Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 138: A key to the city

The second prince or for some others the emperor , Mavius, sat in the dimly lit tent, his tall frame draped lazily over a finely carved wooden chair. The awfully now turning cold wind howled outside, but inside, the scent of spiced wine filled the air.

His hand curled around a silver goblet, sipping slowly from it as the dark liquid swirled with each motion. His face, remained calm yet distant, as if the world outside his tent hardly touched him.For the last days he had only received bad news and his mood was consequently going down.

Lord Coway stood stiffly before him, his face lined with weariness. The storms that they had attempted throughout the day had not been merciful.

"We lost 240 men in today's assaults, Your Grace," Coway said, his voice steady despite the grimness of the report. "Another 120 are wounded, of which 40 are serious. The healers are doing what they can, but..." he trailed off, knowing the prince would understand the gravity of the situation.@@novelbin@@

Mavius took another sip from his goblet, the wine warm against his lips. He swirled it thoughtfully, letting Coway's words settle. 

He grunted softly, his expression unchanging as he set the cup down on a nearby table. "240 dead," he repeated, his voice low, almost to himself. "And 40 unlikely to make it."

He leaned back in his chair, staring into the ground, there was no outburst, no fury—just a grunt, a sound that betrayed more frustration than anything