[*]
His eyes, like polished lacquer, flickered with firelight, deep and grim.
The young man's eyes were usually crystal clear, but now they seemed veiled by a black fog.
After a long moment, he said in a low voice, "So it was a dead end."
A heavy silence fell, broken only by the crackle and pop of sparks from the fire.
"Little General," Amy clapped her hands lightly and smiled at him. "Weren't you the one who was going to serve the nation with utter loyalty, swearing to die for your country? Why the sudden fear now?"
"If I had been born in a time of chaos, with no one but myself, my death would mean nothing. But with the nation adrift and my family's legacy on the line, even if I'm willing to die in service, I fear it won't be enough to save this crumbling dynasty."
