By the dawn of September, the royal mustering had finally reached its end. A total of 3,800 men now stood ready under the banners of the crown, a force that was, in truth, the combined strength of two princedoms brought together under the command of a single man.
It was a sight to behold.
The sheer scale of it carried a certain sobriety, for such unity was rarely achieved so swiftly. In less than two years, Alpheo had managed to draw swords not only from his own loyal lords but also from the newly sworn nobles of conquered Herculia. In ordinary times, pacifying a territory so vast and so deeply scarred by war would have required no less than half a decade.
But Alpheo had wasted no time. He had poured coin, quite the good sum , into stitching the land back together, repairing roads, reviving trade, and sharing the spoils of subjugation with select high lords of Herculia to secure their stake in his rule.
