Yesterday’s storm had caused significant flooding in the area, damaging important infrastructure, including that of his goal today: the small fishing village of Beltok. Colonel Dess Korvan’s horse splashed through the mud, his eyes scanning the flooded remnants of the lands around Beltok with a cold, calculating gaze. His grandfather had established the fishing village decades ago, but the intervening years had not produced the dividends that were expected. His father had turned the task over to the future Lord of this land, his older brother Quintin.

Future Lord Korvan had tasked him, a colonel in the Preeminence’s armed forces, with dealing with the unproductive village of Beltok. It was obvious that the management of the village was not adequate, and it reflected poorly on their family. Dess would make sure that the message was delivered; there would be no mistaking their displeasure at the current situation.

Dess was mounted on his light warhorse, Purity. She was a good horse, swift on her feet and pliable to his needs. With him were two whole companies making up a force of two hundred and fifty men, all outfitted in the red and leathers of the Protectorate forces, except for the officers who had the distinction and honor of wearing breastplates in addition to their leathers. He didn’t know the rank and file of his force, but he did know his sub-commanders, two ambitious lieutenants he had, with the help of his family, promoted to captains. These men were loyal to him, and he trusted them to keep their subordinates in line.

They were getting close to the village now. “Captain Colleran, have a detachment scour the surrounding area. I want the entire village there when we pass our judgment.”

The captain, riding his own mount, nodded and immediately turned to his subordinate. “Sergeant, I want three groups of ten men each covering all sides of the village out to a mile.”

The sergeant turned around and made his way back, starting to bellow out commands to the rank and file. “Gomer, Silman, Deola, gather up your squads and make your way…” The loud voice tapered off as the group started to move further back in the column as the men separated, preparing for their objective.

Dess stopped listening as his forces reacted the way he was used to. Colleran and Bistool, his chosen Captains, knew how to get the job done. He could concentrate on the overall picture, and what needed to occur. Their force was coming upon a number of villagers now; they were just a few minutes from entering the village proper. The villagers looked up worriedly as they were ushered into the village by his soldiers. Dess trotted along undisturbed into the center of the village where everyone was gathered.

Standing atop his steed, he addressed the villagers of Beltok. “Good people of Beltok, I am Colonel Dess Korvan. I have been tasked to collect the back taxes owed by your village to our good Lord Tian Korvan, my father.”

A wave of murmurs and disgruntlement went through the crowd, but it was of no concern to him. The village was a fairly small one, but there were still over 500 people here, over double the number of men he had. Though this number included the women, children, and the old, his men were all trained, able-bodied, and equipped for battle. Any engagement would be swift and brutal for them.

“My father has been patient with your village, and that was a mistake. It has been over a year, and nothing has changed. This is due to the incompetence of leadership here.” He spoke and slowly paced back and forth on Purity, looking for villagers who were willing to look him in the eye. There was a boy of about twelve who seemed to have more anger than sense, but he was quickly diffused by what Dess assumed was his older brother, who gave him a swift elbow.

Dess let the words he spoke sink into the crowd. He let their emotions stew, as he knew they would. He wanted them to know that they were powerless before his father’s judgment, his judgment. They would do as he willed, and as far as he was concerned, there was no other path forward.

“We will be taking fifty able-bodied men for the next three months to work off this village’s payment.” There were gasps, as that was a steep loss of manpower. This was the height of the fishing season; losing so many men would greatly reduce the catch they could produce this season. The crowd looked like it was about to revolt before a few dozen soldiers around the villagers simultaneously pointed their spears at the unarmed people. They quieted quickly after that.

Colonel Dess Korvan continued, “I am pleased that this will not be a problem. Let this be a lesson to you that all must do their part so that the whole can survive.” Men from the village were being selected by the soldiers now. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the older brother who had elbowed his younger brother being selected by one of his men as he heard what must be their mother wail with worry. “Not Alfus, please spare him, I will need him at home.” There were a few attempts by the emotional women like that, but all the calls were ignored as they gathered the men and made their way out of Beltok.