“So moving to me fighting in the war, then,” Maude said, doing her best to suppress a gulp. “Has any fighting started yet since I left?”

“Since you left, no,” Melissa replied. “But we believe that the empire’s elite forces will be clashing with our own in only a matter of days.”

Maude swallowed hard. A matter of days. She knew the king had been waiting until the very last moment to have people leave the country, but it was still shocking that it would only be about a week between his decree and the actual battle.

“There are a couple of other battalions that are getting ready for some smaller scale fights as well. Those are also slated to start around the same time,” Melissa added.

“So where do you think it would be best for me to go then?” Maude asked. “Will I have enough time to get there and participate in the battle?”

Maude felt her heart starting to beat faster in her chest. I should have changed my mind sooner, she thought. I waited too long, and Jaspar, and the citizens of Aulbert are in danger because of it.

“It’s probably about three days before the major battle begins,” Melissa replied, pouting her lips. She looked as though she was thinking very deeply. “And in that particular battle, it’s expected that Duke Holloway and the emperor himself are going to show up.”

Maude couldn’t suppress a shiver at the idea that her father and the emperor were coming to fight. I wonder why they are, she thought. I always assumed that the emperor would never participate in the actual war.

“If Aulbert wins that fight,” Melissa continued, “Even if we can’t eliminate the emperor and Duke Holloway, that very well could be a major turning point for us.” She tapped her pointer finger on her pouty lips. “If we manage to get rid of the emperor and Duke Holloway in that fight, Aulbert should have a pretty good chance at winning some of the other skirmishes, and we could very easily end the war, winning.”

Melissa met Maude’s eyes. “As it currently stands, it is unlikely that the troops that are there would be able to successfully win the fight, but we have sent our absolute best, including Prince Erich, Duke Rosenberg, and the king. It is one of our last efforts to potentially win the war. It was incredibly risky for them to all go, but it was a gamble we decided to take as a final attempt to win. Additionally all three will lose their lives, should Aulbert lose.”

Maude gulped. That’s an incredibly big gamble, she thought. If Aulbert wins and all three of them die, there will be no one to rule the country. She paused. Though I guess father and the emperor are doing the same thing. At least the emperor has a child to pass the empire onto.

A look of concern was growing on Melissa’s face. “But if you are to join them? It very well could take you all three days you have before the battle begins, even riding on horseback, to get there in time.”

The room fell silent. Maude felt a balloon of panic rising in her chest. Of course, immediately after I leave, Jaspar has put himself in grave danger, she thought. And there is no guarantee I’m going to get there in time to attempt to help the fight go better.

“Well then,” Maude replied with a curt nod. “I guess that means I have no time to waste.”

“You’ll go?” Melissa asked, a look of concern crossing her face.

“I’ll go,” Maude confirmed.

Though, admittedly, I’m still nervous at the idea of killing anyone, she thought.

“Alright,” Melissa said with a sharp nod. “In that case, let’s get you on your way, shall we?” She stood up, gracefully. “Give me your waterskin. I’ll have the maids fill it up and grab you some food from our kitchen.”

Maude unhooked the water skin from her belt, and handed it to Melissa.

“Follow me,” she commanded, walking to the door. “You and I will head to the stables.” Melissa flung the door open to the sitting room as Maude got up and scurried to the door.

“Alice?” Melissa asked in the hallway as Maude stopped over the threshold after her.

“Yes, my lady?” Alice, the familiar maid, asked. She was now dusting in the hallway.

“Please fill Lady Holloway’s waterskin, bring an additional filled waterskin, and some food rations and meet Lady Hollway and I at the stables as soon as you can.”

Alice beamed at Melissa and took the waterskin from her hands. “Of course, my lady,” she replied. She rushed off in the direction opposite from where Melissa quickly began walking down. Maude hurried to follow behind her friend.

“We’re also going to stop by the Wright strategy room,” Melissa informed her. “It’s important that you know where you’re going and don’t get lost since you’re traveling alone and on a limited time budget.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Alright,” Maude replied. Melissa abruptly turned towards a door on the left side of the hallway, and opened it. “I have a map that Jaspar gave me for my journey. Would that be helpful?”

“Extremely,” Melissa replied with a small smile, as the pair of them stepped into a small room with a table with a map on it.

Are all strategy rooms like this? Maude couldn’t help but wonder.

Maude pulled out the map and handed it to Melissa. She laid it out next to the map on the table, grabbed a quill and circled a road that led from the capitol, towards the empire.

“This is the road you will need to follow,” Melissa stated, tracing her fingers down the pathway. “Once we get outside, I’ll give you directions to it within the capitol. Eventually you will come across a small clearing where there are flag posts. At that point, you’ll want to head directly south, and follow the road till it ends. At that point, you will head directly south into the woods to reach the campsite they will be at. Hopefully someone will be there who can give you directions to where the actual battle will be taking place.”

“Okay,” Maude replied, swallowing hard again. Please, if there is any kind of God in this world, let there be someone at the campsite to give me directions when I get there, she thought.

“I’m also going to write down these directions on your map. Do you have a way to identify which direction is south?” Melissa asked as she began writing the directions.

Maude pulled Jaspar’s compass out of her pocket. The needle calmed down, pointing north. She noticed the opposite of north was south. “I do,” she replied.

Melissa glanced over and saw the compass in Maude’s hand. She grinned. “Leave it to Duke Rosenberg to prepare you to travel alone.”

Maude smiled back, pocketing the compass.

Melissa finished writing the instructions and put the quill off to the side. She carefully folded back up the map, and handed it to Maude. Maude tucked it away in the duffle.

“Let’s continue,” Melissa said, gesturing to the door. Maude nodded and then stopped out into the hallway. Melissa followed her and shut the strategy room’s door behind them.

Melissa quickly began walking again down the hallway. Maude kept up with her. “We’ll get you one of our fastest horses,” Melissa said. “If you ride from light until dark every day, there’s a good chance that you’ll get there in time.”

“Understood,” Maude said. “Are there towns along the road, or will I be camping?”

“I think you’ll most likely be camping,” Melissa answered. “Before the war, there most certainly would be inns along the way, but my guess is that those inns don’t have any innkeepers at the moment.”

“Got it,” Maude replied. “Do you think I will need to be worried about any empire troops sneaking around as I am camping?”

Melissa looked back at her, wide eyed. “I hadn’t even thought of that,” she said.

Maude grimaced. “So yes.”

“Yes,” Melissa confirmed. “I’d keep fire to a minimum and find a safe hidey hole to sleep in.”

“Thanks for your recommendations,” Maude replied. They walked through the front door, and they continued their brisk walk to the stables. Maude’s legs screamed with the effort.

I’ll be riding a horse soon, she thought. It will give my legs a few days to recover before I go into battle. Though, I’ll probably be wishing it was my legs that hurt after riding a horse, Maude bemused, thinking back to the pain she had felt going into war for the empire.

“You there!” Melissa called out. “Stable boy!” Up ahead, there was a boy’s frame, wearing a brown cap. He turned to look in the direction that Maude and Melissa were coming from.

Maude could hear Melissa running out of breath as she said, “Connor!”

“Yes, my lady?” the boy asked.

“Prepare our fastest horse for Lady Maude to borrow,” Melissa commanded.

“Right away, my lady,” Connor said with a small bow.

“Make it ready for combat as well,” Melissa informed him as they got even closer.

“Is it alright for me to prepare Celerity then?” Connor asked Melissa. She seemed to pause for a moment, recognizing the name.

Is Celerity her horse? Maude wondered. I love the name.

Melissa sighed and turned to Maude. “Promise me that if you survive, and so does Celerity, that you will bring her back?” Her eyes were filled with concern, and her lips were turned downward.

“You don’t have to give me the best horse if you do not want to,” Maude replied.

“None of them compare to her,” Melissa answered.

Maude swallowed hard. She’s even placing an important horse’s life in my hands now, Maude thought, her stomach rolling.

“I promise I will bring her back then,” Maude answered.

“Good,” Melissa replied. She turned back to Connor. “Prepare her,” she commanded.

“Yes, my lady,” Connor replied.

Out of the corner of her eye, Maude noticed Alice scurrying up to the stables, her arms full of waterskins and food.

“Ah, good,” Melissa said with a smile. “Alice is almost here, and it should not take Connor all that long to prepare Celerity.”

Alice came up to Maude and slowly handed her the rations. The rations went into the duffle back with the other rations. The waterskins were both attached to her belt.

“Great timing, Alice,” Melissa said with a warm smile. “As per usual.”

Alice grinned widely. “Anything to help you and the sword saint, my lady,” she replied.

A few minutes later, Connor came out of the stables with a strong, large build, black horse. Maude felt herself take a small step back while looking at the horse.

“Whoa,” she said.

Melissa grinned at her. “Celerity and I grew up together,” she said. “And she is my pride and joy. “Please treat her well.”

“Of course,” Maude replied with a sharp nod and a smile.

“To get on the road from here, head to the capitol shopping district, and then take a sharp right on the path right on the path right before the district begins. Do you know where that is?”

Maude closed her eyes and thought about when she’d left the Wright manor, only a few days earlier. “I do,” she answered, once she’d visualized the intersection in her mind.

“Excellent,” Melissa said, offering Maude a hand to help her steady herself while climbing onto the horse. Maude gladly took it while putting her foot through the loop to help pull herself up. She got situated on top of the horse and then looked down at Melissa.

“Thank you,” she said. “For everything.” Maude felt tears stinging her eyes. She’d thought that her visit with Melissa four days ago would have been the last time she’d see her friend. But now, again, this could be the true last time she saw Melissa.

“It’s my pleasure,” Melissa said, her playful grin spreading across her face. “Just promise me that you’ll be as safe as you can riding, camping, and fighting.”

Maude could tell that even though Melissa was smiling, she was genuinely concerned about Maude. “I’ll do my best,” she answered solemnly. Maude nodded at Connor and Alice. “Thank you both for your help as well,” she said. She pulled the reins of the horse tight, and gently bid the horse to move forward. “See you all soon,” she said.

“See you,” Melissa said with a smile.

Then, Maude began her journey to the battlefield.