Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-6986530-20160727023152/@comment-23.122.217.39-20160817201240

Leonhart's blurb describes him as a prodigy swordsman--he could very well have been 10-14 (and it's not to say he wasn't around 15 or 16 either, which Mariam might still consider to be relatively close to her age). And yes, assuming he was a child soldier him defecting period was betraying his country. Considering his skill, they likely didn't want to lose such a good warrior to the opposite side. It's also possible his younger brother possessed that level of skill at a young age as well.

Just because the story doesn't mention what he did doesn't mean his actions weren't worth of having people sent after him. I'm not sure how the age thing messes up the timeline at all.

There is no reason to think that the carriage she targeted was Arth's. It mentioned that his carriage fell near the Millenium Tree Forest. The carriage that she targeted was on an eastern desert--and considering what happens afterward it's a safe bet she was in Asmodean, which is not anywhere near the Millenium Tree Forest (they're separated by the forest of Bewilderment).