It was late afternoon. The sky was clear, although the clouds were covering it, shielding the sun's rays from view. Despite the gloomy weather, Hector found himself smiling softly, gazing outside of the window as if trying to capture that moment forever. It always amazed him how he had managed to live his entire life through one tiny window. The view was breath-taking enough to make anyone want to stare for eternity. That was precisely how he saw it. He felt like he was watching everything unfold in slow motion. The world around him was peaceful and tranquil.
"Hector? Hector?? Hector?!"
He turns to look at the person shaking his shoulders frantically. He looks slightly disoriented, he must have been dreaming again.
"What is it..?" He asks as he tries to rub the sleep from his eyes. His voice sounds hoarse.
The figure beside him, dressed in a white underdress and apron dress stands next to him, frowning.
"I called your name several times already, but you didn't respond. Are you alright?"
His mind gradually begins focusing. The face in front of him finally came back into view. The person's face was familiar, but it took him a couple of seconds to recognize it. This person was his childhood friend, Ironna.
"Rude." She huffs out as she crosses her arms over her chest.
"Sorry..." He apologized.
He was surprised to see her. She usually went to the capital city early in the morning and would come home late at night as usual. Instead, his wife, Silvana, is leaving him and Ironna to go to the capital today.
"So, this is what you do every day?" She asked curiously.
He nods his head. "Of course. What else would I do if Silvana wouldn't let me back into the woods? Especially since the day I was injured." He replies.
She raises her brows at this. "That's true. But you're still a man, you can handle it just fine." She replies, laughing.
They smile at each other before looking out of the window once again. The sunlight shone brightly upon them as a light breeze blew through the open window.
"I thought you went to the capital with Silvana. Do you have a mission or something here?" Hector asks her.
"Yeah, kind of..." She answers nonchalantly.
"What is it?"
"Making sure that you are not injuring yourself as you did that day."
"Ah..."
Hector chuckles in amusement. "In any case, while you're here, shouldn't you be doing whatever it is that women do at home? Cleaning, cooking, and other tasks." He asks jokingly.
"I am, are you saying that I am not a woman?" She pouted.
Hector shrugs innocently, not denying it at all.
She glares at him angrily. "You are such a pain in the ass sometimes. Why does this have to be so difficult for us to live our normal lives?"
He bursts out laughing, feeling extremely amused at her annoyed expression. She scowled deeply, glaring at him in annoyance.
"What?"
He laughs again, enjoying the sight of her being mad at him. It feels nice.
"Can't say anything?" He asks mockingly.
Ironna narrows her eyes at him. "Shut up, idiot!"
They exchange an amused look while grinning widely at each other.
"It feels nice. Don't you think?" He says.
"What does?" She furrows her eyebrows in confusion.
"To be able to talk to someone again. To smile again. Being able to laugh." He tells her quietly.
She smiles at him kindly. "Yes. It feels nice indeed." She agrees softly.
"And now you get to enjoy a little bit of freedom without having to worry about work. Isn't it great?" He says with a gentle smile and bright eyes.
She returns the smile. "Yes, it is."
They stare at each other for a few minutes, lost in each other's eyes until Ironna sighs quietly and shakes her head.
"No..." Ironna ponders quietly.
"No?"
"It's nothing. Anyway, I have something to tell you." She states before continuing in a lower tone, "Something urgent happened recently. Earlier in the morning, a messenger arrived to inform me that the king urgently requires more knight warriors."
His expression immediately changes, becoming serious.
"Why is that so?"
"The Great Witch's army appears to have defeated the Knight of Silver, who was sent to defend the border. The last survivors were discovered dead, and some of them were burned to death by fire magic."
Hector exhales slowly, nodding his head as he attempts to process the information he just received, but it doesn't take long for him to shake his head. He can't believe what he just heard.
When he was younger, he was a knight under the Knight of Silver. He knew many of them personally during his time there. They were brave and kind, loyal and devoted, dedicated to protecting the weak and defenceless, and most importantly, they cared for the people. They were the ones that he looked up to. Though all of them couldn't use magic or have any special abilities themselves, they all had strength, bravery, loyalty, and dedication. They were his role models, people who deserved to be remembered. And yet, they were all gone. All of them.
The knights had made it their goal to protect and fight for the people. For centuries, they were stationed on patrol along the borders of their country, making regular patrols to keep watch. Sometimes, they were forced to move further north than their previous posts due to some incidents where monsters attacked their villages. It wasn't uncommon for monsters to attack a human settlement for no reason whatsoever. But, since the war with the Great Witch started, it got worst. More monsters and other hostile creatures were constantly appearing in various parts of the kingdom.
Not only did humans lose their way to reach their destination, but the wildlife also began disappearing mysteriously. There were even some sightings of giant monsters, animals that didn't exist in reality, and strange creatures roaming throughout forests and towns.
"Are you alright..? You seem quite pale."
Hector turns to look at Ironna and gives her a reassuring nod.
"Yes. I'm fine. I was simply lost in my thoughts." He reassures her.
She stares at him worriedly for a moment before shaking her head lightly and smiling softly.
"Don't strain yourself too much-"
"I'll fight." Hector cuts in bluntly.
Ironna stops speaking. "Huh?"
"I won't just sit and stay idle. I will help. I'll do it as fast as I possibly can. I don't care whether I am hurt in the process or not." He declares with determination etched onto his face.
"Idiot."
"Hey!" He protests.
"You will get hurt. There are stronger monsters out there than the ones you faced previously. Don't overdo it. Please try to rest. Allow me to take over from here. Your health and safety are more important than anything else." She tells him firmly, not giving him another chance to interrupt her.
"But the king needs every warrior he has! How could I do nothing while they're facing trouble? Who knows, maybe I will have been of help anyways! Just leave it to me." He argues.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." She says calmly.
He groans loudly and covers his face with his hand. He doesn't know why he has to argue with her right now. But, he wants to prove her wrong, so badly. If the King calls for more manpower to save the people in the capital, then he will be willing to do anything in his power to contribute to that cause. If that means risking his life for peace.
"I knew you'd react like this..." She mumbles.
After a long period of silence between the two of them, Ironna breaks the silence, "Listen..." She says gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I understand how stubborn and determined you are. But, I can't let you go. The King might need more men at a critical point, but it isn't your decision alone to make. You should consider whether you want to risk your life for these people, and not rush straight into the danger. We cannot afford to lose anyone else because of a rash decision. So please, reconsider."
Her words were harsh, stern, and stern voice. She tried to give him a reasonable explanation and reason for what he must do, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on him.
He removes his hands from covering his face and looks into her eyes. She looks away and takes in a deep breath before turning her attention back to him.
"Do not argue with me anymore. Just agree to listen to what I am telling you." She says in a firm voice.
After some seconds, he reluctantly concedes defeat, "Fine. I hear you." He replies defeated.
She nods her head slightly, smiling at him. "Thank you, Hector."