Threads of Fate
Chapter 2: A fallen maiden makes a discovery
A dark silhouette was illuminated from behind.
"Marriage? Bu… This is… so sudden…"
"Do you object? I think this would be best for you, Farnese. I have heard of this tendency of yours to force a duel at every ball you attend. You are my only daughter and I think perhaps I left you alone too much. You are sixteen years old, and it is high time you learned to act like a lady."
"B-but… Fath-"
"Your groom is a member of a certain royal family and of a forgiving disposition. He agreed to our proposal even though he knew of your predilections. Surely, I do not have to explain how the Vandimion family would benefit from such a match. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Father."
…
At her secret spot in the woods, the cold winter air bit into her bare skin.
"Lady Farnese!"
Serpico had come, as he always did. She half-stumbled, half-fell against him, burying her face in his chest.
"I won't… I won't leave here. Out there… I can't live anywhere but here. Unless… You were to run away with me. If you… took me. We are both so warped..."
For an endless moment they stood silently, as close together as possible, their hands intertwined. Then, Serpico removed his hands from hers and gently but firmly pushed her away. When she looked into his face there was only determination there.
She ran, crying, as her world crumbled completely.
…
"Fire! The mansion! The mistress has gone mad!"
Blue. Red. Yellow. White. The flames danced so prettily. So did she amidst the inferno.
Then, Serpico was there and swept her off her feet. A moment later the chandelier crashed where she had just stood. Safe, she closed her eyes.
…
"Foolish girl. I never thought you'd… We can't allow word of this matter to spread. It would soil the Vandimion name. The wedding is canceled." Not once did her father look at her. "That girl is a devil. Take her off my hands."
…
The bells of the convent tolled. They knew everything. Devil, devil, devil, they said.
…
Farnese woke with a start. For a moment she didn't know where she was. Then she recognized the sick tent and felt God's strength inside her. Serpico was lying on the cot in front of her, sleeping uneasily.
She breathed a sigh of relief. 'It was only a dream. I must have fallen asleep for a moment.'
It had been a long time since she last dreamed of that terrible day three years ago, the day the relationship between her and Serpico had returned to master and servant. They had grown closer again sometime later, but their relationship had never returned to what it once was. These days she barely thought about it at all. Although, one question had stayed with her for a long time.
"Why did you reject me, Serpico?" Farnese whispered to the sleeping man. She didn't really expect an answer, but Serpico seemed to hear her and became more agitated.
Farnese could see his lips moving and leant close to understand the words.
"This, sir? It is only a pendant with the image of my parents inside."
'A pendant? The one he always wears?'
"Yes, sir, I understand. There are already three male heirs. I won't tell anyone, I promise," Serpico mumbled, his voice finally fading into silence.
Farnese stared at Serpico for long seconds. 'Already three male heirs…' It couldn't be a coincidence. Yet, she needed certainty.
It took Farnese only a few moments to find the pendent among Serpico's things stashed near the cot. She opened it. Inside, she saw the miniature picture of a man and a woman. The woman she didn't recognize, but the man… the man looked like a much younger, beardless version of her own father.
Slowly and silently, she closed the pendant and put it back where she had found it. Then she stepped out of the tent into the cool, moon-lit darkness of the night. There was a storm of emotion inside her. She needed some quiet to think.
So late in the night only a few guards were still awake, but they didn't seem to notice Farnese as she left the confines of the camp. She didn't plan to walk far, just far enough that there were several giant boulders between her and the camp. Since the area of boulders came up against one of the sheer rock spires that dominated this area of the mountains there were no further guards posted here.
Farnese suddenly came to a stop when she spotted something in the shadows. "Who's there?"
When no answer came forth she drew her sword and carefully stepped closer. Once she got a closer look she relaxed and put her sword back into the scabbard. Someone had carved a crude laughing face into one of the giant rocks and the shadows made it seem as if a human was standing there.
This seemed to be as good a spot as any other and she sat down on a boulder.
Farnese felt like laughing and crying at the same time. She had a fourth brother, or rather a half-brother. It explained so much. The rejection… the fact that her father had seen fit to bestow a minor noble title on Serpico. She wondered if that man had arranged everything.
'No, I cannot believe that.'
Their first encounter had been pure chance, of that Farnese was absolutely sure. If she had not looked out of the carriage's window and called a stop Serpico would have died in the snow. Her father had been absent when she decided to keep Serpico as her servant. If she remembered right it had been months before he returned to the city, perhaps even a year. By the time he could speak with Serpico the boy had already endured for far longer than any of her previous companions and personal servants had.
'Did he know whose daughter I was? Did he only stay with me because he knew this was his best and only chance to be recognized by Father? Or did he only discover it when he saw the face of Father? Did he only stay after that because of the rewards Father promised?'
These were questions only Serpico could answer… and Farnese wasn't sure she wanted to know. Yet, one thing remained certain: Serpico had known for many years and never told her that she was his half-sister.
They had been together for over half their lives and he had kept such an important fact from her the entire time.
She had trusted him above all others and he never told her a single thing.
He had rejected her and never told her why.
She had loved him.
Anger boiled up inside Farnese, hot and bitter. It was such a betrayal.
"Are you laughing at me?" she challenged the carving. Some part of her knew it was silly, but her anger only increased. She furiously swiped her hand in the direction of the offending carving. "Go away!"
In that moment silver sand and green flames erupted from thin air and struck the rock face with a crackling sound.
A moment later the nightly silence returned.
Farnese stared at the gouged and scorched rock where the face had been. Then she stared at her hand. Then back at the rock. The surprise made her anger disappear.
"What just happened?"
"The power of the All-Makers now dwells within you, my princess. As it appears to me you are capable of using the fires of the King and the sands of the Lawgiver to strike at your enemies."
Farnese shook her head in an effort to clear her mind. She had almost forgotten the angel in her head.
"What do you mean?"
"As it was explained to me before I was entrusted with my mission, six of the All-Makers have elected to share their essence with their prospective champions. In time and as you grow into your role you will partake more and more in this power."
That brought Farnese up short. She had not forgotten. How could she? Her anima banner and caste mark had been rather noticeable. The feeling of inner strength inside her was a constant reminder ever since she had awoken in the desert, too. What she had not expected was to suddenly gain the ability to summon bursts of burning sand. Of course, she had yet to find the time to think deeply about everything. Too much was happening.
"What else am I capable of?"
"I fear it will be up to you to explore the particulars, at least until we manage to communicate with someone of sufficient status in the Holy City. The secrets of the creators of the world are not for one such as me to know, my princess, but I will do my best to give advice in the meantime. But perhaps we should talk about this and your mission another time. You are in distress."
Farnese took a deep breath to calm herself. Her anger had cooled somewhat, but, yes, she was still deeply off balance. Despite the rejection three years ago Serpico had been the pillar of her strength, someone she thought she could rely on completely in each and every circumstance. If this revelation had come at another time she didn't know what she would have done. Maybe she would have broken down and done something stupid, as she had when he had rejected her.
As things were the events of the last days had already upended her understanding of how the world worked. She had seen the monsters in the darkness. She had witnessed the unnatural strength of the black swordsman. She had failed herself and her faith. She had almost died. She had met an angel and been chosen as a champion of God.
Serpico keeping such a secret was just another revelation, one that almost but not quite paled in comparison to the rest. It was another blow, but one that hit her in a state of numbness. She could weather it now that she had the power of God and the advice of an angel to rely on.
"Yes. I never expected something like this, not from Serpico. He has been my loyal servant and companion since so long ago…" Farnese paused for a few moments before she added, "I think I loved him, once."
"Love means pain, my princess. If you love something it will inevitably be taken from you and you will suffer for its absence. This is one of the fundamental truths of the world as the Silent Wind teaches. Yet, to be free of suffering would require forever avoiding all attachments and who can manage such a thing?"
There was truth in that statement, Farnese found, even if she wasn't sure she agreed completely. "Does that mean I will lose you one day, too? Or will this power be taken from me?"
Aerinian produced a thoughtful hum. "I suppose not everything. As far as I know only your death can separate you from me and your power. By then such a thing would hardly matter, would it not?"
That made Farnese chuckle. "I suppose so."
"If I may be so bold to ask, my princess, what services has this Serpico performed for you in the past? What is his value to you, beyond the emotional attachment?"
"Serpico is my personal servant. He knows my secrets. He is also the best duelist I know."
"A valuable follower, then. Has he given any indication that he has divided loyalties or ulterior motives?"
"No. He was always there when I needed him." Farnese sighed. "Apart from that one time he has never failed to do what I wanted from him. If he had not spoken in his fever I would never have even suspected that he was keeping something from me." She sighed a second time. "Now I fear he is reporting to my father behind my back."
"Then, perhaps it is best to let the matter lie for now, my princess. Loyal, capable retainers are not easy to come by and should not be wasted. You can confront him once he is able to answer coherently and get to the bottom of this secret."
Farnese considered the proposal. It seemed to be a good idea. Until Serpico healed all she had was speculation. She was still hurt and angry, but there was nothing she could do about it now.
She took a few minutes to collect herself before she walked back to the camp. Once again none of the distant guards noticed her as she slipped through the perimeter and back into the sick tent. Serpico's condition seemed to be still the same: a restless fever sleep.
For a while she simply tended to Serpico, but before long the simple task stopped to fully occupy her. There just wasn't much she could do at this point. She considered returning to her own tent and try and get some sleep, but she felt well-rested enough that this seemed a futile endeavor.
Then Aerinian made himself known. "If you have some idle time you could perhaps tell me more about your past, my princess. I know very little about human affairs. If I am to serve as your guide I will need to remedy this lack of knowledge sooner rather than later."
Farnese felt something like a stab of pain in her heart. The request was reasonable, but Serpico was so entwined with everything in her past that talking about it would be difficult. 'What do you want to know?'
"You said you took over command over these knights three years ago. I would like to hear what you have done since then."
Farnese felt relief. That topic she was more comfortable talking about. She did so.
Three years ago she had been appointed as the commander of the Knights of the Holy Iron Chains not too long after her father had shipped her off to the convent. It was purely politics. The tradition of the knight's commander being a woman and her family name were all the reasons the upper echelons of the church needed.
By chance, that winter heretics set fire to the churches and noblemen's mansions throughout the Vatican City. Though the Knights of the Holy Iron Chains served mainly as ceremonial guards they were sent forth to subjugate the heresy.
'I placed myself right at the front of the army as we hunted down the heretics.'
Farnese remembered that time well. So many people burned at the stake at her command. Countless women and men, old and young. Children as well. So many beautiful pyres.
'My superiors in the church praised my devotion. They were nearly speechless with admiration.'
It was more difficult to recall the exact heresy in question. Something about the distribution of wealth and all being equal in God's eye. The church had been quick to condemn it. Entire families had been put on trial and annihilated rather than letting a single heretic escape.
"And rightly so, my princess. Such heresies are a grave offence against the Lawgiver and the Principle of Hierarchy both. I am glad to hear there are still humans who hold up the true law in this fallen age."
Farnese nodded in acceptance before continuing her tale. The hunts, trials and burnings had progressed until she finally found the leaders of the heresy hiding in a sanatorium.
She stopped for a moment. Now, her memories reached a painful part involving Serpico. After another moment of thought she decided to skip it. It wasn't important right now.
After finally stamping out the heresy the knights returned to their usual ceremonial duties with the favor of their superiors.
Then something changed. Reports of evil spirits inhabiting rivers, mountains and the like popped up everywhere. Those who had encountered the strangeness poured into the Vatican in increasing numbers. There were too many people to dismiss the rumors as unfounded.
'I asked for the duty to investigate. There was a prophecy as well.' It was easy to recall the exact words. 'The fifth sign of the apocalypse, the sun's death. The red lake exists by the eastern cities new and old. It brings the Dark Hawk, the fifth to descend. The blind king of the white sheep serves as shepherd to the villainy of the black sheep and he calls forth an era of darkness upon the world.'
It had taken them almost a year of searching and following trails of suspicious murders and strange sightings, but the first part of the prophecy came true. The sun was eclipsed while they traveled near the border of the kingdom of Midland. Shortly thereafter they encountered the red lake – a lake of blood. It had been a normal lake originally, but there were so many body parts of men and horses drifting across it that they had colored the water a solid red. There had been hundreds of fresh corpses, although it was difficult to tell the exact number. The bodies were all torn to pieces.
'After that more reports of strange happenings arrived. There was but one thing common between all of them: the black swordsman. The scale of carnage he left in his wake was nearly unbelievable.'
Farnese had to suppress a shudder. No single man should be able to kill so many, but now that she had actually met the swordsman and seen him fight she had no trouble believing it.
'We tracked him for two years, but he always slipped away before we could catch up. A couple of days ago we arrived at a nearby village. They were burying the burned remains of dozens of children. Their village priest told me that children had been disappearing for years while elves attacked. The black swordsman was there. When he killed the elves they turned into children.'
They had resumed their pursuit with the help of local guide. Apparently the goal was a place called Misty Valley. Along the way they had come upon another mountain of corpses, all slain by the same weapon: a sword of ridiculous size that no man should be able to lift. In the valley they found two children still alive, many, many dead… and the black swordsman.
Farnese related how they had finally caught up with the man, how despite his apparently weakened state he held off their entire force and slew several knights, how he made a last dash towards her when he couldn't beat Sir Azan.
The memory frightened her. She had come so close to dying. Despite her long service she barely knew how to hold a sword, let alone fight properly. Still, somehow she had managed to wound the man after which he collapsed, allowing them to take him prisoner.
Then came the part Farnese liked least to remember, but she might as well give a full accounting. Her attempt at interrogation, her abduction, the monsters in the darkness, her failure to stand against the darkness, her almost-death and finally Aerinian's appearance, she held nothing back. Finally there was nothing more to tell.
"This was quite a tale, my princess. I thank you for this. I noticed the retelling was not easy on you."
Suddenly Farnese realized something. She and her knights had been following a prophecy. Now she had an angel in her head who could give explanations. 'Aerinian, can you tell me something? What is the black swordsman? His strength is not from this world. Is he truly the harbinger of the apocalypse?'
"I… am not sure, my princess. I never had dealings with the world of mortals before I was chosen for the task of carrying the All-Makers' power to someone worthy. I know of no such prophecy. The time between my masters entrusting me with this holy power and me appearing before you is a blur. I only became truly aware of my surroundings again when I appeared before you."
Farnese didn't know what to say. She had certainly not expected such an answer.
"It may very well be that this black swordsman is more than a simple man. His deeds certainly are beyond what is to be expected from a mortal. Yet, the Creators of All have not seen fit to mention him when they gave me my mission. I can only conclude that he is not truly your concern, at least as long as he is not directly hindering you."
'Then what exactly is my task?'
"I do not yet know, my princess. It will come to you in a vision during the next days, I expect. Until we know more I recommend you make no great displays of your power. There are those in the world who will wish you harm."
Farnese was about to ask more, but just then Sir Azan entered the tent. Surprise showed on his broad face. "Lady Farnese, have you spent the entire night here?"
She blinked in confusion. Was it already morning? She had not noticed how quickly time passed.
Meanwhile, Azan was apparently taking her silence as admission. "Your dedication to duty and care for the men is exemplary, commander, especially so shortly after your ordeal, but is it really wise to forego a night of rest?"
Farnese shook her head. "I was not tired."
If Azan didn't believe her he didn't show any sign of that on his face. "I was about to visit the injured before heading to the morning prayer. It would be a good opportunity to announce your return as well. Will you accompany me, Lady Farnese?"
Farnese hesitated. She didn't really want to leave Serpico, but it was customary to at least attend the communal prayer if not lead it. More importantly, the men needed to see that she was alive and well. She looked back at the sleeping man. Serpico seemed to be doing better than during the night. That made the decision easier.
"I will."
Following Azan, Farnese made a round through the sick tent. Most of the patients were still sleeping, but some were awake. Azan found some encouraging words for them and Farnese tried to emulate the example. They seemed to appreciate the attention.
"It is good to see our brave men recovering. Five of them aren't fit for transport yet, but we need to leave this place soon or we will run out of water. The spring nearby is too small for so many people and animals," Azan said when they left the tent. "If we divide our forces and send an advance party we can stretch out the time by a couple of days."
Farnese nodded in acceptance. She rarely cared about the intricacies of such matters, leaving them to Sir Azan.
The sky at the eastern horizon was steadily growing brighter. As Farnese watched the camp come to life she wondered. Something felt different about the world. It was hard to put into words, but there just seemed to be so much more to every sensation, so many details she had never noticed. At the same time there were the broad strokes, connections and meanings she had always overlooked.
'Why is everything so different?'
"That would be because your essence has been awakened, my princess. Mortals are blind and deaf to the true nature of the world. As far as I know only a very few reach some meager measure of enlightenment. You, in contrast, have been elevated far above them. You can now feel and shape essence," the angel in her head said.
'Essence?'
"Everything is essence and essence is everything. It is the substance of the world and the energy that flows through it."
Farnese wanted to ask more questions, but they had reached the field of prayer. A pole with god's symbol had been erected at one end of it. The stylized bird in flight emerging from a sphere, with two orbs forming a helix around it, was a comforting sight.
In truth Farnese preferred to pray privately before the smaller icon in her own tent, but duty required her participating in at least one of the daily communal prayers more often than not.
Slowly more and more people arrived. Farnese felt their stares. At least she couldn't hear the whispers over the noise of the wind. She returned their stares in kind, measuring them up. A sudden irritating burning in her eyes made her blink.
Nothing. They were nothing. Nothing besides human blandness, a dim irrelevant ember smoldering inside each of them, almost disappearing against her flame.
Farnese blinked again, the world returning to normal. She struggled to show no outward sign of the sudden, unexpected sensations.
'What was that?'
"Another of the All-Makers' gifts, I think. As I said earlier, mortals cannot compare to you, my ardent princess."
When would the revelations stop, Farnese wondered. So much had happened that she was constantly feeling overwhelmed. Shoving these thoughts aside for the moment, Farnese returned to the task of trying to gauge the mood of the slowly gathering crowd.
Judging from the faces she could make out, the predominant emotion was relief at seeing her returned. There was shame as well. Some people didn't seem to care at all, or maybe had just better control.
When Farnese felt everyone who was about to come had arrived she raised her voice, feeling the strength inside her buoying her up.
"My fellow knights, I have returned, safe and sound. God has granted us a miracle. He saved me from the vile black swordsman and certain death in the desert. Although the villain escaped, I survived against all odds. I stand before you as a proof of his divine grace.
We have lost comrades to the villain's blade and many were injured by his cowardly arson. The swordsman escaped us; that is true, but the sacrifice of our comrades was not in vain. We have learned what we set out to: The swordsman is real and he is more than an ordinary man. With this goal achieved we will head back to the Vatican to make our report. Now, let us pray."
Farnese proceeded to lead the assembly. Her dislike of communal prayer notwithstanding, it was one of her duties she was genuinely good at.
Soon enough the prayer was finished and the men began to disperse. From what scraps of conversation Farnese caught while she walked with Azan she thought her speech had been well-received. Most of the knights and grooms were happy to finally return home. Her new silver hair was a big topic as well, something she was not particularly fond of. Unfortunately there was nothing she could do to curb such talk without making the problem worse.
A few minutes later Farnese, Azan and several senior knights gathered in the command tent, maps of the various kingdoms spread out on a table and food on another. It was time to plan the route they would take back to the Vatican. Normally she would have left the details to Azan after giving the order, but she felt she needed to be seen doing her duty more than usual.
Azan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see three ways to proceed. Firstly, we can backtrack our way through the border states. The roads are very poor and the route will be very circuitous. Secondly, we can go through the Chuder Empire. They claim the desert at the foot of the mountains. There should be no obstructions on the way, meaning easy travel. Thirdly, we can go into Chuder, but immediately head towards the Midland border. That would be the most direct route, but I heard bad things about the general conditions in Midland."
Farnese listened to the knights debating the matter for a time. Most seemed to favor traveling through Chuder.
There were some good arguments, but she didn't look forward to dallying needlessly. "I have decided. We will travel through Midland. At best we will save two weeks. At worst we will arrive a few days later than if we had gone through Chuder."
Azan hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Of course, Commander."
Then it was time to organize the details, of who to send on the advance party, exactly which roads to take, which nobles were worth visiting, where to buy new provisions, where to erect the camps on the way and so forth. In truth Farnese found these minutiae of running the knights rather burdensome, especially because she wasn't able to contribute much or anything at all.
Normally, that was. Farnese didn't know the reason, but everything was just making more sense than usual. She listened attentively while Azan and the other senior knights discussed and planned. It went on for hours, including an interruption for the noon meal.
It was late afternoon before Farnese found the time to return to Serpico's side. He was still sleeping, but it seemed more restful and the fever had gone down.
'Aerinian, am I able to heal people?' Farnese asked silently, the idea just having occurred to her.
"I do not know, my princess. Perhaps you should simply try?"
Over the next few minutes Farnese tried a variety of things from silent prayer to laying on of hands, but there was no visible reaction. Apparently healing people was not among the gifts she had been granted. It was a bit disappointing.
Farnese considering staying for a while longer, but she was growing tired. Serpico at least seemed to improving and it was perhaps not the wisest idea to show that much favor anyway.
"I want to be informed at once if Serpico wakes up," she ordered the men attending to the injured.
"As you command, Lady Farnese."
Back in her tent, Farnese sunk into a chair. She was suddenly feeling very tired. The sleepless night was really making itself felt now. Still, if she went to sleep now she would probably wake in the middle of the night. Then she noticed her still scorched armor.
Farnese sighed. Caring for these things was normally Serpico's task – or at least organizing that it got done. Now, she could probably call a groom. That would leave her with nothing to do for the rest of the day. She could always question Aerinian – there was so much she had to learn and so many questions to ask.
On the other hand, so much had happened and her head was swimming. Learning even more didn't sound appealing at the moment. Perhaps a nice, simple task like cleaning her armor would help pass the time until she was ready for sleep.
'It can't be that difficult, right?'
Farnese found the proper cleaning supplies among her baggage after some searching. Then she went to work. Taking a metal brush to the steel was indeed not particularly difficult and she soon found a rhythm of her own. The angel in her head began singing softly in tune with the rhythm. For a moment Farnese was surprised, but then she recovered. She didn't understand the words, but the song was in tune with the strokes of her brush.
By the time the sun neared the horizon the armor had been freed from the soot.
Farnese let out a long breath after she put the armor back on its stand. "This was a little harder than I thought it would be."
Deciding to take a walk before going to sleep, Farnese stepped out of the tent. She came to an abrupt stop when she encountered three guards outside, two more than usual.
The men saluted. "Lady Farnese. Sir Azan has ordered you are to be guarded at all times."
Farnese was about to object, then thought better of it. She didn't think it likely anyone would attempt to abduct her again from amidst the camp (and if someone tried he would get a face full of burning sand), but it was understandable that Sir Azan was worried. Or perhaps she was just too tired to argue.
"I wish to take a walk around the camp. It shouldn't take long."
Two of the knights walked behind her as she made a round through the camp. She tried to ignore them, focusing on the men in the camp instead. Preparations for two thirds of the knights to leave in the morning were well underway. Everyone seemed happy that they were finally returning home.
When she spotted the graves at the edge of the camp she corrected herself. Not everyone would return home. It was another crime to lay at the feet of the black swordsman.
'I will find you and then I will kill you, Black Hawk. I will not allow your age of darkness to come to pass.'
She tried the best not to consciously acknowledge another reason for this. The black swordsman had seen her weakness, her failure. His lips would have to be sealed forever. Deciding she had seen enough, she headed back to her tent.
Farnese's dreams that night were the strangest she ever had. Some part of her was aware that she was dreaming as she wandered the empty streets of a brazen city, a green sun overhead while gusts of wind drove clouds of silver sand from the buildings. Music of transcendent beauty was in the air, but there was no sign of the musician to be seen.
People saw it as they slept. It was villages being decimated by the plague, and the country being overrun by an army that rode on great beasts. It was cities being smashed by earthquakes, and towns being swallowed by raging torrents. It was the sun being hidden by black clouds and groups of people wandering about, starving. It was the dead bodies of parents and children, and the bodies of neighbors. It was experienced by all in their own way, but there was only one message. Every night people found themselves cloaked in an intense darkness, which spread out over the world.
And from within the chaos… a shining hawk swooped down to the bloodstained earth, tearing asunder the veil of darkness. They knew it intuitively: This was the messiah.