Herald of Steel

Chapter 727 Lady Felicia (Part-1)

Alexander and Lapitus finally came to the agreement of extending the surrender deadline by two weeks in exchange for the latter attempting to open the city gates before that.

Furthermore, to make the subsequent takeover of the city easier, as well as to reward Lapitus, Alexander promised to take Lapitus's daughter as one of his mistresses if the operation was successful, thus making the man a distant kin of his.

That was the gist of what happened in the meeting.

But that was not where the conversation ended.

For after agreeing to this, Lapitus asked Alexander, 

"Esteemed Pasha, in the meantime I organize my forces and carry this out, I wish also for my wife and daughter to stay here in the camp with you. Otherwise, I fear they might be targeted once I begin my….." 

Lapitus suddenly trailed off, still seemingly reluctant to say the word coup or rebellion. 

But he was able to fully understand what the things he was about to do entitled and the risks associated.

If he was caught, a clean death for him, or even his family would become too precious a luxury.

He knew what happened to traitors very well, even having carried a few of those gruesome executions himself.

While on the opposite end of the table, Alexander hearing the request was at first a bit surprised.

Sending his wife and daughter here basically meant giving them as hostages to him.

Any man would think twice about handing them over to anyone, much less a complete stranger. 

But it seemed Lapitus here believed his family would be safer with a man he just met rather than in the city with him.

So either he was supremely trusting of Alexander's ability or grossly lacking in his own.

But whatever that case was, it was really of no concern to Alexander who very frankly agreed to the request, seeing no problem in accommodating two extra people.

"Sure, they are welcome to. I can even use the time to get to know my new woman,"

He half-jokingly added, further saying,

"And rest assured that even if you fail, I will keep them safe, They can come with me to Zanzan where they can get a monthly stipend of 200 ropals for the next ten years. I swear it by the gods!" 

Alexander thought that would be a good way to incentivize the man to go all out.

After all, spending 2,400 ropals a year for him was not even worth calling chump change.

Not when he was spending tens of thousands of ropals a day maintaining his army. 

So if this could help him the city faster, it would be totally worth it.

But this seemingly tiny favor in Alexander's eyes appeared to have a much more disproportionate effect on Lapitus, far more than he could have expected, for the latter almost jumped out of his chair, his eyes bludging hearing the offer.

"Ah!" And as he took the time to confirm what he heard, he let out a shocked gasp.

It was said just a tiny act could reveal a person's true nature.

And through this act, Alexander seemed to have inadvertently made a very favorable impression on the man, for the offer was too generous in the latter's eyes.

Nobles were never even a tenth such ominous. 

Lapitus knew that very well.

So it took some time for him to even make sure he had heard it right.

Upon confirming which, he broke into an immense grin.

"Th…thank you! Thank you Lord Alexander! As expected of a man as great as you! Thank you!"

The man thus appeared ecstatic as he repeated this, so much so that if he had been a bit closer to Alexander and the act did not break too many etiquettes, Lapitus might have actually lunged to hug Alexander.

He had been originally very skeptical about sending his family here, only doing so because his wife had asked him to try and arrange it, who felt it would be much safer to be there than inside the city when everything went down.

But now, after getting to know Alexander, and with him promising such a generous offer without even Lapitus asking the slightest of such a thing, it really put the man's heart at ease.

"Mmm, no problem. You concentrate on getting the city" 

While Alexander was much more placid in his reply, not thinking much of it.

After this, the duo held a few more talks, where, as a side note, during one of those discussions, Alexander did remember to ask Lapitus why he only revealed his name as La to the messenger.

To which Lapitus had frankly chuckled, 

"Haha, well that was because I was afraid there might be spies in the camp. And if any of them somehow heard my name….that would be trouble." 

Alexander was quite impressed by how methodical the man was about his security.

Especially because the chances of there being spies among the few men who would hear this name were minuscule.

So it showed Lapitus was a cautious man.

The two then spent some working out some of the more tedious details of the agreement, and after a while the clandestine meeting finally ended.

The result of which was that the question regarding Thesalie turned from whether or not it could defend itself, to how it could end up once taken.

Whether it would be a wounded but still vibrant city.

Or whether it would be a burning smoldering wreck.

In the following days after the talks, Alexander would go on to give his generals a short, summarized version of the events.

It was very much a truncated version of the events, where even Lapitus's name was left out, as well as the deal involving the daughter.

Instead, Alexander only told them that a defector had come to him, and if things went well, the city might be able to be taken bloodlessly soon.

And that was enough for the news to be received with great enthusiasm, 

"That's great! Then we can keep the front walls intact! I always said it would be a great shame to tear them down " Menes loudly claimed, his eyes sparkling at the thought.

Thesalie's walls were one of the best not only here, but even in the whole world.

So getting them 'as is' was very lucrative to the general from a defense point of view.

"Good! The quicker this is over, the better. Fall will be here soon and I'm really tired of this siege," 

Another much different opinion was expressed by a second man, who released a sigh of relief thinking they might still be able to return to their lands before the fall harvest ended. 

While Jamider (Earl) Tikba hearing this started boisterously laughing, "Hahaha, to think conquering Thesalie would happen during my lifetime. Haha, and to think I was a part of the campaigning force. Haha, no regret, I have no regerets!"

The man was laughing so hysterically that Alexander even feared the man might be drunk.

Also, Thesalie was still not under their control.

So Alexander crossed his fingers and really prayed that the man did not just jinx the whole thing. 

But in general. the news that victory might be close put the higher-ups in a jovial mood, while the grassroots infantry were instructed to hold off on killing the citizenry upon breaching the city until they were told otherwise.

Lapitus on the other hand returned to the city via a small passageway once his 'illicit night tryst' with Alexander ended, riding quickly but softly through the dead of night, being careful not to create any loud noise while trotting across the stone-paved road, so as to not draw any unnecessary attention from the guards.

Until finally he made it home, to the eager, safe embrace of his eager wife.

"So how was it? What did he say?" And no sooner were they alone in their bedroom that Lady Felicia keenly posed so to her husband, her eyes sharp, and her ear perked up.

She seemed very interested to know the outcome.

Which was natural given it was really her who had pushed her husband on this road.

And Lapitus, upon hearing the melodious tune of his wife brush past his ears, felt his heartstrings being plucked uncontrollably and he quickly turned his face to gaze at the love of his life.

She was a very beautiful woman, no one could deny that, and even though Lapitus had seen that face thousands of times, he still felt like he was falling in love for the first time each and every time he saw her.

The married lady seemed to be in her early to mid-twenties, her face a beautiful heart-shaped with cute dimples brushed with a tinge of makeup to look flushed and rosy red.

She had sharp, slanted eyes, the edges painted with dark, prominent eyeliner, a strong, aquiline nose, and full, luscious lips painted deep red.

The inner locks of her wavy raven hair were loosely bound with an expensive, gold band studded with tiny diamonds, a type of hairstyle that let her silly hair flow like the night from her the top of her head, down her slender shoulders, all the way to her fair back.

Lapitus was not lying when he said his wife's beauty was renowned throughout the city.

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