Werner Bearbreaker was a stout, clean-shaven man armored in unadorned gray meladonite that emanated a rigid aura of stern discipline. The Peacewatch officers that surrounded him neither laughed nor smiled. His whole host radiated lifelessness as they followed a man so cold they proclaimed that his heart was made of ice. They moved precisely and rigidly, like cogs in one of those fancy machines, and when Iceheart stopped, the rest of the cogs grinded to a halt.

As a child, Zander would've been awestricken by the sight of such military conformity. The discipline. The dedication. The glory-driven boy that he had been would be proud to join Iceheart's Peacewatch. But that boy was gone. He could no longer abide the cold calculation with which killing was done. This war machine was neither glorious nor awesome.

Sir Werner Bearbreaker brought death to Mirrevar. Zander would do whatever he could to limit the destruction.

He watched from the western battlements, standing between Asa and Kenneth, as the host filtered into the encampment. He saw the future: more patrols pushing deeper into Sapphire territory, more outposts, more raids on Sapphire holdings. The battle would extend to Goddess Hill where Iceheart would spill blood on sacred ground. After holding Goddess Hill, they'd control the Grand Confluence. From there, they'd sack villages and cities or take the Sapphire's encampment. The wheels were in motion, driven forward by the thousands serving Iceheart. What could one man do to stop the tides of war from flooding across his homeland?

Zander descended, following Iceheart, Sir Thanalon, Sir Edward, and the other knights toward the center of camp. Iceheart made no attempt to acknowledge him. He didn't even acknowledge his own brother's welcoming, only asking for troop numbers and Sapphire movement.

This cold calculation made Zander feel like a toy soldier on a map rather than a person. He'd despised this man since their first, and only, meeting in the hallways of Urz's End where he chastised his daughter for dreaming of being a knight. If his own daughter couldn't earn his love by pretending to be more like him, what chance did Zander have of boring a hole into the ice and finding something warm within?

Knights and their personal squires followed him into the command tent, Asa the only woman among them. When she pulled out a chair at the table, Werner sat.

"Good woman," he said. "You'll find your place over there." Iceheart pointed toward the far corner of the pavilion. "If you keep quiet and do as you're told, you might be able to keep it."

Zander held out his chair, nodding toward Asa to take it. When she shook her head, he pushed it in, scraping loudly, and stood beside her and Kenneth.

"You deserve a seat," he told Asa, muted so only she and Kenneth could hear. "You held this encampment when he would've lost it."

Iceheart twisted his neck toward them. "If you have time to talk, boy, you could use it better to fetch the wine."

Zander met his cold glare, digging in his feet. He wasn't this man's boy.

"Went from being an heir's discarded scabbard to a giant imbecile's," Werner said, several of his knights chuckling. "Do you keep him beside you so that his dimness makes you look brighter, witch?"

More laughter. Zander's fists closed. He held himself back, but felt the impulse to crack this man's skull throttling against his restraints like a chained dog.

"Fetch the wine, boy," Iceheart said, his expression impassive but his tone laced with malice.

Nobody. Not Thanalon. Not Edward. Not Asa. Nobody said anything to stop Iceheart. Taking a deep breath, Zander realized it was going to have to be him. "I'm not your boy. I'm a knight of the Peacewatch."

"And I'm sure your mommy and daddy are proud, Sir Boy." The flat icy stare cracked into a grin. He tilted his head toward the wine rack.

Zander's arms throbbed with the urge to kill. He gripped the locket, trying to find peace before he exploded in rage. His thoughts went to Alexia. She was counting on him to stop war from spreading across Mirrevar. But wouldn't killing this man stall the coming battle? At the least it would rid the world of one more heartless killer that didn't deserve the air he breathed.

While Zander and Werner Bearbreaker exchanged glares, one cold and one fiery, Kenneth headed toward the wine rack. He offered goblets to each of the seated knights. Sir Thanalon and Sir Edward expressed thanks, while Iceheart and his men offered no such gratitude.

Sir Thanalon shifted conversation into the business of running Mirrevar, asking Asa to report on the work she'd done. She slurred her words, screeching to a stop when Iceheart overturned his goblet, shaking it until the last drop of Brighton White spilled to the ground.

Iceheart held his goblet toward Zander. "Fetch my wine, boy."

"Perhaps we should focus on the—"

Thanalon was cut off by his brother's glare.

Asa gestured to the map on the pavilion's war table. "My scouts think we should set forward camps—"

"Your council is no longer needed here," Werner interrupted. "You are hereby placed in charge of medican operations. Concern yourself only with the health of my soldiers."

Asa's aura went grayer than Iceheart's meladonite.

Zander released the locket, letting go of peace. "She defended a camp of untrained Hedgemen against a wizard-led army ten times its size! You're lucky to have her!"

"Take this insubordination any further, boy, and you will be removed from Mirrevar." He held out the goblet. "Go further than that, your head will be removed from your neck."

Zander didn't have a choice. He couldn't watch for peace if he were dead. He seized the goblet, riding away from the urge to smash it over Iceheart's skull. Kenneth put a calming hand on his back.

"The facts are the facts," Werner said. "This encampment is a shame upon the Bearbreaker name. You allowed the Monster of Ferrickton to infiltrate through Mirrevar and exfiltrate right back. Any who failed to apprehend her have no place at my table."

Zander filled the goblet, mumbling, "And who's patrols failed to apprehend her while she rode to and from Ferrickton?"

"And I will kill her personally," Asa said, gray turning to darkness, swallowing light in the tent. She pulled a vial of red liquid from her robes. "Cordesine. I swear to Leverith! Her heart will stop!"

Several of Iceheart's knights followed her declaration with promises to hunt down and slay Alexia Bluerose. Zander clutched her locket, avoiding Sir Edward's knowing gaze. As far as Zander was concerned, he could never talk to the man again and it would be too soon.

"We will find her at their Great Eagle Bridge encampment, plotting how she can defeat us," Werner said. "We shall send her back to her masters in thirteen pieces after thirteen days and thirteen nights of torture. I will make sure she screams the name of every soldier that died in Ferrickton."

The other knights ceased their vows after Iceheart trumped them all in brutality. Nobody challenged him. None save one.

Zander deepened his already deep voice. "Or she could be a powerful ally in forging peace."

He expected Iceheart and his minions to scoff, but Sir Thanalon and Asa's disgust felt like blows to the gut.

"Haven't we all killed for our king?" Zander said. "She saved Ferrickton's villagers when they surrounded her. That sounds like someone who would rather end the Gemstone War." He gripped the locket. "Alexia Bluerose is the second coming of Linus, of the Love Queen herself."

Only Kenneth remained at his side. Asa drifted away from him, aura blackening as she shook her head. "She is a monster that needs to be stopped."

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"Silence. Both of you," Werner cut in, icy as ever. "We're not here to embrace our enemies. The boy's been reading too many of Matron Mabel's fairytales."

Nigh unanimous laughter made Zander want to run from the tent. He'd never felt so humiliated. Flashes of slamming faces into tables, of throwing punches, cracking skulls. He seized the locket for stability, trying to be the man that was worthy of wearing it.

"You forget the oath that you have all sworn. I pledge my service to Leveria's truest protectors, the Bearbreakers of Urzport. I vow to embrace peace and love, for that is the righteous cause. I swear on Meladon to see that justice always be done. I swear on the Love Queen that Leveria shall be one."

"Sir Boy," Werner said dispassionately, as though Zander were merely a troublesome bug that he was going to flick off his sleeve. "We are not here to hold hands and sing songs with people that will kill us. You will learn that lesson the next time you show mercy to a Sapphire. The only justice here is in conquest of those who have wounded us. The only peace is bought with blood. There is no love here, only protecting what you love from those who would destroy it. That is the righteous cause."

"If there ever comes a time for parley, send me to her. I will prove to you that Mirrevar is the home of peace and love." Sir Zander stood tall, towering over everyone else in the tent. "Then we shall see who learns their lessons."

"She is a monster, Zander!" Asa's belligerence was a slap to his face. Zander shrank back, colliding with the tent's wall.

Then, he sprung forth. "When your light blinded an entire army and when your poisons killed hundreds, were you not a monster? When my blade ran red with blood at that breach, was I not a monster? When Sir Edward Bladestorm followed Bennett Bearbreaker into Mirrevar and slaughtered unarmed civilians, was he not a monster? We are all monsters in the eyes of the Sapphire! I look forward, Asa, and yes, I do see a day when you embrace Alexia Bluerose and when we can sing songs of peace and love."

Asa's shadow aura surged, nearly swallowing all the light in the tent. Even Werner's emotionless face flashed with awe. "I will never embrace the monster that destroyed my hometown, killed my uncle, and left my sweet cousin lost. I would rather die than embrace her!"

"Asa, look at yourself," Zander pleaded. "Look at your aura. You are shrouded in shadow. You are supposed to be radiant! You are supposed to be our hope. Hope is not black as night. It does not swallow the light. It is the light!"

Asa studied herself, seeing the darkness enveloping her. "All I see is that I'm not wanted in here." Eyes forward, pushing away Zander's attempt to offer his support, she fled the pavilion.

"Leave your lover's squabbles out of my command center," Werner said. "Go for a walk. The adults need to plan our victory without your childish nonsense interrupting us at every turn."

"I will leave," Zander said, "but first, promise me that you will give me a chance for parley with Alexia Bluerose. I would win you Mirrevar without so much as a blade bloodied."

"You haven't earned any promises from me. Focus more on keeping your head, boy. You are dismissed."

Zander felt like he was aflame, striding through the encampment, head unfocused, or rather focused on wanting to murder Iceheart. He didn't regret standing up for himself. He'd never apologize for speaking truth from the heart. Zander wished he could have punched the words into the son-of-a-yasmar's icy heart, shattering it.

"Where're we going?" Kenneth asked, rushing to keep up with Zander's long-legged pace.

"Where we always go when we want to kill something but can't."

Zander marched into the training grounds, ever the place to work off anger. At first, he didn't give Kenneth much ground, the restraints on the mad dog cut. But Kenneth kept enduring, taking his beatings with the resilience of one not to be underestimated when things got hard.

Zander's anger blunted, thanks to his squire's hard work. Not only on the training grounds. The last half span had seen a transformation. Not once had Kenneth japed at Asa, or any other woman as far as Zander knew. He tried just as hard to use proper diction as he did in drills.

Sleeveless tunic and reddish-brown beard sopping with sweat, Zander called their training to a halt. His dark thoughts were gone, replaced by pride in his squire and the pure ecstasy of a physical release.

Zander helped Kenneth up with a clap on the shoulder. "Great work, brother. You did well."

Smiling, Kenneth said, "These welts disagree."

"Bruises hurt, but they heal. The strength you gain from enduring them never leaves you."

"I didn't realize Al was 'ere," Kenneth said, slipping a little into his old colloquialisms. He corrected himself after Zander raised an eyebrow.

"I've always envied Alfread's wisdom," Zander said. "I imagine talking Asa out of her vengeance would be easier if he were here to offer some smart words."

"You misheard me," Kenneth said, his lips wiggling. "What I really meant was that you sounded like a boy who has never laid with a woman."

A few moons ago, Zander would have let out a solid chuckle, maybe even a hearty guffaw. But there were some bruises on him that hadn't healed. Perhaps he'd never go back to the way he was before. Some might call this maturing. Alfread probably would.

"Why do you always have to turn everything into a joke? I was trying to open up to you and now I just want to shove your face into the mud."

Kenneth tossed up his arms. "It's better to laugh than cry."

Zander leaned back on his elbows and studied the glowing mushroom trees of the Impwood beyond the western gate. Laughing was certainly less painful than crying. Though, Mirielda and his own mother had both taught him to welcome his sadness in like a visiting friend and listen to what it was trying to tell him. Yet, he didn't feel like opening himself up to a Kenneth jest about why men cannot cry. "Now who sounds like Alfread?"

Kenneth restrained his grin but couldn't keep the laughter out of his voice. "Can't be me. Been with too many women."

Zander allowed a laugh this time. It did feel good.

"Ahem." Zander and Kenneth turned and found Edward Bladestorm walking toward them. "I am leaving."

Zander had nothing left to say to this man.

Sir Edward sighed. "This could be the last memory we make of each other. I would rather not let it end like it has between us, Zander."

Zander turned away from him. Let that be all that needed to be said. Until he got answers, he would give none.

Sir Edward sighed. "I am being sent home to enjoy my retirement," he announced with disdain. "It was the only condition that Sir Werner would accept in order for you to be left as blademaster of the main encampment. I did what I could for you, Zander."

Zander offered no acknowledgement. So, Edward filled the awkward tension with noise. "Thanalon will be placed in charge of a northern outpost to prevent Sapphire espionage through the Impwood. Most of the other knights in the camp will also be establishing outposts. Werner is ambitious and determined to draw out Alexia Bluerose, taking prisoners and dangling them in front of her until he has a chance to capture her. The degree of his hatred for her is…" Edward let his voice trail off, noting that nothing could restore Zander's trust in him.

Zander studied those weird mushroom trees, hearing but not listening to the noise.

"Well, Sir, I dare say your years of watching over me are done," Kenneth said. "Who would've thought I'd ever be personal squire to a knight?"

"I did," Sir Edward assured his most problematic ward. "I have always believed in you, even when you drove me mad." His voice cracked. "You will become a great knight, Kenneth, and make your family proud."

Kenneth glanced aside at Zander. Zander nodded to him, trying to assure him that he need not turn this moment into another jest. "Thank you, Sir," Kenneth told the man who had provided for him and employed him all his life. He looked down at his feet. "That means a lot to me."

Edward put his arm around Kenneth. The squire didn't fight it, nor did he return the embrace, arms limp at his side. Sir Edward broke off their awkward embrace with an equally awkward shoulder tap.

Edward stopped beside Zander, both men looking toward the Impwood. For at least a degree, they stood there in silence, Edward not venturing across the void he created.

"I believe in you," he said, at last. "And I believe in your life's mate. The two of you will stop this."

"I can't even stop Iceheart," Zander said. He sighed. Drilling with Kenneth had taken his anger, leaving behind sorrow in its stead. He was going to fail. No matter what he tried, it wouldn't be enough to stop war from spreading across Mirrevar.

"Your mother once told me that the loving light will be born in the east and she will find the lost son in the west. Together, they shall sing the song of peace and make us one again."

"We're not together," Zander said, absently clutching the locket. "She told me we'd be enemies the next time we met. Iceheart will make it so. He is Zamael-bonded just like his grandfather."

"You will be braver than I was," Edward said, impassioned. "You will be the one who stands against the cruel lord. It is your destiny, Zander."

Zander shook his head, saying nothing.

"Do you remember what I said to you before you left Bear's Crossing?" Edward asked.

He did. "I'm one of the people who can make a difference."

Edward nodded. "Yes. Don't give up, Zander. Keep trying. Even when it seems hopeless, when it seems impossible, keep trying because you will finish—"

"Strong," Zander said.

Smiling, Edward tilted his head, in deference. "Until next time, Sir Zander."

Zander thought of withholding from him. He hadn't forgiven him for withholding the truth, but neither could he forget the years Sir Edward had spent preparing him for this. He wouldn't offer his hand, but he could offer some of his heart. "Until next time, Sir Edward."

"Until next time," Sir Edward said to his ward.

"Until next time," Kenneth said, unusually somber.

With that, Edward gave them both a nod and ventured toward the stables. Zander didn't know if he'd ever see the old gray squirrel again, but he did know that he wasn't going to give up. He'd finish strong, but first, he had to figure out his next step.

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