The snow on the highest peak was what Sir Alix was referring to when he approached Henry about the Knights of Hydrogia needing to escape Chemois soon.

While it did melt by the end of each day, it still came back the past couple of nights. If the knights weren't careful, they would find themselves trapped in the north and leaving their side of Hydrogia vulnerable with the worthless Royal Knights to protect the people—they certainly couldn't have that.

What followed was a flurry of activity to prepare their brothers for the arduous journey ahead. A lot of thought was also put into how they would keep Sir Alix warm since he still hadn't fully recovered and was the most vulnerable of the knights for now.

Siverly accepted the Commander's request for a few warming mana stones, and Henry had plenty of furs to give the knight.

With that, they were set up with more supplies than they knew what to do with.

However, Commander Henry wanted a few knights of his own to accompany them. Felix was easy to find because they were often doing the same things and assisting one another when it had to do with the knighthood and not the dukedom, but Irene was a bit harder to find.

Since it was morning, she had made herself scarce after morning practice and sent the apprentices off on various tasks before returning to her room, where she took a bath and got herself together a bit more. Her patrol duties wouldn't start until the evening. She had a bit of time to kill until then.

Lately, she hadn't been sleeping much, and, despite Felix telling her she didn't have to keep up with the apprentices' morning practices since she was patrolling well into the evening, she still turned up each morning. Even if there was a hollowness under her eyes from tiredness, her energy didn't seem to be lacking in any way because she challenged the others all the same.

After ensuring her hair was mostly dry and brushing through a bit of the lilac oil her mother provided, she sat down at her desk, debating on whether or not she should send another letter to her family. Even though she couldn't talk to anyone about what she was feeling or going through, at least she could reach out to people she cared about and knew would respond to her.

Before she could make any decision, Irene heard a knock on her door. She wondered if a maid or servant was coming to give her more water or firewood. That was oftentimes what they were up to at that point in the day.

When she opened her door, her eyes had to travel upward because there was the sight of the last person she was expecting to see.

"Commander," she greeted the man. "What do I owe this pleasure?"

She spoke properly and quietly, hoping it gave away nothing of her internal thoughts and worries.

"I want my two highest in command to accompany me while I take the Knights of Hydrogia to the hills in the south," he explained.

"Right away, sir," she responded, relieved that it was an order rather than him trying to be there for a casual conversation. "I will get myself together."

"You shouldn't need armor," he reminded her. "A stubborn dragon will be accompanying us this morning, so there's little worry of monsters. I have convinced her to at least stay out of the practice yard for now, but she's impatiently waiting just outside my bedroom window."

Despite everything, Irene cracked a smile at the man's words.

"Then I suppose an outer coat will be enough," she decided as she retrieved one from one of the hooks on the far side of her room.

The Commander seemed insistent on accompanying her because he wasn't leaving after he gave his order, so she awkwardly moved to her table and brushed her hair so she could braid it. It would get in her face while riding otherwise, considering the occasional winds that whipped through the valley as winter approached.

"Are you getting enough sleep?" the Commander asked. "You've been patrolling late and still attending practices despite Felix taking over them while you're on the evening schedule."

She had been trying to face the back corner so she wouldn't be directly looking away, but was unable to see what he was doing; however, it seemed he had been paying attention to her. When a leather strip was tied around the base of her braid, she turned to the Commander.

Was he chiding her or merely making conversation? She couldn't quite say.

"I'm sleeping enough for what my duties require of me," she assured the knight. "I promise you I will not make any mistakes or rash judgments even if I'm a bit tired."

Insistently, Irene walked towards the entrance of her barrack, and the Commander moved to the side.

"That isn't me doubting your abilities," he responded lightly, carefully. "I'm prone to worry for my knights when I see them working themselves to the ground."

Right. It was just the concern of a Commander who wanted to make sure his knighthood wasn't weak.

"Don't worry about me, sir," she insisted, accompanied by a smile that was meant to hopefully reassure him that she could take care of herself, although the drunken night she had clearly proved otherwise. "I will not make any more mistakes."

"Ah, that wasn't—"

"Commander!"

Ever her savior, Irene was so relieved when she saw Bren running down the hallway towards her barrack.

"What is it?" the Commander asked urgently.

"The dragon ah…" The apprentice was a bit out of breath, having clearly run in a panic. "She collapsed the well closest to the stables after landing a bit roughly. What would you have us do, sir?"

At that, the Commander was instantly alarmed.

"We ought to send all hands in that direction," he urged. "The horses need water, after all. Go. Tell the others it's an order from your Commander. Otherwise, the top three in command will be escorting the Knights of Hydrogia to the hills."

"I'll see to it that it's done, sir," Bren responded dutifully and bowed before running off in the other direction.

By that point, Irene had put distance between her and the Commander as she followed Bren, enough so that he had no choice but to rush after her until they were both headed towards the stables where they would retrieve their horses, see the damage done to the well, and then escort the knights all the way to the foothills which would likely take a few hours.

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