Pillars of Age

Enlisted by Design

HARLAN

The night sky shimmered with the ethereal glow of Hetir, one of the twin blue moons, casting a dominant azure hue over the landscape. A faint red tinge from the red giant Zorhav, now a day past its full phase, added an eerie contrast. In the distance, the city of Fehir glittered with the flickering torchlights of mortal inhabitants, their shadows dancing in jagged lines and golden dots upon the grand river Derijcal below.

Along the Middle Trade Highway of KuvnarMal, a convoy of royal carriages, bearing the blue flags of Aurelia, had come to a halt. The escorting cavalry unit stood vigil, their armour gleaming under the moonlight. Two figures emerged from one of the carriages, stepping onto the ancient stone road.

"Not much of Pitro's treasure remains," Harlan remarked, descending from the prison carriage with a torch in hand, his voice tinged with disdain.

"What did he squander it on?" Sara asked, her curiosity piqued as she followed him out.

"I didn't bother to ask. Better to let the interrogators of Aurelia extract that information," Harlan replied, moving from the cobbled road to a nearby dirt path.

"I agree. Pitro's remaining riches in Fehir are no longer our concern," Sara responded, issuing orders for the carriages and their escort to proceed ahead.

Harlan paused and turned to Sara. "Do you remember my instruction about selecting guards for the prison carriage—those without families or friends among the victims of the ambush?"

"Of course. I want Pitro alive for his trial in the grand court of Aurelia," Sara affirmed.

Harlan smiled approvingly, then his expression turned serious. "You seem pleased."

"Naturally, the traitor responsible for my comrades' deaths is on his way to justice. Plus, we've recovered the royal treasures I was duty-bound to protect."

"I was referring to our attack on the Den of the Exiled. I believe it's not just the success of our mission but the exhilaration you felt from fighting with your instincts and training," Harlan observed.

Sara was taken aback but conceded, "You're right. Since childhood, I've been trained to fight, to win in the arena with skill and instinct."

She touched the emblem on her Aurelian armour, a symbol of her duty. "But those days are behind me. The Aurelia army needs disciplined soldiers, not arena fighters."

Harlan smiled wryly. "I suspected as much. You're more loyal to Aurelia than to the camaraderie of your comrades."

Sara's eyes flashed with indignation. "What are you implying?"

"Just an observation," Harlan replied calmly. "You've never seemed distressed discussing your fallen comrades, nor have you shown a desire for vengeance. Your focus has always been on safeguarding the royal treasures and maintaining your reputation."

Sara's anger turned to introspection. "Am I truly like that?" she murmured.

"Yes," Harlan said firmly.

"I wasn't asking you!" Sara snapped.

"Whatever you say," Harlan replied, unruffled.

After a moment of reflection, Sara spoke again. "Perhaps you're right."

Harlan's smile widened upon hearing that, made Sara's irritation returned.

"Why bring this up?"

"Because I have a solution. You can fight with your instincts and skills while still serving Aurelia," Harlan proposed.

Sara stopped as her interest piqued, "Go on."

"With your new reputation as the saviour of royal treasures and the captor of a traitor, you could apply to lead your own unit."