Chapter 278: Combat Plan
The dispute ended quickly. Pikes had that effect.
The majority of actors, May had noticed over the years, were fundamentally calibrated to the prevailing wind — that was how arguments started among them in the first place. With the wind now blowing firmly in the other direction, Bella was escorted out of the lounge by her two companions without another word. The rest filed after them in the manner of people who had just remembered pressing obligations elsewhere.
Carter dismissed his soldiers and surveyed the quiet room.
Gheit, Rosia, and the others bowed. “Thank you, Sir Carter.”
“You were incredible,” Irene told May, gripping her hands. “Two or three sentences and she had nothing left to say. And the slap — you should have seen her face.”
May gently reclaimed her hands. She did not feel incredible. The slap had been reactive, which was the same as saying it had been a mistake, and she would be doing the accounting on that later.
She turned to Carter. “Why are you in Longsong Stronghold?”
“I might ask what brings you to backstage,” Carter said, which was not an answer.
“I live here. You don’t.”
“Fair. Can I invite you for a drink and explain properly?”
The others slipped away one by one, Irene included, each suddenly recalling something they had to attend to. By the time they reached May’s residence, the group had reduced to the two of them.
Carter looked around the small room with the careful expression of someone not wanting to say the wrong thing.
“Quite ordinary,” he managed.
“Yes.” May took a bottle of white wine from the cupboard and poured him a small cup. “The taverns open later. This is my invitation.” Her father would return in the evening; for now the house was quiet. She poured herself one as well and sat.
Carter held his cup. “Your family…?”
“My mother died when I was young. My father does odd work at the theater — loading, cleaning, whatever they need.” She stated it without emphasis. The house was small and old, in a back alley of the inner city, but she had bought it herself after becoming the Star of the West, for a straightforward reason: it was indoors, it was hers, and it ended the harassment from the outer city. “What brings you here?”
He explained. A coded letter from Theo — a force of approximately a thousand people moving from King’s City toward the Western Border. Roland had marched with the majority of the First Army. Carter had come ahead with a smaller contingent to reinforce the Second Army’s night watch, prepare the stronghold’s defenses, and alert the Honeysuckle family in case someone attempted the gates.
“You shouldn’t have told me any of that,” May said.
“You asked. And it isn’t a covert operation — the city’s defenses being reinforced is not a secret.” He looked unbothered. “I still have discretion.”
“Good.” She looked at his cup. “You saw the performance?”
“The last part of it.” He seemed genuinely pleased. “Even the finale was extraordinary. Seeing you on a real theater stage — I wondered what it would be like.” He paused. “I went to the backstage entrance after, but I couldn’t decide whether to knock. So I was standing outside, and then I heard—”
“You were out there the whole time,” May said.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping deliberately. I give you my word.”
She felt laughter come up unexpectedly and let it out. “I don’t blame you. Don’t look like that.”
His relief was visible. He reached for his cup. She stopped him.
“You’re on duty tonight.” She shook a finger once. “One cup only. But—” She smiled. “When the mission is finished, you can invite me properly.”
After he left, May poured herself another glass and settled back.
The wine had changed on her since she first tasted it. Or she had changed in relation to it. The first glass had been difficult — too strong, too dry, nothing like the sweet fruit wines she’d grown up knowing — but she had kept drinking because she was curious about what was underneath the difficulty, and what she found there was a richness and warmth that the sweet wines could not touch.
It’s like that with some things, she thought. You have to get through the first part before you can find out what it actually is.
As for Carter’s invitation, which was not yet an invitation but would be — she already had an answer taking shape. She wasn’t ready to say it yet, which was fine. Some things benefited from being held quietly for a while, the way wine did.
After the theater season ends, I might bring my father and settle in Border Town.
She let the thought sit there, unexamined, simply present.
Roland arrived in Longsong Stronghold two days later.
Petrov and representatives of the five families met him outside the city walls. After stationing the First Army and giving the horses water, he went directly to the castle and held a brief meeting.
“Reliable intelligence indicates Timothy has raised a force currently advancing toward the stronghold,” Roland said from the lord’s seat at the top of the hall steps, the assembled nobles below him. “The precise number and route are as yet unknown, but their destination is unambiguous. Based on Timothy’s established pattern, he will supplement his numbers along the march by forcibly conscripting civilians and administering drugs to compel them to fight.”
The eldest son of the Wolf Family raised his hand. “The drugs, Your Highness?”
“A red pill. It grants civilian-level people temporary strength exceeding a trained knight’s, then kills them when it wears off.” Roland gave the four families who had not previously encountered this a brief account — what it was, where it came from, how Timothy had used it. Then: “This is the method by which he continues to weaken the Western Territory’s population while expanding his own force. Anyone he cannot conscript, he loots. Your territories are not exempt.” He looked down the row of faces. “I am asking you to explain this situation clearly to your household staff and to the commoners on your lands. Transfer all of them into the city within three days. Once I have driven Timothy’s forces back, everyone may return.”
“Our warehouses—”
“Move what you can. Three days. Anyone remaining outside the stronghold walls when that window closes is beyond my ability to protect.”
After the meeting he summoned Iron Axe.
The real situation was more specific than he had disclosed to the nobility. Lightning and Maggie had already tracked the enemy’s movements with precision: Timothy’s force was traveling by sailboat, moving down the Redwater River channel toward Willow Town, intending to enter the Western Territory’s interior by water. The river forked at a junction — one branch reached south toward Longsong Stronghold’s eastern and southern gates, the other continued westward toward Border Town.
If Roland positioned defensive forces at both points, his strength would be divided. The enemy could concentrate against whichever was weaker. He needed to concentrate superior firepower at the junction itself and destroy the fleet before it had any choice to make.
The Redwater River fork was the site of the ambush.
“The First Army sets out this afternoon,” Roland told Iron Axe. “Timothy’s ships are expected at the junction in four days. Meet up with Border Town’s defensive forces at the site and assume overall command. I’ll follow as quickly as possible.” He paused. “Leave one hundred soldiers in the stronghold to watch the nobles.”
Iron Axe looked up. “Stay here?”
“The reason I gathered them was to make surveillance easier. They now know Timothy is moving against the Western Territory, which means the possibility exists that some of them may recalculate their loyalties. The Second Army doesn’t have the combat experience to manage an unexpected situation. Ten squadrons of First Army soldiers in this building ensures the nobles cannot cause problems while I’m dealing with their cause.” Roland met his eyes. “I will not fight Timothy at the Redwater junction and have riots starting at my back.”
“As you bid, Your Highness.”
Chapter 278 Combat Plan
The conflict soon ended.
When they saw the knights threateningly closing in on them, none of them dared to speak up. It was fair to say that the majority of actors were people who moved whichever way the wind blew, otherwise there wouldn’t have been a dispute to begin with. It wasn’t like everyone had the courage to stand up and confront her, the all too famous May. And now that the situation had completely turned around, Bella was escorted away by the two men as they immediately left the lounge.
Soon after, Carter and Border Town’s theater group were the only ones in the huge room.
“Thank you for your help,” Gate and the others said as they bowed.
“You were really… too fierce! Two or three of your sentences were already enough to turn her completely speechless.” Irene said, grasping May’s hands, “Furthermore, that slap, she looked so perplexed, she couldn’t do anything but cover it with her hand in her disbelief.”
She then turned towards the Chief Knight and saluted, “Sir Carter, for what reason are you in Longsong Stronghold?”
“About this point, I’m also very curious,” May said while shrugging with her shoulders, but within her heart, she felt relief.
“Because of His Highness’ orders,” Carter answered and then asked in return, “Can I invite you to a drink?”
…
“This is… the place where you live?” The Chief Knight appeared somewhat reserved while he surveyed the room.
“Yes, very ordinary, right?” May took a bottle of white wine from the cupboard and poured him a small cup. “The taverns only open at night, so just regard this cup as my invitation to you.” Irene and the rest of the group had quickly slipped away, one by one they suddenly remembered something they had still needed to do. Which left only her and Carter in the group by the time they’d reached the residence.
“Yes, indeed… quite ordinary,” Carter coughed twice, “I’m unaware about your family…”
“My mother passed away when I was still young, I got my father a job in the theater, where he had to do all kinds of easy chores,” May stated serenely, “But I think he will come back in the evening.”
The location of the small cottage was within a dark alley of Longsong Stronghold’s inner city, but she had actually spent all her savings after becoming the Star of the West to purchase it. Even though the house was small and old, but by moving away from the outer city, she at least could get away from harassment and the disturbing peeping Toms.
“Uh… sorry.”
“It’s nothing,” May answered, and gave herself a small cup, “Did His Royal Highness let you come in order to rectify the theater’s social order and solve the disputes between the actors?”
“No, of course not,” Carter repeatedly waved his hands and said, “Timothy has sent some people to the Western Territory to cause some trouble again, because of this, His Highness Roland along with the majority of the Army are currently on the road. I instead took Small Town and arrived beforehand to arrange the Second Army, reinforce the night watch, and alert the Honeysuckle Family as I do so as to prevent someone from raiding the gates and the like.”
“These matters, you shouldn’t have told me,” May said shocked while shaking her head.
“You asked, and it’s not like this is a secret operation,” Carter drank the wine, “rest assured, I still have a sense of discretion.”
“Good,” she answered, curling her lips, “So, how did you get to the theater?”
“After I took care of the matters at hand, all of the sudden I happen to hear about your play and suddenly had the desire to come and see you perform on a real theater stage, wondering what it would look like. And it was just like I thought, even though I could only see the last part of the play, your performance was still wonderful.” the Knight praised. “So, I went to backstage intending to invite you to a drink, but I didn’t know whether I should come in or not. Thus, I was indecisively wandering in front of the door when I heard the argument inside…”
“You’ve already been outside from early on?” May frowned.
“I did not mean to eavesdrop,” Carter said in defense while he raised his hands. “It’s just an accident, I promise.”
“Puff,” May couldn’t suppress a chuckle and then said in comfort, “I don’t blame you, there is no reason to show an expression like that.”
“You don’t?” The Knight breathed out in relief and reached for the wine, only to get stopped by May.
“You still have night duty, right?” May shook his finger and said, “Therefore, I can only let you drink a small cup and no refill. But…” She smiled, “Wait until the end of the mission, then you can nicely invite me.”
After Carter left, May took another cup of wine and leaned back against the chair.
Since she had tasted the wine for the first time, she discovered that she had slowly started to enjoy its hot and mellow flavor.
As for Carter’s previous invitation, she already had a faint answer to it within her heart. It is indeed only possible to know the results of some matters after trying them, just like the wine in my hands. Although the first taste was difficult to swallow, but compared with its following richness and mellowness, those sour and sweet fruit wines or the bland ale just can’t compare.
After the end of the theater season, I might as well take my father with me and settle in Border Town, right?
…
Roland arrived in Longsong Stronghold two days later.
Petrov and members of the five families came out of the city to welcome His Highness the Prince and his troops.
After stationing the First Army into the stronghold, Roland went straight to the castle and held a brief meeting.
“I got my hands on reliable news, that Timothy had raised a force that is advancing towards the stronghold.” Roland announced after sitting down on the Lord’s seat at the top of a flight of steps, while looking down on the nobles gathered beneath, “Their actual number and the route they’ve taken is unknown, but there is no doubt that they are coming for me. According to Timothy’s consistent tactic, they are bound to expand their troops by plundering and enforcing the civilians, and then use drugs to force these people to attack.”
“Excuse me, Your Highness,” the eldest son of the Wolf Family interrupted puzzled, “The drugs you are speaking about…”
“A type of vicious red pill, that can give civilians more strength than a knight, but after the effect wears off, those who took it can only helplessly struggle before dying.” In addition to Petrov, the other four influential families didn’t know about the Church’s secret medicine, so Roland gave a simple description of the characteristics and the source of the pill. Then he continued, “Through this plan Timothy continues to weaken the resistance of
the Western Territory. Any person he cannot use is a target of looting and enforcing, the same goes for your territory. As the Protector of the Western Territory, I request that you clearly explain the situation to your Family’s staff and the commoners staying on your land; and that you transfer all of them into the city, so that Timothy won’t be able to expand his force.”
“But the food and stored goods in our warehouses…”
“You can move as much as possible,” Roland decisively interrupted, “However, I can only give you three days, until then all the commoners in the surrounding have to have been gathered together inside of the stronghold. After I beat back Timothy’s troops, you can all naturally leave.”
After the conclusion of the meeting, the Prince summoned Iron Axe to the castle.
In fact, by no means had he disclosed the exact situation to the nobility. Lightning and Maggie were already able to expose the whereabouts of the troops coming from King’s City. Unlike the previous group of invaders, they were traveling by sailboat this time, and moving straight along the Redwater River’s channel in an attempt to enter the hinterland of the Western Territory by passing through Willow Town.
This was a very thorny route, at the time the enemy came to the river’s bifurcation point, they could either follow the tributary to attack Longsong Stronghold’s Southern and Eastern Gate or continue following the river westwards and go straight for Border Town.
In order to prevent his defending troops from needing to split up and create a situation of attending to one thing and losing sight of another, he needed to concentrate his superior military strength and take the initiative to go out and defeat the enemy.
Evidently, the Redwater River’s bifurcation would be the most suitable place for such an ambush.