The night was calm with only the sounds of wildlife, and wind blowing through the trees being heard while orange and red light brightens the dark sky as the sun rises. The sun beams through a gap in the flaps of Kara's tent across her eyes waking her up. Her eyes squint tighter shut as she groans from the unpleasant light shining on her eyes. She lets out a heavy sigh as she throws her arm over her eyes.

Been a while since I've slept like this, I haven't missed it.

She sits up stretching her arms out groaning in discomfort with a slight pain in her back, rotating her head trying to work a cramp out of her neck. She gets changed back into her previous clothes: Light Blue Tunic with dark red around the arms, collar, and lower part that runs midway down her thighs and dark red pants with leather boots that come halfway up her shins. She grabs the sword and walks out of the tent while tying it onto her belt. She takes in a deep breath taking in the fresh air watching as Marcus and the others are already taking down the camp: packing up the tents, and rolling up their bedrolls.

"Looks like you had a pleasant night, Mi'lady." Marcus says jokingly seeing Kara doesn't look the most awake, she chuckles softly with a smile

"Oh yes! A fine Inn can't compare to the comfort of Nature." Marcus knows she's half joking because she loves the outdoors.

She watches as the others sit down to eat some of their rations talking amongst themselves, a couple of the guards and Marcus laughing and pushing each other with. She smiles watching them having a good time, smiling slightly but it quickly fades.

I wish this moment could last but by tomorrow we'll be at the frontlines.

Her stomach gets a knot in it, and she starts to feel nauseous. She doesn't say anything but Marcus notices she doesn't look well.

"Kara, are you alright?" He asks with a concerned tone, while the others look over at her as well. The laughter suddenly stopped.

"I- I'm fine Marcus. Thank you. I'm gonna take the horses to drink before we leave." She says while trying to dismiss the matter. Marcus gestures for two guards to go with her.

"That won't be necessary, Marcus. Thank you." He asks her if she is sure, and she simply says, Yes, I'll be fine.

She unties the horses, grabbing the reins of her horse leading her to the nearby creek with the rest of the horses following behind. Marcus watches as she slowly walks out of view, feeling uneasy about her leaving on her own.

She leads the horses through the forest with the only noises being the steps of the horses, and her own ducking for low hanging branches. Having this time to herself gives her a chance to think about the challenges ahead of her: the biggest of them being leading an army. Her stomach felt as if it was being tied in knots, the nauseous remaining as the forest ends short of the creek with a moderately wide space between the creek bed, and the tree line. The horses immediately begin drinking while Kara takes her sword off her waist before kneeling down filling her waterskin.

Keep it together! You have to keep it together! You can't show weakness... you have to be strong. You have to be...

Her mind flashes back to the day Aidan's body was returned to her: the colour faded from his body, lifeless empty eyes. Tears well up, and start running down her cheeks falling into the water. Frustrated, she shakes her head slightly, and splashes some water on her face to snap herself out of this current thought.

"Ah shit! That's freezing!" She exclaimed as the water runs down her neck as she stood up, surprised by the cold. It certainly snaps her out of it as she's distracted by the cold water running down her neck and chest.

"Well, well now! What's a pretty lady like you doing out here by yourself?" She jumps at the sound of this strange voice. She sees three dirty, rough looking individuals: two men, and a woman,

"Just watering the horses while passing through." She calmly explains, trying not to show any expression as she watches the man with the hair gives her a creepy smile.

She looks on her sword leaning against the rocks, debating about making a run for it

"Don't even think about it. Don't wanna hurt you now." He says chuckling creepily, sending a chill shiver down karas spin.

Deciding she has to at least try she makes a dash for the sword reaching for it. She grabs the sheath and tries to draw the sword but the slim built woman grabs it, and they begin tugging on the sword while the two men begin running towards them. Kara tries to know the woman off balance pushing and pulling the woman around but her grip stays firm so she resorts to a less than honourable tactic: she kicks the woman between her legs, letting out a pained shout as she falls to her knees still trying to hang on to the sword groaning takes one hand off and punches downward across her face, she groans laying on the ground.

Just as effective on women as it is on men!

She draws her sword but the man giving her the creepy smile draws his own, followed quickly by the second making her blood run cold having never had to use the methods her father taught her. Her hands run cold, knuckles white as her blood runs out of her hands as she grips the sword with an iron grp. Her heart pounds as she keeps sidestepping to avoid being an easy target. She watches them eyes darting between the two as they taunt her waving their swords around, laughing and snickering at her.

The second man shouts out RAAH! as he goes for a slash across Kara's stomach only to be narrowly blocked, the force knocks her off balance. The other man makes a strike from up high, her muscles strain from the impact against her sword causing a burning feeling to rush through her arm as it's forced downward. She kicks him in the stomach trying to get her footing back but is suddenly grabbed. Grunting and shouting as she tries to get free from the hold around her chest she throws herself forward putting as much energy as she can into going back, striking the man on the nose.

"Gah! You bitch!" He exclaims, taking a hand off of his grip giving her an opening: she elbows him in the head with a thud, knocking him to the ground. Kara gasping for breath brings her sword up.

"Oh, you're a feisty one! I like my women like that!" The messy haired man says with a smirk, Kara still breathing heavily sees the woman getting to her feet pulling a dagger. Kara's hands start to shake seeing she's more outnumbered than she was before.

"Lady McKalyn!" A voice yells from the trees, causing everyone's attention to turn the direction the voice came from.

Marcus, and the rest of the guards rush from the trees towards Kara, and the bandits quickly surround them with weapons drawn. The bandits drop their weapons, and get on their knees with their hands in the air. Marcus goes straight to Kara, putting himself between the bandits and her.

"Kara, are you alright? Are you hurt?." He asks her with a worried tone as he turns looking her over.

"I'm fine! I'm fine." She insists, voice slightly shaky. Her mind rushes faster than she can think about what just happened, her heart pounding, hands shaking.

Marcus sheaths his sword, looking down at the bandits with narrow angry eyes. Kara stands beside him, staring at them noticing the woman's expression has changed: she looks scared while the others don't look much different from before.

"Bind these scum, and tie them to the horses. We'll hand them over to the guards at the camp and they can take them to the magistrate for trial." Marcus orders, one of the guards immediately says, aye sire!

Two of the guards walk over to the horses and grab some rope and ties their hand in the front, just as the guards stood the prisoners up to their feet Kara says only one word, No

The guards stop, and Marcus looks at her confused about what she's doing. He assumes she's gonna let them go

"Mi'lady, you aren't letting them go are you? They attacked you!" He protests,

"No, Marcus. We aren't letting them go, and they aren't coming with us. They are going to be executed, right now." She says standing over the bandits.

The men look at each other in shock, the woman's expression now terrified.

"No! No, mi'lady! Please! Please don't!" The woman begs, tears starting to run down her cheek.

Marcus, and the guards stay where they are clearly conflicted in what she is suggesting. Marcus being the most conflicted between following the orders of his Lady, but also being an executioner.

"Mi'lady, I urge you to reconsider. Let the magistrate decide hand down punishment to them."

Kara sighs lightly before speaking, staring Marcus directly in his eyes. He sees empty eyes, shows no empathy for what she's asking.

"Sire Cnaith, you followed my husband's order without question? Without Hesitation, is that not correct?" Marcus breaks eye contact, head lowered. Yes, Mi'lady, it is

"Under your oath you swore as a Bannerman, I expect you to carry out my orders with the same level of dedication as you did my husband."

Marcus, knowing he can't argue her orders, simply says, Yes Mi'lady. He gestures to the guard to ready them for execution, placing them on their knees, pushing them forward facing the ground.

The men shout slurs, and offensive names at her, while the woman begs sobbing for her life. The guards wait for the signal to carry out the order. He looks at Kara, hoping to maybe make her reconsider, but he can tell by the cold stare in her eyes that his words would not reach her to reason. He sighs heavily, and asks the prisoners if there were any last words they would wish to speak. The messy haired man spits towards him, the second remains silent having made his peace with what's about to happen, but the woman makes a final plea,

"Mi'lady, if you spare my life I will serve you! I will swear my life to you, and your service! Let me live, please!" Tears streaming down her face as she sobbingly begs for mercy. Kara steps in front of her, kneeling down looking into her eyes: seeing the otter fear in this woman's eyes.

"Very well. Release her. She'll serve as my personal steward. Execute the others." The woman lays on the ground, thanking Kara for her mercy.

Marcus nodes his head giving them the order to kill the prisoners. The guards slit their throats, leaving them laying on the ground gasping, and choking. Blood runs into the creek turning parts of the water red as it flows. Marcus stands there while the others begin mounting their horses, clearly disturbed.

As a soldier I'm bound to serve my Lady. Do anything she asks of me. Die for her if I must, but this... this wasn't right.

Marcus mounts his horse beside Kara, and they begin riding away from the Creek with the woman bound and tied to Kara's horse. Kara stares off into the distance, feeling no regret for her decision.

They were roaches, nothing less than that. I refuse to show such weakness again! Never again