8 Their lives are at stake! (Part 2)

"Commander Eldwin..."

Muttered Audemar. His voice hinting wonder as he spoke the name of the Commander of the Order of the House of Arvendon —Their father's knighthood.

"Get up now, young master, young mistress." Commander Eldiwn added, before looking behind him, acting as if he was extra wary of their surroundings. "Quick! Quickly!"

Audemar, without any hesitation, stood up from sitting on the floor of the carriage. As he took a step down the carriage, he glanced over his shoulder and looked at Andraste, "Csilla, come." He said, reaching for her hand.

Andraste Csilla stared at his brother's hand before making eye contact, "No..." She shook her head as she clasped her hands together tightly.

"Commander..." Audemar uttered looking back at the Commander.

The Commander nodded as if he already knew what Audemar meant by his stare. Commander Eldwin lifted his right foot and rested them over the carriage's step, placing his right arm at his knee. He extended his hand to the young Andraste before saying;

"We must go, young mistress. Please come with us, to safety."

Commander Eldwin bowed his head right after saying what he intended to tell his young mistress.

Andraste tried to take a look at the surrounding from the open door, she got worried and asked, "Why must we get out of the carriage? Isn't it safer inside the carriage?"

"Please trust me, young mistress." Commander Eldwin pursued. Still extending his hand towards Andraste. Waiting for her to accept it.

"Csilla... Listen to the commander. Do you want them to be punished by our father?" Audemar Cirillo pursued too, supporting the Commander of their knighthood.

Andraste Csilla's forehead creased once again, "But what is happening first?" She insisted.

"Csilla!" Interrupted Audemar. His voice raising at Andraste.

"No, young master. It is alright." Commander Eldwin reckoned, giving a faint smile at his young master. "Young mistress—"

"Please, Commander, just call me by my name. Father is not around." Andraste shyly told the Commander.

The Commander's eyes went wide, not expecting what his young mistress just said.

"Pft... Then, Andraste, let me explain to you what is happening along the way." Chuckled Commander Eldwin.

As the Commander genuinely smiles and adores both of his Liege's offspring, heavy footsteps from their back caught his attention. He turned his head looking over his shoulders, to see whom those footsteps belong to.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

"Commander!" A man in his mid 20's called out, witnessing a scene he never knew he would see. Their Liege carrying Andraste Csilla, with a smile on his face.

'Why... do they look like... a father and daughter, bonding together?' The knight spoofed in his thoughts. Looking away his Commander, holding back his chuckles.

As Commander Eldwin slowly puts down Andraste from the carriage to the ground, he fixed his gaze at the young knight, not quite far from a distance.

"What brought you here, Stephan?" Asked the Commander. He leaned towards his Liege's children and whispered, "Give me a second. I need to talk to my newest underling. I shall be back." He then grinned after ruffling Audemar Cirillo's hair.

"Argh! Why you! Why do you always ruffle my hair like that? I am not a dog?!" Annoyed Audemar Cirillo complained.

The Commander only shrugged at Audemar's remark with a smug smile creeping upon his face. He chuckled.

"I shall be back. A moment, Audemar, Andraste." Commander Eldwin ended, bowing at his two young master and mistress.

The knight named Stephan straightened up his body when he saw that his Commander was approaching him. He closed his feet, and saluted, "Commander!"

"They went after our route, didn't they?" The Commander predicted.

Knight Stephan nodded firmly, in response to his Commander, "Yes, Commander."

"What are the digits?" He asked. His face slowly showing the seriousness of his conversation with knight Stephan.

"Two dozen assailants. Three of them are spotted to be gunners." Knight Stephan reported.

"Two dozen and three of them are gunners... huh." Commander Eldwin mumbled to himself. He looked down at the ground, staring at his shoes with busy eyes. "We also have two dozen men. Considering our skills in swordsmanship, and our familiarity with the terrain, we are supposed to be the ones who have the upper hand. However, them having gunners on their side creates a great disadvantage for us. This will be a lose-lose situation.

"We must avoid pursuing that route. Call Danil for a change of route." Orated Commander Eldwin before giving his order.

"Danil... Sire?" Knight Stephan trailed off.

"Yes, Knight Danil, that jet-black-haired lad." Repeated Commander Eldwin unconsciously lifting his eyebrows as he conversed with Stephan.

'Black, huh? How am I supposed to know who among the knights with jet black hair is Mister Danil?' Stephan scratched his head violently with his calloused hands. 'Ah... I'll just do what I was told to. Look for Danil...'

It hasn't taken a while yet when shortly afterward, Knight Stephan harkened back to the location where his Commander is at.

"You're back... and with... Favran... ?" Commander Eldwin took a long pause at each of his words upon realizing that the knight, Stephan brought was not Danil, but Favran. Commander Eldwin gave Knight Stephan a look. A perplexed look at that, "I... This knight in front of me is not... Danil, Stephan."

"I-I... I apologize Commander! I—"

"There is no need to get all so flustered." Commander Eldwin raised his hand, gesturing the newly recruited knight to be at ease.

'Twas not like I did not expect you to have to wrong knight anyways...' Commander Eldwin laughed out in his thoughts; shaking his head with closed eyes.

'Commander's like a sentimental old man!' Favran and Stephan were having the same thought at the same time.

As soon as Commander Eldwin noticed that his two knights were standing in silence in front of him, he cleared his throat. At a glance, from Favran to Stephan, Commander Eldwin dismissed knight Stephan. When he was gone, Favran took a step towards Commander Eldwin. A serious expression was written on his face.

"Commander," Started Favran, with a cold tone of voice and darting eyes.

"That newling is quite amusing, is he not, Favran?" Commander Eldwin commented as if to make fun of his knight. But in actual the fact was that to avoid whatever question it was, that Favran has in his mind.

"Commander, please, I have a question to ask." Favran declared.

"No Favran. Do not start me now. Go back to your position and call Danil for me." Commander Eldwin adjured, sending Favran off to get Danil for him.

"I apologize, Commander. However, I— Favran Madris, am determined to ask the question in my mind, Sire." Favran asserted in a dry cold tone with a straight expression on his face.

Commander Eldwin looked away, sighing. And when he looked back again at Favran, he glanced at his hand. His hands were curled tightly into a fist. A second sigh came out from the Commander.

"Listen..."

The Commander started. Hesitant over letting Knight Favran speak his thoughts out. He glanced behind him and fretted about their surroundings. Scanning all the view that comes to his sight, but only to catch the vision of Andraste Csilla and Audemar Cirillo for a short distance away from the two. They were staring intently at him. Worries were evident in their eyes. Although it is not like they were even trying to hide it from the Commander.

"Speak, and I shall hear you out." With the Commander's furrowing forehead, he looked heavenward.

Favran bowed at his Commander before saying;

"Then, may I excuse the formality... brother?"

"No. I have given you your chance to speak your thoughts out. Do not abuse your status as my brother— "

"But I am not— " Argued Knight Favran, unintentionally raising his voice.

"Then speak as a knight under my authorization, Knight Favran!" Commander Eldwin ended with an authoritative and stern voice.

Favran stared at his brother, the Commander of their knighthood. He was intimidated and was ashamed, as his brother—the Commander, stared down at him. Furiousness was glowering in his eyes, incandescent with the way Favran acted.

'But, I did not mean it that way.' Favran thought to himself, avoiding the gaze of his Commander.

"Speak, for you only have a minute of three left." Drawing out his pocket watch from his chest pocket, the Commander opened the cover of the pocket watch for a better sight of its hands.

Tik Tak Tik Tak...

"Time is ticking, Favran. I still have an important matter to discuss with Knight Danil." Commander Eldwin reminded glancing over Favran's left side.

Knight Stephan was back, and with the right knight on this time, watching the seething conversation of their Commander and Knight Favran.

"I have figured what the Commander has in mind." Stated Favran, his eyes fixed at his shoes.

'They're quite shiny. It has been a day or two since I last polished these.' His mind wandering around as he stared at his shoes.

"And what is it?" Questioned Commander Eldwin, glancing over with his chin up, to where Knight Favran is looking at.

'Why is he looking at his shoes? He's supposed to be looking at me.' His eyebrows snapped together, 'And why is that his shoes are shiny? Why is mine not?'

It was when Favran raised his gaze towards his Commander before stating his answer, their eyes met and blinked at each other a few times. Favran took a quick glance down from his shoe, and back to Commander Eldwin. Favran was slacked-jawed.

'It's funny that my mind wandered around because I was pressured by the ticking of the clock. But nothing gets funnier seeing my brother get distracted by my shoes.' Favran held his laughter by plastering a deadpan expression on his face.

Both of them cleared their throats, straightening their postures. Keeping their feet away from each other, with their arms hanging naturally down to the sides of their body.

"I oppose whatever it is in your mind Commander. His grace— our Liege gave us an order..." Favran paused with a sigh, "...An order that we must follow." He pointed out.

"Say, Favran, won't I be a fool if I attempt to pursue going to the Marquisate of Marquess Kolvias?"

"Commander, there may be other paths! Another route! For us to reach the Marquisate!"

"Do not be ignorant Favran!"

"No! No brother I am not being ignorant! I only stand before the word of my Liege! Our Liege— "

"Did I not tell you to address me as your Commander?"

"Why are you so adamant about your title as our Commander?!" Insulted Favran.

"Know your place, Favran." The Commander seethed with a low tone of voice.

There was a long silence. Knight Favran Madris and Commander Eldwin Madris stared wordlessly at one another in stillness, the cold breeze of the air bristled against their skin.

"I apologize, Commander. I was in the wrong." Favran's chin rose, slowly and deliberately.

Commander Eldwin only let out a sigh, his hair being a toy of the air, he combed it with his hand before saying;

"We are going to retrack our way back to the capital." The Commander announced that caught Knight Favran, Knight Stephan, and Knight Danil surprised.

"But, but, but, Commander..." Stuttered Knight Stephan, stepping into the conversation of their Commander and Knight Favran.

Commander Eldwin and Knight Favran shot a glare at Stephan.

"Ah, uhhh... I—uh... I—I apologize, f-f-for, for, for, for, uh the... uh—w-what I'd like t-to say is that Commander, wouldn't it be dangerous to go back to the capital?" Stephan asked in between of his stuttering, "C-c-considering the fact that e-e-even t-th-the Orden of Jaime c-cannot hold the capital, alongside the Royal Order of the De'Loughrey.

"Which is why I called Danil for that. Now if both of you and Favran have any further more questions—"

"Can we keep on asking?" Stephan cut the Commander off of his sentence.

"No. Keep it to yourselves." Ridiculed Commander Eldwin Madris.

'Ah. He seemed annoyed.' Stephan bit his inner lower lip.