Tyranny of Steel

Berengar stood within the courtyard of his royal Palace; today was the day he was most excited for and yet dreaded dearly. Why did he dread this moment? Because saying goodbye to your family as your march towards a theatre of war thousands of miles away from your home is never easy.

This goodbye was more brutal than the last, maybe it was because his three wives were months into their pregnancy, and the possibility of him returning in time to witness the birth of his new children was small.

Or perhaps it was because this was the first proxy war he had personally entered. After all, before today, he had only ever fought in conflicts directly related to his lands and the growth of his territory.

But what was there to gain in the Reconquista for this young King of Austria? Perhaps only the creation of a stable and powerful ally that could secure his access to the Atlantic. Such a thing was important beyond measure to his plans for exploration and colonization of the New World. Yet his family did not know of such grand ambitions, nor were they even aware that such a faraway place existed.

Thus when he said goodbye to his wives, his children, and his sister, they were not the most cheerful bunch. Hans looked up at his father, who was dressed in his field uniform with a questioning gaze. The young boy latched onto Berengar ’s legs as he asked the question on his mind.

”Must you go to war? ”

Berengar immediately knelt and patted his young son ’s head as he affirmed his actions.

”When you ’re older, you will come to realize that there are times where a man must take up arms to defend his family and his nation. I know it may not seem like it now, but this conflict in Granada is essential to our Kingdom ’s long-term power and stability. In a few years, I am certain that you will comprehend why this campaign in Iberia is necessary.