Horizon of War Series

Veins of the South

Mountain Pass

The Lord and Lady retreated into their tent as they had work cut out for them. Lansius wore his tunic, and the shade felt comfortable after building up a sweat from sunbathing. Audrey helped Lansius walk to his seat and fetched a drink for them. Fortunately, his wound still allowed him to sit comfortably.

"What about the letter from Dame Daniella?" he asked Farkas, who was still with them.

Farkas took another letter from a leather sleeve and offered it to Lansius.

Lansius took the letter, broke its seal, then rested his back and began to read. He was immediately struck by the investigation Daniella had conducted. "So, there's a large smuggling ring operating right under our noses," he muttered, catching Audrey's attention.

"Three Hills is a big city; I'd say it's only to be expected," she said without concern. "What are their operations?"

"Letters and small goods. Apparently, they have a direct route through the mountain without needing to detour through Umberland."

"I suspected as much," she turned to Farkas. "Anything to add?"

"I heard from the men in the moneylender's house that the hidden path was through the mountain, with rope bridges, caves, and tunnels. The route was perilous but reliable enough to transport small items and luxury goods."

"So we can confirm that there exists an alternate land route other than just through Umberland," Lansius said, half mulling.

"I wouldn't really call it a route since it's used mostly for goods and letters, not people," Farkas replied.

Lansius nodded, then returned to the letter, which contained more information about the smugglers, their activities, their reach, and whether they posed a threat. "Just when I needed her most to lead the Nicopolans," he muttered.

"You wanted Dame Daniella here?"

"With your permission, of course, My Lady," Lansius quipped sweetly, making Audrey smile.

"I think Servius needed help. But if she's dealing with smugglers with reach as far as Korimor, I better let her do her work." Then, looking at the hunter-turned-lieutenant, Lansius asked, "What do you think about Dame Daniella’s security in Three Hills?"

"I think she has enough trusted men and a group of skirmishers. Moreover, when Lord Jorge and Sir Morton return, the security will be much stronger."

Lansius' eyes unconsciously wandered, trying to make a decision. Noticing this, Audrey suggested, "If you're worried about her, better to recall her."

Lansius exhaled. "Her work is important, and the security is sufficient. Maybe I'm just worrying for nothing."

"You probably have extra fear because of the rebel attempts, but don't let it cloud your judgment." Audrey reaching out for the letter.

Lansius gave her the letter and quipped, "If only she were as tough as you."

Audrey's face turned smug. Despite the life-and-death situation just a few nights ago, she showed no stress, as if the coup hadn’t scarred her at all. It was a mental fortitude that Lansius envied.

A far cry from when we were reunited...

He turned to Farkas again, who wore a slightly awkward expression as if he shouldn't be here. It was to be expected, as the man was a hunter and not a squire who was used to being close to them. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes, My Lord. There's something else. A smuggler sent us a letter from a lord from the other side of the mountains." Farkas took a cylindrical wooden object from his bag and opened it to reveal a small scroll.

"Nicopola, I presume?"

"Indeed. Although, I think it's a bit too late. It's from the Lord of Dawn, he's proposing an alliance."

Audrey snorted, and as Lansius took the letter, he commented, "So he has eyes on us even before we secured Umberland. And an alliance... What does he want with us?"

Her eyes met his. "The same thing he said yesterday?"

"No, that was after we secured Umberland." Lansius took a deep breath, trying to think of something but found none, so he mumbled loudly, "Something we had even before we secured Umberland, and it's important enough for him to propose an alliance."

Audrey wasn't convinced by that idea. "What good is an alliance if we can't even see each other and need a smuggler just to send a letter?"

"Well, as you said, he has an airship."

"I doubt it's as reliable as carts and horses. Otherwise, he'd bring more men and servants."

"Good point." Lansius agreed that even with the help of magic, an airship with a bulbous shape like the one she had described naturally produced enormous drag and was troublesome to steer. Its lightweight skin would also be a pain to maintain and therefore costly.

Not a workhorse, but a yacht.

***

Lansius

Before midday, Lansius met with Sir Harold, who was accompanied by a half-breed standing a few steps away like a proud squire, wearing a grey gambeson. They were finalizing the details of their plan to march back, including who would lead the vanguard, manage the rear guard, and oversee security in three villages and the bulwark.

"Have you given her a name?" Lansius asked after they had finished with the plan.

Sir Harold glanced at the half-breed and shook his head. "I have not, My Lord. The honor is too great for me."

The half-breed smiled faintly, and Lansius asked, "Out of curiosity, what name do you go by?"

"My tribal name is—" followed by a short, precise burst of deep, resonant grunts with a unique pitch and tone.

Yep, not going to try that...

Lansius changed the subject. "A question, do you find human language difficult?"

"It's not hard, My Lord. The Old Man's scripture was written in human language, and every child studied it."

Seeing that the Lord was still curious, she added, "Compared to my tongue, human's is more complicated. Too many rules and is not direct. Half-breeds can convey similar things with just different sounds of short grunts."

Lansius nodded, finding it interesting. Then, he turned to the knight. "Sir Harold, correct me if I'm wrong, but when I first met you, weren't you using an axe?"

The knight's eyes sparkled. "That's right, My Lord. I lost it when we charged the South Hill column on the plains of Korelia."

Lansius acknowledged the story and asked, "Why don’t you use an axe anymore?"

"It’s hard to find the perfect one. The ones in Korelia and Three Hills are mostly felling axes or splitting axes, modified for war. They're far from real battle axes."

Lansius smiled at this new knowledge. "I never knew that picking an axe is harder than choosing a sword."

"Midlandia can make good swords, so there are a lot of them around."

Lansius then turned to the half-breed, who was listening patiently like a squire. "Then, I'll give you a fitting name."

The half-breed wasn't expecting it, but she readily knelt and said, "Name me, O Lord."

"In my birthplace, there's a good name for a throwing axe. We call it Francisca."

The half-breed and Sir Harold exchanged glances. "I like it," the half-breed said first.

Sir Harold grinned, "Sounds powerful, it should suit you."

"Let's have a small ceremony," Lansius suggested with a smile. He then turned to Carla, who was standing by, "Bring the spiced wine; this calls for a cup or two."

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***

Lunch was served, and Lansius continued his work while Audrey did her rounds around the camp. He took care of the matter of payments for the Umberland campaign, which, due to the lack of hostages or loot, had yielded no direct financial gain. It also failed to gain him any land, as it ultimately belonged to the Umberland barony. His House merely borrowed it for a security pact.

Despite the gravity of the issue, his expression remained light, his thoughts drifting to home. He longed for Korelia, to spend his winters there in peace. The two had been campaigning non-stop this year, and despite having each other, the echo of Korelia’s calm grasslands was a constant whisper in their minds.

The old castle in Korelia, with its woody and hay-like scent, cramped corridors, and the sound of horses from the stable, was the place that gave them familiar comforts. A place they could call home.

He was about to finish when Carla entered and announced, "The Lord of Dawn is here, My Lord."

"Just a moment," Lansius said as he made sure his writings were dry before placing another parchment over them.

Avery entered. "Am I intruding on your work?"

"Not at all, please have a seat."

Avery did so, taking his seat with a slight groan, as was normal for a man of his age.

"I have your letter, just delivered this morning," Lansius began, placing the letter on the table.

"Oh, that," Avery said dismissively, without taking it. "You can safely discard that. Things have progressed faster than I expected."

Lansius smiled. "Well, what can I do? It's not like I willingly took a bolt to the thigh."

Avery let out a short laugh. Afterward, he commented, "The smugglers need to be faster with urgent mail. I’ll push them harder next time."

"You seem to be familiar with them?"

"They are—how should I say—a necessary bother. Like dung that fertilizes crops, or that spoiled animal fat that you use to grease a wheel hub," Avery explained.

"I understand that much."

"You still need to control them from time to time. Otherwise, they'll dabble in dangerous stuff like kidnapping and then slavery."

"I shall take your advice to heart," Lansius said with a slight bow of his head to indicate his seriousness. Then, returning to a relaxed position, he took a scroll his scribe had written yesterday and offered it to Avery. "My offer for the warhorse you asked for."

"Ah, gratitude," Avery said, rising from his seat to take it from him. He then read it while Lansius gave him some quiet time.

"The numbers look reassuring."

"That's the fair price in Three Hills for a trained warhorse. I normally could offer you an untrained one, but it's impossible to get them through the mountain path."

"Indeed, it would be suicidal, and I couldn't waste time training horses."

"I'll send some crossbows and spare bolts to sweeten the deal," Lansius offered, like a shrewd merchant, calling it a bonus while in truth, he was giving a sample of Korelia's homegrown products.

Avery chuckled, and Lansius followed suit.

Without saying anything, the older gentleman offered his hand, and the two clasped hands to seal the deal.

"Carla, can you prepare some wax?" Lansius asked, but Avery raised his palm, saying, "It can wait."

Lansius turned his attention back to Avery, and Carla asked a servant instead to prepare the wax and candle.

"I want you to hear my proposal," Avery said with a steady voice.

"But yesterday, you said I'm not ready to hear it?"

A smile played on his lips as he responded, "I changed my mind."

Lansius was amused by the sudden change, albeit without an explanation. "The letter said that you're offering an alliance. Is that what the proposal is all about?"

Avery sat back, trusting the folded chair to support the weight of a full-grown man. "The alliance is merely a prerequisite."

Lansius was intrigued but maintained his composure. "An alliance surely makes us both stronger. However, I doubt I could assist you militarily, especially if you plan to expand—"

The old gentleman motioned for Lansius to stop. "There are various kinds of alliances. What I seek is different from what Lord Jorge seeks. You can ask anyone on the other side of the mountain. House Dawn is famous for never expanding."

Lansius squinted. "So, merely an alliance of convenience?"

"Every alliance is born out of convenience," Avery retorted. "What differs are the goals and terms."

"And where are your goals located?"

Avery leaned forward, his voice serious. "Are you familiar with the southern part of the Imperium?"

"The two provinces south of Nicopola?" Lansius tried to recall their names.

"Halicia and Ekionia, My Lords," Carla interjected from where she stood.

Avery nodded with a smile, then continued, "With the rest of the Imperium trapped in wars and likely to remain destabilized for years to come, we in the South shouldn't rot along with them. Several lords in the two provinces are willing to work with me. If you also join, we can move goods from as far as Elearis and Sarmatia, across Nicopola and Lowlandia, and reach into the Navalnia Empire."

Audrey entered just at the right time, commenting, "That’s a huge trade route."

"Indeed, My Lady. It's essentially a trade route through the entire southern part of the Imperium," Avery explained proudly.

Audrey glanced at Lansius, who motioned for her to take an empty seat next to them. Then, turning to Avery, he said, "I have never considered this trade route before, and for good reason. The route through Umberland is treacherous. It will take a lot of effort and time... Unless you have a ready fleet of commercial airships."

A scoff escaped Avery's lips, and he waved his hand dismissively. "Airships are unfortunately expensive and can hardly carry anything significant. Fortunately, we don’t need to cross Umberland, and this is where my barony will come in handy. From Dawn to Corinthia, there’s only a small gulf, no larger than a lake. A riverine boat will only take half a day to cross."

Hearing that, Audrey quickly retrieved a scroll of a map from a wooden box and rolled it out on the table.

Avery studied the map before pointing to an area in the southern part of Nicopola. "This is Dawn, and from here to Corinthia..."

"It's only a small gulf," Lansius muttered.

"We can set it up right here," Avery pointed to an unmarked area south of Three Hills city. "There’s a quiet fishing village in this area. With some construction—bigger piers, warehouses, and roads—it'll be as viable as Corinthia."

Lansius nodded thoughtfully. Now, he understood why Avery was here. This was an immense business proposal, one that ironically could only happen because the normal route was embroiled in wars. Yet, it also could only happen if Lowlandia was united. "What do they want to trade exactly?"

Avery's smile widened. "You must see Halicia and Ekionia to believe it. They are the fastest-growing cities in the Imperium. They have sail ships that ventured east of the Middle Sea, hardened iron that could withstand Beastmen's claws despite being light, and other advancements."

"And Navalnia wants these," he mulled.

"Indeed. They want iron ingots, silver ores, medicine, alchemical products..."

Something bothered Lansius. "What kind of medicine?"

"Whatever the trader wants. But most importantly, poppy milk."

Lansius drew a heavy breath. Narcotics...

"And what do they give in return?" Audrey asked, noting Lansius' lack of immediate reaction.

"Gold, rubies, silk, red dye... occasionally old continent artifacts."

Audrey glanced at Lansius, who was still thinking about dealing with narcotics. The history of his world clearly showed just how destructive dealing with one could be.

"The southern provinces have been hit hard by the Imperium's lack of authority. Trade has been difficult. There are heavy taxes and no guarantees of safety. Banditry is active and now the whole central provinces are besieged by wars. Everything has stagnated to a crawl. Without buyers or orders, workshops have closed, guilds are cutting down their branches, and everybody has returned to farming, growing food."

"It's good then. We're facing famine," Lansius responded casually.

Avery burst out laughing, tears flowing from his eyes. Only when the laughter receded did he say, "I know it's not a jest, but still... This fiasco has dragged down everybody. Even before the famine crisis hit, fewer and fewer merchants came to trade, and my revenue from market taxes has been shrinking. Every city is getting poorer. Unless we can secure another trade route."

"Why not just sail from Halicia through the Middle Sea to Corinthia, or even straight to Navalnia?" Audrey asked with some reservations.

"Because it's dangerous to do so. For centuries, merchants from the Imperium and Navalnia have attempted to venture across the Middle Sea, but the area around the Great Marshes and Lowlandia is treacherous. Ships easily get stranded or go missing with all hands and cargoes."

"Does this also happen with oar-boats?" Lansius asked.

"As far as I know, yes. The currents are strong and hard to read. Moreover, the survivors tell stories of shallow rocks or sharp corals that are hard to evade. Hence, the route I proposed." He then remarked to Audrey, "If this trade could happen, then we'll be rich."

Audrey looked unfazed. "If the south is rich while the north is in a helpless situation, then it'll be an invitation to war."

"Indeed," Avery remarked without an ounce of doubt. "This is why we need to get rich fast. Sooner or later, no matter what our situation, the north will come for us. Let us not be naive to think that whoever sits on the throne will have no designs on us. It's better to have power as bargaining chips."

***

The sun had warmed the encampment, and the horses had been returned from grazing as patches of grass were limited in this area. Against his wishes, Audrey ordered the men to carry Lansius on canvas stretchers. Horses and men-at-arms flanked them as guards, while the Nicopolans crowded around.

They stopped at the edge of the encampment and observed the sky, waiting.

Yesterday, Lord Avery had used differently colored fabrics in a specific arrangement to signal his airship to proceed with the mission hastily, deviating from the usual practice of waiting until sundown.

Audrey offered Lansius a drink from her waterskin as they patiently waited. The area looked calm and peaceful. Due to the Nicopola conflict and the remoteness of the area, there was no traffic at all. Only the laughter of a distant fox and an eagle in the sky searching for its prey could be heard.

Lansius could see Sir Harold and Francisca patrolling the vicinity. Sterling was at the bulwark, while Dietrich had left with scores of riders to take command of the main army. For the first time, he was to experience a commanding role, preparing to lead their march down the mountain path by tomorrow morning.

As the sun's heat lessened and the wind gained speed, the blue and bronze flag on a high pole waved proudly and beautifully. It was Lansius' original banner, one that had strands of Felicity's golden hair embedded in it.

Lansius enjoyed the serenity, content with having no burden but to wait for a spectacle like watching a curtain rise in a play when suddenly, a noticeable blot appeared from behind the mountain.

"It's a different one," Audrey remarked.

Lansius glanced at her and returned his gaze to the blot in the sky. At this range, he couldn't see anything. "Is this far sight also a magic skill?" he whispered.

"I'm not sure..." she answered, then turned to her entourage and called, "Ingrid."

The educator, decked in a fur coat, approached, and the two talked in whispers. Meanwhile, Lansius was absorbed by the coming of the airship. It certainly wasn't as slow as he had expected. The ship gradually came into view, displaying its sharp triangular tip and a sleek, not-so-bulbous body.

As the airship approached the camp, more men gathered, their eyes wide with wonder. "By the Ageless, it really flies!" a young rider exclaimed in awe.

"How can it fly without flapping any wings?" another commented, met with equal curiosity by many in the crowd.

However, the approaching airship wasn't black but ivory-colored.

Avery approached from the front after asking a man to hold a small but long flag on a pole. He then joined Lansius.

With space between them and the crowd allowing some privacy, Lansius asked, "I heard it was supposed to be black."

"Your mage wife has excellent eyes. Even my mage pilot has some concerns about her abilities," Avery replied.

Lansius let out a soft laugh at the jest.

Avery continued, "Naturally, I want to conceal them all, especially the black one."

"Then why reveal this one now?"

Avery let out a grin. "Because I just learned that you have taken something precious. And I intend to have a share."

Lansius, still seated on a folded canvas chair with his thigh bandaged, mulled over Avery's words and intentions.

Many had yet to comprehend the significance of the meeting between two of the most powerful lords in the Imperium's southern hemisphere, figures who were poised to take control of the entire swath of Nicopola and Lowlandia.

***

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