The task of breaking into Ringford had been more troublesome than Gwendolyn had anticipated. It was less fighting through the many Vanir soldiers and more a task of simply trying to wound rather than kill. She was so used to stabbing her spear to slaughter that the idea of sparing someone with it was completely ludicrous, more so that it was her enemy in the war for the Cauldron rather than her father's troops.
The throne room of the palace carried the scent of wet earth, roses, and morning dew. Gwendolyn's boots clicked against the wooden floor as she approached the Fairy Queen in her ornate, flower-accented throne. Her crossbow Riblam leaned against the arm and she was flanked by fairies and dwarves on both sides. Gwendolyn paid the servants no heed as she got on her knee and bowed.
"Odin's Witch," she heard the small Queen Mercedes say in a regal tone. Its maturity came off as unfitting for a girl who still held childish youth in her checks, but the sound of her rising from her seat and picking up her crossbow gave the Valkyrie a sense of dread. "You have unlawfully entered my kingdom, wounded my subjects, and barged into my palace. What is it that you desire if you now so respectfully kneel before me?"
Gwendolen exhaled uneasily. "Allow me to introduce myself, Your Majesty. I am Princess Gwendolyn. I am King Odin's daughter…" And I am still his youngest, she reminded herself. But the Queen doesn't know that. "My father banished me some time ago due to violating his orders, but circumstances have forced me to visit your court."
"And we might have let you in if you had simply asked!" The dwarf in brown to Mercedes's right snapped. Mercedes raised her hand and the dwarf let out an unhappy huff. Gwendolyn bit her lower lip, shook her head, and rose to her feet.
"I have a request for you, Queen Mercedes," she slowly held out her hand. Her chest was pounding. "I ask that you give me the Ring of Titrel. The ring has a lot of sentimental to me and if I don't have it, I fear that my heart might snap in two. Please understand my desire."
There were many gasps around the room and an angry growl from the brown-clothed dwarf. "Excuse me?" Mercedes's voice was laced with absolute incredulity. "The Ring of Titrel is the ring that controls a device that could easily doom not only the fairies, but the entirety of Erion. Have you forgotten its role in the destruction of Valentine?"
"I have not…" Gwendolyn could see the archers drawing their bows. She brought her shield and spear up and spread her cobalt wings out. "But if you'd just listen to me…"
"My court sorcerer has told me every detail regarding the destruction of Valentine," Mercedes's eyes were alight with some kind of fury Gwendolyn couldn't describe. "He witnessed firsthand the ruin it caused and we have both vowed not to let such a tragedy happen again."
"Your court sorcerer?" Gwendolyn flapped her wings, eyes glancing around the room. "You can't possibly mean Beldor. He's from Titania."
"Beldor is no more."
One of the male soldiers spoke and stepped into the growing ring around Gwendolyn. She watched in surprise as the soldier's form changed in a shower of golden light—his wings vanished, he became taller, with honey golden hair, violet eyes, and dark mantle and turban wrapped around his lean and muscular body. Gwendolyn stepped backwards, almost walking right into a knight's sword.
"Due to certain events, Beldor left my court and I do not even know what has happened to him," Mercedes explained as the young man stepped to her side. "As a result, I have welcomed the surviving Prince of Valentine into my home and given him sanctum from monsters like the Demon Lord."
The crossbow's blood red jewel glimmered as the prince's fingertips began to glow. Mercedes spat at Gwendolyn. "If you do not stand down and leave, Valkyrie, we will be forced to demonstrate our combined powers. You will certainly not survive."
Gwendolyn's mind felt fuzzy. There's a prince of Valentine too? Father had a romance with Princess Ariel. He had a child with her named Velvet. But father never mentioned having a son with her and Velvet…does she…?
But she had no time to linger on these thoughts as Mercedes fired an arcane bolt.
Myris chirped happily. "Why, Princess Velvet! It's a pleasure to see you!"
As the duo stepped across the bridge in the old castle's gardens, Velvet brushed away a smudge of dirt on her cheek from her trek through the forest. "Sorry. I would have come sooner to check up on you, but I got caught up in some business…"
Myris shook her head, orange ears flopping around while she smiled. "No problem! I may take care of Princess Gwendolyn and Lord Oswald in this castle, but anytime is a good time to visit!"
"Oswald…?" Velvet blinked in surprise while pulling her hood down. Her long golden tresses and star-decorated veil fell in a beautiful curtain that caused Myris to place a paw on her heart. "Who is…oh…" She was quick to add two and two together, but Myris explained anyway.
"He's the man who became Gwendolyn's husband," she paused and her ears drooped. "He's more famous around Erion as the terrifying Shadow Knight from Ringford, but he has not been feeling well since a visit to Volkenon. He's…been very depressed…"
The little rabbit-like beast led Velvet through the gardens and into the castle through the main door. Velvet grimaced at the familiar scent of dust and mold that she and Ingway had lived in for years before Odin made it Gwendolyn's new home in exile. "Why is he depressed?"
"Gwendolyn…well, she gave away a gift that Oswald had presented to her and he thinks she does not love him…" Myris glanced at Velvet while they walked up the steps that led to the castle terrace. "Do you think you could talk to him? I don't know if it'll help, but…"
Velvet quickly nodded. "I'll try," she said as her cheeks were greeted with the forest breeze once more. Myris gave her a little curtsey before trotting off, the sound of some old man's voice echoing through the halls for her.
The terrace was as pretty as when Velvet had last been here, although the mood was a little less somber than before. The forest witch looked at the bed with crimson drapes and frowned. The blankets were all rumpled, but there was no one there. If he's sick, then…
"Who are you?"
Velvet spun around, eyes greeted with the sight of a man with bone white hair, deathly pale skin, and dark eyes. His words had been bitter, but she wasn't disturbed as he hobbled over to her, scarred hands pulling at the folds of his white shirt to hide the bandages on his chest.
"I'm Princess Velvet of Valentine," she said watching his pained movements. "I was the previous occupant of this castle and I'm a friend of Myris. I'm not here to cause trouble…" She gave him a nod. "You're Oswald I assume?"
"Who wants to know?" Oswald asked. He stumbled and Velvet caught him. He growled angrily. "I'm fine!"
"No, you're not," Velvet frowned. Oswald yelped as she began forcibly leading him towards the bed. "You're more stubborn than my brother or Gwendolyn." She realized her mistake and bit on her tongue as Oswald fell onto the bed, breaths very labored.
"You know Gwendolyn?" Oswald rolled over while Velvet began pulling the sheets over him. He tried to swat her away, but her angry glare said everything and he finally gave in to her tucking him in.
Velvet was silent for a moment, but eventually spoke gently "I'm…the reason she was banished…" She sat down at the end of the bed and leaned over, elbows resting on her thighs. "She went against King Odin's orders to save me and…well…she's married to you now…"
Oswald breathed uneasily. "What a kind act…" he glanced away, face twisting in grief. "She's shown such kindness to me, but it must have been simply pity…"
"Gwendolyn doesn't pity others."
Oswald's gaze snapped back to her. Velvet was looking at her palms and turning them over and over again. "I don't know her very well, but acts such as the one she did for me were purely out of kindness and love, not pity. She doesn't want people she cares about to suffer."
A soft silence filled the air between them. The muscles in Oswald's face relaxed and he breathed out. "Do you mean such words?"
"I don't lie," Velvet looked at him. "She may not love you, but she quite obviously cares for you. That might not satisfy you, but…" She laughed a soft, musical laugh. "I think if you two stay together, talk to each other, be there for each other, she'll come to love you. Maybe not in a manner that's romantic per say, but…she most certainly won't let you go."
Oswald's lips moved. Velvet shook her head. "I apologize if it seems like I'm trying to move you with my words. I simply state what I believe and I do so in a manner befitting my passion."
She stood up and pulled her hood up again. "I can't stay forever. I want to have another chat with Myris before I go home. Just…remember what I said, okay? If not, I'll bring a certain someone who loves me as much as I love him to talk to you."
As she passed by Oswald's bed towards the door, he heard him chuckle warmly. "That would be most interesting."
It seemed that the Fairy Queen had somewhat been all talk. Gwendolyn wouldn't deny that there was an amazing power in Riblam and the sorcerer's raw magic talent, but somehow, she had escaped with only a few scratches and bruises.
The fairy soldiers littering the palace all groaned and cried out in pain. Gwendolyn's battle had been with Mercedes and her sorcerer, so she didn't kill any of them. Still, she callously kicked one mage's body to the side as she approached Mercedes's body on the ground, spear twirling and with the crystal blade still covered in magical ice.
"Y-you'll have to pry this ring from my dead hands, witch," she seethed, the ring still clutched tightly in her palm. She tried desperately to push herself up to her knees and retrieve her crossbow, but she let out a screech from the pain in her ankle and collapsed on her stomach. "I…I won't suffer such humiliation!"
"Q-Queen Mercedes…" The brown dwarf called out fearfully from his hiding place behind a tree. Mercedes yelled at him.
"Matthew! Don't come any closer!" Her eyes flashed to him in panic, then to her sorcerer lying nearby on the ground. There were small tears in her eyes as Gwendolyn positioned her spear above her.
"My apologies, Your Majesty," Gwendolyn said solemnly. "I'm sure that the Vanir will somehow go on without you."
She raised the weapon up, up. Several of the soldiers let out screams begging her not to do it, but they were unheard as Gwendolyn plunged the Psypher downward.
Her spear met flesh, but it was not the Queen's. Gwendolyn's eyes widened as the man let out a pained, strangled grunt, the blade piercing through his left shoulder.
"Don't…touch her…" the sorcerer whispered. Gwendolyn drew her spear away and his breath hitched as though to hold back a scream. The fairy queen twisted her body as he brought them up into a semi-sitting position, arms hugging her close to his chest.
"I-Ingway…" Gwendolyn heard the girl murmur. Ingway was glaring daggers at the princess as she stepped towards him. Her expression had softened, if only slightly.
"Prince of Valentine…" She said. "I have a few questions for you. First off…are you King Odin's son?"
Ingway clutched Mercedes even tighter. He spoke in a voice that was just barely above a whisper, as though he didn't want the other soldiers to hear him. "Yes. Both I and my twin sister, Velvet, are his bastards."
"Then, in that case, what do you think of him?"
His face contorted—Gwendolyn could see agony and grief in it. "I hate him. I've never considered him a great man in the slightest. He knows nothing but greed and would throw away something precious if it meant getting what he wants…" He flinched when Gwendolyn knelt down next to him, examining the way he held Mercedes and how tense his muscles appeared. "Haven't you learned this? You said yourself that he banished you. Or are you an idiot who can't think for herself?"
They stared at each other, long and hard. Gwendolyn felt a strange beating in her chest. His situation as Odin's son…was it similar to hers as his daughter or something entirely different? Obviously he seemed to have similar feelings as Velvet towards him, except they were much more toxic and horrendous…
She held out her hand to him. "Once again, I request the ring. I have no intentions of giving it to our father. I still care for him as his daughter, but…" She gulped. "I want the ring because it means something to me. Not to him, but to another man. Please, I swear by my honor that I will not give it to the Demon Lord so that he may indulge in his desire for power."
Ingway looked down at Mercedes, eyebrows knitting together. "It's…not in my place…" He said. Mercedes slowly looked to Gwendolyn and sighed unhappily.
"I lost the battle. If you say you will not side with the Demon Lord, then I will willingly give you the ring," her hand rose shakily—she pressed the warm metal into Gwendolyn's palm. "And I shall unfortunately owe you a debt for sparing my life. Watch yourself, Princess Gwendolyn."
Gwendolyn bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you, Queen Mercedes," she said rising to her feet. "I will take my leave now."
She relaxed and turned; Mercedes mumbled something to Ingway and she heard him scoff. As Gwendolyn began walking out of the forest, she lightly pressed the gold ring to her lips while her eyelids fluttered.
"I wonder if I should find Velvet. Once again having someone to consider an older sister would be nice…and I never had someone to call an older brother…" She remembered the way Ingway was holding Mercedes and thought to Oswald back home. "It might be a while though. Until then, I still have my husband."
And she giggled softly.
"I'm still sorry, you know…"
Titrel was now glimmering rightfully on Gwendolyn's left hand as she sipped from her teacup. Oswald popped a biscuit into his mouth and snorted.
"Gwendolyn, you've been repeating the same thing for a week…" He looked into her face, finger tracing the rim of his cup. "I…know we still have a ways to go, but I'm so glad. I…I feel I need to get you another gift…"
Gwendolyn almost choked on her drink. "You…you needn't do something like that!" Her face turned red and the teacup began shaking in her hands. "I-I don't need so many material possessions. My armor and spear…"
"Aww, look. Little sister Gwendolyn is all flustered!"
Gwendolyn nearly jumped out of her chair. She craned her neck and her face started to burn uncontrollably.
Velvet and Ingway were standing right at the entrance to the garden, Velvet's expression mischievous while Ingway was positively smug. "I confess I had every reason to hate you after what happened in Ringford, but now I see you're just an easily flustered dork."
He and Velvet casually strolled over to the little table and flanked Gwendolyn on both sides. Ingway poked Gwendolyn's cheek. "Look at this; so soft up close."
"I know!" Velvet cupped Gwendolyn's cheeks and squished them. "I prefer her this way actually."
"P-please stop!" Gwendolyn whined. "W-what are you…Oswald!"
"What is going on?" Oswald murmured while sipping his tea. His wife was in trouble but he…honestly didn't want to do anything. This scene was much, much funnier.
"So she can kill a mountain of enemies, but can't handle being teased by her older siblings."
"Oh come on Ingway! I bet she can have a sharp tongue! I bet there's some remarks she could easily throw back at you."
"Where is my spear?! Myris!? MYRIS!"
"Okay, name one thing she could throw back at me."
"You're a hypocrite for having fallen in love with the Fairy Queen."
"…Okay, maybe this wasn't a good idea."
Gwendolyn let out a despairing scream.