"Excuse me?" One of Ada’s maids went over to a Gotic envoy who was eating. Looking up at her, he put on a flattering smile. "The Princess has asked us to get her some of her favourite food. We are going to look around for it a bit to find them. Is that okay?"

"Of course, we simply ask you to return before midnight. We will be leaving early and don’t want any delay." The slight threatening tone in his voice was obvious to the maid, and she repeatedly nodded. Turning around, she went back up to her room, where Ada sat in a maid’s dress.

"We have to leave now, Princess." Ada grabbed two clocks and handed them over before putting the other on. Pulling up the hood, it was hard to tell who she was.

"What about the others? They will interrogate them when they find out I’m gone." Ada worried about her other maids and was conflicted about whether running to her father was the right choice. The maid saw that and smiled sweetly.

"They are all leaving in the dead of night. And the Gotics won’t do anything to them. We are all noble daughters." Ada took a deep breath and nodded in understanding. Grabbing a small basket, she put as much gold and gems as she could in it before covering it with a thin blanket.

"Let us go." The maid nodded and followed behind. Her coworkers had all started their part of the plan, distracting the envoys so Ada could slip past unnoticed.

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"They stopped in the town up ahead." One of the two operatives, who had been sent to follow the carriage, came back with his report. It was too suspicious to follow behind a convoy of carriages, especially when they looked like they belonged to a noble family. A couple riding a horse could get away with it, however.

"Let us." The carriage moved into the town, and they quickly spotted where the Gotic was resting. Horace got off and walked over to his other operative who was watching in the shadows.

"Two people left." She spoke with a cold tone and pointed in the direction where Ada went. "Two maids. One covering her face." Horace nodded and fell into thought.

He tried to think like Ada. He knew a little about the princess, but she was always low on the radar for the Empire’s intelligence, never being a threat. ’Where would she go? Not the palace. Her brother would kill her.’ Horace tried to think. Any ally she could have had already revolted after her marriage with the Dabrowskis went to war with the crown. ’Snowid.’ It was obvious if he thought about it.

A princess who had been in the palace her whole life couldn’t go anywhere, really. Even leaving the Gotic’s entourage was dangerous. "The princess is going to need some help." Horace quickly went back to his carriage. Opening a chest of clothes, he quickly stripped and put on a high-quality suit. He made sure to add a couple of ornaments to look like a travelling merchant.

"Halfdan, with me. The rest of you prepare the carriage to move." Horace moved quickly, following the direction his operative pointed in. It didn’t take long for Horace to catch sight of the two. It was obvious that Ada had no real plan on what to do as she looked around in confusion.

"You seem lost, " Horace said in a friendly voice, smiling warmly at them. The maid quickly moved to block Ada and Horace.

"We are fine, sir. There is no need to worry." The maid put on a confident front and locked eyes with Horace.

"Are you sure?" He didn’t back down despite her words, moving closer to them. Ada and the maid backed up, with the maid signalling for her to run if necessary. "You see, you two stick out like sore thumbs here. Your clothing. Although you dress as maids, it is obvious you don’t serve the lord here. It’s too high quality."

"Then those carriages that arrived. The Gotics. News spread amongst the merchants of their arrival and quick departure from Torun. So, are you lost?"

"Run Princ..."

"I wouldn’t do that." Before the maid could finish, Horace cut in. Halfdan moved forward and showed the cold steel of a hidden weapon. "Please. Put that away." Horace turned to Halfdan and scolded him before looking at Ada again.

"Forigve my servants rudeness." Bowing towards her, he didn’t rise until Ada let him.

"It’s fine." She couldn’t understand why Horace was acting like this. Maybe it was to buy time for the Gotics to arrive, but they would have already caught up to them if that was the case. "What do you want?" She took the risk. If they wanted to rob her, then so be it. If they tried to kill her, a single scream would have the streets flooded with people in minutes.

"You see, when I saw you, I made a choice. I’ll go to the highest bidder. So how much will you pay me to help you leave." Horace smile was full of greed as he stared at the two. Ada frowned but sighed and nodded.

His plan was to find a carriage to get her out of there, and now someone came to her. Whilst she didn’t like he knew her identity, there was nothing she could do. Handing the basket over, Horace pulled the rag aside and saw the glowing gems. His lips curled in delight.

"This is a lot." Turning to Halfdan, he showed its contents. "What do you think?"

Rolling his eyes, he pushed it aside. "Whatever you think is right." Horace smiled and handed him the basket. Turning back to the two women, he clapped his hands.

"Perfect. Would you come with me then?"

"You’re not going to the Gotics for a price?" Ada squinted suspiciously, making Horace chuckle. Walking off, he spoke.

"First, they will get suspicious and send out a search team for you if I did. I may even be tortured until they get the information they want, and that doesn’t seem particularly fun. Second. I assume they handed over most of their wealth to your brother when buying your hand in marriage. So I doubt they can offer me anything better than this. I honestly didn’t think I would find myself a princess to haggle with when I came to you."

Horace looked back at them and urged them to follow. Ada and the maid sighed and did so. Walking back to his carriage, they passed by the place the Gotic entourage was staying, and Ada felt her heart race. Horace knew she would be nervous, but it was all about building trust. If he didn’t rat her out here despite having her money, a single seed of trust would be planted.

Only when they were out of sight and by Horace’s carriage did the two sigh in relief. Horace opened the back of his carriage, and all the operatives he brought looked at them with cold, detached eyes. Ada and the maid froze, looking at them. They weren’t merchants. That much was obvious.

"Who are you?" Ada didn’t follow Horace and Halfdan into the large carriage. Staring up at him, Horace smiled.

"Forgive me. When I said I was a merchant, I lied a little. I don’t sell normal goods. These people around me are all assassins." There was no point in lying. He was sure Ada had seen her fair share of them, even if she wasn’t the heir to the throne. "Don’t worry, however. You already paid me. Our services are yours until our mission is complete."

The maid looked at Ada in fear, not wishing to get in, but Ada didn’t hesitate. Climbing up on the carriage, Horace helped her up. Ada looked at her servant and smiled. "Don’t worry. If they wanted to kill us, they already would have." She was sure of it. She didn’t even realize Horace approach until he spoke to her.

The maid gulped but nodded, climbing in afterward. Once everyone was on, Horace slammed the wall, and the carriage started to move.

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"If the Laska’s are mobilising, then we should strike now. The longer we wait, the more time Snowid has to prepare a defence." Henryk said sternly, looking down at the map.

"We need to break their position before we take any large actions. I have already mobilised a few siege weapons to bombard their camp. Either they are forced to attack to stop it or retreat. Once that is done, we can cross the bridge and secure a foothold."

"Our backs to the water. Are you crazy?" Henryk snapped at Isra’s remark, making her roll her eyes.

"What do you propose, Duke? Throw men across like you and Snowid have been doing this whole time. How had this worked out? No matter who crosses first, one of us will have our backs against the river."

Alfred looked at the map, deep in thought, as the sound of the two bickering became white noise. "What if we let them cross?" His words made the tent go silent. "Having our back to the water is obviously not great. Whilst the Ammary men have been taught how to swim as part of training, it is the same for your men, Henryk?"

The duke shook his head, making Alfred smile. "If that is the case, what are the chances Snowid has."

"Unlikely. And if they did, they would be in armour. They will sink before they have the chance. Same with our men." Everyone agreed with Henryk’s, and Alfred’s smile grew wider, looking slightly sinister to everyone.

"I propose we let the Laska’s come. When they have, we shall feint a retreat back. Let them create a foothold on our side. Then push them back into the water."

"That’s fine," Isra said hesitantly. But this isn’t the sea. The water is calm. Enough people will drown and become stable enough to stand on. That’s if everything goes well." Alfred frowned. He knew that, but hearing it was another thing.

"Listen, we have two ways of doing this. Face Snowid when he is weak or face Snowid with the Laska support. Henryk. I understand you are a man gifted and defending a position, but we need to attack to win this war." Alfred paused and tapped the table. "Either Isra’s plan or mine. I’m not waiting anymore. I don’t want this battle bogged down to a stalemate."

Alfred pushed himself up. "Make a choice. But make it quick. We need to prepare for either one." Alfred turned and left the tent, leaving it in silence.