"Your words are your greatest ally, and your worst enemy."
— Rhaelle Desher, queen consort of Namiona.
~•~

The journey from Domhnall castle to the edges of the Æscford woods took three and a half days on horseback. A little more if one travelled with a retinue, like what Remus and Maysa had done.

With the blessings of the Maiden, a hundred men, including the Aureate Shields and the elite guards of the Crown Prince, they ventured forth to join the search party for Lysa Trellis. They carried banners from both houses, a sea of carmine and crimson wading through a sea of green. There were tents with them, arms and other contraptions that were required to make their stay in the woods as comfortable as possible.

At the head of the procession, Remus rode on a chestnut mare, dressed in the silver armour of his house. His chest plate bore the dragon sigil of House Desher, decorated with rubies and emerald; the scales of the dragon were made of tiny pieces of emerald whereas two large rubies were its eyes. The pauldron bore an intricate pattern of scales tinted with the slightest hint of gold. A broadsword hung by his side from a dark leather scabbard. Beside him, Maysa rode upon a black stallion. She wore a golden armour with the Memor sun etched upon the chest plate, and in her arms was the formidable Sunfyre. It was a spear, her weapon of choice, which was over four cubits tall with a polished bronze body. The spearhead itself was made of Domhnallain steel, one of the best in the realm, whose tip glinted in the sunlight.

"We should be able to reach there by nightfall," Maysa said, her eyes fixed on the sandy path in front of them. "Perhaps earlier, if we can ride at this speed."

"Lord Eni and Lord Trellis will meet us halfway through, won't they?" Remus asked. "I mean, that is what they said."

Maysa nodded, the curls of her hair dancing in the breeze. Remus reached over and put it behind her ear with a mirthful smile. She glanced at him with eyes that danced like the sun's rays that illuminated their path. For a moment his heart stilled, a sweet warmth that had nothing to do with the morning spreading all over him. Touching her was like clutching sunshine in his bare hands, something straight out of a dream.

"Without that spear and armour, you would be like a nymph. One of Boris’ many." Remus mused after a long pause. "A little dryad sitting by a stream, her hair adorned with flowers. A princess you will still be, for you will be the favourite child of the Lord of the Wilderness, and you would have had many admirers who would frequent that stream to glimpse your face. I tell you, my sweet, being in the forest suits you."

Maysa rolled her eyes. "The tales you spin, Remus. Where do you get the inspiration for them? Here I am sweating up a stream in this heat and all you can think of is me as some demigoddess.”

You. You are my inspiration, Maysa. The words were the tip of his tongue, yet he bit back at the very last moment. Instead he replied, "Why not? Being in such a pleasant scene ought to make one think of such things."

"Oh, but I was thinking about certain wild creatures, if I must be honest," A mischievous sparkle glimmered in Maysa's eyes. "Like a certain bear with whose presence we will soon be graced."

Remus could not stifle his laughter. "By gods, Maysa, comparing Lady Lysa’s betrothed to a bear, will help none of us."

"Well, he does not help it by devouring entire goats in one sitting. Or grunting around like a bear if does not get his way."

Remus chuckled. "Gods, you will embarrass me in front of the man. All I'll be able to think of in his presence will be your words!"

Maysa shrugged in an exaggerated manner, causing some of their men to look towards her with smiles on their lips. They rode in silence, words no longer needed in the face of their shared ease, that which extended from the leaders to their followers. Leaves rustled. Light and shadows played a game of hide and seek.

At that moment, all was well in Remus and Maysa's world.

~•~

Edmund Eni was indeed a bear and was nothing like the eagle that proudly spread its wings on the banners of House Eni.

Such were Remus's thoughts as they rode into the encampment. Maybe it was Maysa’s earlier words or perhaps it was the man himself. The prince was not sure why he was thinking of it. Twilight had drenched the woods in a gentle darkness. The skies were a deep blue with a splash of purple, accompanied by hints of yellow and orange. A gentle breeze blew overhead that made the banners flutter.

At the middle of the settlement in the woods were the two lords, astride upon their own steeds. While Janus Trellis was of the same height as Remus, a little over four cubits, Edmund Eni towered over them all by four and a half cubits. Accompanied by the muscular bulk of his being, the tousled shoulder-length hair and the bushy eyebrows, he cut a memorable figure in one's mind. That only amplified once he opened his much dreaded mouth. Remus knew all too well about how much of Edmund’s vocabulary was actual words and how much of it was slurs and curses.

Janus Trellis was the first to dismount. "Your Grace. Princess Maysa. We are honoured to have you here." He bowed low.

"We are glad to be of help in these trying times," Remus replied, climbing down from his horse. "I can only wonder what you must be going through."

Janus sighed, looking down towards his worn-out boots. In the meantime, Edmund and Maysa too had dismounted. Maysa, in particular, stood close to Remus, her brows knitted into a deep frown. Remus could feel the unease that radiated from her body, piercing through her armour. He cast a quick glance at the eastern lord, who bore an inscrutable expression. Maysa and Edmund loathed each other; it was nothing personal, just that they were both way too fiery and stubborn to ever agree with each other. And thus the resentment.

"Must have been quite an enjoyable ride, was it not?" Edmund broke the silence. "Say what, princess?"

Remus watched as Maysa’s grip on Sunfyre tightened. "What makes you say that, Lord Eni? You and I both know that we are not for a joyride."

"Aye, one cannot deny the pleasure of such an alluring company, now can they?" Edmund's gaze flitted towards Remus. "and the Crown Prince—"

"It is none of your concern," Maysa interrupted with a retort. "Neither should it be. We are here to search for Lysa Trellis, not to endure such baloney from you. Must you insult me the moment you see me, Lord Eni?"

Edmund gritted his teeth. Janus stared at him with wide eyes, as if silently begging him to not make a misstep. Remus, on his part, discreetly clutched Maysa’s arm. May she not lose her temper, he prayed. Oh gods, let her not give into his trap. This was the problem. The two grated on each other nerves, leaving the rest of them wary of what would entail an outburst from either of them.

"Do you not think that we are too tired of your false niceties?" Edmund took a step forward, his lips curled into a sneer. "I can see the guilt in your eyes, princess. You and your dear companion right here know where Lysa is more than any of us."

Maysa jerked her arm free from Remus's grip. "How dare you accuse us of such treachery? What proof do you have?"

"We might not have got proof now, but we soon would." Edmund spat. "Then the whole realm will see where your bravado goes."

Maysa's face turned scarlet as the rising sun. "You would not dare, because there is nothing to prove against us. But remember this, I will not tolerate you tarnishing Remus's honour with your baseless accusations."

Edmund laughed. "Does it hurt to hear such words against your leman, dear princess?"

Maysa clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowed with a wrath she could scarcely contain. Those golden pools of calm were now two turbulent oceans about to unleash a storm. Her entire body trembled, the anger a scorching tide that courses through her veins. It scared Remus, whose face looked pallid. That was the worst thing Edmund Eni could have done.

Janus tried to step in. "For goodness' sake, Edmund, please—"

"No, Janus," Edmund stopped him. "Let me put this royal wench in her place. She may please that—"

Before he could utter another world, a sharp slap resounded in the woods. The forest went silent, not a sound beyond that of the heavy breathing of these people. Maysa had slapped the Lord of Beorgstead hard across his face. The skin had reddened instantly, the corner of his lips bloody because of the impact of the garnet ring she wore on her forefinger. Edmund nursed his stinging lips, a mixture of anger and shock etched into his features.

"If you dare utter another word, I will make sure that you never leave these woods in one piece." Maysa looked straight into his eyes, her voice a low growl that sent shivers down the bones of those present. "I will rip out that faithless tongue of yours. You will only be able to watch as you choke on your blood. No one shall dare to save you, Edmund Eni."

She was about to retreat, yet Edmund was a man who just got his ego bruised. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. In a swift motion, he unsheathed his scimitar and rested it against her neck, earning a loud gasp from Janus. Maysa, not someone who backs down from a fight, pointed her spear right at his pulse point. Behind Maysa, the Aureate Shields raised their weapons ready to defend their mistress.

"You shouldn't have done that," Edmund jived. "You do not even know the ways I can make you regret your decision, princess." He uttered her titled with a sneer, teeth flashing.

Maysa shot daggers at him through her eyes. "You better not forget on whose territory you are standing. Touch me, and see what happens."

The two moved around each other, eyes locked in a deadly dance. One wrong move, and both would have drenched the parched soil of the forest with their blood. The rest gaped, rendered motionless by the sudden escalation in the situation. Remus broke out of the spell as he noticed the subtle twitch in Edmund's hand, evidence of the violence he so wanted to take place. Without another thought, Remus gripped Maysa from behind. For a moment, his heart stilled with fear that he would lose her to something unthinkable. And that would have been the worst thing for him to witness.

"Enough!" Remus raised his voice. It was not quite yelling, but just as effective. Both of them lowered their weapons and backed away a little. "Both of you must stop right now. We are on the same side and fighting each other is simply useless, hindering the purpose of our coming here."

He turned to Maysa, holding her by her shoulders. "You must not threaten Lord Eni with violence. It does not matter what he says or does. What happened now is wrong and unseemly."

"And you, Lord Eni," Remus glared at Edmund, who looked away from the rest of the group with a sullen expression. "You must not provoke the princess or say things that tread the thin line into treason. I might not be my father, but I too would not entertain treasonous thoughts and actions in my presence."

Janus pulled back Edmund as he was about to sound another retort to the crown prince. "Stop it right now. This is too much, Edmund. Do not make more enemies than you can afford to have."

But Edmund was in no frame of mind to back down. Ignoring his friend, he turned to face Maysa, who was ensconced in Remus's arms, still glowering at him. "Someday we will continue this duel, princess. That day I will show where a woman really belongs." He said.

"Oh, I desperately wish for that day to come soon." Maysa rumbled. "I would be damned if I ever let that opportunity go to waste." Remus sighed in exasperation.

Unbeknownst to them, the fates above laughed. Little did the squabbling group know soon enough all thoughts of duelling would be gone from their minds.

~•~