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We rode for hours straight only stopping around halfway to allow the horses to get some water and wait for the straggling half of the group to catch up again, once they reached us we continued along our way until eventually we arrived at the camp.

"Go settle in, don't let your guards down and be prepared for anything that may come!" Mundok shouted to his troops, they all nodded and moved to do as they were told as Mundok looked back down to me, "come, Aric. General Yu-Hon requested I bring you with me straight to the Generals meeting."

"Huh? Why?" I asked, he just gave me a small shrug and led me through the camp to the central most tent (also the largest tent in the area) where we both entered to find the four other Generals of Kouka Kingdom waiting for us in a tense silence.

"Why's Lord Aric here?" the General of the Fire Tribe, Kan Soo-Jin, asked as he cast a very obviously disapproving gaze down onto me.

Ok, Aric, steel your nerves. It's time. Don't let them treat you like the child you quite literally are. Today you are not ten years old but twenty. Command the respect you deserve—do I deserve that respect? Uh—

"Didn't you read the notification letter that the king sent out?" An Joon-Gi, the General of the Water Tribe, asked with a sigh and obviously not all that interested.

"The King sent Lord Aric to join us in this battle," Yu-Hon told everyone, shooting General Soo-Jin a warning glare as myself and Mundok reached the large round table the four others were all stood around.

"I hope you've gotten better, kid," Lee Geun-Tae, the General of the Earth Tribe of whom I'd met previously last year, gave me a look that I read as 'I want a rematch' or something along those lines, "are you finally swinging those blades outside their covers? It's a waste of good smithing if you don't."

I know in the past Mundok and Uncle have both warned me that the other Generals have particular personalities, but I didn't really think it'd be like this. What was the general rule of the Generals again? Ah—I remember: the Fire Tribe General only really follows to find a way to get to the throne himself. The Water Tribe General only really observe until they feel that they need to step in to do something, back seat observers as Uncle often describes him. The Earth Tribe General much like his tribe only follow a proven strong leader, something my Uncle had quite easily proven when he became a General and even before that. The Wind Tribe General is well known to have strength, political knowledge, and the attitude of the wind: all so lazy but still strong.

Then of course there's my Uncle, Crowned Prince Yu-Hon, Sky tribe general, considered and widely known as the royal protectors of the Royal Family and Hiryuu Castle. Strong warriors. Something that's been apparent for quite some time now and someone I want to reach and surpass in the future.

"Yes, sir," I answered General Geun-Tae quickly as I rested my hands on the hilts of both swords hanging off waist

"Well then, if you live, I want a match!" he exclaimed with a large grin.

If I live, huh? Damn.

"We'll see," I hummed, swallowing down my ever growing worry before it showed externally, "what's the plan?"

Yu-Hon seemed to fight off a smile as we all positioned ourselves around a map.

"We've got a straightforward attack," Yu-Hon explained, "they'll have to travel through these mountains to reach where we are here at the base."

"Have the villagers been evacuated?" Mundok asked motioning to the villages dotted across the area that the Xing army were suspected to be coming through as Yu-Hon placed a small battle piece down on the map to represent the two armies.

Kouka's Crowned Prince | oc insertWhere stories live. Discover now