STR2 The Throne's way - PART 2
By rfortuna
Second chapter of the Military campaign based on stronghold 2
Remake of Stronghold 2 with some changes in history
You will have to fight against the illegitimate Prince and choose your way, covet the throne or find the King!
This campaign contain the Good Path and the Bad Path before the siege of Edwin's castle
GOOD PATH
GP-7 The Bishop
I have chosen to remain faithful to my country and to my King. For three months after the battle of Edwinâ€â„¢s Castle, the war almost ceased, so bloody had the battle been. Our victory had brought me back a certain prestige and many young peasants joined our cause. Sir William departed to strengthen our alliances with the Southern Lords, reluctantly leaving me with Lady Seren with whom I became.. ever closer. What a misfortune for my good master, but I was not going to complain about it. Then came news from the King! He was taken out of his hiding place and asked us to join the palace of the Royal Bishop. Revealing to us the Prince's new plan which was to capture the Bishop and force him to write a new Royal Edict legitimizing him. We would have to rebuild this castle and win the love of the people in order to thwart the Prince's plans.
GP-8 Deratting
The bishop is safe and his authority is restored throughout the region! As we felled the last enemies, a message came from Sir Deadfoot, one of the King's most trusted bannermen. The King was truly back at the head of a small army and recaptured the counties that had fallen under the Prince's yoke. The Prince had no escape, he joined his mother's family in the South where my master had tried to foment a rebellion. Alas my lord is much better fighter than negotiator and he quickly called me for help So I left Lady Seren to come to his rescue, in a small castle located not far from the Prince's allies. The fight will be tough. We must capture the Weasel, the Ferret, the Mouse and the Prince's own mother, the Ermine
GP-9 Kingâ€â„¢s return
By joining forces with Sir William, victory could be won. The Rat Family is well guarded, however the Baroness had managed to escape by boat before our arrival. With the south pacified the Prince has no escape. He took refuge with his mother in their familyâ€â„¢s castle by the sea. The king and Sir Deadfoot have succeeded in reconquering the kingdom. The renegades surrendered at the news that the King was still alive. To Sir William's dismay, the King promoted me Royal Champion and offered me the command of his army to capture this Rat Prince and end this war.
GP-10 Epilogue
It was over… I executed the prince with my own hands and handcuffed his mother, the Baroness. Back in the capital, great festivities were announced. The kingdom would be rebuilt, and the wounds of war would be healed. Alas my relationship with my former master had suffered... Sir William asked for a jousting match in order to recover his title of Royal Champion. I accepted, maybe the coldness of defeat will finally make him accept what he lost. Lady Seren who had accepted my wedding proposal came to support me.. One more reproach that Sir William could make of me, but I did not choose what happened to me and I would be very stupid to deny everything to become again the poor squire that I was at the beginning of this war.
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BAD PATH
BP-11 The Lamb
In truth, I have grown weary of Sir William's endless complaints about this country, achieving little. The Prince and his allies are dangerous men, but only through them can I gain the power I now crave. I now wear my own colors and so I left my master and Lady Seren to join the Prince. For three months after the Battle of Edwin's the war almost ceased, so bloody had the battle been. This is how long it took the Prince and his allies to find a new plan. Capture the Royal Bishop and force him to sign a Royal Edict legitimizing the Prince. Alas our plans had been preempted, Seren, the Lamb, had already invested the Bishop's Palace and had reinforced its defenses. It saddens me to have to face the beautiful and fearsome Seren but it is too late to back down. Our combined forces would break down those gates and capture the Holy Man.
BP-12 Sir William
Seren died as a warrior, sword in hand and armor stained with the blood of my men. I would have liked to spare him but it is too late for regrets. The Bishop wrote an Edict legitimizing the Prince, in the greatest secrecy I made him understand that between the Prince and another lord he should choose the lesser evil. He therefore prepared another Edict allowing me to accede to power as a Kingâ€â„¢s second. It would just be enough for a misfortune to happen to the Prince... However, before that we had to put the former King out of the race. Everything suggests that he is still alive. Seren dead, only Sir William remained in our path. It's time to invest his land and break with my old life. These lands lacked stone and iron and the William'sreinforcements will arrive soon. Fortunately, the Bishop's palace was overflowing with gold and the land of this plain was conducive to the digging of moats.
BP-13 The Crown
Despite his reinforcements, the castle of my former master fell. From the top of his dungeon he reproached me for my betrayal and the death of Seren... I responded to these reproaches by sending him a crossbow bolt which was to rock him from the parapet of his dungeon. The last link that linked me to my old life had just been cut. One of the captains leading the reinforcements spoke. This mens came from the North, into the wild lands. The King had survived his poisoning and found refuge in an old castle. With his Marshal, Sir Deadfoot he planned to take back his kingdom. Fortunately, most of his soldiers had been swept away on the lands of Sir William. and I ordered my men to put on their colors in order to approach the King close enough before he fled once more. The crown was within reach! Thanks to my cunning, the King had mistaken my army for that of Sir William. The Prince launched the assault from the sea. I had to help him reach the walls in order to cause chaos, his men will occupy the King's knights until I go and get the crown from his head myself!
BP-14 Epilogue
The old King and Sir Deadfoot are indeed dead! I offered the Crown to the Prince to prove my good faith. He wouldn't pass the crowing anyway... As he paraded like a peacock my men found the poisoner who had poisoned the King. And it was during the upcoming coronation banquet that this Rat would die. The second Edict of the Bishop assured me of the crown on the death of the Prince... In the end, this war was a blessing... It allowed a simple squire to rise above the powerful and the noble. I regret nothing. Now shall we take care of my new kingdom...