Chapter 235
The early morning sun had barely crested the jagged eastern peaks of the Supreme Citadel when the harsh, echoing sound of raised voices shattered the quiet peace of the residential corridor.
Inside her warm bedchamber, Lin Wan woke slowly, her dark eyes blinking open against the pale morning light streaming through the silk curtains.
She lay still for a brief second, listening intent to the muffled friction outside.
The thick, iron-reinforced oak doors muffled the spoken words, but the sharp, unyielding tone of one voice unmistakably belonged to Captain Ronan.
The other voice, deeper and rougher with a distinct military edge, was entirely unfamiliar to her.
Lin Wan carefully shifted her weight, using both arms to push herself upright against the plush mountain of pillows.
A quiet grimace touched her face as her lower back throbbed with a dull, heavy ache, but her focus remained fixed on the entrance.
"What is going on out there?" she asked, her voice raspy from sleep.
Sister Yun, who had been quietly folding a stack of freshly laundered winter garments near the tall window, turned around immediately.
Her expression was a flawless mask of serene, polite composure, though a tiny twitch near her brow betrayed her internal tension.
"It is nothing you need to trouble your mind with, My Lady," Sister Yun replied smoothly, stepping toward the bed with a soothing smile. "Simply a minor matter among the castle guards."
Lin Wan narrowed her dark eyes, her gaze locking onto the older woman’s face. "Sister Yun, that particular answer usually means it is precisely something I should be worrying about."
Sister Yun let out a long, quiet sigh, her shoulders dropping slightly.
Before she could craft a second, more reassuring excuse, the voices in the stone corridor outside swelled in volume, carrying clearly through the heavy wood.
"My authority and direct orders for this morning came directly from General Rowan himself!" the unfamiliar voice barked with sharp authority.
"And my authority comes directly from the mouth of His Majesty!" Captain Ronan’s voice rang out, cold, firm, and entirely unyielding. "You cannot simply alter the entire route of a forward boundary patrol based on a single general’s defensive anxieties."
"I can, and I will, if the tactical safety of this Citadel is being compromised!" the commander snapped back. "We are standing down while our enemies draw closer!"
"You will stand down because the King explicitly commanded it!" Ronan countered fiercely. "Not a single boot steps past the defensive line."
Lin Wan frowned deeply, her eyes sweeping toward the door. "Who is that arguing with Captain Ronan?"
Sister Yun hesitated, looking visibly uncomfortable. "I believe it is Commander Vance of the outer wall garrison, My Lady. But please, you must not distress yourself."
A sudden, disciplined knock echoed against the oak paneling, cutting off the heated argument outside.
A brief moment later, the heavy door slid open, and Captain Ronan stepped inside the chamber.
His silver armor was immaculate, but the subtle tension in his jaw and the tight set of his shoulders made it clear he had just been in a intense confrontation.
"My Lady," Ronan greeted, dropping into a swift, polite bow.
Lin Wan looked at him directly, bypassing any pleasantries. "What happened out there, Captain? Who was that?"
Ronan glanced briefly at Sister Yun, who gave him a subtle, warning shake of her head, before turning back to Lin Wan. "There is a temporary disagreement between two different command structures regarding the deployment of our forces."
"A disagreement about what, precisely?" Lin Wan pressed, leaning forward.
"The northern boundary patrol, My Lady," Ronan answered honestly, choosing not to deceive her.
Lin Wan’s hands moved instinctively to rest over the high swell of her stomach. "Why are senior commanders arguing over a simple border patrol?"
Ronan hesitated for a brief second, choosing his next words with extreme care. "Early this morning, just before dawn, scouts from the Silver Leopard Clan moved several small forward units much closer to the agreed neutral boundary line than they have over the past two days."
Lin Wan’s expression hardened instantly, her breath catching slightly in her chest. "Did they attack our positions? Did they cross the line?"
"No, My Lady. They remained entirely on their side of the marker."
"Then did our soldiers launch a counter-strike against them?" she asked, her tone laced with rising anxiety.
"No, My Lady. No weapons were drawn."
"Then why in the world are your commanders shouting at each other outside my door?"
Ronan’s rigid shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as he observed her sharp, analytical mind at work. "Because several of our more aggressive field generals, including General Rowan, believe the Silver Leopard Clan is actively testing our reaction time. They view the movement as a provocation and wish to advance our own forward line in response."
Lin Wan slowly swung her legs over the side of the grand bed and stood up. Sister Yun immediately moved to support her elbow, but Lin Wan gently waved her off, taking a slow, steady step toward the tall glass window that overlooked the distant, snow-covered mountain passes.
"Maybe they were testing your defenses," Lin Wan murmured, looking out at the white horizon. "Maybe their captains are just as nervous and restless as yours."
Captain Ronan looked genuinely surprised by her perspective.
Lin Wan turned back around to face the dark-armored captain. "But moving closer to look at a border does not automatically mean they are preparing to launch a full-scale slaughter, Captain. Fear makes
people move their feet."
She took a slow breath, her gaze steady and searching. "Did Cassian issue explicit orders regarding this exact scenario?"
"He did, My Lady," Ronan answered instantly.
"What were his exact words to the council?"
"His Majesty’s command was absolute: no soldier, regardless of rank or provocation, is to step across the designated boundary line."
"Even if the Silver Leopard scouts choose to stand right on the edge of that line and stare at your walls?" she asked softly.
"Even then," Ronan confirmed. "His Majesty stated that anyone who violates the truce will answer to him directly for high treason."
Lin Wan gave a single, slow nod of her head, her face softening slightly. "Then your commanders should obey his orders without debate. Cassian is a King, and his word is the only thing keeping this entire valley from burning."
Ronan offered a faint, deeply respectful smile. "I will convey your sentiment to Commander Vance and the general staff, My Lady."
He gave a crisp bow and turned to take his leave.
"Captain," Lin Wan called out quietly.
Ronan stopped in his tracks, turning his head back toward her. "Yes, My Lady?"
Lin Wan’s eyes grew profoundly serious, the gentle softness disappearing beneath an unshakeable, fierce clarity. "Tell your soldiers something else for me."
"What would you have me tell them?"
"Tell them that if the Silver Leopard warriors are standing on those ridges simply watching..." Lin Wan said, her voice steady and clear, "...then let them watch. Do not raise your shields. Do not draw your steel. Don’t give them a single reason to believe we are preparing an attack, or they will strike out of pure survival."
Captain Ronan stared at her for a long, quiet moment, deeply struck by the quiet authority radiating from her fragile frame. He bowed lower than he had before. "I will deliver your exact words to the forward posts, My Lady."
With that, he stepped out into the hallway, closing the heavy oak doors firmly behind him. The muffled voices outside ceased almost immediately.
Sister Yun stood by the bed, looking at Lin Wan with quiet, profound admiration shining in her gentle eyes. "You spoke with incredible clarity just now, Lady Lin. You sounded like a true field commander directing an army."
Lin Wan let out a short, airy laugh, the severe tension leaving her frame as she slowly walked back to the edge of the bed and sat down. "I have absolute zero desire to be a commander, Sister Yun. War is exhausting, and politics are even worse."
"Then what is it that you truly want?" Sister Yun asked softly, stepping forward to adjust the heavy, fur-lined blanket over Lin Wan’s knees.
Lin Wan’s hand moved instinctively down to rest over her stomach, where three tiny, rhythmic fluttering movements answered her touch.
"I want everyone to stop fighting," Lin Wan whispered, her dark eyes reflecting the cold, pristine light of the winter morning. "I want the men on those walls and the men in those tents to realize that if they tear each
other apart, nobody wins."
Sister Yun smiled sadly, her eyes full of motherly sympathy. "Achieving peace between love rivals may be far harder than winning a war, My Lady."
"I know it is," Lin Wan murmured, turning her gaze back toward the towering, snow-capped peaks where two massive armies stood frozen in an uneasy dance. "I know it seems impossible. But if nobody even tries to bridge the gap, then we are all doomed anyway."