The Long March - The Imperials

(Source)

The small town looked deserted. Though in this area the villages all looked deserted lately, especially when the regulars were on the march. There were rumors of reprisals against the locals being carried out, especially near the provincial capital.

The Major shook his head, "Best not to think on such things."

"Sir?"

He turned to look at his batman, who had followed him into the field when he didn't really have to. "Just thinking about all the rumors we've been hearing about reprisals."

"A nasty business this is, Sir. Makes me sick to hear of it."

"Why is that, Joshua?"

"Well Sir, the townsfolk and the farmers, they don't really give a damn about who runs things in the capital, as long as they get left alone. But now it seems, begging your pardon Sir, that the government is trying to shove things down their throats.

"Like?"

"Well Sir, taxing folks in the country because people in the city can't find proper housing, or jobs, seems a bit harsh. In my day, we lived in a very small house, it's all my Da' could afford. Now folks want a big place without really working up to it, do you know what I mean?"

"Not really, Joshua, I've been in the army since I was a wee lad. Father was a regular, so was I, from a very early age, an enfant de troupe, really. My Mother died when I was very young, so I spent a lot of time in the barracks. So as to owning my own place, it's a dream a lot of old noncoms have."

"Did your Da' ever ..."

"No, he was killed in action when I was 12."

"Ah. So do you have that dream, Sir? Ownin' yer own place?"

"With the way things are right now? I doubt it lad, I really do."

For the moment, his battalion had to stand in the trace of a muddy stream, waiting for the Imperials to search the village. The Fourth's commander, the Ruler's youngest son, had insisted on a full-blown assault, "for practice" he had said.

For whatever reason, but probably not wishing to upset any apple carts in the capital, the column commander had assented. After all, the village was empty, what could possibly go wrong?

"Fix bayonets!"

"Beg pardon, Your Highness, but is that really necessary? The village seems deserted."

"Yes Colonel, 'seems' being the operative word. What if the bastards are just waiting for us to advance?"

The colonel who actually commanded the Fourth Cohort, now under the Prince's command for the moment, nodded. "Quite right, Your Highness, quite right."

The Prince stood up in his stirrups, "Sound the advance!"

Turning to the Cohort First Spear, the Prince commanded, "Have the band play The Imperium Advances."

That old soldier nodded, then turned his mount to ride over to the band, standing not three rods away. Shortly thereafter, the band began to play the Prince's favorite march.

As the band played, the Imperials stepped off, two Centuries in line formation, the other four arrayed in columns behind those two in line. The drums thumped and the horns brayed their martial sound as the nearly five hundred soldiers advanced upon a seemingly empty village.

"Looks like the cowards have fled," the Prince said, turning to his entourage with a grin.

At that moment a large explosion stunned the onlookers. Where the right hand Century had been was now a scene of horror.

Just as the far right flank of the rightmost Century had passed a small outbuilding, the building had exploded, sending debris sky high. More ominously, the explosion had driven a number of steel nails and small rocks horizontally out to a radius which encompassed most of the nearby Century. Creating instant havoc.

Half of the Imperials were down on the ground, unmoving piles of bloody rags. Many of those who yet lived, shielded, for the most part, from the debris by the bodies of their comrades, were staggering about in varying degrees of shock and with various injuries.

"Your Highness?"

The Prince sat unmoving on his horse, his mouth agape. The band had stuttered to a stop, other than the echoes of the explosion echoing up and down the valley and the cires of the wounded, silence reigned.

Shaking himself, the Prince turned to the Colonel, "Burn the village, slaughter anyone remaining."

"Sir ..."

"Now, Colonel."

The Imperials stormed into the village, firing their weapons into the buildings, setting buildings on fire as they went. They found no one in the village itself, but a merchant passing by on the nearby road had stopped to see what was happening. The Imperials accosted him, then dragged him to a nearby tree and hanged him.

"Your Highness, the men are out of control," the Colonel admonished his superior.

"I want them angry, Colonel."

The Colonel wanted to say more, but held back. He liked his job.

"Dear God, Sir, they murdered that man for no reason, other than him stopping to watch." Joshua was watching the scene playing out before them with a look of horror on his face.

"I know ..."

"No wonder they hate us, Sir. Right now, I hate them." Joshua said as he waved his hand in the general direction of the rampaging Imperials.

"I understand, Joshua. This is barbarism."

From further up the hill, a small party of militia watched as their homes were destroyed. Not a word was exchanged among the three men and two women. Up until the merchant was dragged to a tree and hanged.

"Why would they hang Gabriel? He never harmed a body in his whole life," one of the women said in horror.

The leader of the militia turned to the speaker, "One cannot know what goes through the mind of a brute, Rachel. But know this, he will be avenged"

The leader, a humble man named Daniel noticed the party on horseback just outside the village. He brought his glass to bear on them. He saw the Prince.

"I have an idea, an idea which will get the capital's attention, an idea which shall rally support for the militia," he told the others.

"The Prince?" one of the men asked.

"Why yes, the Prince himself will pay for this."