Return of the General's Daughter
Chapter 80: Ambushers or Victims?

Chapter 80: Ambushers or Victims?

Lara and Aramis moved swiftly, their steps silent against the forest floor. Before long, they reached a clearing where over two hundred soldiers were waiting in ambush.

Aramis frowned, his gaze sweeping over the emblem on their banners. These weren’t Estalis troops. They were from Northem.

"They’re not from Estalis," he murmured behind Lara.

"Are they rebels?"

"Yes."

"But why are they rebelling? The king rules Northem fairly."

Aramis glanced at her. "You don’t know Northem’s history?"

Lara shook her head.

"Fifty years ago, General Kromwel overthrew King Voltaire Rosen, a tyrant. Instead of executing the royal family, Kromwel exiled them to the borders of Zura. The great general did not believe in making the innocent pay for the crimes of others. The Rosens have lived as commoners ever since."

"So, the rebellion is led by the remnants of that fallen dynasty?" Lara asked. "And they’re working with Estalis, the bandits, and Zura?"

Aramis didn’t answer, but his silence was enough.

Hidden behind a bush, Lara observed the camp. Some of the ’soldiers’ weren’t even men—boys as young as twelve clutched weapons too heavy for their small frames.

She clenched her jaw. How could people be so cruel and exploit children like this? But then she thought of her father, and a bitter sigh escaped her lips. It was nothing new.

"I know what to do. Let us go back first. Later, we come back and deal with them."

They crossed the river and met up with Asael and the others. They had counted about six hundred men waiting in ambush above the limestone wall.

At the Ilaya, the soldiers had already cleaned up and prepared to march when the scouts returned.

General Odin gathered around a crude map with two lieutenants, Asael and Lara.

"Aramis said that the group on the right side of the river are rebels," Asael said. "Around two hundred, including children between ten and fourteen."

General Odin frowned. "So young. How could they send those to fight in the forefront?"

"I and Aramis can take care of them. We will distract them until the Northem army passes through Meander."

General Odin considered this before turning to Asael. "Here’s the plan. We’ll send fifty decoys through the pass—fully armored to withstand arrows. Meanwhile, the rest of us will climb this path"—he traced a route on the map—"and attack the Estalis soldiers from behind."

Orders were given, and the troops divided into two groups.

Asael’s team followed the fifty decoys. Meanwhile, Lara and Aramis crossed the river again.

This time, Aramis held back, letting Lara take the lead.

"What’s the plan?" Aramis asked.

"I’m going to catch a piglet and lure the sows toward the rebels."

Earlier, she had spotted a group of wild boars with their young. Now, she led Aramis toward them.

Aramis raised an eyebrow. "You’re sure they’ll follow you?"

"They’re mothers and protective of their young," Lara said simply.

She uncoiled a rope from her waist and fastened a net to it. With a practiced swing, she cast the net over a piglet loitering beside its mother.

The piglet squealed. Instantly, the sows erupted into chaos, charging after Lara with furious squeals.

She bolted toward the enemies.

The rebels, poised to release their arrows to the marching Northem army, turned at the sudden noise. They froze in shock as a stampede of over twenty enraged boars barreled toward them.

"Shit!" The young leader of the group cursed.

At first, they didn’t notice Lara, camouflaged and blended with the background. But then they saw the piglet in her arms.

"Get out of the way!" she shouted.

But the rebels were too stunned to react.

"Shoot, him!" The young leader shouted, and several arrows flew in Lara’s direction.

"Shit!" Lara muttered. She released the piglet and, at the same time, hurled her rope. As arrows whizzed past her, she leapt off the cliff—straight into the raging river below.

"Kane!" Aramis shouted in panic, sprinting to the edge.

But then he saw it—the taut rope anchored securely to a tree, disappearing over the cliff’s edge. He relaxed and then pulled the rope.

Behind him, there was chaos.

Boars trampled soldiers. Screams mixed with the growls of furious animals. Some rebels scrambled up trees; others managed to fire their arrows, injuring a few boars.

The soldiers scattered. It took some time before the situation calmed down. When the soldiers regrouped, the fifty Northem soldiers had already passed and were out of the range of their arrows.

"Damn it!" the rebel leader spat. "It was a decoy. How did they know about our ambush?"

One of the archers notched an arrow, aiming toward the battle beyond.

"Don’t shoot blindly," the leader snapped. "You’ll expose our position."

Then, he remembered something. His eyes narrowed. "Find the man who brought the piglet."

"Lieutenant, he jumped over there to escape our arrows. He should have drowned by now."

The rebel leader pondered as he watched the battle on the other side. Although he could not see clearly because they were on lower ground, he was sure that the soldiers of Estalis were losing the battle.

"We are done here. Let us go back to the camp," the rebel leader said in exasperation. They waited for more than a day and all for nothing.

As the rebels withdrew, one of them hesitated.

"Leader, Logan’s legs are broken."

The leader turned to the injured soldier slumped against a tree. "Are you willing to carry him?"

Silence.

The man who spoke glanced away, clutching his own wounded arm.

The leader gave him a knowing look before signaling the retreat.

Logan watched them leave. Despair settled in his chest.

"Sandro... Brother!" he called weakly.

Sandro hesitated and approached him. He dared not look into his eyes but was looking down on the ground below.

"Take care of my mother and sister," Logan murmured.

Sandro’s throat tightened. He looked at his friend, his eyes reddened. Logan had saved his life once.

"...I will," he whispered.

"Sandro, are you coming or not?" someone barked.

Sandro took one last look at Logan.

Then he turned and left.

Tears stung Logan’s eyes. So much for brotherhood.

Logan exhaled shakily, staring at the sky above the river.

"Mother... Sister... I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep my promise."