Chương 341: 6.8

Jewel had to focus to avoid fuming about what Adelyne had sprung on her last night. The Fortress Vahstrehgin was behind them. Already lost amidst the hills and the bend of the road south, the constricted lowness of the sky of the valley which acted as a 'sky pass' contorting sightlines even further. She was now half a day's march away from Viznove. And with it passed her entourage was complete. Such a vast thing, all under her command. Most fearsome of all was the soldiers from the Capital.

Two-Hundred of Erhard Ironhand's 'Triumphant Armour Halberdier' Shining steel with black and yellow cloth, every soldier of it marching straight baked in an easy lope despite the full kit of each on their backs. Even on the road they held those solid steel spear axe 'halberd' of theirs easily. A weight that would have pulled most men down into exhaustion after a few hours completely unburdensome for them. And yet they marched without horses or even servants to carry their packs.

If it was not for the intricate detail of wealth that their every piece of armor they might look like pauper knights with how the dust of the road dulled their tabards and legs. Another Hundred and twenty of Jewel's own Footmen, called forth from Kaeketeh and Valasect. Mostly armored in leathers and light steel on chests. Swords at their sides, solid wooden hafted spears. A few dozen trained in the bow walking with strings loose. Black and red colors on their armor and shields. Muriel and her second on horseback.

And now her party was further reinforced by half of Lord Dominik's own soldiers in a mix of knights and footmen. Their armor is heavier, more restrictive on both then Jewel's men. With the slight build of the knights even more all encompassing then the ones on foot. Swords and lances the favored arms on the horse. Spears, shields and a short cantoran blade that she thought was a gladius for the unmounted men.

The seniormost knight amongst them had sworn service to Jewel until death or their return to the Vahstrehgin. With these troops it brought the total of her armed entourage to Four-hundred and fifty-two. And that was just those warriors sworn to Jewel alone! Then there were the 'guests' who were joining her to Magarska. Two were the children of her vassals that resided in Kaeketeh outside their family's direct lines of inheritance. A third was the second son of one of the ruling families in Light's End.

Each brought twenty armed men from their house whose command was their protection but could be trusted to rally with her commands if it was called for. And along with these notable persons were portions of their households and all the staff to support them, squire and general porters and tenders to the animals for the knights and higher ranking footmen and in one case the family of those! Dariusz was commanding an entire mess tent with all the other kitchen masters and cooks in her entourage.

at Jewel's orders so that the meal making each night could be a united affair to feed all concerned rather than the ridiculous partitioning that the Light's End child had wanted. These guests and their belongings and supplies had added four more wagons to Jewel's three! And besides the entirely self sufficient Halberdier that had meant even more animals and people to tend them. The earlier estimate when she set out had been so terribly overshot.

There were over Two-thousand people taking up the road with her to the Capital of Magarska! Which meant that their party moved slowly. Not strictly speaking once all were on the road, but their departure had eaten hours of daylight before they could finally pass the gates of the Vahstrehgin. Their pace once underway was a good march. The mass of them all moved steadily with the pennants of Viznove, Rochford and the Vahstrehgin at the front.

Then other travelers from her vassal's families and beyond added theirs after. All the people, horses and wagons filling the road in the not quite regiments of an army, but also not in the looser concentration of a mere peddler's caravan. Her official entourage despite its numbers had a grace and order to it. Something Jewel could appreciate too considering the state she had seen that most trade caravans on the road moved in.

Speaking of which, Jewel's planned departure had also gained quite a number of unofficial trailing followers as well! Which if you included all of them might very well push the entire train of them to almost four thousand people! Maybe more if there were still groups trying to catch up today. Caravans and Peddlers had bundled and rushed to follow Jewel's miniature army in the march as soon as word had spread of her intended route through the no man's land between the two kingdoms. Jewel could not blame them for it.

This road was probably going to be the safest it ever was all year today. She smelled the fresh and hours-old terror of lurking parties in the woods, the so-called 'bandits' that Cantor Reborn and Magarska quietly denied either was supporting. Dominik had called 'their' side back with dire warnings of her imminent passage. Jewel could only guess that the Magarskan side had done the same. She would not hold back if any of them dared to accost her.

In fact given Adelyne's Infuriating actions last night she almost hoped some would. But there was no sign anyone would dare. Well! It left her time to take in the third Vault she had ever stepped foot in at least. Already the air felt different then in either the Ridgetails or the Valley of Man. A dryness to the wind that only grew as they reached deeper into the Dacian Vault. Jewel surveyed the wagons, horses and hundreds upon hundreds of people who trailed her.

It was going to slow down their travel through Magarska. Bledaten was perhaps another day of hard marching at this pace. Which meant stopping at the furthest waypoint with a good spring they found. In all likelihood they would be making camp four hours past noon at the latest. Any later there would not be enough light to settle everything and prepare a meal. And that pattern would hold for every day they traveled without lodgings secured to support her entourage beforehand.

Given the sheer number of them all Jewel would not be staying in any villages, only the larger settlements. Paul would also not be acting as Vanguard now that they were outside of Viznove. The High King Murad had promised them all hospitality along their way but this was Magarska. Jewel could not in good conscience risk turning her husband into a hostage. It would fall to one of Muriel's more promising men among her entourage. And that would eat into their horses to maintain fresh steeds able to weather the gallop.

Especially where their itinerary was less certain in the distance between cities. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. If it would not be liable to trigger a war Jewel might have flown ahead to make arrangements for them herself, or at least scout. But one did not fly alone into hostile territory. Nor did they run scouting flights like an invasion on the march with fliers from the sky. Otherwise she would have brought Alexander!

But calling on even one of her Gryphon Lords or Knights as an entourage into a foreign land would be far too provocative. A single lord, lady or king with their steed or in Jewel's case just herself on her own? That was just barely acceptable a concession. But even two Gryphons or equivalents? With what from a distance could look like an army of several thousand on the march? No, that would be a step too far. Even though her and Erhard were easily more dangerous than a dozen Gryphon Riders.

Flocks of great beasts on the wing over a marching column would be far too great a sign of aggression in the lands of Magarska. Jewel huffed and looked ahead along their road. Keeping her posture and step graceful and regal. Even as she settled her mind for the long hours under the autumn sun. It felt strangely warm to her.

Helped distract from the other matter weighing on her, as if a clutch of eggs being slow to hatch, the insubordination of Adelyne and traveling through the lands of her homeland's generations long enemy was not enough! Then there was the matter of Erhard's retinue. She was confident she was the single most dangerous member of her party. But the steady beat of metal boots upon the dirt road in perfect rhythm gave her pause on being the wyrm's share of her force's military might.

She'd only properly had a chance to see Erhard's Triumphant Armour Halberdiers on the march after Light's End. And even only seeing how they moved on the march Jewel was disquieted. The use of sorcery for warfare like this was not like anything she had yet seen. Not like the wild forces thrown about by the wizards when she was eleven. Not like her own breath or the flight of Gryphons.

There were indeed men of flesh and blood encased in that metal covering, she had seen them eat and drink and even shed their armour to rest or do maintenance. But with that sorcerous metal wrapped around them they were something else. It made them tireless for one! They could keep pace with horses at a gallop or the steady beat of a cart both without complaint. The metal, cloth and leather encasing them sprung to the slightest movement within it, carrying the men more than being carried by them.

And it protected them from far more than just blows! Jewel knew the smell of men under effortful labor in the march. But Erhard's armor wicked away heat before they even had time to sweat! It warmed them even in the cold of winter. Some nights a few of them had slept in their armor during the march from Light's End! And those weapons of theirs! With edges that sang of the sorcerous promise to cut, to crush, to puncture and pry. Solid steel axes with a vicious curve and a sharp spike.

As with the armor the heads and shafts of them were bristling with an eagerness to move in the hands of their wielders. Jewel had asked about the provenance of these axe spears. Erhard had of course eagerly told her with his still face brimming with joy." They are made after the style of the tools of Dragonslayers. Although Shortened and honed to be viable against regular soldiers and mounted Knights. Some of my finest work." Jewel closed her eyes momentarily to push back the frustration of that memory.

What was Mathias thinking sending her to Magarska with two-hundred men armed with dragon slaying weapons!? When she was attempting an overture of peace! When the whole point hinged on her offering advice and tutoring to another Wyrm?!

"The helm's narrow their vision, but the armor can feel the air on its own. It shifts to tell its wearer when one is approached from their blind spots." Jewel sighed and looked down at Adelyne. She had come up beside Jewel on her horse in her worry. There were things they were going to need to discuss when they stopped for the night. After privacy had been secured. But not on the open road! Not with hundreds of eyes on Jewel and just as many ears listening!

"They are quite the specimens of the might of the Realm. I'm sure that Murad will be impressed." She tried to silently convey the glare she could not say in tone or show on her face to Adelyne, which of course worked because the guildmaster had long practice reading Jewel. At least she had the good grace of subtly wincing in a way only her Countess could notice.

Jewel still was not entirely sure how she had gotten so good at knowing what the wyrm was going to say, probably a trick of that sorcery the girl had picked up from Fizzbunches.

"I'm sure they will, but it would be hard to be more impressive than the Lady Rochford of Viznove herself." Her once bound servant said that with her mouth and voice sweet and vapid as can be, but she made a gesture with her hand, fingers, palm and wrist moving hardly at all. It was such a subtle flickering gesture that Jewel was pretty sure no one would have been able to make it out. Even if they were a native 'speaker' of Near Cant from Valasect."

I told you, I will need eyes that can go places without being watched. This one is the very best of my assets from Kaeketeh! Your spawn is too noticeable and a target, it is too much of a risk to have her try!" Jewel held back the frown and an even more intense glare. She wanted to have this conversation in private tonight! Not have to try and pantomime with silences and vague intention what she meant at Adelyne along the road! If she wanted to be so clandestine she could at least have this conversation with Gem!

Then Jewel could have signed back! Instead she had to contort her thoughts to be both known and speak something else entirely! Jewel smiled with a warmth that was genuinely hard to hold right now.

"Certainly! But I am only one Wyrm, and I won't begrudge the glory and honor to Mathias' other subjects." Adelyne continued on with some other meaningless and empty banter. Jewel responded in kind. But it was her fingers that truly spoke to Jewel. Some times in her line of sight, but other times as brushing fingers along Jewel's scales." they made up for more than the crimes of their past, Jewel! They're even one of the ones that don't even blame you for what you did! You stubborn worm!

This is why I didn't tell you in Kaeketeh! You are being foolish!" Jewel had to focus on the road and the dry air and the way the dirt beneath her claws was stirred by her presence. All to keep her tone even as she spoke about nothing while also trying to think particularly hard and intense versions of her thoughts on the matter at Adelyne. This was so awkward to actually do!

For all her skill and the power of that boon she had gained from Fizzbunches, Adelyne was not as precise in what she could pick up from Jewel as she sometimes pretended. A gentle pat on Jewel's shoulder. Irreverent, but in a known way that Jewel had long suffered from this particular subject. Nothing out of the ordinary to any watching eyes or listening ears. But Jewel just barely held back the growl deep in her throat. Adelyne seemed to mostly ignore her unsaid complaint."

I only told you last night because either you or Gem may have to meet with them and know to trust them as you would me if something happens. Jewel, My lady, I swear to you that this one is Loyal to only me and you." Jewel lost the thread of their vapid and empty conversation for a moment while she tried not to stumble over the outrage of Adelyne." You've read my reports on how many of the Kaeketeh Waifs view you now my lady? How many of them consider themselves reborn from your touch?

Seeing your sorcery as a blessing instead of a curse? This is one of the Believers Jewel, Not as zealous as some but-" The Countess and shining wyrm of viznove sighed then turned down to her servant, who was effectively her spymistress in all but name. Interrupting her servant's desperate ply of fingers in near cant on her shoulder.

"Adelyne? Would you go and check on my daughter? I fear that this dry Magarskan air may be a bit much for her cooped up with the eggs like she is." The command was verbal and audible and Adelyne could not openly deny it anymore then she could have said any of their actual argument out loud. It was a bit of a cruel thing to do but Jewel was not going to be having this conversation with vague impressions and half said thoughts on her side of it!

The Head of the Guild of the Orphans, Infirm, Cripples and other Assorted Beggars dipped her head dutifully.

"Of course Lady Rochford, I'll go check on her right this moment!" Then slowed her steed to make her way back amidst the more secure wagons where Jewel's clutch and gift for the High King were secured with Gem. Jewel turned her attention back to the road, the wind and the sky. Frustrated that she was going to have to feel like this twice over, it was not fair dropping such a heavy conversation on her smaller self, she tried to let at least one of them enjoy a day free from politics if it was possible.

But if Adelyne was insisting on discussing it like that? Right here on the road? There probably was not going to be a way to properly secure privacy in camp tonight. She needed to know why with more clarity then she could convey with just the girl's intuition. At least the two spawn eggs had apparently had the good sense to not hatch so far. For once a wyrmish abnormality was convenient.