Haply, on the eighteenth of the Owyn’s Flame, two-thousand and seventy-four, a band of four peasants did stumble upon the Archduke of Alba amidst his good people in the Square of Saint Godwinsburg. Much to his surprise, they did voice their great dissatisfaction with the levies set upon their countryside homes of Little Furnestock, a sum of but thirty mina at the end of every year.
These very same men, in truth, were Squires of the Order of the White Hart, who did encourage the folk of the Realm to join the Black Banner for its fair wages, as they themselves did receive a stipend of sixty mina every year. Yet impatience and greed did prevail amongst these men, for after a short period, they did abandon their squirehoods, discontented that knighthood had not been granted unto them with greater haste.
And still, as beneficent as he be, they insisted the Archduke had grown aloof, knowing not the matters that did affect the Alban Realm. Their insolence continued until at last the Archduke commanded their arrest. And when one among them did raise a hand against his alleged liege-lord, striking him in open defiance, he did call for their deaths.
Blessed were they for the Emperor Marcus was present, and in his mercy did he so grant them pardon and refuge in the Imperial Capital of Rittersburg. Now, years hence, they hold grudges still, and have began to fester in the Rittersburg countryside, intent to march upon Alba once more.
“Hark, sir, I hath spotted the serfs across the river, nigh to Rittersberg. Some two dozen or so of them, armed well for the serf militia they claim to be.”
Their coming, so foretold by a recruit of the Black Banner. In response, men of the Black Banner and the Österland Company mustered their own forces. Banners fluttered in the breeze: the White Eagle of the Östlunders, the Silver Steed of Dover, the Fleur-de-Lis of Artois, and at the helm of them all, the Golden Dragon of Alstion. Swords and spears gathered at the gates of Saint Godwinsburg, as the men and women of Alba flocked to the Alstion call. From the city and from the province they came, ready to die under the Black Banner.
“Listen” barked the Shield of Johannes, Sir Everett, “ for the realm bleeds. Bandits swarm at our gates. They dress as peasants of Little Furnestock, rising against the Alstions. They are a rot, nothing more. A pack of wayward cutthroats on the move, no better than the Salvian menance.”
Standing before the levies at Sir Everett’s side, Mayor Andres called to Alba the stakes: “If they breach our walls, they shall certainly pillage and burn all we hold dear!”
Roused by their Officers, and made fervent beneath the high noon Sun, two and thirty hundred good men and women of Alba, low and highborn alike, did gather in the Saint Godwinsburg Square, clashing sword to shield, ready to face their foe in battle, for the defense of their beloved Realm.
When they arrived at the top of Mont Collier, polished lines of steel opposed the Albans.
“Where are the fellow Little Furnestockians? I see none here!” cried out a young Alban recruit, of that selfsame hamlet.
His gaze and that of his comrades beheld well-armed men and women, speaking in tones unknown to Albans:
“GOD IS WITH US! BASTARDS!”
“GOOOODDD IS WITH US!!” “GOD IS WITH US!”
“GOD WITH US” “GOD IS WITH US! NO WAR BUT PEASANT WAR!”
“REMEMBER, GOD FAVOURS THE RIGHTEOUS!”
GOD did indeed favour the righteous. With a cry of charge from Sir Everett, the ever unbroken Knight Commander, The Black Banner’s cavalry line slammed into the huddled mass of brigands. What few of the foe were on horseback fell to the ground in that instant, forced off by lances and the crash of horses. On foot followed the levymen of Alba, bloodying the hillside with their quarrel. When horses fell, slain, from under Everret’s brigade, their riders rose again, bruised and muddied, to fight with sword and axe. Brave knights of the White Hart, such as Sir Janos Hotspur, joined simple levy militiamen, standing tall upon that bloodied soil in the defense of Mont Collier. The clash of steel and cry of battle rang out shrill from high, to be heard down in Orchere and as far as Little Furnestock.
Those brigands who succumbed to cowardice, and tried to flee, were met swiftly by lance and spear in an Östlunder chase. Rickard Kuzorav brought his charge, unflinching both, rider and steed, down upon one fleeing ne’er-do-well, crushing the brigand beneath him. Bandits, stumbling down the mountainside, careening into each other. Conrad Jrent’s scattered foe lasted for but a few seconds longer than their less cowardly compatriots.
“On them, lads, on them! Let them not escape to
pillage the countryside!” called out Sir Janos.
Though bloody, the battle lasted naught but five saintly minutes. Victorious, having lost not even a single soldier, the Black Banner and their Östlunder comrades looked over the gored hilltop of Mont Collier. Before them lay their enemy host, entirely slain.
So the victorious Albans return to their homes and barracks, singing along to the drums and horns as they march.
“TANDEM TRIUMPHANS”
“AVE ALBA”“GOD SAVE THE ALSTIONS”
“GOD SAVE THE ALBAN PEOPLE”“GOD SAVE ALBA”
“GOD FAVOURS THE RIGHTEOUS!”