Tyranny of Steel

Hilmar sat within the confines of the tavern as the city's garrisons were rushing into defensive mode. The armies of Austria were gathering outside the city, and with it, the atmosphere had become tense. To calm his growing nerved, the Count sat with an ale in one hand while maintaining a lookout for his contact.

As part of their cat and mouse tactics, Hilmar had frequently visited this tavern over the past few months to relay information to the Austrian Spy about anything important, which he discovered by being an advisor to the Duke. The symbol to initiate contact was a simple act of placing a flowerpot on the tavern's windowsill, which he had done the moment he entered the establishment.

He did not have long, if he was absent from the Palace for an extended period of time, then Hartman would grow suspicious, and considering he was conspiring with the enemy to bring his master's rule to an end, the last thing he needed was the Bastard of Luxembourg looking into his hidden actions.

One drink turned to two, and to turned to three. Before Hilmar knew it, he had consumed five beers. Just when he was about to get up and exit the tavern, the mature beauty who was his contact sat down in front of him with an exhausted expression on her lips. She grabbed ahold of the man's drink and chug its contents before letting out a heavy sigh.

"Sorry I'm late, doll. I've been dreadfully busy coordinating efforts with the rebels inside the city's gates. I trust this is urgent, and you are not simply wasting my time for the sake of getting to know little ol' me..."

When Hilmar heard this response, his eyes widened in shock. He did not know that Berengar had dispatched rebels into the city of Luxembourg. After all, he wasn't exactly the most knowledgeable informant of Austrian Royal Intelligence. Despite this shocking revelation, the man kept himself focused and instead relayed the information he knew.

"The Duke is dispatching his sisters to Burgundy for their safety. I thought this information might interest your master. After all, it was his sister who was harmed in Hartman's failed assassination attempt..."

The busy and mature beauty sitting across from Hilmar sighed heavily before nodding her head. She immediately chugged another beer, which the tavern wench had brought over before inquiring further about this information.

"When will they depart? Have they already left? Which route are they taking? I need specific details if I am to inform my superiors of this information you have gained."

Hilmar sighed as he told the woman everything he knew about the topic.

"By now they have likely already left the city, and are heading west via some less travelled roads towards the Duchy of Burgundy. If you send a cavalry unit to intercept them, it will not be too late for the King of Austria to gain his vengeance. Allow me to draw you a map!"

As Hilmar said this, he quickly retrieved some parchment from his pocket and used a fountain pen, which the spy provided with him to draw a crude map of the routes most likely to be travelled by the escapees. After finishing it, he handed the chart over to his contact with a smile on his face.

The busty woman quickly grabbed hold of the map and studied its contents before nodding her head. She pounded yet another beer in a matter of seconds before wiping her mouth with her sleeve. After doing so, she stood up from her seat and prepared to depart, before doing so she left a single farewell with an amorous smile on her face.

"I will make sure when we take this city that we spare your life. Maybe after this dreadful business is over, we can get a proper meal together. After all, I have yet to reward you for your service..."

Without waiting for a response, the female agent departed from the tavern, leaving Hilmar with a satisfied expression on his lips. He could not wait for the day that the beautiful spy would reward him for his efforts.

As for the Agent, she quickly snuck out of the city through its Salley port when nobody was looking, before coming into contact with another agent of the Austrian Crown who was waiting for her response. This agent was a haggard old man who was unlikely to provoke interest of any kind. The busty beauty quickly handed him the map and relayed Hilmar's words.

"My contact in the palace assures me that the Duke's sisters have already departed for the Duchy of Burgundy. They seek refuge in the house of that disgusting boy-lover. Bring this word to the King, and have him decide what to do with it. I should get back into the city before the fighting begins."

Just when the woman was about to return to her duty within the city, the other agent latched onto her wrist and shook his head before speaking.

"You can inform the King of this yourself, you have done your duty, now only conflict remains, and it would be best if our agents are not within the city when the fighting begins, that is a task for the Jagdkommandos and their insurgent army."

It shocked the woman to hear this, however she did not disobey orders, instead she followed the other agent to the horse which he had hidden in the treeline. The two agents rode off in tandem towards the main Austrian Host, which by now was only miles away from the Capital of Luxembourg.

After a brief ride, the horse and its two riders approached the Austrian Army, where they immediately flew an Austrian flag to symbolize their allegiance. Because of this, they did not alarm the Soldiers with their rapid approach, and instead the soldiers allowed them to pass by undisturbed. It was not until they approached the Royal Guard where they were flagged down and inspected before being granted an audience with the King.

After their identities as agents of the crown were verified, the Royal Guard led the woman towards Berengar, who sat upon his steed. Upon witnessing her King in person, the female agent instantly knelt before her sovereign as she spoke the thoughts in her mind.

"Your Majesty, I have important news to give to you. I have received word from my contact within the Palace of Luxembourg that the Duke's sisters are currently fleeing westward towards the Duchy of Burgundy, where they will seek refuge. This presents us with an opportunity to seize them, and use them as bargaining chips, or whatever else you would decide to do with them."

It did not surprise Berengar to hear this information. He had long since been receiving regular updates from his agents in the field, thus he knew well that there was an informant embedded in the Ducal Court of Luxembourg, supplying Austrian intelligence with vital information.

Thus, when he heard this news, he had a minor reaction. He gazed towards the west where the Duchy of Burgundy lied and sighed before giving out his commands to his Royal Guard.

"Sent a Cavalry Battalion out to find the Duke's sisters. We can not allow them to reach the safety of their western neighbors."

The officer in charge of the Royal Guard's Cavalry quickly nodded his head and was about to depart when the female agent handed over the map that Hilmar had scribbled of the routes the girls were most likely to take.

"Here, take this. It may help in your search!'

The Cavalry Officer immediately nodded his head as he accepted the gift, before rallying his soldiers beneath his command. The Cavalry of the Royal Guard spared no time and immediately departed from the main army as they went around the city of Luxembourg and into the pastoral fields of Gutland where they were most likely to find the caravan which contained the Duke's sisters.

As for the rest of the Army, they were but a stone's throw away from Luxembourg and shortly thereafter set up a proper siege encampment around the entire city. There would be no escape from the Bastard of Luxembourg.

While his soldiers dug a series of trenches around the city and prepared their artillery pieces and machine guns alike. Berengar sat in his command trench dressed in his full battle attire, pouring himself a chalice filled with wine. He gazed off towards the city's walls and sighed heavily in defeat.

No matter how much he wanted to prevent unnecessary civilian casualties, it would appear that brutal urban warfare the like this world had not seen since Carthage was about to become a reality. For the first time in a long time, Berengar was about to lead his soldiers into a siege that was more than just bombarding a city into oblivion.

If what his spies reported was true, then Hartman planned to arm every citizen within his city's walls with firearms, and force Berengar's army to kick down every door within the city in an attempt to wrestle control of it. Luckily for Berengar, he had already planned for such a reality, and secured an armed force of rebels within the city. When the siege finally begun, Hartman was in for a rude awakening.