[SS 6.3 AAR] Primus Inter Pares - The Kievan Rus *COMPLETED* (w/ Behind the Scenes and a video trailer)

[Mr. Bean Laden]

Oh dear god, I really have to read it again from the start to be able to catch up with the story. Well, I guess I'll have time for all of it tomorrow. At least I hope so.

[Radzeer]

I finally caught up early this morning as I read into the wee hours of the night

I have to say, this is definitely an extremely complete piece of writing. You managed to take the basic outline of a story which playing the game gave you, added in some new characters, embellished the features, added some twists, kept us all engaged, weaved in political intrigue and most of all, won victory after victory against your enemies. All the components of a truly magnificent piece of historical fiction, whether novelistic or AAR, are here, and for that I have nothing but praise for your work. I'm eager to see how you'll wrap up the story, as it seems these last few chapters have added a new dimension with the Venetian war.

As a sidenote, I also wanted to add my voice to the many who give praise to your screenshots, as your work with the skies and using custom battles to get better screenshots adds to the story in leaps and bounds over many other AARs.

In short, keep up the good work!

Thank you for your generous assessment! While I can take some of the credit for this work, a lot depends on the support of readers who provide the motivation, curiosity and often ideas for the plot. Not to mention that it makes the writer want to improve, which has happened to me too during the course of this AAR. So thank you again!

Oh dear god, I really have to read it again from the start to be able to catch up with the story. Well, I guess I'll have time for all of it tomorrow. At least I hope so.

Tomorrow has passed. Good to have you back! Only a few more chapters left, so better catch up now than later!

And now... update time!

[Radzeer]

List of characters

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The royal family

Grand Prince Vladimir
The first Grand Prince, leading the early expansion of the Rus, annexing several independent cities and fighting against both the Cumans and the Catholics. He has found the Holy Grail after taking Oleshe, and established the tradition in which the Grail is kept by the Prince to guide him. At the end of his life he retired and transferred the power to his oldest son and heir, Mstislav. He lived a long life and died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Mstislav
The second Grand Prince, and the oldest son of Vladimir. He held power for long as a Prince. He fought against the Cumans in the east, and conquered Smolensk in the north overthrowing the Novgorod-friendly council. He was a skilled politician and determined leader with a vision to expand toward the Baltic Sea. He established the Rus as a major power, although at the end of his reign he had difficulties with his brothers who wanted to have their separate ways. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Gostislav
The third Grand Prince, Mstislav's oldest son, the governor of Pereyaslav. Quite unremarkable as a child, he had a lot to prove. His decisions were not without controversy, but he did what he could to keep the Rus intact. He was somewhat successful with Yaropolk's sons in the west keeping at least their formal allegiance, but could not contain his other uncle, Yurii, who set up his own principality around Azaq. His rule was often compared to the rule of his father, in which comparison he did not fare well, especially about his foreign policy. He died shortly after a victory against Poland.

Grand Prince Nikifor
The fourth Grand Prince, Gostislav's first son. His marriage to a Venetian princess was supposed to build good connections to Catholics, but the alliance was short-lived. He is considered to be a talented leader and a capable general. He launched the long awaited war against Novgorod, which he carries out ruthlessly.

Predislav
Nikifor's only son. A talented military commander, but a man with a temper, similar to his uncle, Rostislav.
Apokavkos Komnenos
Member of the Roman royal family, who married Nikifor's second daughter.

Rostislav
Gostislav's second son. He lived the life of the younger prince in the Court, where according to the rumor he seduced Nikifor's wife. He led the attack on Novgorod, taking Polotsk, but died shortly after that in the plague.
Prince Halstan Svendsen
Norwegian noble who married Princess Evfrosinia, Gostislav's daughter. Shortly after arriving to Kiev he was chosen by Nikifor to be his heir. After some conflict in the Court, Nikifor sent him to conquer the city of Novgorod, which he did.

Tvorimir Runo
Halstan's older son, governor of the Pskov fortress.
Derzhislav Cheshko
Halstan's second son.

Petr
Mstislav's second son, the governor of the eastern Rus territories. He was trained by his uncle Yaropolk, and he took Serdobinskaya from the Cumans. He led the royal troops the Caucasus campaign. He took Baku and sailed across the sea to fight Khwarezm at Gorgan. The riches of Baku and Gorgan made him wealthy, although he was not successful to counterbalance Yurii and his sons' rule in Azaq. He died shortly after a raid on Astrakhan.

Dmitrii
Petr's son. He was young when his father died and was raised in the Kievan Court. He is a friend and supporter of Prince Halstan, and married Halstan's daughter.

Oleg
Mstislav's third son, the governor of Kiev. Although talented, he was a quiet member of the family, satisfied with administering Kiev. Many saw him as the man guarding the political legacy of Mstislav, mitigating the debates and conflicts in Kiev during Gostislav's and Nikifor's rule. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Danislav Severskii
An exile from Novgorod who became Mstislav's vassal and the governor of Smolensk. He died in battle against the Lithuanians.

Dobrozhir Severskii
The only son of Danislav. He revenged his father and killed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but died in battle shortly after.
Stroislav Kubenskii
A Kievan noble who married Dobrozhir's oldest sister. Governor of Baia, and a loyal follower of the Grand Prince. He was a long time supported of Nikifor. He died under Halych when the fortress was taken by the Venetians.

Yaropolk
The second son of Vladimir. Legendary commander, the hero of many wars, and the conqueror of Lithuania where he acquired territories for his sons. His personal tragedy was that during his life only his youngest son, Volodislav loved him. He was a loyal general and had done much for the Rus - both by fighting its enemies and by containing his sons. He died shortly after his last victory against Poland, as the most decorated general of the Rus. At his funeral, his sons finally realized what their father has done for them.

Zhirovit
Yaropolk's oldest son, the governor of Vilnius. A violent, dreaded and unpredictable character, he fought in Poland to revenge his brother's death. He hated Catholics and pagans alike, and had plans to restore the political power of the house of Yaropolk. But after so much success on the battlefield, he could not taste the political victory. He died peacefully in Vilnius.
Moimir
Yaropolk's second son, governor of Mensk. He helped financing Zhirovit's campaigns. He was a city politician, satisfied with his position at Mensk. He lived a long, but politically uneventful life. He died peacefully in Mensk.
Tikhomir
Yaropolk's third son, former governor of Smolensk. He died young in battle against Poland at Mensk, saving the city and probably Moimir's life.
Volodislav
Yaropolk's youngest son, the governor of Riga. A talented commander who defeated the Teutons and repelled a Danish invasion. Widely considered as the real successor of Yaropolk's legacy.

Svyatoslav Basenok
He is an unremarkable character, but the rumor said that he is Moimir's bastard son, which is the only reason why Volodislav adopted him.

Yurii, Grand Duke of Azaq
The third and youngest son of Vladimir, the first Grand Duke of Azaq, the duchy he declared independent from Kiev. It was difficult for him to be in the shadow of his two brothers. He was not satisfied with the governor position of Caffa where he was supposed to live the quiet life of a young prince, and made an alliance with the Patrikeev clan in the east. He married the clan leader's daughter, Natalia and started to build his own princedom. He fought the Cumans for the control of the Azaq region, and later attacked the Muslims in the Caucasus. He was considered by all as the main conspirator in the royal family, constantly plotting to get closer to power. After Natalia's death he decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage ended with taking Acre, but became a political failure after mutual betrayals by the Roman allies. Yurii died in the siege when Acre fell to the Fatimids.

Grand Duke Ostromir
Yurii's oldest son, governor of Caffa. An unremarkable person in his early life, and withdrawn from the public ever since he survived an assassination arranged by Gostislav. When Sbyslav left for the Holy Land, he had to defend the Duchy of Azaq from the first Mongol invasion. He is the governor of Sarkel, the border stronghold. After the death of his brother, he became the third Grand Duke of Azaq.

Ratimir Muromskii
A soldier in Sarkel who has shown exceptional bravery against the Mongols and was thus adopted by Ostromir and sent to Tbilisi to raise an army for Azaq. He was captured in battle and executed by the Mongols.

Grand Duke Sbyslav
Yurii's second son, commander of the Caucasus and Holy Land campaigns. He is talented in both politics and war, and succeeded Yurii as the second Grand Duke of Azaq. After revenging his father's death against the Fatimids, he returned to Azaq and fougth against the Mongols. He was an exceptional leader as well as military commander. He died in battle after many victories during a campaign to take Astrakhan from the Mongols.

Sbyslav Oslyabya
Grand Duke Sbyslav's illegitimate son, who did not know about his father until the Duke died. He was adopted by Ostromir and made successor of the Duke title.

Milogost Fominskii
A Kievan noble who married Princess Eupraxia, Vladimir’s only daughter and thus became a member of the royal family. He was the governor of Zhytomyr. He saved Kiev from two Polish invasions, and was killed in the battle of Halych.

Georgii Patrikeev
Governor of Tmutarakan in the east, and an ally of Yurii who married his daughter. He died peacefully after taking Sarkel.

The three brothers

Alexios
The oldest of three brothers who as children were rescued by the Kievans after a Cuman raid. He is a cleric and a chronicler in the Court. He went back to Trebizond to look after his brother, Rurik. He was with Yurii in the Holy Land, and miraculously escaped after the fall of Acre.
Rurik
Alexios’ younger brother. Trained as a warrior, he used to belong to Yaropolk’s bodyguard escort. He was wounded in Trebizond in a battle and was thought to be dead for a long time. He returned to Kiev to fight alongside Yaropolk once more before he put down the sword.
Oleg
The youngest brother of Alexios and Rurik. He disappeared in a Cuman raid and was sold as a slave in Azaq. His brothers have been searching for him for years until they were reunited in Trebizond.He was the chief supply officer for the Court, and the author of the Miloslavich Diary. Shortly after taking Polotsk, he disappeared again in Novgorod territory. His son found him in a prison after the fall of Novgorod.

Andrei
The son of Oleg who was trained as a soldier in the Grand Prince's druzhina. He was in Halstan's army when fighting Novgorod, and later fought in the battle of Pskov. After that battle he and his father were dismissed from Kievan service by Nikifor. He went to Azaq and enlisted in Ostromir's army. He is fighting with Sbyslav's son against the Mongols.

57. In the spirit of the fathers

Andrei watched as the soldiers of Azaq return to Sarkel after a short campaign at the border. He was checking the guards at the main gate when he saw the dust cloud of the approaching troops. It was late summer and quite hot, but Andrei did not mind it. After many winters in the north, he enjoyed the warm climate of Sarkel, even if the wind blew almost constantly and the plains offered little protection from it.

The returning troops were led by Sbyslav Oslyabya. After the victories at Tbilisi during the previous winter, the Mongols lost the strategic initiative as their forces in the area were destroyed. Oslyabya was sent out with about five hundred soldiers to scout the frontier before an attack against Astrakhan. Andrei's task was to summon troops for the campaign, which he did, and now everybody was waiting for the news to see if the advance on the former Cuman stronghold is possible. Taking Astrakhan has been a strategic goal for a long time to gain a strong defensive point to keep the Mongols checked, and subsequently bring peace to the plains and the Caucasus.

"I'm glad to see you my friend," said Andrei to Oslyabya when he saw the commander riding in. "I presume you bring good news to us. Let me escort you back to the keep and you can tell me what you have seen."

"Good news indeed." Oslyabya did not seem tired, in fact he was energized. "The frontier seems empty. I think we have a good opportunity to strike at Astrakhan." He looked around as they rode back to the inner castle and saw soldiers everywhere. "I see you have been busy too."

"After the victory at Tbilisi, we don't seem to have a shortage in soldiers. Many have come to fight against the Horde."

"That victory belongs to you, my friend," said Oslyabya. "The debt of Azaq towards you grows with every day."

Andrei was not used to such compliments. He has just done what he thought was right. "So have you met any enemy armies?" he asked to change the subject.

"Just one. Not far from the border there was a small force. They were more than scouts, but less than a real army."



"This gave me an opportunity to see our rocket launchers in action for the first time." Oslyabya spoke like a veteran commander as he remembered the battle. "What you told me about the cannons at Tbilisi convinced me that we have to keep up with such methods to fight our enemies. I hired these soldiers, and had great expectations."



"When the Mongols appeared, we decimated them with our trebuchets first. Their horse archers attacked the Pechenegs, but this time our men were confident and did not flee. They drew the Mongol horse archers away from the main battle."



"Once the enemy soldiers were close enough, I ordered the rocket launchers to fire. I have to tell you, many of our own men were scared by the sound of these rockets, and for a moment I thought it was a mistake to hire them. The rockets seemed to go to all directions." Oslyabya smiled. "But then we saw the rockets explode among the enemy ranks, and our men cheered."



"The few Mongols who reached our infantry line fell quickly. It was an uneven fight, but they deserved what they got. Their horse archers scattered too, and I think no more than a few escaped."





By the time Oslyabya finished telling the account of the battle they arrived at the keep. Andrei stopped his horse. "So do you suggest to attack?" he asked.

"Yes, in fact we should attack as soon as possible. Astrakhan probably has a sizeable garrison, but the more time we waste the bigger is the chance for fresh Mongol troops arriving from the east."

"Very well," said Andrei. "Your uncle is now in Azaq. I send a runner to him, and if he approves the campaign we will prepare to leave for Astrakhan!"

Ostromir's approval took longer than what Andrei and Oslyabya thought, because the Grand Duke wanted to secure the border and the Caucasus first. It was winter again when they left Sarkel with close to fifteen hundred men. They did not expect the enemy before they cross the border, but they soon met a smaller Mongol army, entirely composed of cavalry units. The Mongols were surprised too, not suspecting a large army in the area, and this gave an opportunity for a night attack.



The Mongols were on low grounds, which made them an easy target for the rockets and trebuchets. The enemy commander realized that too, and ordered his men to attack. The Mongol cavalry charged uphill, which first seemed as a foolish plan, but the slope offered protection from the rockets and made the trebuchets overshoot them.





The infantry line heard the sound of hooves much sooner than they saw the riders themselves. Many new recruits were shaken when they first saw the enemy, a black wave of horsemen appearing on the hill, and charging into the forest of spears. Despite the recent victories against the Mongols, the Horde still had a terrifying reputation and now many wished they rather stayed at home with their families.





But Oslyabya and Andrei left nothing for mere chance. Right behind the spearmen there were several units of javelinmen that waited until the last minute before they targeted the charging Mongol cavalry. Once the riders were just a few paces away, javelins flew across the night sky mowing down many of the attackers, and the charge collapsed before it reached the infantry line.



This was the time to corner the enemy before they flee. The boyar cavalry led by Andrei attacked the Mongols from behind, and pushed them into the spearwall. A short but brutal melee started in which the boyars were equals of the Mongol heavy cavalry. Then Oslyabya sent in the druzhina, and that sealed the fate of the enemy riders. There was nowhere to run anymore.





At the end, the Mongol banners were all on the ground, torn and bloody just like those who carried them. But once the battle was over, Oslyabya had to realize that his losses were heavier then what he thought. Almost one third of his army was lost, and that brought up many questions about the campaign.





"So what do we do now?" asked Oslyabya after the battle as the night shifted into the day. Both him and Andrei were tired, but this question had to be discussed.

"Our army is still strong," said Andrei. "And the men are in good spirits after the victory. Do you think that the risk is too high?"

Oslyabya sighed. "The risk is not too high," he said. Then he looked away and his voice was soft. "But this is where my father was killed. You know that they never found his body? His tomb in Azaq is empty."

Andrei knew this but did not say anything. He never saw Oslyabya like this.

"I know that you were with him that day," continued Oslyabya. "I wish I knew him as much as you did."

"He was an exceptional leader. And he would be proud to see you now."

"You are right my friend as always," said Oslyabya. "We have to press on to finish what he started."

For a few minutes neither men said anything. Andrei realized how difficult it must be for Oslyabya to follow the footsteps of his father. He also suspected that the weight of the campaign is not simply the military advance. If Oslyabya successful, he would likely be named as his uncle's heir and as such the next Grand Duke.

"We have close to a thousand men. We can take Astrakhan with some luck," said finally Oslyabya.

"Do you think these Mongols were part of the garrison?"

"I don't know. They were all mounted troops, sent out for raiding. We'll advance cautiously and wait for the scouts' reports."

"So is there a way back if the garrison would be too strong?"

"No." Oslyabya was determined. "The garrison cannot be too strong, and there is no way back. My father's spirit will be with us. If we have come this far, we have to travel the road all the way."

And this man will be the next Grand Duke, Andrei thought. He should be. And maybe even more. He remembered what Sbyslav told him about his family luck before his final battle. We may need more than one spirit of the fathers looking after us, he thought with his father and his uncles on his mind.

Two weeks later the army of Azaq reached Astrakhan.



The Mongols were led by a general named Berkei. He was a famous commander, and the appointed duke of Bulgar, the stronghold conquered by the Mongols early in their war against the Cumans. Berkei was the ranking general in the area, the highest Mongol authority north of the Caspian Sea. It was pure luck that he was caught in Astrakhan with only a handful men.



As the army of Azaq was deployed at the walls of Astrakhan, Oslyabya and Andrei were looking at the city with amazement. It was a busy trade center, but for the two commanders the city was much more than that. It represented an elusive target, taken by the Rus many years ago to be the grave of Petr Yaroslavich, Grand Prince Nikifor's uncle. Then it was lost and besieged again without success, resulting in the loss of Baku too. And finally it was Astrakhan that Sbyslav tried to take when he fell in battle.



After about an hour of pounding, the trebuchets breached the walls. Oslyabya sent in the light cavalry who met the Mongol trebuchet crew first, and Berkei's horse archers next. Neither of those were able to stop the attackers.





The last company of defenders were Berkei's bodyguards. They knew that the battle is lost, but were not the type of soldiers who surrender. Once they saw the attackers appearing on the main square, they charged. Oslyabya's horse archers fell back, and it was the spearmen who had to stop the Mongol general.





Despite being outnumbered, Berkei's men were tough fighters and stroke down the attackers one after another. The snow on the street was red from blood as the infantrymen fell. Oslyabya, who was in the back commanding the battle, knew that this is his time. With his bodyguards following, he charged the Mongol general. For him, Berkei was the symbol of the menace and terror that killed his father and burned half of the Duchy of Azaq. There was no mercy for them.





Andrei did not see whether it was Oslyabya or one of the spearmen who killed the Mongol general, but once Berkei fell the battle was over. All the Mongol defenders were killed with relatively few losses. Astrakhan, the center of the Mongol conquest in the past years was finally taken.



But as in the past, keeping Astrakhan proved to be more difficult than taking it. Next day riots broke out as the local population did not think of the soldiers of Azaq much better than of the Mongols. Even if the ranking Mongol general was dead and the enemy armies in the area were defeated, the war was not yet over.


~

[Radzeer]

I'd like to take the opportunity and thank for the readers and supporters in 2011! Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.

We are getting closer to the finale with only three chapters left. My plan is to wrap this up in January, but I said that for December too, so it may not happen. There are a few custom things I have to arrange for the final chapter, which may take a bit more time. We'll see.

In any case, Happy 2012 everybody! Make sure to read a lot, write if you want and check out the Writers' Study competitions next year too!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Happy 2012! I can't believe there's only a few more chapters now.

Your night battle photos were simply sublime - it seems the blue and yellow heraldry of the Kievans lends itself well to such surroundings

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Mental note to self: must accumulate more superlatives

[nine-o]

I just began reading this over coffee at breakfast, hoping to get some work done on my own AAR. 3 hours later, I must say this is pretty freaking good haha.

[Totalwarplayer96]

Is this the end of book 2 or the entire series?

[Ganbarenippon]

I look forward to the grand finale my friend! I get the feeling we are building up to something epic!

[Radzeer]

Happy 2012! I can't believe there's only a few more chapters now.

Your night battle photos were simply sublime - it seems the blue and yellow heraldry of the Kievans lends itself well to such surroundings

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Mental note to self: must accumulate more superlatives

Thank you! The Kievan colors work well with the night battles indeed. No need for more superlatives though, you have been very generous!

I just began reading this over coffee at breakfast, hoping to get some work done on my own AAR. 3 hours later, I must say this is pretty freaking good haha.

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy it. I'm looking forward to the Novgorod side of the story... If not for my strong intention to fight in the Caucasus, I would have picked Novgorod: more fight with the Catholics while a tougher struggle against the Cumans and the Mongols. So now I'll read what I missed.

Is this the end of book 2 or the entire series?

Welcome, and it is actually the end of book 3 and with that the whole series. It's too early to talk about the next project, but that time will come too!

I look forward to the grand finale my friend! I get the feeling we are building up to something epic!

I hope you are right and it will be epic! I finally figured out how I want to end the story, so now I only need to find the time to write it.

Also, in case you have not seen, the MAARC vote is on. Please read the stories and vote for your favorite ones!

[Scottish King]

Great update! I am sad that the story is ending but at the same time I look forward to seeing how it all ends!

[Radzeer]

Great update! I am sad that the story is ending but at the same time I look forward to seeing how it all ends!

Thank you! I really appreciate your permanent support!
I'm done with moving (again), so it looks like I can make some progress in the writing. Tentative update is Monday the Ninth!

[Thokran]

What a long and wonderful journey this has been for the Kievan Rus! It's amazing to see the story come full circle, and I simply can't wait to see how it all concludes. Your work has been nothing short of terrific, and as sad as I am that the story is reaching its end, I can't help but applaud you for the great story you have crafted over the past year or so. All I can say is keep up the amazing work, and I look forward to seeing more of your writing!

[la coupe est pleine]

Happy new year my friend, may the writers gods helps you again to reach perfection.

Chapter 56
You had a dramatic end of the chapter. I loved how the collusion of the events brings the final.
The Venetian story seems real. Great idea. I have to steal it.

Those italians have no loyalty... Pffff...


Chapter 57
And here it is, you took Astrakan, revenged the past Grand Duke of Azaq, and are ready for the last battles.
Who between the East and the West will win? Maybe a draw, maybe a final agreement...
Hum, between Nikifor and Oslyabya, I can't know what is going to happen.

I'm fully eager to read more.
And pleased to see that you reach the end. It is a rare and appreciated thing amongst the AAR.

My congratulations.

[Latin Knight]

Radzeer, my friend, i hope you know i've been following your sprawling epic for some time (just never posted a comment, ), and am also sorry its ending...

I can't find enough words to praise this magnificent masterpiece, so let me put this way: my dad regularly enters the room to chastise me: "son, you waste too much time sitting on this computer, why wont you read a book or something?" And then i laugh at him and say: "I'm reading an awesome novel about the Kievan Rus', and reached the part where they're kicking the ass of the Golden Horde!". As my dad has no idea what "Kievan Rus" or "Golden Horde" mean he just makes that a derp face and leaves the room, and i call it a day .

Also, i'd like to again thank you for the support and advices in my own AAR, know that you were one of my main inspirations to begin writing one (and envy your amazing screens and storytelling skills ).

[Radzeer]

What a long and wonderful journey this has been for the Kievan Rus! It's amazing to see the story come full circle, and I simply can't wait to see how it all concludes. Your work has been nothing short of terrific, and as sad as I am that the story is reaching its end, I can't help but applaud you for the great story you have crafted over the past year or so. All I can say is keep up the amazing work, and I look forward to seeing more of your writing!

The circle is not yet complete my friend, but we are almost there... Thank you for your kind words, and I hope the remaining chapters will live up to the reputation of this story. And yes, I will not go away, and the one reason I'm looking forward to close this story is to start the next one!

Happy new year my friend, may the writers gods helps you again to reach perfection.

Chapter 56
You had a dramatic end of the chapter. I loved how the collusion of the events brings the final.
The Venetian story seems real. Great idea. I have to steal it.

Those italians have no loyalty... Pffff...


Chapter 57
And here it is, you took Astrakan, revenged the past Grand Duke of Azaq, and are ready for the last battles.
Who between the East and the West will win? Maybe a draw, maybe a final agreement...
Hum, between Nikifor and Oslyabya, I can't know what is going to happen.

I'm fully eager to read more.
And pleased to see that you reach the end. It is a rare and appreciated thing amongst the AAR.

My congratulations.

Thank you very much! Yes, feel free to steal anything. I took your character list idea and it has become a hit. I'm glad you liked this last lag of the story. There are many questions left unanswered (and many more will be asked later today...). The end is near...

Radzeer, my friend, i hope you know i've been following your sprawling epic for some time (just never posted a comment, ), and am also sorry its ending...

I can't find enough words to praise this magnificent masterpiece, so let me put this way: my dad regularly enters the room to chastise me: "son, you waste too much time sitting on this computer, why wont you read a book or something?" And then i laugh at him and say: "I'm reading an awesome novel about the Kievan Rus', and reached the part where they're kicking the ass of the Golden Horde!". As my dad has no idea what "Kievan Rus" or "Golden Horde" mean he just makes that a derp face and leaves the room, and i call it a day .

Also, i'd like to again thank you for the support and advices in my own AAR, know that you were one of my main inspirations to begin writing one (and envy your amazing screens and storytelling skills ).

Thank you for your kind words, and I'm glad that you enjoy this story as a book! It's kind of how I see it too, and from time to time I venture too much into the text realm maybe... And of course I am most humbled when my work can be an inspiration for others, it makes all the effort worth it!

---

I am mostly done with the next update, just one more read is needed, so it will be up later tonight. Thank you for your patience!

[Radzeer]

List of characters

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The royal family

Grand Prince Vladimir
The first Grand Prince, leading the early expansion of the Rus, annexing several independent cities and fighting against both the Cumans and the Catholics. He has found the Holy Grail after taking Oleshe, and established the tradition in which the Grail is kept by the Prince to guide him. At the end of his life he retired and transferred the power to his oldest son and heir, Mstislav. He lived a long life and died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Mstislav
The second Grand Prince, and the oldest son of Vladimir. He held power for long as a Prince. He fought against the Cumans in the east, and conquered Smolensk in the north overthrowing the Novgorod-friendly council. He was a skilled politician and determined leader with a vision to expand toward the Baltic Sea. He established the Rus as a major power, although at the end of his reign he had difficulties with his brothers who wanted to have their separate ways. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Grand Prince Gostislav
The third Grand Prince, Mstislav's oldest son, the governor of Pereyaslav. Quite unremarkable as a child, he had a lot to prove. His decisions were not without controversy, but he did what he could to keep the Rus intact. He was somewhat successful with Yaropolk's sons in the west keeping at least their formal allegiance, but could not contain his other uncle, Yurii, who set up his own principality around Azaq. His rule was often compared to the rule of his father, in which comparison he did not fare well, especially about his foreign policy. He died shortly after a victory against Poland.

Grand Prince Nikifor
The fourth Grand Prince, Gostislav's first son. His marriage to a Venetian princess was supposed to build good connections to Catholics, but the alliance was short-lived. He is considered to be a talented leader and a capable general. He launched the long awaited war against Novgorod, which he carries out ruthlessly.

Predislav
Nikifor's only son. A talented military commander, but a man with a temper, similar to his uncle, Rostislav.
Apokavkos Komnenos
Member of the Roman royal family, who married Nikifor's second daughter.
Khotimir Kievskii
Kievan boyar who married Nikifor's youngest daughter.

Rostislav
Gostislav's second son. He lived the life of the younger prince in the Court, where according to the rumor he seduced Nikifor's wife. He led the attack on Novgorod, taking Polotsk, but died shortly after that in the plague.
Prince Halstan Svendsen
Norwegian noble who married Princess Evfrosinia, Gostislav's daughter. Shortly after arriving to Kiev he was chosen by Nikifor to be his heir. After some conflict in the Court, Nikifor sent him to conquer the city of Novgorod, which he did.

Tvorimir Runo
Halstan's older son, governor of the Pskov fortress.
Derzhislav Cheshko
Halstan's second son.

Petr
Mstislav's second son, the governor of the eastern Rus territories. He was trained by his uncle Yaropolk, and he took Serdobinskaya from the Cumans. He led the royal troops the Caucasus campaign. He took Baku and sailed across the sea to fight Khwarezm at Gorgan. The riches of Baku and Gorgan made him wealthy, although he was not successful to counterbalance Yurii and his sons' rule in Azaq. He died shortly after a raid on Astrakhan.

Dmitrii
Petr's son. He was young when his father died and was raised in the Kievan Court. He is a friend and supporter of Prince Halstan, and married Halstan's daughter.

Oleg
Mstislav's third son, the governor of Kiev. Although talented, he was a quiet member of the family, satisfied with administering Kiev. Many saw him as the man guarding the political legacy of Mstislav, mitigating the debates and conflicts in Kiev during Gostislav's and Nikifor's rule. He died peacefully in Kiev.

Danislav Severskii
An exile from Novgorod who became Mstislav's vassal and the governor of Smolensk. He died in battle against the Lithuanians.

Dobrozhir Severskii
The only son of Danislav. He revenged his father and killed the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but died in battle shortly after.
Stroislav Kubenskii
A Kievan noble who married Dobrozhir's oldest sister. Governor of Baia, and a loyal follower of the Grand Prince. He was a long time supported of Nikifor. He died under Halych when the fortress was taken by the Venetians.

Yaropolk
The second son of Vladimir. Legendary commander, the hero of many wars, and the conqueror of Lithuania where he acquired territories for his sons. His personal tragedy was that during his life only his youngest son, Volodislav loved him. He was a loyal general and had done much for the Rus - both by fighting its enemies and by containing his sons. He died shortly after his last victory against Poland, as the most decorated general of the Rus. At his funeral, his sons finally realized what their father has done for them.

Zhirovit
Yaropolk's oldest son, the governor of Vilnius. A violent, dreaded and unpredictable character, he fought in Poland to revenge his brother's death. He hated Catholics and pagans alike, and had plans to restore the political power of the house of Yaropolk. But after so much success on the battlefield, he could not taste the political victory. He died peacefully in Vilnius.
Moimir
Yaropolk's second son, governor of Mensk. He helped financing Zhirovit's campaigns. He was a city politician, satisfied with his position at Mensk. He lived a long, but politically uneventful life. He died peacefully in Mensk.
Tikhomir
Yaropolk's third son, former governor of Smolensk. He died young in battle against Poland at Mensk, saving the city and probably Moimir's life.
Volodislav
Yaropolk's youngest son, the governor of Riga. A talented commander who defeated the Teutons and repelled a Danish invasion. Widely considered as the real successor of Yaropolk's legacy.

Svyatoslav Basenok
He is an unremarkable character, but the rumor said that he is Moimir's bastard son, which is the only reason why Volodislav adopted him.

Yurii, Grand Duke of Azaq
The third and youngest son of Vladimir, the first Grand Duke of Azaq, the duchy he declared independent from Kiev. It was difficult for him to be in the shadow of his two brothers. He was not satisfied with the governor position of Caffa where he was supposed to live the quiet life of a young prince, and made an alliance with the Patrikeev clan in the east. He married the clan leader's daughter, Natalia and started to build his own princedom. He fought the Cumans for the control of the Azaq region, and later attacked the Muslims in the Caucasus. He was considered by all as the main conspirator in the royal family, constantly plotting to get closer to power. After Natalia's death he decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The pilgrimage ended with taking Acre, but became a political failure after mutual betrayals by the Roman allies. Yurii died in the siege when Acre fell to the Fatimids.

Grand Duke Ostromir
Yurii's oldest son, governor of Caffa. An unremarkable person in his early life, and withdrawn from the public ever since he survived an assassination arranged by Gostislav. When Sbyslav left for the Holy Land, he had to defend the Duchy of Azaq from the first Mongol invasion. He is the governor of Sarkel, the border stronghold. After the death of his brother, he became the third Grand Duke of Azaq.

Ratimir Muromskii
A soldier in Sarkel who has shown exceptional bravery against the Mongols and was thus adopted by Ostromir and sent to Tbilisi to raise an army for Azaq. He was captured in battle and executed by the Mongols.

Grand Duke Sbyslav
Yurii's second son, commander of the Caucasus and Holy Land campaigns. He is talented in both politics and war, and succeeded Yurii as the second Grand Duke of Azaq. After revenging his father's death against the Fatimids, he returned to Azaq and fougth against the Mongols. He was an exceptional leader as well as military commander. He died in battle after many victories during a campaign to take Astrakhan from the Mongols.

Sbyslav Oslyabya
Grand Duke Sbyslav's illegitimate son, who did not know about his father until the Duke died. He was adopted by Ostromir and made successor of the Duke title.

Milogost Fominskii
A Kievan noble who married Princess Eupraxia, Vladimir’s only daughter and thus became a member of the royal family. He was the governor of Zhytomyr. He saved Kiev from two Polish invasions, and was killed in the battle of Halych.

Georgii Patrikeev
Governor of Tmutarakan in the east, and an ally of Yurii who married his daughter. He died peacefully after taking Sarkel.

The three brothers

Alexios
The oldest of three brothers who as children were rescued by the Kievans after a Cuman raid. He is a cleric and a chronicler in the Court. He went back to Trebizond to look after his brother, Rurik. He was with Yurii in the Holy Land, and miraculously escaped after the fall of Acre.
Rurik
Alexios’ younger brother. Trained as a warrior, he used to belong to Yaropolk’s bodyguard escort. He was wounded in Trebizond in a battle and was thought to be dead for a long time. He returned to Kiev to fight alongside Yaropolk once more before he put down the sword.
Oleg
The youngest brother of Alexios and Rurik. He disappeared in a Cuman raid and was sold as a slave in Azaq. His brothers have been searching for him for years until they were reunited in Trebizond.He was the chief supply officer for the Court, and the author of the Miloslavich Diary. Shortly after taking Polotsk, he disappeared again in Novgorod territory. His son found him in a prison after the fall of Novgorod.

Andrei
The son of Oleg who was trained as a soldier in the Grand Prince's druzhina. He was in Halstan's army when fighting Novgorod, and later fought in the battle of Pskov. After that battle he and his father were dismissed from Kievan service by Nikifor. He went to Azaq and enlisted in Ostromir's army. He is fighting with Sbyslav's son against the Mongols.

58. The enemy within



"Any news about your sister?"

"She is on her way back from Halych. She talked to my mother. It did not work."

"It was nice of her to do this shortly before her wedding."

"My father asked her, and she loves him."

"A true royal family... I don't understand how you are not the heir. This Norwegian usurper is not worthy to lead the Rus."

"My father knows what he is doing," shrugged Predislav. He looked at Apokavkos Komnenos , his brother-in-law from Constantinople. The two men were talking outside the main hall of the Kiev castle after an exhausting day in the Council discussing the situation at Halych. The Council has been in session for a week by now, and everybody was there as nobody dared to challenge Grand Prince Nikifor's order.

"I don't believe Halstan would ever support a war against the Catholics," continued Komnenos. "He has not converted to the true faith and should not be trusted."

Predislav knew that there was truth in what Komnenos said. Halstan tried to argue for patience toward Venice in the past days. He said that it would be too dangerous to fight Venice and Poland at the same time. But that was a weak argument. Predislav's army was still in the Krakow area, and that was enough to deter Poland from any military action. The Grand Prince had enough men to fight Venice as well, in fact an army was being raised around Kiev already.

"But Halstan has been fighting Catholic Denmark for a long time," grunted Predislav, mostly because he was curious what Komnenos would say.

"That is true, but Denmark is the long time enemy of Norway where Halstan's real allegiance is. Catholics fight with each other all the time, and I don't think Halstan has any sympathy for Denmark. Not to mention that his fight against Denmark in the north serves his own interests, while a campaign against Poland and Venice would rather aid your father."

Predislav could not decide what motivates Komnenos. He obviously hated Catholics like most Romans did. He was a loyal supporter of Nikifor in the past weeks, which his father needed a lot after Kubenskii's death. Komnenos never missed an opportunity to assure Nikifor that through him the Grand Prince can obtain Roman help if needed. He was friendly with Predislav, or maybe too friendly? Seemingly he wanted Predislav to become the next Grand Prince, but were his intentions genuine? What if he plots to become the Grand Prince himself? Predislav had heard enough about the power hunger of the Komnenos family, and his brother-in-law was clearly not in position to be powerful in Constantinople. Maybe this is why he married my sister, to rise in the Rus instead, he thought.

But this is a problem for the future, decided Predislav. Now I need Komnenos to help us get rid of the Catholics first. "You are right," he said. "Halstan is probably building up his forces in the north, preparing for the succession. We must be alert, and I am counting on you."

Komnenos nodded but before he could say anything, Dmitrii Yaroslavich appeared. Apart from Predislav, Dmitrii was the only Yaroslavich who could claim unquestionable blood relations back to the legendary Vladimir Yaroslavich, the first Grand Prince of the Rus. Dmitrii was seen as Halstan's supporter but in the past days he worked hard for neutralizing the conflict in the Council between the various factions.

"We are making progress my lords," he said using an overly courteous form as Predislav was his equal while Komnenos was below him in rank. "Halstan changed his mind and decided to support the war against Venice!"

"That is very good news indeed," said Predislav. "I wonder what made him do that?"

"I think your father decided that he will go to war no matter what. Everybody talks about the new army being raised here. I think the Prince understood that defying him would be futile."

Predislav did not reply, but the fact that Halstan was referred as the prince visibly angered him.

"Or maybe it would have cost him his title," said Komnenos, pouring oil on the fire.

"That is dangerous talk, my friend." Dmitrii was much less courteous than before. "Succession remains the decision of the Grand Prince. I assume you don't want to interfere with that."

Komnenos wanted nothing more than interfering and they both knew that, but he realized that this is not the right moment. "Of course not," he said. "What else did he say?"

"He also announced that he is preparing a campaign against Turku, the Danish stronghold in the north which as you know has been the center of attacks on us."

"And with that he can stay out of the war against the Catholics," added Komnenos.

Dmitrii was now upset. "He is fighting against the Catholics! How many times does he need to prove his loyalty? And there is no need for him against Poland or Venice." He turned to Predislav. "I assume you can lead the Polish campaign while your father takes care of Halych."

Predislav nodded. "We can manage this war easily," he said, smiling inside that probably both Komnenos and Dmitrii misunderstood what he was referring to.

A court messenger appeared. "My lord Predislav, your father wants to see you now." The other two men looked at him, but Predislav left without saying anything.



"Now with the support of the Council, war with Venice is declared," started Nikifor when his son entered the main hall. Only the two of them were there, not even the guards were seen. "The negotiations failed at Halych, therefore force must be used. When the castle is taken, your mother may leave for Venice, but I don't want any Italians in Kiev anymore."

"Who will lead the army, father?"

"I will send Komnenos to Halych with an army to besiege the castle. Then I will follow with another one soon. I need you to keep an eye on Poland, but do not start anything until Halych is secured."

"Forgive me for asking, but do you think all issues are settled in the Council?" Predislav was cautious as he knew his father's anger outbursts. But Nikifor was in a good mood.

"Most issues are settled," said the Grand Prince. "First we take care of Halych. Then we discipline Poland. It is important for you to understand that we are not looking for further expansion to the west. My grandfather was right about this. But we need Poland to understand that a war against us is futile."

"What about Halstan's attack on Turku?"

"He will be occupied with Denmark for a long time, and that is exactly what I want. I need to keep him away from Kiev. I have thought about the succession a lot, and I have a solution."

This is it, thought Predislav. My father must have come up with something to regain the line of succession for the Yaroslavich family.

"I cannot take away Halstan's title without risking a civil war while he is strong in Novgorod," said Nikifor. "But I have made arrangements for you to become his heir... or his legitimate challenger."

Predislav's heart started to beat faster. "Did he agree to this?"

"No. Did I say that I made the arrangements with him?" Nikifor was smiling. "When I die, my testament will include a strong desire for you to be his heir and you will receive the Holy Grail which I have not given to him when I made him Prince. If he agrees, the family succession is restored. If not, there are four key forces of which you need the support of three to become the Grand Prince by force. First is my son-in-laws. Komnenos is loyal to us and with him you will have the support of the Romans. You have also met Khotimir, Elizaveta's future husband already, right?"

Predislav has met with him, and his impression was that Khotimir is a wealthy boyar's son from Kiev but otherwise an unremarkable character. He just nodded as he did not want to bring this or his concerns about Komnenos up now.



"Good," continued Nikifor. "I appointed him as the governor of Kiev, although this is not public until their wedding. Our family will stand behind you. The second force to deal with is the old Volodislav, Yaropolk's last son. I made a pact with him. He has no children, except that bastard worthless son of his brother. He has always been a rational man. I promised to permanently transfer him the titles of the former Lithuanian lands his father conquered. He does not want anything more, but the assurance that the Grand Prince would not take those lands away from his family. In return, he will support you."

This arrangement was excellent, thought Predislav. Volodislav holds those lands anyway, and at the moment there is no pressing need for reshuffling the regional titles. The support of Volodislav costs us nothing.

"The third force is Dmitrii. He is the most important figure to you, because he is loyal to the Council. He does not seek power for himself. He however despises the hawks in the Court, many of whom you unfortunately need. Keep the anti-Catholic boyars on a short leash, satisfy them with victories against Poland and Venice, while reassuring Dmitrii that you would not take up arms against the Catholics in the Rus. Dmitrii will support whom he thinks could restore the unity of our realm. Make no mistake: he is a friend of Halstan, so unless Halstan does something terrible he would not betray him."

"I understand, father. But Dmitrii is relatively weak. His lands in the east are poor and he is powerless compared to Volodislav."

"That is true. But his father was a famous general and has a strong reputation in the east. Also, he is of the Yaroslavich bloodline. Halstan can offer to make him his heir."

"I had not thought of it that way. And what is the fourth force?" Predislav was counting all the important nobles, but he had no idea. "What if I lose Dmitrii's support?"

"You should not. Because the last force to reckon with is Azaq."

"Azaq? Those traitors?"

"Traitors indeed. Still, Azaq has been strong enough to fight the Horde. What if your brother-in-law, that bastard grandson of Yurii Yaroslavich sides with Halstan to divide the Rus? No, my son, Azaq will have to return to the Rus, by promises, by bribe or by force. With the support of my son-in-laws, in addition to Volodislav and Dmitrii, you will have the force to take care of Azaq - regardless of what Halstan does."

For the first time in his life, Predislav was overwhelmed by the political intrigues surrounding the Grand Prince title. He understood how difficult it was for his father to navigate the different political interests within the Rus to keep this growing realm united. "I will not disappoint you father," he said. "If I become the Grand Prince, I will follow your footsteps and bring glory to the Rus!"

"Very well, my son," said Nikifor. "I would not expect any less of you. But we'll take one step at a time. Once your sister's marriage celebrations are over, we will go to war."

Neither of them knew that Elizaveta's marriage was going to be the last time when everybody who counted in the Rus was together in peace.

~~~

That winter Apokavkos Komnenos besieged Halych and the war has started. Although he was given clear orders to wait for the second army led by the Grand Prince, Komnenos felt that he can prove his skills as a commander and ordered an early assault.



The Roman general came up with a complicated battle plan. He deployed his best infantry troops facing the east gate to keep the defenders there. At the same time, he ordered his ballista crews to destroy the south gate for his druzhina and militia to break through.





The ballista fire was largely ineffective, but after taking heavy casualties, they were able to destroy the south gate. Komnenos sent in a company of crossbowmen to secure the gatehouse. Since his main forces were still in front of the east gate, the defenders' reaction was delayed. This was the opportunity to break in.





But Komnenos made a mistake not moving his troops quick enough. While the crossbowmen could get in, nobody followed them and they were quickly overwhelmed by the Venetians. The walls were soon full of enemy soldiers. Komnenos saw that if he sends in his infantry through the gate, they would be slaughtered from above. The moment has gone, and now he had to order the druzhina to attack the walls.





The Kievan troops fought hard, but soon they were surrounded by various light infantry companies, mostly mercenaries hired on Italian money. Then sudden explosions indicated that the Venetian commander decided to shoot at the soldiers fighting on the outer walls. The cannons missed as much as they hit, and cut bloody gaps into the ranks on both sides.



Komnenos felt that there is still a chance to win the battle. He sent in the reserve spearmen. By the time they climbed up the ladders there were dead soldiers everywhere, but the battle raged on and the cannons continued to add to the carnage.





To support his men from the streets, Komnenos ordered his horse archers to ride in. They got through the gate easily, but met with Venetian spearmen on the streets where they had no room to fight in the manner they wanted.



Finally, the Kievans were defeated on the walls, and the few remaining horse archers fled. Komnenos had to call off the attack, as all he was able to achieve was the death of five hundred defenders who took as many Kievans with them. In addition, Komnenos had to suffer the embarrassment of paying the ransom for his captured soldiers.







A few days later a runner arrived carrying the banner of the Grand Prince. Komnenos was prepared for the anger of Nikifor for hurrying the attack and wasting all these lives, but the news he got was very different.



A few days later Predislav also received the news about the death of his father. He ordered his army to leave Poland and march back to Halych to consult with Komnenos about what to do. Nikifor's death was unexpected, but no foul play was suspected.

"You need to go to Kiev immediately," said Komnenos. "I will take care of Halych."

Predislav did not think that Komnenos could take this well defended fortress which was built up over many years by the best craftsmen of the Rus. "We have some time," he said. "Halstan is in Novgorod or may even be in Danish territory. I left the Polish border without a fight, and while I don't think they would attack, I want to take Halych to restore our defenses here. I brought fresh troops and we can be ready for an assault by tomorrow."

"But even if the assault is successful, there is the risk of not being in Kiev when the important things are decided!"

"Nothing will be decided for at least two weeks. It would take much longer for the runner to reach Halstan and him to return to Kiev. If I go back with Halych taken, my position would be much stronger. I am willing to take this risk."

This was an argument Komnenos could not refute. Predislav took over the command and the second assault started next day.



This time, Predislav wanted to use the full force of his troops. Now the Kievans outnumbered the Venetians who had little time to rest, although they were in good spirits after the first battle.



This time the attack was concentrated on the west gate. A company of archers could ram the gate quickly and keep the defenders under fire while the heavy infantry advanced. Predislav had catapults and trebuchets to fire at the defenders on the wall too.





The druzhina gained space on the walls, meeting with only weak resistance, but inside the gate strong Venetian infantry units were already gathering. The main street towards the inner castle was sealed, and it looked to be a tough fight to break through.





Predislav sent in the boyar infantry to secure the outer walls, while the masses of Prussian mercenaries marched to take on the Venetian spearmen on the street.





The boyars kept several defender units engaged on the walls to ease the pressure on the Prussians who had the difficult task of defeating the Venetian spearmen. The fight raged on for an hour, during which the Kievans could hardly make any progress toward the inner castle. The casualties were very high on both sides.





By the time the boyars took the walls, the Prussians were defeated inside the gate. The attackers withdrew, leaving their dead and wounded behind. They saw the inner walls intact and well defended, and that made many lose heart that day.



Predislav and Komnenos were with the reserve infantry. They saw how quickly the morale sank after this bloody fight. The gate was open and the outer walls were empty, but the Kievan soldiers were exhausted in mind. Predislav understood that there would be no victory that day, and gave the order to return to the camp.



This was the second defeat under Halych, making Predislav's life much harder now. He lost more than seven hundred men, and while his army was still strong and the attrition has not favored the defenders either, he had to come up with a different strategy. And this time, there was no exchange of prisoners. Those that were captured in the fortress were executed the next day.





"Damn Italians!" Predislav was angry, not so much about the failed attempt to take Halych, as he knew how well the fortress was built, but rather because now he did not seem any better than Komnenos.

"What will you do now?" asked Komnenos, although he knew the answer.

"I will go back to Kiev. I have to make sure that the succession goes as my father has planned. You have to stay here and keep the castle surrounded."

"What if a relief army arrives? Or Halstan sends an order to end the war with Venice?"

These were real concerns, but Predislav had no patience for his brother-in-law. "I suggest to use your connections to your people and ask for help if needed. The Romans control all regions by the Danube to the south, so I doubt the Venetians could send reinforcements soon. And if Halstan sends you an order, just ignore it. By the time he could do anything, I will be in power."

Predislav left the next day, leaving Komnenos with his doubts and fears.

The spring was beautiful and long. Komnenos still could not enjoy it, as every day he expected either an enemy army or Halstan's messengers to appear. Halych was sealed by his men, but that was all he could do. He knew that either a much larger army is needed or he had to wait until the defender's provisions run out, and realistically only the second had any chance. He felt isolated from the Court, and the only news he got all spring was that Halstan publicly announced his title, and became the first Catholic Grand Prince of the Rus. Shame and fear was in Komnenos' heart.



Then around midsummer, Predislav arrived back from Kiev.

"What are the news?" asked Komnenos.

"Disaster, it looks like," said Predislav. "Halstan was not willing to come to Kiev at all. He did not want to publicly receive my father's will I think. He simply announced his title from Novgorod. The Danish campaign was just an excuse to summon troops. He has not even left the Rus."

"Did he announce a heir too?"

"No... not yet. But now he is stronger than ever. He has the whole north behind him. I have heard rumors that he is negotiating with Novgorod to grant them partial independence if they support him."

"That is an outrage! It would be a political suicide!"

"Yes, and I think this is partly why he has not designated the successor. And despite his strength, his support in the Council is weak. Volodislav is leading the hawks against him, that he expected, but it seems that Dmitrii is hesitating what to do, which is the key act."

"In that case we should not waste time here."

"Indeed. We have to show strength in Kiev, but not use it. That would convince Dmitrii to stay neutral and if Halstan is isolated he must accept me as his heir."

"Why not take all the power?"

"That would lead to civil war, and we are unprepared. If we behave like the hawks, that would drive Dmitrii to Halstan's camp. We must appear more reasonable." Predislav remembered what his father told him: we'll take one step at a time. "But first we need to conclude our business here. I hate this place."

In a few days, luck has smiled upon Predislav. The Venetian commander has done a big favor for the two Kievans when he decided that in the absence of a relief army his only chance is to break though the siege lines and flee back to Venice.



The garrison tried to escape to the southeast where Komnenos had only a few cavalry companies. Predislav's army was in the northwest, and they were not expected to reach the battle. The Venetian infantry stormed out of the castle and tried to make a run for safety.



Soon the garrison commander and the leading Venetian captains formed a mounted spearhead in their army, and tried to cut through Komnenos' troops. Many of these knights were in the escort of lady Florentia and knew that they had little chance if caught.



But Komnenos had his heavy cavalry ready and engaged the Venetians. A fierce cavalry battle started on the field outside the castle. The Kievans had the advantage, but only until the garrison infantry arrives.



Komnenos did not let the Venetian infantry catch up with their knights. His mercenary cavalry attacked the Venetian foot soldiers who quickly became demoralized. Then Predislav arrived with his bodyguards, leaving the rest of his army behind. The battle soon turned into a massacre.





On the other side of the battlefield, Komnenos defeated the Venetian knights of whom none survived. The last unit running were the archers, but they did not get far either.



After two unsuccessful assaults, a short battle outside the castle ended the Venetian rule in Halych. Hardly a few enemy soldiers escaped, while the Kievan casualties were relatively low.



Predislav watched as the group of soldiers escorting her mother disappear on the road. He spoke only briefly with her, telling the news about the death of Nikifor and making clear that she has no reason to stay in Kiev anymore. He also told her that it was Nikifor's wish that she left, instead of being punished for all the death she caused at Halych. His heart was heavy, but he felt his mother was alien to him and betrayed his trust. He provided Kievan soldiers to escort her to the border and knew that he will never see her again.

When their company left, Predislav turned to Komnenos.

"We now ride to Kiev and take care of the succession to restore the glory of the Rus. Leave a strong garrison here in case Poland or the Italians attack, but order everybody else to leave for Kiev."

"Do you think the Catholics would attack Halych?" asked Komnenos.

"No." Predislav was determined. "I think our enemies are in the Rus now."
~

[Thokran]

I'm really liking Predislav and the complexity of the court intrigue with the succession at stake. With all the other drama floating about, I can tell the climax is coming soon, and it's going to be great. Can't wait to see what happens next!

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Ditto what Thokran said. As much as I don't want this to be over I can't wait to see what happens.

[Ganbarenippon]

I can only agree with the two gentlemen above. I think that this is one of my favourite chapters of yours, in any of your works. The temptation with doing political intrigue is to make it too convoluted, too complex and this can turn people off (as I have found to my own peril!). I think you got the balance between making it comprehensible and still making it very interesting. Great work! I eagerly look forward to the finale, though I don't know what I will do with myself once this finishes!

[Maltacus]

Commented on some pictures, so I reckoned it would be polite to use spoilers.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Need to spread some rep around increases at a dramatic rate...
Citadels are always a pain to take with the annoying time limit preventing the use of sublime tactics (unless you choose to settle for only damaging the enemy army). What was the Kievan plan to take this one? And what was the thing with hurling flaming boulders at the walls???

In addition, Komnenos had the embarrassment of paying the ransom for his captured soldiers.

Shouldn't that be "Komnenos had to suffer the embarrassment of..."? Poor army of Komnenos, they even had to sell their quiver straps to afford the ransom, as one can see on the foremost rider, but somehow their quivers are still there. Perhaps they are glued to their clothes with transparent and colourless glue, just like the riders are glued to their saddles since they can't dismount in this primitive game...

The UMT will not be happy about this...



The Lithuanian Archers would look much better without the silly vanilla textures. Such clothing does not deserve a place in your pictures, I think. Perhaps they can use the textures of Lithuania (dark and brown, like all the early Lithuanians... )?