A big man with long red hair opened his eyes. Margrave Reinhardt stared at the stone ceiling above before suddenly leaning up. He grabbed his neck and grunted in pain from the sudden movement. A serving woman in the room froze in her tracks. The margrave opened his mouth to call out to her, but she quickly exited the room.
As Reinhardt leaned back into his bed, his son—a red-haired man quite similar in appearance to himself—entered the room, led by the serving girl who’d left earlier. One of his eyes had been rotted away by the waxpox, leaving a glossy useless eye in its spot. The other was rich and red like a ruby, and the two stared at each other.
“What’s happened?” the margrave demanded of his son upon sight.
Elias stepped to his father’s bed, and though his relief was evident, he did not hesitate in explaining, “You took a blow to the back of the head in the ambush. We won the battle, but the Duke Enrico was captured.” He looked at his father and narrowed his one good eye. “We had this same conversation yesterday. We thought you were better, but then you…”
The margrave looked stunned. “Last I remember…” he closed his eyes. “Walking into the fortress, and the ambush.”
“You didn’t remember that last time,” Elias sat on the bedside.
Reinhardt closed his eyes. “Enrico… was captured?” He opened his eyes. “And I wasn’t hit by an enemy.”
Elias’ concern grew. “What do you mean?”
“I was in a tight corridor. There were no traps above, and no place for any enemy to attack from. You said… I was hit in the back of the head?” The margrave rubbed the spot, yet his fingers found no scar to trace past his mane of red hair.
“…you were,” Elias nodded after hesitating a beat. “Are you sure you’re remembering this clearly? When you woke up last time, you passed out about eight hours later.”
“I’m certain. Gods be damned, how many days has it been?” Reinhardt grabbed the sheets over him and threw them off, then turned his body slowly. “You look grim. What else has happened?”
his father’s side, helping him stand as though the patient was liable to collapse again any moment now. “On top of that… Nikoletta and Mina took off the day after, too. I had Stain in command of the scouts, but even they lost track
despite an ambush… Duke Sumner gathering forces to chase… someone attacking me from behind…” the margrave stepped away from his son, standing without assistance. “I feel… bare. I need my armor. I need to talk
look into things. He found one thing… it was a letter about someone who had a way to grant an army access to the walls of Dirracha.
surprise. Then, his face grew stoic and he nodded. “You’ve grown up,” he said simply, then
#####
adjusting to the horse as it had been decades since last she
under Argrave’s name, with the princess making brief checks on the various fortifications to be sure that everything was up to her standards. It was only there that they could eat, drink, and rest.
the way. When water was required, it was easily produced—this enabled them to travel lightly.
They arrived there at dusk. Though Argrave wished only for a brief resupply, Anneliese and Elenore prudently advised that pressing
soldiers, yet even still he couldn’t
had deserters come here, Your Majesty,” Leopold told Argrave as the king ate tiredly, trapped. The old patrician didn’t seem to care about Argrave’s need for
to our strategy they spread fear. That’s how the Mongols did their
seeing as how they came from
contemplated that, then looked to his side where Anneliese ate a large loaf of bread. While she had the loaf in her mouth, he tore it in half and
Leopold continued, stroking his white beard. “No room for
broth. “It’s your city. You want to kill free labor, that’s your business. Did you at
spy, perhaps? This was long before Rovostar’s apparent ‘defeat,’ and your tremendous victory in that chokepoint at Atrus. Regardless, they can’t be trusted. Nor can
you talking about?” Argrave stopped eating briefly.
ached. “I’ve seen a lot throughout my years. I followed your father’s conquests as they happened, drinking in all news eagerly. And Duke Rovostar is not a commander that is so easily
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!