THE VANISHED EMPIRE by Andrej Koymasky (C) 2006 written on February 11, 1995 translated by the author English text kindly revised by John
USUAL DISCLAIMER
"THE VANISHED EMPIRE" is a gay story, with some parts containing graphic scenes of sex between males. So, if in your land, religion, family, opinion and so on this is not good for you, it will be better not to read this story. But if you really want, or because YOU don't care, or because you think you really want to read it, please be my welcomed guest.
FIRST - THE START OF GANO'S BATTLES
1.1 - Gano, Usae and Yude
The Emperor entrusted the command of the Imperial Army still loyal to him, to the Duke of Noch and charged him to subjugate those lords who had proclaimed their independence and ceased paying tribute and providing soldiers for the empire.
At that time, three-quarters of the empire had revolted and the few remaining fiefs still loyal to the emperor were ruled by princes of the blood - dukes, counts and marquis. However, almost all of the others, following the example of the Duke of File, had abandoned their obedience to the empire. In retaking control of the empire, the Duke of Noch had the advantage that the breakaway territories were virtually in a continuous state of war with each other to readjust borders, each to its own advantage.
The Duke of Noch was a skilled soldier and an outstanding leader. In his younger days, he had defeated an attack by the ferocious northern barbarians. This earned him his title from the father of the present emperor. Even now, at the age of sixty-six, he was still a respected and feared man who remained fiercely loyal to the empire.
Far from the capital, almost on the border of what was once a powerful and feared empire, was a small fiefdom ruled by the Marquis Oddo, a vassal of the Duke Siba. Before the rebellion, he had been the great constable of the emperor and could have selected any fine lands for himself and his family. He was at war with the dukedoms lying to the southeast of his territory and had entrusted the administration of the duchy to two deputies, the Marquis Oddo and the Marquis Kole. The Marquis Oddo had three sons: Gano, Mase and Folde. Gano was the most restless of the three and his father often had to discipline him. However, he was deeply loved by the commoners because of his strong sense of honor and justice. He often defended them from abuse of power by his father's officials or even those of the duke's court.
Gano's father, Sime Oddo, suddenly took ill and died. His wife wanted Gano, then twenty-years old, to succeed his father but the rest of the family, backed by the Marquis Kole, favored Gano's seventeen-year old brother Mase who became the duke's deputy. After his father's funeral and before the ceremony of obeisance to Mase, Gano disappeared from the family castle.
Two other men were to feature prominently in this saga.
One was Usae, the son of Count Kuga. Although the Kugas were also vassals of the Duke of Siba, he didn't trust them and decided that while he was away at war, Kuga's three sons (of whom Usae was the eldest) had to be held as hostages in his castle. Gano who was fifteen-years old at the time, happened to be a page at the Siba Castle and met Usae.
Gano was struck by the sad yet proud demeanor of the little eleven-year old hostage who seemed to have such a listless beauty about him. He was immediately attracted to Usae's because of his great affection towards youths of his own sex. They were both too young for any sort of sexual relationship but became good friends. Usae was the exact opposite of Gano. Whereas Gano was restless, rebellious and against any formality, Usae was quiet, obedient and observed formalities. But, he was a hostage and although treated with due respect by the duke's court, the little boy felt very lonely and was grateful for Gano's friendship.
When Gano was seventeen and Usae thirteen, Gano developed a deeper physical attraction towards his younger friend. One evening, Gano crept into Usae's room while he was asleep, got into his bed and made love to him. He took Usae's virginity and enjoyed the long night of lovemaking with him. Usae was confused by the experience. On the one hand, he didn't approve of what amounted to being raped. But, on the other, Gano's ardor and skill gave him great physical pleasure and he experienced the human warmth he so badly wanted.
Although it had its ups and downs, the relationship between the two young men continued until Gano was twenty when he disappeared from the castle after his father's death.
Another key character was Yude, the son of a foot soldier of the Duke Siba. When not at war, Yude's father helped his wife and five children cultivate the few fields they were allotted. He was certain of being the father of Yude and his sister but had serious doubts as to the paternity of the other three children, suspecting they were sired by a neighbor. However, he was a practical man blessed with common sense, and accepted all five as his own. He spent much time away from home fighting the wars of his lord, and his wife was a good woman, affectionate and a good mother.
Yude knew the truth about the three younger children and his father's understanding of the situation increased his admiration of the man so much so that Yude decided that when he was of age, he would be a foot soldier like his father. As he grew up, he worked hard helping his mother and also doing his daily physical training to "become a good soldier" - as he told his friends who teased him about it. His physical strength earned the respect of the other boys and he gradually emerged as their natural leader. This didn't please Big Dola, the unquestioned chief of the rowdy mob of boys in the village, so Dola challenged Yude. Yude beat him, not because of brute strength - in fact Dola was stronger than him - but because he was more nimble and shrewd.
Dola smarted under the humiliation and decided to take revenge. He and three of his gang ambushed Yude, bound him hand and foot and took him to a clearing in the nearby forest. Dola gathered round the village boys, pulled down Yude breeches and raped him in front of everybody. Yude became a laughing stock and Dola regained his position of unquestioned leader.
Yude's position deteriorated further when news of the death of his father reached the village. A few days later, their neighbor who fathered Yude's three younger half-brothers, attempted to rape Yude's sister. He arrived home as the man was about to overcome her but Yude took a knife and killed him. His sister helped Yude drag the body to an old mine, threw it down the shaft and caused a rock-fall to cover the corpse. They cleaned up the mess at home (deciding not to tell their mother of the incident). However, the incident upset Yude who increasingly suffered nightmares and at fourteen, he left the village telling no one but his sister. He left a large bunch of flowers for his mother, telling his sister it was to show his appreciation to his mother and all she had done for him.
For a year, Yude wandered through the land, crossing mountains and valleys, offering help in exchange for food or shelter for the night if the weather was bad, but preferring to sleep in the open. He continued his physical training and dreamed of one day becoming a powerful, famous warrior.
During that period of disorder, a group of soldiers formerly in the service of a defeated and killed marquis, abandoned their land, placing themselves in the service of a knight rather than submitting to their enemy. There were fifty-three of them who wandered from land to land in search of a new master in order to seek revenge against those who had killed their marquis. They lived by attacking small caravans crossing the land and taking refuge in the forest. Their leader was the knight Sore and his lieutenants Mato and Tune, who led fifteen men each, were always at his side. The remaining twenty were under Sore's command.
One day, Yude came across Sore and his men and asked to take him with them as a soldier. They teased him, saying he was just a fifteen-year old boy. Yude pleaded with them, offering to work for them, prepare their food, fetch the water, and curry Sore's horse - anything they wanted him to do. Sore was annoyed and told Mato to get the snot-nosed kid out of his way. Mato tried to catch Yude but the boy, as slippery as an eel, wriggled away and laughed at him. The men also laughed and Tune tried to help Mato, but it took the help of several of the men before they finally succeeded in holding down the boy. Sore dismounted, drew his sword and thrust at Yude, stopping the sword a hair's breadth from the boy's head. Yude didn't move a muscle or show any fear at all.
Sore was taken aback and, looking Yude in the eye asked him why he wasn't afraid. Yude replied simply that he didn't detect the will to kill in the knight's eyes. Sore asked how someone as young as he could know about the will to kill. Yude told him why and how he had killed his former neighbor. Sore was impressed and decided Yude could follow them and perform the tasks he had said he would.
The boy was so happy he improvised a kind of dance to the merriment of the soldiers until Sore called him a jester, telling him to stop and take up his place in the column. Yude obeyed immediately and after that was called Jester by everyone.
When they pitched camp at night, Yude helped light the fire, cook the food, fill the men's flasks, and curry Sore's horse - all the things he had promised. Later, while some men stood watch, he lay down to sleep. As he slept, one of the men lay next to him and wakened him, saying he wanted to fuck him. Yude refused, wriggled out and succeeded in getting away from him, running to where Sore slept for protection. Sore woke up annoyed and asked what was happening. Yude told him. Sore replied crudely that if he wants to stay with them, he must expect such things to happen. They have no women and at times the older men satisfy their sexual desires with the younger ones. Yude objected, pointing out that as the youngest one, he would become the whore for all the men and that is not what he joined them for. If he has to be used for sex, he would accept the decision but then only with one of them. Sore could decide whom and he would obey. Sore nods and tells him to sleep close to him for the night and he would make his decision the next day.
The following day, Sore discussed the problem lightheartedly with Tune and Mato. Tune proposed they draw lots, Mote suggested the boy be allowed to make his choice. Sore decided on a compromise. He asked Jester to choose ten men with whom he would be prepared to have sex. He wrote the names indicated by Yude on a piece of paper. He called the men together and told them he would draw by lot the name of the man who had the right to fuck Jester. He warned that others they may not touch the boy against his will. The men accepted the good news.
In fact, on Tune's advice the ten names selected by the boy were written on five different leaves so the men would believe all their names were in the ballot. They blindfolded Jester and made him draw. The name chosen was Mikki, a twenty-four year old soldier who was delighted with his luck.
That night, Yude lay down, somewhat anxiously, near Mikki. The young soldier caressed him beneath the blanket that covered them and, bit by bit, undressed the boy. Yude immediately perceived the gentleness and the desire of the young soldier, which relaxed him. He then became aroused and felt prepared to be taken by Mikki. Yude discovered the sex to be completely different from when Dola raped him in front of the boys and that sexual intercourse with a man could also be very wonderful ...
Mikki slipped his hand between Yude's buttocks and found his anus, which he gently prepared by rubbing some grease into it and, without Yude feeling any pain, filled his back channel with the lubricant. Yude felt Mikki's stiff member gently enter him and then slowly move in and out of him. Mikki then took Yude's full erection in his hand and began masturbating him while increasing the tempo of his intercourse with Yude. Both felt the increasing ecstasy building up within them and they ejaculated their seed almost simultaneously. They lay back in each other's arms, exhausted but happy. They slept.
1.2 - Gano fights to regain his rightful place
Gano was twenty when he left his family castle after the death of his father, but he didn't leave alone. A number of knights and soldiers followed him as they believed his right of succession had been denied him and also because they liked and admired their courageous young lord.
Gano moved into the house of one of the knights, which he made his base. He had no intention of accepting the verdict of his family and was determined to regain his usurped title and property. He took stock of the small force available to him - barely a thousand men, including those the knights could arm from the local peasantry. This did not discourage Gano and he ordered the knights to gather the men on the lands around the house that would serve as their base. He decided to organize them into small lightly armed groups that would be fast moving and maneuverable, but they needed weapons. At the same time he compiled a list of family members hostile to him and planned their elimination.
His force started to grow as news of him got around. Gano developed his forces along unconventional lines for those times. He regrouped the men in tens and hundreds. Each group consisted of ten knights/standard bearers and one hundred footmen called ensigns. His men received intensive training and were subjected to iron discipline with Gano leading by example. Wearing only loincloths he led his men in climbing trees, jumping obstacles, running, crawling and hand-to-hand combat. He observed which men had special skills and tasked them to teach them to the others.
He imposed severe punishments for lack of discipline but also rewarded each act of bravery, courage and skill at arms. He held competitions at ten-day intervals and personally awarded the winners colored ribbons they could sew on their tunics. A man who had earned ten ribbons was awarded an iron armband. These symbols of prowess received from the hands of their young leader were highly prized.
In the year 1454 of the Empire, he felt he was ready to launch his first attack. He divided his forces into six groups, each with a separate objective. Intending to starve out the castle, the largest group of about three hundred men was assigned the task of plundering the lands around his family estate to take whatever provisions they found.. The other five groups of about one hundred men each were to infiltrate Oddo's various residences and kill whichever member of the family had supported his brother against him.
When they re-gathered in their fortress in the mountains, they had accumulated abundant provisions and weapons. Two of his father's brothers and three knights who had been loyal to his usurper brother had been killed with their families. Gano's forces suffered very few casualties. The operation had been highly successful thanks mainly to the element of surprise - no one had expected Gano to take any action. However, their reaction was still to come.
Gano decided to immediately move his base, burning down the house and their fortifications and relocating two valleys away. They reached the monastery of the Warrior Monks of the Red Order where Gano requested their hospitality. The abbot refused and Gano gave orders to take the monastery, putting all the monks to the sword. Gano dressed a portion of his men like monks and they reinforced the monastery fortifications. Gano designed a new standard for his men - a golden tower on a red field.
In 1455, he succeeded in taking by surprise a convoy conveying the contributions from Oddo's lands to the castle of the Duke Siba, acquiring many caskets of gold in the process. Gano shared a portion of the loot with his men, basing each man's share of the number of ribbons and armbands he had earned. This further reinforced the determination of his men to excel in his service.
Because of the close confinement of his large force in a restricted space, violent quarrels occurred. Gano acted firmly and ruled that if two of his men fought with each other, no matter what their rank or the merits of the dispute, they were punished with one hundred lashes each because they had quarreled, and were demoted to the ranks. A second offence was punished by decapitation. These severe laws, regardless of the rights and wrongs of the argument, put an end to quarreling and bickering as though by magic.
After two years, Gano's forces had grown only marginally to about one thousand two hundred men. After careful consideration he decided to take a small castle occupied by a cousin of his father who had been faithful to his brother. In 1456, at the age of twenty-three, Gano took Suki's castle by ruse and deception. He dressed some of his knights in his brother's colors who then went to the castle claiming they were on their way to Riva's castle, Oddo's main seat, to deliver Gano to his brother Mase, and asked for hospitality for the night. Suki's lord welcomed them without any suspicion. During the night, they took the sentries at the main gate by surprise, killed them and opened the gates allowing Gano's men to storm the castle. The battle was of short duration and Gano made the lord of Suki and his family appear in front of him. One by one, he killed all of them with his own hands.
Settled in Suki, Gano went about ensuring the loyalty of the surrounding lands. He summoned the heads of family and asked each how many able bodied men they could put into his service as soldiers. He checked their figures against the census records to determine the percentage each had offered him. Based on these figures, he redistributed the lands in proportion to the numbers they had offered to him for service. In addition, he introduced a system awarding one point per man per year of service that would be taken into account in calculating his taxation.
In this way, Gano's small army increased by six hundred men to a total of eighteen hundred men. One of their number was a sixteen-year old lad called Meta who served as a foot-soldier and who, like the rest, was undergoing strenuous ongoing military training and was to play an important role in the unfolding saga.
After repelling two attacks by Mase's men, Gano decided to launch his own decisive attack on his family castle. He obviously knew it well and was able to draw up a meticulous plan accurate in every detail. During the night of the thirteenth day of the eighth month, his well-trained men scaled the walls of the castle. By the time the sentries could sound the alarm, the western keep was already in Gano's hands. Then, fighting yard by yard and from battlement to battlement, the entire castle was taken in just twelve hours. Gano faced and killed his brother Mase in a duel. He ordered his other brother Falde to enter a monastery of White Monks and to take his mother and sisters with him. He entrusted the castle to one of his knights, preferring to return to the smaller Suki castle, which was more strategically situated to control the road to the capital of the duchy.
Later, in the tenth month, Gano disguised himself as a red monk and together with some of his best men went to the capital of the Empire requesting an audience with the Duke of Noch. He reported that he had regained the family territory and, believing it necessary to reunify the Empire, placed his services at the disposal of the duke who willingly accepted the proposal. The Emperor created Gano a Count and entrusting him with the command of all loyal troops in his provinces. This was, in reality, a symbolic gesture, but was important to Gano in that is granted him legitimacy and permitted him to add the symbol of the Imperial Crown to his standards.
During the night of the twenty-third of the fifth month of the year 1460, one of Gano's men arrived at Suki castle with the news that the Duke Gami, at the head of an army of twenty-five thousand men, had crossed the border of the duchy heading for the Duke Siba's capital. The next morning, another messenger reported that one of Gami's commanders had seized the fortress of Neru. A later report indicated that another of Siba's castles, that of Fore, had fallen into Gami's hands where he had stopped to rest his men and horses. Gano's councilors advised him to prepare for a siege, as it was evident that Suki castle would be the next target.
Gano disagreed, stating that victory lay in a quick and decisive counter-attack. His advisers pointed out that his own forces totaled only about three thousand men, whereas Gami's army excluding those left to garrison the conquered castles, numbered twenty thousand. Gami's superiority was considerable, but Gano was counting on the support of the thieves and roaming bands that were active in the region at that time. He dispatched emissaries to the various bands promising that if they united with him and swore loyalty, he would make each leader a knight and, at the conclusion of hostilities, each band would be allocated land in proportion to its strength, and the were also promised amnesty for their previous crimes. Within three months, their positive response added six hundred more men, in thirteen bands, to Gano's forces assembling at Suki castle.
The newcomers included Sore's band and Yude who was then seventeen years old. Gano summoned the thirteen chieftains, made them knights and explained their individual missions. Each band remained under their chieftain's command and under its own standard, to which was added two red ribbons and the golden tower and crown. Gano would attach one of his men to liaise with each band - he was called the "spokesman". The spokesman to Sore's band was the twenty-year old Meta.
Then Gano, together with his councilors and the thirteen new knights, formulated their battle plan against Gami, which they would initiate once Gami's forces resumed their march. Drawing on the former bandits' detailed knowledge of the area, they decided to launch a surprise attack in Kate's gorge. Gano also knew the place as he often went riding and hunting there as a boy. The gorge offered Gami's forces little room for maneuver and it was impassable in the rear. However, the front offered a wide valley sloping down to rice fields.
When he received news of Gami's resumed advance, Gano's men lay in wait along the heights overlooking the gorge. As the enemy entered it, a violent storm erupted. This had Gano smiling as Gami's heavily armed men were wallowing in the mud and made little headway as the rain pelted down on them. Gano spread the order to his men to strip to the waist and take only light weapons with them. Then, from the heights, he swooped down on the middle of the enemy column. Whereas Gano's men were nimble and fast, Gami's men were tied down by the heavier weapons and waterlogged clothes and unable to react to the attack. Gami's column was split in two. While Gano and his men were slaughtering the main body, the stragglers from the columns sought shelter in a valley or by scaling the mountain. Here, they found the thirteen bands awaiting them and were rapidly disposed of. The Duke of Gami entered the rice fields in the valley where they encountered Sore's band and others who blocked their way. Sore himself faced the duke who was wallowing in the mud and unsaddled and killed him. Cutting off his head and spiking it on a spear, he went along the length of the gorge. On seeing the head of the leader, Gami's men laid down their arms.
1.3 - Yude in Gano's service. Gano conquers Siba
Gano disarmed his prisoners and took them to Suki castle. Then, with about two thousand men he went to Fore castle, taking his macabre trophy with him. He overcame the castle after a fierce battle and had the commander beheaded. He moved on to Neru fortress and sent the two heads to its commander, urging him to surrender - which he did! He swore loyalty to Gano placing his men at his disposal. Gano took the commander and half his men with him, entrusting the fortress to one of his knights, making him a marquis and leaving him one thousand men. Then Gano returned to Suki.
He negotiated with his almost three thousand prisoners. Those who wanted to serve him could swear loyalty, the others could return to their lands. Just over one thousand elected to serve him. The others he divided into groups of one hundred and had them escorted, a group at a time, to the borders of the land he controlled. Gano's army now consisted of seven thousand men and he controlled five castles.
Meta and Yude had become friends. They were resting together after the battle and Meta suggested to Yude that they bathe in a nearby stream. There, Meta drew Yude to him and expressed his desire to make love to him. Although Meta was not really handsome, Yude accepted his proposal because he found him likeable and very sensual. They lay on the grass together and satisfied their sexual lust with each other, which each found wonderfully pleasurable and gratifying.
But young Yude was fascinated by Gano and asked Meta to use his influence to get Yude into the personal service of the young count. Meta promised to try.
When Gano allocated the land he promised to the chiefs of the thirteen bands, Yude did not follow Sore but remained with Meta, as they were now lovers. Meta, a standard-bearer and chief of ten, took Yude as one of his men. Meta was deeply attached to the young and energetic Yude whom he found to be virile, happy, passionate, shrewd, a dreamer and always ready to make love. At the same time, Yude did not conceal his sexual desire for Gano and Meta lived with this.
When Gano saw the Duke Siba, he immediately regained what had previously been his father's and recognition of his title of count granted by Noch. But he had to share his power with the son of the Marquis Kole, who had died in the war. Gano had no intention of sharing power with anyone. Besides, he had a more important objective - to succeed the Duke Siba. If he achieved that, only two fiefs came between him and the capital.
The young Kole was a gentle young man who lived in the Duke's castle and was responsible for its protection. Gano discovered that in the years of his absence, Kole and the young Usae had become lovers. He immediately acquired the services of Usae from the duke and brought him to Suki castle and made him his lover. Usae was twenty-four years old and more handsome than ever. Gano then returned to the duke's castle and succeeded in bringing Kole into his bed. He and Kole had a passionate love affair and Kole fell deeply in love with Gano and secretly declared himself to Gano as his vassal.
At this time, the Duke Siba was continuing his protracted war with the Duke Noma with mixed fortune. Gano went secretly to the Duke Noma and was received by him. Gano expressed the opinion that the war had to end. He proposed that Noma's son marry his (Gano's) sister to seal the alliance and that he would stop the campaign of the Duke Siba. The Duke Noma accepted the proposal and Gano returned to Suki and had his sister, Chika, move secretly to Noma's lands where the wedding was celebrated. Gano then imprisoned Siba's wife and children in their castle and attacked Siba's forces from behind. The Duke, caught between the fire of Noma and Gano, realized he was finished and committed suicide. Siba's men surrendered to Gano.
Gano took over Siba's castle and sent Kole back to his castle and kept Usae for himself. Kole was angry and went to war with Gano for taking Usae away from him. Gano easily defeated him and gave Kole's castle to Usae, forcing Kole to retire to a monastery of the Black Monks and giving the abbot orders never to allow Kole to leave the monastery on pain of its destruction.
Gano was now duke of all Siba's former territories and an ally of Noma. He also unsuccessfully tried to forge a political alliance with the Count of Granla but failed. Meanwhile, the son of the Duke Gami was planning to take revenge for his father's death. Gano got wind of his intentions and decided to get rid of all the Gamis before they became too influential. Gami had married the daughter of the powerful Duke of Seko and Gano felt hemmed in by the enemy lands that surrounded him. In addition, Siba's widow, who was still his prisoner, was the sister of the wife of Count Sote's whose territories bordered both Noma and Gami.
Gano sent Siba's widow and her daughters to Sote as a goodwill gesture, hoping to gain an ally against Gami. Sote welcomed his sister-in-law and her daughters with honor and thanked Gano but declined the alliance. However, he entered a non-intervention pact with Gano in the case of a war against Gami.
Meanwhile Yude, with the assistance of Meta, who had just been invested as a knight, entered into direct service of Gano as a bodyguard. Yude was increasingly attracted to Gano and did his utmost to gain his attention. For example, when a servant brought a tray of refreshments for Gano, Yude took the tray to serve his young lord. This did not work, but Yude noticed that Gano loved his horse and tried to reach Gano's heart through the horse. He spent hours in the stables, grooming and getting to know the animal. He brought him honey cakes to eat when he found out that the horse loved them. Then with great patience, he taught the horse some steps - stepping backwards, turning, kneeling, pacing forwards.
Once he had mastered the horse, Yude decided it was time to conquer his master. When Gano called for his horse to hunt, Yude brought him. As Gano was about to mount the horse, Yude gave a signal and the animal stepped back a pace. Taken aback, Gano tried again but another signal by Yude caused the horse to step forward.
"What's the matter?" Gano exclaimed and took hold of its bridle, holding him fast as he placed his foot in the stirrup. Another signal from Yude caused the horse to kneel. Gano became aware of Yude"s signals and asked to him, frowning, "Is it you who's playing tricks with me?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Do you know I can have you beheaded?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then why are you doing this?"
"Because I am jealous of your horse, my lord."
Gano looked at him in amazement. "Jealous of my horse? Why?"
"Because you mount him - I would like to be in his place." Yude smiled.
Gano looked at him and laughed. "You ... Yes, I'd like to mount you but in another way. Stop this and go away - that's an order."
"Yes, my lord. But it is in exactly the other way that I would like to be mounted by you, my lord."
Gano mounted his horse, laughed again, looked Yude up and down, and said, "Good, let me make you happy. Be at my rooms tonight. I'll give orders for you to be admitted."
"Thank you, my lord. My name is Yude."
"Good, Yude. I'm doing this so that there will be no need for you to be jealous of my horse again." Gano spurred his horse and galloped away.
Yude was ecstatic. He would share the bed of his lord, even if it were only for one night. He washed himself carefully, wore clean clothes and waited impatiently for the night when he went to his master's quarters. He was thoroughly search and taken to Gano's chambers. The young lord was waiting for him, lying on his bed, wearing only a loincloth. Yude shivered with excitement. His master's young, virile body was magnificent to behold.
"Good, Yude. Undress completely and let me see what you have to offer."
The boy undressed and Gano smiled when he saw that Yude was already aroused. He called him closer and felt his body.
"Not bad at all, boy, not bad at all. You are a strong colt. Come here, let me have a good ride ..."
He removed his own loincloth and pulled Yude onto his bed.
Yude had never had a night like that and he knew that Gano had enjoyed him thoroughly. Gano made Yude his private orderly in order to keep him close to him. Gano called upon him often and Yude devoted himself with passion and devotion, pleased to serve him at any time. Gano was thirty and Yude twenty when they made love that first time and Gano was pleased with him.
In 1465, Gano decided to attack Gami, not fearing any reaction by Sote or Noma. Seko could rescue his son-in-law by sea or by trying to pass through Gano's territory. Gano amassed part of his forces under Usae's command along the border with Seko with orders to halt any attempted attack and to invade his territory if he attempted a sea rescue.
Gano invaded Gami's land but instead of rolling up the castles one after the other, as was the tactical custom in those days, he advanced rapidly directly against Gami's capital. His lightly armed troops covered the fifty-four leagues in just one day and a night, leaving Gami no time to barricade himself within his castle. The town was deserted and the population had fled into the countryside. Gano ordered all the wooden houses in the town to be demolished and the wood to be piled against the main gate of the castle, transporting it in covered carts to avoid the rain of arrows being fired from the castle battlements. He then soaked the wood with oil and set it alight. At the same time, his catapults were throwing bales of burning straw into the castle thereby diverting a part of the enemy force to fight the raging fires.
But Gano had another trump card, suggested by Yude. An enemy could estimate the size of the force facing him by observing the number of standards, flags and campfires that besieged the castle. Yude suggested that these be doubled or trebled in order to deceive Gami as to the size of Gano's force and cause panic. Thus, Gano ordered extra fires to be lit behind the siege lines, new standards and flags to be made bearing the blue and gold imperial insignia (also suggested by Yude) and to pitch more tents.
Accordingly, Gami thought the castle was being besieged by about sixty thousand men instead of Gano's twenty thousand. Yude had a thousand men under his command to round up thousands of terrified countrymen and force them to keep the fires of the dummy encampments burning, promising to save their lives if they did as they were ordered. Yude also visited all the dummy positions selecting some of the younger men as chiefs of groups, promising to spare their lives and make them foot soldiers in the duke's army. The safety and the regular pay attracted many of the youths used to a hard life.
Two days later a messenger came from the castle under a black flag of parley. Duke Gami requested a safe conduct for himself and his family to go to Seko and to spare the lives of his nobles. In exchange, he would forfeit his duchy to Gano. Gami had mistakenly thought that Gano had already conquered all the castles between his capital and Siba. Gano prepared a document of surrender on those terms and ordered the men to come out of the castle in small groups, starting with the duke and his nobles who surrendered all their weapons. The duke and his family were escorted to the port, placed on board a ship and sent to Seko as Gano had promised. The nobles, once disarmed, were gathered in the castle's great hall and told to swear allegiance to Gano as the new Duke of Gami.
Gano entrusted the duke's castle to one of his devoted knights, making him Count and leaving the nobles as "guests" in the castle. Including the two hundred countrymen recruited by Yude, his force increased by one thousand two hundred. He made his way back to Siba passing the several castles he had bypassed. He showed their commanders the former duke's document of renouncement and obtained their submission without any further problem.
Gano's policy was to place the various castles he had conquered under the command of nobles of his entourage, and to take the nobles who had just sworn loyalty back with him to evaluate them and eventually place them in new fiefs in other territories. He mixed the surrendered footmen with his own, placing them under the command of his older footmen so that they could gradually become standard-bearers.
CONTINUES IN CHAPTER 2
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