Chapter 40: She's a Bad Girl

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Prince Nayoko of Hoshido

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Prince Nayoko of Hoshido

In the coming days at Fort Jinya, I watched over Takumi, trained with Hinoka, discovered more about healing from Sakura and Jakob, learned the ways of ninjas with Kaze, and cooked with Semyaza. And, at all costs, I avoided speaking about what had happened in Cheve with Ryoma.

But I felt obliged to seek him out when we caught wind of the Nohrians' location. Warships had been spotted at sea -- it turned out that they'd decided to surprise us. However, the jig was up: we knew they weren't going to breach our borders now. Their plan had failed. And the strength of our forces was concentrated in Fort Jinya, right in their path to the capital.

Ryoma's decision to move us had actually paid off.

I found him in the armoury tower, deep in discussion with Raiden as he gestured to the remains of his old armour. They both turned around as I stepped into the room, which was looking considerably barer than when I'd last visited. Ryoma smiled at me. Raiden didn't, but that was to be expected. It seemed only Semyaza could coax a smile out of him.

I stopped just inside the doorway and held up my hands. "Carry on. I can wait."

Ryoma turned back to Raiden and finished up his discussion. Once they were done, my brother came over. "Nayoko! Is everything all right?"

I was relieved to see him in good spirits. "Yes, and I've just heard the news. Did you know the Nohrians would come by sea?"

He smiled wisely. "I had no mysterious message telling me, so no. But I thought it was likely."

"Why didn't you just say that when you ordered the move?"

"A good general never tells his soldiers more than they need to know," he replied. "You give them an order to follow, and they should follow it without needing a reason. When only the general knows, operations are carried out smoothly. If I'd told my army that I suspected the Nohrians would come by sea, it would have inevitably got back to the enemy, and they would have changed their plans."

"And then they really might have caught us by surprise. I see your point."

"Of course. You were, after all, the captain of a platoon in Nohr." Ryoma frowned. "You know, all of your siblings spearhead segments of the army. Hinoka leads the sky knights, Takumi leads the archers, and Sakura, when she comes of age, will lead our healers. You commanded my soldiers for a long time while I was missing, but now you have nothing."

"I don't mind."

"You're the chosen saviour -- it's high time that you were in charge of a battalion. You will have to report to me, of course, as the others do. But I'm certain that whatever judgement call you make, I would have also made the same."

My spirits lifted. "You really mean it? I can have a battalion?"

He smiled. "Of course. Come back with me to the main building, and we'll sort it out."

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