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You do not believe they would attack you, if you had gone; putting aside that it would take a great marksman indeed to hit and kill you with but a single shot, your army would remain regardless of your death; indeed, incensed by such acts, they would most likely sack and raze the city to the ground and slaughter all its inhabitants, as is nearly always the case with cities that attempt to deceive and trick their attackers. Nonetheless, it is no loss to be careful, and so you decide to send a messenger in your stead.
The man rides out from the army alone, watched intently by both sides alike; he carries with him your voice, demanding the surrender of Panergo, the opening of their gates and the laying down of their arms. You watch him approach the gate; for some moments, nothing happens, before suddenly, a figure emerges from their gate - the city's own messenger, then? Although she cannot hear them speak, Joan states they seem to be talking.
You drum your fingers against your forearms as you wait, but soon enough, the messenger returns, completely unharmed. He tells you of what has happened; Panergo is willing to accept surrender with the condition that you give them safe passage, backed by a written paper signed by yourself, no doubt to discourage you from attacking them; should such word of treachery spread, it would reflect badly upon your name, and certainly discourage other cities from surrendering similarly.
Nonetheless, wishing not to be embroiled within a costly siege, you acquiesce. Using your signet, you sign your seal into a piece of parchment, granting them safe passage, and send the messenger back. Yet again, you are forced to wait...
For the rest of the day, waiting is what you do. After the delivery of the message, not much happens; and then, in a slow trickle, groups begin to filter out from Panergo, divided in time such that you could not trap them all at once. You do not doubt they are also taking this opportunity to strip Panergo of all things valuable; you'll not find stocked riches here, sadly. It is already orange when the last group leaves; all in horseback, they leave the gates galloping, not bothering to close them at their exit like the others had. The way for you is open! Sending your infantry-men forward to open the way, you prepare for your entrance to the goal you had so dilligently pursued these past few weeks.
Your march through Panergo's roads is quieter than you imagined. The only left are the poor masses; those who could not afford to leave, or were too stubborn to do so. Though denied the allure of loot, your soldiery seems to be happy enough barging into the abandoned homes of those who left and claiming them for themselves. Thankfully, they do not seem to bother the populace much, for now. As for you, you move to the city keep, where the Podestá most likely made his home, finding it empty all the same.
Yes, you have managed to claim Panergo, and in good time too.
