332 Enemies At Your Doorsteps (1/2)
Three days passed rapidly and the Rothschild's Estate was a buzzing hive of activity. Wagons of food and barrels of wine were constantly delivered to the Estate while messengers and couriers shuttled to and fore between the City Citadel and Titanna's chancery.
Titanna sighed as another stack of scrolled were placed on her desk, her work seemed to be never ending. She had passed the word that all matters of governance were to be approved by her before they could be submitted.
She decided on this when they found several clerks had over stepped their boundaries and gave favorable terms and conditions to whoever that paid them the most. Hence she and a few trusty worthly staff were buried deep in work, as they had to screen every document and contract one by one.
And to make matters worst, she hasn't appeared in public ever since she was attacked, leading to rumors that she had fallen ill. Her enemies even spread rumors that she had either died or ran away from the city.
Every day, couriers, messengers, and even the City Ministers and Lords came to beg an audience with her but all were rejected which enforced the rumors that she was gravely ill. Those that stood on her side started to worry if they had chosen the right side to support when they receive no news of her.
While she was buried under the mountain of paperwork, Intel Officer Trism and Knight Captain Judis had formed an ad hoc working relationship. Both of them worked together to gather intelligence and information regarding their enemies.
She sighed as she read through another contract regarding the loan of lands for farming and logging and rejected it. She suddenly got reminded of Mills and she crumbled the scroll into a ball in anger as he still has yet to give her a satisfactory answer!
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The coffers of House Rothschild were depleted rapidly as gold and silver exchanged hands. Spies that could be recruited, bought or bribed, while those belonging to the other factions were placed on careful surveillance.
Traitors and those who accepted bribes or favors from the other factions were noted down and kept on watch. All in all, it was a fruitful and busy three days for both men as they barely slept.
”Lady Titanna,” Both men had dark eye circles bowed before Titanna seated at the head of the table. ”We did our best to get as much information regarding or enemies as we could in this short period of days.”
”Thank you both for your hard work!” Titanna said, gesturing for them both to be seated. ”What have you both found out?”
”Well, we managed to uncover several people of standing in the Citadel staff accepting bribes from House Taron and House Delfin.” Knight Captain Judis reported. ”Very likely, they had been bought over. I have my very best men watching them now.”
”Also, the East Gate and South Gate guard commanders and both inner districts City Watch commanders had been bought over by them too,” Judis read off from a list. ”The city harbor's second in charge, seven 100 men leaders from the 18th Spears, four 100 men leaders from 20th Spears, elven Captains from the 33rd, 34th, and 37th Imperial Dragons Corps.”
Judis continued to list out the names and positions and even businesses of those they had investigated to had joined the other faction. The list consisted of names from the City Guards and Watch, to administrators, clerks, Army, Dragon Corps and even the merchants and businesses in the city.
As Judis continued down the list, Titanna's facial expression changed from ugly to pale as more and more names were read out. Finally, after over sixty names, Judis finished his report. ”These are the only ones we managed to uncover in three days. We suspect there might be more we had yet to discover.”
Titanna leaned back on her chair and gave out a deep breath of helplessness. ”If so much of our own have joined them, what are our chances now of winning?”
”To be frank,” Trism answered. ”Very low.”
Titanna lowered her head, ”Should I just give up the seat if there is no chance of winning? At least, there will not be senseless deaths...”
”I estimate at least half of your remaining forces have joined the other faction,” Trism said with a confirmation nod from Judis. ”You have roughly, what? Nine thousand soldiers still loyal to you?”
”If you include your household guards, the city guards and watch,” Trism added. ”You probably have fifteen hundred men in total.”
Judis sighed, ”Our opponents should have at least three times our numbers...”
”How can we defeat over forty thousand soldiers?” Titanna looked defeated. ”Even if we cut off their supplies and money flow, how much time can we buy for an inevitable outcome?”
”We can still prevent some of those soldiers from joining the other side,” Trism said. ”Arrest all those people in this name list and promote someone else loyal or not in the pay of the other faction.”
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”For merchants and businesses, shut them down till further notice,” Trism said. ”And the best time I can think of to do this without the Houses from finding out till it is too late... It's at the Ball tonight!”
Titanna nodded in understanding before she turned to Judis, ”I will need your men to carry out the arrests tonight! I will distract everyone at the Ball long enough for you to do what you need to do!”
Judis nodded, ”I will take my men and execute your order when all the guests have arrived.”
Trism said, ”It will also be a good time to target certain businesses of both House Taron and Deflin.”
”And it will be best too to bring in your two brothers if they are not attending the Ball tonight,” Trism said. ”With them in your hands, the fewer troubles they can make and the other side has one less accusation to pin on you.”
Judis shook his head, ”I do not have enough manpower, already this list is stretching the limits of my people. If you want to disrupt House Taron and House Deflin businesses and capture your two brothers back, I do not have the troops needed.”
Titanna turned to Trism and asked, ”Can you help me bring my two brothers in?”
”That shouldn't be much of a problem!” Trism grinned.
”Thank you for your help!” Titanna replied. ”I will not forget this favor!”
”Hopefully, tonight we can cut off some of their resources,” Titanna said. ”And give us more time to recruit and train troops! As long as we have time until autumn, after the harvesting season, we can recruit more people!”