The Castle Town of Valance - Part 5

Queen Asabel glanced towards Lord Blackthorn, her Pillar of War. The man seemed to know that he was being asked, without even looking her way to confirm the glance. He stepped forward, his voice every bit as loud and as booming as his appearance would suggest. Oliver felt Lasha flinch beside him.

"The campaign to the East has reached its end," the man said. "Who is your Lord to make plans for a campaign that is over – or has not yet even begun? Does he dare to think that he will lead eastwards again, after his past failures?"

There were times when Lombard was diplomatic, serious, and cold, and there were times when he seemed to feel emotion more strongly than any man – though his way of expressing it was rather different. He raised his head, and looked General Blackthorn in the eye, his pale blue pupils as chilling as an icy storm.

"Failure, my Lord? With barely a third of the numbers he needed, he has secured castles," Lombard said.