The Female Soldier [EDITING]

Chapter 22.2

Alexander hadn't slept that well in a long time. Not since before Natalia died at least. He'd often dream of his precious older sister. He would remember her charming smile, and the way she'd read to him. Even now, he could remember the last words she told him. Her gentle voice echoing inside his head, forever. Alexi, one day, sister will not be here..if that day comes, Vitya might not be able to take care of you like usual. I will need you to not be sad, and to always hold your head up high, alright? Promise me, Alexi...

Alexander didn't understand what she was saying. He was only ten, seven years later he didn't realize how much he missed her. How much he now missed her, and how badly he wanted to talk to her. To tell her about everything...

"...xander...tracks....oods..re....instening..?"

"ALEXANDER!"

He jumped, his head which felt cloudy now clear. Alexander could hear the gain chirping of birds, and quiet sound of leaves rustling in the wind. And beside him, Eric, who was looking at him with worry painted in his grey eyes. "What were we talking about?" He asked, running a hand through his hair. He was out of it, since it was her birthday. His sister would've been thirty four, had she not died. Eric shook his head, pointing in front of them. "I was saying, that we should check the east side of the woods for any tracks" he explained again. Alexander nodded, not really listening to the pretty boys words. He felt so out of it, like he really couldn't think straight. Part of it because of Eric, the other part being because of his sister.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, his beautiful eyes showing nothing but worry. Alexander mentally kicked himself for making him feel like that. "I'm fine" he said rubbing the back of his neck. Eric sighed again, "if your tired we can rest, but we have a mission to do." Right, that damn mission. Alexander didn't want to do the mission anymore. Rather he'd like to take Eric's hand and run away to the other side of the world with him. To a place without war, and having to worry about if today would be their last. Alexander could almost envision it.

Eurielle was sure, she saw a thundercloud over Alexander's head at one moment, and then little flowers blooming the next. She began to wonder if she was truly the only woman in the army. Alexander's mood swings were worse than hers. "No, it's fine, I'm fine...I'm sorry if I worried you." Alexander offered her a small smile. Eurielle gave him a look that said she wasn't convinced, but didn't press any further than that. They went east as promised, but also came back empty handed. Over the next few days. They had discovered absolutely nothing, nothing to indicate anyone was there. Let alone an army of highly trained soldiers. They went to several villages, trying to find out about the source of a rumor, they'd hear being whispered. About enemy forces crossing Haven boarders. Which Eurielle offered they do. The brigadier general didn't mention any rumor, but he must've gotten wind of it from one their spies. Which explained why the sudden urgency of the mission.

"Ah, another army? No I haven't heard a thing. I did see an army marching south wards though" said one woman, she put a slender hand to her cheek in thought. "But they didn't have any enemy insignias" she added, making Eurielle's shoulders slump. Suddenly the woman's eyes brightened, "I've heard about the navy going missing though...but doesn't that happen often?" Eurielle only nodded, brushing away what the woman had said, as just mere gossip. It was normal. She met up with Alexander later. The two scouts sat themselves on a bench, hunched over the map where they marked their surroundings, and how much land they've covered. "The army that woman mentioned was a battalion that went to smother out some rebel forces" Alexander explained. Eurielle nodded, her silver eyes looking over the map. "Perhaps we can ask if they've seen anything strange?" She offered. He shook his head, pushing back his hair. "No, regular soldiers don't have the training we do to observe, and from what I know they don't have any scouts in their ranks."

This mission was beginning to go south..she thought bitterly. "This is getting us no where. There's no evidence, no mater where we look. It's been almost two weeks, but there has been no sign of anything" she growled. "No rumors, no tracks, nothing!"

Alexander just sat there quietly, chin in his hands. "Unless they weren't here to begin with.." he spoke. That stopped Eurielle in her tracks, what was it he was tryin to say? "What do you mean?" She asked wearily. Alexander shook his head, muttering something to himself in a language she did not understand. "Call me crazy," he began running a hand through his hair again. "But what if, that rumor was planted?" Eurielle's eyes widened, "like...a spy? In Haven?" He nodded his eyes darkening, as he leaned back. Eurielle didn't know what to think st the moment. They didn't even think of the possibility of a spy. But where? In the villages? Within their ranks? Oh gods, that possibility was even higher...her silver eyes widened.

The spies...

"Alexander..." she began, sweat beading down her forehead. "Do you know of any spies, who have gone missing..and then suddenly returned?" The silver haired boy went quiet for a solid moment, racking his brain for any information Vitya might have let slip. It wasn't often, but when the two brothers were alone, the general would drink himself to sleep. During those times, he'd rant about random things, even military information. Alexander suddenly remembered a name, "Monty Barnes.." he murmured. His brothers best spy, had gone missing for a few weeks, then suddenly sent a letter out of the blue. His brother had brushed it off as a loss of communication. Which happened often. But the timing of the letter, was a few days before their assigned mission.

They went into the woods, where Alexander quickly explained the situation and the letter. Eurielle listened, her heart beating like a drum with every new piece of information given to her. The cogs of her mind began to work, turning, and analyzing. Piecing together other silvers of information she had gathered. Just as she was taught. Eurielle gasped, suddenly remembering what that woman had said about the navy, about them going missing. She had brushed it off as mere gossip.

"What if, you were right. Let's say they weren't ever here to begin with. How would an army be able to get across enemy boarders without being detected?" She asked. Alexander came from a military family. Surely he knew something. "It depends, whether it was through land or sea..if it was on land, I would separate my troops into smaller groups. Then make my way in slowly. However if that enemy had a navy. I'd take over that navy, make sure they couldn't send any sos messages. Then sneak through posing as their navy."

Eurielle's breath caught in her throat. If the navy went missing, and nothing has been heard about them yet...oh gods. She stood up, hands shaking. "We need to get back to the camp, now" Alexander stood up with her. "Why? What did you figure out?" He asked. She shook her head, knees wobbling. "Not here" she hissed. If Leonarda had a spy on enemy shores. Surely they'd have gotten wind of two scouts sent out to investigate their rumor.

Before he can say anything, a knife went flying past their heads.