Viscount's Rise

“Duke Ryder has started moving again?” Braydon asked Cinar to make sure that he had heard correctly. After they had met to discuss Duke Ryder stopping near the capital, Braydon had gone back to his troops to rest. And early the next morning, Cinar came to see him. They had all been pretty sure that the man was trying to set up a trap by getting them to enter the capital, and now he was just moving again as if nothing had happened? To Braydon that did not sound quite right.

“Indeed, perhaps his plan was dependent upon whether we entered Boshil. Either way, he is not waiting around for us.” Cinar nodded, he was not quite as surprised as Braydon was. Cinar had known Duke Ryder for a long time and if there were one thing that could be said about the man it was that he was decisive.

“Then he is going to fight Duke Burn?” This was why Braydon was confused. There was no way that Duke Ryder did not know what they wanted him to do or why they had been following him so closely. It just seemed odd that he would go along with that in full knowledge of their desired outcome.

“Not quite, it looks like he is trying to cut off Duke Rotleach before he meets up with Duke Burn.” Cinar corrected, though to Braydon it sounded more like a technicality. Duke Rotleach was on Duke Burn’s side. If Ryder really wanted to attack one, Braydon was almost certain that the other would interfere.

“How is that any different?” Braydon asked. It was not like Duke Burn and Duke Rotleach were particularly far away from each other. By the time Duke Ryder made it to one of them, the other would be within a days’ travel at most.

“Because that would depend on Duke Burn actually stepping in to help.” Cinar pointed out. It was then that Braydon remembered who they were talking about. Duke Burn had a reputation of watching whilst others fought amongst themselves as he benefitted. It was not unlikely that this time would be any different, and it was possible that Duke Ryder was betting on this.

“That complicates things. I did think that Burn’s agreement with the Twin Duke was a bit one sided.” Braydon did not think that Duke Burn would make an agreement that disadvantaged him by such a large margin. And if their speculation was true, he never intended to keep it.

“Well, it does nothing to change our plans for now.” Cinar added. Their plan was still to tail Duke Ryder, nothing would change even if he had changed his target form Duke Burn to Duke Rotleach.

“Are we planning to join in if he attacks Duke Rotleach though?” Braydon was unsure about that. He would rather just watch as the two sides weakened each other. It was not like they had any reason to help either side, rather both were their enemies.

“Sir Rhydian looks like he is against the idea.” Cinar thought back to Rhydian’s attitude when he heard from the scouts.

“And the King?” Braydon had to ask, if there was one person who could really override Rhydian’s position as the commander of the army then it was the King himself. Not that the King had done that yet, but Braydon wanted to make sure.

“He looked like he had something in mind, but I have no reason to believe that he was planning on joining that battle.” Cinar said obviously having noticed something in the King’s attitude. If it was anything like what Braydon had noticed when he had met up with everyone, then it was likely that the King had a scheme in mind.

“Sire, Duke Rotleach’s army has suddenly stopped marching and is setting up a defensive position.” A scout reported to Duke Ryder. It had at most been a day since the scout had told him that Duke Rotleach was moving as fast as possible to meet up with Duke Burn. And Duke Ryder could not understand why that had changed.

“Has something happened?” The Duke hoped that the scout knew more than just that the enemy had stopped moving. It was anything but a good move for Duke Rotleach to not join forces with Duke Burn. Whilst the former may have a strong force, it was not quite as strong as his own.

“We are looking into it but this seems to be a sudden decision rather than something planned.” The scout was just as confused as the Duke but his subordinates had not been able to give him any more relevant information. If Duke Rotleach had not been the target of their march, he would have waited a bit longer to see if he could gain any more information.

“Then until we hear anything more, we keep moving. If there has been a crisis for him it can only be a good thing, otherwise he is just waiting for me to kill him.” Duke Ryder could not think of any other situation. If the man had intended to give up and go home, he would have just turned around. Instead his army had just stopped in enemy territory.

“Do you think that this could be some kind of trap?” One of the lords asked. They had just tried to do the same thing to the royal faction, though the King had apparently been wiser than to fall into it.

“What kind of trap could he have set up? We have eyes on both Burn and the King. they are too far away for it to count as some kind of trap.” Another lord countered. 

“There is always Duke Tetland.” The original lord responded.

“Duke Tetland you say?” Duke Ryder went into thought. He had assumed that Duke Tetland would not take part as his territory was on the other side of the Twin Duchies. Not to mention that he did not have a great relationship with his co-monarch. Others might not know about that internal conflict but Duke Ryder’s faction shared a border with the Twin Duchies, he at least had to pay some attention.

Darkwood

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