Chapter 445 - Unpleasant News
After throwing about 100 vases with sulfuric acid, Einar gave the order that the army wait about three hours. After that time, vases with lime were thrown into the fortress to neutralize the acid that might be in the castle.
Unlike sulfuric acid, onagers dumped the equivalent of a ton of lime as a precaution.
The next day, the special forces climbed the walls and could see the large number of dead that were in the castle.
They also noticed that there seemed to be no one, so after opening the doors, they checked the battlement tower to look for survivors.
When Dreide entered the castle, she gulped as she saw the large number of burned dead covered in white powder and snow.
Einar patted her on the back. "It is cruel to have ended their lives in this way, but in war you have to decide between the life of your soldiers or the life of the enemy.
You have to get used to this because you will see it constantly throughout my conquests. "
Einar became serious and looked up at the sky. "Sometimes you will see children or women who died because of the decision of their leaders.
However, the weight of their deaths will be in your own hands, but despite that you should never bow your head, you just have to have more determination and continue with our lives.
Well, there is no use complaining about the dead, since that will not change anything and it will only become a burden that you carry.
That means being a Dreide leader. Now we go to the battlement tower, to see if we can catch the prince. "
Dreide nodded and followed Einar towards the battlement tower. When they arrived, they were greeted by a group of special forces soldiers who made a military salute.
"Konungar Einar, we found some secret tunnels in the castle's basement, so we are sure that the defenders must have escaped."
Einar sighed before smiling. "Well, that can only mean that we will end up facing some allied army of the Irish.
Well, it is very likely that King Mael asks for help now that he has no army.
I want you to send a letter to my father-in-law to bring warriors and soldiers to this place so that we can defend our conquests as we advance towards the capital of the kingdom of Ui Maine. "
The soldiers nodded and prepared to send a letter so that they could call for reinforcements.
While this was happening, on the fringes of the barony of Athenry the group of warriors that had escaped were heading towards the barony of Tuam.
This because it was the closest barony and that Baron Aed belonged to a nobleman with a cautious character who had messenger points throughout his Baronia.
After running for a few hours, they reached a guard post where they quickly reported that Athenry Castle had fallen and that possibly the border army had been destroyed.
This is because at the time they were being besieged they never saw the army heading to their rescue so they could assume that they had all died.
The information was received by the border guards who quickly prepared a pair of horses to carry the message to the castle of Tuam.
During the next three days, Einar was in charge of conquering the few villages that were in the Barony of Athenry. When he finished, he divided his army in half.
He would head towards the capital in the west while Ansgar would head north to conquer the Barony of Da Chainoc and the capital of the county of Mayo the city of Cruachu.
This with the intention of cutting off any enemy army that tried to enter the territory of the kingdom of Ui Maine.
Well, further north was the Barony of Sligo where one of the Celtic tribes of Ireland was, so they could not support the kingdom of Ui Maine in any way.
When everything was ready, Einar set out for the barony of Tuam, while doing so his vanguard troops faced all the way with the enemies scattered among the trees of the frozen swamps.
Unfortunately for them, the vanguard troops were fully armed with repeating crossbows and explosive bolts.
So their attack attempts were completely useless, however they did manage to slow down Einar's advance.
A few days later, in the Gaillimhe capital of the kingdom of Ui Maine, a messenger traveling on horseback arrived at the city gates and the guards let him in once they corroborated his identity.
The messenger then ran towards the castle where he once entered, met with King Mael, a curly-haired man with ash blonde hair.
King Mael looked at the messenger seriously. "What's wrong messenger? It is not normal that Baron Aed sent someone in this winter season."
The messenger, who was kneeling bowed his head. "King Mael, the male reports that possibly the army on the border has been completely destroyed.
The Barony of Athenry is lost and the enemies are entering the kingdom. The prince is also dead according to the warriors who managed to survive.
According to the testimonies, he died wielding the sword, killing a few enemies before he was killed by an arrow. "
Mael gritted his teeth and hands in hatred. "I want you to get out of this place, I need to be alone."
The messenger quickly left what place as he was afraid that the king might kill him simply by standing.
Mael who was angry started screaming and destroyed the wooden furniture.
"Damn Muiredach, you were supposed to inherit the damn kingdom and now you're dead piece of useless shit.
All the things that I prepare and all that I would fight for now will be meaningless. The cursed kingdom will fall and our dynasty will end. "
Mael screamed and smashed a chair into the wall before holding his face. "All is lost. There is nothing I can do to avoid being conquered by that damn pagan king.
My population is starving or starving. The army that he believed invincible was destroyed and now my son is dead.
Now what am I supposed to do .... "