The morning was all commotion, both inside the castle and out on the field where the army was camped. The process of moving injured men and finding them somewhere to be treated was long and complicated. Supplies had to be redistributed to every company, and their ranks had to be combined with the reserve troops.

The men who came back with Charles were as war-weary as he was. The last thing any of them wanted was to go back to the battlefield before even having a chance to see their homes. But each understood that the need was great.

Daniela watched as two squires attached pieces of armor onto Charles' outstretched arms.

"Do not fret, Daniela." He had caught her staring. "Things might have been a lot worse if you had not uncovered their plan. We are prepared now. We are ready."

"I know." But it did not ease her worries.

They walked outside together, holding on to their last moment before parting. An aide walked over with Charles' horse.

"Wait." Daniela grabbed the cold steel on Charles' forearm. He faced her, and her heart pounded as she looked up at him. Quickly, she raised herself on her toes, reached her hand up to his face, and kissed him.

He froze, then leaned down slightly to match her height. He held her free hand softly.

Daniela drew back slowly and noticed the people around them watching. Charles' hand didn't leave hers.

"Come back safely," she said.

"I promise." Charles let go and mounted his horse. Horns blared and drums pounded, signaling the march to begin. Daniela watched as the field cleared. An idea began to grow in her mind that she could not shake. When the army was out of sight, she turned around and saw that Nicole was waiting for her.

"They will be alright, my lady. You will see."

"Yes, they will." Daniela took Nicole's arm and hastened back to the castle. "Nicole, will you help me?"

"What is it?"

Daniela kept her voice low. "I am going to follow them. Will you go with me? Please? I ask as a friend, not your queen."

"What? You want to follow the army?"

"Yes, it will take them three days to march to the border. If we pack now and leave this afternoon on horseback, we should have no difficulty overtaking them." 

"But why? We cannot help them."

"I know, Nicole. But I cannot bear to wait here for news from the front. I just have to see it for myself."

"No! It's too dangerous. This is not like you, Dani."

"We will not get anywhere near the fighting. We will stay out of sight, I promise. Please."

Nicole thought for a while, then sighed. "Fine. But I am dragging you back here at the first sign of danger."

Daniela kissed Nicole's cheek. "Meet me outside when you are ready."

Daniela hurried to pack, and recruited Anne's help. She would need a bedroll, traveling clothes, and provisions from the kitchen and for the horses. But first, she needed to let someone she trusted know that she was leaving.

"Queen Imelda, are you alright?" Daniela softly entered the dowager queen's chamber. Queen Imelda looked fatigued, and was dabbing at her eyes.

"I will be, my dear. It is never easy to see the people you love go into danger."

Daniela sat across from Imelda and stroked her hand.

"Was there something you came to see me about?" Imelda asked. "I don't think either of us would be up for history lessons today.".

"Yes... I am about to do something foolish."

"Is that so?"

Daniela nodded. "I am going to follow the army. I need to see for myself what happens."

Imelda furrowed her brow. "The council will not like this. I understand your desire, but they will try to stop you if they can."

"Well... I don't mean to tell them. At first I wanted to sneak out without telling anyone. Then I thought that perhaps you could... delay telling them. Just for a little while."

"You know, my son would hate it if I let you do this." 

"I believe Charles would understand. And he won't have to know until we are all home again."

"I cannot dissuade you, can I?"

Daniela shook her head. "I must go."

"Very well. I will be praying for you both then. Stay out of sight and out of danger."

"Thank you." Daniela rushed off to help Anne finish with her things, and then waited by the front gate.

Nicole took her time coming out.

"What took you so long?" Daniela asked.

"Um..." Behind Nicole, Captain Phillips stepped out of the castle.

"You told him? Nicole, how could you!" Daniela felt deflated; her plan was collapsing, slipping through her fingers. After all the scrapes that Nicole had gotten in and out of over the years, why was today the day she finally learned to be cautious?

Nicole sputtered out a reply. "Look, I just didn't think it was a good idea! I thought he could persuade you not to go!"

"And I was going to, Your Majesty," Captain Phillips said, "even if it meant locking you up. That is, until Queen Imelda ordered me to accompany you."

"Really?" Daniela asked. Nicole broke into a smile, and Daniela breathed a sigh of relief.

"Just know that when His Majesty finds out, he's going to kill me." The captain begrudgingly made for the stables.

They saddled their horses and set out. Daniela could now ride with relative ease, but it still took a fair amount of focus when traversing hills and bogs. It was summer now, and it was hard to feel uneasy under the light of the sun.

Daniela was mostly lost in thought as they traveled, but ahead of her she could see Nicole and Captain Phillips leaning in toward each other as they rode, and she could hear some of their conversation.

"I don't think I could bear it if you were traveling with the army to the front lines." Nicole said to him in a hushed tone. "I am relieved that the castle guard does not get sent away to war."

"Somebody must stay to defend the castle. It is my part to play, but..." The captain shook his head. "It is hard to always stay behind. I trained with many of the knights who now serve in the army. Watching them go to war, and not being able to join them... is not easy."

"Is that part of why you agreed to come with us?"

"No, you know why I'm going."

"Well, it was an order from Queen Imelda, so..."

The captain smiled and shook his head again. "No, Nicole." He leaned over and kissed her cheek quickly. Nicole shoved his arm gently and looked back to see if Daniela had seen. Daniela looked to the side as quick as she could, suddenly very interested in some sheep they were passing. She couldn't help but smile to herself though. Later she would have to interrogate Nicole about how they had worked things out.

"Your Majesty," Captain Phillips called back to Daniela. "Have you ever slept outside before?"

"No, I haven't. I have slept in a carriage once."

"Ah, I see... You may not find it comfortable."

"I am sure I will be fine, Captain, thank you."

Daniela was not fine. It was, without a doubt, the least comfortable night of her life. The ground was impossibly hard. Her side that faced the fire was too hot, and the other side was too cold, no matter how many times she turned. In the open air, you can hear the sounds of a thousand creatures. Daniela had never feared bugs and beasts before, but this was a whole new way of experiencing them.

She was exhausted the next morning, and her thighs burned from riding for so many hours. By the second night of their journey, she was even more tired, but slept no better. Nicole and the captain seemed to handle it well, so Daniela tried to stay collected. However, by the third night, it was all she could do to keep from falling asleep on her horse; she slid right off and fell asleep as soon as they stopped. It had rained during the day, and even the damp earth seeping cold through her bedroll could not keep her up.

At daybreak, Captain Phillips rode ahead to see the field of battle.

"My lady, the Brasadoran troops are approaching the border," he reported when he came back. The war was upon them. They saddled their horses and rode up a hill that overlooked the scene. 

On the left, great rows of cavalry were backed by archers and infantry swordsmen. It was foggy and gray, but Daniela could make out Charles in front of the line. Next to him a man bore a great Aram flag, flapping in the rising wind. On the right side of the field, she could see Frederico, and behind him were rows of men carrying long pikes that looked like grass from so far a distance. Behind the pikemen were Brasador's cavalry and crossbowmen. She had not known her father to miss a battle, but she did not see him anywhere.

The armies were still, for now. Even from the hilltop Daniela could feel the tension and energy of the horses and men below. Fog turned to drizzling rain. Two men were riding out—it was Charles and Frederico. They each rode alone to the center of the field. It looked like they were talking to each other. Then they each returned to their lines.

Daniela watched as a squire handed Charles a great metal helmet and fitted it on his head. Then he handed him his sword. Frederico was doing the same.

No! They were going to duel!

It was just the sort of thing she thought Charles would suggest; a way to save as many lives as possible. And Frederico would never turn down a challenge.

The thought of watching her brother kill Charles was unbearable. Daniela could not take it. Charles and Frederico faced each other across the field and their horses began to move.

"Hyah!" Daniela whipped her reins and spurred her horse into a gallop. She flew down the hill, faster than she had ever ridden.

"No! Daniela!" Nicole cried out.

"Your Majesty, stop!" The captain's voice was lost in the wind rushing past Daniela's ears. It was too late now.

Daniela reached the battlefield and continued to ride, faced on each side by a massive army. She was closing in, but Charles and Frederico had not slowed. She careened between them and pulled up on the reins. She had never stopped at such speed, especially not with the ground slick with mud. Her horse skidded and reared up, and she was thrown hard to the ground.

Her side ached as she pushed herself up from the muck. She was closest to Frederico, who had slowed but not stopped.

"Frederico!" She threw her arms out to the side and shouted with all her strength. "Frederico stop! This is madness!"

Frederico pulled up on the reins. His horse pounded wildly, but advanced no further. "Get out of here!" he shouted.

"Please! I beg you to stop! You have violated the treaty! You have betrayed me!"

He tore off his helmet. "Do not speak to me of betrayal. You are the one who has turned their back on Brasador, sister!"

"Did Father know of your plan? Have you deceived him as well?"

Frederico spit on the ground. "Father is a fool. Aramdeau is ripe for the taking, and I will have it!"

"You are wrong. How many of your men will have to die on this field for you to see that? Frederico, I beg of you. End this now!"

Frederico's face twisted in rage. He raised his sword high above his head and rode forward. Fear gripped Daniela. All she could do was raise her arms over her head, and close her eyes.

But the blow never came. She heard the thud of a sword falling to the ground and looked up. An arrow stuck out from a gap in the waist of Frederico's armor. Falteringly, he put his hands around the arrow. Then his eyes glazed over. Daniela looked behind her and saw Charles standing with a bow raised.

Frederico started to slide slowly out of his saddle. Daniela tried to catch him, but under his heavy armor she stood no chance. They both fell to the ground. She pulled her arm out from under his body, and leaned over her brother. She held his lifeless face in her hands and wept. She hated him, but she had loved him before, long ago.

The field was quiet. Charles approached behind her but did not come close. "It's all over now," he said quietly.

Daniela stood and turned to him. He looked afraid and angry and sad, and she saw he had tears in his eyes as well. She went to him and leaned on him, and he wrapped an arm around her. It was cold, hard steel, but it warmed her still.

Charles looked out at the Brasadoran troops, who had not moved. "This battle is over," he announced. "Come, take your fallen Prince back to his father, and go home."

The reverie was broken, and Charles and Daniela stood and watched as soldiers came forward to collect the body of Prince Frederico. Slowly, the Brasadoran troops left the field.

Still holding on to one another, Charles and Daniela walked toward the Aram line. The troops parted for them to walk through, then dispersed. No one interrupted as they walked all the way back to Charles' tent in the camp.

Charles dismissed the squire that came to help; instead Daniela began to take off pieces of armor. Charles broke the silence between them first.

"How did you get here?" he said in almost a whisper.

"I followed you, with Nicole and Captain Phillips." Quickly she added, "Do not be angry with them, I made them take me. It was my idea."

"I am not angry." Then he asked, hesitatingly, "Are you angry with me? For your brother..."

Daniela shook her head. "How could I be, when you did it to save my life? He has not been a brother to me for a long time. I am sure of that now."

Daniela finished removing his armor in silence. Outside, solemnity was turning into cheer, and she could hear the rising merriment of an army headed home.

"Do you think it was foolish?" she asked.

"If a foolish thing can save my life, if it can save many lives and preserve the peace between countries, is it really so foolish?" Charles smiled at her gently. "But if it had gone differently, if something had happened to you..."

"I know."

They sat together on the edge of the cot. Daniela wrapped her fingers between Charles', and leaned her head on his shoulder. Tired and weary, they sat together listening to the bustle around them, and rested.