(no subject)
When word came, carried by reinforcements sent on horses and wagon, the note was curt in the military style, in a scribe’s hand with careful instructions to treat the wounded refugees and return as soon as twas possible. Then a list of supplies. Then a string of commands for the captain, regarding a reconnaissance of Wiggenberg’s lands and whatsoever may remain. Viola read it carefully, twice and placed it down only to snatch it back up ‘gain as something caught her eye.
Half hidden in the fold of the parchment, the blocky character of her lord pleaded for a return on yesterday’s morrow, to save him turning mad whilst surrounded by endless magistrates and ambassadors and foolish men of rank and bluster.
this goes between these two
Twould be the last time he did ever go to war with men not belonging to him, Fortinbras swore, sick to his gut of messengers and complaints and arguing and the endless annoyances of people who did not trust him. No, they need be assured and reassured before would grant even rights of passage through their towns, and were he not too eager to reach the Goths he would have been done with it and simply taken what he wanted on the way. He was the king of Norway, who had conquered back his father’s losses with whatever army he had been able to coerce away from docks and farms, on his way to defend these foreign lands against utter depravity, and here they did hem and haw and ask an he was sure twould be no leveraging of fees against them. When war twas finished with its bloody aims, twould be much fortune for them indeed if he came not back to take it all anyway.
Fortinbras gritted his teeth and they did move, crawling southwest across his maps, towards Höchst in the opposite direction he would, to snatch away his dear friends away from whatever hell had become of Wittenberg. But Cesario was of great sense and steady heart, and he and Horatio would have to make due as they could. Doubly so, as he had left instructions in Magdeburg as to who was to take care of t’all in his absence. And in that way he kept faith, with Cesario’s hand tucked gainst his chest, under his shirt as he fell into a bedroll at the end of march and slept without prayers or dreams.
Höchst was every other city, weak and unsure and unable to take action in its own defense or to even choose a path to action, to choose a side. Fortinbras met with its Count and magistrates and listened calmly as they explained that surely he could not expect them to, for if the side they did ally with did lose, and twas only the people of the city they did think about, and Denmark was so very far away what would happen a he left for home. Waited out the stream and stood and nodded and walked out, moving his people back out of the city where they did arrange themselves regardless.
The Goths came in the morning, screaming and hungry, followed by their sandaled roman brethren, and Fortinbras pulled out his sword and did -- finally -- do as he would to throw his men forward into’t. They streamed forward, the wall to guard Höchst’s wall, and he did press a hand gainst his letter and the letter gainst his heart before returning the oncoming roar with his own and spurring forward.
Höchst did pledge itself willingly, falling to its knees afore its bloodied new lord without having lost a soul, and Fortinbras accepted it with good grace.