"The Governor's Rebellion had quickly spread throughout the entire country. The soldiers had two days to prepare for war, and the preparations were being carried out swiftly and hastily. Sakha, after completing his training, was practicing swordsmanship in the training hall. He seemed oblivious to what was happening in the palace. He showed no interest whatsoever in the war preparations. As Flavia walked excitedly in the garden, she spotted Sakha practicing for the first time. She decided to stop and observe for a while. Sakha swung his sword with such precision and speed that Flavia was reminded once again of how formidable a fighter he was. Suddenly, Flavia felt the weight of living away from home for ten years. She felt her anger towards Sakha diminish and be replaced by a sense of pity. "What if he's telling the truth? What if he has truly been living a life of exile for years?" These thoughts were dangerous for someone about to go to war in two days. For a moment, she imagined being captured and held captive for years. Flavia realized the danger of the mission she had been assigned. Although she felt fear slowly creeping into her being, she managed to calm herself.
As she was about to stand up to go to her room, she heard Sakha's voice.
"I heard that you're going to war." "Excuse me?"
"If there's one thing I've learned on the battlefield, it's never to assume that your enemy is just one person. You should always assume that there's an unseen enemy as well. The enemy is not always outside. And secondly, you should always remember that your enemy is always smarter than you. Underestimating your opponent leads to either death or captivity. When strategizing, you should always assume that your enemy is at least two moves ahead of you."
As Sakha spoke, he swung his sword and approached Flavia. Flavia had never seen Sakha up close like this before. There was more mercy in his eyes than hostility or resentment. Flavia was stunned by this unexpected dialogue that had taken place in the past 30 seconds.
"What are you talking about!" she exclaimed sharply. Lately, as she witnessed the emerging threats, she had secretly begun to appreciate Sakha being by their side. However, the animosity she held towards her had not completely disappeared.
"I'm offering you advice so that you can return safely." "Keep your empty advice to yourself! If you knew so much about these matters, you wouldn't be a captive here," she said, directing threatening glances at Sakha. The last words he heard seemed to have angered Sakha even more. His eyes darkened, and the sword he held began to darken as well. Flavia's wise decision to turn her back and leave with a great rage seemed to have been the right choice. Sakha breathed a sigh of relief, and he watched her sword slowly regain its original color. It was then that he noticed Flarka. Without saying anything, he went to his side, and they walked together for a while before sitting on a bench.
Flarka sat thoughtfully, staring straight ahead. The silence was broken by Sakha.

"Do you want me to accompany Flavia?" "It would put my mind at ease to have her under the supervision of someone like you, but I want to send you to Flavia as a last resort. You're unfamiliar with the region, and the soldiers have not fully accepted a foreign sword master yet." "Then let's hope I won't be needed," he said, sheathing his sword and starting to walk towards his room. Sakha's sword skills were acknowledged by everyone in the country. In fact, the fight that took place during the hunt had spread through word of mouth to distant lands. Traders, travelers, and even poets from foreign countries would line up at the palace gates just to catch a glimpse of him. Some would even try to test their skills by fighting him. However, because no one had ever seen his face fully, Sakha could pass by them without any issues. In a short period of time, Sakha had become both hated and respected by everyone.

The next morning, Rhadam and Marek had prepared their battalion for the war as instructed and had them ready to set off with the first light of dawn. The army prepared for battle, motionless in their armor painted in shades of yellow and red. The sunbeams filling the courtyard reflected off their armor, dazzling the eyes. Then, the warriors of Shinra started to fill the area.
They stood silently, dressed in their lightweight black armor and gray cloaks. No one knew the exact number of Shinra warriors, but there were a hundred fully equipped warriors lined up that day. The bows they used were crafted from the Thorn Tree, found only in the Lacra Kingdom, and were curved in design. These bows made from the Thorn Tree had a greater range and faster speed compared to other bows. With their short swords at their belts and curved bows on their backs, they stood silently in a threatening manner.
Flavia appeared on the field shortly after and, after learning that there were no obstacles for her and Rhadam and Marek to depart, she greeted Flarka and gave the order to set off. Flarka watched thoughtfully as his sister walked away, and then she entered the palace.
It took Flavia and her troops a day to reach Artel City. The city gates were closed and no one was allowed in or out. Soldiers lined the walls, arrows set on their bows, watching the approaching army. The army laid siege to the city and began preparations for the camp. Marek approached Flavia and said, "War should be our last resort. Our only gain from civil war will be our enemy." "I know, it's also my brother's order. We must finish this in such a way that the traitor gains nothing and prevent uprisings in other parts of the country."
"They will face punishment regardless; our priority is to prevent war."
"Alright, let's send an envoy and see if they surrender. If they do, we can spare their lives."
Marek, pleased with the response, nodded and said, "I'll take care of it immediately," before leaving.
Flavia entered her tent and began checking the documents again. Meanwhile, the Shinra warriors had already secured the area around the tent and established a tight security perimeter. Even Rhadam had difficulty entering the tent.
Once inside, he remarked sarcastically, "Seems like your men have adapted quickly."
"They swore to protect me. They show no favoritism except for my brother; everyone is the same in their eyes," she said without looking up.
"That's evident. I wish we had these men with us during the hunt. Maybe we wouldn't have lost so many."
"Who could have known that we would engage in such a fierce fight in one of the country's safest regions?" Flavia said. Rhadam's sarcastic remarks were starting to irritate her.
"That madman attacked an entire battalion without thinking. But I have to admit, I would feel safer if I had a warrior like him by my side."
Flavia sighed deeply, looked at Rhadam, and changed the subject, asking, "Any news from Jhadol? What's the situation?" She was uncomfortable with Rhadam praising Sakha.

"More trustworthy than you?" she asked with a mocking look. Rhadam tried to respond, his face turning bright red, but Flavia interjected with a laugh.

"I'm just teasing. You and the others are the mentors of Kierra, myself, and even my brother. Each of you has proven yourselves in battle numerous times. I trust you, my Mentor, even more than myself," she said and gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze to reassure him.

In the evening hours, Marek entered the tent with a paper in his hand. "Lady, we received a response from Pauly. He requests a meeting to discuss the terms of surrender."

"Lady, Pauly wants to discuss the terms of surrender," Marek said and handed the paper to Rhadam. After quickly reading it, Rhadam folded the paper angrily.

"This is not an unnecessary meeting. We don't even have five minutes to spare, let alone a man to lose! Besides, the king's orders are clear that war should be our last choice."

"When will Jhadol be here?" she asked. "He will arrive with the first light of tomorrow, Lady."
"Very well, the meeting will take place at noon tomorrow in the High Grove. He can be accompanied by only three unarmed men. If I find even the slightest dagger on any of his men, I will end him right then and there! Convey this message to him exactly as I said," she told Marek.

Flavia's voice involuntarily raised as she uttered the last sentence. Rhadam bowed his head, seeking permission, and left the tent. Marek followed him, leaving Flavia alone in her tent once again.