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[Furtuka]

Miranda raised her arms up to guard. She took the blows until she got a good opportunity to kick upwards and brought it back down to pull on Ayz's leg, before  grabbing one of her arms. She gave a shove and rolled the two over before jumping up back to her feet and getting back into a defensive stance.

[GiglameshDespair]

Ayzebel scrambled back, her hands leaving furrows in the ground, before getting back onto her feet and taking the offensive again. She probed Miranda's defences with swift jabs, unwilling to commit to a full-out attack and fall into a trap.

[CrimsonEon]

Chance's forehead flexed, like a raising eyebrow.
: "It made you sick prior? That is odd... I cannot help but wonder why that would have chang-"
Princess Rosana entered, causing Chance to immediately jump to attention.
: "Princess Rosana. Of course, I am grateful for your and Prince Alberti's help." He immediately bowed as best he could, pausing for a moment, "Erm. If the barracks are off limits, is there perchance anywhere I can get proper rest?"

[Haspen]

"Um... tonight it will be stables, I'm afraid. Or you could ask one of the kitchen ladies to find you some cozy storage room. I'm sorry. Hopefully once we will be under way, you will be allowed to sleep in a tent."

[Ochita]

Maribel looked up at the princess, getting up and giving a short bow.
  "I see.. Thank you, princess. Your speed in sorting this out speaks wonders of your kindness." She started to open her mouth, as if to say more, but stopped, instead turning it into a sigh and stretching her legs. Upon hearing Rosana's response, her shoulders slumped.
  "I see... W-well.. I'll start looking for some blankets, Chance."

[Haspen]

"Apologies again. Come, let's not stay in this dungeon anymore."

And she led them, and Aurelian, outside of the imperial prison.

---

Next day, over three thousand loyal, trusted soldiers were gathered outside Imperial Capital, in several war camps temporarily built north of the capital. Prince Aliberti, along with Princess Rosana, were both 'aides' of the esteemed strategist, General Oinkand, and they had their own tent.

Now, in Prince's tent...

"Thank you all for accompanying me. I'm sorry for yesterday, Maribel, Chance." Aliberti looked at Kerr and Noel, but didn't say a word.

"How did it go with the old General?"

"I heard the reports, I saw the maps... I consulted with the General and offered him few possible venues of striking the rebels... he didn't settle on anything but promised to send me-" A young woman nonchalantly entered the tent and saluted.

"Ah, speak of the devil. You must be Ivory Dionsis, right? You have something from General Oinkand?"

//Ivory Dionsis is in!

[Twinwolf]

"Yes, your Highness. The general asked me to deliver this to you."

[Haspen]

Aliberti took the letter from Ivory.

"Thank you very much." He then broke the seal and read the letter.

"Orders?" Aliberti continued to read, then looked up from the letter.

"Yes, those are orders."

"Aliberti!"

"Sorry... for now we're packing up and heading north, that's all I can say." As to confirm Prince's words, the mobilization trumpet was heard outside in near the same moment.

"Ayzebel, Noel, can I have you two for a moment?" Aliberti gestured to a 'corner' of the tent, or rather, just few feet away from everyone else.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Noel didn't notice the look Aliberti gave him, as he was currently frowning and staring off into the distance.

I'm surprised that a rebellion that could easily be handled by the army is considered a higher priority than attempting to save the world. There is little point in fighting this war if the planet is smashed to bits later. Still, I suppose there's little chance of rebuking everyone involved once we're all already dead, so I might as well save my breath. The sooner we get this done with, the sooner we can get back to the important things.

At the mention of his name, Noel raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ayzebel. Why her? He shrugged.

"If you wish."

[GiglameshDespair]

Ayzebel returned a flat look at Noel before turning to the Prince.

"Is there something you need, Liege?"

[Haspen]

"_{Would you be able to sneak into middle of enemy camp, deal with about six light mages and possibly a skilled swordswoman on your own, and, um, manage to escape in one piece?"}

[GiglameshDespair]

"In a direct fight? That would be... difficult, Liege. Seven is a lot against two. How skilled is the swordswoman?"
She shrugged.
"I could try poisoning them, but they may have antidotes or healers able to keep them alive until they can process the poison, unless it's sufficiently lethal."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"I do not trust this woman. I fully expect that if you were to send the two of us off, only she would come back with some excuse about how I didn't make it - with the truth being that she stabbed me in the back as soon as it was convenient. Besides that, I'm a scholar, not an assassin. It's possible I could handle six light mages on my own, but I'm not in a rush to test that possibility deep behind enemy lines with Ayzebel as my only ally."

[GiglameshDespair]

Ayzebel crossed her arms.
"Don't be stupid, mage. For the moment, we are both forces of the Crown, and I'm professional enough to treat you as such. Especially in a difficult task like that. Though, as you say, you are a scholar, not an assassin. I wouldn't chosen to take you either, were there alternatives."

A shame. Even if she'd pulled out of the mission part way through, it would have be convienent, as he said, if Noel had fallen to enemy attacks.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Noel let the comment slide. He'd made his point.

"Then there's something we agree on. Regardless. Your highness, if you still want to send a small advance force, I would suggest adding Irios and either Kerr or Aurelian to the two of us. Irios can keep us alive, and the Miccahn brothers are both solid soldiers."

Unsaid but certainly in Noel's mind was the thought that if Irios was around, Ayzebel would be more focused on keeping the healer safe than on planning a way to get rid of him. Also, he didn't distrust Irios, and that was more than he could say about many people. Well. He did trust Kerr a little; the man had challenged him on points, and showed a willingness to be aware of the situation... and yet ironically he trusted Aurelian for the exact opposite reason. The younger brother was too innocent-seeming to imagine plotting ill for his compatriots.