Finally, after Peter watched the attendants carry the body of his father out to be prepared, Lucas helped in Mistress Helena through the secret passages.

Mistress Helena was a middle-aged woman who was the core of just about every brothel north of Luthania. Even then, the southernmost kingdom on the continent was sure to contain some manner of her influence. The Lilies of Saiva were first and foremost, priests and priestesses of the Goddess of Desire. They certainly catered appropriately to all who sought solace in their patron Goddess.

"Your Majesty," Mistress Helena curtsied, a smirk full of anticipation on her lips.

Peter turned to face her, his grey mourning robes falling elegantly around him, giving him an appearance that was a stark contrast to anything that Mistress Helena had witnessed him wearing before. The robes gave him the royal air that he'd been somewhat lacking when she'd met him previously. Peter had always had an arrogant and overbearing demeanour that made others bow to him, but this regal air was what he'd been missing. Though, Mistress Helena sensed that he'd suppressed it on purpose.

"Mistress Helena, I trust you have something to report?" asked Peter.

"Of course, your Majesty, I was informed that you wished to know of the East, so I did my best to compile what information my sources could gather," Mistress Helena stated.

Peter indicated for her to continue as he sat down, and Mistress Helena took a seat opposite him at his invitation.

"What needs to be said about the East is that they are a formidable opponent, your Majesty," Mistress Helena stated, "They have remained without a sovereign for over ten thousand years, and they have been self-sufficient all that time. They have no need of outsider influence or interference and they are a proud people because of it. Their land, their forests, are their hearts and souls, and they are trained in its secrets from a young age no matter their gender".

Peter nodded, he'd already known most of this.

"You asked specifically about the Caramort family, no doubt because you know they are the uncrowned kings of the East. Unlike our society, the Caramorts have for generations turned down crowns and thrones, they do not believe in sovereignty, only in the forest and what it has to offer," Mistress Helena.

"Surprisingly noble for savages," Peter sighed.

"Oh no, your Majesty, they are not savages," Mistress Helena stated, "It is a common misconception for those of us who are not exposed to ways of life outside of our own. The nobles in the East are trained in court culture and manners just like we are, in fact, it has been said that they do so specifically for when they meet with us. Their own customs are often less restricted by gender than ours, and are not as...rule ridden as ours. Many of my informants actually prefer life in the East once they are placed there".

Peter frowned. He'd heard rumours, but he'd never thought that it was true. He silently admonished himself for his underestimation, he of all people should have known better.

"What of the current situation there?" asked Peter.

"Well, your Majesty, as you are aware, upon the death of Nathan Caramort's wife, who was the reigning matriarch of their house, both your father and the southern kingdom of Clarisse had thoughts to take over the East," Mistress Helena stated, "The East were quick to respond, Nathan's eldest son, Isaac, was sent with just a third of the Eastern armies to deal with Clarisse, which he did in just eight months before joining Nathan and his younger brother Lyle, who had just come of age at the time, in the north. Whilst their combined armies were pushed back, they have held the lines against the Wendolan armies at the River Arnoc for nearly two years. Meanwhile, back at the Caramort Keep, Nathan's only daughter, the Lady Saorise, has managed the East's internal affairs for the entire time her family has been away. After all, she can receive no help from her uncle, who is just as mad as they say".

Peter frowned at this, "How old is this Saorise?"

"I believe she is going on twenty this year, your Majesty," Mistress Helena stated, "She took over the internal affairs just a year or so after her adulthood ceremony. She has shown herself to be an intelligent and capable young woman. The Eastern people revere her".

"And she is unmarried?" asked Peter, he was quietly surprised. He'd never bore witness to a woman commanding such power in the open, and with such clear skill too.

Mistress Helena nodded, "She has shown no signs of taking a husband. But then, the Eastern People are Monogamous and I imagine choosing a partner for life is not an easy feat".

Peter leaned his head on his hand as he thought. That complicated things. It was likely that the reason his father had failed to advance in the last two years was because Nathan and his sons did not need to worry about the affairs at home. With their full concentration on the defence of their homeland, they were a formidable force to contend with.

"Do you know if they have received word of my father's health declining?" asked Peter, "After all it's been a month since he was bedridden".

"My sources cannot confirm beyond the fact that the East is aware," Mistress Helena commented, "There were whispers among the commoners of taking back the Eastern Districts that Wendolan had conquered and having their vengeance now that the Wendolan King is weakened, but their armies have yet to make a move and have simply remained at the River Arnoc".

Peter frowned. That was strange, their south-western and western borders had grown restless with the movements of their neighbour's armies. It was why Lucas had proposed moving the bulk of the armies from the East. Mistress Helena was silent as she watched her new King. The man who had approached her as a boy and easily outmatched her, taking over her entire organisation in little over a week. Surely the East would not be a problem for him. But even Helena knew to be cautious of the East. If there were no movements, they could not tell for certain what the East was thinking. Would they allow Wendolan to keep the eastern lands they had taken upon their initial advance, or would the East rush forward once they learned of the King's death?

"You cannot say why they hold their position?" asked Peter.

Helena had thought on it for some time after she'd received the request that morning, but she could only draw one conclusion, "I can only think that they are waiting, your Majesty. Waiting to see what the Wendolan army will do in the face of a change in leadership".

"Change in leadership…" Peter mumbled to himself, then he smiled, "How clever".

"Your Majesty?" asked Helena.

"They're waiting to see if the rumours of the idiot prince are true or not," Peter grinned, "I'd surely like to meet the one who saw through it enough to question it. Everyone else has taken it at face value, at most if they have had suspicions, they have kept it to themselves. In this case, the East is waiting to see if the Wendolan army will persist in their campaign, a sign of a warlord prince like the previous Wendolan King and therefore false rumours. But alternatively, if the Wendolan army were to show unease, or withdraw from their position, it will be clear that the idiot prince has become an idiot King and the Wendolan court is too busy dealing with him to deal with the campaign".

Peter leaned back in his seat. It had been a while since he'd felt this impressed by a foe. After all, the rumours had been something he'd worked on since he was a child. No one would suspect him, no one did suspect him, of being anything other than a whoring idiot. No one except what Peter had to assume were the Caramorts considering they had the most influence over the eastern armies.

"Lucas?"

"Yes, your Majesty?" asked Lucas as he stepped forward from where he'd been standing silently to the side.

"Send my orders to Isiah. Tell him that after the three days of mourning, he should begin withdrawing the army in stages. As he withdraws, he should discreetly divert soldiers to the Northeast and southwest parallel to the River Arnoc. When the Eastern army moves forward, take it. Tell him I want the Caramorts alive," said Peter.

"Alive?" asked Lucas. It was not really Peter's style.

"Killing such an esteemed and respected family will lead to uprisings," Mistress Helena elaborated, "While his Majesty's plan is a good one, it will only have the chance to work once. After all, there is one Caramort who is not on the front lines".

"Saorise is a woman," Lucas rolled his eyes, "She might be good at managing internal affairs but I doubt she is as proficient in warfare".

"Did you not hear me when I said that the East does not have restrictions between genders?" asked Mistress Helena, "If my sources are right, which they are rarely wrong, Saorise Caramort may be the greatest enemy out of the current living Caramorts".

"Then why does she not fight with her brothers and father?" asked Lucas with a raised eyebrow. Peter too looked at Helena in interest.

"They say that she has little ambition or desire for bloodshed," Helena replied, "But that she is quite the adversary when she is pushed".

Peter couldn't help the smile on his lips, turning to look at Lucas.

Lucas caught his master's gaze and bowed promptly, "I'll make sure the message is sent post-haste".