𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖇𝖞 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖌𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖙 𝖕𝖑𝖔𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗
fauni rested in his opaque, white tent. there was a breeze billowing about the plains, carrying the scent of spring and flowers with it. the area had hundreds of these tents and makeshift beds set up, men sleeping in them with blades and armor by their bedsides. though fauni was the only one with one of his own, his was much smaller. the bonfire outside was little more than a pile of ash now, a few specks of still aflame embers burning in it. fauni's short sword was sheathed at his bedside, though fauni himself was still sitting at his desk, though no longer in his armor. a quill sat in his hand, with a sheet of paper under it, marred and marked with black ink.
"writing at a rather late hour, aren't you fauni?" janus stepped through the white flaps of the tent, bringing a gust of air before the fabric went back into place behind him.
"i could have you hanged for intruding into the supreme commander's tent without prior announcement."
"and take my beautiful mug from this world? we both know youre not that cruel." janus casually spoke back, earning a faint smile from fauni. "what are you about now fawn?"
"merely what i believe."
there was a beat of silence before janus answered in a serious tone. "denying a direct order from the king is a serious offense, fauni. the highest someone in the military can do."
"would you rather me have slaughtered those villagemen and women?" fauni shot back, though his tone didnt show any anger; only an ernest question.
"no. but it doesn't mean his majesty will have let you off the hook."
"ill simply inform him that there was no rebellion to speak of. only peasants who were greatly overtaxed by a tyrant, his majesty wouldn't senselessly kill a large group of people for no reason... it would make little sense." fauni believed in what he said. he still believed the goal of the army was not to be attack dogs for the king, but to deal common justice to those who needed it. to protect the weak.
"if you say so. just make sure that you get good rest, we're passing through juniper mountain tomorrow. it'll be rough." to this, fauni only nodded, janus taking his leave soon after.
_
fauni awoke early. it was his duty, as supreme commander. to awake first, to set an example for the people under his command- which in other terms, meant every knight serving the kingdom of etraetis. rising from his bed, he started with putting on his armor. first, the legs- then the chest plate, then the shoulder pauldrons and upperarms, and finally the gauntlets. it was made of rare material- covanium, named after the man who had discovered it. it was reserved for the few of the kingdom who the king saw as absolute models of honor and power: the people who commanded the utmost respect. it was a lightweight material, lighter than steel but more durable. it was both his armor and his hair that earned him the name he held among his men; white death. though it was only his hair originally, the armor simply became part of it. it went from "where you see the commander's white hair, death follows." to "when you see you see the commanders white hair and armor, death will surely follow." it was a rather intimidating description for fauni, but only those who had seen him fight would understand why he had earned such a fearsome reputation.
"soliders! we move out when the first rays of dawn streak through the sky, be prepared or be left behind!" as usual, fauni's voice boomed and raised the men awake instantly. the clanging of armor could be heard as the camp erupted into sound, the sound of men preparing their horses, their armor, their swords, their bows. the sounds, of men placing any of their small belongings into the small saddle pack they owned, with a general holding one of each of the massive tents. fauni looked around and noticed the ever large figure of janus among the few already outside, prepping his horse. fauni would need to do that aswell... sighing softly, he collapsed his tent and stuffed it into the pack on the side of the horse, not very big so as to not slow the horse's down anymore. fauni's horse, aurorus, awoke not long after it's master commanded it. trained well, as all horses belonging to generals and above were. he would return at the whistle of his lips.
