Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Sowing Distrust

When I open my eyes, I feel comfy surface beneath me and my eyes immediately find white ceiling with crystal lighting, which is typical setting in house of this world. 

When I try to sit up, the sore I feel from my entire body keeps me lying on the comfy surface. 

I stretch my neck to see the surrounding. It seems I am already in my designated room in the White City palace, which means the comfy surface is the mattress.

My both hands are fully bandaged from fingers to arms. 

I remember falling from broken bridge. I was lucky my hands somehow grabbed the stones. The stones on the wall of abyss were sharp, long and sturdy, that I could climb them. Furthermore, there are spacious hole everywhere on the wall, so I could rest whenever my hands got tired. 

I somehow climbed to the top where I was separated from my comrades but the flesh on my hands were torn and wounds were severe.  Probably, those will end up as very nasty scars on my entire hands. Well, at least I survived.

After a while, the door opens and Selene enters with a small towel and bandages with her. So, she has been the one to nurse me.

"Ahhh!" She finds out that I regain my consciousness, and dash  to outside. 

Subsequently, eight girls enter the room, kneeling down along my bedside. 

They ask a lot of things that my just awaken mind couldn't catch up but Ivanna finally asks them to stop talking.

Ivanna holds my chin and her head is above me.

"Hanabi and Selene were the witness. That incident was no accident..." She looks at both girls who are nodding their heads. 

"Bratt Reskina planned this expedition just to kill you. That attack was from him."

I respond to Ivanna with a question,

"Why that prince did that? We just know each other not even a week."

Ivanna closes her eyes for a while before gazing at all of us in pained expression.

"Bratt has always been infatuated with me. He becomes jealous of us. He will stop at nothing.... I confronted him on what he did to you but he became mad and tried to rape me .... But I am still stronger than him."

I immediately sit up when I hear that.

"Ehemm. Anyway, we will be leaving this place. We already pack our things."

I look straight at her and ask,

"Are you sure? You grow up here?"

Ivanna smiles and look at each of the girls lining along the bedside, and says,

"These girls, all of them left their places and loved ones after all."

The room then becomes silent for quite some time.

***

One week has passed since the conflict between the Arkland army and the Ferelden combined forces begins.

Throughout that period, the the more superior in number, Ferelden never stopped attacking. At times from the front, at times with ploys and traps, they tried to take down Fort Lassic in all sorts of ways, but the Lassic army repelled each attempt. 

The combined forces are Bryland faction from South Reach, Brumerush faction from West Hills, and Raeven faction from Edgehall. Meanwhile, Guerrin's faction marches from the other side, from Redcliffe.  Lambert faction from from Abram and Urovarna faction from Denerim are engaging enforcement from Olga Federation.

Here at Fort Lassic, the Ferelden allied forces win in terms of numbers, but the Raeven and Bryland Army are intimidated by the poison and gunpowder, while the Brumerush army struggles with sieges — a kind of battle they have little experience in and does not allow them to exert their true ability.

Amidst such fear, frustration and exasperation, the Ferelden army’s hostility was beginning to shift away from the Lassic forces…

“I just can’t…this is just too strange.”

In the Bryland and Raeven camp, — Leonas Bryland is biting his nails and growling.

The sun has long set past the horizon, but the clouded sky does not show even a glimpse of the moon or the stars. The many bonfires lighting up in the camp, however, illuminates it as if it was noon.

Leonas glares beyond the darkness, towards Fort Lassic, anger and resentment in his eyes. His expression is sterner than ever.

“Marquis Bryland, please return to your tent. You should rest soon, or tomorrow you may suffer.”

Worrying about the restless Leonas, the composed Marquis Reaven persuades.

“Leave me be, I need to think.” Leonas ignores.

Raeven urges him to rest, but Leonas refuses and resumes his thoughts.

“What could be vexing you so much, Marquis Bryland?”

“...it has already been one week since this battle started. But only our army has been reporting great losses.”

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After a bit of hesitation, Leonas replies to the Raeven’s question. He wants to see if his suspicion is his alone or not.

Raeven closes his eyes and in deep thought for a while before answering,

“Marquis Bryland, actually…we have all been wondering the same thing.”

“As expected. I can’t shake the impression that the Lassic forces are being rather reserved against Brumerush.”

Raeven and Bryland are attacking the fort’s eastern walls, but have suffered from the poisoned arrows and gunpowder ever since the first day of battle. They have been fighting with more prudence from the second day forward, which allows them to contain their casualties, but both fighting power and morale have been gradually decreasing.

Thinking that the other armies are surely struggling, Raeven sent some men to check on their situation; contrary to his expectations, however, the Brumerush army , attacking the north and south walls respectively, reported much lower losses.

For years, there have been reports that Brumerush has been selling information on Ferelden to neighboring countries but no one ever dare to take action without very concrete evidence.

Apparently, the poisoned arrows and gunpowder are not being used against them: they are instead very surprised by the amount of casualties suffered by the Brumerush.

“I too have heard from the viscount who went on the inspection but it looks like the other armies are not fighting seriously.” Raeven explains.

“They aren’t fighting seriously? What does that even mean?”

Leonas frowns and Raeven continues.

“ Brumerush army possesses the same siege weapons we do, but they appear to have barely used them. Or at least, they didn’t seem to have been used effectively.”

“How could that be? They must know how to use a siege weapon, don’t they?”

Seeds of distrust in his heart has already sprouted.

“It can’t be that…they are colluding with Lassic?”

"David Lassic is too straight forward... So, he is not likely to scheme such round about tactic. Brumerush must have been colliding with Reskina from Olga Federation." Raeven elucidates.

Even now Marquis Brumerush, leader of the a group of noble lords, is a political rival of Leonas and Raeven. In the first place, it is strange for him to participate as an ally in the same military campaign.

Another goal…the only thing that came to mind is to target his — Leonas Bryland’ own life.

On the other hand, Leonas couldn’t think of any reason why the other lower Nobles would oppose him, but at present they are loyal to King Cailan more than anyone else. Brumerush might have used Ferelden’s interest as a pawn to force them to join his side.

“If my imagination is correct…”

On this battlefield, there are only enemies.

A surefire victory has just turned into an unexpected deadly trap. Sweat lined Leonas’ forehead.

“N-No, we can’t be sure yet…we should hold a war council and talk with everyone first…”

“Yes, I believe that is the best course of action.”

“Hmm, then let us call Margrave Lubreo Lambert and…”

“You mustn’t, Marquis Bryland!!”

Raeven, who had just nodded to Leonas’ idea, suddenly rejects. Leonas, surprised, looks at him: the middle aged blond man shakes his head with a stern expression on his face.

“Please forgive me for this disrespect, Marquis Bryland. But Sir Lubreo Lambert is rumored to be colluding with Bann Amaranthine and Brumerush. It would be dangerous for him to know that we have doubts about Brumerush’s actions.”

“How absurd, those are just rumors, are they not?”

“Where there is smoke, there is fire, as they say. The witnesses that saw Bann and Lubreo enter Brumerush’s castle are not just one or two either, Lord Bryland. I humbly suggest that until we ascertain the truth, we should not let the cunning Lubreo know of any vital information.”

“Mgh…”

Leonas ruminates on the Raeven’s words and reflects.

Trusting temporary surges of emotion has led Leonas to failure, again and again.

Every failure also led to the death of knights who had faith in him.

He could not repeat the same mistakes again.

“I see your point…I do not know if Lubreo betrayed us or not, but let us be wary. Let's tell the other close retainers about this."

"Let's do just that " Raeven agrees.

Leonas return first to his tent, located in the center of the camp. Raeven remains in deep thought.

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