Author Note: This takes place in the same universe as "Reason to Stay". It occurs before that fic and will not contain spoilers for it. You do not have to be reading the other fic to understand this one, but it will help with the context of this AU.
The castle stood in the center of town, easy to find from almost anywhere. It loomed over the city and kept watch over the people. For all her life Lisa spent many hours a week in or near that castle.
To the south of it, really the southwest, there was a small training field. This was where, at only eight years old, Lisa would meet her friend Yukina. The two had known each other almost their entire lives. Their family's farms were right next one another, so they met as soon as they could walk. Lisa and Yukina had been inseparable ever since.
They would help with the farm in the morning, and then they watched the knights train during the day, imitating their moves and giggling when they failed. Yukina would point out her father in the group of knights, telling stories about his bravery and accomplishments. Lisa was always amazed by these tales, by his deeds. She never asked why he lived in the castle and Yukina lived on farmland outside the walls.
This specific day was not a day of levity.
The knights hadn't been out to practice that afternoon, but Lisa hadn't thought anything of it. She hadn't been able to locate Yukina during the day either, but that as well wasn't that concerning. Sometimes her family needed her for more of the day if extra chores needed to be done.
When Lisa stopped by Yukina's house after dinner, she was surprised to find that Yukina wasn't there. Her mother's eyes were red, face splotchy, as she told Lisa she hadn't seen Yukina in a few hours. Lisa thanked her and went to look for her friend. The sun was starting to set as she checked the fields, her form casting long shadows on the ground.
Unable to find Yukina among the crops, Lisa headed back into town to search for her there. There were only a few places Yukina could've gone, so hopefully Lisa could find her before it got too dark to play. She checked the tavern they sometimes hung out at, but Yukina wasn't there. Next Lisa went to the training grounds near the castle.
In the steadily decreasing light, she saw a familiar form. Yukina stood in the center of the field, her face tilted forward. She had both hands raised to it, and looked to be wiping at her eyes. Lisa jogged towards her. Once closer, she could see the tears that escaped Yukina's fists, could hear the sound of her sobs.
Lisa's own heart throbbed in pain at the sight. Without asking or saying anything at all, she engulfed Yukina in a hug, pulling her shorter friend close.
Yukina looked at her wide eyes. "Lisa." Her voice was hoarse from crying. "Lisa he's… he's dead." Her arms were trapped between their bodies as she sniffled, wiping her face once again.
Someone was dead? Who could it, no, Lisa knew who it was. The lack of knights today, Yukina's mother's face, and her presence here told Lisa everything she needed to know. "I'm so sorry." She hugged Yukina even tighter, if it was possible.
"His envoy was ambushed, only Marina made it back." Yukina's tears were starting to slow, her voice sounding steadier. "She said…" Yukina swallowed once, and Lisa nodded at her encouragingly to continue speaking. "He was struck from behind."
"That's terrible." Lisa could only offer her condolences and what little comfort she could provide. What an awful way to die, she thought, unable to see your opponent or do anything to defend yourself. "I'm sorry." She apologized again, the words sounding empty to her own ears.
Yukina's tears had stopped as she gently pushed Lisa away, breaking their embrace. She clenched still shaking hands into tiny fists and looked down at them. "It's okay." Yukina's voice had steadied, but retained its hoarseness. Her eyes almost glowed, shimmering in the orange light of sunset. "I will be a better knight than he ever was."
Yukina wanted to become a knight? That was different, new to Lisa's ears. "A knight?" She asked with her eyes locked on Yukina.
Yukina nodded, mouth set in a firm line. "Yes." She spoke firmly, securely. Lisa wanted to protest, to say that being a knight was way too difficult and dangerous. What about her mother's farm? What would the family do if she wasn't there to help, if she died? Lisa wanted to shake Yukina by the shoulders and talk her out of this crazy idea.
But she didn't.
"How'll you do that?" Lisa merely asked as the sun vanished almost completely beneath the horizon.
Even in the dark, Yukina's eyes still gleamed. "I'll start as a page in a couple years, with his name they'll have to take me. Then I'll work my way up." Her hands had stopped shaking.
Lisa, on the other hand, couldn't help the unease pooling in her stomach. In her mind she saw Yukina wielding a sword, Yukina riding into battle, and Yukina being ambushed the same way her father was. But Yukina wasn't like her father; Lisa wouldn't let her be.
"I'll join too!" Lisa brought her voice up, deliberately more enthusiastic than she felt. Yukina's eyes widened minutely. "We can be knights together!" It would be hard to get accepted as a page, since she didn't have any of the equipment or a notable family name, but for Yukina she could make it work.
"Really?" Her friend sounded surprised, as if she couldn't believe it.
"Really!" Lisa nodded and smiled, reaching forward to take Yukina's hands. "I'll protect you, I promise."
Finally it was completely dark, the end of a long and unsettling day. Yukina squeezed back, muttering a word of gratitude.
And thus the wheel started to turn.
Lisa started spending less time playing, and more time doing odd jobs to make a few coins. She saved until she could afford some basic leather armor and a sword, which would have to be enough to start. She practiced swinging the sword, imagining how it could be used to protect.
The match was two vs. two. The sun beat down fiercely overhead, forcing Lisa to squint against it. For not the first time she wished the training field was shaded by the castle. She stood only a meter away from Moca, who was fighting with a sharpened stick instead of her practice sword. Lisa herself carried a wood sword and shield. At age 14 she'd had a growth spurt recently and was still trying to figure out how to use her additional length of arm.
On the other side of the field, much farther away than Lisa wanted them to be, Yukina was squared up against Tomoe. They circled around each other, exchanging fierce blows.
Though the four squires were, in theory, equals, the team of Yukina and Lisa was clearly losing this bout. Tomoe and Moca had pushed them apart, robbing them of their teamwork and combined strength. Together they could've taken it easily, but apart it would be much harder.
Lisa still felt confident she could defeat Moca, despite the smirk adorning the other teens face. She lunged forward, but Moca merely skipped back and away to dodge the strike.
"So slow, Lisa." Moca chided with her usual lilting tone.
Lisa scoffed, adjusting her grip on her sword. "You're just too fast." She replied, again raising her sword for a strike. Moca dodged again, but this time tried to return the blow. With a small adjustment, Lisa was easily able to deflect the stick with her shield, and Moca leapt back once again.
This cycle continued, with Lisa attacking and Moca dodging, for a few minutes. They worked their way across the field in this motion, nearing where Yukina and Tomoe now stood with their swords locked together, straining to overpower the other. Both of them had ditched their shields and were just using the swords. That was so typical of Yukina, to trap herself in a struggle like that. Not that Lisa was any different; she was struggling to defeat Moca.
As if sensing Lisa's brief moment of distraction, Moca turned away from her and towards the other pair. They were only a few meters away now, with Moca standing between Lisa and them.
Moca lifted her arm as if to throw her stick, and Lisa's world flashed white. She leapt forward as Moca's arm came down, shield extended to block the throw, but was just a heartbeat too late.
The stick flew straight, bouncing harmlessly off Yukina's side. In a real battle, she'd be dead. Lisa, always a polite person, only cursed in her mind as Yukina looked around in surprise. Their instructor called out that she was eliminated, so she had no choice but to head to the sidelines.
With Yukina gone, now it was two vs. one. Maybe Lisa should've taken out Moca while she threw the stick, she thought as Tomoe turned on her with a smug grin. Within moments the two were attacking her, alternating in almost perfect snyc. It was all Lisa could do to block and defend.
That only lasted for a few more minutes, with one of Moca's strikes sneaking past her tired guard and knocking the sword from her grasp. Dammit, Lisa thought as the sword spun away, again they had lost due to her own incompetence. She merely caught her breath as the victorious pair celebrated.
"Alright!" Tomoe pumped one fist in the air before offering Moca a high five. The other teen returned the gesture slowly, a satisfied smile on her face.
Moca picked up Lisa's sword from where it fell and offered it back to her, head tilted at an odd angle. "With a bigger shield you might've been able to take us." She offered unwanted and unnecessary critique as their instructor approached, Yukina trailing behind her with her eyes towards the ground.
Marina, one of the more senior knights in the castle, took a lot of responsibility in training the squires. Though she'd seen many battles and had a lot of experience, she preferred to stay in the castle. She spent a few hours a week working with them, helping them hone their skills so they would be ready for knighthood.
The one thing she couldn't teach them was archery, so they primarily practiced close combat. Today had been a test to see how much they had progressed, and Lisa was certain that she had failed.
"Good work today, all four of you." Marina complemented them, despite Lisa's screw ups. "You have all improved so much! I'm very proud to call myself your teacher." She dismissed them for individual practice, staying on the sideline to continue watching.
Lisa went with Yukina to practice their forms and to think. How had she messed up so badly today? If she'd been more on top of Moca, then the wily girl wouldn't have been able to throw her stick at Yukina. If she'd been faster, she could've stopped it, gotten in the way.
What had Moca said when they finished? That a bigger shield would've saved her?
Maybe it wouldn't have helped her in the two vs. one, but it could've helped her save Yukina. After all, Yukina had been ditching her shield more and more often lately in favor of more powerful attacks. Without a shield she was vulnerable to archers, daggers, axe wielders, and any other projectile weapons. That was a scary thought.
The wheel turned again, continuing its path ever forward.
A larger shield would help Lisa protect her better, help keep her from harm. Better defensive training would aid in that goal as well.
That thought in mind, Lisa excused herself for a minute, leaving Yukina to work on her forms alone. Lisa jogged over to where Marina was trying and failing to get Moca to abandon her sharp stick.
"Excuse me." Lisa said politely as she interrupted the bickering pair. "Marina, do you have a minute?"
Moca's grin grew as the older woman sighed. "I do." She replied after a moment. "But I'll be back for you." She pointed at Moca, specifically at the stick still grasped tightly in one hand.
The knight and squire walked over to the side of the field to discuss things where others wouldn't hear.
"What can I help you with?" Marina asked once they stopped.
Lisa felt a flurry of nerves flutter through her stomach, but pushed them down. "I was wondering if you know anything about wielding a larger shield?"
Marina nodded. "I've carried a kite shield in my days, so I know a little about that, yes." Across the field, Yukina was looking their way.
"Could you teach me how to use one?" Lisa went for the question, hoping and praying that she'd say yes.
"You bring one, and I'll teach you." Marina agreed with reasonable terms. It would mean putting in extra work once again to scrounge together some equipment, but Lisa had been doing that for years.
It took a few weeks, but she was able to get the money together to buy a shield. Marina actually went with her to the blacksmith and helped her pick out the right one, one that would work for her height.
With the shield purchased, they met regularly so that Lisa could learn to use it. It was much more difficult than the standard buckler sized shield she used before, but once she started to get the hang of it there was so much it could do.
The most important part was that she could use it to defend Yukina.
Yukina and Lisa were walking down the road west of Circle. They had one horse with them, which Yukina guided by the reins. They were fully armed, but in light armor.
Today was a very important day.
If they succeeded on their mission, then they would go from squire to knight. All they had to do was capture the thief who was robbing people near town. Mitake said that they needed to bring the thief in alive so he could be tried for his crimes. Knights normally would've been sent to take care of it, so it was an honor to go as squires.
As such, they chose this approach.
The goal was to draw him in, have him think they were normal people. Most peasants didn't leave the city without weapons, so he wouldn't find them being armed odd. Yukina only carried her broadsword with no shield, while Lisa was fully armed with her kite shield and short sword.
Lisa was, as usual, worried about the danger and that they weren't wearing full armor, but she was prepared for the battle that was likely to come. This was what she had been training for, after all.
They had only been walking for about an hour when they encountered another person on the road. It was a young man, no older than thirty, who was armed with a sword as well. He greeted them politely and inquired to where they were traveling.
Yukina responded that they were merely out for a walk, but as she spoke the bushes on the side of the road rustled.
By the time a dagger came flying out of the bush, Lisa was between it and Yukina with her shield raised. She deflected the projectile, which was weaker than expected, and blocked the attack of a second bandit emerging from the shrubbery. She thanked god once again for her shield and for the ability to protect Yukina.
Yukina released their horse, which just stood there because it was a good horse, and drew her sword to face the other thief. The grin on his face slipped away as he drew as well, engaging Yukina in combat.
With only a few more strikes Lisa was able to disarm her opponent. He hadn't seemed to be prepared to fight fully trained knights, and stood there in shock when the sword went soaring from his grasp. A swift blow to the forehead with her shield was all it took to bring him down.
Yukina had seen similar success, having disarmed her opponent almost immediately and knocking him out with the hilt of her blade. Neither of the squires were harmed in the encounter, filling Lisa with a giddy joy as they set about binding the thieves.
They had some rope in the saddle bags, since they were supposed to capture the thief alive, and used it to tie up the bandits.
They slung both of them over the back of the horse and turned around to walk home. On the way, Yukina thanked Lisa for blocking the dagger, which of course she said was no problem at all. She was just glad they both made it through unscathed.
When they reached the castle, Mitake took the thieves into custody. He thanked both of them for their service and said he would report their success to the king and that they should be prepared the next day for their knighting.
Finally, they were going to become knights.
Before the pair split up, Lisa asked Yukina to meet her at the training field at sunset. Yukina didn't ask why; she just agreed.
They separated for a while, visiting their families to bathe, eat, and celebrate their success.
When the sun started to set in the distance, Lisa made her way back to the training field.
Just like ten years before, Yukina had beaten her there. As it had been previously, today had been a long day.
"Hey." Lisa called over as she approached, stopping less than a meter away.
"Hey." Yukina returned the greeting softly. She'd changed into more casual clothing, but still carried a sword with her.
Lisa couldn't help but grin. "Can you believe we're going to be knights?" She asked, glad when Yukina smiled back.
"I believe it." Yukina nodded firmly. Her golden eyes looked even more beautiful in the setting sunlight.
Lisa fidgeted with her hands as she prepared to ask the next question. "Do you still want to surpass your father?" A personal question, a dangerous one, one that filled Lisa's nightmares with worries.
Yukina merely gave affirmation. "Absolutely." She confirmed what Lisa suspected, no, knew to be true. "I finally made it, all that's left to do is be better than he ever was." She said this so firmly, so surely, Lisa couldn't help but be drawn in.
The wheel had been turning for years, it was far too late to stop it now.
"That's one of the things I love about you." Lisa said casually, too casually, too easily, too much as a level of their friendship and not where this cart was going. "And I'll continue to protect you, for now and always." She couldn't keep the grin off her face.
Yukina reacted as usual, giving only the smallest of smiles and a muttered word of thanks with a slight red tint to her cheeks.
In the distance, the sun vanished over the horizon.
The next morning, the two would become knights. They would join the ranks of those who had come before and would work tirelessly to prove themselves and make their mark.
One day, they would both say that they accomplished their goals, what they set out to do.
One day, but not yet.