Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword Classically Retold

by Sharpknife

Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword, as experienced by Amberyl the tactician. This tale incorporates game dialogue in the early chapters (when I was but a timid author) and graduates to an "inspired by the dialogue" vibe by ch6; it will adhere to the *overall* plot pretty closely. M for not-terribly-explicit violence and eventually (almost there, guys o. O) steamy ...ON-screen romance?

4. Ch3: Band of Mercenaries

Welcome back to my hard-fought retelling of FE7!

Seriously, this story is fighting me to a draw. I love it to death, though, so I'll get it done eventually. And it knows it's purpose in life is to suffer through as my debut... although I can't help but feel I'm training myself in some questionable habits. Fun, though.

---

Amberyl roused at the climax of yet another hot, steamy dream of torrid romance and untold smooches. She groaned quietly, lamenting the loss of sleep. She hadn't gotten a full night's rest for at least seven days - although, she hadn't had to stand watch, either, so she couldn't bring herself to complain.

Amberyl tightened her blanket and considered her options. The frequency of these fantasies was as ridiculous as it was embarrassing, and she knew from experience that she wasn't getting back to sleep any time soon.

She supposed this was better than when she'd dreamt of the final moments before Scragglebeard and his thugly lot closed in around Lyn and herself. In her dreams, her rescuers never came, and those nasty nightmares tormented her until she approached Sain to teach her some personal defensive tactics. The first evening dance of slow, deliberate, shove-your-butt-into-my-groin-to-disrupt-my-balance-and-throw-me maneuvers ensured she was too focused on other things to contemplate her mortality. Even in her sleep.

Especially in her sleep.

Rather than lay awake next to Lyn, staring up at the dark inside of their cozy two-man tent whilst contemplating her primal urges, Amberyl grabbed her deerskin boots and wormed out of the enclosure as quietly as possible. The slap of chill night air ensured she was up for good, despite the starry, dawnless sky, half obscured by the thin trees which hid their camp. She tugged her boots on before padding through wet grass to Kent, who kept the watch.

Ever the soldier gentleman, he stood as she approached and waved her to the scrunched bundle of cloth that padded the fallen log upon which he sat. Amberyl waved his offer aside.

"Lady Amberyl," Kent eventually broke the silence, when it became evident she wasn't going to do so first. "Is something the matter?"

"Just a dream," Amberyl answered truthfully. "The type I can't get back to sleep after."

"Ah," Kent seemed too wise to pursue the topic further. He was, however, well and truly stuck out here with her, and Amberyl decided to capitalize on the opportunity. She'd been traveling with Kent for several days, but their conversation rarely broached personal subjects. Something about his professional aura and factual emphasis discouraged her from engaging him in idle chit-chat.

"What do you do when you can't sleep?" she asked.

Kent considered a moment before answering, the way he often did with any open-ended inquiry, as if searching for the questioner's intent and tailoring his response to most adequately answer it to the fullest. He was, Amberyl had to admit, a frighteningly intelligent and analytical man.

"Usually, when sleep evades me, it's due to uncommon stress caused by factors within my control, but as yet unattended. I simply do what I can to address the issue, regardless of the hour."

Amberyl stared at him, wondering if he realized how... logical that sounded. Wasn't there some emotional response he could give her? She couldn't "address the issue" of imaginary smooches. At least, not in the conventional sense of planning and preparation to which Kent probably referred.

"What about when the factors are outside of your control?" Amberyl pressed, thinking that described her situation better. Kent lifted one hand in a gesture of dismissal.

"Exercise."

Hm. After the deep exposition in response to her first question, Amberyl had expected more. She frowned at him.

"That's it?"

"If it's something you have no control over, what else is there to do?"

"I... I don't know," Amberyl admitted, feeling silly. "I guess that makes sense. Uhm. Thanks."

"Of course," Kent replied. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his attention politely dedicated to their conversation. It was obvious that he viewed her in a military light, as a charge under his protection. Not, Amberyl thought, the ardent gaze of a man interested in unimaginary smooches.

Which was good, she thought, berating the small part of herself that felt disappointment at his disinterest. She shouldn't be infatuated with two men at once - that would be greedy. A much larger part of her was relieved in the security of his highly professional regard.

Yet a third and growing part of her was excited by the implications of visualizing something, even in a dream, that she had no clear conscious memory of. Perhaps this was a sign that some previous experiences were struggling to break through her amnesia? But that would also mean she had a lover, somewhere, which carried her into the many-numbered other parts of her response to Kent's blissfully ignorant gaze.

"So, exercise," she continued. "What kinds?"

"Stretches. Or calisthenics, which can also be done in place. Both are normal routine for any good soldier."

"Not jogging?" Amberyl had noticed, in their morning exercises - which she in no way observed for reasons other than intellectual inquiry - Kent and Sain never partook in any form of running.

"Leaving camp is inadvisable in an unsafe area," Kent explained. "Especially at dawn or dusk, which are favored times for ambushes or planned attacks."

"Ah. I suppose you think about these things constantly, don't you?" Amberyl shuffled, looking around after that reminder of ever-present danger. Tree and terrain cover was much more abundant in the foothills of the Bern mountains, the open expanse of Lyn's plains being a thing of the past. She waved to where Lyn and Sain still snoozed. Their little tents were invisible from any great distance. "Even when selecting our camp site."

"The safety of the Lord Hausen's granddaughter is our express charge," Kent admitted. "It is our duty to consider every danger, and prevent them all if possible."

"Hmm." Amberyl considered Sain, whose flirtatious and jovial nature didn't seem quite so in line with Kent's paragon soldier.

"I assure you, Sain is competent in his duties," Kent said dryly, correctly interpreting her thoughts. "Though he may seem - overly relaxed at times."

Amberyl laughed, knowing the darkness would hide her blush. She liked Sain's relaxed attitude. Compared to Kent, who was in all things proper, Sain was downright playful. In the beginning, that had flustered her beyond measure, but she was growing used to his lavish compliments and excessive enthusiasm.

And if that dazzling smile of his was exacerbating her nighttime dilemmas, well... that was her problem, not his. She wasn't going to tell him to stop grinning roguishly at her. She wouldn't wipe that smile off his face for the world!

Err. Maybe she was getting a little too taken up in his antics, Amberyl admitted silently. Especially considering the very real possibility that she was already involved with someone she'd simply forgotten. But surely Sain's shameless flirtation was a pretense, an affectation designed to provoke laughter and stave off boredom, not inspire true love. After all, he showered his affections indiscriminately between Lyn and herself, and it was probably waaay against the rules to hit on the marquess's granddaughter.

So she would enjoy the compliments and flirtation while it lasted, shushing him half-heartedly as she played along. She would just have to guard against the danger of actually falling in love. As long as she had a mystery past, she couldn't let herself get attached. Not in that way, at least. She had a feeling she would always love Lyn, but that was different.

But none of that resistless logic changed the fact that both Kent and Sain were very handsome men, and she was having those fascinating, frustrating dreams that probably wouldn't be nearly as frustrating if she could work up the courage to take ten minutes of Alone Time.

Some things, it seemed, just came to a person naturally.

"How long until dawn, do you think?" she was beginning to shiver, not having dressed for the day. Her cloak, long shirt, and boots were all she had donned.

"Not long. The sky should be brightening within the hour."

Amberyl frowned. "I know I just asked the question, but how on earth can you tell?"

Kent's tone hinted his amusement. "I will allow you one guess."

Amberyl looked around. "Black magic?"

"Close," Kent allowed, evidence that he had warmed to her sense of humor - or at least possessed the courtesy to tolerate it. "The moon set about an hour ago."

"Has anyone ever accused you of being too capable?" Amberyl asked, thinking perhaps she shouldn't be impressed by something so trivial, but the absolute wealth of useful skills at Kent's disposal was overwhelming.

"My lady, you exaggerate," Kent's lips twitched with a smile, and was that a hint of embarrassment? Amberyl must be picking up Sain's habits. An interesting prospect, she decided, thinking of all the times her thoughts scattered in his presence. If his shameless flirting was so effective at flustering her, maybe she could develop a similar skill to use on others with similar results? How lovely it would be to derail any conversation so subtlety! She had enough to hide that it was worth considering. Perhaps not flirtation, but flattery?

"Will you be joining us, then, in our morning exercise routine?" Kent asked, back to business.

Amberyl started. Kent and Sain, shirtless and sweating while she loomed in close proximity? She should say no, no, no...!

"If it wouldn't disrupt you too much," she gushed.

---

Sain toweled off his hair, having dumped his entire water skin over his head. The chill wasn't enough to cool him off, and not because he wasn't shivering in the brisk morning air.

"Saints," Sain groaned, slapping his face a few times. Whole idea was it to let a girl join the work out session? Because whoever it was - and there was really only Kent to blame here - was a bloody genius. Sain hadn't thought his stoic companion had it in him to be so crafty.

And he probably hadn't. Kent seemed so surprised at the way Amberyl's tunic quickly soaked with sweat, plastering to the sweet curves of her body. And at the way her breasts bounced lively with every lunge, jump, and squat in their routine. And how the blessed cold of the morning raised her pert -

"Sain!" Kent smacked Sain up the backside of the head, startling him.

"Gah!" Sain raised his hands protectively. "What's this? You're awful grouchy, so early in the morning! What's the matter?"

"Pay attention," Kent snapped. "I've tried for your attention three times."

"Well, I'm listening now!" Sain gestured grandly.

"Get dressed," Kent instructed. "I don't want to loiter near these mountains any longer than necessary. The sooner we're away from Bern, the sooner we strike south. If Lady Lyndis does not object, we shall breakfast on the move."

"Yes, Commander!" Sain snapped a smart salute, but he couldn't control his grin. Kent so rarely riled up, it was nearly impossible not to take advantage when it happened. Kent gave him a dirty look before stalking away - which was to say, the corners of Kent's mouth tightened imperceptibly and his brow twitched slightly lower.

Sain tugged his shirt on and collected the scattered contents of his pack. Their tent already struck, it looked like they'd be ready to move before the sun cleared the distant tree line, if not the horizon. Although the girls were moving slow this morning. Lyndis looked to be dithering with the horses, gazing around like she was unsure of what to do. Odd, considering her usual efficiency.

"Good morning, my lady Lyndis," Sain hailed brightly. "We missed you in this morning's exercise!"

"Good morning, Sain," Lyn smiled, seeming grateful for the conversation. "Amberyl was just telling me how effective your routine seems to be. It might be a bit much to start out on, but I think keeping up our fitness is an excellent idea. Perhaps we'll both join you tomorrow."

"Ah," Sain drew back. Could he do it? Could allow Lady Lyndis to do it? His sense of duty, how it writhed! Sain lasted a full three seconds before his better intentions surrendered. She was right, after all: fitness was quintessential. "Of course! An excellent idea indeed! A warrior's training of the body must not be neglected!"

"Um." Lyn seemed taken aback by his enthusiasm. "Yes, well. I'll... start breakfast?"

"Apologies, my lady," Sain injected, "But Kent wished an early start today, if you don't mind breakfasting on the road. We still have a variety of cheeses and dried meats, and some traveler's bread to finish before it stales."

"Oh? That's fine then." Lyn nodded, and wandered away with that same look of confusion she'd worn before.

"Sain."

"Ah?" Sain looked back, finding Kent standing with saddle in hand, looking strained. "Come now, you wouldn't deny Lady Lyndis the chance to improve her fitness? And Lady Amberyl praised our routine!"

Kent saddled his charger without response. Sain smothered his laughter. Such a fine morning could only herald an even finer day.

---

Amberyl rested her head on Sain's shoulder with her eyes closed, seated sideways in the saddle. She pretended to be napping, tuckered out by her morning workout exertions, but he probably didn't believe she actually slept. Her gusty sighs and constant movement betrayed her there.

She was just so relaxed. Amberyl sighed again, shifting. A heavy workout followed by a thorough cooldown was exactly what she'd needed. Romping through the woods with two handsome knights was more stressful than she had anticipated, if not for the precise reasons she'd been led to expect. But now that she had taken the time, effort, and necessary steps to clear her mind, she decided to exact her sweet revenge against Sain's devastating smile, which had filled her tummy with butterflies all week.

Okay, fine. She'd taken her Alone Time after she kicked Lyn out of the tent, and she was still feeling slightly euphoric, and more than a little devious.

She breathed deeply, adjusting her hips for the seventeenth time in five minutes. Sain groaned audibly.

"My Lady Amberyl," he muttered under his breath. "You must cease this torment!"

Amberyl leaned back to flutter her lashes at him. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just getting comfortable. It's dreadfully difficult to fall asleep on horseback."

"I'm telling you, if you don't desist I will not be responsible for my actions!"

Amberyl laughed, relenting. She patted his thigh. "Then perhaps I should get down. Maximus, if you please?"

Maximus twitched his ears in her direction and stopped walking, further strengthening Amberyl's suspicion that Sain's horse was somehow conversant. Sain steadied her hand as she slid down.

"Erp?" Amberyl's butt hit the ground when her sore thighs refused to catch her falling weight.

Kent and Lyn glanced back, not far ahead. They were discussing things in low tones to avoid disturbing her supposed sleep, but now Lyn waved cheerfully back.

"Are you alright?" she called.

"Fine, thanks," Amberyl said embarrassedly, struggling up. "Just slipped coming down."

"You should be more careful," Lyn admonished joining her. "I know you think of him fondly, but Maximus can be a dangerous animal."

"He wouldn't trample me," Amberyl waved the concern aside. "Not with Sain in charge."

"Ah, praise from a beautiful woman, I shall never tire of it," Sain flourished.

"Says the man who dropped her," Lyn observed with raised brows.

"I didn't - " Sain broke off, evidently reconsidering the wisdom in contradicting her.

"See, Lyn," Amberyl glowed. "He does learn!"

Lyn laughed lightly, brightening the already sunny morning with her lilting delight. A collective sigh of admiration floated through all those gathered in her radiant presence. She turned to Kent, who shook as from a daze.

"You wished to discuss something as a group?"

"Only the state of our supplies," Kent replied. "We could stand to replenish our packs, and travel rations become more palatable with fresh fruits."

"That sounds like the voice of wisdom to me," Amberyl agreed. Kent offered a slight bow at the waist reflecting that subtle humor she delighted to catch.

Kent addressed Lyn, "If memory serves, we should be nearing a small village. We can attend to our needs there."

"Of course," Lyn nodded. "Lead the way."

---

Amberyl cringed, seeking shelter behind her more capable companions as they passed through what had once been a village gate. Kent had neglected to mention that half the buildings within in the town he and Sain passed through on their journey from Lycia were either burned out or destroyed.

"This place," Lyn scanned the area darkly. "It's..."

"The entire area is in ruins," Sain supplied, uncharacteristically grim. "It wasn't like this two weeks ago. Good Lord. Why doesn't their Marquess do anything to help?"

Lyn chopped a gesture of suppressed anger. "Taliver Mountain is home to a gang of vicious, ruthless bandits. No Marquess holds power here." She pursed her lips, contending with her emotions.

"Were they the ones?" Amberyl asked gently, recalling what she knew of the demise of Lyn's tribe. Lyn met her gaze, and Amberyl was startled by the depth of grief and anger she saw simmering there. Hadn't those eyes danced with laughter just moments ago?

How deeply the pain must run, that months later it could surface, so pure, in an instant.

"My village was near here," Lyn flicked a hand toward the towering landscape. "On the other side of the mountain. My people were... The Taliver bandits came at night. It took only one night." Lyn's voice broke. She lifted her head and set her jaw tightly. When she spoke again, her words were distant with suppressed pain. Lyn was distancing herself from the pain to retain control. "The survivors numbered less than ten, including me. They're soulless beasts. I will never forgive them. Never."

Amberyl had seen Lyn's grief once before, but Kent and Sain had little knowledge of the circumstances of her family's death. Until now, she hadn't volunteered the information, and they had been too polite to ask.

"Lyndis," Sain anguished on her behalf, while Kent stood rigidly silent. Amberyl, less conflicted now than when Lyn first bled her story, embraced her tormented friend. The tension seeped out of Lyn's posture, and she stroked Amberyl's hair absently.

"I am not running away," she murmured. "I will be back... Someday. I'll be stronger. I will break their swords beneath me like twigs beneath a stallion's hooves. I will avenge my people."

The words were issued softly, with such weight of promise. Lyn's final, whispered "I will do everything in my power," made Amberyl shiver. These Taliver bandits had made the most fatal of mistakes in leaving Lyn alive and thirsting.

"When the time comes," Sain voiced behind her, "Bring me with you."

"Sain." Lyn's distant look receded as she identified his heartfelt pledge.

"Don't forget me, either." Kent's voice was smoothly controlled, but Amberyl saw the dangerous smolder of his eyes.

"Kent." Lyn's lips twitched in the shadow of a smile. A gratitude that trembled through her body.

"You promised, Lyn," Amberyl let her go so she could look her in the eye. She put on her sternest expression. "You said, 'No more tears'."

Lyn blinked, then wiped her eyes, fighting the treacherous moisture there.

"Don't think I won't be watching you every step of the way," Amberyl warned, a promise so sappy she felt her own chin trembling. "I'll make sure you never cry again."

Lyn smiled fully now, though she immediately made Amberyl into a filthy liar as two tears streaked down her face.

"I... You're..." Lyn looked at everyone in turn, but couldn't seem to voice her feelings beyond a choked "Thank you."

---

"Wait right there, little lady!"

Florina looked at him wildly, hands clutched to her chest as if to stifle her racing heartbeat. The beastly man positively dwarfed her - was she supposed to stand quietly as he shook the earth with his menacing approach?

"What are you going to do to apologize, huh?" he took another sneering step. Florina danced skittishly sideways, keeping the same space between them. She wanted to dance straight out of this wrecked town altogether, but a second man wrestled with Huey, her beloved pegasus, preventing her – preventing either of their escapes. Florina would not leave Huey to the machinations of these mountain men.

"I - that is, I - " Florina's nervous gaze bounced between Huey's captor and her own would-be girl-snatcher, struggling to find the words that could convince them to let them both go. Bribes? False promises? Real promises? Nothing she thought of seemed likely to work. And that man wouldn't stop advancing!

If only she hadn't been thrown from the saddle when they'd landed!

"She's quite the catch, eh buddy?" the one jockeying for control with Huey's reigns grunted. "I'd bet the boss'd give us a pretty penny for her."

"Yeah, she roughed me up a bit, so I figure fair's fair. It's no moren' she deserves."

Florina's already roiling stomach flipped like a bad training maneuver. These rough mountaineer men were rough mountaineer bandit men. Who else talked about catches, bosses, and pennies in such context? Oh, her sisters had been right. Lyn had been right - they had all been right! She wasn't cut out for this business of dealing with strange males by herself.

"I... I..." fainter and fainter, her protests dwindled. What did it matter? They weren't letting her go.

"What are we gonna do with her flying mule?"

The thought of bandits doing anything with Huey swelled her faint courage.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Florina commanded fiercely. She stopped retreating, forced her posture into one of rigid defiance.

"What?" The nearer man's expression twisted. "You just watch your mouth, girlie!"

"Do what you want with me," Florina trembled from the effort of maintaining her front. "Just... Let her go. Please, I beg of you!"

Both men roared with laughter in a display so ghastly Florina stepped back before thinking.

"Silly twit!" her bandit chuckled, his expression ugly with cruel glee. "Pegusi can only be found in Ilia. They're rare beasts, worth more than you by far! We can sell it for a mountain of gold. Let it go? HA!"

He advanced as he goaded her, challenging her until his final shout poured fetid breath and flecks of spittle on her face. Florina quaked furiously, rooted now by terror.

"No," she squeaked, resisting the awful promise in his words. "You can't!"

The bandit seized her arm in response, yanking Florina nearly off her feet. He growled to his companion. "C'mon. Let's move."

He hauled her along by the wrist, presumably to his bandit boss to exchange her for that pretty penny.

---

Amberyl padded quietly behind Lyn, Kent, and Sain, her senses on high alert. They'd all heard the not-so-distant shouting, and with the burned-out condition of the outlying houses in town, Amberyl would have bet her precious flowered pack that there were bandits at its source. Her lucky seven day ruffian-free streak had drawn to a close.

"Be on your guard," Kent warned. "It's unlikely we'll avoid a confrontation here."

He and Sain had mounted in anticipation of trouble. Both men carried their lances at the ready, and Lyn's hand rested on the hilt of her blade.

"I wouldn't miss the chance to mete justice to the rapists of this poor town," Sain answered, sounding grimly pleased with the prospect.

"And I would not draw the ladies into unnecessary danger." Kent's irritation was evident, his sharp eyes roving restlessly over every hiding place they passed. "I should have scouted the town myself before we entered. Foolish not to expect the bandits to linger."

"Peace," Lyn hushed, stepping out to take the lead. "We're here now, so we may as well see what's going on. If someone is being harassed by bandits, I'll not stand idly by."

"Ah, Lyndis," Sain sighed. "Truly an angel of righteousness."

Or vengeance, Amberyl thought. Though it wasn't fair to mitigate the value of Lyn's actions just because she happened to have a personal vendetta. Still, after witnessing Lyn's raw display of emotion, Amberyl was worried she might do something rash.

"Be careful, Lyn," Amberyl said, lost for any useful advice. She groped for something better. "We don't know anything about the situation here. If it comes to a fight, stick with everyone. Don't chase the enemy - there are too many places for an ambush. Let them come to us."

Lyn tilted her head as she listened, in that way she had for considering things deeply. She didn't look back, but nodded when Amberyl finished.

"Thank you." Her next words carried a smile. "I won't do anything rash, I promise."

"I never thought that," Amberyl lied quickly. Lyn sniffed in disbelief.

"Okay, fine," Amberyl threw up her hands. "I'm afraid you might get overzealous with your dispensation of thoroughly justified Sacaen Wrath. Remember that 'Don't get in my way!' moment? I still dream about that."

Well. Not lately.

Now it was Lyn's turn to sound sheepish - as sheepish as a Dazzling Angelic Vision of Divine and Lovely Righteousness could sound. Oh, no, Amberyl wasn't keeping track of Sain's perfidy.

"I won't let my feelings blind me to reason," Lyn promised. Amberyl hmm'd, not as satisfied with that answer as she would have liked. Maybe because she was - at that very moment - proving to herself that feelings weren't a switch you could flip very easily. Not when it came to cute boys, and certainly not when it came to murdered families.

Amberyl caught Kent's eye - no difficult task when he was staring at her measuringly. After her double-take, she nodded at Lyn's back in silent request. Kent dipped his head in acknowledgment before he spurred forward to recapture the lead, but not before a quick why-are-you-telling-me-how-to-do-my-job expression flit across his face.

---

Lyn paused in response to Kent's hand-wave command as he and Sain took the corner. Amberyl hovered beside her, radiating waves of tension. The narrow street they'd crept along had opened into a square, but with a promise to behave fresh from her lips, Lyn resigned herself to drudging along in third place until the enemy appeared. If even there was an enemy, she acknowledged. The indistinct grumbling now audible from her concealing corner sounded more like a man wrestling a stubborn mule than a bandit and his prey. Lyn shifted impatiently.

"You're hurting her!" pierced an anguished feminine cry; at the same time Sain barked "Here! Unhand the girl!"

Lyn flew from her hiding place. She knew that voice!

"Florina?" she called. The morning sun forced her to shield her eyes. "Is that you, Florina?"

"Lyn?" A startled gasp directed her attention, and a familiar figure tore away from a large man's controlling grasp. Florina darted between Kent and Sain, oomph'ing into Lyn's body.

"Florina!" Lyn gasped, holding her diminutive pegasus knight of a friend tightly before removing her to arm's length. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

Florina looked more than slightly mussed. A long streak of dirt ran the entire length of her left side, marring the pristine white of her low-cut pegasus knight's dress; less noticeable on her high-reaching deep blue leather riding boots. The light armor of matching color adorning her chest and shoulders evinced similar abuse. Lyn caught Florina's hands, raising them for inspection.

"You fell," she observed, frowning at the men beyond Kent and Sain. One still held Florina's pegasus, though even as she glanced that way the winged horse wrenched from the man's loosened grip. It beat the air heavily and - in an impressive display of aerobatics - dropped to the ground mere inches from its master. The Caelin horses nearly bolted as their cousin creature hurtled overhead.

"Holy Saints," Sain ejaculated.

"Bloody hell," the much less articulate thug who lost the beast proclaimed.

"Lyn," Florina's fingers twined tightly in Lyn's grasp, tears forming in her eyes. The delicate face framed by a tumble of pale tresses quivered with emotion. "I... I..."

"Come now, no crying!" Lyn chided, drying Florina's cheeks. Her friend offered a tremulous smile and quiet "I'm sorry."

"You are acquaintances?" Kent's voice intruded their reunion moment. Lyn pulled Florina behind her, shielding her from... everyone? as she cast a wary look towards the two who had manhandled her.

"She's my friend," Lyn said simply. She considered leaving it at that - really, what else was there to tell? - but the way Kent's polite expression of inquiry remained hinted that he'd expected more. "This is Florina. She's a little uncomfortable around men."

"Uhm. Hello," Florina greeted cautiously the two knights who granted her a portion of their attention as they held their lances at her captors. Lyn pursed her lips, not having forgotten those men for an instant.

"Tell me what happened here," she commanded in controlled tones.

Florina shifted nervously, but Lyn kept her cool gaze on the men who had accosted her. Large men.

Bandit men.

"Well, um..." Florina faltered until Lyn cast her an encouraging glance. "When I heard that you had left, I decided to follow you. Then I saw this village and I flew down to ask if they had news of you." She hesitated, breathing deeply. "I, um, didn't see these two, and... well..."

That recaptured Lyn's attention. Amusement fought its way to the surface, her lips to curving with suppressed mirth. "Did your pegasus land on them?"

Florina cast her eyes down, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment. "Well, I... Maybe a little?"

"Aha!" The angry roar startled everyone. The ruffians finally decided to speak out. "You heard her!" One of the two spat, the one who had restrained Florina's pegasus. "She admits her fault! She stepped on my friend, and now she's got to pay!"

Lyn turned a very frosty gaze on the man, humor diminished by an irritation that he had even an ounce of justification to persecute her friend.

"Did you apologize, Florina?" Lyn asked coolly.

"Yes!" Florina anguished. "I told them many times over! They just wouldn't listen!"

"Don't cry," Lyn soothed, hearing tears creeping into Florina's voice. "It's alright."

Florina mumbled acquiescence to Lyn's command, sniffling softly. It was the sound of her friend battling snot that pushed Lyn's anger to the next level. These men had no idea how fragile Florina's temperament was. She was not a person to be roughly grabbed, and certainly not abducted. Lyn made one last attempt to be civil.

"Listen," she bit impatiently. "She's obviously sorry. Can't we just let this pass? You don't appear to be injured or anything."

The silent bandit, the larger of the two and the one whose hand she'd seen clenched meanly around Florina's fearful wrist, snorted in reply. "No chance," he said too confidently, rolling his weight onto his toes. "The girl goes with us. By force, if need be."

Lyn's answering draw of her blade faltered halfway, startled by the a distortion of familiar laughter. Sain had burst into loud peals of harsh amusement. Lyn tilted her head to regard him.

"You think to threaten?" Sain demanded, incredulous. "Have you lost sight of my companion and I, who have you at lance point? You live by the grace of her Lady Lyndis's good will!"

"His position is tenuous," Kent agreed, bemused. "Though should he threaten my liege again, even her deepest wish would not save this cur's miserable life."

"Uhm." Lyn's sword slid back home with a snick. That Kent and Sain championed her cause before she had the chance to more than lift a finger was... nice.

The mouthy bandits lost some of their bluster. The ultimatum-slinger assumed a neutral stance, two steps back from where he'd been before. His eyes searched the background. Looking for friends? Lyn felt an urge to hurry this encounter along.

"There's something I wish to ask you," she addressed across the small square.

"Begging for your life so soon, wench?" the big man asked. He lifted nonthreatening hands when Sain's lance found this form of address for her to be wanting. Sain was obviously waiting with impatience for permission to attack, and Lyn - suspicious that stalling only served their enemy - was tempted to give it. She studied the man's appearance, thinking to ensure he was among the fallen when this confrontation was over, if it came to that. The bright red cloth holding back his unkempt hair would help with that. Amberyl would find a silly name for him based on that feature, Lyn thought idly. Bandanna?

"Are you... Taliver bandits?" The name nearly stuck in her throat, so powerful her aversion.

"Taliver? Those greedy monsters?" Bandanna pooh-pooh'd the notion. "We're nothing like them. Those fiends kill even women and children." He gestured to his comrade. "We're from Ganelon, and we know a little something of honor. We don't harm women. Why kill what you can sell, eh?" His expression once again became predatory.

The man's life hung by a thread, Lyn thought, her breath shallowing with anger. Had he no concept of how vile and despicable he was? Her next words were forced through clenched teeth.

"If you're not Taliver, there's no reason for you to die here today. If you would like to tuck your tails and flee..." she eyes the other, who had edged slowly from his companion during the length of their exchange, "... you should do so now."

---

"No," Amberyl objected, shrinking slightly when eyes both curious and hostile turned her way.

"No?" Lyn echoed, unreadable.

"No," Amberyl choked, intimidated by the attention. "If we let them go, they'll just group up and ambush us at the first opportunity. Bandanna over there -" she waved in the bandit's direction, wondering at the twitch of Lyn's lips "- is too frightened to attack us now, while he's outnumbered, but there's more of them out there. Enough to sack a town. As soon as he gathers them he'll come for us."

Amberyl braced herself against the dark look Bandanna shot her way, pride not allowing her to retreat when all three of her companions stood between her and the threat. Not to mention this new pegasus knight, a girl slighter even than Amberyl herself.

Not today, she told that fine line between Prudence and Cowardice.

"Lady Amberyl speaks wisely," Sain encouraged, Maximus dancing from his rider's suppressed energy. "Let's carve these knaves up and have done! I'm sure the townsfolk will be grateful."

"Our mission is her Lady Lyndis's safety," Kent interjected, ever focused. Amberyl wanted to stamp her foot in frustration. Didn't he see that this was for Lyn's safe- "And so I must concur with Lady Amberyl in this matter. Give us the command, Milady."

Oh. Well, good.

Across the short distance, the bandits were well aware that their doom had been decided. Bandanna shoved his companion along in a quick retreat, but not before locking eyes with Amberyl and growling out "You're going to learn to watch your tongue!"

Emboldened by his retreat, Amberyl stuck out the tongue in question to bid him off.

"We're committed now," Lyn said dryly, watching them disappear. "You said not to chase them, Amberyl, but I don't think we have any choice."

"No, you're right," Amberyl admitted. "That was - different. I didn't want anyone going off alone. They might still try to draw us apart, but it's imperative we stay together."

"What do you suggest?" Lyn asked seriously, giving Amberyl her full attention. Amberyl's breath seized. Somehow, despite everything, the question caught her off-guard.

Up to this point, she'd been giving advice. Lyn, on the other hand, obviously remembered her promise from that first day; that she would make Amberyl her vaunted tactician. But – but Amberyl had relinquished any pretense of leadership over the course of the last week.

Deferring to Kent and Sain in daily travel matters, where they obviously had the greater expertise, Amberyl had quickly realized the extent of her own ignorance. She managed to deflect the knights well enough, keeping quiet about herself – or in general – but there was no hiding from one's own realization. Kent and Sain were soldiers, trained in tactics, strategy, and dozens of other things besides. Amberyl wouldn't have tracked the night-watch shift by watching the moon.

And she didn't need her uncanny people-reading skills to realize that Kent did not appreciate being passed over in this search for tactical advice.

She'd had ample time to ruminate over his response to the last time she'd had assumed a leadership role in combat: immediate rejection. Instantly overruled by Lyn's support, Kent had not had a chance to voice the reasons for his objection until long afterward, and the gaps in her planning had left Amberyl shaken. What if the same thing happened again today? What if – what if someone got hurt - killed - because of it?

"I think…" Amberyl hesitated. She wanted to surrender to Kent's leadership, but the thought of disappointing Lyn hurt her deeply. But was it worth the risk? Doubts whipped about in her head like the winds from the deep plains. The three skirmishes she'd been in before had been clearly exposed situations, or at least static to allow for careful observation and planning. Neat little puzzles with all the pieces in view. Her answers could have been generated by any child.

Today, she had… nothing. Hidden enemies. Unknown numbers. Nothing to work with.

Or… did she…?

"I think," Amberyl repeated, latching onto an idea, "that you should follow Kent's lead in this fight. Sain, stay with Lyn and Kent. Don't separate unless it's absolutely necessary."

"You speak as if you won't be joining us," Kent observed.

"No, I've an idea." Amberyl turned to Florina, who regarded her with open curiosity. "Florina? My name is Amberyl. Can your pegasus carry two people?"

"Um," Florina lightly shook Amberyl's outstretched hand, casting a worried look at Lyn. Lyn smiled her reassurance.

"Amberyl is a friend I met on the plains recently. She's still an apprentice, but she's my tactician."

"Oh, I see." Florina looked slightly reassured. "Well, Amberyl... I'm pleased to meet you. And, um... yes?"

"Excellent," Amberyl smiled, tickled by Florina's curious shyness. Or maybe that was the feeling of relief that her brilliant plan – the one that had no fallback, by the way – hadn't been instantly shot down. "Do you think we could fly around looking for enemies, and maybe and allies, in this town? I'm sure it's not completely deserted."

"A splendid idea!" Sain agreed. He was probably just trying to hurry things along, but Amberyl smiled at him anyway. He was just so agreeably handsome when he praised her. Lyn looked concerned.

"Are you okay with this?" she asked Florina.

"Yes, I - I want to help!" Florina answered.

"We'll do a quick circle to see if there are any bandits forming an ambush, then we'll be off." Amberyl caught Lyn's sleeve. "Be careful. You're most at risk here."

"I'll be fine," Lyn assured her. "Take care of Florina - she's still in training, too."

Hmm. Considering the experience Amberyl had accrued 'in training', Lyn's comment could mean that Florina had been flying for as little as ten days. Amberyl nodded, then stepped to Kent.

"Lyn's not fragile," she pitched for his ears. "Let her fight. I know you're up to this challenge." Err. Hadn't she just had an entire internal monologue on how she was not fit to give Kent orders?

But Kent gave a slight nod, nudging his mount away to begin the perilous chase. Sain and Lyn followed - Lyn with a backward glance of concern.

"Well, Florina," Amberyl breathed. "I have to warn you, I'm actually terrified of the idea of riding a flying horse."

"You are?" Florina's confusion was plain. "But... it was your suggestion."

"It's a really good idea." Her only idea. "I can't skip out just because I'm a wimp. I just had to warn you." Amberyl kept her voice light. She thought back to Sain's advice that a horse could sense fear, and a frightened rider was the most likely to have trouble. Florina's pegasus was already giving her The Eye.

She smacked her cheeks a few times, working up her courage. "Let's do this before our help is too late to matter."

---

"I can't say I like these cramped alleys," Sain admitted. The woman-snatcher and his lackey had fled this way, but there was no sign of where they'd gone off to after. Sain detested cowards who picked on women but fled from men. Now that he thought of it, he'd met quite a few of those since he and Kent found Lyndis...

"Hold," Kent ordered. He led the trio on, Sain behind him and Lyndis to the rear. ('Lyndis' and 'rear' in the same thought... quite distracting.) Some poor fool had hired the wrong architect when consulting for the layout of this town, and the houses ran entirely too close together.

An interior wall - a remnant defense prior to the town's expansion, perhaps? - prevented any turns to the north. Amberyl was right, Sain mused. This town was built for ambushes. (Her deep green eyes and the sweet smile she'd sent his way at their parting attacked his concentration.)

Best keep his mind in the game. Deadly game.

"There," Lyn pointed. "Florina and Amberyl are in the air. We'll be able to get some direction."

Sain looked up, and damn if he wasn't struck anew at the pegasus knight's exposed thighs. Distant though she might be, that she was up there and he down here put Sain at a viewing angle he'd always been severely chastised for pursuing before.

(How on earth was a man supposed to concentrate on fighting with all of these beautiful women traipsing around the battlefield!)

"So, this friend of yours," Sain hedged, not removing his gaze. "She's still in training, you say?"

"She is." Lyn sounded suspicious, so Sain didn't follow up with his next question, which concerned the probability of the lovely creature joining their company.

The pegasus swept out of view, passing behind the not-so-tall, but oppressively close buildings lining their way. A moment later, the clatter of hooves sounded to the rear. That winged horse moved fast!

"There are at least five men ahead," Amberyl called over the distance, before - Florina, wasn't it? - reigned her steed in. "They're on the move. There's an open road ahead that you can reach first if you hurry. Don't get caught in the alley!"

And then they were off. Sain marveled at the lightning movement. He heard a distressed: "Too tight! You're holding too tight!" before the girls were away.

"Well," Kent said mildly. "Let's hasten to the road, then."

They found the area as described - an open swathe of dirt better suited for cavaliers than the cramped alley they'd been walking. Seconds later, the first bandit popped into the street from the other direction.

"Very handy, that flying horse!" Sain remarked, setting his lance and spurring forward. "But Maximus and I shall do one better!"

Sain surged past Kent, paying heed to his friend's voice insofar as it told him Kent had followed him. Maximus closed on the surprised bandit in a flurried movement, causing a cluster of bodies to pile up at the mouth of that constrict when the villain retreated while his companions advanced.

"Ha!" Sain skewered the lead man, but lost his lance when it stuck fast from the deep plunge. He wheeled Maximus to make way for Kent, who duplicated his success.

"Swords, for me!" Sain advised, drawing his blade. He urged Maximus back into the gray to allow Kent a clean retreat and reset. Kent managed to free his lance, answering with a quick "Sword!" that he'd seen Sain lose his lance.

"Let them through!" Lyn called, perhaps aggravated she had nothing to do but hang back and watch. She couldn't very well join the fight if Kent and Sain kept the enemy bottled up in the alley.

But then, the bandits wouldn't brave the open air if they were too few in number, Sain realized. Amberyl had counted - five? Two slain already, there would be three or so to lure out now. Sain pulled his sword, thundering past the alley without striking or allowing himself to be struck. Bless the Lady Lyndis and her clever, pretty head! If he and Kent dispatched the bandits too quickly, they would surely flee like cowards now and sneak back in the dead of night.

The three - no, four - remaining bandits advanced more cautiously from their cover, brandishing a mix of axes and swords. Not the same rubbish of yester-week, Sain determined, considering the shining swords in pristine condition. These scoundrels were well equipped. It was possible they might even be aware of basic tactics. Sain led Maximus to swing by Kent, who had reset for another charge.

"Best not deny Lady Lyndis her sport, eh? Think you she'll be satisfied with one?" Sain laughed, spurring on before the enemy formed a coherent threat to Lyndis. They'd all poured forth - and there were likely more to come. A delicate balance! Cutting down the filth quickly to safeguard his Lady, but with enough hesitation that they deceived themselves to think their lives not already forfeit.

"I'd prefer none," Kent shot back, "but I suspect - one will have to do."

Sain led the charge, driving between the bandits so that one was cut off on Lyn's side, striking to the other with a sweep of his sword. He trusted Kent to keep the division - the cowards scattered too quickly for his steel to catch any of them.

"Flighty little cowards, aren't you?" Sain grunted, pulling hard to hold his place between his three and Lyn's one. Hmm. He did hope she expediently engaged the fellow. The ruffian had his flank, after all.

"Cursed knights," one man spat. "This ain't your land!"

"Well it's hardly yours!" Sain rejoined, allowing Kent to crash in, perforating another bandit's chest with his lance before he, too, discarded the thrusting weapon in favor of his sword.

"Swords," Kent grunted.

"Swords -" Sain struck forward "- and into the fray!"

Would these craven curs never meet his challenge? Sain was forced to lean far to the side to catch the nearest man, a scratching contact that barely drew blood. Maximus carried him past, out of the danger of immediate counterattack, but Sain pulled him up well short of the distance he would have gone if he hadn't been concerned about leaving the bandits to swarm Lyndis. That must be their goal, since they weren't exactly putting forth a mighty effort to attack either Kent or himself.

Ah... perhaps they sought to take Lyndis hostage? Both he and Kent had openly declared their fealty to her. Perhaps not the wisest decision, if it made her a more desirable target. Sain wheeled.

Lyndis had felled her man - Sain missed it! - and now stood opposite the last brigand. Kent had taken another when Sain's back was turned? Or the Lady had claimed a second in the blink of an eye! Sain would have to get the details later.

"Do you yield?" Lyn demanded harshly, no give in her crystal voice. Sain took a moment to admire the fluid stance she assumed to put the man at point. Partly for her expert handling, but mostly because the cut of her skirt bared a very generous portion of thigh with her feet and knees just so. Ah...

"Uh..." The bandit let his axes fall to the side, but not away completely. Waiting for friends, then? Sain turned a wary eye to the direction whence the six men had come, expecting more to materialize.

He supposed he should be glad Lady Lyndis was a merciful woman, even when fiercely angered - a blessed trait for anyone destined to assume the title of Marquess - but it was inopportune to have stayed her hand just now. What on earth were they to do if the man did surrender?

"Yeah. Yeah, I yield," the bandit hedged. He let drop his weapon.

Damn it.

"Oh." Lyn also seemed taken aback. She looked to Kent. It was at times like these that Sain was glad his genteel companion bore the mantle of official authority.

Kent dismounted, approaching the man.

"By the order of Lord Hausen of Caelin," Kent intoned flatly, "banditry carries the penalty of death."

Kent cut the air, and the man's neck, before the bandit could more than jerk back in horrified surprise. Sain winced, catching the look of shock blossom on Lyn's face.

"I- but- Wait-" Lyn stammered. She caught Kent's arm as he went to remount. "He surrendered."

"Yes," Kent acknowledged, disengaging her hand gently. "I wish you hadn't asked. Executions are - harder."

"But..." Lyn stared at the body, frowning. Not horrified, Sain decided. Just... perplexed?

"The ruffian's fate wasn't unjust," Sain supplied helpfully. "It just wasn't very, ah... merciful."

"We have not the means to dispense mercy here," Kent answered dryly. "We can discuss the matter further if it troubles you, Milady, but Later. There are still -" Kent cut off with a grunt. His body jerked as a projectile deflected off the armor plate protecting his back.

"Archers!" Sain exclaimed. He spurred Maximus towards Lyn, who fell back in surprise. He snatched her arm before she could escape, hauling her bodily into his lap.

"What are you doing?" Lyn gasped, struggling.

"One well-placed arrow can slay the most heavily armored knight," Sain grunted, catching her elbow somewhere far too near his ground as Lyn tried to orient herself. "And you're wearing naught but cloth!"

"The nomads of Sacae don't wear armor!" Lyn said defensively. They had reached the comparative safety of the alley that led to the square where they first started. Sain did not release her yet, but did lean back to allow Lyn to sit upright.

"I'm not saying you should," Sain assured her, grinning ruefully as she glared. "Only that I'm not letting them use you for target practice today. Kent would have my head!"

"Kent," Lyn gasped. She tried to scoot out of Sain's controlling grasp. Sain held her tight, not sure if he should be cursing or blessing the Fickle Fates that sent a second beautiful woman to squirm her hips against him this morning. Lyn's glare intensified. "Let me go. We have to help him! I command it!"

Sain hmm'dthoughtfully, considering whether he was duty bound to obey or thwart his liege's granddaughter.

"No," Sain decided. "I have to keep you safe. Hey!"

Lyn bucked out of his arms, sliding to the earth with the grace of a cat. Sain flailed to catch her and got - her hair. Lyn's head snapped back, and both of them went tumbling to the earth. Sain ended up on his ass, dazed, with Lyn sprawled before him.

For an instant, Sain worried he'd just killed Lord Hausen's only surviving progeny. Then, he dreaded that he hadn't.

Lyn groaned, rolling over. She raised to her hands and knees, coughing. There was definitely something of the Dark Angel of Death in her eyes as she looked his way.

"You - You - I -" Lyn fairly trembled with rage.

"Err." Sain scrambled back, a fleeting vision of a life on the run from house Caelin and all its soldiers passing before his eyes.

"Good God, Sain," Kent's strained voice declared. "I trust Lady Lyndis to your care and you try to snap her neck?"

"I didn't mean it!" Sain said frantically, gaining his feet.

"I should throttle you," Lyn gasped, managing to break through her prohibitive rage. Then she noticed the feathered shaft protruding from Kent's shoulder.

"Oh, no!" she cried, "You've been shot!" The Death Angel gave way to... the… concerned, quite-possibly-infatuated female? Lucky dog! Sain thought; O, Fortuitous arrow!

"Yes," Kent concurred dryly. "We'd best retreat. At least until we devise a strategy for fighting ranged units."

"And get you plucked," Sain grinned, his fears assuaged. He hopped onto Maximus's back. "You're a knight, not a chicken. Feathers ill become you."

Kent winced - though in response to the arrow jutting from his flesh or from Sain's witty repartee, Sain wasn't sure.

"Make for the square," Kent instructed. "We should have a few moments' reprieve."

"You don't think the bandits will press their advantage, now that you're wounded?" Lyn asked, jogging after Kent and Sain as they trotted. Strangely, she'd refused Sain's hand up with a withering look.

"They won't be eager to chase us down after that little skirmish," Sain declared. "Six dead to one wounded? Any witness to that will stay well clear of us."

"Problematic," Kent grunted, clearly pained by the jostling pace of his charger, "considering they have a means to attack from a distance, and we do not."

"Hmm." Sain wondered just how many bandits occupied the town. The large fellow who unwisely tried to haggle with Lady Lyndis for the life of her friend had yet to be dealt with, and then there were these archers... beyond that knowledge, he, Kent, and Lyndis were blind.

"Ah," Sain caught himself glancing to the sky. "I don't suppose our winged ladies are aware of this threat?"

"Not likely," Kent's grimace deepened.

"Pegusi are terribly vulnerable to arrows," Lyn said with dismay. "It's one of Florina's greatest fears!"

"Then she will likely take the necessary precautions even without warning," Kent said. Sain thought it was very generous of him to console Lady Lyndis with reassuring words, even whilst trickling blood and sporting a shaft himself. He'd have to remember to use such nonchalance when wooing the ladies.

"I hope so," Lyn said unhappily. Then her eyes cleared up. "She is with Amberyl, after all."

"Yes." Kent's grunt did not imply he found that to be the mitigating factor Lyndis believed it to be.

They reached the square, lined with plenty of enticing doors and sturdy houses still standing.

"Let's shelter inside one of these while we patch you up and think of a plan, eh?" Sain suggested.

---

Amberyl's stomach churned as Huey, Florina's far-too-swift-and-agile pegasus, swooped into another likely square, one where they wouldn't have to dismount and sneak around corners going door-to-door looking for potential allies. She heard Florina's light wheeze as her arms tightened around the pegasus knight's diaphragm, but Amberyl couldn't stifle the need to do something as the earth hurtled toward her in the most unnatural manner.

"Sorry," she called, then shut her mouth tightly because the jostle of landing made her bite her tongue.

"It's okay," Florina gasped weakly. "Everyone does that the first time they fly. There are stories of pegasus knights getting cracked ribs this way."

"Oh," Amberyl murmured, feeling contrite. She hadn't even considered the possibility when she'd asked Florina to ferry her around. Or when forcibly expelling the air from her lungs. "I'll try to do better. Thanks for putting up with me."

Florina cast a shy smile over her shoulder.

"I don't mind," she said. "Huey and I love sharing our experience with - friends." She faltered as if finding it presumptuous to call Amberyl thusly. Which was endearingly precious, Amberyl thought, and matched the profile she was building for the hesitant girl. She had wondered where Lyn had gleaned the maternal instinct to care for any old stranger she found lying in the grass. Maybe she'd honed the skill while looking out for Florina?

"Maybe we'll get lucky over here, hmm?" Amberyl pointed. "Those houses look in better shape than - err, all the burned out ones."

Florina guided Huey in the direction Amberyl selected. In the few other areas they'd seen so far, the scorched walls, broken windows, and open doors had been early indicators of the absence of inhabitants Florina and Amberyl encountered. Here, towards the north end of town, the stout buildings were closed up and untouched. The cobblestones under Huey's clattering hooves were blissfully devoid of the morbid stains Amberyl had seen elsewhere.

"Is there anyone here?" she called once Florina brought them to a halt. They'd gotten no responses since beginning the search, and Amberyl was starting to wonder if the town wasn't thoroughly abandoned, regardless that part of it remained unmolested. She knew that she wouldn't stick around if evil bandits burned down all her neighbors' houses.

Since she was losing hope of finding any friendly people, and only knew for sure that there were bandits in the area, Amberyl started when a response came to her call.

"Leave us alone, you thugs!"

"Eep," Florina squeaked - but probably only because Amberyl's grip tightened again.

"Sorry." She released Florina. Then, after a puzzled moment, "We look like thugs?"

"Go away!" Another muffled voice, shouted through a stout wooden door. "We've no more gold for you!"

That didn't sound like evil, looting bandits. Amberyl quickly slid off Huey's rump, nearly ker-splatting without the assistance of a handsome knight to lower her down. She jogged to the house she suspected to contain the owner of the agitated voice.

"We're not bandits," she said loudly, hands spread wide. She wouldn't have thought she'd have to make herself seem less threatening than she could pull off on her most ferocious day, but anyone who had the gumption to find Florina thugly was clearly easily intimidated.

"We want to help the village. Can we talk?" Amberyl strained to hear the voices not pitched to travel through the solid door. She imagined a strongly built warrior of a man inside, warning his companions against treating with so dangerous a threat as herself and the small, silent pegasus knight waiting patiently behind her. The door did open, and Amberyl found herself not terribly far off with her mental image.

A young man - young but not boyish - slipped outside, the door clicking locked behind him. He strode to her with the easy assurance of a fighter who knows he has the situation in hand. He carried a bow in one hand, quiver at his hip, but the other he raised in friendly greeting.

"Not bandits, huh?" He looked Amberyl over in a glance, then transferred his gaze to Florina. He snorted. Evidently, he found her no more "thugly" than Amberyl. "So, who are you?"

Amberyl lowered her hands, deciding this villager wouldn't spook even if she rushed him. His aura of confidence- or was it nonchalance? - was so powerful she suspected he would probably have her bent over his knee in seconds if she even tried.

Brown eyes considered her curiously under a medium length of straight, red-brown hair; he was tall, but not lanky, the snug fit of his blue tunic evidencing the strength of a trained archer if not the brawn of a swordsman. Of course, Amberyl told herself that her inspection of his narrow hips and lean, flat stomach was purely clinical.

Who's being perfidious now? she thought, forcing herself to behave and look at him without distraction.

"My name is Amberyl, and this is Florina." Florina waved, more timid than shy, remaining silent. She may have even backed Huey up since the archer-villager came outside. Hmm. Amberyl was going to have to plumb the depths of this 'uncomfortableness around men' Lyn had glossed over. It seemed... extensive. "We're traveling with a few others, and thought we'd stop in for, ah, supplies."

The man raised his brows at that.

"Some of our company came through a few days ago, before the town was attacked," Amberyl explained. "But when we came back, we found the bandits - and they didn't want to let us go. We're dealing with them, but any help we can get from you or the other villagers would be greatly appreciated."

"Yeah?" The archer tilted back to regard her crookedly. Then he thrust his hand out. No, thrust was the wrong word. That would imply an abrupt or suddenness that was absent from the gesture. His hand came up with the same casual movement that marked his stroll over in the first place. "The name's Wil. I'm a traveler of sorts, too."

Amberyl accepted his hand tentatively, not sure if he was just introducing himself, or if this was a pledge of allegiance. As usual, her lack of knowledge concerning local customs proved irritating. Wil's grip was firm, and he nodded over at Florina before releasing Amberyl's hand: handshake by proxy.

"Listen," Wil said. "These villagers have been kind to me, but there's not a lot of them that can put up any kind of fight. I came here under some rough circumstances, and they helped me out. Then this happened -" Wil waved "- and it didn't feel right to take off with the bandits hanging around. If you're taking them on, I'd like to help, but you may as well give up looking for more of us."

Amberyl noted the wry tone permeating Wil's words, deciding he was more disgusted with the situation than the villagers who got stuck in it.

"We'll take all the help we can get, even if it's just you," Amberyl admitted. Oh, err...

"Even if," Wil laughed, with Amberyl blushing. There was a roguish quality to Wil's grin that put her in mind of Sain. That part of the archer, though, was boyish. Sain had a gleam of predatory promise in his eyes when he smiled at her, while Wil just looked amused. Not a bad thing, she decided. One infatuation at a time...

"Welcome aboard, Wil."

"Does the shy one speak?" Wil asked, gesturing Florina's way. Amberyl turned to join him, folding her arms and saying nothing on Florina's behalf. Depth plumbing.

"I, ah... It's just, you have a bow," Florina said as if that explained everything. Wil frowned, glancing at the weapon in his hand. Then he grinned crookedly.

"Ah, I see. I don't mean to frighten you, but I do understand your fear of bows."

"Oh?" Amberyl considered him curiously.

"Archers are a huge danger to pegasus knights, wyverns... anything that flies, really. Taking an arrow tends to make wing-flapping difficult, and without that you fall right out of the sky."

"Ah," Amberyl felt the blood receding from her face. She hadn't considered that possibility when she was up there with Florina.

"Even looking at a - a bow frightens me ever so much," Florina admitted haltingly. Huey began to prance in response to her nervousness.

"I understand," Wil assured her. "But you should really only fear the enemy's archers, not your own." He flashed that boyish grin her way, tapping his chest to indicate himself as one such good guy. Florina didn't look massively reassured, but she did manage a small nod.

"Yes, of course."

"So, Wil," Amberyl had to clear her throat to bring her voice into the normal register. The imagery of getting shot from the air was very powerful, and it drove her next question. Morbid curiosity boiled within her. "You've been here for a few days, right? Do you know if the bandits have any archers?"

Wil scratched his jaw thoughtfully. "I suppose they do. Some of the villagers wound up dead with feathered shafts in them. I wasn't shooting them, so it must have been the bad guys."

"Oh, goodie," Amberyl muttered. She wasn't sure if she was happier knowing that she'd been that much closer to instant death than she'd feared, hurtling through the air with Florina on Huey. No, best to be informed, even when the information was unfavorable. Reality rarely shifted to accommodate blissful ignorance. And speaking of informing -

"Lyn and the others, they have no idea about the archers!" Amberyl smacked her forehead. "We have to warn them. Florina, are you willing to go back and search for them, knowing there are archers out there?"

"Am I...?" Florina shrank back, but made a visible effort to rally. "Yes, o-of course. If it's for Lyn, I can do it."

Amberyl caught Florina's hand. "Florina, Kent and Sain are Lyn's knights. While I think they can take care of themselves, I still want you to warn them too, if you can. If they and Lyn got separated, anyway. Can you do that, too?"

"Are you not coming?" Florina puzzled.

"No," Amberyl shuddered, stepping back. "I can't. If you do see an enemy bowman, you might have to dive quickly out of sight or do something fancy to avoid an arrow. I - I can't handle that. Not right away. Either I'd faint away instantly, or I would end up breaking your ribs." Amberyl smiled as if to tease, but she was quite serious. Florina's hands went to her middle, a worried expression on her face. She clearly believed Amberyl's assessment.

"Go," Amberyl shooed her. "Be careful, but be quick."

"O-okay," Florina guided Huey into the air.

"Do a circle for us!" Amberyl called out. Florina wouldn't necessarily see a stealthy enemy, but she'd definitely spot four or five burly bandit types jogging down a road like they had before, if there were any.

Florina orbited gracefully in the air, the fluid motion giving no indication of how dizzying Amberyl knew that ride to be. Then she waved and flew off, leaving Amberyl to interpret that there were no visible threats nearby.

"Well," Wil came to stand by her. "Looks like you're calling the shots?"

"Ah, right." Amberyl studied him briefly. She kept finding herself in positions of nebulous authority. At the moment, with her being part of the group Wil had volunteered to help, he would rely on her to coordinate his efforts with theirs.

Too bad Amberyl had split off from Lyn before they'd discussed plans of any sort. Her only thought was to try to group up again. Wil would be the best protection against enemy archers that they'd be able to find. If she knew where the others were - and where the bandits were - she could probably sneak Wil into a good ambush spot, Amberyl mused; but with Florina gone that option had closed.

Amberyl hadn't dared to brave the acrobatics that might prove necessary in evading enemy fire. She already felt a little guilty about sending Florina into harm's way, but that risk had been necessary. Burdening Huey and restricting Florina's options with a flight-shy passenger hadn't been.

"I got saw the layout of the town when Florina and I came this way, but you're probably more familiar with the footpaths."

"Probably," Wil agreed. "What did you have in mind?"

"Is there a way back to the south side of town without going around that huge, silly wall I saw running through the middle of this place?"

"Sure," Wil shrugged. "Climb the wall."

"Oh," Amberyl said, profoundly stricken. "We can do that?"

"Don't see why not," Wil said cheekily. "Unless you can't pull up your own weight."

"I'll thank you not to insinuate that I am either unduly heavy or excessively weak," Amberyl said tartly. "The others should be south of us - maybe more southeast by now, but if we head this way we shouldn't encounter any bandits before we find them. But, err, if we do, then, uhm..." Amberyl floundered. Saints. What would they do if they ran into Bandana or his unsightly crew?

Amberyl covered her eyes, storing away this moment for reflection later. Just… one more proof that she was not the tactician Lyn made her out to be. But, Saints help her, she was doing her best to learn.

"Shouldn't be a problem, if you're quick on your feet," Wil assured her. He hefted his bow. "I can slow down anyone who gives chase long enough for us to escape, if we need to." His look grew sly. "I've been poking these bandits for a few days now. I'd have gotten them all eventually."

"What?" Amberyl gaped. "You were fighting them all by yourself?"

"I don't know that I'd call it fighting," Wil admitted. "I shoot at one or two when I can, but I don't make a habit of waiting around to let them do the same.

"Wow." Amberyl shuddered. And she thought Sain took risks.

---

Wil picked a path south through the closely built houses, angling toward the wall bounding the central square. The girl - Amberyl, he corrected himself - had indicated that the space would likely be empty, but they'd be able to trail and eventually join their allies. They stopped now and again to listen for sounds of overt banditry or any movement in general. Wil wasn't the stealthiest person he'd ever met, but hunting skills developed over several years would more than suffice for sneaking up on bandits already embroiled in combat.

Behind him, Amberyl stepped when he stepped, and stopped when he stopped. She even held her breath when he put up a hand to signal he was listening, on one occasion. In fact, Wil decided, the effectiveness of her trailing techniques was borderline creepy.

"Here we are," Wil declared, abandoning his cautious pace. He strode up to the brickwork barrier, patting its ill-maintained side. There would be handholds and footholds aplenty. Really, it was high time someone knocked the thing down already.

Not that anyone would spend the effort now that half the town was already in ruins. The place would likely never recover, becoming little more than a hang-out for bandits and thieves. Wil scowled, thinking of the villagers in the north end of town. Those who remained only stayed because they had nowhere else to go.

"Huh." Amberyl jogged up beside him. "Somehow, it looked bigger from up above." She could almost brush the top of the wall by stretching out on her toes.

"It's thick," Wil explained. I'd wager it was once solid protection when the whole village fit inside. You could walk on top of it without much balancing."

"Oh?" The girl's gaze turned speculative.

"So, uh, are you going to need a boost?" Wil was afraid his necessary question would result in another waspish response, but Amberyl just shook her head and caught the lip after a running leap. Her momentum carried her up, and she looked back from her perch smugly.

"Not bad." Wil pulled himself up with none of that extra effort. Amberyl's smug expression turned sour.

"Alright, hot shot," she grumbled. "Think you can hop to one of those roofs?"

Wil followed her pointed finger, where a clutter of intermittently shingled and thatched structures formed a narrow alleyway. The wall ran right by several of them, offering easy access to their peaked covers.

"Sure, but weren't we going to go find your friends?"

"They went that way." Amberyl stood, wavered, and began to walk the broad wall with exaggerated care. "Unless they came all the way back to the square, we'll find them this way."

"And a better vantage for shooting. Not a bad idea," Wil agreed. "But you should really keep a look out for those bandit archers instead of your feet. You make a pretty fine target right now, you know?"

"Ah?" Amberyl froze. "But I'll fall."

Wil weighed his hands unevenly. "Fall, get shot. Fall? Get shot."

Amberyl narrowed her eyes at him, and it occurred to Wil that he could have been a teensy bit less flippant with his persuasion. Still, she'd thank him later when she didn't sprout an arrow in her belly. Only she probably wouldn't... Ah, well.

"Fine." Amberyl crouched tentatively, slithering down the south face of the wall. "I'll stick to the ground path. Just follow me, up there."

"Sure, boss." Wil bid her off. He crouched low as he half-ran along the top of the wall, the arrows in his quiver jostling around the loudest sound he made. He drew one, nocking it to the ready string in his hand. It stood to reason that if anyone could see to shoot at him, he could probably see them to shoot right back. And as long as he was thinking thoughts silently to himself, Wil spared the false modesty in pretending that he wasn't a much better shot than whatever trash the Ganelon had scrounged up.

Wil reached the houses lining the alley Amberyl had indicated before he realized he'd far outpaced his wayward shadow. Lost her altogether, in fact. Impressive, considering the straight-line nature of the impossible-to-miss wall.

He scanned for her, discovering that instead of following him, she'd crossed the square wand was crouching under a cracked window, waving the silent hand-wave of someone striving for covert attention-getting. Wil cleared his immediate area with a glance, then hopped the short distance to the nearest roof. It was one of the singled structures, and a few pieces slipped loose under his landing, but the underlying wood remained strong. Wil had a vision of hopping from roof to roof, only to crash through a domicile of inferior construction. Maybe land on a chair, break a leg or two... Who's idea was this, again?

Reasonably sure he was hidden from view by anyone in the alley, Wil waved back to Amberyl, adding a "What's the deal?" shrug as best he could while hugging the slick-in-some-spots surface. Amberyl gestured largely for him to stay put, indicating she would be just a moment, and slipped inside the house. She must have found her lost allies, Wil decided. Hiding in an abandoned home? Sheltering from enemy arrows, perhaps. That would mean the bandit archers were either nearby or in pursuit. Wil raised himself slightly to peer down the narrow alley. Empty...

No, there was movement. Two silhouettes, crouching now and again, creeping carefully along. Wil lowered quickly out of sight, then shuffled awkwardly until he was coiled near the crest of the slanted roof, bow nocked and ready. No harm in letting them creep a bit closer.

The door across the way opened, Amberyl and the pegasus knight from before emerging. The winged horse ballooned out of the doorway after them, its feathered span popping fully wide once clear of the frame.

"Don't you do it," Wil murmured, preparing to wave them off. But neither girl looked his way and - yep, Florina was mounting up. Another moment and she'd be soaring right over two itchy bow fingers.

"Curses."

Wil leapt up, drawing swiftly. He found the lurking shadows and fired his first shot without pause. "Keep back!" he barked, now that the enemy had seen him and gained no advantage from his warning. He rapidly loosed several more shots.

One bandit collapsed immediately, a feathered shaft square in his chest. He fell into his comrade, casting that one's counter-shot wide. Wil continued shooting until the other fell also, succumbing only after three painful perforations to the hip, gut, and neck. Wil winced at the gruesome finish. He hadn't had time for finesse.

"Wil?" Amberyl's uncertainty floated over. With the threat eliminated, Wil allowed his attention to divert to the girls.

Err. And knights. It appeared Amberyl had noticed his leap into action after all, judging by the way she'd yanked Florina to the ground and alerted the others inside. She stood with arms wide, ineffectively blocking the rest of her party from advancing.

The two knights brushed past her, though moving with the caution her warning imparted.

"It's safe," Wil advised, climbing down from his perch unhurried. He landed lightly and turned to meet his allies.

"You are Wil?" the quickest to reach him, the knight in red, grasped his hand firmly. Wil shook, nodding.

"Kent?" he guessed.

"And Sain." Kent gestured to his comrade in arms. "The one dusting off our pegasus knight is Lady Lyndis. She is our liege."

Wil detected a note of warning there, returned a cordial "Pleased to meet you."

Kent glanced down the alley significantly. "And we're quite glad to meet you. Amberyl said you might have more information on the remaining enemy."

Wil scratched his chin. "Well. How many have you dealt with?"

"Six, so far." Kent cut short a motion with his left arm, grimacing. Wil noted the splash of blood down his sleeve. "Six enemies and barely a scratch to show for it? Color me impressed."

"We are knights of Caelin," Sain injected with exaggerated hauteur, spoiling the affect with a large grin. He seized Wil's hand. "Riff-raff of this quality can only hope to slow us down."

"Six, plus two archers... I'd be surprised if there were any bandits with any fight left."

"We know of at least one more," a musical voice declared. The one identified as Lyn stepped forward. Wil took in her appearance like a healthy gut punch. Florina had been shyly cute. Amberyl, charmingly pretty. Lyn, now that she came near, turned out to be strikingly beautiful. She gazed at him curiously with deep green eyes. Wil realized he'd been staring, shook off his stupor.

"Right. Err. Any surviving bandits will either be hiding, or on the run for help. I haven't seen more than ten of them here this time of day; most take off in the morning looking for travelers to rob. If we're lucky, those that are gone won't be back for a few days."

"Those that are gone?" Amberyl asked, slipping beside Lyn. Funny, he'd almost forgotten she was there. She was as good at inconspicuous background blending as she was at creeping. That, or Lyn's presence overshadowed all.

"A few dozen. Some of them left this morning - some have been gone longer. You actually showed up at a pretty good time."

---

Amberyl wasn't sure that there was a good time to show up to a town full of bandits.

Unless, of course, there are last minute rescues to stage, she amended silently, thinking of Florina's precarious predicament at the time of their arrival. She carefully steered her imagination away from what might have happened to the pegasus knight if their intervention hadn't been so timely.

"If that's the case, we can ill afford to tarry," Kent said, regarding the alleyway and the potential promise of further threats it represented.

Lyn shifted her weight, her left hand tightening on her weapon. The hilt, Amberyl realized, of the Mani Katti. She would have to remember to talk to Lyn about that later – Lyn would undoubtedly have mixed feelings about having used the blade in a fight. But now, Lyn's thoughts were elsewhere. She had a set to her jaw that Amberyl would have called mulish if the word hadn't been too brutish to describe her Sacaen beauty.

"Are we to just leave the remaining villagers to their fate?" she asked, a challenge in her voice.

"We must look to our mission," Sain answered, unphased by - or oblivious to - Lyn's displeasure. "Even Kent and I would be hard pressed to face… you said, what, thirty? Thirty bandits by ourselves! Especially whilst protecting, ah…" Sain faltered, Lyn's eyes having gone quite cool in her study of him. He cleared his throat. "Especially as the, ah, three of us protect the lovely lady Amberyl."

Lyn graciously let the comment pass. On account of his calling her lovely, Amberyl stepped in on Sain's behalf.

"We can send help," she suggested. "Notify someone with the forces to defeat the bandits." She considered Lyn's comment that the area had been all but surrendered to banditry by anyone who had that strength. "Maybe err, that will have to be us. But later, when your uncle isn't trying to kill us?" she finished weakly, uncertain that the promise of future action wouldn't sound like an excuse for no action at all.

"Escorting you safely to Caelin is our primary mission, milady," Kent said with finality. His expression turned wry. "Though if it's any consolation, these Ganelon bandits will likely hound our steps for a few days, leaving the townsfolk to their own devices.

"Hm." That did seem to console her. Lyn's brow smoothed from its frown, growing thoughtful. "Perhaps it's for the best. We should warn them to flee, if they have the chance." She glanced to Wil.

The archer lifted one hand dubiously. "I don't know if they'll go, but it's worth a shot." He, in turn, glanced at Florina, who was lurking quietly behind Lyn. Amberyl waved to catch his attention instead.

"It would be best if you went, Wil. I'm not sure the, err, much-aggrieved villagers would trust an intimidating girl like Florina."

That raised eyebrows on even Kent's professional mien. Florina shrank back as she briefly became the center of attention. Wil sighed, running a hand through is hair, but jogged off without protest.

"So, no sign of Bandanna?" Amberyl asked, back to business. She could see Lyn on the verge of Reuniting with Florina, but there were some battle details to hammer out before they allowed themselves to relax. She and Florina had been on their way out the door to find the bandit leader when Wil had interrupted them with his flurry of activity and hasty warning.

Lyn turned from Florina reluctantly, though she found the pegasus knight's hand with her own. Amberyl surprised herself with a surge of jealousy, realizing as she observed the gesture that Florina's friendship with Lyn was more intimate than her own.

Not, Amberyl capitulated quickly, that Lyn isn't allowed to have more friends than just me.

Ah, but better friends? The nasty voice of jealousy barbed.

Yes, Amberyl answered smartly, slamming Jealousy back into The Box from whence she escaped. It was like the thing didn't even have a lock.

"No," Lyn said darkly. "He hid like a coward and sent his underlings against us."

"I dislike leaving a leader of their band to direct the chase against us," Kent admitted.

"He did seem the vindictive sort," Sain agreed.

"Not a proper gentleman at all," Amberyl rolled her eyes. As if any of the vile, despicable killers out there were.

"A proper villain," Sain added. He carefully considered his next words. "With beady eyes!"

Amberyl sniffed a light laugh, despite herself. "And the worst hygiene."

"I'm glad some of us see the humor in this," Lyn chastised, though her voice lacked censure.

"Well, not humor, exactly -" Amberyl muttered, embarrassed. So much for Business. Sain, however, was just hitting his stride.

"More satire, if you ask me."

"Which we didn't," Kent said painfully.

"But if she had!" And Sain threw his hand out imploringly to Amberyl, who wasn't shamelessly infatuated with him for no reason. Caught by the laughter in those dark brown eyes, the dazzle of his smile, she placed her hand in his.

"Was there satire?" she asked dutifully. Sain startled her by pulling Amberyl swiftly in. The air whooshed from her lungs as she oomph'd into his chest. Stupid breastplate. Sain's chest was not the one in need of protection in this embrace. And if she had to squish her breasts against anything, she would have gone with the bare-chested Sain from this morning.

"Unbearable satire," Sain answered gravely.

"Whatever shall we do?" Amberyl asked, a double entendre if ever she'd uttered one.

"Vanquish the satirists," Sain concluded simply, twirling with her. Amberyl nearly lost her balance, but Sain's hand splayed on her lower back to steady her.

"Yes," Amberyl agreed vaguely, considering the proximity of his lips. Not to mention the way her hips were pressed against his… What to do, what to do...?

Sain broke the contact before she arrived at an answer to that tantalizing question – one she felt she could act on in public, anyway - stepping back to bring her hand to those smiling lips. Then he sprang away laughing.

"I shall return!" Sain called back, raising goose bumps on her skin one moment and galloping away on Maximus the next.

Amberyl stood stunned. "What?"

"Sain!" Kent shouted after him, so far as putting one foot in the stirrup before he looked back at Lyn and halted. He stepped down, lips firmly compressed.

Amberyl groped for her bearings. "Did I…?"

"You encouraged him," Kent answered, frustration in his voice. Hopefully not at her, although it seemed she had just sent his companion cavorting down the road in search of hidden enemies.

"Should we follow him?" Lyn asked, sounding as bewildered as Amberyl felt.

"Saints, no." Kent waved the concern aside. "He's liable to get himself killed."

"Kent." Lyn was not amused.

Kent inclined his head in apology. "Sain will return safely. The fool has a penchant for immortality."

"Um..." Florina raised her hand, as if to request to speak. "I could follow him. From the air..."

Kent glanced at Lyn, who said nothing in objection, before nodding. "Do it. Like Wil said, there could be more in hiding. A timely warning is all Sain needs to keep out of trouble."

Lyn murmured a quick word of caution before releasing Florina's hand. The pegasus knight responded shyly, a glance at Amberyl and Kent, before taking Huey to the sky. She seemed, Amberyl thought, to grow at least three shades more confident when she sat astride her winged companion.

Of course, that left Amberyl, Lyn, and Kent standing silently in the square with naught to do but await the return of Wil, Sain, and Florina. Assuming Wil intended to come back, Sain didn't run into trouble, and Florina didn't get shot from the sky. Amberyl rubbed her temples, finding the prospect of simply waiting to be unbearable. She cast about for something to do.

"You said the enemy was well equipped?" she addressed to either or both of the brooding faces before her. Kent nodded the affirmative.

"Better than those we encountered before. Some carried swords that seemed new." He frowned slightly.

"Should we liberate some of those pristine weapons from their former masters?" Amberyl asked, slightly galled that she was proposing to steal from the deceased, but they were bandits. "Sain said that one of the hardships of battle on the road is the upkeep of weapons. That swords tend to break after a certain amount of rigorous use."

"Oh, is that what you two discuss in private?" Lyn asked, a gleam in her eyes. Amberyl choked, regarding Lyn incredulously.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she managed.

"A town this size should have a smithy," Kent injected blandly, ignoring the exchange as a good, professional soldier should.

"They, uh, might have spears there as well," Amberyl said warily, shooting Lyn a glance. Her friend gave no reaction, however, and it occurred to Amberyl that Lyn had teased her about talking of war things with her crush, not about the potential euphemisms involved in the 'rigorous use of swords'.

No, of course not. Only your mind is that dirty.

"Lances, more likely," Kent speculated.

"What's the difference?" Amberyl asked, picturing two identical pointy sticks in her mind.

"Balance and weight, mostly. By extension, their roll in combat." Kent considered his right hand. "The acquisition of a proper spear would be too much to hope for."

"I'm not - fond of the idea of picking over the dead," Lyn admitted, "But..."

"Milady Amberyl remains without the means to defend herself," Kent finished, tracing her troubled gaze. Amberyl lifted her hands to ward them off.

"Oh, no. I'm not using a sword. If I've learned anything from these past two weeks, it's that I do not have a warrior's spirit. I'm fine with Last Resort here." Amberyl patted her fashionable dagger. It graced her hip like the clothing accessory it was.

Lyn gave her a puzzled look. "Last Resort? You... Named it?"

"I wasn't doing anything else with it. And your sword has a name."

"So it does." Lyn's lips curved. Wryly, it seemed. Too much flippancy in reference to the use of a sacred sword for mauling bandits? Well, Amberyl would smooth that over later.

Kent cleared his throat. "Ladies. If we're to search at all for this prospective smithy, we should do so quickly, that we might be prepared to depart upon our comrade's return."

"Lead the way," Lyn said.

---

Amberyl poked through the debris of the trashed armory, using the end of her newly acquired iron-tipped bow to flip broken boards and shattered shafts in search of something salvageable. She tried not to think about the fact that the weapon in her hands had been prized from the fingers of a dead man. It had, after all, been her idea to begin with.

Looting the dead bandits turned out to be a more grizzly task than Amberyl had predicted. She hadn't been there for the fighting, and a week's worth of pleasant travel and flexing pectoral muscles had dulled her memories concerning blood and gore. In the end, she shamefacedly accepted one of the fallen archers' bows from Lyn's hands, and kept an alert watch in the other direction as Kent retrieved two swords - and his and Sain's discarded lances - from the other fallen.

"I don't know what I was expecting," Amberyl shuffled another broken gardening tool to the side, "But this is more depressing than anticipated."

"They bring destruction wherever they go," Lyn answered, her partner in crime as they sifted through the shop looking for something worth recovering.

It's not stealing if it's been abandoned, Amberyl rationalized. Of course, it wasn't stealing if they didn't find anything, either.

"I know," Amberyl murmured, regretting having spoken. As if Lyn needed to be reminded of the pain that befell the victims of a raid. But that reminder was all over this town, whether Amberyl said anything or not.

She shoved a fallen rack away from the wall, one that looked like it once held a row of shafted tools - or weapons. Underneath, a dozen iron-tipped lances rolled into clear view. Most of the shafts were broken, a conscious effort on someone's part, but a few looked whole. Whoever had assaulted the weapons either overestimated the fragility of a tool built for war, or else was prone to extreme laziness. Either way, there were at least three usable weapons there. Amberyl lifted one, smacking her knee painfully as the lengthy lance caught its far end.

"Ouch."

"Oh, you found something?" Lyn padded over.

"Mmm. Do you think Sain could use this?" Amberyl successfully disengaged her find by giving it a sharp tug. "Seems pretty heavy to me."

"I imagine so," Lyn offered, retrieving the other two with much less difficulty. "I don't know much about spears."

"Lances," Amberyl corrected loftily, standing hers upright.

"Are they, though?" Lyn idled.

"I... Don't know."

"It's a lance," Kent's voice answered from the doorway. He nodded to Lyn. "Lady Florina has returned, without urgency. I can only surmise that Sain has proven victorious - or at least unchallenged - in his sortie."

Lyn blinked, sighed, and strode from the smithy, handing Kent her pilfered lances as she passed.

"Didn't Florina tell you what happened?" Amberyl asked.

"No. It seems she was - hesitant - to approach me." Kent hefted one of the lances experimentally. "The balance is better than expected."

Amberyl suppressed a smile. Kent was obviously baffled by Florina's behavior, unable to comprehend the pegasus knight's extreme shyness. Amberyl didn't understand it either, but she thought that Kent's response - to summon Lyn and turn his attention to something he did understand - was terribly efficient. Very much like him.

"So, they're good enough?"

"They will suffice for our purposes," Kent said, a dubious endorsement at best. "There are three?" Kent speculated in the direction Lyn had gone.

"I don't know if Florina will be joining us," Amberyl guessed at his thoughts.

"Her ability to scout an area from above would be an excellent asset," Kent admitted, bundling the two lances under his arm and offering to relieve Amberyl of the third. "You did well to implement that capability today."

"Oh?" Amberyl smiled. "You're not just flattering me, like Sain, are you?"

"My lady, you insult me," Kent said dryly. Amberyl laughed, following Kent through the door.

They found Lyn and Florina in close conversation, Florina looking somewhat tearful and Lyn slightly exasperated. Off to one side, Wil stood awkwardly. Relief spread across his face when he spied Amberyl and Kent, and Amberyl waved him over. Wil gave the two girls wide berth as he came.

Amberyl waved to encompass the situation. "What happened?"

Wil shrugged, rubbing his neck. "I wasn't close enough to hear. Figured it was private, you know?"

"Hmm." Amberyl patted Wil's shoulder, allowing him his excuse to avoid a sentimental female, and strode towards the girls. Lyn flicked a glance her way, but her attention was clearly focused on stymieing Florina's tears.

"I just imagined I would just -" Florina made a vague gesture "- work it out. Somehow. After today, I'm not so sure. Maybe I should just... Give up." Hic.

Yeeg. What did she just walk in on? Maybe Wil had the right of it.

"Florina, don't cry," Lyn cooed, drying the pegasus knight's damp cheeks with her fingers. Amberyl hesitated, unsure of her position. She couldn't read Lyn's look, and she'd missed the part of the conversation where anything meaningful was said. She hovered indecisively.

"Yes!" thundered a loud voice, startling all of them. "There's no reason to give up your dream!"

Sain strode powerfully into their midst, clutching a red bandanna in his fist. Sain ignored the way Florina skittered behind Lyn, whose hand went reflexively to her sword. When Lyn saw it was Sain she relaxed, but an expression of irritation crossed her face. That's one question answered, Amberyl thought, watching the cloth flutter discarded to the ground. She found she much preferred this new tactic of having the violence occur out of her sight.

"Lovely Florina, I have the most brilliant idea!" Sain announced.

"Sain," Kent growled, striding forward to intercept him. His expression was daunting, but Sain took no notice.

"You should come with us!" Sain declared, throwing his arms to encompass them all, nearly smacking Kent in the face. "With the addition of Wil, here, we're a fine group of soldiers, and freelance to boot!"

"Wait," Wil muttered from Amberyl's shoulder. "Did he just include me?"

"Welcome to the team," Amberyl murmured back.

"We were destined to meet here! It's fate!" Sain touched his chest in a gesture of heartfelt passion. Of course, with his other hand, he warded off his irate companion. "Come now, Lyndis's band of mercenaries is as good a training group as you will find anywhere!"

"Sain," Kent finally managed to grab hold of Sain's warding hand, and with it he forced the green knight into a painful-looking hold. "This is no joking matter!"

"Lyndis?" Florina had been following Sain's enthusiastic proclamations from behind Lyn's shoulder with wide eyes, but now she tilted a curious - if still concerned - gaze up at her protector. "Um, Lyn? Mercenaries?"

Lyn sighed, passing a hand over her eyes, but her expression gave way to a rueful smile. "I can give you details later. This -" she gestured to the pair of struggling knights "- is all a bit rushed. However, Sain is right. Will you come with us, Florina?"

"Travel with you?" the transformation of Florina's hesitation into elation was as instantaneous as it was beautiful. "I would be so - so happy!"

"Fantastic!" Sain exulted, managing at last to free himself. Or perhaps Kent had released him after hearing Lyn's vague endorsement of his interruption. Either way, Amberyl scowled unhappily as Sain continued to gush over The New Girl. "Beauteous Florina! I am a knight of Caelin. My name is Sain -"

"Eeek!" Florina darted back behind Lyn. "Stay back! Don't get so close!"

Florina's response, at least, was heartening. Amberyl pretended not to hear Sain's murmured: "beautiful, and yet so modest!" as she brushed past him to stand by Lyn's side. Kent addressed himself painfully to Lyn, his composure slipping to the extent that he covered his face briefly with his palm.

"I beg your forgiveness. Calling us mercenaries." He shook his head.

"No, I approve," Lyn sighed. She, too, had traveled with Sain for two weeks, and was not unfamiliar with his strange antics. And while Amberyl and Kent had missed the front half of Lyn and Florina's conversation, Sain obviously hadn't, and the result of his interjection had been - somehow - favorable. Lyn regarded Florina warmly, but very clearly left her to stay in place while she led Kent a few paces aside for a word.

Florina therefore slid from being attached to Lyn's side to hovering by Amberyl's. Amberyl smiled hesitantly at her, but turned her attention to Wil, who shifted his weight as he patiently waited his turn for... Whatever.

"So," Wil nodded towards Lyn and Kent, "is it really all right if I travel with you?"

"Saints, yes," Amberyl answered immediately. She would have offered him good money to come along, after watching him shoot - not that she had good money to offer. That he actually wanted to join them of his own volition was a pleasant surprise. "Err. I mean... That is, if you're willing. Wil." She grimaced at her supremely overeager response. Smooth, very smooth.

Wil offered his boyish grin. "Actually, I'm grateful. Truth be told, all of my money was stolen, and I'm at a bit of a crossroads." He executed a shallow bow. "I'd be honored to count myself one of Lyndis's Legion!"

"Lyndis's legion?" Lyn's quite amusement issued from behind her. Amberyl turned to find Lyn's green Sacaen eyes dancing with laughter. "This is getting stranger with every day, Amberyl."

"Well, we wouldn't want it to be boring, would we?" Amberyl sighed, content in the presence of a growing number of friends.

---

So there's this new drinking game: take a teaspoon of the weakest alcohol you can find every time I use a hyphen, and you might survive the chapter. Sure as hell won't remember a thing about it, but that's half the fun? (Hard-mode: also every time I use italics unnecessarily? I'll sign your epitaph.)

My thanks to Hammershlag, Sparks101, and GameFreakimage for your reviews of Ch2: Sword of Spirits!

Hammershlag urged me not to tether myself to the game dialogue too harshly, but you can see that I... kinda... still did. Ye be warned, this is kind of my plan. I threw in a boatload of original dialogue, however, so that's what you can expect later as well. I just feel like departing (too far) from the dialogue as given would be to depart from the story that I love enough to try to recreate. That's not carved on an obelisk somewhere, though, so my approach might change in the future.

Sparks101, I think I was less schizo on the character transitions - feel any smoother?

GameFreakimage ... I love you. Please don't forsake me because I update so infrequently. But, 16k words, eh? eh? Most of them done on, like, five-to-seven separate days, so I have very little excuse for why it took this long (besides that i need to gather my soul on said day, which does take certain conditions). But I've got chapter four all written out (longhand), as of four months ago, so that should be... quicker... will need some updates to reflect things in this chapter, i suppose. I think it's going to be shorter? which should be a refreshing change.

You'll note I wrecked the crap out of that armory. Who needs those guys, amiright?

Uh. I'll be trying to keep personalities individual, as the crew keeps adding on. I don't actually have a clear picture in my heart of hearts for "Who is Wil?", though, so... that one might take some Trial And Error.

Ah, and as I scrolled up to the top to put my pre-script, I am reminded once again that I have... difficulty... keeping my narrative free from sexual innuendo or implication. This shouldn't spiral out of control, but I don't think I'm shaping a story where all of these divinely beautiful people - who have game mechanics for falling in love- will remain utterly chaste through their long and arduous journey. Lyn's tale doesn't support Supports (heh), but Amberyl looks like she's pushing ahead of the curve. I have been toying with the temptations involved here. Personally, that is, as the author. On what to include. Thoughts, please.