Exodus and Declaration
The veld stretched endlessly, golden under the midday sun, but to Pieter van der Merwe, it felt charged with purpose. The British retreat had bought them time, but Pieter knew that temporary victories were no longer enough. The Boers had fought with courage and fury, but now they needed something more enduring: formal independence, a republic of their own, recognized or not by London. Koen rode alongside him, the reins of his horse held loosely in one hand, the other resting on the hilt of his sword. “They will not stop,” he said, voice low and steady. “The British will return. They always do. But if we wait for them to dictate the terms, we will have nothing but dust and anger.” Pieter’s eyes swept the camp below. Families moved with quiet determination, packing wagons, organizing store
- Writer
