Lieutenant General Briggs stood amongst the new trainee recruits with a clipboard in hand, a man with peppered hair stood two steps behind him.

All of them were standing straight and tall with nervousness scribbled all over their faces.

Then there was Marix. Who stood with his weight shifted on one leg, his arms crossed and a bored look on his face.

"Today is the first day of your training. You will sweat. You will bleed. And you will most likely," Briggs paced back and forth, staring them in the eyes one by one, "you will want to cry out for your mommy and if you get that feeling...." He stopped his foot on the ground and stood tall, ".....GET OVER IT!"

The men seemed to stand even straighter as they nodded firmly.

"You are here to serve your kingdom and we have no time to waste on a bunch of babies. This military needs men! Not kids who need their hands to be held! Got it?!"

The men saluted, "Yes sir!"

"Now, I’m going to leave the rest to your Recruit Commander, Vox!"

The peppered haired man behind Briggs stepped forward and began shouting commands as Briggs started to walk off.

Marix rushed after him and pulled him aside.

"Briggs. I want you to send some people to stake out the Evans Estate. I want to know everyone going in and out of there. Prepare to plant someone in the estate as well. I want Eilownia’s safety to be prioritized." He whispered quietly.

Briggs stood tall and cleared his throat.

"Marix L’adore. As of now, you have been demoted to a trainee recruit. In your absence, I have been promoted to the acting General. Under your leadership, I will obey any order, but as our roles are now.....it makes no sense for me to take orders from a trainee recruit."

Briggs chewed on his inner cheek as he stared at Marix, who stared at him with a look of shock and anger, down.

"You dare?"

"Yes. Know your place Mr. L’adore. I have a war to focus on."

Marix stared after him, his eyes flickering for a moment before her marched back to the training grounds.

’Fine. If that’s how this is going to play out, I will take my power back and when I do, I will be the one to ensure Eilownia’s safety.’

He clenched his fists as he got back in line.

Vox finished barking out orders for the recruits to begin on the obstacle course but held Marix back after they all set out on a jog.

"Recruit L’adore. Bathroom break?" He questioned, noting Marix’s absence from the beginning of his chain of commands.

Marix fought the urge to let out a huff. Vox had been the one to train him originally way back when.....all the way back to when his hair was all one color. Marix knew he was a good man, but also knew there was no getting around him when it came to being a recruit.

Marix saluted him, "Apologies, sir! I had important business to attend to with the acting General, sir!"

’Just grin and bear it. Let’s get through the month without incident. One month is long enough to wait to get help for Whin, I can’t afford for this to be extended.’ His mind raced with encouragement to himself.

He knew that anything that could be deemed as whining or disrespect would get him written up and even delay his progress.

Vox nodded, "Since it’s your first day back as a recruit, I’ll give you some leniency. I’m sure you’ve forgotten how we do things here, Recruit L’adore. 20 laps penalty! Go!"

The other recruits were already off on the obstacle course, scaling walls, crawling through netting, and carrying weights through thick mud.

Marix saluted again, "Sir, yes Sir!" Before he was off.

He thought back to his original days as a trainee.

Despite having trained in swordsmanship from a young age, he had been grossly underprepared for the workout plan and training regimen that Vox had created.

He recalled his aching muscles and sweat soaked skin, the amount of ice baths he’d had to take and the lack of a good masseuse out here at the training grounds.

Luckily, the workout was something he kept up with, so his muscles wouldn’t be aching so much, but that didn’t make it any less of a pain.

At the end of the day, Marix flopped on his cot in the trainee barracks which was just two rooms with opposing walls lined with cots and a chest at the end of them.

He rolled over, the spring from the bed pressed uncomfortably against his body. The blanket and sheets were rough against his skin and the pillow barely supported his head.

’Whin would probably smile right now, or have tears in her eyes from happiness and say something about how wonderful this cot is and how she’s happy to sleep somewhere without a leaky roof or something like that. Be happy. Day by day.’ He reminded himself over and over again until he drifted to sleep.

Back at the palace, Arlon and their father ate dinner. After all, he’d shared breakfast with Marix it was only natural that he share a meal with his oldest son as well.

They sat next to each other with plates of quail, grapes, cheese and vegetables in front of them.

Arlon delicately cut a piece of the quail and placed it in his mouth, chewing and swallowing as he listened to their father’s concerns.

"Marix is acting like a lovesick schoolboy, not the General of Viraaz. He’s not responsible enough for an entire army. Perhaps I’ve made a mistake." The King shook his head as he placed a grape and a slice of cheese in his mouth.

"Father, please, allow Marix some leniency. The important thing is that he will not take over the throne. I’m a capable enough leader, you can rest assured. I’ve not done anything to make you doubt me, have I?"

The King shook his head again and took a sip of his wine before speaking, "Not at all, but maybe I’ve been too lenient with him."

Arlon listened intently, nodding along to let him know he was listening as he cut another bite of his quail. His golden rings shimmered in the candlelight as he did so.

"Father, I don’t believe you are being too lenient. I think it will be fine."

"Should I remove him permanently as General? I just am not sure is up to the job anymore."

"I don’t believe you should. Father, you should not punish Marix for this one time problem."

Arlon took a sip of wine, then sucked his lips in slightly to lick off the excess before continuing, "Soon Marix will forget all about that girl and playing savior and Viraaz will be safe. He’s shown he’s an excellent General so far. I believe he is fit. Isn’t everyone allowed one mistake in this life, at the very least? Surely you can’t tell me everything you’ve done has been perfect in your life, can you Father?"

He took a moment to think. Arlon was making some excellent points. Marix was still a bit young, and he’d never shown any serious interest in a woman so far. Maybe it was just that feeling of a first love that was muddling things, but then again....

"It’s true. I haven’t been perfect and that would be acceptable IF Marix didn’t almost cause some serious problems in our war efforts!"

Arlon gave him a reassuring smile, "But he didn’t....because I’m here."

Arlon placed his hand on his father’s arm and gave it a gentle pat.

"Son, I’m so glad that you are here. I’ve made the right choice in making you the Crown Prince. I don’t know what I would do if you were acting a fool just like that brother of yours."

The King shoveled a few pieces of food in his mouth, his stress levels still high.

"Of course Father. You have bestowed upon me a duty and I will follow it. You need not worry I will not disappoint you."

"Well, speaking of not disappointing me, there is something I’ve been meaning to ask you."

Arlon’s eyebrow raised, "Yes....? What is it?" He asked cautiously.

"When are you planning to marry? Like your brother, you haven’t shown any serious interest in any women."

’Oh thank god.’ Arlon thought to himself as he chuckled.

"Don’t laugh! Your old father is serious. I’d like to see an heir be born before my time here is up."

"Father right now my focus is on Viraaz and our people. My top priority has to be navigating this war safely. I promise you, once we get through this, I will start thinking about taking a wife."

"I’d like to see you married in the next 2 or 3 years at the very least."

Arlon nodded, "If that is what you wish. In fact, I’ll even allow you to pick my bride."

The King raised his glass and clinked it against Arlon’s.

"Here here!"