I Died and Became a Noble's Heir-Chapter 282: Abandonment

Dawn broke over Sorne with a pale light. It was too quiet that morning. This could only mean one thing, the day ahead would bring nothing good.

The eastern watchtower stood perhaps sixty feet tall, its stone construction dating back centuries to when the city’s founders had first claimed this territory.

Guards rotated through its heights in four-hour shifts, their eyes scanning the horizon for threats that usually never materialized.

Today was different from normal.

"Movement," one guard said, his voice tight as he leaned over the parapet. "Eastern approach, maybe three miles out."

His companion moved to join him, both men straining to see details through the morning haze that clung to the valley floor like smoke.

"Could be merchants," the second guard offered, though his tone said he didn’t believe a word of that. "Early caravan trying to beat the heat."

"Merchants don’t move in formations." The first guard pointed toward distant shapes that were resolving into something more distinct as the light strengthened. "And they don’t number in the thousands."

The second guard’s face paled. He turned immediately, shouting down to the tower’s base where a runner waited for exactly this kind of message.

"Sound the bells! Enemy forces approaching from the east!"

The runner sprinted toward the main keep, his boots striking cobblestones as he rushed to alert someone higher up. Within minutes, bells began ringing across Sorne, their clear tones cutting through morning quiet with messages that every citizen understood.

Prepare for war.

---

Octavia stood at the head of the table. Her golden eyes tracked across maps that showed Sorne’s defensive positions.

Officers moved around her swiftly.

Relaying reports, confirming positions, ensuring every defensive element was exactly where it needed to be.

"Arydn forces in position at the eastern approach," an officer reported, his crimson and gold marking him as part of that house’s command structure. "Two thousand troops with cavalry in reserve. Captain Kain requests confirmation on engagement protocols."

"Hold position," Octavia replied without looking up from the map. "No advance engagements until we know Marcus’s full deployment. I want him committed before we reveal our strength."

The officer nodded and departed, already moving toward the next task.

Seraphina appeared at Octavia’s shoulder, her presence as silent as always. "House Veyra reports the northern gate is secured. Fifteen hundred troops with archers positioned on the wall."

"Good." Octavia’s finger traced the northern section of Sorne’s walls. "What about the ballistas?"

"Being positioned now," Seraphina confirmed. "Eight giant ballistas total. Four on the eastern wall, two north, two west."

Octavia allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. The giant ballistas had been her father’s investment after a horde of large beasts rushed Sorne decades ago.

Each one stood perhaps fifteen feet tall, their mechanisms capable of hurling projectiles the size of a SUV with enough force to punch through dragon scales.

Against mercenaries in armor? The effect would be devastating.

"House Dustspire?" Octavia asked.

"Western defenses anchored," another officer replied, his brown and bronze colors marking him as Dustspire’s representative. "Eighteen hundred troops with heavy infantry forward. Lord Dustspire wants confirmation on fallback positions if the walls are breached."

"There won’t be a breach," Octavia said, her voice carrying certainty she didn’t entirely feel. "But if there is, fall back to the secondary line here." She indicated positions on the map that would create a defensive corridor leading away from civilian districts. "Funnel them into kill zones where our archers have the advantage."

The Dustspire officer grimaced but nodded. "Understood, Lady Octavia."

"And Mistfang?"

Seraphina consulted a report that had just been delivered. "Reserve forces positioned in the central square. Twelve hundred troops ready for rapid deployment to wherever Marcus commits his main assault. Lady Mistfang reports her forces can reach any wall section within five minutes."

Octavia studied the map, her mind working through scenarios with the precision her tutors had drilled into her since childhood.

Seven thousand troops. No, six thousand two hundred now, after Starfell’s departure. Against fifteen thousand professional mercenaries.

The mathematics weren’t favorable, but mathematics rarely accounted for everything.

Defensive advantage.

Superior positioning.

Giant ballistas that could thin enemy ranks before they even reached the walls.

And somewhere out there, Jack was coming.

She knew it with the same certainty she knew the sun would rise. Her brother had a gift for dramatic timing that bordered on supernatural.

"Supply lines?" Octavia asked.

"Secured," Seraphina confirmed. "Water from the city wells, food stores sufficient for eight weeks of siege. Medical stations established in the eastern, northern, and western districts. Healers on rotation."

Movement at the war room entrance made everyone turn. A young soldier, barely out of his teens, stood at attention with a rigid posture.

The color in his face was drained. You could see how terrified he was of delivering bad news.

"Report," Octavia commanded.

The soldier swallowed hard. "My lady, House Starfell’s forces have departed. All eight hundred troops. They left through the southern gate approximately ten minutes ago."

The war room went silent.

Octavia’s hands pressed against the table’s edge, her knuckles whitening as fury erupted in her chest.

She forced it down, buried it beneath the calm facade that leadership required, but everyone present could feel the temperature drop several degrees.

"When?" Her voice came out perfectly level despite the storm raging beneath.

"Dawn, my lady. The Starfell emissary gave no explanation. Just ordered his forces to pack and march. They were gone before anyone could question the order."

Octavia’s jaw clenched.

’That bastard. That pompous, cowardly bastard had waited until the last possible moment, until defenses were committed and redeployment would cause chaos, then simply abandoned his position.’

"Seraphina," Octavia said quietly, "summon the other house representatives. Now."

Within minutes, the war room’s occupants had swelled to include the major houses’ senior officers. The Veyra emissary arrived first, her silver and blue dress somehow still immaculate despite the chaos of preparing defenses.

The Arydn representative followed close behind, his scarred face darkening as he took in Octavia’s expression.

House Dustspire’s towering officer had to duck through the doorway, his massive frame making the war room feel suddenly cramped. And Lady Mistfang herself appeared, her gray and pale green dress making her seem almost translucent in the morning light filtering through high windows.

"Starfell has withdrawn," Octavia said without preamble. "Eight hundred troops. Gone. They departed through the southern gate."

The Veyra emissary’s face darkened, her angular features twisting into something ugly. "That craven son of a..."

"We’ll deal with him later," the Arydn representative snarled, his voice carrying the growl of someone who’d seen betrayal before and knew its cost. "Right now we need to cover his position."

"The southern approach was our weakest assignment anyway," Lady Mistfang said, her soft voice somehow cutting through rising tension. "Intelligence suggested Marcus would focus elsewhere. Starfell’s departure is a blow to our numbers, but not our strategy."

"It’s a blow to morale," the Dustspire officer rumbled. "When word spreads that a major house abandoned the defense, the others will question whether they should follow suit."

Octavia straightened, her yellow eyes tracking across each representative’s face with the kind of focus that demanded attention.

"Then we make certain, word doesn’t spread. As far as anyone below officer rank knows, Starfell was reassigned to alternative duties. We maintain confidence, and when this is over..." Her expression hardened into something cold and promising.

"We ensure House Starfell learns the cost of abandoning their oaths."

The Arydn representative’s scarred face split into a grim smile. "I’ll personally ensure that lesson is thorough."

"After," Octavia emphasized. "Right now, we have fifteen thousand mercenaries about to test our walls. Redistribution. Arydn, pull two hundred troops from your reserve and reinforce the southern approach. It won’t be fully manned, but it’ll be enough to prevent complete exposure."

"Done," the Arydn representative confirmed.

"Everyone else maintains position. Marcus will probe our defenses, test for weakness. When he finds none, he’ll commit to wherever he thinks he can break through. That’s when Mistfang’s reserves deploy and we crush whatever force he sends."