The War of the Roil: The Knight and the Warlock

Chapter 21: Justice

Edmund knocked on the wooden door to Camilla's room.

She cracked it open, allowing him inside. The past week had been a lot of sneaking around to evade the watchful eyes of Edmund's supervisors.

Camilla's quarters were large in comparison to most and she had gone to great trouble to get it properly furnished with cushioned chairs, incense and luxury rugs.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the warm, soft color palette of her room.

"How much did all this cost you?" Edmund chuckled.

"Not. One. Nin." Camilla grinned, "Nobles are always dying to know each other's dirty little secrets."

Edmund nodded with approval, "You pull the same scheme for tonight?"

"Please be so kind as to not refer to them as schemes." Camilla chortled, drawing close to him. Edmund picked up a new scent from her. Lavender? "They carry such a negative connotation. They are...financial ploys."

"Ploy isn't much better." Edmund raised an eyebrow.

"But it is far more uncommon." Camilla tilted her head.

Edmund pursed his lips, "Fair point."

Camilla placed a kiss on his lips, "How've you been?"

"Dying to see you." Edmund smirked.

Camilla rolled her eyes, but couldn't resist letting a small snicker out.

"So did you get everything we need?" Edmund asked.

Camilla nodded, "I did manage to procure all the necessary materials...but I think you've overestimated how much food and drink the human body can hold at once." She cast a sideways glance to several baskets full of foodstuffs and bottles of alcohol.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to try and give you alcohol poisoning." Edmund chuckled, "Most of that is going to the Snakes and Pious."

Camilla turned to look at the baskets, a look of despair on her face, "You're using our night together to go do charity?"

"I'm not that much of an ass." Edmund wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "Our charity will be dispensed by way of partying. I found a place with a little secluded cove for us."

"Still...we're just giving it away?"

"The food, yes. But the alcohol...just think of what a tired soldier would do for alcohol." Edmund whispered into her ear.

"Oh, you know just how to tickle my sadistic side, don't you?" Camilla grinned, looking up at him, "But we're saving a bottle of wine for us, understand?"

"I thought that was a given." Edmund smiled back at her.

After sneaking out of the keep, both of them hitched the baskets to horses and started off in the direction of the large rock formations in the desert a few miles away from Fort Killigrew.

They were beat there by Pasco and many, many Snakes and soldiers. Hundreds. Maybe even a thousand. Djarig did once report that he had delegated some of his work to the others in his barrack, but...Edmund never thought this many would come.

The men cheered as Edmund and Camilla appeared with the baskets.

Edmund noticed that some of the Pious had even brought their wives who'd been brought to the front to tend to armor, maintain equipment and work other jobs that didn't require a man be spared.

"The food is first come first serve, but stay orderly! And don't be a dick and take more than you need!" Edmund shouted, "The alcohol, we'll be holding contests for at our leisure! And don't hurt each other too much! But other than that, there are...No! Rules!"