Discounting Tyrol

[Ayzek]

Joseph did not hesitate to blow a hole in Strmol Castle's wall that very day. His army took position a couple dozen meters from the oversized-villa's walls, sheltered from the defender's fire by the trees and sandbag walls quickly throw put in place, while artillery pieces were dragged by horses onto the small hills to the castle's east and will. The defenders could do little but look on and took potshots as the castle wasn't designed for cannons and had no ideal placements. They'd hesitated to place some outside the walls, as the much larger Imperial Army could easily overrun any positions there and turn the cannons on the castle.

Though the castle was well positioned on a hill overlooking a lake, the forest to its north made it simple for the defenders to approach. The defender's morale dropped when they found themselves surrounded and plummeted when the first Imperial cannon fired. The shot missed the walls and instead sunk into the earth few feet away. The next shot didn't, however. The second cannon fired within a couple minutes and its ball smashed into the west wall with ease, creating a hole--though much too high for the infantrymen to cross.

The cannons to the east wall had much more success, however--quickly creating a hole near ground level. Though the defenders rushed to block it, they found themselves under fire from Imperial riflemen from the forest. The second volley from the west opened a large crevice in the wall.

A tune rang out from a bugle among the Imperial lines and, immediately, the assault began. Joseph's forelorn hope fixed their bayonets and vaulted their sandbags and jogged from tree to tree, steadily approaching the breaches on both sides of the castle. Under the cover of Imperial sharpshooters, the assault troops quickly reached the castle walls with few casualties. They lobbed a few grenades into the breaches and charged in after the explosions.

Reinforcements followed.

The castles grounds were seized within an hour, though casualties within the castle grounds were far from light. When the defenders tried to holed up in the residence, Imperial grenadiers blew aside the doors and lead the charge. With the castle's yard breached and the defender's attention there, Imperial infantry positioned in the forest advanced, breaching the three main doors with grenades and joining the fray.

As Imperial troops swarmed into the castle, von Strmol's men morale collapsed and they began surrendering left and right. A few of them even lead the Imperial troops to von Strmol's hideout. His capture marked the end of the battle, as word quickly spread and the last few diehard defenders surrendered.

Von Strmol and his family were escorted outside the walls and to Joseph, who had watched the assault from near the artillery. The false duke, a middle-aged Austrian man, was thrown before the prince while his wife and two daughters looked on.

Joseph did not rise from his seat, instead taking another drink of ale and looking down his nose at the rebel. One of his officers spoke up, "Johann von Strmol?"

"Aye," the man replied, rising to his feet--only to be shoved back down by the grenadiers at his side.

"You are a noble of the Holy Roman Empire, yes?"

"Aye." The man remained in place.

"Then, you understand that, as a subject of the Holy Roman Emperor, you have a duty to the Emperor?"

"Aye." Von Strmol spoke through clenched teeth.

"Are you aware that the Emperor recognized Joseph Willem Theodor Victor as the rightful successor to Archduke-King Charles VI of the lands of Carinthia and Carinola?"

Von Strmol was silent.

"Von Strmol?" the officer prodded. "Von Strmol."

After another few moments, the officer nodded to the guard, who kicked the nobleman in the stomach. The man's daughters yelped and hugged their mother tighter.

"Yes! Yes!" Von Strmol shouted, grasping at his stomach.

"And yet you saw it fit to declare those titles your own."

"Sirs?" a new voice called, from the cannons facing the castle. All eyes moved to a runner. "We have found numerous children at the castle. What should we do with them?"

All eyes returned to von Strmol. The man turned pale. "Have they said anything?" another officer questioned.

"Many things," the soldier answered. "Most importantly, they'd like to return home."

"See to their needs," Joseph ordered, "and bring a few here."

"Yes, Your Excellency." The soldier ran off. Joseph looked at his officer again and nodded towards the disgraced noble.

"Von Strmol," the officer said, "have you anything to say in your defense?"

"LONG LIVE QUEEN MARIA!" Von Strmol jumped to his feet and charged at Joseph. The guards were just as quick however, and the one at Joseph's blocked the noble's path and smacked his rifle's butt into von Strmol's face.

"Tie them up and keep them under guard," Joseph commanded. "We'll execute them with the Burgomaster at Laibach."