Chapter 239 239: Seize Jolthar

Words : 1721 Updated : Oct 10th, 2025

"News reached me of the Nynthrall Yilar's appearance," she replied, her expression darkening momentarily. "That lowly, sickening bastard!" "The same creature we battled in the Desert Valley." Her fingers traced the hilt of the ceremonial dagger at her waist. "I came to ensure his permanent demise." Raayani has been searching for Yilar since the time she met him in the desert valley; she wanted to kill him for trying to kidnap her daughter. Jolthar looked stoic; for a second, he remained still as Hamen's expression was changing again. He just sighed; he thought he was a composed one, but in the face of Jolthar, a young man who was not half his age, he was making him feel this way. Jolthar then gestured toward the ashes scattered by the growing wind. "Oh, I just killed him and burned him to ashes." A surprise flickered across Raayani's features. "What?! You fought him and killed him too!" "As expected of my boy, you indeed have gotten stronger, darling." Without warning, she embraced Jolthar, pressing her lips against his cheek in a kiss that lingered beyond propriety. "You've saved me considerable trouble," she whispered against his ear. Jolthar stiffened at the contact, startled by her forwardness despite her known proclivities. The scent of nightblossoms and power clung to her, intoxicating and dangerous. "Although I would have liked to end his life with my own hands, still I am glad that it was you who killed him." She had been furious that Yilar was slipping away from her grasp for the past few months. But more than her anger to kill Yilar, she was overpowered by the desire as she saw Jolthar here, and in a way, he looked even more charming than before to her, and the power he was radiating was intoxicating to her. Meanwhile, Remin, who had reached, stopped at Iorina's side. Iorina gave him a glance before turning to Raayani, and she was showing her disgust right at her. She was not even hiding it. Raayani turned to see Remin, Iorina, and Remin's dragon landing behind him. The battlefield had turned silent now; the county soldiers were done with the aftermath, settled themselves on the field, and were taking a breather. It had been a short battle, but it was more intense than what they had fought for days. Those barbarians, even after their leader was killed, were more angered than disheartened and fought hard. The beasts were still silently standing before the forest where Jolthar stood like they were awaiting his orders. If it weren't for them, the county soldiers wouldn't have survived the battle. Raayani cleared her throat, a playful glint in her eyes as she finally turned her attention to the two formidable figures before her. "I must have been truly blessed to have the honour of gracing the presence of the empire's two most powerful generals." Her voice carried a deliberate ease, laced with amusement, as though she had all the time in the world. And she wasn't apologising for how she behaved, and she didn't care for that matter. In status, she was no less compared to the empire; her Blue Rose had a reputation and influence over the realm. And she was not afraid to remind these generals of that fact, subtly asserting her own power. Remin and Iorina, renowned across the empire for their unmatched prowess in battle, stood before her with unreadable expressions. The former, a man of quiet intensity, was clad in his customary dark military attire, his sharp gaze scrutinizing her every move. The latter, a woman of striking presence, stood tall with an air of cool authority, her arms crossed as she regarded Raayani with detached curiosity. Remin wasn't offended by how Raayani addressed them, but Iorina was visibly angry as her breaths came in like flares. Raayani, the matriarch of the Blue Rose, did not rush to apologize for the late introduction. She merely let her lips curl into a knowing smile before finally offering them a proper greeting, though she took her sweet time doing so. The air between them remained thick with unspoken words, yet neither general interrupted her. They merely observed and watched her antics as she had unabashedly fawned over Jolthar moments before. It was clear that she was well aware of their scrutiny, but Raayani carried herself with the confidence of a woman who had nothing to prove. If anything, the amusement in her eyes suggested that she found their reactions far more entertaining than they let on. - On the battlefield, the bloodied field bore witness to the carnage that had unfolded—imperial soldiers moving methodically among the fallen, confirming deaths and collecting tokens from the barbarian dead. The forest edge loomed dark and watchful, the gathered beasts remaining in their strange, submissive formation as if time itself held its breath in anticipation. The night moon illuminated a little, and the fire here and there gave them enough light to move around. A soldier came with a fire stick in his hand and stood behind them. The Matriarch of the Blue Rose Seraglio stood entirely too close to Jolthar, her hand lingering on his arm in a manner that spoke of possession rather than mere familiarity. Despite her age—well into her forties—she carried herself with the confidence of a woman who had never been denied. "I take it the battle has been decisively concluded." Iorina, the Empire's most decorated general, watched this display with thinly veiled disgust. Her own armour bore the marks of recent combat, yet she stood rigid with discipline that had been forged through decades of military service. Her weathered features hardened as she observed Raayani's familiar gestures toward Jolthar. "If you've come to claim Nynthrall's remains, Matriarch, you'll find little to satisfy you," Iorina said coldly. "Though perhaps you've found alternative entertainment." Her disdain for Raayani's notorious appetites was evident in every syllable. The tension between the women was old and unresolved—Iorina, the embodiment of military discipline and honour, and Raayani, whose power stemmed from entirely different sources. There was never a time when they talked without any hostility towards each other, and Remin was starting to regret his decision to come over. But he couldn't just leave; after all, she was the Matriarch of Blue Rose, and he had to show his respect too, even if she didn't. The Seraglio's influence within the Empire remained a contentious matter among the military elite, who viewed their methods as dishonourable despite their effectiveness. Raayani merely smiled at the barb. "General Iorina, always so... rigid. Some matters require a delicate touch rather than brute force. Something the military arm of the glorious Empire often fails to comprehend." Jolthar shifted uncomfortably between them; rather than being the centre of their discussion, he was more conscious of Raayani standing close to him and her left bosom pressing and rubbing against him. She was certainly a captivating woman, and it would be hard not to react when she was standing so close. Hamen just wanted to disappear into the darkness. Even though no one was paying attention, he remained at his place, silently watching them. His wyvern slumped behind him. Iorina's patience, already worn thin by Jolthar's earlier defiance, finally shattered. She turned to her honour guard, three battle-hardened veterans who had served at her side through countless campaigns. They had been on their horses nearby. She gestured for them to come forward. "Seize Jolthar," she commanded. "He stands accused of direct insubordination on the field of battle. My explicit orders were to capture the Nynthrall alive for interrogation. Instead, he chose personal vengeance over strategic necessity." The soldiers moved forward, their expressions grim but determined. Before they could reach Jolthar, however, Raayani stepped between them, her posture shifting subtly from seductive to threatening. The air around her shimmered with barely contained power. "You will not touch him," Raayani stated, her voice no longer melodic but hard as forged steel. "The Nynthrall, Yilar, was marked for death by the Seraglio for crimes against my bloodline. Your military objectives, General, do not supersede blood right." Iorina's hand moved to the hilt of her sword. "Your personal vendetta does not override direct military orders during an active campaign, Matriarch. The Nynthrall possessed critical intelligence regarding enemy movements. Intelligence we now lack due to Jolthar's impulsive actions." "Intelligence I would have gladly extracted before ending him," Raayani countered. "Unlike your crude methods, the Seraglio knows how to acquire information without leaving the subject intact." The standoff intensified, soldiers and Seraglio adherents alike tensing for what might come next. Yoana was still watching Jolthar with a close eye; her gaze had never left since the time she arrived. She was apprehensive about his presence and the undoubted power of the beast king. It was at this critical moment that Remin, mounted still upon his horse, guided his steed forward, now present in between them. "Enough!" Remin's voice carried the quiet authority that had made legions follow him into impossible battles. Unlike Iorina's weathered appearance, Remin maintained an almost aristocratic bearing, his armour immaculate despite the day's combat. "This discord serves only our enemies." He dismounted with fluid grace, handing the reins to an attendant before approaching the gathered powers. His gaze settled on Jolthar, assessing rather than accusing. He was briefed by Hamen on what exactly had happened here. Hamen stood by Remin as he looked at him with a knowing look. Hamen had served under Remin during his young age and earned the praise of the Great general; they talked for a brief moment before coming to the matter at hand. Remin turned to Jolthar, giving the young man and the woman who was leaning far too close to him, Raayani. He could guess that she had her eyes on him and would take him to her Blue Rose soon enough for her pleasures. He knew that much about her. Remin stated. "The orders were explicit—the Nynthrall was to be taken alive for interrogation regarding the movements of the southern hordes. Instead, we find him reduced to ash." He turned to Jolthar directly. "Explain your actions, soldier."

Chapter 239 239: Seize Jolthar

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