## THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL) - Chapter 132
He was worried that she would get sick if she exposed herself to such a cold wind.
He leaned against the window frame and followed her every move with his gaze.
Her stride was firmer now. Any discomfort in her leg was barely noticeable when she walked slowly and at a steady pace.
But that improvement did not last long.
Her weak muscles tensed up at the slightest effort, and after about ten minutes, her way of walking became visibly abnormal. The pain seemed to still be there, even though she tried not to show it.
Varkas rubbed his arm with the tips of his fingers as he crossed his arms and, finally, took the coat he had taken off. He felt he would not rest easy unless he was by her side to keep an eye on her condition.
He went around the wooden desk and crossed the carpeted room. Upon opening the door and stepping out into the hallway, he ran into Darren, who was coming up the stairs at that very moment.
"Your Highness."
The man approached, holding in one of his hands a small piece of paper that looked like a telegram. Varkas frowned due to a bad premonition that suddenly struck him.
"What is the matter?"
"The spies sent to the north have sent an urgent telegram. I believe it would be best to convene an emergency meeting."
The man extended the rolled piece of paper to him with a serious expression. Varkas received it and quickly read the code, which mixed oriental characters with the common language of the Empire.
The content of the report was clear: the north was preparing for war. And they were taking it very seriously.
"Is there any news from those we infiltrated into the capital?"
"No, nothing yet."
That meant that the suspicious movements of the north had not yet been reported in the central region. It also implied that the Heimdall family was moving with extreme caution.
Varkas abruptly brushed back the hair falling over his forehead.
"This information is not enough. We must be careful that rumors do not spread until we can understand the situation accurately. Gather the trusted advisors in the meeting room."
"Do you have anyone specific in mind?"
"Belov, Lugin, Labomir… They are the right ones."
At the mention of the names of the subordinates he usually observed closely, Darren nodded, bringing a hand to his chin.
"They are all discreet men. They will handle the matter with prudence. I will have them wait in the meeting room immediately."
When the man turned around, Varkas tucked the telegram into the inner pocket of his coat and went straight down the stairs.
His mind was instantly filled with the complex problems of the volatile situation in the northeast. He thought of several scenarios. In principle, he had to inform the imperial family about the current situation. But was that the most prudent measure?
It was unlikely that the Heimdall family would have thrown themselves into this dangerous adventure without any guarantee. It was highly possible that they had attracted several nobles to their side, as well as high officials of the imperial court. If a traitor emerged among the feudal families, the imperial order would collapse in an instant.
Now was the time to gather information and suffocate Balto silently beneath the surface.
Varkas rubbed the corner of his eye, feeling a twinge of pain extending from his temple to his eyebrows. At that moment, a soft and cold voice was heard near him.
"Varkas?"
Varkas, who had just left the Great Hall heading towards the military affairs office, stopped dead in his tracks.
His wife, who had been strolling through the back garden a moment ago, was now near the pavilion in front of the main palace. She stood up suddenly from her seat.
"What is the matter at this hour? I thought you were… on an official mission away."
The woman, who was walking at a hurried pace, stumbled violently. He rushed to catch her by the waist.
As he held her slender body, which weighed almost nothing, he felt a lump in his throat and his mouth went dry. He looked with displeasure at her flushed face. Noticing that her neck and the lobe of her ear were slightly tinged with red, his body reacted in an unwanted way. He ignored that and straightened her staggering body.
"Please, be careful."
"I am usually careful. It was only because you appeared suddenly," she murmured in a low voice, lowering her gaze.
Her tone was as sharp as usual, but for some reason, she seemed vulnerable.
Varkas adjusted the messy collar of her dress and gently touched her flushed cheek with the back of his hand.
"The fever has not completely gone down yet. Why are you out here instead of resting in your room?"
"I felt suffocated being inside the bedroom. Besides, the smell of burning firewood makes my throat burn..."
He narrowed his eyebrows. Certainly, her coughing had become more frequent since they started lighting the fireplace. It seemed he would soon have to install a heating system that utilized magic stones.
"Even so, do not stay outside for long. The air is cold."
"Then, when am I supposed to wear this coat?" She looked at him with strangeness.
After a brief silence, Varkas replied calmly:
"You can wear it when you go for a walk with me."
Perhaps the answer was unexpected, because her eyes, which looked a bit like the autumn sky, widened completely. Hiding her signs of agitation by lowering her long eyelashes, she said coldly:
"You are very busy. How are you going to know when you will be able to make time for me?"
"Soon..."
He was about to say that he would make time, but he remembered the news that had arrived from Balto and fell silent.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose feeling something akin to frustration, while the woman, who was observing his expressions, took a step back and spoke with indifference:
"It does not matter. Do not worry about me, just go and take care of your own business."
Then she turned toward the entrance of the main palace. Varkas grabbed her by the arm almost by reflex. His reflection was mirrored once again in her wide eyes.
"I will accompany you to the room."
"It is not necessary. I can walk on my own feet...!"
Ignoring her words, he lifted her small body into his arms. After looking at him with anger for a moment, the woman leaned against his shoulder with an expression of resignation.
Holding her back firmly, he nodded toward the elf maid who was waiting hesitantly at a certain distance.
"Go to the military affairs office and tell them I will be there in an hour, have them wait."
"Ah, understood."
He passed by the maid, who bowed in bewilderment, and entered the hall, where the gazes of the servants walking busily to and fro fell upon him. Ignoring the looks that observed him as if he were a sight worth seeing, he strode up the stairs and saw a maid lingering near his bedroom.
"Why are you here?"
He stepped forward toward her and spoke to her, which startled the young maid who was wringing her fingers in front of the door, and she immediately bowed.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Duke. This morning, Your Highness the Duchess wanted some fresh fruit, so we brought the goods in a hurry from the market. But since she had temporarily gone out, I was waiting."
He looked down at the tray the maid was carrying. It was a silver platter containing a cluster of Merlot grapes and some carefully peeled pieces of pear. Although she originally consumed mostly fruits or drinks mixed with honey, she only did so after the pleadings of her nanny. He had never heard her say that she wanted to eat something on her own, so he felt pleased.
Varkas settled her in one of his arms and took the platter with his other hand.
"Thank you. I will take care of it, you may leave."
Then he opened the door and entered the bedroom.
"Did you want to eat fruit?"
He set her down on the thick-cushioned chair and leaned over her, seeing a face that looked anxious.
Talia pressed her lips together to hide her emotions and said indifferently:
"That was not the fruit I asked for."
"Then, what was it that you wanted to eat?"
The woman could not answer immediately and remained pulling at the edge of her dress. After a long while, she murmured softly:
"Strawberries..."
He frowned. That fruit was already long past its season. She also knew that fact well, so she added quickly as if defending herself:
"I asked them to try to get them if possible, I was not insistent or rude. Just asking in the market is not an impossible request, right?"
"You can ask for any errand like that," he said in a firm tone.
He was overcome by a kind of anguish over her behavior, as she seemed to be measuring his opinion. Did she perhaps think she would be scolded for such a request? Feeling the oppression that suffocated his throat sink down toward his chest, he gently lifted her chin.
"Do you want to eat strawberries?"
"It was just an idea that came to my mind suddenly..."
"It will not be possible today, but I will get them for you in a few days."
The woman, who was avoiding his gaze, slowly met his eyes. Varkas added with some haste:
"Anything else you wish to eat, please, tell me."