CWE Book II Part 1

1

Lord Camlash

The mines are working fine now, although we have issues with the transports. For the last three years , we have been working it, and for every five loads send back to the camp, one may go missing or being taken by the bandits. They appear out of the forest and killed my guards, take the ores and leaving the workers. I have doubled the guards on the transport routes and yet I stand to lose them. All the ores are transferred to the fort at River Ends, before its send back to the blacksmiths here.

The River Ends Camp is now a fortress with walls of stone and palisades lined the top edge manned by archers. The fortress is also occupied by five thousand marchmen and five hundred archers but these are not enough to quell the raids. I have arranged like twenty outposts from there to the mines, manned by no less than fifty men per post, and still we have them attacked and burned down. I have the General Damai on his report every rise of the moon, and still no improvement.

But the ores keeps me busy even though I lose some. I am now in command of over fifty thousand men in my own land, with two other cities under my control; their Lords has been removed by the loyal armies and they swore allegiance to me. I did not have the families of these Lords’ removed; only kept them in the Red Hill retreat for their safety. In total I command now three cities and their land, with a total of over one hundred twenty thousand men in the army. Its a large army but I have the resources to pay them now.

Since the last conference, when the Prime Leader Romus announced the annexed of Lord Calig’s city upon his untimely demise, the Praetorian are now a more formidable force to be dealt. The remaining minor Lords has sworn to the Grand Lord under his assumed Lordship from Mathis’s command. The previous Lord Mathis city is not governed by the youngest son, Mertic but the true Lord is Lord Micha. The Grand Lord Micha is ever strong and with his surviving cousin now is in total control over 250,000 men. What was once an Empire of twelve Lords has been reduced to three factions of power; The Praetorian, Grand Lord and Lord Camlash. As every faction now runs their own armies, the call for levy was removed, as even the Praetorian can pay their own from the cities they control or shall we say; occupied.

But nothing can remove me from my family; a son who is now sitting with the War Councils, and a grandson who is equally cute and taking up most of his mother’s time. I have asked her for more babies, but she has politely declined my wishes. I see my daughter Camy growing up ever more as a warrior than a Mistress as she now also partake in the discussion with her brother in the matters of the war and state. She has rejected many suitors and annoyed me more with her antics of going missing for days at time with her bodyguard.

I like Dina; a very good servant of mine. She has performed many good deeds for me, but I see her now more close to her Mistress’ brother. That worries me as she is also seen to be training with him in the fighting arts. I must consult Domo on this matter  He is  still ever faithful to me and does my biddings well.

There is the bodyguard, Shiven; an unknown factor here as he hardly speaks and keeps to the background. I know he follows the Mistress Kini more than Conal.

Perhaps its his decision to do so.

Conal

The council takes me for a fool given my age, but I know their plans very well. They are the previous advisers of my father, and yet all they ever did was plan, but no execution. Today, they are discussing about the Outsiders, and yet nothing is really known. For three years, the armies has patrolled the forest, setup outpost and even mined in the land that once was considered no-man’s; they have yet to fight any real battle with the Outsiders since. There was minor skirmishes which most time, there was little to report on nor major counter attack done. If I have my ways, they will all be send to the forest to hunt these Outsiders. Old fools they all are.

I must go now to the Inner Garden to train with Dina. She is truly an asset to the city, as she has shown me some very good moves. I don’t why Shiven does not like her, although I have taken a fancy to her myself. My own ‘mistress’ has yet to allowed me to enter her Inner chambers since that day, although in public she acknowledged me as her Lord. Like Shiven, I have decided that they keep their presence but not in my way. Now even Shiven is send to care for the young baby, Canaan; name by her mother and accepted by the old man. So be it, as he is not my son.

When I reached the Inner garden she was not around. I stood there by the pavilion waiting for her. If not my instinct, I was almost hit by the dagger, but I managed to deflect it with my right hand. I reached for my short sword and swung it at her direction on the right of me.. She was fast to back tracked her movements and avoid my swing. I followed up with an inward thrust towards her, and again she evaded my move. I lunged forward and caught her on her left sleeve of her tunic, but she managed to escape again.

I like these fighting sessions as they are as real as can be in the real battle, and Dina is not one who will not hesitate to sink one of her daggers in me. To date all our sparring has not reached the level where anyone of us got hurt. We will spar like this for hours at time and before we retired for the evening,in each other arms.

I care not what the old man or Camy thinks, Dina is my guard now.

Mistress Kimi

The hour is late and my baby sleeps well. I walked to the Inner Garden just outside my chamber, to enjoy the cool air and looked at the stars. Up there is one star I looked for; a handsome one with a poetic mind. But tonight the sky is dark and it looks like the rain may come soon.

‘Its cold, Mistress. Shall I asked the maids to bring you a coat and some hot drinks.’ I looked at the man who is also my guard now. He has grown in the last few years; now he looks like a real man but he still wears the same garbs he had on then. So is his long staff which bears some marks of attempts on his protected.

‘No, Shiven. I am going back in. Canaan may seek me soon.’ My handsome guard took his bow and continued his patrol. I wondered how much you know Shiven. Do you know of your master identity or do you you avoid asking, as its your duty not to do so. If I need you to protect your true master’s son, will you do so, even against his twin master. Or even against the old man.

I don’t who I can trust now. Perhaps you may the one.

Shiven

The master has changed a lot in the last years, and I know not him anymore. We have stopped our training for some years since he found Dina who can teach him new moves. Its strange but I think the master is not the same one I knew that I left Red Hill with. This one is more aggressive and more physical inclined in any discussion. Many servants now feared his tantrums. He does read and write as before,m but not so on poems but on official documentation or personal notes. I also noticed the missing scar on his right hand, but I dare not question him as he is my Lord.

But I find myself closer to the Mistress Kimi, and her baby. She is still herself; reserved but more warmth when it comes to talking about Canaan. She has also stopped her training and now focus more on writing of poems, as if she is carrying on the tradition that used to be of her Lord. But her poems are sad and without much love in it. She is harboring a sad feeling and I know not what. I found her a few times in the Inner garden by herself and sometimes muttering some words, which I cannot make out of. every time she sees me, she will make the excuse to tend to Canaan, when I know she has her servants who can do it. She is avoiding me for a reason, and I know not what too. Its really confusing to live in the place where everyone has a secret or hiding something back.

Even the Mistress Camy comes in suspicious, her guard now is mostly attached to the young Lord. I saw her many a times sneaking in to see them together in training or in discussion. I also find her sneaking into the Inner chamber which I am forbidden unless there is an urgent matter. I can sense her jealously on the young Lord’s attention to the assassin. Its not forbidden for the young Lord or even the Lord to have relationship with members of his servant. I once overheard her heated argument with the young Lord. It was over the role of Dina and her works with him. In the end, he override her ownership on her as his power as young Lord. Mistress Camy is to find her own new guard and this one is now under him. She threaten to tell the old Lord, but he cautioned her off with some statement, that I pray I may not have to repeat again. It was then when Mistress Camy left and was missing for a few days. Actually she was nearby, in the inner temple where her mother lies in the tomb. I found her there while looking for her. This is her personal space and since no one comes here except during Memorial days, she is safe from prying eyes and gossips. I left her to her grief and move on with my patrol.

Mistress Camy

Vengeance will be mine one day, on all who wrong me, and my mother. Even though that person may be my blood kin, there is no mercy in the Empire. This is the basic lesson of where I learn from Dina.I cannot be as good as her, but there are many like her, so she can be replaced. Let her be with whom she chooses now, but one day she will come pleading for me to safe him.

I am no silly lady with an affinity for killings; I used enjoyed it all the more to see it. Since Red Hill, I was initially alarmed at the carnage but I soon myself beginning to understand the depth of that battle. Its not about moves, its all about numbers. Your numbers can overwhelm any experts, as they are one or few. If I am to have my vengeance, I must have numbers with me. In order to have numbers, I must convince others to join me. I cannot be like Dina overnight, but I can be like the old man given time. Manipulation skills run deep in my blood; like my mother, the dancer warrior who danced her way into his life, but she lived without a title except at death, they engraved on her tomb the title of mistress. But she is his mistress for some time when he was mad, and when he was sane, above all he loved her when she needed love.

I have many proposals but none I care for to make the final decision. There are the Mathis brothers and their cousin Granus.

For me, I am looking at only one man whom must meet my criteria. He must e able to match my own father’s wits and strategies, and above all commands a large army. I know all the suitors I am introduced to now may not have the second criteria yet, ut they will, when their fathers leave the seat. I could settle for the old Lords’ and entice them with my youth and beauty like my mother, but its not my way. I am young and can wait for the right time to e the Lord’s mistress. No one can challenge a Lord’s mistress when he has the army to back him, and maybe soon the Praetorian.

Beware, Lord Conal; your days are numbered just as your twin who lies dead. I know your secrets too.

Grand Lord

Its been three long years with so many shift of loyalty and death, I am now tired of hearing it all. My health has gone down, though my influence grow well. Even my cousin, Giantus who is older than me, complained of retiring soon. He finds the ways of the Hall too tiring for him, and he may forego his seat soon. We discussed this and as he has no direct heir; he was not able to produce one. But he has adopted one from the battlefields a long time ago. He has just announced that Granus will sit in his place when he retired.

As for me, I have what is mine to do the honor. Its true I have two sons, of which one I will find to take over my place, and hopefully over the land renamed as Mitus, the city and land once of Mathis to his dead son’s name. This was done to pacify the ex-Mathis army and also the people. I seen the surviving young heir of Mathis is growing well, but he is mentally weak, so the decision to place him with the physicians was approved by the council of his deceased father’s. This is one council which can be swayed by the temptation of gold and power, but not enough to topple me. So as he is not not well, I have harness more influence and control over the generals and the people. Many has regarded me as the Lord of the land, and not caretaker for Mitus. Its a matter of time, before I make my seat permanent.

My two son, Mitchy and Martise; two young man now, with a promising future, and skilled in the arts of fighting and diplomacy. The former is the elder one and now is an ambassador of mine to the other Lords, including Lord Camlash city. He carries my personal messages and speaks for me in their presence. He is a fine specimen for a man, tall and big structured like myself, and agile with his limbs as well as his mind. I hear he has been seen in the company of many young mistresses, and one in particular is Mistress Camy, my rival’s daughter, Perhaps our rivalry may end in peace, and not in battle.

Martise who is cut from the same mold as Mitchy, but he is more of a learned strategist, with a keen mind on battlefields and war. He is not as skilled as his brother nor does he speaks well as a diplomat; he has got the disease of stutter, but he plans well. His planning has been praised by the Council although he is modest of it. I assigned him with the Praetorian to check their movements,  and he is a charmer with the ladies in waiting too, including Mistress Camy. She is also seen with him on some occasions when they meet at the organized functions.

‘Prime Leader Romus, how ails you?’ I see my devoted servant clad in thick furs and walks with a stoop now. He is getting old too, and frail like me. The coming winter will be harsh on him. I hear among all the Prime Leader; he and Raihan are the oldest and they will soon retire. I wondered who will take their seat.

‘Grand Lord, I am still well for my age, but the battle wounds calls on my bones and they ache very badly. I bring you some news; bad new to be exact.’

Prime Leader Romus

I told him of the updates from the different parts of the Empire. Besides Lord Camlash conflict with the Outsiders, there has been some other similar ones at the the other borders. Its seems the Outsiders are plotting something but we are not aware of what is really happening. Spies and scouts send over has not been able to report any or they never come back at all. Those who come back gave us some bad reports causing us to reinforced certain borders and the attacks came to  the ones which we send the troops from. I find my intelligence being manipulated by the enemy.

There has also been rumors of leader Braven may not be same person we dealt with years ago. This one is said to be with a stump for a hand, and carries a sword there. This is said that the Leader Braven is a name adopted by all and will be called as such when ascended to the seat. I told him I suspect the leader is none other than Genus who went missing three years ago. He was not found within our borders and could be their new leader, as he was missing a hand.

The Grand Lord laughed at my speculation and said none of this can be true. He said that there are many men with missing hands in this Empire due to the all the wars we fought. And that man called Genus is dead and shall be forgotten. He told me to send more scouts and spies to check on the Outsiders. If need be, send in a column to rout them out. And to stop believing in myths and ghosts.

Then I was surprised that the Grand Lord asked me to appoint his son, Mathise to the Senior Praetorian by rank. He also want him to in the column doing this battle. I told him the decision is that of the Prime Leaders altogether, and he was upset that I dare to challenged him on it. So I agreed to it, but I cannot assure the safety of the Senior Praetorian. He just laughed at me, and said that his son life in now in my control. I do not know what he meany by it.

It may be true the old Lord is getting out of hand, and soon we may have to take things to our hands as we did with one previous Grand Lord. Such a pity that person to do it is now missing, although his mentor is around, his hands are not as before.