Marix returned to the stables, with the rest of the troops right behind him. With the amount of traveling they would be doing, he knew he needed his horse.

It had been trained to return home if the two of them ever got separated, and Marix was trusting in that training as they approached. He swung off the back of one of the other soldier’s horses and looked inside.

Standing there next to its stall was his trusted steed. He slowly approached, and grabbed its rains.

"Easy....easy." He whispered as his horse threw its head up. He wrapped the reins around one of the iron bars on the stall wall and gently slid his hand down the horse’s leg.

After grabbing its feathering, he gave it a light tug, resulting in his horse lifting his leg. Marix pulled it against his leg and cradled the hoof with his left hand with a grunt. He could feel the arrow in his shoulder causing pressure and shooting pains through his arm and upper back.

Marix gritted his teeth as he examined the horse’s leg.

There was some minor singed hair, but nothing serious or any signs of actual burns.

"Just got startled huh?" He said as he let the hoof fall to the floor and patted the horse on the shoulder.

He unwound the reins from the iron bar and began to lead his horse out when he heard a banging noise echoing through the stable.

He turned around towards the source of the sound and pulled his sword out as he carefully approached.

Standing there in his stall was Eilownia’s Andalusian.

Marix let out a sigh that was mixed with frustration and relief as he slid his sword back into its scabbard.

"Damn that Prav. I told him to take him with them. What else has he messed up?!"

He found his heart starting to race as he grabbed the horse’s lead rope off the side of the stall and entered inside.

"You’re coming with me." He said as he clipped the lead rope onto the halter.

Marix’s wrapped the lead rope tightly around his right hand and pressed his thumb against it, keeping it from unraveling.

"You better not bolt on me."

With a click of his tongue, both horses started to walk, following him outside of the stable.

"General, do you need some help with that gelding?" Vos asked while holding Tryde in front of him on his own horse.

Marix shook his head, "No. It’s Eilownia’s horse. I’ll be the one to take it to her."

He clucked his tongue and tapped on his horse’s leg with his foot, causing it to kneel down on the ground.

Marix swung is foot over with a loud groan and gently squeezed its sides with his legs, signaling for it to get up.

His horse quickly rose, forcing Marix to sway front to back to maintain balance before he was able to slide his feet into the stirrups.

"Alright. Our first destination is to my safe house. A few other soldiers are there along with my future wife and heir. We’ll recoup there, treat our wounded and discuss our next course of action."

There was no cheering, no unified chant, not even a single spoken ’yes.’ They all just quietly nodded their heads.

Low morale was often an army killer, and Marix had no idea how to raise theirs at this point.

Their families would most likely be targets now that they’d all left with him, their homes and businesses probably gone or damaged in the fight.

He had no hope to promise them, other than he was alive and he wasn’t all too sure what that even meant at this point.

All he could do was keep moving forward, lead them like he always had and pray that Norain would provide them aid.

He pulled his broken arm tighter to his chest and held the lead rope of Eilownia’s horse tight in his shaky hand. He could feel his grip was weakening, but with each wave of weakness, he’d try to hold on even tighter than before.

Tryde’s eyes fluttered open to see a copper-colored mane bobbing up and down in front of him.

His body felt heavy, like lead, and he felt himself slumping forward.

The forest floor looked like it was pulsing towards him as his vision swam.

"Hold on there." Vos said, wrapping his arm tighter around Tryde as he pulled him further upright.

"W-Where.....where am I?" Tryde whispered, looking around at the ground, his vision slightly blurred.

"We’re on the way to General’s safe house. You’ve got quite the wound on you." Vos said, keeping his eyes in front him.

"A-Aleiza...Aleiza.....we have to go back and get Aleiza...." Tryde’s voice was shaking and quiet as his body began to slump forward again. He could feel his strength draining by the second.

"Uff!" Vos repositioned him again and held him even tighter.

"Focus on yourself for now. You’re painting my armor red and you can’t even sit up straight. We have bigger fish to fry."

"Please. Please...I’ve already abandoned her once. I left her in that house with that monster. I lied to her about who I was while she earnestly gave me her secrets....." Tears started to fall out of Tryde’s eyes as he begged, "We have to go back and get her."

Vos patted Tryde’s side, "We’re all leaving someone behind. You need to be taken care of first. You can’t worry about someone else when you can’t even sit up. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be."

Tryde sniveled as Vos rode up next to Marix.

"General, I’m worried about him. The man is crying, he can’t be doing well if he’s like this over something so trivial."

Marix’s heart clenched. That’s right, they were all leaving someone behind. Everyone except for him. Eilownia and his unborn child were safe, ready to come on the journey with him.

If he were in Tryde’s position....well...he was in Tryde’s position....

His mind reeled as he gritted his teeth.

"We have no time. We need to get a move on before Arlon returns with the Solan army."

Tryde coughed weakly before taking a deep breath, "She works for you. She’s in danger....we’ve committed treason now. They won’t let anyone working at your place go."

Now Marix understood more of where his father was coming from. He felt like such a huge hypocrite.

His father’s words echoed in his head as he gritted his teeth, ’As your king I have to tell you to let her go. As your father, I’m sorry that I cannot do more for you in the matters of the heart.’

Marix took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

"As your friend, I’m sorry that the best I can do is to send word for her to rendezvous at a pick-up point. As your General, the priority right now is to get the wounded taken care of, and to receive aid from Norain."

He couldn’t believe that his father’s words, the very ones that had felt like an arrow in his chest, were being mirrored out of his own mouth.

When they arrived at the safe house, they dismounted their horses and triaged the soldiers. Those that were in the best shape secured a perimeter around the cabin as they stood guard.

Vos and Marix worked to carry in the most gravely wounded; Tryde included, whilst others stumbled inside.

The safe house may have been a dusty, rickety mess, but for them it was a safe haven where they found their bodies plummeting to the floor as their adrenaline dissipated.

"We need gauze and first aid, stat! Pair up with the medics and observe. You’re going to need to learn fast!" Marix shouted in command as he headed to where he kept his medical supplies. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Marix!" Eilownia shouted with relief, but he ignored her, heading straight for the first aid kits.

She stood back against the wall awkwardly, not knowing what to do. She turned her back on the sight, suddenly feeling faint at the sight of all the blood.

"I’ve got supplies as well!" Dr. Lein shouted as he carried his briefcase in.

"And I.....slrrrrrp.....know all about anatomy!" Whimble said as he hobbled after him.

Marix’s eyes widened.

Jinya appeared and curtsied. "Sir. I contacted Dr. Lein and Whimble to come to the safe house after I saw the commotion and realized you and Miss Eilownia were gone. I brought Aleiza with me to help since her family is all in Sola. I thought she might be in more danger."

Tryde’s head perked up, "Aleiza?"

"Tryde!" She yelled as she ran over to him and grabbed his hand.

"You’ve done excellent work Jinya. Thank you for always being someone that I can...count on." He said as his eyes flickered.

"G-General Marix? You look pale. Are you alright?" Jinya asked, her voice laced with concern.

Eilownia snapped around and ran over, dodging the injured and those were trying to help.

"Ma-?!"

Just as Marix made eye contact with her, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed in her arms.

"MARIX?!"