Chapter 166: Chapter 27 – The Laufgraan War 2

The elven commander sat on a log beside Matthew while Tina collected all their weapons in her Inventory and Mia, Erin and Helen watched over the soldiers who looked at them with resentful eyes.

"That was a quick war for me." The commander laughed while stirring a pot of soup over a fire.

"You sound like you didn’t want to fight." Matthew commented.

"I didn’t. Only the young ones were eager to fight." He pointed backwards to his troops.

"Then why are you here?" Matthew asked, confused.

"Because my lord ordered." He gave a sad smile.

"Farynn?"

"No. Countess Birzan. Our ladyship is supporting Lord Farynn on his claim to the duchy." The elf explained.

"How’s things in the duchy?" Tina asked, approaching both men after collecting all the soldier’s weapons.

"Duke Farynn’s rule has been contested by a lot of his subjects. Years ago, thunderstorms ravaged our crops and ever since then things have been dire. The Duke refused to lower taxes despite many counties being unable to pay them. Some started to look to Lord Farzan to replace him, or Lady Faralynn." The commander explained while serving a bowl of soup for Matthew and one for himself.

"So... He tried to marry Faralynn to cut off that dissent?" Tina pondered.

"If his lordship married the lady, he’d cut Lord Farzan from the line of succession." The elf assented.

"And what happened when Farzan came back?" Matthew asked while using his Identify skill on the soup to make sure it wasn’t poisoned.

"Lord Farzan took residence in Laufgraan Hold. From there his lordship started to rally other nobles under his banner. Well... Eventually the duchy was divided in half..." The commander paused to take a spoonful of the soup. "Now we’re at war."

"Laufgraan Hold. Is there where we were going?" Matthew asked.

"Yes. Lynn was there when I came yesterday. Before the war was declared." Erin said over her shoulder.

"What do we do with the prisoners?" Helen asked.

"It’s 30 mouths to feed and shelter." Tina thought out loud.

"Are you suggesting we release them?" Mia protested.

"No." Tina’s voice was grim.

The commander sighed, defeated and expecting the worse.

"Let’s march them to Laufgraan Hold." Matthew suggested. "Let Farzan decide their fate."

The elven commander looked at Matthew with wide eyes.

"Can you guarantee that your men will not try to run away?" Matthew asked.

"I can." He said.

Faralynn was in her room playing with a seal plushie on her bed. She had a smile on her face and a tear in her eye. Matthew was finally back and safe. Although she felt a bit remorseful that she wasn’t the one to save him, she was gleaming with a bittersweet joy.

Her beloved was back, but she couldn’t be with him. And, depending on the course of the war, she might never be with him.

She was dressed in a purple gambeson, with a white undershirt, black linen pants and leather chausses tied to a wide belt on her waist. Her sword and bow rested mounted on the wall with her armor mounted on a wooden stand.

Tomorrow she would ride with her father to battle.

Lost in those thoughts, she heard the warning bells.

She jumped from her bed, buttoned her gambeson closed, grabbed her sword and bow and hurried outside to the western gate. While running, she tied a satchel of arrows around her waist.

She joined her men on the wall and looked down to the troops approaching the gate slowly under the light of the pale blue moon. She put an arrow on her bow as did the other archers around her.

The gate keeper shouted in elven for the ones approaching to identify themselves.

It all seemed very strange for a troop of a bit more than 30 people to approach the Hold that way. It reeked as a trap.

That’s when a white light illuminated the sky and Faralynn saw the one who was leading the group.

First she froze, not believing her eyes. But then tears flooded them when she recognized the ones around him. Mia, Helen, Tina and Erin. That meant it was really him. After 2 years. He was bigger, stronger, more manly, but his eyes were still the same.

She let go of her bow, not caring if it got damaged when hitting the floor. The stairs were too far away for her. She had urgency in her heart. She jumped from the top of the wall creating a stair of solid mana for her to go down.

She ran with all her speed ignoring any calls for caution. She gave no pause when she jumped on his arms and held him fast crying her eyes out.

The ever so bashful Faralynn was now crying in front of all her men while kissing and squeezing her boyfriend.

"Matt." She cried as he patted her head.

"I’m back, Lynn." He smiled, kissing her mouth.

"Why are you here, you idiot?" She asked, but didn’t let him go.

"Do you really think I’d just stay on Earth waiting for you to come back?" Matthew asked with a smile.

"It’s too dangerous." She protested, resting her head on his chest.

"That’s why I’m here." Matthew said.

In the meanwhile, the gate for Laufgraan Hold opened and Farzan came out fully dressed in armor and accompanied by a troop of heavy armored men.

"What’s happening here, Faralynn?" He asked, approaching them.

"Hello, sir." Matthew smiled at him with his daughter in his arms.

"Matthew. You’re back. And here." The elf didn’t sound pleased. "Who are these men around you?"

"We’re his prisoners, my lord." The elf commander knelt in front of Farzan.

"They were to ambush any convoy coming from Luthan shire." Tina explained.

"Farynn... That snake. Moving troops even before declaring formal war." Faralynn’s father sighed and looked to the elves behind Matthew. "Bring them to the outer bailey and have them under vigilance." Farzan ordered one of his men. "Take their commander to my office. And take my daughter’s friends to the court."

Farzan’s men quickly obeyed him, routing the prisoners with orders in Elven.

The court was a big room with a pair of thrones where the Duke passed on judgement onto his subjects.

While waiting for Farzan, Faralynn didn’t let go of Matthew as if he was the only source of heat in a snowstorm.

"You really missed him." Erin teased Faralynn.

"Shut up and let me have this." The elf said with her eyes closed.

Matthew placed a kiss on her head with a smile.

"Your father didn’t seem happy about seeing us." Helen commented.

"It... Complicate things." Faralynn said, finally letting go of her boyfriend.

"How so?" Matthew asked.

"Some of his supporters are a bit too conservative. They don’t like humans interfering in our politics." Faralynn explained sitting on one of the chairs that filled the aisle beside the empty nave.

"That’s why you had to stay." Tina said.

"Yes. They want me to become the Duchess instead of my father and uncle." The elf said sadly.

"And getting aid from humans is not going to please them." Farzan added getting inside the court and sitting on his throne.

"I’m not going away." Matthew said, approaching Farzan. After facing so many demons and 3 demon kings, the powerful elf didn’t intimidate him anymore.

"I know." Farzan sighed. "I just don’t know what am I to do with you?"

"We make him pass the shield test." Firynn, Laufgrann’s School swordsmanship instructor, said, joining them.

"Shield test?" Matthew asked.

"It’s a test for great warriors to serve as knights to nobility." Faralynn said.

"It’s a pathway to nobility." Farzan noted. "Count Dalynn and Countess Azan will not agree with this." He added looking to Firynn.

"Despite their prejudice, they do respect strength." Firynn interjected. "Matthew is strong enough now to win them over with his power."

Farzan sighed while massaging his face with his hand, trying to put his thoughts in order.

"I’ll do anything to help her." Matthew said, taking a step forward.

"I know." Farzan said, looking at the other girls.

"We as well." Erin said, speaking for the bunch.

"If you declare yourselves Matthew’s retainers, we’d only need him to pass the test." Firynn said.

"What does that imply?" Tina asked.

"It just means that the elves will see you as his servants." Faralynn explained.

"I’m ok with that." Mia said.

"If it’s just for show." Helen added.

"Then it’s settled. Rest for tonight. I have no rooms for you all, but I believe Faralynn will find you all some place to stay." Farzan said, getting up. "I appreciate what you all are doing for my daughter. But this is a family business. No one will hold ill will if you decide to leave now." He added before leaving the room with Firynn.

None of them took those words to heart. They had already decided to fight for Faralynn.

"Rest well." Firynn added. "We’ll now have to deal with the other problem you’ve brought." He chuckled and left the room behind Farzan.

Faralynn then pulled all of them into a hug with her.

"Thank you so much for coming." She cried again.