Three days later...
A canopy of verdant leaves hung high overhead, blotting out all but a few of the sun's rays while a light fog sluggishly floated by the muddy dirt road. Groans, creaks, and snaps resonated deep within the forest surrounding them, whittling away at the soldier's nerves with each step they took through the dark forest road.
Arthur had never been to Teutoberg Forest in Germany. Still, his mind couldn't help but draw parallels to the scene of the Roman governor Quinctilius Varus leading his legions into Arminius' treacherous ambush.
The story of Caesar Augustus slamming his head against doors, cursing Varus, and asking for his legions back had always stuck with Arthur. However, unlike Varus blindly leading his troops into the forest, Arthur had a ghost in his employ.
Kyren had returned the night before with news on the location of the Agelian-Bernish camp. Arthur's only problem was how to use that information to his benefit. If he had directly told the other lords about the location of the enemy camp, he'd likely been treated as a child with an overactive imagination.
Instead, he asked Fenric to scout out the area in the early hours of the morning since he knew Baron Iken and Garren both had favorable impressions of him. Of course, Fenric had questions, but Arthur wrote it off as a hunch without explaining further.
Thankfully, Fenric had the sense not to pry and considered the hunch probable enough to warrant at least a cursory search. So now all Arthur had to do was wait and let the commanding lords deal with it.
With his mind miles away, he led Aithon into a rather deep puddle that most soldiers avoided, causing cold, muddy water to splash up and drench his legs. Looking over the mess and feeling the water slowly seep through his pants, he could only grumble in frustration. "Damn it..."
"I heard this forest connects directly to Elrinth Forest, young master. You should pay attention. Else, the fae may spirit you away to the godlands without you even noticing." Foster warned as he examined Arthur from his mount.
"We're still thirty miles from the border of Elrinth Forest." Jeren corrected him.
Foster shook his head confidently. "Thirty miles is nothing to a fae. My uncle Benji once led a caravan through the Gorrian Woods near Faveley and ended up in northern Sparnia.
"He said he went to sleep that night surrounded by his men and woke up in a field with nothing but the clothes on his back. Took him a whole year and a half to get back home, and he was almost taken as a spy."
Jeren sighed. "There's little to no proof that the fae actually exist. While I won't speak on your uncle, most accounts of fae abduction are usually explained by people having too much to drink and waking up in places they shouldn't be."
Arthur nodded. Jeren's statement aligned with his understanding of the fae. Nithe had plenty of fantasy creatures that were well documented, yet the fae remained unseen by anyone actively trying to prove their existence.
"Say what you will, but the Welt family—Ah!" Foster hurriedly pointed ahead. "Young master, look, Fenric's back!"
Arthur glanced to where Foster was pointing and saw Fenric and a dozen of his men riding toward them through the dense forest.
"Finally!" Arthur cheered, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his chest.
"You were right, lord." Fenric announced as he pulled up beside Arthur and matched his speed. "Their camp is about five or six miles southwest in the shadow of a cliff. Even if the scouts rode out that far, they would've missed it unless they knew where to look."
Foster and Jeren exchanged knowing glances that didn't go unnoticed by Fenric's inhuman eyesight. "What will you have of me now, lord?"
"I'm glad you've returned safe, but I already told you what to do this morning. If you really did find their camp, then you should inform Baron Iken that you felt uneasy and decided to scout the area yourself." Arthur replied.
"I think it would be better for you to claim credit, lord." Fenric held up his hand as Arthur opened his mouth to speak. "I know you're trying to remain unnoticed, but this is no small accomplishment.
"If I claim credit, all I'll receive is a pat on the back and maybe a small bonus of gold. But if I found the enemy encampment under your order, then as a noble, your reward is likely to be far more significant and valuable."
Seeing Arthur deep in contemplation, Fenric continued to hammer in the benefits. "Besides, if you claim the credit, it will benefit us in the future should you have another 'hunch' about the enemy's position. Right now, you have little say in how the army moves, but if you claim credit and display a greater understanding of strategy, your word will hold more weight amongst the commanding lords."
"I agree with Fenric, lord. If our attack on the enemy's camp succeeds, the victory will be attributed to you alone. The emperor is always looking for young talents, especially now that the imperial family has been weakened." Jeren paused, carefully choosing his next words. "By gaining his interest, the other factions within the empire will be far more restrained in how they interact with you."
"That's all well and good, but explaining how I came to know of the enemy's location will be problematic, no?" Arthur asked.
Jeren shook his head. "Young geniuses often defy the conventional understanding of things."
"You can leave the explanation to me, lord. I've already thought up an excuse that accurately displays your ability without shining too bright of a light on you. Most of the lords will likely write it off as a lucky guess, but the benefits will remain the same." Fenric explained.
Arthur rubbed his eyes and thought it over. He technically didn't need to accomplish anything in this war. He'd be rewarded with Helagaust as long as he could reach it.
That was why he couldn't keep his mouth shut once Kyren discovered the enemy camp. Arthur couldn't risk losing a chunk of his army to an ambush before reaching the first city in their war route.
Officially, Arthur would be granted Helagaust in the future due to merits that would be attributed to him once the war was complete. So, at the end of the day, even if Fenric claimed the credit for discovering the encampment, the merit would be Arthur's as far as the world was concerned.
Of course, the emperor would learn the truth if Arthur actually proved himself in the war, and his rewards might increase to match his true merit. It would also stem any criticism of Arthur's legitimacy that could brew once he is officially granted Helagaust. The only downside Arthur could find was what Jeren considered a boon.
Arthur wasn't sure if having the emperor's favor was as cut and dry as Jeren made it seem. It would inevitably push him toward the imperial faction whether he liked it or not, and Arthur had planned to completely ignore the various factions within the empire while he built up his strength.
Arthur unknowingly looked to Kyren, who was floating nearby, for advice.
Kyren's face distorted when he noticed Arthur's gaze. "What are ya looking at me for? You're the clever one. I don't know shit about nobles and all that favor talk, kid. Wanna learn to fight? I'm your guy. For anything else, go find yourself another ghost."
Arthur's eyebrow twitched as he fought the urge to rebuke the grumpy ghost.
"Alright, we'll do as you say. Let's go." Arthur declared as he came to a decision. Fenric explained his plan along the way, and Arthur found it to be a decent enough excuse, so he was satisfied.
Baron Iken bore a look of confusion when he saw them. "Lord Arthur? If there's something you need, you should send one of your men. It's dangerous to travel on your own like this."
"I've discovered the location of the enemy camp!" Arthur cheered loudly, causing many soldiers to turn and listen in.
Baron Iken frowned. "Lord Arthur, you shouldn't joke about such things."
"He speaks the truth, lord. I've just returned from scouting the location lord Arthur described. I saw it with my own eyes." Fenric announced.
"You..." Baron Iken sighed before looking at one of his men riding beside him. "Halt the march and tell the other lords I've called for an emergency meeting."
"Yes, lord!" The man saluted before taking off toward the front of the army column.
"Now explain to me what happened." Baron Iken commanded as he stared at Arthur.
"Yesterday, Fenric and I were discussing where the army that besieged Rothwel fled to, and he asked me where I would go if I were in their place. I didn't have an answer for him then, but last night, I studied the maps of the area and returned this morning with a reply.
"Fenric agreed that the location I chose warranted a search since it fell outside our scout's range and asked for permission to check it out, which I granted. He returned moments ago, and it turned out I was right!" Arthur cheered, making sure all the soldiers could hear his explanation.
"Where is it?" Marquis Bennet's grating voice resounded as he arrived.
Each Ollerinian force in Bern had at least one ninth circle mage within its ranks, and Marquis Rennar Bennet took that position for the northwestern lords. He joined up with Arthur's army shortly before they entered Bern, and due to his unapproachable bearing, Arthur had little chance to speak with him.
The man appeared spry and well-kept despite his aged appearance. However, like Arthur's father, the man seemed to be of few words as this was only the second time they had heard his voice since they met a few weeks ago.
Fenric bowed his head to show respect. "The encampment is about six miles southeast, just outside the forest edge. It lies in the shadow of a large hill with a sheer cliff face on its western edge.
"It's a highly vulnerable position. They likely took to remain hidden from any scouts who grew too close. I estimate ten to twenty thousand men, which aligns with what was reported besieging Rothwel."
As Fenric spoke, Garren and the other commanding lords trickled in from their positions throughout the marching column.
After being updated on the situation, Garren spoke up. "Are they fools? What do they hope to accomplish with so few men?"
Baron Iken shook his head. "Their position implies they intended to raid our camp once we dug in for the night. While it wouldn't halt our advance, taking damage now would undoubtedly slow our overall pace.
"Still, by now, the imperial army should be marching on Kington. By not regrouping with their main force, they run the risk of becoming trapped between our two armies. It's truly an unexpected development..."
"If we move now, we should be able to attack before sundown, lords." Fenric egged them on.
"I agree." Marquis Bennet declared. "I'll send my nephew and his men to confirm, but we shouldn't pass up this opportunity."
The other commanding lords nodded and looked to Baron Iken for affirmation.
"I do as well. Take thirty minutes to reorganize your men and have them ready to fight." Baron Iken commanded.
The commanding lords dispersed, and soon, the sixty-thousand-strong force entered the forest, its sights set upon a particular hill.