It wasn't long before Iria started walking separate paths with Prince Orius. The latter said that he had some matters to tend to but he didn't tell her what it was. So, she and Rion just make their way towards the forest where she used to go and practice.

It had been a while since she last left the palace just to practice with Rion, all because of Arin Helev. The Crown Prince always advised her not to sneak out and she always ended up complying. She didn't want to create troubles and if she went out too often, it might draw suspicions.

The forest named 'Garetth Forest' was located at the left end of the capital. It wasn't far from the market and even from the palace, only less than two hours were needed to get there. It wasn't thick or vast in comparison to the other forests in Qalagon, so it was not a favourite of the hunters. However, due to its richness in herbs and medicinal plants, herbs collectors frequent the Garetth Forest.

The area in the forest where Iria and Rion used to go was at the end of the forest. There wasn't many trees or herbs there but a river. There was a small plain much more like a ground near the river and it created a suitable place for practising swordsmanship.

"I thought that you will like to wander around rather than coming here," Rion said to his Commander when they reach the plains.

Still sitting on her horse, Iria glanced around her surroundings. The fresh air provided by the Garetth Forest in the right and the sound of the flowing water from the Caria River in the left; the nature of this place puts her at ease. She closed her eyes and deeply inhaled the fresh air. "I want to clear my mind," she muttered.

"What bothered you, Commander?" Rion asked. Was there any problem which he wasn't aware of?

Opening her eyes, Iria gets off her horse and Rion followed suit. She unsheathed her sword and observed it. "The letter from His Majesty," she replied to Rion.

Rion slightly raised a brow. "Didn't His Highness said that he will tell us when he returns? We will know it soon."

Holding her sword in her right hand, Iria turned to Rion. "That's the reason why. His Highness already received the letter yesterday yet he still maintained his silence until now. Can you guess what that means?"

Rion gave a quick thought until... his eyes suddenly grew wide! "There must be something wrong in Jerivia."

"Exactly," Iria said. "If it's a trivial matter, there is no need for Prince Orius to wait until now. He will already let you relay the message to me yesterday evening."

Rion thought of the possible troubles which their kingdom might face. War? Rebellion? Just what was it?

"Unsheathe your sword."

He blinked when he heard the command. "Right now?"

Commander Iria simply nodded. "I think you should help me in clearing my mind."

"Don't you want to rest first?" Though training was their purpose to come here, he wasn't that happy to train with his Commander. They had done that countless times yet the result was always the same. He lost.

"Did we walk here?" Iria pointed her chin at the horses and said, "Why must we need a rest?"

"Then what about discussing the letter from His Majesty?" He asked, thinking of it as his last resort.

"We can do that while practising, don't we?" Commander Iria simply responded. She was well aware of what Rion was thinking. She knew him too well but... it's fun to do this at times yet she feigned ignorance and didn't show anything.

Sighing in defeat, Rion unsheathed his sword and get in position to start the friendly fight. With a little smile on her face, Iria wielded her sword towards Rion and the latter blocked it with his sword, creating a loud sound of the swords clashing.

"So, in your opinion, what might be the problem?" Iria asked, still holding on to the same position. Suddenly, she pressed her sword against Rion with quite a force and then pulled back, making Rion took two steps backwards involuntarily.

"War?" Rion opined and this time, he charged towards his Commander which the latter perfectly blocked. Their swords clashed four times until they halted and pressed against each other again.

"I'm not sure of which kingdom would pose a threat to ours but it's not Qalagon. What about Helsia?" Iria said. She pulled back again this time but not as rough as before. However, she quickly attacked Rion again. Her movements were too swift that Rion failed to defend himself after their swords continuously clashed five times. As such, he ended up falling to the ground on the sixth attack.

"Do you plan to kill me today?" Rion asked when Iria offered him a hand to help him up. When his Commander wields her sword to clear her mind, that's when she was the most aggressive and rough apart from the battlefield! This fact was what made him reluctant the most from the very beginning.

"If that was my intention, you will already be dead rather than falling to the ground," Commander Iria responded. "Let's have another round."

"Do I have a choice?" Rion asked and picked up his sword.

"You will if Jolene or Zire were here."

Rion let out a sigh and take his position again. If only he had the same agility as his Commander, he would surely struggle less! However, he never disobeyed the Commander, no matter what the order was. He had a strong sense of respect for her and that made him a loyal and trustworthy right-hand man of hers.

"Why would Helsia want to fight with us again? The war ended just a month ago." He responded to the assumption that Iria made before. Then he was all ready to fight again.

Iria also thought of the same. It wouldn't be Helsia, so what might be the problem? She adjusted her position, giving the chance of the first attack to Rion. She was still absorbed in her thoughts all the time. Then Rion charged towards her and she was more than ready to fend herself until... one possibility crossed her mind.

What if it's about Princess Iria?! This assumption alone was enough to make her froze! Was her friend in a serious condition?!

When Rion saw her not moving at all, he was so closed to slash her yet he could barely manage to throw his sword away before he reached where she stood. He tried so hard to halt before he reached her but he failed and fall to the ground not to clash with her who was completely zoning out.

"Commander."

What was that? He almost ends up slashing her!

When Rion looked up at the Commander with a perplexed yet anxious face, he suddenly heard the sound of clapping at a distance.

Someone was here?!