Lerris heard a familiar voice calling him, and when he looks around, he saw his own sister running up to him on foot, calling out his name. Lerris smiled and slowly heeled his horse to a stop before climbing down from it. His sister literally threw herself at him and hugging him tightly.
"It's good to see you again brother!" Emma said cheerfully after releasing Lerris from her arms and pushing him slightly so she could have a good look at him.
"The same," Lerris said with a smile.
Emma peered at the two officers behind him and recognize the long nosed woman with a black wavy hair and striking eyes, she was Captain Friedl, vice commander of the 3rd Cavalry regiment, but she did not know who the other female officer, but she had a pin on her lapel denoting her rank as a commandant, and wore the same type of uniform as her brother. She glanced back at her brother and noticed for the first time the pin on his lapel, denoting him as a marshal. That surprises her as she did not know that her brother held a rank within the Royal Army, as far as she knows it, he only held a title of a baron, after being raised by the crown princess seven years ago.
"Should I give a salute, dear brother?" Emma asked coyly as she taps the little pin on his lapel.
Lerris let out a chuckle, "only on official function little sister," he countered.
Emma smiled, "no wonder the crown princess into the city, and brought with her a sizeable force." She said softly.
Lerris frowned and asked, "she was here?"
Emma crossed her arms and nodded while looking at her brother.
Lerris gave a sigh before turning to Captain Friedl and Commandant Regina, "proceed to the citadel, and give the troops a well deserve rest."
The two women gave him a salute before ordering the troops to resume their march.
Emma noticed four heavily armed women staying behind with them, she did not recognize any of them, but she knew they were his brother personal guards, as they seem to stick to him like glue.
"What's the situation here?" Lerris asked as he watch his troops pass by him. Deep inside, he felt a sense of pride for them, as they all literally went through hell, holding their ground to give the people from Samasus enough time to flee and reach the relative safety of Alropolis.
"Bad," Emma said casually. "the city is already crowded as it is," she added as she gestured his brother to follow her.
"All of the sanctuaries were overflowing with refugees." She told him as he gestured at the tent city in front of them, "the confederacy may seem to have enough food supply to feed everyone, but for how long?" she added.
"They won't feel any food shortage for at least three or four months if they began rationing food right now." Lerris said as he followed his sister on foot while dragging his horse behind him with his guards following closely behind him.
"I don't think the people would like that," Emma told him.
"It does not matter if the people like it or not, if this country wants to survive, they have no recourse but to do it," Lerris pointed out.
Emma pondered about it, her brother could be right, if the council does not institute food rationing, their food storage and granaries would be empty in less than a month. And as it is, their economy was already in shambles. From what she had learned, the confederacy's economy was severely affected after the fall of the nations to their north as most of their trade were centered towards the northern countries and less with the country to the south of their border, nor with the Midland alliance. Their sea trade had also floundered over the past year after their trade ships that was regularly sailing towards the Black Continent have been subjected to constant pirate attacks, and more recently, their trade with the Anahuacan had ceased so suddenly. The only thing that was keeping their economy up was their mining resources, as all of the mining sites were located on the western side of their country, as well as most of their major industries, while the eastern of the country has all of the farms and lumber industries.
YOU ARE READING
A New Life in a Parallel World
FantasyA man in his late forties suddenly found himself in a body of a young boy, in a parallel world. To survive he has to adapt to his new surroundings. (This is my first novel, fantasy genre, which I wrote out for fun)
