The morning came the same way as the night went, filled with the light melodies of love making. Ares was wrapped in the warm embrace of Lana. Her fingers brushed along the back of his neck, down along the back of his shoulder blade as though she was admiring a sculpture.

Ares smiled and pulled away from her. He kissed her for a few moments before finally peeling himself away from her sticky body. He whispered as quietly as he could, only foSSr her ears. “I love you.”

Realising how embarrassing the situation was, he fled out of the tent and into the cool air. He shuddered and looked around to the nearby soldiers who straightened up and stared at him wide eyed.

“Morning,” Ares nodded to them.

They nodded in return. “Morning Ares-kin…”

“Lovely morning, isn’t it?” Ares asked.

The soldier remained paused for a moment. “Yes… it is.”

Ares nodded and then he looked out to the scenery away towards the giant wall that he had created. The various beastfolk that had come to try and take his head had made their camp around it.

“I should start charging them rent or something,” Ares whispered to himself, shaking his head before heading over to one side. He walked off towards the path up Dragon’s Spine and then stopped. There was a river a fair ways away, but…

He raised a hand and then started to clear up the area to form an open basin of rock before he filled it up with some water. He placed his hand into the water and then he started to warm up the water with his flames.

Then he sank into the bath and relaxed within it as the soldiers surrounded him. It was his Roaring Tridents, ten of them in total. So they had finally sorted out the group with the new numbers.

Once he was done with his bath he offered his soldiers a bath as well, though they seemed fine remaining on duty. The five hundred or so Riveans at the fort were eager for a fight it seemed. Those that remained were those that believed in Rivea truly, and Ares couldn’t help but feel reassured by that fact.

Then he stepped out onto the walls and looked over it towards the enemy. They didn’t seem to move as of yet.

One of the soldiers came to Ares and informed him of the movements from last night. Other than those that had fled, no other movement was seen. Some of the enemy was on guard, but it didn’t seem as though they wanted to fight. Yet nor did they want to flee.

“Hmm,” Ares hummed. He narrowed his eyes as he looked out to the enemy. “What are you feeling?”

Torak handed over Runar to the King. “I don’t like it,” he said. “It’s too… quiet.”

Ares nodded. “They’re not leaving, so their intention is to fight, but they aren’t starting the fight.”

“Perhaps this is not all of them?”

Ares did not reply. Runar slapped him. “Perhaps so,” he said as he then tossed Runar up and caught her. “Well. No matter. Four to one, five to one, ten to one, it’s all the same to me.”

Ares hopped down and Torak followed him. “The more pressing matter is that Runar keeps hitting me. I fear she does not respect me as the King or, more importantly, her father.” Ares frowned and then held Runar up and stared into her eyes. “Huh? Is that right? You don’t like daddy?”

Runar giggled in response and Ares leaned in to blow a raspberry into her stomach before tossing her up and catching her. She squealed and cried with joy as he continued to play with his daughter.

“Isn’t my daughter the cutest?” Ares said to no one in particular. He smiled at his daughter. “Don’t worry, my little star… daddy will deal with everyone that tries to come by to take your kingdom,” he whispered.

Runar didn’t understand, though Ares wasn’t exactly surprised. The pair enjoyed their time together, bonding with one another. Ares told her tales of a fellowship and a ring and a volcano.

“Don’t ask about the eagles,” Ares said to the tiny girl that had yawned and then rolled towards him.

It was then that Asyllia flew down towards him. “It seems as though there are others approaching,” she said.

Ares looked up towards her. He was going to make a joke about her interrupting his father and daughter time with Runar, but he decided against it. After all he wasn’t entirely sure if Asyllia understood sarcasm.

“Others?” Ares asked.

“A group around half as much.”

Ares looked out to the enemy once more. “How far?”

“Half a day.”

Ares nodded and then rubbed the side of his neck. “I’ll count on you in the evening.”

Noon came and then, not long after, many more arrived to reinforce the enemy. They were pantherfolk, and quite a few of them too.

Ares looked out to see just how large the enemy force was. ‘Maybe I should be a little worried…’

Still though… Ares was confident that they could handle the enemy. The only real issue was that he hadn’t actually worked on the terrain to give his army a huge advantage. The fort was a large advantage by itself, but forming the terrain wouldn’t hurt.

He sighed.

“Ten to one, it’s all the same to you, that’s what you said,” Torak said.

“Well… it is. They won’t beat us.”

“They won’t, but…”

The words remained unspoken between them. Ares nodded to confirm the thoughts, and that was that.

“I’m hungry,” Ares said. He looked down towards his daughter who was fast asleep in his arms. She felt so heavy.

“What are you thinking?” Torak asked a while later.

“If something happens… during the fight, during the war… and the fort is unable to withstand the assault…” Ares looked up to Torak. “Take Runar back to Rivea.”

Torak nodded. “I will.”

“Ozar and Ozri as well.”

“I will.”

Ares nodded. “I have complete faith in you,”

“And I in you.”