The Emperor - Fall Of The Swords, #4

Seeking Sword looks to the south for only one thing: The Northern Imperial Sword, which now lies dormant in the vaults of the Eastern Empire. Without it, Seeking Sword will always be a bandit. And to get it, he'll have to defeat the Heir. Abandoned to bandits as an infant, Seeking Sword has known adversity, but nothing has prepared him to lead a campaign against such an adversary. It isn't the Heir's formidable fighting skills nor his tactical acumen that so dismays the bandit Emperor.
It's the beloved devotion of his people. How is Seeking Sword to fight that?