Forced to marry the enemy prince in her sister's place

"So..." Andrea said, "what’s the plan?"

"We’ll leave by nightfall, sneak into the city, and kill who needs to be killed," Astrid replied.

Silas watched them pack their satchels, slightly baffled, as they spoke casually about entering the kingdom.

"Are the four of you crazy?" He asked. "I just told you that our troops are in a deadlock, and you think you have a chance?"

Neither Astrid nor the girls spared him a moment’s thought.

"This is madness," he mused loudly. "They really seek death! Wonderful!"

They sat in a circle, studying the map Silas had given them.

"This is a dead end," Andrea said.

"I don’t think so," Lily replied. "It goes through here and then turns to the left and finally into the kingdom.

"But we would have to go through various checks to pass through that route. I’m sure a lot of soldiers are stationed here, "Astrid chimed in. "Unless you think all the soldiers we meet will believe our ruse? I suggest we stick to this path. Minimal contact with the army, and we get into the kingdom in two to three days."

"I don’t think that’s a good idea as well," Doris said, while pondering all their suggestions. " Look here, we’re going to get caught before we sneeze. Their defence is indeed incredible. "

Astrid sighed. "We might as well fly since you all think the roads are dangerous."

They finally settled on two paths, one shorter than the other. After that, they waited for the sky to darken. While the girls descended, Astrid went to find Silas, who sat at the bow of the ship looking aimlessly into the sea.

"Be careful, Silas," Astrid warned, "they might come back here. They tried to burn down the ships earlier, so be as vigilant as you can.

Then she went down to meet the other girls, and they rushed across the beach towards Silithra.

"Are they really still fighting?" Lily gasped.

They could hear tired shouts and swords clanking together.

Astrid frowned. "They’re trying to wear them out. Back them into a corner so they retreat."

"It would take a miracle at this point for them to win this army," Andrea said. "Even if we kill the king, this kingdom has a very formidable commander. Killing just the king will not do."

They watched a soldier, adorned with different armour, fight skilfully within the troop of soldiers.

Astrid turned and stared at Andrea intensely. "Take the girls, enter the city, and do what needs to be done. I’ll join you as soon as I can."

Andrea heaved a deep sigh but nodded. The girls followed the path they had decided on while Astrid went towards the battlefield.

She slashed through unsuspecting men as she advanced. Her strikes were quick and deadly. The more she fought, the more she could see the Silithran army formation.

They had formed a barricade around the main entrance to the kingdom and hadn’t moved much from the position. Men who could no longer fight slipped to the back while others who had faced little to no conflict came forward.

Their commander stood at the centre, refusing to back down, and fought like he had been possessed. On the other hand, soldiers of Erindros had scattered everywhere trying to find some sort of weakness.

Astrid heard a familiar voice shout through the throngs of bodies. Adonis fought weakly, battered and bruised from the cuts he had received. His movements were sloppy, his hand flailing from one side to the other.

She slithered through the crowd, avoiding the swords pointed her way as best she could. She immediately blocked a blow aimed at Adonis and thrust her knife into the soldier’s heart.

"You fool!" she shouted, "watch yourself, or you might get killed."

Adonis whipped his head back, staring as she swung her swords gracefully, thrusting and cutting down the soldiers who aimed their swords at them.

"Watch yourself," she shouted again.

He blocked a strike and slashed the soldier.

"What are you doing here?" He asked through ragged breaths, "I thought I told you to stay on the ship?"

He bent low, dodging a sword, and struck the soldier.

"This is how you thank me for saving your life?" Asteid retorted. "I’ve always known you were a fool."

She pushed Adonis to the side as a soldier tried to strike the space between them, and immediately slashed his neck.

"How did you even learn how to fight like this?"

"It is none of your concern; worry about staying alive for the next few hours."

"That’s a hard ask."

"To hell with a hard ask, you better stay alive, or I’ll drag you back from the dead and kill you again."

"Brutal."

"We need to kill their commander. You’re wasting so much manpower on irrelevant people."

"You say that like I haven’t been fighting for five days. They’re extremely skilled; you can hardly get past them. And even if you did, more came pouring. "

"Fine. Then I’ll do."

"What?!"

But Astrid was already running towards the commander. She sidestepped a few strikes, slashed a few necks until she reached his side, and charged towards him. He stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with surprise from the force of her blow.

Then he charged at her, again and again. His sword slashes her arm, and she winces in pain but keeps fighting. He gave her no openings to land a strike, but she did not relent. Finally, her blade found his neck, and she wasted no time slashing through. He was dead.

The soldiers beside her paused. Blinking rapidly and turning to one another in confusion.

"Their commander is dead," Adonis cheered. There were audible gasps in the air, and a loud cheer erupted among the crowd.

"Fight as hard as you can, Silithra will be ours soon," he shouted.

The formation of the Silithran army, which had held strong but began to weaken. Their commander was dead, and his lieutenant was badly wounded; their bodies were weak from days of fighting.

Adonis was suddenly by her side.

"I trust you know what to do, Prince?" Astrid said, "I need to enter the kingdom."

"Why?"

" What do you mean by ’why’, to finish up the job you’d planned. Kill the king."

"Right, that." He paused. "Why are you helping me, though? "

"Because I stand to gain a lot more with you alive, the only thing I ask is that you spare Epirus after all this is over."

Adonis sighed deeply and nodded his head.

"You have my word."

"Well, then, we’re finished here. I’ll meet you in there."

He nodded again.

"Stay alive."