Chapter 25: Brugeur on the run back home

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North of Beltir....

In an unknown small village...

A brown-haired man with a beefy well-built body stood up from a bed naked, he groaned a little then run his right hand at his left ribs wrapped with bandages, while in the corner of the room is a naked blonde woman with average features, hugging her knees with a vacant look in her eyes, and has visible bruises all over her body.

The man put on his clothes and went out of the room, he then scanned the rest of the wooden house with his green eyes, looking around there are three armed men and a blonde man in the corner with two children behind him, it looks like he's shielding the kids from something.

While the blonde man with kids is not glaring directly at him but looking down at the ground, Brugeur feels that the man is holding back his rage.

"Were moving out", Brugeur ordered his men then tossed a half-full coin pouch towards his host.

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Ten days ago, Beltir's 9000 strong-army clashed with Torum's almost identical size, in an open expanse of land at Beltirs Northern border. It looked like the battle cost considerable losses to both sides, but Torum's forces eventually withdraw, most likely because they're quite far from the nearest affiliated town. Eventually, Beltir's army might receive reinforcement whilst still having enough supplies, while Torum lacks both and will end up in a disadvantageous position.

The Beltir's army is only formed of the king's, and Duke Pelham's faction, while Duke Motier decided to ignore the King's summon. During the clash of the two armies, the king's faction was able to trick Pelham's men by standing their ground and letting the Duke's army march ahead, it was a really simple trick, but the Northeastern faction is just full of hot-blooded men so eager to do battle.

The Duke's army suffered the almost full brunt of Torum's advance, losing more than half of its men and injuring most. Brugeur's 950 men contingent sent by Earl Asquith was almost wiped out, while most of the survivors are fatally wounded.

What made matters most is that after the battle, there's a group of 300 riders, moving around to the camps pretending as Torum's cavalry, but are only targeting nobles from the Northeastern faction.

Bruguer was injured during the fight and while at his camp trying to recover, they were raided by these marauding cavalry. The young heir escaped, but only with a few men, they are now on their way back to the Asquith's territory.

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In a wide grassland north of Beltir...

Five lightly armored men on horseback galloping towards the east vigilantly, four of them are knights while the last one is an amateur level knight.

"I don't think those light cavalry will follow us here, young master", a handsome knight with reddish-brown hair commented.

"Let's find a nearby town, a village to rest, or at least a suitable campsite young master. The four of you have injuries and wounds you need to tend to and need recover from", an older knight with clean-cut black hair, mustache, and grey sideburns urged their leader, Sir. Beiri Morrow is the only one who has no serious injury in the group.

Brugeur looked at his worn-out and injured men, and nod to the older knight. The group eventually made camp near a river.

"Justin follow me! Let's hunt something for supper", Morrow called the handsome knight with the reddish-brown hair.

Justin was somewhat puzzled, even though the senior knight is a bit older, he's still agile and really strong, 'maybe he has something to talk about'.

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At a wide flat grassland, 300 meters away from the campsite.

Justin had become in a way wary of the senior knight, the young knight tried asking and start a conversation with the older knight, but the latter just stayed quiet all this time. Justin's intuition is telling him something's not right, but Sir. Morrow was his instructor and is like a master to him, so he tried waiting until this person tells him something.

Morrow stopped walking, he then turned to face Justin and said, "take out your sword and defend yourself".

Justin displayed a confused, disbelieving look, "what are y---, what are you saying Sir. Morrow? Why?"

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Nightime in the young Lord's campsite...

Brugeur is sitting on the ground leaning on a tree with his eyes closed half asleep, when he heard some kind of noise, 'maybe it's Justin trying to prepare supper, that clumsy guy'. The young master fell into trance, oblivious to his surroundings.

Sometime later, now it's the sound of a man gasping for breath. Brugeur is a knight which makes his hearing acute from a certain distance.

He stood and walked slowly to the campfire, he didn't found anyone, but notice blood on the ground and some tracks. It looked like someone was dragged somewhere, a worried feeling grew inside the young man, but he didn't panic. Brugeur went to his luggage and wore his full left arm armor that consists of solid steel shoulder guard, couter, vambrace, and gauntlet. He then grabs his short sword then followed the tracks.

Brugeur arrived at a wide clearing in the middle of grassland, in a few meters ahead, Sir. Morrow is squatting and appears to be waiting for him. "You've arrived milord", the senior knight calmly greeted the young master and stood up with his long sword rested in his shoulder. "Shall we get on with this?", with no apparent facial expression Morrow took a stance.

Bruguer stood quietly for a while just staring at the man who taught him to fight, lying next to the senior knight are three lifeless bodies, the men who followed him to death's door multiple times. Morrow mostly followed his father around, not him, 'is this the reason why he went to war with me this time?'.

Brugeur looked at Morrow with eyes containing extreme anger, "You choose that snotty runt over me, Morrow?", Brugeur asked.

"Not particularly your brother my lord, it's your mother or to be exact your stepmother's breasts and ass", Morrow answered with a mocking smile.

Brugeur is clearly angry evident by his almost bulging eyes and shallow breathes, but he didn't make any moves yet, instead tried to talk Morrow down, "If it's just that woman, I'll let you have her".

"I'm afraid she has total control of me, milord, she has something of mine".

"Whatever it is, I'll take it back and hand it back to you".

"You're talking too much milord, it's unlike you. What she has is my son, milord".

"They took your son hostage? I didn't know you had a son".

"Hehe, to be exact, she bore me a son".

Bruguer eyes widened while looking at Morrow who is now preparing to strike.

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