[Third Person].
The night before the war was quieter than expected.
The palace, though fully aware of what awaited at dawn, did not fall into chaos. Instead, it settled into a strange calm, as though everyone had reached the sa unspoken understanding—there was nothing more to prepare, nothing more to delay.
Only to face what was coming.
In one of the private sitting rooms, redith and Draven sat across from each other, a map spread between them. The candles burned low, their light steady, casting soft shadows across the table.
They had already gone over the formations twice. Yet neither of them moved to roll the map away.
"If the eastern flank collapses," redith said, her finger resting lightly on the marked terrain, "they will push inward from here."
Draven followed her indication. "Jeffery’s unit is there. He won’t let it break easily."
"He won’t," redith agreed, "but if they’re targeting , they might not need to."
A brief silence followed. Draven leaned back slightly, his gaze shifting from the map to her. "Then they will try to isolate you."
redith t his eyes. "Yes."
Neither of them softened the truth.
"That’s why I won’t stay behind the main line," she added. "If I do, I will beco the centre of everything again."
Draven nodded once. He had already co to the sa conclusion. "If it cos to that," he said after a mont, "you don’t hold your position."
redith’s brows drew slightly. "You want to retreat?"
"I want you alive," he replied calmly.
She held his gaze for a second longer, then shook her head lightly. "If I retreat, they will follow. That only moves the danger sowhere else."
Draven didn’t argue imdiately because she wasn’t wrong. A quiet pause settled between them before he spoke again.
"Then if it turns," he said, his voice steady, "we split their focus."
redith understood instantly. "You draw them."
"And you break them."
The plan sat between them, dangerous, yet necessary.
Her lips pressed slightly, then eased. "That’s risky."
"So is everything else."
That was true. They both knew it.
Another silence followed, softer this ti. Then redith spoke, more quietly. "If sothing happens..."
Draven’s gaze didn’t waver. "It won’t."
"If it does," she continued, "Stormveil cos first."
His jaw tightened faintly, but he didn’t interrupt her.
"You don’t abandon the war for ," she said. "No matter what."
Draven watched her for a long mont before replying. "You are asking to ignore you."
"I’m asking you to lead," she corrected gently.
That settled more heavily than anything else they had said that night.
After a mont, he nodded once. "Then you do the sa."
redith didn’t hesitate. "I will."
Their eyes held no dramatics or promises they couldn’t keep. Just understanding.
Then Draven reached across the table and took her hand, his grip firm but calm. "We end this tomorrow or in two days," he said.
redith nodded. "We do."
Not long after, a soft knock ca at the door. Draven released her hand and said, "Co in."
The door opened, and a maid stepped in quietly. But both of them recognized her imdiately.
"Xamira," redith said.
The woman stepped forward, then dropped to one knee, her head bowed deeply. "Your Majesty."
She turned slightly, addressing both of them, but her focus remained on redith. "I have co to ask for your permission."
redith’s expression shifted slightly. "Permission for what?"
Xamira lowered herself further. "To stand with you in this war."
A small, heavy silence followed, then redith said, "You owe nothing."
"I do," Xamira replied without hesitation. "You spared my life. You gave freedom when you had every reason not to. I have lived because of you."
Her voice did not waver. "Allow to repay that."
redith exchanged a brief glance with Draven before turning back to her. "You understand what you’re asking? You may lose your life."
Xamira lifted her head slightly. "Then I will lose it willingly." There was nothing like fear in her tone, only resolve.
"I would rather die repaying my debt than live knowing I did nothing."
The room fell quiet again.
redith studied her for a mont longer, then gave a small nod. "Stay close," she said.
Xamira bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
***
Morning ca too quickly.
The palace stirred before sunrise, movent spreading through the halls as preparations reached their final stage.
Inside the chamber, redith stood with the twins in her arms.
Luna rested quietly against her, while Kieran shifted slightly, his small hand gripping her clothing as though sensing sothing was different.
redith looked at them for a long mont, longer than she had intended.
There was a brief flicker of hesitation—not weakness, but sothing deeper. The quiet pull between staying and going.
Then she closed her eyes and pressed a soft kiss to Luna’s forehead. Then to Kieran’s.
"I will be back," she whispered.
When she opened her eyes again, the hesitation was gone.
Draven entered shortly after, fully armoured. The nannies bowed imdiately. "Your Majesty."
He acknowledged them with a brief nod before walking straight to redith’s side. His gaze softened slightly as it fell on the twins, and he reached out, resting his hand gently on their heads.
Then he leaned in, pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads. No words were needed.
A few minutes later, redith handed the twins over carefully.
Then she and Draven stepped out together, their hands briefly brushing before settling into a steady hold.
—
Outside, the warriors were already assembled. The air was crisp, charged with anticipation.
Oscar stepped forward. "Your Majesty, Beta Jeffery and the other commanders have already set out."
Draven nodded. "Good."
Right then, redith turned to her grandmother and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her briefly.
"Rember what I taught you," the old lady said.
"I will, Grandma," redith replied.
"Focus. Don’t rush. Don’t panic."
redith nodded again. "Watch over them."
"I will," her grandmother assured her. "Go without worry."
They pulled apart after that.
Draven glanced around briefly, then asked, "Where is my mother?"
"She is sowhere inside," the old lady said calmly. "Likely crying. Do not concern yourself with it."
Draven glanced once toward the palace entrance, then nodded.
A mont later, Dennis and Helena stepped forward. Dennis pulled Draven into a firm embrace. "I will hold Stormveil until you return."
"I know," Draven replied.
Helena moved to redith, hugging her gently. "Co back safely, Your Majesty."
"I will," redith said.
Dennis stepped over next, pulling redith into a brief hug before stepping back with a grin. "Make sure you actually use those fae powers properly this ti."
That earned him a light slap on the shoulder.
redith smiled faintly. "Of course, I will."
The tension eased, just slightly.
Then, the ti to move out arrived.
Draven stepped forward with redith beside him. Together, with their warriors behind them, they set out for war.
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