When Good Things End - A Novel Series

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"A tour?" I questioned once Leo explained his visit. I guess he wants to show me around the village, probably the newer areas.

He wore boots with plain black pants tucked into them and a well-fitting white shirt. He looked pridefully at me with a smile, even though his whole posture was that of a strict soldier, as he waited at my door. I peeked at him while pulling on my boots, he held his hands behind his back and his feet shoulder-width apart.

"At ease, soldier." I joked, and he stepped aside for me.

He's really playing the guard roll well.

"We're having enrollment and enlisting at the main guard tower. It's surprising how quickly everything is thriving," Leo informed with a chuckle as we walked past a newly built street. There were a lot of new things as he motioned to different buildings, taking time to let me explore the new bakery and shops.

I counted four stories in each guard tower that we entered, marveling at the sound structures. They were practically skyscrapers! "How did you get all this stuff built so quickly?"

"Ronin is surprisingly efficient in work assignments and material calculations. Herald helps draw the building plans for all of the new buildings and helps oversee the work as well. We tore down this square; it used to have an inn and a few houses, but we rebuilt it into a small neighborhood," he said as we walked past cheerful children playing.

Ronin has been busy doing so much work over the past two months!

A sudden pang of guilt hit me as I remembered that he doesn't know about Vildrid's attack on Matel.

"Who was in charge of the guard towers while Rifftan was away?" I asked as he led me off the road and into the forest.

"I did. ot wasn't hard, mostly paperwork, but I made sure things ran smoothly on his end," Leo said, offering a hand as we started climbing a steeper hill.

"You're really amazing," I said, squeezing his hand to try and add emphasis.

"It's all thanks to you," he said, parting some overgrown vines as he stopped at the top of the hill. I stood next to him as we gazed out at the picturesque view of the village. Guard towers were placed both around and inside the village. I even spotted areas where new buildings were still under construction.

We have done so much and there's still a so much more to do.

"We made sure everyone would be safe. I regulated routine rounds along every road, and any troubles that had come up were quickly solved. Were all on alert and looking out for Crete or Vildrid; nothing so far," Leo said. He looked out over the ocean. "The captain will be coming back in a week, so we are expecting more people and a new shipment of supplies."

More refugees. There must have been more attacks on other villages.

"How can I stop Vildrid?" I asked bluntly; it had been on my mind for too long. "I don't want an attack to happen on my village. I just can't let that happen."

Not when everything is going so well.

"One thing I don't understand is why wait till Vildrid attacks."

I sighed, feeling frustrated. I don't have an arm.! I don't have an alliance. I don't want to have a war, I want to stop it.

"Anna," Leo said, pulling my attention back to him. He held my hand in both of his as he knelt down. "It's been a long time since our time at the beach. Do you remember what I said to you back then?"

I smiled. "You didn't feel adequate pledging your sword to me until you completed training."

"I'm actually overseeing the training now," he stated happily. "I want to swear an oath of protecting you or what you love; I always tried to. But even if my training does not account for much on the day of any battle, I am ready to die for you at any moment for any reason."