Chapter 28 The Lord of Korelia

A gentle autumn breeze brushed against the grey canvas of the field tent, causing the edges to flap lazily in the morning sun. Standing at Lansius’ 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 belt that she had worn when they first met last year.

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

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

Lansius realized his suspicion might be unjustified. Messengers from high-ranking nobles often require extra security measures which easily attracted unwanted attention. “I got two letters. One from Lord Bengrieve and another from Sir Stan.”

“What do 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,” Lansius exhaled sharply.

“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 least 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 a meager amount of arable land.”

“Go on,” Audrey said. She felt that the more Lansius talked, the more relaxed 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 stopped and her mouth agape briefly. “He made you a Lord?”

“Vaguely, but he surely dangling it in front of my nose.”

She took a step back. “Lans, it’s still huge!”

Lansius exhaled deeply and downplayed the issue, “The title sounds grand, but Korelia’s wealth is just a fraction of Toruna’s. This is a lot of smoke, but no fire.”

“But why would he do that? Not even Sir Stan is a Baron.”

“Because of that,” Lansius nodded at the defense work.

“Ah, right…” Audrey realized the main reason.

“Lowlandia’s feuds run deeps. Everybody has a claim to another’s land. Soon, they’ll be knocking on our door with a siege engine,” Lansius explained.

Audrey just understood why Lansius had termed it as dangling a morsel in front of a mongrel. It was likely a ruse. The master would eat it and leave only scraps for the pet. “Lord Bengrieve is taunting you.”

“Indeed,” Lansius agreed as he watched the yellowing walls of Korelia Castle. “My hands are too small for a prize like this. It's unthinkable to defend it against siege without reinforcement from Midlandia.”

“I say we take it,” Audrey declared.

Lansius chuckled but went quiet after sensing her serious gaze.

“You’re making ditches and fences, also inviting blacksmiths. Don’t tell me you didn’t come prepared.”

A hint of a smile was on Lansius’ lips.

Noticing that, Audrey leaned closer and said, “I know your ambition too well, My Lord.”

Lansius blushed at her words and tried to refute them, “You know well that I just want a place to live, somewhere peaceful.”

“You still thinking about returning to village life?” she played along with his game.

“I have to say that I still fancy the idea. No politics, no responsibility, no guilt.” To live as a hunter in some distant village like Torea was Lansius’ go-to escapist imagination.

“I only see hardships,” Audrey remarked grimly. “Hunting weekly, butcher the game, stitch my own torn cloth. Stuck on rainy seasons and only visiting town a few times a year for supply.”

Her answer made Lansius chuckle.

Audrey continued, “I rather live in a big city with a servant who does groceries. But then I prefer to eat out when the weather’s nice. Also, watch plays or go to the festival,” and then she finished. “Trust me, I’ve been there. Secluded life isn’t fun.”

“And how about cooks? You often say it’s a necessity,” Lansius quipped.

“Indeed. I need one who would indulge me with a variety of seasonal dishes for lunch. Glazed fire pit roast for supper. And don’t forget a maid who’ll help this lady bathe and dress.”

The image of this stiff-faced cavalry captain being pampered like a princess sent Lansius into a fit of laughter.

Usually, she would hit him when he laughed at her expense but turned out this topic was an exception. Audrey looked proudly at her jest, even delighted.

Despite his laughter, Lansius felt that Audrey’s dream was justified. She had gone through so much in her life. Driven out of her family, lost her Knight Master, and was a victim of war twice. Even almost sold into slavery.

“How about marrying a Baron?” Lansius teased.

“I hope not the small Barons who till the land and sheared the sheep,” Audrey said almost with a straight face.

The image of the two of them in gaudy clothes but shearing sheep made Lansius laugh. “All title, but no substance.”

“All glitter, but not gold,” Audrey added.

The two burst into laughter. Their laughter conveyed so many things on a deeper level.

...

After a while, the wind picked up, and the grey canvas above them began to flap noisily. A small flock of birds flew by, their chirping filling the air.

Feeling the chill in the air, Audrey signaled their entourage to ready the horses. She then turned to Lansius, concern etched on her face. “Was the battle that hard on you?”

Lansius tried to shrug it off, but the memories were still fresh in his mind. “The battle was gruesome,” he admitted. “But what shocked me the most was the aftermath.”

The memory was enough to trigger a wave of guilt inside him. While only around forty fell in battle, almost a hundred died after, from blood loss, infection, and gangrene. Despite Calub’s stockpile of alcohol, Lansius’ knowledge of sanitation, and order not to bloodletting, they still lost that many.

“I seriously think that you got sick because you exerted yourself too much,” Audrey disagreed.

“Is that so?”

“You were doing so many things, taking care of the wounded, also the deal with Lord Robert.”

“Well, there are so many things to do. Our men need treatment, supplies, and housing. And I certainly can’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. 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 other people to advance our cause isn’t exactly noble.”

Audrey almost laughed. “The 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 bad.” Audrey turned to face him. “I mean, I actually liked 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 while baring a rare cute smile.

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

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

Audrey just shook his head. “They’re the lucky ones. Their parents fought hard to put them into your entourage. And that’s 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 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 spoke ill of the wind. They believe it carries diseases and miasma.”

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

Instead of waiting, the two walked toward their entourage.

⠀

***

⠀

Before the end of the first month of fall 4423, Lansius proclaimed himself as the new Lord of Korelia. He claimed to be backed by the Midlandian nobles. As the news spread, Lord Robert of White Lake confirmed the transfer of ownership and pledged his support to Lansius.

Lansius’ earlier decision not to imprison or exile Robert bore fruit as Robert and his court grew to trust and depend on the victor’s grace.

That bond had been strengthened as Lansius honored their deal. Instead of a crippling takeover, as was usual in Lowlandia, Lansius insisted that Robert maintain his House and rule nominally as the Lord of White Lake as per usual.

For old Robert, this was a great boon, an unexpected second chance. The life of a fallen noble in Lowlandia was only ruin or exile.

Moreover, Lansius only preferred to take a portion of White Lake’s income rather than ruling directly. To guarantee submission, he integrated a portion of Robert’s men-at-arms and stationed them in Korelia. He also incorporated several neighboring estates owned by Robert’s knights to gain their service.

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

⠀

***

⠀

PS: A friend made it for me. He got Audrey's face right, but the clothing and background may not be realistic medieval. But hey, it looks gorgeous enough to me. Hope you like it. Thank you for reading and for your support.