Her lips curved into a faint smile. "Alright. I'll follow you."
Satisfied with her answer, Lumberling stood tall, scanning the field one last time. Liraeth, regaining her composure, straightened and called her remaining soldiers.
"Clean the ground," she ordered. "Gather the bodies and burn them."
The men moved quickly, grim-faced but obedient, piling corpses and setting them alight. Flames licked the air, carrying smoke and ash toward the fading horizon.
Once the work was done, the two of them mounted up and turned away from the carnage, leaving only fire and silence behind as they continued their journey.
…...
A month later, the banners of Liraeth's territory finally came into view. The weary company passed through the familiar stone gates, where waiting to receive them were two figures who had stood as pillars of her household for decades.
