“My lord, if this is not important, then I would prefer to be left in peace.” Marcus said as he refreshed his quill with fresh ink. “I need to concentrate on my writing.”
“General Alaric said something about you writing, but he was not specific on what you were writing about.” Kaewyn said.
After a brief pause during which Marcus realised Kaewyn had no plans to leave him be, the advisor sighed and rubbed at his eyes. He gently placed the quill back into the inkwell and sat back in his chair.
“Surely you have better things to do my lord, than pester me for details about my project?”
I do. He thought to himself angrily, hating the fact that he was avoiding what he must do. I should be looking for Camilla but instead I’m bothering you.
Marcus sighed again and then shook his head with a defeated smile. “Very well, if your curiosity demands it so, I am writing a chronicle of events.”
“A chronicle?” He said with interest. “When did you start?”
“Since the Battle of Taneby.” Marcus said. “My lord, I’ve always been honest with you about what motivates me. If I’m to be remembered by future generations of the Revaryn Empire, then a chronicle detailing our journey, it’s struggles and hardships, as well as our victories and triumphs, must be written. Who better to write such a thing than I?”
“I’ve read more than my share of historical chronicles in my youth. Perhaps I could be the one to write it?”
“This is not some cheap work of fiction written for the amusement of the masses.” Marcus said defensively. “It requires skill and an appreciation for how the learned will interpret these writings many generations from now.”
“And you believe that you have this skill, despite never having written anything like it before?” Kaewyn challenged. “As I said before Marcus, I have read perhaps more than any other noble my age, and this is my journey too. You said it yourself.”
Marcus snorted derisively at him, but when Kaewyn continued to stare at him, he had the decency to lower his gaze.
“Listen, my lord. This chronicle will be my legacy. I want to be the one to write it. No, I need to be the one. This chronicle will be read by nobles and scholars alike. Every castle and place of learning will have a copy of it in their libraries and future historians will cite it when discussing our troubled time. This is how I leave my mark on the world for posterity.”
“I think I understand Marcus, this is important to you.” He said. “I won’t pry but if you need help, you have but to ask.”
“I appreciate that but I believe I should endeavour to complete it alone. I want to avoid external influences so that the work remains mine.”
“As you wish, but since much of the chronicle will involve me, I would like to read it myself before you have it copied and reproduced throughout the lands.” He said with a smile. “That is a fair request, no?”
“Very well my lord. I suppose that is true.” Marcus admitted. “You have my word that I will let you read it first. Anyway, you came to see me for a reason I presume?”
Kaewyn had only visited Marcus as a way to justify not seeking out Camilla right away, but now that he had his advisor’s ear, perhaps he could offer some advice regarding Sir Darius and all he had learned of the old knight.
“I did.” He replied, pretending that this was the reason he had visited all along. “Have you met Sir Darius yet?”
“Thankfully not.” Marcus said with a snarl. “I cannot stand knights. I met enough of them for one lifetime when I studied in the heartlands. They are some of the most arrogant, self-important fools I have ever had the displeasure of meeting, save perhaps those idiots who follow the Scholar’s Way.”
“Uhm…”
“Yes yes, I know that I am one to talk when it comes to matters of arrogance or self-importance, but I am honest about it at least.” Marcus said. “Knights would have you believe they are the embodiment of honour and valour. They pretend to be paragons of virtue.”
“Sir Darius seems like a good man. He saved many villagers from the barbarians. Though I must admit, Yohren and I have discovered some interesting things about him.”
“Such as?”
“Well, we already knew that he was a prisoner of the barbarians for twenty years, but it seems he escaped with little trouble.” Kaewyn explained. “More concerning though, is that we learned that he managed to turn away a large group of barbarians by simply speaking with them. Perhaps alone this is not overly suspicious, but when recalling his story, he left out the encounter with the barbarians altogether and made the villagers promise to keep this fact to themselves. If not for Yohren’s relationship with the villagers, I doubt we’d have ever found out. Sir Darius has also expressed a concern for the prisoners we have taken. He asked me to supply them with extra rations after I agreed to have him speak with them to learn anything we can about the barbarian horde. Do you not think it odd for one to show such concern for a people who held him captive for over twenty years?”
Marcus scratched at his beard and narrowed his eyes. “I agree with your concern. He must have a link to these barbarians; therefore, I would suggest having him watched just in case.”
“I have tasked Yohren with doing exactly that.”
“Good. Other than outright confronting him, I would suggest you continue to speak with him and make sure to listen when he speaks to others.” Marcus explained. “Most people are not good liars Kaewyn, and if he is, well, there is not much you can do other than have him tortured. That would probably work.”
“I am not going to torture the man, Marcus.” Kaewyn said sternly. “I may be curious of what he may be hiding, but he hasn’t given me cause to justify having him tortured.”
“The hard way, then.”
“Is there anything else I could do? Other than torture…”
Marcus crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. It was more than apparent that he was done with the topic.
“Very well Marcus, you’ve made your point. I will leave you to write in peace.”
“Finally!” Marcus said with relief. “And no, this particular discussion between Lord and advisor will not be recorded in the chronicle, unless Sir Darius turns out to be the barbarian leader in disguise, who has come to fool us all and lead us into a trap. Though if that did happen, I suppose we will all be dead soon and the chronicle would remain unwritten. Either way, I think it best if—"
Kaewyn left Marcus alone in his tent mid ramble, angered that his advisor had offered little in the way of practical advice, and also that he now no longer had an excuse to further delay his visit to Camilla. Outside, the sun had only just risen and the air was still cold. The camp was alive with activity and various plumes of smoke from cooking fires rose up into the sky. The smell of cooking meat ignited his appetite for a second time today, but he knew he was already subconsciously coming up with another activity to delay seeking out Camilla. With a shake of his head, he told himself that he would not be distracted again.
Kaewyn left the area that the Greystone army had set up in and wandered alone into the centre of the camp. From his central position, he began to realise the immense size of the boundaries of the camp. It was remarkable to him just how large of a space the Vinum army had claimed. The boundaries were fortified with wooden defences, such as palisade walls and spikes facing outward, but also pits dug half a man deep that surrounded the entire camp like a castle’s moat. The fact that the camp easily supported the Greystone troops when they arrived without having to extend or otherwise alter the camp was a testament to the skill of the Vinum soldiery’s aptitude for construction.
The centre of the camp was made up by a large open area surrounded by banners of House Callidus. He had always liked the white-green banners of Camilla’s family. The design was simpler than his own family’s banner, and he had always associated the green with the renowned fertility of Vinum Province. The Edderfield banner of white, grey and black seemed almost pale by comparison but he preferred the more intricate design over the simplicity of the Callidus banner. The white diamond in the centre reminded him of the quarry mines back home and he liked how the grey and black on each side contrasted against the white in the middle.
While he admired the banners, he noticed a large group of soldiers appear on the far side of open field. They appeared to be Vinum soldiers, but to his surprise they were soon joined by their Greystone counterparts. Together, they then began to practice drills and movements under the supervision of men whom Kaewyn guessed were officers of some kind. In his limited military experience armies always trained separately. It seemed unusual for the two forces to be training together, but he saw no harm in it. He actually liked the idea the more he thought about it. The provinces of Greystone and Vinum were already so close in terms of culture and many families were split across both lands, so what did it matter if the armies trained and drilled together? He then began to wonder who had decided to have the soldiers train as one, but he realised that he was distracting himself yet again. He began the long walk across the field to the other side of camp in the hopes of finding some clue as to where he could find Camilla.
When he was nearly all the way across the training field, he heard his name called out from within the group of training soldiers. He turned his head to see the familiar face of General Alaric coming toward him. The general asked him if he planned to observe or join the men in their training, but when he refused and stated that he was looking for Lady Camilla, General Alaric smiled knowingly. Kaewyn asked him if he knew where she could be, but rather than point him in the right direction, General Alaric said that he should wait around here as the last time he saw her, Camilla had been helping the newly appointed Vinum general, a man named Falke. Kaewyn thanked the general for his information, but decided that he needed to speak with her now and not procrastinate further by waiting somewhere where she may not come. He then asked where the Vinum general was and if he would know where to find Camilla, to which General Alaric replied by pointed him out amongst the soldiers. Kaewyn thanked the general and decided to try his luck.
The Vinum General was a tall man, so tall in fact that he towered over almost every one of the soldiers he was talking to as Kaewyn approached him. His golden hair, though much shorter, reminded him of Rhys. He realised then that if he asked the Vinum general where he could find Camilla, it was likely that Rhys would find out he was searching for her. Doubt began to creep into his mind. He began to worry what Rhys would do, but then he shook his head and steeled his resolve. I can’t let it stop me. Speaking with her is more important than worrying about what Rhys will do. Besides, he knows how I feel about her. And he never actually forbade me from speaking with her either.
“General?” He asked. “General Falke?”
The Vinum General turned away from his troops and looked him up and down, a look of uncertainty and unfamiliarity in his eyes.
“Yes? Who might you be?” The general replied.
“Lord Kaewyn Edderfield.” He said with polite nod of the head as he introduced himself. “I wanted to speak with you.”
General Falke’s eyes widened with surprise. His uncertainty quickly replaced by unease and nervousness as he scrambled to regain composure. The General dismissed his soldiers and instructed them to continue their drills without him, then turned to face Kaewyn and smiled apologetically.
“My apologies, my lord.” Falke said. “I have not had the pleasure of meeting you and thus I did not recognise you. Usually, Lord Rhys walks the camp with an entourage of personal guards, advisors and his retainers. I did not expect someone of your rank to visit the training fields unattended.”
“Having a small crowd follow behind me wherever I go is not really my style.” He said with a chuckle. “General Alaric told me that you may know where I could find Lady Camilla. This camp is rather large and I have not had the chance to explore it fully.”
“You led the forces who dealt with our raider problem? I heard this morning that you were successful. You honour us with your victory, Lord Edderfield.” General Falke said as he bowed. “As for Lady Camilla’s whereabouts, I do know where her tent is located, but as for the lady herself, I cannot say. She is not one to sit still for long. Perhaps you could ask Lord Rhys?”
I could, but I’d rather not.
“I do not want to trouble him with something as unimportant as this so early in the morning.” He explained. “If you would simply point me in the right direction…”
“No, Lord Edderfield.” General Falke replied emphatically. Kaewyn was shocked at the abruptness of the general’s words. For a general to refuse a lord’s request, even one who was not his liege lord, was highly disrespectful. He was about to insist when the general continued to speak. “I cannot send you on your way to blindly stumble around camp. I will leave a man to instruct the others on my behalf and then lead you there myself.”
Kaewyn didn’t know whether the general was simply being courteous by offering to escort him to Camilla’s tent or if he was concerned or otherwise interested in why he was seeking her out. He pondered it briefly as General Falke gestured for him to follow, but in the end, he realised it did not matter much to him either way. The important thing was that he had the chance to speak with Camilla. Whether others knew or not was a secondary concern, one that he would worry about after if need be.
General Falke took Kaewyn through the main thoroughfare of the camp, stopping only briefly when a subordinate approached to ask a question or to give him an update. Kaewyn watched with interest in how Falke interacted with his men and compared it to that of General Alaric. He spoke softly and listened before speaking. His responses and clarifying questions marked him as an intelligent individual who perhaps at first glance, seemed in opposition to his looks. Falke was calm, polite and otherwise seemed to be a man who embodied the virtues of one charged with the burdens of command. If Kaewyn had to name someone with whom Falke bore the most resemblance in terms of personality and how he carried himself, he would have chosen Arlan instead of his counterpart in General Alaric.
On their left, Kaewyn recognised Rhys’ command tent and hoped that his friend did not choose this moment to poke his head out and see him. Standing on either side of the entranceway were two warriors in silver armour who eyed him and any others who came within any proximity of the command tent. Thankfully General Falke led him past without incident and the two carried on for another minute or so until they came upon another cluster of tents. One of them was easily recognisable as being fit for someone of a high station or rank as it was nearly twice the size of any of the others. The fabric edges were gold trimmed and animal skins marked the entranceway. General Falke just outside and told him to wait. He then went inside and did not emerge for some time.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
While he waited, Kaewyn’s thoughts began to assault him with all of the fears and doubts that had eaten away at him since the Battle for Taneby. Rather than give in to them however, he instead pushed them out of his mind. He chose to remember all the times he had spent with Camilla other than the one that had caused him so much regret and realised then, in that moment, that every moment with her had been wondrous. Walking the halls of Xu Castle with their arms intertwined, sharing their first kiss in his chambers before Yohren had interrupted them, and sharing their greatest fears and desires for the future in his tent during the siege. He couldn’t help but smile as he recalled the look of utter delight on her face when he encouraged her to share her plan to take Taneby with him. With those memories at the forefront of his mind, he felt the doubts fade and his confidence return. Kaewyn then remembered something that his mother used to tell him whenever she spotted him with a furrowed brow, fretting over some possibility or future event.
My child, do not worry yourself with a certain possibility or outcome that is yet to occur. If it does become reality, only then should you concern yourself about what to do about it. Anything before then is simply unnecessary stress.
His mother’s words had come to him with her voice. They soothed him and caused him to relax. He saw the wisdom in what she had told him. Fretting over something that had not happened and may never was not healthy. If Camilla did blame him for not challenging Rhys when he had taken her, for freezing up when she needed him most, then he would face it when the time came. Worrying had only caused him to stress and and develop a desire to avoid finding out the truth.
After a couple minutes, General Falke emerged from within Camilla’s tent and bore a look of concern upon his brow. He was followed by a shorter and much, much older woman who, rather than show a look of concern, simply shook her head disapprovingly. She argued with the general who shepherded her out of the tent despite her claims about something being not proper and most unbecoming. General Falke gently moved the older woman out of the way and then gestured for Kaewyn to enter the tent. He couldn’t quite tell what General Falke thought of him and his request to see Camilla, but to his credit, he had escorted him to her tent without a word of protest and kept his questions to himself. He still suspected the general would be running off to tell Rhys about what he was doing the moment he was out of eyesight, but regardless, he nodded his thanks to the general and then stepped inside.
Kaewyn narrowed his eyes in confusion as he looked around the small, almost claustrophobic space he found himself in. There was no sign of Camilla, only colour filled decorative fabrics and tapestries folded stacked up on small crates. For a brief moment he thought there must have been some sort of mistake or that he had been made a fool of, but then he spotted a way that led further into the tent. The way through was obscured by hanging beads of various colours, though most were red, purple or something similar. Together they seemed to form a decorative doorway of some sort that partitioned this smaller area of the tent with what he guessed must have been the main room. He cautiously made his way over to the hanging beads and gently parted them as he peaked through to the other side. Standing beside a simple bed facing away from him was Camilla. She was leaning in close to a large mirror and rapidly brushing at her face with something he could not see. He saw those familiar blue eyes through the reflection of the mirror darting about frantically as she continued to brush, seemingly unaware of his presence. Before he could make himself known, Camilla paused. Her eyes locked with his through the mirror and without a second of hesitation, she smiled at him.
All of his worries were eased in that instant. Her bright smile dispelling his fear that she would not want to see him. Camilla spun around and scurried toward him in speedy short steps. He had barely gotten through the beads when she slammed into him in a hug, causing him to groan as the wound under his right arm flared with renewed pain. Camilla recoiled from him with a look of deep concern and asked if he was okay. Kaewyn nodded and smiled, then held out his arms. She returned the smile and then pressed herself up against him, gently this time, and allowed him to embrace her.
For a while he simply stood there with her in his arms, content to enjoy the physical affection of the one whom he had come to care for with all his heart. Words no longer seemed to be as important as they had been when he imagined their meeting over and over again in his mind, though he knew that the two of them still needed to speak. He promised himself in that moment that he would not leave without telling her exactly how he felt. That he loved her.
“Camilla.” He said softly. “I am so happy to see you.”
“Me too.” She whispered back.
When he tried to pull away so that they could speak properly, he felt Camilla gently squeeze his waist before finally parting from him. She looked up at him with those eyes of hers, filling him with a renewed desire to hold her in his arms once again. He resisted the urge, knowing that it important that he spoke with her.
“I am sorry for hurting you before.” She said as she looked him up and down. “What happened to you Kaewyn? You are covered in bandages.”
“Oh, this?” He said as he lifted up his right arm and pointed at the bandages. “I received a small cut in an awkward spot. Athaia told me that it is not serious. She also told me that you had been looking for me and that we needed to speak with one another. I have to admit Camilla, when I learned that you wanted to speak with me, I was afraid.”
Camilla gave him a baffled look. “Afraid? Why would you be afraid to speak with me?”
“Because.” He began slowly, lowering his head as the memory caused him to feel a fresh burst of guilt and shame. “I feared you would despise me for not having stood up to your brother. The very thought of you thinking less of me… it was too much to bear. I need to apologise to you Camilla.”
“Oh no.” She said shaking her head defiantly. “No, no, no. You do not get to be the one who feels guilty about everything that’s happened Kaewyn. You just don’t”
“But—”
“No!” Camilla nearly shouted at him. She began to pace back and forth as she spoke. “Do not pretend that this is somehow all your fault. I made you promise to let me stay at Xu Castle when Rhys wanted me to return, and I chose to sneak into your army all so I could come along. I was so selfish Kaewyn, but you? You let me have a voice. More than that, you encouraged me to speak out, to involve myself. You gave me a chance to experience all I ever wanted, and I repaid you by destroying your friendship with my brother.”
“Everything you say may be true Camilla, but that does not change the fact that when Rhys grabbed your arm… I froze up.” He said as he forced himself to blink away fresh forming tears. “I may have been there for you every other time you needed me, but when you needed me most, I still let you down.”
“What could you have done?” Camilla said, almost angrily as she gestured wildly with her hands. “No, seriously Kaewyn. What could you have done?”
“I do not know.” He admitted. “I could have stopped him.”
“And started a war with my brother? Over me? That would have been stupid!” She exclaimed. “What you did was the right thing and you know it. If you acted foolishly like I did, then things would have turned out much worse than they are now. You know how angry Rhys has become. Do you really think he would have given me up?”
“That does not change the fact that I feel horrible for what happened Camilla.” He said. “I have thought about that moment over and over again in my mind. It has not gotten easier over time.”
“Then you and I have another thing in common then.” She said. “Because knowing that I have caused you and Rhys to become so distant… so hostile to one another. It breaks my heart. I think about that all the time too.”
“I would not lay the blame upon yourself for that one.” He explained. “Since all this trouble started, I have seen many things from Rhys that I do not like. I do not know if he was always this way and I just did not see, or if he has changed so much in the time since our youth.”
“Rhys has definitely changed.” Camilla said with a frown. “Sometimes I see my brother in him, but other times I feel like I’m speaking to someone else. I worry he is becoming worse and worse.”
Kaewyn nodded. He agreed with her about Rhys. He always seemed to be a moment away from exploding into a rage at any second. The Rhys he remembered from his youth was easy going and always laughing, except when in the presence of their fathers. When the adults were around, Rhys became a bossy and sometimes mean person. That, he realised, appeared to the man he had grown up to become.
“You however, haven’t changed a bit!” Camilla said with a cheeky smile. “I bet if these barbarians had not invaded, you would have been back home reading all night in your chambers or drinking yourself silly in that tavern you like so much. I forget the name.”
“The Lusty Woodsman?” He said, supressing a laugh.
“That’s the one!”
“As much as I hate to agree with you, I must admit I probably would be doing either one of those things given half a chance. Oh, what I would do for a bowl of Harold’s onion broth right now.”
Camilla chuckled and shook her head. “You know what Kaewyn? I was wrong.”
“About what?”
“About you not having changed. You have, but the difference between you and my brother is that you are still the same kind person underneath it all. You would rather be reading or drinking, or doing something else equally boring I’m sure, but instead you are out here protecting your land and people. You have grown into a responsible lord.” Camilla said. “And I mean that genuinely.”
“Thank you, Camilla. Your words mean a lot to me.”
“And now you have that short beard too.” She said as she reached out and slid a finger down his cheek. “I said it before and I will say it again. You look good with a beard. I am glad to see you decided to keep it.”
“After you said you liked it, how could I possibly remove it?”
“That is true.” She said, covering her mouth as she laughed.
Kaewyn stepped toward her and hugged her again, resting his chin on the top of her forehead. “I know we already discussed it, but I still feel the need to apologise to you Camilla. Will you allow me to?”
“Oh alright, if you must, but only if you allow me to do the same,” She countered as she pulled away from him. “On three?”
“Uhm, three what?”
“On the count of three we apologise to each other.” She explained. “One, two… Three!”
Kaewyn decided to go along with Camilla’s game. Right after she finished saying three, he said I apologise whereas she said I’m sorry at the exact same time. The result was a mess of words tangled together in hilarity and confusion. He shook his head and smiled, noticing that Camilla was rolling her eyes at him.
“Why did you say it so formally? How was I supposed to know you would say it like that?” She said, holding her belly as she laughed.
“I’m sorry. That is just how I talk.”
‘That’s better!” She said excitedly. “Anyway, I am gladdened to put all that behind us. What do you think?”
“You cannot expect me to be satisfied with that for an apology.” He said.
“I forgive you Kaewyn.” She said seriously. The tone of her voice and look in her eye had changed from one of joviality and humour to one of complete earnestness. “And you forgive me too, do you not?”
He nodded his head. “Of course, I do, but—"
“Then all is forgiven and we no longer have to worry ourselves with it.” She said. “So, do not go fretting about what happened that day outside of Taneby any longer alright? It is done and over with.”
Kaewyn took a breath. “Very well.”
Camilla sighed and rubbed her forehead in thought. “You should probably go. Elara is probably having a fit outside at the fact you have been in here so long.”
“It has only been a couple of minutes.” He replied.
“Exactly…” She said as she let out an exasperated sigh. “Go on, you had better leave. We can talk more another time when Elara is busy.”
“Wait Camilla, there is something I wanted to tell you before I leave.” He managed to say as she ushered him toward the beaded doorway that led back outside.
“Oh! I almost forgot.”
Camilla left him standing there and rushed back over toward her bedside. She crouched down beside it and grabbed something he could not see, then returned to him. In her hand she held out a metallic chain with a wooden carving that was he was intimately familiar with.
“My Ohnix token...”
“Mhmm. I promised to keep it safe for you remember? I wore it every day since you gave it to me.”
“Then why did you have it hidden away like that?”
“Elara.” Camilla said with a snarl. “That old witch wanted to take it away from me the moment she saw it. So, I had to hide it away, but as much as I like wearing it, I know it belongs with you.”
Kaewyn reached out to take the token as he said his thanks, but Camilla moved the token just out of his reach and smiled at him.
“Let me put it on you.” She said, gesturing for him to lower his head.
Kaewyn did as she requested and watched as she lifted the metallic chain over his head. When the chain touched the back of his neck, he felt a strong chill from the cold metal now resting on his bare skin. it took him a moment for his skin to adjust before the metal began to warm.
Still holding onto the chain now resting around his neck, Camilla gently used it to pull his face closer to hers. He watched her intently as she tilted her head ever so slightly and grinned at him, closing her eyes as she moved in closer and closer. Emulating her, he too, closed his eyes and leant in. When their lips met, he felt her let go of his chain and instead, wrap her arms around his shoulders and neck. The taste of her lips and the pleasantness of her scent fuelled his growing passion and desire for her. His eager hands began to explore her feminine form, coming to rest on her hips. He pulled her lower half in close and then kissed her several more times, each more intensely than the one before. Camilla, apparently more than receptive to his passionate escalation, used her hands to hold his head in place as she began to kiss him back more fiercely. He then felt her hands slide down and begin to explore his lower back and buttocks. Euphoric and completely caught up in the moment, Kaewyn told himself that he never wanted this moment to end. But then another thought entered his mind. His promise.
He forced himself to pull away from her, despite wanting desperately to do exactly the opposite. The look in her eyes was one of confusion and worry, but before she could voice her concerns, he began to speak.
“Camilla.” He said as she took hold of her hands in his own. “That night outside of Taneby, when you promised to hold on to this token for me, well… I made a promise that night too, to myself. I promised that the next time I saw you, I would tell you something that has been on my mind for some time, but I never got the chance.”
“The next time you saw me?” She questioned, lifting her head in thought. “That would have been when Rhys found me. In your tent.”
He nodded. “Yes. He took you away from me before I could tell you… that I have come to care for you, even love you.”
“Oh Kaewyn. You have been waiting all this time to tell me something that I already know.” She said, averting her eyes as she continued. “I have felt the same way about you for quite some time…”
“You did? You do?”
Camilla nodded and gave his hands a reassuring squeeze. she then hugged him tightly and rested her head below his chin.
“I love you Kaewyn.”
“Camilla, I… I love you too.”
The words echoed in his mind over and over, as if to reiterate just how much they meant to him. He did love her. He loved everything about her, from her beautiful blue eyes and warm smile, to her determined spirit and somewhat blunt nature. Whenever he was in her presence, he felt an intense desire to be a better person. Her opinion mattered him more than anyone else.
“So.” Camilla said as she pulled away from him. “Where do we go from here.”
“What do you mean?” He asked.
“I do not know about you Kaewyn, but I do not want to go back to being lonely in Varde Castle, walking its walls alone while looking to the horizon and wanting something better. I have done that enough for one lifetime already.” She said adamantly. “I want… I want to be with you, to stay with you at Xu Castle.”
Kaewyn hesitated before replying to her. He hadn’t thought that far ahead before seeking her out. He had been so worried about how she would react and how she felt about him that he hadn’t spared a single thought as to what would come after.
“Kaewyn?” She finally said. “You… want that too, right?”
“Yes, yes of course I do Camilla.” He said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I just struggle to see a way we can get what we want without going through Rhys. He is not the friend I once knew and I fear his reaction if we were to bring this up with him.”
“You are worried about Rhys?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Well, a little.” She admitted. “But I am done letting my brother stand in the way of my happiness. I spent my whole life doing what my father wanted and Rhys is starting to become even worse than he ever was. I love my brother, but I love you too. If he forces me to decide between the two of you, then my decision is made.”
“You believe we should bring this to him then?” He asked.
Camilla nodded her head. “I’m going back with you to Xu Castle whether he likes it or not.
“Camilla, I… I do not think this is an entirely sound idea.”
“What do you mean!?” She nearly shouted at him.
“Hold on a moment!” He said as he struggled to find the right words. “I want you to return home with me too but there is more to it than that. Surely you know that Rhys is likely to react poorly if we were to lay this decision upon him right this moment. I do agree with you, we should tell him, but perhaps it is best to wait until after this mess with the barbarians is dealt with. Rhys is… under a lot of stress and I fear our decision, could very well be the last push to put him over the edge.”
Camilla let out an exasperated sigh and crossed her arms. She then turned around and placed a hand on the wooden pole that supported the ceiling of the tent.
“He did warn me that if I caused any trouble, he’d have me chained to this tent pole.”
Kaewyn shook his head. “We have not exactly given him a reason to trust us. When he found you in my tent outside of Taneby, I think all of his trust in me vanished.”
“If he thinks that way already, then he will refuse our request anyway?” She said angrily. “So what’s the point of waiting?”
“Because without the barbarians besieging Varde and ravaging his lands, Rhys will feel more at ease. He will also be reunited with Alina, his pregnant wife. That has to put him in a better mood.”
“And if he still refuses?”
“Then, we think of something else.”
“We could just… run away.” She said. “Or I could sneak away with your army again.”
He shook his head. “That will not work Camilla. Well, it would, but it would also turn Rhys against us completely. With the Empire in such chaos, he and I need to be allies, whether we remain friends or not. We cannot put Greystone and Vinum at risk for our own personal desires.”
Camilla sighed and shook her head. It was clear to him that she was not happy with his decision to delay. She did not argue the points he had made, however, and that led him to believe that she at least saw the reasoning behind his decision. He felt bad for disappointing her, but to act without thought of the possible repercussions was irresponsible. He had more than just her well-being to consider when it came to his relationship with Rhys, so as much as it hurt him, he had to act with caution.
“Very well Kaewyn, we will do it your way. Even if I think your way is stupid.”
He chuckled. “So, we are agreed?”
“Yes… After the barbarians are defeated, we speak to him together and tell him what we want.” Camilla said. “And hope he is in a good enough mood to listen.”
“We will make this work Camilla. I promise.” He said as he hugged her. “One way or another, we will be together.”