When the last of the troublemakers had fled or been put in their place, the mood came back like a tide finding its shore. The crowd closed in again, hands reached up to touch his cloak, fingers combed through his hair, children pulled at his sleeves. The cheers restarted, but rougher, louder, packed with teeth and laughter.
And, yes, there were some opportunistic women in the crowd who, similar to the men before, were more than happy to get a few grabs of him. However, they did not have the audacity to reach for his privates; most were only touching his biceps with blushing cheeks, so he decided to let it slide.
Just like this, the brief but heartfelt cheers ended. Maelstrom's army arrived.
Maelstrom's army filled the fields beyond the walls. Rows of banners moved in the wind, armor caught the light, and the ground between the lines was a map of ruined wagons and fallen men.
