Chapter 88: Marching Into Battle
"Insolence!" General Norse’s voice thundered through the tent again, his composure snapping like a brittle thread. His face flushed with rage, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "How dare you, a mere soldier, speak to me like that?"
His repeated outbursts troubled Bener.
Lara met his fury with unwavering defiance. She didn’t know when exactly her disdain for the general had begun, but standing before him now, it burned brighter than ever.
"I am not a mere soldier, General Norse," she stated, her voice calm but firm. "I am a doctor."
The tension in the room coiled tighter.
"You!" General Norse’s voice surged with indignation, shattering the tense atmosphere like glass. His face already flushed, turned even redder from anger.
Berner, caught between them, felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple. He wanted to intervene, to smooth over the hostility crackling between his uncle and Kane, but words failed him.
"Kane, you must apologize to Uncle," he said at last, though his voice wavered. "He is your elder and a general. That alone demands your respect."
He stole a glance at General Norse, his tone carrying the weight of reverence. Yet, Lara wasn’t convinced. She had always felt there was more to the general than what he allowed others to see.
She dipped her head slightly in what might have passed for respect—but her voice was cold, measured.
"I apologize for the outburst, General. But I am devastated by what happened to Asael." Her words were carefully chosen, but the frost in them was unmistakable. "He was one of our finest soldiers, a warrior of exceptional skill, yet he was cut down without a fight—because he chose to protect Captain Norse. How does a captain fall so easily within the supposed safety of your camp?"