Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 259: Failures

A week had passed since the parlay, and the city of Bricaterun remained enveloped in an uneasy stillness. Lord Ilbert Hervius sat alone in his private chamber, a place of muted opulence, with dark oak paneling and a single window letting in slivers of pale daylight. The air was heavy with the scent of wax and ink.@@novelbin@@

The last days had been uneventful, the kind of quiet that felt tenuous, like the calm before a storm. No banners of war had been unfurled, no shouts of skirmish rang from the battlements, and the siege lines beyond the walls showed no sign of movement. Both sides adhered to the uneasy agreement brokered during the parlay; neither party had any interest in spilling blood unnecessarily when a bloodless compromise was still within reach.

Ilbert sat at a broad wooden desk, his fingers steepled as he stared at the collection of documents and letters spread before him. Reports from his stewards, quiet musings on the morale of the city's defenders, and the state of their supply . He rubbed his temples, the week's weight pressing down upon him.

The city seemed to mirror his mood—watchful, tense, caught in the liminal space between despair and determination.

Among the sea of reports, requisition lists, and missives scattered across the desk, only one document held Lord Ilbert's attention. His hand gripped a letter bearing the red-and-gold seal of House Herculia, its wax imprint gleaming under the dim light of his chamber. Without ceremony, he slid a small dagger beneath the seal, breaking it with a soft crack before unfolding the parchment within.

'' To our loyal vassal, Lord Ilbert Hervius of House Shafza, Defender of Bricaterun,

I have received word of the dire circumstances in which you now find yourself, and it troubles me greatly. Your steadfastness in the face of adversity is a testament to your noble lineage and unwavering commitment to the crown, more than any of your ancestors ever showed. Let it be known that I hold your loyalty in the highest regard, and your endurance during these trying times shall not go unnoticed.