Finding Ruli on the other side of that door was a surprise, but Kire said nothing. She wasn't sure what to say. But he spoke first, with a straightforward proposition that was equally surprising. She only took a moment's hesitation before she grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him in, and kissed him deeply, closing the door behind them.

--

Ed, meanwhile, had gone back downstairs. Requesting some spiced wine, he sat by himself in the great hall. He was smoking too, pilferimg from his sister's stores. It was by mo means a habit, but especially on nights like this one--cold, and full of anxiety for the coming day--he needed a smoke or two. Briefly, he entertained going to Ysaryn's to knock on her door but thought the better of it. She needed rest.

He wasn't sure what her response would be. After their failed attempt at a date, and their unspoken assumption that they'd stop trying for ... whatever this was, he was sure she's say no.
But she didn't say anything.

When she grabbed him, Ruli raised his eyebrows, bending to kiss her as she shut the door. Okay. That was answer enough. He bent his legs to wrap his arms around her, lifting her off her feet to carry her to the bed

~

It wasn't long after that that Ysaryn opened her eyes. It didn't take long at all for her to figure out what she was hearing, low and muffled as it was. Good for you both. She grinned, amused, and rolled over to try to sleep, her head wedged beneath the pillow.
No use, however.
Giving up, Ysaryn got out of bed and tucked herself into Ed's coat before she roamed downstairs. She could nibble on something, or drink while watching the snow from the window.

Instead, she found Ed.
"Care for company?" she asked as she wandered toward him and claiming the seat across. "Did Kirai not order you to rest?" she asked with a smirk.

When Ysaryn wandered down, Ed smiled, grinning even wider at her remark. If you don't tell her I committed treason, it doesn't count," he answered. "You don't smoke, do you? I stole more than I'd get through, " he said, lazily pointing at the small box on the table. He exhaled, regarding the elf sitting across him. "Is it the thought of battle kerping you up?"

"Only in trouble if you get caught, hm" she smiled. At his offer to smoke, she shook her head. "Not often enough, but I will pass for tonight. Maybe on our next sleepless night." Ysaryn offered with a small grin.
Which vanished when he asked what kept her awake.

"Uhhh." She stammered. "Well, it's a bit loud, so I thought I would come down for a drink and to watch the snowfall." The elf admitted with a gesture to her sensitive ears. "You? You've been preparing for a long time, and in a recent battle. Does this one make you nervous?"

Edward closed the box and nodded, blowing smoke to the side to keep most of it away from her. He raised a brow, however, when she stammered through a reply. “Loud?” he asked, a slight frown of confusion as he thought about what she meant. “May I ask what you mean? What’s loud up—ohhh.” He laughed, scratching his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever fathom what’s going on with those two. And if I try to pry, she might lop off all my hair. I quite like my hair.” Before he answered her question, he held up a finger and got up, returning with a tankard of the spiced wine, setting it down in front of her.

“Yes. Always. Only a fool would not be anxious before a battle,” he said, sitting back down across from her. “Or perhaps I am simply good at pretending to have it all together, while everybody else has confidence in spades. I can be calm, yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about my odds.” He leaned back with a huff. “It’s funny. I thought of nothing else but how I would get myself back into the fray while in Lithilote. Now I’m back in the fray, and I want nothing more than just to lay down and rest.”

Ysaryn chuckled when he caught on, raising her shoulders indifferently. "They don't know either. Even if its clear to others, I think." she grinned at him, tucking her hands in the warm sleeves. "I also like your hair. Many of you have just jeweled hair."

As he told her to wait, she fell quite grinning wickedly when he returned with wine. "I am a fool, then." she sipped hers, nodding her head in thanks. "I am calm in the nights and days before. Speculating does no good. When the fight is before Mexican the smell of blood and adrenalin in the air, that's when I feel it. But not nerves, as much as eagerness."

Her eyes roamed his face when he mentioned wanting rest. Part of her took it literal, and she checked him for wariness. "Perhaps I will demand this tour you compromised me when we win. And you can show me how an Amrian warrior relaxes."

Ed sipped from his own mug, admiring the grin on her face, the way her eyes gleamed whenever she did so. “Quite a lovely fool, though,” he teased. “Forgiven. And to be fair, when the fight comes, the eagerness arrives for me, too. Else, I’d be paralyzed with indecision. A fatal error in the field.” He snuffed out the cigarette he had, blowing out the last of the smoke, as she made her demand. “My lady, a Wyvern always fulfills their promises. You will have your tour.” He paused, studying her face as she did his, and a smirk tugged at his lips. “And, if you’ll let me, I’ll show you more than how I relax.”

Ysaryn tilted her head again, watching him from beneath her dark lashes. "Is that so?" She inquired with a smirk of her own. "I know you are a skilled warrior, but one day I would like to spar with you. I have not seen you fight, really. And I doubt I will get the chance in this next battle."

She sipped her wine again, her eyes moving to the window. "What do you propose, aside from getting the relaxation you so desperately crave?"

At the mention of sparring, Ed chuckled. “I do miss sparring. I forgot if I had told you, or Kire did, that I helped teach her how to be a swordsman. And sparring with the Riaelwen was a welcome challenge. I’m sure sparring with you will be…interesting.” He smirked. He kept his gaze on her as she watched the snow falling outside the window, his look softening to a fond smile, though he did put on a cheeky grin at her question.

“A few days with me, to show you around Amria. And, only if you want it, I can show you around my room.” He chuckled at that, shaking his head at his own brazenness. It had been a long time since he had been this forward with a woman. “But the trip is not contingent on that other offer. I am still at your disposal for those few days. Honestly, if we win this, I just want a few days without having to think about my duties as Wyvern, Captain, all of that, preferably in pleasant company.”

He looked out the window, same as she did, sipping his wine. “Though, if you would like help to sleep tonight, I am your humble servant.” He glanced sidelong at her, a brief smirk on his lips before looking back out again.

He had taught Kire, hadn't he? She recalled that. And having sparred with Kire to a draw, she was now far more intrigued about sparring with him. Kire grew sloppy in her unwillingness to lose. Ed, though. Ysaryn's eyes roamed back to him, his muscular form, his warrior's mind.
That would be a treat.

At his brazen offer, Ysaryn chuckled. "Spoken like a noble man." she teased him, genuinely considering the offer. "But no. I think I will wait to see if you survive the fight." She raised her glass in a teasing toast.
As tempted as she was, considering she was being robbed of sleep anyway. She tilted her head to listen, but was blissfully out of range. It would be a pity if they were that fast, anyway.
"Besides, I require no humble servant. I want a warrior."

Ed chuckled. “I see the sparring has already begun,” he teased back, clinking his mug to hers before drinking from it. “Very well. As I have rightly observed, you are already proving to be an interesting challenge.” He leaned back, sinking into thoughtful silence as he watched the snow, absentmindedly toying with the handle of his mug. It occurred to him how oddly serene he felt now, especially since this night preceded a march into battle. Perhaps Ysaryn’s calm was rubbing off onto him. “Now, tell me what I’ve missed in the past six months I hadn’t seen you and your world.”

He listened carefully as she spoke, asking a question here and there, while his gaze regarded her fondly. Brave, strong-willed, opinionated, captivating. Gods, what a woman Ysaryn was. It had been far too long since he had last felt this almost boyish giddiness at being around someone so alluring. He almost chuckled out loud at himself, feeling a bit foolish at having even begun thinking how inconvenient the war was. Rather than get ahead of himself, he let himself simply enjoy her company tonight. He went to fetch more wine, asking if she wanted more, though for himself he didn’t fill his mug too much, wanting just enough to help him sleep.

“I think I will make an attempt at sleep,” he said after finishing his second mug. “And I better return these before Elva boxes my ears,” he added with a chuckle, taking the box of cigarettes and pocketing it. He was about to step away when he remembered why Ysaryn had gone downstairs in the first place. “Gods, do you think it’s safe to return?” He chuckled again. “I think I’ll just sleep in the library. There are sizable cushions in there. You’re welcome to share, if you don’t want to risk it. And upon my warrior’s honor, sleep is all I mean by that.”

--

Kire had slept so deeply that she hadn’t quite been aware of when Ruli had left her room. When she woke, dawn had already broken. She was still naked, curled under the thick blankets. The smell of him was in her sheets, on her skin, the cinnamon signature filling her head. She lay on her back, letting out a deep sigh. This time around, with both of them needing to release tension from the looming battle—and perhaps, from all the tension they had built up between them—it felt more intense somehow. Or perhaps because they had already gotten over the preliminary shyness of the first time. It had been immensely difficult to try and keep herself quiet.

Reluctantly, she pushed herself up, rubbing her face, attempting to smooth out her hair. Though the night had been good, she had to admit she didn’t like waking up like this, with him stealing off like some thief in the night or some adulterer afraid of being caught. Perhaps it was for the best that they had one more memorable tumble, and let that be the end of it. She realized if they kept this up, it might make it far more difficult for her not to fuck it up again somehow. Still bleary-eyed, she went through a mental list of what they needed done today. Ruli, Daryll, and Gavin would be finishing the bombs. She would return to Ulrich’s to meet with Jan and the lord of the castle to set down the terms for the marriage. And then, the march. While she could just wait till all the battalions were stationed where they needed to be before joining them, she needed to be there with the soldiers. Time to begin, then.

While Kire was off to take a bath in the hot springs, Daryll and Gavin were already awake, and preparing to begin the day’s work. “So. Lad. Have you decided?” Daryll asked the young man as they organized the materials.
“I think—I want to see it.” Gavin gulped; even just saying that felt heavy. “I-I know I’m not the best fighter, and that I might be a liability. But I’m also the best source for identifying blood magic. What if something goes wrong, and I’m not there to see it and help?”

Daryll exhaled. “Hm. Well. Far be it for me to stop you. Especially since you know the risks. Just know that you don’t have to be on the field, or to be a fighter, to be of use. All this,” he said, gesturing at the flash bombs, their notes, “we have accomplished right here. You are a part of this, whether you go out there and possibly get yourself mortally wounded or not. You are no less a person for it.”

Ysaryn chuckled at his response, relieved he seemed to answer the challenge, rather than shy away from her for being too much of one. She smiled at him, watching him for a moment before she, too, looked back out the window. Cold and difficult for battles, but beautiful to watch. Ysaryn decided she liked the snow for all it offered. Challenges and beauty. Just like the warrior beside her.

"Ah." Ysaryn sighed when he asked about all that had happened. She told him as much as she decided was worthy of sharing. From the growth of the city and her devious part in its new name, to her business in the neighbouring city now and then, to a new recipe she'd picked up from watching the Ziadi cook.

By the time she'd finished, they were both quiet, their sleepiness weighing on them. Ed offered for her to join him in the library, but she declined politely, not wanting to blur the line yet. Even if she wanted to. To press herself to that body. Ysaryn watched him leave, admiring his gait, before she followed, making her way to her own bedroom, glad to find that it was quiet.

~

Ruli's eyelids were heavy as he lay in her bed beside her. He'd only just caught his breath, his skin still moist beneath her heavy blankets. By the sound of her breathing, Kire had fallen asleep already. He didn't mind. It was part of the reason he came in here, to let them both stop thinking about the nearing war and sleep.
Sleep. Ruli sat up and bent to gather his clothing. He needed to sleep, and he'd told her he'd leave before morning. So he crept back to his room, closing the door silently before falling into his own cold bed to sleep.

Far later than he intended, too. He rose to see the windows were light with morning and he groaned, pushing himself up. He fixed his hair, changed his clothing, and shoved his feet into his boots and went downstairs. With a passing 'good morning' to Ysaryn, who was folding into a chair in the great hall, he dashed outside and made his way to Daryll's.

"He's right." Ruli said, his nose and cheeks red from his rush through the morning snow. He was wearing his jacket, the collar pulled up close to his neck. "Gavin, you've more than redeemed yourself for what Ikegai forced you to do, and made yourself a better man then the Gemini name carries here. You've been integral." Ruli turned his head, realizing he'd passed all the coffee urns.
"I slept in, I'm sorry, I'm going to grab coffee." He said, turning to leave the chamber again.

He returned a few minutes later, holding his steaming cup close to his body. "It'll be more difficult for me to protect you when the wards are up. I can't Walk you out of harms way. So it'll be that much more dangerous for us both." Ruli pointed out kindly. "So its a good thing we both know how to fight, hm?"

Elva frowned, hands on her hips, looking down at her sleeping brother, who was still sprawled and sleeping on one of the cushions in the library. She flicked his ear, and the Captain woke with a start and a curse. “My, someone had a late night. Unusual. And did you happen to catch the thief who had been stealing cigarettes from my stores, hm?”
Edward rubbed his face. “Was having trouble sleeping, is all.”
“Mmhm.” She sighed, sitting beside him, patting his arm. “You’ll be going back with Kire today, right?” He nodded, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “Please be careful, old man,” she murmured. Ed leaned his head against hers.
“I will. We will.”
“Your elf is waiting in the great hall, by the way,” Elva commented, and Ed chuckled.
“Whatever do you mean, ‘my’ elf?”
Elva grinned. “You’re a better liar than that when you put your mind to it, brother.”

“Good morning,” he greeted, when he reached the hall. “Did you get some sleep, at least? And, hopefully, better than I have? I slept at the wrong position, ” he added with a grin, before simmering down. “[i]This had been brought up yesterday, but the march will begin around noon today and continue to the next day, where we rendezvous with our other battalions. While I figure you might be interested to see a little of Amria on the way, I wanted to ask if you prefer just meeting us where the camp will be in two days’ time, or if you would like to march with the rest.”

--

Gavin pondered Ruli’s words. “I may not be as good as you or Ysaryn or Zeke, but—I need to see it. Besides, no better way to test what you’ve taught me than a practical exam, right?”
Daryll glanced at Ruli, not looking particularly hopefully at what the lad had said. “Actually, the best way is a controlled environment, not in the middle of a pivotal battle.”
“I don’t want to be dead weight to you,” Gavin said to Ruli. “And—I appreciate what you’re saying. About what I have done so far. I am proud of it, no matter what.”

“You should be.” Kire’s voice came, as she entered the chamber. She was already in full armor, her sword at her hip, and the only thing left for her was to put on the helmet.
Daryll looked her over, his expression grim. “You aren’t jumping right into the fight—right?”
Kire nodded, and gave them the same explanation Ed had given Ysaryn. “You don’t have to rush the bombs just yet. You can just show up at the rendezvous point. Ed and I need to be there with the men and women marching for us, so if you elect to stay, you have over a day till we arrive at that designated space.” She glanced at Ruli, who was nursing a cup of coffee. She wondered how he felt, waking up this morning.

Ysaryn turned her head when she heard footsteps, classifying the steps as Ed's before he appeared. "Morning." She greeted in return, watching him as he grinned and mentioned he'd slept wrong. As he repeated the plans for the day, the elf nodded. "Yes, I recall." She said in the common tongue. "I would enjoy to know Amria." Ysaryn responded. "Is now the time to take a scene of detour, however? We have violence to meet." She pointed out with a smirk.

~

As Gavin answered, Ruli nodded, respecting his decision. "He'd plenty of controlled environments as far as combat goes. Ysaryn is a terror on her own to spar with." Ruli grinned to Gavin. "And, I'll admit, if anything goes wrong, I would appreciate your help. But you are to stay close to me, do you understand? Or we're both dead, either by enemy hands or Envy's."

As Kire strolled in, he glanced at her over his coffee cup, taking in her armour and her sword. As she glanced his way in return, he met her gaze. "Am I supposed to take your armour and sword when I play your decoy, or will any shiny armour and weapon make do?" He wondered.

Ed grinned back. Over Ysaryn’s shoulder he could see his sister Elva winking at him and making swooning gestures, and it took all his concentration not to childishly send her away or return a rude gesture. “Ah. Fair point. Though Kire and I will be marching with the armies, so if you elect to stay here and wait, rather than ride with us, we would see each other in a day’s time, when we’re in position around the Capital.”

--

At his question, Kire paused, thinking it over. “There should be armor enough with the Wyvern emblem for you to use. As for the sword…” She looked to Daryll, then back to Ruli and unbuckled the sword belt. “They might be on the lookout for this.”
“That was forged with a kind of blood magic. Not by Gemini. Kire almost didn’t take it, until she tested it out,” Daryll said, grinning. “Did you tell them? It’s the material manifestation of her Will,” he went on before Kire could answer. “For so long as she’s alive, you don’t need to sharpen or polish it. When she dies—not anytime soon, hopefully—the sword becomes slag.”
“It’s bloody expensive, is what it is,” Kire muttered, handing it to Ruli. Daryll snorted; she may joke, but it was clear enough she had grown very fond of it. “Don’t lose it.”
“Right. So, we’re gonna meet you in the rendezvous point tomorrow, is what you said? Or march with you?” Gavin asked. Kire nodded. The lad shrugged. “We’re already here. Might as well join the armies. And if something happens along the way, we’ll at least see it.”
“Alright. How long do you need? If you’re coming, great hall once you’re ready. We’ll return at Lord Ulrich’s.” She paused, looking at Gavin. “And you need a proper sword. Borrow one from the armory when you come along.”

With a nod, Kire left, going back to the manor, her mind already poring over the first order of business when they come back to the castle. Finding Ed talking to Ysaryn, she smiled, asking to excuse her cousin and speak to him in the library, where they discussed Lord Ulrich and the match between him and Jan more seriously.

After an hour, the two Wyverns walked out, heading for the armory. Kire chose a longsword to replace the blade she had lent Ruli. When, finally, Ruli and Gavin joined them in the Great Hall, Kire and Ed said their goodbye’s to Elva, who gave them each a tight hug, making them promise to be careful. “You all come back here in one piece, you hear?” she demanded, pointing her pipe at each of them.
Kire smiled. “We promise. Don’t want to wake up to your face after fainting in battle.”
“Oh stop it.” Elva grinned, but her eyes reflected her worry. “Off you go.”

Unlike yesterday, the castle, and the fields around it, were much busier now that they were getting ready to move. Jan and Ulrich were in deep discussion in the hall. Calling to a nearby guard, Kire gave instructions in Taakalon, and the guard bowed, going off to fetch the Lady Narda. “You are with Narda and Maika,” Kire said immediately. “Nard should be here shortly to take you to where the women are. Ed and I just have one more bit of non-battle business to attend to before the march begins. Excuse us.”

Nard appeared, guided by the guard Kire had instructed earlier. She, too, was in armor, her axes by her side. “Morning. We have a bit of a journey ahead of us. I’m surprised you didn’t just zip yourselves over to the other side of the mountains,” she said, chuckling. “Maika and the rest are outside. Come on.”

Ruli nodded, then raised an eyebrow. He didn't know the history or the origin of the sword, but he could tell she was fond of it. Especially considering how frantic she'd grown after pulling him from his world and realizing she didn't have it.
"Somehow, that its bound to her will isn't surprising." Ruli commented, settling the blade in his lap carefully. "Sharp minded and tongued, may as well have a physical weapon to accompany that."

She left, and once the sword was set aside, Ruli and the others dove into their work with what little preparations they could get to here. Ysaryn, once Ed was taken for conversation, moved outside again with her blades to resume her exercises, the elf moving in graceful, lethal circles in a sort of dance. To keep her muscles limber, and to get used to the new weapons.

When the trio from down the hill crossed paths with her on their way in, she ceased and followed, her skin flushed with cold, and her eyes glittering with anticipation. The moment he saw Kire, he reached for his own sword, buckled on his left hip instead of his natural right. He thrust it at her, pommel first. "If I get to play with yours, you get to play with mine." He said with a smirk before he disappeared into the armoury. Ruli borrowed both lighter, chainmail gear as well as something that would pass as Kire's at a distance or an untrained glance. Ysaryn stuck with her chainmail beneath her leathers, and Ruli couldn't tell if she wore them, yet, or if they were packed. Once Gavin had equipment, they made their way back out.
While the cousins said their farewells to one another, Ysaryn pestered Ruli with quiet, but quick paced questions about last night. He ignored her, but not without feeling a soft flush to his ears.
They had a long march ahead of them for gossip, he reminded her, and knew he'd regret that invitation immediately.

Back at the Froheim manor, or castle, though it was far nicer than the castle in Úvano, Kire announced they'd be with Narda, and the trio migrated with the giantess. "If we are to fight with the army, we move with the army." Ysaryn said, matter-of-fact, lifting her head proudly.
"Not like we can't zip home if we change our minds, either."
"Uh." Ysaryn raised her hand suddenly, thinking. "How are we to march? On foot?" She looked around nervously, suddenly wondering if they'd be on horseback.
"Changing your mind already? You can always just walk." Ruli teased her, getting as many jabs in before she turned her relentless interrogation on him.
The glare she gave him told him she was close to outing his business to the Wenches.

Narda snorted, amused. “Yes, we do walk on foot. There are battalions on horseback, and your position on the line depends on your rank, too. But as for the Wenches, we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves too much, anyway.”
“That’s pretty fucking hard to do, Cap’n,” Myka called, meeting with them. “Have you seen you?” She winked at the other three, then paused, looking them over, particularly at Ruli, who had Kire’s sword and Wyvern armor on. “My, my, my. Looking very Empressy today, aren’t we?” Though she clearly was making a joke, her demeanor was less cheerful now. The sight of Ruli as decoy hammered home the dangerous task they were to take on tomorrow. “This is it, huh.”
“Mmhmm. This is it,” Narda said solemnly. “We’re just waiting for the Wyverns to give the signal to begin. Won’t be long now, the battalions are almost done packing up their camps.”

A half hour later, Kire and Ed emerged. The meeting was exactly Kire had expected: both Jan and Ulrich were straight to the point, meticulous but efficient. Perfect for each other then, Kire had concluded, and from Ed’s expression she could guess he felt the same way. Jan wasn’t riding to battle with them, but she was to stay here and hold the fort, just in case they needed to send more men. “You owe me a marriage ceremony,” Jan said to Kire, who grinned before she hugged her.
“I’ll bring your fiancé back, and I’ll officiate it, myself,” she promised. Ed embraced Jan in turn, whispering a few words of encouragement, before they left. As soon as the Wyverns got on horseback, their banners were raised, and horns sounded throughout the camp. The vanguard, on horseback, moved first, with the rest of the battalions moving forward once the first had advanced. The Wenches joined the third battalion to move out, with Narda in the lead, in the middle of the whole march. The Wyverns were right behind them, with Ulrich and his sons nearby.

Gavin felt cold, though the chill wasn’t just from the weather; it dawned on him that he was walking amidst an actual army. He remembered how Ikegai wanted to raise one of his own, an army of dolls, with mercenaries paid with Itallo’s coin. This was nothing like that. Gavin had never felt so small. Strangely, he didn’t feel nervous yet, but that may be because they still had a day’s march to finish. Are they nervous? Afraid? he wondered, looking at Ruli and Ysaryn. Ysaryn, probably not. Ruli kept his cards close to his chest most of the time, though. What about the giantess and Myka? He looked behind them at the two armored Wyverns. He remembered the day Kire cut down Ikegai and set him free from his control. How it was clear Kire would lose her life for that one short to lop off his head, and how she took it, anyway. Gavin looked down at his hands, remembering that desperate scramble to get her heart started again. Would it come to that, again?

The day wore on. They left behind the hills and forests of Ulrich’s territory and moved on to flatter land. Vast golden fields, past farming towns. At one point, they sighted from a distance an empty battlefield, the remnants of a battle picked clean by scavengers, both human and animal alike. Gavin spared it only a few moments of attention before decidedly looking ahead and away from it. They made camp by noon. Gavin picked at his food, wondering if the nerves manifested as loss of appetite. “Eat, boy,” Narda demanded, though not unkindly.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, smirking a bit, before trying to eat properly. “How many wars like this have you fought? Are you used to it by now?”
“Mm—quite a few. There had been a civil war a few years ago, and sometime after Kire’s coronation, too. Besides that, we’ve hunted on Kire’s behalf, as well as fought with slavers,” Narda answered, while Myka nodded along, in the middle of her meal. “Used to it? Not sure if that’s the word for it. There will always be routines, yes. But every war is different.”
“Hey, since you’re borrowing that, show us,” Myka said to Ruli, grinning as she gestured at the sword he was carrying. “That sword is like Kay’s Ring. Barely leaves her side. Is it heavy? Have you practiced with it?”

Once rested, the army moved out again. The weather was more cooperative now, and it had grown a little warmer. That, or they had been walking for so long the effort stored up heat in their bodies. “Still willing to go along for the whole march?” Narda said to the two Shadow-walkers, grinning. Ahead of them, the mountains grew closer, and Ruli and Ysaryn would have recognized the terrain from their current position by then. By late afternoon, they had finally reached the main road and the village Ed and Ysaryn had seen from their last visit to the mountain range. Ahead of them, the military camp that had received Kire here after they were spat out by the world gate was waiting.

They reached the main camp by dusk. As soon as the battalions had settled, Kire came to visit them. “Regretting it yet?” Kire asked Gavin.
“No. But we haven’t fought anyone yet,” he answered.
“Fair enough.” Kire smiled, though the weight of what will come tomorrow reflected in her tired gaze. “We’ll reach the Capital tomorrow by midday, sooner if we keep a good pace. Later, if the weather doesn’t cooperate.”

Ruli caught her eye and smirked. "Just can't get the hair right." He teased, patting his bun. But he caught the look in her eye. The way she looked at his armour, the weapon he held. The weight of it all. Even Ysaryn had grown quiet, her eyes alert and searching, as if she expected the enemy to appear through their own numbers.

The march was long. Ysaryn and Ruli offered no complaints, both adjusted well enough to the pace of the army, the closeness of the other bodies. Now and then, Ruli would glance at Gavin to try to gauge his mood, his reaction. Aside from cautious, the lad looked fine. As the day wore on, and the march continued for miles, and miles more, they all grew quiet, conserving their energy.
It was gorgeous, at least. The off-worlders often turned their heads to peer around curiously, pointing silently to direct the others attention. Even the remains of the battle field, which Ysaryn studied as it if were a painting, reading the story written upon it from afar.

When they stopped for a meal, Ysaryn wove through the battalion for a bit before returning to sit and eat, sitting beside Ruli, who sat beside Gavin. "Battle is easy." Ysaryn said to Gavin during the conversation. "Only one thing to do in every one. Kill the person before he kills you." She grinned wickedly. "Very easy."
Ruli smirked at her before looking around to Myka, then to the sword tied to his right hip. "I haven't yet. I'll need to practice before the fight. Its heavier than mine."
"Oh, I will fight you." Ysaryn said with a tone in her voice that gave Ruli an uneasy chill.

They ate, and, after RUli's repeated dismissal and Ysaryn's repeated insistence, they sparred only for a short time. Ruli apprehensively swinging the blade while Ysaryn circled him like a wolf. Mercifully, she only took a few swings at him, which helped Ruli get used to the weight and sturdiness of the sword before they moved on.

As Narda asked, both Ruli and Ysaryn glanced her way. Ysaryn grinned her wolfish smile while Ruli nodded. "I'll have to Walk back anyway for all the supplies. Too much to carry, too fragile to toss into a wagon."
Ysaryn blinked. "I did not know this."
"You didn't noticed I don't have anything on me but the sword?"
"I just assume you made sort of deal with Chieftess." She said teasingly, and Ruli frowned at her. "Space in her royal wagon in exchange for ... well."
"Shut up." Ruli grumbled, and she chuckled. "You've been dying to tease me all day, and you chose now?"
"Is all about timing in a battle."
Ruli sighed, glancing to Narda, hoping she wouldn't press, now, as well.

When they camped again, Ruli stood talking with one of the Wenches, though he wasn't sure which one, exactly, repeating instructions for the wards, when he heard Kire's voice and glanced over. She spoke to Gavin, looking well worn already. He nodded to the Wench and wandered over, folding his arms over his chest. "A little walking is good." He put in. "Helps keep your anxiety from building. At least that's what Ysaryn kept telling us." He grinned. His blue eyes studied Kire, the wariness in her face, the shadow behind her eyes. "You alright?"

“Not surprised she’d say that,” Kire commented. At his question, she paused, then sighed, tilting her head back a bit as she did so. “I’m already tired. Or maybe it’s just in my mind, since I know I slept pretty deeply last night,” she added, smirking, if only briefly. “I’ll be alright when we’re home and this is all over,” she said. She looked over at Myka and the Wench crew, then back to Ruli. “If you need a clearer picture of the Palace let me know.” She paused, looking like she wanted to say more to Ruli, or something else, at least, but thought better of it. “Get plenty of rest, all of you. We’re marching at first light, and we’re expecting their reinforcement army to arrive to try and break our siege.”

They crossed the mountain pass the next day, which took a couple of hours. Though Gavin had been used to working at Uvano very early in the day, journeying with an army for a whole day prior and continuing again today was something else. The first hour he spent almost asleep on his feet, but as the sky brightened with the coming day, he grew more alert. Narda, Myka, and their crew, too, looked eager, speaking to each other in Taakalon. “It’s been a long time since we journeyed like this on the other side of this pass,” Narda told the off-worlders. “We’ve sent forces ahead to secure our position and surround the Capital, and also to send word back on whether Gemini reinforcements have arrived.”
“Nard,” Myka said, grinning as she nudged the giantess. She looked to the other three and gestured to them. “Look.”

Standing on a high point in the mountain pass, they could see the rest of the countryside spread out before them. Rocky hills, forests, fields of wildflowers. Far off in the distance, bathed in golden morning light, surrounded by a city and raised on a hill, was the silhouette of a great Palace, casting a shadow on the city beneath it. Though still far away, Gavin stared, transfixed. He could tell the Palace was enormous. Even Lord Ulrich’s castle would have fit in the grounds. He had an idea of how big it was from the maps they had studied, but to see it from this vantage point was something else. Anxiety rolled in his stomach. Holy gods, were they really going to cast a ward around that?
Narda grinned. “Almost there,” she said, looking down at the off-worlders. She turned behind them to see Kire and Ed looking on, too, halting their horses side by side. The Wyverns were silent, but the expression on their face was plain enough. Longing. Anticipation. Hope that they would finally be home again soon. Even the thought of an army waiting behind the Capital walls and whatever lay within the Palace grounds didn’t dampen that bubbling of hope inside them. The tiredness that had been on Kire’s face the night prior disappeared, and her eyes were bright. Ed reached over to rest a hand on Kire’s shoulder, and Kire patted it, no words needed between them at that moment. She caught Narda looking and nodded. The giantess returned it. “Let’s keep moving then.”

The weather did cooperate, and the army made good time. Gavin was more nervous now that he had seen the end of their journey ahead. Soon after sighting the Palace from a distance, they left the mountainous region behind. Another hour later, scouts have returned to let them know that there was a standoff at the gates between the advance guard and the Gemini army. The Wyvern army had sent forth terms of surrender, which the defending army refused. Raring to join the battle, Kire was eager to quicken their host’s pace, but they kept steady. Be patient. Sieges took a long time, but with their gambit with the wards, hopefully not too long this time.
Soon, they sighted the camp prepared for them by those who had marched ahead. No longer just a sight from a distance, the Capital walls could be sighted from where Gavin was standing. Their arrival was greeted with a roar from the advance guard, and soon they took up chanting Kire’s name. Kire was quiet, but the hunger in her eyes shone bright in her features as she rode forward, followed by Edward, Ulrich, and the other lords and officers. “Alright. It’s time for the final preparations,” Narda told them. “Come on.”

Kire was waiting for them in the tent with the other noble lords. “That standing army outside is trouble, but their numbers aren’t a match for ours,” Ed said. “And we know the Capital enough to figure out their defenses. There don’t seem to be any dolls among the massed army, so safe to say they’d probably concentrated that on the inside.”
She nodded, then looked up as Ruli, Gavin, and Ysaryn joined them, followed by Narda and Myka. “How long will your final preparations take?” she asked Ruli.

His gaze fell on the palace and Ruli went still. It should have filled him with awe; seeing the sheer size of it for the first time. But he felt pity. Having a home that size, where you could live with hundreds of people but never see them. Her whole surviving family, and all so far away. He wondered why she wanted it back, before remembering the power that came with it. And the threat its current captors posed to the whole capital.

As it loomed closer, Ruli had to look away, growing unnerved at what he was fighting for. Not just to help her and her family, but to correct a wrong doing in an entire empire. All of Amria. It was larger than anything else he'd done. Ever. When they stopped at last outside the gates, hearing the men and women cheer for their empress, Ruli shifted his weight from foot to foot, stretching his ankles and calves when they were called in for the final touches.

It reeked of body odor inside the tent. With how far they'd walked, and how many were standing here, Ruli wasn't surprised, and hardly minded. Ysaryn, however, wrinkled her nose for a moment until she adjusted. When Kire looked his way and asked about how long they needed, he turned to glance around the room. "Do I have your permission to use my Touch later, to ensure everything was placed correctly?" He asked in elvish.
Kire nodded.
Ruli inhaled. "Depending on how many pairs of hands I need, and judging by the circumference of our grounds," He paused, calculating. "Hour and a half to have the wards ready. Not including the I need to make finishing touches and distribute. Two hours including that. And I will need to use ... eh, my ability, to make sure everything is in the correct place, so I will need to confirm with everyone who helped place. If I don't need to correct anything, two and a half hours. Give or take a few minutes."

Ysaryn whistled, impressed. Ruli ignored her. "If I could have a tent to place everything and finish, I'll begin the last of what I need done."