Return of the General's Daughter
Chapter 73: Meeting The Brothers

Chapter 73: Meeting The Brothers

The soldier, Damiel, led Lara and Aramis through the rugged encampment, finally endorsing them to the man in charge of Westside Camp. The camp was far from luxurious—small tents, barely reaching Lara’s waist, were scattered around, each only large enough to shelter two soldiers. The air smelled of damp earth and burning wood, the sounds of distant chatter and clinking of blades filling the space.

At the heart of the encampment stood a large tent, likely used for strategy meetings. Besides, it was another, slightly smaller, place where the Norse brothers and two lieutenants resided.

Lara quickly dubbed it the secondary command center. The true command center was where the twelve generals had convened the day before

Lara chose a spot near the Norse brothers’ tent to pitch her own, hammering stakes into the ground. Aramis watched, his gaze lingering with undisguised envy.

"Can I ..."

"No!" Armis had not finished his question yet when Lara resolutely denied his unspoken request.

His shoulders slumped, but before he could voice his disappointment, she tossed him a rectangular piece of cloth. He could make it into a makeshift tent or, at worst, a thin blanket against the biting night air.

Aramis caught it with a sigh before turning to her. "Kane, are we heading back to Mount Ourea in the morning?"

Lara hesitated. His duty was to protect Alaric. If he remained here, his responsibility would pull him back.

"You can leave if you wish," she said. "I still have unfinished business."

One of those tasks was delivering the second letter to General Odin—something she had failed to do earlier. She would have to find another opportunity.

Aramis shrugged. "My master ordered me to protect you. That means I stay."

She offered a small, genuine smile. "Thank you, then."

Lara had just finished pitching her tent when she was summoned to the central tent to meet their lieutenant.

Though Lara had prepared herself, she was still feeling nervous.

"Damn! Why is my heart racing so wildly? Has two years truly been enough to wipe away the decades of training I endured in my past life? "

She had been conditioned to remain calm, even with a gun to her head. Panic made mistakes. Fear led to death. Calmness kept her mind clear.

Stepping into the tent, her sharp gaze flicked over the men gathered inside. They sat on the ground, legs crossed, surrounding a makeshift rectangular table. A small diorama of Alta-Sierra lay at its center. There were no chairs, no luxuries, just soldiers and war.

Aramis was detained outside. He had no choice but to wait.

Five men of varying builds stood before her, but two in particular stole her breath. Asael and Bener. She knew immediately—these were her ’siblings’.

Asael was already aware of the situation. He had been told that a soldier looked like him, yet he was still unprepared when encountering Kane. He felt like he was looking at his reflection through a broken mirror.

"Kane... Mendel?" He stuttered.

Lara tilted her head, blinking. Asael was nearly as tall as General Odin, with a physique that would make even the most disciplined 21st-century fitness coach green with envy. His presence was powerful, commanding, and entirely unsettling.

"Yes, Sir." She snapped her hand up in a crisp salute, her eyes sparkling with respect.

Asael studied her face, his piercing gaze lingering far too long. Lara fought the urge to shift uncomfortably. He saw it, too. The resemblance was undeniable—eighty percent, at least. But his features were sharper, his beard framing his face with the same rugged masculinity that defined Odin and the other warriors she had encountered.

Gideon, standing beside Asael, narrowed his eyes. "Brother... you think Father had an illegitimate child? How could he look a lot like you? He even looked like more of your sibling than me."

Lara stiffened.

Asael shot him a glare. "What nonsense are you spouting, Gideon?"

Gideon shrugged. "I mean, what if Father got drunk, lost control, and—"

"As if that would ever happen," Asael snapped. "Use your head. You know how disciplined our father is. He would never make such a mistake, nor would he fall to the schemes of others."

Lara remained silent. Did they really think she was their father’s secret child? It would be easier if they assumed she was simply a distant relative, but Gideon’s theory was far more dangerous.

Asael exhaled and gestured toward the others. "My name is Asael. These are my younger brothers, Bener and Gideon. That’s Kellan, and over there is Lennon."

Kellan strode toward Lara, his dark eyes locking onto her face with unnerving intensity.

Lara, still processing her supposed ’siblings,’ didn’t notice his approach—until his face was suddenly inches from hers.

"What the—?!" She jerked back, startled.

Kellan squinted. "Damn it! No facial hair, not even a shadow. Look at him, Bener! His skin is flawless." He tugged at his own thick beard in frustration. "I swear, it’s unfair."

"Sergeant Kellan Duca, behave yourself!" Asael’s voice cut through the tent like a blade.

Kellan muttered under his breath but backed off, retreating to a corner to sulk.

Lara cleared her throat, recovering. "I’m a late bloomer," she lied smoothly. "Maybe that’s why."

Kellan seemed satisfied with that excuse and sat down, arms crossed.

Seizing the opportunity, Lara turned to Asael. "Lieutenant, can you show me the infirmary? My companion and I brought herbs for the wounded."

It was a perfect excuse. If she wanted to get close to General Odin, she needed to win over the right people first.

Asael studied her for a moment before nodding. "Follow me."

As they walked through the camp, the crisp afternoon air cooling her skin, she casually asked, "You only have two brothers, Lieutenant?"

Asael stiffened slightly. "I have five."

Lara smiled knowingly. "Oh, five? I have six."

Her words hung in the air between them, heavier than they should have been. Asael didn’t respond, but his shoulders tensed. Good. Let that sink in.

She had more work to do, but the pieces began falling into place.