e listeo the versation outside.

  "The sooner we clear the road, the better. My Lord is not fond of deys.”

  "Our Lady is also not the most patient one, so I hope we get this sorted out quickly," her guard replied, ao pass the message to the rest, "My Lady, the road is blocked, the roup’s an is asking us for assistance."

  e leaned out of the carriage's window, surprised to see a pile of rocks and dirt blog the road. The rge group of meraries proteg the cargo wagons looked like a small army, and the number of horses meant the carriages were packed full.

  The guards of the other voy were also eyeing her carriages. The rge number of knights, the expensive armor, and the fine horses, were all signs of wealth and power.

  They looked at the raven, the symbol of Rochefort, and their eyes widened.

  · · ─────── · ???· ─────── · ·

  Maya rubbed her sleepy eyes, following closely behind her Lady, earing her hooded cape and her usual frown.

  e stepped out of the carriage, the raveo the ree, and perched on a branch, "Scout the area first, Graham. The rest, secure the perimeter before starting to clear the road," she ordered.

  "Yes, my Lady," Graham replied a, a couple of guards following him.

  e was still trying to identify the roup when their leader appeared in her view and her eyes met with a familiar set.

  The suit and tie was gohe fancy shoes were repced by high boots, and the white shirt was traded for a med, leather, and armored vest. The uniform was more suitable for a battlefield, and the body it was hugging was definitely a fighter's.

  e didn't hide the disdain on her face when she saw Lu, and it made him narrow his eyes. The st time she looked at him with supt was when she almost killed him with her own hands, and she looked ready to do the same now.

  She was a sight to behold, wearing a skirt that reached her knees, high boots, a loose long shirt, and a fitted vest. She was armed, too. She wore a belt that carried two hand ons and a dagger.

  "What did I do to deserve such a cold wele, Lady Rochefort?" he asked, not impressed by her aura.

  "Lord Arclight," e greeted him, "Maybe the fact that you are standing in front of me is what offends me? But maybe I am not being clear enough," she smiled, and it wasn't a warm or kind one, "My safety is being promised due to your presence, and I'm sure you uand why I would feel this way."

  She silently asked about the meaning behind the gift he gave her.

  "My, my, how cruel and unjust," Lu mocked, his smile also not reag his eyes, "I'm not a criminal. If anything, I should be the one ed about my safety, shouldn't I? Especially with how many men you have, Lady Rochefort. I'm not sure what you are pnning, but I'm certain I 't handle all of them, I?"

  "It's good you know your limits, Lord Arclight," e responded, and Lu's mouth twitched at the provocation, "Now, let's clear the road a out of each other's way, shall we?"

  "By all means," Lu stepped aside, "After you."

  "..." e didn't move.

  Lu gestured for his group to stop w, "Save your energy aurn to your posts," he said, "We will leave this task to the dy's capable hands. I'm sure she will not be able to live with herself if she were to be seen as inferior in any way, pared to us. That includes the strength and physical prowess of our men, too."

  The rge voy came to a halt, "But, my Lord, weren't you in a rush?"

  "Not anymore. It's better to be deyed than dead. I would hate for the dy Rochefort to sh out and start a fight just because we are not clearing the road fast enough. She is already upset about my mere existence, who knows what else would set her off?”

  All eyes turowards the dy iion.

  e held back from jumping on Lu and strangling him to death. Years of practice with the Prince paid off, and she was able to remain calm and collected despite her seething rage, "I would love to prove y, Lord Arclight. I am very patient and not the least bit hot-headed. My men testify. Isn't that right?"

  "YES, M'LADY," they said in unison.

  e smiled at Lu, "See? All lies."

  "..." Lu's eye twitched, his business expression breaking, "I see. Then please, show me how patient and level-headed you are, Lady Rochefort."

  "..." e's smile was getting tighter and tenser by the sed, and she was this close to kig him and his entire voy down the slope, "Graham, tell the men to start moving the rocks, but be careful," she said and walked back to her carriage.

  The raven flew doerched on her shoulder, rubbing its beak against her cheek as if feeling her distress, making her expression soften.

  Lu motioned for his voy to start moving forward, and the men began to remove the rocks, piling them to the side. She didn't bother tinuing a petty squabble, and he wasn't the type to make a se, so they both settled on ign each other, pretending the other did.

  Things were easier said than dohough.

  The sun was high, making it even more difficult to stay inside a stale carriage.

  e set a portable desk outside, and was going over her dots uhe shade of a tree.

  Lu, who was not used to being idle, was looking through his maps and notes on the Marindale Coast and the areas around it.

  The ck of order in the region was his main .

  He gnced up at e's group. They were more ahan his just by looking at them. His group was posed of former soldiers, knights, ex-victs, and bandits. It was a diverse group, but it was a chaotie, too. Their loyalty was questionable, and their only on ground was a on goal: a desire for riches ah.

  Lu used to copy Rochefort's guard's training routine in the past. Later on, he began to believe it was just a farce. With no real life experience, without being in a real battlefield, they weren't a real army, and no matter how much they traihey wouldn't be a real fighting force.

  A...

  The way they were spread out and positioned, was also more tactical and effit. It wasn't just an act to intimidate or seem strohey were ready to obliterate his group at a moment's notice.

  It was subtle, but he was used to pig up details and reading people.

  They've killed.

  A lot.

  He couldn't smell blood on their ons, or in their clothes, ahe aura that surrouhem was simir to his most seasoned and experienced fighters.

  It no longer looked like they were here to escort and protect their dy to the safety of her home. It was more like a hunting party.

  He stole a glimpse at the young dy, looking harmless, a, so deadly. This was the same girl who would hug him to sleep, who would g to him and beg him to never leave her side, o abandon her, and to always love her.

  "..." Lu looked back at the map, thinking of burning down the whole coast and building everything from scratch.

  Yes.

  That sounded like a pn.

  Simple. Effective. And a lot cheaper.

  He took out a paper, and started writing.

  The King needed someoo do the dirty work and shoulder the bme for being a ruthless tyrant, or why else could he not take trol of his owory?

  Rainy days were not rare in these parts, so the simple and effective pn Lu had e up with was thrown down the drain as quickly as he came up with it.

  "You're wasting sunlight," her voice echoed, making him pause.

  "Excuse me?" he asked, not looking up. She seemed to be taking a break, and it wouldn't be her if she didn't use the opportunity to taunt him.

  "I said, you're wasting the sunlight," e repeated.

  Lu raised his head, giving her a bnk stare, "..."

  She poi the map, "Sunlight," she repeated, then at the sky, "Sun."

  "..." Lu's gaze became colder, "Do I look like a fool to you, Lady Rochefort?"

  Her mood seemed better now that she had his attention, and she didn't care that he didn't look happy, "What I meant was," she gestured at the sun again, "Best thing to d these hours is to go out and explore. Look at me," she twirled around, making her skirt dah her, "I'm ready and dressed for a nice walk."

  "...You wao follow you into the woods like a lost puppy, is that it?" Lu asked.

  She bli him, pletely fetting how she treated him in the m, "Is there a problem?"

  "..."

  "You bring a guard if you are afraid," she said, her to mog, but rather reassuring.

  Lu put his papers down and stood up, "I guess the least I do is humor you, since my presence has been a bother."

  "Good, you be taught!" she grinned.

  "..." Lu felt an urge to pinch her, and he looked down to avoid the temptation.