"You were all heroes yesterday." She walked through the thronged courtyard. "It is a great honor for me to lead you in this war. I will be even more honored to fight alongside you." She stopped at the center of the camp, addressing all the men watching her. "Bermanians, Skandivians, I salute you."
Both soldiers and mercenaries roared in acknowledgment, knocking the butts of their axes and spears against the cobblestone. Hopefully, they would not notice the shiver in her jaws.
"The General is alive," she announced, men murmuring their approval of the news. "But he is just one man. Do you really think that his life or death decide the fate of our war? Why should he matter more than you do? Why should I even? This war ends when we vanquish those bastards outside our walls, not when they kill me. This is not my war, mind you. This is the war of everyone seeking revenge for his beloved, of everyone seeking justice. So, I have one request, not an order: even if you see me die on the battlefield, do not stop fighting for any reason."
Her audience clamored louder, blades and axes held aloft and clanging against shields. She was more excited than them, but she did her best to keep her composure in front of all those men. I did it. I did what Father would do.
"That was a good speech, Your Grace." Darrison came from behind her, a warm smile on his red face.
"Hopefully, they share your opinion, milord." Rona glanced at her soldiers as she walked side by side with her veteran vassal. "Tell me: what do you really think of our odds after last night's battle?"
Darrison's broad chest heaved. "It is still a battle between two balanced sides. We lost so many of our good knights, and so did Di Galio. Yet I can't help thinking that we could have easily avoided our losses. General Gramus shouldn't have taken our cavalry into the heart of Di Galio's host while the main strength of our infantry was behind, engaging the enemy's horsemen. It is really surprising and confusing because he was always against the notion of sallying forth, especially against a host that huge, and I totally agreed with him on that. What urged him to make such a move?"
"Who could know what was on his mind at that moment?" Rona had an assumption though. And somehow Masolon was involved in that assumption. "Probably, he thought he could stun Di Galio with a quick strike and destroy his trebuchets."
"I hope he did. The price was heavy though."
"Not a single stone has hit our walls since last night."
Darrison chuckled nervously, giving the wall a glancing look. "Who needs to hit our walls now?"
Rona did not like Darrison's tone. "We will defend the gaps like we did before, milord."
"Of course, we will." He nodded. "Shouldn't you announce Edmond as the new General?"
Rona was considering another candidate. "Why should I?"
"He is the General's Deputy. Who else should we appoint?"
We? "That is my decision, Lord Darrison."
"No doubt it is yours, Your Grace. I'm just recommending, as your advisor, that you make your decision as soon as possible. Our men must know who leads them before Di Galio attacks again." She could feel the weight of his stare on her when he continued, "You have someone in mind?"
Rona would pick Norwell over Edmond. She had listened to both men, and she could tell who was more resourceful and more charismatic. But the man she was thinking of was an easier option than those two. If it were not for her vassals who would surely disapprove her choice. . .
"White flag!" cried one of the archers atop the gate.
Rona hurried to the gate, Darrison following her. "This had better not be a joke," she muttered.
"If it is really what I think it is, then the two sides are balanced as I told you, Your Grace," said Darrison, a hint of joy in his voice.
Payton was atop the gate among a few of his archers when Rona and Darrison arrived. "What is it, Captain?" she asked, lifting her chin up.
"A messenger from Lord Di Galio, Your Grace," Payton replied. "He says his master wants to have an audience with you."
We didn't lose last night. Alright, she was starting to believe her half lie now. Why would Di Galio choose to discuss terms if he was victorious? It could be a ploy though. She remembered Rikaard and the ambush she had narrowly escaped.
"What do you wish us to do with him, Your Grace?" Payton asked.
"Could it be another trick of Di Galio's?" She turned to Darrison.
"The Fox is unpredictable. We can take our measures though."
"How many guards should be enough?"
"Only me." Masolon came forward, clad in his Murasen armor save for the helm.
"I thought you were still asleep." Rona tilted her head.
"Your speech has awakened everybody in Subrel," Masolon scoffed.
"I don't mean to underestimate your qualities as a warrior, Commander Masolon. But we need more men with you to ensure the Queen' safety."
"If ensuring her safety is what you want, then do not let her meet him in the first place." Masolon shrugged.
"I want to hear what he has for me to offer," Rona admitted.
"Then we should not urge him to send a battalion to guard him. One man with her, one man with him. That should be better for Queen Rona's safety, right?"
Darrison seemed to be uncertain.
"I do agree." Rona would not wait forever until her seasoned advisor shared his wisdom. "Tell that messenger that I'm having an audience with Wilander's fox."
* * *
Mounting her warhorse next to Masolon's, she left the walls of Subrel behind her as she rode toward the most renowned lord in Bermania. He was the mastermind behind Wilander's conspiracy to overthrow her father, Rona had no doubt. Darrison had told her a few tales about the scrupulous lord who had been, surprisingly, one of her father's close advisors. "No one could deny that King Charlwood benefited from Di Galio's exceptional military genius to defend his kingdom," Darrison had admitted in one of their private sessions. "In return, your father rewarded him with Ramos, and his brother Aberto, the master of spies, with Subrel, skipping more veteran lords like Jonson and Daval. Both of them had their eyes set on the central city for long, but at the end none of them got it. Daval did not come out empty-handed though. Your father assigned him to defend the South from the Byzonts, and Augarin was the prize. But what about Jonson? All he got was some scattered fiefs in the Ramosi region, so practically, he reported to the Fox some time. To be honest, I was surprised yet glad when he decided to join us. I was not quite sure to whom he bore more of a grudge: Di Galio or your father."
Rona realized that Masolon was staring at her, his face betraying his concern for once.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "Because we are approaching him."
"I'm fine." No, she was not. Hopefully, Di Galio would not notice that as well.
"If you believe you are the true queen of this realm, then you can do this."
"Since when have you been concerned about the realm?"
"What realm?" Masolon snorted. "I am here to retrieve my gear. Remember?"
Bastard, she would have yelled if they were not so close to Di Galio and the slender horseman accompanying him. Actually, she had no clue which of the two men was the Fox.
"Lady Rona," started the slender horseman, his voice clear and deep, grey tufts scattered through his brown hair. The wind played with the brown mantle he wore over his embroidered armor. "My brother, Lord Aberto," he introduced the other horseman that she presumed was Di Galio. Appearances could be deceiving indeed. If that tall, broad-shouldered, bearded man was not Di Galio's personal bodyguard, he should be the man in charge.
It was Rona's turn to introduce her companion. "Commander Masolon."
Aberto's eyebrows rose in obvious astonishment before he leaned toward his slender brother and whispered something, yet the Fox's face not showing any expression.
"So, this is the man who vanquished your army at Herlog." Di Galio nodded toward Masolon as he addressed Rona. She had to admit it took her off-guard that Masolon's reputation had reached that far.
"The sam
e man who slaughtered your men yesterday," Masolon struck back on her behalf while she was at loss for words. "Twice."
Aberto frowned, his lips twitching as if he was about to say something. But one glance at Di Galio's face made the huge brother keep his mouth shut. Now it was so plain who she should be speaking to.
"Your fame precedes you, Commander," said Di Galio. "Though I was told you were stripped of your title before the Murasens banished you." He turned to Rona. "You should always be wary of ambitious men who have a. . . history with noble ladies."
For one rare instance, Masolon was out of snarky remarks, his unusual quietness piquing her curiosity. History with noble ladies? Banished? What did you do, Masolon? she almost asked her commander before she reminded herself why they were here, outside the walls of Subrel.
"You asked for an audience with me, and here I am," Rona said to Di Galio, steering the conversation back to the subject of this meeting.
"Which I take as a sign that you might ponder the odds and listen to reason."
An offer to surrender. Why am I not surprised? "What odds do you want me to ponder? You are the one whose forces are camping outside the fort."
"Not until my reinforcements from Karun arrives. The finest of Bermania's knights will be here at any hour." Di Galio paused for effect, glancing at Masolon before he went on, "I wish you had brought Darrison instead. The old man would understand the odds I am talking about. He would tell you how the battle is more likely to end."
It was not easy to tell if the stone-faced Fox was lying, and she hoped he was. Because with the arrival of the Karuni cavalry, Rona would not need to hear Darrison's opinion about her odds in this battle.
"You can still end the war that has torn this realm apart," Di Galio continued. "Go back to Skandivia, and you have the King's word: none of your vassals shall be executed or imprisoned if they all order their men to drop their weapons. Believe me, the last thing I want to see is the sight of corpses of good Bermanian soldiers."
"Believe you?" She gave him a scornful smile. "You mean like my father used to?"
"Don't pretend you know anything about me or your father even, because you don't." Di Galio's voice became firm. "All you know is what you hear from your dear old Darrison, who fills your head only with the nonsense he is quite sure you are going to like. Ask him about the Antrams of Lapond, the Byzont villages near Augarin, and the Rusakian prisoners in Karun. Ask him how your grandfather, the great King Handry, sat on the throne." He leaned forward toward her. "Look him in the eye and ask him to tell you the truth. Order him to."
Rona had to admit that Di Galio almost convinced her. Seriously, the Fox had not earned his renown from nothing. "What are you trying to do? Justify the reasons why you and Wilander killed my family? Do you really think I might care about the damned truth after what you did to them?"
Di Galio inhaled deeply, shaking his head in disapproval. "You are not listening. Those who wanted your father dead were countless. They had more pressing motives than Wilander, and yet you decided to wage war against him. Unfortunately, you only hear what you want to hear."
His games might fool anybody, but not her. "You have brought me here to convince me that the battle is over, and yet you are too cowardly to admit that your hands' are stained with my family's blood." It was his confession that brought her here, what she wanted to hear. His terms? May he burn in hell with them. Surrender was never an option she would consider unless it was his surrender.
The two brothers exchanged a look. "This is useless," was all she heard from their mumbling.
"We have an offer for you two," announced Masolon, surprising the two men as well as her. What are you doing, Masolon? She peered at him, but he did not pay her heed. Now having Di Galio's attention, Masolon continued, "You take your host away from here, and we promise you, no more of your men will burn in the woods. You have the Queen's word."
That irked the Fox; Rona spotted that brief twitch in his lips.
"Listen." Di Galio turned to her. "Let's call for a one-day truce while you make up your mind. If I don't receive a messenger from your side by next sunrise, my troops will storm the fort," he gave Masolon a fleeting look, "and they will spare nobody."
40. MASOLON
Half the seats of the meeting hall were empty when Rona ordered the guards to leave and shut the door behind them. Sitting next to Payton, Masolon straightened his back as he scanned the attendees' faces. Most of them were familiar already, yet Rona did not leave anything to chance and introduced them. The beefy, grey-bearded lord was Darrison, the most senior one. The bald, blue-eyed lord who always wore a scowl on his face was Jonson, another senior of Rona's lords. His nephew Norwell, Captain of the Cavalry, had the same blue eyes, yet more brown hair on his head. Edmond, the blond who had escorted Masolon to his cell in the dungeon, was the General's Deputy, and probably the man in charge of Rona's troops after Gramus's failed raid. And of course, there was Payton, the Commander of Archers who looked younger than Masolon and even more handsome with his black hair, brown almond eyes, and broad chin.
The hall descended into silence after Rona narrated most of her conversation with Di Galio—she had probably saved the last part for a later private session with Darrison. For a moment, their silence worried Masolon a bit. They are not considering Di Galio's offer, are they?
"I have gathered you here to listen to your suggested actions, not your silence," said Rona nervously. "Should we sally forth before those reinforcements join Di Galio? Or is it better to defend our fort from here and wait for them to come?"
With the absence of General Gramus himself, all eyes were on the most senior lord in this hall.
"I believe we should listen first to the commander of our army, Your Grace." The veteran lord evaded that trap with ease. "Whoever he is, no one can assess this situation better than him."
Tension in the hall. Masolon did not like the cold looks between Rona and Darrison.
"No one can assess this situation better than you, milord," said Rona curtly. "You witnessed more battles than anyone in this room."
"Still a really hard call for me." Darrison's chest heaved a deep sigh. "If Di Galio is not tricking us with the news of his reinforcements, then we had better engage his host as it is right now before it gets stronger. However, we all saw what happened to our troops when we launched a direct attack on Di Galio's camp."
"It might have worked if we had launched a full attack," Norwell pointed out. "Don't forget that the main strength of our infantry was busy with Di Galio's cavalry in the woods."
"There were also the reserves," Payton added. "Having no orders to advance, they did not take part in that fight."
He is not blaming me, right?
"That damned Fox is luring us outside our fort." The scowling blue-eyed lord shook his head, his arms folded. Masolon would voice his approval if he was sure he was welcome here.
"You mean he could be lying?" Darrison asked.
"He is lying," Jonson insisted. "If he has reinforcements as he claims, why would he simply reveal that to us instead of taking us by surprise?"
"To save as many of his men, obviously. He will lose less if we agree to surrender," justified Darrison.
"He knew I wouldn't surrender." Rona's eyes were fixed at the vacant surface of the table. "He called for that meeting only to confuse me with his games."
She was not the only one who was confused here. You should always be wary of ambitious men who have a history with noble ladies, the words echoed in Masolon's head. That Fox seemed to know too much about everybody, Masolon and Sania no exception. Did everybody in Murase hear about the little adventure of their queen with her brother's former commander? If that happened for real, King Rasheed would like to see Masolon's head resting on a pike.
Rona was right; Di Galio did not call for a meeting to discuss surrender terms. All he wanted was to split up Rona's camp, which was happening right now. Darrison and Norwell were for sallying forth, Jonson and Edmond not enthusia
stic at all about it. "What about you two?" Rona addressed Masolon and Payton. "I need to hear your opinions."
Payton and Masolon exchanged a look. "You first, Commander," the young Commander of Archers offered.
Masolon nodded to Payton in acknowledgment before he turned to Rona. "I say instead of wasting our time arguing if Di Galio is lying or not, we had better discuss the plan of our attack. In its current condition, this fort will not hold for long. It does not give us an advantageous position unless we repair the wall, so there is not much left to lose if we attack the Fox in his own den."
"He is expecting us to do so," Jonson put in. "He is surely prepared for us."
"Exactly. I am quite certain he is making good use of truce time as we speak. If I were him, I would tar the field for the incoming enemy troops."
Darrison peered at him. "What are you suggesting? Attack him now?"
"But not a straightforward attack lest he adjusts his formations to meet us. We will use the woods to turn around Di Galio's host and stun him from his rear. This could be our only chance to have an advantage over him in battle."
"Sending the troops from the postern gate leaves our front defensive line exposed," said Payton. "How many sound soldiers do you intend to leave here to defend the castle?"
"The more men he leaves, the less the chances of this attack are," Darrison mused.
"We leave no soldier, gentlemen. I told you: it is going to be a full attack." Masolon glanced at Rona. "Even Her Grace must join us."
The blonde queen allowed a faint smile.
"Nonsense," Jonson grumbled. "This is suicide."
Darrison cleared his throat. "This is beyond bold, Commander. You are gambling with both Queen Rona and Subrel."
"If Queen Rona is not safe among her men, then where else would she be?"
"What about the castle?" Edmond asked. "Di Galio will be able to capture it with a dozen men if we leave it defenseless."
"The castle is worthless without an intact wall. Let them take it with a dozen men, Captain. I hope they do. While they celebrate their false victory, we will be descending upon them."
Queen of Rebels Page 29
