Chapter 125

Winds from Elandia

New Korelia

Fall of 4425. While Lord Lansius was en route to Umberland, Sir Justin busied himself with the finer details of running the city. Lord Lansius had not given him detailed instructions, granting him a degree of freedom. This autonomy simplified some aspects of his role, yet unexpectedly it also demanded a steep learning curve.

The knight-mercenary had never anticipated the breadth of knowledge required to serve as the steward of Korelia, from the basics of stone masonry to the intricacies of trade and business. Most men would be deterred, but his entrepreneurial skills as a horse trader and smuggler helped him understand the nuances of business.

Sir Justin ended up treating Korelia City like a business, and it worked wonders. Under profit-oriented guidance and a clear priority list, the various building projects were progressing smoothly.

Not working alone, the Marshal was supported by a reliable team of advisors, including Calub, Cecile, and the newly arrived Sir Michael and Lady Astrid.

The two newcomers proved to be of immense help, taking on some of the workload that had burdened Sir Justin. The responsibility of entertaining Korelia's important guests was now shared by Sir Michael, Lady Astrid, and Cecile, allowing Sir Justin and Calub to focus on the building projects.

A crucial task was preparing winter quarters for the thousands of captured men. Although the mud housing was complete, Sir Justin used his discretion to ensure the men had some comfort during the winter. Additionally, he personally supervised the maintenance of the troops' billets and facilities.

The workshop continued as the Lord had decreed, aiming for steady improvements in crossbow designs and addressing reliability issues. Fortunately, several highly skilled Nicopolan craftsmen who had joined in Korimor proved their worth. They quickly set up a separate shop adjacent to the blacksmith, not only to copy but also to improve upon Midlandia's existing trigger mechanism.

Aside from that, Sir Justin also oversaw the construction of Lord Jorge and Lord Robert's residences. Although the guilds contracted by their respective clients built them, Sir Justin was involved in numerous details beyond merely allocating land.

He needed to ensure that the roads to the site were wide enough for two carts and that there was enough spare land for potential expansion. Additionally, there was a need for a good groundwater source for wells, a factor that was crucial in determining the suitability of a location.

During a brief respite, a column of knights and cavalry returned from their successful campaign at South Hill, enjoying the new bathhouse and the lively market.

Accompanying them was a duck breeder from South Hill, who offered invaluable assistance to Korelia's nascent duck husbandry. Despite initial unfamiliarity with forest breeding, the breeder quickly adapted. Their main contribution was sharing knowledge on how to wrangle the ducks to make them slightly more tolerable. Additionally, they provided extensive expertise in selective breeding to create less aggressive and smaller varieties.

With progress in duck husbandry, Sir Justin sent the Orchard Master to Calub, who was thrilled to have someone so knowledgeable about plants to assist with the windbreak and agriculture project.

Lastly, Sir Justin welcomed Sir Gunther, the former Lord of South Hill. In accordance with Lord Lansius' instructions, Sir Gunther was to be made a minor member of the Grand Alliance. Thus, arrangements were made for temporary lodging while their new residence was being constructed, with several guilds vying for the project.

In keeping with tradition, Sir Justin offered his daughter Eleanor as Lady Astrid’s lady-in-waiting as she came of age. Lady Astrid, fond of Eleanor's lively and curious nature, welcomed her warmly. Eleanor's presence brightened the atmosphere, contrasting with Lady Astrid's calmer personality.

Eleanor's companionship could not have been more perfectly timed, as the council dispatched Sir Michael and other promising new members to Korimor to manage the city. With only Sir Hugo and Roger present, Korimor seriously lacked personnel and might need to recruit local talent to fill certain roles.

Sir Michael was chosen because it was likely that Sir Hugo would listen to his advice and guidance. Secondly, he was capable of recruiting new talents and listening for any dissent to Sir Hugo's largely unproven leadership.

Since it was a short trip, Lady Astrid chose to stay in Korelia. Although Eleanor proved to be a good diversion, the lady still found herself with more work to do. Next on her list was following Claire, Cecile's sister to become a teacher in the orphanage.

Sir Justin whistled a note while looking at the missive brought by his daughter. "So, the lady is serious about this?"

"Yes, Papa. Lady Astrid enjoys teaching the children."

Sir Justin mulled over his decision. "I could understand Claire since she had no official role, but Lady Astrid already has several responsibilities."

"I really think she enjoys interacting with children, especially the orphans."

Sir Justin rubbed his chin and ventured, "I suppose we could make arrangements. I'll ask the orphanage to boil their clothes, blankets, and bed sheets. That, along with some remedies will be prudent. I don't want my daughter or our honored guest getting infected by lice and bedbugs."

The decision made Eleanor hug her father. "Thank you, Papa. You're the best."

"If anyone asks, I'm not spoiling you. I'm just collecting favors from Lady Astrid."

Eleanor smiled like an angel. "Of course, Papa."

"One thing, though. Why does Lady Astrid want to do this? Is there a particular reason?"

"Well, it's no secret that Astrid was so enchanted with Lady Felicity."

The knight furrowed his brow. "Ah, yes, they met, but only briefly..."

"Lady Felicity's appearance and striking beauty are perfect in her eyes. Lady Astrid said there was strength and boldness she'd never encountered before. And that, Lady Felicity, have an assuredness like that of a warrior."

Sir Justin chuckled. Despite not finding the answer, he decided to elaborate, "Just wait until she meets Lady Audrey."

"Papa, is the Baroness really that charming?" she asked curiously.

The knight offered a fatherly smile. "She's as much a warrior as can be. And the eyes, oh, you have to see them for yourself."

***

Elandia Province

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The leaves were orange and red, the wind carrying an earthy scent of soil. Yet, tranquil peace was absent in Elandia. Before the harvest could begin, the land was ravaged by a series of raids. Its unfortunate populace scattered northward or westward to the Targe mountains as the neighboring Nicopolans arrived in great numbers.

The conflict and cannibalism in Nicopola, spurred by famine, had worsened to the point where its populace banded together to invade the neighboring province. The Elandia nobility could offer only minimal resistance, as the bulk of their forces had been committed to defending the Capital against Lord Gottfried.

Now, the Elandia province was split in two: Northern Elandia was locked in a war against Gottfried, while Southern Elandia grappled with marauding Nicopolans. In such a situation, the Midlandians arrived from the east.

Lord Bengrieve led his army of six thousand strong and began to incorporate the locals to bolster his numbers. Instead of relying on static defense, the Midlandians actively engaged the Nicopolans, driving them out and acquiring castles, towns, and cities.

They arrived just in time, securing the harvest and preventing the province from succumbing to famine. For a while, it seemed the Nicopolan threat would soon be over. Order was reestablished, and Lord Seneschal Bengrieve actively hunted down the Nicopolans.

However, they were soon surprised by the sight of Nicopolans numbering in the tens of thousands.

The Midlandian intervention, rather than deterring the Nicopolans, had led to the unthinkable. Driven by desperation for food and with winter rapidly approaching, hundreds of Nicopolan armed groups from diverse backgrounds—including both the sons of Nicopolans and migrants from two other provinces—united against a common enemy.

As the wise say, an army with no escape will choose to fight to the death. The Nicopolans did just that, as their only other option was to watch their loved ones suffer painful deaths from hunger.

Thus, with a renewed spirit, the Nicopolans launched attacks on the Midlandian defense lines simultaneously at various points. Castles were bypassed, while towns and cities were retaken and thoroughly plundered.

Lord Bengrieve's response to the renewed threat was to throw armed Elandians into the fray. They were equally motivated to defend their city and lands. However, unlike the Nicopolans, who had a mercenary tradition, the Elandians were mostly craftsmen, farmers, and artisans.

Courageous as they were, they served as nothing but fodder to stall the Nicopolan advance until the Midlandian elite could breach the enemy's command and wipe them out.

While tactically effective, the battles began to take a toll on the Midlandians. Several hundred were killed, and over a thousand were wounded. Worse, the Elandians' morale was crippling, as they had suffered massive casualties in every battle.

There was a feeling that it would be a fight to the death against the Nicopolans, and the worst was yet to come.

...

Lord Seneschal Bengrieve

A squire clad in battle attire entered the luxurious command tent just as the Lord's personal masseur was preparing to leave, after having treated the fatigued body of the Lord of Cascasonne.

"My Lord, I bring a collection of reports," the squire calmly stated, having ensured that the seneschal was comfortably seated in a lounge seat and not otherwise engaged.

"Is there anything of importance?" the Seneschal asked, his tone laced with skepticism. A collection of reports usually entailed routine updates from Midlandia or allied regions, rather than frontline news.

"The harvest in Midlandia is complete. There were no reports of failure or pests," the squire reported as the masseur exited.

"Splendid," Bengrieve uttered, albeit with scant excitement. His satisfaction stemmed from the robustness of his House's drought control policy despite the ongoing succession crisis.

To outsiders, Midlandia might have appeared blessed. However, the truth was that immense effort had been made to sustain its crops against the increasingly prolonged summers. Since the last decade, Midlandia had invested heavily in creating man-made lakes, flooding underground caves for reservoirs, and constructing canal systems to ensure water availability for its most fertile lands.

Stringent rules had also been made and enforced to prevent any waste of clean water. Industries like tanneries, known for producing polluted water, had been either shut down or operated at reduced capacity. In the villages, wells had been deepened and enlarged, natural springs were protected, and surrounding woods had been preserved.

As the squire continued with his report, Bengrieve remained unresponsive, listening passively with eyes closed. Not even the news of Lord Arte's departure to Arvena to engage in guerrilla warfare elicited a reaction. He simply signaled for the squire to continue with his hand.

At the report's conclusion, the squire ventured, "There's one piece of news from outside Midlandia that might intrigue you, My Lord."

This statement captured his interest. "From where?"

"Lowlandia."

"Ah," he muttered, annoyed. "That Lord of Korelia must be stirring trouble again. What is it this time?"

"It's not him, but Lady Audrey. It turns out she is the cousin of Lord Omin of Korimor."

"She what?" Startled by the news, Bengrieve's eyes flew open. "Does that mean... Did they secure Korimor?"

"Indeed, My Lord. Additionally, they encountered a large marauding force of Nicopolans, reported to be eight thousand strong."

Bengrieve squinted his eyes, unnerving his squire. "Let me guess, they managed to defeat this large force?"

The squire nodded, not daring to utter the full news.

Bengrieve chuckled, concealing his amazement, and instructed, "Just leave the parchment on the table. I shall peruse them later."

After the squire departed, Bengrieve turned to Stan, who lounged in a corner with a warm washcloth on his face. "What do you think?" he inquired.

Without removing the washcloth, Stan groaned slightly before replying, "Like it or not, he's a proven war commander."

"A warlord," Bengrieve reflected.

"What surprises me is that Audrey can claim the castle and the title."

Bengrieve took the parchment from the table and responded, "She has. Congratulations, your adopted sister is now a Baroness."

"What a happy occurrence," Stan chuckled. "However, it bothers me that you seemed not to expect this?"

Bengrieve breathed deeply. "Of course, I didn't. How could I have known that Lady Audrey had a cousin in Lowlandia?"

Stan ventured, "That means she's even more important now?"

Bengrieve gave no direct answer but muttered, "Just a speck of gold dust."

Stan knew better than to press further and exhaled deeply, enjoying his hard-earned rest. He and his mobile brigade had been fighting for days against thousands of Nicopolans. And it didn't seem like the worst was yet to pass.

Even Bengrieve started to mull over his decision not to influence the court and bring more of the Midlandian Army to secure Elandia.

"Have I been careless...?" the Lord of Cascasonne whispered to himself before a grin broke across his face. No, even this is still according to plan.

***

Three Hills City

A garden conveniently separated the guest house from the elite housing rows and the end of the market district, where expensive goods were sold. It was there that the rebels had sent their one hundred men to capture the Lord of Korelia's small contingent, led by Dame Daniella, the turncoat mercenary.

They held little respect for her or her background. The conspirators were solely focused on removing anyone who could pose a threat to their coup. They needed to ensure the citizens' loyalty, expecting that the Black Lord's retaliation would be swift and severe, and knew they could only rely on the city walls for survival.

With the harvest secured, they could expel anyone who opposed them to reduce the number of mouths to feed and then wait for the Black Lord's army to crumble from hunger. They believed that sooner or later, the Black Lord would have no choice but to return to his fief or sue for truce.

By that time, the conspirators expected to control the wealthiest city in Lowlandia and muster a formidable army to counter any threat posed by the Black Lord.

However, reality soon revealed their naivety.

The one hundred men surrounded the guest house, their spirits high after securing the gatehouse and plundering the coin chest from the tolls collected for city entry. Their leader, one of the bribed officers, a Captain, was preparing to issue a demand for surrender when a contingent of armored men in black plate emerged.

"The Black Knights!" his men shouted in shock, causing many to either reel or gasp.

The Captain gritted his teeth and said, "I expected this. Get the halberdiers to the front and put the crossbowmen to work!"

As they formed up, his lieutenant encouraged them, "There are only a dozen of them and a hundred of us."

However, they were immediately greeted by a nasty surprise. Dozens of crossbowmen emerged from the guest house and surrounding buildings, unleashing a volley that sent the rebels scrambling for cover in the adjacent garden's dense foliage.

"Get back into formation!" the Captain ordered, slapping one of his men in an attempt to restore discipline.

But the man was paralyzed with fear, stammering, "The black, the black—"

Shadows fell upon them. The Captain's reprimand was cut short as a mace struck him with such force that blood sprayed from all the crevices in his head.

Sir Morton had charged a hundred paces in an instant, dispatching two before reaching the Captain. It was not a fight; it was an execution.

The traitor captain's life ended abruptly, his body slumping forward, his head dangling in a bizarre position. His gruesome demise sent his men into a frenzy of panic. They now realized they were up against the Mage Knight.

One crossbowman dared a shot, only to see his bolt swerve aside, repelled by an ephemeral shield.

The Mage Knight, gripping his mace, pursued the fleeing rebels while his fellow Black Knights closed in. Their second-in-command became his next target, and recognizing their faces filled him with rage. "Rats," he sneered, charging into the mob that fled toward the garden.

Meanwhile, Dame Daniella, seizing the moment of disarray among the conspirators' column, rallied her troops to engage, "Charge! Put them to the sword!"

***