The realization slowly became clear light the nighty sky turning into day after the touch of the rising sun. Radan dropped his sword to the ground while his face turned to be as pale as his blood retired from his head.
Radan understood his friend's feelings, everything became clear in his eyes. He met with Vidus 2 weeks later after that event.
When the offensive started, his squad that was located in the north moved to the west region in the hope of blocking the enemy army's path towards the capital, but alas the squad leader deserted his men after they learned what happened in Lakron.
Radan came back to the city with lowered head and nothing more. He threw away his dignity with his weapon and armor after his comrades left one by one.
He had nothing more than just his life and he wanted to keep it to meet with his sister and bride who waited for him since he left Lakron. On that day he arrived home, his bride told him in shock Juno died when the attack happened.
He cursed heaven and earth to hell and oathed with blood to find out who killed his beloved sister and make the person pay with thousand ways of torturing to die. Radan was in a devastating condition, but it was better than Vidus'.
The help of her bride and the late wedding made him less frustrated and his anger slowly dissipated with the time.
And now, he stood there held back his breath in disbelief. Their awkward silence was interrupted by the cold voice of the girl in the cell.
"If you think your best friend had suffered enough, forgive him. If you not satisfied, smite with your sword." She told in a nonchalant voice.
The atmosphere turned to be heavy as Vidus and Radan contacted their eyes. They saw and relied on each other since Juno's death. After the truth has been told, both of them looked into the other's eyes with a different expression.
"Leave."
Only one word was whispered in the silent room, but unexpectedly, Vidus' tongue formed it. His demeanor changed. He didn't emit that weak and hopeless aura that filled the air. He has soaked in tears and sweat a few moments ago, but now everything about him turned 180 degrees.
"Leave and forget me." He said with a tyrannical light in his eyes.
His voice echoed like a lord said those words and without hesitation, turned his head at the girl.
"Majesty, I-..."
"I am not a majesty nor royalty. Don't call me like that anymore." Lyanna snorted coldly.
She can be called 'royalty' in the past because the kingdom, once she was its princess, hasn't been existed anymore. She felt herself nothing more just a wanderer who had a quest that needed to finish at all cost.
"Call me by my name. The country doesn't exist anymore, so the royalty too."
Vidus looked at the girl with a puzzled expression as he heard her sentence. He had a clue the girl came from some royal or at least a noble family. But when the words 'country doesn't exist' entered his ears, his jaws dropped to the floor.
"This one understood." Vidus nodded.
Radan just listened to the conversation, and without much thinking, he opened his mouth.
"Can I ask, um ... 'miss', what is your name?" The curiosity like birds flew inside his head.
"Lyanna." She said casually.
Both Vidus and Radan stayed quiet. Their hearts pounded with a power of thunder that echoed in the room.
Lyanna was the princess of the Crystalfield Kingdom before its fall. Many people loved the kind and cute princess, but before the siege of the capital, she lost. Many people assumed she died or at least fell into captivity in the Empire.
But to their surprise, she was inside their city's jail.
"-"
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"-"
"So, here we are again. I hoped five, or four ...? Whatever years ago that I won't step into this wasteland anymore." A man told sitting on the back of a horse.
"Tarnak, I thought the same." Woran sighed.
"Let's go!" Tarnak waved his hand, signaling to move.
They arrived near the west gate and the first thing they noticed was the trace of dried blood. The two guards at the gate stood up and saluted.
"What can the soldiers of Lakron help the esteemed guests?" One of them asked with a sincere tone.
"A scout squad has been eliminated a few days ago. Where they went?" Woran asked without saying any more words.
"They went towards the west, towards a monastery." They replied simultaneously.
"Gooood." Both leaders sighed with delight.
Their trip to these lands was not full of a time-wasting thing.