Reincarnated to Earth 27: Thracian Overture (2) (Patreon)

Reincarnated to Earth

Chapter 27: Thracian Overture (2)

-VB-

I turned to Ureya who glared down at the unconscious man.

"Watch over the house," I told her. "I will take this guy and see the chief. See what the hell is going on."

She looked up before nodding. "Be careful. I am, however, going to be readying myself for a fight if they really are invading."

"As long as you are only using your bow," I said and gestured to her noticably swollen belly.

Then I reached down and grabbed the Thracian asshole by the back of his collar and dragged him.

Fortunately for the soldier, the road between the tribal village and my farmhouse was muddy thanks to recent rain. So he did not get a road rash, only a few cuts.

The villagers looked wary, but it wasn't directed at me but the gathering of two forces of armed men at the center of the unofficial village square.

One of the two groups was led by Ghigari while another was led by what I could only describe as some kind of hybrid between Classical Greek hoplite armor and well made leather poncho. The rest of the new guy's group wore similar leather armors or thickly padded linen armors.

They were also arguing with each other at just below yelling and shouting levels, and it was clear to me that Ghigari was not having this shit.

"Ghigari, who are they?!" I asked loudly as I came dragging the intruder behind me. My explosive shout, which made some of the tribesmen close to me flinch from the volume.

The new guy saw the downed soldier and erupted into anger. "You dare touch my son, barbarian?! After I graciously gave your people the choice of willingly joining my tyrant's kingdom?!"

Oh no, I think I want to legit kill someone right now.

"This bastard tried to touch my wife!"

Ghigari looked thunderous at my proclamation.

"It is the right of the overlord to take what he wants from his subjects!” the “diplomat” snapped at me. “You’re just a lowly warrior-” Then he saw the wound on his son. His face ashened before purpling in rage. “Y-You harmed my son!”

“And I could harm you too, small dick.”

Now, I felt childish throwing insults like this, but until Ghigari gave me the go or one of the Thracians attacked me, I couldn’t be the first to attack. And I wanted to attack because these people were threats to my house and my tribe!

The fuming diplomat reached for his sword at his waist but stopped. Instead, he turned to Ghigari. “You allow this?” he asked coldly.

“When that warrior is my son-by-marriage, yes.”

“I see.” There was a pause. “Then expect the Thracian warriors soon. We will not stand for this insult!” He gestured for his men to grab his unconscious son, and I let them have him. They then left the tribe through the eastern gate.

Ghigari turned to me with a glare.

“What happened at your place that you chopped off a man’s hand?”

I grunted. “Came over to my house and farm, demanded I hand them over, and when Ureya was trying to come to you to ask what was happening, the bastard tried to grab her.”

“Good riddance of the hand then,” my father-in-law huffed in approval. “But I guess we’re going to have another war on our hands, then. Gods be damned.” He turned to me in full, which got the attention of the rest of the tribe on site. “Alan, I am making you the commander of the Lower River Kettin’s warriors. I must call another arnsya to unite the Kettins against the Thracians. Are you prepared for your duty?”

I stared at him incredulously. My eyes widened in realization at Ghigari was trying to pull.

He was forcing the issue of succession through this crisis. By having me assume command, he was giving me a position of power to allow the tribe to get used to my authority. Knowing how crafty Ghigari could be, I wouldn’t put it past him to retire the moment we achieved victory over the Thracians, because unless they were able to field ten thousand soldiers every single battle, there was no way we would lose.

Not when we knew the terrain and could fight defensively with guerilla tactics.

If we won, then I would be the person who the tribe would acknowledge as their leader. Aside from a minority in the tribe, there wouldn’t be any dissent against Ghigari’s decision to give me the title and authority of the chief.

‘Making something useful out of a terrible situation then, huh?’ I thought.

“I accept.”

-VB-

The first thing that needed to be done was to gather all information on the enemy. On that front, there was much useful information that the tribe knew about our soon-to-be enemy.

Soon-to-be because travel was slow during this era and it was unlikely that any kind of mobilization could occur. The idea of a professional standing army was non-existent at this time. There were personal troops, but aside those made by established kings and lords in the Middle East and the Far East, no retinue numbered in high hundreds, let alone thousands.

This meant, overall, that the tyrant of the Thracians (probably just a single city or two) had to call for volunteers, levies, and a citizen-based army to march upon the Kettins.

I intended to disturb that.

And so, I asked for volunteers of my own and gathered. I gathered those who had at least an inkling of stealth, sabotage, and scouting.

Then I pointed Ghigari’s currently only son in the village, Johaken, and told him to assemble the tribe’s warriors while I go out and harass the enemy.

And if they were so slow as to not have anyone gathered for their assault…

Well, I supposed that I could even assassinate the asshole that attempted to take my new place in the world.