The Forgotten Field Novel - Chapter 229

## THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL) – Chapter 229

—What do you mean by that? —he asked her, his voice thick with suspicion.

The man tilted his head slightly and pointed his thumb at the embroidery stitched onto the surface of the pouch.

—This pouch… didn’t her excellency the duchess make it?

Varkas blinked in disbelief and then lowered his gaze back down to his waist.

Upon the silk-lined leather pouch, there were exceedingly delicate patterns, crafted from the intertwining of brightly colored threads and embellishments of tiny beads. The design was so meticulous that it was difficult to believe it was the work of a woman who had only recently begun practicing embroidery as a hobby.

He looked at Edric skeptically:

—Did she really make it?

—I am certain. I saw her excellency devoting herself to it with great care over the last few months.

Faced with his confident tone, traces of bewilderment appeared on Varkas’s face.

—And why would something she made be with me?

—How can you ask me that? —Edric Robon furrowed his brow in incredulity.

Varkas remembered her visit to his room before departing for the war. Could it be possible that she had slipped it into his luggage at that moment? But why?

He untied the pouch he had been wearing on his belt until now without thinking and began to contemplate it intently, as if seeing it for the first time. The densely woven gold threads formed patterns of intertwined branches that surrounded the emblem of the “Black Horse,” designed in a unique way, as if it were a halo around it.

He touched the stitches of the aligned threads with his fingertips; suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat and swallowed hard.

With what thought did she make this? And why did she give it to me?

—Giving something handmade to someone departing on a long journey… usually means wishing them a safe return, does it not? —Edric Robon blurted out suddenly, as if reading what was passing through his mind.

Varkas raised his head and looked at him again. The man added, scratching the back of his neck with a sigh:

—When you return this time, ask her excellency yourself… why she gave it to you.

A chill ran through his core due to that tone so full of intention.

He suppressed his emotions and took a deep breath; then, he hung the pouch back on his belt and secured it firmly with the leather straps.

“Cast away these false expectations. Surely it is just another whim.”

How many times had he allowed himself to be carried away by her unpredictable behavior? He no longer wanted to act like the fool who rejoices and grieves according to her actions.

Varkas stood up, his face hardened, and nodded his head toward the crevices between the rocks.

—If you have rested enough, let’s move. We have no time to lose.

Edric let out a weary groan.

Paying him no attention, Varkas began to walk again along the mountain path. However, his mind was completely submerged in thoughts of her.

What does that woman really want from me? Sometimes she showers me with reproaches, saying she won’t forgive me even after death, and sometimes, suddenly, she gives me an unexpected gift.

He wanted to ask her.

“What the hell do you want to do with me?” “Who am I to you?”

—Milord, it seems that drawing any closer than this will be dangerous.

Lughain’s low voice woke him from his thoughts. Varkas stopped and looked ahead.

They had already reached a distance that allowed them to spy through the windows of the main fortress. Varkas regained his focus and hid behind a rock, examining the massive castle carefully. This was no time to immerse himself in trivial thoughts.

He concealed himself in the shadows, which were beginning to grow darker, and then passed through the dense trees and rocks to move to the rear side of the wall. Behind the towering rock face, the castle wall appeared, where high watchtowers and wide guard walkways stood.

—Milord, isn’t this level of reconnaissance enough? Shouldn’t we head back now…?

—From this moment on, we will move separately.

Varkas ignored his subordinate’s objection and drew two scrolls from his chest. He handed them to the two fastest warriors among those lined up along the steep slope, and continued with his instructions calmly:

—One for Daren and the other for the commander of the flanking unit waiting in the north. As for the rest, divide into two groups and stealthily approach near the rear and front gates of the fortress.

—You mean that…

—Labomir, Trian, Edmond, and…

With utter naturalness and paying no heed to the agitated reactions of his soldiers, Varkas pronounced the names of his men and, finally, pointed at Edric to conclude:

—The four of you, follow me.

—Do you perhaps plan… to infiltrate inside the fortress? —the man who had remained silent the entire time asked him, his tone tense.

Varkas nodded his head coldly:

—I have already almost completely determined the patrol routes. We will wait until night falls to infiltrate and open the gates of the fortress. As soon as I give the signal, begin the attack immediately.

—That is far too reckless! Leave this mission to us and return to join the main force!

—Lower your voice.

Lughain, who had raised his voice vehemently, tensed up and shut his mouth immediately at Varkas’s warning.

Varkas added coldly:

—What I say is not a suggestion, but an order. I permit no objections.

—But there is no reason for you to take such a risk…

—That is not for you to decide —Varkas interrupted flatly and continued dryly—: I have already given instructions to the special unit, and the operation will proceed without a hitch. Move without delay.

The soldiers, who seemed stunned by his severity, began to exchange glances and then dispersed with strict discipline.

Varkas watched the soldiers move swiftly in accordance with his orders and then led the infiltration team toward the top of the mountain, which was beginning to be dyed the color of blood.

Shortly after, a deep darkness blanketed the mountainside.

He moved agilely following the route he had previously memorized, keeping a close eye on the dim lights emanating from the top of the wall. Soldiers carrying torches moved slowly along the patrol walkway at regular intervals.

He pulled up his hood to conceal his face entirely and cautiously made his way toward the base of the outer wall. The imposing rampart completely blocked the view.

—I will go up first to take care of the gate guard.

—Wait! I’ll go. —Edric Robon hurriedly grabbed his arm as he followed closely behind.

Varkas brushed his hand away in annoyance, pulled the crossbow from his back, and loaded it with a hook-shaped iron bolt attached to a rope. He turned the crank until the tension of the string reached its maximum, then aimed toward the highest point of the wall. A moment later, the bolt shot forth, cutting through the darkness with a sound like a whip crack.

Varkas caught the end of the rope that was propelled with force. The rope finally went taut; it appeared the bolt had successfully anchored itself in place.

He tugged on the rope several times to ensure its strength, and then dug the metal spikes fixed to the front of his boots into the surface of the wall. He drew a dagger housed in his wrist guard, drove the blade into the gaps between the bricks, and began to scale the wall with the speed of the wind.

Climbing the wall, which reached a height of 80 keft, took him no more than a few minutes.

He cleared the battlements in the blink of an eye and approached the soldier on guard from behind. He covered the soldier’s mouth with one hand and drove the dagger directly into him with the other. He twisted the blade inside the soldier’s neck to widen the wound, and hot blood gushed forth like a fountain.

He twisted the head of the struggling soldier to accelerate the bleeding. After a slight spasm, the guard’s body relaxed completely.

Ensuring that the man had stopped breathing, he dragged the corpse toward the lower part of the wall, pushed it into a corner, and returned to the battlements. The hook was firmly lodged in the brick crevice. He kicked it with his foot to secure it even further and then sent a signal down.

The soldiers began to climb up one after another along the wall.

—Considering the structure of the fortress, it is highly probable that the mechanisms controlling the drawbridge and the portcullis are inside the south tower. Divide into two groups, get rid of the perimeter guards, and secure the entry route.

—And what will you do? —Edric Robon asked, his voice filled with suspicion.

Varkas retrieved the hook and rope, packed them into his gear bag, and replied coldly:

—I intend to search for his highness the crown prince.

As he made a move to head toward the entrance connected to the top of the wall, Edric suddenly grabbed his wrist:

—Had you not abandoned him?

—There is someone within the imperial guard who aided in the kidnapping of his highness.

Amidst the dense darkness, he could see Edric Robon’s eyes widen in astonishment. Varkas brushed his hand away in annoyance and added in a low voice:

—I considered that demonstrating I had abandoned him would be more useful for the rescue operation.

—Then I will also help you rescue his highness the crown prince…!

—I am enough on my own. —Varkas rejected the offer flatly and added—: This is an individual action arising from my private affairs. Fulfill my instructions and concentrate on storming the gates of the fortress.

—Private affairs…? How can the rescue of the crown prince be…

Varkas left behind Edric Robon, who was trying to say something more, and headed toward the watchtower. It seemed that Edric had finally given up, as he did not attempt to stop him again.

He crossed through the door connected to the building and immediately went down the stairs. When he noticed a light coming up from the bottom of the banister, he pressed himself against the wall.

He saw a soldier climbing the stairs with heavy steps and a face dominated by sleep, as if he had just left his bed for the shift change. Varkas hid in the dense shadow, waiting for the man to close into striking distance. The soldier, muttering something in a northern accent, reached the floor connected to the guard corridor.

Varkas pounced on him immediately and drove the dagger into his mouth, so that only a short groan escaped the man. He covered the man’s face with the edge of his cloak to prevent the sound from leaking, and pushed the dagger deeper.

The blade pierced through the man’s throat and passed through the cervical vertebrae, puncturing the spine. The man fell to his knees and then to the floor without being able to utter a single scream.

He thought for a moment, and then pushed the corpse under the stairs, among the accumulated crates of goods. It was a careless hiding place, but he had no time to waste concealing bodies.

He pulled the mechanism fixed to his wrist guard to retract the blade inward, and then slipped out of the fortress tower fluidly.

Generally, high-ranking prisoners are held in the upper part of the main fortress. And according to his observations from the outside, the corridor connected to the main fortress was on the southeast side.

However, infiltrating through the front carried great risks.

“There is surely a side door used by servants near the kitchen or the unloading area, so it is better to look for a route to infiltrate from the rear of the building.”

Varkas made his decision in the blink of an eye, and immediately began to move along the outer side of the wall surrounding the fortress.

Chapter 229

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