The journey back to the Vexin lands was a much different affair than the trip to the crossroads. They were no longer a small, quiet party. The Vexin escort had grown, and they now rode alongside the Galen trade convoy—a line of heavy wagons laden with sacks of grain. Damon rode at the head of the company, his posture more relaxed now that the weight of the coming winter had been lifted from his shoulders. Beside him, Isolde rode with a quiet confidence she hadn't possessed a week earlier.
The road was rough, but the mood was light. Damon's knights, their grim faces now split with smiles, rode with a renewed sense of purpose. Arion, ever vigilant, rode to the rear of the convoy, his eyes scanning the surrounding woods for any sign of trouble. The Galen merchants, protected by the Vexin banner, seemed to travel without a care in the world.
Damon glanced at Isolde. The simple clothes she wore now, the riding trousers and the sturdy cloak, suited her. She no longer looked like a fragile princess, but a woman with purpose.
"You were a great help back there," he said, his voice low enough to be heard only by her.
Isolde's cheeks flushed slightly. "I only spoke of what I knew, my Lord."
"You did more than that," Damon replied, a genuine smile on his face. "You saw through his lies. You shifted the balance of power. No one in my family, not even Arion, would have seen that."
Isolde looked at him, her eyes searching his face. "In the palace, there are many lies. To survive, you learn to see them."
"And you survived," Damon said, his voice full of an admiration she had never heard before. "You did more than that. You learned to use their own games against them."
A sudden shift in the convoy's pace caught Damon's attention. Arion rode up from the rear, his face a grim mask. "My lord," he said quietly. "We have company. Sorran guards. A small scouting party."
Damon's jaw tightened, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword. He looked at Isolde. "Do not be alarmed. They are not a threat yet. They are watching us. The king has noticed our new arrangement."
Isolde's heart began to pound, but she did not flinch. She had seen the Sorran guards before, their cold, impassive faces a constant reminder of her brother's power. She knew they were not here to help.
"They will not attack our convoy," Isolde said, her voice small but firm. "It would be an act of war, and they are not prepared. The king is cruel, but he is not a fool."
Damon looked at her, surprised. "How can you be so certain?"
"Because their men are not in formation. They are observing. A wolf does not attack a prepared prey unless it is starving. The king is not starving. He is simply testing you."
Damon nodded, a flicker of pride in his eyes. Her insight was a new weapon, a different kind of strength. He rode to the front of the convoy, his posture confident and firm. He met the eyes of the Sorran guards, a silent warning passing between them. The message was clear: a new alliance had been forged, and the Vexin were no longer alone. The Sorran guards, after a long, tense moment, turned and rode away.
The rest of the journey passed without incident. As they neared the Vexin lands, the rough hills gave way to towering mountains, their peaks capped with snow. The air grew colder, but Isolde did not mind. The fortress that rose from the stone, a testament to strength and resilience, was her new home. As they rode through the gates, the Vexin people cheered. They saw the grain wagons, a promise of warmth and food, and their cheers turned to roars of grateful welcome.
Damon dismounted, his face a mask of quiet relief. He turned to Isolde, his eyes full of a new emotion she couldn't name. It was not pity, and it was no longer just protection. It was a partnership forged in the fires of political intrigue and a shared understanding of duty. He held out his hand to her.
"Welcome home, Isolde," he said, his voice low and earnest.
Isolde, for the first time, took his hand without hesitation. She smiled, a small but genuine smile that reached her eyes. The journey had ended, and a new one was just beginning.