‘Furthermore, Lucien now has access to documents containing transactions, interactions, and business deals with Horyd Coeden. Far too many are implicated, including most of the aristocracy. The Intelligence Service has already abused their power, possibly assassinating Cardinal Peace, what if they start manoeuvring against us next? Or our allies? How can we trust the service to be working for the betterment of our nation when we don’t trust their leader, Lucien Blodyn?’ - Excerpt from an anonymous letter sent to a member of House Aethnenni, intercepted by the Intelligence Service; later replaced, January 1263.

———

On the sides of the streets were temporary stands owned by merchants who hollered into the crowd. Younger soldiers watched over them in case they had to disperse the stalls in the event of an attack by Praeteritum or Citadel. They would destroy the stands quickly, freeing the streets for movement. The merchants would be partly compensated for their loses, so their stock was fewer than they would usually sell.

“Fried chicken, pork, and braised beef on sale! Tender and delicious! Only two pennies for a hearty meal!”

The smell of cooked food made many salivate, turning heads in the streets.

“Doublets, leather coats, and breeches! Bodices and skirts! Reservations are available. Order any colour or item!”

“Pikes, spears, swords, sabres! Quality assured, and the best the star front has to offer! Place orders for the newest Channeler's weapons from Citadel!”

“Looking for protection to Fort Royal, Citadel! Down payment of five shilling, will earn an extra fifteen on completion!”

If merchants were shrewd about their stock, they could make a living buying and selling goods to the three countries on the borders. They kept fortresses functional. A constant flow of merchants supplied most of the necessary resources, such as food and clothing. They could find assured protection from barbarian attacks during their journeys to and from countries.

Despite living in the centre of conflict within Orbis, life continued the same as anywhere else. They had become numb to the repeated assaults, knowing the bastion’s security to be impregnable. They could be as safe as the inland cities, even on the border.

Rupert and Cythraul reached the centre of the star fortress, following clockwise around the monolithic cathedral. Four-centred arches rose vertically into the sky, at its very centre stood a brilliant stained-glass window.

They arrived before a small building, and they descended from their beasts just outside. They led their horses around to the stables behind, leaving them to the care of the stable boys. Rupert took hold of the young girl and directed her to come inside with them. He got a side-eye from Cythraul, but he ignored it.

Inside, it smelt of cooked meats and vegetables, as well as herbs and spices. There was a subtle freshness to the aroma that ensured its good quality. They were shown a table, and they each took their seats. Rupert and Cythraul entered conversation quickly. The young girl was mute, staring into the space before her and Cythraul, who sat opposite her.

The young son of the cooks appeared before the table, giving the group a brilliant smile before taking their orders. Rupert ordered for them all, choosing a spread rather than individual meals as there were more guests to come.

“When are you going to give the girl up?” Cythraul asked.

“I’m not sure. I can’t let her stay here, it’s not the life she should live. Too much violence.” Rupert responded.

“Better here than anywhere nearby. She was also born and raised here, doesn’t make much of a difference to her.” Cythraul argued.

“It matters now that she’s under my House’s jurisdiction. We have a responsibility to her, and it would certainly be callous to leave her here.” Rupert rebutted.

“There’s not much choice nearby. There’s only one orphanage now, in the Frontier Cathedral. The second orphanage has been destroyed with the Glaer monastery.” Cythraul cupped his hands.

“I was thinking you could bring her back to Pentref with you. Put her into Saint Hans Cathedral’s orphanage. She’d be far away from any conflict and grow up in peace.” Rupert suggested.

“Not possible.” Cythraul shook his head.

“Why?”

“I’m not coming back to get her after going to Citadel, and she certainly isn’t coming with me. Too dangerous.” Cythraul replied.

“So, you’re abandoning her here? There isn’t anywhere else for her to go. She can’t leave until I return to Pentref next year.” Rupert shook his head with frustration.

“Not much else you can do for her, then.” Cythraul responded.

Before Rupert could retaliate, the door to the restaurant opened. A woman led the way, dressed in formal military clothing of a white linen shirt, breeches, and leather riders’ boots. The man wore a leather buff coat over his uniform. On their breast was the insignia of a Countess and Viscount of Honnen.

“Welcome, Countess Cyffre, Viscount Dinol. Please, take a seat.” Rupert pointed towards two empty chairs next to Cythraul. The couple gave a salute to their seniors, then sat down. They avoided giving the young girl more than a cursory glance to not upset their commanders.

“I informed you that Cythraul and I were to visit Glaer monastery, which we have now completed. Unfortunately, it was subject to an assault by a brigade of Praeteritum Berserkers. There were no survivors on any side except us and this girl.” Rupert narrated a brief description of the day’s events.

“They’re getting bolder.” Viscount Dinol clenched his fist.

“It was only a brigade of forty. It was probably nothing more than barbarians playing bandit. Monasteries are known to be wealthy, and most of the time, they are not well defended.” Cythraul vocally analysed.

“That is true,” Rupert nodded his head. “We were unable to persuade the priests in time before they died. We did not receive any information about the nearby terrain. We will have to make do with the status quo. Keep sending out scouts and have them make a detailed map of the geography.”

Rupert heard grumbles coming across the table, specifically from Cythraul. It was something to do with how Rupert should’ve listened to him, damned priests, and force. He gave Cythraul a glare in protest, but he ignored Rupert.

“Of course, my Lord,” Countess Cyffre accepted. “However, we have some news from the scouts. They were recently sent out on an expedition and found the tracks of an army. They then tracked them from a distance until the army made camp at a lake. It was a Berserker legion, and they settled around seven miles from our star fort.”

“They are about 550 strong, but aren’t unified,” Viscount Dinol continued after prompting from Cyffre. “They are separated into several authority chains, which mostly oppose each other. A scout reported that two leaders, suspected clan leaders, fought and killed the other. The victor took the dead’s Malevolency and his army under his command, edging his power above the rest.”

“We suspect that the others should be wary of him, and if prompted, we could inflame their relations. Make them destroy each other. Then we sweep away the remnants.” Cyffre concluded their report.

“Well, if they’re seven miles away, they’re probably planning to initiate an assault on the fort,” Rupert replied. “We don’t have enough time to inflame their relations. If we found them earlier, that would be possible. However, with how close they are to us, they will probably attack tonight. Are our scouts still watching the brigade?”

“There are at least two scouting units observing them.” Cyffre replied.

“Brilliant. I want at least a third sent out. Make them take Delish prisoners of war with them with collars on, and have them attack the brigade. If they survive, they regain their freedom. The scouts are to hide, and to make a report on whatever they see, including what types of Malevolencies they use, and who’s the strongest.” Rupert strategised.

“Isn’t that too risky?” Cyffre questioned Rupert.

“There’s more to gain from this than to lose. The majority of the causalities would be Delish. If we distance the scouts from another, even if we lose one unit, the others should be able to escape in time. If we lose them all, then it becomes tricky,” Rupert tapped the table to emphasise his next point. “However, it is unlikely that they will be able to kill any of the scouts. They are well trained and understand when and how to properly retreat from combat. The information they’ll bring back will aid us greatly when defending against the siege.”

“Can you be sure that they will attack tonight, Rupert?” Cythraul’s eyes were sharp.

“I am more certain that they will begin a skirmish tonight than them not,” Rupert said. “Our location is very well known; the fortress has been around for six months now. By being seven miles from our star front, they mean to attack it. Why else would they come so close, and in our territory?”

“What if they don’t attack?” Cythraul continued the pressure.

“They will eventually. However, if they don’t attack,” Rupert raised a hand to slow Cythraul’s retaliation, “it gives us time to enact Cyffre’s ploy. Let their infighting weaken them, then we send out a battalion to destroy them.”

Cythraul nodded his head, agreeing with the assessment. Cyffre and Dinol joined him. The discussion was interrupted by waiters who brought their food before them. It was a simple spread of meats and vegetables, with pastas and breads. They each took what they wanted, including the mute girl.

“What about the physical defence of the star fortress? What preparations should we make in advance?” Cyffre asked, pausing from her food.

“What are the conditions of the legions like?” Rupert responded.

“Legions Draig and Hepa are in peak fighting conditions. Both in terms of Malevolency and human reserves. Legion Dyn is slightly behind, they are missing a unit of twenty, but their Malevolent reserves are plenty. Finally, Legions Teigr and Blaidd are in worst condition. They fought the most recent battles, thus are off battle rotation. They are in need of their reserves, human and Malevolency, to be replenished.” Dinol informed Rupert.

“We’ll use the Hepa legion to deal with active combat on the walls and the exterior bastion. Draig will be in reserve to defend the interior of the fortress, preparing for tunnelling, or worse, the penetration of the fortress walls. Dyn legion will have to wait until reinforcements arrive in a few more days before they can reenter active combat. Finally, give Teigr and Blaidd the excess corpses from the previous battle, and reserve the new corpses for them. Priority will be given to Teirgr because of battle rotation.” Rupert announced the strategy for the upcoming battle.

“Too passive,” Cythraul shook his head. “We need to do more to disrupt their attack than just wait for them. Get your officers to prepare arrays and explosives beforehand, be they in the ditches, glacis, and the moat. Kill them before the reach us. Use more passive methods to wreck them.”

“That’ll be difficult,” Cyffre contemplated. “To cover a huge geography like our own with passive spells, be they arrays or explosives, would require a huge amount of Malevolency. We don’t have the expenses for it.”

“True,” Dinol agreed. “However, we don’t necessarily have to cover all of our terrain. All we need to do is the most basic, which is to put these spells in the direction we think they will attack - which I suspect should be the north-east. They don’t have enough soldiers to surround us, so they will concentrate their forces in one direction. While this will be quite inefficient, it is better than covering all of our terrain.”

The rest nodded, agreeing with Dinol’s assessment.

“We can also be reactive. Laying the passive spells down before the battle starts requires guess work, which is situational. However, if we also react to their advances, say planting arrays or explosives in tunnels beneath the battlefield when required, we can disrupt them effectively and efficiently.” Rupert nodded at Cythraul.

The first stage of the planning had come to an end. They had come to an agreement for how the initial defence should operate. The second was smoother, as it dealt with provisions and resources for an extended siege, though they did not expect it to last long. The third, and final, stage had just begun.