Chapter 14 – Army
MARCIA’S PERSPECTIVE
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The military camp rose like a fortress in the distance—tents lined in precise rows, fires burning low, and guards pacing every perimeter with blades at their hips. I tugged my cloak tighter and approached slowly, the horse beneath me restless from the long night ride.
Two of them spotted me before I reached the gate.
“Halt!” one shouted, stepping forward with a spear raised. “Dismount and state your purpose.”
I reined in the horse. “I’m here to speak with Prince Dravic.”
The other guard narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”
“Lady Marcia Xendale.”
He scoffed. “Nice try.”
“I’m not joking.”
“No one gets into this camp without clearance. And no noblewoman rides in alone without an escort, not unless she’s a spy. So either you’re lying, or you’re desperate.”
My jaw tensed. I swung off the horse and stood tall, brushing my
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hair back from my face.
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“Send someone to get Prince Dravic,” I said firmly. “He knows me.”
The first guard glanced at the second, clearly skeptical. “He knows you, huh? Next you’ll say you’re here to fight.”
“I am.”
Before they could mock me further, a voice rang out behind
them.
“She doesn’t need to explain herself.”
Dravic stepped into the light of the torches, cloak billowing behind him, armour strapped over his chest. His gaze met mine—sharp, unreadable—before flicking to the guards.
“Lower your weapons,” he ordered. “This is Lady Marcia Xendale.”
The men obeyed at once, stumbling over apologies. I said nothing, brushing past them.
Dravic led me through the rows of tents without a word. We stopped outside a command tent, and he held the flap open for
- me.
Inside, the space was neat and filled with maps, weapon racks,
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and an oil lamp burning low. The moment we were alone, he turned to me fully.
“You should not be here.”
“I had no choice.”
“You had every choice!” His voice was low but sharp. “You snuck out. You disobeyed orders. If those guards had overreacted,
if anyone had decided to treat you like a threat, you could’ve been–”
“I’m not here for your lecture,” I snapped. “I’m here because no one else will listen.”
He went still. “What happened?”
I took a deep breath, before telling him everything. From Wizard Maxin’s letter, to my own deductions, and what I’d decided to do with them.
Dravic stared at me, incredulous. “How could you act so impulsively, Marcia?” he almost growled, stepping closer to me. His green eyes bore into mine as he took my arms. “You have any idea what could have happened? If the King had decided to recall your title? How could you lie to him?”
“I lied to deliver the truth. I did what I had to.”
“He is furious, Mar. He thinks you’re obsessed with revenge.”
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“Then let him. I don’t care what he thinks anymore.”
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Dravic exhaled, long and tight, and turned away from me for a moment. His hands curled into fists, then relaxed. “Why did you come here?”
“Because if we wait any longer, Prim will fall.”
I walked over to the map spread across the table and tapped my fingers on the Rum border.
“Eunice’s crimes didn’t go unnoticed. Rum didn’t retaliate with war—they sent the Shadow Forces. The massacre at my estate
wasn’t a random ambush. It was a calculated strike meant to send a message.”
“And now?” Dravic asked.
“Now Prim is at war with the Western front. If Rum and West join hands, our army will be crushed. You’re vulnerable out here, Dravic. You need to prepare.”
He looked at me, and this time, there was no anger in his eyes. Only concern.
“You believe they’re working together?”
“I know they are. I don’t have a formal report, or royal clearance, or a mage’s seal. But I know how they operate. I grew
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up listening to strategy at my father’s table. I watched my brothers map counterattacks. I know what I’m talking about.”
Silence.
“You should’ve told me all this before you ran off into the night,” he said finally. “You should’ve trusted me to help.”
“I did,” I said softly. “And I still do.”
His expression tightened. “You can’t stay here, Marcia. This is a war zone. We have no facilities to house nobility–”
“I’m not nobility anymore.”
He fell silent.
I continued, steadier now. “I’m not here to watch. I’m not here to observe or report back. I’m here to fight. To earn my merit. To stop another massacre before it happens.”
He crossed his arms, jaw tense. “You expect me to put you on the front lines?”
“I expect you to let me serve. Where and how is your decision.”
He stared at me for a long moment. The storm outside picked up, wind battering the canvas walls of the tent.
Finally, he spoke.
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Chapter 14 – Army
“You’re reckless.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
“And you’re emotional.”
“Also true.”
“But you’re not wrong.” He sighed. “You’re not wrong about Rum. Or West. And the way the kingdom’s ignoring it…” he trailed off, eyes flashing black for a moment.
“So you’ll let me stay?” I asked.
Dravic hesitated. Then he gave a small, reluctant nod.
“You’ll start in the lowest ranks. If you prove yourself, I’ll consider giving you more.”
“Thank you.”
“This doesn’t mean I trust you to follow orders.”
“And I don’t expect special treatment.”
He gave a faint, almost amused smile. “You never do.”
I returned it, just barely.
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the first time in months, I felt like I was finally in the right place.
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