The carriage came to a halt right in front of them, prompting both the General and Captain to swiftly position themselves at the side, their left hands stationed behind their backs and their right hands raised in a salute. The group echoed their actions, their eyes fixed on the carriage as it drew to a stop.

“General, what brings you all the way out here?” From the inside of the carriage, a man, richly garbed in silk and adorned with jewels, came into view. His handsome features, marked by light brown hair and hazel eyes, were in perfect symmetry, his slender nose and thin lips adding to his good looks. His skin had a warm, tanned glow. However, it wasn't his striking appearance that revealed his identity to the group. It was the coat of arrogance he wore so openly. This was Emperor Darius.  

The realisation of the identity of the man before them kindled a sense of bitterness in the group. Their eyes hardened, jaws clenched, but they managed to swallow their rising anger.

"Emperor Darius," General Adryan replied, trying to keep his tone respectful. "I was welcoming the new trainees who have bravely endured their long journey, reaching here two days ahead of schedule."

Emperor Darius, however, cut him off before he could speak further. Pointing at Storm and Adara, he scoffed, "You want me to believe that these twig-like figures are destined to protect our land?"

The comment hit them like a slap, yet they retained their silence. The General's jaw clenched before he responded, managing to keep his tone polite, "With the proper training, they'll build the muscle they need, Emperor."

Disdainfully, the Emperor turned up his nose at them, "Ensure they are well-fed, General. We wouldn't want our enemies thinking they have an upper hand, seeing the frail figures we are sending into the battlefield."

In response, the General offered another salute, his voice steady, "As you command, Emperor."

As they stood seething on the spot, Adara's attention was drawn to a slight movement at the far end of the carriage. There, she found herself locked in a gaze with a pair of wide, dark, ocean-blue eyes. However, as soon as their gazes connected, the recipient of the dark blue eyes retreated, allowing the shadows within the carriage to swallow them.

As the carriage rolled away, the General and Captain relaxed their rigid stances. Apologising for the uncalled-for comment from the Emperor, Captain Oriana was met with Storm's frigid voice, "You don’t have to be sorry. You never made the comment."

The General, upon taking a critical look at Storm and Adara, agreed that while the Emperor had been unnecessarily rude, he was not entirely wrong. He stressed that the pair needed to build muscle to withstand the strenuous training ahead. The cousins acknowledged his advice with a salute, which they dropped as he commanded them to be at ease. Handing them over to Captain Oriana, the General excused himself and walked towards the lookout tower.

It was then that Keanu raised his hand slightly, looking at the captain. "I have a question, Captain," he said. With a nod of acknowledgement from her, he proceeded to ask, "What was that thing the Emperor was travelling in? It was like a fancy cart."

The captain chuckled lightly at his question before explaining, "It's called a carriage. It's like a cart but more luxurious. Inside, it has cushioned seats..."

Upon seeing the confusion reflected on their faces, she had to explain what cushioned seats were, leading them to marvel at the idea of resting their heads on something other than the floor. The captain promised them that they'd experience this luxury soon in the capital.

She continued her description of the carriage, explaining the concept of curtains, then turned her attention to their journey towards the capital. With a stern look as they approached the capital’s boundary, she instructed them to observe their surroundings silently and only ask questions when permitted.

Facing the group, she asked, "Is that understood?"

The group quickly saluted in response, "Yes, Captain!"

Satisfied, she nodded, "Good. Let's proceed then."

© Crimson B