Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 142: For the Sake of a Mere Child

Camilla felt her already hurting belly sink to the floor at his words. "What do you mean? Is he threatening war?"

William huffed in disgust. "If only. He didn’t bother declaring, he just sent his army forward under the cover of night and invaded. Our scouts have reported his soldiers are already ten miles within our borders. They have seized significant lands to the east of the Arandar Valley and have started looting and pillaging most of the villages along the river. Kenneth’s soldiers are moving south at a frightening pace."

Camilla felt sick at the news. All the women around turned pale with shock.

"We always knew this was coming." William muttered, his tone bitter. "I just didn’t expect it quite so soon."

"Isn’t it a huge risk for my uncle to invade so early in the year? Most campaigns usually start in the spring." Camilla knew enough about the timing of campaigns from her father and brothers, to know that the role of the weather couldn’t be underestimated in an army’s success or otherwise.

William shrugged, his face dark. "Usually, yes. But it has been a dry and warm winter in the north. The rivers aren’t as high as they should be this time of year, which has allowed the Moraigthian army to advance far more easily and quickly than we’d typically expect them to. Besides, Kenneth will be relying on the element of surprise because as you say, no one would usually dare attack before the warmer weather. He has caught us unaware and with our borders lightly defended. You can’t imagine King Edward’s fury right now."

"So now..." Camilla’s voice was a thin thread.

"Now...we prepare to mobilise our forces and march north as urgently as we can. The king has ordered the army and its commanders to depart in two days’ time."

"Two days?" Camilla yelped in horror. "That’s impossible! How does he think you can prepare everything in such little time?"

William rubbed the back of his neck. "Because we actually can. It’ll be a monumental effort of course, and I doubt I’ll get a wink of sleep between now and then. But between the other princes and myself, we should have our knights ready to depart by the king’s deadline."

Her husband was leaving in two days. He was going into war against an army known for its lack of discipline and outright viciousness, led by a king who bore him a personal grudge.

This was a nightmare.

"Isn’t it better to wait a little longer to plan more before departure?" Camilla argued weakly, desperate to keep William at her side and free from harm for even a little while longer. "If my uncle’s forces only started their assault last night, the damage can’t be too grave yet. Better to take the time to better prepare-"

"It’s already grave, my love." William’s face was etched in unhappiness. "The Moraigthian army is behaving no better than a pack of animals. They have already set fire to numerous villages and crop fields, killed countless innocent people. The local mayors have already been executed. Women and children have started being marched to the border to be sold into slavery."

Camilla felt her belly start to cramp painfully again at the terrible events William was describing. She heard Elizabeth whimper in fear, knowing well that Archibald would be called to join the army as well.

"I’m sorry, my love. I came here to tell you, but I must go prepare. I have countless things to address before I depart with my knights." William turned to leave.

"Wait!" Camilla grabbed the front of his tunic with desperation. He paused and turned to face her, but Camilla didn’t know what to even say to him. Her head was spinning with the sudden news, but she knew the march of war wouldn’t be stopped. They would be separated for weeks, if not months.

He looked down at her with a mixture of anger and sorrow, touching her cheek. "We both knew your uncle was more than capable of this. You must be brave while I’m gone."

Camilla nodded in defeat, refusing to let any tears fall. She wouldn’t weep when it wasn’t her that was charging headlong into danger. Reluctantly, she let go on William’s tunic.

As he turned to depart again, she managed to utter, "Why?"

Why now, she asked herself silently? Why now, when the two of us have only had a few short months of happiness together?

William nodded slightly as if he understood her unsaid words. "You know King Kenneth has a son now, don’t you?"

"Yes, I’d heard." Camilla was aware Queen Antonia had given birth to a supposedly healthy boy the previous month. Some of the Islian court ladies had cattily mentioned that she had now been bumped further down the Moraigthian line of succession, but Camilla had felt immense relief. She wanted nothing to do with intrigues over that throne.

"Well, it seems the birth of a son has emboldened your uncle. He has decided that he’ll reconquer the borderlands, never mind that those lands have been part of Islia for a dozen generations. He wishes to pass on a far larger Moraigth than the one that exists now, as an inheritance to his boy. And he plans to grow that country at the expense of Islia and on the back of its innocent people."

William started to stalk away, talking to himself more than to anyone else. Camilla however, heard every word as if it were a dagger to her heart. She heard the disgust dripping from his voice.

"For the sake of a child. All this goddamn destruction and chaos, for the sake of a mere fucking child in the cradle."

- - -

The entire palace was a frenzy of activity as the royal army of Islia prepared to mobilise. It was announced that the court wouldn’t relocate to Magdaline Castle the following month, as was usual in the spring. Instead, it would remain in Westerhaven, which was much further from the Moraigthian border.

William hadn’t exaggerated when he said he’d be occupied every minute of the day and night. That following night, he didn’t come to bed until shortly before dawn, as his time was taken up by several strategy planning meetings. He rose again and left the room after only an hour of rest.

During the day, Camilla only saw him briefly in passing as he inspected regiments of men, weapons caches and wagons being loaded with provisions.

Camilla didn’t have a single moment alone with him in which she could share her news. Even if she did, would she simply be adding another worry to his already occupied mind?

Then again, she asked herself, was it fair to let him leave for battle without knowing he was going to be a father in a few months?

Camilla decided she had to tell him. The afternoon before the army’s departure was scheduled, she tore through the palace looking for William. After asking several harried looking servants, she managed to find out he was in the stables, inspecting the warhorses and pack animals that would accompany the Islian forces. Camilla ran to find him, arriving short of breath at the stables, which were crowded with rushing men.

"William!" she called out when she saw his fair hair at some distance away.

He turned in the direction of his voice, but so did the two men next to him - Prince Leo and King Edward himself.

Camilla hesitated - she didn’t want others around when she spoke to her husband. But what choice did she have?

She approached nervously, politely bowing to the king and prince. Edward gave her a distracted nod of greeting, then continued his conversation with one of the stable hands.

Leo however, aimed a hard look at Camilla. "I thought your marrying into our family was supposed to prevent the very conflict that’s now erupted. If it hasn’t brought us peace with Moraigth, what benefits exactly has your union brought to this nation?"

Camilla ducked her head in shame. While she knew she had no control over her uncle’s actions, she understood why some Islians would regard her suspiciousy and wonder if William marrying her had been worth the effort.

Camilla saw William flush with anger. Before he could respond however, King Edward turned his head and intervened.

"Enough, Leo. The princess isn’t to blame." the king replied, eyes tired. "That northern son of a bitch has been looking for an excuse to break the truce and invade for years. If it hadn’t been for William’s marriage, Kenneth would’ve attacked us last spring. Hell, he would’ve likely attacked us two springs ago, but he was forced to deal with his own brother’s rebellion instead."

Leo’s nostrils flared but he said no more. He walked off to inspect one of the warhorses.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?" Camilla whispered to William.

William glanced back at her. "What’s wrong? You’re not ill, are you?"

"I’m not ill." Camilla didn’t lie.

"Can we speak this evening then? I have several urgent tasks to finish before sundown, if we’re to depart at dawn."

Camilla looked at William and hesitated.