Golden light had begun to bathe the Kingdom by the time the armies reached the foot of the cliffs. The winds had retreated and the only sound was the birdsong which danced around them on the gentle breeze.

Despite the somewhat jolly day they had found themselves departing on, the group was entirely serious. They were almost entirely silent, walking in formation the only other sound being the hooves of the horses.

Part of Charlie couldn't blame them for the solemn manner in which they conducted themselves, considering what waited for them at their journey's end. The other part wanted to make the most of what would be his last days.

So in the absence of amusement from the others, Charlie explored.

Little more than a pup at play, he dodged left and right through the legs of horses and humans. His pale grey tail darting from side to side as he went. Using the length of rope attached to his neck to tie up others and cause them to trip, much to his own amusement.

No one dared to hit out at him or scold him, for fear of how he would retaliate. Which meant he was free to have fun. His childhood had been stolen from him, and it was one of few times that he was able to simply play.

As a lone wolf, he had to do everything himself. Keep guard, find food and stay safe. There was a reason that not many wolves survived by themselves in the wild. It was exhausting and left little time for anything else.

Charlie had managed it necessity alone, not that there was a lot which could hurt him badly.

Though he couldn't really consider himself as part of the 'pack,' it was up to everyone else to keep an eye on him. At least if they knew what was good for them, which meant for once he could simply have fun.

Following scents as far as his leash would allow him to go, he pointedly ignored the annoyed huffs of the people around him. He even went as far to batter at the tails of the horses absent minded as he passed. He was having fun.

But as usual, his fun would never last as long as he wanted it to.

A sharp yank around his neck sent him off balance, and he skidded in order to catch himself before he hit the ground. A whine tearing from his throat, but like an obedient pup he returned to the side of his brother. Even if he wasn't happy about it.

"Stop acting like a pup," Robert told him when he reached the side of his horse, surprisingly calm. As though he could no longer muster the energy to show emotion after everything that had happened.

"Put me on a leash and I'll act like one." Charlie replied firmly, "Just be thankful I wont throw a tantrum."

That comment earned him another yank around the neck, pulling a cry of pain from his throat.

"You dare..." Robert began, the fear in his tone appearing suddenly, almost surprisingly.

Charlie shook his head, interrupting before he could finish. "I wont, I made a deal with father. I have every intention of holding up my end of the deal." If he doesn't, war wont be the only thing he has to worry about.

He hadn't paused to worry about who around him could have been listening.

And he would live to regret it as the sound of hooves approached. Charlie didn't need to look back in order to know who had come over.

Wincing inwardly, he wondered as to how much she had overheard.

From the glare that Robert was now receiving, Charlie hazarded a guess that it was all of it.

Evie approached, she was yet to don her armour as travelling in casual clothes made it an easier journey. Instead she wore a long reddish purple dress, which covered the back of her grey mare. She looked beautiful, Charlie noted. Though the angry expression on her face marred her beauty to some extent.

"What deal?" She demanded with a level of concern which surprised Charlie. He had assumed much like everyone else, that she too now hated him. Though there was still time for it to blossom.

Pausing, Charlie didn't want to tell her. He had caused her enough pain, and saw no reason to add to it.

Robert, however, didn't seem to share this concern.

"He has made a deal with father, that if he helped with the war and lived to the end of it. The King would execute him." He explained as though it was nothing at all, like it was a military strategy and not the death of his youngest brother.

Evie's jaw dropped, and for a moment she said nothing.

Charlie narrowed his eyes, squinting at her as he tried to catch any sign of emotion. Anything which might show that she still cared about him. Not in necessarily a loving way, but a sign that she cared would have been enough.

Yet her face was an expression similar to steel. Unmoving, only showing shock but little else.

He watched her, the tension between them could have been cut with a knife and Charlie wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of anything to say. What could possible mitigate what I just told her?

When she at last spoke, her words were not what he had expected. "You're an idiot."

Before anyone could respond, she spun her mare around and urged it onward. Away from her husband and the boy she had once loved and back into the ranks of the army. Disappearing quickly among the hundreds of heads until her waterfall of red hair was no longer visible among them.

Charlie lowered his head with a low whine, a pitiful sound which wasn't met with anything.

The painful truth was that the only end of this, be it in victory or loss. Was that he would die.

For now his task would be to minimise the number of people he hurt when it finally happened.

It was a truth that made it no less painful.

"Why did you tell her?" It was Charlie's turn to sound pained as he spoke, his voice full of emotion where Evie's had been all but empty of it. His head was lowered, the earlier joy drained from him.

He thought that Robert wasn't going to respond, as he remained silent for a short while.

"I don't keep secrets from my wife," he answered at last. His gaze following where Evie had disappeared, even though she was no longer visible.

With no answer to that, as it was an entirely fair thing to say. Charlie shrugged his shoulders, and continued on beside his brother. His head hanging as he walked, it appeared that he was now truly without friends.

His head said that it was a good thing, but his heart was saying something entirely different.

The two brothers continued in silence, the birdsong acting as a soundtrack to their journey. A very different tone to how the army was feeling. Charlie trudged on, his paws beginning to drag as he grew tired from the journey.

After a short while, and much to the gratitude of the entirety of the army. The King called out.

"We will stop for lunch." The words echoed across the clearing, as the other generals let their section of troops know. Charlie bit back the growl of hunger which rose to the back of his throat, causing once again the people in his proximity to leap back in fear.

He let out a low sigh, but said nothing.

Dismounting from his horse, Robert approached Charlie. Whose tail began to wag hard, thinking that he was going to be released from his length of rope, so that he would at least be able to get something to eat.

Yet when Robert reached Charlie, it became apparent that his intention was something very different. Taking the length of rope, he tugged on it until Charlie had little choice other then to once again follow where he lead.

Leading Charlie to a large tree, he set to work tying his end of the rope around the trunk of it. Testing the strength of his work, Robert turned back to leave.

"You have to be kidding me," Charlie said before the older man was out of hearing range.

"Nope," was Robert's response as he turned back, he turned back with crossed arms as he replied lowly. "You're a liability, I'm not going to let you hurt anybody else." He spoke as though it had all been Charlie's intention all along, to hurt the people he loved.

Charlie let out a sigh as he watched his older brother leave.

Part of him wondered if anyone was going to bring him something to eat now his ability to do so was limited. Unless they intended him to make snack of the grass beneath his feet, there was nothing he could eat.

Though it would be a long time before the thing which caused his death was starvation, a lot of worse things would happen into the lead up to it. He winced as his stomach growled loudly, as though trying to prove his point and beg for the pity of another.

When no one came forward with offerings of food, Charlie lowered himself to his belly with a sigh. Resigning himself to hunger for the time being, he decided that sleep would be the next best thing.

Closing his eyes, he rested his head on his paws and let sleep overwhelm him.

A faint sound of footsteps was the thing which woke him, lifting his head. Eyes burdened with sleep even from such a short time, he twitched his ears. The face was a familiar one, but he wasn't able to quite pinpoint where from in his tired state.

His heart rose in his throat when he saw who it was, a friendly face. Or at least how close to one that he could come for the time being.

Briar kept herself at a careful distance, regarding him with a careful look.

Charlie quickly spotted her intention when he saw the limp rabbit hanging from her grip. His tail began to wag like a puppy seeing his master for the first time in a long time. He took a step forward, causing her to quickly back away.

Regretting scaring the person who was bringing food, he took a careful step back. Looking at her expectantly.

Now feeling a little more sure of herself, Briar threw the dead animal to the tied wolf. Who caught it with ease and began devouring it before he hit the ground. By the time he thought to say anything, he was half way through it.

"We really have to stop meeting like this," he said with a laugh. Finishing the small animal with ease and sitting up, lapping the blood away from his muzzle and savouring the taste one last time.

"Tell me about it," was Briar's surprisingly casual response. "My patients keep accusing me of favouritism."

This drew another smile from Charlie, and it felt good to do.

Her next action took Charlie by surprise, as she sat down cross legged and began to tuck into her own sandwich. He was very unused to people not daring to lower their guards anywhere in his presence, so to see a near stranger so calm around him, unsure how to react.

Part of him knew to tell her that this could never work. Even friendship between them would be difficult, but he was simply happy to have another in his presence. Without fear or tension between them, just laughter.

So for the time being, he stayed silent. Happy to watch her enjoy her lunch as they sat in a comfortable silence.

He had parted his lips to say something further, when he noticed something which sent electricity through his system.

Evie was a short distance away, knelt by a stream and filling up a small water bottle with its water. But it wasn't her that drew his attention, but the long grass on the other side of the stream.

The long grass shifted around something which Charlie couldn't quite see, he strained taking a step closer in that direction, trying to spot whatever it might have been. His ears flat back to his head, but the words were frozen in his chest as he spotted what it was.

A man was squatting in the foliage, dressed in dark colours which blend in with the forest green around him.

In his hands he carried a gun. Which was pointed directly at Evie's head.