The King's Ransom: a short-short story

"They have betrayed you. Every last one of your men have deserted your camp and defected to the enemy. Fear of his innumerable swarms of soldiers ate at their hearts like a worm feeding on a cherry beginning at the time it just starts to turn from green to orange. At first they left only in small groups, never alone, but in twos or threes pledging each other to secrecy and mutual protection. The rest gradually started to disobey your orders even as I gave them. Now there is no one left who has not taken up with the enemy, and you know what he will do to them. After intimidating and enticing them into his camp, he will enslave them and send them to the front of the battles that he knows he will lose. He never has supported his troops, especially defectors. What are we going to do? How will you save this situation? Ransom? Subjects ransom Kings, Kings do not ransom their own subjects. Why not just destroy them all like ants crushed beneath your mighty power? Then all of your subjects will become your heirs?"