The line from the wagon kept getting bigger to the point it entirely occupied one of the corridors inside of Lulin’s underground fortress. As time passed and the line slowly advanced a commotion broke out deeper into the fortress, the sound of drums slowly became louder and louder.

“What is that?” Anna asked while squinting her eyes.

Looking towards the origin of the sound, Aegon could clearly make out flashes of light reflecting from the glittering metal armor of the soldiers who were making their way through the underground corridors, straight towards them.

“It’s a military parade I believe.”

Anna studied the young man’s face.

“It’s incredible how you can pull things out of your ass with no shame whatsoever.”

“What are you talking about?” Aegon asked, confused by Anna’s sudden outburst.

“You even act the fool, you really are something else.”

Noticing Aegon was still “feigning” confusion she simply ignored him and focused her gaze on the distant, but gradually approaching, mass of bodies.

Punctuated by the beating of drums, the blurry mass of bodies mostly obscured by a maze of pillars arrived ever closer to the caravan until finally Anna could start to make out the details in the soldiers’ armor.

[Shit, how did he see that?.] The realization that Aegon was right stung, mostly because he was already conceited enough, but also because she had dug her own grave by insulting him.

She instantly regretted trying to peek at Aegon’s face from the corner of her eyes

Standing there, with a wide and innocent smile gracing his face, he simply stared at her, the intensity increasing after he noticed her peeking.

“Oh I really am a talented liar, imagine saying I saw a military parade, with no shame in my face no less, when this is clearly just a group of lads taking a morning stroll to the sound of drums.”

Her face twisting into a frown, she turned her head away from the smiling Aegon.

“Lucky guess.” She huffed.

As the column approached ever closer, Anna noticed a figure walking alone a few steps ahead of it, and, as the figure approached them, a sinking feeling hit her stomach.

Turning on her feet she moved behind Aegon, turning him towards the incoming parade and hiding behind his taller figure.

“Uhmm, what are you doing?”

“Pretend there’s no one behind you!” Anna answered in a raspy tone.

Aegon studied the man leading the soldier column.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Full suit of armor, with broad pauldrons decorated with the symbol of Lullin, vividly depicting the shape of the two black towers.

His mind immediately made a connection.

“Oh, so is this the guy?”

“Yes.” She whispered.

The soldiers finally reached them and the middle-aged man who led them lifted one arm into the sky, causing the men behind him to immediately stop in their tracks in perfect unison.

The man stood motionless for a moment, his arm still raised as if commanding the very air around him. His armor, dark and reflective like polished obsidian, shimmered under the dim light of the underground fortress. The black towers of Lulin, etched into his pauldrons, seemed to glow, casting an air of dominance over the entire scene. The sound of drums abruptly ceased, leaving a cold, suffocating silence that hung in the air like a thick fog.

He slowly lowered his arm and, as he did, the soldiers behind him shifted uneasily, their rigid postures revealing an almost unnatural discipline. The man’s eyes seemed to pierce through the crowd, searching, hunting. The sinking feeling in Anna’s stomach only intensified, like something was clawing at her insides.

The sound of footsteps against the wooden planks from the interior of the caravan broke the ominous silence as the old man emerged from its dark interior with his cane squarely in hand.

“Good morning Lord Beric.” The old man exclaimed at the sight of the middle-aged man.

A diplomatic smile appeared on Beric’s countenance the moment the old man’s figure emerged from the caravan, like a switch had been pressed.

“Ah, if it isn't the legendary trader Helio.”

Taking a moment to gaze at the parked caravans nearby, Beric added.

“I see you managed to bring the things I asked….”

Lifting one hand to massage his beardless chin he continued in an ominous tone.

“Were there any problems?”

Helio's face twitched ever so slightly at Lord Beric’s question, though he quickly masked it with a strained smile. The old man leaned heavily on his cane, the weight of his age evident in the slow, deliberate way he moved. His once sharp, commanding presence was dulled by the years but there was still a glint of defiance in his eyes.

"Problems?" Helio repeated, his voice carrying the familiar rasp of a man who had spent too many years on the road. "None that would concern someone of your station, Lord Beric."

Beric’s smile tightened, his pale gray eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "I would hope not." he replied, the words laced with something dark. His gaze drifted lazily over the caravan, scanning each wagon with the precision of a predator. "I don’t take kindly to... disappointments."

The tension in the air thickened and Aegon could feel the heat of it pressing against his skin. Helio's fingers curled tighter around the handle of his cane and, for a moment, it looked as if the old man was ready to snap under Beric's weighty stare. Aegon exchanged a glance with Anna, who was still hiding behind him, her breath shallow, as if Beric’s very presence was sucking the air out of her lungs.

The soldiers behind Beric stood motionless, an immovable wall of silent authority, their polished armor gleaming under the faltering sunlight of the underground fortress. They were statues, waiting for their master’s next command.

Helio forced another smile, though the strain in his face betrayed his frustration. "The cargo is all accounted for, delivered as promised. Our journey was... smooth enough," Those last words came out slower, his voice dipping as if he were carefully choosing each word.

A light chuckle was the only answer he received from Beric before the soldier turned back to the crowd of youths ahead. “I guess it doesn't matter now.”

Hearing those words, Helio’s hold on the cane faltered, the piece quickly falling to the floor.

Bammm

The old man’s shock seemed to pass with the sound of his falling cane, leaving behind a resigned face marred by worry and disappointment. “It’s official then?”

Ignoring Helio’s question, Beric simply spread his arms wide, as if embracing the world, and proclaimed. “Who wants to go to war?”