The sun was high and the sky was clear, with not a cloud to be seen. It made a welcome reprieve from the sordid sights upon the earth. As Kiork looked up at it, he had to trust that the future was bright. Perhaps he was only fooling himself, but it gave him the strength to look ahead with newfound determination.
Behind him, his army continued its steady march north, its banners fluttering on the wind. Most bore the imperial lion, although a handful were marked with the sigils of various nobles from the south and east. The alliance transcended factional loyalties. At forty thousand strong, it was the largest force Kiork had ever commanded, and his nervousness was written on his face.
Two days prior, he had finally managed to convince the southern and eastern factions to sit down and talk. The discussions had exonerated the eastern nobles of any involvement in Beto’s murder, but they had also revealed how rudderless the southern nobles had become after his death. Divulging his plot to betray the empire had only worsened their dismay. Kiork had hoped the negotiations would go smoothly if he took the lead, but they were so used to following Beto’s lead that they had been unable to come to the simplest decisions. Moreover, they had been reluctant to lend Kiork their troops; fearing unrest while they were gone, Kiork had decided to leave Sunspear’s eastern noble garrison in place, but when he asked the southern nobles for help replenishing his forces, they had failed to reach a consensus, causing the talks to drag on interminably.
“I cannot thank you enough, my lady,” he said, lowering his head. “If not for you, I daresay the south and the east would still be at each other’s throats.”
Lady von Loeing gave a bashful smile. “I am honored.”
While she was being modest about her contribution, it was almost entirely thanks to her that the army had set off so promptly. Seeing negotiations grind to a halt, she had talked the southern nobles around to Kiork’s point of view with diplomatic acumen worthy of the finest civil tribune. She would prove an invaluable asset to his niece in the years to come. As embarrassing as it was to be outclassed by a girl less than half his age, he had to concede she far exceeded him in talent. The gulf between them was far too wide to deny. Nonetheless, in view of their respective statuses and Soleil’s tendency toward male leadership, Kiork had ended up taking command of the army. Lady von Loeing had not complained, but Kiork had been loath to exclude her after everything she had contributed, so he had made the executive decision to appoint her chief strategist.
At first, she had refused the position, concerned about causing needless upset. Only on several conditions had she eventually accepted. Firstly, after the war was over, she would meet Liz face-to-face. That would be easy enough to arrange. Considering what she had already achieved, Liz was almost certain to reward her in person. Secondly, she would be reassigned to the central territories, where she wanted to serve directly as Liz’s aide. Kiork did not have the authority to decide that himself, but he had promised to lend his support to the request. And thirdly, she would serve as Kiork’s go-between with Liz once they joined forces. That, Kiork had been hesitant to agree to—he was already relying on her a great deal, and making her his messenger would only add to the burden—but she had insisted, and her zeal had eventually won out.
Together, Lady von Loeing’s three conditions left Kiork certain that she was one of Liz’s many supporters. His niece’s popularity had grown explosively in recent months. She stole the hearts of men and women alike with beauty that would put an álf to shame, and tales of her valor were giving the people hope. Devotees just as ardent as Lady von Loeing were springing up all across Soleil.
Abruptly, her voice broke the silence. “Margrave?”
Kiork was caught so off guard that he almost fell off his horse, but he caught himself just in time. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple as he turned to face her. “Yes? Is something the matter?”
He feared she might see that he was red with embarrassment, but she was not even looking at him. She was staring fixedly at her forefingers, which she was pressing together sheepishly.
“If you wouldn’t mind, I, um... I had a question...” Her voice was almost a whisper, barely audible over the drumming of hooves.
“I can’t promise I’ll be any help, but by all means.”
“Then, if it’s not too forward...” She lifted one hand to her cheek, blushing like a lovestruck maiden.
Kiork’s heart thudded in his chest. Where exactly was this going? She was young, well-mannered, and certainly beautiful. He awaited her next words with bated breath, reminding himself silently that he had a wife.
“Would you tell me what Lady Celia Estrella was like as a little girl?” She shook her head furiously, as if she had grown flustered after confessing her love. One could almost hear her squeal in embarrassment.
Kiork felt like his legs had been knocked out from under him. His shoulders slumped. “So that’s what you meant... Well, if that’s all, I’d be happy to.”
Her eyes sparkled with glee. “You would?!”
At that moment, a messenger approached her. “House Tausend and House Münster have agreed to assist us, my lady. Representatives from each will arrive shortly.”
She turned to face him. “Very good. I will make ready to receive them. While I attend to them, would you send this letter to House Frisch?”
A chill ran down Kiork’s spine. The bashful maiden of a few seconds ago was nowhere to be seen. Lady von Loeing issued her orders as precisely and authoritatively as a seasoned warrior. She truly did have her grandfather’s blood, he thought with an impressed sigh.
As the messenger left, Lady von Loeing summoned one of her subordinates. “House Tausend and House Münster have a long-standing grudge,” she said. “See that they march with House Artar between them.”
“That still seems rather close, my lady. What if we put one in the vanguard and the other in the rear?”
“That would be even more likely to cause a disagreement. The one farther back would complain the other was being favored. Lord von Artar is acquainted with both houses. He will be able to mediate if any disputes arise. And besides, I suspect they will both be more comfortable if they can keep an eye on each other.”
“I see. I shall inform Lord von Artar.”
“Very good. Tell him this is by my request.”
“As you command.”
As the granddaughter of a former high general, Lady von Loeing had connections in noble society, and she was using them to their fullest. Had she been less talented, some might have whispered that she was borrowing her grandfather’s influence, but no one would dare make that accusation now—at least, not without making an enemy of the southern nobles. They all saw that she had inherited some of High General von Loeing’s glory. She had proven herself an astute enough commander to be worth following, and those who might otherwise have ignored her or scoffed at her age obeyed her orders without question.