All the major nobles were present, except of course for Lord Elthan, who, after all, was the reason they were all there. After asking Luca’s permission to speak, it was Lord Romley who stood up from his seat and spoke first. While Luca knew the meeting was to discuss the removal of Lord Elthan, as to how the nobles were planning on doing so was still somewhat a mystery to him. Obviously, there would have to be plans put in place, and a large army would likely have to go and defeat the forces of Endallen, but as to how and when all this would take place was something Luca needed to know and learn. He, after all, would be the one giving the other nobles the authority to go to war.
A large map was rolled out on the table before them and held down with a series of brass weights around the edges to stop it from coiling back up. Luca took a few moments to peruse the map and listened as Lord Romley made the suggestion of where they should attack.
“With Endallen being a peninsula and only joined to the rest of the kingdom via a narrow strip of land, it would make sense for Lord Elthan to hold his defences here. “
Luca nodded as he understood that defending a narrower strip of land would be easier, and that was fair to assume.
“This, of course, means we can only attack the same narrow strip, effectively condensing our own forces, somewhat minimising the advantage of numbers that we have.” Lord Romley pointed to the area he was referring to before looking up to check Luca followed what he was on about.
As the advisor to the king, Edward also paid attention to what was being explained, although one thing puzzled him.
“Excuse me,” he said unsure whether or not he should be speaking out of turn.
“May I make a suggestion?” he asked.
Edward could tell one or two of the nobles weren’t keen on him having an opinion, but it was only really Luca’s confirmation he was after, which he quickly received.
“Why are we only attacking by land? Surely we can negate all Lord Elthan’s defences if we move another force in behind.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” Lord Ashton of Muria asked.
“By ship. You all have them. Lord Dalby has already moved hundreds of soldiers From the Casillian Isle to Scarwood, so I know it can be done without too much effort.”
A few eyes glanced over to where Lord Dalby was sat, before glancing back Edward’s direction.
“It would make sense,” Lord Romley suggested, “Although we may have to congregate our ships together. If we move in one or two at a time we risk losing them to Lord Elthan’s fleet; If we are spotted of course.”
Luca listened, feeling quite excited as the plan of action started to take shape. Now Edward’s somewhat obvious suggestion of utilising the ships was taken into account, it was decided the army should be split into three. One force would be led by Lord Dalby, who would command the force travelling by ship and landing on an area just behind the expected defensive lines of Lord Elthan. The main land-force would be commanded by Lord Romley, who would not only take control of his own men but those of Luca’s Brenthellin nobles as well. A third, but smaller force would also travel by sea, but from the Easton Range, and would be led by Lord Mangilly and Lord Ashton from Muria. This third army would land in the south of Endallen, removing the minor nobles and stop them from sending any reinforcements in. If all went to plan, the three groups would meet up and swing northwards to Bargsea, where it was hoped Lord Elthan would see sense and surrender rather than require a long drawn out siege.
Luca doubted Lord Elthan would give up so easily and so asked the question nobody seemed to want to consider.
“If he doesn’t surrender, what do we do?”
All the nobles appeared to look at each other as if each was expecting one of the others to answer. Eventually, it was Lord Oakley, who would be staying put in Miranor for the time being to help oversee the trials, who answered the question.
“It would mean us having to keep a force of soldiers there until he did. Unless we can gain some way into the castle, it would require an army to be camped out through the winter months.”
“And we can’t do that?” Luca asked.
“Not really, Sire. While we can hold much of the ground, we take, by using Endallen towns as bases, actually maintaining a force large enough to siege the capital would not be practical.”
There was a short silence in the room before Edward took it upon himself to speak again.
“Even if we leave a few troops at the various towns and villages we take along the way. What is to stop Lord Elthan merely leaving his castle and taking them back when most of our army has returned home?”
Again the nobles looked somewhat blankly at each other before Lord Romley spoke.
“Technically, nothing. You’re right, he could leave Bargsea and take his remaining forces from town to town and retake what we have left lightly defended.”
“Then it seems pointless taking them in the first place!” Luca spoke for the first time. With all eyes peering his way Luca suddenly felt like the boy that he was, a small fish among the much larger predators. Feeling his courage wain somewhat, he thought about sitting back down and remaining quiet while the nobles sorted all this out, but Edward carried on his concerns for him.
“The king is right. Why waste our time taking lands that Lord Elthan will only take back when we leave. It would seem to me, the only way to deal with this is to remove just one man; Lord Elthan!”
There were one or two scoffing remarks from the nobles, “And how do you propose we do that. You think he is merely going to let us walk into Bargsea castle and arrest him?” Lord Ashton asked in a mocking tone.
Luca thought Edward might just back down, but it seemed his friend had more backbone that he’d given him credit for.
“Of course not Lord Ashton. You may think me some mere country boy who has gained favour with the king, but I am no idiot!” Edward replied, with real steel in his voice, sounding almost confrontational.
“Now! I do admit that I am no expert on castles. Yet from what I have seen, there always seems to be a way in or out that is secret. You know to allow the family to escape should things go wrong. Am I right?”
The nobles looked at each other with a look of concern, as if Edward had just divulged their greatest secret. It was Lord Oakley who actually spoke and admitted that the castle at Garley had such a thing.
“Whitmore has several,” Lord Romley added.
“Now you all seem to be forgetting we have one vital piece of the puzzle in our grasp!”
“What are you going on about, boy?” Lord Ashton asked, his own voice filled with annoyance that he even had to have this conversation.
“Well! If anybody knows about there being a way into Bargsea Castle, surely Frederick Elthan would know it.”
“And we have him in custody!” Lord Romley added suddenly getting what Edward was going on about.
“Pfft! I doubt Frederick Elthan would tell us anything, little short of torture. I’m not sure, Sire, that you want to go down that route. A murderer he may be, but Frederick Elthan is still noble blood and must be treated fairly. If he is found guilty, and put to death so be it, but torturing him would not be seen as a good thing,” Lord Ashton explained.
Luca nodded his understanding. While it annoyed him that the nobles thought themselves special and should all receive some preferential treatment when it came to handing out punishments, would he be any different?
“I’m sure Frederick Elthan can be persuaded to reveal what we want to know without torture,” Luca said glancing over towards Lord Oakley.
“I doubt that Sire,” Lord Ashton replied.
“I’m sure if Elysia asked him he would,” Luca said quickly thinking of another way that Frederick might talk, although it wasn’t his actual plan.
“Your sister? Hmmm, that might work. Elliot tells me that Frederick is besotted and deluded into thinking they are actually in love,” Lord Fallon explained.
After a much longer deliberation than Luca had thought
possible, it was finally decided that the attack should take place as originally planned. The three forces would make their respective attacks on Endallen, and in the meantime, Luca and his sister would endeavour to get Frederick Elthan to reveal the secret ways into Bargsea Castle. Should he fail, he knew the fighting and taking of Lord Elthan’s lands would likely have to be repeated again in the spring. However, should he succeed and catch Lord Elthan, it might just shorten the entire war and stop any further conflict, ending this entire debacle once and for all.
Chapter 4.Right or Wrong?
Once Luca had explained to Edward how he really intended to get Frederick Elthan to divulge the information they needed, his young advisor was somewhat shocked. Naturally, it would also hinge on him managing to persuade Nerina and Lady Oakley to partake in what was essentially an illegal practice. Something that had to be kept quiet and used discreetly, or else risk everything that they had achieved thus far. It was Luca’s intention to ask Nerina if she could somehow influence the mind of Frederick Elthan to reveal the secret entrances into Bargsea Castle. If they had Elysia present when he spilt the beans, everyone would just assume it was because of his love for her that he had done so, and not down to any darker magical power that might have actually been responsible.
“It’s dangerous you know?” Edward said as he and Luca returned to the royal suite. “Dangerous, but utterly brilliant,” Edward added with a grin.
“Yes, but I still need to attempt and persuade Nerina to try and help us. If she doesn’t then we will have to rely on Elyisa after all.”
Edward scoffed at the remark, “I’m sure she’ll do it. She is in love with you don’t forget.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Luca replied somewhat bashfully feeling his cheeks redden. Edward noticed and chuckled at the response, before placing his arm around Luca’s shoulder. “Come on, why don’t we see her this afternoon…after lunch of course.”
Luca hesitated, “Oh, Okay. So soon?” he added.
Edward laughed again, “Come on, it was your idea, don’t tell me you don’t want to see Nerina?”
Luca felt his face getting warmer, “I do…It's just…Oh, I don’t know,” he said struggling to think of something worthwhile to say in reply.
“Just use your charismatic charm and wit, and I’m certain she’ll do exactly what you need.”
While they waited for their lunch to arrive, Luca sent word to the suite being used by the Oakley family to request a meeting with them later that day. The reply he got was swift, and although they were apparently unsure as to why he wanted to see all of them, as opposed to just Lord Oakley, it was duly arranged. Luca felt somewhat nervous about the entire thing, despite it being his so-called brilliant idea. Asking Nerina to use her magic to help him would surely make him appear somewhat hypocritical, especially as he had criticised her for using it before. However, he was aware that if they were to have any chance of extracting such information out of Lord Elthan’s son, then little short of torture, this would be the best method; provided Nerina or Lady Oakley even thought it possible.
Lunch was served on a single silver platter and consisted of a few cold types of meat, cheeses and some bread rolls. There was a pot of tea to drink and a selection of small cakes for afters, should they want them.
“I have to admit, I do think your food is better here,” Edward said helping himself to a couple of slices of ham.
“I can see why you turned your nose up at my father’s offerings,” he added.
Luca actually thought that comment was a little unfair. Sure, he had originally thought that eating anything but the finest foods, meant him having to suffer, but much of what he had been given after his escape from the palace wasn’t actually as bad as he had first perceived.
“I don’t think your father’s food was bad at all. In its own kind of way, it was quite tasty. It was just something I wasn’t used to having.”
“What about the fish stew we had on Lord Dalby’s ship?”
Luca chuckled at the memory, “Well, yes, that was terrible, and if I had to choose one dish that I hope never to eat again it would be that.”
“It seems we have educated you a little bit,” Edward said before placing a large dollop of pickle onto a chunk of bread and popping it into his mouth.
Luca nodded, “I think I have had my eyes opened, yes. Was I a snob? Probably, yes, and I have you and the others to thank for that.”
“Glad to be of service,” Edward replied with a grin and a chuckle.
The trip heading down to the suite being used by the Oakley family took only a couple of minutes, and even before they had reached it, Luca could feel his heart racing and his palms going sweaty. Escorted by two guards in front and two behind they all came to a halt as they reached the door, and Luca gave instruction for one of them to knock.
“I’m not sure how I’m going to go about asking what I need,” Luca admitted to Edward while they waited for a response.
Before Edward had a chance to speak the door opened, and Lord Oakley was standing before them, gesturing for them to enter. Luca smiled and did as was offered, while the four soldiers took up positions in the corridor outside the room.
Lady Oakley, Nerina and Samuel were all sat down at the table, and all looking his direction as he walked over towards them.
“Should I call for some refreshments?” Lord Oakley asked.
“I’m fine, but if you want something, please do,“ Luca replied taking the seat at the head of the table that had been left specifically for him.
“It might be best if I ask the guards at the door that we are not disturbed,” Edward suggested, causing the entire Oakley family to give some strange, uncertain looks.
“It might be for the best,” Luca replied before asking him to make it so.
Luca waited for Edward to return from the entrance and sit down before saying anything. While Nerina seemed intent on staring at him, he tried to keep his gaze elsewhere as he ran through his mind what he needed to ask.
“I have a few things I need to discuss, and one very big favour to ask,” Luca eventually said.
Lord Oakley, naturally explained they would do anything that he wanted and that he need only ask.
“It’s not as straightforward as that, my Lord,” Luca replied glancing over to Nerina.
“Look, there is no easy way of saying this, so I’ll just come straight out with it.”
Luca glanced again at Nerina and got the impression she had already sussed what he was going to ask, but thankfully she kept quiet and let him explain in detail what he needed.
Lord Oakley immediately seemed to go on the defensive, evidently not sure that even discussing such a thing was wise.
“I know that you are aware of my wife and daughter’s abilities, Sire, but surely you can not ask this of them.”
“I am quite aware of their abilities, Lord Oakley, and trust me, I will never utter a word of it to anybody outside of this room. If there were an easier option, I would take it.”
“I thought you aimed at using your sister to extract the information from Frederick Elthan?” Lord Oakley asked.
“That was just a ruse. I doubt he will tell her anything, but it is something we can use. If done properly we can make it appear he has revealed the secrets to her. Nobody need ever know that we used other methods.”
There was an awkward silence as each family member glared Luca’s direction, and although he couldn’t hold eye contact with all of them, he held firm as he moved from one to the next.
“You are assuming such a thing is possible?” Lady Oakley asked.
“I know it is,” Luca said, “Lord Elthan’s sister did it.”
“I am insulted that you would even think we would ever delve in such dark magic,” Lady Oakley snapped almost raising her voice but lowering it again almost immediately.
Luca looked at Nerina and held her gaze. Evidently, she had not told her mother everything that had gone on in Greensill where she had used her sk
ills to defeat Lord Elthan’s sister. Having promised not to say anything, Luca hoped that Nerina would come clean and admit she could influence another person with her magic.
“I’m sorry, Sire. What you ask is not within our skills,” Lady Oakley said again. “We would never use it to influence another!” She said sharply, in a tone that suggested she was quite angry.
Luca exhaled loudly, and although he didn’t want to say it, he realised they were leaving him no choice. Glancing over to Edward, Luca looked for a little assistance, and, as if knowing what he was thinking, Edward nodded his head.
“You say that, Lady Oakley. Yet on our travels to Miranor, I believe you and your daughter used your magic to try and influence my mind!”
Lord Oakley immediately jumped to his feet, “How dare you!” he snarled.
“Sit down, Lord Oakley, Please!” Luca asked trying to keep things calmly and civilly.
Somewhat disgruntled, Lord Oakley did as was asked, but grumbling under his breath he glanced over to where his wife and daughter were sat.
“You didn’t?” he asked, noticing how guilty they were suddenly looking.
Somewhat deflated, and probably disappointed, Lord Oakley immediately offered an apology for his outburst.
“It is not a problem. You were only defending your family," Edward replied clearly not bothered by the tirade that had been aimed his direction.
“Sorry, Father. It was only just the once…” Nerina said as her head dropped slightly.
“And you allowed it?” Lord Oakley asked his wife.
The Battle for Endallen Page 4
