When Camilla arrived to the training field in the centre of camp, she spotted two large groups of men in armour doing military drills. Each group was made up of roughly two or three dozen soldiers. One group moved sluggishly, clumsily and acted without much coordination at all. The other group though, outclassed them in every way, at least to her untrained eye. As she got closer, she recognised the man barking orders at the better-performing group. It was General Alaric, one of Kaewyn’s inner circle. He too, noticed her and called a break for his men to rest and recover.

“Lady Camilla, it is good to see you again!” He laughed. “I knew you would be around here somewhere.”

“It is good to see you too, General, though I do not remember you being so friendly the last time we met.” She said with a smile.

“I am slow to trust and even harder to please, my lady. But your ideas to end the siege of Taneby saved a great many Greystone lives, and for that, you have earned my respect.” General Alaric said with his hearty laugh. “Even Marcus, the crotchety bastard, had to admit he was impressed by you. Oh, forgive the language my lady. When I’m training the men, I need to speak a certain way, you understand.”

“I find that hard to be believe. Marcus has only ever treated me with disrespect.” She said with a frown. “Did he really say that I impressed him?”

The General nodded. “But you didn’t hear it from me. That man struggles with anything resembling a compliment, even when he speaks of our lord.”

“Do you know when Kaewyn will return?” She asked

General Alaric smiled coyly. “Afraid not, but I will make certain to tell him you wanted to speak with him. I am sure he wishes to speak with you, regardless…”

“Thank you General. I should let you get back to your men.” She said. “They look ready for battle.”

“Maybe from the outside they appear ready.” He then turned to face his men. “BUT I BET HALF OF YOU WOULD RUN AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A BARBARIAN CHARGE, WOULDN’T YOU?”

The men who had been enjoying their brief rest, rushed to their feet and returned to their formations in a hurried panic. General Alaric rushed them with words of encouragement, or threats depending upon the speed of the particular soldier he spoke to. Camilla left the General to his training and wished him well, then wandered over to the other group of men.

This group of soldiers served the Callidus family and Vinum Province. General Falke stood in front of them and gave commands, but the majority of the men seemed slow and uninterested. She had seen the fear, the passion and the desire to please General Alaric when it came to the Greystone soldiers, but the Vinum soldiers by comparison seemed lethargic at best. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed that the soldiers who served her family were so obviously not up to the quality of their counterparts. A feeling mixed of pride and competitiveness took root inside of her and she soon began to feel the need to help in some way.

General Falke called for a break for the men, whose relieved faces only added weight to Camilla’s belief that they did not feel up to training. The General then walked over to her and smiled. In his hands he carried with him a book.

“What is that you have there Falke?” She asked as she tried to read the title.

“A treatise on military strategy.” He said, holding it up so she could see it. “Specifically, discipline and order. Your brother gave it to me and suggested I read it if I am to be a General of any worth.”

“Oh, has it proved useful?”

“Not even a little.” He sighed. “The treatise assumes one is working with half decent soldiers, but this lot are mostly new recruits or soldiers who have seen little action. Lord Rhys wants me to train these men into veteran soldiers, but I must admit, I struggle to see how I can accomplish such a task with the inevitable battle with the barbarians so close.”

“Well, considering that you are new to the position General, I wouldn’t hold myself to such a high standard so quickly.” She said warmly. “Perhaps you could ask Alaric for help? He can be a little rough, but he is friendlier than I thought.”

“I have spoken to him actually. The man sure knows his stuff. Did you know he was only recently promoted as well? The difference between him and I though, is that his father was a general and served the Edderfields for all of his life. Whereas I am the son of a scholar. All my father ever did was preach about the Scholar’s Way, which isn’t entirely useful to a general commanding his troops.” General Falke said with a sigh. “Anyway, Alaric says it is important to always remain tough on the soldiers. Do not let them get away with anything, but I’m not sure if that approach is working. As you can see, the soldiers aren’t responding very well.”

“Why must you be so harsh with them? Surely when a soldier is down, kicking him is not the way to build his confidence?”

“Wisely said my lady, but we are in a time of war. Alaric said that a general must be unflinching and unforgiving, so that the lord may be lenient and kind. That way, the men may not like the general, but they will love their lord.” Falke explained. “If the General was lenient and kind and the lord was cruel, well, let’s just say that those particular generals became so popular with the troops, that they were executed for treason, whether real or imagined.”

“Obviously I know little about military ways General, but surely a general and the lord can be well liked by the soldiers?” She said, pointing at Alaric. “Look, Alaric may tell you to be strict and controlling, but it is obvious even from here that his soldiers trust and respect the man. Do you not agree?”

General Falke nodded his head. “Hmm, I do believe you are correct, my lady. Perhaps you are on to something. General Alaric also said that Lord Kaewyn often watches the men train. Sometimes he even joins in.”

“That does sound like Kaewyn.” She said fondly.

“My lady.” Falke said, turning to face in the direction of the command tent. “Do you think I should ask Lord Rhys if he is willing to do the same? If we explained that Lord Kaewyn has had some success by personally involving himself in the soldier’s training, surely he will see the wisdom in it as well?”

“No!” She almost shouted. “We cannot involve Rhys in this. Not yet.”

“Is the lord unwell?” General Falke asked with concern.

“No... but I would not bother him with this right now. He is under a lot of stress at the moment. I think it best if we leave alone and give him some time.”

“…Very well, my lady. You are his sister so I suppose you would know best, though I do think the men need something more than I alone can give them.”

Camilla sighed a sigh of relief. The last thing Rhys needed now was yet another example of how Kaewyn was doing something right where he was not. She feared for General Falke if he had been the one to bring it up to her brother, especially after his most recent outburst.

“General Falke. How about I help you with the troops. In place of my brother?”

The General looked at her quizzically. She could see him questioning the merits of her suggestion in his mind. To her surprise, he began to nod his head in agreement.

“Alright, my lady. I do not have any other ideas anyway. How do you suggest we do this?”

“I have an idea!” Camilla said excitedly. “What gets men excited and interested?”

General Falke recoiled in surprise, a look of concern on his face. “Uhm, surely you do not mean… women?”

“What! No! Well, I suppose that IS true, but what I was suggesting was a wager. A bet of some kind.” She explained. “Whenever I roamed Varde Castle, I would almost always come upon some bored guards occupying themselves with wagers and bets.”

“You mean to say we should have the men gamble with each other?”

“Not exactly. Go and gather the soldiers and follow me.” Camilla said confidently.

“Where are you going?”

“You will see.”

General Falke shrugged his shoulders and did as he was asked. The Vinum soldiers looked confused, but they too were curious as to what was going on. They followed Camilla as she walked right up to General Alaric and the Greystone troops.

“General Alaric!” She said loud enough for everyone to hear her. “How would you and your men feel about a wager?”

“A wager on what, Lady Camilla?” General Alaric replied.

Already she saw the Greystone troops mumbling amongst each other, their curiosity piqued. All she had to do now was sell the idea to them and get them interested.

“Let us say, your best man against ours in a scored sparring match.” She said loudly and confidently. “If your champion wins, then I will treat you and your men to two barrels of Vinum’s best wine, after we have defeated the barbarian army of course.”

Immediately, the Greystone soldier’s interest became apparent. Many moved about excitedly while others rubbed their hands together in anticipation. General Falke however, looked absolutely shocked. His counterpart, General Alaric on the other hand, smiled and nodded.

“And in the unlikely chance that your champion is declared the winner of this contest?” General Alaric asked.

“Then…” Camilla considered. “Then you will give up a month of your general’s pay to the brave men standing behind me.”

Now it was General Alaric’s turn to show doubt, but to his credit he recovered quickly and turned to face his men. “I trust in my soldiers and their ability. I accept without hesitation!”

The Greystone men erupted into cheers and applause, quickly surrounding their General and heaping praise upon him. Their confidence and unity were exactly what Camilla wanted to emulate with her own soldiers. General Alaric told her that the spar would begin in fifteen minutes and then returned to General Falke with a smile on her lips.

“My lady… this is not exactly what I thought you had in mind.” He said nervously. “I am beginning to question whether agreeing to your help was a sound idea.”

“Stop worrying so much Falke. You need to show confidence in your men. Assuming they have lost before the fight has even begun is exactly the problem here.” Camilla explained. “Look at General Alaric. He acts as though he has already won and his men love him for it. Speak to our men and encourage them.”

The Vinum soldiers stood around and gave each other worried glances. A few talked amongst themselves but the majority were quiet. They were the opposite of the Greystone soldiers, who, even from this distance could still be heard cheering and laughing.

Camilla subtly nudged General Falke toward his men and gestured for him to say something, but when he tried to speak, he fumbled his words. I see that this will be as much about boosting Falke’s confidence in himself as the men themselves.

“Hello everyone!” She said politely. “Form up in ranks please, or whatever you call it. Just come and stand in a line, here. Right, good.”

The Vinum soldiers did as they were commanded and gathered into a loose line. They stood awkwardly and uncomfortably. Camilla did not let it phase her however, as she approached the closest soldier and asked him how long he had been a soldier and what he had done for work prior to that.

“One week.” The soldier replied. “Farmer.”

Next!

“Two months. Labourer.”

“Three days. I used to shovel… manure.”

Definitely next!

She then spotted an odd-looking grizzled man standing in the back between two other soldiers. The man cut an imposing figure, but when she asked him her questions, she was immediately disappointed when he hesitantly replied baker’s apprentice.

Camilla let out an exasperated sigh. This was going to be more difficult than she first thought. Some of the men she spoke to were certainly more experienced than others, but none really stood out to her until she came across one of the last soldiers to be questioned. He was tall with large, muscly arms and was bald except for a bushy black beard. He had the eyes of one who had seen their share of horrors and trials. If she were to guess, the man had to be somewhere in his mid-thirties.

“And you?” She asked the large, bald man. “How long have you been a soldier and what did you do before?”

“I arrived this morning and volunteered to serve.” He said, but just when Camilla was about to give up and move on to the next man, he continued. “I served as a mercenary in the Heartlands with the Company of the Silver Bow.”

“You were a mercenary?” She asked.

“For just over ten years, milady.” He replied. “I served as their smith’s apprentice for most of my time with the company.”

“A soldier is generally paid much less than a mercenary.” General Falke said. “Especially a mercenary with skills such as a smith. What made you join the Vinum army?”

“During my time with the Silver Bow, we mostly escorted trade caravans and tracked down bounties of criminals who gave the local manhunters too much trouble. I enjoyed that kind of work. It was honest and honourable, but when the Great Traitor came to power it all changed. The company started to take on other work, mostly contracts from high lords and officials. It paid very well, but we did things…”

“Go on.” She said.

“Kidnapping nobles for ransom at the order of a rival family, extorting villages on behalf of their lords, and once we even desecrated a family tomb. We did all of this and more.” The former mercenary said with shame. “I didn’t approve of where the Silver Bow was headed and I made no secret of it. I suppose the higher ups in the company disapproved of my grumbling, because they made an example of me.”

“What happened?” General Falke asked.

“They tried to shame me in front of the entire company. Made some speech about how I needed to atone for shaming the Silver Bow.” He said angrily. “I refused and told them that it was they who had brought shame to the company. I quit right there and then, forfeiting three weeks of pay. That is when I decided to fight for a reason other than coin. I grew up in Vinum as a boy, so when I heard about the barbarian invasion, I came to volunteer.”

Camilla was captivated by the man’s story and judging by the looks of his fellow soldiers, she was not the only one. Everyone began to share their personal stories about what had driven them to abandon their old lives and become soldiers, and before long, she saw many of them sharing smiles. She could see friendships forming as they began to open up to one another. Her plan was working. Now that they had begun the process of getting to know each other, she believed they would begin to see themselves as a unit rather than a group of individuals.

“Do you know how to fight?” General Falke asked the bald soldier.

He nodded. “I had my fair share of scraps during my time with the Silver Bow and it wasn’t always with the enemy. Even the smiths stand in the battle line in a mercenary company.”

“I do believe we have found our champion, General.” Camilla said, smiling from ear to ear. “But we have gotten ahead of ourselves. In our haste, we have not even asked for his name, or if he would be willing to take part in the spar.”

“I am called Edgren, milady.” He replied with a bow of the head. “And it would be my honour to represent you and Vinum in this contest.”

“Edgren, your courage says much about you.” General Falke said as he turned to the rest of the soldiers. “Everyone, meet Edgren. Lady Camilla’s champion!”

My champion? She thought, but before she could even think to question it, the soldiers erupted into cheers and applause. They looked at both her and Edgren with adoration. General Falke used the enthusiasm of the soldiers to begin a chant and they followed his lead almost immediately.

“Edgren! Edgren! Edgren!”

General Falke then calmed the soldiers by requesting for them to quieten down. He then gestured for Edgren to join his comrades and then turned to speak with Camilla.

“Lady Camilla, you certainly are something else.” Falke said kindly. “You have them all laughing and talking when earlier I could barely get a word of acknowledgement out of them. They have really taken to you.”

“I suppose they have.” She pondered. “But I cannot take sole credit. Their new general has done a terrific job.”

Falke smiled at her and then turned back to the soldiers. They had crowded around their champion and were heaping praise upon him before the fight had even begun. They offered words of encouragement and playfully slapped him on the back and shoulders. Some of them spoke about how much they wanted to win General Alaric’s coin, while others seem to just want to win for winnings sake. A few spoke of pride, while another spoke of Vinum’s honour. Whatever their words and reasons, Camilla could see plainly that they were motivated now.

General Alaric’s voice boomed from across the field. Camilla didn’t quite catch what he had said, but she soon understood. The fifteen minutes was up. It was now time for the two sides respective champions to prove who was the better warrior.

“You better go have a word with our champion.” Camilla said. “Give him some encouragement. Show him that you believe in him.”

Falke nodded and walked over to the former mercenary turned soldier, then commanded the rest of the Vinum soldiers to form their half of the semi-circle that would mark the sparring field. The Greystone soldiers arrived and formed up to complete the circle. They then began to shout encouragement to their chosen champion, a man whom Camilla thought looked more like an ox than a man. She then quickly made her way over to General Falke and Edgren and tried her best to listen in to their conversation.

“—also important to keep your guard up. I don’t know what you learned as a mercenary, but keeping yourself alive is better than landing a hit on your opponent, understood?”

“Yes General.”

“Alive?” Camilla said worriedly as she butted into their conversation. “I thought contests like these were not all that dangerous.”

“Do not worry my lady. This is a simple spar, a significant hit to the body, arm or leg will score a point. First to three is declared the winner.” General Falke explained. “And only blunt or dulled weapons are used so serious harm is unlikely, though it does still occur.”

Camilla frowned. Maybe a sparring match was not the best idea.

“Do not fear for me milady.” Edgren said confidently as he pulled his visored helmet over his head.

“Have you seen the Greystone champion? He looks to be part bull.” She warned.

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“It doesn’t matter to me. With your blessing, and the General’s advice, I know I can defeat him.” Edgren said. “I will not let you down.”

“Remember what I told you.” General Falke said as he led Edgren to the middle of the circle by the shoulder. “Make Vinum proud Edgren. I know you can do it.”

While General Falke encouraged and gave advice to the Vinum champion, Camilla took note that General Alaric simply stood back with a confident and smug look on his face. His champion stood alone and apparently needed no word of encouragement.

With the champions in their positions, Camilla watched nervously as they were handed their weapons, blunted swords with no cutting edge and a large wooden shield. Before she knew it, the first spar had started.

The bull, as Camilla had named him in her head, started the fight by charging Edgren straight away. The Vinum champion, though also a large man, deftly sidestepped the bull tried to counter attack. The bull easily blocked the attempt with his shield. The two warriors now stood on opposite sides from where they had started and as a result, both received insults from their respective opponent’s supporters. Neither man was affected as far as Camilla could tell, as they quickly resumed their spar by trading blows. The bull once again charged at Edgren, but this time the Vinum champion had not left himself enough room to get out of the way. He was clattered into with a loud crunch of steel on steel from the impact of their armours clashing together, and Edgren was thrown to the ground.

“Point! Greystone!”

The Vinum troops let out a groan of disappointment, but the spectators quickly returned encouraging their champion as the two men lined up for the second round. Camilla had never been one to gamble or to even take an interest in the contests of soldiers, but she realised she was shouting as loud as all the others, perhaps louder even. And when she caught a glimpse of General Falke eyeing her in surprise at her impassioned shouting, she felt extremely embarrassed. If only Elara could see me now.

The second fight ended as quickly as it had begun. Edgren attacked this time and took the bull completely by surprise. He parried two blows but the third broke his guard, a loud clang rang out as Edgren’s blunted sword smashed against the chest armour of the Greystone champion, causing him to fall backwards onto his backside. The bull then cursed angrily and returned to his feet with a fierce look in his eyes.

“Point! Vinum! One One!”

The Vinum troops screamed out in excitement and began to hurl insults and banter at the Greystone soldiers, whose confidence had been shattered at the sight of the bull on the ground. General Alaric however, was nodding in appreciation for the spectacle, apparently unphased by the sight of his man in the dirt.

The third fight began quickly as the bull sought to gain an early advantage by claiming the centre of the circle. Losing ground, Edgren tried to push the bull back by rushing at him shield first, but he bounced right off the bull and fell onto his backside. Camilla thought that would mean a lost point, but apparently that was not the case. The bull attempted to take advantage of his downed opponent by striking at him, but Edgren rolled sideways, losing his shield in the process. Edgren managed to get back to his feet, but without his shield he was at a significant disadvantage. The bull swung his weapon in large wide arcs, but Edgren dodged under one of the swings and managed to get a hold of the bull’s shield. The two men tussled back and forth over the piece of wood, with both groups of soldiers shouting advice, scorn and everything else they could think of. Eventually, Edgren got the advantage and pulled the shield from the bull’s grip, causing him to stumble and fall forward clumsily. Edgren took advantage and hit the bull right on the head with the edge of his blunted sword, ending the fight.

“Point! Vinum! One Two!”

General Alaric was no longer appreciating what he was seeing, suddenly aware that he was one lost fight away from having to give up a month of pay.

“If I have to give up a month of my pay, then you’ll spend that time digging latrines!” He shouted at his champion. “I promise you that!”

The fourth fight started slowly. The bull, who had been confident and aggressive in the earlier fights, was now content to sit back and wait for Edgren to come to him. The Vinum champion now emboldened by his two wins, did not hesitate to bring the fight to his counterpart. Camilla could immediately tell that he had made a mistake. Edgren rushed in and attacked aggressively, but his attacks were reckless and uncontrolled. General Falke shouted out for Edgren to be patient, but she doubted he could hear him over the cheers and chants of the soldiers from both sides. Just as she had feared, the bull waited and absorbed a particularly heavy strike from Edgren which caused him to tire. The bull then counter attacked with all the ferocity he had shown in earlier rounds. Edgren was surprised and to his credit, parried every blow that came his way, but it was obvious even to Camilla that he was exhausted. The bull however, looked fresh, and pushed on with his relentless assault. Edgren tried to counter attack, but his sword was flung from his hand and he was struck hard on the leg by the bull’s powerful blow. Edgren crumbled to the ground and let out a painful gasp.

“Point! Greystone! Two Two!”

Camilla supressed the urge to step into the circle and call for an immediate halt to the contest. She wanted to win more than she ever expected to, but she also didn’t want to see anyone seriously hurt because of her wager. General Falke took one look at Edgren as he struggled to return to his feet, then shook his head. Camilla asked him what was wrong but she suspected she knew the answer. Edgren was finished. General Falke said nothing and then to her surprise, he left the circle. She watched him walk around the shouting and impassioned soldiers and get General Alaric’s attention. The two General’s began to speak, and after coming to some sort of apparent agreement, they shook hands. Camilla didn’t have time to wonder what they had discussed, as the fifth and final round of fighting had just begun.

Edgren’s plan was apparent to everyone who watched on and continued to cheer for their champion. He remained on the defensive and tried his best to keep the space between him and his opponent, but his posture had been significantly affected by his injured leg. The bull closed in on him and battered Edgren’s shield repeatedly with wide powerful strikes. The Vinum champion tried to manoeuvre to give himself some space, but Camilla could see clearly that his leg had hindered his ability to move quickly enough to be effective. The bull continued to rain down blows upon Edgren and when his shield gave way, she thought the fight was over. Edgren however, had other ideas. He parried the first blow and then ducked the second, then he let out a ferocious roar and rushed at the bull in a last-ditch attempt to gain some kind of advantage. The two large men collided and became entangled as each grunted against the force of the other pushing against him. The men wrestled on their feet for half a minute, each man having the advantage for less than a few seconds before the other recovered. Edgren’s injured leg then let him down, as the bull twisted his opponent around and tossed him to the side, the Vinum champion’s leg gave out. Edgren fell to the ground and before he could recover, the bull had the tip of his sword at his neck.

The Greystone troops erupted into celebration and swarmed the bull from every direction. Camilla’s immediate concern was for the welfare of Edgren, but to her relief she saw that he had been shielded from the celebrating Greystone soldiers by some of the Vinum soldiers. She rushed over to join them as they helped him to his feet. He was unable to stand without assistance and relied upon another to keep himself upright. Camilla helped Edgren take off his helmet and passed it to someone, more concerned with the bloodied bruising all over his face.

“I’m sorry milady.” He said near to tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“There is no need to apologise Edgren.” She explained over the raucous laughter and cheers of the Greystone soldiers. “You were incredibly brave. I do not think anyone here doubts your courage.”

Edgren’s fellow soldiers echoed her sentiment and gave him words of support and encouragement, but neither her words or theirs seemed to console the Vinum Champion. His head hung low and he was hesitant to make eye contact with her. Camilla told the soldiers to get Edgren somewhere where he could sit down and recover, but she was interrupted by General Alaric.

“Everyone! Settle down.” General Alaric said. “I wish to say some words.”

Suddenly Camilla felt herself feeling protective of the Vinum soldiers. They had come so far and the last she wanted was for them to be mocked. If he gloats about his victory in front of our soldiers, I’ll tell Kaewyn.

“I am incredibly proud of my soldiers.” He said loudly and with a hearty smile. “And I eagerly look forward to sharing in two barrels of the finest stock of Vinum wine with you all once we beat these barbarians into the dirt! Courtesy of Lady Callidus!”

The Greystone soldiers let out another chorus of cheers and chants, but their general quietened them with a commanding wave of his hand. “But, we cannot hope to defeat the barbarians alone.”

Camilla watched Alaric as he continued to speak, feeling her anger and resentment beginning to build, but out of the corner of her eye she spotted Falke, who smiled knowingly and nodded his head. What is he smiling about?

“I think we can all agree that our champion showed real determination and strength today.” General Alaric explained. “However, it takes a true warrior to truly test another. If our Vinum allies here are half as skilled and courageous as their champion proved he was today, then I say we are lucky to have them at our side for the coming battle. Let us pay respect to our allies and their champion! Only together can we drive the barbarians out of Vinum!”

To her utter surprise, the Greystone soldiers turned to face her and the Vinum soldiers and bowed their heads in respect. After a short period of silence, they raised their heads and began to clap and cheer. The Vinum soldiers looked around awkwardly as if they couldn’t possibly be the target of such a gesture, but after the initial shock had worn off, they began to lap up the praise. The Greystone soldiers came together with their Vinum counterparts and began to socialise. To Camilla, it seemed as though they were one large group rather than the two she saw when she first arrived at the training ground. General Falke then called for calm and joined General Alaric. The two Generals then announced that from now on, both armies would train together, sharing techniques and drills to the betterment of both forces. This time, everyone let out a cheer and celebrated together. Camilla saw that Vinum soldiers were already showing more confidence in both themselves and their general and she suspected that they would only grow by working so closely with the Greystone soldiers and Alaric. Her idea it seemed, had paid off.

With her goal achieved, Camilla’s priority shifted to that of the injured Edgren. In the excitement he had been left to himself. He still struggled to stand unaided and with every step he grit his teeth in pain. She asked Edgren how severe he thought the injury was, only for him to respond by claiming that all he needed was some rest and he would recover in no time at all. A sudden grunt of pain after another step convinced her otherwise and she insisted on taking him to a physician. She told Edgren to lean on her for stability and then put herself under his arm to support him. The two then hobbled along a few steps toward the edge of the training field when a thought struck her. She suddenly wondered what her brother would think of what she was doing, but then decided firmly that she did not care. ‘Helping a common soldier is most unbecoming of a lady.’ Elara’s voice echoed in her head, but rather than deter her, her nagging handmaiden’s voice only served to motivate her further.

The sight of them hobbling along must have been an odd sight, because one of the Vinum soldiers spotted them and came over as quickly as he could.

“Allow me to help you, milady.” The soldier said as he moved to support Edgren on his other side.

“I will be fine.” Edgren argued between each painful groan. “Really, I’m fine.”

“Stop complaining and let us help you.” Camilla replied sharply, then turned her head to the stranger who was helping them. “And thank you for aiding us.”

“It is no trouble. Headed toward the medical tents?”

“Yes.”

Camilla couldn’t shake the sense that she recognised the soldier who had so quickly offered his help. As they hobbled together as an awkward trio, she tried to her best to place the grizzled man, and then it came back to her. It was the soldier who, physically at least, looked promising to be their champion during the spar, but once he had revealed his previous profession of baker’s apprentice, she had forgotten him quickly.

As they continued on, making their way out of the training field and into the camp proper, the former baker’s apprentice turned soldier began to ask her many questions. He asked where Lord Edderfield had gone and when would he be returning. Camilla answered him honestly, not believing any harm could come of it, but when he continued to ask more and more questions about Kaewyn, she soon became suspicious of him. She questioned his interest in Kaewyn, to which the man explained that it was not often one had a chance to meet a real hero in the flesh. She didn’t like the way the man lingered on the word flesh, and suddenly she felt very uneasy. Edgren must have sensed it too, because he shrugged both Camilla and the grizzled man off of him and pointed ahead.

“The medical tents are just there. I can make it myself.” Edgren said through his obvious pain.

“I should be leaving you then.” The grizzled man said with a bow and a smile that made her feel uncomfortable.

“Thank you for your assistance…” She managed to get out.

The grizzled man bowed again and then turned and left. Camilla watched him as he disappeared behind some tents and felt a shiver crawl down her spine.

“Did that man seem, well, off to you, milady?” Edgren asked as they continued toward the medical tents.

“He did. Why was he so obsessed about Kaewyn?” She paused. “I mean Lord Edderfield.”

“I do not know.” Edgren said. “But I know his type. Some men are just odd. Plenty like that served in the Company of the Silver Bow, milady but I never trusted them.”

“I can see why. Anyway, let us get you inside.”

“Before we do, milady. I feel I should apologise again for what happened. If I had been more patient…”

“There is no need, truly.” She explained. “Our soldiers didn’t believe in themselves before the spar. You gave them something they desperately needed. A sense of unity.”

“But now you owe two barrels of wine to the Greystone General.”

“Two barrels?” She chuckled. “The cellar in Vinum holds nearly a hundred, Edgren. I would gladly pay many more than just two to see our soldier’s belief and confidence grow as they have. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Edgren smiled and nodded his head.

Inside the largest medical tent, dozens of wounded bodies lay upon mobile wooden frames. The smell of blood was overpowering and almost caused her to gag and wherever she looked, she saw women in white gowns stained in blood rushing about and attending to the injured. All she could hear were the pain filled groans of the wounded, asking for help over and over again. It was so hectic inside that they had not been noticed at all. All of a sudden, she realised that being trapped in her tent was not so bad after all. This was truly the worst place to be in all of the camp and judging by Edgren’s horrified face, he was in agreement.

“Lady Camilla?” A familiar, woman’s voice asked from behind her.

Camilla turned around and looked back outside the tent where she and Edgren had just come from, and saw a familiar face.

“Athaia? It has been too long!” She said warmly.

“It certainly has, my lady.” The older physician replied. “What brings you to my part of the camp?”

“This is Edgren.” She replied. “He was hurt in the leg at the training field. Can you take a look to make certain it is not too serious?”

“Of course, my lady. Follow me outside. I will take you to one of the other tents. That one is for the survivors of your brother’s foolish battle against the barbarians.”

“Yes, I see that now.” She said, still feeling a little sick.

Edgren and Camilla followed the physician outside and toward one of the smaller tents, happy to leave the nightmarish scene behind.

“But I must confess that I wonder what a soldier does to be personally escorted by the sister of Lord Callidus himself?”

“I fought for the lady.” Edgren said as Athaia guided them under a tall, framed structure that was only protected from above. The open space underneath was laden with supplies that Camilla did not recognise and she could only guess the uses for them.

“You were fighting? Is that how you sustained this injury?” The physician asked as she bent down and took a brief glance at his leg. She then directed for him to sit on a wooden chair so she could get a better look.

“He means to say he fought for Vinum Province.” Camilla corrected. “In a spar with the Greystone soldiers.”

“Forgive me milady, but I see no difference between you and Vinum Province.” Edgren said proudly. “After what you did today, I think many of the others will begin to think the same.”

“The same as Vinum? What do you mean?” She asked.

“He means, my lady…” Athaia said as she flexed Edgren’s leg, a ponderous look upon her brow. “That fighting for Vinum Province is much the same as fighting for you.”

“But soldiers fight for the lord of the province.” Camilla said. “That would be my brother Rhys, not me.”

“That may be true, but where is your brother now? The last I heard he was hidden away in his command tent where none can see him. Have you ever seen Lord Rhys?” Athaia asked Edgren.

The injured soldier shook his head. Camilla then did her best to supress a chuckle as Athaia casually lifted up the armour covering his leg, causing him to blush and look away awkwardly. Athaia continued to examine his leg without care for Edgren’s embarrassment, revealing a swollen ankle and a deep purple bruising that looked especially painful. Athaia washed the bruises slowly and carefully with a dampened cloth, but otherwise left it be.

“Your injury is not serious.” Athaia said warmly. “I expect you will be back to full functionality in two to three days if you take care to guard it from further knocks. I would offer you something for the pain, but I must save whatever I can for the more seriously hurt, you understand.”

“Thank you Athaia.” Camilla said. “For helping him.”

The Physician nodded her head. “It is no trouble. Truth be told it is somewhat relaxing to deal with such a simple injury. The life of a court physician it seems, can be easily confused for that of an army healer.”

“Has it been difficult travelling with the army?”

“It is certainly not what I expected when Lord Kaewyn offered me the position of court physician, but I enjoy the work I do. Though I will certainly be relieved when we return to Xu Castle, for I am not as young as I once was and my bones and joints ache at night. If only I were as young as you are now, Lady Camilla.” The older woman said with a contemplative smile. “But do not confuse my grumbling for genuine discontent. Serving Lord Kaewyn has been a privilege, one that I appreciate.”

“How is Kaewyn?” Camilla said casually, trying not to appear too invested in her query. “Rhys told me that he left camp on important business, but naturally he decided to leave me in the dark about the details.”

“Soldier.” Athaia said stiffly. “You should return to your commander. Tell him that you should not exceed anything more than light duties for a day or two to allow your injury to properly recover.”

“Thank you, physician.” Edgren said as he carefully got to his feet. He then turned to face Camilla with a look of gratitude. “I will return to General Falke, but I should thank you first milady. Your encouragement today meant a lot to me and the others. I am grateful for your support today.”

Edgren bowed his head and then slowly walked outside and disappeared from view. For a moment Camilla thought that she should offer to assist him in walking back, but Athaia was confident that his injury was only minor so she decided to let him go.

“Lady Camilla, that soldier certainly has a high opinion of you.” Athaia said as she washed her hands in a bowl of water, then proceed to dry them on a white rag hanging by a hook. “Is it your plan to win the soldiers over from your brother?”

“What? No, I just… They were down after our recent defeat.” She explained. “I thought I could help them regain their confidence.”

“Forgive the bluntness of an old woman.” Athaia said. “Do you remember when we first met? Running through fields and forests from that bastard of a man Garren the deserter?”

“How could I forget.”

Camilla felt a chill as the memories of their capture at the hands of the deserters while out hunting. Kaewyn had been struck on the head so hard she feared for his life. She and Yohren were bound by rope and held against their will but they escaped thanks to Athaia and her knowledge of plants and herbs which she then used to poisoned their captors and free them. They ran through the cold night and ended up hiding in an abandoned farmstead. Athaia told them her story there, and they were found soon after by Kaewyn’s brother, Rahim.

“I told you and Lord Kaewyn my story then.” Athaia continued. “If you recall, I said that I spent many years in different courts of various lords. I saw much treachery and scheming in those days, and I saw many times the family and retainers of such lords spend their time and influence to gain favour with the soldiery. They would buy the men gifts, visit them regularly and even purchase their loyalty. Some used this to their advantage…”

“But I’m not!” She protested. “I would never. I just wanted to lift their spirits. I’m not trying to steal them away from Rhys or anything so sinister.”

“Then take care that your brother does not see it that way, Lady Camilla.” Athaia said softly. “If he feels threatened and sees that the soldiers think highly of you but little of him, then he is liable to react poorly. Just a bit of advice from an old woman who has become jaded from age.”

“Thank you… Athaia. I think.” She said hesitantly.

All Camilla wanted to do was help, to be involved in something, but as usual whatever she did or tried to do was turned back on her negatively. She felt angry that her actions could somehow be perceived as overstepping her bounds or trying to scheme and plot. Vinum Province was her home and she wanted to do her part in helping the war effort in whatever way she could. In a way, she envied the men she had just helped inspire. Most of them had freely volunteered to put their lives on the line against the barbarians, so why couldn’t she? Why can I not just help when I want to? Does everyone wish for me to just sit in the background and smile, to be looked at and appreciated without me ever doing anything of note? This is so frustrating!

“I should get back to my tent.” She said flatly. She did not feel much like being social anymore.

“Before you go, you wanted to know about Lord Kaewyn?” Athaia said.

Camilla forced a smile and nodded her head.

“I do not know if I should tell you this, but I will. Your… departure from the siege camp outside of Taneby affected Kaewyn greatly.” Athaia began. “He tried to keep up the facade for a time, but eventually he lost interest in, well, everything.”

“What do you mean? That does not sound like the Kaewyn I know.” She said, suddenly concerned.

“He became sullen and dejected. So much so that he no longer held council and delegated all decisions to his advisors. I spoke with him much during that time, but he usually brushed me off. The one time I did get him to speak, he told me that he blamed himself and felt incredibly guilty for what happened to you, with your brother.” The older woman said softly.

“He feels guilty? But everything that happened was my fault, not his!” She exclaimed. “I was the one who forced him to promise to not send me back to Vinum when Rhys requested it. I was the one who decided to foolishly sneak my way into the army and I am the reason that he and my brother are at odds! It’s all because of me. Why the hell is he the one feeling guilty?”

“Because he cares for you, Camilla.” Athaia said warmly. “Regardless of whether or not your misfortune is his fault or not, I suspect he feels responsible for simply having been a part of it.”

“Then I definitely need to talk with him. He should not blame himself for what happened. I cannot stand the idea of him suffering because he blames himself for what I have done.” She said firmly. “When does he return? Athaia you must tell me.”

“Soon, I think. But please take care Lady Camilla.” Athaia warned. “You and Lord Kaewyn, you are both much too young to be under so much stress. Let us hope that this war ends soon and everything can return to normal.”

“Normal is boring Athaia, but I understand what you mean. Camilla sighed. “I really should get back to my tent though, otherwise my handmaiden Elara will complain to my brother…”

“Before you go, one more thing Lady Camilla. For the short time I have had the pleasure of knowing you, I have learnt that you are a young woman with ambition in her heart. I see it in the way you speak, in the way you make your feelings known when others would see you remain silent. Your very presence here is evidence enough that you are not satisfied with what is expected of you. You abhor being told what you cannot do and that makes you want to do it even more. You remind me of myself when I was young and studying to become a physician. Women like us are blessed, but also cursed.” Athaia said as she placed a hand on her shoulder. The older woman’s eyes were full of seriousness and warning. “I was nobody and nothing was ever expected of me, but you, Camilla. You are a member of a noble family. You have a role that others will want to see you fulfil whether you agree to it or not. Stepping out of that role will make others uncomfortable, particularly men with a temper like your brother.”

“Athaia…” She stumbled, feeling a well of emotion rising up within her. “How did you do it? How did you keep going despite it all?”

Athaia smiled. “I was stubborn. And very lucky.”

Camilla smiled and wiped away the forming tears under her eyes. “I have been told I possess that same quality by many, but I prefer to call it determination.”

Athaia nodded her head and smiled. “The only advice I can offer is this. Take care around men like your brother. They react poorly when events do not go their way, so you must choose your moments wisely. It is not an easy path you seek to walk, but it is a fulfilling one.”

Camilla felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the older woman. Never before had anyone ever said something that resonated so deeply with how she had felt for most of her life. She had always wanted to be involved, be someone who made decisions, or at the very least assist those who did. The very idea of sitting in the background and doing nothing infuriated her to the core. All of her life she had wanted to do more, but first her father and now her brother, seemed adamant to stand in her way at every turn. Kaewyn had encouraged her way of thinking when she had confided in him. He had told her that his late sister Alyssa did not get a chance to live her life, so he made her promise that she would live hers. No matter how hard or difficult the path may be, she knew she would never feel fulfilled until she honoured that promise.