Chapter 26
Show on Map
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After announcing the start of the new campaign to the soldiers, Bonaparte returned to the Aurault Palace with Cloumille and promptly began a strategy meeting. This was to determine the future course of action and communicate it to the nobles.
Joining Bonaparte and Cloumille at this strategy meeting were Berthier, Abydod, and other nobles allied with the queen. Each took a seat on intricately carved wooden chairs adorned with depictions of various animals. Bonaparte gently stroked the small eagle's beak depicted on the armrest of his chair.
"Now that the troops led by Bonaparte have converged, we have sufficient strength. It is time to advance, reclaim the lost territories, and sweep away Dahad's forces from this country," spoke Queen Cloumille, her burning eyes filled with hope.
As Bonaparte listened to the interpreter translate Cloumille's words, he sank into a sea of contemplation. For her, this meeting was not about making decisions. It was about conveying what she had already decided in her mind to others and seeking confirmation.
"We will march along the great highway stretching from this Riverside City towards the capital," Cloumille said, pointing at the map spread out on the table. Bonaparte followed her gracefully extended finger with his eyes, shifting his gaze to the indicated map.
Rather than a practical map, it resembled a painting, perhaps crafted by a skilled artist. In the center of the parchment lay the beautiful cityscape of Riverside City, with lush forests, noble huntsmen chasing animals, farmers sowing seeds, and shepherds herding livestock depicted. To its west, warriors were depicted thrusting their swords into the ground.
Presumably, it indicated Swordsmith City. Beyond that point, there were only numerous trees and a large river. The village where Cloumille first took Bonaparte didn't seem to be marked on the map. To the east of Riverside City, beyond the highway, loomed the outline of an even larger city with towering walls and what seemed to be a grand palace-like structure. Many people were depicted there. That was likely the King's Landing.
Above the cityscape of the King's Landing, a giant man wearing splendid red armor and holding a massive axe in his right hand was depicted alongside a fair-haired girl. They were probably Cloumille's father, Gulbas, and Cloumille herself. The scene showed the giant man passing a key in his left hand to the girl, presumably handing over the keys of the city gate, symbolizing the transfer of authority to her. Surrounding them were several small villages, and further to the east, men wielding many swords were depicted. Would that be Axeland beyond the King's Landing?
Looking at it this way, Tallgrassland appeared to be a relatively new territory, gradually expanding as people migrated from Axeland. This map wasn't just a map; it narrated the history of this country.
...However, such things held little significance for Bonaparte. No matter how exquisitely detailed and beautiful the painting was, it didn't matter to him. Scholars might view it as a valuable historical artifact for understanding the art and customs of this country and would want to bring it back to museums, but it wasn't his concern.
The map she needed was something like Cassini's map. The map produced by François Cassini in France used the orthographic projection method. That's what Bonaparte desired. He needed maps that would help with the movement and deployment of his army: the positions of rivers, the width and condition of roads, accurate distances between cities, the locations of forests, the elevation differences of hills... Those were the kinds of maps that would be useful for military maneuvers.
"Isn't it quite risky to head straight for the King's Landing?" one of the attending nobles spoke up.
"The King's Landing has high walls and ample food supplies. No matter how numerous Lord Bonaparte's soldiers are, taking it won't be easy. It might be wiser to conquer the surrounding towns one by one and gradually tighten the siege," another noble continued.
"Indeed. Even though it's breached, Duke Dordafton is still alive. It would be better to prepare more troops before trying to reclaim the King's Landing..."
"Sieging a city requires thorough preparation. If it turns into a long-term siege, we'll need provisions. Also, we must return the gathered peasants to their fields for farming. The harvest season is approaching. Perhaps it's best to wait until after the harvest."
Some of the nobles clearly exhibited a reluctance towards the assault on the King's Landing. Siege warfare inherently demands a significant toll on the attacking side. Whether through direct assaults, confronting skilled warriors in positions significantly advantageous to the defenders, designed solely to slaughter invaders, or through the prolonged process of besieging and capturing, where attackers are forced to camp while the enemy can rest in houses with sturdy roofs, risking the health of soldiers and the spread of diseases, casualties are inevitable.
Moreover, while the besieged might endure for months or even years if their food stores are sufficient, the besiegers must continually bring in supplies, which becomes increasingly challenging the further they are from supply depots, often resulting in shortages for the besieging force. Assaulting a fortress carried immense risks, making it natural for some to adopt a more cautious approach, considering the monumental burden it entailed.
"What say you? We've won twice before. Now that we're continuing our victorious streak, it's time to march with the queen and reclaim the capital."
"The spirits of victory are with the queen."
There were those aligned with Cloumille. Among them were mainly lower-ranking nobles, knights who held little land or those whose territories had been seized by Dahad. For them, warfare presented substantial opportunities. Achieving feats in battle could earn them territories, fame, and the chance to reclaim lost lands, offering gains greater than what they stood to lose.
Of course, it wasn't just self-interest at play. Expelling the external threat of Axeland from their land would bring peace and security to the common folk. Protecting territories and subjects from external threats was the noblest pursuit for landholding nobles. It was a pact: nobles protected the fields, homes, and families of the peasants, who in turn provided taxes and sometimes soldiers. Such relationships formed the backbone of this world's societal structure. Peasants sought protection from nobles, and nobles sought protection from the king. In exchange, they paid taxes and provided soldiers. This was the foundation upon which their world rested.
"Berthier, bring out the map."
Sensing the meeting about to stall, Bonaparte signaled to Berthier who was standing nearby. The Chief of Staff quickly excused himself from Cloumille and cleared away the unfolded map, replacing it with a new one. This map was markedly plain compared to the previous one, devoid of any charm, with thin black lines sprawled across it like a spider's web. The attending nobles couldn't help but inquire what this was all about.
"Bonaparte, what is this?" Cloumille also seemed puzzled, turning to him for an explanation.
"You'll understand when you see it. It's a map."
"A map, you say? This?"
"I had Berthier make it since I arrived here."
Since Bonaparte's arrival, his orders had spanned various tasks: recruiting and training soldiers, manufacturing weapons, gathering funds for the army, and reluctantly attending noble feasts. Amidst all this, he had also ordered the production of maps. Berthier and his organized staff executed these tasks, dispatching surveyors to various locations. Despite being scrutinized by suspicious peasants and threatened by noble landowners, and even enduring attacks from the cavalry of Axeland, they traversed the lands of Tallgrassland, measuring vast grasslands, gentle hills, and expansive forests. The route to the King's Landing was marked, but detailing the surrounding terrain like forests and hills was challenging due to them being enemy territory, making it risky to send surveyors out with minimal protection. If anything were to happen to them, the loss of skilled individuals capable of creating accurate maps would be significant.
"Here, all the towns and roads I know of are accurately depicted to scale. According to this information, the distance to King's Landing ranges from 150 to 60 kilometers. Along the way, there's a small hill to cross and two river crossings. We can reach the capital within ten days."
Cloumille and the nobles widened their eyes in surprise.
"Our course of action is already determined. As Queen Cloumille said, we will swiftly march to the capital and conquer it."
"But as mentioned earlier, that's highly risky..."
Before a noble could interject, Bonaparte raised his hand to silence them and continued.
"You are right to be concerned. Lord Abydod, do you know the strength of Duke Dordafton's forces who have fled into the capital?"
"As far as I know, there are around five to six thousand soldiers remaining."
"Our forces alone number forty thousand. With the addition of the forces from the other nobles, that number will increase further. We have a sizable army capable of besieging the capital. If they dare to face us on the plains, we will crush them in a single strike. You all know I've defeated the Axeman armies. If they choose to besiege, we'll obliterate the city gates with cannons. During my journey here, I turned one fortress into a heap of rubble. The weapons I possess are formidable and can easily breach the walls. There's nothing to worry about. Alternatively, they have another option: fleeing in fear of our numbers. In that case, we can either enter the city with laughter at their backs or pursue them and trample them with the hooves and sabers of our horses... Either way, victory is assured by our march alone. Once we reclaim the capital, other hesitant nobles will surely rally under the queen's banner. What reason is there to miss this opportunity?"
Bonaparte confidently promised victory.
The discussion was settled. The nobles acknowledged Cloumille and Bonaparte's firm decision to swiftly march to the capital. Indeed, they couldn't oppose the queen and Bonaparte, who commanded the largest force. At most, they would show dissenting poses, so that if they failed, they could say, "I warned against it." If they succeeded, they could raise both hands and shout, "Long live the Queen!"
As the nobles left the meeting, leaving only close aides like Berthier and Abydod behind, Cloumille took Bonaparte's hands with a friendly smile. It seemed the tension of being a queen had loosened.
"Oh... well."
Bonaparte's tone was hesitant.
"What's wrong? You were so confident just now."
"We'll win. We'll win, don't worry."
Truth be told, Bonaparte wasn't eager to march yet. Destroying gates and walls during a siege posed no issue, but if they stormed in, urban combat would be unavoidable. In that scenario, enemies armed with helmets, armor, chainmail, swords, and shields would have the advantage over French soldiers armed with muskets wearing fabric clothes. Significant casualties were inevitable. He intended to leave such close combat to the conscripted soldiers. However, their training was still insufficient, and their effectiveness on the battlefield remained questionable. So Bonaparte wanted more time to train them. But there was a reason they couldn't afford to delay: the lack of money. Neither Bonaparte nor Cloumille could continue providing the funds needed for soldiers' salaries, food, and equipment maintenance. They needed to act swiftly and yield results.