The night was so much colder on top of a horse then it had any right to be. The Rebel made sure the horse he had been lent didn't run them both into the ground. That being said she was fast, so fast that they thought the both of them were going to catch with the army.


They was tired by there was to much adrenaline in their system to be able to sleep a wink. There was not much they were able to do but just lay against the horse and wait for them to get to they valley. It was basically a really large curve going around the thick forest. The sun was just coming up before they made it to a few trees that the Rebel dismounted in.


They didn't want to just run into the conflict not knowing what was going on and being dramatic. There was a time and place for that, and this was neither. They saw the kings army moving into the valley. Deciding to send the horse in their direction to be taken back home safely. After seeing her make it to the group the Rebel started moving out of the trees.


It would be a fair distance to the middle of the valley where the two parties would meet. The Rebel started off following the footsteps of the army they had caught up to. There was a lot of men that the king had taken. The Rebel hoped the Prince had brought his fair share of an army in case the King was unreasonable.


More likely that the Rebel leader was unreasonable. It was a good hours before all the kings men stopped. The Rebel found themself stopping along with the army. They realised that there was still a bit to go before they would be able to hear what was going on. They tried to be as careful as they could before tripping and jostling the bush in front of them.


"Shit." They whispered as everything went quiet. They could see the tension in the discussion between the two parties. It was clear their mother was not leaving without a fight. What she was implying made them sick, she wasn't even going to say that they were still locked up. They didn't want to go down their to cause a bigger scene.


Just let things play out and see the Prince on the other side. It was hard to hear the conversation from where the Rebel was laying low. They took comfort in the fact that it seemed the king was trying to work out something. War would have destroyed both kingdoms, something the Rebel leader seemed to forget.


Finally the Rebel leader and the king by the princes side backed off. The king and the Prince seemingly coming to an agreement about it all. The Rebel thought that would be the end of it. Their mother's king found a solution, forfeit, seemed good enough has any. The Rebel knew she wasn't going to take it just like that.


They saw her wined up a throw, the knife would hit the Prince square in the back. The Rebel who didn't have a weapon was now aware of just how much they wished they grabbed a shield. Using the momentum built up by traversing down the side to tackle the Rebel leader. They both rolled a couple times before the Rebel was thrown off landing a few paces away from the Rebel leader.


"Ace." The Prince yelled a mix of relief and worry could be heard if that was even possible. The Rebel tried to open their eyes, but the world was spinning a little too much to keep them open. They didn't hear the princes cry. That caused a surprise when the Prince carefully flipped the Rebel onto their back.


"Ace, are you ok?" The Prince was panic looking up and down on the Rebel looking for injuries.


"Star, I'm fine." The Rebel said sitting up. The Prince pulled them into a hug practically squeezing the life out of them.


"I missed you." He said into the Rebel's ear.


"I missed you too love." The Rebel rubbed their hand against the Prince's back before the Prince released them. The Rebel scanned the area for the Rebel leader and her next attack. What they saw instead was her laying on the ground unmoving. With the knife that was sticking through her left side and coming out the right.


"Oh my god." The Rebel said scrambling to their feet. They hoped the wound just looked superficial .


"Mom? Mom!" They yelled on the verge of tears as they knelt down by the body. They looked at the lifeless eyes and broke down into sobs. This was not just the rebels mother of which their relationship was rocky. This was the last person connecting them to their old life. Part of them died with the woman; victim to her own distraction. Everyone around was quiet and still.


The only one that moved after a second was the prince. He walked over giving the Rebel someone other than the body to hug. The king in red turned his army away first leaving to do his own morning. The Prince waves his hand to dismiss the army the king in orange taking them back home. The Knight stayed with the horses waiting for the Rebel to be well enough to leave.


"I don't, I can't. We shouldn't leave her here." The Rebel said breaking through the tears.


"I know dear. We will give her a proper burial. We need to get tools we don't have for that. Can we go home to get that?" The Prince asked slowly pulling the Rebel way from the body. These were the first words the Rebel had heard since they broke down. The sound of rushing water disappearing, their vision clearing from the tears.


"Can you take a few deep breaths for me?" The Rebel was able to hear him much more clearer now. They nodded calming down enough to be able to do that. They took a few deep breaths the ones at the start stuttering as they came back to themself.


"Yeah, ok. Let's go home please." Their throat was sore from the whaling. They were tired, cold and feeling drained of everything they had been though at this point. Maybe putting the wedding off a few weeks wouldn't be the worst.