Half a day later, as night had fully set and darkness stretched across the forest, the carriage finally came to a halt. The door opened with a soft creak, and a knight with black hair and warm brown eyes greeted Ophelia, a small, welcoming smile curving his lips. He held out his hand, and Ophelia placed hers in his, stepping gracefully down from the carriage and onto the soft ground.
Her gaze took in the small clearing nestled deep within the dense woodland. Around them, the towering trees loomed, their branches creating a canopy above that dappled the ground in fading shades of white from the moonlight above.
The campsite was simple and organized. A large tent sat on one side, clearly designated for the knights, while a smaller, more secluded one stood on the opposite side for Ophelia. Between the two, a stone-lined fire pit crackled gently, casting a warm, inviting glow across the camp.
Around it, the knights had already gathered, their camaraderie evident in the quiet laughter and easy banter drifting through the air. Above the fire, a skillet sizzled with the delicious aroma of steak and roasted vegetables, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest.
The knight led Ophelia to a small, plush velvet pad placed near the fire, a deep shade of royal purple with golden embroidery at the edges. She sank down onto it, the soft cushion a nice place to relax after such a long ride.
She adjusted herself, settling into a comfortable position as the warmth of the fire seeped into her skin. And from where she sat, she could observe her knights, catching snippets of their conversation.
"…and then Marcus just stood there, soaking wet, while the rest of us ran for cover," one knight laughed, recounting what seemed to be a recent training mishap.
"Serves him right for showing off in that armor. I told him not to challenge nature," another added with a grin, jabbing his thumb toward Marcus, who gave a jokingly scowl in response.
Amid the laughter and light-hearted teasing, Ophelia could see genuine loyalty and respect reflected in their eyes. Their bonds were clearly strengthened by shared hardships and mutual admiration.
"Ahem, anyways…" The same blond-haired and golden-eyed woman from before interjected the conversation to include Ophelia. "How was the trip, My Lady? I hope it wasn't too uncomfortable."
"It was not too bad. I quite enjoyed it actually," Ophelia responded with a faint smile.
At the sight of Ophelia's gentle smile, a faint blush colored the golden-eyed woman's cheeks, a delicate warmth spreading across her fair skin. The knights, noticing her reaction, exchanged quick glances and subtle smirks, some barely suppressing their amusement at her flustered expression. Feeling their eyes on her, the woman straightened, clearing her throat with a touch of nervousness.
"A-Ahem, my apologies, My Lady," she began, quickly steering the conversation to a safer topic. "We haven't properly introduced ourselves, have we?"
She gestured to the knights gathered around the fire, each one nodding or lifting a hand in acknowledgment as she went down the line.
"This is Sir Edwin, our captain," she said, nodding toward a muscular man with ash gray hair and sharp black eyes. "Sir Marcus, our knight in shining armor—when he's not soaked through, of course," she added, her lips curving into a slight smirk that drew laughter from the others. "And then we have Sir Leonard, Miss Janet, Sir Hugh, and Miss Leslie, all of whom are… colorful characters, as you'll come to see."
Finally, she rested her gaze back on Ophelia, her golden eyes bright with pride and warmth as she placed a hand over her chest. "And I am Alexandra."
Ophelia's lips quivered before she cracked her lips open to respond.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am sure you already know, but I am Ophelia. I once was a lieutenant but not anymore," Ophelia introduced herself.
"That's right," Edwin's eyes shot wide. "You were a lieutenant, weren't you? I'm very surprised as it took me off guard seeing as how you seem to have had much etiquette training. Are you the daughter of some noble?"
"Actually, I was a commoner. My village however has been long destroyed."
An awkward silence fell over the knights as Ophelia mentioned her village. The fire crackled softly in the background, casting flickering shadows on their faces, whose expressions were filled to the brim with discomfort.
Edwin was the first to break the silence, his voice gentle. "Ahem… It's… hard to imagine such strength coming from anyone else, madam. Rising through the ranks, even as a commoner—let alone to the rank of lieutenant—is no small feat."
The other knights nodded, murmuring their agreement. Marcus, who had previously laughed at his own misfortunes, looked at her with a mixture of awe and newfound respect. "If it's alright to say, I think we're lucky to have someone as strong as you with us, Lady Ophelia."
"I am flattered…" She paused, her expression as unmoving as ever. "During day three of our six-day trip, I would like to stop at the village we will pass by. There is something I want to do there before we get going again."
"Lady Ophelia, with all due respect, we are already on a tight schedule. We cannot go off course just to visit a village," Captain Edwin replied.
Ophelia couldn't help but frown at this statement.
"It would not have been such a tight schedule if you all were not fooling around so much," She announced, slowly cutting into her steak, feeling the tense eyes of the knights around her begin to crawl all over her skin. "You all are elite knights. It should have taken you at most five days to arrive, but it took an entire week." Ophelia let out a soft sigh. "However, I understand. I am not a noble and there would be no punishment for you all to arrive at the fortress later. You all probably expected I would not have realized and it would not have mattered… but I understand. Just know, that if we do not go to this village, from the moment I arrive at the capital, you all will be stripped of your titles as knights."
Captain Edwin's usually steady gaze faltered, his face turning slightly pale as he fought to maintain composure. His hand gripped his fork tightly, knuckles whitening as he processed her words, a bead of sweat slowly forming at his temple.
Marcus, who had been so lively earlier, went silent, his mouth falling open slightly before he quickly clamped it shut. Leonard, usually boisterous and quick with a joke, sat frozen, his smirk from earlier replaced with a faint grimace as he swallowed hard, trying to compose himself. Hugh and Janet exchanged wide-eyed glances, both looking as if they'd been doused with a bucket of ice water. Even Alexandra, who had seemed so confident just moments ago, now sat utterly still, her golden eyes cast down in silence, the rosy blush fading from her cheeks. Leslie, the quietest of the knights, lowered his gaze, his normally relaxed demeanor dissolving into a rigid form.
"I-I apologize, My Lady," Captain Edwin lowered his head. "Just like you said, we were fools. I promise this will not happen again… and as requested, we will stop at your desired village. As captain, I would like to take responsibility and beg for your forgiveness."
"You may earn your forgiveness. Now, goodnight," Ophelia placed her half-eaten steak and vegetables on the grass before walking to and entering her tent.