Chapter 129: The New Lord Commander

Absolute silence fell over the courtyard as the lieutenant's proclamation hung in the air, his words reverberating in the stunned silence that followed. Leo and Lirael stood immobilized, their eyes wide with disbelief as they processed the sudden turn of events.

"Why are you just standing there, KNEEL YOU SHITS!" Lieutenant Eamon suddenly shouted, his voice resonating in the courtyard. "Kneel before your new Lord."

"!!!" The abrupt command shattered the stillness, jolting Leo, Lirael, and everyone present there out of their stunned silence. Without hesitation, they dropped to one knee, their fists thumping against their chests in a display of respect and obedience.

"The Frostguard welcomes their New Lord Commander," they chorused in unison, their voices ringing out with a mixture of reverence and solemnity, though some might have been merely going through the motions.

Aron stood calm, observing the scene unfold before him. He felt slightly disappointed since his cover was blown up, and he didn't get the chance to spend more time as a regular soldier.

'It doesn't matter now, I have three people for that task,' he thought, foot still planted firmly on the chest of the man sprawled on the ground. The man froze in terror at the revelation that the man he attempted to slap was his new commander.

"Rise, Lieutenant," Aron said, his voice calm yet commanding.

Eamon, still kneeling, looked up at Aron with a mixture of respect and hope. It was unclear why he had that expression, but it was irrelevant for now.

Slowly, he rose to his feet, keeping his gaze respectfully lowered as he awaited further instructions.

"Sir," he acknowledged, his voice tinged with deference.

"Tell me, Lieutenant," Aron asked, "how did you recognize me?"

Lieutenant Eamon answered truthfully. "Two days past, a rider from Her Majesty arrived with the pronouncement of your appointment as Lord Commander. The documentation included your likeness, as well as..." He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Aron, who raised an eyebrow, silently urging him to continue.

Taking a deep breath, Eamon finished, "A warning came with the order. I quote, 'He's a… stupid man… who prefers to do what he likes. Leave him unchecked for a second and your lives will be in danger.'"

"..."

An unsettling silence followed. Lieutenant Eamon swallowed hard, fully expecting a furious reaction. After all, he had just repeated what could be construed as an insult to his new Lord, albeit one delivered directly from the Queen.

"Pfff…" Then, a sound broke the tension. A single, hesitant puff of air escaped Aron's lips.

"HAHAHAHAHA~" Aron burst into laughter, breaking the tension that had gripped the atmosphere.

Confused silence replaced the earlier tension. "Huh?" Eamon managed, utterly bewildered.

Aron's booming laughter echoed through the courtyard, momentarily silencing the assembled Frostguard. Even Leo and Lirael, still on their knees, couldn't help but steal curious glances at their new commander's unexpected reaction.

Tears welled up in Aron's eyes, wiping away the last vestiges of shock. Finally, wiping his eyes, he managed to gasp out between chuckles, "Well, I don't think that warning came from the Queen but from her sister…Hehehe~"

He trailed off, a mischievous glint flickering in his eyes. The Frostguard remained silent, unsure where this was going.

"Looks like someone's still holding a grudge about that time"

Eamon's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed hard. He instantly recognized who Aron was referring to; after all, the Queen only had one sister, Lady Thyra.

However, what shocked him the most was how casually Aron was speaking about her as if they were some good old friends; which was supposedly impossible.

That monster of a woman would never be that close to someone other than her sister, especially men. The rumors painted a terrifying picture – a woman of immense power and even sharper wit, with an icy demeanor that could freeze a dragon in its tracks. The idea of her holding a grudge, especially against someone like their new Lord Commander, sent a shiver down Eamon's spine.

Aron, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within his lieutenant, shifted his gaze to the man under his foot.

"Consider yourself lucky that you get to keep your arm for now," he said, his voice hardening. "But how long that lasts depends entirely on you." He flashed a wicked smile that sent terror into the man's spine.

Aron released the man and turned to the Lieutenant. "I want to speak with you in private, Lieutenant," he said, his voice regaining its earlier authority.

"Y-yes, Lord Commander," Eamon stammered, his voice higher than normal. He quickly gestured towards the main Keep.

Aron followed, a hint of amusement lingering in his eyes. As they walked, he addressed Eamon. "Tell me everything about the Frostguard, Lieutenant. Strengths, weaknesses, recent history – the whole lot. I want to know what I'm working with. Especially why everything seems to be in such a terrible state."

"Certainly, Lord Commander. I have everything in my office," Eamon nodded, pushing open the giant Keep steel door with a resounding clang that echoed through the courtyard, ignoring the stunned kneeling people in the courtyard. The sudden revelation of their new Lord Commander still didn't register well in their minds.

Lirael recovered quickly, leaning to his friend whispering, "What are we going to do? We insulted him previously."

Lirael feared that Aron would hold some grudge against his friend for his hostile attitude when they first met him, a fear that Leo didn't share with his Elven buddy.

He kept gazing at the Keep door with a single thing in his mind

'Damn, he's awesome, the power that forces respect and obedience, I want something like that.'

…

Inside the Keep was exactly as one might imagine from a stone structure - sturdy, dimly lit, and exuding an air of ancient authority. The flickering torches—Yes, torches—cast dancing shadows along the walls, adding to the mystique of the place.

Following Eamon's lead, Aron stepped into the chamber, his eyes scanning the room with keen curiosity.

The air within was cool and stale, carrying the faint scent of old stone and leather. Dust motes danced in the dim light filtering through narrow windows. The furnishings were sparse and utilitarian, reflecting a bygone era of glory.

His gaze lingered on a worn map hanging on the wall. It depicted the Frostguard and the surrounding territories, with faded markings highlighting past battles and strategic points beyond the Wall.

At that moment, Aron felt something inside grow, a strange sense of belonging or a desire to be part of the history of this place, but he felt like he was meant to be here.

Shaking himself from his reverie, Aron took a seat on a simple wooden chair near Eamon's desk. "Now, tell me everything," he said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of curiosity.

Eamon shut the heavy oak door with a thud, the sound echoing through the dimly lit chamber. The weight of the situation, the weight of the Frostguard's future, pressed heavily on his shoulders. He turned to face his new Lord Commander, a man who exuded an aura of unexpected charisma despite his youthful features.

"Everything, Lord Commander?" Eamon clarified, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Aron leaned back in his chair, a playful smile dancing on his lips. "Yes, everything. Don't hold back, Lieutenant. Lay it all bare."

Eamon took a deep breath as he removed his fur helmet, steeling himself for the task at hand. "Our strengths, my Lord, are few and far between these days. We have a rich history, of course," he gestured towards the map hanging on the wall, "generations of brave men and women who have defended the Wall."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration creeping into his voice. "But those days are long gone. We're understaffed, underfunded, and our equipment is woefully outdated. Morale is at an all-time low. We barely have two thousand men and most of them are logistics and criminals from the other kingdoms…" He paused, taking a seat across from Aron. "...with only a meager hundred truly trained soldiers."

"And the infrastructure?" Aron inquired, his keen eyes studying Eamon's face.

Lieutenant Eamon hesitated, gazing at the young man who was probably half his age—in his eyes. He leaned closer and asked a serious question before answering. "Can I speak frankly, Lord Commander?"

Aron chuckled inwardly, enjoying the Lord commander thing along with the fear and respect that Eamon was giving him. He wanted to act more… well, like a Lord, but Aron was not the type of man to bother himself with that headache.

"Absolutely, Lieutenant. Speak freely. And don't hide anything."

Eamon took a deep breath, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "It all began two years ago when the supplies from the Kingdom began to dwindle. It started subtly, a missed shipment here, a smaller allocation there. But then it became a trickle. We were assured it was a temporary setback, but the trickle never turned back into a steady flow."

He met Aron's gaze directly, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and resignation. "Some caravans would even vanish completely, supposedly attacked by monsters or bandits."

"Did anyone investigate the supply issue?" Aron asked, his voice hardening.

"I did personally," Eamon lowers his voice further, suspicion lacing his words. "The supplies would reach the city located south of us unharmed, Lord Commander. But from there, the shipments destined for the Frostguard would mysteriously vanish. No bandit raids, no monster attacks, just... gone."

"Did you report this?"

"We did report it to the previous Lord Commander, and we were about to investigate more, but the monster waves suddenly came a week early so we got occupied with defending the wall, And then, just after the waves subsided..." he trailed off, his face grim. "The Lord Commander was assassinated in his chambers,"

"Yeah, I heard about that," Aron said, his voice low and dangerous. "Do they have any leads on the culprit?"

Eamon shook his head grimly. "Nothing concrete, Lord Commander. The investigation went cold after a week. They say it was a rival kingdom, but no one is that insane to weaken The first and last line of defense of the whole continent against monsters by assassinating their commander" He passed, gesturing to four marks on the map.

"I barely managed to hold the Wall last year. If not for the help of the elders from these four villages, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

Aron leaned forward, studying the map intently. "And the southern city? Who controls it, and did they offer any assistance?"

Eamon shook his head, a bitter taste in his mouth. "We requested aid but received nothing. As for who controls the city... well,…" he paused again and glanced around the room for a second before continuing, "It's Lord Theodore, the King's own cousin."

When Aron heard this, suddenly it clicked in his mind, and things made more sense. However, he wasn't going to do anything, not until he studied the situation more and obtained solid proof to give his actions justification. After all, he's a Lord now and must act accordingly.

'Hmmm… Or I can just make proof'

'...'

Damn, Aron would stay the same no matter what.

Aron took a deep breath before giving orders to his Lieutenant, "Eamon, gather everyone in the courtyard. I want to address them. After that, I want you to make a list of everything we need from materials, supplies, equipment, and personnel. You have permission to take anyone and any number to help you out. We're going to rebuild the Frostguard from the ground up."

Eamon nodded solemnly, his eyes reflecting the weight of the task ahead. "Yes, Lord Commander. Consider it done."

With a determined stride, Eamon exited the chamber, leaving Aron alone to ponder the situation. Only seconds later, Aron turned to the 'air' to his left and said, "Viper, you know what to do."

"Yes Master"