It's been a year and I got to say it's been going okay, my brother's still somehow alive despite an assassination attempt on his life that I thwarted and had that adviser executed for it.
Overall, a completely average medieval life!
So now here I am in what would be called a regimental ground filled with around a thousand men who've trained in my regiment.
Overall what I noticed from the difference in regular regiments is that my men seemed more compact and broader, instead of usually either being muscle bound or nearly twinks.
They've looked like they actually seen a weight or two but can't bench 225.
I saw the weapons they held, most had swords, others maces, and only about a hundred had lances.
It was a very scattered fighting force.
"Why are you inspecting them my lord?"
"I have to make sure they are prepared to both pass on my regiment, and make sure they're prepared for war that will no doubt occur" I spoke as I watched the men train.
"Why create a new regiment in the first place Prince? Was our traditional way not enough" the adviser asked with what seemed innocence.
I, however, could tell that he was slightly peeved at the training the men were getting, which I didn't understand, then again, I don't understand most of not all political movements in both the 21st century but as well as the ancient world.
"Because the old one wasn't good enough for my plans" the Adviser seemed to understand, that or he'd pretended to.
I still miss the internet.
No goth mommies.
No muscle mommies either.
Wait!
I can make them!
"I must ask, is there a reason why they're like this?" I gestured at the men who, despite my unusual privileges there's still some who looked like they'd been dealt a bad hand.
They looked like they're in the trenches.
Before the adviser could answer me I spoke out.
"You!" A middle aged man blinked once before he realized I was speaking to him and he immediately froze.
"M-me?!" He sounded so scared.
Is this the fabled anime logic?!
"Why do you look like you're going to die in the next hour?" I asked as I stood before him.
It was slightly comical when you realize a three-foot-something tall kid is making a fully grown man shake in his boots…
Grown ass man.
"U-uh… w-well… I have a wife and a kid and… I've been forced to enlist into your regiment… u-uh MY LORD!" He seemed to stutter and stammer through his words and I could only shake my head in both disappointment and disapprovable.
"Tell me… did any of you read the requirements, expectations, and the privileges you gain?" I asked as loud as I could only to get confused glances.
"Anyone? Anyone at all?" I asked as silence reigned like a tyrant.
"By Ahura" I facepalmed.
Fully.
"Okay, since all of you wanted to be foolish, what did you think you were when you enlisted - actually what do you mean 'forced' to enlist?" My mind fully processed the man's earlier answer and I reeled back to him.
"Uh… well… if you think about it the reason why the prince is amassing an army is to retake the cities lost by the Arabs right?" The man scratched his head like a main anime character that's in a harem.
'Can't believe people like you exists'
"You still haven't explained the forced part bud" I blinked and he nodded.
"Well, if you think about it, if we don't fight back against the Arabs eventually they'll take our cities, our women and children right?" Most people nodded and I wanted to punch them all.
There's no way something like that existed ever in history.
Actually don't quote me on that.
"Okay, my brother the current Shāhanshāh is facing the Arabs, we are facing the Indians and everyone out in the east. This wouldn't be a problem if anyone here bothered to fucking read"
Someone raised their hand.
"What?" I asked after a deep sigh.
"I can't read"
"…how many of you can't read." Too many hands rose.
Fucking illiteracy.
"Just… just follow my instructions, I'm going to teach you some formations and some such… just… just remember" at least they can follow instructions right?
——————————
You know, when I was given about a 1,000 illiterate men to train I thought that after learning this I would have an extreme difficulty in teaching them the tactics of warfare, however I was pleasantly surprised.
They can listen!
It's currently a month after I checked in on them and we have currently taken our first few indian counties, on the far edge of modern day Gujarat and Rajasthan.
It also helped that we attacked at night.
It must be pretty embarrassing for every guard that we took out or surrendered when they learned that we only had around 1,000 men.
Couldn't be me, also something very interesting to note, the Indians of this age practice Shivism, and with this religion they often hold festivities, and where's there's festivals is a lot of taxes to make.
And slaves.
Very tedious work in all honestly.
"How much grain do you have?" I was currently dealing with the latest of my conquest of the smaller village of Vadoara in the county of Gujarat.
"M-my lord, it's after the festival of Maha Shivarati, W-we cannot offer much, W-women, we can give you our unmarried women and-" I cut him off.
"I'm not after prostitutes, what do you have in terms of food? Metal?" I asked him.
"B-bronze, a lot of silver and iron… b-barely any gold, as for food, we, were quite low until the harvest" he twisted his fingers looking extremely nervous.
"Upon the term of harvest, as long as everything goes to plan you will hand over forty percent of it, as for the metal you will also part forty percent of it as well" he looked shocked.
Ah, yes. Ancient times, 'give me everything you have and be happy I didn't kill your kid loser'
"M… you are quite generous my lord" I held up a hand.
"If you have any fire-bloodied individuals who see both adventure and glory they can join me, I will continue out west" his eyes widened.
"Y…you'd allow us to join you?" He was visibly shaking.
"Yes, rich or poor, it won't matter, woman or man, if you are both useful and competent you will always have a seat at my hearth" it was true, loyalty is earned with merit, and most of all competence is needed for any empire.
And I need more competence than blood ties.
"My Prince" a guard, actually within rank terms he'd be my lieutenant, two ranks away from me.
"Speak" I commanded.
"The Raj of Gupta has arrived, he's demanding that he speak with you" he bowed to me.
"What did he truly say?" I asked as there's no way anyone would be saying that calmly while their cities are being taken.
"Ahem… 'give me the dog who thought attacking my people was a good idea so I can kill him' that's what he said my Prince"
"How many men?" I asked as I got off my pillow.
He grimaced "twenty thousand, we should surrender"
"Surrendering is for losers, and I will never take a loss until death gets me" I smirked as I exited the building I was in.
Say what you will about modern day India but ancient India? Breathtaking, so many statues, beautiful trees, beautiful landscape, amazing culture.
Oh yeah, massive army at my doorstep of my stolen home.
Oops.
I got to the massive gate that separated the walls and the outside and ordered them to be opened, walking out, I was greeted with a massive army seeming ready at a moment's notice and a very grumpy Raj.
"I asked for the leader of this war band, instead they gave me a child?!" He sounded outraged.
Womp womp guy.
"What? Can't handle the fact your men got beaten by a child and his men?" I smirked and I visually saw a bulging vein on his head.
"Excuse me?" He sneered.
"You're not excused" I shrugged "I assume you're here to announce your fealty to me, no?" I smirked.
He stayed silent, no doubt astounded at my blatant disrespect and arrogance, his smirk only a second later confirmed this.
"Child, swearing fealty to a child is preposterous, surely this is just a joke, so step aside" he commanded.
With my limited knowledge it was my understanding that a Raj is an Indian version of a king.
So when in doubt, flex your title!
"I am the Prince of Persia, I've come here to conquer, so let me lay out your options today" after I said this he seemed to shake in shock.
"You will swear fealty to me here and now and be granted mercy, or I kill you and your men and I take what's mine regardless of your customs and established laws" I spoke and silence came over the both of us.
"…you're serious aren't you boy?" He seemed to frown.
"I was with knowledge that you were being mercilessly attacked by those Arabs, no?" Ah, suddenly being cordial are you?
I raised my hand up to the sky palm up, and released a massive red flame that kissed the skies, the demonstration only lasted five seconds by my point.
"You have until sunset to make your final decision, I still have to talk to my new civilians about the new laws and taxes, and I grow bored of this tap dancing over my terms"
"Die or bow, you have until sunset Raj" I finished up my little speech and turned away back to the small village.
Sunset came quicker than one would imagine, that or bureaucracy is more time consuming than I thought, and all in all, it was more simple than I thought.
Add sprinkles of 21st century ideas and add a bit of custom middle ground and you get the small albeit faulty system of taxes I made, oh, and I also made women and men equal.
I will get my muscular dommie mommies!
Fetish aside, the Raj came a knockin' right after sunset.
"Have you chosen wisely Raj?" I asked the man, he seemed to permanently stubbing his toe.
"Yes… for… for the good of my people I bow to the Prince of Persia" I nodded at his words.
"Good, with you swearing fealty to me, a little guidelines, thirty percent of taxes will be sent to Persia, women and men will be equal, and religious discrimination will not be accepted; failure to abide by these rules will see that you and your family removed from the rank of nobility and become slaves" I spoke as I saw his eyes light up and life seemed to breathe back into him.
"… so I won't have to convert to your religion?"
"No"
"…I won't have you give you my daughters' hand in marriage?"
"No, I don't know your daughter nor do I love her"
"… I don't understand it" he slumped over a bit.
"Don't understand it then, just be happy that it wasn't worse" I shrugged
"Ah… I guess so" the Raj of Gupta got up.
"Oh, and Raj, who do you border?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Ah, it'll be the kingdom of Pala and the smaller city states under that and the kingdom of Rashtrakuta" I nodded at his words and a palm began to form in my head.
"Okay, you are free to go back to your capital Raj, enjoy the rest of your life" why did that sound like a threat? I didn't mean for it to sound like that!
A/N: had to take liberty in the area of India as I couldn't find the kingdoms or even the empires that existed during 640 so I took some creative liberty and decided to consult Crusader Kings 3 about India and got an okay-ish map.