Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Agentle autumn breeze brushed against the gray canvas of the field tent, causing the edges to flap lazily in the morning sun. Standing at Lansius’s side, Audrey looked stylish in her tailored black dress. It was barely a few months old, a gift from Lord Bengrieve, their benefactor. Contrasting that, a worn belt adorned her slim waist, the same one that she had worn when they first met last year.

Lansius thought the black dye used for that dress was worth a fortune. He still couldn’t fathom why they treated Audrey so well. A tingle of suspicion was always on the back of his head. “Who told you I received letters? Calub?”

“I doubt anyone will miss fifteen mounted armed guards escorting two carriages,” Audrey replied as she continued to massage Lansius’s shoulder.

Lansius licked his lips and felt that he might be overreacting. Messengers from high-ranking nobles usually came with armed men for protection, which easily attracted unwanted attention. “I got two letters. One from Lord Bengrieve and another from Sir Stan.”

“What did they say?” Audrey asked.

“Sir Stan, your adopted brother, is praising us for our surprising victory. He also sent sizeable gifts to commemorate it.”

“I’ve noticed the fully loaded carriages. How about Lord Bengrieve’s letter?”

“That’s the tricky one.”

“I doubt it’s that bad,” Audrey said as she kneaded his shoulder.

“Well, he . . . congratulated me for a brilliant victory.”

“That’s a good start.”

“But he rejected my pleas to send one of his captains along with fresh troops to take over Korelia.” Lansius exhaled deeply.

“That means we’re not going back then,” Audrey said, surprisingly calm.

“You don’t look unhappy?” Lansius asked.

“Why should I? Better to reign on the farm than serve in a castle,” she said eloquently.

Lansius tried hard not to grin at the wise words. Her education in Toruna was showing its fruit.

“Is that all he said?” Audrey asked.

“He thinks I’m foolish for believing that Midlandia would want to endeavor into another Lowlandia territory. I guess the last thing they want is to open an even wider front . . . He also calculated that it’ll be hard to achieve peace, with all the neighbors at each other’s throats, thus requiring great manpower just to keep the peace. And all that for a province with nothing but a sea of grassland.”

“Go on,” Audrey encouraged. She sensed that the more Lansius spoke, the more at ease he became.

“Umm . . . since we won the battle and were able to make an interesting deal with Lord Robert, he instructed me to . . . rule and survive.”

Audrey’s fingers froze. “Rule?”

Lansius met her gaze. “He offered me this land if I could survive.”

She took a step back. “Lans, that means lordship. Korelia is a barony.”

Lansius tried to downplay the issue. “The title may sound grand, but while the land area is huge, Korelia’s worth a mere fraction of Sir Stan’s Toruna. It’s all bark and no bite.”

“Did he really offer you that?” she asked again.

He looked up briefly, gathering his thoughts before revealing, “Attached to the letter is a vellum bearing the seal of the Lord of Midlandia. It’s a duplicate of a recommendation letter for patent to the High Court.”

Audrey gasped and covered her mouth.

Clutching his fur coat tighter, Lansius added, “I don’t know what Bengrieve’s scheme is, but that’s what he’s offering.”

Barely recovered from her surprise, Audrey tapped Lansius’s shoulder. “You realize it’s still a grand offer?”

“Well, there are so many things to do. Our men need treatment, supplies, and housing. And I certainly couldn’t treat Lord Robert and his men badly, since I wanted them as allies.”

“See? You’re doing too much,” Audrey replied warmly. “Next time, put more faith in your subordinates. After all, it’s not your first time leading men into battle.”

Lansius felt a weight on his mind. “You know, the first time I led men into battle was against slavers, and I didn’t pity them. But the last time . . . I don’t hold any grudges against the Lion and his men.”

“Lans, we’re not fighting without a cause,” Audrey reminded him. “The end goal is to get our home back. That’s as noble as it gets.”

Lansius disagreed with her take but realized that modern values were not always applicable in this feudal world. He reminded himself that Audrey was born and raised in this society. Still, he tried to explain his stance. “Trampling on others who are not our opponents to advance our cause isn’t exactly noble.”

Audrey almost laughed. “Nobles fight, and men die all the time for lesser causes. A little blood on our hands is tame compared to them.”

Lansius understood that Audrey was merely pointing out the reality, but he couldn’t help feeling a churn in his stomach. “I’m not heartless. Witnessing men die haunts me.”

“You’re a softie, you know,” she remarked.

“Sorry, but not sorry.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean it badly.” Audrey turned to face him. “I mean, I actually like it that way.”

Her words surprised him.

“What’s the word . . . ? Ah, compassionate heart! Perhaps you’re the rare kind of noble who could rule with one,” Audrey remarked, teasing him gently.

“I take that as a compliment?”

“Rightly so, my lord,” Audrey exclaimed, bearing a rare, cute smile.

Lansius noticed a squire, a pageboy, and a cup-bearer girl coming from a smaller tent in the distance, leading the horses.

“Can’t we choose older candidates?” Lansius asked, feeling bad for employing underage children.

Audrey shook her head. “They’re the lucky ones. Their parents fought hard to put them into your entourage. And that was before Lord Bengrieve said anything about making you a baron.”

Lansius looked Audrey in the eyes. “Do me a favor, even if I’m a lord, call me by my name as usual.”

“Not possible, my lord. At least not in front of people.”

As her hair swayed in the wind, Audrey continued, “You know, the locals speak ill of the wind. They believe it carries diseases and miasma.”

Lansius nodded. Even with his fur coat, he wasn’t feeling all that well. “You’re right. Let’s head back.”

Without waiting, the two walked toward their entourage.

In the first month of fall, 4424, Lansius declared himself as the new Lord of Korelia, claiming the support of Midlandian nobles. This news spread quickly, and Lord Robert of White Lake confirmed the transfer of ownership and pledged his support to Lansius.

Lord Robert’s support was driven by his own predicament. As a fallen lord, he and his house faced the possibility of ruin or exile. Even if Robert had escaped to his castle, life would not have been the same. His own nobles would betray him and plan to oust him from power.

Lansius’s decision not to imprison or exile Robert and his loyalists came as a surprise to Robert, and he knew it was his house’s last chance to survive in Lowlandia politics. In their struggle, Robert and his loyalists grew to rely on Lansius’s mutual support.

This bond was further strengthened when Lansius made generous terms, allowing Robert to rule nominally as the Lord of White Lake. This was in stark contrast to the brutal takeovers often seen in Lowlandia.

Lansius’s aim was only to claim a portion of White Lake’s income instead of ruling directly. To ensure submission, he integrated a portion of Robert’s men-at-arms and stationed them in Korelia. He also incorporated neighboring estates owned by Robert’s knights to gain their service.

However, Lansius was not the only one making moves. Behind the harvest and festivities, the seeds of conflict were being planted and set in motion in the shadows.