Book One Chapter One
Abyssinian Asayita
We arrived in Wag on the full moon and took the Asayitans by surprise. I led the cavalry through their tents with a sword in one hand and a torch in the other. Bloodcurdling screams were heard as men were shot with arrows and stabbed with swords as spears as they left their tents. I set fire to the largest tent which was in the centre of the camp which I assumed was the general's. I saw a man being trampled by a horse and another man lit on fire while he was still alive. The battle, if you can call it that, was over the day after the next. Their army was completely destroyed. I truly am the Lion of Destruction.
We double our marching speed and head south to Asayita and aid the Duke of Shewa in his siege. The count of Asayita surrenders to the Duke and there is a large feast held in the capital of Asayita after the Muslims are forced out. He invites me to the feast but I decline. I make excuses and say that our troops must leave for another campaign in the north. Our war with the count is over but the war with the Duke has just begun.
As our troops exit the city we hear loud cries of merriment and cheers. I catch up to my marshall.
"Stop the men here," I command him.
He nods and shouts at the sergeants near us. The whole army halts. I turn my warhorse around and lead the foot soldiers onward. They jog steadily and then run as one of the sergeants shouts the war-cry. We march through the gates and slaughter the guards. We are confronted by some drunken soldiers but we easily outnumber them and they are all slain. The rest of the army enters the outer ward of the castle. It seems that Duke was ready for our attack and our troops meet in the centre of the castle. We outnumbered them but not by much.
The battle went on for weeks which is really long but we were able to rout their army and the siege of the castle was over by 1st day of the new year. What a lovely birthday present!
I am reading the Bible and praising the Lord for the win he has blessed us with when something dawns upon me. I would not be as great as I am if the Lord had not allowed it. In truth I am not even stronger than those northern Nubian Dukes. I fall to my knees and swear to never be proud again. I hate to contradict my earlier statement before but I guess I am a humble man now. Would it be bad if I said I'm proud of that?
It took us three months to arrive in the Duke's capital Ankober and to catch up with the routed army. We make a quick job of them and capture the general. The war is nearly over and overall we have lost almost 350 soldiers.
My army sieges Ankober completely and we force the Duke to surrender.
My brother, who had left the campaign after the battle of Matara, has sent a rider to inform me of his Holy War for Afar. I send the rider back with a letter commending my brother's initiative.
Alas, I retire to my bedroom and see that my wife is still asleep. We need an heir soon. My brother already has one and he is younger than me.
We will have to try soon.
Abyssinian Asayita
We arrived in Wag on the full moon and took the Asayitans by surprise. I led the cavalry through their tents with a sword in one hand and a torch in the other. Bloodcurdling screams were heard as men were shot with arrows and stabbed with swords as spears as they left their tents. I set fire to the largest tent which was in the centre of the camp which I assumed was the general's. I saw a man being trampled by a horse and another man lit on fire while he was still alive. The battle, if you can call it that, was over the day after the next. Their army was completely destroyed. I truly am the Lion of Destruction.
We double our marching speed and head south to Asayita and aid the Duke of Shewa in his siege. The count of Asayita surrenders to the Duke and there is a large feast held in the capital of Asayita after the Muslims are forced out. He invites me to the feast but I decline. I make excuses and say that our troops must leave for another campaign in the north. Our war with the count is over but the war with the Duke has just begun.
As our troops exit the city we hear loud cries of merriment and cheers. I catch up to my marshall.
"Stop the men here," I command him.
He nods and shouts at the sergeants near us. The whole army halts. I turn my warhorse around and lead the foot soldiers onward. They jog steadily and then run as one of the sergeants shouts the war-cry. We march through the gates and slaughter the guards. We are confronted by some drunken soldiers but we easily outnumber them and they are all slain. The rest of the army enters the outer ward of the castle. It seems that Duke was ready for our attack and our troops meet in the centre of the castle. We outnumbered them but not by much.
The battle went on for weeks which is really long but we were able to rout their army and the siege of the castle was over by 1st day of the new year. What a lovely birthday present!
I am reading the Bible and praising the Lord for the win he has blessed us with when something dawns upon me. I would not be as great as I am if the Lord had not allowed it. In truth I am not even stronger than those northern Nubian Dukes. I fall to my knees and swear to never be proud again. I hate to contradict my earlier statement before but I guess I am a humble man now. Would it be bad if I said I'm proud of that?
It took us three months to arrive in the Duke's capital Ankober and to catch up with the routed army. We make a quick job of them and capture the general. The war is nearly over and overall we have lost almost 350 soldiers.
My army sieges Ankober completely and we force the Duke to surrender.
My brother, who had left the campaign after the battle of Matara, has sent a rider to inform me of his Holy War for Afar. I send the rider back with a letter commending my brother's initiative.
Alas, I retire to my bedroom and see that my wife is still asleep. We need an heir soon. My brother already has one and he is younger than me.
We will have to try soon.
