The sun rose on a brand new day. Christina and her Silver Knight Order were already on their way to their destination. Every day since the battle was spent on the road. They should have reached their goal long ago, but they decided to be cautious and took the more isolated roads, thus lengthening the journey. Fortunately, when the sun reached its zenith, their travels came to an end, at least for now.

In front of them stood a castle on a hill overlooking a wide river. The castle was an antique built over 500 years after the first war against the Empire. It was made of white stone at first but soon lost its lustre to the passage of time. Massive towers around the castle's perimeter were erected, serving as lookouts against the Empire's attacks. From a distance, Christina could see a multitude of artisans repelling down the vertical walls of the fortress, labouring to repair the facade.

Down the hill, a massive river separated the Kingdom from the Empire. Its current was swift and fierce; waves crashed into the rocks emerging from its surface, creating deadly whirlpools. These made traversal by anything other than the scarce bridges almost impossible. More than once, the two nations endeavoured to cross this natural wonder, only to be met with terrible casualties.

Downstream, there was a fork in the river's flow, where land emerged from its depths, creating an island. On it was a massive, bustling city, Redwaters. Two massive bridges connected the island to the shores, bridging the estranged lands. On them, an enormous flow of people and goods reached the city daily despite the continuing hostilities between the two nations. Trade was the city's lifeblood.

It seems not even war is enough to stop people from seeking money, Christina thought.

A short distance from the white castle stood a more minor hill where the group had stopped to rest. Christina faced the river, admiring its landscape. A strange castle with foreign architecture caught her eye on the other side of the border. In contrast to the white castle, this one was black and seemed made of wood. It stood elevated on a foundation of stone. Unlike the Kingdom's castle, the black fortress had small awnings clearly separating each level, which ended in a spire at the top. Around its base was a small castle town encircled by a sturdy stone wall. The castle seemed more like a work of art than a military stronghold.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Christina said as Maria stood next to her.

"Maybe, but I doubt its defensive significance."

"Yet it still stands, baring our way."

Maria turned to face her.

"I thought you didn't like the war."

"Who does?" she said with a sad smile.

"Merchants, apparently," Maria said as she pointed towards the colossal city.

"No matter the circumstances, people need to make a living."

Both of them fell silent, admiring the view. The two nations had fought over that city multiple times in the past; each time, it was engulfed in the flames of war. Over a century ago, tired from the never-ending bloodshed, influential merchants had petitioned both nations to grant autonomy to the town. Surprisingly, both governments agreed to the terms, and thus, the city ravaged by conflict became a city-state. The agreement's details were obscure; not even Christina could uncover them.

"It makes you wonder how people can live so care-freely with the threat of war looming over them," Claire said as she joined the duo.

"War breeds opportunity," Maria said.

Over the last 40 years, trade boomed, and the city expanded, becoming three times as large as it once was, eventually reaching every corner of the large island. Unable to expand further, it reached higher, building taller structures. In the centre of the city rose a magnificent building, peaking out from the nearby roofs. This was the Council Hall, the city's governing body made of prolific merchants.

"A city for merchants, by merchants," Christina sighed.

"This city is a gold mine. I can see why the nation wants a piece of that pie," Claire said.

"The same goes for the Empire," Maria added.

"Yet, both of them let go of the golden goose," Claire said.

"It would have been impossible had the city not become independent," Christina said. "Nobody wants to start a business in the middle of a warzone."

"Is that the reason they agreed to the terms?" Claire asked.

"I don't think so," Christina replied. "National interest takes priority. They wouldn't gamble over an uncertain future. I'm sure something else was at play for both nations to agree for once."

She stared into the distance.

As the city reached its population limit, settlements sprouted on each riverbank. From tents to mud houses, eventually to proper dwellings, the surrounding hamlets converged into proper towns, supplying the massive city with its daily needs. An uninterrupted flow of caravans and goods made their way back and forth daily between the two, requiring evermore manpower that even the massive bridges would soon be at overcapacity. The city and its surroundings were one of the continent's most significant metropolises, even surpassing the Royal Capital. The amount of capital trading hands each month was staggering.

Christina turned away from the mesmerizing sight.

"Let's go," she said. "The sun is starting its descent. We need to reach the castle before nightfall."

The girls acquiesced before moving out. They packed up and resumed their journey. The castle was slowly growing closer. Christina marvelled at the sight. Although she was used to the grandeur of the Royal Palace, this white castle reminded her of some fond but painful memories. She had last visited three years ago, near the war's climax, when both armies were engaged in fierce conflicts. The castle had sustained substantial damage from the Empire's repeated siege. Even three years later, those damages could still be seen on its exterior despite the restoration efforts. The surrounding wall had been repaired as if new, but missing stones were still visible on the inner keep.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

While climbing the hill on a winding road, the main gate slowly came into view. It was wide and sturdy, with two massive towers on each side. Wood and metal ballistae were nestled on top, protected by crenellations, allowing a clear line of fire toward enemy siege equipment. The paved road was too narrow to allow enemies to field their armies. It was a veritable fortress.

Before the gate, a drawbridge allowed passage over the deep moat surrounding the exterior wall. Christina noticed the metal portcullis guarding the iron gate; it shined as if new. She remembered that once during the war, the gate had been on the verge of breaking but held somehow. She had been astonished by its state the last time she had been here.

They finally reached the castle's gates and announced their presence. The guards looked on from above, incredulous, until she flashed her emblem. Even then, it wasn't until golden scales adorned her hand that the guards scurried away to inform the castle's lord.

Claire scowled at the treatment, clearly displeased. If not for Christina's insistence, she would have barged into the fort and disciplined the guards for insubordination.

"I don't blame them for being suspicious, considering the state of our garments," Christina said.

Their white and silver uniforms were unrecognizable, marred with blood and dirt. Even Christina's golden hair had lost some of its lustre through their long journey. The group was battered and exhausted, looking more like a group of deserters than proud knights.

"What I wouldn't give for a hot bath," Maria said jovially.

The group smiled. Although their journey wasn't near the end, they could finally rest and recuperate. They waited patiently for the guards to come back.

The territory belonged to the Western Duke, but Count Burnwood oversaw this fortress. The Burnwood family had been in charge of the stronghold for generations. Although they were part of the White Tiger Clan that ruled the western region, the Burnwood family reported directly to the Royal Family. The fort and the surrounding city were much too important to be left in the hands of a Duke. This, however, caused friction in the region, as the metropolis was much too tempting for the Duke to ignore.

The current Count, James Burnwood, had skilfully threaded the fine line between the Duke and the Royal Family. Christina had chosen to come here for two reasons. First, they needed somewhere to rest and heal; the stronghold was nearby, so it was their best chance. Second, rumours of the Count's son had reached her ears.

The Count was a prudent man, while his son was anything but. Rumours of his debauchery had spread far and wide, even reaching the Royal Palace. If that was all it was, it wouldn't be so concerning, but the son had apparently been seen frequenting the young generation of the White Tiger clan.

"Count Burnwood's son," Christina muttered under her breath.

"It's a wonder how such a careful man can sire such a blockhead of a son," Maria replied. "He requires a good trashing. If it was up to me..."

Christina's chuckle interrupted her thoughts.

"Let's not meddle in another noble family's matter based on rumours and speculations," Christina said. "I do intend to get to the bottom of the matter, however."

"Indeed, it would be most unfortunate to have to replace such a loyal family as the West's caretaker over such an imbecile," Claire added.

"You seem to hold quite the disdain for him," Christina said.

"I met him once."

She then fell silent as if that was all that needed to be said. Before Christina could inquire further, the guard finally returned.

"My apologies, Your Highness!" the guard said. "The Count and Countess were unaware of your visit and need time to prepare. In the meantime, they respectfully ask that you be escorted to the reception hall. They are deeply sorry for not receiving you personally!"

"Understood," she replied. "Where are your stables? Our mounts are weary and in need of care."

"Just around the corner. My associate will lead the way," the guard said while signalling to the others around him.

The group separated, and only a dozen followed the princess as guards. Usually, only the Rothguard siblings would be needed to guard the princess, but after the recent attacks, they would not take any chances.

The guard led the group to a large hall. Luxurious seats and couches were arranged around a beautiful dark wood table. Christina took a seat while the rest of the party spread out, investigating the room for dangers while Claire, Richard, and Maria stood behind her.

Christina took the opportunity to observe the room. Although it was exquisitely decorated, upon closer inspection, the materials used were quite common. The objects and furniture were beautifully arranged without being too extravagant. A lot of thought was put into this room.

While enjoying the artwork on the walls, Christina heard footsteps down the hall. Unlike the heavy footsteps of the guards, the steps she heard were light, but the pace was quicker. Christina could recognize the sound of high-heeled shoes hitting the floor. Clearly, the ones rushing were ladies.

Just as she expected, two women burst into the room hurriedly before bowing deeply. She recognized one of them as the current Countess Burnwood. In addition to a son, the Count had a much younger daughter, who seemed to be the child next to the Countess.

The Count isn't brash enough to simply send his wife and daughter to receive me. What could be holding him up? Nothing is ever simple, it seems, she thought with a sigh.