Mireya's words lingered in the hall long after her footsteps faded. Pawns are meant to be sacrificed.
But dawn came anyway.
The courtyard was drowned in gold light as the sun rose, banners snapping in the wind. Soldiers stood in formation, armor gleaming, waiting for the princess who was already half a ghost in their eyes.
I mounted the horse without ceremony. Vaelen and Mireya stood at the palace steps, masks polished, words rehearsed.
"Safe travels, cousin," Vaelen said, voice smooth but brittle. "Try not to embarrass us," Mireya added, her smile sharp as glass.
I looked at them both, silver hair catching the dawn. "If I die, remember this moment. Remember that you stayed behind."
The horns sounded. The gates opened. And I rode out, the kingdom watching as if they were already writing my obituary.
By dusk, the war camp sprawled across the plain like a scar. Tents sagged under exhaustion, banners drooped, and the air was thick with smoke and fear. Soldiers moved with weary precision, eyes hollow from waiting. The generals approached, bowing stiffly, their faces carved from stone, their eyes sharp with doubt.
"Your Highness," one began carefully, "we've prepared a ceremonial command tent for you. You need only bless the troops. The real strategy—"
I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Oh? So you've already planned everything? How reassuring. I suppose if the demons break through tonight, I'll have you to thank."
The general stiffened. "Tonight? The demons are days away."
I smiled faintly. "Are they? Curious. I heard rumors they move faster than expected. But perhaps I'm mistaken. After all, I'm only a pawn."
The murmurs spread. Officers shifted uneasily.
I let the silence stretch, then added softly, "Still… if I were in your place, I'd have scouts on the ridge already. But I'm sure you know better."
The general blanched. "Scouts! Send scouts immediately!"
The soldiers scrambled, obeying him — not me. But the idea had been mine.
I folded my hands, watching the camp stir awake. They thought they were commanding. But I was the one moving the pieces.
The scouts hadn't even returned when a horn blared from the western ridge. Shouts erupted. A runner stumbled into camp, blood streaking his armor.
"Demons!" he gasped. "They're here—already inside the valley!"
Chaos rippled through the camp. Soldiers scrambled, generals barked orders, but the lines were already breaking.
I stood quietly, silver hair catching the firelight, thorned crown mark glowing faintly.
"So soon," I murmured. "How unfortunate. And yet… how convenient."
The generals turned to me, panic in their eyes.
"You said they were days away," I reminded them, voice calm, almost amused. "It seems your strategy was flawed. What will you do now?"
They faltered, desperate, and began shouting orders. Soldiers rushed to form ranks, archers scrambled to the ridge.
I didn't command. I didn't need to. I had already forced them to act.
The demons poured down the ridge like a tide of shadows, claws gleaming, eyes burning. Panic rippled through the camp — soldiers stumbling, generals shouting, lines breaking before they were even formed.
I stepped forward, blade in hand, and let the chaos swirl around me.
"Strange," I said softly, loud enough for those nearest to hear. "They said I was a pawn. Yet here I stand, while the board crumbles."
The words spread like wildfire. Soldiers glanced at me, then at the demons, then at their faltering commanders.
One young knight gritted his teeth, raised his spear, and shouted, "Protect the Princess!"
Others echoed him. The line steadied.
I hadn't ordered them. I hadn't begged them. I had simply reminded them of what was at stake.
The demons crashed into the front ranks. Steel clashed, screams tore through the night. I moved with quiet precision, cutting down one, then another, each strike deliberate, each step measured. Not a commander — a survivor. Not a figurehead — a presence.
The generals, red‑faced and desperate, clung to their authority, but the soldiers no longer looked to them. They looked to me.
And I let them.
I didn't seize control. I didn't bark orders. I simply fought where they could see me, spoke when silence threatened to break them, and let their own instincts carry them forward.
By the time the demons pulled back into the shadows, the camp was bloodied but unbroken.
The generals sagged with relief, pretending their commands had saved the day. The soldiers whispered instead of cheering, their eyes fixed on me.
I sheathed my blade, wiped the blood from my cheek, and smiled faintly.
"They wanted me sacrificed," I murmured. "But pawns don't die quietly. Pawns change the game."
The night settled heavy over the camp. The battle was only beginning.