Hounds of War [Yandere Generals x Female General Reader]

6. The First Conquest.

"W-What are you doing here?" Meccio squeaked in surprise as he stepped out of his tent and came face to face with general Denlleonis who seemed to be on her way to visit him.

"After what you told me yesterday I decided to prepare you a gift, to help make you strong," she told him, as blunt as ever. The sun glinted off her silver chest plate, nearly blinding Meccio, he was grateful for the glare though, as it blocked much of her exposed breast, something that he had yet to fully get used to.

Before he could respond to her words Y/N had barged into his tent, and ignoring the cot covered in many fluffy blankets, marched straight over to the rack holding Meccio's dusty, vertically unused breastplate, and other bits of armor. "Put these on Vilu, you need to look like a proper general, then follow me."

She walked out of the tent to converse with Esclave while Meccio hurried to strap the armor on over his purple tunic. It was a struggle as he had hardly ever worn armor and he had to refasten the buckles several times before the armor was on correctly.

He exited the tent and nearly faceplanted, unused to the extra weight of the chest plate. Esclave scoffed at Meccio's clumsiness before striding off to patrol the army camp as Y/N had instructed.

General Denlleonis led Meccio through the camp. He followed her in silence. He had the feeling that she wouldn't tell him her plan, even if he dared to ask. He may not have been as petrified in her presence as he was the day they first met, but he was still reasonably frightened by her.

He tried to ignore the snickers of the soldiers who caught sight of him in full battle armor as they passed. Lowering his head in embarrassment he continued to follow Y/N. She seemed to be leading him closer and closer to the heart of the tents of the infantry division.

Reaching a clearing in the tents almost as large as the one in front of his own and the other generals' tents, Y/N, at last, came to a halt. She directed Meccio to go stand on top of a small wooden platform that had been erected in the center of the clearing before disappointing into a nearby tent.

A sick uneasy feeling took hold in Meccio's stomach as he stood on the platform. Soldiers from all over the camp had gathered around, the appearance of the platform earlier that morning piquing their interest. Meccio tapped his foot against the planks beneath him as his anxiety grew. He could already hear the mocking whispers of the soldiers as they took notice of him standing on the platform in battle regalia.

General Denlleonis emerged from the tent, dragging something behind her. She tossed it onto the stage unceremoniously as she said, "here's your gift, Vilu."

It landed with a thump and a groan. Looking down, Meccio was shocked when he locked eyes with the rat-faced officer who had mocked him the previous day. The man had been hog-tied and was on his knees, looking up at the ginger with both confusion and hatred. "I-I don't understand-" Meccio stammered.

"-I want you to make an example of him. Punish him for daring to disobey you," General Denlleonis spoke in a commanding voice but kept it quiet enough that the crowd couldn't hear her words. "I want you to kill him."

"I can't! I-I've never killed anyone before!" He protested, shaking his head and backing further away from the bound soldier. "I-I just don't have it in me."

"Everyone has the potential to kill, it is just more innate in some," Y/N said as she came closer to the young general. She rested one hand on his shoulder while the other pulled out a silver dagger with a blue stone set into its hilt. "Take this knife; it is the ceremonial dagger that I used at the military temple of Estain to kill for the first time. Now I want you to use it on him."

W-What should I d-do?" Meccio asked as he hesitantly took the blade. The handle was cool, but the weapon felt unwieldy. He set his violet eyes on the bound soldier, his face had gone pale and he dared not speak as the redheaded general looked down at him.