Lumieri Chronicles: Rise of the First Empire (Book 1)

Chapter 20 Bloody Diplomacy

Third POV

"What happened?" Leo begins as the soldiers avert their eyes out of fear.

Robert meanwhile looks at the ground in shame. "I... I don't know sir..."

Leo in response, raises a brow. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"Well sir...I...well I was never aware of what happened as I wasn't in the camp when it took place...I apologize..."

Instead of shock, Leo's face gets more and more enraged. "Explain to me in full detail General."

"Well sir, the lord of Vellia demanded that we only send our diplomats escorted by a few soldiers. So I sent them with an escort of twenty of my best men with Captain Casper as the head. I was planning on going with them but I received a missive from General Erwin asking for updated information of the area. So I went with my riders to scout about and sent the diplomats on their way telling them that I'll meet them back here. But when I returned, all that welcomed me was..."

"Was what? Spit it out General!"

"The hands of our diplomats sir...along with their ears, tongues, and eyes..."

The king's eyes grow wide with surprise but it was for a moment as his face began to contort into a scowl.

"Damned those insolent bastards!" Leo shouts, making Robert and everyone else flinch. "I'll see to it that they'll all hang for this!"

"And...I'm sorry for my failure sir..." Robert states, giving Leo a short bow. "If I was with them then I would've-"

"The fault was not fully yours General." Leo states with a shake of his head. "No one but the leaders in Vellia saw this coming. But you have one fault General..."

Robert perks up at Leo's statement. "What is it sir?"

"You trusted them too much."

"Sir? I don't understand..."

"You should have never trusted them and simply sent close to a hundred men, with half positioned at the gates ready to take it if things go south. And to place your army close to the city for that eventuality."

"But sir, I only have close to five thousand men with me. And Vellia, according to previous reports has ten thousand men-"

"Twenty. They have twenty thousand men now General." A soft feminine suddenly states behind me.

Leo turns around and comes face to face with his main spy, Elena. "So I take it you scouted the city on your own?"

Yes, I did sire." Elena responds with a nod. "They've been fortifying their positions. They've placed ballistas around their walls and have begun strengthening the gates. Security has also increased exponentially with entering and leaving the city is close to impossible in normal circumstances."

"Then how did you get out?" Leo questions noting the spy's clothing as lacking indications of a struggle.

"They were good in normal circumstances but are frankly sub-par in preventing espionage from taking place. At best, they can only stop a petty thief or criminal from leaving." She replies with a hint of smugness in her tone.

Leo chuckles in response, the rage slowly dissipating because of the conversation. "Then excellent work." Leo then turns to Robert who's just observing the conversation. "As for you General, nevermind my previous criticisms. Judging from the information received most of it was the right call. Except for one..."

"Yes sir, what is it?"

"You deciding to go with the diplomats. I know you want to show that you can also be a good diplomat General, but please consider the situation next time. You were heading into a possibly hostile city, and you desired to go with the diplomats. Make sure that you're on even footing with the one you're negotiating with General. And make sure he doesn't have enough forces to thoroughly wipe you out. Because in all honesty, do you really think I would just let your assasination lying down?"