"No, of course I can't, at least not down to the party," Erwin responded hastily. Almost unconsciously, he found himself pacing back and forth in the little nook, several steps from one wall to the next. And although the window was now closed, and his body was still warm from the alcohol and their near encounter, he also felt a slight chill against his skin. "But we need to act, tell somebody. Lord Burrows. Kristian and Marcel." He turned to Olive, a frown plastered all over his face. "If soldiers are at the Aeling, they could be here within the month.
Silas said that a message should arrive tomorrow, so that would give us at least one more day. My brothers would not question it if we talked to them. If nothing else, they could ride for Arbutus Vale and start mustering what troops Kristian can afford." If they were still sober enough to listen at this hour.
Like Olive, he too was internally chastising himself for having let this whole marriage business distract him from having focused harder on the inevitable conflict with Kenins that they had both anticipated. Not that they hadn't made any preparations. Most of the army had dispersed back to their respective provinces months ago, with the few remaining troops still stationed in what was left of Valence, but riders were ready at a moment's notice to send word to call to arms again. But as far as the Keep knew, while Kenins, for months, had been pouring honeyed poison in the ears of any Lords who would listen to him, there hadn't been a single messenger reporting that troops were actively gathering under the Chancellor's banner. And so there hadn't been a need for Duke Therrien to muster troops to his own camp.
His hands came up to rub at the sides of his temples. Nothing about the whole situation felt right. "You could be right about mercenaries," he said, stopping to look over at Olive even as his mind conjured up the map of Wulfbauer adorning the desk in his study. The wooden pieces marking the map would have to be adjusted now. "But we would have heard about it by now. It's a week's ride from Kenins' lands to the Aeling, and it would take a column of soldiers twice that long to cover that much ground, not to mention the time it would have taken to gather the troops of the Lords loyal to him. Even if he was trying to paint a picture of 'protecting the land,' the timing is all off. It would be obvious that the whole thing was coordinated."
He shook his head again, trying to make sense of it all. Why hadn't they received word about any of this yet? "Like you said, confrontation isn't his style. But Kenins has been sowing discord among the southern and eastern lords for months now, and he hasn't been shy about it. He couldn't take the Dukeship with a vote, and he knows he has no other choice now but to use force. Maybe Kenins is pivoting his strategy. He isn't a soldier, but Lord Kassian is, and that's certainly something he would do."
Silas said that a message should arrive tomorrow, so that would give us at least one more day. My brothers would not question it if we talked to them. If nothing else, they could ride for Arbutus Vale and start mustering what troops Kristian can afford." If they were still sober enough to listen at this hour.
Like Olive, he too was internally chastising himself for having let this whole marriage business distract him from having focused harder on the inevitable conflict with Kenins that they had both anticipated. Not that they hadn't made any preparations. Most of the army had dispersed back to their respective provinces months ago, with the few remaining troops still stationed in what was left of Valence, but riders were ready at a moment's notice to send word to call to arms again. But as far as the Keep knew, while Kenins, for months, had been pouring honeyed poison in the ears of any Lords who would listen to him, there hadn't been a single messenger reporting that troops were actively gathering under the Chancellor's banner. And so there hadn't been a need for Duke Therrien to muster troops to his own camp.
His hands came up to rub at the sides of his temples. Nothing about the whole situation felt right. "You could be right about mercenaries," he said, stopping to look over at Olive even as his mind conjured up the map of Wulfbauer adorning the desk in his study. The wooden pieces marking the map would have to be adjusted now. "But we would have heard about it by now. It's a week's ride from Kenins' lands to the Aeling, and it would take a column of soldiers twice that long to cover that much ground, not to mention the time it would have taken to gather the troops of the Lords loyal to him. Even if he was trying to paint a picture of 'protecting the land,' the timing is all off. It would be obvious that the whole thing was coordinated."
He shook his head again, trying to make sense of it all. Why hadn't they received word about any of this yet? "Like you said, confrontation isn't his style. But Kenins has been sowing discord among the southern and eastern lords for months now, and he hasn't been shy about it. He couldn't take the Dukeship with a vote, and he knows he has no other choice now but to use force. Maybe Kenins is pivoting his strategy. He isn't a soldier, but Lord Kassian is, and that's certainly something he would do."