Dawn of Vengeance — Chapter 29

HER MAJESTY... GOING TO THE TWIN PEAKS?

*WALTER'S IMAGINATION

I'VE HEARD MOST WOMEN DON'T LIKE HIKING,

AND SINCE HER MAJESTY HATES MOVING MORE THAN ANYTHING, SHE'D NEVER COME ALONG.

OH, YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.

EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT.

HIKING IS GOOD FOR STAMINA,

YOU GET TO ENJOY THE SCENERY,

AHEM

AND THIS MIGHT SOUND A BIT ODD, BUT...

I HEARD MY FATHER WON MY MOTHER OVER WHILE THEY WERE HIKING TOGETHER.

BWAHAHA

YOU KNOW THE SAYING THAT WARTIME MAKES PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY’VE BEEN STRUCK BY CUPID?

YOUR HEART STARTS POUNDING, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU THINK YOU’RE IN LOVE.

ISN’T HIKING THE SAME?

YOU’RE CLIMBING, YOUR HEART’S RACING,

THEN YOU STOP TO WIPE THE SWEAT FROM YOUR BROW, AND THAT’S WHEN YOUR EYES MEET...

AND TA-DA!

THAT’S WHEN IT HITS YOU!

IT HITS YOU?

YES!

I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.

THAT’S NOT THE NATURE OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HER MAJESTY.

WHAAAT??

IN FACT, I'D LIKE TO ASK WHY YOU'D EVEN THINK THAT.

HOW COULD I POSSIBLY SEE MY LIEGE AS A ROMANTIC INTEREST?

SO IF YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE HER,

THEN WHY...

...DO YOU...?

TOTAL SUPPORT

WEALTH

GEN'S POINT OF VIEW

SO ALL OF THAT IS JUST OUT OF DUTY?

IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?

SO YOU'RE REALLY NOTHING MORE THAN A KNIGHT AND HIS LIEGE?

POWER

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D THINK OTHERWISE.

UMM...

HIKING FOR STAMINA, HUH...

HIKING IS AN EXCELLENT HOBBY.

IT BOTHERS NO ONE,

NOR DOES IT COST ANYTHING...

IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANYONE ELSE'S LABOR,

IT LETS YOU ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE,

AND ABOVE ALL, IT IMPROVES YOUR HEALTH.

BUT I’M NOT SURE IF HER MAJESTY WOULD ENJOY IT...

OH, YOU’RE HERE.

I SHOULD ASK HER RIGHT AWAY.

DECISION MADE

Episode 29

PERFECT TIMING.

YOUR MAJESTY, I'M COMING IN TOO!

IT'S BEEN A WHILE, SIR WALTER.

WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE, LADY RUTHERFORD?

OHOHO

I HAVE SOMETHING FOR HER MAJESTY.

LOOKS LIKE WHEATON TOOK THE BAIT.

I'VE CONFIRMED THAT THE MERCHANT WHO'S BEEN FREQUENTING THE DUKE'S ESTATE...

...IS AN IMPERIAL AGENT,

AND YESTERDAY,

ONE OF THE DUKE'S GALLEYS ENTERED PORT FORTMEIER DISGUISED AS A MERCHANT SHIP.

DON'T YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHO HE'S PLANNING TO MEET?

IT'S TOO EARLY TO JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS...

...SINCE WE DON'T HAVE DEFINITIVE PROOF IT'S THE EMPIRE.

TRUE. IT'S A FIFTY-FIFTY CHANCE.

IF WE'RE WRONG, WE MIGHT END UP GIVING WHEATON LEVERAGE AGAINST US.

BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO TRUST MY INSTINCTS ABOUT THIS.

I MAY NOT ALWAYS READ THE GOOD GUYS RIGHT, BUT I KNOW THE BAD ONES PRETTY WELL.

INSTINCTS? AGAIN?

WANTS TO OBJECT

YOUR MAJESTY...

ANYWAY, THERE'S ANOTHER PROBLEM WE NEED TO CONSIDER.

WHEATON'S EXTREMELY SHARP,

SO HE'S PROBABLY ALREADY NOTICED HE'S BEING WATCHED.

CATCHING HIM THE MOMENT HE MAKES CONTACT WITH THE EMPIRE IS NECESSARY, BUT THE ISSUE IS HOW WE'LL MANAGE IT.

THE MEETING WILL LIKELY TAKE PLACE NEAR THE BORDER OR IN IMPERIAL WATERS,

WHICH WOULD MAKE DEPLOYING TROOPS DIFFICULT.

EXACTLY.

IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL, THIS COULD TURN INTO A DIPLOMATIC ISSUE.

OUR GOAL IS TO EXPOSE WHEATON AS AN IMPERIAL SPY, BUT WE CAN'T PROVOKE THE EMPIRE.

WE'LL NEED TO CAPTURE HIM DISCREETLY AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A COINCIDENCE.

THEN HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CATCH HIM?

COMMANDER, DO YOU...

...LIKE FISHING?

PORT FORTMEIER

HAHA.

I THOUGHT YOU’D SUGGEST GOING HIKING AGAIN.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GO FISHING ALL OF A SUDDEN?

COUNT BOUVEHAL NOTABLE TRAITS: MOUNTAIN ENTHUSIAST, AVID FISHERMAN

YOU’RE QUITE FOND OF FISHING, AREN’T YOU?

OH, ABSOLUTELY!

I LOVE THIS.

STILL, IT’S TOO BAD...

YOU’RE NOT GETTING A SINGLE BITE.

IT’S FINE. I’M JUST HERE TO ENJOY SOME LEISURE TIME WITH YOU.

STILL, IT’S A BIT SAD GOING HOME EMPTY-HANDED.

IF I CATCH SOMETHING GOOD, I’LL GIVE IT TO YOU.

HAHA!

WE HAVE TO GO GET COUNT BOUVEHAL.

HE’S THE KEY TO RALLYING THE ELDERS.

HE’LL BE THE PERFECT WITNESS FOR THIS.

COME ON! TAKE THE BAIT!

200% EXCITED

I'M SORRY, COUNT BOUVEHAL...

I'LL TAKE YOU TO THE TWIN PEAKS NEXT TIME.

GUILT-RIDDEN

THAT'S THE SIGNAL.