Celine listened to the conversation outside.
"The sooner we clear the road, the better. My Lord is not fond of delays.â
"Our Lady is also not the most patient one, so I hope we can get this sorted out quickly," her guard replied, and went to pass the message to the rest, "My Lady, the road is blocked, the other groupâs coachman is asking us for assistance."
Celine leaned out of the carriage's window, surprised to see a pile of rocks and dirt blocking the road. The large group of mercenaries protecting the cargo wagons looked like a small army, and the number of horses meant the carriages were packed full.
The guards of the other convoy were also eyeing her carriages. The large number of knights, the expensive armor, and the fine horses, were all signs of wealth and power.
They looked at the raven, the symbol of Rochefort, and their eyes widened.
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Maya rubbed her sleepy eyes, following closely behind her Lady, who was wearing her hooded cape and her usual frown.
Celine stepped out of the carriage, the raven flew to the nearest tree, and perched on a branch, "Scout the area first, Graham. The rest, secure the perimeter before starting to clear the road," she ordered.
"Yes, my Lady," Graham replied and left, a couple of guards following him.
Celine was still trying to identify the other group when their leader appeared in her view and her eyes met with a familiar set.
The suit and tie was gone, the fancy shoes were replaced by high boots, and the white shirt was traded for a more rugged, leather, and armored vest. The uniform was more suitable for a battlefield, and the body it was hugging was definitely a fighter's.
Celine didn't hide the disdain on her face when she saw Lucian, and it made him narrow his eyes. The last time she looked at him with such contempt was when she almost killed him with her own hands, and she looked ready to do the same now.
She was a sight to behold, wearing a skirt that reached her knees, high boots, a loose long shirt, and a fitted vest. She was armed, too. She wore a belt that carried two hand cannons and a dagger.
"What did I do to deserve such a cold welcome, Lady Rochefort?" he asked, not intimidated by her aura.
"Lord Arclight," Celine greeted him, "Maybe the fact that you are standing in front of me is what offends me? But maybe I am not being clear enough," she smiled, and it wasn't a warm or kind one, "My safety is being compromised due to your presence, and I'm sure you understand why I would feel this way."
She silently asked about the meaning behind the gift he gave her.
"My, my, how cruel and unjust," Lucian mocked, his smile also not reaching his eyes, "I'm not a criminal. If anything, I should be the one concerned about my safety, shouldn't I? Especially with how many men you have, Lady Rochefort. I'm not sure what you are planning, but I'm certain I can't handle all of them, can I?"
"It's good you know your limits, Lord Arclight," Celine responded, and Lucian's mouth twitched at the provocation, "Now, let's clear the road and get out of each other's way, shall we?"
"By all means," Lucian stepped aside, "After you."
"..." Celine didn't move.
Lucian gestured for his group to stop working, "Save your energy and return to your posts," he said, "We will leave this task to the lady's capable hands. I'm sure she will not be able to live with herself if she were to be seen as inferior in any way, compared to us. That includes the strength and physical prowess of our men, too."
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The large convoy came to a halt, "But, my Lord, weren't you in a rush?"
"Not anymore. It's better to be delayed than dead. I would hate for Lady Rochefort to lash out and start a fight just because we are not clearing the road fast enough. She is already upset about my mere existence, who knows what else would set her off?â
All eyes turned towards the lady in question.
Celine held back from jumping on Lucian and strangling him to death. Years of practice with the Crown Prince paid off, and she was able to remain calm and collected despite her seething rage, "I would love to prove you wrong, Lord Arclight. I am very patient and not the least bit hot-headed. My men can testify. Isn't that right?"
"YES, M'LADY," they said in unison.
Celine smiled at Lucian, "See? All lies."
"..." Lucian's eye twitched, his business expression breaking, "I see. Then please, show me how patient and level-headed you are, Lady Rochefort."
"..." Celine's smile was getting tighter and tenser by the second, and she was this close to kicking him and his entire convoy down the slope, "Graham, tell the men to start moving the rocks, but be careful," she said and walked back to her carriage.
The raven flew down and perched on her shoulder, rubbing its beak against her cheek as if feeling her distress, making her expression soften.
Lucian motioned for his convoy to start moving forward, and the men began to remove the rocks, piling them to the side. She didn't bother continuing a petty squabble, and he wasn't the type to make a scene, so they both settled on ignoring each other, pretending the other didn't exist.
Things were easier said than done though.
The sun was high, making it even more difficult to stay inside a stale carriage.
Celine set a portable desk outside, and was going over her documents under the shade of a tree.
Lucian, who was not used to being idle, was looking through his maps and notes on the Marindale Coast and the areas around it.
The lack of order in the region was his main concern.
He glanced up at Celine's group. They were more organized than his just by looking at them. His group was composed of former soldiers, knights, ex-convicts, and bandits. It was a diverse group, but it was a chaotic one, too. Their loyalty was questionable, and their only common ground was a common goal: a desire for riches and wealth.
Lucian used to copy Rochefort's guard's training routine in the past. Later on, he began to believe it was just a farce. With no real life experience, without being in a real battlefield, they weren't a real army, and no matter how much they trained, they wouldn't be a real fighting force.
And yet...
The way they were spread out and positioned, was also more tactical and efficient. It wasn't just an act to intimidate or seem stronger. They were ready to obliterate his group at a moment's notice.
It was subtle, but he was used to picking up details and reading people.
They've killed.
A lot.
He couldn't smell blood on their weapons, or in their clothes, and yet, the aura that surrounded them was similar to his most seasoned and experienced fighters back at the shore.
It no longer looked like they were here to escort and protect their lady to the safety of her home. It was more like a hunting party.
He stole a glimpse at the young lady, looking harmless, and yet, so deadly. This was the same girl who would hug him to sleep, who would cling to him and beg him to never leave her side, never to abandon her, and to always love her.
"..." Lucian looked back at the map, thinking of burning down the whole coast and building everything from scratch.
Yes.
That sounded like a plan.
Simple. Effective. And a lot cheaper.
He took out a paper, and started writing.
The King needed someone to do the dirty work and shoulder the blame for being a ruthless tyrant, or why else could he not take control of his own territory?
Rainy days were not rare in these parts, so the simple and effective plan Lucian had come up with was thrown down the drain as quickly as he came up with it.
"You're wasting sunlight," her voice echoed, making him pause.
"Excuse me?" he asked, not looking up. She seemed to be taking a break, and it wouldn't be her if she didn't use the opportunity to taunt him.
"I said, you're wasting the sunlight," Celine repeated.
Lucian raised his head, giving her a blank stare, "..."
She pointed at the map, "Sunlight," she repeated, then at the sky, "Sun."
"..." Lucian's gaze became colder, "Do I look like a fool to you, Lady Rochefort?"
Her mood seemed better now that she had his attention, and she didn't care that he didn't look happy, "What I meant was," she gestured at the sun again, "Best thing to do during these hours is to go out and explore. Look at me," she twirled around, making her skirt dance with her, "I'm ready and dressed for a nice walk."
"...You want me to follow you into the woods like a lost puppy, is that it?" Lucian asked.
She blinked at him, completely forgetting how she treated him in the morning, "Is there a problem?"
"..."
"You can bring a guard if you are afraid," she said, her tone not mocking, but rather reassuring.
Lucian put his papers down and stood up, "I guess the least I can do is humor you, since my presence has been a bother."
"Good, you can be taught!" she grinned.
"..." Lucian felt an urge to pinch her, and he looked down to avoid the temptation.