamused. "But yes, they are all equipped with chainmail, with 125 possessing breastplates. Each one has a helmet and is prepared to fight for your liege, pending the successful conclusion of our negotiations."

Robert nodded, as he started calmly writing something down , all the while though his head was in uproar!'500 armed forces?How the hell did he manage to mantain such company, I never heard of their band which means they are rather new.Moreover how come such a young boy is the leader!' Robert thought as his eyes drifted to the man in question.'We need to employ them , whatever the cost my liege will need them'

As Robert thought on how to approach the situation , Alpheo stood with an air of confident command, his black hair cascading in sleek waves down to the nape of his neck. His sharp jawline .defining his face His eyes, a piercing shade of deep, dark brown, gazed at his opponent.High cheekbones lent their handsomeness to the men. It was not a virile beauty, as much as that of a boy.His baby fat still hanging on his face, as he almost resembled the human lover of Venus, Adonis. Whose handsomness was not in his muscle or face , as much as it was that of youth.His lips, sculpted and expressive, carried the faintest hint of a smirk, as if privy to some secret amusement, which only he knew the joke of .

Despite the harshness of his surroundings, there was an undeniable magnetism to Alpheo's appearance.Even his close friends could not help but admit that, though they did not know what the consequences of it were. As beauty in a slave was more of a curse than a bloom.

''I believe it would be a good time to discuss the cost for employing your services'' Robert started as he forced himself to calm down. He could not let the boy see any weakness .

''Well me and my brothers are more than happy to follow your pace. By any means give us your offers'' Alpheo started calmly as he brought yet another piece of cheese inside his mouth.

''We were thinking of offering five silverii for each soldier at month, one quarter more than a normal soldier wage. We believe that to be a generous offer'' Robert offered, a small sweat falling down to his neck.

'Too lowe , but it is a starting point at least' Alpheo considered as he spat in the ground the hard part of the cheese.

"The offer you propose is hardly worthy of consideration," Alpheo retorted, his voice carrying a note of disdain. "Five silverii for each soldier per month? You must jest, Sir Robert. Such paltry compensation is an insult to the skills and expertise my brothers and I bring to the battlefield."

He paused, fixing Robert with a steely gaze that bore into the man's soul. "Do you see my men?" Alpheo gestured behind him, indicating the soldiers who stood at attention. "They are not mere rabble. They are the elite, trained and equipped to rival the best of the empire's soldiers. '' it was a lie ''Don't think that I do not know the state of your prince's army, nor that of his current war effort, we will basically be your elitè force "

His words were laced with a quiet intensity, his conviction unwavering as he continued. "We do not seek to starve, nor do we seek riches beyond measure. But we demand fair compensation for our services, in par with our skill and dedication. We are not mercenaries to be bought cheaply, but skilled professionals who will ensure victory for your liege."

Alpheo leaned forward, his demeanor commanding respect. "If you wish to secure our allegiance, you must offer a fair wage, worthy of our capabilities. Anything less will be met with scorn and rejection. Your prince may be losing this war, but with us at his side, victory is within his grasp. The question is, will he be wise enough to recognize the value we bring?"

"What do you offer then?" Robert asked, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone as he grappled with the mercenary leader's bold demands.He hated being insulted by nothing more than a boy , yet he could not afford to make an enemy out of him.

"Twenty silver coins per month for each soldier, alongside the promise that whatever spoils we acquire will be rightfully ours," Alpheo stated firmly, leaning forward with an air of confidence.

Robert hesitated, his brow furrowing in contemplation. "Twenty silver coins? That is a considerable sum, a bit too much to spend on mercenaries"

"But consider the value we bring," Alpheo interjected, his voice unwavering. "With our skilled warriors at your prince's disposal, victory is all but assured. And with the promise of rightful loot, we offer an incentive unmatched by any other mercenaries.They will probably run if things go south, we won't. After all this is our first employment, it would not do us good to have a 'bad' reputation. "

Robert sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. "That is too much we offer you ten silverii., it is more than double what we pay our soldiers."

''Please they are not 'soldiers' , they are levy, if we take into account 'real soldiers' than we should consider how much is the wage for each of your heavy cavalry. I am sure you don't want that right?'' He asked with a small smirk

"There is no room for compromise," Alpheo continued firmly "Although I would be willing to lower it to fifteen silverii per month, while the right to claim our spoils are non-negotiable. However, to ease your prince's burden, we can include a clause in the contract stipulating that in the event of defeat, he will only be obligated to pay half of what is owed."

And that was a clause too good to pass up. History was filled with stories , of mercenaries rebelling after a lost war , when their employer were unable to pay their wages while suing for peace.The biggest example of it being Cartaghe, whic ìh after the first punic war, was unable to pay the reparations to the roman while affording to pay all the wages they owed to their mercenaries, causing them to rebel in one of the bloodiest civil wars led by mercenaries.