I don't know if Philippe should be calle the Son of Satan or the Witty.
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Before Plantagenet – A House d’Anjou AAR
- Thread starter JabberJock14
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I admire how loyal you are. When I'm a vassal I use any opportunity no matter how small to weaken my liege so I can take control.
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And the fun continues. I truly like how Philippe took the praise that the other Counselors gave Foulques and turned it against them to ensure Foulques loyalty. Just another time to remind Foulques who is truly in control. I also found it intriguing how Philippe is manipulating Foulques with the promise of battle, maybe. Should be an interesting campaign.
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Foulques has fallen a long way since Rouen. He sounds old and tired at this point. He is perhaps the most powerful loyal vassal in the kingdom, but the past couple of decades have not been kind to him or his family. You've really been kind of slow playing it, which I appreciate from an AAR standpoint, but it's always annoying IMO when you have a fast start and then nothing happens for a long time. And, in game terms, not much has happened since Foulques got promoted to marshal and saved the King at Rouen. A lot of life happened, obviously, but Foulques and the Angevins have been stuck in neutral for a long, long time, and that can't sit well with him.
One of the reasons I dislike playing as a (relatively) large kingdom from the outset, particularly anywhere in modern France, is the propensity of the AI to have everyone sleep with everyone. No matter how much you try to get the women of your family to be virtuous, they just can't help themselves once someone has the seduction focus. It's really rather annoying after a few generations knowing that you're probably not actually descended from the hero of your dynasty. I usually turn the "charinfo" console command on just for this purpose and murder my wife's bastards at some point, or engage in some other machinations to ensure it's an actual dynasty member ascending my throne.
One of the reasons I dislike playing as a (relatively) large kingdom from the outset, particularly anywhere in modern France, is the propensity of the AI to have everyone sleep with everyone. No matter how much you try to get the women of your family to be virtuous, they just can't help themselves once someone has the seduction focus. It's really rather annoying after a few generations knowing that you're probably not actually descended from the hero of your dynasty. I usually turn the "charinfo" console command on just for this purpose and murder my wife's bastards at some point, or engage in some other machinations to ensure it's an actual dynasty member ascending my throne.
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Once again, Philippe shows why he's a smooth operator. By calling attention to his other vassals' hidden motives, he neatly distracts Foulques from his own -- namely, that keeping Foulques on campaign with the army gives him less time to collude with Geoffrey as the Aquitaine revolt progresses.
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Ahhhh Phillipe, it’s good to have you back. Methinks the king should have been named after one of his RL descendants, The Spider King of the 15th century. What webs he does weave,,,
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I would have thought it would be too at this point, but I believe it's because of the ticking war score that it's positive. Boudewijn took Amiens briefly, but lost it so the war score is against him, at least at this point. But war score, especially in this conflict, can be misleading because these armies in all these different revolts can end up fighting each other and draining resources that don't even show up in the score for a while.
My Marguerite options were all bad. The cleanest option was to simply execute her. But to do that... you need to imprison her... which could fail and have her run away where she can plot revenge (and deny Geoffrey a chance at heirs) where she can't be stopped from joining. And even if she were executed the tyranny penalty is harsh. So... it is the least bad option at this time. But, I'll be honest - Geoffrey's not always going to handle this situation well.
As you and others have noted before, Foulques' life has been much simpler on the battlefield than off. It's only natural he'd want to return there as things turn for the negative. No comments on last stands of course.
Philippe has been one of my favorite characters to write in this AAR because he's the one character who can truly put Foulques in his place. (Geoffrey can be snide, but he's still his son). I very much enjoying writing Philippe's thinly veiled insults to Foulques here, since, while I like Foulques, I also enjoy reminding people he's not quite the master of his domain as he thinks he is.
Philippe does have a grand opportunity - if he can finish off the conquest of Valencia, and put the dukes in their place, he might even be strong enough to take another shot at the HRE. But I caution, things are never that simple...
Good eye on Orleans! That actually is noted in the next chapter.
Who says the Son of Satan can't also be witty?
I would too in certain circumstances. Here I didn't for a few reasons - I like Philippe plus he liked Foulques, so he probably wouldn't try to strip a county from him (which is something I've had in Anjou games before). I would not actively try to keep him in power, but I didn't want to simply get rid of him either (especially for Boudewijn, who neither I nor Foulques liked).
There's also another reason too - I wanted to play Foulques as some what reminiscent of the actual person. That meant not becoming king of France ASAP. It meant embracing a poor relationship with his first son. It also meant multiple wives (though I didn't foresee how this would play out - the real Foulques IV was married something like four times). I couldn't replicate everything - he also had a longstanding feud with Philippe by this time after the king basically stole Foulques' wife (who was also the great grandmother to Henry II).
So... I'm not always this loyal. But for how I wanted to play Foulques, I'm keeping myself more loyal than normal - if that makes sense.
It's just keeping in what Philippe has always done. He's frequently played Foulques off his other counselors. And likely them off him, though we don't get to see that. The king is a good talker. He knows how to smooth things over well.
That "tired and old" theme is something I have tried to convey. The characters that started this AAR are old now. Even those that came later, like Alearde, are no spring chickens anymore. When I played this point, it didn't feel like Foulques was vibrant anymore. It felt like a slow wait for the inevitable to come.
I was kind of dreading it because while stuff happens in the realm and to Foulques, he isn't the initiator. I don't have control over where he's sent by Philippe in the war - nor can I have him command his own armies if I decide to put them into a conflict. And the bevy of information I have when it's my war/conflict, isn't available to me in these other conflicts - especially in Aquitaine. It makes writing a lot harder. As noted above, for story purposes, slowing down Angevin expansion was somewhat by design. Also by uncertainty, I was not certain how much longer Foulques had left and didn't not want to sink money into a claim (looking at you Gilles) only for him to die.
Speaking of Gilles - your second point! This is a concern - though one advantage to Haldora is she's chaste, making it less likely she'll sleep around. (It factored in her as a marriage selection, honestly). One thing that I learned here in the forums is the game may have a little tell who is actually related to who. Children of the same parents are apparently born on the same day of the month, though not necessarily the same month. I'm pretty certain both Geoffrey and Agnes were both born on the same numerical day of the month though Agnes was in December and Geoffrey was June. So, I did keep an eye on that. I could check to confirm and maybe I will in the future, but for now, I sort of like the uncertainty that surrounds it. It can help write the characters, since they could not know for certain in all cases.
One note - Aubry is not a lord nor is Marguerite a duchess, so that relationship appears to have happened outside the seduction focus - unlike Gilles bedding half the women of the realm.
Yup. Philippe's chats and plans for Foulques often serve many purposes, but all those purposes are to make sure the king comes out on top. And he's gotten much better at doing it over the years too.
I was pleased to have him return. And while I have not written ahead yet, it feels like he will be around for at least the next little bit. Though I would not expect him to be all that cheerful.
Normally, today is an update day. But this chapter is just not done. As I know @tpmcinty can sympathize, it can be hard to write things you've written before but do it differently enough so it doesn't feel like a re-hash. In this case, my theme is definitely different than Rouen, but pulling it together and tailoring the scene to convey that theme is a challenge. So hopefully I'll have it done for Saturday. Fingers crossed!
Thanks for all the comments and feedback. It's a large reason I don't want to settle for something thrown quickly together. So appreciate you all keeping me motivated to do my best.
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Much as I want to read the next chapter, I encourage you to take the time you need and release it when you're happy with it.
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I think I've got this update where I want it. I probably could have gone a whole different directions for this, but there's a personal aspect I wanted in this chapter that I think would have gotten lost had I gone in the other direction. You all will be the judge of that however.
Trying to get this out, plus being busy in real life has also made me bad with my commenting on other stories over the last week,. Apologies for that and I will aim to get back check out what I've missed over that time in the next couple of days!
Trying to get this out, plus being busy in real life has also made me bad with my commenting on other stories over the last week,. Apologies for that and I will aim to get back check out what I've missed over that time in the next couple of days!
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Chapter 77 - April 1093
Before Plantagenet - Chapter 77
April 1093 - Saintonge, France
As Charles, mayor of Paris approached, Foulques felt as if there were butterflies in his stomach.
Having that reaction on the sight of the spymaster was a rarity for the duke. But the largest battle Foulques had ever participated in approached and Charles brought crucial information.
King Philippe rode up to his spymaster, also on horseback. Foulques did so as well.
“Do they suspect us?” he asked.
“They do, my lord,” Charles said. “But it appears they do not know which way we feint. Boudewijn has dispatched part of his army to meet Orleans.”
“How much of it?” Foulques demanded.
“It appears just a third,” Charles. “The bulk remains around south of Saint-Jean d’Angely. They do not want to lift the siege of the bishopric.”
“They are divided,” Foulques said. “It appears your plan has been successful my liege.”
Philippe nodded. Despite his boasts of offering battle to Boudewijn, the king had not specified on how he would do such a thing. Rather than openly signal their plans, Philippe had ordered a dispatch intercepted which indicated he would move toward Melun to protect the Queen and his children from the Duke of Champagne’s expected siege.
However, instead Philippe planned to march south. The Duke of Orleans had moved across to harass the siege lines of Boudewijn around Saint-Jean d’Angely. Depending on how the rebel duke reacted, Philippe would either move on siege lines or rush to reinforce the force under Orleans.
And so the king looked to his marshal. “Do we attack on our own, or reinforce Orleans?”
“They have but 600 men,” Foulques said. “But if our vanguard is quick, we may be able to catch the rebels off guard.”
Philippe turned back to Charles. “Send word to Orleans to retreat west to the River Boutonne. I want them to lure our enemy toward us.”
“Understood, my king,” Charles said.
With that, the spymaster again rode off, and the next stage of the plan began.
And with it a fresh round of butterflies. Foulques would prefer they drew up lines and battled, rather than danced around each other.
But he had studied enough strategy to know it was necessary. So he said nothing and prepared himself for another wait.
At least it will not be longer than a few days, he thought.
….
Sure enough, a few days later, Foulques sat on his war horse, in his mail and helmet, staring out at the horizon. The butterflies remained, though for a different reason than before.
There were men as far as the eye could see.
Never in his life had Foulques seen this many men assembled to form an army. It was, in many ways, magnificent.
Orleans’ force had drawn the rebels into an initial engagement, but Boudewijn, perhaps realizing the trap was coming, withdrew his forces despite their numerical superiority. Philippe’s vanguard under Toulouse had fought a skirmish with their rear, but little was accomplished.
Instead, Boudewijn had regrouped and moved the full weight of his army just north from his siege lines around Saint-Jean d’Angely toward the Boutonne. With Orleans and now Toulouse positioned on the south side, he halted his progress there, rather than risk a hasty, bloody engagement to drive them off. Instead, he seemed to want to goad Philippe into an attack.
Philippe crossed the river and made camp just to the south of it. Now he’d drawn up his battle line, using the eastern bend near the town to cover his left flank.
Boudewijn’s force was twice the size of the one they had battled at Rouen. Among them, the standards for the various counts, mayors and barons flew. He could not make out where everyone was from the distance, but Foulques figured the Duke of Flanders would take up a central position while Hugues of Burgundy probably resided on one of the flanks.
Of course, the large force that sat on the horizon was matched, if not slightly outnumbered, by the force under King Philippe. And the layout of this army Foulques knew.
On the left was Toulouse, with the knights he promised, his vassal counts and their combined levy. He was joined by Orleans and his forces, along with the levy of Raoul, Count of Vexin and Amiens and the forces of Mallorca.
On the right was a mixture of troops, with the bulk drawn up from Alberic’s levy from his remaining loyal vassals of Aquitaine, Gascony and Poitou. Adding to their numbers was Gilles’ small levies from Berry, Count Leonard of Maine and the forces of Eudes of Vermandois and his wife Countess Almodis of Charolais and Chalons, though the countess was not present.
In the center, Foulques and his Angevin and Breton levy rode with the king, alongside Philippe’s forces from the Ile de France and Normandy. The duke almost wished he had recalled his full compliment for the battle, but there was no use in lamenting that now.
It was a delicate thing this polyglot army - Philippe had to balance out the petty squabbles and feuds of his lords. He made certain to keep Orleans and Alberic on separate flank for obvious reasons, but so too Alberic and the Raoul of Vexin as his wife, the Countess of La Marche, was part of the rebellion against the Duke of Aquitaine.
Of the utmost importance was the Count of Mallorca kept away from Gilles, who had seduced his wife and sired a bastard in her belly - Philippe had to have a few knights around the Duke of Berry at all times in camp just to make certain Mallorca did not get any ideas.
In total, nearly every prominent lord of the realm was present, with the exception of Philipp of Champagne, who tended to the revolt under Count Henri.
A disappointment, Foulques thought, what point is there to being one of the leaders of a rebellion when you miss out on a battle this grand?
Foulques looked over to Amaury. “You get your wish after all.”
“I am not surprised,” Amaury said. “A young impetuous lord is always likely to seek glory...”
“The king is no longer young,” Foulques said.
“You did not let me finish,” Amaury said. “If he finds glory, and not death, he likely will continue along that path for the rest of his days. Which may he may have fewer of as a result.”
Foulques smirked. “You think our king doomed?”
Amaury shrugged. “It matters not to me. I am just grateful it gives me another battle.”
“You and I both,” Foulques replied. “I do not think this will be the last either. Now that he has returned, I would think at least on more - as what happened with the English after Rouen.”
“My lord,” Amaury said. “Always looking for more. Even though you are no longer young either.”
“Because how many more chances will we receive?” Foulques asked.
Amaury shook his head but smiled.
The two men saw movement in the king’s forces and took that as a hint they had best take up their positions. The pair rode over to the king to join his group of knights for the battle.
In truth, Foulques would have preferred a direct command - which instead had gone to Toulouse - perhaps as another condition for his support, Foulques wondered.
Or Alberic, for that matter - he did not think the teen had proven much of anything to this point to warrant such an honor.
But Foulques was truthful with Amaury - he was just grateful to receive the opportunity to fight once more. After the years since Rouen, it would be a welcome simple relief.
In the back of his mind, thoughts of a possible death were entertained. He dismissed them though - he was older but still as capable as any man in combat.
When he and Amaury joined the large group of knights, Foulques sought out the king. Philippe, like his knights, wore leather armor under a hauberk. He donned an iron helmet on his head, but one with no mask so his features and graying beard were clear for all to see. By his side was the spymaster Charles - it appeared he also would be taking part in this fight.
“Duke Foulques!” Philippe exclaimed upon seeing them. “I was beginning to wonder what kept you.”
“Savoring every moment, my king,” Foulques said. “It has been too long since I enjoyed battle.”
“It has been a time since I have seen a good fight,” Philippe said. “The Moslems could not withstand our knights. Not once could they remain on the field. I expect a tougher test today from Boudewijn and Hugues.”
He talks as if he truly does look forward to this, Foulques thought. Perhaps he has overcome his cowardice?
“I expect you to remain close,” Philippe said. “I have my guards, but there are none I trust with my life as much as you and Mayor Charles.”
Foulques cocked a brow. Flattery, or honesty in the face of possible death?
“I am honored to do so,” Foulques said.
“And that invitation extends to you as well,” Philippe said as he looked to Amaury. “I would be honored if the not-so-simple knight would conduct his business at my side.”
Amaury’s grin was as wide as his face. “I would have it no other way, my king.”
“Glory awaits us once more, friends,” Philippe said. “I have done much to grow my kingdom. And today, I will make sure I keep it.”
….
Battle was more exhausting than Foulques had remembered.
His sword arm already ached. He had dehorsed a few knights already on the day, and killed at least one other. But the repeated swings with one arm, and using his shield with the other, tired him a great deal.
Amaury did not seem to mind however, as he did not look any slower than he had in his youth. Perhaps Foulques needed to rededicate himself to training - he had done much less of it in recent years.
The duke looked around him. This melee with the Flemish knights was barely controlled chaos. Individual scraps were being fought all around them. It was near-impossible for Foulques to gauge the overall battle - leaving him to wonder if they were actually winning or losing the engagement.
It did not make matters easier that the mask Foulques wore limited his peripheral vision. He’d almost been caught unaware once, barely managing to get his shield up in time to catch the oncoming blow by a mace-wielding foe.
Thankfully, the knight was not as skilled as perhaps he should have been, and Foulques had managed to fell his opponent.
“Is all that you hoped for?” Foulques asked Amaury.
“I have never seen a battle this large,” Amaury said.
That Amaury had a smile as wide as his face told Foulques all he needed to know.
The two had been fighting alongside Philippe and Charles, but had now gotten separated. Foulques did a quick scan of the battlefield to find them.
As Foulques looked to his right, he again found the king with another knight - just in time to see that knight take a slammed across the face by a shield. The man fell backwards off his horse and to the ground.
It took a moment for Foulques to realize that the man by the king was the spymaster Charles.
And Philippe was soon engaged with another knight. He appeared hesitant… fearful. And Foulques gathered incapable of winning that battle.
Without alerting Amaury, Foulques spurred his horse forward toward the king. He moved past and slammed the knight in the back with his shield as he trotted past. It would not kill the knight, but as Foulques looked back he saw it did its intended job - Philippe’s sword managed to find it’s mark and finish the job.
Foulques made his way back over to the king.
“Thank you for your help, Duke Foulques,” Philippe said.
“We must not rest, my liege,” Foulques said. “The battle still hangs in the balance.”
“Charles!” Philippe said. He looked to his side and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“You must steel yourself, my king,” Foulques said. “Look forward.”
Philippe, face still pale, gave a nod, and the two continued on together in the chaos, Foulques resolving not to leave his king’s side, knowing his fate if he did.
…..
The king’s color, and smile returned, however, a few hours later.
He, Foulques and the group of knights had just broken off pursuit of the fleeing Boudewijn’s forces. Though they found neither he nor Duke Hugues among those trying to escape death and capture, it was a victory - one that could well shift the balance of the conflict completely in the direction of Philippe.
“It appears your belief was not unfounded,” Foulques noted as they returned to camp.
“It is belief in knights like you, Duke Foulques,” Philippe said. He paused and looked at those around him. “BELIEF IN ALL OF YOU WHICH HAVE WON THE DAY!” he shouted.
A cheer went up from the the knights, prompting a smile from Foulques. He did not think Philippe a great master of war, and it was clear he was not comfortable on the battlefield. But success came to him regardless.
Whether that was because God had gifted him these capable men, or Satan had, or if it was just luck, Foulques could not discern. But then, he supposed, it did not matter.
When they arrived at the king's tent however, the joy of victory on the king’s face was broken for a moment as Philippe ran his gloved hand over his muddied face. He looked to Foulques. “Charles. He was a fine mayor and… finer spymaster. He saved my life today as he did on countless occasions before in discovering plots against me.”
“He did his duty well, my king,” Foulques said. “He was a man to be admired.”
Philippe shook his head. “He had no wife. No children. He devoted himself to me as a priest devotes himself to the church. I feel… I feel I have no way to properly honor his memory.”
Foulques looked out into the distance. He did not have a good answer for such things besides a good burial.
“You will find a way, my king,” Foulques said as he placed his hand on Philippe’s shoulder.
“Thank you friend,” Philippe said. He looked around. “I do not see the not-so-simple knight. When you find him, please pass along the invitation to join us as we celebrate tonight. I would leave out no man who bravely fought beside me.”
“I… shall,” Foulques said.
His hesitation was because of the sudden, sinking feeling in Foulques stomach. He had not seen Amaury since they were separated when Foulques went to aid Philippe. He had given a quick look for him at times during the fight, and the chase and return, but had not seen him.
Some of the knights had split off, so Foulques wondered if perhaps he went with them.
So the duke made his way to his tent. But upon arriving, he saw it was empty.
Foulques made the rounds, checking with knights to see if any had seen the old warrior, but while some had seen him in battle, none could say they had seen him since.
Foulques waited by the entrance to the camp for a time, waiting to see if Amaury was among any of knights who returned after their pursuit of the enemy. But none were.
His fear grew worse - from a niggling doubt to a terrifying dread. He could not wait any longer.
So Foulques left the camp along and rode through the battlefield once more. He looked up and down, seeking out where there were the bodies of horses, for knights should be present. But his searches turned up nothing - Amaury was nowhere to be found as the sun moved lower and lower in the sky.
He did catch sight of the body of an older man as the twilight hours arrived. He jumped off his horse to investigate.
“Amaury?”
But it was not him. Another older knight whose time had come that day. Foulques shook his head and moved on.
He looked to the west, in the direction of the setting sun. Approaching on horseback was a man, whom Foulques could not make out because of the glare. At first he did not think much of it, but the man seemed to quicken the pace of his steed as he took notice of the duke.
Could it be? Could he have survived?
The knight closed the distance and brought the horse to a stop before the duke. When Foulques looked up, he saw a bearded man.
But it was not his old friend.
“Duke Foulques,” the knight said, “The king searches for you. He heard you left the camp on your own and was concerned. Is there something you need?”
“I search…” Foulques said. “I search as well.”
“The light will soon be gone,” the knight said. “You should return to camp. The celebrations have already begun. The king…”
“The king… will understand,” Foulques said. “Leave me. I will join him when my search is finished.”
The knight appeared surprised by his response. But did not appear angry. Instead he bowed his head.
“I will pass that message along to the king,” he said. “Good hunting, Duke Foulques.”
And with that the knight rode off. As Foulques watched him go, he also took notice of the battlefield and the areas he had yet explored. Or perhaps had explored but did not remember exploring?
Foulques sighed. It all seemed so hopeless.
The duke then furrowed his brow and climbed back upon his horse. Urging the steed forward he moved onto the next area… and the next.
In the distance, the sounds of the celebrations carried on well on into the night. But Foulques did his best to ignore them as he continued on, in vain.
April 1093 - Saintonge, France
As Charles, mayor of Paris approached, Foulques felt as if there were butterflies in his stomach.
Having that reaction on the sight of the spymaster was a rarity for the duke. But the largest battle Foulques had ever participated in approached and Charles brought crucial information.
King Philippe rode up to his spymaster, also on horseback. Foulques did so as well.
“Do they suspect us?” he asked.
“They do, my lord,” Charles said. “But it appears they do not know which way we feint. Boudewijn has dispatched part of his army to meet Orleans.”
“How much of it?” Foulques demanded.
“It appears just a third,” Charles. “The bulk remains around south of Saint-Jean d’Angely. They do not want to lift the siege of the bishopric.”
“They are divided,” Foulques said. “It appears your plan has been successful my liege.”
Philippe nodded. Despite his boasts of offering battle to Boudewijn, the king had not specified on how he would do such a thing. Rather than openly signal their plans, Philippe had ordered a dispatch intercepted which indicated he would move toward Melun to protect the Queen and his children from the Duke of Champagne’s expected siege.
However, instead Philippe planned to march south. The Duke of Orleans had moved across to harass the siege lines of Boudewijn around Saint-Jean d’Angely. Depending on how the rebel duke reacted, Philippe would either move on siege lines or rush to reinforce the force under Orleans.
And so the king looked to his marshal. “Do we attack on our own, or reinforce Orleans?”
“They have but 600 men,” Foulques said. “But if our vanguard is quick, we may be able to catch the rebels off guard.”
Philippe turned back to Charles. “Send word to Orleans to retreat west to the River Boutonne. I want them to lure our enemy toward us.”
“Understood, my king,” Charles said.
With that, the spymaster again rode off, and the next stage of the plan began.
And with it a fresh round of butterflies. Foulques would prefer they drew up lines and battled, rather than danced around each other.
But he had studied enough strategy to know it was necessary. So he said nothing and prepared himself for another wait.
At least it will not be longer than a few days, he thought.
….
Sure enough, a few days later, Foulques sat on his war horse, in his mail and helmet, staring out at the horizon. The butterflies remained, though for a different reason than before.
There were men as far as the eye could see.
Never in his life had Foulques seen this many men assembled to form an army. It was, in many ways, magnificent.
Orleans’ force had drawn the rebels into an initial engagement, but Boudewijn, perhaps realizing the trap was coming, withdrew his forces despite their numerical superiority. Philippe’s vanguard under Toulouse had fought a skirmish with their rear, but little was accomplished.
Instead, Boudewijn had regrouped and moved the full weight of his army just north from his siege lines around Saint-Jean d’Angely toward the Boutonne. With Orleans and now Toulouse positioned on the south side, he halted his progress there, rather than risk a hasty, bloody engagement to drive them off. Instead, he seemed to want to goad Philippe into an attack.
Philippe crossed the river and made camp just to the south of it. Now he’d drawn up his battle line, using the eastern bend near the town to cover his left flank.
Boudewijn’s force was twice the size of the one they had battled at Rouen. Among them, the standards for the various counts, mayors and barons flew. He could not make out where everyone was from the distance, but Foulques figured the Duke of Flanders would take up a central position while Hugues of Burgundy probably resided on one of the flanks.
Of course, the large force that sat on the horizon was matched, if not slightly outnumbered, by the force under King Philippe. And the layout of this army Foulques knew.
On the left was Toulouse, with the knights he promised, his vassal counts and their combined levy. He was joined by Orleans and his forces, along with the levy of Raoul, Count of Vexin and Amiens and the forces of Mallorca.
On the right was a mixture of troops, with the bulk drawn up from Alberic’s levy from his remaining loyal vassals of Aquitaine, Gascony and Poitou. Adding to their numbers was Gilles’ small levies from Berry, Count Leonard of Maine and the forces of Eudes of Vermandois and his wife Countess Almodis of Charolais and Chalons, though the countess was not present.
In the center, Foulques and his Angevin and Breton levy rode with the king, alongside Philippe’s forces from the Ile de France and Normandy. The duke almost wished he had recalled his full compliment for the battle, but there was no use in lamenting that now.
It was a delicate thing this polyglot army - Philippe had to balance out the petty squabbles and feuds of his lords. He made certain to keep Orleans and Alberic on separate flank for obvious reasons, but so too Alberic and the Raoul of Vexin as his wife, the Countess of La Marche, was part of the rebellion against the Duke of Aquitaine.
Of the utmost importance was the Count of Mallorca kept away from Gilles, who had seduced his wife and sired a bastard in her belly - Philippe had to have a few knights around the Duke of Berry at all times in camp just to make certain Mallorca did not get any ideas.
In total, nearly every prominent lord of the realm was present, with the exception of Philipp of Champagne, who tended to the revolt under Count Henri.
A disappointment, Foulques thought, what point is there to being one of the leaders of a rebellion when you miss out on a battle this grand?
Foulques looked over to Amaury. “You get your wish after all.”
“I am not surprised,” Amaury said. “A young impetuous lord is always likely to seek glory...”
“The king is no longer young,” Foulques said.
“You did not let me finish,” Amaury said. “If he finds glory, and not death, he likely will continue along that path for the rest of his days. Which may he may have fewer of as a result.”
Foulques smirked. “You think our king doomed?”
Amaury shrugged. “It matters not to me. I am just grateful it gives me another battle.”
“You and I both,” Foulques replied. “I do not think this will be the last either. Now that he has returned, I would think at least on more - as what happened with the English after Rouen.”
“My lord,” Amaury said. “Always looking for more. Even though you are no longer young either.”
“Because how many more chances will we receive?” Foulques asked.
Amaury shook his head but smiled.
The two men saw movement in the king’s forces and took that as a hint they had best take up their positions. The pair rode over to the king to join his group of knights for the battle.
In truth, Foulques would have preferred a direct command - which instead had gone to Toulouse - perhaps as another condition for his support, Foulques wondered.
Or Alberic, for that matter - he did not think the teen had proven much of anything to this point to warrant such an honor.
But Foulques was truthful with Amaury - he was just grateful to receive the opportunity to fight once more. After the years since Rouen, it would be a welcome simple relief.
In the back of his mind, thoughts of a possible death were entertained. He dismissed them though - he was older but still as capable as any man in combat.
When he and Amaury joined the large group of knights, Foulques sought out the king. Philippe, like his knights, wore leather armor under a hauberk. He donned an iron helmet on his head, but one with no mask so his features and graying beard were clear for all to see. By his side was the spymaster Charles - it appeared he also would be taking part in this fight.
“Duke Foulques!” Philippe exclaimed upon seeing them. “I was beginning to wonder what kept you.”
“Savoring every moment, my king,” Foulques said. “It has been too long since I enjoyed battle.”
“It has been a time since I have seen a good fight,” Philippe said. “The Moslems could not withstand our knights. Not once could they remain on the field. I expect a tougher test today from Boudewijn and Hugues.”
He talks as if he truly does look forward to this, Foulques thought. Perhaps he has overcome his cowardice?
“I expect you to remain close,” Philippe said. “I have my guards, but there are none I trust with my life as much as you and Mayor Charles.”
Foulques cocked a brow. Flattery, or honesty in the face of possible death?
“I am honored to do so,” Foulques said.
“And that invitation extends to you as well,” Philippe said as he looked to Amaury. “I would be honored if the not-so-simple knight would conduct his business at my side.”
Amaury’s grin was as wide as his face. “I would have it no other way, my king.”
“Glory awaits us once more, friends,” Philippe said. “I have done much to grow my kingdom. And today, I will make sure I keep it.”
….
Battle was more exhausting than Foulques had remembered.
His sword arm already ached. He had dehorsed a few knights already on the day, and killed at least one other. But the repeated swings with one arm, and using his shield with the other, tired him a great deal.
Amaury did not seem to mind however, as he did not look any slower than he had in his youth. Perhaps Foulques needed to rededicate himself to training - he had done much less of it in recent years.
The duke looked around him. This melee with the Flemish knights was barely controlled chaos. Individual scraps were being fought all around them. It was near-impossible for Foulques to gauge the overall battle - leaving him to wonder if they were actually winning or losing the engagement.
It did not make matters easier that the mask Foulques wore limited his peripheral vision. He’d almost been caught unaware once, barely managing to get his shield up in time to catch the oncoming blow by a mace-wielding foe.
Thankfully, the knight was not as skilled as perhaps he should have been, and Foulques had managed to fell his opponent.
“Is all that you hoped for?” Foulques asked Amaury.
“I have never seen a battle this large,” Amaury said.
That Amaury had a smile as wide as his face told Foulques all he needed to know.
The two had been fighting alongside Philippe and Charles, but had now gotten separated. Foulques did a quick scan of the battlefield to find them.
As Foulques looked to his right, he again found the king with another knight - just in time to see that knight take a slammed across the face by a shield. The man fell backwards off his horse and to the ground.
It took a moment for Foulques to realize that the man by the king was the spymaster Charles.
And Philippe was soon engaged with another knight. He appeared hesitant… fearful. And Foulques gathered incapable of winning that battle.
Without alerting Amaury, Foulques spurred his horse forward toward the king. He moved past and slammed the knight in the back with his shield as he trotted past. It would not kill the knight, but as Foulques looked back he saw it did its intended job - Philippe’s sword managed to find it’s mark and finish the job.
Foulques made his way back over to the king.
“Thank you for your help, Duke Foulques,” Philippe said.
“We must not rest, my liege,” Foulques said. “The battle still hangs in the balance.”
“Charles!” Philippe said. He looked to his side and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
“You must steel yourself, my king,” Foulques said. “Look forward.”
Philippe, face still pale, gave a nod, and the two continued on together in the chaos, Foulques resolving not to leave his king’s side, knowing his fate if he did.
…..
The king’s color, and smile returned, however, a few hours later.
He, Foulques and the group of knights had just broken off pursuit of the fleeing Boudewijn’s forces. Though they found neither he nor Duke Hugues among those trying to escape death and capture, it was a victory - one that could well shift the balance of the conflict completely in the direction of Philippe.
“It appears your belief was not unfounded,” Foulques noted as they returned to camp.
“It is belief in knights like you, Duke Foulques,” Philippe said. He paused and looked at those around him. “BELIEF IN ALL OF YOU WHICH HAVE WON THE DAY!” he shouted.
A cheer went up from the the knights, prompting a smile from Foulques. He did not think Philippe a great master of war, and it was clear he was not comfortable on the battlefield. But success came to him regardless.
Whether that was because God had gifted him these capable men, or Satan had, or if it was just luck, Foulques could not discern. But then, he supposed, it did not matter.
When they arrived at the king's tent however, the joy of victory on the king’s face was broken for a moment as Philippe ran his gloved hand over his muddied face. He looked to Foulques. “Charles. He was a fine mayor and… finer spymaster. He saved my life today as he did on countless occasions before in discovering plots against me.”
“He did his duty well, my king,” Foulques said. “He was a man to be admired.”
Philippe shook his head. “He had no wife. No children. He devoted himself to me as a priest devotes himself to the church. I feel… I feel I have no way to properly honor his memory.”
Foulques looked out into the distance. He did not have a good answer for such things besides a good burial.
“You will find a way, my king,” Foulques said as he placed his hand on Philippe’s shoulder.
“Thank you friend,” Philippe said. He looked around. “I do not see the not-so-simple knight. When you find him, please pass along the invitation to join us as we celebrate tonight. I would leave out no man who bravely fought beside me.”
“I… shall,” Foulques said.
His hesitation was because of the sudden, sinking feeling in Foulques stomach. He had not seen Amaury since they were separated when Foulques went to aid Philippe. He had given a quick look for him at times during the fight, and the chase and return, but had not seen him.
Some of the knights had split off, so Foulques wondered if perhaps he went with them.
So the duke made his way to his tent. But upon arriving, he saw it was empty.
Foulques made the rounds, checking with knights to see if any had seen the old warrior, but while some had seen him in battle, none could say they had seen him since.
Foulques waited by the entrance to the camp for a time, waiting to see if Amaury was among any of knights who returned after their pursuit of the enemy. But none were.
His fear grew worse - from a niggling doubt to a terrifying dread. He could not wait any longer.
So Foulques left the camp along and rode through the battlefield once more. He looked up and down, seeking out where there were the bodies of horses, for knights should be present. But his searches turned up nothing - Amaury was nowhere to be found as the sun moved lower and lower in the sky.
He did catch sight of the body of an older man as the twilight hours arrived. He jumped off his horse to investigate.
“Amaury?”
But it was not him. Another older knight whose time had come that day. Foulques shook his head and moved on.
He looked to the west, in the direction of the setting sun. Approaching on horseback was a man, whom Foulques could not make out because of the glare. At first he did not think much of it, but the man seemed to quicken the pace of his steed as he took notice of the duke.
Could it be? Could he have survived?
The knight closed the distance and brought the horse to a stop before the duke. When Foulques looked up, he saw a bearded man.
But it was not his old friend.
“Duke Foulques,” the knight said, “The king searches for you. He heard you left the camp on your own and was concerned. Is there something you need?”
“I search…” Foulques said. “I search as well.”
“The light will soon be gone,” the knight said. “You should return to camp. The celebrations have already begun. The king…”
“The king… will understand,” Foulques said. “Leave me. I will join him when my search is finished.”
The knight appeared surprised by his response. But did not appear angry. Instead he bowed his head.
“I will pass that message along to the king,” he said. “Good hunting, Duke Foulques.”
And with that the knight rode off. As Foulques watched him go, he also took notice of the battlefield and the areas he had yet explored. Or perhaps had explored but did not remember exploring?
Foulques sighed. It all seemed so hopeless.
The duke then furrowed his brow and climbed back upon his horse. Urging the steed forward he moved onto the next area… and the next.
In the distance, the sounds of the celebrations carried on well on into the night. But Foulques did his best to ignore them as he continued on, in vain.
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In embracing memories of glories past, Foulques is getting even more reminders of his own impending mortality.
He's gonna die alone and broken by regrets isn't he?
He's gonna die alone and broken by regrets isn't he?
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While reading the last couple chapters I started to have a feeling that Amaury would die but it's still sad that it seems I was right.
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Once again, I do have to pity Foulques a little here -- sometimes the ever-rolling dread of simply not knowing can be far worse than the short, sharp shock of anguish that comes with confirmation. I have this feeling that he's going to spend literally the entire night out in that field...
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Amaury... hard to believe that such an insignificant character in terms of pure CK2 gameplay can have such an outsized impact in an AAR. Another indicator of just how masterful a job you have done with this AAR.
Death is an old friend at this point. Foulques surely knows that he is no longer the hunter in this life, but the hunted.
Death is an old friend at this point. Foulques surely knows that he is no longer the hunter in this life, but the hunted.
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One got what he wanted - possibly. The king did too (though only half of it - as he gained no warscore thanks to Orléans' manoeuvre ). And Foulques - if now he begins not even to feel at home on the field of battle, is there any situation he can call his own? Age, disease and fate wear him down. The question that remains now is to see if all of Foulques' long-time companions will pass before he does, leaving him to die truly alone.
). And Foulques - if now he begins not even to feel at home on the field of battle, is there any situation he can call his own? Age, disease and fate wear him down. The question that remains now is to see if all of Foulques' long-time companions will pass before he does, leaving him to die truly alone.- 1
Foulques and Amaury have been fortunate indeed one has not been searching for the other.
I do have one minor quibble with this piece, which I hope you do not mind me sharing, and it is the following phrase: "Rather than telegraph their plans" The reason I dislike it is the anachronistic word of "telegraph", especially when used as a thought as it is here. Perhaps a phrase like "Rather than openly signal their plans" would have been more in keeping?
I do have one minor quibble with this piece, which I hope you do not mind me sharing, and it is the following phrase: "Rather than telegraph their plans" The reason I dislike it is the anachronistic word of "telegraph", especially when used as a thought as it is here. Perhaps a phrase like "Rather than openly signal their plans" would have been more in keeping?
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Yep. He embraces a past that cannot be reclaimed. He's not the only one either - but at least Philippe is a little younger than the not-so-good Duke.
I can't give away spoilers but... it does look to be headed that way, doesn't it?
Yeah, he got to go out with a grand battle. Fitting in a way, he was a man in the background for this AAR and he dies out of the limelight, but likely doing something of importance.
Yeah, I was setting it up. In truth, I don't actually know how he died in game. I didn't mark him as "important" (something I've been doing more of recently with lowborn characters) so I just noticed when I checked my commanders he was gone... So this was kind of a tribute to that - he died, we don't know when, or the exact manner how in the fight, but he's gone all the same, leaving a void for Foulques, at least among his confidants, that will be hard to fill.
I imagine he will too. I thought it a tragic and haunting way to finish that chapter. He's searching for something lost, that can no longer be found.
Thanks for that. I've aimed to do that with a few characters - Amaury and Alearde being the big two in that regard. As the game has progressed, and Foulques has been drawn away from Anjou, those lowborn characters tend to get much less time to shine of course. But that they were there is good - they are reminders of the times before.
You would think Foulques would know that he is the hunted - in all aspects of his life, not just death. But... I think a part of him thinks himself somewhat invincible. He's wrong of course, but up until the last few years, he'd been healthy and hearty. Even in illness - he paid a steep cost, but he is rid of the Pox. I suspect Foulques clings to life and probably partially thinks he can will himself on.
Yes, this civil war is going to evoke a different feel than the English war. That was very much about glory - this is not going to be that. Even in victory, things will be bittersweet. A different time, a different environment, and in a way different men, than before.
One got what he wanted - possibly. The king did too (though only half of it - as he gained no warscore thanks to Orléans' manoeuvre
You read the game well - no war score was gained because Orleans initiated the combat. (I imagine the game "knew" the king's forces would assist, but yeah, no war score)
You also read the story well. I can't speak to your prediction but... it does have some merit.
Thank you for that feedback! I have aimed to avoid using phrases that the character would not think because they invoke inventions or things that had not existed, so it isn't good that one slipped by. I will change it to your signal suggestion, which fits far better.
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Foulques sees his old companions and even enemies slip away, one by one.
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