Chapter 133 Difficult Decisions
In a cabin of hunters.
Olivia: Count Esteban, you are the commander of the army of the queen and of all the other forces that will fight for me. Captain Rodrigo, you are his second in command, and Captain Pedro is the third.
Esteban bowed his head: Thank you, my queen.
Olivia: No, do not thank me. I need a plan to take the castle from Valero that does not destroy the armies we need to defend ourselves against Aurelio.
The Count: I understand. I have some ideas about that. The new Pegasi were a big surprise for us. But we also have a surprise for Her Majesty.
Rodrigo: First, we have to find out if it is possible, Count.
Esteban: Yes, I want to conduct a test for the queen after the meeting. Riders, what is the situation on the peninsula and with the fleet?
Some were surprised when the female rider took the lead of the group of riders.
Chara: The peninsula is secure. Five ships arrived yesterday, and part of the army from Puerto Blanco is there along with the soldiers from Colinas Gemelas and Isla Forteleza. The ports are under our control, and a fleet with the rest of the troops will arrive tomorrow. The islands are sending every one they can to the peninsula as well.
Peador: So, in two days, we will have a powerful army on the peninsula and another in the forest. We can use the Pegasi to coordinate them.
Pedro: If we attack Colina Verde, Valero will have to respond. With that and an attack from the south with that force, the castle will be weakened.
Esteban: But where is Aurelio while all this is happening? If he is near Costa Lunas, he could easily capture the castle. If we want to have any chance of winning against the royal army, we will have to confront them in the fields north of the city.
Nestor: The Pegasi can locate their army. They can also report on the situation in the city.
Olivia: The Pegasi will be flying over the city today. I want to show that the queen is safe and to give hope to the people.
The soldiers and nobles looked at each other. Anxiety and hesitation were reflected in their eyes. Finally, one of them decided to speak.
Nestor: My queen, it is dangerous to fly over the city. Your Pegasus is new, and they might change the position of their weapons.
The queen opened her mouth to speak but then stopped.
Wulfhelm: The queen was not asking for permission. She was informing you of her decision.
Olivia smiled at the duke: Yes. The riders are at my service. There are many people in the city who feel they have been forgotten. I want to show them that Valero is not their future.
Danilo: Riders!
Five men and one woman drew their daggers and held them in front of their faces: I am a messenger of the queen. I am the voice of the throne. I serve Queen Olivia.
The royal castle.
The page watched as the old man decided who would die and who would spend the rest of their life in prison on an island far from their home. A knock sounded at the door, and the count gestured to the page to open it. After a moment, the page and a captain of the guard stopped in front of the man who was eating and writing.
Octavio: Captain, what do you need?
Captain: My count, the guards who were conscripting soldiers among the people were attacked in the streets yesterday. Two were seriously wounded and almost all of them suffered injuries.
The count: What happened to those who attacked them?
Captain: Some died. Others escaped. People are angry about the law against Pegasi.
The old man thought for a few seconds: Fine. Use more guards in the groups that are taking men for the army. And create more groups. We need a larger force. Locate the families of the attackers. Take them to a prison. Inflict serious, but not fatal, injuries on the men and their sons. Do whatever you want with the women and daughters. After a day, release them. That way, they can tell others what happens to families who resist the law.
Captain: Of course, my count.
The page watched the guard as he left. Then he looked at the old man and thought about his dagger. He knew he could kill him. But what would happen to his family afterward? He picked up the quill and underlined a name on the parchment.
Octavio: Bonita, a ten-year-old girl. Servant of the Pegasus riders. She prayed to the goddess of the Pegasi when she and her mother were arrested.
The page: Bonita, yes, here.
Octavio: I think you are smart. You speak little and listen to everything. Do you know why it is difficult to be in charge?
The page shook his head and looked at him expressionlessly. He knew how to hide his anger and fear.
The Count: Difficult decisions must be made for the good of others. The king does not want to do what is necessary. The punishment: she will be hanged with a rope tied to the support of the nest until she dies, and her body will be displayed for three days.
The page carried the bag of scrolls through the corridors until he reached the captain in charge of the prisoners. He exchanged the bag for an empty one. The captain offered him a bottle of cider, and he accepted it.
When he found himself alone in the small room of another young man who had died, he burned three scrolls. He opened the bottle and drank its contents in one gulp. He hoped his mind could forget the names of those he had been unable to save.
He decided to steal more alcohol from the kitchens. He realized he would need more in order to be able to sleep at night.