The chefs and cooking servants cowered in fear. They stared at the crazy general who held a large knife in her hands. The blade glinted evilly.
The head chef was practically drenched in cold sweat. What exactly was one supposed to do in this situation?
Faye exhaled out of her nose. She turned to glare at the head chef. “Who messed with my chopped goat liver?”
The man groaned internally. He had told a young servant to take care of it. Unfortunately, the child had taken the order too literally. The goat liver was nowhere in sight, clearly discarded.
Despite his fear, the head chef was a man who took care of his own. Squaring his shoulders, he prepared to take the blame. He prayed the lord would take good care of his family.
“Never mind!” Before the chef could even begin to explain, the general waved them away. “Out! Out!” She scowled, “Let me work in peace.”
The kitchen staff were only too happy to oblige. With Faye waving around the butcher knife, it only added to the speed at which the room was emptied.
The head chef praised the gods on his way out.
In the resulting silence, Faye let out a sigh. She glanced down at the recipe she had scribbled on a piece of parchment. This was the first day of the Lantern Festival. Her grip on the parchment tightened.
According to Rufus, this was her chance to repay Nikolai’s… kindness.
Faye rolled up her sleeves. She was the Raven General. Her meals during war campaigns were always improvised, randomly generated recipes based on what was available in the rations. Missing goat liver would not deter her. She did admit that the loss of such a key ingredient peeved her. And… it was possible she had overreacted… slightly.
The general’s warrior braids were swept up into a tight bun. She had put in extra time to do them in the morning, employing the help of Aimee’s small but nimble fingers. The girl was a fast learner.
Faye cracked her knuckles. Today, the kitchen would be her battlefield. And it was one she intended to conquer. No one had denied the deliciousness of her food. Nikolai… Well, she hoped he would be slightly pleased.
It would be nice to see the cold mask crack.
—
The three men huddled over the table filled with maps and notes.
Nikolai’s blue eyes glinted. Everything had to be perfect. Tonight, the plan would be presented and sent out to all of their major supporters. There would be no turning back once they set the chain of orders into motion.
Nikolai turned to find Darcy. His head commander was busy rolling up the last of the scrolls that would be sent out. Behind him, Cristin lounged on the chair, fidgeting with his stack of papers.
Perceptive as ever, Darcy coughed softly. “Is there something you wish to ask me, my lord?” He stopped in his work to address the lord’s heavy gaze.
At the other’s request, even Cristin stopped in his fidgeting.
Feeling the heavy questions in their gaze, Nikolai sighed. They thought he was worried about the plans.
If they were anyone else, he would have dismissed their concerns. But Darcy and Cristian had bene by his side for almost longer than he could remember. There were few people he trusted more than these two.
Nikolai looked away. “Did you see him?”
Darcy pursed his lips.
The ice prince crossed his arms. “It is fine if you did not.”
“Although not in person,” Darcy was deliberately careful with his words. “I did have a spy gather information.” He shared a glance with Cristin who shook his head warningly. However, the eye-patched man continued, “I will not lie to you, my lord. Time in his… conditions has not been kind to His Highness.”
The Lord of Feldgrau’s expression remained unchanged, but under the table his fists clenched.
Cristin cut in, “His Highness is strong, my lord. And our plan is coming to fruition.” He placed a comforting hand on his liege’s shoulders. “Soon the crown prince will be free.”
Darcy nodded in agreement. “It is only a matter of time.”
Still, Nikolai’s blank mask was unchanged.
Cristin crossed his arms and huffed under his breath. “And we can finally leave this dreaded place.” The attendant paused, “That is if we win the fight and leave here in one piece.” There was another pause. “Preferably alive.”
Nikolai and Darcy both shot him unimpressed looks.
The lord grunted, “Cristin, please never try to comfort me again.”
The attendant’s mouth dropped open. Before he could protest, Darcy made the wise decision to drag him out of the room. Cristin’s very loud complaints followed.
Nikolai dropped his head into his hands. Darcy’s words were heavy news that he had expected. Still, the confirmation of his greatest fears did nothing to alleviate the guilt within his heart.
His proud, fearless brother, reduced to a starving prison sentenced to live out his days at the edge of the world. Nikolai couldn’t stop the anger and helplessness that suffocated him. The last time he had seen his brother, they had both been boys. Now, they were grown men.
Their efforts were moving as fast as possible, but it wasn’t enough. Tried as he did to maintain his cold facade, the depressing image of his brother staring accusatively at him etched itself into his mind.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Enter,” the Lord of Feldgrau didn’t even bother lifting his head.
“Uhm, sir,” squeaked a voice. “The general, she is, uhm-“
The lord closed his eyes. “She is the lady of the house, unless she is actively hurting another, leave her be.”
“Right,” stammered the servant. “But the celebration feast is being delayed because-“
Blue eyes flashed. “Have Cristin or Darcy deal with it,” he snapped. Internally, Nikolai flinched at the volume of his voice. More guilt warred within him at the baffled expression on the servant’s face. Nikolai rarely ever raised his voice. “Apologies,” the lord sighed. “I, this is not, I can’t-“
To his surprise, the servant merely shot him a smile. The man had followed his lord into enemy territory all the way from Feldgrau, it would take more than a raised voice to frighten him. “I apologize for bringing such simple problems to you, my lord.” They proudly declared, “I will personally ensure the matter is dealt with. Please do not worry, my lord.”
With a lowered head, they saw themselves out, but not before hearing the soft thank you the lord uttered.
However, as soon as they were outside, the servant’s peaceful expression dropped. They clutched their head in frustration. How was anyone supposed to deal with the Raven General?
Catching sight of Commander Darcy, they rushed forward. Hopefully, the other man would have the answer.
—
Darcy did not know what to make of the bubbling liquid in the pot. The stoic commander raised an incredulous eyebrow. His good eye squinted. The slight purple tinge of the liquid was almost disturbing enough to make him squirm.
Instead, he turned to face the frowning Raven General. She held her spatula like one would a sword. The spatula appeared in front of his face, pointing accusatively at him. Purple goop dripped off it.
Darcy prayed it would not stain his shirt.
Amber eyes flashed angrily. “I was not to be disturbed.” The Raven General was a dominating presence, a force of nature that could make any sane person freeze. “Who are you?”
Snapping out of his revelry, Darcy straightened and inclined his head. “My lady, I am Darcy.”
“Darcy,” tested the general. She frowned, “I’ve seen you around these past few days. What is your relation to Nikolai?”
“I was not aware the lord and lady were on first-name basis,” Darcy was genuinely shocked by the revelation.
“You did not answer my question.” However, his comment seemed to amuse the general. The spatula was lowered. “Tell me, has Abby sent you?”
“Not exactly,” admitted the commander. He tried to think of an explanation for the frightened servant begging for his intervention.
Thankfully, the Raven General did not seem too concerned with getting an answer. Having assessed the disruption, she resumed stirring the… colorful goop.
“Madam, as you know, tonight is the first night of the Lantern Festival,” started Darcy. “As such, there is much preparation for the small banquet the lord is hosting.”
The stirring froze. “There is a banquet tonight?” There was an uncertain note in the general’s voice.
Darcy nodded, “Yes, my lady. Many esteemed guests have been invited."
Amber eyes widened imperceptibly. The spoon clattered to the table as she groaned. “What!”
The commander was at a loss for such an extreme reaction. Was it something he said?
“There won’t be enough stew to go around!” cried the Raven General. She seemed genuinely distressed by the revelation.
Darcy choked. Always one to recover quickly, he attempted to comfort the general. In the back of his mind, he gagged at the thought that the soup was to be ingested by others. “Perhaps we can serve… smaller portions, my lady?”
The Raven General brightened at the suggestion. “Great idea, Darcy.” She sniffed the stew and gave a satisfied nod. “You know, if you weren’t Nikolai’s man, I would take you for myself, Lord Darcy. Such a sensible commander.”
To his own horror, Darcy found himself flushing. Such suggestive language. What did the lady mean by that?
“My lieutenant just complains about the color,” she grunted as she resumed stirring. “But he’s good at what he does.” Amber eyes flitted over to shoot Darcy a challenging stare. “I wonder if your lord can say the same?”
An army orphan and then a soldier, Darcy could recognize a test of arms when he saw one. He weighed the options in his mind. From the reports and the little he saw of her, the commander did not know what to make of the woman. Was the Raven General a friend or foe? Although she seemed pleasant enough, if he sensed any hint of danger towards his lord, Darcy would not hesitate to cut her down.
Seeing her stare glittering with dangerous intent, Darcy decided that it would be a good time to remind the general that the lord was far from unguarded. He had heard much of Cristin’s reservation about Lady Feldgrau.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Plus, it would finally get her out of the kitchen.
Darcy smiled politely.
“My lady, I heard you’ve taken to using trees as sparring opponents.”
The Raven General barked out a good-natured laugh. “That is not untrue.”
Darcy nodded, “Well, in that case, I offer myself as an opponent for you to test your skills with the blade against.”
Amber eyes widened, although this had been her intention all along she was still surprised. But shock quickly transformed into delight. “Why commander,” she laughed, “I thought you would never ask.”
The wooden stirrer was finally set down as the Raven General reached for her blade. Part of Darcy wondered if she had used the longsword to cut the vegetables.
Faye smirked, “Lead the way.”
---
Nikolai rolled his eyes as Cristin huffed angrily for the hundredth time. His loyal attendant had been glued to the window for the past two hours.
At the sound of another angry exhale, Nikolai set down his papers. “For the love of,” Nikolai exhaled, trying to regain his patience. “What has you in such a mood, Cristin?”
The attendant tore his gaze away from the window and turned to face his lord. “They’re fighting!” Cristin frowned, “Why would Darcy be spending time fighting the Raven General? He’s giving the enemy insider information on how to beat us!”
The Lord of Feldgrau rose from his seat. He knew of the fight. Darcy had dutifully sent a note ahead to inform him. “Faye is not the enemy. Darcy clearly wants to test her skills as well. After all, none of us have actually seen her against a true-“ his voice died off as he reached the window and saw the battle in the courtyard.
The two sword masters moved like they were entangled in an intricate dance. Darcy’s renowned strength with the blade and penchant for holding a strong defensive was matched by Faye’s inhuman agility and speed. The Raven General treated the sword like an extension of herself. She moved like a raging fire, full of life and relentless. But there was a certain calmness that flowed off of her. Against a live opponent, Faye was truly in her element and for once, held the patience of an ancient master who had devoted their lives to their craft.
In contrast, Darcy was like water, absorbent and flowing.
Although both were covered in sweat it was clear who had the upper hand. Darcy fought hard and his best while Faye was clearly experimenting. The young woman would change her grip, switch the blade between both hands, and sometimes even add flips and twirls. At times, she incorporated new styles and types of movements that would throw any opponent off. It made her hard to predict and defend against.
There were times when Faye would falter over a new movement which Darcy was quick to take advantage of. But the general was always fast to recover. Within three or four times that they exchanged blows, Faye would have mastered the move. This was the true strength of a prodigy. The power of a legend. It was why the Raven General’s fame had spread so wide and far and why a mere whisper of her name had enemies trembling in fear.
Nikolai watched the silent joy on Faye’s face. He wondered if she had missed this. For duty, she had gone from the most celebrated warrior in Wenge to a political prisoner. A foreigner with a husband who rarely spoke to her.
Internally, Nikolai made a note to ask Darcy his interest in continuing to practice with the general. It would be good for his commander to learn to defend against a strong opponent. And from the bright grin on Faye’s face as she dodged the sword strikes, he thought that she would enjoy them as well. They may be on opposite sides, but he did not wish to treat her unfairly.
“My lord, this is absurd,” complained Cristin. “Darcy is a busy man, surely he- By the gods!”
Nikolai’s head snapped back to the fight. His eyes immediately sought Faye’s kneeling form. The general had… lost?
But her smirking form hardly seemed defeated. Her smirk was a contrast to a glaring Darcy who held his sword to her throat.
—
“That was quite the duel,” commented the Raven General nonchalantly. She pushed Darcy’s blade away and stood. The young woman brushed herself off like she hadn’t just given Darcy the hardest fight of his life. The Raven General picked up her fallen blade.
With a flick of her wrist, she slid the blade against her shirt, wiping the dirt away.
“Congratulations on the win, Commander,” she shot him a knowing look. “Not many have that claim over me.”
Darcy let out a bewildered laugh. “My lady, you jest.” He sheathed his own sword and adjusted his loose eyepatch. “The only reason I bested you was because you attempted to,” he shook his head, still bewildered, “throw your blade in the air to block my attack.”
It was a stupid move.
However, Darcy had to admit that if the General had added slightly more strength and timed the throw better, the move would have worked.
The Raven General laughed, “What’s the point of practice if not to push our limits?”
“Is that what you do on the battlefield?” asked Darcy testily.
“I do not play around when it comes to the lives of my men,” amber eyes shot the commander an unimpressed look. “Surely there is a difference between practice and a real fight in Feldgrau, as well?”
Darcy nodded his head in acknowledgment. Although her moves seemed sporadic and rash, the commander could recognize the refined strength and finessed precision of the general’s attack. “I meant no offense, general.”
“None taken,” the young woman shrugged. “Did I pass the test?”
The commander knew better than to brush off her question. “Did I pass yours, my lady?”
The general snorted, “With the highest of honors.” She swung her blade over her shoulder and walked towards the residence. “Until next time, Commander Darcy. I must prepare for the dinner tonight.”
But Darcy did not let her get far.
“Raven General, what is your intention with the lord?” Darcy stood resolute as she turned to frown at him.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Darcy straightened, “You seem an honorable and just warrior. However, I know that you are honor-bound as the rest of us.” His eyepatch may have hidden his one eye but it did not hide the sharp, warning edge to his voice. “If you ever do anything that could threaten the lord’s wellbeing, I must warn you that I will not hesitate to cut you down.”
The Raven General tilted her head. At first, Darcy thought she would turn and leave. To his surprise, she asked softly. “Do you hold something close to your heart, commander?”
Startled by the question, Darcy froze. A certain person’s image came to mind. “I do, General.”
“As do I,” said the Raven General. “But when it comes to love and duty, which wins, Commander?”
Darcy did not know how to respond. Love versus duty. “My loyalty is to the lord,” he decided. It was true. If ever the question came to choice, although it would pain him, he knew what his choice would be. Darcy knew his partner would say the same.
The Raven General inclined her head. “I think we are very similar, Commander.” With that, she continued back to the residence.
Darcy did not know what to make of the general’s answer and her question left him with only more of his own.
—
The kitchen staff had truly put their best into serving the lord’s guests well. Many were eager to finish off their duties so that they could enjoy the nightly celebrations after their shifts. However, tensions were running high. There was too much to do and too little time. Within the chaotic mess, it was fairly easy for someone to sneak into the kitchen. The strict regulations that usually kept out any non-kitchen staff had been disregarded in the rush to quickly finish the menu for the lord’s personal banquet.
The false servant quickly slipped their way past dishes and the yelling head-chef. He picked his way through the crowd until he reached his target.
The purplish goop soup was still bubbling. However, per the commander’s orders (and fear of the general’s wrath) it had been left undisturbed.
The assassin smirked. Glancing around, they were fast to slip a satchel from their sleeves into their hands. They sprinkled the coarse white powder into the soup. The powder disintegrated and melted into the material.
The man went to pick up a stirrer, it would be best to mix it well and leave nothing to chance.
“Hey!” yelled a voice. It was the head chef. “Get away from that pot!”
The assassin froze. He dropped the stirrer and bowed his head. At the head chef’s reproach and the attention of the entire kitchen, he mumbled an apology and slipped out of the area as fast as he could.
“Make sure no one else goes near the lady’s soup!” hollered the chef. His eyes and frazzled hair promised pain to any that dared to disobey. Seeing the frantic nods of agreement he scowled, “Now get back to work!”
As the staff resumed in their duties the man called over his assistant. He lowered his voice. “Check into that servant, I’ve never seen him around here before.”
The assistant’s eyes widened. They quickly nodded.
Outside of the kitchen, the assassin groaned. This was a cursed job. Nothing ever went to plan.
He clenched his fists. Although they itched for his dual blades, the snake flower powder would draw less attention. He could only hope that the painful convulsions it caused would make his wait worthwhile. The assassin rolled their shoulders.
If all went well, tragedy would strike the Prince’s Residence tonight.
—
Faye froze at the doors to her chamber. She did not know whether to smile or scowl at the sight of her husband sitting on her bed. The Lord of Feldgrau looked up at her entrance. He even had the guts to shoot her an amused look.
The young woman sighed. She crossed her arms. “To what do I owe the pleasure, dear husband?” Her tone was as sharp as her blade. Although she was not displeased to see him, the invasion of her private space irked her. She also refused to acknowledge the nervous croak in her voice. “You of all people should know that proper etiquette requires you knock.”
Nikolai’s amusement faded slightly. “I suppose I do deserve that.” He gestured helplessly to the large package sitting beside him. “I was going to wait till you came back but Abby told me to drop this off and hurry to get ready myself. So, you see, I,” Nikoali paused, slightly confused at his own ramblings. He had a penchant for using too little words, never too many. “I apologize,” he bowed his head towards her. “I will take my leave now.”
As he strode past her, a hand shot out to hold him in place. Instincts made him stiffen as his body prepared for its fight or flight response. He glanced warily up to meet Faye’s piercing gaze.
She seemed to be in a good mood and shot him a playful smirk. “Stay while I open this gift.” Seeing that he would not bolt at the first chance he got, Faye released his arm and grabbed the package. It was heavy and the length was almost as tall as she.
“How else will I determine if I should thank or gut you?” she continued.
With anyone else, the lord would have played if off as a joke. With his wife, the circumstances were quite different. Faye’s sword was too close in range of his… guts. Nikolai sighed, “Of course. I would expect no less.”
Faye raised an eyebrow at his resigned tone but continued in her unwrapping. She tore away the paper without much fanfare. However, the mighty general froze at what was underneath. She brushed the ripped package away.
Nikolai peeked over, curious.
“This is the one from…” Faye’s voice drifted off. It was the remake of the dresses. The one she had requested in their ride to the castle. Every single one had been made identical to the original, just as she had asked.
The Lord of Feldgrau tipped his head. “I know we are not on… the best of terms. However, it felt remiss if I did not repay your patience with a… gift.”
Every other married woman in the kingdom would receive a gift for the festivities.
He did not mention that Abby had had to remind him numerous times of the special occasion. Although they were far from… lovers, they were at least fine acquaintances and Faye deserved to be gifted a special ornament like the rest of the ladies in the kingdom would be.
“You could have sent a servant,” murmured his wife. Amber eyes sought his.
Nikolai blinked. It was true. He opted for the truth. “I felt like delivering it myself.”
Her eyes widened. She felt a foreign heat fill her cheeks as she watched him go.
Once she was alone, Faye slapped her cool hands on her flaming face.
A helpless smile came onto her face. He had one-upped her again. For supposed strangers, the ice prince was quite the gift-giver. Faye’s mind drifted towards her own special surprise.
Nikolai wasn’t the only one who knew how to deliver a present.
—
In the main hall, guests started to trickle in. Abby, her own attire perfectly cleaned and proper, ushered the servants to lead the lords and ladies to the main banquet hall.
The assortment of merchants, commanders, and nobility were all secretly Nikolai’s newly sworn bannermen. His compatriots in their cause. There were a few extra who had been invited to distract from the gathering of some of the most powerful people in the capital. It was a precaution in case the queen was keeping an eye on them. It was also why some of the more prominent guests like the Langards had not been invited.
The Lord of Feldgrau’s cold disposition did not make him a stranger to playing a good host. He made sure to greet the lords and ladies properly. Although his wife was not by his side, he nodded and answered politely when asked about his marriage.
When the time for the banquet came around, the guests were split into different halls.
Nikolai and the most influential of his guests were ushered into the banquet room.
As soon as the doors closed, they glanced eagerly at the lord. Nikolai gestured for Cristin and Darcy to step forward. Both men had their arms filled with plans and maps.
The guests eyed the newly commissioned maps and tapped at the newest region.
“So that is where you’ve decided to put it?” asked the famed Spice Merchant.
The Lord of Feldgrau nodded. He tapped the map and almost smiled. “Our patience has not been in vain. Darcy had ridden and seen the production itself.”
Deep in the mountainous regions where few dared to roam, a group of the best miners and blacksmiths of Feldgrau began work on supplying their army. It was a backup in case things escalated into a fight.
They had successfully employed the help and aid of the nearby governors who supplied them with the valuable ores and extra hands needed for such mass production.
Now, they would be able to fight with more than ploys and careful words. Within a few months, Nikolai’s rebellion would finally be armed with weapons.
“We have worked hard and toiled for years.” The Lord of Feldgrau clapped his hands together. “For now, let us eat and celebrate!”
Excited cheers followed his announcement but weary eyes shifted around. They all knew.
This was only the calm before the storm.