Chapter 7
Into the Wind
Paul opened his eyes, and felt the ship come into a stop. He got out the bed, grabbed Derflinger´s sheath, put it back on his back and went up the stairs into the deck. Just in front of him, he saw another ship between the clouds, several times larger than the one they were in, with cannons lined up on its sides. He saw Wardes and Louise, standing together near the mast like went he had gone to sleep last night. He approached them. Both hear him come, and turned briefly towards him before returning to watch the other ship.
"It doesn´t have any nationality flags." He heard Wardes mumbling, and he saw him clutching his wand tighter. The ship sailed parallel to them, and the cannons fire. Paul flinched, but the cannonball went past him and disappeared into the clouds.
"They're ordering us to stop, captain."
"I know." The captain snapped at that sailor, then: "Wrap sails. Stop the ship."
The other ship stopped, and on their port men lined up. They shot hooked lines to the ship´s starboard, and climbing them towards the ship.
"What can we do?" Paul whispered, his hand itching for Derflinger´s handle. He feel defenseless without him on his hand, despite that he could still fell the weight of his sheath on his back.
"Nothing at all. I am spending all my magic on fueling this ship´s wind stones."
"We can´t just do nothing, Wardes." Louise squeaked out. "We have a mission, right? W-we have to try, at least. I would try to blow them out o-or something."
"What if you one explosion is not enough, Louise? We could all be killed." Wardes shook his head. "We don´t have any choice."
Paul saw a dirty hand wrapping itself around the ship´s handrail, and then one man climbed into the ship. Others followed him, each of them armed. One elegantly dressed man steeped forward, with a long beard and an eye patch on his left eye, surely their leader. He looked around the deck expressionlessly, for the sailors to Wardes, Louise and him.
"Where's the captain?"
"Me." A trembling voice came for somewhere far away.
"What's the ship's name and what does it carry?"
"Tristainia's Marie Galante; it carries sulfur."
"Oh. A good catch. Be a while since the last one." He approached Louise, and raised her chin with his hand, just like that. Paul saw her tremble, and bit her lip. "And what about you, sweetie? Would you like to be our dishwasher?"
She looked away for the man, misty eyed, but didn´t do anything else. It was so unlike her that it was heartbreaking. She was frozen in fear, probably remembering the arrow that had hit her, the heat and the pain, while these assholes leered and laughed.
"Knock it off." The man turned towards him, slowly.
"What?"
"I said knock it off." Paul repeated, and looked at the pirate straight in the eyes. A moment passed, or two, at he was afraid he had just worsened their situation. Then, the man stepped away for Louise.
"You really got some balls, eh? Stupid kid." He shook his head ruefully, and turned to his men. "Alright, boys, take them all away. We can get a hell lot of ransom for this!"
They took away their weapons, handcuffed them and leaded them into the ship, with swords and bows pointing at their backs. They made them stop in front of a cell, and the elegantly dressed man stepped forward, a set of keys on his hands. He put one on the hole, and turned it. Click. Paul saw a sheath on his belt, just hanging there and the handle of the knife. Now or never. With his hands held together by the handcuffs, he grabbed the handle and unsheathed the knife. The runes burned brightly, and he moved, sliding the handcuffs around the man´s neck before the other pirates could do anything, pressing the edge of the knife against his throat.
"Don´t move!" He said firmly, even though his hand was trembling. The men had been going towards him, but now they all stopped, as one. Wardes and Louise moved behind him. "Don´t move or I slit his fucking throat!"
"Are you sure?" The man said, ruefully. "I can see the knife shaking. You are afraid."
"Don´t test me." Paul responded, and tried to hold the knife more firmly. "This is about my life or yours, so don´t you dare test me."
The man raised his hands, and Paul pressed the knife closer to his throat.
"What did I say?"
"Fine. We were thinking about what to do with you three, but there is no option now. My name is Wales Tudor, Prince of Albion."
Paul froze.
"…What did you say?"
"You heard me. Now, would you let me take off this wing?" Paul lessened the pressure. "Thank you."
He raised a hand to his head, and took off the wing, letting it fall to the floor and revealing blond hair beneath it. The hand descended, and the eye patch came down next and finally, the long beard.
"Prince Wales?" Louise and Wardes said, in unison. There was no doubt, then. This ragged pirate was a prince, and he had be about to kill him. Paul let the knife drop the floor, and stepped away for Wales. He turned around to them, smiling weakly.
"Sorry for…well, all of this." He said, with a soft tone. That he was the same man that held Louise chin and leered at her seemed like a bad joke. "It has become necessary. I am not excusing myself, I just hope you understand. Anyways, the captain of the Griffin Knights must be here for a reason, right? What business you have here?"
"A letter for her highness, to you."
"I see." Wales frowned. "Follow me, then."
Their weapons were returned, and they followed Wales into a small room, like an office, with a desk in the middle, decorated with paintings with gold frames. Wales closed the door being them, and sat down on the chair behind the desk. He crossed his legs.
"The letter?"
"Louise." Wardes said, but Louise didn´t respond, she just stood there, frozen. She still remembered the fear she fell on the dock of the Maria Galante. How Wales had laughed, and leered. How it imposing he had been. "Louise, what´s wrong?"
"Ah, n-nothing. Is nothing." She shook her head profusely, took of the letter for her pocket and presented it to Wales with slight tremble of her hands. Wales reached for the letter, and when is finger where about to touch it, Louise nearly jumped back and let the letter drop on the desk. "I am sorry, I was… I…"
"Calm down. What´s wrong?"
"You scared her." Paul said, and Wales turned towards him. "That is what its wrong. She nearly died yesterday, and now… now you come along… like that. She didn´t need that shit."
"Familiar, shut up!" He flinched. "Talk respectfully to the prince."
"No, it's okay." Wales said, though he seemed confused-maybe because he was human, and not an animal. "He is just looking out for his master."
"B-but…" Louise mumbled. "It's not right."
"It's understandable. Let´s leave it at that." He took the letter, read it and then sent the letter down on the desk. "So the princess is marrying? Ah, Henrietta, my beloved cousin. It seems like yesterday when I saw her last, and now she is growing up… Anyway, the message indicates that you should return this letter to her, and another letter I have in my possession. However, is in Newcastle right now, so you all have to come with us. Sorry for the trouble. If I had known, I could have taken it with me."
Paul signed. Back to the warzone, of course. It couldn´t just be solved like that. But at least, they could have the backing of a prince and their soldiers. This didn´t look too bad; it fact, it was starting to look survivable.
The ship took them to ragged coastline of Albion. They had been traveling for three hours and could already see the cape, a big castle standing on its very edge-the fortress city of Newcastle. The ship sailed beneath the continent, and it all plugged into darkness. Paul had to grab to the handrail to calm down. After a while, light returned and when Paul looked up he saw a bright hole beneath Albion. The ship slowly rose to the hole, and entered it. It was a port, but it was empty save for the people all around the ship. Ropes were thrown to the sailors to tie down the Eagle and finally the wooden gangway was attached. They disembarked.
Several people approached them, and Wardes had to wave then off, saying that they had an ambassador of Tristania with them and that he would explain it all later, then they followed him to his personal room. This was more befitting of a prince; a window with silky, purple curtains, a desk in the middle with a big chair behind him, paintings of men and women who must be the royals of older generations. Wales searched the desk, took off a letter, and gave it too Louise. She took it, and put it on her pocket without shaking, but Paul could she was nervous all the same.
"The Eagle will take all of you back to Tristain tomorrow, as we won´t be using it."
"We?"
"Yes, we. I will be at the final battle as well."
"But…"
"My only chance… our only chance was winning this war, but we failed. There isn´t any choice for us now. We can only die in battle, protecting the last of our ruined kingdom, even when we know we are going to be defeated and die. But at least, we will die in glory."
Louise looked down, her hair falling on her eyes and mumbled something. Paul could hear her teeth chattering.
"What did you say?"
"What is… What´s so glorious about dying?!" Wales looked at her, with a shocked face and Louise cut herself off. She took step back, looking ashamed and then: "Ah, I am sorry. Is just the travel and, well, everything. I-I didn´t mean it."
"Oh, but it's clear you mean it." Wales smiled. "But don´t worry. I just hope you never have to understand such a thing."
Louise fidgeted in place.
"May I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Is this a love letter?"
"Yes, it is." Paul couldn´t believe he had just admitting it like that. They were cousins, and in love. Hell, maybe they even had sex. Disgusting.
"I know… I know how her highness thinks. She surely asked you to run away, so why do you still want to die?"
"She didn´t do such a thing. I am no lying; I swear it by my honor. Henrietta is a princess, so she has to give priority to her country."
"Why? Just… why? There has to be something…anything."
"No. There is nothing do to. Even if she had indeed asked me that, I could only be causing problems for her if I ran away." Wales signed. "You are an honest girl, I give you that. Loyal, too. But some things just can´t be done. Sometimes… sometimes bitter choices are the best ones."
"Fine."
"In any case." Wales continued, like he hadn't heard the sadness and deep resignation on her voice. "We were planning on having a party today, and since you are our guests I could like you to attend as well."
"Of course." Louise said, and Paul followed her out of the room. Wardes stayed behind, for some reason, but she didn´t even look back. She didn´t get far. They passed a few corners in silence, and then she leaned against the wall, hiding her face between her hands. He could not hear sobbing, but she shook quietly. Paul approached her, and made to put a hand on her shoulder. She slapped it away.
"Master…"
"I am fine." She said, even though her voice sounded broken. Louise uncovered her face, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. "I am fine, familiar. Let´s just go."
Louise asked around, and leaded him into the castle´s hall, where the party had already started. The three hundred soldiers of Wales were divided in four tables, packed to the brim with food and drinks. Up some stairs, there was a throne in which an old man, the king of Albion, sat. The soldiers laughed together, and laughed merrily, like death was not as close as the next day. Wardes arrived in the hall with Wales, and while he took position with them the prince approached the throne. Wales stood beside his father.
"Tomorrow, Reconquista will come and full force. We won´t be able to withstand the attack with our forces, so it won´t even be a battle, but a slaughter. Let´s show them the error of their ways; let´s show that the ideal we strived for, to reach the Holy Land, the ideal given to us by Founder Brimir himself, should not be tainted by violence and hatred. We won´t allow it! When they come to put down a dying kingdom, dying men… we will fight, we will thrive and we kill them! We will show them what we are, the power of the winds of Albion!"
"Yes your Majesty!" The soldiers screamed, as one. "Whole Army Forward! Whole Army Forward! Whole Army Forward!"
With that, everyone returned to the feast. The soldiers ate, joked and laughed, just like that and sometimes they playfully offered wine and food to them. Was it real, he wondered? Where they just going to go to their deaths with smiles on their faces, or were they just resigned? It all fell so surreal, like he was looking at this feast through a screen. After a while, they left the hall, leaving the doomed soldiers to their last rites.
"Louise?" Wardes said, and she turned to him. "Would you go ahead? I want to talk with your familiar."
"…Fine." And soon, she turned the corner, leaving them both alone. Wardes looked at him, and Paul started thinking about just how fast he could draw Derflinger. Then:
"I have to tell you something."
"What?"
"Louise and I are going to marry, tomorrow." Paul stiffened. Louise had told him Wardes mean nothing special to her, that he was just a figure for her past and she didn´t really want to marry him. So why had her feelings changed, especially in the middle of a warzone?
"Are you out your mind?" Wardes frowned, but didn´t do anything else. "Is great at all… but now? Could you not wait a bit and marry when we are back?"
"No. We want Prince Wales to act as go between of our marriage, and there really is no danger, since we will hold the ceremony before the battle. We won´t draw it out, either."
Paul just shut up, and nodded. It was clear he was not going to listen to him, and there was nothing he could do to change the situation anyway.
"Will you come?" Wardes said.
"Why are you even asking me? I am master´s familiar. Where she goes, I go."
"Eh, that´s a good answer. I asked Wales to send a new shirt to your room. You can´t attend with a torn up shirt."
"Thank you."
Wardes smiled.
"Well, then, I have to go."
"All right." They went their separate ways, and Paul searched for the room Wales had told him about. He found the room soon enough, took off his shoes, made himself comfortable on the bed and tried to sleep. The sounds of the party reached him through the wall, as he tossed and turned.
He had fell sleep soon enough, sooner than he ever thought. That he knew three hundred men would die tomorrow-three hundred, and god knows how many more- didn´t even matter at all. What mattered was that the bed was comfortable and warm and not like the ground of Louise´s bedroom at all. What mattered that it was the first time he felt fine since coming to this world. He didn´t even have nightmares.
When he waked up, he sat up and saw a shirt hanging on the bedside table out of the corner of his eye. It was nothing special; white, long sleeved and a wide collar. He got out of the bed, took his shirt and put on the other shirt. It was comfortable, better that he expected and it seemed to be his size.
He got out the room, wandered around for a while until he had to ask for directions and finally reached the chapel. Wales was already there on the altar, dressed like a priest. Paul sat on one of the seats, and waited. The big, wooded door creaked and he saw Louise and Wardes enter the room as he turned. Both of them were dressed like normal, but she had a veil decorated bright red roses. When they passed in on the way, Louise gave him a brief, empty gaze. So her feeling hadn´t changed after all? Was this all to fulfill the dealt made by their families? It must be. Such lifeless eyes didn´t made sense, otherwise. They reached the altar.
"Well then, let's start the ceremony." Wales said, and his voice resonated in the nearly empty chapel. "Bridegroom, Viscount Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes. Do you take this girl as your wife, and swear to respect and love her in the name of the Founder Brimir?"
"I swear." Wardes said.
"Bride, the third daughter of the Duke of La Vallière, Louise Françoise le Blanc de La Vallière, do you take this man as your husband, and swear to respect and love him in the name of the Founder Brimir."
Louise stirred, then, as if startled and the veil nearly fell out of her head. She looked to the side, and didn´t respond.
"Louise, it's okay." Wardes responded. "It`s normal to be nervous, just take your time."
"I mean it." She said, and raised her head to look at Wardes eye to eye. "I don´t want this."
They stood there, looking at each other in silence, while Wales was stuck there in the middle, awkwardly. Then, Wardes laughed.
"S-stop joking around, Louise. You can´t be refusing my offer."
"Viscount, stop. She clearly doesn´t want this ceremony to continue."
"The Prince is right." Louise said, simply.
"Why? I am not good enough for you, is that it? I am not good enough for a Valliére?"
"Is not that; I just don´t love you." Paul saw Wardes calm expression break. He took off his wand him a flash, and wind pierced Wales's chest, sending it tumbling against the wall. He fell, a put a hand on the hole, which was soon drenched in blood. He opened his mouth, but only blood came out. Paul stared him shock for a moment, then stood up and drew Derflinger for his sheath. Louise screamed, turned around, and ran for it.
"You are mine!" Wardes screamed, and stopped Louise, grabbing her by the shoulder.
"Let me go, you…!" She struggled, but it was no use. "Help me!"
Wardes turned towards him, as if just realized he was there and waved his wand around. Before he could finish chanting, Paul jumped to the side and the gust of wind that came out lifted several seats high in the air and came crashing down noisily, some on the ground, some against other seats which broke in half upon impact. Wardes took a step back, an incantation on his lips, but Paul reached the altar and slashed at Wardes. He threw Louise aside, dodged the slash and punched him in the face, pushing him back.
"Partner! Down!" Paul heard it, and crouched, so the edge of Wardes wand cut off a few strands of his hair instead of his neck. When he stood up again, Wardes was pointing at his chest and he was sent flying backwards. The chapel turned over twice before his eyes, and then he crashed against one of the seats, breaking it half. As he lay among the splattered wood, he was dimly aware that he still had Derflinger and he saw the light of the runes intensifying for the corner of his eye.
"Worthless. Is this a legend?" Paul grasped the handle tighter, and tried to stand up. He heard footsteps, and when he looked up he saw Wardes approaching him slowly, just like that. His teeth gritted together.
"Raise me!" Derflinger screamed, and Paul raised him just as a gust of wind came for Wardes wand. His clothes flapped in the wind, and he could fell pressure him is entire body, but he didn´t move a step: the sword adsorbed it all. After a few seconds, he stopped feeling the wind.
"You are not an ordinary sword." Wardes said, and stopped.
"Well, duh. Anything else I need to know?"
"Yes." He smiled. "I will kill your wielder and take you."
Paul rushed at him, but Wardes just stood there, chanting something. Just before he reached him, he smiled. Paul slashed at him, across the stomach, ripping off his shirt and his flesh, drawing blood. Then, Wardes disappeared right before his eyes. Paul looked around, and saw that he was surrounded. Seven Wardes stood around him in a circle, each one holding a wand.
"What…?"
"They are not mere copies; each one of them holds part of my strength. I will kill you quickly, and take Louise with me."
"Shut up!" Paul grasped the handle so hard his knuckles turned white, as the runes shined even more brightly. "Shut the fuck up!"
He raised the sword about his head, and slashed at one who had spoken. That Wardes parried the strike with his own wand, and then he felt a pain on his shoulder. He screamed, vaguely aware of the wound, at slashed at the other one, cutting his head off and making the copy disappear into thin air. Paul felt a pressure on his chest, and was knocked off his feet. The remaining copies advanced on him, wand´s held high. The runes shined so strongly no that their faces became more and more indistinctive as they grew closer. He tried to stand up again, but one of them pushed him back with one foot.
"Do you understand now?" The true Wardes-the one he thought was the true Wardes-said. "Do you understand my power? Even you can´t do anything. Think, as you die, how things could have be if just sat down, shut up and let me take what was mine for the beginning."
"THIS IS ON YOU!"
One of them kicked him in right in the face, making it snap back with force. He spat out blood.
"I fucking kill you!"
Wardes didn´t answer, he just raised his wand and all the others raised their wand with him, as one. He could hear them all, chanting, and could see the vague outline of their mouths moving even through the line of the runes. Paul grasped one of the broken pieces of the seats, and stabbed in deep trough one of the copy's knee. As he disappeared, Paul stood up and threw himself at the main Wardes, knocking out of the circle. He grabbed his wand as they struggled on the ground, and before the copies could finish the spell or use another one, he snapped it half. The copies vanished, leaving Wardes defenseless. He head-butted him, and stabbed Derflinger through his chest, snarling.
"Just fucking die!" Wardes struggled, punched at kicked him, but he somehow was overpowering him. He watched as his eyes bulged, as blood spilled for his mouth, as his movements grew weaker and weaker, and as his body finally went limp. He was dead. Really dead. Paul stood up shakily, tearing the blade out of his corpse and then fell to his knees. His chest fell like he was about to burst, and he was barely holding on to Derflinger. For the corner of his eye, he saw that the light of the runes had returned to his normal intensity.
"Careful, partner. You borrowed too much power for the runes, far more that you could handle at this point."
"I can´t. I can´t. I have to… we have to leave this place." He said, and tried to stand up on shaking legs. He had to use one of the intact seat´s for support, but he managed it. Paul staggered towards the altar.
"Fine, but… take it easy, okay?"
"Okay." He responded, even though he didn´t know if he could do that or not. Louise was on the ground, at the top of the stairs, looking with wet eyes between him and Wardes corpse. When he took a step towards her, she scrambled back. Ah, really, he should have known. He reached the altar, and knelled besides Wales with her looking at him all the while. He tried to listen to his heartbeat. It was faint, but it was there. He put a hand on his shoulder, and shook him. "Wales, Wales, wake up."
Wales stirred, and looked at him through glazed eyes.
"What…?" He mumbled, and grimaced him pain.
"Wardes. He attacked you but he didn´t really get you. At least, I think so. I don´t know. Can you… Can you stand up?"
"It hurts."
"I know, but can you do it or not?"
"I-I think so." Wales said, but Paul helped him stand up anyway.
"What do we do now?" Paul asked.
"There… The Eagle. It will be launching soon, but not yet." Wales closed his eyes. "Just… help to the door. I need a water mage."
"Thank you." Paul said, and looked to the side. "Come on, master."
"Y-yes!" She squeaked out, stood up and followed after then. When they passed by Wardes corpse, she flinched and looked away. They left the chapel.
"Help!" Paul screamed. "Crown Prince Wales has been injured! Help!"
That stirred everybody out. Soon enough, soldiers came to the chapel for every side, holding candlesticks. They approached them.
"What happen?"
"Why is the Prince…?"
"What did you do?"
"Calm down." Wales said. "Calm down. I need a water mage; Paris, Francis… whoever."
One soldier stepped forward, took Wales for him and carefully set it against the wall. The soldier unbuttoned his shirt. It left barred a hole on his chest, sticky with dried blood. He signed in relief.
"Is not a bad wound, you are going to be fine."
"Good." Wales breathed out, as the water mage waved his wand around.
"What happened, your highness?"
"Yes, what happened?" Some soldier said for the crowd and he soon was echoed. "Did they…?"
"No, shut up." Wales responded. "Wardes… That Viscount… He was a traitor to the Tristain Kingdom. He tried to kill me."
That, of course, stirred out of the crowd to the point that Paul was afraid they would just lynch them and not wait for an explanation, but them Wales held up a hand, and they all fell silent.
"But that boy… that boy right there saved my life. They had nothing to do with that, so don´t even think about it." Wales signed. "Now… please… guide them to the Eagle."
"Yes, your highness!" The soldiers said, and three of them stepped forward, to Louise and Paul.
"Come on." One of them said. "We take you there."
They followed them.
"O-one last thing." Wales said, when they were about to turn the corner. They all turned to look back at him. He saw the water mage waving his wand again, and the blood spilling down his chest. "Tell… Tell Henrietta that Wales lived and die bravely."
Paul did not trust himself to speak, so he just nodded.
The soldiers leaded them into the arbor, through maze-like corridors. Louise and Paul got on deck, and the ship departed through the hole below Albion, like before. He could see the sun on the horizon, and the cold, damp air hit his chest and flapped his clothes. They watched as rows on ships with cannons covered the clouds all headed to Albion, as the Eagle descent towards Tristain.
