"For 's sakes, how many more do we have to lose to win this damn thing?" Yoongi demanded, almost hysterical as he and Jimin practically carried Seokjin's limp body back towards the healers.

When he had initially been injured on the battlefield, Yoongi had brushed it off as a joke. But then, it dawned on him that if anyone were to die a tragically humorous death via a leg wound, it would be Kim Seokjin. And this realization was just more fuel for the anger he was already overwhelmed with.

He clenched his jaw as images of Jennie's lifeless body flashed before him. But he shook the memory off as quickly as it came – burying it within the deepest recesses of his mind. The place where all his painful memories lived. The memories he could never bear to revisit for fear that they'd overwhelm him into oblivion.

Jimin had no answer for him. Because war was selfish – it would take whomever it wanted, whenever it wanted, and there was no predicting or avoiding it.

By dodging multiple opponents and ducking behind various covers, they finally made it back to one of their own tents. Yoongi had never been so relieved to spot the royal blue banner of the Princess's armour, his shoulders begging to be relieved from the burden that was Seokjin's weight and his throat in dire need of liquid nourishment.

He stepped through the tent first and almost crashed into Irene, who was already meeting them at the entrance as if she knew they would be coming.

"Seokjin," she merely sighed as she helped them lower him onto a thin straw cot in the corner, "I have experienced more headaches this week than I have ever before in my entire lifetime. All because of him. Is that normal?"

Yoongi exchanged a semi-bemused, semi-surprised glance with Jimin as they observed the gentle way Irene had begun to tend to Seokjin's wound. Suspicious, very suspicious. She hardly spared the two other men in the room a glance, keeping her eyes loyally pinned to Seokjin's unconscious figure.

"God, I wish we could have found Jennie sooner," Jimin sighed as they watched Seokjin slowly regain his consciousness and return to his senses, "even just a few minutes—"

"To at least say goodbye," Yoongi finished Jimin's sentence, his jaw clenching again and his voice flat.

They fell into a solemn silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Both trying to fill the emptiness of Jennie's absence with fond memories – holding onto any piece of her they could.

The images of her gummy smile, her determination to win any competition regardless of how many men she had to beat to do it, the way she would always make sure to be the best dressed at any town event, her fierce eyes that would soften as soon as you gave her a compliment – all the things that made her Yoongi's first love, flooded his mind like a hurricane of emotions. And as he suppressed the stinging behind his eyes, he realized he had been right. This was too overwhelming.

He immediately swivelled around and stormed out the tent, needing to destroy something. Or someone.

Unfortunately, he barely made it outside before a soldier's horse almost trampled over him.

"Watch where the you're—"

His sentence was immediately cut off by the soldier's panicked voice, "so sorry sir, but I bring you urgent news from the north. I was dispatched a few days ago but was delayed by an unexpected attack in the east."

Yoongi jolted towards him, a feeling of dread filling him at the soldier's destroyed armour and fearful expression in his eyes, "what happened?"

"Lady Lisa has been captured –"

"What do you mean Lisa has been captured?!" Jimin suddenly demanded from behind them, having overheard part of the conversation.

Yoongi tried his best to remain calm when he asked his next question. The one that had been swirling in his mind for what felt like forever.

"And Jisoo?"

He did not like the hesitation that suddenly overtook the soldier's features. It made him want to grab his shoulders and shake an explanation out of him.

"I'm afraid she's been badly injured. The last time I saw her she was bleeding profusely on her horse. It is best you come with me and see for yourself."

Yoongi had grabbed the nearest horse he could find and jumped on it within an instant. Jimin was right behind him. They looked like two determined lions trampling through the battleground in search of their lost lionesses, their sights pinned directly to the north. Not bothering to even fight the few soldiers that remained on the battlefield, they simply dodged through the clusters of people as quickly as possible.

The only thing they did pause for was to notify Taehyung of their departure.

"Tae!" Jimin screamed from several feet away as Taehyung unleashed several back-to-back arrows towards a group of red-clad soldiers, "Lisa and Jisoo are in danger, our assistance is required in the north!"

Taehyung snapped his head towards them, his brows furrowed deeply with concern, "what happened? Are they okay?"

"We do not know much, the messenger was supposed to arrive days ago, so anything could have happened by now," Jimin ran a frustrated hand through his long dark hair, appearing very close to a mental breakdown, "that is why we need to leave immediately."

And Yoongi, noting the deeper concern lying behind Taehyung's dark, serious eyes, decided to answer his unasked question, "we have not heard anything from Chaeyoung."

He immediately released a deep breath. No news was good news. If anything had transpired, they would surely have heard by now.

"Are you coming?" Jimin asked before releasing an arrow at one soldier who was about to attack Taehyung from behind.

Taehyung turned around just in time to sweep his sword over another attacker's abdomen, not even flinching as fresh blood splattered all over his already tattered armour.

"Mingyu is still out here somewhere," he groaned as one soldier landed a kick to his abdomen, "I promised Chaeyoung we would win this war, and I can't face her until I have fulfilled that promise. Knowing that she is still alive somewhere out there is enough for now."

"Do you want us to send her a message or anything?" Yoongi asked sarcastically, "something cheesy as , like 'I love you, I miss you, I can't wait to see you, wait for me, I'm coming?'"

"No," Taehyung chuckled as he wiped the fresh streak of blood that had trickled down his right bicep from a superficial wound he had acquired earlier in the day, "I'm planning on saying all those things myself. You can just tell her I'm okay and not to worry."

With a nod, Jimin and Yoongi stormed off towards the Northern bases, their sights set firmly ahead and their horses working tirelessly to carry them to their destination. All the while, neither of them spoke a word as an array of emotions surged through them. Frustration for beng unable to protect them, regret for all the words that remained unsaid, fear that they were too late, and uncertain if they could survive losing another loved one.

~{❀}~

A sudden shiver raked Lisa's slim body as she unwrapped the heavy fur blanket from her own shoulders to place it on one of the wounded soldiers sleeping outside, waiting for his turn to guard her tent. Ever since she was released from captivity, Chaeyoung and Jisoo had placed her on a strict protection program – as if she was a valuable, though fragile, asset they could not risk losing again. At least 5 guards surrounded her tent at all times, and they rotated twice a day. Although she was grateful for their concern, it made her feel more burdened than anything else. Frankly, it was a waste of vital resources.

So, to fight her own guilt, she would do whatever she could to make the soldiers' jobs easier. Sacrificing her blanket, secretly adding her food portion to theirs to increase their energy, repairing their broken or dull weapons – these were the little things she could manage to do. A part of her wished she could rejoin the battlefield, but Chaeyoung and Jisoo had strictly forbidden that. Besides, they had told her, they had more than enough soldiers now that they had aligned themselves with the Jung family.

A heavy sighed escaped her upon remembering the Jung family and their manipulative method of usurping the crown. And she found herself wondering if she could ever forgive herself for being the root cause of such a tragedy.

If only she had been more careful. If only they had stuck to the plan. If only royals were not so hungry for power. If only –

Her thoughts were interrupted by the stomping of horse hooves only a few paces from their camp. It was difficult to tell, in the darkness of the starless night, how many, let alone who, the riders were. So, the soldiers n the camp immediately reacted as if they were under attack, taking up defensive positions and preparing a long row of archers in front of the base entrance.

"Everyone, get into formation, this is a potential attack!" one of Jaehyun's commanders yelled as the soldiers scrambled awake, some of them surrounding Lisa in a protective circle, and others joining the front line warriors in fortifying their border, "on my count, we will release the arrows!"

"One!"

Lisa's brows furrowed together as she tilted her head past the soldiers surrounding her to gain a better view of the newcomers.

"Two!"

Squinting through the raised torches in each corner of the campsite, she saw two familiar figures riding towards them with a vengeance. And for the first time in what felt like forever, a faint smile coloured her drained features.

"Wait!" she called out in a loud, authoritative voice as the torch flames cast a stream of light on a characteristically sharp jawline, "do not shoot!"

The soldiers obeyed, though their bodies remained taut with tension, their weapons still clutched tightly in anticipation for the worst.

Lisa, however, pushed past the perfectly synchronized rows of men and ran towards the gates. With each step, she became more and more certain of the two men's identities. She could tell from the wary expressions around her that the soldiers' anxiety grew the closer she got to the gates, but she was only filled with excitement. They would be too if they were about to be reunited with the person they loved.

After gesturing to the guards to open the gates, she stood there in enthusiastic anticipation, breathless from both the run and the sight of Jimin riding directly towards her, looking as handsome and determined as ever. Yoongi followed right behind him with just as much determination and far more anger.

"Welcome home!" she called with a small chuckle when their gazes finally landed on her.

Jimin's face immediately softened with pure relief but seeing her only made him ride even faster. Only when he was right in front of her did he finally pu