The Wicked House of Caroline

She wiped the sweat off her brow and let out a shaky breath. She had limitless biha, but her body was still only human. There was only so much stress it could take at one time. Beks let out another heavy breath as she grasped the top of the basket to steady herself.

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths before exhaling them slowly to calm herself. Two light beams and she was already unsteady on her legs.

Beks looked over the side of the basket. It would take more than two light beams to disable the siege weapons lined below.

She let out another low breath.

Beks swallowed hard. When she released the light beams, she’d been careful on how much biha was used. Since she couldn’t seem to control the amount, she controlled the duration of release. That was why each light beam was short.

So short and I’m still tired.... Beks evened her breathing. She didn’t stop Cloud from turning around over the battlefield and descending a bit lower. She raised her arm over the top of the basket and aimed at the wooden base of a trebuchet. She gathered her biha once more and released it.

It was a shorter duration than the earlier beams, as short as a flick of her finger.

The glowing beam of white light shot down and sliced across the trebuchet. She would be lying if she didn’t find the sight of the weapon falling apart after being cut diagonally satisfying. The two most important parts were disabled.

Unless the battalion had a spare log and a half, they wouldn’t be able to fix it.

She shifted her body and aimed at another trebuchet. She chewed on her lower lip and shot again.

This time, the light only got part of the shaft. It cracked and was on the verge of breaking off. It wasn’t as satisfying as the previous shot, but with the cracked shaft, there was no way it would be able to hurl a boulder. If they rolled one on, it would simply break the shaft all together.

“That’s two....” Beks said.

Cloud let out a screech and suddenly dove. Beks grabbed on to the basket as feeling of weightlessness filled her. Her feet floated above the basket as it suddenly dropped. She grimaced. This wasn’t the first time they lost altitude so quickly that she and whoever else in the basket was free falling.

It was a rare occurrence as the rokh was reacting to something, but Beks still did not like it.

Another projectile flew past them, missing them by a good length. Her eyes narrowed. Cloud screeched again and seemed to realign himself before flapping his massive wings and taking them up.

“Circle around again, Cloud! I’m going to disable whatever is shooting at us!” The rokh let out another screech and the basket swung to the side. Beks took a deep breath and leaned heavily against a corner of the basket.

She put her arm with the pearl ring around one of the support straps of the basket and looked down at the row of ballista. She almost sneered. She always encouraged organization, but to put all their weapons together in one place?

Wouldn’t it be a shame if that one place was attacked?

“Well...that’s not my problem,” she muttered to herself. The basket swung over, and she could feel the tingling in her hands as she gathered her biha once more. It collected at her hand, and she could feel it going through the pearl, as if being refined.

Beks released the light beam.

It slammed into the first of a row of ballista, but unlike her first four shots, this beam was not short.

The ground seemed to smoke as screaming filled the air. Soldiers were jumping out of the way, trying to avoid a beam of light so hot it cut through the wood, metal findings, and thick ropes of the ballista like a knife.

All that was left were pieces of charred wood and a groove as deep as one’s knee along the ground in between the ballista. The weapons fell apart, halved across and useless.

Beks let out a hiss and fell forward against the basket. The last of the ballista was only half cut, but it was enough damage to render it useless.

Beks drew her arm back and felt her legs give way. She gritted her teeth and used her good arm to keep herself standing.

There were still more weapons. If she could disable the rest of the weapons, it would be much safer for Laurence’s army.

Beks’ breath trembled as she leaned against the basket. She fumbled with the seating bench and folded her leg on top of it to try to brace her. Sweat slid down her temples. She didn’t realize she was so wet and sticky all of a sudden. She’d have to bathe after all this was over.

Cloud screeched above her as they flew outside the area where the battle was happening to turn around.

“Once more!” she shouted. The catapulted boulders wouldn’t get high enough to reach them and all the ballista that had shot projectiles at them were damaged. “Get me a little closer!”

The basket swung once more and Beks grabbed one of the ropes and wrapped it around her waist. If Cloud had to do another maneuver that sent her into free falling, she needed to make sure she was secured, as at the moment, she was barely standing.

She looked over at the side and frowned. Her vision was starting to become blurred.

She had to act quickly, but unfortunately, the remaining weapons weren’t all in one spot.

Beks chewed on her lower lip once more. It seemed as if she’d have to practice her aim. Swallowing hard, she adjusted her arm and began to collect biha once more.

Each release was as short as a heartbeat.

The light beam slammed into a catapult, but instead of cutting it like a hot knife, it made the wood crack and splinter before almost exploding.

There was a change. The biha was not as condensed as earlier and Beks could feel it. Her heart dropped. The less concentrated the biha, the weaker the light beam was. She felt no restrictions on her own biha, but her body was growing weak.

Did a weak body weaken the strength of the used biha?

Beks forced herself to push her questions back. She could return to them later, but at the moment, she had a job to do: disable the siege weapons.

Bracing her body against the corner of the basket, she released beam after beam of light at the weapons below. She aimed on the widest spot of each piece; satisfied if she could even break off a portion of it.

They circled around twice more.

Beks was no longer standing. She was leaning against the basket, draping her arms over the side, and using the bench inside to keep her level. Her blurry vision tried to focus on the last trebuchet.

“One more....” she whispered, her voice strained and shaking. She didn’t have the strength to lift her arm. She just pointed at the trebuchet.

The light felt weaker than before and as soon as it left her, her hand went limp. She forced herself to watch and make sure she hit the target.

The light beam slammed into the base of the shaft. It seemed to be absorbed into the wood for just a moment before the entire base cracked and almost exploded in a shower of splinters.

A tired smile pulled at her lips. “Good.” Her eyelids were heavy, and her leg slipped. “Goo...”

She heard Cloud’s screech once more before she succumbed to the welcomed numbness of sleep.

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

“We can’t wait for three days. We will need to carry Lady Rebecca with us,” someone’s resolute voice said. Their voice were a bit muffled, sounding as if they weren’t in the same room. “She’ll be safe in the carriage.”

“In the carriage, where she ran away from in the middle of a battle?” That was her father.

“I also want Beks to rest, but we can’t delay our plans,” her mother’s firm voice replied. “And if Beks wakes up and finds out that we didn’t move the army for three days because of her....”

Beks solemnly wanted to nod, but when she tried to move her head, she felt aching all over. She gritted her teeth and suppressed her groan so as not to alarm anyone.

“Mother-in-law is right,” Lucian said. “As long as Beks can sleep, we should be fine.”

“And you’re sure that she’ll wake in three days at most?” her mother asked Lucian.

“That was the longest. She released a lot of biha at that time, but I’m not sure if the amount of biha she released this time was the same,” Lucian replied. “It could be that she’ll wake up sooner.”

“We don’t know how long she was unconscious in the sky,” Robert said, sounding somewhat frustrated. “After the last trebuchet fell, Cloud fled the area with Beks in the basket.”

“Daddy, don’t be mad at Cloud,” Thad told their father. Beks wanted to nod in agreement. “He must’ve realized Sister wasn’t well and flew off to keep her safe.” Beks was certain that was exactly what Cloud had done.

Legendary beasts were sensitive. When she passed out and didn’t respond to Cloud’s calls, the young rokh must’ve realized something was wrong and took her away from danger as soon as he could.

“But did he have to take her a half day’s travel away?” Robert complained. “We would’ve lost track of her had Wisp and Rid Callan not followed.

To be fair to the rokhs, a half day’s travel away by foot was much shorter by flight. All Cloud wanted to do was get her away from a dangerous place. Beks kept her eyes closed and took deep breaths.

She frowned. Why did breathing hurt, too?

Every muscle in her body was sore with dull throbs when she tried to move. She moved her hand towards her leg beneath the blanket and released a steady stream of healing biha. Her muscles began to relax as a warmth came over them.

Her biha was not the issue. She had so much of it.

It really was her body that could not stand the amount.

I learned something, at least. She moved her hand away and wondered if there was some sort of spring nearby. Even if there was, it was fairly rare to find a water source that was bihar rich.

“I’ll stay with her,” Lucian said. “When my brother is done at the meeting, send him here.” There were a few voices of agreement and Beks heard some fabric shuffling. “How do you feel?”

Her eyes remained closed. “How do you know I’m awake?”

“Your breathing is uneven.” The layers of sleeping mats she was lying on sank, and cool fingers touched her head and neck, as if feeling for a fever.

“How long?” she asked as his hands were pulled back.

“We don’t know exactly. When did you lose consciousness?” he asked. She heard a small clink of a glass. He must’ve noticed that her voice was dry.

“After the shot the last trebuchet.”

“That’s what we expected.” Lucian’s arm went around her shoulders and lifted her up. “Drink first.”

Her dry lips parted, and a half mouthful of cool water entered. She moistened her mouth, then swallowed. She then parted her lips once more and Lucian fed her some more water from a cup. After four sips, she didn’t open her lips again and Lucian brought the cup back.

“How long?” she asked again. Her voice was much clearer, and it no longer scratched.

“Fifteen hours.” Lucian replied. “The battle lasted for another half hour before we surrounded the enemy battalions. As soon as we had a clear path, we went after you. Cloud flew in the direction we were going, so we needed to quell the attacking battalion.”

“I would be fine with Cloud.”

“We know, that’s why we were willing to wait,” Lucian said as he laid her back down on the sleepy mat. “Luckily, Wisp and Rid Callan followed Cloud and lead us to you. Unluckily, Cloud had gone quite far. We found him hiding in the tall grass against a ridge. His wing was covering your basket.”

Beks felt her heart warm up. “Did you give me extra food?”

She heard Lucian chuckle. “I had two mountain goats killed and given to him and Wisp.”

She hummed, satisfied that her rokh-savior had been rewarded. Her gentle smile thinking of the two birds faded. “What about the two battalions?”

“They sustained a lot of injury and a handful of fatalities.” Lucian hesitated. “We also lost some soldiers.”

Beks drew her lips inward and bought them. “How many of them?”

“A half dozen, though several times that are critically injured. They won’t be able to continue on,” Lucian told her.

“Do we have enough medical care?”

Lucian shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s insufficient. There were many people injured. Anyone who didn’t have a relatively serious injury that required immediate attention had to wait.”

Beks frowned at this. “Those who are injured will have to stay behind he recuperate.”

“Marquis von Glasser has sent a request for additional aid,” Lucian told her. “If they can travel, or as soon as they can, the injured will be taken to the nearest homes of von Glasser March nobles to recuperate.”

Beks wanted to nod, but really couldn’t move much. As of two days earlier, the entire army had crossed into the von Glasser March, but they were still some distance from the von Glasser estate, which they would pass on the way to Kadmium.

“What do we know of the two battalions who attacked us?” Beks asked.

“They were stationed east of here, but neither were two that were contacted by Gatlin several days ago. Their remaining two battalions were stationed southwest. We’ve only now received a response. They will march northwest and sweep along the coast. It will take a bit longer than us, but they should arrive to the Port of Black Sands just after we reach Kadmium. They will block the port for us.”

That was a satisfying response. “Why did they take so long to reply?”

Lucian chuckled a bit. “Because the battalion leader of one of the battalions was Franchesca Laurent, the eldest daughter of the Southern Legion Commander. Their response didn’t come by messenger bird, but by rider.”

“Does she know where her mother is?” Beks asked. They’d long lost track of the Southern Legion Commander.

“She does,” Lucian replied. “Legion Commander Laurent found out too late that paladins were trying to kill you, which caused her to suspect that Luther and his party had conspired to kill Brother Laurence. She knew she would be ordered, so she went into hiding and ordered her daughter and her former vice battalion commander, now current battalion of the second battalion Gatlin had reached out to, to ‘patrol the south’.

“This was to keep them from being moved around too much. News about the Red Iron Cavalry was delayed, so she didn’t know we were coming, but the message from Gatlin informed her that Brother Laurence was back. She immediately sent an order to her daughter and subordinates to swear their loyalty and move north.”

Beks smiled. “That’s good. Where is Legion Commander Laurent now? Did she join them?”

Lucian chuckled once more. “She was the rider who brought the message.”

“Impressive.”

“She said the same thing about you,” Lucian told her. “When her and her entourage reached us, you were overhead, shooting beams of light from a basket carried by a giant bird. To say they were stunned was an understatement.” His cool fingers stroked her hair back. “We all were.” He let out a helpless sigh. “Your involvement was of great help, but what you did was reckless and dangerous.”

“Ah, there’s the speech I was waiting for.”

“I’m serious, Beks,” Lucian told her in a tight voice. “When I heard Brother yelling your name, I turned around saw you in the air, reaching for the basket. How did you know that Thad could lift you up like that?”

“Thad can lift himself up on a cyclone to fly. Why can’t he lift up his own sister?” Beks replied.

“He didn’t think twice about carrying you up, you know.”

“Thad trusts me, and I trust Thad,” Beks said. “He knows I wouldn’t have given an order if I didn’t have some level of confidence.”

“You’ve only had the pearl for a few days and hadn’t had much practice with it. How did you get the confidence to use beams of light?” Lucian had some slight scolding in his voice, but Beks ignored it.

She released a heavy breath and tried to open her eyes. Her lids were very heavy, and they couldn’t open all the way, as if her body was telling her she didn’t have the control or strength to do so yet.

“Sister Levina had light biha and set multiple fires at the Great Temple Complex. She used a combination of arson using open flames at altars, such as candles, torches, and lanterns, but she also used light biha to combust something flammable,” Beks told them. “According to her notes, the highly condensed light biha gets hot. Hot enough to burn. It also tires her out, so she can’t use it often. Not to mention, highly condensed biha will drain the user. But I have limitless biha, so I thought to give it a chance to try to use it. It started out well. The light beams were highly concentrated and extremely hot.”

“We noticed,” Lucian told her. “The damage to the siege weapons was precise.”

“Yes, but as I continued to use it, the concentration of light was less. It wasn’t my biha, it was my body,” Beks said. “I released too much at once and it made me tired.”

“Hmm....” Lucian caressed her hair back once more. “The biha is limitless, but the body is weak.”

“At the very least, I destroyed a few thousand gold coins worth of equipment.”

Lucian nearly choked. “That’s what you’re concerned about?”

“Kadmus doesn’t have any money.” She heard Lucian sigh and she chuckled. “Tell me, what happened to the attacking battalions?”

“Currently, they have been imprisoned with the help of earth biha users. All their weapons and armor have been confiscated, as well as any other resources. Food, horses,” Lucian told her.

Beks managed to open her eyes. The room was dim. It was already night, as expected. She also wasn’t surprised that her vision was blurry. The light source came from her left and she could make out the hazy figure of Lucian beside her. She frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

“My vision is still blurry,” she said. “This hasn’t happened before when I had biha explosions.”

“You’re likely both tired and were affected by the light beams. Lights that are too bright can damage your eyes,” Lucian said. “Light biha users can adjust their biha, but since you are new at it, you didn’t have a chance to. However, it should be temporary.”

“I did start getting blurred vision when I was on the basket.”

“You shouldn’t have pushed yourself.”

“If those weapons kept hurling stones into our side, we’d lose people. I assumed all I would need to do was rest afterwards. It feels as if I ran a thousand miles. Every piece of my body is aching,” she said.

“You have plenty of time to rest,” Lucian told her. “Southern Legion Commander Laurent will personally go to each of the remaining battalions under her command. Your father said that they can’t lower the kingdom’s defenses during an internal war. Since we have a sizable army now, the remaining battalions under her command should remain stationed at the borders.”

“It will prevent both foreign aid for Luther and ward off foreign invasion during a vulnerable time for us,” Beks replied.

“Exactly.”

She looked towards Lucian’s figure, somewhat annoyed that she couldn’t see the handsome face of her husband clearly. “Do we know why the two battalions attacked us?”

“It took some time, but yes.” Another voice came from the other side of the tent and Beks turned her head. She saw another figure entering. If he had been silent, she wouldn’t have been able to tell who they were, as everyone was wearing similar clothing, but she recognized Laz’s voice. “Beks, how are you feeling?”

The bed mats on her right side sank down as Laz took a seat on her other side. His large, calloused hand took her tried one and gently rubbed her palm.

“I feel as if I’d done ten years of labor in a single day,” Beks replied. “My entire body aches. This isn’t normal.”

“It is because your condition is not normal,” Lucian told her. “I, Laz, and anyone else with biha would use up our biha before our bodies gave out on us.”

“Even when we’re trying to use the last bit of biha, we likely wouldn’t be in as bad a shape as you,” Laz told her. “Your biha is limitless, so that’s a limitless toll on your body.”

“I need a bihar-rich spring,” she said in a droll voice.

“Unfortunately, we have a shortage of those on the mainland,” Laz said. “Some life biha users came to heal you, but since you were sleeping, we thought it best for them to work with the medics.”

“That is a better use of their ability,” Beks told him. “Tell me why we were attacked.:”

Laz looked towards his brother and then back at her. “The two battalion commanders are the protege of the Northern Legion Commander.”

Beks frowned. “The Northern Legion Commander? Does he know that Brother Laurence is here?”

“He likely moved his hand before, but he should know by now,” Laz said. “Even knowing, he did not send any message to stop the battalion.”

Lucian frowned and spoke up with an irritated voice. “Then he wants to rebel against Brother Laurence? He sided with Luther and wants to be our enemy?”

Laz gave him a wry smile. “We have forgotten something about Legion Commander Reed. First, his wife’s maternal side is Hessings.”

Both Beks and Lucian groaned at the thought. “Has his family received benefits?”

“I’m unsure, but it is obvious that once Brother Laurence retakes the throne, then the Hessings will be punished. Legion Commander Reed is well known for being devoted to his wife; how can he let her family suffer?”

“What is the second thing?” Beks asked.

“His two proteges are Battalion Commander Adams and Battalion Commander Simon. One married a Hessing and the other comes from a heavily religious family that has two priests that serve the Temple,” Laz told them. “If we consider interests, then they are our enemies.”

The other two were silent for a moment. Beks closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “This explains why they had so many siege weapons.”

Laz hummed and began to rub her forearm. “Unless a battalion rebels against his orders, Legion Commander Reed can turn all of the battalions under him against us.”

“Well, that’s a problem,” Lucian said.

“Even if they know Brother Laurence is here, there is a good chance that they will continue to follow Legion Commander Reed’s orders,” Beks said. “Then...we have only had one choice.”

Laz nodded. “Kill Legion Commander Reed.”

“Kill Legion Commander Reed.” Beks agreed. “We need to stop him before he can cause us more trouble. Where is he now?”

“Northeast of here. He’s guarding against the Red Iron Cavalry. While the cavalry is large, if he uses several battalions, then we are looking at a massacre on both sides,” Laz told her. “There is no guarantee on who would win.”

Beks frowned. “The Red Iron Cavalry is your and Lucian’s army. You are my husbands. I can’t allow such a battle to happen. It’s too costly. Not to mention my brother and sister are with the Red Iron Cavalry. Efren, Gerard, and the others, too.”

Laz raised a brow at her. “Then, what do you suggest?”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

“How many solo and small person missions are you going to do before you are satisfied?” Laurence raged on as he paced the tent. “Are you addicted to risking your life?”

“Of course not,” Beks said as she remained laying on the bed mats, recuperating. Laz and Lucian remained on either side of her, one rubbing her left arm while the other massaged her right leg through a thin blanket. “I am addicted to efficiency.”

“Efficiency?” Laurence balked.

“Brother, the Northern Legion Commander will be heavily guarded. Infiltration into his camp is the most efficient way to deal with him,” Beks told him as she watched him pace the length of the tent.

Laurence took a deep breath. Seated nearby, her mother and father watched the king grow frustrated.

“Rebecca Anastasia of Caroline.”

“He used your full name. He’s quite upset,” Laz said in a quiet voice. Laurence grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him. Laz ducked, barely avoiding the pillow. “Brother, please calm down. My wife is still recuperating.”

“And that is exactly why she shouldn’t be talking about infiltrating the Northern Legion Commander’s army! Beks, you can’t even stand right now. What makes you think you are in a position to do something so risky?” Laurence asked as he stood in front of her wearing a demanding expression.

Beks was quiet for a moment, measuring her words carefully. “My current condition is temporary. I will be up by tomorrow.”

Laurence’s face turned red, and he seemed to be trying to contain his frustration. He turned around, refusing to look at her as he calmed down. His hands were clenched at his sides and trembling.

Beks couldn’t help but feel guilty for making him so angry and frustrated.

“Brother, calm down for a moment. Don’t get so angry,” Lucian said in a coaxing voice. “You need to relax so as not to negatively affect your health. You’re going to be a father soon.”

Reminding him that he and Lady Eleanor, though a blatant attempt to calm him down, worked in doing so. His hands unclenched and he took multiple deep breaths before turning around.

“Are you two fine with your wife, who is currently bedridden, running off to assassinate a military commander?” Laurence asked in a sharp voice.

“As Beks said, her condition is temporary. In a day or two, she will be fine,” Lucian told him.

“And Beks has also proven that she is quite adept at such missions,” Laz added. “She is the Inheritor and her ability to access information and make the best decisions aren’t for naught.”

Laurence looked at her parents. “I suppose you will tell me that this is an acceptable action for a Caroline.”

Robert gave him a small nod of his head. “It is an acceptable action for a Caroline, Your Majesty. At one point or another, we all go on various missions to hone our abilities. Even Thad and Wrath ran away to help their older siblings in Langshe.”

Laurence looked at the Duke of Caroline and his nodding wife as if they were insane. Beks squinted, feeling even more sympathy for Laurence. Her parents’ reaction to her and her siblings taking such risks was normal to them, as it was something all Carolines did. However, it was incredibly abnormal from the point of view of a normal parent, let alone a normal person.

“I feel as if I’m losing my mind....” Laurence muttered.

“Brother, you are worrying yourself more than necessary,” Beks told him. “I only need to do gather information to find out where exactly the Northern Legion Commander is, how many troops are around him, and I can plan and execute a mission with a small force.”

Laurence hesitated. He narrowed his eyes. “How soon can you get that information?”

“Hopefully, within the day.” She had already contacted Nexus. Unlike the Southern Legion Commander, they had been able to keep track of the Northern Legion Commander. It was just that Beks also wanted information on their location and overall situation in order to plan an infiltration.

Laurence took a deep breath and seemed to mull over her answer. After some time, he gave her a nod. “You have one day to get information. If you are not able to stand or unable to prepare a suitable plan of action, you cannot go.”

Beks nodded. “Yes, Brother.” He didn’t say she couldn’t try to convince him otherwise after a day.

Laurence looked at his brothers who didn’t seem to be paying attention to him. Instead, they continued to massage Beks’ arms and legs. He threw them an irritated look. “Are you two even listening to the conversation?”

“Of course, we are,” Laz replied.

“You’ve barely looked at me since I arrived!”

“Brother, you know Beks is recuperating after she single-handedly destroyed over a dozen siege weapons, using unpracticed biha until she passed out in midair, for the sake of your army to quickly and efficiently subdue our attackers,” Lucian told him, concentrating on Beks’ leg. “All that work and she’s in pain. Massaging her limbs will ease the pain.”

“This is the least we can do,” Laz added.

Laurence threw his brothers another irritated look. “The same goes for you two, as well. One day.”

With that, he turned around and walked out of the tent.

Robert smirked as the tent flap closed behind him. “He’s worried about you, so I can’t be angry at him.”

“Every operation has its risks,” Sybil told them. “Beks, are you sure you want to go after Legion Commander Reed? Keep in mind that even if he is captured or killed, the northern battalions may not heed your orders.”

“Without a direct order from Legion Commander Reed, there is a larger chance that some battalions may remain neutral, especially when faced with the southern battalions siding with us and the Red Iron Cavalry,” Beks replied. “The less enemies we have, the better.”

Her mother nodded. “Then, if you need me or your father to come....”

“No, I can do it,” Beks said. “You and Daddy should remain with Brother Laurence. Once we have dealt with the Northern Legion Commander, we will join the Red Iron Cavalry and meet you in Kadmium.”

Her parents nodded. Sybil rose from her seat and crossed the room. She knelt down and touched her daughter’s head. “We respect your decision to fight, but be careful with the risks you take.”

“I know, Mommy.”

Sybil kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Rest well.”

Robert also touched her head. “Take whatever Thirnir you need.”

Beks nodded and her parents left the tent. Once they were gone, Beks looked at her husbands. “Get my bath ready.”

Lucian nodded and walked to call someone to prepare her bath. In lieu of bihar rich hot springs, she hoped that if she flooded her bath tub water with biha and then focused her own biha around her, she would be able to self-heal. Beks was fairly certain the effects would not be as strong as when she healed others, but it was better than waiting normally.

It didn’t take long for her bath to be ready, and Laz helped her undress before covering her with a small towel and carrying her to the wooden tub in the corner of the room. Lucian tested the water and then removed Beks’ towel before she was carefully lowered into the water.

Closing her eyes, she sank into the tub, awkwardly curling her legs up, until the water was up to her neck. She flooded the water with biha until she felt that the water tingled against her. Then she held her hands over her legs to try to ease the soreness.

“How is it?” Lucian asked.

Beks pulled her lips into a tight line. “As expected. It’s not as effective when used on myself.”

“Not as effective, but is it at least doing something?” Laz asked with some hope.

“Yes, it will just take much longer than I’d like.”

“While you’re healing, don’t over exert yourself. It’ll only harm you further,” Lucian told her in a stern voice.

“I know, I know....” Though slow, the soreness in her body faded. It was about half as painful as it was when she first woke, which was a vast improvement for an hour of work. She was only carried out of the tub because the water grew cold.

Laz began to pat her dry and she pushed his hands away, insisting that she could do it herself.

Laz smirked. “It’s not that I think you can’t, it’s that I want to touch my wife.”

Beks rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have some rounds to do with the battalions?”

“Are you kicking me out?”

“She’s telling you to go do your work,” Lucian said as he brought Beks a fresh set of clothes. Laz sighed, resigned, and told them he’d be back later. Lucian shook his head and looked back at their wife. “Beks, your urapearl has been glowing.” Beks paused and looked up at him. Lucian smiled. “I’ll bring it over and let you answer it.”

A smile filled her face. Though it was fairly obvious at this point, Laz and Lucian still stepped back to allow her privacy. “Thank you.”

He carried over her urapearl and set it up on the ground next to the bed. He then leaned over and kissed her. “I will be back in an hour.” She felt him slide something cool into her palm. As he left, she looked down and saw the leviathan scale in her hand.

Her eyes crinkled into pleased crescents. She really had chosen well.

She activated the scale and placed it on the ground before calling Nexus.

Mr. Kesse answered at once, immediately asking if she was all right as it took some time for her to answer.

“There was a battle and we’ve been dealing with the aftermath,” Beks told them. “But we are moving forward.”

Mr. Kesse looked relieved. “I’ve received the information for you on the situation of the Northern Legion Commander.”

She raised a brow. “So soon?”

“He wasn’t hiding it.”

Roughly two weeks northeast of them, Northern Legion Commander Reed had organized ten battalions under him to guard a lengthy stretch of Kadmus along a mountain range. The mountain range itself wasn’t very high, but in order to reach Kadmium, it had to be crossed. Below it was a fertile valley, and the farmers had been pushed out so the space could be used for an impending battle.

Beks closed her eyes, bringing up the map of the region Mr. Kesse spoke of in her mind and making silent marks. “Ten battalions...that’s more than expected.”

“The Northern Legion Commander is with his force, the Northern Battalion.” The troops lead by the legion commanders was double that of a normal troop. Even Laz’s Wild Dogs, which were considered a prime battalion, had less people.

“Where are they based right now?”

“The Mayar River Garrison.”

The Mayar River was one of the major rivers that drained into the sea, just south of Kadmium. It was a major supplier of water to the valley and passed Green Meadows. Green Meadows itself wasn’t too far from the garrison, either.

Beks frowned at this. The proximity was too close for comfort. If it was one or two battalions, she wouldn’t worry, but ten? Which included the Northern Battalion?

The Red Iron Cavalry needed to get to Green Meadows for supplies and to rest before closing in on Kadmium. The Northern Legion Commander’s troops were blocking their way. Somehow, this made the entire scenario much more personal for Beks.

“Tell me their numbers and everything you know about the Legion Commander,” Beks said.

Mr. Kesse began to read off the number of infantries, archers, heavy cavalry, and so forth for each of the ten battalions and the Northern Battalion to Beks. She sat on the edge of the sleeping mat with her eyes closed, memorizing the counts and where each group was located.

Mr. Kesse was through, and even provided the names of each battalion commander, where they were from, and to whom they may have had connections. Nothing stood out much; they seemed to be average battalion commanders.

It was the two who led their battalions to attack them the day before that had the most vested interests in Luther maintaining power.

Beks didn’t know how long she sat there, soaking in all the information she was fed. When Mr. Kesse finished, he gave Beks a moment to sort through the information.

“I’ll consider all of this, thank you, Mr. Kesse,” Beks replied. “Has the rumor of His Majesty’s return caused any conflict in the capital?”

“News has reached Kadmium, and it is one of the largest topics amongst the people; however, patrolling guards have arrested those who they’ve caught speaking of His Majesty’s return in public.” Mr. Kesse frowned. “They are trying to control the news.”

“It’s too late to contain it. And sending guards to arrest those who only spread the news faster,” Beks replied. “But at the very least, this means that the Fourth Prince and his people know that His Majesty is returning. What is the attitude of the common people?”

“Confused. His Majesty was said to have died and was buried. We’ve begun to combat this by releasing rumors that he had escaped when his life was being threatened and went to recover. Blame is being placed on the Third Consort considering the Fourth Prince’s reputation as a frivolous man unable to think ahead.”

“His Majesty’s attempted assassination by the Third Consort has a better narrative,” Beks replied, agreeing with the decision. “After all, it is more likely that a consort would act against the rightful heir for a chance to put their own child on the throne. It’s the perfect drama, is it not?” In addition, it was also the truth.

“Yes, Your Highness. It leaves little room for doubt, especially considering the premature deaths of King Consort and the Second Consort.”

“Keep steering public opinion towards His Majesty returning to reclaim the throne and stop the uncontrolled policies that the Fourth Prince’s court has approved, which have been detrimental to our people. His Majesty needs the people’s support.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Rest assured; the attitude of the kingdom will be in His Majesty’s favor.”

The call ended and Beks narrowed her eyes. Once the bias was skewed towards Laurence, the supporters of Luther in court would start to deflect. Luther would grow upset, if not a bit panicked, and his father, the Third Consort, would be forced to move. She didn’t know how much they could do in such a short period of time, but things were undoubtedly getting out of their hands.

Let’s see what you’ll do next, you turnip. Beks carefully rose to her feet. Her body still ached, so she took small steps to a table that had some papers on it. She sat down on the stool, letting out a low hiss. I should just soak until I’m all wrinkled....

Beks pulled out a piece of paper and began to draw out the map in her head along with all the information she’d taken in. By the time Lucian returned with Laz, there were multiple sheets of paper drawn on.

Maps of the mountain passes leading into the valley, maps of the river, maps of where the battalions were located, and several sketches of the floor plans of the Mayar River Garrison. Laz and Lucian stood over their wife, their brows furrowed as they looked at the detailed maps and then at each other.

“I...am very attracted to our wife right now,” Laz said with a straight face.

“Beks, aren’t you tired? Why don’t you go to bed? Laz and I will continue to massage you.” Lucian put his hands on Beks’ shoulders and began squeezing them gently to try to encourage her.

“I can go to bed later,” Beks said, still hunched over the table. “I need to plan this out. Infiltrating the garrison won’t be difficult. Neither will deal with the Northern Legion Commander when we see him.”

Laz raised a brow. “You’re quite confident.”

Beks reached out and tapped one of her sketches. “The Mayar River Garrison was built during the first eastern expansion and follows the fortress style of that period. It has multiple walls that surrounded a town, but the outer two have become almost useless and the town has been turned into a training facility for the battalions. Security will be high, but because of the garrison’s age, there are numerous underground tunnels because the garrison had been rebuilt multiple times, on top of itself.

“I’ve marked the locations old entrances that we can try in order to bypass the security on the surface. There are plenty of staff, both men and women, so it’s just a matter of stealing uniforms and blending in. The Northern Legion Commander will likely be in one of the keeps. We will need to find out which one when we are there. As for when he is dealt with, we will claim he is sick and give orders from his room.”

“Sick?” Laz cocked his head to the side. “Beks, isn’t that a bit difficult to believe? Won’t a doctor come to check?”

Beks shook her head. “The Northern Legion Commander has a history of gout. It becomes so painful, he’s bedridden, but because of this, he refuses to publicize it, as if it’s known that he becomes incapacitated because of an illness, they’d remove him from his post.”

“So, no one, especially his close aides and officers, wouldn’t send a doctor to check on him,” Lucian said. He clicked his tongue. “Stubborn old man.”

“His bouts of gout last several days at a time. It won’t be out of the ordinary to refuse to see anyone at this time. Even his direct subordinates would need to communicate with him through memos.”

“How will they know those memos are legitimate?” Lucian asked. “This is a big secret for him to keep. Only those close to him would know.”

“You ask a good question and you’re right. He would go through such lengths in order to ensure that this was a secret. During his bouts of gout, he leaves a memo to his direct aide, signing his name along with his initials in gold ink. This is the sign that he will isolate himself until his gout has passed...and to change the food they give him so as to lessen the pain,” Beks answered. “Every memo he will pass will be noted with gold ink until he is well enough to leave. In which case, he will arrange for a bath instead of damp clothes to wipe himself with.”

“If I was the Northern Legion Commander and you knew this much about me, I couldn’t help but feel quite violated. You know his hygiene habits,” Lucian said with a grimace.

Beks paused and looked up at him. “You like to wash your hair with fig scented soap. If you can’t get it, you would rather the soap has no scent.”

Laz let out a muffled snort and turned his head away from his brother. “Fig scented, eh?”

Beks looked over at him. “You use a rough sandstone rock the size of a fist to rub the dirt off your skin when you bathe. You use the same rock and always pack it with your things.”

Laz straightened up and Lucian grinned. “It is called exfoliating, and it is to keep my skin as soft as possible for you.”

“For Beks?” Lucian asked.

“I already have many scars. My skin should at least be somewhat soft so when she touches me, she doesn’t worry,” Laz said, lifting his chin.

Beks chuckled. “Well, I appreciate your efforts. Now, back to the plan. We can’t have too many people with us. It may just be us three,” she told them. “We’ll need to sneak into the Northern Legion Commander’s room and remain there for days to give orders.”

Laz perked his head up. “You’re going to give orders posing as the Legion Commander?”

Beks nodded. “I will have a messenger hawk sent to the tower with ‘urgent’ messages from the battalions located elsewhere, noting that there is movement with our army and false information on where the Red Iron Cavalry is going. In response to those messages, I will send out orders to begin moving battalions away from the garrison and the surrounding areas, thinning out the number of soldiers waiting for the cavalry.”

“How many do you plan to keep?”

“Two,” Beks said. “If I can get away with it.”

“And how long will it take for us to get there from here?”

“Two and a half nights of travel,” Beks said. “And that’s generous. Of course, tomorrow, I will still be recovering, and we will continue to move with the army towards Kadmium. I estimate another day and night after that, and we can take Wisp to the garrison. I want Thad to go with Rid Callan back to the Red Iron Cavalry and pass along my instructions directly to Brother Deo. I will need them to give me at least a few days allowance to thin out the battalions waiting for them.”

“You will need to send Thad out immediately,” Lucian told her. “The Red Iron Cavalry will move quickly.”

“They should slow down rather than stop on the other side of the mountain range,” Laz agreed, moving his hand over the map. “If they decide to give you time by waiting that close, it’s possible that they’ll be sighted by the Northern Legions, which could cause a pre-emptive attack.”

Beks nodded. “I planned to tell Thad soon. He’ll know how to find the Red Iron Cavalry.” She took a deep breath and looked up at her husbands. “What do you think of my plan?”

The twins looked at each other for a moment, appearing to contemplate Beks’ plan of action.

“All I ask,” Laz said. “Is that you don’t kill the Northern Legion Commander.” At this, his brother gave him a surprised look.

“Why not?”

Beks nodded. “I planned to tie him up and silence the room with the leviathan scale,” she said. She lifted her hand and cupped Laz’s chin. “Don’t worry, I know you like to be clean. We’re not going to spend several days in a cramped tower keep with a corpse.”