A large carriage engages on the street and passes in front of us, the crest on it is that of my Lady, a stylized long lance under a stag’s head, signifying that she is the Duke of Meria’s subject.

I do my best to control my expression as I look through the carriage’s window. The Noble inside isn’t one that I recognize. I discreetly sigh in relief. The waiter that I’ve called for approaches our table.

“My Lady, what can the Crown do for you today?” He asks.

“Something warm to drink, if you please.” I reply without looking.

“Right away.” I hear the waiter bow a little and depart.

“I didn’t see you at the keep, where are you staying?” Matfrid asks curiously.

“An Inn that I can’t recall the name of, my servant picked it and I was satisfied by the commodities available.” I answer but he seems distracted.

Matfrid groans and I hear his horse neigh on the other side of the street. I throw a quick glance. The animal is moving sideways away from the blacksmith to prevent the man from taking hold of its hoof.

“Ah, a ballet horse. Congratulations, Lord Matfrid, your mount is full of talent!” I chuckle.

“Why, thank you, Lady Elizabeth.” He replies with a flat tone of voice, turning away from the scene.

“All jokes aside, I’ve seen the looks on people’s faces on the way here. How large is this army?” I ask.

“I haven’t seen the latest report but we estimated it to be from three to five thousand strong.” Matfrid taps his fingers on the table nervously. “The problem is that we’ve received a report that there is a whole column of these creatures behind their army, carrying dozens and dozens of ladders.”

“You don’t have enough soldiers to cover that many entry points.”

“We do if we use the town guard, but just barely.” He lays his hand flat on the table to stop himself from tapping. “There won’t only be ladders, it isn’t hard to hide a crude ram within an army’s ranks. Besides, who knows what kinds of tricks these Rykz can pull?”

“How long until your reinforcements arrive?”

“It depends entirely on whether the Izla’s army moves or if they only send enough by sea to hold the walls. We’ll know within the next few days.”

“Open your warehouses.” I suggest. “Announce that every volunteer will be able to choose between silver, grain, and weapon.”

The waiter comes back with a white cup laying on a saucer, the material is shiny, smooth, and there are decorative flowery designs painted on the surface. Ah, shit. What the hell is the etiquette to drink this?

“Do you mind if we relax a little, Lord Matfrid?” I ask, stopping my hand from fidgeting.

“Go ahead, Elizabeth, we’re talking grit anyway.” He waves his hand unconcernedly. “Would what you’ve suggested attract more peasants to fight?”

I make myself relax in my chair a little, taking hold of the cup’s handle as delicately as possible to take a sip of the warm beverage. It tastes fruity but I have no idea what kind.

“Would it work?” Matfrid repeats his question with interest in his eyes.

“A good amount of peasants back home don’t have a tool that belongs to them to use or their family won’t let them take it.” I explain.

“Where is that?” A woman cuts me off rudely from inside the Tavern.

“I’m sure that there are many who want to defend the walls but can’t without a weapon.” I continue, ignoring the interruption. “It would give you the influx of volunteers you need to hold the walls until the reinforcements arrive.”

I hear steps approach from behind. I straighten up in my chair and discreetly adjust my left hand’s grip on my hammer.

“Baroness Kieft.” Matfrid salutes her.

“Lady Baroness, if you have an issue with the mainland, could I suggest that you take it up with a titled Noble?” I throw a glance over my shoulder. “I am merely a wanderer.”

I recognize her as one of the three Nobles who were at the gates when we entered the castle. She glares at me, frowning for a few seconds before turning to Matfrid.

“We can hold the walls for a few days without arming the peasantry.” She speaks up with confidence.

“I agree, Baroness, but I think that we should discuss the option in council in case it becomes necessary.” Matfrid replies politely.

“We’ll see.” Kieft replies shortly. “Where exactly do you hail from?” She suddenly asks me.

“A lost corner of Tyrian, eastern end of Caeviel, Lady Baroness.” I give her the name of the only other region that I know of, the one that my brother settled in.

“You’ve wandered far from home indeed.” She comments with a threatening undertone. “It is easy to suggest what you have if you don’t stick around to deal with the aftermath. Put more thought into what you say before you speak up in the future.” Kieft admonishes me and walks back inside the Tavern.

I let go of my hammer and force myself to unwind a little.

“That was fun.” I note with a small grimace.

“Baroness Kieft had to settle a small uprising last year, her lands suffered from bad weather and they blamed Nobility as usual.” He shakes his head. “Don’t worry, she will listen to reason if it comes down to this castle’s safety.”

You mean that she demanded that they pay the same taxes regardless of their misfortune and they understandably protested. I sigh in frustration. Matfrid nods, agreeing with my sentiment. I repress the ironic smile pulling at the corner of my lips.

“Now, tell me all about this Jenna.” I take a slow sip of my drink to hide my expression and intently stare at Matfrid.

“Ah, Jenna.” His face takes a somber expression. “It isn’t a happy tale, I warn you.”

“Okay.” I frown, confused. “What kind of story is it?”

“Sad. Tragic for those involved.” He takes a deep breath. “Lady Yvonne was so touched that she swore to serve and protect her friend, our Countess, when she heard it.”

My hand starts shaking a little, I carefully deposit my cup down on the saucer. My Lady, what happened to you?

“Tell me.” I pinch my lips together to control my expression.

“Our Lady Countess’ parents, the late Count and Exemplar Vikiana, wanted the best for their daughter. They made sure that one of them was always present in the castle to help her train and study. When Lady Lance’s mother left on missions for the Order, her father remained.” Matfrid pauses, gathering his thoughts.

“What changed?” I can’t help my impatience and ask.

“Five years ago, Exemplar Vikiana had to leave the Izla for an extended amount of time, presumably to complete a task on Master Amand’s order. The problem was that the late Count was too busy to fully fill in during his wife’s absence, so they asked a talented Templar to take over Lady Lance’s sword-fighting education.”

“Jenna.” I mutter in a shaky voice, afraid to hear the next part of the story.

“Indeed. Countess Lance was young, eager to learn. They bonded during the long hours that they spent training together and became friends.” Matfrid taps the table three times. “I’m going to keep part of the story under silence to protect Lady Lance’s privacy. All you need to know is that when the time came to part ways, they promised that they would stay in contact by letter and meet again when Lady Lance grew up.”

“Wh… What happened?” I ask hesitantly, pushing aside my fear that my Lady is currently awaiting this Jenna‘s return.

“War.” Matfrid utters with grief. He turns to stare at the castle’s walls, vainly trying to pierce them to gaze at the approaching Rykz army, at our own war. “A couple years ago, Jenna left for Telnur and joined a regiment of Templar heavy cavalry to fight back a cold blood incursion. Her squad was stuck in a bad position and isolated in the middle of their troops. They had no choice but to surrender or die when the phalanxes retreated. The engagement was inconclusive for either side and as such, there was no exchange of prisoners. They were executed the next morning in an attempt to intimidate the Templar regiment they belonged to before the battle resumed.” He shakes his head in sorrow.

My Lady… I wish you were here so I could console you. You must have felt terrible to refuse me while stuck in a similar situation as your friend, fearing for our lives.

“They fought and sacrificed themselves for the Empire’s safety. It was an honorable death.” Matfrid brings his hand to his chest.

“Emperor Rasaec thanks them in life for their death.” I say honestly, placing my palm over my heart.

But this doesn’t excuse your behavior when we parted ways or how you sundered our vow.

“The Lady Countess has had a lot to bear, the late Count passed away in an accident only a few months after she received that news. We are proud to serve under her, she has taken up the mantle without complaint and worked hard at filling the gaps in her knowledge.” Matfrid starts tapping the table nervously. “Are you okay, Lady Elizabeth?”

I pass a hand over my face to help control the conflicting emotions passing through it. I hear a shout from the other side of the street, recognizing the blacksmith’s voice as I heard him swearing a few times already.

“I just feel for her plight.” I whisper softly. “Don’t worry about me, I think your horse is either ready or about to escape.”

“Dammit!” Matfrid stand up and starts crossing the street.

The horse somehow manages to yank on its bridle with enough strength that it escapes the blacksmith’s surprised hands. The animal trots towards Matfrid who welcomes it by placing his palm on its nose to try to calm it down. I fit my helmet back on, grab my hammer and stand to walk up to the Noble.

“You said that the Lady Countess’ heart was torn if I recall correctly.” I speak up.

“I only know that Lady Lance is desperately looking for someone that she met very recently. When the Lady Countess came back to the castle for her armor, she tried to head out towards the twin peaks all alone in the middle of the night. Lady Yvonne had to stop her.” Matfrid caresses the side of his mount’s head. “I can only guess but I think it obvious that her heart is in turmoil.”

“Hum.” I reply noncommittally. “I’m going to go, Lord Matfrid, I have some affairs to tend to.”

“You should join me on the walls tomorrow, Lady Elizabeth, there is a chance that we’ll be able to see Meria’s army on the horizon if they scouted this Rykz army before we sent our message and decided to reinforce us directly.” Matfrid replies.

I’m already planning to act quickly so it shouldn’t be an issue if his hopes turn true. Should I still accept? There is some risk every time we meet. But, if our plans are delayed for whatever reason, I’ll need to know how far their reinforcements are to figure out my deadline.

There is no point to breaching these walls for the Rykz if their army is engaged by the Izla’s. The optimal result would be for the castle to fall and the humans to retreat to Meria before a battle occurs. The Rykz aren’t fully ready either so they won’t force a fight now.

“Where do we meet?” I ask.

“I’ll be at the base of the northernmost tower in the middle of the wall tomorrow at noon.” He replies. “I will see you then, Lady Elizabeth.”

“Lord Matfrid.” I bow slightly. “Don’t hold it against me if I don’t make it.”

“I won’t.” He pulls on his horse’s bridle and makes his way towards the blacksmith. “I told you my mount was feisty, be more careful.” Matfrid tells him.

I depart, leaving Matfrid and his horse troubles behind. The town isn’t so large that I could get utterly lost so I allow myself to wander through the streets a little, trying to clear my mind on the way back to the Inn.

I spot a small shop with an open front, my gaze falls on a dagger and its belt on the counter. I walk up to it and the shopkeeper turns to me.

“My Lady, over here! Have a look!” He picks up the belt and holds it out to show it off.

I seize the dagger’s grip and pull it out of its sheath, the blade is clean and polished, there isn’t a single sign of rust on it.

“How much?” I ask.

“Only ten silvers!” The man exclaims enthusiastically but doesn’t give me time to answer before moving on. He picks up a mask of polished dark wood, decorated with a precisely carved silver tree. “How about this, I’m sure it would be a big hit at the next masked party in Meria once you’ve defeated those evil creatures!”

“Let me see.” I take the item off his hands and flip it over to see the inside of it. There are a dozen runes embed inside, probably a construct to make it sticks to the face since the mask lacks a strap. “I’ll take both for twenty.”

“My Lady, I would accept without hesitating if only it didn’t cost twice as much to have these made!” The shopkeeper argues.

“Twenty-five. Last offer.” I counter, taking the pouch of silver coins out from under my chain-mail.

“I’ll reluctantly agree, but only because you are obviously one of our bravest defenders.” The man relents with some flattery but fails to hide the content expression on his face.

I empty half the pouch over the counter, counting quickly and removing six to leave twenty-five. I pick up a leather band lying around on the counter and tie the mask to the belt, using one of the holes for the eyes. I wrap the belt around my waist and fasten it, securing the chain-mail against my body.

“Have a good day.” I nod and walk away.

“Thank you, my Lady!” The shopkeeper replies.

On the way back to the Inn, I scrutinize every face that I come across, hidden behind my helmet. I come across dozens of peasants who look harried, lost, aimless.

They don’t seem to know what to do apart from waiting for the future to play out. Peasants are taught early that Nobles are above them, that their destiny lays in their hands and that resisting only leads to a swift death.

That’s not true, though. There are many things that they could do that the Nobility doesn’t have the power to stop since they’re outnumbered by the peasants a hundred to one. I shake my head, no point thinking of that now with the Rykz at the doors.

I find the Inn after a few wrong turns. I step inside, ignoring the clerk as I pass by his counter to make my way upstairs. I knock at the door and Teva opens, thankfully she is fully clothed in the servant’s outfit.

“Are you done with the construct?” I ask, walking inside.

“I am. Food is here if you want to eat.” Teva points at the table.

“Thanks.” I take the silver pouch and throw it to her, sitting down at the table. “I’m going to take a nap to be fresh for tonight. Be careful if you head outside, we still don’t know what’s going on.” I seize the fork and stab a small piece of roasted steak with it.

“I’m aware.” Teva replies frostily. “Are you staying quiet to pay me back for this morning?”

I stop, my hand hangs in the air half-way up to my mouth.

“I’m not. Do you want to know?” I ask, looking up at her hostile expression.

“Are you okay?” She counters with a question of her own.

“I am. Some things make more sense, others remain obscure.” I resume eating, biting down on the steak.

“Fine, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to!” Teva storms out of the room, slamming the door behind herself.

What the heck? I was just answering her question. She ignored mine! I get back to my meal. Teva still hasn’t come back by the time I finish eating so I simply take my equipment off and lay in bed, closing my eyes.

— — —

Bam!

I open my eyes, startled. I have trouble distinguishing the shapes around me but my eyes lock onto the figure standing in the doorway. She is lowering her leg back to the ground after it kicked the door wide open.

My Lady. What is she doing here?! I try to sit down on the bed but my body isn’t responding. Why can’t I move?! She seems to glide towards me over the ground. I blink, confused, but she opens her mouth and her jaw’s movement catches my full attention.

“You’ll end up like her.” My Lady’s voice is monotone and lacks life but the words are enough to stir the void in my heart and send it crashing.

“I won’t!” I scream, panicked. “I’ll make it work!”

“I can’t take the risk.” Leomi says in a dead voice. Her figure starts blurring.

“Don’t go!” I yell, reaching out with my hand to catch her before she vanishes. My fingers swipe the empty air in front of me.

— — —

I snap wide awake, finding myself sitting up on the bed with my arm extended out in front of me. My breath is short, my heart is beating irregularly, and the void is whimpering in pain.

“What?” I mutter.

I think back on my hazy memory of the scene. It was a nightmare.

I lay back down and close my eyes, hoping for another.

— — —

“Elizabeth?” I hear Teva’s voice and open my eyes, the room is a lot darker than it was earlier.

“Is it dusk?” I ask, disappointed that my Lady didn’t visit my dreams again.

“It is.” She replies, staring at me with a worried face.

“I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” I get up and make my way to my equipment. “We’ll pass by the sea wall, see if Hurb and Brie meet up with us.”

“All three of us?” Teva asks, looking towards a corner of the room.

I glance over and find Ulf, waiting quietly with his bow over his shoulder.

“The two of us. Ulf, can you use the roofs to make it to the warehouse district undetected?”

“I can. What should I do?” He asks in a quiet voice.

“Figure out what buildings we need to sabotage in order to block the streets around the town’s granary. Hurb should have the information but that doesn’t help us if we can’t meet up.” I explain.

“Teva should come with me if that’s what you want, I don’t have the expertise necessary to reliably gather that kind of information.” Ulf shakes his head.

“Alright, do that then, I’ll go alone. Make sure to follow the mercenaries if you run into them.”

I secure the belt around my waist and take hold of my hammer. This night will be peaceful, a routine scouting operation while we try to establish contact.