The Warrior's Daughter

"The carriage tore through the forest path, and after a night of non-stop rushing, Ava could just make out the flags in the distance through the window. It was the temporary camp of the Dawn Knights, part of the Southern Expedition Army. In the early morning light, it looked less like a camp and more like a snarling beast, crouched and ready to spring.

Ava Davis sat in the carriage, hoping to get there before the knights packed up and left. She glanced at the crumpled letter in her hand, her face carefully blank, though the state of the letter betrayed her inner turmoil.

Two nights ago, Ava finally got word that her husband, Ethan Martinez, was coming back. This should've been great news since they hadn't seen each other in three years.

Ethan, even though he was just the second son of the Martinez Family, led the Empire's Third Knights, the Dawn Knights, a force strong enough to conquer the continent for the Soth Empire. His three-year campaign in the south was on the King's orders to expand the empire's territory.

Now, with the news that the southern countries had surrendered, Ethan was coming back with honor and his army.

But Ethan's honor didn't mean much to Ava.

While fighting for the empire brought honor to the family, it also meant the newlyweds were separated on their wedding day. In the beginning, Ethan's letters arrived weekly, then bi-weekly, then monthly, dwindling to every six months.

That fleeting happiness had lasted only a year.

Ava remembered that Ethan had stopped writing much two years ago, and for the last year and a half, there was no news at all. The letters she sent out also vanished. She always thought Ethan was just too busy on the battlefield until a soldier coming home handed her a letter.

Ava recognized the handwriting; it was Ethan's. But the letter she had waited two years for was just to tell her that her husband Ethan was going to marry another woman.

Tears welled up in Ava's eyes. She didn't get it at all. She had waited for Ethan at home for three years, taking care of the household and looking after Ethan's parents. Ethan's older brother and his wife weren't good at managing, so she took over the responsibilities of the Martinez Family. Everyone in the family knew how good Ava was.

'If I were some ordinary woman,' she thought, 'I'd be hysterical, weeping and utterly helpless.'

But she was born into the prestigious Davis Family. Her father was Duke Davis, who had conquered much of the land for the Soth Empire. If Skoda hadn't been accidentally poisoned on the battlefield, Ava wouldn't have been pushed by her mother to marry quickly.

Ava didn't want the marriage her mother blessed to fall apart. But if she waited at home for Ethan to return, everyone in the territory would know Ethan was marrying another woman, and it would be a disaster.

So, Ava had to talk to Ethan alone before he got back to the territory.

Thinking of this, Ava pushed down her bitterness. Just then, the carriage stopped. Her maid, Eliza Johnson, lifted the curtain and looked out. Seeing they had arrived at the Dawn Knights' camp, she helped Ava out of the carriage and asked, "Ms Davis, are you sure you don't need me to come with you?"

This wasn't something for more people to be involved in, so Ava just shook her head, leaving Eliza by the carriage and walking to the camp alone.

Recognizing her from the wedding, the young soldiers, blushing and eager to please, escorted her to Ethan's tent.

When Ethan heard the news and came back to his tent, he saw a crowd outside. He immediately frowned, shooed them away, and then lifted the curtain to go inside.

After three years, Ava finally got to see her husband, whom she had been waiting for. But Ethan wasn't the affectionate man she remembered. He frowned, his brown eyes full of impatience. "What are you doing here?"

Ava gave him a slight bow and said, "I came to confirm something with you."

Ethan was taken aback, then realized what she was talking about. He said, "Since you got the letter, you should stay home and prepare for the wedding with Mother. I was going to return to the Martinez Family's territory with Sophia. Isn't it the same to meet then?"

Ava smiled faintly. "Wedding? Even if she is the first female knight captain in Soth Empire's history, a mistress doesn't warrant a wedding, does she?"

"Shut up!" Ethan's face darkened when he heard his beloved woman being called a mistress. "Sophia fought alongside me for three years. We gave everything for the Soth Empire. How dare you, a woman riding on her father's coattails, call her a mistress? We can no longer be separated after these three years. I need her and I want her to be my wife. Do you understand?"

Ava's face showed little expression, but her eyes glanced at the letter in her hand.

The letter was indeed passionate, even recounting their battlefield romance in graphic detail. Ava could only think of the two naked bodies writhing like worms in the sea of corpses and blood, their gasps echoing among the dead. When they turned over, they might press on someone's severed hand, and when their hips moved, they might touch a half-cut body...

She just felt disgusted!

Ava's eyes calmly swept over the letter. Seeing the part where Ethan had written to the King for permission, she smirked sarcastically, "If I remember correctly, even the King can only have one legitimate wife."

Ethan retorted, "So what? If the king approves, precedent can be broken."

Ava almost laughed in anger at his words.

Three years ago, on her wedding day, it was also the day the Dawn Knights set out for the southern campaign. Ethan only had time to swear eternal loyalty to her in the church. In the colorful light from the stained glass, Ethan reluctantly took off his helmet, kissed Ava's hand, and swore, "I, Ethan, will only love my wife Ava in this life. My dear, I will return victorious."

Ava had waited with full expectation for three years, only to find Ethan had changed, and the manor was to welcome a new lady.

Ava wanted to ask what she was then but felt the answer might hurt more.

Ava looked at Ethan, a fleeting dark light in her eyes. "So how do you plan to settle me, or should I say, deal with me? Like other noble families, claiming I'm ill and sending me to a countryside sanatorium?"

Ethan shook his head helplessly. He considered himself a responsible man. Even if he found his true love outside, he didn't want to torment Ava at home.

He said, "You are still my wife. Even with Sophia, nothing will change. You can continue managing the Martinez household. Besides, we are always on the battlefield and rarely at home. Just take care of my families at home.""