Chapter 107: Completely Cornered
"Before the Red Blades incident, I had never been so cornered in my entire life."
"I was forced to watch and agree as my power lessened while covering my ass."
"But there was nothing that I could do if despicable schemes worked; you gain great rewards."
"But if they fail or get exposed by some darn bad luck, you will have to watch as all of your hard labour is shattered into tiny pieces of glass."
"Ridorfin Rikutus, Duke of Detarnor in the Kingdom of Nathia"
....
Footsteps echoed through Ridorfin’s silent audience chamber as Count Nidor Pagnar and 5 of his knights entered behind them Captain Packard was dragged into the duke’s court in a pitiful state. His clothes, which were dirty and torn from days of travelling, showed the suffering he had endured since his capture by the multiethnic noble’s prisoner as his armour was stripped from him shortly after he was captured, as the rest of the bandits and Red Blades fled in terror from those extraordinary caravan guards who sent a shiver down the mercenary captain’s spine whenever he thought about them. When the dirty and unkempt man saw the duke, a glint of hope appeared in his eyes as he saw his employer hoping that the cunning duke would have a way to save him, but the cold, ruthless frown that was plastered over Duke Ridorfin’s face sent a chill down not only his but down backs of most of the duke’s court as few dared to draw the ire of his anger.
The courtiers and nobles of the duke’s court looked on with fear and respect at the two men, none of them daring to interfere in their conflict, with Vice Count Valentine being the only noble to be seemingly unaffected, maintaining the cold and aloof expression that he was so famous for and that terrified so many criminals and prisoners of the duchy.
Walking up to the duke’s throne that was placed on a raised platform, he stopped at the bottom. His escort of knights had already handed over Packard to him as the count looked at the angry duke with a smile. It was apparent that the jovial Count of Brineyard was enjoying this situation immensely.
A situation where he held the power and everyone knows it.
"Your grace."
Count Nidor said with a bit of sarcasm as he bowed respectfully. If it were anyone else or any other situation, then Duke Ridorfin would not humour such disrespect, but this situation was unlike any other he had dealt with in the past because, for the first time in the duke’s decade-long reign, he was at a disadvantage.