Viggo sat in the chair behind the desk in his office. Hrafen sat on the couch and was in the middle of reading a letter out loud. Audun and Astrid stood at opposite walls, both with their attention on Hrafen, following every word of his. Viggo, who had already been read the letter and had discussed its content with Hrafen, had his eyes out the window, and his thoughts on how calm and peaceful the winter had been so far.

It had been such a joy for him to teach Saga how to ride, and since the first time she had tried, they had together ridden further away from the castle. She had also been out to the stables on her own, never to ride, but to give Magni treats.

Just thinking about it made him smile.

He had also spent much more time alone with Audun than during the autumn. With everything slowing down, they had both had more time to spare for one another, to simply be in each other's company without any pressure of duties and tasks. The insecurities and tension had simmered down, and though Viggo still noted Audun's smiles becoming more strained when Viggo went to sleep next to Saga, everything between them felt more at ease.

But all of the peace had been shattered.

Hrafen finished reading the letter, and Audun turned his eyes on Viggo.

"So when are we leaving for Palaja?" he asked.

"The sooner, the better," Viggo answered. "We'll use tomorrow to prepare, and then we ride in the early hours of the morning the day after tomorrow."

"And how many will come along?"

"A dozen. The rest stays. None of the attacks in the Kingdom have happened in the same city twice. Thus the King thinks Sinkbek is safe from further attacks, but I'm not taking any chances. A dozen will be of significant support to Palaja while not leaving Sinkbek too vulnerable," Viggo explained the decision he had already taken and informed the King about. The King's answer had arrived only a few moments later through the magic device Hrafen could use to send messages to the capital. From its content, Viggo had sensed disapproval over that he wasn't deploying more of his knights, but the King hadn't said anything outright about it.

"Do they have any idea who is behind it all?" Astrid asked, looking between Viggo and Hrafen. "Because now there is no doubt about it, right? Golems don't come out of nowhere."

"It would not be surprising if Pitte has already been told to look into the matter," Viggo nodded.

Golems were creatures created by a mage, so there certainly couldn't be anyone remaining thinking it was all a coincidence. Someone or some people were weakening the kingdom by sending monsters to the major cities, one at a time. And this attack on Palaja was a pesky one. Golems weren't particularly harmful in and of themselves. But they needed to be completely destroyed to die, or the source from where they came had to be. If the source was destroyed, all golems which came from there would cease.

According to the letter from the King, Palaja had tried to fight them back on their own, but without having any luck in finding the source in the vast wilderness around the city, they had remained unsuccessful. And so, Viggo had been ordered to assist.

Something which bothered him since plenty of other cities were much closer, and he could not fathom the King's logic to order him to go there over them. But he had no choice other than following the King's orders.

"Would there be someone in Vander wanting to attack?" Audun asked, directing the question at Hrafen.

The mage shook his head and shrugged. "It's been too long. I wouldn't know. But none was interested in Ranriki when I left."

Silence fell. Each one of the four people was in deep thoughts. Viggo's were on Hrafen, wondering, like he often did, if Hrafen was telling them all he knew. But in part, Viggo knew those thoughts were caused by the whispers of others, the same others who called him a barbarian. They whispered about Hrafen being a spy, but if the mage truly had his allegiance with the place he grew up, then Viggo was certain signs of it would have been seen at some point over the more than ten years they had known each other.

So he let the thought go and turned to Astrid.

"You'll be in charge while we're gone," he told her, who nodded.

"As always."

"Do you need me for anything else? Otherwise, I'd like to spend as much time in the comfort of a bed before we leave," Hrafen said and stood before an answer came.

"I want you to remain here," Viggo interrupted the mage's attempt at leaving.

With brows furrowed deeper than Viggo had ever seen, Hrafen turned back. "Remain here? You do not wish for me to follow to Palaja?"

"I would feel more at ease leaving if you stay. Palaja has mages if something were to happen."

Hrafen's eyes flickered to Audun, and Viggo knew what went through the mage's mind. The promise Viggo had forced him to make, the promise to, no matter what, ensure Audun's safety above anyone else, and in return Viggo had promised to never leave Hrafen behind, no matter where the future brought them.

"Are you certain? It would mean I..." Hrafen's eyes travelled between Astrid and Audun instead of finishing the sentence; those promises were a secret he and Viggo shared, after all.

"I am certain," Viggo reassured.

"Well, I'll prepare some salves and such for you then instead," Hrafen concluded and slipped out of the room.

Both Audun and Astrid stayed a bit longer. Together, the three of them decided which knights would go to Palaja and which would stay. When it had been decided, Audun and Astrid went to inform the knights, while Viggo left to inform Saga; a task he dreaded.

She was seated in front of the fireplace in their bedroom with a cup of tea next to her and a book in hand. When he entered, she looked up from the book and smiled at him. He smiled back; he found it impossible to not. Her smiles had grown so much in both brightness and genuineness since they first met. So much that they were almost the opposite of the guardedness from before. Those smiles had been more like armour than the brightness they caused now.

He pulled an armchair to sit down next to her.

"What are you reading?" he asked and peered at the book.

"It is just a book about the different kinds of monsters," she shrugged and put the book down on the table beside her.

The answer made Viggo frown. "Why are you reading about that?"

"I simply thought it a good thing to learn about." Her voice was light, but her smile had lessened in brightness. It became more of an armour again.

"You don't need to know about them. We'll protect you if something were to happen."

"I know. But it is better to be prepared."

Viggo wanted to refute her more, but he couldn't because he knew she was right. At least to some extent. It didn't hurt for her to know more, but his mind strayed to her standing on the steps to the castle while the dire wolves and goblins had attacked. To the unnecessary danger she had put herself in.

"Remember that you promised to remain somewhere safe if there ever is an attack again," he told her.

"I remember," she answered, and his muscles relaxed a bit, but not completely, for her smile was still like armour.

"Good," he said anyway, while deciding on another conversation he needed to have when he was done talking to her. "There is something I need to tell you," he then said to broach the subject, though he had no idea how to continue, how to tell her in a way which wouldn't make her worry.

The seconds ticked while the silence stretched. Saga's eyes were watchful, and her hands begun to fidget.

"I'm leaving the day after tomorrow," Viggo blurted out when the silence had pressed too hard on him. "Palaja is under attack from golems and needs assistance in dealing with them."

Saga's eyes widened, and a shudder travelled through her body. But then she swallowed and nodded.

"Who else is going with you?" she asked.

"About a dozen knights. Astrid will remain here to be in charge in my stead. Hrafen will also remain."

"Is... Is sir Audun among the ones going with you?" she continued questioning, taking Viggo aback. Though their relationship had improved from what it had been in the beginning, so they now had friendly conversations at dinner, Saga had never talked about Audun to Viggo. Never shown any indication that she ever thought about the knight. This sudden question had Viggo's mind going in various directions. For a moment he even wondered if she had found out about the true nature of their relationship. But it was a fleeting thought, for how could she have?

"Yes, he will come."

Saga exhaled, her shoulders relaxed. "Good," she murmured, as if that knowledge was among the best news she had received. It caused Viggo's wonderings to amplify. But if she knew, wouldn't she have said something?

"Why did you ask?" Viggo tilted his head and studied her carefully while waiting for the response.

"He's just a capable knight, and I'm glad you'll have someone capable by your side in case it becomes more dangerous than you anticipate," she answered.

Viggo kept quiet for a bit, kept his eyes on her. Tried to see if her words had been a lie, but he couldn't tell. He had a feeling they had been, but nothing in her demeanour gave it away. She held his gaze. Her fingers lay quietly in her lap. So he let it go—deciding he was reading too much into her question—to focus on the more important thing.

"While I'm away, if something is to happen, please make sure to keep yourself safe. Kai will remain here as well, so if you would need protection, he'll supply it," he implored her. He even took hold of her hand and squeezed it to emphasise the importance of his words.

She met his concern with a soft smile, one which again lacked all armour. "I will. I promise."

Viggo nodded and let go of her hand. While hoping he could trust her word. "Good. I got quite a few things to tend to before leaving, so I won't see you again until dinner."

He left to find Kai. Viggo knew the squire already would protect Saga if something were to happen, but he still wanted to make sure and give Kai the permission to do whatever it would take to keep her safe.

He found the boy huddled up with others in the knight's common room. Plenty were talking in loud and excited voices, and Viggo heard several exclaim about how they longed to swing their swords. Kai was among the more subdued, a rare sight, sitting and listening to the others, but not joining any of the conversations. His eyes also strayed around the room, making him the first to notice Viggo, who gave him a nod to indicate he wanted the squire to join him.

Rising from his seat, Kai walked over, and then they left the knight's lodging together in silence to the empty outside. A safe place in winter for more private conversations.

"You've undoubtedly heard we're a few who will leave the day after tomorrow," Viggo began, and Kai nodded. "While we're away, I want you to remain close to Saga. Make sure she is well and protected if anything were to happen."

"Yes, sir," Kai answered, but it lacked the usual gleam. Everything about the boy was much quieter than normal. Even his eyes sparkled less.

Writing it off as disappointment over not being among the ones going to Palaja, Viggo went on in the hopes of raising the boy's spirit, "I trust you with this task because I know she is comfortable with you, and I know you are capable of protecting her. You will make a fine knight as soon as you turn twenty."

The boy's lips tugged upwards, but it was still without the usual enthusiasm. Simple compliments would normally have him act like a dog receiving the finest meat. But Viggo could not make any sense of why the boy didn't on this occasion. Though, as much as he thought it was his duty to look after the well-being of those he commanded, he had too many things to sort to dwell on it.

"When it comes to protecting her," Viggo therefore continued to give his orders, "you are to do so by any means necessary. Including using force to keep her inside should she get any ideas into her head if there is an attack."

The thin smile disappeared completely from Kai's lips. Instead, all the features in him looked strained.

"I understand," the squire nodded.

"Good," Viggo answered and gave Kai a clap on his shoulder before leaving. Though as he left, a gnawing sensation built in his stomach for the first time about an order he had given.