Felix Matís couldn't stop laughing at the sight of the two former lords in the cells across from his. A miserable sight, two failed traitors licking their wounds. It was the only source of amusement he had in this place, but it sure was entertaining.
They had been brought in several days ago, battered and bruised and worse for wear with dirtied clothes and unwashed bodies. Such a predicament for two men that were used to luxury and servants tending to their every need.
Felix didn't feel a shred of sympathy for them. They hadn't lifted a finger when he had been arrested, too concerned their own disloyalty would come to light.
The irony of it brought about another round of laughter. What would have made things even more perfect was if his father had been arrested too, but ,alas, the lord of Matís remained loyal to the house Aurelios. Perhaps even more so now that Vertalis was up for grabs. Felix wondered who would be rewarded with the rule of the estate, and the vast province that came with it. It was too valuable to leave vulnerable for long, being located so near the border with Balor.
Not that it was any of his concern.
Across from him, lord Atoli narrowed his eyes. "Hold your laughter, Felix Matís," he growled annoyed, "you're in no position to mock us." In truth, it had taken the two men quite some time to even recognize Felix. Years of imprisonment hadn't done him much good in the looks department. Soon, this would be their fate too.
Felix chuckled some more. "On the contrary," he said amused, "I'm in the perfect position. After all, I know what it is like to cross daggers with the house Aurelios, so to speak. And you were so close, weren't you? Attacking Boncini was your downfall. You know how precious dear Vara is to them. You should have left well enough alone. At least until you actually had Zeir in your control."
Lord Atoli scoffed in frustration. The boy made sense. He had overplayed his hand. If only he had waited a few more weeks. He should have seen his daughter wed first to that Salvire boy. His glare settled on his brother-in-law who had been too eager to gain control, and held a grudge against Vara for not accepting his son.
He blamed Izem di Salve too, who should have withheld his men for coming to Boncini's aid. If he hadn't broken his word, they would have had Zeir by now. They would have won. And king Marcos would be the one in chains by now. Such incompetence!
Felix smirked when his neighbors didn't reply to his taunts. Pathetic. Both of them. He almost wished he had been the traitor. He'd have done a much better job of it, surely.
But it was too late for that now. He'd rot in here for trying to get justice for injured pride. This was what the once proud nation had fallen to. Honoring low born cretin by awarding them titles and land. Soon they'd be no better than Balor.
Felix snorted and sat down on the bench in his cell, done for the day with taunting his fellow prisoners. He'd have to save his jests for another day.
They would be here for a while longer after all.
...
Wounded men kept coming in. There seemed to be no end to the enemy's numbers.
As predicted, men from Vertalis were fighting alongside Balor. They must not have heard the news yet that their lord had been taken into custody, but either way, there was no time to discuss these matters. They were at war and casualties fell on both sides.
Even with the added numbers from Lavos, they did not have the upper hand. Cyrus feared that soon they would be overrun.
Iolaus hadn't returned yet, but Cyrus was sure his friend had thought it best to stay with Iason at the fortification. They, too, were in need of men. And Iolaus knew their plans. Together with Iason they could come up with the best strategy.
"Riders!" A call came from one of the scouts that was positioned near the western mountain range. "Stregare is coming!"
Cyrus whirled around. Of course he knew his father had sent a missive to lord Strega, but he hadn't been certain they would actually come. Cyrus had to admit he hadn't been fully sure of their loyalty. Kin or no, they were a powerful house and had most of the fleet under their command as well as a large territory on the Southwest of Zeir due to marriage ties.
It was a relief they had obeyed the king's call for help. They needed the numbers.
Cyrus made his way towards the edge of the camp so he could welcome the army of Stregare and direct their captain to the officers' tent. He was sure Darius had already gotten wind of the new arrivals and would meet them there.
When Cyrus saw the sheer size of the army however, he was taken aback for a moment. It wasn't only Stregare that had come. He saw banners for Astor and Moraye as well. Even some from Santos.
"Well met, prince Cyrus!" The commander of the troops dismounted and took off his helmet. Only then did Cyrus recognize Cassius Strega, heir of Stregare. "We bring reinforcements as you see."
Cyrus clasped his wrist and shook it. "They are most welcome. And not a moment too soon. Who are your captains? Please tell them to come with me to meet up with king Darius Tirzé. We have much to discuss and not much time to do it." He waved over a nearby soldier. "Direct our reinforcements to where they may set up camp."
"Yes, Your Highness," the soldier answered.
Cassius nodded and waved towards his troops. Four men rode forward. "My captains," Cassius said, "Theron from Astor with one-hundred and fifty men under his command. Antonius, who came under my brother's banner and brought two-hundred men from Moraye. My second in command, Ignisius. And I believe you are acquainted with lord Alcaeus di Santi?"
Cyrus nodded at Alcaeus. The man was a cousin of Ophelia and lived on the Santos estate. "Good to see you again. I am grateful for Santos' men."
Alcaeus smirked. "Santos couldn't stay behind. When we heard our neighbors were assembling, my lord wasted no time. He sent word to lord Quintus and we joined the party. A hundred men from Santos."
"And four hundred from Stregare here," Cassius added, "another hundred we sent North to join lord Iason at the fort. As requested."
"We thank you," Cyrus said as he preceded them towards the large officers' tent. Darius was already there.
"News from Byron," Darius announced as soon as Cyrus entered the tent.
"Are they holding up?" Cyrus asked.
Darius' eyes moved toward the men that had followed Cyrus into the tent and studied them curiously.
"King Darius," Cyrus introduced the men, "I bring lord Cassius Strega, heir of Stregare, and his second in command, Ignisius. They bring four hundred men. Antonius of Moraye, two hundred men. Theron from the Astor estate with one hundred and fifty. And lord Alcaeus di Santi from Santos with hundred men under his command."
"Your Majesty," the men all bowed.
"Another hundred are on our side of the border at the fort," Cyrus informed Darius, "Iolaus and Iason will come up with a strategy. With the added men they can close in on the enemy from behind." He paused. What news from Byron?"
"They are struggling to keep the enemy at bay. Balor is trying to cross into Tirèze through our North border. They need more men to close their ranks, so Balor won't slip through the cracks."
"Send us where is needed most," Cassius spoke, "we will fight."
Cyrus turned to him and looked at him seriously. "You need to know there are men from Vertalis fighting alongside Balor. Both lord Vertus and lord Atoli have betrayed us. They have been conspiring with the enemy. Anyone that surrenders will be taken prisoner. Who does not, will share Balor's fate."
The men hissed and looked at each other with shared anger. "Traitors?" Alcaeus spat.
"Did they instigate the attack on Boncini?" Ignisius asked angrily.
"They stood by as our men at the fort were slaughtered?" Theron growled.
"Fear not," Cassius spoke icily, "we will avenge our comrades. We show no mercy to traitors."
Darius pointed at the map. "We are positioned here, here and here. Then there is the fort in Zeir. We need to strengthen our forces here and here. How many can you send out immediately?"
"As soon as the horses are rested," Cassius said, "we rode hard t get here. How many do you require we sent out?"
Darius thought a moment. "Three hundred here. And another three hundred to the North border. The rest can remain here for now. I would appreciate if you appoint several messengers in each group that can ride back and forth so we can relive the ones that have been charged with the task before."
"Of course," Cassius nodded.
Darius looked at Cyrus. "Will this be right by you as well?"
Cyrus nodded. "Proceed as instructed."
"Your Highness," Cassius bowed. He bowed again at Darius. "King Darius."
His men followed his example and they left the tent together to relay the new instructions.
Darius sighed and ran a hand across his face. So many lives depended on him and how he distributed his soldiers. Lives of men from other nations, his own family.
This was part of being king he could do without.
"We will win this war," Cyrus stated calmly. He too felt the pressure of this burden. One careless decision could result in many deaths. It wasn't a responsibility he was eager for. "Lord Strega's men are hardened soldiers. We have the strength in numbers now."
Darius nodded solemnly. "Yes, but they have knowledge on their side. Who knows how much information they have gathered over the years? What they know of our strategies?" Perhaps there were traitors amongst them even now. He sighed. "Prince Cyrus, will you take over command for the time being?" He needed rest.
"Of course," Cyrus nodded, "if anything requires your attention I'll send Torcan to you."
Darius inclined his head. After the had rested, he'd tell Cyrus to do the same. There was no telling how long this battle would last. They couldn't afford to be careless and get caught by surprise. They needed to strike first and strike hard.
And put an end to this once and for all.
...
Ophelia sighed and set her book aside. Waiting for news was dreadful and stressful. Word had reached her that her father had also sent out men to the border. She herself wished he had allowed her to ride with them until Boncini so she could visit Vara, but he had forbidden it, claiming Boncini was too close to the border. He wouldn't risk his daughter.
So instead, Ophelia had decided to visit Ariane, who was also eagerly awaiting news. The two women might not be friends exactly, but they had found common grounds with their husbands being close.
There wasn't much else they could do but wait. Reports were rare and far in between. So far no one she knew was listed among the casualties, but that could change in a matter of seconds.
Ophelia glanced at Ariane, who was distractedly stitching away at some embroidery, and wondered If the woman realized her flowers were crooked and she had gone over the same stitch ten times already.
In a corner of the room, Lucius was playing with little Arkmene. Ophelia smiled at it and wondered if the two would become friends growing up. She sincerely hoped so.
The thought made her smile.
"I need some fresh air," Ariane suddenly declared. She put her needlework aside and rose to her feet. Motioning a servant to watch the children, she turned to Ophelia. "Will you join me, lady Ophelia?"
"Of course," Ophelia nodded. She walked over to her daughter and petted the child's head. "Momma will be right back. Stay with prince Lucius."
The two women retreated to one of the smaller inner courtyards. A trickling fountain was the only sound that could be heard.
Ariane seated herself on the edge of the water ornament and let out a sigh. She wrapped a large shawl around herself, finding the air a little chilly.
"They will be fine," Ophelia tried to reassure her, "as long as there is no news, we know no harm has come to them." She was trying to calm her own nerves as well as Ariane's. Still, it was true. She needed to hold on to that. Ophelia smiled at Ariane. "In any case, you should try to focus on the child you are carrying. Wouldn't Cyrus want the same?"
Ariane bit her lip and looked down at her lap. Of course she knew this, but it was easier said than done. She was terrified. Terrified that her husband would die in this fight and that she would be left behind. What would become of her if her husband was gone? Yes, her son was heir to the throne, but he was only a child. His position was precarious at most. And for all the time she had lived at court in Zeir, she was a foreigner. Would she be sent home? To stay in her brother's care until the day she died?
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. 'Please come home.'
...
Captain Aquilus was an experienced and skilled commander that did not hesitate to accede command of his men to lord Iolaus and lord Iason, who outranked him. He presented himself professionally as he handed over the scroll he had been entrusted with by his lord and liege, lord Quintus Strega. He bowed submissively. "My lords," he said, "lord Strega sends one hundred additional men to strengthen your troops. A combined force of men from Stregare, Astor, Moraye and Santos has been dispatched at the disposal of prince Cyrus. We await your instructions."
Iolaus handed the scroll to Iason to read, who was lead commander.
"Captain Aquilus," Iolaus inclined his head, "we are grateful for the aid. It is most welcome. We will situate your men and see that they are fed and rested while we discuss our next move." He signaled for a servant to bring them some food and water and to relay his instructions regarding the men from Stregare. "Please sit. The journey must have been long." He looked at Iason who had finished reading. "And?"
"Eight hundred and fifty were sent to meet prince Cyrus," Iason informed him. "A hundred more came under captain Aquilus here. We have the men now to trap Balor in the canyon, and ward off the attacks they place on us here." He looked at Iolaus. "Would you be willing to lead the attack? I will remain here to keep the fort. Captain Aquilus can lead a second team. I'll call back the men we sent out already and regroup them. I will also send word to prince Cyrus and king Darius to inform them of our strategy. Perhaps they have new instructions."
Iolaus nodded. "Of course. How many men should I take?"
"One hundred and twenty," Iason said, "captain Aquilus, take another fifty to intercept the enemy here, in the corner of the mountains to cut off their escape route. Prince Cyrus has troops of his own on the other side of the border. We'll lock them in there as well."
"Yes, my lord," captain Aquilus bowed.
Iason nodded. He hoped it would be enough. There was no way of knowing how the rest of the troops were doing in Tirèze. They couldn't afford to waste messengers only to get an idea of the situation. If there occurred any urgent matters, they would know. The best they could do was focus on their own situation and do their duty to the best of their abilities.
"Prepare to ride out within the hour," he told Iolaus, "let's surprise them during the night."
Iolaus gave a serios nod. "You can count on me."
As Iolaus strode out of the room, Iason turned to captain Aquilus. "Assemble fifty men. They'll be dispatched at dawn. Take this route." he pointed at the map. "it is possible you will meet with king Darius' men, or possibly our own. Perhaps they have information to share. In any case, inform them about our current situation and what strategy we have discussed just now."
Captain Aquilus bowed. "Yes, my lord." He swiftly left the room. There was much to prepare. Dawn was still hours away, but even so, his men would not get much time to rest. It took time to organize troops and make sure everyone understood their instructions.
Determined to not waste a second of this time, he rejoined his men.
...
King Marcos paced the length of his study in frustration. True, he had the two lords that had betrayed him in custody, and a few additional captives too, but he still felt lost at what to do with them. Set an example and sentence them to die? Could he really be certain they were the only traitors? He wanted to believe everything was behind him now and he could rest on his throne assured.
But who could he trust?
He had questioned the prisoners long and thorough of course, and so far they hadn't revealed any names of co-conspirators. They had revealed a lot of other information thought, which led to believe they had acted alone, and none of his other lords were involved. With the exception of lord Izem di Salve of course, but his identity had already been known, along with the part he had played in the ploy. His prisoners hadn't withheld any information shared with the man.
King Marcos rubbed a hand across his face and sighed. At least the border was secure. Still, that didn't mean he could go through the rest of his reign wary of the lords. There were men he trusted. Lord Valerus, lord di Santi, lord Riccardo Prias. And he wanted to believe lord Horas and lord Strega were loyal as well.
For now, he would see how matters would unfold with king Darius and with Cyrus. Now was not the time to assemble his council and make further war decisions. His prisoners weren't going anywhere. Both Deccus and Giulia were under strict house arrest. Not even their own servants were allowed near them lest they relay a message. Their family lands were forfeit. Once the battle was over, king Marcos would decide who to grand them to and what to do with the former heirs.
There were more urgent matters at hand.
Vertalis wasn't the only place Balor's attacks were situated. He had his other borders to think of too. Verene in the South had finished the build of their new battle ships and had asked for reimbursement for the labor. They'd had to hire local carpenters to help speed up the work. Now they needed provisions to store on board. A hundred and fifty men per ship. This included soldiers and rowers alike.
Six hundred people in total.
He would have his Overseer of Inventory draft up a list with necessities and then distribute them as quickly as possible.
Then there were still petitions to go over. Taxes had increased recently due to the continuing war and people were struggling. The poorer families even sent out their sons to war, knowing it would provide them with foods and shelter their own parents couldn't afford. All of these new recruits needed to be trained and housed somewhere. He had half a mind to send some of them to replenish the men at Stregare and Santos. There, the fighting was less severe and some of the young men not experienced in battel could serve as personal guards or messengers.
So much to consider, and never enough time.
King Marcos sighed and took the first scroll from the stack.