35 Days (Violent Delights Book 10)

Day 34: The siege September 20, 1415

According to Raoul de Gaoucourt

We surrender.
"How many days?" Jean asks.
"Three. Give them three more days," I say, "The walls will fall by then."
"I'm telling him that if there is no relief in three days time, then we will surrender and accept his terms," Jean says, looking up from the paper.
"I do not trust him," I say.
"I mean—none of us do," Jean says.
"No. I mean there was a madness in his look. Something unrestrained. Like a viper or a wolf. But wolves hunt for prey not for sport. He's rabid now. For some reason. He'd strike us down to watch us fall," I say.
"So?" Jean asks.
"So tell him three days. We surrender in two," I say, "At this point our only strategy is to stop him from burning the city to the ground."

According to Henry, King of England

I'm going to burn that city to the ground.

According to Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester

A messenger runs from the city gates. It's signed. And sealed. We get it to the King. Henry is at the cannons, apparently has slept. Green said he went to his bed but that was only for a few hours time. Nothing like proper rest. No one else wants to approach him so I must. He's my brother. It's not that I don't fear him it's that he's my brother.
"They sent a message, it's likely surrender," I say, holding out the paper.
Henry's face is stone, he smiles a bit pleasantly,  then the look is gone, "Thank you."
He opens it, reads it, then hands it to me, "Tell me, what do you think?"
"They're—surrendering in three days. If no help arrives. What sort of message is that?" I ask.
"A coward's," Henry says, coolly, "They fear me."
I nod, "And?"
"And we grant it. This is a holy war. They have offered surrender. My spies already know no reinforcements are coming," he says. He means the Bishop's spies. He ran the spies. It's like we're erasing him from existence. An odd shroud of secrecy for our King's monumental grief.
"Inform Thomas. There's a cease fire till further notice," Henry says.
"You're not going to just let them do it?" I ask.
He raises an eyebrow.
"You're attacking, aren't you?"
"Well the truce holds for three days. It does not say what I should do, after, those three days," Henry nearly smiles then, his usual inscrutable expression near pleasure.
"Shall I tell Thomas that?"
"No. God no. Don't confuse him. Just tell him to stop firing we give Thomas directions one step at a time," Henry says, dismissively. It sounds cruel but it is an accurate assessment of Thomas' intelligence. "And muster your forces. They must be ready to strike."
"Very good," I say, bowing. We're going to attack before the surrender. We'll all go to hell.