The rest of the journey was quite peaceful, even if Frost could never walk alone. After a day of being carried, he resigned himself to his precarious situation. Most of the time he was held by Bruno, which still annoyed him, but at least he had someone fun to talk to. But the other time a group of knights would put him on a transport cart they had. Knights were, in Frost's own words, suspicious. Of course, the group he bonded with was pleasant, but the rest were cold if ever even speaking to him. What stood out to him was that most, what seemed low-ranked knights, would twitch or get scared whenever Frost expressed his desire to walk by himself. He tried asking his newfound friends about these reactions, but they stayed silent and displayed similar reactions. Not getting anywhere, he dropped the topic and stopped caring about his inability to free himself.
After two days of walking through the icy fields and forests, occasionally stopping at nearby villages, the group reached what looked like a fortress. The woman, who had declared Frost her husband just a few days ago but hadn't shown up before him since, stood in front as the gates opened.
"As we reached the fortress, your mission has been completed. I am satisfied with this result, soldiers of the Ferghall Garrison. Tomorrow the rest of us shall depart further. Rest for now." she exclaimed with authority and grace.
Despite her cold voice and words, everyone seemed happy. Frost finally let go to walk on his own two feet and looked around at the fortress's imposing walls as knights scrambled around him. Then Bruno and the 5th battalion knights approached him.
"Well, it seems it is the place we part ways, Frost," Darrien said
"Why is that?" asked a confused Frost
"Since we reached the Ferghall Garrison, our deployment headquarters, we need to stay and return to our usual responsibilities while you go to the capital." answered Darrien
"Oh... I should have expected that..."
"Ha, ha, you indeed should have." added Bruno excitedly
"I assume you are also leaving Mr. Bruno"
"Don't be so formal; we are friends already." Bruno gave Frost a friendly slap "Besides that, aye, I'm also leaving; I did my duty, so it's time to return home." Bruno grabbed his bearings and started leaving after receiving a bag of coins from a knight
"Are you going to be okay by yourself?"
"Aye, it takes more than snow and ice in the wilderness to break this old hunter. And if you are ever in the area, call for good old Bruno." He answered as he slowly vanished from sight.
They all watched Bruno walk away before Frost turned back to the knights and continued.
"Well... It wasn't long, but I'm glad we got to know each other." Frost smiled at the group. "I hope we can see each other in the future."
"Y-yes, I hope so too," said Gero a bit awkwardly
"Noooo, I don't want to part with Frosty; he is too fun to tease" exclaimed Rena dramatically
"Oh, Rena... Don't be like that; you know we have to return to our normal duties," responded Senia, calming the younger woman.
"Um... Sir Frost, no... Frost, it was a pleasure to journey with you" Luke interjected.
Frost giggled a bit seeing his now-former companion's antics. He became more somber, feeling lonely again and uncertain of his future. He looked as the knights and ordinary soldiers around them started pacing around, already back to their old schedule.
"I see you still have some doubts, Frost" Darrien noticed his expression and confronted him. "I haven't known you for long but I understood one thing, you are a resilient man, crafty and smart, no matter what you worry about, I'm sure you will make it."
"Thanks, Darrien... I'm just unsure of the future"
"Seriously, just a few days ago I was told to become a husband but I still have no idea what's going on"
"No problem my friend... It's about time we leave so until the next time"
"Make sure to visit us some time" the rest of the group added
"Yes... Oh, and good luck to you Frost"
With his menacing last words Darrien and the rest left, leaving Frost to wonder once again what they meant. Afterward, he started walking around the garrison square, watching knights go around their ambiguous duties, wanting to pass the time while waiting for someone to direct him. He watched as they counted their supplies of food, arrows, and cannonballs, as some of them sharpened swords, as others got training, and as yet another group checked the state of the walls. When the sun began to set Frost drew closer to an isolated group of different knights, one of them, clearly wearing a less bulky but more impressive armor than the garrison knights, approached him.
"This way sir."
The knight simply directed him to a nearby room, smaller than the one in the village, but still with a bed and a fireplace.
"Please rest here, our superior will fetch you in the morning, sir." The knight said before leaving Frost alone in the room and shutting the door with a rustling sound.
"Did... did I just get locked in? Okay now I don't know whether to be confused or scared"
Trying not to overthink Frost decided to just sleep. He was woken up early in the morning, by the sounds of knights rustling about. Annoyed, he quickly gathered himself and went out the door, which was surprisingly not locked. Once there he was hit with a cold breeze and the sound of knights training. Before long he was approached by a different-looking knight. He wore the same compact armor as the knights he met the night before, but this one wore a more noble dark blue uniform with silver linings over it. It clearly showed his higher rank, protecting his torso from underneath, while allowing his leg and arm armor to be visible. He stood straight in front of him, with one hand on his chest, held under a two-headed, four-winged, angelic, silver griffin, emblem embroidered into the coat. His other hand held in salute on his forehead, with a smile plastered on his oval face, with short stubble blue beard and short scruffy blue hair with a middle part. He looked at Frost with tired gray eyes and said.
"Good Morning, Sir Frost, right? I'm Hargram, lieutenant of the 2nd division of Royal Knights, and I'm going to be your escort for the rest of the journey." he said while pointing behind him at the two carriages surrounded by knights wearing similar noble compact armors.
The beautiful cold woman got into the first carriage, without glancing at her supposed husband, accompanied by a different woman, seemingly her escort knight. Frost didn't get a closer look as both of them got in very quickly.
"Shall we go?" Hargram asked
"Ah, yes... I guess so..."
Hargram excitedly grabbed Frost by his arm and dragged him towards the carriage while grinning. The knights stood in attention around the carriage, as the two got in. Once inside Frost sat confused as Hargam across from him with a grin.
"We are ready!" He shouted outside.
Afterward, both carriages soon started moving. Frost shifted in his seat, looking around the interior of the carriage. While the outside was very dark blue, with metallic silver parts, the inside was a warm white color with blue silk for seats and light blue curtains. When he calmed down, Hargram offered him a cup of wine, which he accepted. They sat in a moment for silence, while the view outside the windows changed from snowy plains to deep forest to deep azure-colored mountains.
"How are ye feeling?" Hargram broke the silence with a grin
"Huh?"
"How are ye feeling sir Frost?" he repeated himself
"Ah, sorry, I'm fine, just a bit confused"
"Understandable, everything must have happened so fast for ye."
"Yes, I haven't even got a moment to really think about what's happening." Frost said with a smile.
Hargram just laughed and patted him on the arm. After that, the carriage stopped for a moment, and as the knights outside took a break, a knock was heard outside the carriage. Hargram let the person knock in.
"Pardon me." she said in curtsy
She stepped in dressed like a maid, from toes to the head in all black, with a long dress and sleeves, long black gloves, and surprisingly, a silver veil clipped onto a black hood. She approached Frost with a measuring tape and a bag filled with combs and scissors and started sizing and styling him.
"Umm, Mr. Hargram? What is going on?"
"Oh, just getting ye ready for the wedding sir Frost"
"Right... I almost forgot about that... I'm still feeling uneasy about it"
"Haha, don't worry, everyone feels that. Ye wouldn't even imagine how many doubts I had before my marriage" Hargram joked
"Well... I just hope everything is going to be okay" Frost responded while the maid contained styling him
"Ah, don't worry, we will make ye presentable..." Hargram got more serious and continued "... But above all else I want to wish ye luck, ye're about to embark on a very treacherous and frankly dangerous journey, far more than an average marriage"
"Huh, what do you mean?" Frost asked confused
"Well, after all, you are marrying the empress of this country" Hargram answered
"Eh?" exclaimed in shock Frost. "EHHHHHHHH!?"