"I want to bring this. And the blue one. Oh, and that one over there too!" Olivia directed her handmaidens as they helped to pack her clothes. I had to remind her a few times that we were going to be moving on the battlefield and setting up camp in the plains, not going on a holiday to the Erkin Mountains, least she decides to bring the entire castle with her.
I haven't had the heart to tell her that we would not be bringing any of the handmaids along with us when we leave the castle. We would have to leave them behind. It's enough hassle travelling on the battlefield with several dozen prisoners of war AND a princess. Having a handful of handmaidens tag along just seemed to be taking things a little too far. Telling her would have to wait.
Olivia's mood over the past few days had been as erratic as the weather over the Dramadian Sea, as she struggled with her conflicted mind, juggling her love for Clayton and whatever it is she's feeling about me. She woke up yesterday morning in high spirits and we enjoyed each other's company in bed the entire morning. By dinner time, she was crying and asking to see Clayton, refusing to let me near her. She seemed to be in high spirits today.
After she was done packing, she tagged along with me as I headed to the place-of-arms to inspect the troops. I sent a man to look for Lieutenant Morgan who was late for the inspection, determined to give him a stern talking to for his tardiness. He must be busy with one of the handmaidens again, I figured. I inspected the troops together with Lieutenant Dylan, making sure the soldiers had all their equipment ahead of us moving out the next day.
Olivia and I took a stroll in the gardens after I were done. We chatted as we walked, her telling me about how miserable life was as a princess. All the things she was not allowed to do, the places she was prohibited from going. I rather enjoyed listening to her complains. I hesitated when she asked me about my past, but relented when she pressed, recounting to her my troubled past.
"General!" a soldier called out as a couple of them ran towards us. "Something's happened at the prison cell." The soldier announced, trying to catch his breath. "The...the knight...he's gone." The other soldier added.
I hurried back to the castle with the soldiers and headed down to the basement, Olivia following closely behind, trying her best to keep up with us.
When we arrived at the basement, Lieutenant Dylan was waiting for us together with a handful of soldiers.
"Oh gosh Amanda!" Olivia rushed towards the handmaiden sitting on the ground holding on to her broken ankle.
I looked around the basement at the open empty cell and the bodies of two of my men lying on the ground in their own pools of blood. One in the cell, another along the hallway. The body along the hallway next to the handmaiden caught my attention and I took small uncertain steps towards it.
"General..." Lieutenant Dylan spoke, his voice trembling, eyes sombre.
No. No it can't be. Please don't let it be. I felt my knees wobble as I stumbled towards the body lying face down on the ground. I got down on my knees and grabbed hold of the man's shirt and lifted, flipping the body to face me.
"NOOOOOOO!" My entire world shattered the moment I saw his lifeless eyes staring back at me. "No no no no no. Nooooooo..." I brought his languid frame into my arms. "NOOOO!!!" I howled, holding on to the cold dead body of the only family I had left in this world.
"Morgan...morgan..." I sobbed. "WHO? WHO DID THIS?" I shrieked in rage as I looked around the room.
I crawled towards Olivia and the handmaiden and shoved the princess to the side. I latched onto the handmaiden in fury as I shook her. "YOU! IT'S YOU! YOU FUCKING GEORIAN WHORE! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!" I raised my arm and swung at her cheeks with the back of my hand. The force of my blow sent the handmaiden tumbling to her side.
"Stop it! Don't hurt her! Please!" the princess begged, holding on to my arm to prevent me from striking the handmaiden again. "Lock all the Georian whores up! Make sure none of them leaves their room!" I commanded as I shoved her away once again.
Lieutenant Dylan and the soldiers escorted the princess and the handmaiden away, leaving me alone in the basement.
I stayed by the side of Mogan's body and mourned the loss of the person whom I went through so much with, the boy whom I struggled and strove painstakingly to bring up. Whom I swore over Leah's dead body that I would give my life to protect. My best friend. My brother. My only family.
***
Dinner was a solemn affair. Morgan was well-respected by the troops. We drank to his memory. He was a masterful strategist and an imposing leader on the battlefield. We drank to that too. Off the field, he was a great friend to the troops. We drank again.
"Fuck Georia!" Lieutenant Dylan yelled. I downed another cup.
"I'll castrate that fucking knight myself!" one of the soldiers roared. I emptied yet another cup.
"I'll have the fat King's head!" another hollered. Someone refilled my cup again.
On and on it went, as we drank into the night.
SMASH! I slammed my yet again empty cup onto the table and it shattered to smithereens. "Tomorrow, we march! Straight to the fat bastard's palace!" I bellowed, to cheers of affirmation from the troops.
The princess was already asleep when I returned to the room after draining the castle of every last drop of alcohol. The guard standing watch outside the door greeted me as I stumbled drunkenly into the room, waking her up from her slumber.
