It was very early in the morning when the camp began to stir. Horses were ready and saddled, and the soldiers were all set, waiting for the princess, so they could begin their journey. It would be a long one so they had to leave early enough. Most of the warriors had their horses, except for very few stronger foot soldiers.
Princess Nyella dressed in her traveling armor and had her hair braided tightly back. She walked slowly to her horse, it was indeed a long journey ahead. Today, she would ride back to the capital of Ivarion, to report on the Crown’s Ledger, everything she’d seen in Velgard: the state of the battalion, the weapons, and the threat that was closer with each passing day.
The Sandborn boy walked behind them with his hands tied. One of the guards pulled the rope gently, keeping him from staying too far behind.
Before they set off, Nyella rode up to the generals and, in a calm voice, thanked them for their dedication.
"You’ve done more than duty," she said. "You’ve shown heart. And the kingdom will forever remember."
Then, turning to Lord Edgar, the Lord Arbiter, she spoke more personally.
"I ask you to remain here in Velgard until war begins," she said. "Your wisdom, your sense of justice, it’s needed now more than ever."
Edgar bowed his head. The generals exchanged glances. To the princess, it meant having someone just and wise close by just in case anything happened, but to the generals, it was to study their plans and movements and keep them in check.
They rode out at first light.
Hours passed. At one point, as the forest became more dense, Nyella turned slightly in her saddle and spoke.
"Do either of you believe what Lord Arvel said?" she asked. "That we have the upper hand in this war? Even with eleven thousand fewer men... do you think things are truly in our favor?"
Sira and Ser Devic exchanged a glance.
Ser Devic answered first. "I am a Phoenix Guard, not a general, Your Highness. I don’t know war like they do. But I do know one thing, loyalty. And what I can tell you is this, your generals serve the kingdom. If they say we have a chance, believe them. And more importantly, let them see you believe it. That belief could be the very thing that drives them to victory."
Nyella smiled faintly at his words. "So, if they believe we can win, I should too?"
"Exactly," he nodded. "But... never forget. Even generals can miss things. Small and important things you would never believe they could miss. That’s where you come in. Royals don’t just wear crowns, they fill in the cracks."
Just then, they entered the lands of Varnmoor. Nyella breathed in deeply and continued. "This will be my first real battle," she said calmly. "All my life I’ve trained. I’ve learned to lead, to fight, to protect. But now... It’s real. After all these years... I’ll finally be leading my people to war."
Ser Devic pulled his horse to a stop and turned to look at her.
"Are you planning to lead the war?" he asked carefully.
Nyella nodded. "Of course. That’s my duty."
Devic smiled a little. "You think your father, the king, will let that happen?"
Nyella blinked. "Why wouldn’t he? He allowed me to carry out the Crown’s Ledger, didn’t he?"
Devic’s smile widened slightly. He started riding again, shaking his head.
"I’ve known the king longer than you, Your Highness. And if there’s one thing I’m sure of... It’s that he’ll never allow his only child to lead a war. Not while he’s still alive and definitely not one as dangerous as this. Not when it means risking the only daughter he has."
Nyella opened her mouth to answer, but then...
fwip...thud!
A sound went through the air. One of the front-line foot soldiers crumpled to the ground with an arrow in his chest.
Then another.
Whewwww... ta ta ta ta!
Arrows flew from the trees. Shadows jumped from behind the trees and forest and chaos exploded. Horses neighed, panicked, and before anyone could react, they were surrounded.
Assassins. Dozens of them.
No insignias nor banners. They just looked like killers and all dressed in black, their faces were covered. They outnumbered the Phoenix Guard three to one.
"Protect the princess!" Ser Devic shouted as he drew his spear.
In an instant, the Phoenix Guard formed a circle around Nyella. Sword against sword, steel against steel. They were fighting to protect their princess.
Sira was already in the fray, her daggers were precise. It would cut down anyone who got too close. Devic fought with fury, he was spinning his spear and knocking down the attackers into the trees.
Still, there were too many.
Devic roared, and then began cutting a path in the whole chaos. He wanted to create space for the princess, and he finally did. Then, he turned to Nyella, his armor splattered with blood.
"Go! Now! Take the opening, ride fast!"
She hesitated, but then saw there were too many, so she wheeled her horse around and charged through the narrow opening he had made. Her heart was pounding so hard as she was leaving fast, past the arena, and the forest. She didn’t look back.
Clop... clop... clop... Her horse galloped.
But then... A memory came to her. It was that of her mother, whom she considered her mentor.
"One should never flee from an enemy. Turn your back, and you offer them the sweetest chance to strike. It’s far better to face them, smile, if you must, but never run. Vulnerability is a luxury only fools afford."
She remembered a lesson amongst the many her mother used to tell her as she was growing up. And she couldn’t disappoint her.
Nyella pulled the reins hard and her horse spun around.
Without a word, she kicked it into a charge and headed straight back toward the battlefield.