The Broken Crown

Chapter 43

Raymond

 The troops returned to the capital, tired from seven days of fighting. He and his brother had split into two groups further down the eastern Sister and had been met by large armies. By raiding smaller castles and holdfasts, the rebels had accumulated weapons and armour enough to look like an actual militia. Fighting them had become harder seemingly by the day, all the while the royal army became smaller and smaller as more soldiers ran off in the night.

 Spineless scum, he thought to himself.

 Ahead of him, his brother rode beside Alex Lamarck. They were speaking together, probably going over tactics. Alex was a talented warrior and a great tactician, which was probably why Raphael spent so much time with him.

 Raymond dismounted his horse and gave the reins to a master of horse who led it away. “Brother,” he called and quickened his pace to catch up with them. “My scouts have reported of smaller bands of rebels up north. They’re planning on uniting and making an attack on us.”

 Raphael looked at him with interest. “Well, we better send some troops north to take them down, won’t we? I’m sure Sir Kent would gladly take that job on him.”

“That’s the problem exactly,” Raymond continued, reaching for Raphael’s arm to slow him down. “Tristan informed me that there have been reports of a larger band coming to attack this very city. They will be here in a week at the most.”

 With a small chuckle, probably born from exhaustion, Raphael nodded. “I’m sure the capitol’s walls can handle such an attack, even with a few men gone north.”

 “They will need more than a few men in the north. These bands are ten to fifteen men each, and growing. And Tristan says that these walls need a full City Guard to keep them at their best. We are far from able to place a full City Guard, even if we don’t send anyone north.”

 Raphael sighed impatiently and looked to Alex, who quickly stepped down. “Raymond, this city is our capital. It has fought off attacks with half the amount of men we have now. A group of farmers like these would be stupid to even try.”

 “Except they wouldn’t.” Raymond stopped walking, forcing Raphael to look at him straight. “They have stolen weapons and raided castles for months now. When are you going to face the fact that you can’t just shrug and send out minor delegations?”

 With a sigh, Raphael looked away from his brother, avoiding his gaze. Then he looked back with an expression that reminded him of the one his mother used to give him when he was younger and she was disappointed. “What has happened to you, Raymond?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “You’ve changed,” Raphael stated as he shuffled a little further away from his brother. “You used to be so… fun. Never serious, never afraid. What happened to my brother?”

 It hurt Raymond more than it should to hear his brother say those words. “Do you really miss that part of me?”

 “That part of you? If you ask me, you’ve changed completely ever since you married Gabrielle.”

 He met Raphael’s almost angry stare with an anger that matched his. “I grew up, Raphael. Maybe you should do so too.”

 “You didn’t grow up!” Raphael shouted. “You married a whore dressed as a lady.”

 They were only one step apart and Raymond took that step, grabbing the collar of his brother’s tunic. “If you ever call my wife, the royal princess and by the law, your sister, that again, I swear…”