Madelynn hesitated as they approached the door, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. Elise stopped a few paces behind her, giving her space but still offering a reassuring smile- too wide, too silly, and entirely Elise. It brought a watery laugh to Madelynn’s lips, easing the tension just enough for her to take a shaky breath and raise her hand to knock.

She hesitated once again before she knocked. What if this was a mistake? She didn’t allow herself to dwell on the thought, rapping loudly on the door three times.

The sound echoed in the quiet street and she felt her stomach twist painfully. Every second stretched endlessly as she waited. What if he wasn’t even home? What if he’d already left? He wouldn’t be expected to up and leave this quickly, right?

When the door finally creaked open, her breath hitched.

Callum stood in the doorway, his frame shadowed against the dim light of the room behind him. His hair was wild, sticking up in uneven tufts, and dark circles underlined his bloodshot eyes. His house clothes were large and baggy, and he hunched forward as if his back ached. He looked utterly defeated, as though the weight of the world had finally broken him.

There were a million words floating around in Madelynn’s head, so many things left to say but so little time. They just stared at one another for a moment, and she felt the familiar sting of tears behind her eyes. This was likely the last time she’d get to see him, to feel him, to tell him all the things she’d wanted to.

But instead, she lunged forward, crashing into him and wrapping her arms around his torso. He smelled like sweat, coffee, and something forestry as she buried her face in his chest. He went rigid, his muscles tightening and his back straightening, before he relaxed into her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on the top of her head.

A single tear escaped past Madelynn’s closed eyelids, and the dam broke. She sobbed silently into him, her body convulsing with every breath. Callum rubbed gentle circles into her back, and she felt him press his lips against her hair. “I know,” he said quietly, his voice hoarse and painful sounding.

Madelynn pulled back slightly, just enough to tilt her head up to look up at him. “You can’t leave,” she breathed out, her throat closing as she held back a wail. “I can’t lose you.”

He forced a tight smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “There’s nothing I can do.” He blinked slowly, his eyes turning glassy when they opened again. “I have orders.”

“There has to be something,” Madelynn said shakily as she brought her hands around to clutch at the front of his shirt.

Callum just shook his head and pulled her into another hug. Madelynn closed her eyes and leaned into him. There had to be something- anything- a loophole of some kind that they could exploit. He couldn’t just be ripped away from her like this.

When he pulled away, his eyes flashed to Elise before he stepped back, one arm remaining around Madelynn’s shoulders. “Why don’t you come in so we can talk,” he said, motioning for Madelynn to enter his house. “Both of you,” he reiterated, making sure Elise heard him.

Madelynn glanced back at Elise, who clutched her bag in front of her as she took a weary step forward. She and Callum waited for Elise to pass through the door, then Madelynn followed her in. Callum pushed the door closed behind him.

Madelynn blinked rapidly, trying to force her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. The house was small, but homely. It had a small kitchen with a short ice box and a large range taking up most of the space. The living area had a sofa and small table, with a bookshelf near a door leading to the open bathroom. There was one more closed door, presumably leading to the bedroom.

Callum padded past the girls and collapsed back onto the sofa. “Feel free to sit,” he said flatly. All the spirit had left his voice, as if he was a husk of the man Madelynn had spent her previous evening with.

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Madelynn nodded and sat gingerly next to him, and Elise next to her. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. What was she supposed to say? He seemed so hopeless, so defeated. He was supposed to save her, but how could he do that when he couldn’t even save himself?

“I like your house,” Elise chimed in, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. A longing smile decorated her youthful features as she kicked her feet idly. “It’s cozy.”

Callum scoffed, slumping forward to rest his elbows on his knees. In the baggy clothes he looked slim and lanky, a stark contradiction to his pristine uniform. “It’s what they gave me when I was promoted to General.”

Madelynn’s eyes still wept as she watched him. She couldn’t tell if he was broken because of the assignment or because of Casimir. Perhaps both. Then, a realization dawned on her and she furrowed her brows, feeling sick. Oh god, Casimir was probably the reason he was placed on the Vanguard. This was all Madelynn’s fault. He’d promised to save her and she’d damned him.

Guilt overwhelmed her and she struggled to maintain her composure. She had to stay strong. She had to find a way to stop him from leaving.

She sniffled, and reached her hand out to touch his. He twitched, pulling back for a second before relaxing into her touch. She entwined their fingers and, when she looked up at him, he was already staring at her. “What can I do to convince you to stay?”

He frowned, turning away from her and leaning back so he stared up at the ceiling. He adjusted his legs so his knee bumped against her thigh and she leaned into him. She rested her head on his shoulder, the intimacy feeling completely out of place but comforting all the same. “If I don’t go, I’ll be executed for treason. If I do, I’ll be killed on the battlefield. I’m stuck, Madelynn.” He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

She breathed heavily against his neck as she drew her legs upward and curled into herself. She was freezing, like all the heat had been forced out of her when the guilt settled in. “Isn’t there some sort of loophole?”

He just shook his head, his white hair tickling Madelynn’s cheeks.

“There’s gotta be something,” Elise said suddenly, leaning forward so her eyes could dart between the two of them. “Or else, what would stop all those cheating husbands from being sent away to die when they were caught flirting with someone else’s wife?”

“They were already married,” Callum responded, his voice devoid of any emotion. “The King won’t let his men be placed in the Vanguard if there’s a possibility they’ll supply the future military with more boys.”

“Wait-” Madelynn sat up, shaking her head. It couldn’t be that easy. “If you’re married, they won’t send you away?”

“Yes, but I’m not married. Obviously.”

Madelynn blinked at him. “No, you saucepot! Marry me!” After the words left her, she snapped her mouth closed. Did she really just say that? She hadn’t just said that. She couldn’t have. She just stepped away from a courtship, she certainly didn’t want to enter another. But, if it was the only option… She didn’t let herself debate it any longer. If this is what it would take for her to not be tied to Casimir or her family any longer, she’d marry him. He was a good man, and she certainly had feelings toward him, but she also was not in love with him.

He tilted his head down to wince at her. “Marry you?” he asked, as if the notion was horrifying. “What could possibly drive you toward a marriage with someone like me?”

“Callum, I am trying to save your life,” she over-enunciated. “It doesn’t matter what my motives are, I don’t want you to die.”

His eyes searched her, dancing around her face as if searching for a cruel joke to emerge. Madelynn clenched her jaw, willing him to agree. Then his eyes dropped and his head lulled back once again. “I told you I would protect you. Marrying you will just throw you into a new life of misery.”

She reached out and wrapped her hands around his arm. “It wouldn’t save me, but it would save you. Please, Callum. You can’t protect anyone if you’re dead.”

He stayed silent for a moment. Madelynn wondered if she’d offended him somehow, but she couldn’t imagine that vouching for one’s life could be taken as an insult. Then, he slowly raised his head again and glared at her, the determination glowing in his silver eyes. “You can’t be serious about this.”

Madelynn breathed shakily, trying to hold back another flood of tears. “I have never been more serious about anything. We could leave today- now even. There’s a chapel a few towns over in Roland. My parents were wed there. All we’d have to do is tell the Rector I fell pregnant and he’d marry us immediately. We even have a witness.” She turned and looked toward Elise, who just gaped back at her.

“You’d truly marry me? I don’t understand why you’d throw your life away for me.” He stared at her in bewilderment, as if he wasn’t her entire world in this moment. As if he wasn’t the only person alive who’d ever seen her as anything but a bargaining chip.

“I would marry you a thousand times if it meant I didn’t have to wake up every morning wondering if you’d died yet. Please, Callum, marry me.” Was she any better than Casimir? Than her parents? Using marriage for her personal gain. She felt sick, but this was her only option. Wasn’t his life worth it?

He furrowed his brows and shook his head again, bringing a hand up to scrub at his eyes. When he finally looked at her again, his eyes were watery and his cheeks were blushed. “Okay,” he said softly. “Let’s get married.”