Chapter 8 The Worried Wife

• It got busy within the encampment of the waiting imposing, and the gallant army of the Night Witch. Men walked horses, armours were crafted, and blades were sharpened. Karl set his men to the task of secreting themselves among the citizens of Strongfall in order to bring rebels to heel.
• "This is substantial information," Henry told Karl in his war tent which had been set up to discuss information from spies and strategy. "I believe the men are telling the truth. There's no road there."
• Karl was resting and on his long sword as he reviewed the map. "Still, their words can't be trusted," he said, looking up at Henry. "These men are citizens of these kingdoms, are they not?"
• "They are."
• "They are mercenaries. Even if we make sure these men have no loyalty for their countries, but for the coin, we need to be certain. Send out trusted spies who aren't from these places. Have them give a substantial report."
• Henry gave a single nod.
• One of Karl's men walked in. "Commander! Your wife is here to see you."
• Keeping that lady away was impossible. Wasn't she supposed to be in the library? 
• "Send her in," Karl said, and looked at Henry, a look that gave a silent command.
• Henry curtly nodded. As he turned to walk out, Lexi walked in, her maid behind. Henry greeted her and saw himself out.
• "Wait outside," Lexi said to her maid, and she obeyed. She returned gaze to her husband. "I've not seen you for three days."
• "I'm sorry," Karl said and moved to sit down. "I've been setting my men to task."
• "I know." Her gaze went about the tent, then it settled on the table.
• Karl squinted his eyes, giving her studious gaze as she looked more closely at the map. "What are you looking at?"
• "This map. It looks familiar to the one I saw recently in the library. I think this is outdated. That one was more comprehensive." Lexi looked at him.
• That was enough to get Karl on his feet, he looked at the map. He pointed at the map, at the very place he had been discussing with Henry. "Did you see this place?"
• Lexi nodded, still looking at the map.
• "Is there a road there?" he asked.
• Again she nodded.
• "Darling! It's okay to say yes. You don't have to strain your neck to nod."
• "Okay."
• A lady who was days back naive to a lot of things had helped him out with a very big military problem. Perhaps, there was no need to send out his men anymore. He could use that route and give the enemy a surprise attack.
• "So, you'll be going to war soon?" Lexi asked.
• Karl offered her the other seat in the tent. "Yes. Surely, you won't miss me. You're occupied with books, I believe."
• "They do have a way to trap the mind," she confirmed, "and the characters they project are a perfect picture of human behavior."
• "So much went into writing those."
• "Yes. I read about sex too, and marriage. It was enlightening, only our people don't try those. They deem it abominable."
• Karl hoped a little reading had changed her mind, but he couldn't know for sure. Ever since he had married her, he had forced her to wear perfume, but what she wore was her business. Today, however, she looked regal in her red gown, and even though it wasn't how she looked whenever she went to the library, since he never missed the sight of her on horseback as she rode away, not that she knew, she was always in a casual outfit. This looked beautiful, and she had worn it just to see, and please him.
• It was a thing of attention, and the aroma of her perfume was different and better. He had to let her know he noticed the change. "You look beautiful," he said.
• Lexi smiled. "Thank you. I dressed for you." 
• Always so direct. Maybe, reading would make her mind a bit subtle. Either way, he loved her. Wait. Loved? It wasn't a subject Karl was sure of. Surely, his mind was mistaken. He married her because of her beauty. It was wild and needed a little touch to flourish. Nothing else.
• Again, she broached the subject of war. "When do you go to war?"
• "Soon," Karl said. He wasn't a careless commander. He needed to be sure every scenario was covered before he rode out with his army. But not every scene could really be covered. Life taught him that. The much he tried to think things up with his men, that's the much he was able to cover. 
• "Okay," she said. Her voice was soft, and sultry. "I'll wait for you."
• "Are you scared for my life?"
• "A little. I read about the ways of war, and it isn't pleasant."
• "My love! It's how I pay the men. It's how we keep the camp. Remember, war is necessary for us to feed." Would his explanation make sense to her peaceful mind?
• "Peace is golden," Lexi said. "What if the world stops fighting? How then would you pay your men? Shouldn't you learn other trades?"
• But Karl knew his men, and he knew himself. "There's always been a war since I grew up. Not a day has passed on this earth that someone wasn't at each other's throat. This army was put together after the last eastern conflict. It was a war that lasted for decades. Many of these men were removed from the breast of their mothers and forced into a life of military discipline, accompanied with the ways of the sword, blood, and death. War is all they know. They don't know any other craft, save to build war engines, make swords, bows, arrows, armours, and spears. It's all they know. And man is always trouble, my love. We are just trying to be the bigger trouble to them. That way, they put all thoughts of war from their minds."
• And it was about to work. They had used a secret route to Strongfall, and their armies within her walls had remained a secret. Messages to inform the enemy of their presence from lords and spies of other kingdoms and cities had been intercepted from the day of their arrival, and they knew all of Strongfall's enemies. In the coming days, they would strike each kingdom to announce their presence. Then, all attempts to come at Strongfall would be foiled.