Author's Note:

Hello, hello! This chapter will be back to one of our favorite characters: Emma! After this one, we'll have another OC chapter featuring a bunch of new characters, so hooray! This is meant to cover a sort of timeskip while our crew sails to Eredar, and we'll pick back up on them in a few chapters. Thanks for reading!

-Tangent

Emma pulled her helmet off, feeling the sweat drip down her brow. He green hair fell limply to her shoulders as she breathed deeply, relishing the cool air. Her company had been out all morning performing drills in the mountains near Thais, clearing out monsters and the like.

"Sergeant Emma!" A man called, and she turned around to look at the man who had shouted. She was still not used to the promotion. If she was being honest, having a title of her own was weird.

"Yes?" She asked, and the soldier saluted. He was few years older than her, and seemed to be a veteran.

"The third squad just reported in. They've finished their duties, ma'am."

"Excellent work. I'll report it to the captain." Emma said, and the man saluted before falling back into the ranks of soldiers. Emma hailed one of the riders nearby, giving them a message to pass to the captain in the front of the march.

"What a day, huh?" George said from beside her. He was similarly sweaty and tired, but they forged on nonetheless. After finishing basic training, their company had been dispatched on several missions to protect the surrounding area near Thais. They had been pretty boring, barring the few monster attacks that had occurred infrequently. For the most part, the creatures fled at the approach of the soldiers, but some were braver than others. Emma had more confirmed kills than anyone else in her squadron at the moment, even Bjorn.

"Yeah." She groaned. "And I've got patrol when we get back."

"That sucks." George said. "Still at least you'll get a break tomorrow before our final exercise."

"Yeah, I-" Emma suddenly whirled, as something moved to her left, behind the rocks. Several wolves burst out from behind a rock, howling as they charged at the group of soldiers. One slammed into George, knocking him down as it bit at him viciously. The animals were much bigger and more vicious, ones that normally didn't come this close to Thais.

"Get off!" George said as he pushed the creature off. It staggered, and Emma's blade went straight through its heart, killing it instantly. She kept moving, her blade flashing and cutting down the two closest wolves as they leapt at her. Behind it, three more wolves were charging forward, and Emma shrugged her shield off her shoulder and into position. As the wolf leapt, she channeled her power into her shield as Uthar had taught her and smashed the wolf squarely in the face with the piece of metal, sending it flying back into the rocks. It lay still, and the last two animals decided that it would be wiser to flee than face the anger of the metal-clad woman. They ran away, but arrows fired from the soldiers brought them down swiftly.

"You okay?" Emma asked George as she pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah, nice one." He said. "Guess we can add four to your score." She smiled slightly before verifying that all nearby soldiers were unhurt and signaling for the march to continue. They kept walking down the column of soldiers as they emerged from the hills into the open plains of Thais. After roughly twenty minutes, they arrived at the gates and were greeted by the guards. Captain Kevin stood in his stirrups as he turned to face them.

"Good work today, men! You have recreational time, except for those who are on watch tonight. Remember, the final test for you potential knights takes place in two days, in the castle basement. Bring full armor, as well as provisions for one day!" He saluted, and the company of men saluted in return before marching through the gate in a loose mob. Emma took the chance to stride up to the walls, where she would be patrolling that night. She laid her helmet on the battlements as she pulled her back into a ponytail with an elastic band.

The test would be challenging, no doubt. In order to become knights of Thais, all those who applied had to undergo three rigorous tests. Emma had already passed the first two, which consisted of an extended combat drill and a written test. However, the last was meant to be the most challenging by far: survival in the wilderness. All of the men were being sent to various places in the wild, and could not come back for three days. Those who were deemed to have passed were granted the rank of Knight.

And I'm already completing assignments for Uthar, one of which is due a report for tonight. She groaned inwardly. These tasks, normally in Thais, involved her honing her skills by tracking down criminals or other people of interest. Most of the time, they wouldn't come quietly. She enjoyed her trips to Candar more, as Uthar had sent her to deliver messages to Ella multiple times as well. The princess was extremely kind to her, and Emma viewed her a close friend.

Her watch began, and she took up position over the gates of Thais as they closed for the night. George was due to relieve her in four hours, and then she would report to Uthar to complete her assignment.

I wonder where they are right now. Even though Emma had made her own life in Thais, she still wondered frequently about her first true friends that she had met months ago. Ean, Iya, and Rye had saved her from that wretched life, a debt that she intended to repay. Uthar had received a letter from Seri, explaining that the sultan had agreed to assist in the war against Shaenlir. He had sent an ambassador immediately, containing various treasures to help persuade him.

"I met him once." Uthar had said. "He was a proud, selfish man. But even he can see reason in an emergency." Emma's thoughts turned from Seri to the group of travelers within. To be frank, she did not know whether or not they had forgotten her. After all, she wasn't much to begin with.

No, I can protect them now. And I will help them fight against the person who took everything from me. Even though I… I… She shivered, remembering the day she had taken a man's life on the battlefield. For months, she had been having nightmares about that day, about being killed, or somebody else being killed during the siege on Thais. Rye had come to visit her in the hospital the day after, but Ean and Iya had not recovered in time before she was whisked off to school.

"Are you okay?" The man had asked, and she had shaken her head, unable to speak. Her hands had trembled, and her throat had closed up. Rye had stood there for a moment, and then reached out and held her hand as she cried into her blankets. When she had awoken, he had gone, leaving behind a bouquet of flowers.

At least I don't have nightmares anymore. This was true, as the nightmares had stopped when she began training with Uthar. Perhaps it was the fact that she now knew that she had been in the right, or maybe she was working too hard to do anything but sleep when she hit the mattress.

"Hey." She whirled, and Bjorn caught her arm as she swung. "Whoa, Willow!"

"Sorry." She muttered. "What's up?" She and Bjorn had developed a cordial relationship, but nothing that approached an actual friendship.

"George asked me to take his watch. Said he was too tired." The man said with a shrug, and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Of course he did. It's all yours." She saluted and moved down the wall, letting the gate captain know of the replacements. Once she did, she moved off through the dimly lit town, heading for the keep, and rest at last. As she passed, several people called out to her from nearby bars or cafes that were open late into the night. The green-haired woman was a bit of a legend in Thais, having been promoted and training under Uthar all while not being even two decades old. She was often seen chasing criminals through the alleys at night, and patrolling during the day.

I'm not on their level, but it's nice to be appreciated. Emma smiled as she nodded to the castle guards. Inside, one of the passing servants escorted her to Uthar's office, on the third floor of the castle. He announced her arrival, and Uthar called for her to enter. She stepped inside, saluting as she closed the door.

"Hello, my lord." She said, and Uthar waved a hand in dismissal of his title.

"Good evening, Emma. Anything to report?"

"Yes, my lord. I tracked down those smugglers who were trying to come into the city through the sewers. As it turned out, they had tunneled into the main sewer network from one of the drainage pipes outside the south wall. I caught them red-handed and took three prisoner. The rest fled, and the guards apprehended two more the next day. The last is still at large, but he's fled the immediate area. The rest are currently in a cell, awaiting their trial." Uthar believed in a court of law, as did his parents and the prior rulers of Thais. He or one of his senior officers served as judge, sentencing criminals to prison for their crimes.

"Excellent work." The prince said, commending her with a smile. "I knew we could count on you." She nodded, and he continued. "I've heard rumors of a very capable sergeant in my army of late. Apparently you're famous."

"So I heard." She muttered, blushing slightly. "I'm not very comfortable with the attention."

"As are most heroes." Uthar countered with a smile. Their constant training had created a easy friendship where they teased each other on a daily basis. "But, that's not the reason I called you here." He pulled a piece of paper from his desk and pushed it across the desk to her. Emma opened it, brow furrowed as she read the contents of the letter.

Uthar,

Your emissary arrived not two days ago, and he and the sultan struck an agreement, which he will communicate with you separately. I'm not sure if you've implemented my idea of using the Magic Express for messages, but hopefully this reaches you soon.

Ava's ship has been fully repaired, and we are sailing for Eredar within the day. I do not know how long it will take to find what we need, but we may be gone for months or more. I'm leaving the rebellion in your capable hands.

Be safe.

-Ean

Emma looked up at Uthar.

"This arrived an hour or two ago, so they've probably set sail already." He said with a smile. "But this is something we need to talk about. Your knighting test is in two days, and once you've finished, I think you'll be ready."

"Ready for what?" Emma asked curiously.

"Once Ean and the others return, I'm sending you to accompany them wherever they go. They will need a capable sword at their side, and you are better than anybody, barring me." Emma looked at him, stunned. A smile slowly spread across her face.

"I would be glad to do that, Uthar."

"I know you would be." He said. "Until then, I'll try to teach you as much as I can. Sound good?"

"Of course." Emma said. "Now, if there is nothing else…"

"There is not. I apologize for holding you from sleep, Sergeant." Uthar said, and he saluted once more as she opened the door and departed. Thankfully, her quarters were not very far away, and she collapsed onto her bed a few minutes later. A slow smile spread over her face as she fell asleep, sleeping well for the first time in weeks.

The next day came and went, and soon Emma found herself strapping on her armor and supplies, preparing for the test that was due to take place in an hour. When she had finished, she met George in the hall. He was fully armored, and looked grim at the prospect of taking on this final exam.

"We've got this." Emma said to him, and he nodded. They proceeded down the hallway towards the training room, where they were due to meet in five minutes. When they arrived, there was a line of recruits standing at ease near the door, and the two potential knights joined the queue. The air was filled with anticipation at the upcoming test, and Emma felt her stomach coil and churn with nervousness.

Am I ready for this? She knew that her sword skills were excellent, but the prospect of facing such a brutal test alone was beginning to get to her. She was broken from her reverie by a shout.

"Sergeant Emma!" A page shouted as he skidded to a stop.

"Here!" She said, stepping forward. "What is it?"

"Prince Uthar requests your presence immediately, ma'am. It is urgent." Emma looked around towards the door, through which the students had just begun entering.

"Go, Emma. I'll explain it to the captain." George said, clapping her on the shoulder.

"Good luck." She said, and ran off through the castle corridors. Five minutes later, she burst into Uthar's office to see him scribbling on a piece of paper. "Sir, what is it?" Uthar looked up at her, desperation in his eyes.

"Princess Ella has been taken." The words sent a wave of cold throughout her body, and she took a step forward. Ella was one of the faces of the rebellion. If she had been taken…

"How? Why?"

"She was outside the city, scouting an area for new buildings, when orcs and monsters from the Brightwood Forest attacked her escort and took her away. The two survivors escaped to inform me, as they knew they could not do anything against the horde themselves."

"Do you know where she is?" Emma asked, feeling a wave of anger settle over her, calming her and sharpening her senses.

"Somewhere in the forest, but I'm not sure where." Uthar looked at her. "I need you to rescue her. You are the best we have at the moment, so I'm sending you. As soon as I can, I'll bring a squad of knights and we'll finish them off for good. Candar will send men as well, no doubt."

"I'll set off at once, sir." Emma said, saluting. "I'll bring her back, I promise."

"Be careful. It is clear that these creatures have orders from somebody, and I only know of one person who would want the Princess of Candar." Emma knew he meant the Snow Queen. Turning on her heel, she ran from the office and towards the throne room. Bursting out into the city, she retrieved her horse from the stables, slung her bags across the saddle, and galloped off through the city, hurtling past citizens and soldiers alike, who leapt from her path.

Once outside the wall, her horse put on a burst of speed, as though it understood how important time was at the moment.

Brightwood Forest is at least an hour away, plus any additional time to infiltrate and locate Ella. I hope she's alright, I couldn't bear it if she were to die. Emma's brow furrowed, and she felt her sword bouncing on her hip. I will not let the Snow Queen take her.

Some time later, Emma slowed to a stop outside the fringes of Brightwood Forest. As much as she wanted to run in, she knew such an action would be foolish, so she slowed to a trot as she moved through the forest. It was quiet, much too quiet. Even the birds had stopped singing, and the air felt unnatural.

Didn't Ean and the others clear out the forest a while ago? I thought things were supposed to have settled down…

It wasn't long before she came across her first clue: a part of the road covered in footprints and other marks. From her lessons, she knew she could estimate the number of enemies to be around seventy to eighty. Her heart sank.

"Hope I'm not too late." She whispered, and moved off through the trees. She had left her horse tethered nearby, knowing that the trees would make movement too hard for such a large animal. The monster tracks led almost directly to the northeast, towards the deepest part of the forest.

Smart. It takes them away from Grimm's Farm, so there's less people to see where they went. As she passed between some rocks, she suddenly felt eyes on the back of her head and whirled around. Nothing, but what had Uthar told her about the forest? The creatures here were different, and some could even cloak themselves…

The realization hit, and she rolled to one side as a fireball roared past, crashing into the rocks and extinguishing herself. As she got to her feet, her blade hissed from its sheath in a blur of steel. Emma ducked behind a tree, mind racing. It had gotten behind her, which meant that it was a scout of some sort? Regardless, she had to take it out quickly.

My shield can block a fireball, so I should be safe. She ran out from the tree, shield raised as another fireball roared towards her. Just before it struck, she swung, deflecting the ball of energy back towards her foe, which leapt aside with a screeching cry. The rogue magician tried to flee, but she was upon it in a matter of moments, cutting it down swiftly and brutally. It fell with a cry, and it was silent once more. She looked around, but no more projectiles came.

"A scout." She muttered. "So that means that these monsters are quite organized." She seized the loot dropped by the monster, stowing it in her pack. "If I was a horde of monsters, where would I be?" And then she knew: Uthar had mentioned that the forest turned into a series of winding cliffs, with a large clearing at the end. But why would the monsters place themselves in a dead end? It made no sense, unless…

"Somebody is coming to retrieve her." She said it out loud intentionally, feeling her panic begin to rise once more. She forced it down, blocking it out while she thought over the situation. "I don't have time to wait for Uthar, but I'm sure he'll come to the same conclusion as me. If I can cause enough of a distraction, the monsters will be delayed looking for me, which might buy Ella some time." Coming to her decision, Emma moved off stealthily through the forest, heading northeast. She encountered two other scouts along the way, both of them orcs. Two chops to the neck, and they were down for the count.

The woods turned into the winding passages of rock, and she followed the path until she heard a sound coming from up ahead. Peeking around a corner, Emma saw that the rocks opened up into a large area, which was filled with trees and towering spires of marble. Creatures milled around the area, wandering aimlessly in the fringes of the forest. In the center, a massive bonfire blazed, illuminating the small figure chained to a post in the middle of the camp. It was Ella. As Emma watched, she saw the princess looking around, and she sighed with relief.

At least she's alive. Now, the only question was how to cause a distraction. Maybe if I sneak along the fringes, I can figure something out. Having nothing better to do, she snuck off along the very edge of the camp. None of the creatures, orc or magician, roamed this far out, and she analyzed their positions. Marking several sentries, she moved off to eliminate the closest one that were out of sight of the others.

There's seven of them close by, so I'll have to be quick. The first monster, an orc armed with a short sword and shield, came walking closer, unaware that she was feet away from him. When he got close enough, Emma shoved her word through his chest and yanked him backwards, out of sight. He died with a gasp, clutching at his chest.

One. The next was a rogue magician, whose throat she slit from behind, dropping him instantly. Its partner turned, but it could not dodge the knife thrown at it from a few feet away, and it joined its companions on the ground.

Three. Emma slammed her shield into an orc's head, stunning it long enough to run it through with her sword.

Four. Her sword slashed twice, lopping off the head of a magician who could not feel it.

Five. The last three, standing with their back to her, never stood a chance. The first orc died instantly, and the second received a knife to the chest. The third spun, raising a horn to sound the alarm, but Emma flung her shield at it, knocking the monster out cold. The others gurgled and died, but she heard footsteps behind her, and she knew she had miscalculated.

A horn blew, and all the nearest monsters immediately leapt to their feet, looking in her directions.

"Time to go." She said, and Emma ran, leaving her shield behind.

The woman bolted through the trees, hearing the crash of footsteps behind her as she leapt over a rock, breaking her pursuers' line of sight. Using the opportunity, Emma darted behind a nearby tree and knelt down, hidden from view for the moment. Taking a quick inventory, she saw that it was not as bad as she thought. She still had her sword, knife, and other provisions. Only her shield was missing, but she knew she had little chance of retrieving it.

If I can only hold out until Uthar gets here… As the thought crossed her mind, another horn blew, and she knew she had been spotted. She dove out from the tree as two fireballs struck it, setting it alight. Just have to get away…

She did not know how much time passed, only that she had to keep moving. Emma led the monsters on a wild pursuit, ducking under branches and leaping to one side as fireballs passed. Several times, an orc lunged at her, and she cut it down without a second thought. And then she tripped, and a fireball hit her in the shoulder. Emma screamed, the pain burning through her arm as she rolled on the ground. Several more fireballs hit the area, setting trees alight all around her. As she extinguished the flames, she saw that she was surrounded, and there was only one way out.

"Come on, then." Emma muttered as she stood, standing between two trees that were not yet burning. Her back was to a rock wall, and she flicked her knife into her other hand, raising it defiantly. She knew the magicians would not fire upon their own troops, and so she waited for the orcs to come charging forward. Several seconds later, three of the creatures burst through the trees, and she smiled.

"Alright, who's first?" One orc, braver than his brethren, swung downward, but she merely swayed to one side and stabbed him in the chest. As he fell, she deflected a blow from the second and stabbed her knife into the third, blade swinging around to finish him off. A quick slash, and the monsters crumpled to the ground. But more were coming towards her, and she could see Ella still bound to the stake. With a cry, she flung herself forward into the ranks of the orcs, blades flashing.

She had never fought so long before, even when training against her own comrades. The orcs were strong, but that meant that she had to be faster. Her blade spun in her right hand, creating openings for her knife to pierce, all while it cut, hacked, and blocked. Instinctively, she felt herself drawing upon the battle magic Uthar had taught her in the castle, and she fell into a rhythm of block, stab, and slash.

The orcs were no match for her, even in groups of three or four. But there were dozens, and she could feel her energy begin to falter. Her sword strikes became slower, and she soon found herself fighting merely to survive.

And then she heard it, through the fire and clashing of steel: a drumming sound that echoed through the area. Even as she blocked another attack, dozens of horses burst into the area, their hooves flashing in the light of the sun and fire. Each had a knight upon it, some emblazoned with the crests of Thais and Candar, and all were armed with swords, spears, and shields. As she watched, they began attacking the monsters who were falling back in panic. Several of them charged towards her, and she let loose the remaining bits of her energy as her enemies were surrounded and cut down ruthlessly. Ella was cut free from her bonds, and she slumped to the ground from exhaustion.

Across from her, she saw an armored knight, flanked by two others, cut down three orcs in as many seconds, and she knew Uthar was here as well. One of the knights knelt next to her, looking at her in worry.

"Are you alright, Sergeant Emma?"

"Yes." She said wearily, staggering to her feet. "Focus on the battle first." The man saluted and ran off, joining the attackers. The monsters were being driven back, out of the clearing, and she saw Uthar remove his helmet as he cut down more of the monsters. Ella had seen him, and she called out. He turned and began moving towards her, a relieved smile on his face.

And then everything went wrong. From the front lines of the battle, a gigantic figure burst through the soldiers, wielding a massive sword. The orc chieftain charged towards Ella, and Emma felt her heart stop with terror. He was going to kill her! With strength she didn't know she had left, she forced her feet to move as she sprinted towards the princess, who was struggling to get away from the approaching monster.

"Ella!" she heard Uthar shout, but he was too far away. The orc chieftain raised his sword, mouth split in a savage grin, and Ella screamed. A knife bounced off his arm, thrown in an effort to distract him, and the strike slowed for a moment.

As the sword descended, Emma caught it with her own, knees buckling at the immense strength behind the blow. The orc snarled, and slammed his blade against hers again, pushing her back. She had no energy left, and she knew there was nobody to save her as her sword snapped in half uselessly.

The cry that echoed across the field could have been her own.

Prince Uthar ran across the damp grass, the fires reflected in his eyes as he sprinted across the grass to where Emma knelt, exhausted. Her sword lay broken next to her, and she held her hands up in supplication.

No! This can't end like this! But he was too far away, and all he could do was run as fast as he could. The orc chieftain raised his dark blade, and Uthar opened his mouth in a howl that was echoed by another figure, running across the grass.

The knight flung himself in front of the blade, and it smashed into his body, severing his armor and killing him instantly. His body was flung to the side, but Uthar had descended upon the orc chieftain with a fury. His first strike clove his enemy's sword in twain, and the second stroke beheaded the creature with ease. The body fell to one side, and Uthar turned, looking for Ella. She was looking at him with wide eyes as he flung his blade to one side and embraced her. Her arms circled around his waist, and she sobbed into his shoulder as he held her.

You're safe. He said the words out loud, unconsciously.

"You came…" She whispered, and he pulled away to look at her, to reassure himself that she really was alive. Even with a tattered and muddy dress, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

"George!" The cry came from behind him, croaked from a dry throat, and he turned to see Emma kneeling over the body of the knight who had protected her. The blood from his chest mixed with hers, falling to the ground in rivulets. His eyes were closed, but he had a smile on his face as he slept upon the ground. "Wake up…" But he did not stir, and tears joined the blood on the ground as Emma began sobbing. Uthar and Ella watched, while the other knights began to gather around, horror on their faces.

Overhead, rain began to fall, extinguishing the fires before they could consume the forest.

It took several hours to get the knights in order, gather the dead, and return Ella to Candar. At her insistence, the soldiers stayed in the city to recuperate for a while. Emma had received several wounds, some of which were somewhat severe. She had been placed in a hospital bed, inside a room near Ella's. Uthar found himself there, watching over her as she lay still upon the bed. Her hair lay limply on the pillow, and her face was pale.

"Uthar…" Ella had entered the room, wearing a light pink dress that did not quite disguise the bandages on her arm. He looked at her, but saw that her eyes were on the woman on the bed.

"Yes?"

"You should rest. I know you haven't." She said, but he ignored her. The princess laid a hand on his arm, but he shrugged it off, hardly feeling anything. "Are you angry?"

"At what?"

"Anything. Yourself, Emma…" His eyes snapped to hers, but he found only understanding instead of blame.

"It is my fault." He said after a long silence. "That the boy died."

"He sacrificed himself to save me and Emma." Ella said quietly. "That blame does not fall to you."

"He was under my command." Uthar said bitterly. "I was responsible for him. What difference is there?" Ella laid a hand on his arm.

"There is a vast difference between feeling guilt and being responsible. He made the choice that cost him everything, and he did so free of guilt. He was a hero."

"He was." Uthar agreed. Even thought he had not passed his final test, George had begged him to let him go after Emma. In the end, Uthar had agreed. And now the boy was dead… As if sensing his thoughts, Ella grasped his arm, forcing him to look at her. Her crystal blue eyes were filled with tears.

"I was going to die in that place. But you saved me." Uthar looked back at her, his own eyes feeling slightly moist.

"Emma saved you." Ella nodded.

"I am grateful to her as well. But you…" Her voice dropped to merely a whisper, and Uthar felt it crawl up his spine. It was not a wholly unpleasant feeling. "You rescued me when no one else could, Uthar. I…" Whatever it was she was about to say, it was interrupted by a groan. Emma had awakened, staring up at the ceiling.

"Ella?" Her tone was worried.

"I'm here." The princess said soothingly. "How do you feel?" Emma did not speak for a long while.

The green-haired woman leaned against the battlements of Uthar's castle. It was another clear spring day, but she was in no mood to talk. It had been two days since the events in Brightwood Forest, and Emma was still confused about her feelings. She recalled her conversation with Uthar and sighed. He had told her that he had allowed George to come with the knights, and she had gotten angry. In a burst of frustration, she had blamed him for his death and stormed out of the castle. But now, she just felt empty and cold. George, one of the few people who saw her for who she was, was gone.

"I thought I'd find you out here." Uthar's voice sounded behind her, and she turned slowly.

"I didn't know you had returned." Her voice was quite even, revealing nothing of the emotions swirling within.

"I just got back." Uthar said, stepping up next to her. "Emma, we need to talk." Those words pierced her in a way she did not understand.

"I'm sorry about what I said." She admitted. "I was angry… but at George, not you."

"Why is that?" Uthar asked softly, looking out over the city.

"I'm mad because he chose to die, instead of me." She said bitterly. "And I don't understand why." Uthar did not speak for a moment.

"I felt that way too, when my teacher died." Emma glanced at him, surprised. "The old fool was past his prime, but he decided it was his duty to die fighting. I never understood, and it really tore me apart for a long time. But now… I think I understand."

"Understand what?" Emma asked curiously.

"Sometimes people see something in others that is more valuable than one life. Sometimes they sacrifice themselves to further that ideal, even if they will not get to see the end result. George was one of those people." Emma did not speak. "He saw something in you that was more important than his own life, Emma. It's up to you to fulfill that duty."

"I… I'm not worthy of such a thing." Emma muttered. "Why me?"

"Who knows?" Uthar said. "But the only thing we can do is press forward, keeping their memories in our hearts. If we don't, we are lost." With a jolt, Emma remembered why she had joined the School of War and Magic in the first place:

"My goal… is to kill the Snow Queen." She said. "And avenge my family." Uthar nodded slowly.

"Then we must continue. Grief is acceptable, but we cannot let it consume us. Would tomorrow be a good day for his funeral?" Emma nodded. "Then it will be done. I'll tell Ella."

The next day was overcast and grey as Emma moved through the town, wearing a black dress given to her by Ella. The funeral was being held outside the city, for George and the other soldiers who had died. As she approached the gates, the guards saluted crisply, but she did not acknowledge them. All that mattered was George now.

She had chosen to bury him by the ocean, to the southwest of Thais. A lone tree stood over his grave, watching over him until he began his journey to the next life. Outside the city, she joined Uthar, Ella, and the family and friends of George who had come to say goodbye. Together, they rode out to the place where he would be buried, and once there, they dismounted and formed a loose circle around the tree.

"Today we honor George, and all the other soldiers who have fallen against the Snow Queen." Uthar said. "Without their sacrifice and bravery, we would have been lost." He nodded to Ella, who stepped forward.

"George saved my life, and I can never repay that debt enough. I promise that his family shall always have shelter in Candar, if they have need of it. And I swear that I shall never give up the fight against the woman who seeks to destroy us." Several members of George's family spoke, and then it was Emma's turn.

"George always saw me for who I really was, and he respected me for it. He was a dear friend, and I shall miss him. I swear that I will never forget him, or fail to carry out his goals that he was unable to complete." She finished her oath silently: I will not fail to avenge his death. It was short, but Emma felt that it was the most sincere thing she could have said. The ceremony was concluded, and the group returned to Thais in silence. Outside the gates, Ella gave Emma a hug.

"Thank you for everything, Emma. I expect I'll see you soon." With that, she departed for Candar once more.

Uthar allowed her several days off, but she had reported to him by the end of the first day.

"I will always mourn him, sir, but the best way for me to cope is to work." Emma said, standing before the prince's desk.

"I understand, Emma. Thank you." He said softly, and she understood the hidden meaning behind the words. She was no longer on active duty as a guard, and solely carried out tasks for Uthar. In the evenings, they trained as regularly as they could, preparing Emma for the day that she would have to depart. Sometimes, she wondered where Ean and the others were now, and what they were doing. Other times, she reminisced about the good memories that she had shared with George. Each one inspired her to work harder, reminding her of the goals she had set.

I will do it. For George. For them. One day, Uthar pulled her aside.

"We need to talk. Ella is visiting Thais tomorrow, and I thought we'd have a small ceremony for you."

"What for?" Emma asked.

"Well, we never officially knighted you, so…" Uthar shrugged. "You've more than earned it, I'd say."

"Very well, then." Emma said with a small smile.

The ceremony took place the next day, outside in the square near the palace. Knowing Emma's reputation, Uthar had deemed it better to perform her knighting outside, where the people could see her. Normally, tradition dictated that such ceremonies be performed in the throne room, but Uthar had decided otherwise. As the clock struck twelve, the crowd that had gathered fell silent, and Uthar stepped up onto a quickly constructed stage.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming." His rich voice rang out over the crowd, and they murmured. From her chair in front of him, Emma looked over the gathered nobles. Most she did not know, but she saw Ella, as well as a blond-haired man that was Nicholas, Uthar's brother. She was surprised to see him outside of the healing ward, since he was notoriously introverted. However, she had also heard from servants that his ego was as big as his healing skills, and thus avoided him.

"We are gathered here today to bestow a special honor upon a worthy soldier. She has performed deeds far beyond any expected of her, and she has done so with skill and valor. She saved Princess Ella of Candar's life almost singlehandedly and slew dozens of creatures in Brightwood Forest." The crowd murmured. The story of Ella's rescue had spread throughout the town, but nobody knew how involved Emma had been until now. "She has earned the title of knight through and through. Before I proceed, are there any objections?" Both the crowd and nobles were silent, and Uthar smiled.

"Sergeant Emma, please approach." She stood, walked up the stage in front of him, and knelt. Her armor clanked slightly as she did so. Uthar drew his sword from his side and raised it high. "By the power vested in me as king…" He touched both her shoulders with the sword. "And because of your bravery and fortitude…" The tip of the sword touched her head lightly, then withdrew. "I appoint to you the rank of knight of Thais. May you always find victory in your endeavors!" He helped her stand and presented her to the crowd, who cheered and waved at her. After a while, the nobles retreated from the stage, and the knights departed with them.

In the throne room, Uthar turned to her.

"You have completed your training." He said. "You are now ready to depart Thais." Ella nodded next to him.

"I do not know when Ean will return, but will you help me and Ella until they come back from Eredar?"

"Of course." Emma said, bowing slightly. Ella smiled at her.

"I'm very proud of you, Emma. You've become such a fine person in such a short amount of time." The woman blushed, and Uthar laughed at her embarrassment.

"I quite agree. Nobody has ever become a knight so quickly." Behind them, Nicholas strode past and vanished up the stairs to his quarters without a word. Uthar's smile faded slightly, but he did not say anything about his brother. "You should be proud."

"I am." Emma said quietly.

I'll make everybody proud of me, I swear it.