Her Graceful War Song by Summer's Blaze

Barrett was on duty today, tasked with helping the Capital Guard maintain order.

As the eleven young soldiers rode past him one by one, he carefully studied each of their faces. When his gaze fell on Thomas, he noticed that the once-handsome, striking figure seemed less radiant than before. A mix of nostalgia and complex emotions stirred in his chest, along with a fleeting sense of inferiority.

Heroes.

Barrett had once been a hero too. When he returned from the Victory Pass battle, the citizens had cheered for him the same way.

But now?

Now, he had been reduced to a mere ninth-rank capital guard, stripped of the glory that once surrounded him. No longer the golden boy, no longer entrusted with important duties. Watching the eleven young soldiers, Barrett couldn't shake the sense of being worlds apart, like a speck of dirt beneath their feet.

If he was ever going to rise again, it would have to be through his brother-in-law's support. Or perhaps, another war would break out, giving him the chance to earn military merits once more.

How foolish Barrett had been back then, always imagining things so idealistically. He had once thought military accomplishments were easily won. After all, back at Victory Pass, Wyatt Sullivan had taken a blade for him, losing an arm in the process.

And on the Southern Frontier battlefield, Barrett had witnessed the true horrors of war-the brutal siege, mountains of corpses, and rivers of blood. Only then did he realize that earning glory on the battlefield was not as simple as Aurora had once made it sound. How many brave soldiers had died with their ambitions unfulfilled?

And how many, like the eleven young heroes, had been captured and tortured? To escape and form an intelligence network like they had-they were probably the only ones who could pull off such a feat.

As thoughts of captivity and torture filled his mind, a chill ran down Barrett's spine, freezing him to the core.

king hadn't pursued the matter yet, but had sent people to keep a close

a shift in power, so too would the Warren family. The new crown prince

scraping by. Despair settled deep in his bones at that moment, and his mind wandered to something Aurora had once said with such conviction: All she wanted was

looked up at the

But in the thick crowd, no one noticed him. Their attention

who had rescued

didn't notice Barrett either. His attention was focused on the heartwarming scene unfolding

face filled with pride. In a moment like

the ground, their voices trembling

smiled instead. He helped them to their feet and said, "I have

loved ones, and each tearful embrace was a sight that tugged at

none of his usual demeanor today. He wept like a child in his elder brother's arms, entirely forgetting that he was soon to

her cheeks as she realized this joy could never belong to her. She, her dad, and brothers would never

in how blood ties, once so close,

returned home,

to her

sharing in everyone else's

left with