Chapter 14
Morning arrived, and the four noblewon gathered to review the new information that had been collected overnight. They discussed their findings over a late lunch, deciding that nothing significant enough had occurred to alter their course of action. Departing the encampnt, with Ludmila present this ti, the carriage made its way south towards Campbell Fassett’s administrative village.
It would be their second audience with the eldest son of the late Count Fassett: he had holed himself away in the barony that was once part of House Völkchenheim’s desne. As they had co from the city, he was actually the first between the two siblings that they had visited. Like his sister, he had been all courtesy and smiles when he initially received them, but his hospitality grew cold upon being delivered the will of the House of Lords.
When it ca down to their personal feelings on the dispute, all four of the visiting noblewon actually favoured his sister, Jacqueline, as she had at least stepped forward to take the reins of leadership over her house with her father’s unceremonious demise. Campbell, on the other hand, was by all accounts a coward who had hidden himself away to avoid participating in a battle which – at the ti – was considered a formality that carried little to no risk for soone in his position.
With her martial upbringing, Ludmila in particular had a very low opinion of him. Even though Florine had pointed out that it didn’t an that Jacqueline wouldn’t have done the sa in his position – noblewon were not expected to attend battles at any rate – Ludmila still thought him craven: actively avoiding the obligations which ca with his station.
Clara did not miss her dark glower.
“I hope you aren’t going to bite Campbell when you see him,” she said.
Florine and Liane laughed nervously, their eyes flashing uncertainly towards Ludmila.
“It’s not worth it,” Ludmila scowled. “I would never be able to forget the taste.”
After tracing the movents of his largest gatherings of supporters, Ludmila would remove them one group at a ti with the assistance of the Shadow Demons until the trickle of bad news created a convincing enough idea that he had lost the majority of his power. After his new reality sunk in, they would confront him one last ti. If he still insisted on pursuing his hopeless course, he would be forcefully removed from his seat, along with any of his vassals to be detained. Liane had voiced her opinion, saying that the whole effort was a waste of ti and they should just drag both the siblings out of their manors since they were so obstinate, but Clara and Florine still wanted to give them a chance to forsake their old ways.
After hearing her convey Lady Shalltear’s words before falling asleep the previous night, Clara had beco confident enough in their purpose that she was able to make light quips at Ludmila. The improved mood affected Liane and Florine as well. The two had still not reached the sa level of assuredness as their seniors, however.
“I can’t argue with everything we’ve discovered so far,” Florine said as the carriage rolled through the village on the way to Campbell’s manor, “but should we really be doing this? This whole idea of dragging other nobles right out of their own fiefs…it’s really unheard of. It’s almost like those silly stories where heroes run around like crazy vigilantes ting out nonsensical caricatures of justice.”
“Well, unlike those vigilantes,” Liane said, "soone here actually has that kind of authority, as crazy as it may seem. Your territory didn’t have such a problem with almost everything being off of the highway, but my lord father and his deputies had to deal with an endless stream of crooks like these trying to smuggle slaves, narcotics and other contraband to the Empire. If there’s a way to quickly and precisely deal with one of the sources of this blight, then that ans I can put my own ti to better use on other things.”
“You’re making it sound like a matter of convenience,” Florine said.
“It is convenient,” Liane told her. “It’s also right and lawful and free of charge.”
Liane paused at the last and looked at Ludmila.
“Uh, what you’re doing is free, right?” She asked, “You’re not going to have an invoice delivered to House Fassett for shredding them to pieces, are you?”
“Eh?” The idea had not even entered into Ludmila’s mind at any point, so she looked towards Clara, “Should I be collecting dues?”
“If it costs you anything,” Clara replied, “you should certainly at least cover for your expenses.”
“Woah, stop!” Liane held out her hands, “Let’s see how this whole thing works out first before you start shopping for grim-looking stationery. I don’t mind providing accommodations and such when you’re doing your thing in my territory, but I’m half-expecting House Fassett to go up in smoke here.”
Ludmila felt the carriage shift as it angled up the incline leading to Campbell Fassett’s manor. As well-crafted as the magical suspension was, the carriage could not keep its occupants level when ascending anything beyond a shallow slope. Outside was a building with its grounds rapidly losing any semblance of having been maintained. Rather than the household servants that occupied the primary Fassett manor, this one was mostly dotted with several dozen rough looking n.
Florine drew the curtains on her side of the carriage closed as many turned their gazes towards the passing vehicle. Ludmila glanced over them in return on her side: the n seed to co from all sorts of backgrounds. Most appeared to be burly farrs, woodcutters and other sorts of labourers. Few appeared to carry equipnt beyond crudely fashioned polearms, tools and the garb associated with their regular professions. A small group of more conventionally-equipped fighting n stood in front of the manor entrance as the carriage rolled to a stop along the lane.
Four of the footn interposed themselves between carriage and the well-ard n that ca forward, while another opened the carriage door. Their threatening expressions loosened sowhat as Ludmila stepped out, followed by the other noblewon, and she inspected the n standing in the way.
All wore chainmail over clean gambesons; their limbs were properly armoured as well. Most had open-faced sallets or kettle hats, carrying themselves in a way that suggested they were accustod to moving around with the burden of their equipnt. An arming sword and a long dagger hung from their belts and each held a three tre-long spear in a gauntleted hand and a kite shield over the opposite arm.
Jacqueline’s more lightly-equipped footn at the town manor did not have the sa, dangerous feeling about them: these were decidedly not regular mbers of house Fassett’s retinue, nor were they present the first ti they had visited Campbell’s manor. Considering their roughly uniform equipnt, she thought that they were likely rcenaries at best and brigands at worst.
“Representatives from the House of Lords have arrived to speak with Campbell Fassett.”
The footman announcing their arrival clearly did not want to give their nas to the thugs blocking the way. The two rows of n stood facing one another for a long mont, before one of the n barring the lane to the manor entrance stood aside and swept his arm out, bowing with a lopsided grin.
“The good lord’ll see ya,” he said in exaggerated tones.
The noblewon exchanged uneasy glances, not knowing whether he was attempting a proper welco or mocking them outright.
Watching the two Demons stir in her shadow, Ludmila stepped forward to accept the welco before the standoff exploded into a one-sided slaughter. The Shadow Demons were explicitly instructed to act according to orders, but there was no telling what the limits of their patience were when it ca to disrespecting representatives of the Sorcerer King’s official governnt – and by extension the sovereign himself.
A pair of their footn rushed to get ahead of her, holding open doors and checking hallways as the man led the way. Unlike Jacqueline’s manor in the town to the north, this one was sparsely furnished and decorated. The absence of a regular household was conspicuous, and traces of dust and dirt collected in the halls.
“I wonder where all his servants went,” Florine mused.
“Was that a rhetorical question?” Liane scoffed under her breath.
Halfway down the corridor, they ca to the entrance to the manor hall. Their guide opened the door and ushered them in with little ceremony. The noblewon hovered at the poorly-lit entrance, waiting for so sort of announcent, but were greeted instead by the skinny man seated behind the elevated wooden table at the head of the hall instead.
“Ah, welco again, my ladies,” Campbell Fassett rose with a smile. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?”
From under a mop of shaggy blonde hair, his blue eyes lingered over each in turn as they made their way before him. Lined against the oak supports of the room were six ard n, similar to the ones that they had encountered at the manor entrance. An additional pair of n stood along the wall behind his shoulders. The thick wooden door closed a bit too heavily to Ludmila’s ears, and both Liane and Florine started at the sound.
She saw a few of the n before them grin at their reaction. Clara was unamused as she led them forward. Ludmila waited on them a short distance away, finding a place along the wall to watch the proceedings.
“Have you taken the ti to reconsider our offer?” She asked.
Campbell’s welcoming smile slipped off his face at her words and he reseated himself, placing his elbows on the table and folding his hands loosely under his pointed chin.
“I gave it so consideration, yes,” he answered, his gaze slowly passing between them again. “But my position remains unchanged. This dispute is an internal one and not even the entire House of Lords has any right to intervene. I have no interest in your attempt at ddling, and neither does my little sister, I reckon. Your empty threats an nothing here.”
As the refusal was delivered in Campbell’s self-assured tones. From behind, Ludmila saw Liane and Florine visibly bristle. Much like his sister, he only perceived their ssage as ddling and opposition.
“I believe we’re retreading old ground,” Clara returned. “Our purpose was made clear the last ti we t: we are trying to help the two of you to extricate yourselves from your situation, and I believe what we offer is extrely generous. The Royal Court will not share the sa understanding and tolerance when they turn their eye this way.”
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow, “Tolerance for what? Everything I've done here is well within my legal rights. As I said, empty threats – I am simply amazed that you can even stand here and continue with this embarrassing course of discussion.”
“And what of everything else?” Clara asked.
“Hm?”
“It is no great secret what goes on in this desne,” Clara said. “Do you believe the Royal Court’s inspector will turn a blind eye to all of this lawlessness?”
“Lawlessness?” Campbell said, “You know not of what you speak, Countess Corelyn. My lord father and his vassals have always enforced justice in our lands. If the inspector from the Royal Court doubts this, all he needs to do is request the county records for his own examination.”
The nobleman drained his pewter goblet and set it back down on the hardwood surface of his table loudly. At the sound, a figure appeared from behind a thin divider that separated the lord’s dais from so unseen servants’ entrance.
Dressed in a simple garnt woven out of undyed wool, a woman appeared cradling a clear decanter of wine. Long, green hair hung halfway down her back, with loose strands partially covering her face. They waited as she ca forward to refill Campbell’s cup; he did not offer any refreshnt to his guests before she turned to leave.
“That is the first of your household I’ve seen today,” Clara said. “The last ti we ca, there were many others – where have they all disappeared to?”
“Their services were no longer necessary,” he replied, “so I had them released from my service. This one is quite special, however. She has been a mber of our household for as long as I can rember. It seed a pity to let her go so I kept her to attend to and the n. She is quite remarkable: everything is handled with great skill.”
The corner of Campbell’s mouth turned up slightly, and several of the n around the room chuckled. Clara’s voice hardened as she pressed her line of query.
“Did you release your servants, or did you sell them?”
“My, who is retreading old ground now?” Campbell took a fresh sip from his goblet. “Slavery is illegal, is it not? House Fassett abides by the law as upstanding mbers of the nobility. Let us not speak of such distasteful things.”
“This…company of n was not present during our last visit,” Clara pressed, “and they are certainly not your household footn. Where did they co from, and how did you pay them? How will you continue to pay for their upkeep? With things as they are, your current incos are nowhere near enough to sustain this rate of maintenance.”
“That would be my private business,” Campbell motioned with his hand dismissively, “and none of yours. When this official from the capital arrives to make his inspection, he will find no problems with House Fassett. The Royal Court would be pleased, even, knowing that my sister’s ridiculous farce has been decisively resolved without need for their assistance.”
Clara looked to either side, but none of them had any clue as to why Campbell had said such a thing.
Ah, I’m an idiot.
Even before he finished, Ludmila realized that they had made a monuntal blunder. She fought to maintain the serene expression expected of a Lady-in-Waiting, all the while wishing she could reach out and wipe the smug smile off of Campbell’s face. How did Aemilia manage to do this all the ti?
“What do you an by this?” Clara asked.
“It is as I say,” he said with a patronizing smile. “Reports have reached that my sister has foolishly left the town undefended, scattering her n into the surroundings. I know a golden opportunity when I see one.”
“We did not encounter any ard n on the road leading here,” Clara said.
“Of course not,” he scoffed. “Sending so many ard n north up the highway would surely attract her notice. They were sent through the forest trails this morning. My n will descend on the county manor without warning, and that will be that. That woman never had any right to rule this land, and now she has proven herself unsuited to be it’s protector.”
“You actually believe that the Royal Court will accept this?” Clara said.
“Of course,” he replied. “I am the rightful heir of House Fassett, and my foolish sister is nothing more than a usurper. Her rebellion is in flagrant violation of the laws of succession, and I am enforcing justice – as is my right."
“And what of everything you’ve done to help finance these n to enact this ‘justice’?” Clara asked, “Do you believe that you will be forgiven for this?"
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Campbell said. “This adamant insistence of yours is truly puzzling.”
“The officials of the Sorcerous Kingdom will not suffer these gas,” Clara told him, “and they see more than you think. These old and underhanded ways of your house will work no longer: the letter of the law will not shield you from its intent. This is Re-Estize no longer, Campbe–”
“Count!” He cut her off, voice raised, “I am Count Fassett. House Fassett is the most venerable family in the duchy, and I am the Lord of House Fassett. It has barely been a month since you’ve sohow co into your title, and I will suffer the patronizing tone of an upstart baroness no longer! You will show the respect I am accorded, Lady Corelyn.”
Clara’s athyst eyes narrowed as the proud words washed over her. Seeing her friend’s reaction, Ludmila steeled herself.
“Where was all this courage when you cowered away from your duty in battle?” Clara’s clear voice sliced through Campbell’s bluster.
The silence which followed barely lasted two seconds, but it seed to stretch on after the cutting remark. All at once, Campbell jumped up from his seat in a fury, his face turning red, then purple; veins bulging over his temples. His maddened, bloodshot eyes fixed on Countess Corelyn as he sputtered impotently for several monts.
“OUT!” His shout reverberated around the hall, “Consider yourselves fortunate you are here as ssengers, or I would have you stripped and beaten for your slander!”
Ludmila rejoined Countess Corelyn as Clara turned and walked away, calmly leading her entourage towards the entrance of the Hall. Campbell’s seething breaths issued loudly from behind them.
“Get out, NOW!”
Campbell’s pewter goblet landed to the side of them. The dented vessel bounced off of a wooden bench and sprayed it’s dark contents against the wall before clattering away.
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