Although under Major General Paul von Moonblade service was a tallish woman, with light brown hair and purplish eyes with a tints of blue running though them. Her look was certainly unique, she carried herself tall and proud. Another thing that stuck out about the woman was a burn mark which rode up her left arm, he eyed his curiously until she caught him looking. He swiftly turned away to avoid the woman's sharp gaze. He would later find out this woman was Colonel Radia Ravenguard, one of Paul's strongest warriors who could rival the Heaven's Three. They showed the Lunar Knights around the perimeter of the castle, where damage was and all the vital areas for a soldier's daily life.
"You Heaven's Hand folk really destroyed this place, it's a shame. It was quite the beautiful castle in its prime." said Radia Ravenguard, her aversion for the Heaven's Hand was plain to see from the start of their tour as she was giving him and especially Lenore a nasty look.
For some odd reason, she started to act nostalgic although this has always been an imperial castle. A moonlight kingdom soldier should have never stepped foot in the castle grounds. Lucius noticed this though no one else seemed to pick up on this by their lack of concern. He wrote it off as her opinion from the outside, scouting perhaps.
After a while of walking around the castle, he guided the party to the last remaining place. Their living situations would be of the same standard as the Heaven's Hand's commanders, just on the opposite end of the castle. To avoid confusion about chain of command within the two separate armies. Radia seemed rather dissatisfied with this though. He ended the tour swiftly after this, letting everyone go their separate ways. Many of the Lunar Knight commanders turned in for the night as the hour was growing late.
Lucius went to the one of many balconies of Dragmere's main keep; this had become a part of his nightly routine ever since the night of the siege. He stared out into the sea of black which fulfilled his vision until he heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned slightly to see Paul approaching him, he recalled the mention of a private chat he wanted to have.
"Morning, afternoon or night. You can never tell in this cursed land. If you recall I mentioned a private chat earlier, do you mind if we have it now? asked Paul, cursing the darklands creators while he was at it.
"I don't mind, what was it you wanted to discuss?"asked Lucius, still staring out into the night sky. Not looking at the man next to him, Paul followed his lead and stared into starless night.
"It was around two years ago, I was a newly promoted colonel commanding a garrison of around ten thousand. Many of the men in that garrison were people I knew personally through my childhood. Old guardsman of house Moonblade, or servants who were drafted forcefully into the military. Although the connection between us was thin, I still cared for the men in my service at that time. My happiest moments at that time was seeing everyone's smiles and laughter." said Paul.
"Your point?" said Lucius, rather bitterly at the man's tangent disrupting his peaceful night.
"After a couple of months, an imperial army besieged the castle I was entrusted with. Their numbers were greater than ours and they had far more experienced warriors under them. I tried every tactic, strategy and trick possible to defeat the foe which stood at my door, pounding its might against it everyday without fail. Eventually, the door gave in and we were flooded with bloodthirsty imperials, my soldiers were no match. I watched many of them be cut down personally, we were only saved by reinforcements from the Crusaders without them I doubted I would be here. Everyday since then I have blamed myself for my incompetence then, but what I learned is to live and better yourself for those men who were lost. Take the past and grow from it, carry their lost souls within you and never forget them. The past is set in stone, and cannot be changed. Loss is one of many variables a commander has to go through to improve. Your sense of guilt may never fade completely but I promise you it will lighten after time." said Paul, not paying attention to Lucius' comment.
"Has my tale helped you, my prince?" asked Paul, turning to Lucius who was now looking at the man. A single tear ran down Paul's cheek at reliving the awful memory which made who he is now.
"It has, thank you. I will carry my fallen comrades with me until I too one day fall in battle. Their honorable deaths shall not be nothing." declared Lucius, putting his hand out to the Major General in search of a handshake. Paul reciprocated the gesture, they both smiled at each other. Silently acknowledging the pact that was just formed between the two commanders in arms.
Soon after this they both went their separate ways, Lucius headed back to his room reflecting on the previous conversation. Paul had really opened Lucius' mind that there was more to death, even if someone is no longer walking they can still live on inside people's memories and hearts. Making death one of the many unknown factors about human life, as no one knows what lies ahead after the blood stops pumping.