Chapter 196 - 138 : Year 31 - 36

Chapter 196: Chapter 138 : Year 31 - 36

The Duke’s reply reached Vermont several days later, carried by a mounted courier bearing the ducal seal. The message was brought directly to the castle and delivered to Lucian while he was reviewing the latest reports with Master Corren.

Lucian broke the seal and read the Duke’s reply. Relief washed over him when he saw that he had been granted more time to pay the tribute. What surprised him, however, was the Duke’s offer of further assistance if House Veymont’s situation became too difficult to manage. He had hoped for more time, but he had not expected the offer of help.

The offer was welcome, but Lucian knew that accepting it could bring problems of its own. The Duke’s soldiers and martial retainers could help guard the roads and drive out the armed groups, but once they entered Veymont territory, they would not simply answer to him. His men would have to work alongside the Duke’s officers, who might expect a say in matters Lucian had always handled himself.

It was like allowing one pest into a field to drive out another. The first might solve the immediate problem, but getting rid of it afterward could prove even harder. Lucian had to consider whether the help was worth the risk of giving the Duke’s forces a foothold in his territory.

"The Duke has given us more time to pay the tribute," Lucian said, setting the letter beside the accounts. "But his offer also reminds us that we must keep our territory in order. If we reach a point where we can no longer manage the situation ourselves, he may have to step in."

"The Duke’s men would certainly be useful, my lord," Corren said. "But their commanders would still answer to him, just as ours answer to you. If the two forces are to work together, we would need to agree on who gives the orders when their duties overlap."

Lucian nodded. "That could complicate things, especially if our commanders disagree on how a situation should be handled."

"Exactly. It need not lead to trouble, but it is better to settle such matters beforehand than leave them to be sorted out in the middle of an operation."

Lucian glanced at the report on the roads. "For now, our garrisons are holding, and the main routes remain open. We have been training new soldiers and strengthening our forces, though replacing the martial powers gap we lost in the war will take time. Our commanders are also learning how best to deal with these groups. I believe we can bring things under control as our strength grows. There is no need to call in the Duke’s men while our own forces can still manage the situation."

"And the Viscounts?"

"We’ll stick to the arrangements we’ve already made for the others. As for Ashcombe, we found no proof of wrongdoing, so we cannot act on suspicion alone. We’ll keep a closer watch on him and his accounts from now on."

Lucian then turned to Master Corren. "Gather the latest accounts and prepare a clear report for the Duke, covering the state of the fief, the progress we have made, and the difficulties that remain. Make sure the figures are accurate and give an honest picture of our situation. I want it ready by first light tomorrow."

"Bring the report to me for review before it is sent," Lucian added. "I will write a personal letter to accompany it."

Corren bowed his head and withdrew to gather the necessary accounts, leaving Lucian to consider his reply to the Duke.

By the time Lucian finished writing, the sun had sunk low on the horizon. In his letter, he thanked the Duke for granting him more time and for offering military assistance.

He assured him that House Veymont’s affairs remained under control and that he believed they could continue dealing with the troubles through their own men and officials. He did not dismiss the offer of help, however. He hoped to resolve the situation without outside intervention, but if matters grew beyond what his house could manage, he would seek the Duke’s support rather than allow the territory to suffer needlessly.

Lucian pressed the House Veymont seal into the wax and set the letter aside.

At first light the following morning, Corren arrived with the report. Lucian noticed the tiredness in the old man’s face and the way he seemed more worn than usual. The report had taken considerable work to prepare, and Lucian suspected Corren had spent much of the night putting the accounts in order. He thanked him for the effort and told him to take the next day or two to rest before returning to his duties.

Once Corren had left, Lucian went through the figures and read the account of the house’s progress and remaining difficulties. Satisfied that it gave an honest picture of their situation, he approved the report and had it prepared alongside his letter to the Duke.

Ordinarily, the documents would have been sent with a mounted messenger, but Lucian chose to use the family’s messenger falcon instead. The Duke had offered his help during a difficult time, and Lucian wanted his reply to reach him without unnecessary delay. The bird was fitted with its red-and-gold harness bearing the Veymont golden-heart crest, and both documents were secured in its message case.

Once the handler had checked the case and confirmed that the falcon was ready, Lucian watched it take flight from the castle grounds and head east toward Vandorath.

Lucian watched until the falcon disappeared into the distance. The Duke had given him more time, and now it was up to him to make the most of it. He turned back towards the castle, already thinking of the work that still lay ahead.

So by the end of Year Thirty-Six, House Veymont had made some progress, though the territory remained far from its former prosperity. Several villages had begun rebuilding their grain stores, more merchants were using the repaired roads, and the craftsmen in the city of Veymont were finding work again. The garrisons remained active, and the estate officials had become better at spotting problems early and handling difficult matters before they grew worse.

Though most of the Viscounts still appeared cooperative, but Lucian could no longer take their support for granted. Ashcombe continued to act as though nothing was wrong, despite the suspicions surrounding his conduct. Without clear proof, Lucian had little choice but to leave the matter where it stood.

While a few other Viscounts had also begun to question how firmly House Veymont could still enforce its authority. None had openly defied him, but their outward cooperation did not mean their doubts had disappeared.

The growing insecurity across the territory remained another concern. Lucian’s soldiers could keep the main roads open and deal with smaller groups, but they could not be everywhere at once. Some armed bands scattered when patrols approached, only to gather again elsewhere, while others remained difficult to track. Each time his men concentrated on one area, another could be left exposed.

Though new soldiers were being trained, and promising martial talents were receiving attention, but building up the house’s strength would take time. Until then, Lucian had to decide where his limited forces were most needed, knowing that no arrangement could protect every settlement from trouble.

House Veymont remained a respected noble house, but its position was becoming less secure. Lucian still had his title, castle, officials, and loyal supporters, yet keeping the territory in order was growing harder as financial strain, insecurity, and uncertainty among his vassals continued to weigh on him.

He did what he could to keep matters from slipping out of control, relying on his trusted officials and continuing to prepare his eldest son for the responsibilities of an heir. He hoped the next generation would inherit a stronger and more stable territory, though he could not be certain how much more the house would have to endure before that became possible.

While deep beneath the castle, Ethan remained unconscious, submerged in the blood-filled pool within his sealed chamber. The spatial energy that had ravaged his body was still being dealt with, and the Immortal Ring continued its work to adapt the strange energy to his Vampire Template. Ethan lay with no awareness of the process, nor any control over what it might bring.

The adaptation could give him something his vampire body had never possessed before. It could also leave him with changes he would never have chosen, or a weakness he would only discover after waking. For now, the process continued beyond his reach, its outcome still unknown. When Ethan finally awoke, he would have to face whatever the Immortal Ring had made of him.