Mercenary

Mercenary: Chapter 13 - Tests of Strength and Tests of Will

A/N: I did none of the stuff I thought I was going to do in this chapter. So much for making progress on the plot.

In real, novel-related news, I'm going to be on vacation for the next month, so updates will be a bit if-y. I'll try to get one chapter up a week, but it might not happen. hopefully it will, but just sayin'. Anyways, thanks for reading and enjoy the chapter!

                                                                                        - Nicole

“Corrin is dead?” Ryder asked, stupefied.

Alexander nodded solemnly. He was collapsed in a chair, his head resting on his clenched hands as he slumped over. “Yes. His body was found in the outermost farm. He was patrolling the village last night, and the castle guard said that he made his report on time. He must have been killed shortly afterwards. The relief guard was the one to find his body.”

Ryder crumpled into a chair across from Alexander, his face still painted with shock. “I never would have thought that…”

Alexander nodded. “Corrin is the last man I would have expected to be killed.”

Both men fell silent. The weight of the moment threatened to crush them. Corrin had been a good man, a friend to both of them. He had been kind, intelligent, and above all brave.

“Has the fifth company been taken off guard duty?” Ryder asked quietly, still trying to come to terms with the news.

“Yes,” Alexander replied. “They have been given two days to mourn for their leader, at which point they will expected to return to their posts.”

“They might not have two days.”

Alexander’s head snapped up, and his gaze met Ryder’s steely eyes.

“Cynric is becoming bolder in his attacks,” Ryder said. “You must see that.”

Alexander shook his head. “In the past his attacks have been large scale, ostentatious—”

“Exactly,” Ryder interrupted. “They’ve been unplanned attacks. Attacking the village, stealing crops, nothing serious. More poking fun at us than anything else. But this was calculated. It was carried through with precise execution. What are the chances that Cynric just happened to kill Corrin right after he made his report? This was not a meaningless attack, Alexander. Cynric has a plan.”

Alexander sighed and clenched his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose to try to fend off the headache he could feel creeping up on him. “Conjecture does us no good, Ryder. We have to keep the men calm and collected. We cannot have them panicking at a time like this.”

“So then we keep them in the dark?!” Ryder exploded, bursting out of his seat. “Alexander, we have to prepare them! Cynric is planning an attack! We cannot sit idly by and do nothing!”

“And what would you have me do?!” Alexander yelled back. “The king has made it very clear he will send no more reinforcements! What men we have we have to deal with, and terror spreading throughout the troops due to your theories will not help with that fact! We have to be smart about this, Ryder!”

“Were you being smart when you insulted Adella?”

At that Alexander stopped short.

Ryder narrowed his eyes at Alexander. “The only reinforcements our king sends up, and you insulted her. I bet with your useless and abundant pride, you didn’t even both to apologize to her.”