Chương 1268: [1184] - Y06.084 - Trouble in Floria I

The fort walls loomed tall, the walls far more impressive than when they were first made, for the stone walls had replaced the wooden logs which had been staked into the earth, and the soldiers upon the walls held a keen edge.

"Halt!" shouted a soldier from atop the walls.

"What is your business here?"

"We are making our way to Gold Port," Tanagek replied.

"What is your business within Gold Port?"

"We are travelling to Aswadasad."

"What is your business in Aswadasad?"

"It is our business." The soldier glared at Tanagek, who returned the glare back towards her.

"Do you possess the fees?" Tanagek held the pouch, full of silver, more than enough to pay the one silver per head, plus the ten silver for the caravan. They had yet to increase the price to include an additional ten silver, but since they were upon the border, the group had paid the additional ten silver. The soldier felt the heaviness of the coin within the pouch and she nodded, checking within each of the carriages, while a group of other soldiers trained their crossbows upon the drivers.

She raised her brow in shock at how many individuals were within the carriages, and as her eyes passed Adam, they darted back towards him.

'Purple armour?'

"Hello," Adam said, smiling politely, trying to motion towards his holy symbol.

'Oh? Is that a threat since it's Baktu?'

"You…" the soldier began, narrowing her eyes.

"Are you the Crazy Father?" Adam's smile dropped, the half elf's cheeks turning a gentle pink, though quickly turned a deeper shade of red as the laughter from the other carriage filled the air. Her eyes snapped towards the rest of the figures within, her heart pounding in her chest, her hand firmly gripping the hilt of her blade, while the others within the carriage remained completely relaxed, save for one, though Adam pressed his elbow against Jonn's arm to try and pin him.

'Come on, man! Read the room!' It wasn't long before the soldier slipped away, her heart still pounding wildly within her chest. A moment later the Commander of the fort appeared, surrounded by a handful of knights, followed by another twenty soldiers, while others lined the walls of the fortress.

Jurot's eyes darted to the soldiers, each adorned in chain shirts, carrying a spear and a shield, meaning they were those who were still going through basic training or who had finished it, though judging by the lack of wear upon the armour, they were certainly a newly formed company. However, the knights surrounding the woman were adorned in full plate, each wearing long cloaks that demanded respect, while the woman herself wore finer armour, whose equipment was entirely magical, if he was a betting man.

The woman removed her helmet to reveal her pretty face, fashioned into a stern expression. Her chestnut hair was cut short, her hazel eyes holding a glare focused upon the half elf, but it was the blade at her side, made of red oak, but the hilt was lined with silver, meaning she was from that family.

"I am Commander Lottie Cherryoak," the woman called, already telling the Iyrmen enough of who she was, her relationship to the Countess, but also far more than most others could pick up.

"Are you the one who murdered the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts?"

"Murder implies it was unlawful," the half elf replied.

"I killed them upon another's land, subsequently pardoned by the ruler of that land." While Adam paid attention to the young noble, who was roughly their age, but was certainly at least an Expert, Jurot's eyes fell upon one of her knights, standing tall and strong. She held her greatblade within her arms, cradled almost like a babe over her shoulder.

That blade of hers was more infamous than her, and she was already a terrifying monster of a woman, a Grandmaster by the age of forty, something which was impressive even for an Iyrman. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. For a moment, the thought slipped into Jurot's heart. Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad if a fight broke out? The woman held out a hand towards the group.

"I command you to disarm yourselves at once!"

'Ah,' Jurot thought, realising he may have willed such into existence.

'How stupid do you think I am?' Adam thought, before his eyes darted towards Mork, who side eyed the half elf with a small smirk upon his face.

"We refuse," called a voice, but not Mork as one might have expected, for Jurot stepped forward.

'Should you have stepped forward?' Tanagek thought.

'I should have stepped forward instead,' Chosen thought.

'Jurot…' Kitool thought. Nirot's lips twitched into a smirk, though it quickly dropped as Naqokan caught it, the young woman raising her brows towards Nirot.

"Just who do you think you are?" the Commander snarled towards the Iyrman, but her knight leaned in to whisper something into her ear, and the Commander fell quiet in thought. Jurot and the knight glared towards one another, the pair locked within their own battle of glares, a conversation playing out with their gazes.

'If you wish for vengeance, I stand before you,' Jurot said with his eyes. The response was an annoyed silence, not that the Iyrman seemed to mind.

'Why are they glaring at one another so much?' Uwajin thought, the woman yawning lightly, her eyes falling upon the mountain of a woman.

'She rests her blade over her shoulder?'

"You have such courage to stand before me," the giant of a woman finally said to the Iyrman.

"Is it courageous to stand before you?" Jurot replied.

"Ah!" Uwajin finally let out a gasp.

"You must be Rock Bear's daughter!" It was then the Iyrmen remembered, it wasn't just the Mad Dog who had caused a mess within Aldland.

"Do I know you?"

"Grandfather killed your father," Uwajin said, rubbing her eye, before catching the woman's eyes through her visor with a tired look, though a smile crept upon her face, one that was too innocent. Adam reached for his axe, but a hand at his shoulder stopped him, and because the half elf was surrounded by all those he trusted, his body naturally obeyed.

As the well built man held the half elf, his brother stepped out, arms held out, literally welcoming the large blade with open arms, which missed him by a hair's width, the blade landing into the earth. No Iyrman had made a move, though Uwajin had drawn her blade, without realising, in order to face the Rock Bear's daughter, but she had stopped as the body blocked her.

"It is such wonderful weather we're having, isn't it?" Mork said, smiling so innocently towards the woman who had almost cleaved Uwajin in half.

"Brother… do you intend to step forward to protect her?" the woman asked, her voice full of a growl.

"Indeed, I do!" Mork laughed playfully, doing his best to lighten the mood within the air, since it had suddenly gotten so awkward.

"I am certain that your Commander did not ask me to disarm myself, but just in case, I made sure not to draw my blade against you."

"Certainly not," the woman confirmed.

"I should ask that you show some mercy here today, for I believe this is all a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding?"

"Uwajin suffers from a condition which causes her to remain sleepy throughout the day, and I am certain that she has nothing but respect for you, since the Iyr holds no ill will when it comes to fights which are fought fairly."

"Was it a fair fight?" The way she had spoken was as though she had placed a blade over the Brother's neck, and suddenly, Mork had wished he had heard the tale from Uwajin.

"Yes?" Uwajin replied.

"Grandfather said of all the Aldishmen, it was the Rock Bear who fought honourably. At that time, grandfather and he fought over a misunderstanding. Grandfather wished to kill the Lord, and Rock Bear fought on the Lord's behalf. It was upon the ending of the duel, Rock Bear accepted the death, and grandfather let the Lord live out of respect. It is why grandfather returned your blade to you." The woman remained silent.

It wasn't for an Iyrman to lie, and considering how the young woman was ready to draw her blade to fight, she also wasn't trying to avoid a fight. Though her yawned filled the woman with annoyance, there was something she said which made her think deeply.

'It is why grandfather returned your blade to you.' It had taken quite some time for her to retrieve her father's blade from the brigands, though? Uwajin remained at the ready, however, since there were few warriors who had impressed her grandfather, especially someone who had fought him with a single arm, thanks to the Mad Dog. Nirot side eyed Uwajin curiously, having forgotten that Rock Bear had been killed by the Bearded Dragon a few years later, only after the warriors almost killed the Bearded Dragon.

The problem was, however, that the young woman wore full plate armour, meaning he hadn't passed on his rage dance to her.

'What a shame…' The Iyrmen worried little for how they were still surrounded by so many soldiers, rather focused upon the tale that would be told in the future.