Chapter 109
1146 Words
KRON
“Father did what?!”
“He commanded the soldiers to do as they pleased. The number of mouths we’ve had to feed has increased and so has the disease flying through. The people who still have their senses are pleading that you do something about it. If this goes on, we might be our own undoing.”
“Thank you Camila. I’ll talk to my father.”
In just a few weeks of leaving the warfront, it had completely transformed. There was notably more destruction but I saw more cracks in our camp than on the ground filled with dried blood. It was a terrible nightmare.
“Anything else, Camila?”
“Well, your highness, I don’t know how to say this.”
“Whatever it is, it can’t be worse than this.”
“There has been c******s circulating the camp since you left. The last time we were caught off guard by the enemy and more than hald of the division was incapacitated from smoking that they were almost wiped out. We lost about twenty loyal men from that attack.”
“... Those who were incapacitated, they are still alive?”
“Most sir.”
“Those buffons! I’m gone for a few weeks and this is what they become?!”
“It’s my fault, your highness. I should’ve stayed behind,” Reid said, going down on one knee.
“No, it’s my fault. I should’ve tried harder to stop them,” Camila argued. She was already on one knee and from that point, I could see the welts on her skin.
“Camila, what happened to your back?”
“It’s nothing to worry about, your highness. Please focus on recovering your troops.”
“Camila,” I warned.
“... It was an accident. It’s nothing too serious.”
“Fine. When are they planning to attack again?”
“No information has been passed to us, your highness.”
“Are they keeping that information from us?”
“... Perhaps your highness. Word on the grapevine is that they’re attacking tomorrow.”
“I see. Summon the men.”
“Yes, your highness.”
They were quick on their feet, bringing every man under my authority. Looking around, the number of spearmen brought from the west territory had diminished more than I thought they would. When our eyes met, their visible resentment made me avert my own eyes. Captain Plato would not be pleased.
“WELCOME BACK, YOUR HIGHNESS.”
“Oh so now you see that I’m back? You had to take your c******s break before you could recognize your master was back?”
They cringed, looking anywhere but my face.
“I thought I could trust you but in the absence of your master, you have convineniently forgotten your creed and have become even lower than savages. Even if it was a royal command, doing what you want doesn’t include being stupid and losing the war becuase of your greed and gluttony! In this war, we are fighting for more than land, we are fighting for reputation and glory. You’ve been going so well until you decide to polllute yourself and have innocent men die on your behalf! Since you’ve all decided to act like savages, I would treat you like savages. The next time we are deployed, you would go with only the basic weapons. If you manage to survive, I would overlook your offenses. If not, the heavens have dished out thier punishment.”
“YOUR HIGHNESS, PLEASE BE MERCIFUL.”
“Mercy? You lot don’t deserve mercy. If you even think of mutiny or deflecting to another squad, I’ll kill you all myself. Have I made myself clear?”
“...Yes, your highness,” they grumbled.
“I can increase it to two battles.”
“YES, YOUR HIGHNESS.”
“Good. Away with you lot. Reid, Camila, go collect their weapons. The spearmen should remain.”
Everyone else left except the spearmen. Finally seeing how few they were, my brain started running with a suitable excuse to give Captain Plato. I had none.
“I apologize for the trouble my division has caused for you.”
“Your highness, is the commander okay?”
“Yes. Captain Plato is recovering nicely and would be back on the battlefield soon.”
“Then that is enough for us.”
“You don’t have to participate in the next battle. In fact, you can go home.”
“We can’t leave until we receive a command from our commander. Unlike everyone else here, we don’t shy from a fight.”
“Still, retire from the next fight. Please.”
“Your highness’s wish is our command.”
They bowed and left. I immediately went to look for my father. He was dining with the other war council members and had two younger women on his arms serving him. Even he didn’t look like he was in the middle of a war.
“Father, I have returned.”
“Kron. I thought you were never going to come back from the Capital.”
“I had quite a lot to do. I see things have changed here, father.”
“Indeed it has. We are making more progress in the war than we did when you were in charge of the front. I trust you won’t ruin that.”
“Father, this is inhumane.”
“Son, this is war. If you cannot deal with it, you are more than free to return to frolic with the general of the west and the Duchess.”
“I can deal with anything other than the reputation of Casella going down the drain.”
“We don’t need reputation when we take over Uramuth. Whoever tries to oppose us wouldn’t even get the chance to.”
He was right but at the same time, he was so wrong. If the people of Casella and the generals heard what he was doing, the war could fall apart on our side before we even take over Uramuth. He didn’t seem too worried about that.
I left his tent in a fury and headed sraight to mine. Reid and Camila were not yet back so there was almost nothing I could do to vent my frustrations. It was at that point that a woman entered the tent. She wore only a piece to cover her bust and another to cover her lower parts. She knelt before me.
“I was sent here to serve you, your highness.” Her voice quivered.
“Are you a citizen of Uramuth?”
“... Yes, your highness.”
She raised her head and I went closer to her. Something about her reminded me of Elayne. It was certainly a ploy of my father. I took out my dagger and slashed her throat.
- Writer
