The night was quiet, the sound of sizzling water hitting the hot wooden logs was the only company Mandar had in his tent. Erected in the center of the camp the commander was preparing for dinner while drying his clothes over the fire.

The black bread with oil and dried fruits lost its appeal quickly, the same as the excitement from the beginning of the journey. Mandar was soon reminded of the hardships of the military campaign and the constant company of other men stood in direct contrast with his time with Erin.

They had to cross the river first, before setting up the tents and establishing themselves on the enemy territory to march unhindered the next day. Knowing there was no way around it as the horse would never cross the river with rider and all the supplies at the same time, Mandar was forced into the cold water with the rest of the soldiers.

She was right, wasn’t she? This is not for me anymore, I wonder how Erin is doing.

Now riders were building the palisades around the compound for the night, while the rest of the soldiers were setting up the campfires and preparing the food. They were far beyond the border and they knew the constant threat before them, they had to save as many travel rations as possible before they found their first target, the first town, or fortress to fall.

All they encountered so far was just a few Empire soldiers in one-sided skirmishes, nothing big enough to stop their advance. Destroying two of the red-flagged camps, yet there was no indication of the real army. No fortresses or bigger encampments and now they were just three days from the first big city they planned to take.

There was a knock on the entrance pole bringing Mandar out of his restless dinner.

“What is it?”

His voice was harsh, the weeks of moving camps from one place to another in the enemy territory were making him nervous. Unable to sleep properly Mandar regretted to ever leave the warmth of his wife's hands.

Looking at one of the men ducking under the entrance flaps, Mandar was reminded what kind of situation they were in. There was no time or place in the camp for pitying himself, for the choices he made were his own.

“Lieutenant, any problem?”

The men had the bald head covered in sweat and scars, short trimmed beard which only officers were allowed run from ear to ear. Complementing the armor was a short sword, with the shield on his back, leaving the spear outside. His dark-skinned hands were almost too big for the men, muscles rippling under the skin, which looked like it had a hard time containing the mass. Always having a smirk on his lips he checked the tent with practiced precision.

If there is somebody who doesn’t want to be anywhere else then here it is him.

“Not a problem exactly, commander, but I think we should send scouts on the night trip to know what is out there.”

Coming closer he put his hand on the table with the bread, oil, and dried fruits.

“So you think it strange too? We haven’t encountered any resistance that would be meaningful, just stragglers. I wonder if the reports of the Empire soldiers mustering near the borders were true.”

“You think the reports we were given were false? Would they send us here without confirming the treat? They had to be sure we are needed here right?”

His smile went away when the implications started surging in his mind.

“No, the clan leader can’t afford us to just roam around meaninglessly, he had to be sure we are needed here. I just don’t believe the reason the emissary gave us about why we are really here. There is clearly no army of thousands in the field unless they are holed up in the city in which case we have a problem. We are not ready for any kind of longtime siege.”

“So we just continue on, having no idea what we are doing here?”

The men were doing his best not to get frustrated on top of being angry.

“No, we are going to find out what is out there first, as you suggested. Then we will press on until we reach the city and see what is happening there. We don’t really need to engage them in the fight or siege them, we can go around. We left nothing behind us which could bring us problems.”

Mandar sat down at the table, ready to start his dinner and go sleep.

“Take a squad of five riders, let them run the perimeter for a quarter of the night of distance.”

As the men started to leave Mandar continued.

“Double the sentries until we reach the city.”

“Understood, commander.”

Chewing down the food, the flap of the tent strained as the lieutenant marched out, taking the uneasiness and anger with him. Relaxing on the wooden chair Mandar swallowed some of the bread with oil, feeling the taste of the battle camp on his tongue. The old bread proved as disgusting as he remembered it and only the sweet oil made it bearable. Wondering at the taste he reached out to take the berries his wife packed before he left.

His lungs flared with pain as a violent cough stopped him, splashing blood all over the table.

“What-,”

Grabbing the edge of the table he tried to stand, his knuckles turned white with the grip. Shaking legs prevented him from even raising from the chair as he collapsed. His face hit the table coloring his skin in red of blood and oil before he hit his back on the ground. Steps cough his attention, flexing his hand to rise it, to reach for help, whisper escaped his lips.

“Help me.”

The short figure of blurred men squatted next to his face. Now seeing the skinny figure Mandar realized it was just a boy. With heavy boots of foot soldiers and gray trousers, with no helmet, his face was blank, no smile, no anger, just curious eyes watching Mandars blood seep out on the rugs.

His vision blurred and he couldn’t see much more. Feeling his guts contract in pain again his bowels spilled over the sand. As tears forced its way out of his eyes, the only think on Mandar's mind was the shame, the humiliation.

Why now, why this fucking way, I should have died on the battlefield, holding my spear. No warrior goes with the Lady, they go by the bloody sword!

Klaria, I wanted to die in your arms.

“Fucks like you don’t deserve any help. What did you do when my friends were calling for help?”

Nudging the body with a finger, disappointed sigh escaped his lips.

“Dead already, guess old men die faster than expected.”

Turning around he exited the tent by the hole in the leather. Slowly going towards the palisades, to the border of the camp.

“Took your damn time and where is the wine?”

“I told you, I’m going to piss or you wanted some yellow wine?”

Laughing with the others around the fire, Irua sat down next to the men who offered him some game. Throwing him the leather skin with the wine Irua chuckled at the laughter.

“So what is your story anyway, we more or less know of each other, but nothing of you.”

Chuckling he picked the bowl of hot slop.

“Well, there is really nothing interesting to say.”

Looking at the men over the fire wondering about the silence Irua realized he isn’t going to get away so easily.

“I never knew my father, my mother was alone when I was born, she did what she could, we never had much, but I like to think she loved me. She disappeared when I was five, though later I found it wasn’t really her fault, so I’m not angry at her anymore. Others deserve my anger more and I’m going to find them eventually. After I survived in the streets of the city which name I don’t know, I decided to join the army, to serve our Lord and maybe survive long enough to enjoy my time after the service.”

Everyone around them was quietly listening by now, having different expressions ranging from understanding to indifference. The polite way everyone was looking at him ground something in his head in the wrong direction.

“You fucks wanted to hear it, don’t tell me now that it is not interesting.”

“Yeah, you are just as boring as they come. What about your mother, don’t wanna know where she is?”

Staring into the dancing flames as it heated his face Iruas shoulders slumped.

“It would be nice to know where she is, or what she is doing.”

It is not like I don’t know who she is, a slave in some house of chains. But I wonder if she is still alive, if she suffers, or if she was already put out of her misery.

“But I don’t have means to seek her out.”

Nodding, the alarm horn sounded over the camp striking everyone out of their rest.

“For Namrai’s sake, what is it?!”

Turning around captains eyes went wide,

“It didn’t sound from the edge. It is from the middle of the camp!”

“Shouldn’t we go check what is happening?”

Irua asked turning from the captain to the center.

“No, we need to maintain the position, if the enemy attacks now, we can’t just let them pass the defenses we set up. Whatever happened in the middle of the camp, will be dealt with a unit designated to that area.”

The camp became like an anthill when someone didn’t pay attention and stepped right inside of it. Fires sprung up, torches started moving from tent to tent, it didn’t take long for the message to spread.

The commander was dead! Someone murdered the Lord leading the army in his own tent.

Panic started to set in fast, other commanders were congregating around the main tent. The soldiers become restless, with wild eyes scanning the woods for the enemies. Deep behind the enemy lines without any leader, their options became extremely scarce. The goal of conquering the Empires city started to lose importance and soldiers weren’t deserting by the sheer will of the men put in charge by Mandar himself.

Knowing his goal was achieved, Irua needed to decide what to do next. Looking in at the running soldiers and fires lighting the whole bank of the river Irua contemplated his options.

Should I go ahead and scatter now while I have the time? Or stay and see what happens. On the other hand, I probably have a better chance to survive out here if I stay with the group.

Figuring he could desert the camp at any time, Irua picked up his shield and spear next to him and started after the other soldiers headed for the palisade.