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"So, uh, why are we fighting?" Asked the soldier. The others shrugged. At that point, no one truly remembered the reason that led to that war. It was hard to remember anything while being injured and hungry. The soldier sighed, "Yeah, I figured."
The soldier went back to his ration. The food was scarce. Everyone could eat with less than three bites, but all the soldiers took their time eating. They knew it was the only way to survive.
"You have to trick your brain into thinking you're eating a lot. If you believe this, like, really believe this, then you'll not feel hungry," said their commander.
Every night, everyone tried to stay faithful to the commander's advice. Every night, everyone failed.
After toying with the food a little, taking smaller bites every time, the soldier went back to his complaints, "You know, it's unfair. Why should we starve and die because someone decided to fight? I don't care if it's the Pope or the King's desire. I won't fight anymore! If they have unfinished business, they should resolve between them," he talked loud and big.
The other soldiers kind of applauded and supported his message, except one.
"Oh, will you shut up? You're only talking like that because you're here in the mud with us. If you had their power, you'd do the same. Who doesn't want more land, more gold, more power? Don't be an idiot. Eat your food and stop complaining."
Shocked, everyone looked at the one. A second later, all the soldiers shrugged. The man was right. If they had power, they'd do the same.
"Well, at least we're fighting for God and the Pope, right? Right?"
THE END
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The War of the Sicilian Vespers, or just War of the Vespers, was a conflict that started with the insurrection of the Sicilian Vespers against Charles of Anjou in 1282 and ended in 1302 with the Peace of Caltabellotta. It was fought in Sicily, Catalonia (the Aragonese Crusade) and elsewhere in the western Mediterranean between the kings of Aragon on one side against the Angevin Charles of Anjou, his son Charles II, the kings of France, and the Papacy on the other side. The war resulted in the division of the old Kingdom of Sicily; at Caltabellotta, Charles II was confirmed as king of Sicily's peninsular territories ("The Kingdom of Sicily on the other side of the Strait," that is, Naples). In contrast, Frederick III was confirmed as king of the island territories ("The Kingdom of Sicily across the Strait," Trinacria).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Sicilian_Vespers