Rafael knocked on the door, which was swiftly opened by the girl who was always by Ella's side. "Please, step inside," Bella said, her tone polite but guarded.
"Robert! Thank God you're alright!" Ella exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace him tightly. As she pulled back, he noticed the redness around her eyes.
"Were you crying? What happened?" Rafael asked, concern etched on his face.
"I was so worried about you! My mother found out about us, and by the way she acted, I thought you'd be taken to prison and..." Ella's voice quivered with anxiety.
"Calm down, it's alright now. I'm here with you," Rafael reassured her, gently guiding her to sit on the bed. "How did she find out about us? We've barely even met." Ella glanced at Bella, then back at Rafael.
"I... I don't know, and now I'm scared of what could happen to you," she admitted, her voice trembling.
"As I said, don't worry. They can't do anything to me because they need me," Rafael said, though his mind raced with concern. Things aren't looking good, but at least I have the balloon as a backup.
Rafael spent the next hour comforting Ella, trying to ease her worries and assure her that everything would be fine. Eventually, he asked about the toothbrush he had mentioned earlier, and Ella promised she would speak to someone about having it made that afternoon.
"Actually, Robert, this is Bella. Bella, this is Robert," Ella introduced them. Rafael noted how close the two seemed to be. Looks like they trust each other. "Bella, could you do me a favor and go to a carpenter to ask him to make a toothbrush?"
"Toothbrush? What is that?" Bella asked, puzzled. Rafael then explained how it should look and how it could be made using either horse or pig hair. Bella nodded, gave a quick glance at Ella, and then left the room.
Once Bella had gone, Rafael turned to Ella with a more serious tone. "Ella, now that we're alone, do you actually know how your mother found out about us?"
Ella hesitated, avoiding his gaze. "It was Bella. She followed me yesterday and saw us kissing. When I returned to my room, she confronted me, and I... I fainted. She must have told my mother while I was unconscious."
"But... if she told her before you woke up, then why hasn't your mother ordered my imprisonment?" Rafael asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Ella gasped, realization dawning on her. "Right! Why didn't she do it?" She thought back to her earlier conversation with her mother, recalling how Avice had nearly struck her but then left abruptly. "... Does she support my choices?" Ella murmured to herself, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty.
Bella stepped out of the mansion, only to be met with chaos. People were rushing about—clerics, servants, soldiers—all moving with a sense of urgency. "What in the Heavens is happening?" she muttered, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.
She weaved through the bustling crowd, making her way out of the inner circle of the estate. The sight that greeted her outside was even more startling: soldiers, clerics, and commoners all scurrying about, carrying wood, weapons, and supplies.
"Has the war...?" she whispered, panic rising within her. Without another thought, she turned and ran back towards the mansion.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense as Frederic and his advisors discussed their options. The commander of the troops laid out the situation grimly.
"If the enemy chooses speed, they'll reach our city in three days. That would be good for them because we won't have enough time to gather everything we need to defend the city, nor to build an improvised wall. But at least they'll be tired from crossing the forest."
He paused, considering the alternatives. "However, if they pass through the forest with ease, they could arrive rested, which would likely take a week. That would give us time to gather our men, prepare them, build a wooden fence outside, stockpile food for a siege, and other preparations."
Frederic nodded thoughtfully. "How many men do we have?"
"Currently, we have 500 men ready to fight, plus 300 who need equipment, and 200 who only need to finish training. So, in total, we have a thousand. Out of those, a hundred are horsemen, a hundred are archers, we have a hundred scouts, and the rest are spearmen," the commander reported.
"And what do we expect of the enemy?"
"Probably... triple what we have, sir. We must prepare as much as we can for this attack. May I ask you something, my lord?" The commander hesitated, but Frederic motioned for him to continue. "What about Baron Ine's request for help? He asked for troops to defend his domain."
"Ignore it. We can't help him. If we send men there, our chances of defending our home will dwindle," Frederic stated firmly, his mind already made up.
"I understand, sir... but we shouldn't underestimate our enemy. I think we should request backup from the Count," the commander suggested cautiously.
Frederic, Avice, and the three advisors stared at him as if he had lost his mind. "I'm sorry for this foolish idea," the commander quickly added, lowering his head.
"Hmm, actually, you've given me an idea," Frederic mused. "We should request backup from the capital."
"But it will take a week for the message to reach the king, and maybe two more for the troops to arrive, sir!" one of the advisors protested.
"I understand, but we have to try. We must do our best to defend our lands until then." They spent the entire morning discussing strategies and possible scenarios. By noon, Frederic gathered his family for lunch and explained the situation to them. Everyone wore apprehensive expressions—everyone except one.
"Don't worry, Father. I won't let those pigs set a single foot inside our lands," Godwin, the eldest son, declared with confidence.
*Sigh* "This is going to be a real war, son. Are you sure you want this?" Frederic asked, knowing his firstborn's obsession with honor and proving himself in battle.
"I'm sure of it, Father," Godwin replied without hesitation.
"Then you may help with the inner wall defenses," Frederic said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"What?! No, that's not what I want!" Godwin protested, slamming his fist on the table, causing everything on it to shake.
Frederic stared at him in silence, his gaze hard and unyielding. Godwin clenched his fists, understanding the unspoken command. "I'm sorry for my lack of manners," he muttered.
"Good. Now, you will obey me because I am your father. You will stay inside these walls to defend our family, understood?"
"... Understood," Godwin replied, his voice laced with anger and resentment.