NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: Turbulent Arrival
The road from the Capital to Carmine was relatively safe and well kept. Forts and guard posts littered the highway as soldiers from both the capital and the nearest holds work together to patrol the area, driving away any would be bandits and beasts that would pose any threats to travellers.
"Haah" The sigh of a beautiful young lady could be heard from the inside of the shaking carriage. "Are we not there yet? I'm extremely bored."
"We're close, my lady." A young man answered as he fixed their luggage, his black hair shining against the orange sun that peeked through the window. "We just passed Baron Horrin's Territory, so Sundgard should be near, I believe."
In response, Juliette looked outside and gazed at the familiar sight of a vast forest that ran from the whole Carmine Territories straight to the Allesian plains.
She rested her head in her hand and mumbled. "I want to sleep in a comfortable bed again, Viscount Tucker's mansion was too cramped for me."
Milin, having heard her lady, furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms.
"My lady, please don't say that, they were kind enough to take us in, and on such a short notice at that"
"And why wouldn't they? Isn't it only natural?" Shrugged Juliette as she fixed her silver blonde hair that was disheveled by the wind. "They are under Papa's banner, after all."
The western territory, Carmine, was a vast land littered with forests and plains. It was further divided into 46 territories, each managed by a smaller house, house Tucker and house Horrin were one of them. These smaller houses were all under the rule of the Ducal House that reigned from the fortress city of Sundgard. Together, the 47 families of Carmine made up the largest realm in Seraphim.
Normally, the Duke would be in the capital city of his territory, ruling and guarding the realm against the Horse lords, but Duke Carmine had a prodigal son, Jorgé. He was well aware that his son far surpassed him in both domestic and martial affairs, and that he could better lead and protect their territory. So he chose to let his son take over, while he and the rest of his family retired to Belmont.
Of course, he would still make occasional visits to check on the progress of his fief, but Jorgé had, both in a sense and in the eyes of the populace, succeeded him as the Duke.
"The pastries in Tucker was quite good though, don't you think so, my lady?"
Having finished his task, Larc sat across Juliette and made small talk while taking out a pack of sweets and offering it to her.
"I've some spared, my lady. Please help yourself"
The said sweet was called white lotus, a pastry from Tucker that was famous amongst the nobles for it's sweet taste and beautiful design. As the name suggests, it's appearance take after a white lotus that was the symbol of House Tucker.
Juliette seeing this removed her head from her hand and started partaking in the sugary treats. She took one from Larc and handled it as you would a delicate flower.
"Mhmm, it is quite pleasing to look at, as well as the taste." She said as she admired the pastry in her hand "Thank you, Larc. Though I still prefer the sweets you make."
"You flatter me, my lady."
The two stared at each other longingly as the sweet smell of the pastry filled the carriage, especially more so for Juliette.
[Ahhh, I love him] She thought to herself as she ate the sweet while looking at the bowing Larc. [I want to eat him too]
"I quite like this taste better than what Larc makes, my lady."
The voice of Milin broke the flowery atmosphere that was building inside the carriage.
"Larc's are too sweet for my taste, this one is just right" She continued as she partook in the sweets Larc offered.
Larc's eyebrows furrowed as he listened to the gripes of his coworker.
He moved the pack of sweets away from Milin as he showed a displeased smile.
"That's because those sweets weren't made for your old taste buds." He snickered as he prepared a leather drinking bag for Juliette. "They aren't suited for old ladies such as yourself."
"Nghh!!"
Milin's face turned sour upon hearing Larc's remark. Age is something a woman is very sensitive about, especially moreso for Milin who was nearing an age where most people would have already married, or at least had a fiancé.
"Y-you brat! How dare you!" She exclaimed as she pointed at Larc.
"I'm not an old lady! I'm 24! I'm at the height of my womanhood!" She continued as she made a ruckus. "I'm at my peak! My prime!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, auntie." Larc nonchalantly replied as he took back the leather drinking bag Juliette had just drunk from. "I'm not one to judge if you had decided not to marry or anything."
"Youuuuuu!!!"
"Wha--- don't hit me, Auntie! Hey, Don't make such a ruckus!"
"I'll make you take that back!"
[Haaah, I can't wait to get to Sundgard and spend alone time with Larc.. maybe he'll call me by my name again, aaah I'm looking forward to it.]
Milin and Larc started fighting as Juliette looked on to the horizon in anticipation, all the while daydreaming about the time Larc and her would spend in the territory.
Needless to say, the coach man and guard outside the carriage was quite curious as to what was happening in the carriage.
++++++++++
"My lady"
The sudden stop as well as the voice of the head guard currently sitted beside the coachman took the attention of everyone in the carriage.
Larc opened the small sliding door that connected the inside of the carriage to the coachman's seat. Though they called it door, it was more akin to a small window with a wooden knob to hold on.
"What's the matter? Why have we stopped?" Juliette asked as she looked towards the peeking guard.
"Ah, apologies, my lady. But the vanguard carriage just stopped as well, there seems to be a commotion from the front."
Three hours had gone by since they passed Baron Horrin's territory, the sun had just set and the darkness of the night was slowly creeping in, taking over the sky. Due to there being no magic stones in the road, the guards and coachmen could not accurately discern what was happening.
"What exactly is happening?" Juliette asked in a displeased manner.
"Apologies, my lady. It's too dark so we're having a hard time seeing, but there seems to be some sort of fighting happening up ahead."
"Haaah, how boorish. We're so close to Sundgard, and this happens." She sighed in irritation as she cupped her chin and tilted her head.
"What do you want us to do, my lady?" The head guard asked.
Normally, people would frown upon travelling at night. Beasts and bandits would usually take advantage of the cover of darkness and attack, so travellers would often rest in inns or set up camp for the night, then travel in the morning.
This had also been the plan of the convoy. They would spend the night in Barron Horrin's mansion, and then travel in the morning. Unfortunately, Juliette's impatience and dislike of the place had gotten the best of her. She had sent out an order to bypass Horrin's territory and travel in the afternoon to make haste towards Sundgard. That order led to their current predicament.
"Why don't you check it out, Larc." Milin suggested as she looked at Larc with contempt. "Since you're so young and fresh."
In response, Larc made a mocking grin as he laid back. "Maybe I will. Afterall, I wouldn't want an auntie such as yourself to hurt her back or anything.
"Nghh!! Why youuu!!"
"Ahh, enough already." Juliette groaned as she rubbed her head. "I'm already tired and I want to sleep, let's just move a bit closer so we can see what's happening, okay?"
Hearing this, the head guard saluted. " As you wish, my lady." He then turned towards the front and shouted. "Oy! Move forward, maintain walking speed!"
Having heard the order of the head guard, the two carriages of house Carmine started moving again.
"Would the two of you stop that already?" Juliette reprimanded the two for their unsightly behaviour. She furrowed her brows and crossed her arms, "you're both acting like children"
She made a show of annoyance and displeasure, it seemed that she didn't like her servants acting like squabbling children.
Unfortunately, the true reason was,
[Uoooohh, I'm jealous! Don't have fun like that without including me! I'll be lonely!!]
"You know Milin, you always scolded me before whene--"
"Stop! Don't come near!!"
Juliette's sentence was cut off by a faint shout that came from a distance.
Having come close to the commotion, they now heard the distant sound of fighting, as well as the shouts and screeches of some unknown beasts.
"What was that?!" Opening the window once again, Larc this time asked the guard about the origin of the shout. He peeked out and saw the flustered look of the guard and coachman
"My lady! Please stay inside the carriage! There seems to be something charging!" The head guard said as he drew his sword and dismounted the carriage. "Form a wall around the young lady! Now!"
Having heard the command, the guards from the front carriage as well as the surrounding mounted knights scrambled to surround Juliette's carriage.
All in all, including Larc, they had a total of 12 fighting men.
"It's coming for you! Get out of the way!!"
"Get away!
The people from the front continued shouting out warnings, but it was too late to turn back.
"What's happening, Larc?" Juliette asked as Larc peeked outside. "Are we in danger?"
"I don't know, my lady. But it seems that something is coming our way." Larc answered her as he peeked through the window. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."
Hearing this, Juliette smiled as she held Larc's head in her hands. "Don't get hurt, okay?"
"By your will, my lady."
After that, Larc drew his sword and stepped out of the carriage.
Because it was too dark, the guards could only form a perimeter on the carriage and defend it. A very disadvantageous battle, especially for people fighting an unseen enemy in unfamiliar territory.
"Hey!! Get away!"
They could still clearly hear the shouts of the people in front of them. But a vast darkness lied between them and the others.
"Stay quiet!! We can't hear anything! Men, stay on your feet! And listen!" The head of the guards, after realizing that trying to look for the attacker was futile, decided to rely on sounds. But to do that, the people around them had to stay quiet.
"Listen, men! No matter what happens! Protect the young lady!" He shouted at his subordinates as he looked around vigilantly. Do not leave the light of the carriage!"
The pitch black darkness of the night only further intensified the deafening silence that followed the head guard's orders. Nine fighters formed a wall with their bodies and readied their swords, while three archers nocked their arrows and strained their eyes trying to look for the assailant.
Total silence, and then,
"Haaah!!--"
"Help me!! Help me!!!"
A guard screamed frantically as he got knocked down and dragged away into the darkness by the unseen creature. He desperately tried to fight back, digging his nails into the ground, but to no avail.
"Dony!!" Another shouted as he ran after his comrade.
"You fool!! Don't break the line!!" The head guard shouted at his men. But it was too late.
"Guaaaah?!! Ahhh!!!" The man screamed as he himself got swept away by the creature.
"Gaaah!! It got me! Help!!" Another shouted as he got blown away.
*Paaaang* A metallic sound reverberated the area as another guard got knocked down.
"Oh god! I can't see it!"
"GUAAAAAAHHH!"
Chaos.
The guards were now thrown into disarray as their formation slowly crumbled, while the archers blindly shot their arrows in a panic, hoping to hit the anything.
A black figure suddenly exploded from the darkness and snatched an archer positioned atop the carriage.
*Groaar!* A low grumbling roar followed as the archer got taken away, the first sound the creature made since it started it's onslaught.
"Gaaaaaah!!!"
The darkness of the night was now being filled with the pained anguish of the Carmine house's guards.
[Shit! I can't see anything!] Larc thought to himself as he watched his surroundings. [This is bad! At this rate, we'll get wiped out!]
It was the truth, he could see their numbers slowly getting thinner. With the formation so easily broken down, the soldiers were now blindly waving around their swords in the dark.
[Shit! Shit! What do I do?!] He racked his brain trying to figure out anyway to keep his lady safe. To him, Juliette was the main priority, he would use the men, even Milin, as bait if it meant getting Juliette to safety. [But its no good! It's too dark, even If we make a run for it---"
Just as he was contemplating on taking Juliette and making a run for it, a sudden ball of flame appeared out of nowhere and struck the ground, lighting it in fire in the process.
"?! What the?! Where did that come from?!" The surprised exclamation of the head guard was answered by a distance voice.
{Lesser fireball!}
{Lesser fireball!}
Two more balls of fire appeared from the distance and struck the ground around the carriage. The ground having been littered with dry leaves, quickly lit up in flames.
"Look! There it is!! I can see the beast!"
The sudden shout of the archer drew everyone's attention.
For the first time since the beginning, they saw their attacker's figure.
A large, wolf like creature with bat like ears, and long canine fangs. It's front and hind legs that were equipped with sharp claws looked strong and hardy, built for sudden burst in speed, while it's fur that were as black as the night stood up as if they were needles. A creature perfect for hunting in the night.

"A Barghest!! A Barghest pack!!" The head guard shouted at the top of his lungs.
They were not besieged by just one creature, there were four Barghest in this pack, and they were circling around them each striking simultaneously with the other, making it seem as if it was one creature.
*Groaaaah!!* The creatures roared as they were startled by the sudden appearance of bright light. Having been stopped in their tracks, the Barghest was now easily seen by everyone.
[Got it!]
Finally being able to see his enemies, Larc quickly moved into action, he condensed his mana to his feet and kicked of the ground, propelling himself at an astonishing speed towards one of the beasts.
Aiming for the exposed neck of the disoriented Barghest, he quickly and forcefully swung his sword down.
"Ha!!" He exclaimed as his sword slashed into the beast's neck and severed it, spewing blood all over the ground.
[Another one!]
Before the first beast was even able to fall down, he turned around quickly and dashed at another, aiming for the neck yet again, but this time, the cut was too shallow and the beast was able to survive.
"You won't get away!"
*Goaaruuur!* The beast roared as it leapt in an attempt to get away, but Larc was quick to move. He dashed towards the Barghest once again, but this time, slid to the ground and aimed for the creature's legs.
*Guraaaaah!* The beast roared in pain as it lost it's balance and fell to the ground. Moving quickly, Larc dug his sword deep into the skull of the Barghest, killing it.
"Everyone! Larc has taken down two! We can see them now! Reform the line and push them back! Archers, aim for the eyes!" Just as the head guard shouted orders out towards his men, the sound of galloping horses resounded from a distance.
"We're soldiers from Sundgard! We're here to help!" One of the riders shouted as he threw his spear at one of the creatures.
"Circle them and push them towards the wall!" The one at the front of the cavalry shouted at his men.
In response, the head guard smiled and shouted his orders in return. "You heard the man! We have reinforcements! Form a wall now and meet the enemy!! Archers, loose your arrows!"
Larc looked on as the Cavalry herded the remaining Barghest straight to the formation of the guards, and the firing line of the remaining archers.
+++++++
After the last Barghest was taken down, the men looked around and collected the bodies of their comrade. Three people had died in total, while another three were seriously injured, including an archer. Larc sat down and watched the men rest after a hard battle.
He looked down dejectedly,
[... I'm weak, I wasn't able to do anything] He thought to himself as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. [If it weren't for the mages, we would've been wiped. I'm still weak, lady Juliette's life was in danger today, and I could only stand there and wait for help.. frustrating.]
He hated the fact that prior to the arrival of the mages, he couldn't do anything. He once again remembered the dreaded feeling of being helpless in front of an enemy, and he hated that. It made him think back to the time when he was in the Slums, scraping away just to survive, being helpless.
"Larc!"
Larc instinctively stood up at the call of his name. What met his eyes was the running figure of a beautiful silver haired lady with blue eyes that looked at him worryingly.
"Larc! I'm glad you're safe!" She suddenly threw herself at him and hugged his neck.
Fortunately, Larc's adrenaline was still high, so he quickly, and effortlessly caught the young lady in his arms.
"Thank goodness you're safe, Larc." Juliette murmured as she kept hugging Larc.
[....sweet]
The warmth and scent of Juliette blew away all his worry and regret in an instant. It made him remember that he was no longer that boy, nor was he that man. It made him remember that he was Larc, that his purpose was to serve and protect this beautiful lady.
[Ahh, so warm, and so sweet. I love this] he thought to himself as he continued embracing the young lady
Unbeknownst to him, Juliette's mind was also running wild with deep thoughts.
[Aaaahaah, I'm hugging Larc in full view of everyone! Ah! I love this, I love him, the smell of blood in him is so cool!]
Unfortunately for Juliette, but fortunately for Larc, the people around them were currently too busy resting or tending to the wounded. They had failed to notice the flowery atmosphere Juliette and Larc were making.
"..My lady, could you please let go of me now? People might see"
The first to try to break away was Larc, he lightly shifted his arms and lifted Juliette's own.
"I'm thankful my lady is so concerned for me."
"Why, of course I am! After all, you're mine. So of course I'll be worried."
Not minding Juliette's remark, Larc looked at her straight in the eye.
"My lady, I'm sorry for being weak."
"Huh?" Juliette asked in bewilderment as she tilted her head to the side.
"Weak? Who? Larc?" She was quite confused at Larc's words. To her, Larc was incredibly strong, even stronger than the average knight. So this statement from him greatly confused her.
"Yes.. I was helpless today, if it weren't for those mages, I don't what could've happened." He said as he held Juliette's hand, greatly pleasing her.
"But I promise to become stronger, in order to continue protecting you, my lady."
In response to his earnest words, Juliette only smiled happily as she looked down,
[We're holding hands, he's holding my hands, his hands are rough and strong, I love them, I love him. Aaah I love him.]
"..my lady?"
"Ahh!"
Larc's call pulled Juliette from her deep thoughts and greatly startled her.
"Aaah, what were you saying, Larc? I didn't hear it." She tried making an excuse as she looked at him.
[.. haah, what am I gonna do with you] Larc thought to himself as he once again looked Juliette straight in the eye.
"I said that I'll grow stronger, in order to be able to protect you in the future, my lady."
Having heard him, Juliette's face lit up as she looked up to Larc with sparkling eyes.
[So cool!]
"U-uwu! Okay, be sure to become stronger in order to protect me, Larc!"
"I will, My lady."
With that, the turbulent night in the Carmine territories, came to an end.