Gwen sighed, dropping her bag. “It’s not like I plan on walking into the middle of a battle. I’ll stay far behind, take my bow and arrows with me.”
“Staying alive doesn’t make you a coward.” I tried to reason with her. “Those soldiers have been training for years. They know what to expect. They know what they’re doing. To walk into a battle with no experience of that sort of thing is to have a death wish. You’d be no help to anyone.”
“You don’t understand.” Her expression grew weary. “My friends and family are out there, and I cannot patiently sit here and wait for the worst to happen.”
“It’s my family too,” I reminded her. “But we’re needed here, Gwen. Someone has to hold down the fort. You have an entire infirmary to run.”
She didn’t respond, looking down at the things splayed out on her bed.
“Promise me.” I stepped in front of her and lifted her chin. “Promise me you won’t go.”
She looked at me, eyes full of worry and pain and everything in between.
“Promise me,” I said again, when she hesitated.
“Fine, I promise.” There was no sincerity in her voice, yet I had no choice but to believe her.
* * *
I couldn’t sleep after that, plagued by an unsettling feeling in my chest. I got dressed and made my way to Gwen’s room, hoping she might be awake too. Perhaps she would be willing to join me for something to drink. Even if it had to be tea. Anything to avoid rolling around in my bed for another few hours.
She didn’t answer when I knocked, and when I stepped inside the room, there was no trace of her. The bed made, that bag she was packing earlier gone.
I let out a string of curses, running back out into the hall.
Horse. I needed a horse and a weapon of some kind, although I didn’t know how far it would get me. The Norrandish army had left hours ago. I had no idea how long it would take for me to catch up. If I was lucky, I would reach them before the battle started. I could stop Gwen from doing something reckless and life-threatening.
I didn’t bother with proper winter riding attire, which was my first mistake. The only horse I could manage to find was an old mare with absolutely no interest in walking the woods in the dead of night.
It was nearing dawn now, light slowly emerging before the sunrise. I couldn’t be too far away. If I stopped the horse and listened carefully, I was almost certain I could hear fighting in the distance.
I gave the poor old mare a good kick in the sides, alerting her that we needed to get a move on. She surprisingly obliged, speeding up to a slow canter. It wasn’t quite the gallop I needed but it was better than walking.
Low-hanging tree branches scratched me as we passed, and slowly the sounds of war became clearer. The screaming and the fighting got louder until I reached the hill that would lead into the valley of the Norrandish mountains.
Most of the soldiers appeared to be down there in the midst of a bloody battle, apart from a few stray archers who remainedat the top of the hill, aiming at potential targets. It would be a lot more challenging to wound or kill an Argonian now. They were no longer able to send arrows flying randomly into the air, as that risked hitting the Norrandish soldiers too.
I dismounted the horse and tied her to a nearby tree, my eyes scanning for a familiar face. She wasn’t among any of them. I wouldn’t allow myself to consider the possibility that she was already dead, or worse, taken by one of the Argonian soldiers.
Where are you, Gwen?
As if my silent prayer had been answered, I finally saw her on the far side of the hill, bow and arrow in hand. She aimed into the valley before sending the arrow flying. I didn’t hesitate. I ran to her as quickly as my legs would carry me.
“Gwen!”
She didn’t hear me at first. It was hard to hear anything above the fighting.
“Gwen!”
She turned then, at the sound of my voice, and lowered her bow.
“Lance?” Her eyes were wide with surprise.
I reached her, out of breath, tired and muscles burning.
“What are you doing here?”
I was so relieved to see her still alive, I didn’t know if I wanted to kiss her or grab her by the shoulders to try to shake some sense into her.
