Kaladia

[1000 Furlongs North]

[The City of Kaladia: Northernmost city within House Leandis' borders, the fifth largest city in all of Erosia.]

[Population: 130,000]

"General Hawke," a soldier said, out of breath. 

"Have you come all the way here from the wall?" Sir Hawke asked, sitting up from his chair. He tossed a cleaned chicken bone to the ground. "What do you have to report?"

"They're here."

Sir Hawke frowned. "Already? Alright, then. Show me, immediately." 

The two took off to the wall. They raced past hundreds of close-quartered houses, where families had already gone to sleep for the night. They passed alleyways, where the homeless, thieves, and drunks all ended up after a long day.

After a moment, the wall was in front of them. The structure surrounded the entire city, just as it did in the Capitol, though this one was nearly half the size.

Sir Hawke followed the soldier, climbing up a ladder to the top. He breathed heavily, ignoring the pain in his limbs as he heaved himself up. 

A hand reached out and Sir Hawke accepted it gratefully. "Thank you, Elond," he said to his son. 

"Father...General. We've spotted them," Elond said nervously. 

Sir Hawke stepped toward the front of the wall, squinting out into the darkness. Even with his deteriorating vision, he could see the fires burning in the distance.

"They've set up camp," he said, squinting. "How far is that?"

"Fifty furlongs," Elond responded. "It seems they're just beyond our border."

"So, it is not an invasion. Yet." Sir Hawke thought for a moment. His army was twenty thousand strong, the second largest in all of House Leandis, besides the Capitol. But would it be enough for a force as mighty as House Styte?

"Get me my crow. I need to send a message to General Balian."

*******

Valia plunged through the forest. Her feet felt like they were gliding over the ground as she navigated roots, rocks, and vines. She pushed harder, exerting every muscle in her body. 

There were footsteps behind her. 

Guron and Alon.

"It's just ahead," Guron called out between heavy breaths. "Seems…like it's slowing down."

His enhanced hearing was helpful with enemies, but also with locating prey.

They found the deer lying in a pool of blood, an arrow protruding from its side. It was still alive, barely. 

Valia sliced her dagger across its throat and watched as life drained from its body. Then she pulled the arrow out carefully and handed it to Alon. "That was a perfect shot."

"I'm starving," Guron grumbled as he set to work with his own dagger, cutting the fur and skin from the deer's flesh. "Two days without food or rest. We've run a hundred furlongs at the least. Can we camp here for the night?"

She sighed. It was never a good idea to stay in the same place, especially so far into enemy territory. But as a Raider, all territory was the enemy's. Still, House Leandis was the most dangerous to be near. "We can stay for a few hours. But that's it."

"Good enough for me," replied Guron.

Valia shivered. The forest around them was slowly growing darker as the sun set. And with it, the temperature was beginning to drop. "Alon, let's get a fire going."

Her companion nodded and began gathering sticks. "Why are we heading North, Valia?"

She grabbed a stick and began shaving off small pieces for kindling. "House Styte."

"What about them?"

"We're going to ask to join their army."

Guron stopped skinning the deer and stood. "What?" Then he laughed. "That is ridiculous!"

"It is not a jest," Valia said. "House Leandis is the enemy. House Styte threatens to go to war with them. And I want to join that fight."

"But we're Raiders," Alon objected. "We only fight for ourselves."

Valia brought out her flint, striking it against her dagger to spark the kindling. It lit, illuminating her face as she spoke. "I don't care. If this is where we part, so be it. But I'm joining that army whether you like it or not. It's my only way to get revenge."

"Revenge?" Guron cried out. "We were once the strongest band of Raiders in the world. There were what…a hundred of us? You and Quoros…you were our leaders. But you have to realize that the move we made was foolhardy. Striking against the king? We should've stuck with pillaging villages with little protection. That was where we thrived!"

"It's my fault. It was my plan. Quoros had nothing to do with it. His death is on me. But it is also on House Leandis. On that…that man. He killed sixty of us. Single-handedly. A monster like him cannot be allowed to live."

Alon and Guron became quiet. 

Valia added a bundle of sticks to the growing fire. "You two have stuck with me for long enough. I have no power over your decision. But choose quickly."

"I'm with you," Alon said.

"We're with you," Guron added. "But only because you're our friend."

"Quoros didn't deserve to die…," she said quietly, trying to hold back the memories. Then she cleared her throat, looking at her companions. "Thank you. Both of you. For staying with me. I promise you…this will all work out in the end."

Revenge. I will get revenge.

*******

When Balian finally emerged from the dungeons, the sun had already fallen. He scratched his head.

How long did I spend down there?

Sir Lucan was gone. He had obviously decided Balian wasn't worth the time or stress, which Balian was grateful for.

He needed time to think. By himself. 

The girl would die tomorrow. Execution by the king himself.

Balian wondered how he would do it. Burned at the stake? A beheading? Or would it be hanging? He thought about Athena's dead body after each of them. 

No. He wouldn't watch it. He couldn't.

Why not? She was mad, Balian was sure. But her words still held weight. He'd never known anyone who spoke the way she did. 

That doesn't make her right, he thought bitterly.

He found himself atop the wall. His feet must've carried him there while his thoughts ran amok. 

Balian took in a breath of cold, northern air. He was free, no matter what the girl seemed to think. That was why he was out here, while she was trapped behind those bars. He could do anything he wanted right now. As a matter of fact he could-

A crow appeared from the darkness, flapping its wings past his ear. 

He jumped in surprise, then followed the shadowy figure with his eyes until it landed at his feet. Around its neck was a string to which a rolled piece of paper was attached. 

The crow eyed him warily as he carefully removed the necklace and unfurled the message. 

General Balian,

House Styte is nearing our northernmost border. We do not yet know their intention, but it remains a high possibility that they will invade in the coming hours. I will soon have an estimate on their size, but I would assume they have more than the 20,000 men I command here in Kaladia. I know you must keep the Capitol well defended, but I would advise you to send reinforcements here as soon as you are able. If we can defend this border, you will not have to worry about the Capitol's fall. Please take this into consideration with the king and his council.

General Delnor Hawke

Balian skimmed through the letter and then read it twice more, memorizing each detail. House Styte had killed the king's daughter. And now they were near House Leandis's borders.

If it was war they wanted, it was war they would get. But Balian wasn't intending to make this easy on them. He had eighty thousand men under his command. Even a fraction of that number would send Styte and his army running home. 

General Hawke was over thirty years his senior. He had never known peace, only war. He had survived hundreds of battles and had been the Capitol's general for years.

He was also Balian's father.

Not by blood, but in every other way. 

After Balian was sent to the army by his parents to clear their debt, he had served under Sir Hawke, who had already been a notorious name by then.

"I'm sorry about your friends," had been his first words to Balian. The two of them were the only survivors of his first battle. "But you're a strong one, kid. You got a name?"

No matter how much Balian tried to get him to go away, Sir Hawke always found him. Whether it was at the end of a battle or during dinner. And all he would talk about was fighting. He gave Balian tips to survive, to become a better fighter.

As he entered manhood, he found himself training everyday with the old man, even when Sir Hawke had been promoted to General. 

When Sir Hawke reached sixty years old, he had pleaded with the king for less responsibility. Commanding such a large army was stressful over so many years. 

King Leandis had allowed this but asked him to instead command a smaller portion of his army, to the north in Kaladia. For his replacement in the Capitol, Sir Hawke had recommended Balian.

In all honesty, Sir Hawke had saved Balian, even if he didn't know it at the time. Even now, the old man still advised him, teaching him how to be a better leader.

I'll do what he recommends, Balian decided. Now all I need is the king's permission.