The bustle in the outer city had died down.
Suleiman's Black Lion banner fluttered above Willow Town, replacing House Legg's green willow banner,
signaling the change in control of the castle.
Suleiman stood some distance from the towering stone walls of the inner keep. His gaze passed over the bottomless moat as he inspected the towering, sturdy fortress.
He had expected this. Though matters had still reached a difficult point, things had gone far better than he'd anticipated. At least they had taken the outer keep.
The heavy iron gate was tightly shut. The House Legg soldiers in the arrow towers watched below nervously, like startled birds.
This was a troublesome hard nut to crack, a bottomless pit that couldn't be filled even with human lives.
Lushen's voice brimmed with the desire to fight. He was covered in blood—his own and others'—yet his voice was frighteningly steady. "Lord Suleiman, let me lead the men in one charge!"
Suleiman didn't turn around. He merely raised a hand to signal for calm. "There's no need for that just yet."
His voice was placid, but it instantly cooled Lushen's boiling blood. Lord Suleiman's word was law to him.
At last, Suleiman turned away from the inner keep, as if it no longer existed, and began issuing orders in a calm, methodical manner.
"Lushen."
"Take some men and inspect the castle's granaries and armories. Gather up and secure House Legg's food stores, then distribute the weapons and armor from their armory to our soldiers, who have nothing but farming tools and plain clothes."
Lushen stood tall and answered, "Yes, Lord Suleiman!"
Suleiman's gaze swept over the crowd and settled on Hek, Lushen's adjutant.
"Hek!"
"Lord Suleiman!" Hek immediately stepped forward.
Suleiman's gaze remained calm, his voice steady and devoid of emotion.
"You're in charge