I scowl, annoyed that she's acting as if she owns the land when it belongs to the people, but hold my tongue because I owe her and there is a good chance I'm being overly sensitive if she isn't lying about raising taxes on Noble houses.
“If you want to send Idali, that's fine.” I tell her.
“Well, mh, yes. She's among those I could send.” Edusa awkwardly replies.
“You know she has a Rykz symbiont, correct?” I ask.
The Duchess startles at my direct question which was just as surprising to me because I hadn't planned to breach the issue but, apparently, I've grown tired of dancing around secrets.
“I'm aware, although I confess being completely unaware of what it entails. She does not act as rashly as Elizabeth Vil and acts most eager to help.” Edusa says.
“The latter might just be on you but the former is deceptive.” I tell her. “The parasite will aggressively defend itself and its host if threatened, that will be the case as long as the cost to itself is lesser than the risk of abandoning its host.”
“Symbiont or parasite are two words with very different meanings.” She hesitantly notes.
“Consider it as both because it will act as either depending on circumstances, the Rykz give these things instructions but they aren't absolute.” I explain.
“What kind of instructions?” Edusa presses.
“Those not to merge with their host unless there is no other way to keep them alive, but the parasite may skirt this one. Elizabeth said hers may have given her more help than it should have originally but it could be due to her relationship with a Princess.” I tell her, feeling quite liberated to let this out.
“Mh. What else?” She questions while leaning forward.
“The symbiont is also commanded not to spread throughout a body more than necessary, this one seems to be relatively respected but it may be due to the parasite's own interest in survival because it is easier for it to abandon a host if it hasn't rooted itself too deep.” I tell her, amazed by her calm demeanor.
I admire how open-minded she is. Open-minded? Please. Liz, don't be like that. The girl thinks she's my rival, the only reason she's nice to you is that she needs you. I sigh. I owe her and so do you.
“How large is it? You seem to be speaking of it as if it occupied a significant volume.” Edusa says. “I believed it to be a large tick.”
“...” I pause because I can't exactly reveal it's as big as my arm. I don't know what Grace said but she didn't witness much herself. “Think of it as ivy, it grows as needed to sustain itself and fill the gap caused by an injury.”
Edusa shivers and makes a grimace. She doesn't appear disgusted, on the contrary her expression makes me think she's experiencing empathetic discomfort on Idali's behalf. She starts tapping the table with her fingers.
“Do the Rykz use this often?” She asks somewhat worriedly.
“Not that I know.” I vaguely reply.
“I meant to ask if they use this for their own injuries, I'm concerned about complications if this is untested.” Edusa presses.
“They don't, it's new.” I shake my head.
“Oh.” She pauses before sighing with a complicates expression. “I'm not sure if that is better or worse.”
She's clearly worried about what the Rykz are aiming to do to humans with this parasite when the truth is they would rather be left alone to deal with their own issues. That isn't to say the Rykz wouldn't turn their tendrils to the Empire in the future but forcing them into a large-scale war is foolish.
“It doesn't matter.” I tell her. Edusa frowns quizzically. “She made her choice to keep her leg so that's that.”
“I understand.” The Duchess nods while narrowing her green eyes.
I tense because I didn't expect the mood to turn so cold all of a sudden. I adjust my grip on my umbrella in case I need to use the hidden rapier. Edusa stands to face me while pulling her tunic back into place.
“Which is why it confuses me that you're holding back on me.” She says intently. “Is it affecting her personality? Her physical shape? How will it evolve in time? It made Elizabeth Vil almost unstoppable, I saw the woman slap javelins away and plunge into battle without a shred of fear. No human I've met could do such things.”
“The latter is Liz' personality.” I assure her. “The symbiont itself you can consider a hunter, it'll grow aggressive if threatened or hungry.”
“How will that affect Idali?” The Duchess presses while straightening her spine to apparently pressure me.
“I don't know.” I powerlessly shake my head. “At best I can tell, it depends on her personality and environment. Elizabeth was isolated and angry. It shaped the being she became but it's difficult to tell what influence the symbiont wielded in this, if any.”
“My fear is...” Edusa tails off with a grimace. “I don't want to offend, she's your friend.”
“That'd be difficult to do.” I note with a corner smile.
“Elizabeth Vil has little to no compunction about taking lives.” The Duchess notes with sour traits. “It is beyond unusual and it scares me which is why I'm glad my Liege chose you in the end.” She says with a thin smile that looks a bit forced.
“Mh.” We grunt.
Was what I said true or... wishful? Think back, you know. I recall the caves, the terror of being ambushed followed by the crushing blow of losing my arm. I began turning insane back then, from being hunted, and the breakup put a final nail in my coffin.
“But about Idali...” Edusa trails off. “I wonder. Would she still spare Grace as she did that day on the ship?”
“You would blame her for killing to protect herself?” I ask sharply.
“No, but...” She hesitates.
“Considering all Idali got for sparing Grace is to be thrown overboard to be torn apart by Tianeels, it wouldn't surprise me if she fought to death if similar events occur and that has none to do with the symbiont.” I bluntly tell Edusa.
She brings her hand to her chest as she gives me a brief nod.
“My worries were overblown. I forgot that she is the one to make these decisions. Thank you.” She says. “I would like to go over your idea to take Meiridin if you don't mind.”
I shrug. The Duchess turns to walk up to a chest in the corner of the tent and uses a key to open it. Edusa takes a roll of parchment out that she spreads on the table.
“Come and see, this is the river leading from a dock near Altenburg.” She says. “The Kingdom has sentries along the bank but the previous Duchess had the excuse of bringing her army south so no questions were asked, it would be difficult to say the least for me to move a sizable portion of my army south with barges.”
“Well, you're not obligated to use a single means to infiltrate Meiridin.” I note, changing my perspective on the issue. “You can move most of your weapons by ship and send your people in the walls as merchants or in disguise as peasants.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“Hm, it would also allow me to setup bases inside the city to stockpile flow before the assault.” She notes.
“Not to mention that, with a force within the walls, you could take the ballistas on the ramparts for yourself.” I suggest. “I don't believe they'll be guarded well with their shortage on manpower, I doubt they'll be worried about an invasion at the heart of Caeviel so the walls would be a low priority compared to patrolling the streets.”
“Which is an issue, my people could be discovered because they don't know the city.” The Duchess comments.
“If you're suggesting drafting those I brought into your war...” I start.
“I'm not!” Edusa interrupts, protesting with such a shocked voice I feel a bit guilty for my suspicion.
“Well, anyway, I don't care if you ask if they want to help but be careful who agrees because these people aren't here by choice but because they ran out of options.” I warn her.
“I didn't intend to draw them in.” Edusa says.
“You should, they can find ways to house your people and they'll get you popular support.” I tell her. “If you can effectively infiltrate with only enough to take one of the walls, you can send more people in Meiridin through the gates.”
“We would attack from the docks and streets, possibly with enough to tie up the troops from the palace while my army rushes through the gates.” Edusa notes. “I could do this, but the problem is the journey south.”
“It's relatively simple, I think.” I tell her. “The weakness of alarm systems is that the one using them relies on receiving a warning before the danger arrives, all you have to do is act as fast as the news spread.”
“Well, yes, but the difficulty is in the specifics.” Edusa notes with a wry smile.
“It's relatively simple but you'll have to figure out how to apply these ideas yourself.” I tell her. “You have three options. First is to move quickly by using flow under cover of night and hope your ships aren't spotted or inspected. Second is to identify and take out the sentries hoping you get them all. Third is to put soldiers in ambush on the roads hoping that the Kingdom's patrols don't catch them eliminating messengers.”
“There's a lot of hope involved.” Edusa notes.
“You can't control everything it's best to be aware of what could fail.” I say. “My suggestion would be to do as you said, send barges under the pretext to buy food with contingents of soldiers hidden in the holds with stacks of weapons to equip the soldiers you send unarmed into Meiridin.”
“What if they're discovered?” She asks.
“Then you take out the sentry and use ambushed to stop the messengers.” I explain. “It's best to limit the variables by allowing your ships to be inspected than put the Palace on guard, it doesn't matter if you're discovered once in the capital since you can launch the attack as soon as you disembark.”
“It would fail if they have an inkling of what's happening and concentrate their forces at the docks, or set up siege weapons to sink us out of the harbor.” The Duchess notes.
“There are no guarantees, it's possible they'll be so wary your excuse won't fool them but that's your domain.” I tell her.
“What would you do?” She questions.
“To take a city?” I ask with a crooked smile. “I'm a peasant, Edusa, I don't take cities.”
“But what if you had to?” She presses.
“Then I would move by ship as quickly as possible under cover of night with a small troop.” I tell her. “Also, I would place a few squads of warriors near Meiridin to intercept any messengers since I would likely be spotted by some alert sentries. Once in Meiridin, I would storm the Palace while ignoring everything else and strike before disappearing.”
“It isn't that easy to reach the palace.” She notes.
“That's why I haven't advised you to do this, what I can do, you cannot.” I tell her with flat voice. “I could break through their blockade with a small group while you would require a larger number of people to achieve the same result, which would slow you down so much that you wouldn't make it to the Palace before they gather troops.”
“...” Edusa frowns in silence.
“It isn't a function of how much flow you have but of the ability to use it.” I explain.
“I'm not contesting your skill but your assessment of the difficulty involved.” Edusa says.
“Fair enough.” I admit. “I would require skillful fighters that have skill in using lion's steps as well as capability to remain alive while slowing down my opponents to make it to the Palace but, once there, naught short of a regiment could hope to stop me from decapitating those in charge and they wouldn't have had time to gather such numbers.” I explain. “Once that's done, I would retreat and use the chaos to outmaneuver them by striking their reinforcing troops one by one.”
“Hm.” Edusa ponders. “I could sneak a sufficient army past the Nobles they've put in charge of monitoring Hetlan from the demesnes they took from us, Nobles will never know the land as my people do. If I split it, then it could gather outside Meiridin awaiting for the ballistas to be taken out which means I would have thousands ready to take over.”
“You can make the surprise attack easier by using a feint opposite the direction you intend to enter the city from, destroying a barracks or seizing an important granary.” I suggest as I inspect the map. “If you can procure a map of the city, you should crumble buildings in select streets to further slow down their reaction times.”
“Good idea, but Hetlan's flow-smith isn't loyal to me and she's fighting the Rykz in the east.” Edusa tells me.
“You don't need a flow-smith, Duchess, it's merely destruction.” I mock. “You should have miners skilled in using the explosive construct who would have a good idea about how to demolishing buildings for this purpose.”
“That is true...” She whispers. “I could even draw on masons... and carpenters to create siege weapons I can assemble on the spot, making them innocuous to the observer beforehand.”
“There you go.” I tell her. “But remember to focus on mobility until the majority of your army enters the city.”
“The army may not even be necessary, I'm confident I can bypass the Order to reach the Palace.” Edusa says.
“Why care?” I ask. “They don't have enough Templars left to block you alone as long as you stockpile your energy.”
“I would rather not enter into conflict with them, best for my victory to be established before I encounter them.” She explains.
“I suppose, Cenwalh would be dead at this point so it's very unlikely they would fear unrest from your takeover, at least from the population.” I acknowledge.
“The problem is that the rest of the Kingdom will be arrayed against us at that point.” Edusa says with a sigh.
“Ah. They've sent the majority of their armies but, if they combine the rest, they would still outnumber you by quite a lot.” I note.
“The burden to bear is lesser than my Liege's, I will handle it.” Edusa affirms with a confident smile.
“I'm going to go check on Marie and her people if that's it.” I tell her.
“For now, I'd still appreciate your input on the practical application of this.” Edusa says while holding her hand out. I hesitate but decide to let go of my umbrella to shake it.
“I owe you but I won't be sticking around very long.” I warn her.
“I'm aware you're a hard woman to follow. Believe me, my spies tried very hard.” She says with a wry smile.
“Did I knock some out?” I ask with an amused smile thinking of all those we surprised in the wilderness.
“A few, and you stabbed one.” She adds with a grimace. “He was among Marks' people and made the mistake of holding a weapon in your relative vicinity, but I'm told you spared him so thank you.”
“It isn't as if I was trying to kill everyone pursuing me.” I tell her with a shrug. “If they weren't blocking me, I had no reason to go out of my way to end them.” Edusa nods in acknowledgment.
“So... Sykus.” She mentions.
“Has to be removed.” I say with a somber voice. “There are few Nobles I tolerate and he opens the door to many houses we have no control over.”
“I do not disagree but it is risky on many levels.” The Duchess repeats her previous objection.
“And, as I told you, you've no responsibility towards me or my actions.” I utter impatiently.
“But I know so, now, I do.” Edusa contests. She's too damn honorable for a Noble, no wonder they threw her out.
“Then expose his ties to other houses once he's gone, make them all aware that he's turned their desire for better lives to a negotiating tool for other houses and only truly led them once Mirus targeted him personally by enslaving him.” I dismiss. “It doesn't truly matter how you turn this, the truth is you can deliver what he cannot so it's in these people's best interest to abandon their leaders to follow you. It would be difficult for you to fail.”
“Mh. I'll think about it.” The Duchess says with a sigh.
I turn to leave. Outside the tent, I find Nahl and Uhla waiting worriedly next to Rowland who is eagerly devouring a loaf of bread with a strip of meat inside, an odd sight.
“I think Liz is the only being I know who eats as much as you.” I tell the overly tall one-eyed man.
“Where does she put it all?” He asks, blinking in confusion.
“Eh, who knows.” I dismiss with a shrug.
I'm not a glutton. You are, a little. Bad, bullying your sister so much. I wave my hand at the three to tell them to follow, determined to escort the runaways all the way back to Hetlan's capital before going searching for my brother.