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Cyrus_The_Great

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Jun 27, 2006
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PART I

When Giacomo D’Acciaio woke, it was still dark out. His body didn’t want to wake up, it just wanted to rest, to vegetate. Giacomo fought the urge, and rising, stretched a little bit, and stepped outside. The sun’s rays were barely peeping over the horizon, but the sky was clear and it appeared that it would be a beautiful, but hot, day. It would certainly be a long one, too. Scouts reported that the army of Urbino was much less than a day's march away. He knew his own men were ready, all two hundred and fifty had been individually selected and fought numerous times. Would the 1000 men composing the army of Sicily be ready though? They had already lost a battle to Urbino under the command of Scipio Rossi, and most of them were inexperienced. Giacomo pushed the thought aside; there was nothing left to do about that now.

His train of thought was interrupted by his friend, Fredrico. “Buongiorno,” he called.

Giacomo smiled, “and a good morning to you too, my friend.” Fredrico was one of his most intelligent men, and although only in his twenties had already proved to be an excellent leader. He also served as Giacomo’s personal scout. “What news do you have to bring me?”

“Well sir,” began Fredrico, standing erect. “They are almost entirely composed of infantry, about one thousand. Based on where they were last we checked, they are heading towards a valley. This valley is surrounded by some hills, with minimal vegetation. I am not sure when they start marching, but it is most likely we will meet them somewhere inside there.”

“Thank you, Fredrico, grab a bite to eat, this will be very useful.” Giacomo pondered the situation that had just been described as he sat, blankly staring at the rising sun. For the leader of a group of mounted Condottieri, this could be the ideal battle. An idea in his head, he started to walk back to the command tent.

Back at the tent there were significantly less officers and commanders to deal with than when he had served in France, but it suited him better. He had much more control over what went on, and planning was much easier.

Fredrico sat at one end of the table, going back to devouring some bread after saying hello to his leader. The only other man to deal with was Scipio, who no longer had much say due to his embarrassing list of defeats. He didn’t take a glance at Giacomo, and had Scipio’s superior been more harsh, he would have gotten hell for it.

“I have a plan, and it should effectively dismantle the threat they pose to us.” Taking out a stick and starting to draw in the sand, Giacomo continued, explaining, “Fredrico, I hope you do not mind leading the infantry today instead of riding.”

Fredrico seemed like he couldn’t have been happier. He stood up, eyes lit, and shaking Giacomo’s hand, added, “it is an honor. I would be more than delighted.”

Giacomo smiled, “Fredrico, you will lead the infantry straight at the enemy, the battle will hopefully be in that valley you mentioned. When scouts report the army of Urbino is close, me and my riders will ride off. We will hide behind the hills, and once you engage, I want you to signal us. My men and I, and you too, Scipio, will ride in on their flank and hopefully break their ranks.”

Fredrico, enthusiastic from the idea of leading a regiment, agreed. “It sounds like a near flawless plan to me.”
Scipio, less enthusiastically, nodded, only replying “sure,” and then muttering something under his breath.

Giacomo ignored him, “excellent, we will set out in one hour. Make sure the infantry is familiar with the plan, and for the sake of moral make sure they know a wave of cavalry will be helping them”

While waiting for the battle, Giacomo pulled out his rosary beads. He was not worried in the slightest. If God willed it, he would win, and his enemies would be crushed, if not there was nothing to be done.

Several Hours Later…

As the deep moan of the horn disturbed the silence of the Italian countryside, Giacomo shouted, “Andiamo, Andiamo!” He spurred his horse, as did his other men, all shouting and letting out war cries. The wind invigorated Giacomo as he rushed over the hill, and the sight of the two armies fighting below excited him. Him and his men paused briefly, and then aligning themselves with the opposing army, Giacomo screamed “Caraciamo!” Him and his men began charging down the hill towards the enemy, and Giacomo couldn’t think of anything he would rather be doing than this, truly feeling alive. Never once did the thought that he may soon depart life come to his head.

As his sword was unsheathed, nothing seemed to exist in the world besides him, his sword, and the enemy. The distance seemed to close rapidly, and before he could even think he had sliced through a man.

He kept running through, trampling one man, dealing a fatal parry-repost to another. His slaughter continued, and was going well until he began to feel his horse shaking, then collapsing. He noticed a spear coming out the left side of its chest. Taking a giant leap away from his falling mount, he chopped downwards at a man’s face. The blades clashed, and after both men recovered from the impact, they stepped back and faced each other.
Giacomo briefly stared into the man’s eyes, no fear seemed present. His tactics would have been no different had the man looked scared for his life, but he felt better knowing what type of man he would be fighting. The two men nodded, both seemed to understand each other, and then the fight began. Blades clashing, they started at each other, both men waiting for the other to make a fatal mistake. The fight persisted less than a minute, and luckily for Giacomo the mistake he needed came, the man launched an unsuccessful feint and Giacomo seized the opportunity to parry and stab his own blade through the man. His opponent dead, he turned around to notice many of the enemy soldiers retreating.

A good amount of his men were finishing off opponents, some already cheering victory. So the battle had been won. After some of the remaining horsemen went off to pursue the retreating enemy, more and more cheers rang out. Despite the victory, Giacomo refrained from much celebration. Although it had been needed, many men had died. The ground was coated in blood and littered with corpses, the ugly products of his job. His job wasn’t even close to done, however. With the city of Urbino still walled off and undoubtedly prepared for a siege, it would be a long time before his job here was done.
 
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Hello everyone, I have fooled around with quite a few narrative AARs, none of which have been completed, although they all had serious flaws anyhow.
Hopefully, this one will turn out better. Many of the events and the history have been modified so as to better fit the story, and more will be revealed later.
Comments and criticism would be greatly welcomed, and I hope you all enjoy.
 
Very nice start, great description of the events, good luck in the siege of Urbino! I'll be following
 
What's with all these greate narratives popping up like mushroom clouds during a nuclear armageddon? Back in my day we didn't need a story or a good narrative to be successful. :p
Great start.
 
Capibara: Thankyou for commenting, and I am glad you are enjoying it.

Comagoosie: Thank you, I have recently been following yours as well :)

Dysken: Yes, I do remember back in the days when an AAR could be a history log copied and pasted. I'm glad to have you aboard.

Not sure when I will get the next update out, maybe this weekend or around monday.
 
I enjoyed that, Cyrus. Looking forward to more. Keep it up. :)
 
Veldmaarschalk: Thanks and I do hope you will be able to follow :)

Coz1: I am glad to have you following.

Rcduggan: Thank you, I have actually been trying to catch back up with your AAR which is really excellent, BTW.

I pretty much have all of the next update typed up, I will probably need a day or two to add in some more details. What would all of you prefer the spacing for my updates to be? I can't guarantee anything but I would like some imput, and I work more efficiently with some form of deadline in place.
 
I pretty much have all of the next update typed up, I will probably need a day or two to add in some more details. What would all of you prefer the spacing for my updates to be? I can't guarantee anything but I would like some imput, and I work more efficiently with some form of deadline in place.

Once a week would be OK with me, that gives me enough time to read it.
 
*Subscribes*
 
I'd be fine with even once a week.
 

Nine Months Later​

The smell of garlic simmering in olive oil made it all the harder for Giacomo to concentrate on his book, De Re Militari. He had already read the book twice, and tempted by the smell, decided it would be okay to investigate. It was rare that Tomasso, the head cook, ever created anything which smelled appealing.

Upon reaching the area designated for cooking, Giacomo was surprised to find Archbishop Sergio Zanasio instructing Tomasso. Giacomo took off his helmet, and approached the Archbishop, who hadn’t seemed to have taken notice of him. “Father, what a wonderful surprise. What brings your holiness here?”

The Archbishop slowly looked up, “Signore D’Acciaio, a pleasure! I meant to find you, I have come to see how our kingdom’s laymen are fairing.”

“Well, I am sure you are quite satisfied. Sources tell me Urbino will soon surrender.”

“Eh, I still loose sleep over the fact that we have still lost some 300 here alone. You have done an excellent job, no doubt about that, but had we only had a larger force”

“Father, you must realize it is hard sustaining an army here, this land is sparse and we have sucked most of the food out of it. Those deaths were out of any human or worldly control.”

“Sometimes, I think had Aragon, our father, been with us still, we would have lost less.”

“We probably would have had a harder time, father,” retorted Giacomo. “We can scarcely sustain more than one thousand, how would we support more?”

“It is beyond my worldly power to know, but I feel God willed otherwise. You honestly think our kingdom is better off under King Filippo, alone in the world?”

“To tell the truth, I really do not mind it. I never trusted the Spaniards.”

“I feel that is unfounded, I feel, and I believe God feels, our interests would be better in their hands. Consider it, Giacomo. Now, I must really be going. I have some duties to perform, it was nice talking to you. I am sure we will see each other again soon.”

At that, he turned around, and briskly walked away, his red robes disappearing within the labyrinth of tents. Ever since the independence of the Kingdom of Sicily, many of the clergy seemed to wish for renewal of Aragonese dominance. Giacomo knew well that larger kingdoms only wished to manipulate and suck the resources out of smaller ones. And Spaniards had no right to rule Italians. Did God truly wish for that though? Giacomo wasn’t sure, but he reasoned that since there was Sicilian blood on the throne, as long as he obeyed the rightful ruler, it was not a sin. He contented himself in deciding he would ask Friar Saggio upon return to Naples.

As Giacomo sat, staring at the rolling, dusty hills past the city, his self reassurance was interrupted by a slight movement in Urbino. The gate was opening. Giacomo bolted upright, and noticed three horsemen, bearing a white flag, riding out in his direction.

Giacomo quickly dusted himself off, and calling Fredrico and Scipio, the latter of which still wore a frown, mounted and set out to meet the riders. It was not long before the riders met. A tall man dressed in brightly shining armor and wearing a cap with an overly large plume shook hands with Giacomo, then said, “The city of Urbino fully surrenders and his royalty wishes to meet in order to negotiate the terms of peace.”

Giacomo found it ironic that the King who would soon be without a Kingdom was referred to as royalty, but refrained from mentioning anything, only saying “I am grateful you have chosen to end this, and it will be my honor to meet and discuss our terms of surrender.” The man thanked Giacomo, and after another exchange of handshakes rode back towards the city. This nearly year long struggle finally coming to a close, Giacomo couldn’t help but smile.

Later That Night

Dressed in his finest ceremonial armor, and sporting a trimmed and cleaned face, Giacomo and the rest of the officers rode victoriously towards Urbino. It was incredibly strange that the gates that had for so long rejected their schemes of gaining entrance were now opening without any effort on their own part.

As Giacomo rode in, a somber looking horseman received Giacomo and his company, and led the way towards the large and ancient looking palace in the center of the city. Giacomo looked around at the damage to the city as he rode. Many skinny and homeless people lined the roads, looking towards their conquerors with hatred. It was a dismal atmosphere, and the carpenter seemed like the only person not frowning. He seemed to content himself by humming and constructing one of the coffins which would join the ranks of those lining the street walls.

The hall which Giacomo and his higher ranking men were led to served as a stark contrast between the filth and poverty of the rest of the city. Giacomo was escorted to a large dining hall, clad in mahogany furnishings and supported by stone walls dressed with banners. At the center of the hall was a table where a plump and graying man sat, undoubtedly the king. A scribe was seated next to him and on the opposite side lay an empty chair which Giacomo was invited to sit in.

The King of Urbino looked at Giacomo, and after some observation said “You are not Filippo, my apologies, but you are the diplomat?”

“Yes, I am Giacomo D’Acciaio, I was the man who led the army to victory here, and I will also be the diplomat leading this negotiation.”

The King’s eyes bulged, then he said, “well then, let us get down to business. What are your terms of victory, how much gold do you wish?”

Giacomo had been given strict orders about the negotiations, he was to demand annexation. This would further establish independence from Aragon and would also serve as a warning to other Kingdoms. “Sir, you are completely defeated. Your city is on the brink of starvation and we control the remainder of the countryside, we are demanding your annexation.”

“This is preposterous. You think the other Kingdoms of the peninsula, the papacy, the empire will allow this!”

“We will have to see.”
 
Nice update, I liked the cliffhanger, we'll see what will Sicily have to face before they can take control of Urbino
 
They'll just have to take their chances I suppose....
 
The Archbishop is typical - many are more confortable with the certainty of past over the uncertainty of the future, even if that future brings freedom. Though, try telling that to Urbino. ;)