A Lesson in Obedience
Lucas scoffed for all to hear.
"Since when have the Eastern lords ever cared about something like peace?"
"It's about time they started."
A faint warning flickered across Tiuran's face. The mounted warrior fixed Lucas with a piercing stare through narrowed eyes and continued in earnest.
"While His Grace has been bedridden, the East's unity has visibly weakened. Meanwhile, the Zramians have steadily grown their strength. If they decide to invade in earnest, the East will become a sea of flames in an instant. This is no time to squabble over trifles."
Lucas wiped the crooked smile from his lips.
"Aren't you exaggerating a bit? The Zramians are a nuisance, sure, but we command the most powerful cavalry in the Empire. What does it matter if some barbarians pushed out to the frontier bulk up their numbers?"
"Even that cavalry is nothing but a ragtag mob without a strong leader."
Tiuran sighed as if the whole conversation exhausted him.
"While the Grand Duke has stepped back from the front lines, the lords across the East have each been building their own power. The warriors under them swear loyalty not to the Siarkan family, but to their own lords. If those lords ever unite and raise the banner of rebellion, the East will fracture in a single stroke."
Faced with this relentless pessimism, Lucas set his jaw.
He knew some of the vassals had been making restless moves. But he had never imagined the situation was as grave as Tiuran claimed.
Lucas shot back in a hardened tone.
"If the vassals plot treason, the Imperial Palace won't sit idle. The Siarkan family are vassals of the Emperor, after all. Defying the Grand Ducal house is as good as raising arms against the Roem Empire itself."
"You don't understand what I'm saying."
Tiuran clicked his tongue roughly.
"I'm saying we must prevent a rebellion from happening in the first place. By the time the Imperial Palace has to intervene, the East will already be in chaos. We need to restore discipline before it comes to that."
Lucas could find no retort and fell silent. Tiuran fixed him with a stern look and drove the point home.
"The new Grand Duke's inauguration will be the chance to bind the East together as one again. As a member of the Siarkan family, Young Master, you must cooperate as well."
"…So in the end, you're telling me to quietly fall in line with my brother's will."
"As the second son, is that not inevitable?"
Tiuran delivered the pointed remark.
Lucas glared at him in silence, then swung his reins and shook off the bothersome scold.
He was only fifteen. He had no desire to concern himself already with the complicated politics of the East or the duties of a second son.
He spurred his horse with deliberate show.
As he raced across the grassland like an arrow, a vast pastureland unfurled beneath the sun sinking toward the west.
Lucas reined in at the hilltop, surveyed the hundreds of horses grazing at leisure, then turned his mount toward the large encampment nearby.
As he approached the great tent that appeared to be a meeting hall, a powerfully built man in a splendid coat came running out to greet him.
"Welcome! I've been waiting with my neck stretched out of joint for you to arrive!"
It was a vassal of the Siarkan family Lucas knew well. Lucas leapt lightly from the saddle and called out cheerfully.
"Kun Badera! It's been a while."
"It has been a while, Young Master Lucas. You've grown quite a bit taller since I last saw you."
"And you've put on more weight since I last saw you."
The man laughed heartily and roughly ruffled Lucas's hair.
"That wicked tongue of yours hasn't changed a bit."
A leisurely smile lingered on his bearded face as he suddenly looked around.
"By the way, where are the others? I was told the newly inaugurated Grand Duke would be bringing the cavalry with him…"
"They'll be here soon."
Lucas pointed up the hill and answered indifferently.
"He was nagging so much I rode on ahead."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than hundreds of horsemen appeared over the ridge.
Kun Badera immediately ordered the servants to prepare to receive the guests. Lucas, too, set off toward the hill to fulfill his own duty.
Just then, Barcas stepped down from the travel carriage that had arrived before the meeting hall.
Lucas, who had been hurrying to attend his brother, suddenly stopped in his tracks. The Second Princess was cradled in his brother's arms.
Barcas easily supported the completely exhausted, limp woman with one arm as he carefully surveyed the surroundings and asked,
"Where are we to stay?"
Kun Badera, who had been staring blankly at the two of them, scrambled forward and bowed his head.
"I-it is an honor to meet you for the first time, Your Grace the Grand Duke. I am Kun Badera, the one who manages Your Grace's horses."
The man, face tight with tension, stammered and then turned as he added,
"Please follow me. I will escort the two of you to your quarters."
Barcas pressed the woman's weakly drooping head against his shoulder and followed the man. After a moment's hesitation, Lucas trailed after them as well.
The place the man led them to was a large tent at the center of the encampment. Inside the conical tent covered with pitch-coated canvas were a large bed and luxurious furnishings.
Barcas carefully surveyed the interior, laid the woman on the wide bed, then issued an order to Lucas.
"Go fetch an attendant. Among Her Highness's maids there should be a quarter-dwarf."
"…I was under the impression that my duty was to attend to you, Brother."
Barcas, who had been lowering the canopy over the bed, let out a dry laugh as if incredulous.
"And did I not just give you an order?"
"The tasks you assign me are the sort of errands servants do. My duty is to manage your horse and weapons…"
"Your duty is to follow my orders without complaint."
Barcas rose and strode toward him. Lucas instinctively stepped back.
Barcas gripped his shoulder with one hand, smoothed back his disheveled hair, and continued slowly.
"Lucas, from now on you will learn how to obey me. It is a virtue you should have learned from the moment you first mounted a horse."
Lucas went rigid as a mouse before a snake. Barcas studied his face with cool eyes and added calmly,
"From this day forward, if you talk back to me, you will receive a fitting punishment. Do you understand?"
Lucas swallowed dryly and slowly nodded. Barcas then jerked his chin.
"Then go fetch the maid at once."
Lucas bolted out of the tent.
It seemed this tour was not going to be a pleasant outing after all.
He raked his hands through his hair and trudged along.
The pain that had been jabbing at her knees crawled up into her pelvis.
Thalia tossed on the thick sheets and forced her stiff eyelids open with effort.
An unfamiliar ceiling flickering with lamplight filled her vision.
Blinking, Thalia slowly pushed herself upright. Then she suddenly realized she was wearing nothing but a thin linen dress and jolted in alarm.
She hastily felt for her legs and found the bandages she had wrapped that morning. It seemed only her outer clothes had been removed. Just as she let out a small breath of relief, a faint sound of water came from nearby.
Thalia whipped her head around and froze at the sight of Barcas, stripped to the waist, washing his face.
He scooped water in his palms and ran it down the back of his neck. Clear rivulets traced slowly along the taut curves of his lean muscle. Staring blankly at the sight, Thalia finally managed to squeeze out a voice.
"W-what are you doing right now?"
Barcas, rubbing his face with wet hands, turned his head toward her. His water-slicked, pale body filled her retinas.
Thalia flushed scarlet and hastily yanked the blanket up to her chest.
"Why—why are you stripping and making a scene! You pervert!"
Barcas looked down at her without a word and heaved a heavy sigh.
"One cannot wash while clothed, can one?"
"Th-that's not—why are you washing here…!"
Thalia's shrill voice cut off the next instant as she held her breath. Barcas had leaned over the bed and covered her mouth with one hand.
"Lower your voice."