‘Primus! LANCERS—!’
-
Legionnaire marked simply Timo A. on the Wall of the Fallen in Elysium Fort.
Serving with the 3rd Maniple, 1st Century, II Cohort,
during the Battle for Oras Navel.
Addressing his commanding officer
Centurion ‘Primi Ordines’ Gnaeus Ennius,
who was standing right next to him in the line
His last words.
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Praetor Lucius Alden
Twenty Hours
Part I
-On tired arms & knees-
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[https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9z1Osu3A3rtb16CsZNxWyO9AqHbL-O6m4ne35-A_gUjATbxNyi3gmLWbg7ij9cittvaj98jb23zdFaOcajMgZ3qvmxWdcZNRMJyh0qG37ocqQmELePlUQJpm7jMG9O-c0GQBAotB7gxkxBi0p2jcG4B6FD7veu6hJaVpK1Ey00TLAE5WyPPG99cxd4k/s1120/Oras%20Navel%20battle.jpg]
Spring, 3rd month in the year of the new calendar 193
Code named 18 (plus) 3, sixty six days into the eighteen month offensive.
An hour afore Midnight
III Legio’s Castrum
Legatus Headquarters building
Monica came out of her bedroom and paused to stare at him putting his riding boots on. Lucius tied the leather shoelaces, but left the steel stirrups in the shoe trunk. He’d dragged a chair next to it the moment Faye had gone to sleep.
“Sneaking out to visit the mistress?” his young wife teased and approached, her belly swollen, but kept well hidden under her loose night robes.
“Monica,” Lucius said not taking the bait and finished up with his boots. “You’re not tired?”
“I’ve been sleeping for half the day,” she replied and sat in the chair at his office desk. Reached for his goblet and sniffed it. “Any wine left in the bottle?”
“I’m not sure you should drink in your current state,” Lucius argued and got up.
“My state needs it.”
“Not according to Marianus.”
“Who’s going to tell him?”
“Monica… listen, I understand this is tiring for you,” Lucius started, but she stopped him making a mocking face.
“Campaigning?”
“The baby.”
“Ah. There is that also.”
“I know you think staying in Asturia would have been better, but it isn’t viable at this point,” Lucius explained. “The Praetor’s wife travels with him.”
“New law?”
“Common practice when at war.”
“Or a way to avoid leaving a valuable piece out of your control,” Monica retorted.
Lucius nodded. “I don’t have to explain my reasoning, you are not stupid.”
“My father would have protected me.”
“I prefer my family to stay near me at this point,” Lucius countered. “I can’t risk it.”
“Family.”
“Yes Monica, family. You are a part of it,” Lucius said and walked to her.
“Will you love it?” She asked looking at him. “More than his mother?”
Lucius sighed and sat on the desk. He reached to touch her soft cheek with a hand.
“Of course I will. I also value his mother for facing this ordeal bravely,” he told her and she frowned.
“I don’t feel it.”
“I’ll make an effort to spend time with you after the battle,” Lucius said. “More, when the baby joins us.”
“I can find intimacy without bothering you,” she offered.
“Out of the question,” Lucius grunted and withdrew his hand. “You’re in my house and you’ll behave decently as befitting your station and my name. I don’t want to talk about this again.”
“You’re about to fight your brother,” Monica hissed her face flushed and pushed herself up to stand in front of him. “Yet you speak about your family as if they are something holy. It isn’t. Your family had its hand in plunging the realm into this whole mess.”
“My father’s family is what you speak of,” Lucius said evenly, avoiding again to take the taunt. Fighting with her wasn’t the answer to their problems, though it would perhaps satisfy the teenage bride. “I was speaking about mine, what we have here. We can make it work. I’ll put in the effort and you’ll try harder. You know what you’re supposed to do.”
“Faye might not like it.”
“You don’t know Faye.”
“But I do Lucius,” Monica replied and patted his chest with a hand. “We play with Roderick together, sleep in the same house… whatever this is and is the only woman around really.”
For a reason.
“The boy is tiring her.”
“He does, but she doesn’t complain. Faye wants to be here with you. This is her dream. I can’t be like her.”
“You need to start learning to like it,” Lucius replied and she grimaced moving away. “Monica this is a difficult period, but all wars end. Then things will be better for you.”
“Can you win tomorrow?” she asked looking at the oil lamp burning on the wall.
“Aye.”
“Could you lose? Get hurt?”
“Aye.”
Monica turned to look his way, her youthful face strikingly beautiful, but strained. “What happens to my baby if you do?”
“Our baby,” Lucius corrected her patiently. “I’ve answered that. Nothing changes. The baby is part of our family, as are you.”
“You think people will respect your wishes when you’re not around?”
Lucius furrowed his brows and walked to the door. He paused there and turned around to stare at her.
“You’ll be the Queen of Regia, a Duke’s daughter. Faye doesn’t know what this means but you do, so you’ll help her and she’ll help you. Most of the people around me shall respect my wishes and the army loves her. It will learn to love you as well.”
“The army. Not the Lords of the realm.”
“Yes Monica,” Lucius replied. “As long as the army is around, you shall be safe. Regia shall be safe and the realm in peace. I intent to make this happen one way or another. I’ll root out dissent so my children won’t have to face what father and myself have.”
“Not everything is as cut and dry Lucius.”
Lucius shook his head. “That’s the priestesses talking in your head. Trying to justify their sinful behavior, the tale of the pious knight led astray by the maiden. You were led astray. The knight was young in the tale and so were you. Disturbingly it happened. I’ve read it all. A just man might make a mistake, but he’ll try to correct it. Else he wasn’t just to begin with. A woman as well, if she’s given the chance. In politics though fear rules above all else. Nothing brings more fear than military might. Not gold, nor allies matter if you can’t best your opponent in the field.”
“If they can’t defeat you in the field,” Monica cautioned him. “They might try another way.”
“They’ll try,” Lucius replied pressing his mouth. He turned and opened the door, the guard standing at attention outside. “Stay,” he told him and gave a nod to the silent Monica. “I’ll walk the camp alone.”
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Lucius marched through the dark silent camp. He walked past the armoury, the stables and the officer quarters until he reached the soldiers neatly arranged tents. A wooden sign naming the units, each tent identical and meant for ten people, but for the one housing the Legion’s and each Cohort’s banners, where the Signifer slept.
He paused seeing a campfire burning outside a tent in the auxiliaries’ side of the camp and approached to see who it was. Mamercus and Kaeso were sitting by the small fire with blankets over their legs. Lucius walked there and found a flat rock to sit on, the two officers glancing his way amused.
“Gentlemen,” Lucius said warming his hands over the fire, the night chilly. “We haven’t done this in a while.”
“Praetor,” Mamercus grunted.
Kaeso nodded with his head, working on the burning coals with a long stick.
“It’s not uncomfortably cold,” Lucius commented looking at the two familiar faces.
“Not really milord,” Kaeso said. “After the Ice Lake everything seems pretty warm.”
“The march to Krakenfort was pretty frosty as well,” Mamercus added.
“That was darn frosty indeed,” Lucius agreed with a nod reminiscing. “Gods, the boots were getting stuck if you stalled on the next step too much. Horses were losing their shoes all the time. People getting frostbite right and left.”
“Or died,” Kaeso added.
“We lost some men that way true,” Lucius agreed and grimaced, looking at the flames.
“At least we got the job done sir,” Mamercus said.
“Mmm,” Lucius murmured.
“Got Zofia a throne,” Kaeso added with a smirk. “We thought you’d keep her around milord.”
“I couldn’t,” Lucius replied thoughtfully. “She had a child out of wedlock. Though my mind was mostly to secure her future and a strong ally.”
“How’s the new wife milord?” Kaeso asked.
“She’s clever,” Lucius replied and stared at him warningly.
“We just don’t see her around,” Kaeso said quickly.
“Faye is trying to have her take weapon’s training,” Lucius added. “You have family Kaeso?”
“Not anymore milord.”
“Mamercus? How’s your brother?” Lucius asked.
“Haven’t heard from him in a while sir,” the Centurion replied sadly.
“It’ll be easier to communicate now,” Lucius assured him. “What is this… we left the summer of 88 right?”
“It will be five years this summer sir,” Mamercus said and Lucius nodded.
“Don’t need the rest for tomorrow?” He asked them.
“Not afore a battle milord,” Kaeso replied. “We sleep later, after we talk about stuff.”
“I understand,” Lucius said. “Anything I can do for you gents?”
Mamercus shrugged his shoulders unsure, but Kaeso stooped near the fire to better see him and asked.
“You could learn about his brother milord.”
“What was the name?” Lucius asked.
“Secundus Sorex,” Mamercus said.
“How long since you had news?”
“A couple of years almost.”
Stolen story; please report.
Lucius furrowed his brow. “He wrote to you afore?”
“To Canutia, got them all at once, but then he stopped,” Mamercus said troubled. “I asked some friends about him, but nobody knows where he is. He just disappeared sir.”
“Where was he last?”
“Aegium.”
Lucius stood back. “Working for Lord Nattas right?”
“Ayup.”
“Hmm,” Lucius rubbed under his tired eyes with a finger’s knuckle. “Storm got kicked off the Council, did some time in the dungeons. He might have let him go. The man moved on next.”
“Wouldn’t he write to his brother about it?” Kaeso asked.
He would.
“Yeah, I don’t know what happened,” Mamercus murmured unhappy.
“He fears Secundus might be dead,” Kaeso explained.
“Don’t jump into conclusions,” Lucius admonished him. “Sirio will know. He was with Nattas at the time.”
“The book guy?” Mamercus asked.
“Works for the Vulture,” Kaeso reminded him and Mamercus frowned.
“Now, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Lucius cautioned them and got up with a groan. “I’ll leave you to it gents, but I shall check it out with Sirio. See if I can find anything out.”
“Gratitude sir,” Mamercus said and made to stand, but Lucius stopped him.
“Rest up, get ready for the morrow,” Lucius told them and left their fire.
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There was light outside and inside Ramirus’ tent and the guard, one of the soldiers working for the Legion’s Intelligence Department saluted sharply, fist thudding on his armour seeing the Praetor appearing out of the darkness.
“At ease,” Lucius told him and glanced at the large tent. “Ramirus is awake?”
“Yes,” Ramirus said and stepped outside. “Praetor. I was poring through some messages.”
“Anything new arrived?” Lucius asked.
“Nothing official sir. Just soldiers personal correspondence I open.”
Lucius nodded. It was Ramirus’ job to look into things.
“Sirio around? Sleeping inside?” He asked.
“He’s over there,” Ramirus replied and pointed with an arm at the east wall of the Castrum. “Looking at… the stars sir.”
“I’ll speak with him,” Lucius said. “No, stay Ramirus. We better be safe in our own camp, or all this is pointless.”
“I’ll stay at a distance Praetor,” Ramirus insisted and Lucius smacked his lips, but agreed with a nod.
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Sirio almost jumped onto the hard timbers hearing his voice. The easily scared young man took a moment to recover his wits under Lucius amused scrutiny.
“You didn’t hear us approach?” Lucius asked him.
“I was… distracted Lord Lucius,” Sirio croaked, grimacing as if he was in pain.
“You’ll make for a poor sentry mister Sirio,” Lucius noted.
“Yes my Lord,” Sirio said sadly.
“Anything of interest?”
“Ahm, not really… I was trying to determine if one could measure their position.”
“For what reason?” Lucius asked him.
“See if they move my Lord?”
“I can see the appeal,” Lucius decided and stared at the stars for a moment. “If they do move then they remember to return to their positions,” he added. “For we know some of their shapes mister Sirio.”
“Yes my Lord that’s true.”
“Know a man named Secundus? He’s Centurion Sorex’s brother,” Lucius asked and turned to look at the nervous scribe and LID agent.
“Ahm,” Sirio murmured pursing his mouth.
“He worked security for Lord Nattas,” Lucius added patiently.
“Yes, I’m familiar with him.”
“Do you know where he is?” Lucius asked trying to determine whether Sirio was nervous about something other than his usual skittishness.
“I haven’t seen him in a while my Lord.”
“When was the last time you’ve seen him?”
Sirio pressed his lips and then grimaced his hands shaking.
“That would be…” he started then paused. Lucius glanced at Ramirus watching them. He was standing much closer now. “Right about the time…” Sirio was really having trouble remembering.
“You are keeping notes yes?” Lucius asked.
“Aye.”
“What do the notes say mister Sirio? You could go check them out, or did you leave them back in… where was it you were staying in Aegium?”
“Lord Nattas had rented a place.”
“Secundus was around then?”
“He was.”
“Around the time Nattas was arrested, when the Queen stepped down,” Lucius continued and Sirio nodded a sad look on his face, his eyes swollen as if ready to start crying.
“Secundus left that day,” Sirio croaked.
“He feared they would arrest him as well?” Lucius probed starting to lose his patience.
“I don’t know my lord,” Sirio gasped desperately. “Perhaps.”
“It’s alright Sirio,” Lucius assured him. “I appreciate your candidness.”
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“The man is lying,” Ramirus told him on the return to his tent and Lucius nodded. “I could ask around.”
“Carefully,” Lucius said and breathed out. “It could be something simple,” he finally said and stared at the LID officer. “A case of running away, Nattas has enemies and Secundus might have feared retribution against him.”
“Or he knew something,” Ramirus added.
Eh, Storm wouldn’t have let a hired guard in on anything important.
“He couldn’t have been in on anything sensitive, but he could have overheard something,” Lucius agreed. “Was that enough to have had him killed you think?”
“The reason behind the Queen stepping down?” Ramirus offered.
“Secundus wouldn’t have been anywhere near the Queen and Nattas has a very tight circle of friends,” Lucius replied thoughtfully. “I’m not even sure if he has any friends. I was shocked to hear he actually had a daughter.”
“I shall be discreet,” Ramirus assured him.
“Keep your energy for the battle for now,” Lucius ordered him and decided to catch a bit of rest himself afore the last watch of the night. The Legion was marching out right after it.
A day later
Code named 18 (plus) 3, sixty seven days into the eighteen month offensive.
Two kilometers from the mountain road’s exit in Oras Navel.
The flat rise above III Legio’s Day Camp called Vacant Balcony overlooking the basin
The Praetor’s entourage
Early dawn
Lucius returned the spyglass to the communication officer and turned to Galio, who was standing three meters behind him with the horses. Lucius had stepped as close to the lip of the drop as it was prudent to better see the flat terrain underneath them
“Anything?” Galio asked hoarsely.
“They haven’t set up yet, but they are gathering,” Lucius replied and walked to the horses.
“Numbers?”
“What Kaeso gave us earlier seems correct.”
“This is a huge camp,” Galio noted while he got up on NightSilver, the warhorse neighing and shaking its rich mane right and left.
“Not all of it used and it’s not connected,” Lucius replied and started down the narrow path to reach their own basic camp at the rear of their formations. Ten wagons had come down with them and that was it. The men had carried their supplies and weapons with them. They had left their heavily laden haversacks back to the campsite to not burden them during the battle, but be that as it may, they didn’t have enough of anything to last more than a couple of days. Even water was scarce here, unless they discovered some spring at the near.
“What does… why would they build two camps?” Galio asked crooking his mouth.
“They wouldn’t,” Lucius replied tensely, his mind on a hundred different things. “Different units, or older camp, perhaps Hermon’s?”
“First in the center?” Galio asked moving on to the next matter while they rode towards the camp.
“Yes,” Lucius replied and stopped his horse before Mamercus’ Slingers that were trotting towards the south side of the massive battlefield. Only a small portion of it shall be used though, unless we force it, or they do. “I’m concerned about the horses.”
“Might have been the supply train,” Galio argued. “I’m more concerned on fighting on tired arms and hurting knees. Both can get a man killed.”
“I trust Kaeso’s eyes,” Lucius countered with a grimace at the Tribune’s ever pessimistic view of things and continued to the camp, where Long’s Cavalry was gathering to gallop towards the north side of the battlefield where the Rises where. A labyrinth of granite boulders and sharp inclines near the mountains. “We’ll see horses today Galio,” he added staring at the hard ground with the poor vegetation and sickly looking strips of grass.
“Which side?”
“I’ll cover the north to avoid them sneaking up on us hugging the Rises,” Lucius said hoarsely and reaching the camp jumped from the saddle. A soldier approached him with a missive and immediately after another appeared from Trupo.
“It’s a toss for them lads in the south,” Galio grunted biting the inside of his lip. “It may turn out nice, or pop out the bowl like a turd.”
“Mmm,” Lucius murmured reading the missives quickly.
Galio stared at the sky and shook his head. “Well?” He asked.
“Duke Frye’s banners in the field,” Lucius replied licking his dry lips, as multiple reports had spotted the twin hammers of Dokamna.
“Eh,” Galio grunted and checked on the bindings of his helmet. “Horses it is then.”
> In early spring in the year of the New Calendar 193 and at the crack of dawn of day sixty eight, the celebrated Praetor’s preceding year created battle-plan and sometimes referred to in military circles ‘as the Eighteen Months Offensive’, begun for real. Lucius wanted to achieve local superiority moving during winter months and attacking the Lesia forces at the very end of it. It caught his opponent amidst rotating its considerable forces, the Wine Baron’s troops withdrawing and leaving behind Sir Jan Napoli of Sava at their old Camp.
>
> Baron Feld Frye who was to take their place anyway had started arriving the previous month and got busy rebuilding the smaller camp at first, before finally giving up and just starting a new one next to the one Baron Hermon’s Iron Fists and the Wine Barons forces had used for the previous year. The reason being he needed much more space for horses and warehouses, but also housing as his supply train had brought with it a lot of workers and Lesia engineering firms to pick up where Hermon’s failed expedition had left them the year before.
>
> The new strategy and objective same as the old one. Keep control of Oras Navel and then retake control -when the weather improved- of the road leading to Framtond and Asturia’s soft underbelly. Build a bridge there, or take over Lucius’ if one was present and defeat the rebel general in the field, if it was possible.
>
> If it wasn’t, Feld was to make certain Lucius couldn’t interfere with the events in Cartagen, or do it after the hard-pressed King Jeremy had been brought to the negotiating table. The Lesia war planners knew that Lucius had been stretched thin with army present over Canlita Sea attacking Tollor and him beyond Framtond.
>
> They intended to make it even more difficult for him by attacking Kadrek and the Praetor’s base during the summer that is if the hardened Lords beyond Andalus River agreed to participate. Only Lord Caxaton of the important but on the smaller size distant Telus city and its nearby port had been in favor of the King’s decision the previous years. Caxaton was involved directly in the siege of Cartagen probably through his longtime friendship with the Legatus of the 2nd Legio Ettore Pintor.
>
> Hypothetical strategies and pre-campaign theories aside, Lucius’ decisive drive over the mountains bought him the early advantage in the battle for Oras Navel. Because everything was against the soon to turn thirty one Regia’s legitimate Heir. Baron Feld had only half a day warning and a couple of earlier reports about activity on the blocked part of the passage they had intentionally left unrepaired, but he sent an urgent runner to the last of the Baron’s forces departing from his rear area, the infantry of Sir Jan Napoli a force of about six hundred men with a small cavalry force attached to it, but too few to make a difference on their own, unless the timing was auspicious.
>
> Sir Jan, who had sent his own supply train away already, couldn’t outright refuse the Baron and stopped his force. He was to appear in the field later that day. In the meantime Feld assumed he was facing a full legion –the lessons of the still held captive Baron Palma’s, but also Duke Lennox’s, High Baron Hermon’s earlier defeats learned well, although the ‘guide to defeat Lucius Alden’ hadn’t been written yet- and decided on a plan to negate the legionnaires anterior advantage. He split his considerable cavalry force in two, the north (or left side of his line) he left to Sir Manuel Frye’s four hundred and fifty strong cavalry force. Feld preferred to keep the left and center of his line merged in one long, but not long enough line, to entice an attack there by Lucius’ right.
>
> The idea was to catch the legionnaires slowly moving squares advancing from the sides with the faster moving cavalry and maul them with repeated charges. The nearby gullies and ravines filled terrain ideal for a force to sneak close enough to do it. His center with both his divisions together under experienced Commander August Asade numbering two thousand soldiers in a block of spears that extended well to the right of Lucius’ center.
>
> To the Baron’s own right, or south side of the line, Feld Frye placed Captain Braccio’s one thousand troops to block Lucius left (that would be the 2nd Cohort under Centurion Ennius), reinforced by a force of three hundred and fifty riders by Sir Rik Phoca (or Foca). The latter a matter of heavy dispute between Sir Manuel the High Baron of Dokamna’s son and his uncle. Sir Manuel wanted more riders with him as they considered Sir Phoca’s role in the battlefield ‘decorative’ –probably more accurately Sir Manuel said ‘a lure’ according to other sources- and a way to keep Lucius from committing his smaller cavalry in one spot.
>
> The heartened young Knight’s dreams of a decisive cavalry battle aside, Lucius reinforced the 3rd Cohort under Centurion Falx and Lepidus with Decurion Long’s Cavalry (a force of just over two hundred) and Kaeso’s Rangers (a force of about a hundred lighter riders). He placed Prefect Julius Draco there as the opening to the Baron’s line ‘left excellent terrain for a cavalry charge’ as he noted, coming from his Northernmost opposing side and kept his eyes on that part of the battlefield. Trupo and Ramirus who were stationed on the Vacant Balcony plateau to observe from afar informed him when the sun came up that the Baron’s right (Lucius’ left or south) was considerably stronger than Centurion Ennius’ 2nd Cohort, who had Mamercus Slingers covering his flank that extended to his south into the expansive Goat Plains, but the wilderness had much worse terrain than the basin of Oras Navel.
>
> Lucius decided to send Logan ‘Gray’ Barret there with his Nord fighters and kept Nasica’s small but heavy cavalry force to the rear initially. At the center he placed the veterans of the 1st Cohort (his best fighting unit by far) under the field command of Centurion Gata with Tribune Veturius assisting and right behind them the newest 4th Cohort out of Kas under Centurion Silvius to rotate after the 1st made the initial assault.
>
> Fearing that Feld would bring forth machines from his distant camp, a pressed for time Lucius ordered the center to attack without delay to close the distance and the flanks to follow at a steady pace. The III Legio started its attack with the first light and marched down on Lesia’s packed lines determined to finish the job before the bright disk dipped under the horizon again.
>
> Twenty minutes into the battle and with the two army centers barely touching blades, Lucius right flank was attacked by Sir Manuel’s considerable cavalry force that threatened to ride around the 3rd Cohort’s own north flank afore Decurion Long intervened to stop their advance (the veteran was elevated to Optio in the field before the day was over).
>
> With the battle raging and the view restricted, Lucius rode to the north side of his embattled lines, when reports reached him an hour and something into the slow-grinding fight that Centurion Ennius had been killed when a large cavalry force had stricken the 2nd Cohort’s south flanks riding through the wilderness and moving too fast for the locked with Braccio’s regulars in a bitter struggle legionnaires to react. Layton and Logan had ambushed the charging riders out of the weeds and bushes, but most had gone through, Mamercus Slingers getting caught on their own flanking move and suffering appalling casualties.
>
> Realizing he was about to lose the south flank completely, as the mauled 2nd started retreating –a portion of it pushed towards their center, the other towards the Goat Plains- Lucius ordered Galio to reinforce them with the men of the Fourth Cohort. Tribune Veturius who was managing the center informed him that the fourth had been rotated to the front and that he would sent one of 1st Cohort’s semi-rested Centuries to stabilize the south flank.
>
> The Tribune who could see the Legion’s center smashing through Feld’s center despite their bigger numbers, as the regulars just couldn’t match their opponents’ brutal efficiency and experience, didn’t want to interrupt its advance pulling men out of the frontline.
>
> Lucius agreed notifying Nasica to move his riders further south to assist the dispatched century. The officer tasked to push back the emboldened Braccio’s division and Sir Phoca’s free roaming Cavalry could make a name for himself, or suffer Ennius’ tragic fate in a day.
>
> Perhaps thankfully for all involved the tenacious as much as flamboyant man plucked out of the line by Tribune Veturius was even more determined than anyone else in the field to ‘finish this horrid ordeal afore the sun is down.’ The reason being he hated sleeping on the army’s standard issued hard leather folding cot.
>
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read it at Royalroad : https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/46739/touch-o-luck-the-old-realms
& https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47919/lure-o-war-the-old-realms
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