64 A Ruse in Shadows (1/2)

Hilde watched as the female troop saluted in their direction and heard it when the Lord General gave an answering one. The men they'd been charged to protect also bowed in leave-taking, and the gesture was done so slowly and deeply that the feelings of gratitude accompanying it was unmistakable.

She felt ashamed.

'Screw it,' she snapped at herself, taking steps forward before anyone – including her own better judgment – could stop her. But she didn't go all the way to the other party. She only wanted to make sure negative light wouldn't also shine on those she's with. The rumors would never end anyway, no matter what she does. It was THEY who owed these men, damn it. Not the other way around. 'Besides,' she added when she paused after a few steps. 'I really like the Lord Viscount.'

With that, she returned the foreigners' bow. She did not curtsey. She was not a princess in that moment, just Hilde. She then swept her eyes over the female soldiers before slowly raising her fist and gently pressing it over her chest. It was not a salute, exactly, more of a declaration that she believed they could succeed.

Hilde didn't know if they'd found out yet that their orders had actually come from her. She forgot to ask Leal earlier to keep quiet about it, but from the puzzled looks and raised eyebrows, it seemed they hadn't been told.

She met Leal's eyes a final time and nodded subtly – to thank him, to ask him to continue keeping mum, and to affirm: live. She hoped he'd understand it as such anyway. He made no reply, subtle or otherwise.

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After that, the acting captain Odilia called for them all to move. Hilde watched as the company consisting of four men and twenty women disappeared into the trees.

Upon returning to Lord Alfwin's side, she showed him a small, slightly guilty smile. ”I know how it looks like, Uncle. You said I had been Lothar's first responsibility. For better or worse, I've come to think of those Lyseans as mine.”

It was Sieglind who replied, ”I always thought, if you think you have to apologize later for doing something, just don't do it.”

Though taken aback for a moment, Hilde laughed. ”You're quite right,” she replied genially. Somehow, she didn't think Sieglind meant for what she'd said to cut. ”I suppose there are few things you wouldn't do, given all that you don't apologize for.”

The older woman showed that lopsided smile again. ”Damned right, Princess. Good that you get it.”

”If you ladies may be interrupted,” the Lord General cut in, sounding resigned over how brash and unrefined his ”niece” and his daughter were, respectively. For all that, he could not hide the underlying relief and satisfaction he felt over how they appeared to be bonding. ”Shall we also prepare?”

There was now no reason to stay where they were – those who might have felt completely cut off from the rest if they'd not served as buffer had already left. Thus, with one last look at the white building's door that had now been re-sealed, they moved.

In fifteen minutes, it was full dark. Torches had been lit, and everyone else had also restored themselves as much as they may. They arrayed themselves in a columned about five to six people wide.

The aides had been instructed earlier to announce that the return procession would pass soon and to urge the crowd to not do anything that might bring them all dishonor. Meanwhile, the soldiers who had formed a barrier that was more representational than functional had been ordered to re-form their lines around the column as they break past them.

Standing near the front, her hair tied back neatly, Hilde was surrounded by the Prince's Guards whose service she'd borrowed. The Captain was a step in front of her and to the right. Along with some others, Inge was immediately to her left, once again being half-protected by his comrades.