Chapter 131: Idle Chatter and Snowid’s Council

A scout who had been sent ahead to look at the damages arrived in Count Chimel’s territory. He saw the manor overlooking the small town. What should have been a symbol of power and status now was destroyed. Windows were smashed and the garden hedges were black and leafless. The wall chard in an attempt to set it alight.

The scout turned away and looked at the destroyed town. The air had long lost the smell of blood but now was replaced by the smell of chard wood. Walking through he saw burnt bodies litter the streets. Some were burnt to the bone whilst others had some of their flesh, crusted and shrunk, desperately clinging to what remained of their bodies. The town center was in ruins. No building was fully standing, all of them nearly destroyed.

He walked past them ignoring those. Nothing could be found from that, only the chard remains. Walking to the outer areas he saw a house that still stood, suffering small damage, but he wished it was otherwise.

Walking into the house, he saw the copses of violated woman whose faces screamed of desperation and fear they suffered in their final moments. He saw the bodies of children and babies that were not spared, dying full of misery. He saw the bodies of men, strung up on the walls impaled into the walls by long rods.

He had to fight to keep down the sick in his mouth seeing it and didn’t talk back into any of the houses, not wishing to see the sight over and over. The streets however were not much better. Bodies littered them, the scout easily understanding that they were the people who couldn’t escape in time.

He had seen enough. Opening his bag he rolled a map on the floor and took a pen and ink out. Dipping it in the ink he drew a red cross on the map over the town he was in. They had to destroy it to make sure diseases didn’t form and spread. Putting his equipment back he stopped looking over the bodies of a couple and their child, killed just before they could escape the village.

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"Have you heard about the Coast recently?" Horace sat in a small cafe made for nobility pretending to read a newspaper. He overheard the conversations of nobles all around him. Most talked about the same thing; the pirate invasion of the coast. Right now he listened to the two young women next to him.

"I know. Those poor people. They must be so scared." A noblewoman replied with a somber voice as she stirred her tea.

"I wonder when the King will do something about it."

"Who knows? My husband tells me not to worry about those things. Says it doesn’t concern me." The lady said getting a small shake of the head from the woman opposite. "Anyway, enough of the sad topics. Have you heard about the trend the Ammary Empress started?"

Horace made sure to listen closely to the new topic they were on. Knowing how the high society felt towards his home was always something that could massively help his mission, no matter if it came from the women or men of high society.

"I heard. I can’t lie it does sound fun hearing the stories." The noblewoman said with childlike playfulness.

"I just can’t believe the Emporer allows her to use the sword. My husband would have a heart attack if I asked him to learn the sword."

"The Emporer does sound scary, but I heard that he adores his wife." The woman grabbed her cheeks and her imagination went wild. "It sounds like a story. The Empress being the only one able to melt the tyrant’s heart."

The woman opposite her friend shook her head seeing her imagination run amok. "Anyway. It seems the Empress has him wrapped around her finger. He made a law for the noblewoman to be given the same rights to learn swordplay. Their husbands can’t interfere in it unless there is just cause. If they do, the wives have the right to go to the Empress with complaints. It seemed the Duchess massively helped to create it."

"I can’t help but feel a little jealous." The woman sighed having a sip of her drink. "They seem to be so much more free over there.

The woman shook her head hearing her friend. "We have our roles. There is no need to deviate from them."

"Maybe you’re right. The older ladies seem happy having lived the same lives we do now."

As if on cue, Oskar walked into the cafe getting multiple turns of the heads as he did. He looked at Horace and smiled taking a seat and ordering a coffee. Horace smiled towards him shaking his hand, but his mind still lingered on the conversation he just heard. It was small but there was a desire for some to live under the Empire.

"How have you been Jedrick? It’s been a while." Oskar asked with a polite smile.

"As good as anyone can be." In a dark voice, he said and Oskar could only nod along. The Pirate invasion had become well known by now, especially for the brutality they were inflicting.

"I wonder why they began?" Oskar said to himself getting a shake of the head from Horace.

"Their pirates. Do they need a reason?" Oskar quietly said ’true’ as he took a sip of his coffee. "I’ve heard many nobles in the south who are angry are coming to the capital. A lot have a problem with Snowid.

Oskar who was usually guarded whenever it came to the topic of Snowid let out a long exhale, "I don’t blame them. Their lands and people have been brutalized and the lack of response from the King has made it near impossible for those weaker nobles to defend their lands."

Oskar picked up a piece of fruit with his fork and ate it. Pointing the fork back at Horace he chuckled. "He should have learned from the Empire to defend the coast if he wished to create a centralized military. But at least we know now."

Horace smiled and took a sip of his drink. "How is your land faring? I know your territory spreads down near the coast after all."

"Minor damage. My father will have mobilized his forces by now so it is of no worry. It will slow down things that he needs to do for Snowid, but I’m sure the king will understand." He was very open with his opinion of the King right now and it made Horace wonder. Was the pirate invasion so severe he could so openly talk about this even when he suspected him of being a spy for the man?

"That is good to hear. Let’s hope that the initial wave is the worst to come."

"It probably will be. My uncle told me the King was holding a council to deal with this." Oskar grabbed his forehead, "Politics are such a tiresome thing. But hopefully, it will be solved."

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"The coastal areas have nearly all been attacked. Few have fended off the sudden attacks. The damages and loss of life are still being calculated but with attacks not ceasing we won’t be able to get a clear number."

After one noble finished another started. "Many nobles close to the rivers have begun to evacuate their wealth and lands inward. Others have secretly begun to transfer more of it to the Gold Bank."

"The populace is terrified and news of the attacks can’t be stopped." A third began straight after. "If these fears aren’t quelled then we may see a massive drop in production of food. Even if they are, depending on how severe the attacks become we will see it anyway."

Snowid held his head as he heard the nobles fire off topics regarding the attacks. "Silence." Aleksander’s voice was low but held immense power silencing the bickering nobles. "The king already knows all these things you wish to say. Your endless chattering only clouds his mind."

They all gave a soft bow of their heads towards Snowid in apology. Letting out a deep grumble he rested his cheek on his hand and looked at all of them. "The armed forces have already begun mobilizing down to the coast. It should take a week at most for it to be prepared for a defense. In the meantime send orders to all those bordering the Great Rivers to build defenses along it, with funding from the crown."

Snowid gave the order and they all nodded. "Your Grace." One noble said in a soft voice, getting everyone’s attention. "There is a problem. Reports from the nobles have shown an overwhelming negativity towards the centralizing of the armed forces and they are beginning to petition for a reversal." His words were met with a hard glare,

"I know about this already. I will hold a banquet soon enough for the nobles and when they arrive they can make their petition clear." His threatening tone was enough to make the noble sink back into his chair, only able to mutter ’of course’ as he did.

"Shall we talk to Chent?" Another asked getting looks towards Snowid. They all knew by now it was the Pirate Lords attacking them. They also knew the influence they had within the free cities.

"There is no point. Unless we can capture one of the Brothers and prove it is them attacking us they won’t accept it. Besides they are unofficially related. Even if we go to them with it they may just brush the point aside." Snowid dismissed it with great annoyance.

Everyone on the table had the same thought. Invade Chent and hopefully be done with them for once. They were a thorn in the side of the Commonwealth, but no one dared voice this. Despite the annoyance of the Free Cities, keeping them alive was much better. An invasion would be long with the amount of mercenaries backing the city. It would also create a real border with the Lisaponic which was more dangerous for the Commonwealth than the Free Cities.

"Konrad," Snowid called out and the man walked out from behind Snowid’s throne. "Look into why they are attacking. Those pirates never do a full invasion unless they have a reason."

Konrad bowed and walked off. Everyone at the table wondered why he never sat at the table despite his influence in regard to Snowid but pushed it aside assuming it was one of his quirks. He had always been a mysterious person to them all, no one really understanding where he came from.

"Your Grace." An old noble spoke up and everyone turned to him. "Shall we consider hiring a naval force to fight the Pirates?" It was a point that Snowid seriously considered. The Commonwealth had a weak navy, only using the sea for trade.

"If we can find one, but anyone able to offer the skills we need on the sea is hard to find. And those willing to fight those brothers even more so."

"This may be bold of me. But how about asking the Empire." The old man showed no fear of asking something like that. Despite the looks he got from those around the table, he didn’t sink away.

"No." Snowid didn’t even think about it. "One, the Blood Child already has a problem to deal with. The chances of him giving us support are low. Two, it will not be cheap." Snowid slammed his fist on the table, his anger seeming to warp the air around him as he thought of the final point, "And most importantly you want me to ask him for help. I would rather die than beg him." With an animalistic growl, he spoke the final words coated in a deep bloodlust. The old man looked at Snowid unfazed and nodded.

"I was just making a suggestion." The old man couldn’t understand where Snowid’s dislike for Alfred came from. He lost one war to him but that didn’t seem to be enough of a reason. He could only assume it was a matter of character.

"Send out support for the people who have suffered from the attacks. I will open the grain storage to help ease their worries. In the meantime, Aleksander, I need you to take over the situation in the empire as I deal with this." Aleksander bowed accepting the order. "Manpower will be transferred to those who border the Great Rivers to help build defenses. We will take a loan from the Gold Bank as well. As much as I dislike them, they are neutral in affairs and have better interest rates than the Crystal Bank."

"For now I need the rest of you to help prepare for the influx of people that will arrive in the Capital and the banquet that will be held soon. That will be all, you are all dismissed." Snowid got up quickly and left, getting bows from the rest of the nobles.