"Listen!"

Rohain halts.

"What do you hear?"

Daniella replies.

Rohain reaches for his crossbow, cocking the loading lever, he nods at Phantom who takes the cue to stay back. Crossbow raised, aim waves across barren trunks and frozen thorn branches. Silence of death blows through the dark depths of falling snow. Oiled buckles and reflective plates sink into the sound of crushed snow and deep breath. Daniella nervously watches the silver knight exercise extreme caution into the falling silence. Laughter shivers through the trees with the gusting breeze. Rohain kneeling lifts his left fist above his shoulder before retaking the cocking lever and raising the sights to eye level.

"Look who we found, the king will be pleased." Daniella hears in a familiar voice.

Firing towards the voice, silhouettes of armoured men reveal themselves, surrounding the travellers.

Daniella's eyes widen.

"The king's guard? They must be here to rescue me!"

Daniella rejoices.

The soldier's royal steel coa