Chapter 362: Why was the Matriarch silent?
“Lavinia Dragonborn…?”
“Who is he talking about…?”
“Has he lost his mind…?”
Whispers and murmurs began, and Morvain’s expression faltered. She glanced at Zephyr, trying to sohow hide this from Zephyr, but it was already too late.
Zephyr was already grinning as he stared at the n of the Watch.
For soone like Zephyr, that little hint was all he needed to understand the entire situation.
‘No wonder there were no reports about any dissatisfaction.’
He muttered inwardly, finally realizing the entire situation. Ever since he received the reports, he couldn’t understand one thing.
Velmourns and Dragonborns were 1,200 years-long enemies. Their hatred for each other ran deep. This was especially true for the Velmourns, who had been told that their current predicant was all because Dragonborns betrayed them and exiled their ancestors to this stone coffin.
Zephyr never understood how such people accepted a Dragonborn Princess and allowed her to stay in their land.
Not just that, they even allowed her to deliver magic lectures and willingly learned from her. It made no sense, even if her lectures were quite useful—which he was sure they were—he just couldn’t imagine people with so much hatred instilled into them to look past everything and learn from her.
Now, however, it made so much more sense.
These people, they had no clue who Lavinia was.
‘No wonder the reports only ntioned her first na.’
Zephyr’s grin widened even further.
He glanced at the n of the Watch one last ti before he turned towards Morvain and—
“Hmm? Do you people perhaps… not know who we are looking for?”
“…”
Morvain narrowed her eyes. She clenched her fists in frustration, knowing this wasn’t going according to what she had pictured in her mind.
‘I should have announced it myself.’
Honestly, she wasn’t planning on lying to her people, she just wanted Lavinia to settle here. She had attended her magic lectures. She had seen just how beneficial that woman’s existence was for her people. She also knew that as she spent more ti here, her people would begin accepting her eventually, and once that happened, she would have revealed her identity.
But Drakthar appeared too quickly. She wasn’t given the ti she needed to follow through on all her plans.
Of course, Zephyr didn’t care about her problems. With a grin on his face, he began—
“We are looking for Lavinia Dragonborn, Princess of the Drakthar Kingdom, a human who fell to corruption and beca a renowned criminal. Two months ago, she escaped her cell and has settled here in Ashen Heights.”
And the Shadow Regent did not end there. He briefly glanced at the n of the Watch, as if talking directly to them, and—
“She has purple hair and eyes, features of the Royal Dragonborn Blood. She is also an excellent Seven Circle Mage—it wouldn’t be surprising if she had broken through and beco an Eight Circled Mage. She has affinity with every elent. However, because she fell to corruption, all her Bonds were executed, so either she has new Bonds that shouldn’t be any older than 2 months, or has no Bonds at all.
I am sure all this information is enough to create an image in your head. If you know anyone with similar features, please step forward.”
As those words were said, the n of the Watch reacted.
Quite a few of them were Mages, so they attended Lavinia’s lectures. Everything this man said…
It all lined up!
That mage Lavinia who was always with the Dragon Rider…
She…
She was a Dragonborn!
“Dragonborn…”
“I can’t believe I ate together with a filthy Dragonborn…”
“Ate? I was listening to her lectures intently, trying to learn from her! I can’t believe it…”
Murmurs began. Velmourns’ hatred for the Dragonborns was now out for complete show. None of the soldiers hid their disgust. None tried to say anything in favor of the woman who they previously regarded as their magic teacher, and the very, very few who did…
“But… she healed my son’s frostbite. She… she didn’t feel like a filthy Dragonborn.”
They were completely ignored by the rest.
Their hatred far outweighed anything Lavinia could do in just the few days she had been here. The fact that Lavinia’s once cheerful personality to instantly win one’s heart had completely disappeared did not help either.
The n of the Watch continued to voice their hatred, and Morvain, who heard their words, felt like she was losing all control over the situation. And Zephyr?
This was exactly what he needed.
It was ti to put the final nail in the coffin.
He stared at the n of the Watch and—
“It seems the woman I am talking about isn’t unknown to you. Your dislike for her is also apparent,
So let give you a chance—
Three caravans of food, enough to last your people two winters. Six crates of tempered steel. All the clothing, artifacts, and dicines I ntioned earlier—even armor crafted by Drakthar’s finest.
I will provide all this to you, ensuring no Velmourn dies of hunger or lack of resources this winter.
All of this… for one runaway.
Lavinia Dragonborn,
Give her to us.”
He spoke, looking right into Morvain’s eyes, and Morvain turned silent.
She could feel her people staring at her intently. She could already hear their thoughts. Her people still thought that she didn’t know about Lavinia’s identity, just like them. However, now that the truth was out, if she tried to defend Lavinia…
This would destabilize Velmourn unity.
The Velmourns may be facing thousands of problems, but they had one strength—a strength that any force would envy.
Unity amongst its people. Unity that helped them survive the harsh situation of Ashen Heights for twelve hundred long years.
However, if she defended Lavinia here, the people would begin doubting her, the Matriarch. Discord would be sowed. People would be divided—one group siding with her and the other against her.
The unity they were so proud of… would be broken.
It was no longer a matter of what Zephyr offered. Going this far to protect a Dragonborn might…
It might end the Velmourn bloodline.
She had to make a decision here, and by no ans was this an easy decision. She needed ti, she needed to talk to her people, but—
Zephyr wasn’t planning on giving her that ti.
“I do not understand why the Matriarch is taking so long?”
He began.
“Every winter, more than 200 Velmourns lose their lives. 50 to 70 of them die from exposure to cold because there are not enough resources to keep the dwellings warm. The elderly and children have an even more difficult ti.
40 to 60 Velmourns simply starve to death, not having enough food rations. 20–30 die from beast attacks or tribesn invasion. 30–40 from disease or infection. And the rest die from other causes.
Almost no Velmourn death is natural. Your people do not survive that long because of the harsh conditions. Your people’s lifespan is 30 years shorter than the people of the mainlands.
Even in death, your people aren’t given the ultimate rest because you cannot bury them in the ground according to Velmourn rituals, since the cold ground is difficult to dig.
Every winter, it is the sa story, as if it has beco a fate you cannot escape.
I am offering you a way to escape this fate—
Artifacts that will keep the dwellings warm for months, food so no Velmourn starves, weapons to face outside threats, dicines to cure the sick. I am giving you everything you need to protect more Velmourns and defeat the harsh winters for the first ti in all these long years.
And in return, I only have one, completely reasonable request.
If it were in your stead, I would have accepted this offer readily to protect my people. I fail to see why you seem to have different thoughts.”
Zephyr spoke, looking into Morvain’s eyes in confusion, acting like he couldn’t understand what the Matriarch was thinking.
And just as he expected, his words had a strong effect. The Velmourn army that had been glaring at him all this while was now staring at Morvain, confused.
Why was the Matriarch silent?
Why isn’t she giving the orders to go capture that bitch?
What was she thinking?
They didn’t even have to allow these Drakthar bastards to search their lands. They would hand her over while they all wait here, outside.
None of them could see anything wrong with it.
More and more murmurs began, making Zephyr smile even more. Of course, he quickly controlled his expression and continued the pressure.
“Please understand, Matriarch.
She may have escaped here, but to Drakthar, she remains a criminal. She betrayed her kingdom, her bloodline, and fled here in secret.
That is not sothing one can overlook.
I still do not understand what you are thinking, but as far as my mind can comprehend, the situation is simple—
More than two hundred Velmourn lives against one Dragonborn traitor.
It shouldn’t be a difficult decision at all.”
He spoke, directly putting Lavinia’s life against 200 Velmourn lives, and just as he expected, those words were more than enough to rile up the Velmourn soldiers.
Their murmurs beca louder, their hatred for Lavinia rose even further. It almost seed like Lavinia was the one killing their people. They didn’t even consider the fact that these very people standing in front of them were the reason they were in this predicant anyway.
The situation beca chaotic enough that Korvath had to turn to his people and raise his hand, instantly silencing them.
Of course, their silence did not help much.
They still stared at their Matriarch, waiting for her decision.
No, waiting for her correct decision.
And Morvain, who could sense their stares at her back…
“I…”
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