She had just barely begun to relax in just the smallest amount when Attikos appeared. Her first reaction to another man was to sink back, something she did immediately, shifting a little closer to the corner but not leaving her cot. Zephyra knew the Lieutenant was not one of the ones who had even shown an interest in her, but she held everyone in at least slight suspicion. And yes, it bothered her that she was failing to hold the same calmness she used. How she wished she could continue playing the game, but back then, it had paled when every moment was practically life or death. It was no longer that. She was under Solomon’s protection which meant she knew her life was not on the line. No, now she could not hide behind the instinct for survival. Now it was all painfully disgusting to her and she was made so much more aware of how much she did not want to be touched.

The man’s words brought her some relief, the offer of him bringing the food meaning that Solomon would be staying the rest of the night, not leaving an opportunity for someone to come for her, however slim the possibility that may be. But it was turned down, her gaze falling to the ground to stare at it as she took a quiet breath, pushing a few loose strands of hair from her face. She was prepared to retreat to her corner again, waiting for the sound of the flap being closed and the prince’s footsteps to fade away.

The last thing she expected was for him to come over and squat in front of her. Her head lifted slowly at his presence, finding his gaze as he spoke. Zeph was confused. Confused by the fact that he had come down to her level and confused that he was coming to her at all. Though it was clear enough when he asked what was going on, the woman immediately shying away slightly at the question. Because he was right. She always did use to know well enough to act fine. She just couldn’t anymore. If she could, she would.

Hazel eyes fell to the ground in an effort to escape his gaze and his inquiries. “I am neither sick nor injured,” she finally spoke for the first time in days, quiet as usual but lacking. “I am not worried about my feet either as I have made a trip like this before. These boots will serve me well, I thank you greatly for them.” She fell silent, having answered the pertinent questions to her health, but she could still feel his gaze on her, wanting the answer to why she was acting differently. Fingers ran over the skirt she wore, grateful for the covering fabric... the fabric that wasn’t enough to help her evade the needy touches of the soldiers. The touches that made her want to withdraw and had brought her to silence because there was not fight instinct left. Just flight.

She released another soft breath, having a feeling he did not intend to leave until she told him, and there really was no way to fabricate a story. Nor was there a point. But she also knew how Solomon felt about what she had done for survival and she was ashamed of the attention she now suffered for her beauty and the mere fact that was a woman. Turning her head away, Zephyra sighed, finally finding her voice again. “The soldiers remember the way it used to be... they found comfort in me during the marches, to have a hand in places they should not go.” She hated saying it, hated admitting it, her eyes closing.

“When I was brought to the palace, they were allowed to keep me close and hold me. They knew... they knew the nights that your colonel had me... no one could have me, sometimes for a day or so. They got what they could when they could. That is how they remember it and how they do it again.” She had begun to fidget with her skirt, hoping she painted enough of a picture and been straightforward enough to answer his question. Her arms had moved to wrap around her waist, still keeping her gaze and face away from the prince. Fingers played over her arm as she did not want to even see the possible look of disgust that showed on his face. It was not that at the end of the day she valued his opinion of her in particular, but simply the fact that if he found her too much of a bother, things could get worse.

“I am sorry... I did not wish to burden you with the information. You are busy and have more important things to worry about.”

To say the man was disappointed was an understatement. Her words brought back the sick feeling in his stomach and he frowned. How could he have looked this over? He felt ignorant. He should have known his men wouldn’t leave her alone while they marched. Honestly, Solomon should have just asked her what she wanted in the first place instead of making assumptions. He had tried to make it tolerable, but yet another flawed mindset left her to the wandering hands of his soldiers and not truly away from the unwanted advances he had wanted her to be free of.

Solomon ran a hand over his face, head hung for a moment as he thought. He should’ve known. It was so painfully obvious, so why had he missed it? He knew it would be easy for him to stop and he would do so for her as soon as he could, but it didn’t fix the neglect on his end. The fact he’d taken her from the castle to get her away from ravenous men only to thrust her back into a similar situation left him feeling guilty. Guilty and feeling like he would never be able to do enough. But all he needed her to do was make it until the journey ended, then she wouldn’t have to rely on the monstrous general to protect her. She could be a real human again and have her decency back.

The man shook his head, not breaking the silence just yet as he was still thinking. What could he even say to that? More apologies that did nothing to help the situation that plagued her waking life? None of that did anything, so really, all Solomon was left with was working with fixing it. It wasn’t enough. Nothing he did would be enough, but all he could do was offer what he could and hope it would make her situation just a little bit better. He was the man that put her in that mess so the least he could do was make this time as bearable as possible until she was free once more.

“Do not apologize, this is not your fault. This oversight and neglect is on my shoulders. I should be the one apologizing.” Solomon pinched the bridge of his nose, a sign of his displeasure surrounding it all, “My view is a limited one, as I cannot think how you think nor can I put myself in your shoes. I am not good with people and I don’t tend to care, but it makes me unable to do much to help you. And so, things such as this get overlooked because I don’t take it into consideration. ” He explained, eyes averting hers due to the rather unfortunate responsibility he felt for it all.

“Consider it handled, my men will learn to keep their hands to themselves. I’ll have you placed at the front of the battalion.” Solomon told her the new plan, one of which should have the mens habits broken within an hour or so tomorrow. At the most, a day. But it wouldn’t take a day to get the message across, not when you had a general as terrifying as the prince, “Maybe one or two rows behind me. I’ll supervise the best I can, but I doubt it will take long for the message to get across. Men are more likely to listen when their commander is threatening their manhood.”

Solomon rose, arms crossing over his chest. His men would get the message loud and clear, especially when someone like Solomon was delivering it. “From now on, I need you to tell me when things go wrong, when there’s these uninvited touches or unwanted treatment. You may be a prisoner, but you’re not a plaything. You’re not an object to be used by my men. This journey was going to be hard, but it isn’t supposed to be misery, Zephyra. I took you with me to get away from that, not for it to follow you. I’ll end this tomorrow, but I won’t know about repeat behavior if you don’t tell me.” Solomon wanted to help. He wanted to try and make things just a little better, even if it was just a little.

Solomon continued to surprise her, taking the blame for his men’s actions and off of her. Zephyra dared a small glance up before it fell away again, taking a small breath of her own. Had she really expected him to be angry for the circumstances she could not control? No, she had expected him to simply be angry about the inconvenience of it, and she still felt that possibility, knowing the whole thing would be considered distasteful to him. But he was taking it with grace, leaving her the freedom to breathe and hope that she may be saved from any more similar experiences for the rest of the way. There would be hope, but there would also be a wariness about it all as well, simply because she had spent so long at the will of Concorban men.

Hearing his solution caused her head to lift again, hazel eyes looking over the dark prince as she realized what his solution suggested. It meant that she was directly in the prince’s view line and if anything went wrong, it would be hard for him to miss. Though she doubted there would be any soldier daring to go against their general when they were so close to him, especially with the threat he was giving.

What she still did not understand though, was why. Why was he doing it? Her gaze fell to the ground again as she pushed her ponytail over her shoulder. Zephyra had been there when he admitted it was all wrong and told her that he realized the evils his home and father had done. But she was still unused to the kindness he was showing her and determination to keep her comfortable, seemingly going out of his comfort zone for it. She had yet to truly understand what he was doing, his plans not even a possibility in her mind, but Zephyra decided to accept it and take advantage of the instruction to tell him if she was plagued with more unwanted advances.

“Thank you... If any of it happens again, I’ll be sure to tell you.” She was hard-pressed not to apologize again, the apology at the tip of her tongue before she swallowed it. Not because she didn’t feel it, but she had a feeling he would turn it down anyway. Her eyes closed as she bent her head, arms wrapped around her waist once more. “Again, thank you.” She may not be apologizing for having mentioned it, but she was grateful and at least expressed that.

Her silence fell once more, the woman not sure what else she could say. She was still exhausted and reeling from her inability to keep up her old charades. Her charades were what had kept her afloat the longest and without them, she was struggling to find some semblance of herself again. How ironic it was that she found herself best in these situations when she was pretending. But she clung to the determination that she would be fine, the hope revived with the promise that the events of her being touched would cease.

It wasn’t much that he was really doing and yet it was everything to her. Though, at the moment, sounds of footsteps passing by or voices made her highly alert, and that was probably something that would happen for a long time coming. But at least, as the days would pass, she would start to grasp for pieces of herself and would begin to talk with the prince again, though the conversations stayed light and brief. But they were normal for the two of them, a promise for her that she could continue on, giving her the strength to pull the charade together again.

One Month Later…

Tonight, Solomon was committing far more than mere treason.

After a month of planning in secret, the man had created a plan that would have him wanted dead for the rest of his life. He hadn’t told a soul, not even Zephyra, who had been left in the tent unaware while he carried out what was only the beginning of his elaborate plot. It was the middle of the night, when the sky was it’s darkest. It was the night of the new moon, meaning the sky as darker than usual. The weather was perfect as was the environment. It was time for the man to act. He was nervous, his heart was pounding and his blood roared in his ears, but this had to be done.

Solomon had scheduled a hole amongst the guard to give them time to escape unseen. That, and his men had hosted a celebration upon their arrival, something the general had allowed(and covertly encouraged), so many had drunk more ale than sailors and were already passed out. Those that were still awake were still rather inebriated, which would ease their escape further. Solomon had managed to drink only water, slipping it into his tankard without their knowledge. He’d managed to slip away under the guise that he had more work to do. Only, his work wasn’t anything military related.

No, the most atrocious part of the general’s plan was the fact he had decided to poison the water supply of the horses and, which was more sinister, his mens. When morning came and the hangovers hit, they would all beeline for the water. He doubted they would die from it, but the sickness would be stifling and it would slow down any pursuers. Solomon hoped it would distract them from their disappearance long enough for Zephyra to cross the borders at the very least.

So, as Solomon poured the last of the doses into the water supply, he saddled his stallion. Tonight would be the last night he ever had the massive creature. “Ambrose.” He murmured its name softly, his giant hands stroking the beast with a surprising gentleness. He patted his neck and led him out, pausing only to notify Juneau, who was one of the only ones sober, of his departure. “I’m going on a ride lieutenant, I want to look around the area.” Solomon explained, keeping his usual gruff deadpan despite the anxiety that clawed at his mind and soul.

Juneau cocked a brow, “But General, pardon me, haven’t you had too much to drink?”

Solomon’s eyes narrowed infinitesimally, “I am fine.” He replied and the other man didn’t press further, only allowing the other man to walk away with his horse, though he only brought the creature around the back of his tent. In those moments, his actions went unseen, because he had arranged the guard in that manner. It was all beginning to fall into place and their time to flee was short. They had fifteen minutes to get out of camp before his hole “patched” So now all that was left was for Solomon to fetch Zephyra. It was the most crucial part of the plan he had created. All that was left was to escape.

Taking a deep breath, he slipped into the tent which he had placed at the camp’s outskirts, where Zephyra awaited him. A single candle burned where he had left it, and it would be their only light. “Zephyra, get up, it’s Solomon and I need you to listen.” His voice was quiet yet commanding as he dug through the bottom of his chest, securing the bags he had prepped for the two of them. Extra clothes, excess money, the detailed map, and a dagger were all stored in the bag. The saddle-bags held additional supplies, all prepared for the journey he’d set her up for. It was all complete with the horse that should get her beyond the borders by morning.

Tonight, Zephyra laid curled up on her cot, front to the tent flaps with a blanket draped over her. Her sleep was light, but sleep nonetheless, somehow managing to have worked through the noise of the celebration. It had been a month since she had dealt with any physical touch, the longest it had ever been for her, and she relished it, needed it. But that did not take away the caution she held around the men or the way she made sure to keep space between herself and the soldiers at times when she had to be around them. So even during the celebration, she was somewhat on the defensive, but at least gaining rest.

There was some relief that they were stopping, though she had gained the necessary strength from the constant travel. However, with it, came the sad awareness that she was going to have to be witness to the fall of another place. Zeph knew she was lucky despite the unfortunate things she would have to bear witness to. Lucky because at least she was safe. Safe, with her courage and self coming back to her a little bit each day, which merely manifested itself in small conversations with Sol and looking just a tiny bit more alive.

The rustling of the tent brought hazel eyes to blink open slowly, catching the shadow of the only man who could possibly be Solomon. The light flickered through the tent as she went to close her eyes again and hopefully find a deeper sleep now that she felt safer with the prince back. However, it seemed the prince had a different idea, the woman slowly sitting up at his bidding to listed, chestnut hair spilling over her shoulders and in her face. A ginger hand reached up to push it out of her face as she focused on the man grabbing things as though he planned on going somewhere.

She was confused, even more so as his voice shifted to urgency and he stated they were leaving. The whole camp? She reached to grab the cloak and back, trying to process it all when his words came again and it hit her. They were leaving. She and Solomon. “We’re leaving?” Her voice was low to match the whispers he spoke in, but the disbelief was there. She had tried escaping once... what felt like years ago but was less than a year... and it had not gone well. More so, than that, came the surprise that it seemed Solomon was planning on leaving too. Leaving, leaving.

Suddenly, the woman snapped into the situation, realizing that when he meant now, he meant now. Zephyra was more than aware of how just a few minutes could be the undoing of any plan, and with that, she was quick to pull the cloak on and throw the bag over her shoulder. Sliding her boots on, she was on her feet and snatching up a tie for her hair, the mess somewhat tangled and in her face, but there was simply no time to try and deal with it. She shoved it into a ponytail and moved to be beside Solomon, full awareness on her side now.

Though she still had questions. So many. She did not hesitate to follow him, but her voice lowered to barely hearable as she looked at him. “Why?” The woman wanted to know and understand, because part of her always would hold that caution more so than before. “What are you doing?” She assumed they were sticking together, that he was forever keeping her as his prisoner. But she was not so naïve as to think this was all for her, never able to forget his realization back in the palace. But there was hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, she could go home and put this nightmare behind her.

Her mind was kicked into gear, the wheels turning faster and more fluidly than they had in a while. The last time they were fully functional had been her own attempt at an escape. After that, she had closed off most of that part of herself, or rather, it had been forcefully shut down for her. That day, and the days that followed in her punishment, would be ones that could never be truly healed from, but she was not so afraid of thinking for herself again. It was the Tambrolin mind that was now at its capacity, and it was about to serve her well.

Because she had hope again.

Solomon was quick to make sure everything was in its place and that his bag was completely packed. If he forgot something, there was no coming back to retrieve it. Would he regret this decision in a few days? Perhaps… but that didn’t matter now. He had already gone too far in his plan. The horses would fall ill and possibly begin to die then his men would do the same. There was no going back. Besides, as much as this was about him, it was also about the woman he had wronged and now that he had told her they were leaving he wasn’t going to go back on his word.

All that was left to run. He took a few moments to wrap bandages around the grip of his swords, concealing the embossed handles that had become one of his many calling cards. It was then her slung his bag over his back as well as a couple of other things, which he would attach to Ambrose in a few minutes. He gave one last look over the tent he had long called home and he could not deny the ache, but Solomon knew this was for the best. He could no longer be satisfied with his life with the knowledge that had spoiled his mind and weighed on his shoulders.

He whirled around to face Zephyra, about to lead them out, when her questions were spoken, the man pausing to look down at her for a moment. “Why? You don’t want to be here, do you?” Solomon questioned, raising a brow, though he wouldn’t have left her there even if she hadn’t wanted to come. “And what I’m doing is escaping, which I assumed to be obvious.” He knew it was only right for her to be curious, anyone would, but he just needed her to trust him. Granted, he knew that was an impossible task for her, but he needed her to do so regardless. Just a little bit longer… just a little longer and she could go home.

“I’m escaping and I’m taking you with me. They may say not a soul leaves Concorba, whether it be in life or death, but they don’t know this land like me.” Solomon explained, finally peeking his head out the tent flaps before he gestured for her to follow. “Hood on, now.” He instructed her, not wanting anyone to even catch a glimpse of her. “I’ve been planning since before we departed. A general may one day take the Isles, but it won’t be me.” He kept his plan to fight for the Isles quiet for the moment. It was a risky and stupid plan, but it was the only plan that remained in the ruins of his life.

When they approached his horse the man stowed the things he had carried, tying everything down to the broad stallion that had waited behind the tent. The stallion that would soon belong to her. The steed would easily carry her to Bercasitt and if she decided to sell him, well, Ambrose would fetch a pretty penny. It was a small price to pay for it all. Everything but his one bag would be hers and he was confident there was enough there for the woman. If not, there was definitely enough money for her to buy anything extra that she deemed necessary on her trip.

Once everything was settled, he took a glance at the camp, making sure that no one had seen them. Luckily, they appeared to go unnoticed for now. Solomon heaved himself into the saddle and extended a hand for her to join him. “Come, we need to leave now. The guards will shift soon and we must be away before that happens.” The man put an explanation to his haste, as he didn’t want to be spotted by the guards. His men didn’t need to know the direction he rode off in. He tilted his head, “You have a kingdom and family that is waiting for you, Zephyra.”

His quick movement to whirl around caused her to take a step back, hazel eyes trying to find his amber ones in the dark. They were escaping… Yes, it looked obvious but she had since come to the realization that looks could be deceiving. And this all just seemed too good to be true. Could she risk not taking this offer though, however uncertain she felt about it? Equally, could she risk taking the offer that seemed so sudden and out of the blue, possibly leading to horrors she didn’t even want to imagine?

He said he had been planning this since they left, and she wanted to believe him. So she did, Zephyra taking the rather large leap of faith in the hope to escape this hell. Her hood was flipped over her head as she made sure her hair was shoved beneath. Her hair… it was always in the way now and she had come to be disgusted in it. But it was small and she quickly shoved the thoughts aside, sticking close to Solomon as he led her towards his horse, which already stood waiting for them.

Glancing around, she heard him mount, eyes finally landing on the hand extended to her. And she hesitated for a moment, letting his words sink in about the change in shift. She knew she could not have them waste the precious seconds but… It was then he said it. She had a kingdom and family waiting for her. Was she going home? Her small hand immediately fit into his while she worked to mount the stallion with his help, sliding in behind the prince. Home… Zephyra wanted to go home more deeply than anything else in the world and if this was a chance, however slim, she would take it.

An arm slipped around his waist to keep her steady, though she still somehow tried to keep a gap between them. Solomon didn’t like to be touched, the woman keeping that in mind though she highly doubted that was something to worry about at this point. During this time, she said nothing for a bit, allowing Solomon to ride and think in silence. Whatever was going on, it seemed to be well planned out, and she needed time to still process it all herself. So much had happened in just a few minutes, everything changing in a moment.

“Why are you doing this Solomon?” she finally asked, voice quiet. This was not like the man she had come to know as best as possible through small conversations. He was loyal to his country and his country alone, so how could she reconcile him choosing morals this time around? Yes, she knew he has just found out about the depth of horrid acts his home committed, but had he not committed his own horrendous acts? Why did this sit different with him and what did it mean for her?

“If you are found out… they will do horrible things. I’m sure you know… so why?” After her first escape, she had never attempted again. But surely Solomon had been part of punishments so surely he knew. “Why are you risking everything?” She gripped him a little tighter when the path got rougher to steady herself. Zephyra knew he owed her no explanation, that he could turn back right now and blame this all on her. And yet she asked because she needed to know. Because if he really set her free and she could never come to terms with what he was doing, she would forever have a paranoia that somehow he was using her for some purpose of his home.

“Are you really bringing me home?”

Solomon spurned the horse into moving without a word, the two flying off into the dark and away from the camp. Tonight, the prince was giving up everything. His titles, his family, and everything else that had ever held familiarity. All of it was being cast aside in pursuit of the man seeking to make a difference, to prevent the destruction he helped create from spreading further. But at the present moment, his focus was trained on getting the woman out of Concorba and back home. Not that he would be taking her there, of course. They would be splitting off soon enough and that would be the end of it.

For a while, they rode in silence, Solomon navigating the best he could in the darkness. Thank heavens for the skills the man had learned in the military, or else they would have been horrendously lost. Fortunately, he had an idea of where they were going. He was going to set them both up for success in a way, though he would still be stuck walking a distance on his own, but he didn’t care. It would give him some time to think as well. Not that he was backing out, but the people of the Eastern Isles were bound to not be happy when the enemy general showed up warning them of an attack from Solomon’s nation.

Her questions reached him, though he did not answer initially, only let her inquiries sit in the air between them. There were many reasons why he was doing this… too many to count. It took a lot to switch the stance of a man like him. Solomon had learned a lot since that night he’d discovered the atrocities, he’d done research on the side, discovering the extent of what his country had done. Everything was preserved in records. He had just needed to find them and he had. All it had taken was that last week at the castle for him to really find out what was going on behind the scenes.

“I gave everything for a lie,” He finally spoke, his mostly absent of anything, “I pledged myself to this empire and went under an oath. I focused on my studies and learned how to wield a sword as soon as I was strong enough to hold its weight. I enlisted when I was sixteen. I haven’t been home for any longer than a year since.” Everything he was laid in the military. One could argue he was nothing without it and Solomon was beginning to believe that himself. He couldn’t even remember the time he’d really done something for leisure. Then again, he never saw the point in recreation.

There was an inaudible sigh that came out as a small, almost depressed exhale. “There isn’t a part of me that isn’t scarred. I was captured, tortured, and when I was saved, I went right back to fighting.” The number of scars that covered his body were innumerable, but the people he had slain were even more so. He was someone who was irredeemable. “I understood long ago that I was not a man who was good, but I was willing to sacrifice my morality and life for my empire. It is better to live without regrets or remorse and for me, as long as the world was reaping the benefits, I was content.”

Another long pause ensued. It spanned across several minutes, maybe even approaching half an hour, but he was contemplating and he was doing so deeply. “But such was not the case. I have spent over twenty years surrounded by a lie. There is nothing left for me here, in the empire or in life. I am leaving because I understand. My brother impulsively freed prisoners and it might have failed, but in those moments, he was able to feel like he did something besides destroy. I would rather die than lead the charge onto the Isles.” Before he had remarked on his brother’s actions with disdain, but now he had the capacity to see why. Luther had been foolish, but right.

“And you… I couldn’t leave you there. Not when none of this was your fault. Brom will ascend to general and there is no telling what he would have done.” It was perhaps one of Solomon’s only regrets about leaving, that he was leaving Brom in charge. Not because he felt bad for his men, but because he knew the man was rogue. Savage was a better way to describe it. “You deserve to go home. You never should have been there in the first place. It doesn’t right wrongs nor is there righteousness done, but it is all there is to offer. I am risking everything to free a wronged prisoner and to fight for justice. Because it is what needs to be done.”

She listened as he painted his story in simple terms for her, bringing to light his motives and mindset in which he had lived all his life. The woman let it swirl around in her mind as they descended back into silence, weighing the words he spoke. The military was his life. His home. Zephyra had heard bits and pieces of it before and had long since known he was trained for the position he now held from a young age. And she had known, deep down through the conversations that they had had, that his actions had come from misguided beliefs. The beliefs that revolved around the concept that he was offering the world a favor. But that because he only saw one side of the story that bled from too many angles.

Conversations they had had before were remembered in that interim of silence. Casual in nature yet deep in subject, back when she had felt as though there was something to keep trying and fighting for. When Solomon had mentioned his brother and she had gently nudged and hinted that perhaps Josef has seen something more. Back when she eluded to the honor that came beyond what the prince was doing. Back when… back when even then, he had shown her kindness and thoughtfulness in ways none of the others had.

And when he continued on, all those things he had done flooded back, her small beacons of hope that she had clung to. They were actions of kindness and ones that pointed to something deeper in him besides the life in which had been raised. Warning signs, if one would, that something could be brewing beneath and just needed the right fuel. And it seemed he had found it as he admitted that there was merit in what his eldest brother had done. Merit in his death, something she had attempted to convince him of many months back. It was all falling into place and she was throwing together the puzzle on the fly, though his picture still left many gaps. But she could at least see the broader image.

“I have a clear enough image of your colonel to have an idea what he may have done, with myself in the least. I lived months under his command…” Months of hell and fear. At this point, she could no longer tell which had been better, her time with the army or with the princes. If it hadn’t been for Solomon, the soldiers would have been the preferred bet simply because damaging her would result in a soldier finding himself at the sharp end of many swords. But in the palace, if she was damaged, she was discarded. She would have been had it not been for Solomon, on many occasions.

“Your brother saw the things you are seeing,” she agreed, finding her voice towards the situation they now rested in. “But you get the chance to fix the mistakes he made.” Zephyra paused there, unsure what else she could say in this situation as they sped into the night. “I do not doubt you can make right the wrongs you’ve made, and perhaps you can find comfort in that.” It was not much, but it was to the point and meant to offer some encouragement, awkward though it seemed to come out.

But the fact remained, she could not trust him still, though she had done so in the palace for preservation. But now she did not have those same pressures and she held a wariness. Not that she didn’t believe what he said, she did. But she held heavy caution now, wanting to see how this worked out and which way the wind blew. Her feelings of sympathy remained, but they were coated with a reality now that came with a taste and promise of freedom. To go home. Finally home. And it was enough of a promise that her mind was already reeling. She was a broken woman, yes, but she had information now that no one else had gotten before. She had seen the military records…. When she got home she could offer that knowledge. She could save Bercasitt in her father’s stead. Or at least attempt to.

“What is the plan from here?” Zephyra finally asked now that she was allowing it to sink in that they were gone for good. Her current understanding had Solomon riding all the way to Bercasitt with her. She really was trying to still make sense of it all, though she had a decent and steady enough view and understanding. It was just the processing that was still in the works, everything a lot to take in on such short notice. But her fight instinct had kicked in and she was finding a mental footing on wading through her confusion.

He listened as she spoke and initially, he did not offer a response. Because Solomon wasn’t going to go back and fix his brother’s mistakes. At worst, he would be slain as soon as the military understood who he was. At best, he would be killed defending the Isles from the military he had built. The way he saw it, there was no escape for him, no life beyond the next few months. His existence had become a temporary thing, though he found a strange peace in that. He could make a difference, sure, but he was now a fugitive and one that was wanted by the entire continent at that. He no longer had any friends, just enemies.

It was odd to Solomon to think that not that long ago, things were so much different. The world had been at his feet and now he was fleeing the only world he’d ever known with a war prisoner in tow. It was never the fate he had anticipated, but soon it would be over. Perhaps his death wouldn’t be a valiant one, but there was no escaping that now. People would probably celebrate in silence and his country would hail him a coward. Karma always seemed to work its way, didn’t it? And the now-former prince and prized general was now finding himself as its next victim.

But before he took the journey that would probably be his last, he had one last thing to do, and that was to free the prisoner that should have never been taken. “Give me a few more minutes.” He requested when she asked about the plan. They just had a little bit longer, then she would be on her own, “It will all become clear then.” He wanted to devote his focus to the last stretch of navigating, just so he could send her off in the correct direction. So much precision hinged on the plan he had created that it was nearly suffocating, but the man felt it would be worth it.

Solomon had made sure that Zephyra’s home was actually safe for her to return to, which he had discovered that it was. Granted, it found itself under Concorban rule, but the worst of what they endured was the drafts, heavy taxes, and military occupation. It may not be the same home she used to know, but it was better than where she had been living and he could live with that. He had drawn her a relatively safe route home and even if he died on the Isles tomorrow, he could die knowing he’d freed at least one. At least one person out of the thousands whose countries he’d stolen.

He pulled the horse to a stop and dismounted, “Stay there.” He instructed, pulling his bag off the horse. Out of it came a larger piece of parchment, a map. “You are going home to Bercasitt, but I am not coming with you, Zephyra. There is no place for me there, or anywhere for that matter. You have a horse,” He nodded towards Ambrose, “who will be able to carry you there, or will fetch you a nice price. I have packed you money, some supplies, and of course, a map.” He finally unrolled the parchment, revealing the incredibly detailed route he laid out for her.

“It’s not a straight route or the fastest, but it’s the safest. I recommend you take it, I’ve marked several towns along the way, but it might do you well to invest in a tent. There’s already a bedroll packed for you. Some better clothes for a variety of weather.” Solomon knew she would figure all this out herself, but he couldn’t help laying it out. Because he was nervous and he would never truly know if she had made it home. All he could do was hope she was smart and it worked out for the best. If not… well there was nothing he would be able to do about it.

Solomon handed her the map and slung his bag over his shoulder. “I’ll be making my journey on foot.” He mentioned it off-handedly and reached out for his horse, running his hands over the velvety coat for one last time. Surprisingly gentle fingers ran over the stallion’s muzzle, “His name is Ambrose. I included a feed-related list, I was unsure what you knew about horses…” He trailed, before he turned and pointed off into the dark, “Head in that direction, you’ll reach a town by dawn, but I wouldn’t stop there. I would continue until the next night at a fair pace.”

He stepped away, tilting his head as he looked up at her, “I’ll be making my journey on foot, so consider this stallion to be under your ownership, but that is all I have for you here.” That was it. It was all coming to an end now, as the two of them were separating permanently, one never to see the other again. “You are free to go Zephyra, there is nothing holding you here any longer. Go home and never look back.”