The following day, villagers gathered at the manor. They were all anxious and worried. Some had even concluded that they could be next. Others felt that it was impossible that they could win against a being such as the Great Witch.
"We must fight!" Someone yells excitedly.
Someone else joins in with his enthusiasm.
"We'll answer the King's call for help to defeat the Great Witch!"
More voices start joining in, shouting at the top of their lungs.
"We will fight!"
"There is only one way to beat the Great Witch!"
"Let's fight together!!"
"Fight!! Fight!! Fight!!!!" The villagers chant, cheering for their survival.
Silvana stands a few feet back observing the crowd in front of her with a neutral expression. Many warriors were standing there, ready to join in the battle, some even carrying shields and axes in hand, others holding sharp swords, some holding shields made out of metal poles, and others wielding spears. Everyone had a determined look on their faces and a hint of determination and strength in their hearts.
"We will defend the kingdom!" One villager shouts.
"Until our final breaths, we shall fight!" Another villager exclaims.
Silvana stands there watching silently with a blank expression on her face. There are many people here willing to stand up for the kingdom, ready to die for it. However, she had seen many times when people try to save a kingdom only to lose everything once they have sacrificed too much. The villagers would sacrifice everything without hesitation if necessary, while those who stand back and watch are always the ones who get left disappointed when the kingdom ends.
"We're ready to fight!!" One villager shouts in response to someone's question.
Silvana sighs deeply, glancing at the sky. It was time to go home.
As the sun shines through the gap in the clouds, the rays lit up the area surrounding the clearing where the villagers were currently gathered. Silvana walks past the crowd in front of her, heading directly toward her house.
Once Silvana reaches the steps leading to her house, she glances at the door briefly before opening it and entering the house. As soon as she closes the door behind her, the sound of voices filling her ears, immediately drawing her attention to the kitchen.
Hector is cooking something. He seems to be making stewed pork and vegetables. The scent wafts into the air and makes her mouth water. She walks forward slowly, making her way toward the stove. She stops abruptly right in front of Hector, startling him slightly as he places down the ladle that was in his hands. When he realizes who has arrived, he grins widely, happy to see her.
"Oh, my lovely wife. Did you miss me?" He asks enthusiastically, causing Silvana to giggle softly.
"You're acting strangely again." She tells him, trying not to laugh.
Hector looks at her for a moment, surprised by her observation before grinning sheepishly. He then puts the ladle back in its spot before walking toward her and embracing her in a hug. His warm embrace makes her heart flutter and her cheeks heat up at the action. His warmth, his scent, the way he feels and holds her, it all sends shivers up her spine.
"H-Hector? Is everything alright?" She whispers in a soft tone, burying her head deeper into his chest in embarrassment.
His grip on her tightens ever so slightly as he leans his head down slightly, resting it lightly on top of hers.
When Silvana pulls away to gaze into his eyes, he sees how beautiful she looks this morning. His gaze travels from the strands of her black hair falling down the side of her face, to her bright blue eyes that seemed to be glowing even brighter this morning. It almost seemed to glow from within, making them shine brightly against his darkness.
Hector lets out a deep sigh. "This war needs to end before more gets hurt."
Silvana nodded but didn't say anything. Her expression wasn't one that Hector often saw on her face. It looked like a mixture of frustration, disappointment, and sadness. She knew that the situation needed to be stopped before any more innocents got harmed.
She also knew that Hector will eventually ask for her permission to take part in the fight. She understood why he would want to be involved, but she still wasn't sure if she could give it to him. For a moment, she thought she should stop Hector and forbid him from going because, no matter what her reasons, she didn't want him getting hurt or killed.
"Can we talk about this later?" She asked hesitantly, unsure of the outcome of their discussion.
Hector stares for a moment. Eventually, his expression becomes softer and his grip around Silvana loosens.
Silvan smiles faintly as she sees her husband relax.
She places her hands on his cheeks, caressing his skin as she stared lovingly at him, admiring her handsome husband's facial features and loving the look on his face.
Suddenly, Hector turns his head to the side. He places an unreadable expression on his face as he suddenly pulls away from Silvana's embrace.
"...Hector?" Silvana asks, concerned.
A faint sigh escapes her lips as she watches Hector turn away from her, making her furrow her brows slightly. She follows his movements closely.
"Hector?" She says again, this time more calmly, approaching him slowly and standing in front of him.
Silvana's eyes widen as she notices the look on his face. She doesn't know what exactly caused it, but she knows that it's not good.
Hector's eyes meet hers as he looks at her for a short while, almost hesitating. Once he decides he's done, he gives her a weak smile.
"I understand why you won't let me participate in the fight... But please, consider it for a moment." He tells her, placing both of his hands on her shoulders reassuringly as he gazes at her with concern.
"Consider it?" She murmurs in confusion. "What is there to consider?" She asks.
Hector releases her hands and places his hands on her waist instead. But Silvana shakes his hands off of her gently, not wanting him to touch her.
"I don't think I can allow you to do this," She informs him.
Hector's smile fades away from his face as he stares at her in disbelief.
"Why?" He asks.
"Don't you get it?! You're important to me!" Silvana exclaims desperately.
"But, I haven't-" Hector starts to argue back.
"I can't lose you!" She cries out.
Her voice cracks at the end of her sentence. She bites her lip harshly and closes her eyes tightly in frustration.
After hearing what she said, Hector stares at her for a while, looking like he is thinking about what she said. After a moment or two, he finally speaks up.
"I promise, I won't do anything reckless."
Silvana opens her eyes, looking at Hector with surprise.
He looks serious.
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure everyone lives happily ever after, including you. And even if that means sacrificing myself-"
"No, Hector, that's nonsense. Why would you sacrifice your life?! If you die, what will happen to me and our baby?!" She exclaimed, feeling her emotions growing stronger and stronger by the second as anger started building up inside of her.
"... Baby?" He says in a low voice. He seems shocked.
"You're pregnant?!" He exclaimed loudly this time, surprising Silvana even further.
She blinked twice, staring at him in shock. Then she blushes as she tries to hide her face with her hands.
"S...Silvana, are you telling me you... Are you having my child?!" He exclaimed excitedly, pulling her into another hug as he kisses her cheek multiple times, causing her cheeks to become redder and redder with each kiss. Tears start flowing down her cheeks uncontrollably due to his excitement.
Silvana nods her head quickly and shyly. She was unable to speak due to all the feelings of happiness and joy swirling inside of her. She felt as though she couldn't breathe properly, but at the same time, she was filled with complete contentment and peace.
Hector continued to shower Silvana in love and affection by kissing her all over her face and neck until she finally found the strength to pull away, a big smile on her face.
"So? How far along are you?" He asks curiously.
"I'm three weeks." She replied breathlessly.
"Three weeks?" Hector repeats, giving her another quick peck on her lips.
They both fall silent for a moment.
"I've never felt such happiness in my entire life," He tells her.
He then hugs her tightly, kissing her head repeatedly.
Silvana smiled, enjoying every single second of the hug. They stand there silently for several minutes until they hear the sound of footsteps coming closer. Silvana and Hector turn their heads and see Ironna approaching them, a smile forming on her lips as she notices them hugging.
"Looks like someone's happy..." Ironna says teasingly.
Hector and Silvana broke apart reluctantly. Both blushing furiously, Silvana clears her throat awkwardly, turning her head to avoid meeting anyone's eyes.
Ironna raises an eyebrow at them. "Are we missing something here?" She questions.
"Well, we were just talking about the war. That's all." Hector replied.
"Don't tell me you're going to join the army?" Ironna asks incredulously.
Silvana looks at Hector, waiting for his response.
"Maybe..." He responds hesitantly.
Both Silvana and Ironna sigh deeply, knowing full well that Hector is too stubborn to change his mind.
"Please reconsider your decision, Hector," Silvana tells him, squeezing his hand slightly in comfort.
Hector simply nods in agreement.
"We still have time to talk about this," Silvana adds.
They all fell silent once again.
"The others are preparing to leave today," Ironna says, breaking the silence.
Silvana's eyes widen. "Already? So soon?"
Ironna nods in response. "Yes, they're leaving now. They wanted to leave as early as possible to catch up with them tomorrow morning,"
Silvana furrows her eyebrows, looking over at her husband. She could sense a little hint of disappointment in his eyes.
"Do you feel the need to go, Hector?" Silvana asks, glancing at him worriedly.
Hector didn't reply right away. Instead, he placed his hand on Silvana's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. A small smile appears on his face, trying to reassure her.
Silvana smiles back, she knew he wouldn't change his mind easily when it comes to fighting. Still, she hoped that somehow, he could change his mind. She loved him so much and wanted him to live a long and healthy life with her. She didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
"Yes, of course, that's the answer." She replies immediately.
Hector's eyes widen and he looks at her questioningly.
"You mean I could?" He asks.
Silvana nods in response. "Of course, if you want to go. But I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time alone with just me and our unborn child before you go." She replies, smiling widely.
Hector stares at her in awe, unable to believe what he heard. His eyes sparkled and a bright smile appeared on his lips as he gazed at her lovingly. He then kissed her passionately, wrapping his arms around her waist, lifting her and carrying her bridal style in his arms. She giggles lightly, feeling herself blush a bit.
"I'll leave you both alone for now," Ironna says as she walks away from them, winking at them as she did so.
Hector and Silvana smile and wave at Ironna before returning their attention to each other.
"Thank you," Hector whispers in her ear as he continues to stare at her affectionately. "For taking care of me for all these years."
"I'll always take care of you," Silvana whispers back.
With that being said, Hector places a sweet kiss on her forehead. The two of them stared at each other lovingly as Hector carried her towards their bedroom.
The couple spent a few hours together after that, talking about their plans for the future.
They had discussed everything from how they were going survive the upcoming war, to how many children they are planning to have. In the end, everything seemed to be fine. But Silvana was still anxious about Hector's decision. It wasn't only because of what was about to happen in a few days. But also because of the reason why Hector is going to the battlefield and leaving her.
She knew he wasn't ready for this war and yet he was willing to risk his life for its sake.
If the war goes badly, she knows he'll probably die and that's something she doesn't want to think about. But if he wins the battle and returns safely, she would be able to spend more time with him. And the thought of spending more time with him makes her heart flutter inside her chest, making it difficult for her to control her heartbeat. She couldn't wait to spend more time with him.
***
It was almost night when Hector finally arrived back in camp. Once inside the walls, Hector breathed deep into the cold, crisp night air. His mind wandered throughout the journey from Silvana. The thoughts of their unborn child lingered in his mind. Hector couldn't help but think about how he wouldn't live to become a father. He shuddered to think of what would happen if he didn't return home alive.
The king needed all the strength he could muster for this war. No matter what happened, Hector would never let himself die by the enemy. He refused even if he died trying as long as she lived. He knew he could count on her. Hector loved his wife dearly. More so than anyone else on this land. She was his entire world. He couldn't imagine living without her.
Hector was determined to keep her safe no matter what it took. He just hoped that their child would be born healthy. That thought made his heart swell with joy. He wanted to spend the rest of his days and nights with her by his side. He could hardly wait. The anticipation filled him until sleep finally claimed him.
***
Hector awoke early in the morning. He rose, dressed, grabbed his sword, and made his way toward the camp entrance. Most men were already awake and gathered outside, standing in front of a large group of knights. Soldiers stood in a loose circle around the group. Hector approached slowly. As he did, he noticed several familiar faces among the knights.
One of them is Damien, a friend of Hector's from his time as a knight in The Knight of Silver. Hector recognized others, but he couldn't remember their names. He paused near Damien's group. He listened carefully to the conversation between Damien and the knight standing next to him. They appeared to be discussing the state of the camp and the state of the army.
Damien's brow furrowed as he listened to the knight, "If we attack now, that means we will lose our advantage."
"They've got an army of one thousand, plus more coming. It's only going to get harder and harder for us to win this war."
"We should strike while the iron is hot. We need a strategy; however, there aren't many options if we don't have any information about the enemy." Damien argued.
Hector's jaw dropped. How in the world did Damien know about the enemy? Who were these men, and why were they talking about tactics?
Hector stepped forward.
"Excuse me?" He cut in.
The pair looked at him in astonishment. Neither man moved to acknowledge his presence. But Damien recognized Hector's voice and gestured towards the tents, which served as temporary housing for the generals. Damien looked to the knight beside him, who nodded in understanding. Once they entered, the knight closed the flap behind them.
"Hector?! Is that you?" Damien asked as they settled down in the tent. Hector raised an eyebrow before replying. "Yeah, it's me."
"You haven't changed a single bit. How have you been?"
Hector shrugged indifferently before responding, "Well, you know how it goes."
Damien nodded, understanding what Hector meant. "I heard you got married."
"Yeah..."
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you."
Damien hesitated for a second before asking, "Who's the lucky lady?"
Hector chuckled lightly. "A woman called Silvana. She is quite lovely."
"She sounds wonderful."
"Yes, she does," Hector admitted. Damien glanced at Hector sideways before speaking. "So, do you have kids?"
"Yeah, got one inside my wife's belly," Hector replied, smiling brightly. Damien returned the gesture.
"Well, congratulations! So, what are you doing here then? Shouldn't you be with your wife?" Damien questioned curiously.
"Well... I'm just answering the king summon."
"That makes sense. We'll be needing a lot of strong men. Knowing the king, he probably will punish you or worst if you disobey him during this time."
"Yes, it seems so..."
"Our king is insane."
"I guess."
"The war must have affected him mentally?" Damien continues.
"Well, I can't say much because I have never been a king."
"Right. Well, how many times have you been to the battlefield?"
"A few times. It wasn't pretty..."
"No doubt," Damien muttered.
"Anyway, the king is planning to attack Erith. We'll march south towards it and attack from the north."
"Seems like this war will last awhile?"
"Not sure about that. At least not for a while. But yes. Hopefully, we will find out when it ends."
"Why are we attacking Erith anyway?" Hector asks.
"A group of witches has recently been causing havoc in and out of Erith. They are establishing a fortress there. If this continues, it will be more difficult for us to defeat them."
"Witches?"
"Yeah. And those witches are quite a heavy hitter."
"Oh? From what I heard, it is a huge group of bandits who started attacking Erith."
"They are being used to raid small villages and cause trouble within Erith's territory. Though, The Phoenix Guardians deal with them pretty quick."
"Sounds bad."
"It is. And the king's orders are to free Erith and wipe the witches out completely. If we manage to stop them, it will make things easier for everyone in the coming battle."
"But don't you think one thousand strong men is too few? Given that we're going to attack a big city like Erith." Hector makes a point.
"Don't worry, more soldiers are on their way." Damien responds. "We'll do everything we can to free Erith." He goes on.
"Sounds like a plan to me."
"Hey," Damien said, turning to Hector. Hector turned his attention back to Damien. "Keep an eye out, alright. Keep yourself alive and fight well."
Hector grinned, nodding happily. "You too."
The two continued chatting about various things as the rest of the men continued to discuss strategies and preparations. Soon, the sun began rising above the horizon. Eventually, the men began to disperse as most left the area to set up camp. The knights continued making sure every piece was ready and in working order. By the time the army was ready, a couple of hours had passed, and the first ray of sunlight pierced through the thick blanket of clouds above them, illuminating the camp in light. A few birds chirped loudly in the distance in response to the warming rays shining down upon them. With that, the army began to move, heading into the valley where their destination lay.
The soldiers began marching in groups, some riding horses, some on foot. The air grew colder as the hours wore on with each step they took. The army proceeded as they marched onward toward their target. The army traveled further until they neared the edge of the forest, which led up to Erith. As he stared into the woods, Hector felt something was missing. He couldn't explain why or even tell what it was.
He scanned the surrounding area for any sign of danger. All he saw were other soldiers padding along the path with bows and swords held tightly.
"The forest is too quiet. Too quiet. Something isn't right..." Hector murmured to no one in particular.
"What do you mean?" Damien asked. He was leading a group of men farther away from his comrades as the army continued moving forward. "Do you think we may have to deal with a witch?"
"I don't know. But I'm not keen on walking into a potentially dangerous trap."
"Understandable," Damien responded.
They continued on their march toward Erith. After another hour or so passed without incident, they stopped. Damien ordered his people to spread out over the land, searching for anything suspicious or unusual. The camp gradually became busy as they were building tents around the army. Several knights stood guard over everything, and other groups worked together carrying logs to keep the fires burning all day long. The knights oversaw everything, checking every inch of the ground for signs of enemies.
"You're good with a bow, right?" He said to Hector suddenly.
Hector blinked in surprise before replying. "Yeah. I've practiced a lot of archery since I was little. And my father is a hunter, so he taught me how to handle myself in case of emergencies. Why?"
"Just curious. None of the scouts have spotted any enemies, so that this war won't last long.
"Are you alright? You look tired, like something is troubling you." Hector asked, concerned.
"There's something I need to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Hector... What are your thoughts on putting our faith in magic to save lives?"
Hector didn't think twice about responding, "My wife uses magic to save me from death. Yes, we should believe in magic if we are to win this war. And, fighting magic with sword and shield would be suicide. Why do you ask?"
"A magic user killed my brother."
"... I-I'm sorry to hear that."
"They were already married when this happened. I was opposed to their union because I don't believe in magic."
"Well-"
"Hector, I'm worried about you. Because your wife is a magic user, the same thing could happen to you. It's quite prevalent right now, and they fall in love, marry, and then die as a result of magic."
"Hey, Damien? Calm down."
"Hector. The world would be a better place if magic did not exist! Your wife might be working with the Great Witch!"
"I don't care if you don't believe in magic, but don't talk about my wife like that," Hector says, glaring at him.
Damien responded with a dry laugh. "What do you think? From the moment I met your wife, I suspected she was involved with the Great Witch. But when I asked her about it, she said nothing. But I don't believe her. So, I just wanted to get your thoughts, and I figured it would be better if they came from someone you know personally."
"You came after my wife?" Hector clarified.
"Yeah, and I thought you would be the easiest person to talk to-"
Out of nowhere, Hector punches him in the face as hard as he can.
He groaned, rubbing his jaw in annoyance. "Damn! Hector! What the hell was that for!?" He asked angrily.
"How dare you say such a thing to my wife!"
"Your wife? That's what you call her?" Damien spat angrily.
"..."
"… You!"
Hector snaps, "You don't get to judge her like that. I loved my wife and won't let you get away after accusing her like that!"
"Is that why you hit me?" Damien demanded in a fury. "Because you love her? Or is that your only excuse for acting this way!?"
Hector narrowed his eyes at him. He was shaking now. He felt himself getting angry.
"What gotten into you?!" He yelled back in anger. "How could you possibly say such horrible things about my wife?!"
"You think you love her? How did she convince you of that anyways? How could she ever show the kind of loyalty she showed you?"
"You..." Hector growled dangerously. "Stop insulting my wife, asshole!"
He turns around, not wanting to fight with Damien, and walks off, leaving Damien alone in anger as he glares daggers at the retreating figure of Hector.
"What's the matter with him?! He was acting like a good guy just now..."
Hector walks deeper into the forest, feeling rage and hatred boil deep inside him. He knew that Damien was wrong. His wife truly loved him. She was his world. She cared for his comfort, his health, and his safety. She never harmed anyone. No one had the right to accuse her of such a horrendous crime. Yet, Damien acted as if that fact meant absolutely nothing. His feelings, too, blinded him to see what was happening. Hector stopped abruptly, grabbing a nearby tree to support him. Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching behind him. He turned around to see a cloaked man behind him.
He can feel dark aura surrounding him, and a sinister smile rested upon his face. He took a few steps back and gripped his sword as tightly as possible as he prepared himself for any threat that might appear from that direction. But surprisingly, nothing happened, and the stranger merely smiled at him in amusement as he approached him.
"Hector, isn't it?" The man said in a sickly sweet voice, sending shivers through Hector's entire body. He gave the man a cautious glance, his hands beginning to tremble.
"Who are you?"
The man continued to grin eerily as his eyes gleamed with malice. He continued advancing toward Hector. "Don't worry... You'll find out soon enough."
Hector draws his sword. "Stay away!" Pointing the tip of his weapon at him.