Maude put the map back into her duffle bag. She put her shoes on, and grabbed her belongings, vacating the room. Maude walked down the long hallway down to the inn’s main entrance. There, she saw the young innkeeper cleaning the floor. She was humming to herself, happily mopping.

A floorboard creaked under Maude’s boot, and the innkeeper turned to look at Maude and smiled. “Good morning,” the innkeeper said.

“Ah, good morning,” Maude replied, smiling back at the innkeeper.

The innkeeper paused her mopping and gestured to the door. “I got up this morning and prepared your horse for you. She should be ready to go.”

Maude felt her mouth fall open. “Celerity?” she exclaimed. “Thank you so much, I appreciate it!” Maude opened the duffle that had her money in it, and she pulled out an extra silver. She handed it to the innkeeper who was smiling smugly back.

“Of course,” the innkeeper replied. “It was my pleasure to help the sword saint be able to continue her journey a bit quicker.”

Maude felt her mouth fall agape again and then quickly closed it. “You…you know who I am?” Maude asked. She wasn’t sure how many people had recognized her without her telling them who she was at first. At the very least, it was not many.

“Of course,” the innkeeper replied, looking satisfied with herself. “You’re on your way to go help Aulbert win the war, are you not? Plus it is easy to guess who you might be since I know the sword saint is female, and it is not as though people are traveling towards the empire to escape from Aulbert. Not only that, but the soldiers stopped by roughly a week ago. It was a lucky guess.”

Maude felt her cheeks warming. Still, she thought to herself. No one in the empire ever even thought about me as the sword saint. I was never recognized.

“That’s one hell of a lucky guess,” Maude remarked.

The innkeeper laughed. “Still, I am glad to be of service to someone who is fighting for Aulbert. This is my home, after all.”

Maude nodded sharply. “I understand completely,” she said. Because this is my home, too, she added in her mind. “Well, I should probably get going,” she said, gently hitting her thighs with her hands. “I still have a long way to ride before I get to the battlefront.” She paused, looking over at the innkeeper. I will probably never see her again, Maude thought. “Thank you for taking care of me,” Maude added. “I appreciate it.”

“You are most welcome, Lady Maude,” the innkeeper said with a small bow. “All I ask from you in return is to do your best in the war, and getting there safely.”

Maude felt her smile widen. “I will do my best.”

“For Aulbert,” the innkeeper said, saluting Maude.

“For Aulbert,” Maude replied, saluting her back. She turned and strode across the inn’s entrance room. “Thank you for everything,” she added as she closed the door behind her.

Maude’s heart was soaring as she saw Celerity at the front of the inn, prepped and ready to go, just as the innkeeper said she would be.

I am lucky to have found such a lovely place to rest at, Maude thought, a smile blossoming on her face as the sun warmed it.

Carefully, she pulled herself atop of the steed. She reoriented herself, pulling out the compass from her pocket to determine which way to go. Orienting herself towards the southwest road, Maude urged Celerity forward, quickly reaching Celerity’s maximum speed once more.

Though she had been feeling down and discouraged from having woken up late, her heart felt lighter after the short interaction she’d had with the innkeeper. Maude couldn’t help but giggle a little.

She recognized me, Maude thought. I don’t know if that’s ever happened to me before.

Her heart felt like it was glowing in her chest. I have someone rooting for me, she pondered. Someone I don’t even know wished me good luck. I matter to the citizens of Aulbert…that’s the complete opposite of how it was in the empire…

Maude felt something inside of her strengthen. Her resolve was made of steel, just like her sword.

Who am I kidding? Maude thought. I am not just fighting for Helena, Cristyne, Melissa, or even Jaspar. Aulbert is worth it. Aulbert is my home.

Maude’s hands tightened around Celerity’s reins. She urged the horse just a bit faster. Celerity obliged her.

I hope I can make it in time, Maude thought. How foolish I was to have thought that I could walk away from this new life I’ve built. She shook her head at herself, sighing. At least I learned how I truly feel, she thought, before it was too late.

~

Maude urged Celerity forward, concerned that she might not make it in time to the Aulbertian campsite.

This trip has taken longer in every way possible, than I expected, she thought. And all I want to do when I get there is to be in Jaspar’s arms.

Maude bit her lip, wondering what expression he would make when he saw her again. She knew he would be surprised. But then what? She wished that his next expression would be one filled with desire for her, but…

…but that’s not something we’ll have time for before we go into battle, she thought. As much as I am looking forward to seeing him again, certain things will have to wait.

Maude imagined Jaspar’s surprised face again in her mind, and saw his face contort into one of glee. He will surely be happy to see me again, Maude thought. That I do know for sure. He will be overjoyed that I have chosen to fight after all.

Maude felt her heart skip a beat. By choosing to fight, she thought, I suppose that means I’ll be able to become a citizen of Aulbert after all if we win. She swallowed hard. Which means Jaspar and I will be able to get…ma…married. Maude’s face was turning red, even with the cool wind blowing on it. I will get to be his duchess after all.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Maude chewed on the inside of her cheek, remembering that Helena had suggested that she’d make a great duchess. I’m not even sure what I would do with the power, Maude thought.

She recalled Melissa’s plight, and her desire to help with war strategy, on top of her skill in it. Maybe I would make it easier for people like Melissa to be able to do what they are good at and want to do, Maude thought, gently tapping on her lips.

She shook her head at herself. Now is not the time to plan what I might do if I get to be the duchess, she thought. Both Jaspar and myself have to make it through this war alive for me to be the duchess.

It felt as though ages had passed since Maude had left Fayetteville. Maude checked the compass again to ensure that she was still headed in the right direction. And indeed, she was still heading directly south.

How deep in this forest is the campsite? Maude wondered. I didn’t get the impression from Melissa’s directions that it was this deep.

Up ahead, she finally saw what looked like tents through the trees. She felt her heart leap in her chest. There it is!

She gently urged Celerity to go faster. The horse did not react, which meant she was already headed as quickly as she could manage.

When I get back to the capitol, I am going to have to thank Melissa for loaning me such a trusty steed, Maude thought. Celerity has really made this trip go smoothly.

Anticipation was growing in Maude’s chest, building up just like a bag full of air. The campsite was growing in her vision, and as she got closer, the bag full of air inside of her, popped. The campsite looked absolutely deserted.

Maude’s heart sunk. “No,” she murmured softly. “No, no!” She slowed Celerity to a trot as she came up to the site. Maude was swallowing bile as she stopped Celerity and climbed down from the horse.

Surely they’re not already gone, Maude thought. I know only how to get here. It was all variable from this point. They would have come up with the plan of attack here. I don’t know where they went…how can I help them now?

Or were they slaughtered here at the campsite? Another, frightening voice inside of her asked. Maude looked around the site for bodies. There were none. No, she thought, they are alive.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself. This is the result of me taking so long to make a proper decision, a snarky part of herself exclaimed. If I had made this decision before I had to walk for three days out of Aulbert, I would have made it in time.

Maude shook her head at herself. Stop it, she told the part of herself. That’s not productive and right now I need to be productive. I need to figure out a new plan. It’s not like I can scour the whole forest looking for the troops. I’m liable to get myself killed by the empire if I do that.

She took a couple more deep breaths of the cool, fresh air. Alright, she thought. When we left our campsite for the fight when I was fighting for the empire, we left one person behind. Not to guard the belongings, but to inform the palace of our loss, should we have lost. She swallowed hard.

She paused in her thinking, remembering how the king of Aulbert ran his strategy meetings. I wonder… she thought. Would the location that they would be at be in the strategy tent?

Maude breathed heavily at the revelation. Yes, she thought. I just need to find the strategy tent. Then I might be able to figure out where they went.

She took another deep breath and walked towards the first tent, opening up the flap. No one, and just cots. She walked over to the next tent, and again she was greeted with cots. She looked at the shape of both of the cot tents. They were both rounded. She turned and looked at the rest of the campsite, looking for tents that looked different. All of the tents that she could see in the campsite were rounded.

Seriously? She thought. I don’t have time to check every single tent!

She walked to the next tent and checked it. Cots. She picked up the pace of her walking, at some points, nearly jogging between the tents. More cots.

Is there no strategy tent? She began to panic. She was nearing the center of the campsite, and the halfway mark.

If only I had gotten here sooner, she thought. Maybe I wouldn’t have missed them. She opened the next tent’s flap. And then I wouldn’t have had…

Her thoughts were interrupted by meeting a pair of eyes in the tent. There was a rounded table in the tent, and at the end of the tent opposite the entrance, sat the king.

“Lady Maude?” he asked, seeming genuinely surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Your majesty,” Maude replied with a bow, letting herself into the tent. “I did not expect to see you here.”

“The feeling is mutual,” he replied. “Duke Rosenberg told me that you had chosen not to fight in the war for Aulbert.”

“That’s correct, your majesty,” Maude replied. “I ended up changing my mind and rushed out here in hopes of joining the fight.”

He looked surprised again. “You came to join the fight?”

Maude nodded sharply at him. “Indeed,” she replied. “I am guessing I will need to ride quickly to the front line.”

“Do you have a horse?” the king asked her. “We do not have any extras.”

“I do,” she replied. “I just need directions.”

“I’m so relieved that you decided to fight for Aulbert after all,” the king said, smiling at her. “In that case, we might have a fighting chance to win.” He stood up, leaning over the table with a map on it. He gestured for her to come closer, and she did, getting up to the table’s edge opposite him.

He directed her eyes to a compass on the map. He then pointed at a white pin on the map. “We are here.” He drug his finger tip straight south. “The battle is about ten miles straight south from here.”

Maude nodded, pulling out her compass.

The king smiled at her. “Let us go outside,” he said. “I will ensure you go the right direction.”

Maude nodded, walking across the tent, to the exit. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“Thank you, Lady Maude,” he replied, stepping out with her.

Maude strode over to where Celerity was, and quickly jumped back up onto the horse’s back. She gently guided Celerity closer to the king.

“Just keep riding this way,” the king said, pointing the direction she had been riding towards. “It’s going to be impossible for you to miss it,” he said.

Maude felt herself shiver at the idea that the battle would be impossible for her to miss. They must have sent most of Aulbert’s remaining troops here, she thought.

“Thank you for the directions,” she told him. “Sorry for being late.” She tightened Celerity’s reins, who began to gallop in the direction towards the battle.

“Good luck!” She heard the king shout after her.

As soon as Maude made it out of the campsite, she urged Celerity forward, once again, asking the horse to ride at full speed. Celerity obliged, just as she had every other time Maude had asked her to run so hard.

Seriously, this horse is incredible, she thought. No wonder Melissa hesitated to let me borrow her.

As she was riding, her mind drifted back to Jaspar. I wish I could have kissed him before the battle, she thought. Now there’s no chance. And if either of us perish, she swallowed hard at the idea, then the last time we would have kissed was when I was going to leave Aulbert.

Tears stung her eyes, nearly instantly drying from the wind. I was such a fool.

As Maude got closer, she could hear the battle cries as the fight began. She urged Celerity to run faster. Maude wasn’t sure if the horse had changed speed or not.

Up ahead on the right, she saw that there had a tree that had been several horses tied to it. She dug her heels into Celerity, in hopes of not spooking the other horses. As she got closer, she urged Celerity to a halt, and walked her up to the tree. Maude’s heart was pounding, and she could hear the grunts of the soldiers up ahead.

I’m going to fight, she thought as she tied Celerity’s reins to the tree. I’m really going to fight for Aulbert.

Just barely through the trees in front of her, she could make out a group of people fighting.

Maude felt like she couldn’t breathe, and as though she was choking simultaneously.

I can do this, she thought, thinking of her loved ones, and even the innkeeper’s faces in her mind. I can do this for them.

She stood up straight, strengthening her core muscles.

Just then, she heard a loud kaboom, which caused her ears to ring. It sounded as though lightning had struck nearby, though when she looked up at the sky, it was only gray, and it was not raining at all.

Was that…a thunder tube? She wondered, her heart acting like it was going to beat right out of her chest.

Oh no, she thought. She felt her ability beginning to activate as she took of running towards the battle. No, no, Jaspar! That could have hit Jaspar!

Maude ran as fast as she could into the battle.