"Without ambition there would be no empires but neither would there be ambition if it were not possible to forge empires."
-Unknown-
"Home at last."
Prince Halim let out a contented sigh as his carriage drew close to the city gates of Yudana, for some time he had been "on the road" taking care of royal matters in his fathers stead. Everything had gone according to plan and all parties involved in the cross border raid had been paid in full including the fool Sibusiso. Supplies had been stocked, counted, sold, slaves partitioned to the various parties or sold and the proceeds collected into a series of hefty chests. However, despite the success he was still irked with his mercenary allies.
For over a decade they had proved most useful and loyal but Sibusiso was starting to grate on his nerves. Every time they had successfully completed the plan the foreign king had immediately tried to grasp for even more, an act that usually resulted in disaster not that it had ever stopped him from trying. His own position was held shakily and his debts were ever mounting to the point he had abandoned the old capital far to the south and moved to Umfula Ugewebe. It was a disgusting attempt to bolster his failing kingdom which was wrought with corruption and yet somehow the wily king always managed to stay just far enough ahead to survive.
Moving slightly Halim relaxed, it felt good to be out of his armor which had almost become a second skin after having worn it for so long but he enjoyed it. Getting out of the palace was always something to look forward too even if it was only every so often. Eyes scanning his battalion of personal guard Halim half closed his eyes in weariness as he leaned back on the cushions as the commotion began. He did not need to see what was happening to know either, the soldiers were beating the peasants out of the way with their spears, swords or shields and forcing the wagons off the road to make room for his own.
Anyone too slow was given a good smack to motivate them to hurry along and get out of the way and if he had wanted to look out, which he did not as it bored him, two thick rings of royal guard were huddled around his carriage. Just in case some assassin thought they might make a go of it, not that anyone had in a very long time after what his farther did to the last one. It was almost boring really.
A shadow cast itself over the carriage as it passed through the gatehouse and continued on its way through the wide streets of the city on their way to the palace. No messenger came running up so that meant his father was still alive and that there were no pressing matters for him to deal with. Ears half laid back listening Halim took in the familiar sounds of the city as they worked their way through the streets as familiar smells filtered through the curtains of his carriage bringing a small smile to his face.
Unlike the other nobles who served his father that were too stuck up to enjoy the simple pleasures of the day to day lives of peasants he did. From the age of twelve he had been sent on every last campaign his father had waged and knew better than most the smell of burning flesh, fur and the screams. He enjoyed them greatly, he relished hearing and seeing the destruction but also took pleasure in life where it was warranted and acceptable to him.
Crossing the final thresh hold and entering the palace grounds the carriage halted and after a few seconds Halim emerged before taking in the sight of his home. The illustrious palace was as impeccably kept as ever, cleaned, polished, the plants trimmed with the utmost care and perfection, it was like nothing had changed since he left. Letting out a small sigh he began walking up the steps as his eyes moved to the side and to one of his fathers advisors who had stood waiting on him quietly. The advisor gave a quick bow while averting his gaze, Halim gave a small movement of the hand and continued on his way.
"My prince, your father wishes to see you."
"Yes of course but that is not what I wish to know."
"Of course..." The old stallion gave a quick nod. "His health has held while you were away though his coughing spells are getting worse by the week. His physician fears that age and injury have finally caught up to him and that he might last out several months more if he is lucky and sticks to his diet and medicine."
"Has he?"
"More or less..."
"Stubborn as always, where has his health allowed him to be today?"
"Only an hour in the throne room unfortunately and things have piled up but no matter it has been handled. The sultan is waiting for you in his private chambers."
Waving the advisor away Halim walked brusquely through the various buildings and chambers that made up the royal grounds before deciding to cut across the gardens. Servants had rushed to him after entering the grounds proper but a glare had made them back away, his fathers poor health was always worrisome and grated on his nerves. He had taught him everything he knew about warfare, politics and governance. And yet, after all these years, battles and blood it still tore at him to see the once powerful stallion laid out in a bed wheezing for air. All of it because once upon a time he had taken a poisoned arrow through a gap in his armor and while it had been "healed" this little fact that had finally caught up with him all these years later.
Standing before the grand door that led to his fathers private quarters and pausing he motioned for his guards to wait outside before stepping forward. The two guards already at the door stood rigidly at attention before one rapped on the door and announced his arrival and after hearing a reply stepped quickly to open the door and moved to the side, allowing Halim to pass through the doorway and into the richly decorated living quarters.
Silk cushions, the finest rugs, curtains and every royal amenity was arranged carefully with servants waiting quietly with backs to the wall waiting on orders. However, his father was nowhere to be seen and the room was utterly deserted save the servants who tried to blend in with the walls as well they should. Halim looked over the cushions trying to remember if they had ever moved since his last visit while wondering if his father was becoming too feeble to stay in the living room. Getting down had never been a problem but standing him back up always proved to be a chore like no other, a chore made all the harder when he began one of his coughing spells.
A wheeze made his ears turn and following the sound into the royal bedroom his eyes dimmed a little as they settled on his father. Laying sprawled out on the bed and propped up with a mountain of cushions the silver and gray haired stallion grit his teeth quickly at seeing his son and swatted his personal physician away.
"You look no worse for wear and I read the reports, everything is settled then."
"Yes." Halim did not move from his spot and made a small bow towards his father and waited till the ailing sultan waved him forward. "Though if I may say so... Sibusiso is quite mad, did you learn of his newest scheme yet?"
"Of course!" Holding back a wheeze he glared at the physician who let out a sigh before walking away to stand in a corner. "Let the fool hang himself for all we care, his forces know it is I who pay for their livelihood's and not their king. That is why I even agreed to allow him to marry his first daughter to you!"
"Yes... Her."
"Oh come now son, its politics and by your age I had nine concubines but you only have two. You have no right to complain! Those disloyal to Sibusiso hold their tongues till they can betray him and those loyal are now hoping you take over from him sooner than later."
"He does have a son."
"Pah! Only one and a hair brained fool like his father! I also understand he will be going off on this newest campaign their king came up with yes?"
"Correct, he will be accompanying them on the raid to the north and into Fareed's lands."
"Assessment?"
"I suspect that the tribes they are sending will do quite well at first but once Fareed's forces rally against them it will not end well. Especially if the reports on Xerin are even half true."
"Exactly." Unable to hold back the wheezing he let out a long string of them before growling at himself and choking to hold them back. "My ambassador spoke with Sibusiso and returned before your arrival, despite the warnings he is quite committed to his course of action and I know why."
"He is sacrificing the disloyal to get rid of them while making a profit."
"I am glad to know my lessons did not go to waste on you. Still, as his only son is going in order to make certain they sacrifice enough of them in the meat grinder there is always a good chance he too will be caught up in the chaos and not make it back."
"We can only hope."
"Good because if that boy dies then Sibusiso has no choice but to name you his successor. It will put you in charge of a great number of forces and land..."
"But only after he first dies of old age and he may be as crazy as his father but this one is smart enough to avoid the worst of any fighting."
"Who knows what the future holds, maybe he will relinquish control all the sooner if you would make certain to sire some heirs..."
"I nary have the time."
"Make the time, I did not commit to my course of action decades ago so I could hand it all over to a son who will take the name and legacy to the grave! It is your duty as the prince to marry and make as many heirs as you can! You are also the only child I have."
"Yes but that one is... She is just so-"
"She is sharp as a smooth river stone, I know. But damn it son you need to think of the larger picture!"
"I do."
"Ahhh... Your ambition's bring joy to my heart but without heirs it might all go to waste, what would have happened had I not of sired you? All of this would have been for nothing."
The ailing sultan waved his arm around to shoo the physician away before settling his eyes on Halim again and glared at his son. Taking a long breath and letting it out slowly Halim closed his eyes and nodded, seeing this the old stallion smiled briefly before wiping the grin from his face. Settling back into the cushions he too let out a tired sigh.
"Good, good. Now that such matters are done with it is time to begin planning again and while you were gone I had a lengthy talk with advisors and spies. I know it grated on you not being allowed to take Bwani but I think our fool of an ally has just provided us with an opportunity."
Clapping his hands one of the advisors who had been hiding in a corner came forward and unfurled a map quickly on a table and then weighed it down. Halim walked over and watched as the stallion quickly placed markers on the map and string marking paths that were to be the assumed path Sibusiso's off-casts would take.
"Do you agree with the assessment son?"
"I do, they must pass through their lands on their way north as they are still camped to the south east. Are they truly going to split their force in half?"
Letting out a small laugh his father nodded.
"My ambassador was duly informed of Sibusiso's plans, he even had the guile to try and ask for assistance on our part for wagons. He was of course refused, all of our wagons are already busy with other tasks you see..."
"A perfect excuse that serves your own ends."
"Our, ends son. Our ends. Despite these fools dotting over me I know that old wound has caught up with me and neither would I live forever anyway. It is time for you to have a greater hand in this."
"You already gave me the army."
"Now I give you a task, prove to me you were worth all this effort and worthy of my throne and legacy."
"By sacking the city?"
"No, when I inherited this kingdom is was but a pin prick on the map. Your grandfather and I took Paje and slew the royal's who lived there making it our own and thus established ourselves as a true kingdom. I expect much more of you and I know from the look in your eyes every time you look at map you plan to do far more than I ever did. However, sacking the city will do us no good as it would better serve us to protect our border in the north west."
"Supplies might be a little hard to get for a long siege as we already sacked the countryside... Ah, I see."
"Good. Now that they have nothing to draw on to survive the siege and it is already in our hands... Did you note the quantities I ordered to be put aside?"
"Yes, they were quite substantial and now I understand why."
"Everything has been taken care of including preparations of siege equipment, it will all be packed and ready for travel soon but the army will not march till after Sibusiso has sent his blood sacrifice on their way."
"Its such a waste though, they would be bettered served elsewhere."
"Part of politics is allowing the fools to kill themselves including those who are more useful in our own hands. Those tribes would be better off dying at Bwani in place of our own forces but they can also serve a purpose by drawing off forces and allowing us to move in quickly from behind. They will not suspect it as we have already ransacked their lands and left."
"Very true but-"
"No buts, your purpose now is to take that city and expand our borders! I hope you know what to do with the rulers of that city."
"Stake them as we always do with anyone who defies the Sultan."
"And if they surrender?"
"Stake them anyway."
"The population?"
"Slay everyone who resists, sell those who hesitate to swear fealty and allow the rest to go free in order to better serve their new leader. However, this will also make us more enemies as expanding will draw unwanted attention from Enuba and Msitu Bandari."
Tapping his finger on the two neighboring kingdoms Halim waited quietly as his father narrowed his eyes.
"Of course it will, so what will you do about it?"
"Make the campaign a short one, strike within the week of Sibusiso's forces passing, avoid a prolonged siege and storm the city as rapidly as possible."
"Much can go wrong when taking such actions."
"Which is why you have that map of the city and sketches of the walls which I assume have their rough height and weak points already mapped."
"Oh?"
"You taught me to study the enemy first and prepare."
"Indeed. Give him the papers."
Scanning the documents quickly along with the myriad of sketches a plan was already forming quickly but when he reached the last one he stopped.
"There are already plans here for how to take the city."
"Of course! Time was running out and long ago I desired to take the city but never had the chance, you however, do. Planning for an action such as this takes months and you already completed most of the plan, Sibusiso just happened to give me an excuse to capitalize on it."
"All I must do is follow your plans then?"
"Make your own if you will but I doubt things will go as easy as they are written down. Your true test is being able to adapt as things change."
"Assuming they are smart enough to adapt."
"Do not underestimate your enemies."
"Yes but these fools were incapable of defending their borders, we razed every hamlet, village and town with hardly a single incident. Their illustrious army hid from us and only made one engagement on one of Sibusiso's detachments."
"They won the battle as well, that means they are smart and choosing their battles carefully."
"If one looses everything else to win a single battle one looses the war."
"Backing them into a corner as you shall will make them fight even harder."
"Then I shall give them an ultimatum, they can either surrender or die fighting."
"Such a claim shall be hard to hold up during a siege."
"When I take the walls and this gate it will have more meaning."
"Will you trust those who lay down their arms?"
"No, but they shall make excellent fodder for future conquests."
"Already have your next campaign planned do you?"
"Of course, you taught me that. I plan to do nothing less than take every city and kingdom on this map and anyone who gets in the way will be put to death, a true empire and legacy that shall live on for centuries to come."
"Empire comes with a steep price."
"And I shall pay the price and forge an empire."
Halim's father smiled a little before closing his eyes and waving him away, long ago he had made bargains as well and the cost had been high but well worth it. His own son now sounded much as he did so long ago and now that he had planted the seed Halim's eyes were gleaming, like his father he had a burning desire to conquer. However, unlike Halim he had never been given many opportunities to do so. Halim on the other hand had more than he knew what to do with and when he took Bwani it would start him down a path to conquest and glory.
Make me proud son, I shant be here when you return.