Kyoumi and Sorai both wanted to spend time with their sons. Honestly, taking all three forts was a great milestone—they convinced Hiroki to turn it into a longer celebration, and they simply hid away for most of it. Andreas couldn’t blame them.


    He appreciated that Kasper and Emelie enjoyed being here, at least, even if their first visit to their mother’s home nation was in the circumstance of war. Andreas never actually thought he’d see it—those dense forests and the sounds coming from them, not knowing if that movement across the horizon was a trick of the light or some beast of sorts. Sólstaeur didn’t have creatures like kitsune, tengu, oni, or kijo; they had wild animals the size of a man, adapted to the cold weather but with no way to speak or share thoughts.


    Andreas sat outside with his kids, just appreciating the weather and occasionally commenting on Kasper’s drawing. Almost a full month passed since they took the third fort; they would need to start moving soon. He might as well take a few moments for his family while he could.


    “Papa,” Emelie said, toying with a necklace she found in the fort. She used Sólstaeur’s native tongue, disguising the conversation from any passerby. “Will we have to fight Uncle Toru?”


    Kasper hissed at his sister; maybe it was a question he had first. Still, Andreas sighed.


    “I can’t promise,” he admitted. “Masaaki territory is behind the capital, but they might retreat there. He wouldn’t really try against us, though.”


    Andreas met his brother-in-law only a few times—enough that Kasper and Emelie recognized him, but not enough to be a close relative like Andreas’s own sister. If he knew anything about Toru, though, it was that he genuinely cared about Miya. He wouldn’t do something that could possibly hurt Miya’s children.


    It didn’t assure either of them, so Andreas tried a smile instead.


    “I’ll mention it,” he promised.


    No sooner than Kasper and Emelie murmured agreement that someone spoke up from behind him.


    “Roken?”


    Andreas obediently turned around and offered a small wave to Kyoumi. She half-smiled back.


    “I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said. “It’s time for our meeting.”


    “All right.” He stood up and gave a partly apologetic look to Kasper and Emelie, but both were understanding. “I’ll be back in an hour or so.”


    “Be wary if you want to talk with Rei and Taiyo,” Kyoumi warned, albeit still maintaining a relatively casual tone. Her eyes suggested otherwise—caution and concern, for both her and Roken’s respective children. “Taiyo isn’t feeling well; he tends to get rough when he has a migraine, so be careful.”Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Kasper nodded and Emelie murmured an “okay,” allowing Kyoumi to be satisfied. With another word of goodbye, she led Andreas to inside the fort.


    Most things were outdoors in the camp, but they used the first two or three rooms of the fort for more private things—mainly battle tactics. They had a makeshift war council setup in the main entrance area, seating Hiroki, Kyoumi, Sorai, and Andreas.


    Andreas took his spot next to Hiroki, who then started off the meeting.


    “First things first, we’ve made tremendous progress in just a short time,” Hiroki said. “Our waiting times will be getting longer alongside our supply lines, but we should be able to move in before the leaves start falling.”


    “It gives us a chance to fully decide on what to do,” Sorai decided. “Do we have any information on the route there, or the layout of the castle itself?”


    Hiroki cast a curious look towards Andreas, and he shook his head in response.


    “Miya didn’t describe it with perfect clarity, if that’s what you want,” he said. “She only brought it up to tell good stories—it wasn’t a part of her she wanted to stay associated with.”


    “As expected.” Hiroki leaned back in his chair and looked at Kyoumi and Sorai instead. “The second prince has mentioned being there.”


    Kyoumi tensed. “I’m not interrogating him.”


    “Have you tried?” Hiroki asked, skeptical.


    “Yes,” Sorai replied with a scowl. “And he snapped at me. He needs more time before he can talk about it—otherwise, it might get worse.”


    Hiroki sighed. “We’re still on the first step, then. It shouldn’t be too different from Gin’s, but you can never be too sorry. We don’t have any records—and if we do, they’re outdated.”


    They fell silent to let it sink in. Hiroki used it a lot—giving them quietness to force them to think. Andreas knew Kyoumi was more concerned about her sons—even now, she scanned the outside and what little she could see of the camp—while Sorai had more tactical experience but not enough to make a large contribution.


    Andreas perked up when he had an idea. Hiroki gave him a permissive look, letting him voice it.


    “It will take trust,” he began, “But I’m familiar with Miya’s brother, Toru—he leads the Masaaki family now. Could I speak with him?”


    Kyoumi’s attention returned to the meeting as she cast him a quizzical look.


    “Would he listen?”


    “He was the one who told me about Miya’s death,” Andreas said, nodding. “And he gives Kasper and Emelie practically everything they ask for. Toru truly regrets that his sister isn’t here—he’ll hear me out, if nothing else, I just need a way to get to him.”


    Hiroki hummed. “We have enough spare rations for a small unit. We can send a few Sólstaeuric soldiers towards Masaaki territory; not enough to overtake it, but enough to talk to—or, even better, capture—Masaaki Toru. I’ll only take the risk if you can prove it won’t be in vain, then.”


    “I can send a letter first,” Andreas reasoned. “If he responds, then we’ll go—if he doesn’t, then we won’t.”


    “Our greatest danger would be if he said ‘yes’ only to ambush us,” Sorai mused. “Kuro will be pooling all their resources into the castle whether we know their common strategies and placements or not—in most situations, it’s only advantageous.”


    “Could we start there?” Andreas asked Hiroki. “We’ll be waiting here anyway.”


    “Just be careful,” Hiroki said evenly. “We can’t afford to stand around while we regain Sólstaeuric troops. You wouldn’t be able to take your children, either.”


    “I understand,” Andreas replied. “I’ll make sure they know.”


    With any luck, it might help all of their concerns—Kasper and Emelie’s desire to have a living uncle, and the rest of the army to have some kind of advantage over Kuro.


    The queen and king murmured their agreement, and Hiroki moved on to the more in-depth description of supply lines.