There was no order here. The rules were corrupt, the enforcers more so. Justice, loyalty, and honor... All virtues so long forgotten that the words themselves were nothing but a mockery.

Once, Keinan would have repeated them with all conviction. He would have put his heart and soul into the creed, pledged his life over and over in service to the King as he had for so many years. But things change. He'd watched the King's Army fall to the greed in its ranks, power hungry men tearing down what had once been pure and honorable.

There was no salvaging it now. It was too far gone, and the time had come for a change.

Keinan jumped sharply at Alec's hand resting on his shoulder. "Don't do that," the former captain snapped, as Alec jerked his hand back.

"Sorry, you looked a little lost," the redhead stated with a slightly awkward laugh. "I'm fine," Keinan responded, sitting up a bit straighter and folding the map he'd been studying for the past several hours. "Where's Ryn?"

"Should be in his tent."

Keinan responded with nothing but a nod, standing and tugging at his sleeve unconsciously to hide the faded mark on his forearm that showed his former rank. The tattoo was one of the few things he really hated about his appearance, but there was nothing to be done about it now. It hadn't exactly been optional at the time. Gathering the papers from his makeshift desk, he moved past Alec and out of the shared tent, striding briskly across the bustling camp to enter the leader's tent.

Ryn looked up, sighing softly as he stood. "Keinan, yes, I was wanting to talk to you," he said. "There's been a new development in the city. Scouts have noticed increased guard activity, more arrests. If something is not done soon, we may have to retreat to cut our losses. As you know, there are too many of us in there for a full retreat. I need you to go in and try to figure out what's going on. Talric is already there, but he doesn't have your insight."

Keinan hesitated, still holding the maps and plans. "Are you sure, General?" It was not his plan to go into the city today. He had spent hours drawing up plans for a potential strategy to help a nearby village that had suffered during its occupation by the army. But there was a more pressing matter at hand, he supposed.

"I am sure. I need you in the city at nightfall. Talric will meet you and show you where you'll be staying."

Keinan gave a silent nod, leaving the papers on the former general's desk before turning to leave.

He arrived at the specified meeting place by dusk, and as promised the spy was there to meet him. He was taken to the home of a couple who had financially supported the rebellion for many years, and offered a back room to stay in for the duration of his visit. By morning, he had begun his assigned reconnaissance, watching the movement of the guards, making note of who they followed, and noting relative positions of guard posts on a half-scribbled map of the city so he didn't forget later.

It was time for things to change, and the rebellion was going to make that happen.