Chapter 169: Retreat

A weary silence hung heavy over the ravaged battlefield of Grimhold. The once-proud fortress, its walls blackened by fire and smoke, stood as a grim testament to the brutality of the recent battle. King Edgar, his face etched with the lines of exhaustion and grief, surveyed the scene before him. The air reeked of death and decay, a stark contrast to the vibrant banners that had once adorned his army. "We return home," he announced, his voice hoarse but filled with a steely resolve. A low murmur rippled through the ranks of the surviving soldiers. Relief and despair warred on their faces. They had survived, but at a terrible cost. Many of their comrades lay dead on the bloodstained ground, a grim reminder of the sacrifices made. The journey back to the capital was a somber one. The once lively chatter among the soldiers was replaced by a heavy silence. Jane, perched on the window seat of the carriage carrying her and her friends, watched the desolate landscape unfold before her. Each