For two weeks, Therius had not seen his teacher. Directly after the celebrations upon their victorious return had ended, General Asthar had retreated. Therius knew why, of course; he was General Asthar's squire and pupil after all. The havoc his subordinate (that person did not deserve to be called by his name anymore) had wrecked in the borderlands was weighing heavily on the General's mind. Therius was full of sympathy but also of worry. While he had been General Asthar's pupil for several years, he didn't dare to just go to the General's room and talk to him. The General was a friendly man and under normal circumstances, he might have been happy about a visit from his pupil, but at the moment…

No, the General had made clear that he wanted to be alone. Therius would not interrupt his solitude, no matter how worried he was. Therius would obey his teacher and not bring more pain to him. He fulfilled his duties as a squire and concentrated on his training.

Therefore, Therius was very surprised when a maid interrupted his sparring session and told him that the General wished to see him. Therius was oddly nervous when he stood in front of the General's rooms and knocked on the door. He could not estimate what was awaiting him.

"Come in." After taking a deep breath to calm his nervousness, Therius entered.

The General was standing at the windows, looking out. He did not seem changed, Therius noticed with relief. Asthar turned. He was not smiling his usual smile. "General, you called for me?" Therius saluted.

His relief grew when the General shook his head, chuckling about Therius' stuffiness. "Yes, I did." He walked over to a table with three chairs around it and sat down in one of them. "Come over, sit. There are things we have to discuss."

"Yes, General," Therius answered and complied. He was sure this was all a good sign. The General had overcome his slump.

"Therius…" Asthar ran a hand over his beard. "I plan to leave the capital soon."

"Where will we be going?" Therius immediately asked. The look on the General's face had not sat well with him; Therius had seen that kind of look before on the face of men who left the service. Until a few seconds ago, Therius had not believed that the General could belong to that group of men.

Asthar laughed genuinely. "Therius, you don't even know where I want to go yet."

"It does not matter, Sir," Therius explained. "I am your pupil and until my training is finished, I will be by your side." His words sounded insolent to his ears; Therius didn't have the right to be so impolite to the man who had done so much for him, but… he neither wanted to be left behind nor let the General go on his own.

"I see…" Therius' ears grew hot in embarrassment; the General was almost always smiling, but Therius had never seen this relieved, almost sad smile that Asthar was wearing right now. As if Therius had just crossed the threshold between "just pupil" and "pupil and friend". He was not quite sure how he should feel or react to this.

"Where will we be going?" he asked stiffly to end the silence.

Asthar chuckled lowly. "I plan to lay down my title and leave for the borderlands."

"Lay down your title?" Therius asked, his voice loud with surprise.

"Yes." A melancholy look appeared on the General's face. "My behaviour concerning Sir Landes' actions was not good enough." Therius' hands involuntarily clenched at that man's name. "I have much to atone for. So I've decided to go to every village and every person who suffered under his rebellion and help them recover. It's the very least I could do."

"I understand. When will we depart?" Before Asthar could answer, Therius continued. "We should leave before your sisters hear of this or we shall not be able to go." Therius felt slightly uncomfortable at being so casual with his teacher, but he had said it before he could stop himself.

The melancholy was suddenly gone. The General was smiling the way he used to, before this whole disaster had happened. Therius' heart grew lighter with relief. "Hah, that's true. But Therius, I would of course be happy if you truly wish to come with me but I could also find you another teacher if you so wish."

"What kind of pupil would I be if I'd abandon my teacher so easily? I will go to where you are going."

"Thank you, Therius."