Chapter 3

A noble general, strong and wise,

Given charge 'neath fated skies—

To seek a princess held afar,

Through distant lands, through blood and scar.

***

"General Hemira! Why did you let them capture Princess Ceres?! Do you not understand the great disaster that will befall us with her loss?!" Lord Remus, the king's left hand, shouted furiously at me.

He was stout, not quite old in appearance, and his clothes strained against his large frame and round belly. His face was stern, with a thick mustache and curly hair.

I immediately knelt before him, bowing my head. A sharp pain shot through my side where my wound had been crushed, but I ignored it. "Forgive me, lord Remus, for my failure. I could not protect our beloved princess. I will accept any punishment you see fit, even if it costs me my life," I said seriously.

"Fool!" Lord Remus shouted. "Even if you give your life, it will do no good! It won't bring Princess Ceres back to this kingdom!" His voice rang with anger.

"General Hemira!"

I turned to my warriors, who had called out to me. They ran toward us, some of them still wounded and being treated in the Renki gardens for injuries from the battle.

"Kneel and beg for forgiveness!" I commanded, and they immediately obeyed, bowing down beside me.

Lord Remus paced back and forth, his face twisted with anger. "You've been the General of warriors for only a month, Hemira, and you've already proven your inability to protect the palace! I should never have agreed to Sueret's suggestion of putting a woman in charge of our warriors!"

I kept my head bowed, even though his words stung deeply. I blamed myself for my failure.

He's right, I thought bitterly. Maybe I'm not capable of protecting this kingdom because I'm too weak.

I squeezed my eyes shut, lost in my thoughts.

Moments passed before I heard the sharp sound of one of my warriors rising from behind me. "Wait, Lord Remus! You're being too harsh! Can't you see the wounds General Hemira bears? She almost gave her life to protect the palace—you have no right to speak to her like that!"

"Silence!" I shouted, stopping him from saying any more.

I stood and faced the warrior who had spoken.

It was Abun, my closest friend. I had expected him to defend me.

I glanced at his side and saw a large wound, similar to mine. I shot him a warning look, gripping his shoulder and forcing him down, making him kneel again.

I turned back to lord Remus, whose eyes were wide with shock, not from my command, but from Abun's boldness. His shock quickly turned to fury. "You! How dare you speak such words to me! You are but a lowly warrior! I don't care if this woman dies before me! Nor do I care if you all die in battle—you're worthless!" His face was red with rage, his breathing heavy.

His words sent a cold rage through me.

I walked toward him, my eyes fixed on his.

Fear flickered in his eyes, and he stepped back with each of my steps. "W-why do you look at me like that? You wouldn't dare kill me just because I insulted your pitiful warriors! Think, Hemira. If you strike me down, the king will have you all executed! I am his left hand—you should be afraid!"

I didn't stop until his back was pressed against the wall. My gaze was cold, and I saw his breath catch. "Insult me all you want, but I won't allow you to dismiss the lives of these warriors. Many of them have fallen, and many more are gravely injured—do their lives mean nothing to you?"

He swallowed hard but tried to keep his face brave. "Y-you insolent woman!" He raised his hand as if to strike me, but before he could, another hand caught his wrist.

Both lord Remus and I turned to see who had stopped him.

My eyes widened in shock. "L-Lord Sueret!"

Lord Sueret, the king's right hand and leader of the mage army, stood there, holding lord Remus' wrist in a firm grip.

At once, I knelt before him, and my warriors remained kneeling. I heard lord Remus pull his hand away angrily.

Lord Sueret was older than Remus, with long white hair that trailed the ground, though his strength had not waned. He was a powerful white mage.

"Did I hear correctly, Remus? Did you say Hemira and her warriors were worthless?" lord Sueret asked, looking at me.

I didn't answer, keeping my head bowed.

"What if I did, Sueret? They are worthless! They failed to protect the princess! If they had fought better, she wouldn't have been captured!" Remus sneered.

Lord Sueret laughed, a sound that echoed through the palace hall. We all stared at him in confusion.

Even Remus was taken aback, though his face soon darkened with irritation. "What are you laughing about, Sueret? Have you forgotten? It was you who advised the king to put this woman in charge of the warriors! And you, too, should be punished for the princess's capture! You were leading the mages and still failed to prevent it! You were busy fighting at the front gates instead of protecting the royal family. If I were you, I'd prepare for the king's wrath."

I clenched my teeth at his sharp words, but Sueret merely chuckled.

"Don't worry, Remus," Sueret said, grinning. "I won't forget how you hid under a small table when the enemy broke into the palace." He wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.

We all turned to look at lord Remus, whose face was now bright red with embarrassment.

Behind me, I heard my warriors trying to suppress their laughter, but I shot them a sharp glance, silencing them immediately.

I didn't want to add to lord Remus' growing rage.

"Is this the scene that greets me after the capture of my princess? Laughter?"

A deep voice boomed from behind us.

We all turned swiftly to see a figure we had failed to notice arriving.

"Your Majesty!" Lord Remus stammered, his voice trembling with fear. He and lord Sueret knelt at once.

All the warriors shifted, kneeling and facing the king.

As for me, I found myself standing, unaware of how I had risen.

The king?

My eyes locked onto him, staring without thought or intention. I had never seen him up close before.

He wasn't that old yet, and his noble bearing was undeniable. Every part of him exuded authority and strength.

My gaze drifted to his arm, where a bandage was wrapped tightly, concealing a wound. It had to be from the battle—an injury he must have received while facing powerful enemies.

Before I knew it, tears had started falling down my cheeks. I touched my face, surprised by the wetness, as a strange wave of admiration and disbelief washed over me. One of my greatest dreams, something I thought would never happen, was coming true—I was seeing the king, here, so near.

He stood only a few feet away, his authoritative presence almost overwhelming. I could feel the power radiating from him, and I just stared, wide-eyed, taking in the sight.

But then, I noticed his eyes turning toward me. There was confusion on his face, as if wondering why I was staring so openly.

Suddenly, a hand yanked me down, pulling me to my knees. Lord Sueret stood beside me, his expression serious. The force of his pull made my wounds ache—my arm and side flared in pain, and the abrupt kneeling left me breathless. But it snapped me out of my daze.

I hurriedly wiped my cheeks, still wet with tears, and adjusted my kneeling posture, bowing in the king's direction. The pain gnawed at me, but I ignored it completely.

"Where is the General of the warriors? I wish to speak with her." His voice, filled with such authority, demanded immediate obedience.

My heart thundered in my chest, heavy with anxiety. "I-I am the one, m-my king."

His gaze settled on me, sharp and unwavering. "Then you will come with me," he commanded, his eyes still fixed on mine, as if reading every part of my soul.

To be continued...