Chapter 29 Unseen Hands

Korelia Castle and town were perched atop a plateau, providing a stunning view of the vast steppe that stretched in all four directions. The castle loomed high on the hill, while the town huddled on one side. The people of Korelia relied on a small stream that flowed from a nearby river for their survival.

To the north of Korelia lay their only forest, a verdant expanse of towering trees that stretched as far as the eye could see. In stark contrast, the eastern side of the region was characterized by sheer cliffs and treacherous, rocky terrain that posed a challenge for even the most skilled climbers.

Despite the presence of a meandering stream, the area had little arable land for farming, and most of the townsfolk were shepherds who tended to their flocks of sheep, goats, and ducks that grazed on the sea of grass.

Located halfway between the east and west parts of Lowlandia, Korelia had the potential for a trade hub, but the city’s small population and the long arduous journey to the west discouraged most traders from doing business.

Despite being economically meager, Korelia was strategically significant as it served as the gateway between the east and west. Its possession meant military supremacy over the entire Lowlandia, and every ambitious lord sought to control it. While no House ever united the entire province, the greed-fueled vision persisted.

The unforeseen losses suffered by Lord Robert, coupled with the unexpected emergence of Lansius as the new Lord of Korelia, shattered the precarious balance of power in the region. Almost instantly, the wheels of war turned once more, and the people of Lowlandia braced themselves for the inevitable storm that was to come.

⠀

***

⠀

Korelia Castle.

Two weeks had passed since Lansius declared himself the new Lord of Korelia, and the Small Council chamber was filled with clerical and administrative tasks. Inside, two men worked tirelessly facing each other, separated only by a long mahogany table.

Hugo glanced up from his work and asked Calub, who was poring over a scroll, “What do you make of our Lord’s relationship with Audrey?”

Calub raised an eyebrow but didn’t look up. “What’s prompted this sudden interest?” he asked.

“Well, I just think it might be good if they marry,” Hugo chuckled as spoke.

“Ah, but Midlandia wants Lansius to wed a nobleman’s daughter to secure his position,” Calub reminded Hugo. “I believe Lord Robert’s daughter is the prime candidate.”

“I’m aware, but with them already allied, there’s little to gain,” Hugo gave his take and later added, “Meanwhile, the rumors are wild, I tell you.”

“Really?” Calub asked and gave full attention to Hugo.

Hugo leaned over and lowered his voice. “Well, for a young and successful man without a lover. There are all kinds of rumors, some even whisper about his virility.”

Calub exhaled deeply, sounding both amused and tired. "Give the man a break. He should have a good reason.”

“Well, the guys were just curious why he remains unmarried,” Hugo defended his men passionately, but he had exhausted the topic.

The two men returned to their work, busily tackling the daily tasks of running the small town. They were responsible for feeding and clothing soldiers for the winter, managing supplies, overseeing construction projects, and more.

Most of the clerical duty understandably fell into Calub’s hand. As a member of the Merchant-Alchemist guild, he was highly educated. Meanwhile, Hugo’s background was more of a warrior, a squire with an enviable commanding experience.

Lansius had made Calub the Lord’s treasurer. His prime task was to keep track of finance and to pay everyone in the Lord’s household, from men-at-arms to servants.

With Korelia preparing for a siege, numerous men were stationed inside and around town, adding to Calub’s workload. Yet, he didn’t complain. He knew that they still didn’t have enough. In the face of another war, they needed more defenders.

While Lansius managed to retain most of his forces with lucrative contracts, side jobs, and all-year housing and meals; a portion of their forces had returned to Midlandia. Anci and Thomas were amongst a dozen cavalrymen and scores of men who returned.

Anci and Thomas returned to Lord Arte’s side to provide an escort. The future Lord of Arvena needed to appear in the capital himself to plead his case and gather support. If he managed to gather enough, then a campaign to retake Arvena would be in sight.

Meanwhile, Sir Justin had been busy setting up his new manor just east of Korelia.

…

“Ugh... Not Good...” Calub groaned while dropping a scroll into the table.

“Problem with the blacksmiths again?” Hugo asked.

“No, it’s bigger. The food price keeps rising,” Calub answered as he rested his back against the chair.

Hugo knitted his eyebrows. “But the harvest is not even last month?”

Calub sighed. “Indeed, but the price won’t come down.”

“That’s funny... Do we need to buy supplies from other towns?” Hugo suggested.

“I’m afraid we can’t. The letters say it’s the same everywhere,” Calub replied.

“In all Lowlandia?” Hugo was alarmed. “This doesn’t sound right... Anything we can do about this?”

“Not much, I’m afraid. The merchants noticed the disturbance and kept their stock tight,” Calub said pessimistically.

Hugo exhaled deeply, realizing the gravity of the situation. Without food, their situation could destabilize quickly. His instincts told him that it was likely a setup. “Do you suspect foul play?”

“I do,” Calub replied, lost in thought for a moment. “They want to limit our supply. They are probably planning for a siege next year.”

“Has our Lord heard about this?” Hugo asked, standing up from his seat.

“Oh, spare him. The man barely gets better. I have no heart to tell him this,” Calub replied.

“I’ll talk to Audrey first. This is far too urgent.” Hugo left the chamber and went looking for Audrey. He thought the situation was grave enough. Korelia’s townspeople weren’t wealthy enough to have food surpluses. Most depended on trading their livestock for grains to survive the winter.

If grain prices were rising high, then nobody in Korelia could afford it. With their troops stationed in the town, the shortage would only worsen. Famine was a dreaded word in this world, and if it were to strike Korelia, no strategy they possessed could save them from utter destruction.

⠀

***

⠀

Lansius had started to feel better this week, and despite Audrey’s wishes for him to rest longer, he was determined to check on the forest to the north. So, today they went for a ride.

Accompanied by ten riders and his entourage, they traveled for a short distance. At Lansius’ insistence, nobody walked. Audrey rode with the blonde cup-bearer girl, and Sterling, the new squire, shared a ride with the pageboy.

Lansius was conducting a general inspection, although many believed he was merely bored with the castle. After an hour or two, they returned to the castle.

As Lansius’ horses slowly climbed the small hill, they soon saw the sturdy oaken gate and the weathered stone curtain walls of Korelia castle. The castle had endured many sieges, some victories, but many more losses.

As their group approached the castle, the guardsmen stationed at the gate readily opened the heavy wooden doors with a creak. The sound echoed through the courtyard as Lansius and his entourage rode in, the clatter of their horses’ hooves filling the air.

In the distance, they could see Hugo and some of the staff waiting near the entrance of the imposing Great Hall.

They dismounted near the entrance, and the stable boy took care of the horses.

Lansius asked Hugo, “Anything happen while we were away?”

Hugo replied, “No, My Lord, it’s quiet around the castle.”

Lansius nodded.

“My Lord,” Hugo spoke again. “May I wish a word or two with Lady Audrey?”

Audrey looked at Hugo questioningly.

Lansius chuckled and replied, “Sure, granted. Let’s not get too formal between us.”

“As you wish.” Hugo bowed his head slightly.

⠀

***

⠀

After a midday meal and some rest, Audrey broke the news to Lansius about the rising grain price. Lansius froze in the spot for a moment but quickly designed a contingency plan in his head.

He drank another cup of boiled water and headed straight to the Small Council chamber. Calub and Hugo had been waiting for him there.

“My Lord,” the two rose from their seat.

“At ease boys, help is coming,” Lansius joked to liven the mood, but deep inside he was deeply troubled.

Audrey closed the door behind her while Lansius went directly to the wooden cabinet where he had stored his scrolls and parchments. However, despite rummaging through it for a while, he still couldn’t find the one he was looking for.

“My Lord, why don’t you tell me what you need and let me search for it?” Calub offered to assist.

“It’s alright, Calub, maybe I missed it the first time,” Lansius said with a smile. He continued searching until he finally found the parchment he had been looking for.

Calub watched him intently as Lansius began to make calculations. “Not enough,” he muttered after a few moments.

Calub let out a weak sigh while Hugo looked troubled.

“Is it about the grain?” Audrey asked.

Lansius nodded, then paused. “Give me a moment. I need to think,” he said, walking to his seat and slumping down. Audrey and Calub followed suit.

I should’ve known. Starving an opponent is a valid tactic, and price manipulations are as old as history... This also means we’re up against a capable opponent. Nasty and morally questionable, but possibly a genius.

The looming threat of famine threatened to undo everything they had worked hard for in Korelia. Their new defenses would be rendered useless if the townsfolk and troops rebelled due to food shortages.

Sitting across the large mahogany table, Hugo coughed once before speaking up. “My Lord, I can arrange to get supplies from White Lake. I reckon we could do three return trips before winter sets in.”

Lansius looked at Hugo and answered, “I believe Robert is in the same situation. After our last battle, he needs fresh supplies. Asking him for food right now will risk a revolt from his men.”

“Can’t we just purchase more food? I know it’s expensive, but we got the money, right?” Audrey’s bluntness loosened up the tension somewhat.

“Well, we could buy enough, but at this price, that would put a big hole in our treasury,” Calub remarked.

Lansius disagreed, “We can’t do that. If we suddenly buy a great sum of food, the price will rise higher. Then everybody, including our allies, will suffer.”

Lansius’ explanation caused Hugo to cross his arms and exhale deeply in frustration. “We’re really in a mess then,” he muttered.

Silence hung heavily in the room as Lansius stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Calub furrowed his brows as he scanned his scrolls, hoping to find a solution.

It had only been two weeks since their proclamation, and the emerging forces in Korelia had already witnessed the cruelty of the neighboring Lowlandia Lords. Their gift to Lansius for his declaration was a famine in the face of their first winter.

⠀

***

⠀

PS: Cover is made by FabioKun, a growing author and AI artist. I love the realistic take and used it for Cover in Scribble Hub. Going to shout out his work once he's done with his rewrite. 

As always, thank you for keep supporting Horizon of War. I ❤️ you all. 

I'll try to update as fast as we can this week as we reach Royal Road Top 50 Rising Star Chart. I hope I survive the grind. 😅