Safe Place

They arrived at the village. And because James Roswald's grandfather did not know they were coming, his grandfather got surprised and confused why an elegant carriage arrived in front of his house.

His rough voice made him look strong, but because of old age, he could not grip the pitchfork in his hands. But remains the angry face that he always represents as a man.

"What are you doing in front of my house, you damn nobility!?"

Then her daughter walks out of the carriage. That is when the old man stopped shouting. And lowers down his pitchfork. His eyes got filled with tears as he dropped the pitchfork to the ground.

He then ran towards his daughter and hugged her tightly as he could while his tears fell to her dress. The lady did not let the chance of hugging her father back tightly.

"My lovely daughter, you came back from all of those years. Have gone by me and your mother is worried about you. Especially if you get treated well by that bastard Roswald"

He grits his teeth while clenching his fist. Then the old man notices there is a body hiding behind his daughter.

"Is this the son of that bastard Maria? This wretched little nugget is my grandson?"

The old man looks at James with a gaze of a mountain to a human said with a deep voice. An enormous wall that needed to be surpassed. The first time that James has felt someone's pressure that is stronger than his father.

James jumps to the side in an angry tone and voice. Then he points his finger at the old man.

"Who are you, white bearded old man? With old man attire!? You look old HUH! Do you wanna mess with someone like me? Do you not know that my father is Baron Roswald!?"

Both his grandfather and mother laughed at James at the same time. When he heard their laughs, he seemed embarrassed about what he said. And then her mother said with a calm tone of voice.

"James, meet your grandfather, Regidor Von Bismark. He is the chieftain of this village that we are going to be living in for the time being. And until the civil war finished."

James then straightens himself and bows to his grandfather that earlier he just insulted being bald and old. While his grandfather only laughs at him.

"I am sorry for what I have said earlier, sir. I will not do it again. Thank you for letting me and my mother into your home."

Then his grandfather taps his shoulder while his grandmother walks out of the house.

"I expect a lot from you, child, as a son of my daughter and a son of that bastard."

He said with a jolly tone while smiling at him. But the pressure was still there. While staring at him with jolly eyes.

His heart started eating fast while looking at his grandfather and even listening to his words of wisdom.

"Trust me, old man, I sure will exceed your expectations."

He smiles awkwardly while his mother runs to his grandmother as they hug each other.

"Oh my, my lovely daughter has come home. Thank God Aurelius that you are fine and well. I miss you so much. You know your father always talks about you every day. He cannot forget his only daughter."

She tapped her back and caressed it. While smiling, she noticed a young boy standing beside her husband. Then she breaks away from hugging her daughter to walk towards the young boy.

"Mother, he is James Roswald, my only son, sadly me and my husband did not follow the tradition of having another baby. That is because of his work in the capital back then. And when he returned from the capital, the civil war had started."

Her soft tone of voice let her mother know that James is her son that she cares for. Her mother nodded and grabbed James' arms and hugged him tight like a care of a mother.

"I can't- breath, grandmother."

His soft voice while he is gasping for air. His eyes widened and his face slowly going blue. Then his grandmother let go of him. And that is the time he understood why every time he normally grabbed an object, sometimes he easily broke it. That is because of the genes that have passed down.

"You are such a cute boy, but the thing is, I see your husband on this young boy. That is why I slightly hate your face."

Then she smiles after saying those worse things to James.

"I should really ask what is the story of my mother and my father when they were young. And why do my grandmother and grandfather hate my father so much?"

He said in his thoughts while looking at his mother. Then his grandmother said in a cheerful tone while she turned around. While walking back to the house.

"Why not take your rest inside of the house? And let's have a wonderful chat. Getting together and eating food while we talk."

Meanwhile, the driver of the carriage looked at the Masters and said with his calm tone of voice that is respectful. While holding both of his hands as a sign of respect to those who have foremost authority over him.

"Masters, as I see, you are well and being cared for. I must head back to the Baron to report where I have dropped you off. I know he will be slightly mad and relieved when I report the lady has returned to her parents."

The lady turns around and nods and replies with a sweet tone of voice.

"That is great. Also, tell my husband that he can pick us up here when the fight is over. I know he will come back and be alive. Farewell Daniel"

Then the driver trots the horses and heads back to Cartier Castle, where the Baron is holding. Preparing the defense lines and having problems managing some of the limited resources that they have.

***

The following day, the defense lines of the outer layer, mid layer and the last layer which is inside of the castle fortified overnight. They stretched out and expanded the outer layer and added tunnels and trenches.

"My Lord, we have prepared for an army attack, as all of us here are sure that we can survive. The ammunition and the guerilla commandos have also set up a perimeter of traps in any direction that the royal lion guards come and attack us. We estimate, my Lord, that we could remain in this castle with our resources for 2 months. After two months, we could sneak food from the tunnels that we have dug beneath the castle to a supply position near a mountain here."

The 2nd commander of the Baron points at the map the locations of the supply lines. Baron looks at the map and everything is prepared. The only problem is what the royal lion guards of the 2nd and 3rd battalion will be doing.

Then a messenger knocks on the door of the meeting office.

"Open the door"

The Baron ordered, and the door opened the messenger bows to all the commanders. And then kneels in front of the Baron.

"My lord. The commandos have reported that 2 armies are heading towards our castle. They are from the Duke Warlord Reyes Banner with some from the Lion Guards of the Emperor. The commandos are just waiting for your signal to begin their phase of sabotage."

The tone of the messenger was nervous and the Baron could feel it because of the atmosphere inside of the meeting office.

"May the sabotage begin."

He said with an authoritative tone of voice while raising his hand. Giving blessing to the messenger to say his orders to his men.

"I will do as you command, My Lord."

The messenger replies and stands up and turns around, immediately running out of the meeting office. After walking out of the meeting office, he heads down to the stairs and gets on his horse, that is waiting for him outside of the castle courtyard.