The day after a fight
They stood there, motionless, watching the flames consume the bodies of their brothers, until the sun had risen completely and daylight chased away the shadows of last night.
It was some time before the fire died down, at which point Maxime sighed silently, looking up at the clear sky.
The sun was beginning to release its soft glow and comfortable embrace.
"I wonder how often I'll be attending this kind of funeral from now on."
Clearing these dark thoughts, Maxime left silently.
As the chief left, many mercenaries and soldiers followed him, while others chose to stay a while longer.
At the edge of the forest, mercenaries and soldiers, still smeared with dried blood and dust, returned to the village, their heavy footsteps echoing on the beaten earth.
The villagers, already up and about, were waiting for them, but a certain distance, mingled with curiosity and apprehension, had settled between them.