Camilla watched on as more and more of her brother’s advisors made their way inside the already densely packed command tent. She was surprised that among the dozens of them she was yet to recognise even a single face. It became apparent to her that her brother must have done away with the remnants of their father’s closest advisors and replaced them with his own in an effort to establish his own authority over the court of Vinum Province. This was concerning for her, as many of her father’s men had held their positions for decades and were greatly experienced and respected by their peers.

When it seemed that everyone had arrived, Rhys took a position in the middle of the tent and looked around at each person in attendance. When her brother’s eyes fell upon her, she detected a subtle look of irritation as he quickly moved on to someone else. Camilla knew that her brother despised the fact that she was present at the meeting, but since finding her in Kaewyn’s tent after the Battle of Taneby, he had struggled to let her out of his sight for long and preferred to keep her close. She also knew that he hated that she still wore the outfit of a warrior, as dresses fitting a lady of her station were hard to come by in a military camp.

Rhys began the meeting by explaining their current situation in the fight against the barbarian invaders. The Vinum Army had rushed back home after receiving word of the invasion, but despite over a week of forced marches with little rest, the barbarian forces had beaten them to Varde Castle, the capital of Vinum Province. With little choice, Rhys had set up camp a few kilometres away from where he and Camilla had been raised since birth and dug in, even as the barbarians had laid siege to the castle, cutting off supplies and communication.

The barbarian forces numbered well above their own and their scouts reported that every day the barbarians only grew in number. This revelation caused several of her brother’s advisors to suggest an assault to break the siege at once. When Rhys expressed his doubts, several of the advisors turned to sycophancy. They praised her brother and claimed that he was the one who won the Battle for Taneby with his heroic actions. Camilla was disgusted and her feeling only grew as she watched her brother lap up the praise without shame. It was Kaewyn and his men’s heroic action to open the Western gate which allowed you to ride in and win the battle Rhys, and you know it!

Camilla wanted to speak up, but she knew how her brother would react. Since he had found her in Kaewyn’s camp, he had treated her with scorn and disrespect. Whenever she had reached out to him to try and begin a civil conversation, her brother refused to engage with her. She had never seen him so virulent, so full of anger. She had trouble seeing him as her brother, who was once kind and full of laughter. He was so serious and stern now, and on more than one occasion, she felt fearful around him.

If she were being honest with herself though, Camilla felt a great deal of guilt for what had happened. She understood at least in part, why Rhys was so angry with her. She had lied to him and made him seem a fool in front of everyone. What hurt her the most however, was she had brought Kaewyn into it as well. The Lord of Greystone Province had only ever been kind to her, but her foolish, short-sighted actions had put him in a difficult situation with her brother. Kaewyn hadn’t helped her with her scheme to infiltrate and accompany the army to Taneby, he was not even aware of her presence until just before the Battle of Taneby. Yet, when Rhys had found her in Kaewyn’s personal tent after the battle, it was only fair of him to assume that his once friend and ally had been lying to him the whole time. I was so stupid. I just wanted to help and be a part of everything, but now Rhys blames Kaewyn for what I did and it wasn’t even his fault! They would still be friends if not for me. I wish I could just stop and think before I act sometimes.

Rhys’ advisors continued to heap praise upon their lord so much so that even her brother seemed to grow tired of it. Thankfully, they were interrupted when one of the soldiers guarding the tent entered and explained that a messenger was waiting outside.

“A messenger?” Rhys said curiously. “Show them inside.”

“Yes lord.”

The soldier left and a moment later a man wearing a tattered cloak and armour entered the tent and fell to his knees. A chorus of surprised gasps echoed within the tent as all eyes spotted a bloody arrow sticking out of the messenger’s left shoulder.

“Milord Callidus?” The messenger said through grit teeth. “I bring word from Lord Edderfield.”

Kaewyn?

“Speak then.” Rhys said offhandedly. Camilla could tell that the mention of Kaewyn had unsettled him already.

“Lord Edderfield wishes you to know that his strategy to prevent the barbarian’s main force from coming north has failed.”

Rhys rolled his eyes. “That much is obvious already.”

“He wanted to warn you to take care, to warn you that our own forces have had significant difficulties in finding and battling the enemy. They are cunning and far more adept in war than we initially thought.” The messenger continued, though he was in obvious pain. “He also wishes to advise you that the Greystone Army is now marching north to regroup with you.”

“Defeated and now with his tail between his legs, he flees to us for protection.” One advisor said with a grin.

“Aye, over eager he was to win victory. Now he pays for his hubris.” Another added.

Camilla could not stand the way these men spoke of Kaewyn with no knowledge of who he really was. It infuriated her how they poked fun at him and laughed at his expense. It was all she could do to hold her tongue.

“Is that all?” Rhys said dismissively. “Or is there something that I do not already know?”

“Lord Edderfield’s advisor, Marcus Linforde, told me to advise you to not move against the barbarians until our forces arrive.” The messenger said. “Once our forces are combined, we can move to expel them from Vinum Province together.”

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“Laughable.” Rhys said with a chuckle. “He thinks we are not capable of defending our own lands?”

“I… he did not—” The messenger stammered, clutching his shoulder wound.

“I’ll not be lectured on how to defend my own castle.” Rhys explained. “You can return to your lord and tell him as much!”

The messenger bowed his head and looked around the tent pleadingly. It seemed to Camilla that he wanted to be treated for his wounds. After a small silence, a golden-haired military man helped the messenger back to his feet and ordered him to be taken to a physician.

“Now, back to the matter at hand.” Rhys said. “We need to plan our attack and end the siege. Any suggestions?”

Camilla was shocked. Rhys had no intention of listening to the messenger, at all. She watched on in disbelief as her brother casually began to plan an attack on the growing barbarian army camped outside Varde Castle with an anger rising inside of her. The frustration she felt at Rhys’ sheer willingness to disregard Kaewyn’s message made her want to punch him. Rhys’ so-called advisors seemed all too happy to ignore the messenger’s words as well, as they continued to praise her brother’s courage and strategy. You are all just saying what he wants to hear!

“Then it is agreed.” Rhys announced with fanciful gesture of his arm. “We will strike the barbarians who siege Varde Castle and rout them. But we must do it now, otherwise the main force which Lord Edderfield allowed to slip past him so easily will arrive and our job will become that much more difficult.”

“My lord’s brilliance is matched only by his valour!” One advisor shouted.

“Truly we are blessed to have such a magnanimous ruler.” Said another.

“Vinum is saved!”

Camilla could take it no longer.

She stepped forward and pushed her way through the small crowd of jubilant advisors and shouted at her brother. Everyone turned to face her, their faces frozen in shock and confusion.

“Not one of these advisors of yours has the courage to tell you that you are being a fool, Rhys! Not one of them!” She shouted as everyone else became silent. “Even if you defeat the barbarians sieging Varde Castle, we will lose more soldiers than we need to. There is absolutely no reason to attack right now, especially when we don’t know where the main enemy force is. We should wait for Kaewyn as he suggested and fight together!”

When she finished speaking, all Camilla could hear was her own erratic heartbeat. None of the advisors dared to speak, and her brother looked at her coldly. An awkward silence crept into the air as Rhys silently shook his head and then looked up in the air, as if asking for some sort of answer to a question nobody else knew. When his eyes then locked with hers, she knew he was serious.

“I must apologise for my sister.” He said calmly, though Camilla knew her brother well enough to know that he was absolutely seething beneath his cool exterior. “Her small mind cannot comprehend the gravity of our situation.”

He then slowly wandered the room with a smile on his face. A smile that somehow worried her more than his usual outbursts of anger and rage. “This is the perfect example of why women are not fit to make the tough decisions, they are too emotional. That much is obvious considering my sister’s untimely outburst.”

“I’m too emotional?” She countered. “You’re barely holding it together!”

“Quiet!” Rhys said quickly, and more loudly than he probably had intended. “Captain Falke!”

The military man with the golden hair who had helped the messenger earlier stepped out from amongst the others. A look of concern upon his face.

“Take my sister outside and see to it that we do not hear from her again until after the barbarians are defeated and Varde Castle is saved.” Rhys said with a wave of his hand. “I am putting her in your care until then, am I understood?”

‘Yes lord.”

“I am serious Falke, if I find her wandering the camp, it is you who I will hold responsible.”

“Understood.”

The captain bowed his head and then approached her. He placed a hand behind her back and guided her outside. Camilla briefly considered resisting, but thought better of it. Rhys was not going to listen to her no matter the words she used.

Once outside, she hurried forward and distanced herself from Captain Falke. She was angry and frustrated. Her brother had wilfully chosen to be ignorant and again, he had blatantly ignored her. Camilla cupped her face in her hands and felt an intense desire to scream, but again she resisted. Shaking her head, she let out a long deep sigh and pushed all of her worries into the back of her mind. Now that she was confined to her tent, she wouldn’t get the chance to simply take in the scenery and relax. So rather than stress and fret, she decided to take it all in while she still could. All around the camp were banners of white and green, the colours of her house. The tents were arranged in neat rows and men patrolled in small groups every which way. The camp was a bee hive of activity, suggesting word had gotten out that the soldiers may see some action soon.

“For what it is worth my lady, I agree with you.”

Huh?

Camilla spun around to see Captain Falke looking at her solemnly. He was a tall man with broad shoulders. His golden hair matched her brothers, but where Rhys’ was longer, Falke’s was short and neat. His facial hair was light and almost a brown colour. His facial features were simple, but not unattractive. What she noticed most however, were his deep brown eyes. There was a kindness in them she hadn’t seen in many people, especially not her brother.

“You agree with me?”

He nodded. “I do. Your points may have been a little… scrambled, but there was merit in them.”

“Well, I should thank you then.” Camilla mumbled. “Captain… Falke, was it?”

He nodded again. “Forgive me my lady, but do you not remember me?”

Camilla was taken aback. She didn’t recognise him, at least she didn’t think she did.

“Uhm, I apologise.” She said awkwardly. “I am not familiar with any of my brother’s newer servants or vassals.”

The captain smiled. “I met you before, a long time ago in fact.”

“Oh?”

“You see, my sister served you for a time.” Falke said softly, suddenly he seemed quieter and more reserved. There was a sadness in his eyes. “Her name was Lysia.”

Camilla’s eyes opened wide. She knew that name well. Lysia had been her handmaiden. When Lord Severus had attacked Vinum Province and taken Varde Castle, one of his sons, Cassius, had broken into her chambers. He was a beast of a man. Cassius slew Lysia in cold blood. If not for Cassius’ brother, she hated to think what he would have done to her.

“Lysia was special.” She finally said. “I’m so sorry for what happened to her.”

“Thank you, my lady.” Falke said with a bow of his head. “I only wish I had the opportunity to avenge her myself.”

Camilla shuddered at the bloody memory that came rushing back to the forefront of her mind. She could feel he blood soaked dagger in her hands again, the one she had used to kill Cassius. The sound and smell came back to her, making her nearly retch. It was not a pleasant memory, but that did not mean she regretted her actions that night.

“Anyway, I must follow Lord Rhys orders and insist on escorting you back to your tent my lady.” Captain Falke said apologetically. “There you must stay, but please, tell me if there is anything I can do for you.”

“You could let me go where ever I wished? I have spent more than enough time inside tents for a lifetime, believe me.”

Captain Falke bit his lip awkwardly. “You know that I cannot.”

“Worth a shot.” She said. “Come on then Captain. I suppose it’s time I went back to my tent.

Captain Falke nodded.

I am so tired of hiding away in tents…