Chapter 1: An afternoon gone wrong

"Are you sure about this, Yuri?" Wolfram asked quietly as they waited for Conrad with Greta between them.

"Well," Yuri replied hesitantly, "I do trust him to keep her safe..."

They heard a gallop of hooves then and looked to find Conrad and his horse running towards them. Wolfram picked up their daughter and tossed her to his brother. Greta gave a small squeal of delight as Conrad caught her and settled her in the saddle in front of him.

'He used to do the same with me...' thought Wolfram, as he and Yuri smiled at the sight before them. "Have fun you two," said Yuri, as Conrad prepared to ride off with Greta. "We will," Conrad replied.

As soon as Conrad and Greta rode away, Wolfram turned to his fiancé. He could see the worried look on Yuri's face which had not appeared since the war between Shin Makoku and Dai Shimarron. One which Yuri unwittingly stopped and nearly killed King Ranjeel of Dai Shimarron. Wolfram hated that look, because it did not belong to Yuri.

"All right, what is it?" he asked gruffly, snapping the boy-king from his distressed thoughts.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean 'huh'? You're worried about them aren't you?" Wolfram asked again, "Greta's my daughter too, you know."

Yuri smiled sheepishly, "Guess you know me well enough that I can't hide things from you any more, huh?" He looked towards where Conrad and Greta had rode. "I can't help feeling that something bad is going to happen," Yuri explained, "I trust Conrad to protect Greta, but I can't help feeling that he won't come back alive... why is that?"

"Even I don't know," Wolfram agreed, "Conrad always seems to be..."

"Alone," Yuri finished, making the blond look at him in surprise. "He never talks about his pain," Yuri continued, "not even to Yosak." It did not take long for Wolfram to take in this information, but it was then he realised that Yuri was right. Conrad was often... alone. There was no other way to describe it.

He looked towards the window of Gwendal's office, and vaguely made out an outline of his stern brother. He knew that Gwendal was worried as well. But as far as they knew, there was nothing dangerous in the destination where Conrad and Greta were heading. Wolfram was there himself the day before.

"Uncle," Greta protested, eyes still closed as they had been for the last half hour, "Where are we going?"

"Just a little further, Little Fawn," Conrad laughed, as they galloped across the field of flowers. Greta nodded and kept quiet. She enjoyed spending time with her two uncles, and her fathers.

Both were often busy, and with Yuri travelling between two worlds it made his job as the Maoh harder than it seems but he always tries his best to be a good father. Wolfram, though busy with military activities, did his share in his role as her father as well as possible. Gwendal enjoyed her company as he worked or focussed on his hobby of needlework. Once she had to enter his office and was afraid she would disturb him, his blue eyes softened at the sight of her and said, "Seeing it's you, it's all right."

They all had a special nickname for her. Yuri and Wolfram called her their 'little girl', Gwendal called her 'Little One', where Conrad called her 'Little Fawn'. She loved them all equally with all her heart, and she knew they all loved her as well.

Conrad had stopped the horse, where were they?

He dismounted first, he moved to tie his horse, she knew, before helped her. "Can I open them yet?" she asked.

"No," he told her gently, "not yet."

He held her hand then and walked, guiding her to an unknown place. The air became cooler as they walked, Greta could feel the shadows of trees and leaves on her face. Then he stopped. And guided her to the front of him, there she could smell sweet odours as they were...

"Now, can I open them?" she asked.

"Okay," Conrad told her slowly, "Now."

As Greta opened her eyes, a most beautiful sight spread out before her, they were in a field abundant with flowers. Many of which she had not seen before.

"Lady Celi used to take me, Gwendal and Wolfram here when we were little," Conrad told her then, "We would make crowns of flowers for her.

"Wolfram wanted to take you and Yuri here," her uncle continued, "But maybe we can come here as a family someday."

"Maybe the next time you have a day off?" asked Greta. Conrad nodded. "Your fathers thought it would be nice here just the two of us for today." He led her towards the flowers then and began running among the harmony of colours.

They were having the time of their lives for three glorious hours. Just the two of them. They ran around the field in laughter, amongst the flowers. Conrad taught his niece the names of all the flowers he knew, and how to make a garland.

It was late in the afternoon when they finally sat down in silence watching the flowers bend and flutter in the wind. Greta's dress was grass stained as was his uniform. On her downy curls was a garland he had made. It made her look even cuter. Their peaceful silence was broken when Conrad's trained ear heard a branch break, followed by another. He tensed, making Greta look up. "Conrad?" she murmured, noticing her uncle's sudden tense. "Shh.." he hushed gently, putting a finger on her lips in silence. A movement caught his eye.

"Greta," he whispered, slowly standing, "hold on to my hand!" Greta knew there was trouble nearby, otherwise he would not have become very quiet suddenly. Conrad, one hand on his sword and another holding her own, began to walk slowly towards where he left his horse, his trained senses opened and wary.

TWANG!

The next thing they both knew an arrow landed narrowly missing his right foot. "Run," he told her urgently. Greta did without question as they ran towards his horse, before they were tripped. Greta screamed as someone grabbed her from behind.

"Greta, don't move!" she heard Conrad yell. Greta felt herself falling again before a pair of arms caught her. She opened her eyes then to find herself in Conrad's arms. He was bending over the black figure he had just saved her from. "Uncle?" she questioned.

Conrad did not answer. Instead he picked up the dagger that the black figure had and examined it quickly. Particularly it's the symbol of an emblem. The symbol was a black hooded figure against the background of a blood red surface. 'This dagger...' He pocketed it up and turned his attention to his niece, frightened by the near assassination. "You all right?" he asked, helping her up. She nodded an affirmative before he picked her up and ran to his horse. Arrows falling at his wake.

Settling her on the saddle, Conrad adjusted the straps of the flanks so her feet could go in.

"Head to Covenant Castle as quickly as you can," he told her, "You'll be safe there."

"But Uncle..." she began before Conrad cut her off, "Gwendal will help stop the horse, he helped Yuri with that before. He fumbled his pockets then, taking out the dagger. An arrow shot into his arm. Greta screamed as he yelped in pain.

"I'm fine," he assured her, yanking the arrow out.

"Take this dagger and ride to Covenant Castle," Conrad instructed, and handed her the engraved dagger," and whatever you do, don't look back!"

"I can't leave you behind," she told him, tears in her eyes.

Recognising the words, he cupped her face in his hands reassuringly.

"They will find me," he told her, "The dagger will help them."

"Promise?" she asked.

"I promise," he said, "Now go." With that he slapped the horse's flank and watched as the horse reared before galloping in full speed towards Covenant Castle. "Be safe, Little fawn," he murmured, as the shouts behind him became louder. The Lion of Luttenberg unsheathed his sword then, and turned towards his pursuers.

He ran towards the enemy and fought with all his might. The scene of the Battle of Luttenberg filled his mind.

So much blood...

So many deaths...

All this for what? His honour?

Only he and Yosak survived the battle, but barely. Now, he must keep his promise and return to Yuri's side. To Greta's side... fighting and, regrettably, killing one brigand at a time.

He was down to one last man, pointing the blade of his sword threateningly to the enemy's neck before... "Halt!" a voice commanded. Conrad looked up to see a rider with two crossbow men at his side pointing at awkward angles. Conrad knew that was a bad sign, and even though he was weak from blood loss and defeated most of his pursuers, Conrad could tell that these were no ordinary swordsmen.

"Think about what you are prepared to lose if you kill him," the rider warned. Conrad narrowed his eyes as he traced the crossbow on his right.

The crossbow was aiming at a tree. Following where the crossbow was aimed with his trained eye, Conrad could just make out a hint of red among the green branches.

Yosak! Yosak had just arrived! Conrad hoped his best friend was smart enough to not interfere as the Leader pointed to the other crossbowman where Conrad allowed his eyes to follow it's destination.

This crossbow was aimed at a galloping horse, with a small person on it.

Greta!

"Put down your sword, or the girl and your friend die!" the leader sneered. Conrad clenched his teeth, this was not supposed to happen. And if his theory was right, he had to at least keep Yosak and Greta safe so they could find him, and return to Yuri – providing he was still alive, that is.

To break his promise and be captured, or let Greta and Yosak die...

"Will you keep your word?" Conrad asked, rather sceptical about the man's honour.

"My honour as a Black-Fold," the leader cackled.

'I knew it...' Conrad thought to himself, as he dropped his sword. The sword of Life.

It fell with a clang which he did not regret. The Chief then signalled his last two men to lock Conrad's arms behind him. Conrad did not resist, but locked his hard brown eyes to the leader. With his arms behind him, the men then forced him to the ground.

The Leader held his face in his fingers, and turned it from side to side.

"You shall be the perfect gift," he murmured as he leaned closer to Conrad's ear, "heretic!"

Before Conrad could react, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head and his whole body plunged into deep darkness.