The Royal Guards began advancing on the defectors, forcing them into a tight circle.

"What is our next course of action? We cannot engage in battle. We are outnumbered and half of our party is not trained for combat." Yunaria told Linus quietly as she eyed the nearing troops.

"There is only one other option. We flee." 

"That is not possible - "

"Take the princess with you. I shall serve as a diversion."

"No, Linus. I refuse to be moved from this horse. I would rather turn myself in than abandon you." Seolhyunari protested from behind the redhead. She encircled her arms around her lover's waist tightly.

"Worry not. I will return to you soon. Enough words, take the princess, Yunaria."

"Yunaria, you dare lay any of your fingers on me, and I will gnaw them off." Seolhyunari growled. The addressed blonde hesitated as Linus rolled her eyes.

"Believe me, she is harmless."

"I will assist you." Minaring chimed in as she held onto one of the princess' arms. Despite a bit of a struggle to extricate Seolhyunari from behind Linus, Yunaria managed to grab her and move her onto her horse. The countess sighed at the sight of the princess on the verge of tears. "Linus will be fine."

"I will clear a path for you and the others."

With that said, Linus charged forward and knocked several troops off of their horses with a few swings of her sword. As they toppled to the ground, the troops' frightened horses reared and bolted toward the direction of Angelus. Yunaria and the rest of the women drove their horses through the gap and escaped as the remaining mounted troops observed in astonishment.

Captain Mijoo flared up, shouting, "Incompetence! After them!"

However, Linus stood in the way, tall and intimidating on her white horse. "Not a single soul shall pass."

"End her." The captain ordered as the rest of the troops rushed forward. Linus easily evaded their attacks and the pommel of her sword into each of their skulls. One by one, their unconscious bodies dropped from their panicking horses, eventually leaving only the captain and the co-captain standing.

"That was the Royal Guard? I fear for the fate of Angelus." Linus taunted, approaching the last two. She idly spun her sword in her hand, the steel seemingly untouched in spite of her assault on the troops.

"Fear not, you are a traitor to our kingdom. And soon, you will join the ranks of the dead." Mijoo guided her horse toward Linus. Just as the co-captain was about to follow suit, her superior muttered, "Yein, you will remain where you are. This is a captain's battle." The younger girl watched on worriedly as the two sped up and the clang of steel to steel echoed in the air. "If it were not for your betrayal, I would have been honored to cross swords with the High Constable of Angelus."

Mijoo seized the grip of her sword with two hands, jerking forward while Linus parried. The captain grinned as their blades scraped against one another. The high constable was not as strong as she appeared to be - but what she lacked in strength, she made up for in skill. Linus suddenly darted aside, narrowly missing a fatal blow from her opponent. She quickly swung her sword underhand against the captain's side, eliciting a pained hiss from the latter. She then used this moment of vulnerability to bind the captain in her grasp and push her sword to her neck. She kicked Mijoo's horse, sending the terrified creature off.

The co-captain's eyes flashed with anger as she started toward the two of them, but Linus clicked her tongue in warning.

"For shame, I have my blade pressed against your captain's tender throat. I can slice it open at a moment's notice." Linus could feel Mijoo trembling in her hold.

"Release her." Yein demanded, gritting her teeth.

"I will release her, and I will allow the two of you and your pathetic division to run back to Angelus without further harm. But first, you must heed my words. When you return to the king empty-handed, you will warn His Majesty not to send any more troops after my party. In any subsequent confrontations, I will not hesitate to off all your heads. I only allowed you to live because killing you now would be the equivalent of crushing insects underfoot. Understood?"

"...yes."

"Excellent. Sheath your weapon. Good. Now dismount." Silently, Yein did as Linus instructed, shoving her sword into its scabbard and climbing off of her horse. Linus flicked the flat of her sword against Yein's horse, causing it to gallop away. "Take your captain." Linus pushed Mijoo off of her horse and the captain was caught by a disgruntled Yein. "I will take my leave now. Farewell." And off the redhead went, heading in the direction she last saw her party.

"How are your wounds, Captain?" Yein questioned with concern as she laid Mijoo's head on her lap.

"Awful. Urgh, damn that devil. She shattered my ribs." Mijoo groaned, clutching at her side with a twisted expression. Yein unbuckled Mijoo's armor and pulled up her woollen undershirt to reveal a patch of red-violet skin where she was struck.

"...it is a mere bruise."

"Are you certain? Because it hurts like - OH ANGELS!" Mijoo screeched as Yein poked the offending lesion. "E-Enough. Touch it no more."

"...weak." Yein muttered under her breath.

"I heard you."

The younger girl sighed, leaning back onto the palms of her hands. She glanced at the scattered troops in the clearing who had yet to regain consciousness. "We will be here for a while."

Venturing through the forest alone, Linus heard a familiar shriek from overhead. She looked up and recognized Y's falcon flying above her. She followed the bird through the brushes and trees until she reached a clearing where the rest of the party sat, presumably waiting for her return. As the redhead hopped off of her horse, Seolhyunari ran to her and sprung into her arms. The princess repeatedly pecked Linus on the lips as their fellow travelers diverted their eyes.

"Welcome back."

"That was rather quick." Choaya pointed out, staring at a flower sprouting from the ground.

"Of course. I was appointed the High Constable of Angelus for a reason." Linus replied, pressing kisses on the top of the relieved princess' head.

Yunaria examined the high constable from head to toe. "No blood. You did not kill anyone?"

"I would like to avoid adding murder to my record of charges. It is not something I can be pardoned for."

"Sound idea. What shall we do now?"

"We continue on our way to Dies." Linus helped Seolhyunari onto her horse, mounting the animal after. "If we make posthaste, we should be able to reach one of the villages by nightfall."

"We have arrived." Linus announced as she and the other party members stood on the hill overlooking their destination. "Dies, the kingdom of merriment and revelry."

"Merriment and revelry indeed..." Jiminel remarked as they gazed at the bright lights and listened to the joyful chanting in the village from afar.

"Exciting."

The women made their way down the path, eventually reaching the entrance to the village. The guards at the gate eyed them warily as they dismounted from their horses. "Good evening. My name is Hyejeong and these women are my companions. We are defectors from the Kingdom of Angelus, and we have travelled to Dies to seek refuge." Linus