Nathaniel Ashcroft stood rigid before the tribunal, the weight of his decision pressing down like a leaden cloak.

“Captain Ashcroft,” the general’s voice cut through the silence, sharp as steel, “You failed your duty in Greystone. Explain yourself.”

Nathaniel met the man’s gaze. “There was no rebellion. Only villagers struggling to survive. I would not harm them.”

The general’s expression hardened. “Your duty is not to question but to obey. You are dismissed. Leave your sword and uniform.”

The words struck him harder than he expected. Stripped of rank, he exited the hall under the cold stares of his peers. Each step away from the life he had known felt like walking into the void.

That night, Nathaniel wandered the empty streets of Port Albion. His mind replayed the faces of Greystone’s villagers—the fear, the desperation, Margaret Ellington’s resolute defiance. Had he betrayed the crown, or had the crown betrayed its people?

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The governor’s mansion loomed in the distance, its windows glowing with light and laughter. Celebration for victories built on blood. His hand brushed the worn cover of On the Rights of Man in his coat. All men are born free and equal. The words burned into his soul, a stark contrast to the tyranny he had enforced.

In the silence of his rented quarters, Nathaniel faced his reflection. The man in the mirror was no hero, no savior—just a soldier who had seen too much. His loyalty to the crown had crumbled, but what was he without it? A man without purpose, a traitor without a cause.

By dawn, the choice was clear. He packed what little he had, leaving behind the life of duty and dishonor. The forest became his refuge as he evaded patrols, each step taking him further from the crown’s reach.

When Margaret Ellington found him days later, he was gaunt but resolute. Her eyes narrowed in cautious recognition.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“I’ve seen enough,” Nathaniel replied. “I want to fight for justice, not tyranny.”

Margaret studied him for a moment before turning. “Come. Hargrove will judge your sincerity.”

With every step toward the rebel camp, Nathaniel knew there was no turning back. He had cast aside his past; now, he would forge a new future—one fraught with uncertainty, but finally, one he could call his own.