#100
“I, the Crown Prince of Shamier, am here, and the child of my blood and the Prince’s is in my womb. What they’re really after is me. If they capture or kill me, the Prince will be shaken. Even if that’s not possible, this situation of the castle being besieged will be threatening to the Prince.”
“Surely His Highness the Prince wouldn’t split his forces to send troops to protect this place or come rushing here himself…”
“If he does, taking Baron’s capital will be off the table, and all our efforts and sacrifices so far will have been in vain.”
Enrique spoke in a heavy tone.
A weighty silence fell over the meeting room. Enrique heaved a sigh and continued.
“The Prince will inevitably hear about the situation here anyway. It’s best to inform him first and reassure him. Tell him we can defend the castle sufficiently, so he should ignore this place and focus all his efforts on capturing Baron’s capital. Say that’s how he can help us.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Select several of the fastest horses and most agile messengers. They’ll likely try to catch and kill them as soon as they leave. Have them spread out and deliver the news to the Prince. It’s not critical confidential information, so it doesn’t matter if they’re caught and the message is taken. It’s enough if even one of them reaches the Prince and conveys my intentions.”
“I’ll arrange it immediately, Your Highness.”
The meeting quickly moved on to discussing the defense of the castle. Just a few months ago, they had been besieging this very castle, but now they were in the position of defending it. Fortunately, they had repaired and reinforced the damaged walls and even dug a moat. It was now a much more difficult fortress to besiege than before. Enrique believed they could hold this castle until Anture captured Baron’s capital. No, they had to hold it.
After sending out about ten messengers, they had no way of knowing what happened to them afterward. Enrique could only hope that at least one of them safely reached Anture.
Monta’s army of 10,000 established their camp and began full-scale siege preparations. Francia Castle was now completely cut off from outside communication. Fortunately, they had abundant supplies, which greatly eased the psychological burden on the soldiers. They just needed to hold out. The commanders repeatedly encouraged the soldiers with these words day after day.
“They’re preparing catapults!”
A soldier watching below the castle walls shouted.
“Brace for impact!”
The commander’s voice rang out in response.
“Your Highness.”
The attendants and guard knights surrounded Enrique. And shortly after…
Boom-!
A tremendous noise echoed as a huge boulder struck the castle wall.
The impact was so great that the ground beneath their feet shook momentarily.
“It seems this is just the beginning,” Pol whispered quietly. Enrique nodded and watched the line of soldiers rushing up to the castle walls. Monta’s siege of Francia Castle had begun in earnest.
Boom-!
Thud-!
Two catapults alternately struck the castle walls. Like the Ruben and Shamier allied forces had done, they hurled boulders day and night without rest. Fortunately, thanks to the inherently sturdy construction of the walls and additional reinforcements, the walls didn’t crumble easily. However, as when they had besieged this castle, if they kept hitting one point continuously, there would come a moment when it would collapse.
Waaaa-!!
Enrique watched through a small window in the castle’s highest tower as soldiers surrounding three sides of the castle rushed towards the walls. A rain of arrows poured down on the ant-like mass of soldiers. Some blocked with shields, some fell after being hit by arrows, but they didn’t stop their advance towards the walls.
Lines of soldiers carrying ladders could be seen here and there. They were rushing towards the walls, disregarding their lives. When one fell from an arrow, another soldier immediately took their place. These men exuded a desperation to protect their country.
“This won’t be easy,” Enrique muttered softly.
When the allied forces had previously besieged Francia Castle, they were in the position of taking someone else’s castle. But these men were different. Although they were also besieging, it wasn’t simply to take someone else’s castle. They were driven by the desperate need to capture Enrique, an important card in protecting Monta.
“It’s extremely fortunate that we brought a doctor from Shamier in advance,” Pol said, as if heaving a sigh. Enrique nodded in agreement.
Of course, there were doctors here too. But most were military doctors dealing with war injuries. That’s why Enrique had requested Shamier to send a doctor in case he had to give birth here. Fortunately, the doctor had arrived safely before Monta’s attack. Given the current situation, Enrique would likely give birth here in Francia Castle, so it was indeed incredibly fortunate.
“Let’s go down. I should check on the wounded,” Enrique said, carefully descending the narrow, small stairs with Pol’s support.
The wounded were gathered in the castle’s largest hall, groaning as they sat or lay on hastily made, crude beds. Military doctors could be seen busy treating them, their hands moving quickly.
Fortunately, as they were in a defensive position, there weren’t many wounded, and the injuries weren’t too severe. However, as time passed, the number of wounded would increase, and the severity of injuries would worsen.
“Your Highness.”
A doctor treating the wounded approached and bowed his head. It was the doctor brought from Shamier for Enrique’s delivery. As he didn’t have much to do yet, he was helping care for the wounded here.
“You’re working hard. Please, continue with the treatment,” Enrique said, patting the doctor’s shoulder encouragingly. The doctor nodded and returned to the wounded. Enrique had brief conversations with each of the wounded, comforting and encouraging them.
After making a round of the hall, Enrique felt a slight cramping in his belly. Pol, noticing sensitively, began to support Enrique towards his bedroom. Even on the way to the bedroom, the thunderous sound of boulders from the catapults striking the castle walls continued to echo. The shouts of soldiers removing ladders from the walls and the screams of enemy soldiers falling from the walls poured into their ears incessantly.
“To think you have to give birth in such an environment…” Pol muttered in a complex voice. These days, Pol’s mind was filled only with thoughts of Enrique’s impending delivery.
“Isn’t it grand? An heir born in the midst of a battlefield. They’ll surely become a great figure,” Enrique said in an amused voice. It wasn’t just empty words to comfort Pol. He was partly sincere. Enrique had great expectations for the child in his womb who would one day inherit Shamier. Giving birth in the middle of a battlefield was nothing.
Suddenly, loud shouts and cries began to ring out from outside.
“It seems they’ve climbed up the walls again,” Pol said in a tense voice. The other attendants and guard knights also became visibly more alert.
This happened several times a day. Although 3,000 soldiers were guarding the walls, taking short naps in shifts, their numbers were still inadequate against an army of 10,000. No matter how desperately they repelled them, the Monta army persistently placed ladders and climbed up again. Sometimes, they couldn’t repel them in time and had to allow them onto the walls. Of course, most were immediately killed on the walls, but it was inevitably a significant threat.
Sitting propped up in bed, Enrique stroked his belly, deep in thought. According to the doctor, the baby’s head had now descended. The birth was imminent. It was time to prepare countermeasures.
“Pol.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Pol stepped closer to the bedside. Enrique slowly scanned everyone in the room. The head attendant Pol, of course, along with the faithful attendants who had followed him to this battlefield, and the guard knights as well. They were all trustworthy individuals.
“If the castle falls before or during the birth, it can’t be helped, but if it falls after the birth…”
“Your Highness! Why such ominous words…!”
“Listen carefully, Pol.”
Enrique cut off Pol, who had interjected with an anxious expression, and continued in a resolute voice.
“We’re holding out well now, but if there’s any sign of the castle falling after I give birth, I will remain here. Instead, you will take the child and hide in the secret space.”
“Your Highness!”
“Pol, this is important. Their target is me. The baby is also a target, but once they secure me, they won’t pursue the child too aggressively. While I divert their attention, you hide in the secret space with the baby. I’ve stored plenty of water and food there, so you should be able to hold out for a while. Hide as quietly as a mouse and wait for Anture as long as possible. Or wait until the situation reverses and I come to find you.”
“Your Highness…”
Pol finally began to shed tears. Enrique comforted Pol while looking around at everyone else.
