Kassian pulled the reins of his horse, making the animal stop at the edge of the hill overlooking the vast, fertile lands around the Capital. Fields of wheat, corn, and soybean alternated with patches of vegetables and fruit trees, all set up in neat lines that pleased the eye. In the far distance, barely noticeable even for his sharp eyes, rose the city in all its shining glory.
‘Just a few more hours and I’ll be home,’ he thought, closing his eyes and imagining Raena greeting him with a smile at the door while their daughters ran into his arms. He missed them. This journey, albeit quiet and safe, had drained him more than marching into battle.
He had stayed away from the princess since that night and ignored her attempts to speak to him during the breaks they took on the way. He still
