"Ira, please pinch me; I must be dreaming," Alana said, facing away from the thousand tents and looking at the vast formation of cavalrymen in thick iron armor, wielding frightening lances and round shields on their backs. Other sections had orderly seas of archers with their long swords bound to their hips. Their banners fluttered lightly, depicting a sigil-like symbol. To Alana, it looked like a goat's head, and it was painted in red upon the golden flag. The young general who had walked away from the meeting ended up joining their fighting force, with 5,000 strong.

image [https://i.ibb.co/5M7LwFN/neander55-blonde-anime-girl-wearing-blue-cloak-on-a-horse-surve-cac10d0c-7a8f-4077-bf7f-1bfe65b013c3.png" alt="neander55-blonde-anime-girl-wearing-blue-cloak-on-a-horse-surve-cac10d0c-7a8f-4077-bf7f-1bfe65b013c3]image

Alana never thought she could be part of something so grand, nor did she think she would ever be in charge of such a large army. But it was happening, and she was more sure than ever that victory would belong to her cause. Only one thing was missing, another thing that burned her heart deeply. She herself did not have relatives in the Legion, but Gitara's husband was up north, and many others who probably did not know what had happened to their families. Or worse, Alana thought, they might have been purged themselves.

The generals had gathered the next morning, and her meeting was different. She would not join them in their flight toward Varalkia; instead, she returned to Ira.

"Ready to go back?" Ira asked with a huge smile.

"I need to talk to you." Alana lowered her gaze.

"Yes, tell me what you need."

Alana took a deep breath. She felt it was right but was not sure if she would convince Ira.

"I need you to ride north with me."

"Where? What are you talking about? But they're ready for battle. Do you plan on abandoning them?"

"I think I won't join them. Listen, there are some Gadalian legionaries from my village up north. I'd like to visit them and bring them the news of what happened to our people."

"So you're abandoning them?"

"No, it's something else I thought about. These troops, I told them to wait at Varalkia. I told them to meet with Kassara, and she will join their ranks and give them any information they may need. In the meantime, I need us to go to the north."

"North? Where? What are you talking about, Alana? What legion? You are going to miss the fight; you're going to abandon your army and your people on a whim."

"Please. Maybe I can tell them to wait, but I feel bad for their sisters, and I don't know if we'll get a chance to see them. It's made up of people from our village. Gitara's husband, sons of some of the older women, brothers, and fathers. I need to join them as soon as possible."

"And you think they will desert just because you tell them to? No matter what happens to their families, nobody wants to be in a military tribunal and get their head cut. Where are they even?"

"Last time we received news of them, they were in the frontier. Up north."

"The northern frontier? Where exactly? It extends for miles. Alana," Ira sighed. "Now that is hard; it's only about three hundred miles, from what I've heard."Alana breathed deeply.

"It's my last chance. I don't know if we'll ever see them again. I don't want to make a big fuss about it, but please, if you can, let's go."

Ira sighed.

"Well, there's not much else we can do."

"Let's just look for them. If we can't find them, let's go back."

Chief Mundzuch had already arranged for a bag of provisions and tools for them. Ira was perplexed. Before the sunset, she put the mat and the saddle on her horse.

"Get ready, my boy. It's going to be a long ride."

Alana stood beside her, with a bag tied to a walking stick. Her eyes were focused on the setting sun, yearning to see her brothers. The army would depart the next morning, probably arriving within a few days.

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"How long will it take us, Ira?"

"We don't even know where they are. At least six days to get to the edge of the border, if we ever do," Ira seemed annoyed. Alana felt guilty, but there was no other way. She would probably not get them to join the battle, and even if they did, it would take a month at least for them to return. But they needed to know.

That was way longer than she expected.

"Fine," Alana sighed, resigned.

"Do you have a plan?" Ira asked.

"I'll figure it out with you as we go," Alana said with a smile, but Ira did not return one.

"Have you told them? We better go as soon as possible. Get ready."

Ira climbed into the saddle and jumped up rapidly. The horse neighed. She extended her hand and Alana took it. She put a foot through the stirrup and grasped Ira's arm. She sat behind her, their bodies pressed together in the small saddle, her chest against Ira's hard bow of bone and her long unwashed hair. "Take a last look at your army."

Alana looked at the endless sea of warriors. She whispered a farewell and a timid prayer to Ares for their victory.

She looked at the red sun ahead.

"Ready," Alana said, and Ira spurred hard, pulling the bridle. Her horse dashed forth into the fields.

They rode through the afternoon hours, and when the waxing moon appeared in heaven and the Eveningstar shone proudly, they rested again under the stars. Ira did not talk much those days. She lied down and pretended to sleep, while Alana retreated a few feet away and practiced with her sword until sweat bathed her sleeping clothes.

Alana realized she had to savor those moments, for after their travels ended, she would have to face war and horror again. Ira rested, her pale face expressionless and dim. Alana figured she did not want to talk to her. Was it because of a change in plans?

"Ira, are you alright?" she asked.

Ira took a deep breath and looked at her.

"I'm fine."

"You look a bit distraught. Can I help you in any way?"

Ira sighed, leaning her head on her palm.

"I'm fine. It's one of those moments where you question things."

Alana sat beside her.

"I wish I could make you feel better."

Ira changed the topic entirely.

"Please leave me alone."

Alana blinked, feeling as though she had been pushed off the horse.

"It's nothing personal, I just feel like being alone for now."

"I understand," Alana said. "I just don't want you to feel lonely. You helped me when I . . ."

"Please, Alana."

Alana stood up and turned to her sword to practice, but her mind was not at rest. Was it the sudden change of plans? She hated seeing Ira like that, but patience could be the answer.

As she glanced at the steppe and the mountains in the distance, she wondered how it would be. She had met Teutish and Galish men and women before. Some had traveled to the markets, and a couple of them had wounded Kassius the previous winter, but she knew they were not all bad. They couldn't be.

After a long sleep and with the rays of the sun caressing her face, they gathered their things and rode again. The road seemed endless, and Alana's uncertainty grew with each passing moment.

At one point, instead of the wide grasslands, the air shifted, becoming fresher and heavier, and they encountered sparse forests of evergreens and oaks. They saw villages of small houses built along the riverside, and men with colorful tattoos and women with flowers in their hair. They passed undisturbed, never stopping except for lunch and when either of them or the horse got thirsty.

The sun was almost setting on their second day when they passed through a homely village where the inhabitants had constructed a long orchard with red and purple flowers.

Ira stopped along the road and asked where the Wall was and where she could buy cheese. After eating some spiced goat cheese, her mood changed entirely.

"These are the people of Dana," Ira said, leaning on a fence by the riverside, holding her horse by the bridle. "They're all around, from here to the lands beyond the Western Sea, and they really know how to make good cheese."

"I'm curious," Alana said.

Ira showed her a small bag tied up with a small pink lace. She untied it, and a salty smell filled the air. The cheese was pale and yellowish. Alana grabbed it with two fingers and took a soft bite. It was salty and lightly pungent.

"Very nice," she said after swallowing.

"I've been trying to ask the seller how they make it, but he won't tell me."

"The flavor is really unique," Alana said, licking her fingers.

Ira took a deep breath.

"That's my dream, you know? One day."

"What do you mean?"

Ira had a big smile.

"My mother was a dairy farmer, you know. She didn't make special cheese, not any special variety, but to me, she made the most delicious cheese in the world. I cannot replicate her power, but I'd love to master the art of cheese making and share the best flavors from every corner of the world. I don't care about money, but if I can make people in Parzia savor Northern Cheese, and vice versa, I could be happy. I need to get this man to tell me the secret."

"Why don't you marry him?" Alana muttered with a chuckle.Ira's face morphed; her smile disappeared, and she cleared her throat.

"Well, it's time to go," she said, putting the bag away and rushing to mount the horse.

"Did I say something wrong?" Alana blinked in surprise.

"Let's get going!" Ira said sternly. Alana nodded and pulled herself up onto the saddle. She spurred the horse and rode out of the village, into the sparse forest.

"I'm sorry if I said something wrong," Alana muttered.

"It's okay," Ira said. "It's nothing."

"Well, your mood changed when I mentioned marriage. I was just joking."

Ira bristled completely.

"Alana," Ira said sternly. "It's not something I pursued. I don't like what you implied."

"I was just joking!"

"I do not need you to joke like that."

"Hey, I didn't mean it."

"It's not about whether it's true or not, it's what people say about me."

"Why should you care about what people say?"

"Why? Alana, because they say it. What can I say?"

"Well, if it's not true, why should you worry?"

"Enough talk for today," Ira said as they left the sleepy village.