Tyranny of Steel
chapter-109

Currently, Duke Wilmar was alongside his vassals, including Count Otto, who had regrouped with the main army of Austria at Munich to which they were currently laying siege. They were inside the commander's tent within the siege camp, where they were discussing tactics for the ongoing siege that had already been raging on for a total of fifteen days at this point. While going over preparations for building a tunnel beneath the city walls, a messenger rushed into the tent with dire news in hand.

"My Liege, I am sorry for the intrusion, but the news is urgent!"

Seeing the distressed expression on the messenger's face, Duke Wilmar calmly responded to his uninvited appearance.

"What news is so grim that you would interrupt my war council?"

Noticing the unfriendly gazes of the vassals gazing upon him, the messenger instantly gulped his saliva while finding the courage to report the grave situation back in Austria.

"Count Lothar has led his armies to Vienna where he has taken up arms against you and besieges the city as we speak!"

Duke Wilmar's expression turned murderous as he heard the shocking news; he was not expecting someone related to his family, albeit distantly, to turn on him in such a manner. However, right when the Duke was about to speak, the messenger spoke up once more.

"There's more..."

Duke Wilmar composed himself in a manner befitting a man of his position before giving the messenger an order.

"Continue..."

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As such, the messenger continued to tell the full content of the news he had received.

"Viscount Berengar has taken up arms against Count Lothar and is marching his army upon Innsbruck in an attempt to force Count Lothar's hand to return to Tyrol and defend it."

The messenger then reported the message Berengar had sent out across Austria, and the frown on Wilmar's face turned to a wicked grin as he spoke his thoughts aloud.

"The boy clearly knows Lothar will not turn his forces around and is acting in a way to advance his position, but so be it, if he actually has the might to seize Innsbruck and put down the ensuing rebellion successfully, I will make him Count. As for Lothar, Otto, you take your army and break his siege. I will reward you dearly if you can bring me the traitor's head!"

Count Otto bowed respectfully to Duke Wilmar before accepting his request, though it would be difficult as Lothar's armies outnumbered his own and were equally well equipped; he must perform the duty for the sake of the Duchy and the rightful Duke of Austria!

"It will be done, my Lord!"

with that, the stage was set for a series of massive battles within Austria; as such, the Austrians were now severely limited in their ability to advance their claim to the throne of Germany. Though it was not as if the other pretenders were in any better of a position. Afterall the entirety of Germany and the regions in the immediate vicininty had become embroiled in conflict since the death of the King.

...

Count Lothar was currently in a similar position as Duke Wilmar, he was currently laying siege to the City of Vienna, which acted as the capital of the Duchy of Austria, it was the seat of power for the Habsburgs, and as such, he sought to claim it for himself. He currently stood within his tent reading the letter from Berengar which declared his open rebellion against Count Lothar, and his official support of Duke Wilmar. In his other hand was a secret letter from Linde. After reading the contents of both letters to his Vassals, he left it up for discussion as to how they will proceed. Throughout the entire conversation, Count Lothar remained calm; luckily, his daughter was on his side, as he thought the love she had for Berengar could not replace the loyalty she had to her family.

In Linde's letter, it was written that Berengar was blinded by ambition and had marched a very poorly equipped army onto Innsbruck, leaving Kufstein completely defenseless. She added that she would welcome her father's armies with open arms if they were to show up in Kufstein. However, the goal was to take Vienna; after all, if Lothar abandoned it now, he would never get another chance to become Duke and would most likely have to fight a full-fledged civil war with Duke Wilmar the result of which leaned heavily in the favor fo the Duke. However, due to how poorly defended Kufstein appeared from Linde's description, Lothar could not help but take the bait; as such, he decided on a course of action while his vassals were screaming at each other with how to proceed.

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"Viscount Theodoric, I want you to take a quarter of our army and march on Kufstein, securing the region and my daughter. You should not face any resistance now that she is in charge; we will make sure that bastard Berengar and his loathsome forces have no home to return to!"

With that said, Theodoric grinned from ear to ear with a wicked smile; he would now be able to ransack Kufstein and seize anything of value for himself; this was also his chance to get close to Linde, who he had desired since she was a little girl, after all, she was considered one of the three heavenly beauties of Austria. As for Berengar's bastard son, he he planned to drop it from the roof of the Castle. Thus he was more than happy to accept the offer as he bowed before Count Lothar.

"You can count on me, my lord."

With that, Count Lothar's armies were severely weakened overnight as a quarter of them would soon march into a trap Berengar and Linde had come up with, completely unaware that they would soon be facing impregnable defenses mounted on all sides with 24 lb siege cannons and a garrison armed with muskets. As for Lothar, he had greatly weakened his position, completely unaware that Count Otto was marching with his full force to lift the traitor's siege. Whether or not Count Lothar survived the ordeal was determined by how quickly he could take the Castle in Vienna and hold the Duke's family hostages.

In a single move, Linde had greatly weakened the position of Berengar's enemies, all while Berengar and his army were marching through the Alps to lay siege to the capital of Tyrol, the city of Innsbruck. One thing was certain the war for Austria had just begun, and it would become a long and brutal war with an unexpected victor. After all, both the Duke of Austria and the Rebel Count were currently in the middle of a siege, where anything could happen, and lives were easily lost.