Walking back to the camp, Alex glanced over at Alice.
It seemed her attitude towards him had slightly changed, yet she still seemed as dignified and resolute as ever once they walked back.
Noticing his gaze, she raised her eyebrows at him.
Raising the corner of his mouth ever so slightly, he turned back around as they reached the tents.
Rodrick quickly noticed him and greeted him with a salute, his eyes roaming over Alex's body.
After all, he was still covered in blood.
Now that he thought about it, if he was covered in blood wouldn't his little smile just now have been creepy?
Shaking off his weird thoughts Alex told Rodrick to get the men assembled.
Rodrick quickly nodded and left to deliver his orders.
"Aren't you going to clean yourself up first?" asked Alice.
"No," he said.
"Are you sure? you look quite intimidating," she said, curling her lips slightly in mock laughter.
"Well it certainly doesn't seem so," he replied playfully.
"But, in all seriousness, you should clean up, you look like a mess," she said.
"That's alright, do you think the men have cleaned up?"
"I bet you they are all still covered in blood and dirt."
"I must show that we are one and the same, a good general must be in tune with his army," he answered.
Nodding her head, she went silent as they approached the army.
Standing in front of them were 12 rows of soldiers standing stock still, eyes trained ahead.
Covered head to toe they stood there as if statues.
No longer did they have fear in their eyes.
Yet they also no longer had excitement.
All that was left was emptiness and grief.
As Alex walked up they all looked at him simultaneously.
Admiration and respect flashed in their eyes as he stood before them.
Clearing his throat he said.
"We can't be trapped by fear.
Living our lives within such confinement is no better than a slow death."
"Unfortunately it seems you've learned that lesson."
"No longer do you have the blissful naivety that you were gifted with as a child."
"No… Today you have become a man."
"There are truths you know but will not speak.
Even when you are alone in your darkest times.
There are memories that will haunt you for the rest of your lives."
"I know not why so many of our brothers must die for the sake of war."
"For the sake of conquest."
"All to satisfy the greed of humanity."
"We weren't meant to live forever, But a life without death is no life at all."
"However!"
"If you put your faith in me."
"If you believe in me."
"If you follow me without question."
"If you die for me."
"I promise you this and only this."
"I will do everything in my power, to ensure you live as long as possible."
"Now I ask you this."
"Not as a general."
"Not as a soldier."
"But as a man."
"Will you follow me until death do us part?"
Alex looked each and every one of them in the eye as he finished his speech.
Silence fell on the field as he finished his speech.
Soldiers stared at him.
Alex felt the weight of their gazes but he paid it no heed and stared back into each of their eyes.
Suddenly one soldier raised his hand in a salute as he stared at Alex.
Eyes filled with resolution, the man looked at him.
One by one more soldier's began raising their hands and saluting, until finally, every single soldier had raised their hands in salute, recognizing Alex as their commander.
Alex swept his gaze over all 119 of them and nodded his head.
"We leave within the hour."
He said before walking back to his tent.
As they approached the gate Alex saw the sentries on the walls looking grim.
Riding through the open gate, Alex came upon a scene he had seen a few times before.
People stood on the sides of the street, some looking excited, some looked grim. Most looked hopeful.
That hope soon ceased to exist.
As he rode through the streets there was silence. Like the calm before the storm.
Gazes stared at him.
He recognized those gazes, he had felt them many times before.
Rage.
Sadness.
Pain.
Grief.
But most of all was hatred.
Of course, he knew what was next.
"Where is my son?!?"
Out of the crowd came a woman.
Walking over to Alex, she repeated the question.
Alex however paid her no heed and continued.
One of the soldiers following Alex stepped forward.
"Diane…" the soldier said, slurring his words.
It dawned on the woman as she suddenly collapsed, tears flowing out of her eyes as choked sobs escaped her.
"My son…" she kept muttering over and over.
"He died honorably," said the soldier trying to comfort the woman.
"Honorably?" the woman asked, raising her head.
"Yes." the soldier said, thinking he assuaged her feelings slightly.
"What does it matter if he died honorably, MY SON IS DEAD!" she spat.
Pointing her finger at Alex she said.
"You! It's all your fault!"
Soon the rest of the people gathered began pointing their fingers at Alex and cursing his name.
Some even threw fruits and rocks at him.
Yet he ignored them all and rode on silently.
'This is why honor is a grand thing for the dead, and a poor substitute for winning to the living.'
He thought as he closed his eyes, marching on.
***
As Alice watched this scene she couldn't help but get angry.
After Alex had saved them, even at the cost of so many lives at least they still had their own.
It wasn't Alex who decided to invade, Alex merely took up the mantle of defense yet they treated him as if he killed all those men.
Turning to her side she asked.
"Why must the people blame Alex? If anyone is to blame for those deaths it is the Toryn kingdom, not him. All he did was defend them."
Rodrick sighed.
He to, guessed what would happen once they returned.
"Such is the nature of humans," he replied.
"In a situation like this, none of them care about right or wrong."
"They just want someone to blame."
"But why must it be him?" she continued asking.
"Because he is here and they are not."
"If their army would have been marching through these streets the reaction would have been similar," he replied.
"Still, this is not right."
"It is what it is."
"Then I will do something about it!" she declared as her anger rose.
"Absolutely not!" Rodrick replied firmly.
"And why is that?" she retorted, angry that he had denied her.
"Because when they are like this, all you will do is become a feast for the crows."
"Can't you see how angry they are?"
"And they have every right to be. Just not at him, but there's nothing we can do about it."
"But what about him?" she asked as she realized there truly was nothing she could do.
"Look at him, does it look like he needs help?" he asked as he pointed at Alex.
Looking over at the man in question she couldn't help but feel as if he was used to this, the way he sat their eyes closed ignoring everyone showed that he had been through this before and knew how to handle it.
Once again she couldn't help but wonder how he could be used to it.
"No," she replied.
"These are the responsibilities of being a leader and their consequences."
As she again looked at him she couldn't help but think that yet again, his back seemed so very lonely.
***
Upon arriving at the keep they were greeted by Fabien and Darla who was carrying Rudius in his arms.
When Rudius saw them his eyes lit up in excitement as he crawled out of his mother's embrace.
Noticing her son trying to escape she put him down.
Running up to Alex he stopped in front of him, his hands balled up in fists.
"Did you win?" he asked excitedly.
'Did we win?' Alex thought.
However, he kept his thoughts to himself as he said.
"Of course we won!" smiling at Rudius.
The boy's grin grew wider.
"I want to be just like you and Uncle Rodrick when I grow up!"
'Believe me, kid, it's not worth it.'
Internally sighing Alex pat Rudius's head as he said.
"If you want to be like me kid you've got to listen to your dad and uncle Rodrick."
"Yes, sir." the boy said, making a sloppy salute.
"Alright Rudius, it's time for your reading lessons," said Fabien.
Darla quickly walked over to pick up Rudius.
As she picked him up she looked over at Alex and said quietly.
"Thank you for defending us."
Before walking away.
Once they were gone Alex walked up to Fabien.
Fabien gave him a somber look as he walked up.
"Walk with me," he said before walking in the direction of the gardens.
Alex waved for the soldiers to guard the place and told Alice to wait for him inside.
Rodrick had disappeared at some point during the conversation.
As they walked through the gardens in silence, Alex took in the beauty of it.
Roses and tulips in full bloom.
Poppies grew under giant oak trees.
A small river with a bridge ran through the garden.
"You know they're gonna have your head for this," Fabien said grimly.
"I know," Alex responded simply.
"Those damned old bastards in the capital!" grumbled Fabien angrily.
"All they do is sit on their asses drinking wine and partying all the time."
Alex smiled somberly but made no comment.
"Your father is on his way with reinforcements as well as with what I expect is an arrest order."
"I got a letter from the senate, asking me to hand you over for trial," he said bitterly.
Alex remained silent.
"Did you know?" Fabien asked, looking over at him.
"I suspected," he replied.
"Then why?" he asked.
"Because I saved people," Alex replied honestly.
"But at what cost?!?" Fabien shouted angrily.
"Fabien," Alex said.
"What?!" he said, spinning around in anger.
"It was my choice," Alex said, staring into his eyes.
"There is no right or wrong, there is only choice."
"I've made so many choices in my life, most would call them bad choices."
"But yesterday I felt… I felt like I finally made the right choice."
"Besides, I couldn't just leave you to fend for yourself, old man." Alex joked.
"Who are you calling old?" shouted Fabien.
Fabien sighed.
"Well, I suppose if it was your choice there was nothing I could do to stop you."
"However, I promise I will help get you out of this."
"I will be traveling to the capital to testify before the senate while your father takes over the front line."
"If only there wasn't a law that only those with royal blood could command armies then we wouldn't be having this problem."
"Huu… it can't be helped… fine, that's all I had to talk about let's go back inside."
Walking back inside they found Alice and Darla talking over tea and biscuits.
"And what are you two talking about?" asked Fabien as they entered.
"Dear, she was telling me about their beautiful garden, it seems there's is even better than ours," said Darla.
"Oho really?" asked Fabien as he joined the conversation
Alex listened quietly, sometimes inputting as they continued their conversations while servants flitted in and out with tea and biscuits.
At night Alex slept dreamlessly as this routine continued for a few days until that day arrived.
***
Waking up Alex stretched as he tapped Alice on her back to wake her up.
Groaning as she rolled over she pulled off the blanket as she prepared to get changed out of her nightgown.
By this point, Alex was already dressed.
"Il head down first," he said as he opened the door.
"Okay." she yawned back.
"Nice nightgown," he said cheekily before quickly closing the door.
However, he didn't miss her yelp and sharp glare as she stared after his retreating back.
Heading down to breakfast Alex passed by a guard he was unfamiliar with.
'It's that time is it.'
Walking into the dining room Alex saw a man he recognized as the one he saw in the portrait.
He was sitting in a chair sipping tea as he talked to Fabien.
Glancing over at Alex as he came in he said nothing.
However, Alex continued walking until he was in front of him.
Bowing his head a fraction, he said.
"Father."
His father who had ignored him turned around and looked at him.
"Son," he said simply.
"By any chance are you here to arrest me as well as bring reinforcements?" asked Alex, getting straight to the point.
Fabien shot him a sharp look but said nothing.
His father's eye twitched.
"Yes, I am,"
"To think my own son would make such a stupid decision, I am disappointed."
"I disagree," Alex said, staring at his father.
Bang!
His father's fist hit the table.
"You fool!
Who gave you the right to command all those soldiers to their deaths!
You should have waited for reinforcements!" he shouted.
"The reinforcements would not have made it in time," Alex said unflinchingly.
"You don't know that!
The city could have been held under siege!
We would have made it in time if it wasn't for you." his father shouted again.
"The city would not have held," answered Alex.
"Why is that?" his father stared at him angrily.
"The walls have been in disrepair, the soldiers have never seen combat and are severely undertrained, that is why this city was the target of the invasion."
His father stared dumbfounded for a moment before looking back to Fabien to confirm.
Fabien nodded his head but remained silent.
His father looked back slightly less angry but he still said.
"It doesn't matter you still came here with no orders, you were being arrogant and thought you could lead an army, did you? Well, look what happened."
"I was not arrogant nor am I a fool," Alex said.
"Well, then how could you have possibly kn-"
Alex cut his father off.
"An assassin," he said.
"Pardon?" his father said, shocked.
"An assassin was sent to assassinate me," Alex repeated.
"When I interrogated him, he told me that they sent him to kill me because I was the only one with royal blood who could command the army that was near enough to stop them."
"He explained that they chose this city because Marquess Fabien is not of royal blood and instead was made a marquess due to his performance in the war, therefore he could not mount a counterattack and they would be able to siege the city in a mere 2 days due to its brittle walls and poor defense."
"You would not have made it in time therefore I chose to defend it."
"Would you have had me leave them to die knowing I could have saved them?" Alex shouted the last part.
His father sat in his seat not knowing what to say.
Suddenly a cough was heard from the doorway.
Everyone turned to look at the entrance where Darla and Alice stood.
Darla cracked a smile before walking in and taking a seat next to Fabien.
Alice slowly walked in before bowing her head to Alex's father and taking a seat next to Alex.
The rest of the meal was had in silence.
Once they finished eating Alex's father stood up.
Looking at Alex he said.
"A carriage for you leaves in an hour, my guards will escort you to the capital, you may bring any guards you wish as well as Alice."
Once he finished he walked out without another word.
"He just needs time, don't worry," said Fabien though his eyes contained traces of concern.
Alex nodded but said nothing as he got up.
Alice got up with him and nodding to Fabien and Darla she left to get everything ready.
"Say goodbye to Rudius for me," Alex said as he turned to leave.
"Don't worry he'll see you soon, we will travel to the capital once the war moves away from here and testify in your defense," said Fabien.
Alex walked out without another word.
Walking out the entrance to the keep Alex saw Alice waiting for him along with the remaining soldiers.
Rodrick stepped forward from the side as Alex approached.
"Take them, I think they'll be more useful to you than they will be here. All of them have agreed to stay with you anyway so there won't be any issues."
Holding his hand out for a handshake Rodrick locked gazes with him.
"Thank you for defending us, your grace," he said as they shook hands.
Alex nodded.
Rodrick, taking that as his cue to leave, walked back into the castle to oversee the reinforcements.
"You're coming along?" he asked Alice.
"I'm going to be representing you," she said.
"Thank you," he said gratefully.
"Of course." She responded in kind.
Getting into the carriage they sat down next to each other as the driver was signaled that all was good.
As the soldiers mounted their horses and the carriage began rolling away Alex couldn't help but think.
'Here we go again'
As he remembered a distant memory that he quickly forced to the back of his mind.