Hamburg and Arhus, 1344.

Fritz had gotten word that Peter was launching his attack to lift the siege. Though he was certain Peter would need no help, he sallied just to see the death of the army that had so nearly destroyed his and Peter's own armies. From being clearly at a disadvantage in the initial sally, to being massively at an advantage in this battle was gratifying, and slightly offset the shame Fritz felt at failing to drive the Danes entirely from the walls of Hamburg.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


Peter had ridden out alone to challenge the enemy, to draw them away from Hamburg. Fritz's men would enter from Peter's left rear, and the crossbowmen would enter from Peter's right rear.



Prinz Peter didn't need to be told which enemy company needed attention first. He charged home against the dismounted Huscarls immediately, smashing their formation and leaving them all lying in the grass without taking a single loss among his bodyguards.



Peter then withdrew to draw the War Clerics away from their swordstaff allies, which let Hans and the remaining Teutons circle in behind them. They were rapidly annihilated to light casualties among Peter's guardsmen. The Danish captain was the last to fall.





All that was left was to let the crossbowmen work. Not one swordstaff man out of over two hundred would strike a single blow in the battle, nor would any escape.



When only three of those valiant militiamen remained their formation finally broke and routed.







Ransom would be refused. After the battle Fritz effusively thanked Peter and briefly discussed their plans. As noted in the Prince's edict no Franconian city currently stood under siege, and Fritz's much reduced army could hardly be truly necessary for defense, therefore Fritz begged permission to ride on to Arhus and, if the gates could be breached, assault the lightly held city. It was granted. That matter settled, Fritz then knelt solemnly to apologize for his failure at Madgeburg, and when he stood again the two brothers shared a weary smile.

'A grand day, eh my Prinz?'

'So it is, brother.'

'At last Franconia stands not only free of alien armies, but truly prepared to take vengeance for all the blood spilled in her defense. A glorious day! I will see you soon, brother. God be with you, and God save the Reich!'

So saying, Fritz rode rapidly away north with the remnants of his army.

That night, in camp outside of Arhus, the men were sharing jokes about what the peasants along the road had done upon seeing German flags at the head of a northbound army. Robert, concerned over the paltry size of the force Fritz had gathered to head north, shook his head and said, 'M'lord how will we keep discipline once the city is taken?'

'Have no fear on that point! These are Danes. I've carved a blood soaked path through almost a dozen of the best armies they can field. No Dane would dare to raise his hand against me. If you thought the stories they told at Stettin were bad, wait until you hear what they say about me in the north!'

'But, the city is huge Lord Fritz! The population is immense! Surely they will not let their Prince fight us alone. If tens of thousands of them swarmed into the streets we would be overrun.'

'Trust me Robert. Those men fear me more than they fear death. Rightly so. I'd see that city burned to the ground and the very earth on which it sits salted before I let it raise an army against the Reich again. Once Arhus is ours the citizens will be so surprised to have survived my coming that it won't even occur to the boldest to try taking up arms. And, of course, we'll plunder it and put a few thousand to the sword just to drive the point home. Be of good cheer Robert! You're about to participate it the sack of a major European capital city. There are few mercenaries in all the world with that on their resume.'

So saying, Fritz von Kastilien adjourned to his tent and slept more deeply than he had in all the days since he was a child.

In the morning Fritz reviewed an Imperial report on the Danish Prince, Ulfhedin. Word had it that Germany's repeated victories and Fritz's threats had caused the man to go bald though he was only a few years out of his teens, and some whispered that he was deranged. He had attempted to order a moat dug all around the city after the defeat of the Honor Guard army at the bridge west of Hamburg, but the effort had stalled when, upon discovering that he had more workers than shovels, the Prince ordered men to dig a ten foot deep trench with their bare hands.



Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


Coming up over a rise and finally into full view of the city Fritz nudged Bergin riding next to him. 'Look man, they've built a huge Cathedral. Truly this city will be a stunning addition to the Reich!'



Bringing along the ribault allowed Fritz to assault the gates immediately.



Unfortunately Fritz had no spearmen to bring along, having been force to leave the remnant of the Hamburg militia there at Hamburg. This meant that his crossbowmen would have to bear the brunt in the fighting. Fritz left them with strict orders to retreat the the first sign of a Danish sally from the square, and rode down the streets to capture the east gate and let in his Albanians. The smaller company of mercenary crossbowmen went forward to bait the enemy Prince, and withdrew in fairly good order when he sallied.



Robert and the larger company of crossbowmen were in position on the walls, and they fired brutal volleys into the Prince's guard, as did the ribault team. Over half of his men died before he realized Fritz was about to capture the square behind him, and he fled back to defend it.



Fritz withdrew rather than give battle against three times his number, and the tactic was repeated. Unfortunately this time the crossbowmen failed to withdraw in time, and Robert was forced to lead his men down off the walls to attempt a rescue. Ultimately the effort failed and the mercenary crossbowmen were all killed, but nearly all of the Danes died in the attack as well.



Riding back to the square Prince Ulfhedin was shocked to discover Fritz von Kastilien waiting for him there. The two men briefly exchanged words.

'You were warned. Over and over I sent men to tell you and your King I was coming.'

'But, but... we sent armies, thousands of men, hardy veterans of the cold wastes! You and your Reich were doomed! Every hand turned against you!'

'It was not enough.'

'No, I know. I told them we needed a moat!'

'**** itself would not have withstood my assault. Lay down your sword, we'll see if your King will pay for your head.'

'NO! I will not be hung from the walls of my own city!' Ulfhedin reared his horse and began to order a charge... but at a gesture from Fritz hundreds of bolts and arrows flew into the backs of the Prince's guard. Many more speared downward after they fell, pinning them to the earth.



'Collect his corpse and drape it over the north gate, as a warning to any who would try to creep away and carry word to the Danish King.' So saying, Fritz rode to the center of the square and gave a brief speech.



'Citizens of Arhus (The ones that speak German anyway) your taxes, your sweat, and your tears have paid for much bloodshed and destruction in my homelands. Today I return the favor! Be of good cheer, however, as this is no raid as the one I conducted at Stockholm, this is an annexation! Those of you who survive will become citizens of the Reich, and your taxes and tears will now fund our wars. On this day many of you will die, but tomorrow the compliant living can shelter in the gentle hands of the Hero of Hamburg, Fritz von Kastilien!'

'Any who take up arms against me, however, will be flayed in the square for a period of one hour before being allowed to die by fire. That is all. My men will now collect our due. Do not resist if you value your life.'







Screams were already echoing through the streets as Fritz spurred his horse back towards the south gate, the one his ribault had shot through. Doesn't look like it will be a difficult repair, and the city is completely intact otherwise, thought Fritz, quite pleased with himself, and I daresay I've shown considerable restraint in not exterminating this rathole. A long road to here, and this is not the end, but I'll wager it is the beginning of the end of the power of the Danes to threaten the Reich. A fine day's work. Prinz Peter will be pleased. Elberhard can have that wreck of a city in the swamp that is Venice, I'll take Arhus over it any day of the week!