"Demesne"

"Love may be a battlefield, but ours will always and will be worth the fight."

Chanyeol had let the bird ride through the wind after he secured the message on it's leg. Now, it's only job is to find Kyungsoo. He went back to see Prince Junmyeon enter the palace door looking all flustered and he wasn't sure if Minseok had let him out of his sight again or just made the man wander around. The tall man shrugged the idea off. Chanyeol made his way into the royal court room; seeing the Emperor himself emit a weakened state of atmosphere. He wasn't in a space where he could be seen, but definitely could have if there was no thick curtain hanging above the entrance.

He's been sick. Why can't he...why not place the empire to Prince Luhan? 

For all he knows, he couldn't meddle with the affairs of an authority especially that of an Emperor. But he let it all sink down to his head. In the corner of his eye met Yixing's shadow passing the near corridor and bowed deeply before the Majesty. I thought he was going to leave the battle to his trusted general? Chanyeol thought as he examined what his Lord Commander was wearing. It came to Chanyeol's mind that he really was going to engage in the current attack. Murmurs were heard as Yixing was petitioning to supply more men by recruiting the more younger ones in the kingdom. 

Chanyeol's gasp might have been heard if he didn't hold it back when Yixing made a short glimpse towards him. Maybe his eavesdropping was a little too much now. Don't get me wrong. This man was loyal. But what he heard made him doubt whether he still wants to serve the empire or not. He could not get the picture out of his mind. His older brother already died because of recruitment. He could not stand to lose a young brother as well. If his Majesty the Emperor wishes to, then he'll have no choice. Chanyeol, don't meddle. He said to himself as he went out of the court room; afraid to hear the orders being carried out. He didn't stand there long enough if it was approved or not. He just won't hear it.

"I need five men with me." Yixing was out and about in going towards the bloody field where the unidentified Northern Prince was. Five men were excluded from the troops that was set on the first line. While on the horse, he smiled cunningly as he surveyed the soldiers that he holds in driving the Northerners out of their way.

"General Yan Quan, how many will you hold when we attack Jin's base?"

"Half the troops, Lord Zhang. I'd lead them down past the shallow mountains and I trust that we'll succeed." Yixing turned his horse around the general and just about a few meters, he stopped and responded to the man who was surprised about his move. "Trust, huh? Then I expect you to trust your head General. Otherwise...you'll lose it." The general couldn't see what his Lord's facade was to determine if it was just a joke. Yixing was chuckling but he had the feeling that it wasn't a joke. But joke or not, General Yan Quan couldn't disappoint the great Western Empire. 

Horses were now running; dust also in pursuit right behind the ankles of the beasts they were riding. The distance didn't hinder the smell of blood that rushed through Yixing's senses. It was intoxicating and it smelled like rusted iron in the air. It mingled with the stench of green grasses as they passed them; getting nearer to their desired destination of battle.