Faded Armor Timeless Love
A familiar voice cut through the din of battle. Her breath caught.
Max.
His commanding tone carried across the field as he directed his troops. "Hold the line! Push them back toward the ravine!"
Camilla pressed herself deeper into the shadows, pulling her hood lower. Five years had passed since she'd last seen him, yet his presence still made her pulse race. The hood's rough fabric scratched against her cheek as she adjusted it, ensuring her face remained hidden.
"The mysterious captain fights well," Max's voice carried from somewhere behind her. Too close.
She dispatched her opponent with a move she instantly regretted - a distinctive disarming technique Max had taught her years ago.
"That move..." His footsteps approached.
"Captain!" A messenger rode up, providing the distraction she needed. "Enemy reinforcements approaching from the north!"
"Not possible," Camilla muttered, forgetting to disguise her voice. "We destroyed their northern supply lines."
The messenger shook his head. "They've found another route, through the mountain pass."
Max's sharp intake of breath told her he'd recognized her voice. "Cam?"
She kept her back turned, barking orders to her troops. "Secure the perimeter! Prepare for-"
"Camilla." His hand caught her shoulder.
She shrugged it off, still not facing him. "We have more pressing concerns than reunions, General."
"Look at me."
"The enemy is-"
"That's an order, Captain."
