[Lavinia's POV — Black Wall Fortress—At Dawn]
CRUNCH—!!
SLASH—!!
CRUSH—!!
Those were the only sounds that breathed inside the Black Wall as dawn broke—metal against bone, bone against ground, and the wet finality of bodies hitting stone.
The sun had barely risen, thin gold stretching across the battlements… turning the stains on my boots into rusted shadows. I hadn't even changed into proper armor; there had been no time.
Sir Haldor and Osric stood on either side of me, blades drawn, backs straight, forming a shield around me. I didn't need it—but they refused to move away after the ambush.
My sleeves were torn, my dress drenched in blood that wasn't mine. My palms were scratched raw from gripping my sword too long. My arms stung from shallow cuts I had ignored through the night.
Then—
SLASH—!!
THUD—!!
The last Meren soldier collapsed at my feet, his body twitching once before going still. Blood pooled quickly beneath him, dark and steaming in the morning cold.
