County of Aumelodia, Kingdom of Valora

"I know what shall come"

The Count of Colette, a conservative noble, thought it was all over. He lived close to Mirochi's metropolitan area, in Aumelodia County, after being expelled from his homestead, which was now occupied by the rebels. His wife was a royalist military officer, and thus she was stationed in the frontlines. Whilst he was financed by the government, his standard of living had decreased substantially. He could not keep up with Mirochi's lavish elite anymore as a result of being cut off from his county's taxes, and was living in a middle-class home. He hoped the war would end in a royalist victory, but the rebels were advancing rapidly.

The rebels were just a few towns away. They were at Aumelodia's very own borders, and the Countess of this area was herself planning to evacuate to the capital. The Count of Colette, however, was planning to leave elsewhere: to Ryccia itself.

He had actually studied medicine and had a few contacts in Castiana, Ryccia's capital. Perhaps he could obtain a job as a doctor there and flee this crumbling mess. His relatives and his wife in the army told him how hopeless it all truly was: the royalists were demoralized and stretched to their limits, whilst the rebels were eager and gaining more recruits by the hour, both from civilians and royalist defectors. Some nobles were already buying property in Ryccia with their savings, just in case.

"Come, children, let us leave for the capital"

"Father, are we to leave Valora?"

The teenager was his eldest son and his heir to the County. He was a rich arsehole before the war, but with his family's loss of wealth, his life was thrown into turmoil.

"Yes. We have a flight scheduled for tomorrow. Have you packed everything?"

"Yes, Father"

The Count left in a hurry. As he was one of the few Valorans that had a car, he was under the assumption that the traffic to the capital would be mild.

He was wrong.

Royalist officers were fleeing all at once, as were locals terrified of the war. The royalist regime was desperately trying to hide the scale of the refugee crisis to appear strong, but the situation was dire. There were military vehicles, tractors, light trucks and sports cars all clogging the road.

BEEP BEEP! BEEEEEEEEEEP!

"What on Earth is taking so long?!"

"Father, do you hear that?"

His daughter, who was also a teenager, started to hear a faint crackle.

Gunshots.

"...You must be joking...Alexander, lower the windshield and do tell what is transpiring"

His son did as ordered. He saw smoke.

The rebels were already here? How is that possible?

"Father, there is a certain smoke!"

"What?!"

The royalist army had a few soldiers on the road. They were stationed at checkpoints and also patrolled the traffic jam, looking at the cars and whatnot. One soldier had a megaphone and began to speak:

"Attention all drivers, attention all drivers. There is a rebel attack on the town behind us. Do not worry. Our intel on the ground suggests that it is a homegrown terrorist cell setting off explosives. The main rebel army has not reached this area. Attention all drivers, attention all drivers..."

That was a relief. If the rebels were really there...it would all be over.

After a few hours of an insufferable traffic jam, the Count finally arrived to Mirochi. All that was left was to hurry to the airport.

---

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Mirochi Royal Airport, Kingdom of Valora

"What do you mean that the airport is closed?! I have a flight now!"

"My apologies, Your Grace, but an airbase is under attack by the rebels. All of its planes are being evacuated to the capital as we speak. As such, all flights are grounded until further notice. Worry not, Your Grace, all scheduled flights shall eventually be undertaken once the military operation has concluded. If this takes too long, the government has arranged for you all to stay at a hotel until the evacuation is complete"

"God damn it all! Children, we must wait. Do not get out of your chairs"

The Count sat there, waiting. Reflecting on the past, he remembered those memories of old...the parties, the luxury, all of it....that was all gone now. Their manor, the one he grew up in and inherited, was in ruins from the war. Their home county was embroiled in conflict and occupied by these godless rebels. Everything was lost...ah, he could almost cry.

And he did.

"Have we...have we lost divine favour? Is it truly all over?", the Count murmured as he attempted to hide his tears.

"Father?", said his daughter, "What appears to be the matter?"

"Ah...nothing, I am allergic to something. My apologies for alarming you"

".....I see"

"Attention all passengers, attention all passengers. The military evacuation has concluded. All civilian flights shall resume soon..."

"We are to leave now. Get your possessions"

Thus a high-ranking noble fled the country. State media would obviously stay silent, but the world would know how perilous it all truly is now for the royalists when a high-ranking noble flees the country.