Completion of the Whisper

Chapter Forty-Five

I felt numb as I watched Nyshard put his armour on.

I felt completely numb.

But I found myself watching him intently, I found myself trying to memorize every single movement he made.

He was readying himself for battle, and all I was able to do, was to watch him do so. Neither of us said a word and we didn't have to.

We both knew that he had to do this. He had the best chances to win against the King. Not only Nyshard had told me so.
Rhydomir did, too.

And Caaln, too.

Brayhd, who had come to the south during past night, too.

Nyshard sheathed his daggers and his second sword, then he adjusted a part of his armoured gear on his shoulder. He took his time, he didn't rush.

Pure determination rolled off of him in waves, as well as a deadly calmness.

He hesitated, then he turned around. His gaze swept over me, lingered at where he'd bandaged my right arm just an hour before, his movements tender and gentle. Then, his eyes met mine and he studied me for a moment.

"You will stay in safe distance."
"Don't."
"Adri", his expression was unimpressed, his tone flat, "Don't fight me about this. You're not going anywhere near Dartun again."
"You know as well as I do, that the blood on the Drakaae will have to be fresh. I can't and won't stand to far away. And if you're getting injured, I want to be close enough so that I can heal you."

His expression softened as he crossed the distance and reached for my hand. I let him pull me to my feet.

"I will kill him, Adri."
"But you could still get injured", I argued, "I will stay close."

"I...-"

Nyshard dropped his shield and shouts were heard from the outside.

"What's going on?", I asked, alarmed. "Is someone attacking the camp?"
He tilted his head to the side as if he was listening closely to something that happened outside the tent. Then, he frowned.

"We need to go."
I grabbed my weapons and followed him outside of the tent. We turned right and headed down the narrow path in between the tents. Steps were heard, and a moment later Caaln and Brayhd met up with us.

"Phylon has attacked near Frug Bri. Aaran moved some of his troops there. Hyrion is going there, too."
Hyrion.

In the midst of the battle those days ago, I had seen how Phylon had killed the former Lord of Myrna Bays, Styslad. Hyrion as his son and successor was now the new Lord of Myrna Bays, although it was just informal now. Styslad had died saving his son and I could only imagine how Hyrion might feel now, burdening a guilt that wasn't his. And all of that while he was fighting a war and couldn't allow himself to grief.

As neither of us could.

Not even me.

A huge part of me still didn't understand what had happened that day at all.
And I didn't allow myself to think about it too much. That day was like a raw wound, because whenever I thought about it, I saw her face in front of me. And that didn't to Styslad justice at all.

There would be a time to mourn those who had fallen, but that time had not come yet.

Not yet. Tomorrow, maybe.

Hopefully.

I put my attention onto their conversation again. It seemed like the battle at Frug Bri was the reason for the shouting we heard earlier.