Lure O' War (The Old Realms)

'Cura ut valeas Lucius'

-Archaic Lorian for 'Care to be safe Lucius'-

Legatus Marcus-Antonius Merenda's common warm valediction at the end of his private letters to his friend King Lucius the Third.

-

Marcus-Antonius Merenda

On the Queen's orders:

Sir Robert

Part II

-Iustitia et legitimitas-

"It is local red wine, slightly watered to make it palatable," Marcus-Antonius offered the cup to Sir Robert and he took it, gave it a swirl and then had a sip. He left the cup on the Legatus desk, while Merenda went past him to sit down on the chair. Then Robert took a seat himself and stilled his eyes on the strategic maps hanged on the desk's right side as he was facing it.

"The lakes produces poor vines. Plenty of rot in the fruit," Merenda commented tasting his cup himself with a grimace.

"I don't favor the Lorian manner of having it," Robert elucidated and Marcus-Antonius nodded slowly. "The wine is fine."

"I use the same excuse more or less, to avoid insulting my father in law," he finally jested and Robert cracked a smile this time, appreciating the Legatus attempt at humor.

Merenda of course had poured a lot of truth in that jest.

"You put a lot of work here," Robert finally said. "It's commendable."

"Found myself with property in bug-land and decided to help the wife's neighbors stand on their two feet and put roofs over their heads," Merenda retorted.

"What were Lucius initial orders?" Robert asked.

"What are the Queen's?" Merenda countered.

"She wishes the return of Eagles Nest to First Foot," Robert answered without losing a beat.

Alright, now we're getting somewhere, Marcus-Antonius thought and sucked on his front teeth mulling his answer over.

"Obviously we'll depart here, soon as work is finished and the wife gives birth," the Legatus replied in a measured manner. "Not to torture her with travel in her tender condition."

"Congratulations on the coming offspring," Robert offered. "I understand you are permitted to use the bridge over Mudriver, so the journey won't be as hard."

"I wouldn't know. Never traveled pregnant afore," Merenda taunted.

"The Queen's wish is a polite term. Her word is the law of the land," Robert argued patiently.

"As with all legitimate rulers," the Legatus countered.

"Ah," Robert said thoughtfully and tied his hands over his stomach. "What makes one more legitimate than the other?"

"Lord Anker's baby-king is a boy," Merenda replied. "I didn't make the rules."

"Will you enforce them? The rules you didn't make?"

"It's not my fight," the Legatus replied.

"No, it isn't." Robert grimaced and then stared straight into Merenda's sweaty face. "You won't deny the Queen's order, not under your current 'story' Legatus. Not unless you have Lucius backing and even then, will you force a conflict?"

"I'm well positioned, Sir Robert. Control the terrain and all approaches with rested troops," Merenda elucidated. "I can just stay put."

"The locals might turn on you," Robert pointed out, not looking particularly stressed about a potential scrap or hiding it well.

"I don't see it and frankly I don't need them," Marcus-Antonius replied.

"If Lord Axel marches from Forestfort you might find yourself in a predicament," Robert insisted. "For what? Just retreat back to Regia and we'll take over here."

"I understand the latter is the best case scenario, but what happens if I don't? Why dedicate critical resources better needed at the capital?" Merenda asked curious. "There is no value here for the current battle. Matter of fact, your troops are better needed west to scale the walls and kick Pourem out."

"Will he fight for the city?" Robert asked.

"He'll follow orders. Pourem is a smart general that can improvise on the fly and defend his position, if he's allowed the time to dig in. He has been given a lot of time. I didn't give him any time at all and he almost ruined my day. Killed a good friend and lost me a lot of men. It's not a praise on the man, but a warning not to take him lightly."

"It's not my plan Legatus," Robert said defensively looking at the maps again.

"Why not attack straight across the bridges and push him behind the walls?" Merenda asked taking note of his reaction. "Now he knows what he's up against and from where each unit will come. That's a lot of wall to climb or reduce Sir Robert. You need machines and supplies with winter season coming," the Legatus paused to think about it. "It might take until the next summer and that's a lot of months for the Khan to respond or Lord Anker."

"The idea was that Pourem would give up immediately. It's a political objective hidden behind a perceived strategic opportunity."

"Aha," Merenda replied and pursed his mouth. "What does Sir Robert want though? Because I'm given the idea you are not here to seek battle."

"I want to reach Badum," Robert replied without hesitation.

"For what reason? Obviously you're not simply homesick."

"Reclaim my legacy and stop Charles from putting someone else in charge of the barony."

"Nathan Van Durren," Merenda said and Robert stood back. "An obscure third cousin I believe. I'm receiving intelligence reports but they are hit or miss most of the time. Take it with a grain of salt, I can see that it's a surprise."

"He's not from our side of the family," Robert replied with a nod. "Brother Pike… well, I didn't expect that."

"Pike?"

"His priestly order name. Nathan lived most of his life in Ikete Shrine."

"A holy man?"

"Not particularly," Robert retorted. "He was sent there against his will."

"He'll be very appreciative of Charles though, if that was to happen," Merenda noticed. "You appear to disagree with the Duke's actions, but given your sister's silly adventures whilst you were missing, there was a real chance the barony might have ended up with the Van Calcar of Pascor. Charles had to step in."

"Aafke did what she thought was right for her at the time and Charles is a weasel operating in the shadows. Always was. As for Van Calcar, the Wolffish had Lucius backing, did he not? An odd decision."

"We agreed to be present to a wedding, not accommodate a massacre. Not much of a choice was given, but it helped your sister, the fact that Sula was there," Merenda replied and Robert made a gesture he didn't agree. "I'm listening Sir Robert."

"I don't want to dwell in the past," Robert replied. "You asked for time and I can talk the Queen into it, as I suspect she might be busy with the capital for longer than they initially believed."

"Go on," Merenda said taking another sip from his cup.

"When you depart, I'll follow you into Regia."

"Because going straight for Badum would be dangerous," Merenda noted. "You want Lucius' support, but it'll hurt our relation with Duke Charles, I believe. What about your 'legitimate Queen' or your friend Sir Gust?"

"Gust is gone and while I still support the Queen, the odds are she'll prefer Riverdor over me very soon. She craves strong allies to support her cause. Her actions are very easy to predict."

Prefect Holt seemed to believe the exact opposite about the latter, but Antonius opted not to go there.

"Lord Anker is still an option," he pointed out instead.

"Lord Anker knows his king is illegitimate. I can't support a lie, it would make me a hypocrite."

Well, that may be true, but Anker is also way more difficult to reach or negotiate.

"How so?" Merenda probed instead.

"Nienke didn't have a son nor did she reach Midlanor breathing. Nobody credible saw her arrive. The Queen of Kaltha was easy to recognize and shown to the public," Robert replied tiredly. "Sir Shane was killed because something terrible happened. To believe a son was miraculously produced out of such a catastrophe to solve all of Lord Anker's problems is foolish."

"So you follow us into Regia," Merenda continued their previous topic.

"I just need to reach Timberville and stay for a while within Regia's borders," Robert elucidated.

Oh boy, Marcus-Antonius thought sadly. While he had found the Badum nobleman a very grounded and easy to speak to person, the reality was that Robert was asking for too much.

"Why would Lucius, after working so hard to pacify the Lakelords and work with Riverdor, agree to such a proposal Sir Robert?" He asked. "It would hurt Regia politically, even drive Charles into Elsanne's hands."

"For the same reason he doesn't support the Queen," Robert replied steadily and the Legatus raised his brows amused.

"I'd like to hear the reasoning, as I'm afraid you caught me unawares Sir Robert," Marcus-Antonius insisted and the Badum nobleman told him.

-

Lucius

Lorian calendar, 11th of Nonus 195 NC

South side of Goldwall Peaks

Luciopolis

"Close the valves for the love of the Allgods!" A desperate Nipius Bonosus ordered the men standing at the top of the Aqueduct's channel as the distribution tank at its edge had overflowed and thoroughly doused the engineers –and its creator- watching at its base. The water had flowed down the main canal parallel to the road already and Lucius watched it for a while settling under the small bridge built to connect the two parts of the town. Another two bridges had been planned, but they had rushed construction on the water works first to lessen the burden on their logistics.

"Can we swim in the new canal?" Roderick asked him and Logan who had brought the boy to see his father grimaced as he'd bad memories of swimming in a different river. Colder, and much bigger, Lucius thought.

"It's too deep for you," he told his son and the boy frowned stubbornly.

"Eah," Logan grunted hoarsely, his face drenched in sweat and his skin an angry red.

"Take him to Mamercus," Lucius told the Nord warrior and turned to listen to Sir Valgus' words.

"Prefect Lepidus is with the Issir, my liege," the knight said and Lucius nodded.

"Four of them they said?" He asked watching Roderick walking away sullenly with the scowled Logan by his side.

"A guide and three monks."

"Monks?"

"Shaved heads and all sire. This Van Durren was a priest and has priests for friends," Sir Valgus replied stiffly.

"Tell Lepidus to keep them in the Castrum and I'll be there shortly," Lucius replied noticing another dark-skinned Issir at the edge of the canal, very near the bridge. Leirda had brought Nard with her, but the boy looked rather spooked and didn't approach the water.

"Sire?" Sir Valgus asked.

"I'll take the Decanus with me," Lucius assured him and signed for Vidrix of 1st Century's 4th Maniple –tasked with guarding the bridge- to approach them.

"Praetor!" Vidrix boomed after making the small sprint and saluted with a raised fist, sweaty face under the helm dominated by two prominent black eyebrows.

"Take a walk with me Decanus," Lucius ordered and hurried towards the half-breed.

Lucius went around the columned entrance of the bridge, benches and the hugging decorated fence made out of white marble like almost everything else in Luciopolis -the name bothered the King, but everyone was using it leaving Lucius with little room to alter it.

He'd another name envisioned for the town –the Lorian Gates- but the usually parsimonious in offering praise Bonosus was adamant the king's name was better suited for this and the other name reserved for the north exit of the tunnel beyond the mountains. 'No Lorian thought about it aloud, let alone put real effort to make it happen afore your grace came. Had this been a lowly bridge or a road, people would have perhaps thought to name it after its engineer or architect. But these series of projects is so much bigger, it'll influence the realm much more than anything I've ever done. For these reasons and many others, no other Lorian should get naming rights,' the architect had insisted about a month earlier before a big crowd that had gathered for the opening ceremony.

Faye had stayed with Monica in Cartagen, but Roderick wanted to see his father and she had tasked Logan to 'bring him safely through the horrid desert.' A more dramatic phrase than what the real journey offered after reaching Two Rivers Castle, with heat being the biggest obstacle over the new, heavily patrolled, road.

Lucius paused briefly as he reached the east bank of the canal, about ten meters south from the bridge, and stared at the stiff Nard keeping still near Leirda. The boy stood rigid like he had the devil on his shoulder and feared to move even an inch under the strong sun. As for Leirda, his sister, she had forgo of the benches, scaled the short fence and sat directly by the edge of the canal with her legs dangling over the water's surface.

She looked a little annoyed.

"We stopped the water flow," Lucius said, after he'd hopped over himself and walked next to the strange half-breed. "So the waters won't rise today."

"Ah, I should have known that," Leirda murmured and glanced at the taller Lucius. "Word is there's a statue of you erected near the tunnels entrance, another at the town's exit."

"They say a ruler's statue provides relief for those wanting to hate on your person on many occasions, with none of the risks. Unless your name is Framtond and you've no enemies," Lucius jested and looked away from the young seer, who twisted to look at him flushed.

His eyes wandered to the nearby, small shaded bridge's profile and then followed the gleaming clear waters of the ten meters wide canal that had slowly came at a rest, so much so they showed the concrete bottom. Some of the city and part of the aqueduct were mirrored over the calm waters, with Lucius standing upright next to the sitting Leirda clearly depicted also.

Lucius and a creature that looked nothing like Leirda.

The King blinked fearing the strong heat might have damaged his exposed head, but the strange Fishfolk female half-breed was still there, when he opened them and her reflection was still someone else. She had large sky-blue and silver eyes, and very big ears sprouting under a mess of white hair, with touches of blue and purple.

'Back in the lake's strange mist and here at world's edge, near the ruins of canals as big as natural seaways,' Ebenezer Framtond supposedly had said a hundred years prior, 'hidden in plain sight and under the shadows cast by the relics of their glorious past, Elauthin's Ghosts watch us from afar. They sing guardedly to those approaching in their tongue. To the heavens above our greetings. Our thoughts and prayers.'

Lucius pursed his mouth and dropped his hand on the pommel of his sword. Leirda watched his tensed face unsure for a moment and then whispered.

"Gratitude, it means a lot."

"What does?" Lucius rustled with a grimace.

"Remembering him."

The King had no idea what she was talking about. "You said there are mirror realms, like our own," he finally said with another glance at the seer's reflection.

"This is what troubles our gallant general? A relic found its way here from a tear, it means nothing and this feat cannot be replicated naturally," Leirda teased and clasped at her knees to draw her legs near her body, showing a lot of skin. Decanus Vidrix cleared his throat, the legionnaire stood near the shell-shocked Nard on the other side of the short fence before the canal's banks and watched their conversation with hawkish eyes. "Imagine many, thousands of folds on a long paper, little squares with their sides touching. What exists here, exists there for the most part. There is another Lorian race with their generals, their own Caesar. Kings and heroes. Pirates and Knights. Our visions shape many realities. Each iteration of a future, a different realm."

Stolen novel; please report.

"What about creatures like you?" Lucius asked her.

"Leirda's people live by the big lake," she said with a shrug.

Lucius stooped over her and reaching with his left hand cupped the right side of her face. Fingers tracing soft hair, upwards until they found the small ear, felt an earring where there was none and kept following their length well after Leirda's ear had visibly ended. His action had shocked the 'half-breed' and when Lucius withdrew his hand, she stared at him with utter amazement.

"Caesar Lucius," Leirda gasped with a fierce blush. "You've a pleasant touch."

Eh.

"What about creatures like you?" The king repeated, standing as shocked as the female.

"How would you know, about creatures like me?" Leirda asked, her voice changing and lowering an octave.

"When water stops flowing fast, its surface becomes a mirror," Lucius explained and she glanced at her own reflection with a pant of surprise, turned into a giggle. The sound ever-changing, more melodic to his hear and much creepier.

"I take it back," Leirda said raspingly. "There are no Lorians like you Lucius."

"Ahm," Vidrix grunted at the complete drop of decorum.

"Are you a spy?" Lucius asked.

"Why help you and your people if I was? Why not play a merchant or something less weird?" Leirda countered, but Lucius remembered Sula's descriptions of the Hag and what she had done during the wedding and his face hardened.

"Innocent people died, a bloody war broke out and you claim it was for helping me?" He asked. "I should have you arrested and judged for your crimes."

"Wolffish would have taken control of Badum. Used the confusion and the war to further his plans," Leirda replied with another glance at her exotic reflection. "Landed his wife there and force the officials to bend the knee. He was ruthless and determined. Old Lord Albert would have caved to his demands, so the old goat had to go. Sometimes you have to cut more of the rot away."

"You forced a conflict because of a vision?" Lucius asked angrily.

"In most futures, you lose Canlita Sea. Wolffish's plans extended beyond his part of the lake and you were busy at the time. He would have turned against you eventually. I stopped him dead and helped Sula."

"Sula's report speaks of a monster," Lucius grunted.

"Sula is overreacting. Ask him again. I heard he rules over Aegium now," Leirda replied casually. "He knows I was right."

Lucius clenched his jaw. "How accurate are your visions then?"

"No vision shows you what will happen but a possible outcome. I'm old enough to read between the lines. I'm not a spy. The King beyond the Pale Mountains is my enemy."

"Why?" Lucius asked with a grimace.

"He'll harm my people. Creatures like me. Some deserve it, but not all do. This I've seen," Leirda glanced at the still standing frozen Nard, which was very weird, and then she added. "He'll burn Zilan by the thousands and has already murdered people precious to me. Other seers that stood to oppose him and had seen the same future."

"Other seers?"

"Aye. Hardir O' Fardor is dangerous. A leveling force. He stands on lies, deceit and murder. A maniac without any consciousness that rides an onyx wyvern."

Lucius smacked his lips and then took a big breath. He ran his hand over his forehead to wipe some of the sweat off and then looked at the now standing Leirda.

"Show me yourself," he told her.

"Will Lucius protect me?"

"You are still free because you saved my family," Lucius retorted. "But I've an eerie feeling you are not truthful. What more is there? How did a Zilan seer end up here? Your story is full of horrors Leirda."

"The part you know is but a tiny fraction of what I am, a drop inside an ocean and you've made your decision already," Leirda replied with a smile. "I'm Galadriel of Tir, born in the shade of the mountain that bears my name, before the Lorians reached Jelin's shores."

"Where did the Lorians come from?" Lucius asked and she frowned, some of the pale Zilan skin emerging through the cracks on the veil of her illusion that rippled for a moment like water.

"Hmm. It could have been here, I suppose," Galadriel said thoughtfully. "No one bothered to ask though and it's been a very long time since then."

Lucius breathed out, then glanced to the east and the 3rd Cohort's Castrum's walls.

"I'm about to meet a noble priest, work on a matter of some import for Regia," he told her after a moment.

"One's title doesn't always describe the man," Galadriel cautioned. "But your name stands synonymous with enlightenment and righteousness."

"Another vision?"

"Just hard earned experience. Not always hard," she replied with a nervous cackle as if responding to a private recollection. "Goddess, I've bedded the wrong Lorian," the Zilan blurted out but Lucius while curious, decided not to probe on the matter more.

"Vidrix we are heading back to the Castrum," he told the grimacing Decanus. "We shall talk more," the King added and Galadriel/Leirda bowed her Issir head in an exaggerated manner, a strange click-clacking sound heard from the marble fence just as Nard came about with a sudden yelp of terror.

The half-breed stumbled to his knees, tumbled over near the edge of the canal and then plunged inside with a splash as if he had been left paralyzed or just being struck by a lighting.

"Nard's a real Fish-Folk. He can swim in his sleep," Galadriel assured them but rushed near the lip of the canal just the same to grab a screaming Nard by the hair and pull him out with ease with a flick of her hand.

"Damn," a bewildered Vidrix commented seeing the display of raw strength. "The lass is mightily strong for a girl, Praetor." Vidrix clenched his teeth tightly and then added even more perturbed than before. "Or a man, I suppose."

Maybe she uses magic more frequently than I thought, an equally impressed Lucius thought, making no further remarks.

"Duke Charles' envoy, the honorable Nathan Van Durren," Falx announced stiffly and let the dressed in simple robes nobleman through. Nathan was a man around forty, an Issir with a well-fed face, worn down from his long travel, but while dressed as a priest of Uher, he didn't appear priestly in his manners.

"Warm greetings King Lucius," Nathan said with a bow of his shaved head. His prominent white brows dominating his round face. "The Duke offers his condolences on your loss and offers gifts to the grieving mothers. Also a pair of swords and a knightly armour for your heir."

"We appreciate the Duke's generosity," Lucius replied from the top of the square table inside the Praetorium. The larger headquarters had been built to accommodate the King who had opted to sleep inside the Cohort's erected camp. "We shall gift ten wagons of the highest quality marble to take with you Master Nathan, already cut in square tiles. I hear the Duke is refurbishing Riverdor's palace."

"A modest work your grace after years of neglect. We very much appreciate the gift. It will liven the place up," Nathan replied and took a seat at the table after Lucius made a gesture for the priest to join him. Ramirus made to stand from the other table –the one adjoined to the wooden wall- but Lucius stopped him with a stare and the officer returned to his seat without a word.

"I understand Duke Charles has a couple of fresh suggestions to make," Lucius started. "I'd like to hear them before our meal is served. I understand Uher's priests avoid eating red meat, so I had the kitchen prepare a soup."

"It's a relic of older times your grace. Ikete was a port with a lake on its back," Nathan replied. "Plenty of fish and flour broth."

"I thought Ikete Shrine was built at the base of a mountain."

"The old city, King Lucius. As I said, a relic of older times. I moved on from watery foods after I left the order."

"Roasted ribs and rice prepared in a stone oven it is, dear Falx," Lucius said to the chamberlain and Falx left to bring their meal over. "We have white wine, a bit sweet and some find it not to their liking, but it is nicely chilled. You indulge in alcohol Master Nathan?"

"More times than not, your grace," Nathan replied with surprising honesty for an Issir. "It lifts the spirit and clears the toxins."

"Uher's words preach medicine and novel diets now?"

"Nathan's words do, your grace," the former priest replied readily and Lucius nodded with a slight smile. He liked his direct manner, and Nathan had come prepared.

"I'm listening, Master Nathan," the king said after a moment of silent contemplation.

-

Two hours later

"They are asleep, Praetor," Lepidus reported on their guests. Ramirus had just returned as well with a large sack of correspondence from the capital and the provinces and took the seat Nathan had vacated, brushing the leftovers away with his left arm.

"Falx will get everything," Lucius told the LID officer.

"I don't mind it, Praetor," Ramirus replied.

"I asked you to play a different role and you fulfilled your mission excellently. Thank you, Prefect Lepidus," Lucius told the other officer and Lepidus saluted sharply before leaving them alone.

"Interesting development," Ramirus commented while shifting through the mail and missives inside the bag.

"Elsanne's war hit a wall you think?" Lucius asked with a hint of razz.

"I suspect it did," Ramirus replied. "Not a surprise, but perhaps they had a different timetable?"

"We expended weeks besieging Old Fort, Lesia lost months against Cartagen and they failed to take the city," Lucius said. "What made them believe they could do it inside a month?"

"They have the numbers probably," Ramirus said furrowing his brows, before he pulled a missive out of the mail bag.

"Charles claims he's undecided, but that the Queen made a compelling offer," Lucius repeated what Nathan had told them.

"Charles won't join Anker. Anker despises him for the fiasco at Pascor and failing to provide any meaningful help at 3Roads. It cost the High Regent the life of Sir Mark."

Lucius nodded. "Mark moved too fast, the same plan worked at Crimson Forest," he said, then paused to stare at Ramirus. "Of course Luikens' schemes played a crucial role there. Any word on them?"

"We might have something soon. Logic dictates the alchemists fled either to Fetya or towards the Canlita Sea. But I didn't want to give Charles' man any insight on our knowledge."

"Charles probably looks for them also," Lucius noted.

"Aye. This is a letter from Legatus Merenda, Praetor," Ramirus informed him and gave Lucius the missive over the table. He'd cracked the wax seal to skim through it briefly, before giving it to the King.

"Could they have gone across the Shallow Sea?" Lucius asked while reading Marcus-Antonius small but bold letters. A letter written by the Legatus in person as Plautus calligraphy was distinct and very prominent.

"Sure, but the Khan would skin them and make a saddle for his horse," Ramirus replied in another attempt to make a jest.

"That's creepy Prefect," Lucius told him.

"Apologies, sir."

"What about Wetull?" He asked, raising his brows at what Merenda had written.

"Tyeus helps us," Ramirus grunted. "That would be a dire development."

"Robert Van Durren is at Eagles Nest," Lucius muttered. "Why in Allgods grace?"

"I stopped reading there sir," Ramirus replied steadily.

"So, Robert offers Merenda to stay put for six months –with him, then jointly depart the great lakes, in exchange for asylum for Robert and his men." Lucius grimaced and lowered the scroll to look at the LID officer. "What's going on?"

"He sniffed out the Queen has approached Charles?"

Indeed.

"Charles wants us to join forces, march against the capital from the southeast. Say we agree. He then turns and offers this potential agreement to the Queen, who takes it and drops her demand for Charles to return Badum's title to Robert. So we win something, Elsanne gets what she wants and Charles comes out of it pretty clean with the added benefit of further bonuses down the line. A short man, with a sneaky demeanor, but less difficult company than Duke Rik who is as stubborn as they come. Younger and prone to flattery. Never liked him nor his late brother but Elsanne might. Anyways, does this sum it up?"

"Aye. Sounds about right sire," Ramirus agreed.

"Not good for Robert obviously," Lucius murmured. "Still, going against the Queen… she must have done something more to spook Lord Crustacean."

"Gave Forestfort to Ruud's bastard with the prostitute," Ramirus said.

"Ruud had many it turns out, but aye, not offering something to Janneke's kids is pretty strange," Lucius replied with a nod. "Robert was Gust's friend though. Always trying to explain away the Raven's actions… you think Gust might be too badly hurt?"

"Hasn't be seen in public since the nuptials sire," Ramirus said.

"It's obvious Charles would side with the Queen," Lucius said after a moment. "Lord Anker is a difficult man to find bargain against or force to give concessions and for us it would solidify our west borders, even have Timberville returned. Not to mention the potential chance to get close to Jeremy's kids."

Ramirus agreed with a nod.

"So Robert's deal isn't very appealing," Lucius added with a sigh.

"It makes sense," Ramirus grimaced. "You don't appear pleased."

"I'd have preferred for Elsanne to be more direct with me," Lucius said. "Instead of trying all this Eplas style backroom diplomacy. Maneuvering to isolate the High Regent and her nephew out of their claim, eh… it feels dirty."

"She has a eunuch as an advisor," Ramirus noted. "One of Radin's former palace slaves. Word is she forced Sigurd to swear fealty to the Van Oord of Castalor, removed him as a confidant. She also has a pirate lord governing Eikenport."

"Absurd. Will she stop providing ports for Wetull?" Lucius asked pursing his mouth. "If we agree to this… because helping Robert shall push us aside."

"She might agree. No one understands the nature of her relation with the Zilan. It's a… twisted alliance sire, for someone with Reinut's blood."

"Um. A marriage of convenience," Lucius murmured.

"Shows how weak is her claim," Ramirus added.

"Not always," the King replied thoughtfully and returned his eyes on Merenda's letter.

"I'll ask Lepidus to wake our guest," Ramirus said after a long moment tapping his fist once on the table. "Get it over with, prepare for a campaign against the capital and focus on our affairs in the Scalding Sea."

"We should do that," Lucius said distractedly and the LID officer got up to find Prefect Lepidus.

A matter of desperate affairs sir, Merenda wrote in his private letter. Unsavory rulers with questionable morals fighting for supremacy. Plenty of backstabbing after dinner. A good amount of stabbing during it. An absence of care for the important matters. Important to the nation. Its people. Robert insists Elsanne's claim is valid and Anker manifested his for patriotic reasons. Out of fear for the alternative. Convenient perhaps, but not farfetched. But still, while Robert doesn't want her to fail, he must look to his own affairs justifiably.

The righteous man must struggle to defend his sacred rights, his family's history and earned titles. Robert wants to reward those with him also, those still loyal and still willing to sacrifice their livelihood with something more than a pat on the back. A familiar story to my ear my good friend, my general. Straightforward and without any hidden agendas that I can see. Not important enough at any rate.

Robert told me that it would have been much better for everyone, if he had perished alongside his father on Eplas. More convenient. But that would mean those he managed to bring back with him would have had to perish also. Many did already. It would finally mean that he would have to give up his rights to someone less worthy or not legitimate at all.

We didn't stand down sir. Or retreat before difficulty. We went after them.

You went after them Lucius.

Your claims and the people's right to be ruled by their rightful Monarch.

My lord, Robert said you can fight for power and utter supremacy, win it all in the end but be seen as a classless thug. Or you could be a force of justice and work to right wrongs, in this realm or any other, even when it's inconvenient.

Iustitia et legitimitas, Tacitus writes and it is what Robert asked for.

Nothing more. It's in your hands now.

Stand for justice and legitimacy and even your fiercest of enemies shall be forced to accept your cause. Enshrine your legacy in stone forever. People of all creeds and races shall stand under your banner and those that opted not to shall always remember… they were in the wrong side of history.

If we support the right order of things, then we should support Robert.

Cura ut valeas Lucius,

Always at your service,

Legatus Marcus-Antonius Merenda

5th of Nonus, 195 NC.

Eagles Nest.

-

"Ramirus halt," Lucius rustled and stopped the LID officer from exiting the Praetorium. Ramirus turned around, gazed upon Lucius' tanned but quite determined face and furrowed his brows unsure. "We are not taking Nathan's offer. Let him keep the wagons, but send him back with our warm salutations to the Duke of Riverdor."

Ramirus nodded and then raised his arm to salute the seated king.

"I'll see to it posthaste sir," he added without any hesitation.

-

Desmond Boss' Castalor troops prepared for a long siege at Eagleport after the Gallant Dogs defeat at Reinut's Bridge, while the rest of the army of Scaldingport under Viscount De Moss and Sir Cramer managed to take control of both bridges at the start of the month Nonus.

De Moss made a reluctant attempt to attack the capital's walls immediately on the 9th but was pummeled by machines firing from elevated positions and was forced to retreat in disarray within hours. Lord Osahar's unchecked supply fleet –operating out of the river delta- delivered reinforcements to Mutobo on the 11th and he counter-attacked Boss at Eagleport the next day breaking the siege momentarily. Sir Cramer clashed with Timor's riders in the perilous lands between Issir's Eagle and the village of Merchant Road, until he managed to control the west approaches to the capital by the last week of the month. Still despite their efforts a month into their assault, the three generals had been unable to even challenge Pourem's defenses at the capital.

Word reached Elsanne about the disastrous opening to the campaign and the infuriated Queen ordered Duke Rid De Weer to take control of the whole army against Castalor's objections –as they wanted the position kept open for the recuperating Sir Walter Van Oord.

'It takes me less than a day to reach from the river to the capital. I've done the trip many times as a little girl,' Elsanne raged at her council, 'and yet grown men with many soldiers at their disposal can't manage it in a month?'

Duke Rik travelled with his personal guard immediately but it took him two weeks to get control of the forces before the capital and by that time the first rains had come. The river filled with water and the terrain turned into quagmire.

Sir Robert Van Durren delivered Merenda's response to Elsanne a week before the Duke of Scaldingport arrived near the flustered De Moss. The Legatus of First Legion asked for six full months to fully evacuate his troops which the Queen found ludicrous, but was forced to accept Merenda's excuse at Robert's insistence –mainly centered on the poor health of his wife Lady Oline, who had once been one of the palace's maidens of honor.

'At least she found a husband,' an outwardly moved Elsanne commented, letting some razz leak into the official documents. 'I guess not much else was on offer than this Lorian brute. Poor Oline was getting up there in years.'

Duke Charles Van Durren was informed by Nathan, his cousin had been dispatched to Luciopolis to speak with the King of Greater Regia, about Lucius decision to 'stay out of Kaltha's matters for the immediate future.'

While suspicious and not particularly happy about the vague but not untruthful reply, the Duke also petitioned the Queen for extra time in order to move forces up Serpent's Tongue River via boats, as he wanted to see what the First Legion would do first.

At the same time, he wrote to Lord Anker and the Lakelords trying to by himself more time before committing, but it was all a ruse as the Duke had already set his plans in motion. He just waited for the right time to implement them.

Lord Anker outright asked Charles to attack the Capital and commit five thousand troops under his banner –moved over bad terrain east of Chinos River to avoid detection- in order to jointly assault Pourem by the summer of 196 NC. The High Regent knew he couldn't move in a year and he was more focused on attacking the Khanate's rebuilding fleet at Rida, but despite the Duke of Caspo O' Bor's efforts Kaltha's ships were not in a position to attempt such a perilous action so soon, or risk another catastrophic defeat near hostile waters.

A delegation from Anker reached Krakenhall on the tenth month of the year to discuss a strengthening of trade relations with the Duchess. Despite the initial distrust, some rapport had been built due to Zofia's prudent ruling and the two Duchies agreed on a defensive pact of sorts. It secured Zofia's Kaltha borders –allowing her to concentrate in her affairs in the north- but also gave Anker the ability to release some of the forces kept there to guard the North, and dedicate more resources in rebuilding his army and reorganizing his domain. In a brief speech at 2nd Foot's empty barracks the still mourning Duke of Midlanor urged the new recruits to 'serve their colors with the same dedication as befitting the unit and its fallen heroes'.

Wilfred Flucht became the next lead Archivist and Brother Sebastos joined as well as his second in command, taking part of Luikens' old duties and the ceremonious 'Grand Archivist' title. Magister Sande De Hove became leader of the Inquisitors and elevated the young Reinhart Kelholt up the order's ranks.

While all this was happening just before and during the winter, in the distant Goras the King beyond the Pale Mountains was just about to receive reinforcements. A second wyvern, or a third, if one counted Princess Lussiel Inis-Mir's golden pet, this one a fully grown beast, with rumors of a fourth circulating as early as the winter of 195-196.

Still and while different opinions exist on the matter, this author believes it was the Queen's poor handling of the campaign in the latter part of 195 NC that dictated the events of the next year and beyond.

A desperate man eats a rotten carcass in the desert and drinks foul water in order to earn himself another day, the Eplas saying goes. He might perish of self-poisoning and high fever before the day is over, but then again, he might not.

Vizier Pourem was desperate and very determined. The Queen needed to be the same to come out of it now that she had come so close. Nothing that lasts is ever given freely and a ruler needs a strong stomach first and foremost, the wherewithal to not crack under immense pressure or public outrage, which to her praise she didn't, but also keep a level head in order to make the right decision even if humbling, which alas she didn't.