Hounds of War [Yandere Generals x Female General Reader]

40. A Stalker's Stalker.

The three present generals rushed to Y/N's side after she got kicked down, but she held up a hand from where she crouched, signaling that she did not want them to intervene. "You have a point, but I've made incredible progress," She replied with a laugh as she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, coughing slightly. "You should have seen what the army was like when I first arrived."

"As arrogant as ever!" The man growled scornfully as he crossed the ground and crouched down by Y/N.

"Well only half as arrogant as you," she spat as she flung some dirt up at the man's face before she launched herself at him. She collided with him and the pair tumbled to the ground, brawling in a tangled mess of arms and legs.

"What's with the commotion - oh no..." Esclave called as he finally caught up with other generals, having fallen behind while they were chasing Vanbinicci. He cut him off and his face went pale as he saw the group of Estainian soldiers and recognized the dark graey steed in the front. He shuddered in revulsion, there was no one he hated as much as the master of that beast.

Meanwhile, the other generals were too absorbed in watching the fight to even notice Esclave's arrival. General Denlleonis rolled on the ground interlocked with the stranger. Their matching blue capes billowing and tangling like silken serpents.

They kept rolling until they eventually came to a stop just shy of a frosty mud puddle. The onlookers held their breath, as it was at first unclear why they had stopped and who had won. As the dust settled they saw with relief that Y/N had pinned the man down on his back, but for some reason, he didn't look upset.

"There's the Y/N I know," he said, his marble face splitting into a wide grin as he chuckled deeply. "It really has been too long,"

"Indeed," She agreed, not the slightest trace of anger on her face. The Luccian generals looked shocked as they watched Y/N help the man she had been brawling with moments before to his feet while Esclave sulked, unlike the others, he knew what was going on. "Men, this is Esedict General Eslinn Azeeion. He is the head of a very important division in the army, and I summoned him to help us win the war." Y/N said with the first broad smile that any of the generals had seen.

"Those rebel dogs will be crushed under our heels and fed their own entrails," general Azeeion said as he made a fist. He spoke with confidence as though he was addressing an entire army instead of just a few men. "Don't worry men, victory will be ours!"

"Yes," Y/N agreed before she began to walk in the direction she had come. "follow me to my tent, we can discuss strategy and the current state of the war in private."

"You," Eslinn gestured at the chestnut-haired woman who had been riding next to him with his muscular arm. "Stay here and guard that wagon. You know our mission, if you fail you'd better kill yourself before I get the chance to punish you myself."

Without another word, he turned on his heel. Esclave began to follow the two generals but before he had taken two steps Y/N called over her shoulder, "Esclave, stay with these idiots and make sure that they don't do anything terminally stupid."

His face fell flat and he visibly deflated as he replied, "Yes... General Denlleonis."

The gathered assortment watched in awkward silence as the figures of the two generals grew smaller and smaller. A moment after they disappeared from sight the silence was suddenly broken by a high-pitched squeal that startled everyone present.

"ESCLAVE!! I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!" The chestnut-haired woman exclaimed as she tumbled down from her saddle and threw herself at the Subedict General. "It's been ages - well more like years but still!! How was the frontier land, was it scary - and how've you found life in the Luccian Army - And have you missed me? I hope you have - I've missed you!"

"..." Esclave said nothing trying in vain to shake her off him. He looked at the other generals for help, but they only snickered enjoying his agony. "... Hello Rae." He said, sounding like he had lost the will to live.

She opened her mouth and fearing another vicious onslaught of words, Vanbinicci stepped in. "So, not to be that guy but, what's so important about a single wagon?" He asked as he got a closer look at it. "I think we'd all like to know."

"Oh I really shouldn't say, it could get me in big trouble, but since you're Esclave's friends I guess I can tell you a bit," She answered and before any of the generals could correct her she was off again. "This wagon holds a single fragment of Estain's Fire. It is the most powerful and dangerous weapon in Estain. I can't say anymore, otherwise, Esedict General Azeeion will have my head - literally-"

"-Wait, General Azeeion?" Meccio interrupted, finally catching onto the significance of the general's name. "Hey Esclave, isn't you're family name Azeeion?" He glanced over at the brunette, but he only slumped to the ground and refused to answer.

"It is!" Rae answered for him, smiling brightly. "They're brothers, Esclave's the younger one but he's my favorite - don't tell my general I said that."

"So there are two generals from the house of Azeeion, I'm confused," Vanbinicci cut in, recalling the information General Denlleonis had told him about the Military in Estain. "I thought that there could only be one General from each of the high-ranking families in Estain."

"That's true," Esclave answered from where he sat curled up on the ground. "There is a two-layer system of Generalship in Estain. There are the Esedict General's which is a hereditary title that can only be passed down to an heir from one of the eight families whose line stems from one of the eight sons of the Goddess Estain. Then there are Honorary Generals, who are given the authority of a general based on their heroic deeds and loyalty, but it is not a title that can be passed down. And then there are..." His voice trailed off.

"And then there are Subedict Generals like Esclave and me," Rae finished, placing a comforting hand on Esclave's shoulder, not noticing that he flinched away from her touch. "Subedict General's work as the servant and aid to the Esedict General who they are bound to for life. We have a place of command equal to a general only if we are following our Esedict General's orders. Most Subedict Generals have been prepared for that role since birth and had no say in the matter."

She smiled sadly and sat down next to the sulking general, still oblivious to his disinterest. "That's why even though Esclave is the son of a powerful general he has to serve that scary woman because the Azeeion family already had a decided heir and supplying another military family with a well-bred Subedict General was the best strategic move.

"But I'm glad because it means that I got to meet you, right Esclave?" She added, trying to tackle hug him from behind only to get pushed away.

"Hmpf." He growled as he pushed her away.

Looking up at the other generals he expected them to jeer at him in disdain but instead, he found that they looked at him with new understanding and compassion.

Even Vanbinicci had a touch of empathy in his eyes. "Well, that explains why you're so clingy to the general," he joked, trying to make light of the situation.

A/N

Happy 2021!

What do you think of Eslinn and Esclave's relationship, did you guess that they were brothers?

Also, I will be switching to writing Loyal Hound Tomorrow and updating that book for the next ten days.

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~