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"Your land will be mine, Amerius!" I eyed the bull as he yelled my name and his claim. I suddenly heard a snort by my side and turned to see my older brother standing there looking at me with a bored expression on his face.

"So brother, what shall we do?" he asks me, staring at me intently. I knew he wasn't really looking for an answer though, since he would be going and doing things his way as he always did. I sighed inwardly still wondering how I had allowed him to convince me to become the emperor instead of him. I knew he didn't want to be tied down, but neither did I, and if being an emperor did anything it tied you down.

He looked back looking over the bull and scanning the trees. I knew what he was doing - scanning for the guards so he could go off and kill the leader like always. He looked back and our eyes locked, a moment passing between us; a brotherly bond only we could share. Then I gave a slight nod letting him know to continue on. He nodded back and walked back to the edge of the hillock yelling and rousing up the army there.

'He should really be the leader not me' I thought to myself. While I was loved as a noble and kind man he was respected for his tenacity and he could really rile people up. While I was more conservative and connected with the noble gentle side of people he was aggressive and wise with the more chaotic side of things and he played off of those things.

I heard the chanting and yelling stop and knew that the march was about to begin. I continued to look at the enemy and sighed. I didn't want this. I felt pity for those confused souls convinced by a trickster to fight with the only promise that things would be better.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around seeing my brother standing there in full armor. The armor that he had made always amazed me. It was truly a beautiful piece, able to bend like a simple shirt but remain as powerful as a castle wall - stronger, actually. And then there were his scimitars. All the detail he had put into the weapons and armor was truly amazing.

The equipment covered in bas reliefs and decorations that made it look like silvery fur. Then the pauldrons on his shoulders with the wolf heads and the three wolves around that beautiful moon in the middle that always had a perpetual glow. It was a true testament to our people and would always be remembered through time.

He obviously read my thoughts when he looked at my face.

"Maybe someday I will teach you little brother."

I just nodded and sighed then turned back to the army.

"Is everything ready?" I asked him.

"Yes, my lord" he quipped. I flinched at the title since I didn't like him to call me that. It made me feel like I was superior and I didn't want that.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that." I replied sternly.

"And I wish there were more enemies to kill," he retorted causing me to chuckle.

"Aye" I agreed then turned to look at him a serious expression on my face "Do you think we'll win?"

"I do not think it. I know it" he replied his statement more truth than bluster I just sighed and looked away.

"Are you going to run off?"

"Of course. But I'll lead the infantry charge before I take out that bastard," he replied, pointing to the bull and nodding. I stood there thinking about what I wanted to say, but when I opened my mouth he cut him off.

"No, you stay here. I will not have you killed," He said with a tone of finality. I looked dejected then put he put his hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes.

"Strength and valour dear brother," he said winking at me then giving me a hug and pushing me back into my advisors.

"Now you get back so we can go win this for you," he said to my glaring face then he turned to the army and yelled "move out". I watched as the army marched past, noting their grim visages. I just sighed and turned around away from the battle looking at the artillery.

"Strength and valour to you as well, brother." I whispered to myself. I noticed that the artillery wasn't moving forward, so I headed toward the commander. He snapped to attention and saluted me, tapping his brow.

"What do you require, my liege?" I tried to hide my snarl at the title but continued anyway.

"Why is the artillery not moving forward commander."

"Commander Wolgram wants us to wait here out of range for his signal then launch," I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. Usually he didn't do this. He let the enemy feast their eyes upon these machines of death before firing. I figured he must want to surprise them, so I shrugged and continued to inspect the contraption. I wasn't so much worried about anything since I knew that the machine had the power to shoot this far. My brother and I had designed these things for one purpose - maximum power and maximum damage. They were mangonel/trebuchet hybrids with a square short bottom and a large arm, but instead of a counterweight it used a rope and focal point as a launcher. It was quite simple and ingenious really.

There was a rope stretched over a wheel on the front, while at the back was where the other end of rope attached. While the rope was pulled out, the front wheel cranked up an energy storing cog. When the rope was released, the back cog ran amazingly fast, reeling in the rope causing a deep thrumming sound. Then when the rope was taut, the arm would snap forward throwing the ammo at a speed that literally caused a boom from the air itself and shook the ground like a small earthquake.

Even as I was inspecting the machines I heard the marching stop and calls ring out from the forces. I knew that soon these great machines would let fly, destroying anything in their path. Suddenly I heard yells and explosions and I knew it had begun. I looked back to the catapults and saw the crews scrambling to be ready for launch.

Suddenly it all grew quiet. I turned back and couldn't help but worry that maybe something had happened. Then my thoughts were interrupted as the catapults let loose. The rumblings were deafening, like an avalanche right next to my head. I could feel the ground vibrating under my feet and as I looked around I saw that one of the tables we had set up at the beginning of the battle had been turned over from the sheer force.

Then it ended and the boom of the catapults firing resounded. I felt the air blow my cape around in the air. I then heard the renewed screams and thuds as the balls released their hellish damage.

Then I heard some very encouraging words rise above the din. A saying I knew my brother loved "Mes varn stuvg lkesns!"

"May your deeds be echoed through time as well, dear brother." I shook my head and chuckled knowing that all would go well and went off to get my horse so I could be ready to meet him when it was over. As I finally found my horse and rode out I could already hear the cheers of victory.

I got to the bottom of the hill and spotted my brother walking out of the trees, standing tall and uninjured. He saw me, smiled and waved and as I looked at him a thought I'd had constantly came back to me. I whispered it to myself. "Oh, dear brother, how shall I tell you? How shall I tell you I love you?"