A hundred golden empires, fair and square. Lucrece’s eyes were sparkling with glee when staring at the pile of beautiful, shiny coins piled up on the bar. Hanna shared the excitement as well, even more when dividing the pile in sixty-forty as they had agreed: Sixty for the adventurers, and forty for the sponsor. Even if that pile of sixty soon turned into two even smaller piles of thirty coins each, Luci seemed more than satisfied with the result. This had to be her most successful contract yet.

“How about you celebrate and use some of those newfound riches here, eh?” The tavern owner suggested with a sly grin. “I’ll get some of the good beer just for our heroes!”

“Sure!” Gabrielle once again agreed before Lucrece could even say anything. “Put us two tall mugs and two plates of stew, my treat!”

“Gabi, no! I can’t possibly accept.” Luci tried to play hard to get. “We earned this money together, you should let me pay with you.”

“Okay. We’ll divide the bill.”

The blond smacked her face. Damn this daft woman and her inability to catch playful hints! But alas, the lancer knew this one had been on her and her alone, so she simply surrendered and agreed to pay half of the bill for the food and the beds. It wasn’t worth it to argue with the redhead when it came to pleasantries! And besides, she really wanted to just lay back and enjoy herself for a good moment.

They both needed a rest, after all.

Drinks, food and song! What a beautiful combination. The late hours of the day would pass by among heavy celebration. A single gold coin was enough to pay for several rounds, food, bed and even to enjoy the services of the local bard with some money to spare! Gabrielle had not felt so full in ages, both in her belly and in her heart.

And while the party continued in the tavern, Lucy needed a moment to reflect… so, while Gabrielle was twirled around by the bard in the middle of her performance, the normadian lancer simply slipped outside, and sighed.

The skies were growing dark, the cold air of night already setting in Rennos. Luci looked around in the empty streets, leaning against the tavern’s wall and slowly rubbing her temples. It was too early to feel hungover, too soon for monthly pains, so then what was this feeling she had? This unease squeezing her throat to the point where she simply couldn’t swallow?

She wondered out loud, despite having a sneaking suspicion of where it all came from: this situation, such relief and happiness, the feeling of camaraderie… It had been a while since the last time Lucrece had felt such things. Back in the days she followed her Captain’s company around.

All this rowdy ruckus, the sound of people cheering, the drinks being passed around… she had missed it dearly, but now that she had it again, it only felt worse! And she perfectly knew why.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

The time with the mercenaries hadn’t been all perfect. Most of them were rude and brutish, she constantly butted heads with some! They were far from a happy family… but as much as she sometimes hated those bastards, she kinda liked them as well. The long journeys through Normadia, the nights spent together gazing on the stars.

She missed those bastards.

She missed her Captain.

But then, she also remembered that one conversation by the campfire. Late in the night, while everyone else slept…

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I want you out of the company.”

That’s what the Captain had said. At that moment, Luci had thought it was about the heinous wound she had sustained during the last bounty the company had pursued. Her hands clung to the bandages over her stomach, still feeling echoes of the pain, the strange way air feels on one’s innards…

The captain was never a serious person, at least not outside of battle. She laughed things off, preferred to sleep and party than to discuss deep personal issues… and yet, that very night there she was! Staring at Lucrece with determination in her eyes, the light of the bonfire reflected in her irises. The lancer, of course, refused vehemently.

“I was careless and got what I deserved, but it won't happen again! I promise!”

“You can’t promise me that.” The Captain shook her head slowly, locks of hair softly dancing in the air.

“Of course I can! I won't let anyone strike me down like that again!” Luci had to visibly restrain herself to not cry at that moment. “Please, give me a chance!”

“This is not about chances. Or anything like that… Lucrece, you are gonna be sixteen this year.” The stone cold visage of the Captain turned slightly warmer. “Do you really want this life? You are educated, know how to read and count well. Do you think the battlefield is the place for someone like that?”

“I…” Lucrece faltered in her words for a second, eye looking into the fire before turning back at her Captain. “It’s part of my plan. To get enough money to—”

“Yes. Your own state and all that. I know. But do you really think you will survive long enough to reach that goal? What is the point of hoarding all that money if you will just waste your life away like this!?”

Silence.

“I want you to get out of here, and look for something better. Get a job as an apprentice or something, get married, live a good life… so. I am sorry… but I want you out of my company.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucrece left that night, tears rolling out of her eye.

She still wasn’t sure why she was stubbornly sticking to the path her Captain had practically ordered to abandon. Was the anger inside of her really that great that she simply had no other way to deal with it than with violence? Or was she just trying to prove her Captain wrong?

She missed her. She missed her dearly… but she did learn something from that moment. No matter how much one clings to a person, life always conspires to isolate people one way or another…

The lancer turned around, spying into the tavern. She saw Gabrielle resting by the bar, drinking down another tankard of ale. That fool was going to have a terrible hangover the next morning.

“...Don’t get attached.” Luci repeated to herself, shaking her head once more and then looking to the skies. “It’s really for the best.”

This would only last until reaching Caen. She needed to remember that. To Caen, and from there who knows where life was going to push her. All Luci knew was that she was going to take that next step of her life alone.

That very next morning, they would take the last stretch of their trip. Gabrielle could feel something was different about her companion, but she could not really understand what. There was a sadness between them now. One too deep to really understand…