Chapter 71

Prepare for Peace

 

Outside the tent, servants and a pageboy loaded the dirty plates and trays to be returned to the castle. The wind breezed through, bringing relief from the hot summer sun. For them, despite being in mourning, today turned out to be a lovely day. However, inside the tent, the discussion concerning the fate of Lowlandia continued.

Facing stiff reactions, Lansius carefully reminded them, “This is why I told you all from the start: I know how to solve this problem, but the question is, do we have the will to do it?”

Like a tug of war, the discussion returned to where it started.

Right now, the two parties seemed neutral instead of disinterested in the idea. However, the idea that all the Lords of Lowlandia needed to live in the same place and that place would be Korelia was quite preposterous, if not uncomfortably absurd.

The White Lake’s knight, Sir Michael was especially worried about the nobles’ reaction in Lord Robert’s court. After all, they were the ones who banded together to oust and disgrace him last year. He didn’t want himself or worse, Lord Robert, to lose favor.

Thus, while he had high hope for Lord Lansius’ idea, he thought it was simply too risky. Not to mention, for either Michael or Lord Robert, the idea offered little to no foreseeable gain.

Lord Jorge of Three Hills was in a similar situation. He showed openness but had yet to see any real advantage in Lansius’ proposal. As a noble of his stature, he was the one who dictated peace or war. Thus, he seemed to have little to gain.

Meanwhile, Sir Morton had a different idea. The mage knight entertained the thought of peace. He had seen so much war and what it cost his brethren and the people around them.

For him, peace outweighed the discomfort made to the Barons. Still, he needed more than just promises or resolve before showing his support.

Lansius himself, without knowing either of the two parties personally and based only on the intel he had gathered, only counted their response as nothing more than feigned interest.

“My Lords, and Sirs, this isn’t hard,” he tried again from another angle. “Fighting a war is hard. Burying dead comrades is hard. Paying the ransom is hard.”

Lansius gained some nods and continued, “Rebuilding a destroyed city or managing a famine from a bad harvest is difficult. But relocating the Barons and their families to live in a newly constructed lavish complex may be complex, but not hard.”

Now, he received some contemplative looks, and he knew he needed to keep this momentum. “The people of Lowlandia are suffering. Harvests have steadily dwindled. The Imperium is facing a major crisis, and soon there may be more wars than we could ever imagine.”

Lord Jorge shot his gaze at Lansius momentarily. He was curious about something but wasn’t comfortable bringing the topic up.

Despite the lack of response, Lansius pressed on, “I believe we all share the same goal: to have a good life. Good houses for the men, fine mansions for the lords, and the means to keep our lands.” He directed the last part at Lord Jorge, who nodded in agreement.

Turning to Sir Michael, Lansius followed up, “To marry, to have children, to enjoy a good harvest, to raise fine horses, to live happily. We share a common goal.”

Lansius’ pitch for a common goal seemed to be his most effective.

Feeling more confident, Lansius gazed at his guests and spoke plainly, “We can all live in peace, no more blood feud, no more rivalry. We’re all young enough to start anew.”

The air of doubt lessened, but there wasn’t enough concrete benefit for either Three Hills or White Lake. Though the idea was promising, it failed to secure wholehearted support.

Sir Arius leaned forward. The dashing and lordly cousin of Jorge caught everyone’s attention by asking, “Lord Lansius, your plan seems meticulous and promising, but I doubt the barons will enjoy living under someone else’s roof.”

Lansius mulled over the issues of freedom of movement, security, and even the ability to defend themselves. He then answered, “Any noble can have a grand compound in Korelia, as ornate and large as they desire, complete with enough guards to ensure security.”

“Just how big will the security be?” Sir Arius asked again.

“I think we can agree on the number later, but say a hundred servants and a hundred guardsmen if they wish.”

Sir Arius’ expression indicated that he found the answer to be agreeable.

Finding his chance, Lansius further explained, “I have plans to maintain a ready force of a thousand men in Korelia. Four-hundred from my own force, six-hundred from all the nobles that join in.”

Sir Arius kept his gaze, and Lansius continued, “With only four hundred, you don’t have to fear that I can overpower the nobles. This new army will be a reaction force if something threatens us.”

Lansius’ elaborate plan and extraordinary confidence bothered Lord Jorge. When his cousin seemed satisfied, he cleared his throat and asked, “Lord Lansius, you seem so sure about this whole plan. Has this method ever been used?”

Lansius met the Lord of Three Hills’ gaze and clarified, “Indeed, this method is known in my birthplace.”

His answer led to murmurs.

“So it’s true that you’re not from this continent,” Lord Jorge muttered. “So what happened to the nobles who followed this plan? Were they successful, and what do you call this... method?”

“It’s called Shogunate; it means a command tent.” Lansius looked around the tent and added, “How befitting.”

The comment managed to amuse Lord Jorge. “So, has this Shogunate been successful?”

“In my birthplace, one of its aspect, the Sankin-kōtai the alternate attendance, has worked for hundreds of years, providing protection to its members without any immortal to lead them.”

His last explanation seemed to garner more interest. “Protection?” Sir Michael asked, his one good eye looking sharp.

Lansius realized he hadn’t touched on this one delicate issue. It was risky to offend them, but he needed everything in his arsenal to win this. “I assure you that this is not a one-sided hostage.”

The parties traded glances at each other.

“Entering the shogunate is protection,” claimed Lansius. “The shogunate exists to serve your interests and protect your family and your House’s legacy.”

There was no real response, but their eyes were fixed on Lansius.

“All your lands, your inheritance, your will, and family succession, will gain protection.”

“What kind of protection?” Sir Michael asked.

“Everything, including from coups,” Lansius revealed. “The Shogun, as the leader, will form a combined army to punish unlawful land grabs or illegal succession, and return the land in question to its rightful owner.”

The look on the people’s faces began to change once they realized there was an unforeseen huge benefit.

“With all the Lords participating, we can guarantee that every realm is secure from coups. Any succession crisis will be dealt with by a joint force from all the members,” he added.

The assurance led to profound changes in how Sir Michael and Lord Jorge viewed these issues. Now, they had something that benefited them, not just the promise of peace.

For the nobles, the issue of succession and inheritance was at the core of their problems. To them, their Houses were everything. Lansius’ plan could potentially guarantee the survival of their Houses.

Lord Jorge met Michael’s gaze and nodded at him. The knight politely nodded back in return.

“What do you think about this? I bet Lord Robert would be interested,” asked Lord Jorge, studying Michael’s face closely, looking for signs of doubt or approval.

“I’m not in a position to answer for My Lord, but... this is promising,” revealed Sir Michael, much to the others’ delight.

Sir Arius smiled as Lord Jorge chuckled. Meanwhile, Lansius and his staff breathed a sigh of relief.

“Tell us more about this Shogun and its alternate attendance,” asked Lord Jorge, more interested than before.

Before Lansius could answer, Sir Morton leaned in, placing his lower arms on the table. “Apologies, My Lord.” His words intended for Lord Jorge, and then to Lansius. “My Lord, even if you convince us, how will you convince the other barons? Are you going to force them out?”

Lansius wore a thin smile on his lips. “Aside from Korimor and South Hill, if they don’t bother us, then we’ll not bother them. Eventually, they’ll see the benefit. Other than protection, every member who joins will enjoy a robust trade route.”

“Robust trade route?” Sir Morton asked on behalf of the rest of them.

"Indeed. Thankfully, none of us are involved with the Nicopolan mercenaries who raid and enslave the nomadic peoples." He kept his tone level so as not to offend anyone.

For high nobles, being accused of slaving would be a dishonor, thus they made an effort to distance themselves from it. Only people like Lord Omin, dared to dabble in it and even that only limited by turning a blind eye on his mercenaries raids.

Lansius continued, "I have forged a strong alliance with the nomadic people. I’ll have them maintain protected resting spots, half a day’s journey in horse-drawn carts between Midlandia and Korelia, and Korelia to Three Hills. The resting spots will provide security, food, fresh water, lodging, and spare horses.”

The additional trade benefit was a welcome addition. The two parties openly liked this idea.

“Moreover, when the two Viscounts begin to build residences in Korelia, there will be a boom of trade. We’ll need good timber and lacquer from Three Hills, grain, barley, and mortar from White Lake, as well as fine linen and artwork from Midlandia.”

“You did speak about making a bazaar, so this is what you mean by that,” Lord Jorge noted, unable to hide his excitement. Even he understood the amount of wealth gained from taxes and permits.

“Imagine rows of shops filled with peddlers selling wares, clothing, wool products, pottery, woodwork, medicine,” Lansius enticed. “Korelia will become big. It has every potential to be so. It wasn’t a coincidence that Korelia has a large population despite being in almost constant war.”

Lansius’ latest statement again garnered everyone’s interest.

“Most cities, even in Midlandia, only number four to five thousand. But Korelia has reached six thousand. Why? I believe it’s because of the lack of plague in Korelia. The dry climate, the abundance of sun, and the lack of rodents due to abundant living space make it an ideal location. It’ll serve as a great city.”

“Strategic location, population, resilience to pestilence, and a seat of power,” Sir Arius commented. As an educated man, he knew what these characteristics meant in city planning.

“Also, a good place for breeding and trading horses,” Sir Michael added.

Lansius was pleased with the reaction. Even Sir Harold beside him looked more relaxed. Naturally, it was easier to trust someone united by a common goal than an ally who simply submitted.

Audrey seized the opportunity to pour Lansius a cup of water. He drank it straight down, his throat parched from all the talking.

Noticing this, the others also took the opportunity to pour themselves drinks, engaging in quiet discussion amongst themselves.

...

 

“So, will White Lake support this plan?” Lord Jorge asked, his eyes locked with Michael’s, measuring the one-eyed knight’s reaction.

Keeping his eye sharp, Michael responded, “I’ll personally vouch for this plan to Lord Robert. While White Lake may be more beautiful, I'd rather sleep in the sand in peace than in a bed of roses amid war.”

Lord Jorge smiled and licked his lips before declaring, "Then, Three Hills will be the first to pledge support." As a defeated lord, threatened from all sides, he was willing to give it a try. If it worked, he would benefit greatly from the trade and protection that could ensure his House's survival. If it didn't work, he already netted a good relationship with a powerful warlord.

Lansius was taken aback by the declaration until a gentle touch from Audrey on his right arm reminded him to respond.

“Then Three Hills can pick the best spot to build your estate,” Lansius replied, ecstatically.

The Lord of Three Hills chuckled. “But first, let’s pick a name. I doubt the High Council will agree to something like ‘Shogun’.”

“How about ‘Lord Commander’?” suggested Sir Arius.

Lansius was about to answer when Hugo noticeably stared at him.

“My Lord,” Hugo hinted from his seat.

Lansius nodded to Hugo, aware of his hint, and then spoke, “The name can wait. Lord Jorge, it seems I’ll need to ask for your consent regarding Korimor.”

The words hung in the air. The tent fell into an uneasy silence as the men pondered about Korimor and the aftermath of yesterday’s battle.

Lord Jorge drew a deep breath, while the tent was battered by a strong wind. He then glanced at his cousin, who seemed prepared with a response. “We no longer have ties with the Lord of Korimor. He incited us to attack Korelia, looted our camp, and then got away with our baggage train.”

“Then you’ll have no qualms with me taking over Korimor?” asked Lansius, again to be certain.

It was an uneasy subject. Lord Omin was Lord Jorge’s main enabler. All eyes were on Lord Jorge, who finally stated calmly, “Three Hills will remain neutral. It is within Lord Lansius’ right to secure Korimor for Lord Omin’s transgressions.”

Another diplomatic victory for Lansius. While he didn’t need to ask, it was better to do so to prevent friction with his new allies.

“Then what about South Hill?” Sir Arius asked.

Lansius had been thinking about South Hill. Unlike Korimor, the area was less developed and far from Midlandia. He wasn’t interested, but he would be foolish not to punish them for their mistake.

“I’m going to send a messenger about our agreement to the Lord of South Hill. If he wishes to join, then I’ll welcome him. If he rejects, then I’ll wage war on him. His land will be split between our members,” explained Lansius.

⠀

***

⠀

After the promising negotiation, Lansius and his entourage returned to the mansion. He had other matters to attend to. The most important was another meeting with Sir Michael.

Without wasting time, he invited the White Lake knight into the mansion’s main hall. After they were seated, Lansius broached the subject of enlisting White Lake’s relief force for Korimor.

The one-eyed knight looked surprised, took his time to think, and then declared, “I’ll be honored to join in this campaign.”

Hearing that, it was Lansius and his staff’s turn to be surprised. They didn’t expect the knight from White Lake to be so agreeable.

Lansius uncharacteristically asked, “Sir Michael, are you sure about this?”

Michael chuckled. “I’m ready to fight a great war to redeem myself, and My Lord, you just gave me one.”

Lansius couldn’t help but grin. “I’ll personally reward you with a tract of land in Korimor for your assistance.”

“My Lord, with all your plans for Korelia, I’d rather take a smaller piece of land in this city.”

The response made Lansius chuckle. “A smaller piece of land in Korelia then. So, only one more thing to address.”

Michael bowed his head a little. “Please guide me, My Lord.”

“Can I ask you to write a letter to Lord Robert? Tell him that Korelia wants to buy all the grain he can spare.”

The one-eyed knight readily replied, "I’ll return to my camp and send my fastest messenger to White Lake."

Happy with the result, Lansius invited Michael to supper, and the guest took his leave, heading back to his encampment.

Audrey, who had kept silent, now commented, “This is progressing smoothly.”

Sir Harold chuckled, while Lansius and Hugo breathed sighs of relief.

"How's your wrist?" Audrey asked with concern.

"Not that bad," he reassured her.

"My Lord, I must admit that you have crafted a really interesting plan to unite Lowlandia," praised Hugo.

Despite harboring some resentment because his staff had kept Sir Callahan's death from him, Lansius chose to be magnanimous. He wouldn't let his wounded pride ruin this sweet victory. “For peace." He suddenly raised his cup.

The rest smiled and followed, “For peace.”

They drank their ales, and afterward, Hugo innocently mused, “We drank for peace, yet I must ask for My Lord’s guidance for war.”

Si vis pacem, para bellum...

If you want peace, prepare for war.

Prepare for war, prepare for peace...

Lansius drew a deep breath, unconsciously moving his injured left hand with care. He had concerns about the plan, but he couldn't show them to his subordinates.

“May I know what is your plan to subdue Korimor castle?” Hugo asked, looking expectantly at Lansius.

In front of Audrey, Harold, and Hugo, Lansius revealed, “Shock and awe.”

 

***