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[SeriousConcentrate]

"No, I don't mind at all."

Diana used the opportunity to take a brief respite, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her hand and placing the head of her axe on the ground so she could lean on it.

"My father didn't really want me to learn how to fight, but Tyrn and I managed to talk his father, Zayn - our Captain of the Guard - into teaching me swordplay in secret. I think he thought I was just being a curious child and would drop it once I got bored with it, or found it to be too hard."

She smiled to herself.

"I don't think he expected me to take to it the way I did! But I've always had a bit of a competitive streak in me, and I didn't want to keep losing to Tyrn. So Zayn would teach the two of us how to fight - a sword for me, and a spear for Tyrn - and we would spar every so often. Mostly, though, we just repeated a set of exercises for one thing, then we would go to new ones - for coordination, flexibility, reaction speed, stamina..."

She rolled her shoulders.

"Speaking of, axes use an entirely different set of muscles than swords do! It feels like all the power of an axe comes from the upper arms, shoulders, and hips, while swords are mostly in the elbow and the wrist."

"It's exhausting, isn't it? My shoulders are sore already!"

[Sirus]

: "Well, good news is that next time Princess and Spear Man spar, Princess will have new trick up sleeve. In fact, be good idea to bring him to practice some time so Princess can get feel of fighting spears. Much easier to do with axe than with sword."

He rolled his own shoulders sympathetically; they didn't hurt all that much yet considering he just started.

: "Other good news is that Princess will build up proper muscles quickly, being young. Ursa not sure he could learn to use sword properly - not without much more practice anyway. Elbow and wrist not as agile as yours."

[SeriousConcentrate]

Diana looked at her axe.

"Well.. I wouldn't want to be bashing him around with such a heavy rock. I don't want to hurt him. Just... winning more than once in a while would be nice. Maybe friendly sparring can wait until we're in a time of peace again."

Could it, though? Assuming she could live in peaceful times once more, that meant she would be Queen of Durhiel. She probably wouldn't have much time for the things she used to enjoy like that. She sighed, but it was too late. She was already having dark thoughts.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I feel like... like an insurance policy. Like if the war goes badly for the Empress, she'll just surrender and offer me to the Exstenians so they'll be lenient."

Diana shook her head.

"Durhiel's conquered, Osngaria's conquered, Worus surrendered... all that's left is Uljifan and Exsten, and I'm just a pawn to both of them. King Ansel wanted me to marry his son to cement his control of Durhiel... and in eight or ten years, if the Empress wins, I imagine she'll do the same to me with Wilfort."

She picked her axe back up and swung it at the training dummy rather suddenly.

"I refuse to be a pawn to either of them!"

"But... does it even matter anyway? Exsten, Ulfijan, Durhiel... does the common man even care who's in charge? I just want things to be peaceful again, and for the people of my country to be happy, but... would they really even notice if I just left it all behind?"

"I wish I could be free like you, Ursa."

[Blade Master Model 42]

The day passed into evening, and then into night, with no sign of Ansel's forces. The soldiers within the capital continued to exhibit a nervous energy. It was evident to all that Ansel would, must attack here. But when?

"It's getting late." Wilfort said to Diana and her assembled entourage as he led them around the castle's second floor. "I'm tired, so I'm going to have to ask you all to return to your quarters. There'll be soldiers patrolling the halls in case of assassins. Or if you need something, which I'd guess would be far more likely. I've already instructed them to bring you anything that's within reason." The prince stopped in front of a door, and opened it, gesturing inside. "This is your room, Princess. It's not really suited to someone of your status, but these are desperate times of course."

Despite Wilfort's words, the room was clearly opulent. In truth, it wasn't quite so well furnished as Diana's room at Castle Durhiel, and was somewhat smaller. However, it still had the marks of wealth; a huge feather bed, ornate tapestries, furs laid around over an otherwise cold stone floor, ornate furniture. Most nobility would call themselves quite lucky to sleep there.

"I wish you restful sleep. I can't imagine Ansel will put off his assault much longer, so do try to be well rested for tomorrow."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Thank you, Prince Wilfort. Good night to you as well... and all my companions."

Diana inclined her head to the group, then entered the room and shut the door behind her. Ursa hadn't answered her after her outburst. She supposed she couldn't really blame him for that; it wasn't fair for her to unload her problems on everyone else. A good leader never let weakness show. Like it or not, she couldn't just run off to the woods and hide away from the world. Whoever was left in control would come for her eventually - either to use her for their own goals or just kill her to ensure she didn't try to overthrow them, whether or not she ever planned to.

She sighed and locked the door. She didn't really want to deal with anyone right now. After confirming it was locked, she set the training axe beside it, then began the long and laborious process of removing her weaponry and armor and preparing for bed. The furs on the floor felt good to her bare feet, and she paced back and forth as she thought.

This room is awfully lonely. I guess it's nice to have some time to myself... but after traveling with my friends for so long I miss being around them, listening to them talk as I fell asleep. ...Friends. How many of them think of me that way, and how many of them don't?

The only person she thought she could truly count as a friend was Tyrn. They had known each other their whole lives. It was hard not to think of him as a favorite cousin at times. But the rest? Well, she wasn't sure what Oscar's angle was. Otiros and Freya were good soldiers, but they definitely kept that professionalism between them and her. She got the impression Brann just saw her as a damsel in distress, needing to be rescued. As for Ciel, Jago, and Enoch, she couldn't tell if they really cared one way or the other. Lucas hadn't been with them long enough for her to get a read on him, but he was probably just coming with them because it was convenient. Kale clearly disagreed with her on things, but at least he cared enough to actually argue and stand up for himself. That left only Ursa to figure out.

Diana plopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, her hands behind her head. Where did she stand with Ursa? He had come to save her, not because she was a princess, but because he thought it was the right thing to do. He seemed respectful of her title but didn't seem to think of her as only that... but he was also barbaric and crude... but then... he could be kind and gentle when he wanted to be.

It's all a mess. I'll just... try to relax and figure it all out tomorrow. My companions, Ulfijan, Exsten, my future, Ursa... all of it can wait a night.

[Praefectus Screptum]

Otiros placed his hands on the sides of his helmet, taking some time to think if he should take it off or not. He lowered his hands and shook his head quickly in denial.

"No...not yet..."

And the idea of simply sleeping in a new territory was another thing that was bothering him, so he remained awake at least for now. He wasn't sure if the other people of the group were awake yet, if they were they probably would notice him standing there like if he was part of the wall, a statue.

[Blade Master Model 42]

-

[Sirus]

Ursa lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The cheap mattress dipped quite a bit under his weight, but that wasn't the problem.

No, he was wondering if he should have responded to Diana's outburst earlier. It had been pretty awkward, true, but he got the impression that she needed a friendly ear and perhaps some friendly advice. But what advice could an uncultured barbarian such as he offer? She said that she envied his freedom - he was currently a "guest" in a walled city with an invading army outside. There was nowhere to run; he couldn't even climb a mountain without that little fussybritches prince throwing a tantrum. At the moment, Diana probably had more freedom than he did.

[Haspen]

Oscar sneakily got out of the room and sat at the paraphet of the nearby window, just outside the door leading to the bedroom. He couldn't sleep, and was quite bored.

He decided that his favourite pasttime was to stare at the black silhouette of the city wall and try to count the little moving black shapes on top of said wall.

[Solymr]

Lucas was lying, but wasn't sleeping yet. He was still thinking about both rulers.

What are Ansel and Beltana's plans for war? And for Diana? And why is the Prince insisting that we fight even if the Empress said we couldn't? Does he have an agenda of his own?

None of the questions seemed to have an answer, even a remote one.

So many questions without answers... But I'm sure Diana will be used as a mere pawn in this conflict unless we figure out something.

At the mention of Diana, he started thinking about the group that saved his life. He hadn't had the chance to meet them one by one, but they all seemed nice. Except the thief. He didn't trust the thief.

Maybe I should leave them... No, I wouldn't think highly of myself if I left them after saving my life. I have to repay them... Maybe I should... *zzz*

A shadow of doubt still lingered in his mind when he fell asleep.

[Solymr]

((whoops))

[Xanmyral]

Enoch fell asleep content and with nary a thought. His prior meditations did wonders to put the phantom aches of the accursed metal out of mind and body. The strange mage slept with his full robes and hood on, not shedding nor departing of a single object of his in his rest.

[Powder Miner]

Jago lay in bed, thinking. His thoughts, though, were infinitely lighter than those of the other. They were, in fact, simple: Jago figured he should have bothered to figure out where the quarters where, so he could have messed with someone. He could have got some revenge on Ursa (if he was feeling suicidal), maybe messed with that Tyrn guy or even screwed with Otiros a bit! But, no, he hadn't bothered so he'd never got that chance.

Opportunity wasted.

[Blade Master Model 42]

The night passed without incident, but slowly for some members of the group who chose to stay awake. As the sun begin to tease at its rising, changing the dark sky to shades of purple leaning to blue, those sleeping were startled awake at the sound of a thunderous crash from the city gates.

Moments later, there was a pounding at Diana's door. "Diana! Arm yourself, now!" Wilfort moved to the other doors, giving them solid hits and shouting the same command. "Rouse yourselves, Ansel is upon us!"

[Haspen]

"Already?" Oscar mumbled out, sliding from the window, having taken a nap against the cold stones in rather uncomfortable position...

"We gonna be holed here until they break into the castle or do we join the wall guards?"