The tension in the air was palpable as Count Hamen approached the entrance grounds, his steps measured and his expression unreadable.
The county's soldiers stood at attention, their eyes fixed on Wymar and his men, who had been kept waiting inside the castle walls before the entrance.
Wymar's face was a mask of barely contained frustration, his hands clenched at his sides as he watched Hamen approach.
Behind him, his men shifted uneasily, their eyes darting between their leader and the imposing figure of the Count.
Jolthar and Myron stood to the side, their presence unnoticed for the moment as they observed the scene with keen interest. Their talk had been halted for the time being. Myon stayed with Jolthar as he was curious about Jolthar's arrival here, and his talk with Wymar only made him more intrigued.
Jolthar's sharp eyes studied Hamen, taking in the man's calm demeanour and the way he carried himself with an air of quiet authority.
Myron, meanwhile, was more focused on the dynamics between Hamen and Wymar.
Hamen stopped a few feet away from Wymar, his hands clasped behind his back. He didn't bow or offer any formal greeting, his expression as cold and unyielding as the stone walls of his castle.
Wymar's jaw tightened, but he didn't immediately speak, his eyes narrowing as he waited for Hamen to break the silence.
Finally, Wymar could no longer hold back.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his voice sharp and cutting. "You keep us waiting at your gates like common beggars, and now you stand there without so much as a word of greeting. Is this how you treat representatives of the Empire?"
Hamen's expression didn't change. He tilted his head slightly, his gaze steady as he regarded Wymar. "Do you want me to take you inside, serve you tea, and then talk?" He said, his tone calm but laced with sarcasm.
"I don't have time for such formalities. Say what you came for and be on your way."
Wymar's face flushed with anger, but he didn't lash out. He knew Hamen well enough to understand that provoking him would only make things worse.
Instead, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. "You're not going to send any men, are you?" He said, his voice quieter now but no less intense.
"Not even your beasts?"
Hamen's lips curled into a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "You already know the answer to that," he said.
"Why waste your breath asking?"
Wymar sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. The sudden anger dissipated, and it was replaced with a familiarity of known men.
He glanced at Hamen for a moment, contemplating that a firm stance might make him relent, but as always, Hamen remained unwavering, just as he always had.
"Hamen," he said, his tone softer now, almost pleading. "This isn't going to be forever. You need to show your loyalty to the Emperor. If you don't… I don't know what he'll do. I'm saying this because we once fought together. Because I know you."
Jolthar and Myron exchanged a glance, their eyebrows raised in surprise.
Wymar and Hamen knew each other? This was news to Jolthar, and from the look on Myron's face, it was news to him as well. They turned their attention back to the two men, their curiosity piqued.
Hamen's expression softened slightly, though his eyes remained cold.
"Then you know," he said, his voice low and measured.
"Wymar, why should I care about their wars?"
Wymar opened his mouth to respond, but Hamen raised a hand, cutting him off.
"I don't care about the Empire's politics," he continued, his tone firm. "I don't care about their decrees or their demands. If the Chittera come for my county, I'll deal with them. And if anyone else—Empire or otherwise—dares to threaten my people, they'll meet the same fate. That's all you need to know."
Wymar stared at Hamen for a long moment, his expression a mixture of frustration and resignation.
Finally, he nodded, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Very well," he said. "But don't say I didn't warn you."
Hamen then smiled, "You know me, Wymar."
Wymar raised an eyebrow and said, "Yeah, that's why I am not punching you in the face."
Hamen chuckled; his men were surprised, and so was everyone. From the time he came, he did not even move a muscle on his face, and his men never once saw him smile like that. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novelFirｅ.net
"Always so full of vigour, eh, Wymar," he said.
Wymar shook his head. "It's exhausting to run errands for the general."
Mentioning the general, Hamen's face became stiffened, and he asked, "How is the lord doing now?"
"Yeah, he is doing all right. He was the one who sent me here.
I even told the general that you wouldn't agree even if I came, but he insisted that I should try at least."
Hamen sighed, "That's fine. Now shoo away from my county."
Wymar breathed in, "The next ones won't be as polite as me—unless you count 'bloody fool' as courteous!"
With that, Wymar turned and gestured for his men to follow. They mounted their horses and rode away, leaving Hamen standing alone at the gates.
The whole exchange was like a bizarre experience for the men who were watching.
Clearly, they weren't hostile towards each other considering the matter at hand.
It was more like friends who were catching up after a long time, so casual and carefree. The way Wymar acted would have angered anyone, but Hamen only smiled, like it was some banter between friends.
The men who came with Wymar were perplexed as to what just happened. Wymar was supposed to convince or even subdue Hamen if necessary to make him follow the emperor's decree, but Wymar did no such thing. Instead, he just warned him and left.
Not many knew about their relationship, so they just pondered about their conversation.
Before leaving, Wymar asked Jolthar to come and report to him in the campsite, which was located 12 miles east of the county.