Chapter 18
______________
Between Duty and Flowers
In one of the residences nestled within the lords' gardens, in a small palace reserved exclusively for House Pertrabish, Lederas was in one of the rooms. He was painting a soft-toned landscape, centered on a lagoon surrounded by trees and flowers, when suddenly there was a knock at the door.
"Your Majesty," a man said from the other side.
"One moment," Lederas replied.
He set the brushes down beside the painting on a small stand. Three of his representatives had arrived: lords from different houses in the lands of Trederath, the region where Lederas ruled as feudal lord. The men were shown into a sitting room and took their places in the armchairs, waiting for the Magno Lord.
Lederas, Sovereign of House Pertrabish (40 years old)
A short while later, Lederas entered the room.
"My apologies for the delay," he said.
He went to greet each of them in turn. The men rose to shake his hand and exchange a brief embrace before sitting down again. At last, Lederas took his place in the armchair at the center.
"My lords, what are the latest developments?" Lederas asked.
One of the lords, a man named Simon, spoke first.
"From the lands of Trederath, all of our administrators, trade partners, and financial officers report that everything is going wonderfully."
"Production of the region's various resources has remained steady and has even shown a high level of activity, which has increased our revenues considerably."
Lederas nodded calmly.
"That is very good news. I'm glad to hear it."
Simon continued,
"In addition, our alliances with the neighboring houses of the region have grown stronger, including those in the lands of Trinvar, Syndistry, and Eymlish, not counting Ribiryn, which has already been a great ally for centuries."
"So in the event of any territorial disputes, we can count on their strategic and military support, not to mention the economic agreements that continue to work in our favor."
"Very good," Lederas said. "I'm glad to hear such good news, Simon."
Then he turned his gaze toward the other lord.
"Tell me, Gregory, how are exports abroad progressing?"
Gregory answered with a faint smile.
"Wonderfully, Your Majesty. Several foreign cities in Penteros have proven to be excellent economic partners."
"Demand for the region's resources has been high, so..."
At that, he glanced at Simon with a friendly look.
"We'll need production to increase."
Simon raised his wine glass.
"We're working on it."
Gregory picked up the thread again.
"We've also established alliances with houses on the other side of the Narrow Sea, which in turn expands our network of strategic allies."
"That is very good news," Lederas said.
"Of course, Your Majesty," Gregory replied. "It allows us to expand beyond the lands of Penteros and strengthen our region even further, which will benefit every house within our territories."
A faint smile touched Lederas's lips.
"I'm glad to hear it."
Then he turned his attention to Podrick, the third representative, the one who had attended the Conglomerate meeting in his place.
"Well then, Podrick? How are things in the kingdom?"
Podrick adjusted his posture before answering.
"I bring several developments from the last Direcrim meeting."
Lederas let out a faint, weary smile.
"Were they upset about my absence again?"
Podrick gave a small laugh.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Though many have grown used to it by now, there are still some who are bothered that I do not attend."
The others let out a brief laugh.
"I trust you handle it better than I ever would, Podrick," Lederas replied calmly.
Then he added,
"In any case, tell me what the news is."
Podrick nodded.
"The first lands of Kelendor are already being conquered, though only partially for now. However, the Direcrim intends to continue expanding into the regions beyond."
Lederas frowned slightly.
"But that was not part of the original plan."
"That is true," Podrick said. "However, the Direcrim believes that if we can secure control of the frontier lands..."
As he spoke, Lederas brought a hand to his forehead in a silent gesture of annoyance.
"...it would bring economic benefit to the kingdom, the Conglomerate, and all the houses of the region, while further elevating the status of the republic."
Lederas lowered his hand and spoke in a somber tone.
"So it seems we will be entangled in territorial disputes in Kelendor for a long time."
Simon spoke up then.
"It seems some houses are not satisfied with what they already have. On the contrary, they want to conquer other regions in order to exploit the natural resources found there."
Podrick continued,
"It is reported that valuable resources have been found in those lands. There are even theories circulating about violet gold mines. That is why Kelendor has drawn so much interest."
Gregory let out a dry laugh.
"How convenient, that façade about everything being done for the republic. The truth is, many houses are doing this purely out of ambition."
"I'd wager Houses Dumstrein, Susaku, Tudeth, and Ludesth, along with their respective circles, are all involved."
Podrick nodded.
"Yes. A great many houses are interested. All of them seem intent on profiting from the situation."
Lederas fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"It was bad enough that we seized the lands of the Kleidmur Vikings just to exploit their resources. And now they intend to push even farther beyond Penteros."
His voice grew heavier.
"If we continue like this, we will grow into an empire—but at the cost of countless lives."
"Yes, I was among those who financed the expansion into Kelendor for the good of the republic, but not so that we could stretch beyond what had been agreed upon when that expansion was first proposed."
"Not to conquer regions that already had sovereignty of their own."
The room fell silent for a moment.
At last, Lederas spoke again.
"In any case, is there anything else to report?"
Podrick answered,
"That would be the main matter concerning the kingdom's greater interests. The rest is of lesser importance, though it may still be worth keeping in mind."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"There have been several attacks reported in different areas around Rossen, so far in strategically important economic zones."
"Although we have not been directly affected, some houses have already begun taking measures to contain them."
Simon frowned.
"Do we know who carried out these attacks?"
Podrick shook his head.
"It is still unclear. For now, some believe it could be Reydem, or perhaps a group of mercenaries."
"The true motives behind the attacks are still unknown."
Gregory leaned back in his chair.
"Reydem... and the shadow of its past still wreaking havoc across the region."
Simon took a sip of wine before speaking.
"If any of them truly remain, they cannot be many. Perhaps only a small faction."
Lederas spoke then with calm, but with firmness.
"We do not know that."
"And that is precisely why we must be prepared."
"Whether it is Reydem or not, we still do not know the cause behind these attacks, which have continued for some time now."
"But we must remain alert. Any attack against our allies or against economically strategic points must be eradicated."
He paused briefly before adding,
"Whether it is Reydem or not."
Simon nodded.
"We understand."
Gregory also inclined his head in agreement.
Then Lederas asked,
"Is there anything else you wish to say?"
Podrick nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty. There is one more thing."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Fusuro, of House Susaku, asked me to pass along a message. He said that if you absent yourself from another meeting, he will bring charges for your lack of interest in the kingdom's plans for its own benefit."
Lederas let out a faint laugh.
"He may do as he pleases."
Then he added calmly,
"There is no rule in the Zefrerio that allows sanctions or formal charges to be brought over someone's absence so long as the region is represented. And in this case, that representative is you."
"So do not trouble yourself. Fusuro is the sort of man who enjoys flaunting his status and believing himself above everyone else."
"Do not let that intimidate you, Podrick."
Podrick shook his head serenely.
"On the contrary, my lord. His words give me nothing to fear."
"He thinks himself the heir to one of the most powerful houses, and while the weight of that name cannot be denied, he is nothing more than a child playing at thrones behind his father's back."
Simon let out a brief smile.
"The Great Feudal Lord of Hamerheit, whose standing has been respected throughout all of Penteros for centuries, will end up seeing his legacy stained by his son's reputation. What an irony."
Gregory added,
"And from what I have heard, his father is ill."
"I cannot imagine Fusuro inheriting all that power if he dies."
Lederas made a faint gesture with his hand, dismissing the matter.
"In any case... political affairs."
Then he rose to his feet, and the other lords did the same.
"It has been a pleasure, my lords. I hope to see you next month for further updates, and I thank you for your support."
Then, with a calmer expression—almost tinged with apology—he added,
"I promise I will soon take a more active role in these matters."
Simon stepped a little closer and touched his shoulder respectfully.
"No need to trouble yourself, Your Majesty. We understand."
Gregory nodded.
"We are here to keep order and govern in your name, Your Majesty."
Podrick gave a confirming nod as well.
Lederas looked at them with gratitude.
"Thank you."
Then the men took their leave.
At that moment, an elderly common worker approached to clear away the cups and tidy the room. But Lederas stepped in before she could and said,
"Don't worry. I'll do it."
Then he began putting everything in order himself. He gathered the cups and glasses, arranged them carefully on the tray, and at last handed it to the old woman so she could carry it away.
Then he walked down the hallway and, at the sight of a vase of flowers, suddenly stopped. He brushed the petals with the tips of his fingers, and the image of the servant girl he had seen watering the gardens returned to his mind. His hand remained still over one of the flowers as he narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Servant girls do not water flowers..." he thought.
He ran his fingers along a withered petal and studied the stem closely, as though that small detail still held something of the memory.
"Or at least, not like that."
He lowered his gaze a little, remembering the path of the watering can among the garden plants.
"She hadn't done it at random..."
His thumb gently traced the edge of a dry leaf.
"She did not stop at the showiest ones, nor at the nearest."
Then he drew his hand away from the vase for a moment, as if mentally retracing each of her movements.
"She had chosen precisely the neglected ones. The ones with dry soil. The ones whose petals had begun to wilt. The ones already starting to fail at the root."
Lederas fell silent. Then he rested his fingers on one of the flowers again, thoughtful. He remembered her words then—the way she had spoken of dryness, of parched soil, of the signs in the flowers, as though she truly understood them.
His expression grew more serious.
"She hadn't improvised."
He let his gaze drift into the empty corridor.
"She knew exactly what she was doing."
He remained there in silence for a few seconds, still standing before the vase, until at last he lowered his head slightly.
"Who had you been...?" he murmured.
At last, his fingers withdrew from the petals. He did not know her face, because the mask she wore concealed it. He did not know her name, except for the operative name they had given her. He did not know her past, because it had been taken from her the moment she became a servant.
And yet, that brief encounter had been enough for him to understand that she was different.
That was why she had caught his attention.
______________
Echoes of a Cold War
"Damn it!" shouted a lord of House Reeitmur, hurling an object to the floor during a meeting in one of the palace chambers.
"Calm yourself, Frabius!" another lord said.
Several of the men present tried to pacify him, but Frabius was still beside himself.
"Those sons of bitches are going to pay for this."
"Tomorrow I'll mobilize troops and teach those idiots a lesson."
A lord named Robinson stepped forward.
"You know it would not be wise to involve yourself in an armed conflict, not now, after everything it has cost us to get where we are."
"We do not even have any guarantee that House Julys was involved in the murder."
Frabius turned on him, fury in his eyes.
"Who else would benefit from this, Robinson? Who?"
"It's obvious. They murdered my associates. How could I not be furious?"
"This directly harms my negotiations on the Greimlish and Dumstrein projects. Without them, House Julys and the others will seize the chance to profit from the situation."
He clenched his teeth, still burning with rage.
"But this will not go unanswered."
He made to leave, but Robinson stepped into his path.
"Whatever you do will bring consequences not only upon you, but upon all of us."
Frabius stopped for a moment and looked at him with contempt.
"They want a cold war? They'll have one. I don't care what it costs."
He shoved past Robinson and stormed out of the room.
"Damn it!" Robinson spat, frustrated.
One of the other lords spoke up then.
"What if we inform the Great Lords?"
Robinson turned on him at once.
"Do you not understand the situation?"
The others fell silent, watching him.
Then he added, bringing a hand to his head as he moved off toward a corner of the room,
"What image would we present if we appealed to the Great Houses over petty disputes with other houses?"
"We would only disgrace ourselves by proving we are incapable of resolving our own problems."
He fell silent for a moment, visibly tense.
"It cost us dearly to get where we are, and conflicts with the other houses could damage our reputation if the other lords find out."
"But if Frabius enters into conflict with House Julys and its allies, the other houses will take advantage of that as well."
Frustrated, he lowered his gaze and muttered with contained anger,
"Damn it... it couldn't be worse."
Amarantha walked down the corridor with every appearance of calm. She knew that some of the houses involved in what had happened would be meeting in those rooms, so when she realized she was nearing the chamber where they were deliberating, she discreetly slowed her pace.
The door stood slightly ajar.
Without making a sound, she stopped and listened from outside.
"For the moment, we must wait and see what happens with Frabius and the other houses. If this turns into a cold war, we will have to make sure it affects us as little as possible, and we must be cautious so the other houses do not find out."
Amarantha remained motionless, listening to every word.
Amarantha, Sapphire Division (22 years old)
Then another lord asked from inside the room,
"And what do we do for now?"
Robinson answered without hesitation.
"For the time being, we will not involve ourselves in Frabius's conflict. Let him sink on his own, if that is what he wants."
"Even if this affects us, joining him would damage us even more."
"We must remain indifferent to the situation and focus on our own interests."
Then Amarantha continued down the corridor as though she had heard nothing.
Later, back in her room, she pulled the hidden documents from beneath the rastrel floor under her bed and began reviewing them carefully.
As she went over her notes and marked a few things in pencil, she thought,
"This will distract attention from Robercrut for a while."
"If House Reeitmur, with Frabius at its head, enters into conflict with House Julys, troops will be drawn away from the edges of the Merlin 121 valley."
"Several houses involved will suspend their activities or alter their plans because of the conflict, given the various ties that bind them to one another."
She made a small mark on one of the documents and remained silent for a few seconds.
"I hope this conflict lasts long enough for Torken to move his forces without difficulty when the time comes for him to advance toward Robercrut."
"And I hope they have already managed to reach Rinnerhot without incident."
Once she had finished reviewing everything, she hid the documents away again.
Afterward, she lay back on the bed and stretched slightly, trying to ease the tension in her body.
"I need to prepare for tonight," she murmured.
"I only need two hours of rest."
She lay there staring at the ceiling, motionless.
But before she closed her eyes, a memory crossed her mind.
"Please, don't kill me... I have a family... My daughter is waiting for me. I'll do whatever you want, just please don't kill me..."
The words of the man she had killed came back to her with uncomfortable clarity.
Her expression did not change.
Then the last image returned to her mind:
his daughter's drawing.
Amarantha only remembered it. She did not think anything. She did not try to push it away. She simply closed her eyes, trying to rest, knowing that she would go out again that night.
And yet those memories would remain with her for who knew how long.
______________
The Scar of Bloodline
Félix walked through the forest, skirting the edges of Drafta's lands on the way to Rinnerhot. From the hillside, he could make out what looked like a cliff in the distance.
"We're close now," he said.
Then he sensed the woman traveling with him drawing nearer.
"I'm so tired..." she murmured, bracing herself against her knees.
Félix glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
Felix, Sapphire Division (40 years old)
"We still have a couple of days before we reach Rinnerhot."
"Once we get there, I'll leave you with some people who, at the very least, won't mistreat you."
Mildred was too exhausted to answer.
"We'll rest here," Félix said.
Hours passed, and night fell. In a quiet, hidden corner of the forest, Félix built a fire. He had hunted some rabbits, skinned them, and was now cooking them over the flames.
After a while, the girl came over and sat down beside the fire.
They remained in silence, not saying a single word.
Then, suddenly, she spoke.
"Thank you very much."
When Félix saw that one of the rabbits was properly roasted, he handed it to her. She took it carefully.
"It's nothing," he replied.
Then they began to eat.
After they finished, they stayed there, watching the fire.
In the middle of the silence, Félix asked,
"You told me you'd been wandering the woods for several days. So I'm guessing this must be some of the best food you've had in a while, even if it's far from anything refined."
A faint smile touched Mildred's lips.
"Don't be so sure. I'm used to hunting."
Félix raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And what was a noblewoman doing learning peasant skills?"
Mildred lowered her gaze to the fire.
Mildred Sleevet, noblewoman of House Bellt (28 years old)
"It's a long story..."
Félix nudged a branch into the flames.
"We have many days of travel left before Rinnerhot, and the night is only beginning."
Mildred smiled a little before she spoke.
"I come from a noble house that holds a great deal of land here, in certain parts of Drafta. Many villagers answer to my house."
"I was always around them. I helped my family with administration and with the harvests in that region."
"The people cared for me. I spent a great deal of time among them, even from the time I was a girl, and I learned many things about life in the fields."
She spoke while Félix watched her in silence.
"Yet my father did not like how much I associated with them. He saw them as beneath us, but I kept doing it anyway, because I had grown fond of them."
"My father was always a man bound to his status. He did not like seeing me lowered to the work of laborers, but he did not trust anyone else to manage those responsibilities either."
"He believed many of his trade partners could be manipulated, or were only looking after their own interests, and that they would take advantage of his affairs."
"So he entrusted part of that work to me, while at the same time not wanting me to become like them."
"But it was impossible not to feel affection for those people."
Mildred let out a small, faint laugh.
"My mother was like that too. I think I got that part of myself from her."
Félix looked at her for a moment before asking,
"So what happened, then? What made them decide to hand you over to the stable?"
Mildred's expression changed.
"My father tried to associate with lords of greater prestige in the region. He wanted to involve himself in larger ventures, but he was betrayed by his partners."
"That forced him to take measures to keep the house's finances together, but everything slipped beyond his control."
"He failed to pay his debts on time, and the interest began to rise."
"That is what happens when you entangle yourself with houses of greater standing. Your partners can betray you, and no matter how important your house may be in its own region, poor decisions in management can still lead you to ruin."
She fell silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on the fire.
"We had not fallen completely yet, but before things sank any lower, according to him, there was only one way to remedy it."
Félix kept listening without interrupting.
"To my father, preserving the status of his house meant everything. It was always the most important thing to him."
"And on top of that, he had recently remarried, and another child was on the way."
"He knew that if he did not do something to settle his debts with the Direcrim, things would only grow worse."
"So he offered them an exchange."
"He offered me to the stable in payment of those debts."
Félix looked at her more closely.
Mildred went on, her voice tighter now.
"To the Direcrim, turning a person of noble blood into a cloth servant serves as proof and reminder that it does not matter where you come from; nothing guarantees your family's standing."
"It is one of the worst punishments a house can suffer: to have a daughter, a sister, or a wife taken away so she may serve in the palace."
"It is like telling them: now a part of your blood belongs to us; now it serves us as an object, as an asset, to satisfy whatever need the kingdom may have."
"And that is worth more than many debts. The reminder of that humiliation is worth more."
Félix frowned.
"Could it not be someone else?"
Mildred shook her head slowly.
"No. They only accept someone of noble blood who is the daughter, sister, or wife of the house's sovereign."
"That way, you leave a scar on that family."
She turned her gaze toward the darkness of the forest.
"After that, the house has only two choices: live on remembering that person, carrying the pain of having handed over a loved one to the palace like an object..."
"...or erase her completely, as though she had never existed, so the family's reputation remains untouched."
Then, with a deeper sadness on her face, she added,
"Many houses do everything in their power to keep that from happening, because lineage, love, and affection for a daughter, a sister, or a wife are worth more than any burden of status or political privilege."
But then her voice faltered.
Félix noticed the tension in her grow sharper.
"My father did not hesitate to hand me over as a servant to solve his problems."
"To him, status mattered more than his own daughter. He always spoke to me of the importance of preserving it. I had always seen how tightly he clung to it... but I never thought it would be at any cost."
Her voice began to break.
"My mother would never have allowed it, but she is gone. She died a long time ago, and my younger brother understands nothing of these things because he is still just a child."
She began to cry in silence.
"He handed me over to pay off his debts. He did not care. His bloodline would continue through my brother."
Félix watched her without saying a word.
"And if that was how he meant to hand me over, then he would have erased every trace of me for sure—my things, the memories, my name... everything, so the house's image would not be stained, just like so many families do."
Tears ran down her face, but she kept speaking anyway.
"That is why I hate them. I hate my father, I hate the sovereigns, I hate this rotten system that allows things like this to happen. I hate all of it."
Then she lowered her head, ashamed of having broken down like that.
"I'm sorry..."
Félix spoke gently.
"It's alright. Crying now and then helps you let some of it out."
Mildred looked at him and gave a faint nod.
"Thank you."
Félix looked away toward the fire before speaking again.
"The truth is, I don't really know what to say. I've never been good at comforting people or lifting their spirits in situations like this."
"I'm no eloquent sage. I'm just a simple soldier."
He said it with a faintly humorous tone.
Mildred let out a small laugh, and a tired smile appeared on her face. Félix smiled a little too.
After a few seconds, Mildred spoke again.
"Thank you for helping me escape. And... I'm sorry for dragging you off your path."
Félix shook his head.
"Don't worry about it. We were heading to Rinnerhot too."
"I only split from my squad so there wouldn't be any confusion. I told them I had a few things to take care of first and that we'd meet again once I got there."
"I'll leave you somewhere safe, with people I trust, and then I'll be on my way again."
Mildred watched him in silence before saying,
"Mercenaries... You're very different from most of them."
"You decided to help me when you had no reason to."
"You could have hurt me. You could have taken advantage of me. But instead, you chose to help me and bring me somewhere safer."
"I'm truly grateful."
She said it while looking at him with a faint smile, her eyes still red, but calmer now.
Félix held her gaze for a moment, then looked back at the fire.
"Yes, I'm a mercenary. And yes, I decided to help you. But there's something you need to understand, Mildred."
"I'm not a good person."
Mildred stayed silent, watching him.
"I've done bad things. So many that this doesn't come close to making up for them."
The flames crackled between them.
"That's why I need you to understand something."
"You trusted me, and you got lucky."
"But don't ever trust anyone that way again, especially not a stranger, if you want to stay alive and come through this whole."
"You never know what someone else might really intend."
Then he got to his feet, put out the fire, and said,
"It's time to sleep. Good night, Mildred."
Then he settled down on the ground, getting ready to rest.
"Good night," she replied, lying down as well and covering herself with a blanket.
For a moment, the forest fell silent.
But after a while, Mildred spoke again in a low voice, almost out of nowhere.
"I know I shouldn't trust just anyone. But I didn't have many options."
"So truly... thank you for helping me."
Félix didn't answer. He only listened.
The two of them lay out in the open.
Mildred turned onto her side, trying to sleep.
Félix watched her for a moment from where he lay.
Then a memory returned to him.
Torken had parted ways with him and said,
"We split up here. We'll meet again in the next few days."
"Yes," Félix had replied.
But before continuing in the opposite direction, Torken stopped and added,
"You'll be taking the longer route. Don't take more time than we agreed on."
"After you get there, there's a good chance we'll have to move on to Robercrut, depending on the reports Víctor gives us."
The memory faded.
Félix clenched his jaw as he remembered how little time he had left to reunite with them in Rinnerhot.
"Damn... what a mess I've gotten myself into," he muttered to himself.
He closed his eyes, but a moment later he opened them again and looked at Mildred.
Even so, he felt he would not have been able to go on his way without trying to do something for her. Besides, her situation reminded him, in part, of Amarantha.
It was the fate that would have awaited her too, if she had not escaped.
At last, Félix closed his eyes.
And night fell over them both.