Alpheo stood near the crest of the inner wall, watching the extraction, deep in the bowels of The Fingers,as his men were already about organizing the high-value prisoners.
Normally, captured lords would be treated honorably, their arms and fine armor kept intact, awaiting a massive ransom from their terrified families. There would be no such courtesies today. There was no reprieve for rebels, and Alpheo had no intention of interceding for them, as there would be no profit on that.
Deprived of their steel and their pride, the nobles were made to march out in only their garments, stumbling under the contemptuous eyes of the victorious Southern soldiers, who were given the honor of building a spear arch under which the nobles were forced to lower their head to pass through.
One of them had stubbornly refused to do so.
To that one, a decurio had gone, smashed the back of his knee with a rod, and waited until he complied with the order.
