Chapter 1: Footsteps of fate
As we traveled on our quest we decided to stop at Bulgar, the commercial center of Sacae. "Mark! Over here! This is Bulgar, the biggest city in all of Sacae. We should purchase supplies for our journey" said Amy, but as we were about to go we heard an unknown voice say "Oh, my heart! What a dazzling vision of loveliness!" To which Amy replied with a "Hm?" "Wait, O beauteous one! Would you not favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?" said the stranger that appeared to be a dog cavalier with brown fur. "Where are you from, sir knight, that you speak so freely to a stranger?" asked Amy with ab unamused tone. "Ha! I thought you'd never ask! I am from Lycia. I hail from the Caelin canton, home to men of passion and fire!" Said the knight with a tone of pride. "Shouldn't that be "home to callow oafs with loose tongues"?" Amy replies bluntly. "Ooooh… You're even lovely when you're cruel." Said the knight in green armor. "Let's go. Mark. I've nothing more to say." Said Amy and we began to leave. "Wait! Please…" the knight said in the background. "Sain! Hold your tongue!" Said another dog knight with orange fur in red armor. "Ah, Kent! My boon companion! Why so severe an expression?" Asked Sain. "If your manner were more serious, I wouldn't have to be so severe! We still have a mission to complete, Sain!" came Kent's reply. "I know that. But how could I remain silent in the presence of such beauty? It would have been discourteous!" Sain said back. "What do you know of courtesy!?" Kent asked (shouted) back. "Excuse me! You're blocking the road. If you would be so kind as to move your horses…" Said Amy, breaking up the duo's argument. "Of course. My apologies…" came Kent's calm response. "Thank you. You, at least, seem honorable enough." Said Amy calmly. "Hm? Pardon me, but… I fell we've met before." Kent stated. "I beg your pardon?" Amy asked confused. "Hey! No fair, Kent! I saw her first!" Sain proclaimed outraged. "Tsk! It seems there are no decent men among Lycia's Knights! Let's go, Mark! I've run out of patience!" Amy said irritated as we made our leave. "Wait, please! It's not like that. … … Sain, you lout!" Kent said with an irate tone. "Huh? Not like that? I thought you were…" Sain stated but was interrupted by Kent "I am NOT you!" he said. "Come, we must follow her. I suspect she might be—" Kent said but was then interrupted himself by Sain saying "Be what? She's our mission? You're joking! Wait!" And they began to follow us. Meanwhile outside with Amy and me "Run! We're being pursued! Could it be those knights from town? No… It's not them. These men are out for blood!" Amy said when we were approached by a tuff looking tiger. "… …" "Heh heh hehhh… Aren't you the pretty one! Your name is Amelia is it not?" The brute said. "What did you call me? …Who are you?" Amy asked, a little dumbfounded. "Such a waste. An absolute waste. The things I'll do for gold… Ah, well. Time to die, darlin'! C'mon out, boys!" He shouted, and after his sentence a group of thugs spread all across the terrain. "Oh, no! There are more than I can handle… But I'll not give up!" Amy stated. "Hey! There she is!" came a familiar voice. "Huh?" "What?" Came the leader and Amy's replies. "Whew… Finally caught up… Hold! You there! What is your business? Such numbers against a girl? Cowards, every one of you!" Said Sain as he and Kent approached us. "You! You're from—" Amy started to say but was interrupted. "We can discuss that later. It appears these ruffians mean to do you harm. If it's a fight they want, let them look to me!" Said Kent. "Stand back! I'll take care of this!" said Sain. "No! This is my fight! Stay out of my way!" Came Amy's quick response. "Well, I can't just stand here and do nothing…" Sain said. "I have a solution. You there, command us." Kent said directing his statement at me. "I am Kent, a Knight of Lycia. My companion is Sain." He introduced themselves. "We will follow your orders in this battle. Is this acceptable, milady?" He asked Amy. "Yes, it is. Mark and I will lead! Let's go!" Said Amy as we headed into battle. "You! You are called Mark?" Sain asks and I nod. "I want to impress my beauteous one! Let me attack first!" he says to me. "Alright move in to that brigand over nearest to us and strike" I command. Sain did as was told, but sadly he used his lance to strike and the enemy dodged then countered with a strike of his axe which made a direct hit. "Whoa! I missed!?" Sain stated, dumbfounded. "Sain! Why aren't you using your sword?" Kent scolded. "The lance is more heroic. A knight should look heroic, don't you think?" Came Sain's reply. "You're hopeless. If you don't take fighting more seriously, you're going to find yourself on the end of a blade!" Kent stated. "Truth be told, I… forgot to buy a sword." Sain said guiltily. "Forgot? Or were you simply too busy dallying with the ladies?" Kent sarcastically asked. "Don't be so mad! I'll be fine with a lance. I'm that good!" Sain boasted. "I'd prefer to rely on your skill, not your empty bragging! Take my spare blade and use it to attack next time!" Kent scolded again. "Are you sure? My thanks, Kent!" Sain said while taking the sword. "You're almost more trouble than you're worth. Almost. " Kent murmurs to himself with a smirk. "Mark! Allow me to make up for my companion's blunder. I am at your command!" Kent says. "Right, Kent move in and attack his flank" I direct. "The enemy wields an axe. Use a sword for your attack" I say quickly, and he moves in and strikes him once then dodges the oncoming attack. "He's almost defeated. Now, let's deliver the final blow!" Kent says. "Got it, Amy move in to take him out" I say. "Right" she says, after she's moved in she acts quick and strikes him then dodges his blow and finishes him off. The enemy began to draw closer. "Mark! Give me another chance!" Sain pleads. "Alright, move in and remember. Axe-wielding foes should be met with swords. Brandish your blade!" I state to him. He tries to attack the enemy but was unable to make contact, luckily he dodged the oncoming assault. "Gah!" Sain shouted in frustration. "Sain! Are you all right?" Kent asked. "Yes. Yes, I am. I was able to dodge in time. I can't believe he evaded my sword stroke so easily. This is no jest." Sain responded. "Look closely. The enemy is hidden in the woods. The branches make it difficult to attack, don't they?" Kent replied. "You're right. I was so focused on attacking… I didn't see." Sain agreed. "Your lack of attention may someday cost you your life!" Kent reprimanded. "Fine! I understand already! Let it go, Kent!" Sain argued. "If you truly understand, then act like it!" Kent states. "Kent worries too much. … He's going to grow old before his time." Sain murmured. "I'm ready for battle. Command me as you will!" said Kent. "Move into the woods near the enemy and help Sain finish him off" I say. He moves in and strikes the enemy while dodging his attack. "It seems like a wise decision to leave that bandit to the knights." Amy inputs. "Right, Amy for your part, if you're going to take care of the other foe, you'll need to close the distance between us. That knight said that woods are advantageous, right? In that case… those woods ahead seem good. Let's move there." I say towards Amy. She followed my advice and hid within the woods. The enemy decided to continue to spread out while Kent and Sain continued to take care of the bandit in the woods. "You… Your name is Sain, right?" Amy asked towards Sain. "Yes! Sain, the gallant man of Caelin. That's me!" Sain responded enthusiastically. "If you insist… Why have you not healed yourself?" Amy asked plainly. "Huh? Hey! I've been injured? What a cad I am! To wrinkle that perfect brow of yours with worry for me…" Sain said with sparkles surrounding him. "Uh… I was thinking of giving you a vulnerary, but… It looks like you're fine. So, never you mind." Amy replied with a sweat drop. "No, wait! I'll take it! Please! I'll take it!" Sain quickly recovered. "I can't keep such a generous offer waiting! The healing power of love awaits with yon angel!" Sain murmured to himself. Amy and Sain traded with each other. "Ah! Much better! Thanks, you have my gratitude my angel." Sain said after using the vulnerary. "…" Amy could only sweat drop. After the awkwardness, I had our small troupe spread out and finish off the last of the bandits until all that was left was their leader. "Amy strike him down" I direct. "Right" she nodded. "Accursed knights, always tampering in others' affairs." Said Zugu, the tiger leader of the brigands. Amy began her attack with a quick slash, dodge, and extra strike which managed to injure him enough for her second charge to finish him off. "Blast. There was only… supposed to be a lone…girl…" Zugu grunted out with his last breath. "That's the last of them! Fantastic work, Mark!" Amy said with a tone of relief and joy. "And now for these knights pf Lycia. You were going to share your story with me?" Amy asked the duo. "Yes. We have ventured from Caelin, on Lycia, in search of someone." Replied Kent. "Lycia… That's the country beyond the mountains in the south west, isn't it?" Amy asked again. "Correct. We've come as messengers to the lady Madelyn, who eloped with a nomad some 19 years ago." Explained Kent. "Madelyn?" Amy asked confused. "Our lord the marquess of Caelin's only daughter. He was heartbroken his own daughter would abandon him so. Eventually, the marquess simply declared that he had no daughter." Kent states. "And then this year, we received a letter from Lady Madelyn. It said that she, her husband, and their daughter were living happily on the Sacae plains. The marquess was ecstatic to learn he had a granddaughter of 18 years. I remember the smile on his face when he announced that he'd suddenly become a grandfather. The granddaughter's name is Amelia. This was also the name of the marquess's wife, who passed away at an early age." Finished Sain. "Amelia?" Amy said again confused. "That she should bear this name thawed the marquess's heart. Now his only wish is to meet his daughter's family at least once. This is why we're here. We didn't know that Lady Madelyn died a few days after sending her letter… We only learned this shortly after we arrived here in Bulgar." Sain said. "But we also learned all was not lost. Her daughter yet lives. We heard that she was living alone on the plains… I… I knew it immediately. You are the lady Amelia." Concluded Kent, I stared at Amy in amazement. "Why would you think that…?" Amy said not too sure of herself. "Your resemblance to your departed mother is remarkable." Kent replied. "What? Did you know my mother?" Amy asked with hope. "I'm sorry to say I never met her directly, but I saw her portraits in Castle Caelin." Kent said. "To the rest of my tribe, I was always Amy. But when I was with my parents… When it was just the three of us, I was Amelia. It's all so strange. I was all alone in the world and now I have a grandfather. Amelia… I never thought that I would hear that name again." Amy said. "…" The duo gave her a moment of silence. "Wait! That bandit! He called me Amelia, too!" Amy said. "What? How could he have—" Kent said. "…He was a henchman of Lord Lundgren, wasn't he?" Sain finished. "Lundgren? Who's that?" Amy asked. "He's the marquess's younger brother. Everyone assumed the lady Madelyn was gone forever. This made Lord Lundgren heir to the marquess's title." Said Kent. "To be blunt, milady, your existence is an obstacle to your granduncle's ambitions." Said Sain. "That's—But I have no interest in inheriting any title!" Said Amy with a tone of panic. "Unfortunately, your granduncle is not the sort of man to believe that. I believe the attempts on your life will persist." Sain said sadly. "What should I do?" Amy asks scared. "Accompany us to Caelin. Continuing on this way is dangerous." Said Kent. "I feel I have little choice. I will go with you." Amy agreed. "Mark… I'm sorry. This changes everything. What will you do, Mark?" Amy asks. "Why don't you decide, I trust your judgment" I respond. "What will you do, Mark? You… want me to decide? Of course, your companionship would do much to ease my journey, but… It's going to be so dangerous." Amy said pondering. "No need to worry I will be with you all for protection" I say. "You'll come? Are you sure?" Amy asks eagerly and I nod. "Thank you! Let me ask once again for your friendship and your aid." Amy said with a smile. And with that we head off with a new goal set in mind.