Commander Lothian spent most of his time at Alix's side. When he needed a breather, he sat on Katerina's porch, shining his sword or simply sitting there, trying to pull himself together.
He wanted so badly to return to his fief and see Celia. Her smile always cheered him up. Her touch even more.
He shut his eyes and took a deep breath before letting go of a long sigh. The air in Idona smelled particularly fresh, especially in the heart of the forest that surrounded the village. Perhaps it wasn't the worst place to get stuck even though he felt incomplete without waking up to Celia as he had for a few months prior.
He didn't know which was worse: longing for her with no hope of ever having her or longing for her knowing what it felt like to have her. He sheathed his sword and ran a hand through his short black hair.
