Levy Scout's Point Of View

I've been in the Tepet army for about twenty years now. Honestly I was going to retire before we hit the summer season, but with a threat like this on our borders I had no choice. Many other retired knights and soldiers have prepared for the impact that is going to hit us, and set up several defense points behind us. They try to use as much of their time as possible to change the environment to their preference. Even if it won't last for long, any time that can be bought is needed.

Then came Headal's peace 'offering'. It is more of an ultimatum, but honestly it is worth it. We cannot last against the army in front of us. We did last against them in the Great War, but back then there was no alliance between the enemies and we had about three or four light magicians on each front.

Any reasonable military tactician can see we will get killed and ravaged if we don't give into the demand, but Lord Tepet is loyal to a fault. Then again, he is the head knight and a Marquess, so he is expected to be completely loyal.

I am simply a scout. I basically get put somewhere hidden in the mountains and then use wind magic to send information to the officers. From up here I have a pretty good view of everything from the keep to the front line, and just from having this advantage I notice things no one else do.

For example: The child of Scorog isn't that brilliant at handling a sword and not that brilliant at footwork either. What he is excellent at, is sensing the flow and timing of everything and everyone around him. There are two reasons he come out alive. The most important one being the bodyguard. The second is his ability to position himself. He tends to position himself in such a way that the number of people that can attack is limited, so that the person attacking has to worry about hitting their friends or so that an attack can be blocked with a quick word to someone in his unit, whereafter he kills the enemy himself.

It's odd. It seems to work though. However, if not for the cutting ability of the sword and the skill of the bodyguard, then he would have been quite severely injured and probably killed. In sword skills I'd say he's average for a knight, but with waaaaaay to many guts. Still, he would lose against our future lord in a one on one fight.

Furthermore, that speed enhancement may look terrifying from down there, but their endurance doesn't go up so they get tired as fast as before. Still, he is an excellent commander. I've noticed some amusing things, like what seems like an extensive range of hand sign gestures and some odd words that frustratingly neither I, nor his knights know. It caused a bit of frustration on the first day.

Even with all of this talking him down, he is still admirable and quite clearly a friend of our future lord. The two joke with each other, argue and care for each other. Our lord even let the child of Scorog borrow his childhood clothes. I have a couple of issues with this, but we are putting that aside for now.

Most of us didn't actually believe the existence of this miracle child until he and the Celeste knights came riding down from the mountains on a glacier. The entrance was worthy of the legend, so was their violent and intimidating attack on the enemy... but most importantly... the healing. That child is a legend in so many ways already. He healed the injured and chased the enemy away, giving us time to rest up before the next fight was to begin. It may just have been the rest of that day, but at the time I saw more than just the Celeste knights pass out from exhaustion and what I guess to be relief.

If not for Lord Tepet himself, then I'm quite sure that most of the Tepet army would support placing Augustus Celeste on the throne. I know for sure that I would. Not just because of his virtues, fame, skills or friendship with our future lord... but also because it might change the way this country works as it is right now.

As you may have noticed, the four Marquess families have an enormous amount of land and military. An important thing about Ristaze for nobility and anyone wanting to be nobility, is that your title might rise, but you will never have more land. Ristaze's internal territory borders are final. It is illegal to use them for bargaining and dowry. If your family goes bankrupt because of that... well... nothing to do. Someone else will take your place almost immediately.

Families of higher nobility are usually the same as they have been for at least a couple hundred years because of this. So for those trying to rise... they will find it quite difficult.

I guess estates in the capital is the only sort of land which is used for bargaining. Either way, this static behavior only happens in Ristaze. Any violent opposition to this law is met with the Tepet or royal troops and beaten down. Though, it doesn't really happen... only god knows why the nobles aren't greedy on that point.

The knights would hope this weird rule would change. That, and I heard rumors that the future lord has not been getting along well with the crown prince. If House Tepet falls out of favor it could be quite bad economically for our region. House Celeste is under a law that fixes the metal prices when they sell to us after all.

Still, Lord Normand Tepet is a loyal one. He probably won't care.

On a slightly different note. If the crown prince is exiled, can our future lord marry the twin sister of the child of Scorog?

The two should look quite alike from what I've heard, and imagining the young Celeste being his sister while in the clothes of our future lord is a guilty amusement. After all, I enjoy seeing my wife in my tunic in the morning.

I'll make a bet if it happens with the others later.

—-*—-

Spence's Point Of View

I'm currently in bed in our tent. It may be daytime, but we've both been told to rest to make sure everything is as it should be. Arven is here too, curled up on his own mat.

My stomach area is a mess. In a sort of good way? Like, I can see where the sword scar is, and I can see where they tried to sew me shut. I still remember vividly how my guts had been spilled out in my hands when they pulled me from the front line, but they're back inside. I mean, after how much there was when it came out I honestly didn't think it would all fit back inside.

I mean, I half expected skin to grow outside the guts and that I'd have this huge stomach if I survived. Still, it's pretty much all flat... Except for my hard and well trained abs of course!
Hah! I can still show off to the girls and even show off these battle scars like a veteran! For sure they will fall right into my arms!

"Stop thinking stupid stuff, Spence. It shows on your face. No lady would go near you or your sausage even with a prong," Arven mocks me plainly. From what I heard, they had quite a lot of trouble putting his leg back together with the bone being cut and broken and shit. I think they even got his knee. I remember vaguely how the medics talked about that they had to fix his leg puzzle before 'Lord Augustus' woke up and could continue healing.

His leg looks... mostly fine. It looks very swollen and sore, and he still limps a lot. The doctors said they wouldn't know if he could ever walk normally and told him to rest for a while and just come by for healing.

As for me? I'm good! For some reason I am good! No wait, I always am!

"Now now Arven, don't be such a sour puss. For how things could have turned out it went quite well."

Arven sends be a brief glare and then sighs.

"Sometimes dead is better than cripple. Otherwise you're just another mouth to feed."

He was currently a bit depressed over the limp. Well... his family's territory really wasn't that big and had a lot of problems. Even if he didn't die here, he might get killed trying to manage the massive amount of bandits in their lands.

"I'm sure your siblings and citizens disagree," I say with a grin to cheer him up a bit.

He grumbles something quietly but then perks up curiously as Asher the man steps into the tent. Now, our dedicated puppy dog that usually follows the lady around was. a. mess.

His brown hair had been ruffled up and he had hickies down his throat and down under where his clothes were trying to cover. He still looked pretty hazy too. Those mauve eyes were swimming. Judging from the salty smell coming off of him, there was no doubt what he'd been doing.

I let out a whistle.

"Looks like someone got busy. Even let Vitis take night duties without warning."

I wriggle my eyebrows at him.

He gives me this looooooong stare in return. Then tries to unmess his hair and put his clothes back in order, but believe me when I tell you that won't work.

"Certainly smell like the ocean. You're going to need a shower. I don't think Celeste-sama will appreciate the smell coming off of you right now."

I, of course, give him a bright smile.

He looks nervous and immediately begins to smell himself with a huge embarrassed frown. Just how long had he been at it? All night? Must've been a rough time for the former kid now man.

"Soooo, what happened? Who's the lucky lady?"

Asher, who was about to go get cleaned up turns back to me with a tired look.

"Salender spy that tried to poison Celeste-sama with aphrodisiac. One thing kind of lead to another and both the spy and I ended up drugged."

Whaaaaat? Wait, whaaaaaat?

"So you bedded the enemy?"

Now, I was almost bouncing, and Arven was covering his face. Asher looked as though he was about to defend himself and then went out of the tent with a sullen expression.

"Spence," Arven says out calmly.

"Yea?" I grin over at him.

"You thick skinned, brick-brained Gobermouch." Arven calls me a busybody and then sighs while shaking his head.

"What?........hey, you think he will bring the spy flowers?"

Arven tosses a small pebble at me with this slight smile and a shake of his head.

"Arven, Spence. Could you two come over, we need to talk."

Vitis pops his head into the tent with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Outside everyone alive from our company is seated. Even Mike who can't use his arm anymore. What followed was a long discussion on what we would do about the Headal declaration. Our Lady was busy dealing with the injured and talking with the Tepet heir, so we had some time to discuss this. Asher even put the bath on hold.

In the end we concluded to stand by the lady no matter what choice she made, though some argued quite a lot more aggressively that we should make a move of our own. It was shot down. The lady was very loyal.

I noticed Mike, though quiet, seeming quite calm about this. It was like most of his depression had gone away overnight.