Under the Oak Tree

399 Chapter 160

Maxi hastily stepped forward. "L-Let me call upon the duchy's vassals and have them send another supply party. It is not your obligation to fund the -"

"We can't waste any more time," Riftan interrupted, his tone icy. "Even if the vassals send more supplies, they will likely be ambushed again. It would be better to proceed to Dristan immediately."

With that, he nodded to his soldiers. "Transfer the supplies to our wagons. Combined with what we've bought here, it should sustain the army for about a week."

The soldiers swiftly unloaded sacks of bread, slabs of frozen meat, and barrels of ale. Maxi watched them heft the supplies onto their shoulders, biting her lip.

She shifted her gaze to the wagoners, her eyes narrowing. Though Riftan seemed convinced by their account, she could not shake her suspicion that this might be a ploy by the duke's vassals.

But a sly scheme or not, the supply party seemed visibly shaken. Maxi turned away. The truth of their claims was irrelevant; the army was still without supplies, as Riftan had noted. All her efforts had amounted to nothing. After instructing the knight behind her to accommodate the supply party to the barracks, she made her way to the Remdaragon Knights' camp.

"Don't blame yourself," Riftan said to her from behind. He squeezed her shoulder. "You did all you could."

Maxi looked up, startled. She had not expected him to be so keenly aware of her emotions.

He held her gaze before speaking again, sounding disgruntled. "I've told you repeatedly - you are no longer a Croyso. You are a Calypse. Your guilt on behalf of the duke is starting to get tiresome."

"I-I only...wanted to stop my father from troubling you any further."

"Look at me." He lifted her chin gently, gazing intently into her eyes. "The duke no longer has the power to trouble me. But even if he did, it's not something you need to apologize for."

"But..." Maxi started before closing her mouth. Arguing about her father would accomplish nothing. She forced a smile and said, "I understand."

Though he seemed to sense her lingering unease, Riftan kept silent. He sighed softly and lifted his hand from her shoulder. As he rejoined his knights, Maxi entered the barracks to gather her belongings .

Faced with dwindling supplies, the army had no choice but to press onto the next city despite the harsh weather. After packing herbs, magic stones, and several magical devices, Maxi went to the stable to check on Rem.

The mare was in excellent shape thanks to the attentive care she had received over the past few days. However, she seemed less than thrilled about another trek through the icy wilderness, stomping her hooves in protest as Maxi tried to take her out of her stall. It took a sugar cane to finally coax her out of the warm stables.

Remarkably, the soldiers had the tents packed and wagons prepared within two hours. The army was once again ready to set out.

Armored warhorses flanked the wagons, and foot soldiers formed columns of fours behind them.

Following along on Rem, Maxi cast an anxious glance at the ominous sky. "Do you think we will manage in this weather?"

Ruth was perched atop one of the wagons. "We will be fine, my lady," he said, looking up from the parchment he was scrawling on. "If the weather were going to take a turn for the worse, Sir Riftan would have sensed it. His predictions are nearly prophetic."

Ruth's unfazed response alleviated some of Maxi's concerns. He seemed completely undisturbed by their precarious supplies or the impending battle. It dawned on her that his calmness stemmed from his unshakeable faith in Riftan. He focused solely on his duties, confident that his commander would resolve any problems that arose.

Maxi resolved to follow his example. She may have failed to secure the supplies, but she had done her utmost. All she could do now was to trust in Riftan.

The coalition army maintained a vigorous pace as it advanced toward the expansive plains. Maxi, perched atop her horse, took in the snowy wilderness, frozen river, and mountain peaks enshrouded in ominous clouds. Occasionally, she spotted some hamlets along the way, but she had yet to see a single soul. The residents had most likely evacuated long ago.

The only silver lining In their dire situation was the significant amount of hay they found in the deserted hamlets. The soldiers chopped and boiled the straw to soften it before feeding it to the horses. This made it possible to ration what little provisions they had left. there was no denying the bitterness that came with such desperate circumstances.

The soldiers barely kept their hunger at bay with meager meals for several days, shivering in the cold to conserve firewood. It was no wonder everyone's morale was low.

Maxi's face clouded as she looked around at the men sharing small portions of stale bread and diluted ale. Every one of them looked glum. They were just two days away from the next fortified city, but there was no guarantee that they would be able to purchase enough supplies there.

If they were forced to subsist on such meager rations until the next battle, it was a very real possibility that the soldiers might begin to desert. The Remdragon Knights were unfailingly loyal to Riftan, but the same could not be said of the northerners and the Wedonian Royal Army. Maxi found herself wondering how he planned to navigate this predicament.

She turned her gaze toward the front just as Riftan commanded, "Let's move out."

Maxi coaxed Rem, who was drinking from a creek, back into formation. When the Remdragon Knights resumed their rapid March, the rest of the coalition army followed.

The grueling journey resumed. Despite the bone chilling cold, sweat trickled down Maxi's back, and she felt herself losing sensation in her hands and thighs. It felt as though she might pass out at any moment. Pushing through, she managed to hold on with superhuman endurance, gripping her saddle tightly.

After what felt like an eternity of trudging through the biting winds, the sun began to set, and the coalition army halted to set up camp. Maxi wanted to drop to her knees in relief. Practically falling off her horse, she crouched by the campfire and forced herself to down a morsel of bread. As soon as the barracks were ready, she collapsed into a bed roll and passed into a deep sleep almost instantly.

The next day was even more arduous. The temperature plummeted with each passing hour, and the terrain grew increasingly treacherous. As the plains gave way to a rugged landscape dotted with rocks and crags, Riftan ordered the ranks to divide and proceed with caution down the narrow paths. Maxi carefully picked her way along the frozen, rocky terrain.

Another eternity passed. Finally the faint silhouette of sand colored ramparts emerged over the horizon. Maxi wanted to cry out in joy.

"W-We can...breathe easy for now," she murmured.

Catching her hushed comment, Elliot turned to look at her. "We will not be staying there long, my lady. Only the night. Then we must depart immediately for Vesmore."

Maxi struggled to hide her disappointment at the prospect of another battle before they had even gotten to rest. But they had to prevent the dragon's resurrection as soon as possible.

"I-I know," she replied.

Once they emerged from the gorge, the knights picked up their pace. Another hour or so, and there it was - the majestic sand colored gates of the fortress.

Maxi was slightly taken aback by the grand scale of the city, given its location on the border. Having grown up hearing that Dristanians were uncivilized, ruthless barbarians, she had not expected them to have architectural capabilities on par with Wedon. In fact, Dristan's buildings appeared even more formidable than those of her kingdom. Filled with wonder, she gazed up at the rectangular towers and the castle's thick stone walls.

Just then, a loud voice called from the front. "We are the coalition army sent by the Council of the Seven Kingdoms! Open the gates!"

The pulleys creaked, and the iron-clad gates swung open. A thunderous cheer erupted.

"Welcome to Braydon!"

Maxi glanced around at the people Gathered on either side of the road. hundreds of residents waved branches in the air, and some even scattered dried flower petals onto the streets. The warm welcome was in stark contrast to Maxi's concerns that they might receive a cooler reception than they had in the duchy.

"We thank you for making the long journey!"

As Maxi scanned the surroundings in a daze, a melodious voice carried to them from directly ahead. A young woman, surrounded by armored knights, came into view.

The woman gracefully stepped forward. "What a long time it's been, Sir Riftan. Shall I address you as Rosem Wigrew now?"

She offered a provocative smile before adding, "Or perhaps I should refer to you as Lord Calypse?"

"You may address me as you please," Riftan said curtly, dismounting from his horse.

He handed the reins over to a squire and approached the woman.

Maxi watched the scene with a guarded look. The woman was clearly of high standing. Her black hair was coiled and covered with a net adorned with pearls. Her long velvet dress was embroidered with golden roses, and her pale, slender neck and wrist were laden with jewels. With an almost haughty air, the woman extended a ring-adorned hand toward Riftan.