So that afternoon, Count Losonci led the Anjou and Luxem armies out of Krakow in a rush. The Voivode took his horsemen and they also suddenly left back through Nowy Sacz. The Malopolski eased because at least their city was no longer occupied. But then, they still sent birds to Elizabeta asking for her dear daughter. When Siemowit received news about this movement, he also left Poznan with his army of 30,000 (half being calvary). They reached Sieradz first and then collided with the Hungarian armies of 32,000 in the fields just to the south of it. The troops each stopped marching when they spotted the other at the horizon and then camps were made as the sun was setting anyway.
Siemowit was followed by 100 knights, the same as Sigismund and Wenzel, in the middle of the field. “The Luxembourgs, I presume. I don’t know any German colors.”
“You are correct,” Wenzel said.
“Yeah, who else was gonna be out here, dumbass?” Sigismund asked. Wenzel hit his head.
Wenzel said, “so Siemowit, surely you’ve heard that Hedwig rejects the offer.”
“No. What the fuck?”
“What? Surely you had people in Krakow to give you messages of the Malopolski.”
“I mean I didn’t know that was for real.”
“Well, she’s going to marry Jogalia of Lithuania in some time from now.”
“I can’t really have that, the majority of Poland is on my side.”
“I see. And we both have leagues of bloodthirsty troops.”
“And you…you aren’t even fighting to be King of Poland then.”
Sigismund said, “no, I’ll kick your ass because of you disobeying Lajos! You and a couple others in Hungary pretend you can just stomp on the rights he gave to others. I’ll defeat all of you.”
Siemowit tilted his head. Then he said, “it is true, rights must be fought for or else a ruler will act like a spoiled child. Maybe then I am some force of nature, the common adversary for any up and coming ruler. Or actually, you are like that for me.” Then he straightened his head to say, “because the Piast dynasty has had the right to Poland since time immemorial. My victory here will be a part of a storyline where we unite all the parts broken away. That includes your Silesia, Emperor, and the Pomeranian lands. It will also decide you as this winter’s pretender!” The Piast and the Arpad are both basically, the original dynasties of their respective countries. Having Anjou/Luxembourg there betrays their nationalism.
The three men left each other but the sun was already setting so tomorrow would be the battle. “Holy shit, I’m so angry I can’t sleep,” Sigismund shouted. And so then his officers knocked him out. Szecsi would review the battle plan with his brothers and the Anjou commanders. They thought that 15k calvary would be a ridiculous challenge without preparing ditches and hidden holes overnight. A makeshift stone fort holding their supplies and stuffs was also made. There would a lookout on top of it for Wenzel to perceive the battle. Pippo also sat here since he was not a fighter. In the morning, the armies lined up 500 meters apart. James’ archers were posted within the branches of a few trees in the surrounding area. The Hungarian cavalry were posted in the back of the infantry lines and armed with javelins. The infantry units were squares of 500 men with each row having 7 units. On the Polish side, they formed teams of 100 men sandwiched between teams of calvary in a checkerboard pattern. Their mass seemed much deeper although was not as wide as the Hungarian. Siemowit stayed in the back in his camp to oversee the battle. His second-in-command, Aron Nalecz, would be the vanguard. Sigismund, Jan, and Prokop stood at the head of the armies on horseback. Usually any captain is on horseback. Sigismund stated to Jan, “I’m totally gonna make him come out.”
“I’ll probably do it first though.”
With mid morning, the battle started. Only now did Wenzel send a message to Jobst to capture Poznan.
At the same time, the Voivode and his horsemen had arrived in the Danubian plains. They crossed the Danube early in the north to reach Buda faster. On his race there, he once sighted smoke building up on the south side of the castles. He flew high up and noticed there was another group of horsemen about to charge the royal castle. He commanded his knights to change directions as he fell upon…”PALIZNA!” He landed right in front of the Ban on his own two legs. Immediately he equipped a spear.
“Losonci!” The Ban blocked the first attack and then Losonci drop kicked Palizna way off his horse. He jumped into the air as his own calvary clashed with the Ban’s. Palizna landed in a tree and immediately had to block another attack from Losonci, “why must you attack me? What’re you even doing in Buda?”
“God must be working through Sigismund! You didn’t show up to Maria’s first Diet and so obviously you oppose her. I heard rumors you didn’t like Lajos either!” They clashed their spears as they conversated.
“Yes I do oppose all of them. Lajos was far too controlling. Durazzo won’t be so I’ve come to clear the line of succession.”
“Killing a mother and her defenseless daughters? You fiend!” and he brought his spear down heavily splitting Palizna’s in half.
Palizna blasted him with the fire spell blasting the man and then continued with more fire. Losonci armored himself from the second and bent down. Using a minute version of the storm spell, he activated the copper dust on the tip of his spear. Then he raced at superhuman speeds through the fire, driving his electric spear through Palizna, “Lightning Waltz!”
Palinza’s stomach on the right side was gone. He nearly fell over but one of his knights picked him up and they all retreated. “You better stick around Voivode, I won’t die like this,” he said.
Losonci blew the flames off his body, “and you will simply lose again.”
Then he met the Queen and Palatine and the daughters in a main room, “my Queen, I’ve come to safely deliver Hedwig to Poland. But also I am not sure you were aware-”
“She can’t go yet.”
“…what?”
“Tell the Poles to give me 3 years so that I can raise her to be a good king.”
Losonci looked at the others, who seemed content with this answer, and then went back to the Queen. He took off his helmet, “are you bleeding? They would never accept that.”
“Sure they would, I sent a bird this morning to tell them.”
“Oh wow and he came all this way,” Hedwig said.
The Palatine gestured to a chair, “please rest and tell us how the situation was when you left. Servant, go grab him some food and a drink.”
“Nooooo, I don’t understand. It may be hard but you can obviously visit your daughter from time to time. These countries will be tied in a sorority.”
“But I will not have influence in Poland, Voivode! You and my court here don’t have any authority over there. Lajos’ own mother was abused by the Poles during her regency. So we must wait until it is comfortable up there.”
Two birds then flew in from the window. One landed by Elizabeta and said, “with the situation in Wielkopolska, we will wait but 3 years may turn out to be too long.”
The other bird landed on Losonci and said, “the battle has started outside of Sieradz. We told Jobst to make his move on Poznan. It looks like we are fighting 15k men and 15k horses. I’ll repeat 15k horses. Asking for your return.”
“Hmm, I’ll stay here for the day for the sake of my own horses’ stamina. But as you see, I have to be back tomorrow. My advice to you, Palatine, is to keep a closer eye on the Horvats and Durazzo.”
“Thank you Voivode, and of course the Queen is safest with me.”
tdwriter 