Three Must Decide.

Part 36 feildhollow.

Chapter note. the first 3 chapters have introduced you to the Three. Each faction is controlled, to a degree, by a real life person so decisions have to be made.

Hidden consequences.

Over reaching cam leave you over stretched.

Decisions.

With the Grand Duchess army in Drathen stopped before it could reach Bronze Gate they had to decide to march on to the city and face the garrison now well prepared. Leave Drathen and take their strength back to Peregrin Run or march out in to Drathen it's self and take the vulnerable lands to the east.

Or something other from the mind of the real life faction leader

Read on to see what they have decided.

They had reached the market town Feildhollow the day before, made camp and invited the high standing people of the town to a lavish meal with their Grand Duchess within a marquee which had been erected at every town or estate Caroline had visited. With her came 700 soilders in her own livery, the majority of her own houses small army.  With them came families and friends and anyone else you thought there could be profit found in following the Grand Duchess.

Caroline had made it clear that only those in her own retinue would be fed but at the same time she wished to give the impression to anyone and anywhere they passed that a true host followed her.

Those invited came, everyone, looking a little rushed and some flustered, all with an air of unexpected excitement. It would be a once in a life time event for them and as they began to fill the marquee the Grand Duchess was aware at how plain the food being offered was. Basic and ordinary at such scales was all that could be offered for now but it was prepared well. With it was ale, drinkable, just, but the meal would not be forgotten because of the wine. A trader had arrived from Dark Harbour and the wine they brought was delicious but fair priced and not from the shores of Vasted. Caroline had it decanted in to empty bottles from the family vault and re stopped. When finished the wine appeared like a superior vintage and was an easy drink. So far everyone during the tour had complimented her on it and it soon became clear it was well received in Feildhollow.

All of this was a display she could not afford but she wanted to demonstrate that her family ruled these lands again, were strong, had money and were generous. She had gained the oaths of the lord's as her brother and father had and while the false allegiance held so she had taken the risk to travel the lands to send her message to all she could reach before facing the consequences of the betrayal she had planned with the Marquess.

She still felt his loss even more so with Godbolts and the others so far away. Jane was always with her a foundation, loyal, trying always to serve.  her partner now given a command within her new army . With him so clearly in love with Jane those under his command could be relied on even in the worst of times Carolin could be sure of that. These guarantees were needed as not all her lord's would continue to stand with her if she could not maintain control. What all this tour was about was to help gather enough influence so that when the time comes Peregrine Run its self will be ready to stand as her bastion, steep shore and the forest around it the place to resist beyond its walls and Dark harbour, beyond the reach of all her enemies in Drathan and Vasted could continue to grow and support her.

By the end of the celebration it was clear that all had come except one, the only person in the border town that Caroline needed to speak to beyond the town's lord who's loyalty would shift the moment another's control was evident, Caroline knew it, so had the Marquess and he had shown her that control was not just in the hands of the ruling classes. Control commerce and you could still rule, even ruling those who created the rules, and so to hold influence in Feildhollow, a town she wanted for its bridge between peregrin run and the Marquesses estates, that had made him so wealthy, as well as it's place on her boarder, she needed to deal with Adia.

Adia Uphale did not come and the following morning the only news of her was that she was where she always was by her small house on the market wall. The Grand Duchess would have to go to her but Caroline would not have it be seen that Adia was forcing her hand. On that day the market would be flooded with goods from her accompanying caravan to present another opportunity to the town. So it was that at the end of the day when trading was slowing the Grand Duchess arrived to survey the outcome of the days trading that she had facilitated. That brought her to Adie Uphale, a short conversation inside, alone with only Caroline's guards established that Adie was keen to be loyal to the Grand Duchess and when the small stern women's face showed clearly that Caroline had no position of power Caroline rewarded the women with a profitable line of goods which could remain open to Adia regardless of who claimed to rule the town.

The next day Caroline began the march home and the news caught up with her on the return to Peregrin run. Bronze Gate had not fallen, the Rollos and the King had stopped that but with the force they still had, the king weak and the Lord's of Drathen not ready for war, lord Godbolts and the Warden had taken the army out in to the land, securing two of the lord's estates and strong holds before they were forced to a stop as the lands they had taken had been stripped bare as the ruling families retreated before them.

The Rollos again had interfered influencing the lord's so they did not stand and fight but would control the Kings enemies by holding the resources needed to maintain an army.

Caroline's army in Drathen could do no more but hold what they had, the money had run dry, the True Order would soon have to leave her service although the Warden with Godbolts aid felt sure that the lands they had gained control of would raise enough to garrison the strong holds but little more.

It seemed the Grand Duchess could do nothing else for now but then very soon the campaigning would be over for winter was coming and both kingdoms did not have enough food for all their people.