9.
"How does it look?" Emilia suppressed a yawn.
"Some Fans to the west." Stacia did yawn as she made her report. "Tedra thinks some of them may have seen her, so we've pulled back to the shoreline."
"But nothing looks unusual? Great. We'll be heading back soon." Emilia moved Twit further into the shadow of Mt. Brongaadian's peak, her silhouette hidden by the surrounding rocks. Four nights out of the week, General Espria had her unit patrolling the Bronquian-Fantasinian border, which was amorphous at best. King Ordene claimed Fantasinia owned all the land right to the Talva River, which ran directly in front of Fort Ishnad. Emperor Alkimus insisted Bronquia's territory extended five miles to the east of the river and included the mountain range to the west of Karona. Which was exactly where Espria had placed Emilia's units, along with several others. Both countries knew the other had griffon patrols in the area, but both kept up the pretense they didn't.
Tired as she was, Emilia wouldn't drop off. All spring, her unit had been skirmishing with units from the Fantasinian Aerial Force. If her alertness could keep her from having to take lives unnecessarily - or even worse, seeing more of her own women fall - she'd stay awake. Since her duel, she'd killed four Fantasinian riders. The kills weren't easy, but they were becoming easier, both during the battle and afterwards. She wasn't sure whether that was good or bad.
She'd asked Langford why these skirmishes hadn't provoked a war. He'd given her a sterile smile and replied, "As you've pointed out, the skirmishes aren't exactly on the record. Secondly, both countries are encroaching on each other's territories, so both are equally to blame. This doesn't make a firm rallying call for the people. But I imagine that when war is declared, it will be simultaneous."
War. Real battles. She patted Twit's neck, as if the griffon needed reassurance. Other people handled warfare. She could too.
The unit returned an hour after dawn, landing in the mews in a flurry of squawks, scraping claws, and feathers. Emilia stiffly dismounted and headed straight for her room. She wanted to crawl into bed and sleep, but Alkimus had stressed that her duties as a captain were not to interfere with her duties as a princess. So she had time for a bath and was just sitting down to her breakfast when Langford entered, heavy books under his arm.
"All right," he said. "Recite to me the Twelve Precepts of Empress Atalazia and then you may eat some toast."
Ten minutes later, Emilia was rattling off the seven provinces of ancient Bronquia (so she could refill her cocoa mug), when Valena ran through her open door. "Princess!" Her eyes were wide, hands clutched together. "You need to come to the dragon stables."
Training as a captain had moved Emilia past the blinking and staring stage. She was on her feet immediately, and asking questions as she hurried into the corridor. "It's Brother? What's wrong?"
"Something may be very wrong very soon." Valena wadded up half of her long skirts and carried them under her arm, the better to run. Langford was jogging behind, trying to keep up. "The training started out normally, but - there was a problem - "
"Darian?" Langford asked sharply, which surprised Emilia. As well as she knew Gulcasa, she hadn't made the mental leap.
"You mean-?" Emilia bared her teeth. "Crud."
A crowd was already gathering, and Emilia swiftly saw that crud didn't begin to cover it - she didn't even know the word that would cover it. A dragon was screaming.
"Stay back!" Marenka the Valkyrie shouted. "This is the prince's affair!"
Behind her, Langford breathed a word that Emilia hadn't heard before, but knew suited the situation better.
"Damn you, aren't you going to intervene?" Espria shouted to someone. "You can't just-"
Baldus cut across Espria. "This is theirs to handle."
Emilia lowered her head and shoved her way through the crowd. In the corner of her eye, she saw a wedge of six knights cantering towards the commotion, Leon at their head. A dragon roared, and something heavy hit the ground. Emilia smacked into Luciana - unless it was Aegina - whichever it was didn't notice her, staring at the center of the gathering. Squeezing around Baldus, Emilia pulled to a halt, biting her lip.
Darian's gray dragon had dragged itself upright, a wide gash in its side, ripped almost to the entrails. Darian, shieldless, held his scythe in both hands.
Gulcasa tightened his reins, keeping his dragon well in check as he watched Darian laboriously turn. "It is best," he said after a moment, eyeing his master, "to kill your opponent with a single decisive stroke."
"Leon-" Espria's arms were trembling. "Ride in there and stop them!"
Leon was grinning, teeth bright beneath his black visor. "If the prince feels the need to stretch his scythe arm, I will not stop him."
"He almost killed you once!" Her voice was shrill. "How can you stand by and-" She cut off as Darian made his charge, his mount's gait uneven. Almost leisurely, Gulcasa sidestepped the attack, swung his scythe, and drove its steel arc into the gray dragon's back. It toppled a second time, the ground vibrating.
Gulcasa watched for a moment, a smile on his lips, his eyes unfeeling gold. "Who will put it out of its misery, you or I?"
Darian barely managed to scramble away from the dragon before it rolled to its side, groaning. The Dragoon Master slowly raised himself, teeth clenched with pain. He leaned on his scythe.
"Prince of Bronquia," he panted, "I yield."
Gulcasa leaned back in his saddle, the butt of his scythe on the ground, like a rod of state. "I do not recall that we opened this fight with the formality of a duel."
"You attacked him!" Espria screamed. Emilia realized that Radant and Eleazar had appeared and they were restraining Espria.
"Furthermore," Gulcasa continued, his voice smooth, almost affectionate, his hair stirred by a wind Emilia couldn't feel, "power belongs only to those who can hold it. I believe your grip is-" the scythe swung lightly around, knocking Darian's weapon out of his hand "-slack."
"I yield!" Darian's thin voice shook.
"Yield to death." He punched the spike on his scythe into Darian's stomach. Emilia looked away even as he drew his arm upwards.
"There now!" Langford said sharply. "You need to see this."
Irate with Langford - nauseated - Emilia opened her eyes and turned back. Darian's corpse had fallen forward, hiding the wound. Gulcasa had turned to face the crowd.
"People of Bronquia!" His voice rang out. "You heard this man's crime, his utter contempt for our sacred homeland. Who shall blame me for driving the poison from our nation's heart?" He looked directly at Espria, his eyes like metal.
Fists trembling, she abruptly swung around and stalked away. Radant and Eleazar glanced after her, then gazed steadily at Gulcasa.
"Darian the Shit Bag's dead," Leon drawled. "I think a few hurrahs are in order."
"If Darian had won," Gulcasa continued, speaking to the crowd, "I would have submitted myself to the same debasement. By my arm, I have proven my right to lead the Dragon Knights. Fate blesses the strong, and I intend it shall bless Bronquia!" He shoved his scythe into the air.
Most of the crowd cheered, though it was uneasy. Emilia hesitated, then raised her fist.
Gulcasa rode out of the ring, close enough for Emilia to study his face - normal again. No more of that strange, bright energy she'd seen when he fought. But she was still alarmed. She couldn't run up to him and demand answers in front of the crowd. She stood by Langford, only a spectator.
"What happened?" she asked Valena once they and Langford were back in her room. "How did it start?" It wouldn't have taken much, Emilia thought. Gulcasa had hated his commander since childhood, and Darian had never endeared himself to the prince.
"I wasn't very close. I heard he-" The handmaid's eyes darted around the room. "He said something about the prince's mother."
Emilia caught her breath.
"At first, it looked like they'd settle it in a simple sparring bout. But then the prince, he - I've never seen anyone attack like that. It was clear he meant to hurt Darian, so I ran for you..."
"A lot of good I was," Emilia muttered. She hadn't even thought of intervening. She broke away from the two of them. "I need to talk to him."
"My princess," Langford said suddenly. "Be careful. The prince is..." He swallowed, obviously searching for the correct word. "...unpredictable."
Emilia's chin jutted out. "I am not his enemy." And she hurried out of the room. Gulcasa's power - No, she wasn't in any danger. She had to believe that. He was simply a fierce warrior. As he should be. Both of them were descended from hundreds of fierce warriors.
And he was descended from a woman with slit pupils. A woman with the eyes of a dragon.
She realized she was running through the corridors.
Gulcasa's door was closed. She banged with the knocker. "Let me in!" She waited, then was about to knock again when the door opened.
Gulcasa had only had time to remove his helmet and loosen his breastplate. He was sweaty, his eyes heavy-lidded with fatigue. He rubbed his forehead, then seemed more alert. "Well?"
Emilia stepped inside and he closed the door. She paced around his room, everything familiar. "I know you hated that creep. And - and I see why you killed him. But why this way? In front of everyone? You could've formally initiated a duel, and then-"
"Emilia." He sighed heavily, sitting on the edge of his bed. After a moment, he unbuckled one gauntlet and rotated his wrist. "Formality has its uses, but I have no time for it. Not now."
Emilia frowned. "Is this part of the plan you won't tell me about?"
Gulcasa rubbed his face again, ran his hand through his hair. "It's all a plan. You. Me. My mother. Fantasinia."
"What?"
He shook himself. "I should start somewhere else, I suppose." He fell silent for a long time.
Deciding that he wouldn't say anything else about the plan, Emilia asked, "Why did you choose now?"
Gulcasa looked up quickly. "Darian chose his death. He said - Never mind. Anyone who repeats it shall die."
Emilia frowned again, the softness in her voice surprising her. "Brother?"
The door was shoved open. Gulcasa rose as Emilia turned, both of them facing their father. Emperor and heir regarded each other a long moment, Alkimus' face deeply lined and stern, Gulcasa's eyes narrowed, defiant.
Alkimus slowly closed the door behind him and strode towards Gulcasa. "Well now?"
"It was a magnificent battle," Gulcasa said blandly. "You would have been proud to see it."
"The strength of your arm is not the point," Alkimus retorted. "Why have you done this?"
"Darian shamed you and our family in front of the Dragon Knights. Would you have let him keep his post?"
Alkimus studied Gulcasa's face minutely, jaw tense. "You are not a fool, Gulcasa. No doubt he deserved his death. But he had many supporters, and you have enemies enough."
Emilia tensed, but didn't speak.
"If they support a traitor, I will be pleased to deal with them," Gulcasa replied.
"Hmph." Alkimus put his hand on Gulcasa's shoulder, holding him at arm's length. "Doubtless, you have won support for such an impressive duel." After a moment, he clasped Gulcasa to him, something he hadn't done in more than ten years. Even Gulcasa was disarmed, his eyes wide, almost frightened.
Alkimus drew away. "Keep your strength. You will have much need of it." Gulcasa hesitated, then nodded. "Well," Alkimus said after a deep breath, "I now require a Master of Dragoons." Gulcasa leaned forward. "I do not think it would be politic to raise you so soon after Darian's death. But it won't be long before you are a Falcon General." He clapped Gulcasa's shoulder, then seemed to finally notice Emilia. "Hello, dear."
"What about Espria?" Emilia asked. "What're you going to do about her?"
Alkimus smiled tightly. "Let me worry about her. Gulcasa, come to me after you've cleaned up." His voice took up some of its former sternness. "We still have things to discuss."
When they were alone again, Gulcasa drew a long sigh, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Were you worried?"
He opened his eyes. "I wasn't sure what to expect. I thought I'd have to argue my case more."
"I suppose Father didn't like Darian much either." Or his pride for his son was greater. She stepped closer. "You have enemies? What did he mean by that?"
"Power always has enemies." He unbuckled his other gauntlet. "You have enemies, though they may never strike at you."
But now Gulcasa had even more enemies. Emilia pressed her lips together, eyes determined. After a moment, she helped him with the side clasps on his breastplate, slipping the metal shell off of him. "Can I help with this plan of yours?"
"In time." He thought a moment, then gestured her to sit on a nearby chair. "Listen, Emilia," he said, "do you know the Dragon Circle?"
"Sorta. I mean, Langford's mentioned it. It's a group of writings about the dragon Brongaa. They're called a circle because each one refers to all the others."
Gulcasa set his breastplate on its stand, his tone leading. "The dragon Brongaa who..."
"Who ruled thousands of years ago."
Gulcasa had sat on his bed to remove his sollerets. "And..."
"Um... Well, his capital was around here. Mt. Brongaadian's named for him, also Brongaaliar Canyon."
"Also our country. It was originally Brongaaia. And because Father's line was named for Bronquia, we both share the dragon's name."
"Okay..." Gulcasa's plan involved history lessons?
She didn't notice how carefully he watched her reactions. "Do you know anything else about Brongaa?"
"He's called the Dragon of Purgatory because he wanted to cleanse the world. No one knows how or why, because he was sealed by the gods before he could try it."
"That's right." Gulcasa put his greaves to the side, now only wearing a simple tunic and trousers. "But there's one part of the story everyone always forgets." He paused for effect. "He could take the form of a man."
Not sure why, Emilia fidgeted. "So?"
"It means that he fell in love with a human woman and had a child. Who grew up and had a child-"
"Waitwaitwait-" tumbled out of Emilia's mouth. "How do you know? And how can you be sure - You're talking about your mother's family, aren't you?" Somehow, she wanted, desperately, for him to be mistaken.
"I've researched this for several years." Gulcasa's tone softened marginally. "It's all true."
"Y-your mother was descended from..." Emilia jumped to her feet and began to pace. "S-so what? What does that mean about you?"
"I'm still not sure." Gulcasa rubbed the back of his neck. "I think I'll know soon, but... I have plans." Seeing Emilia wheel around, he rose. "This is enough for now. Father's expecting me. But first I have my own question. Emilia." After waiting for her pacing to slow, he took her shoulders. "What does this mean for you?"
Emilia stared up into her brother's face, the face of a child of Brongaa. Even with this knowledge, it was no less familiar. "I'm confused," she said after a long moment. "But I won't turn on you, if that's what you're afraid of." After a moment, she rallied. "You shouldn't have to ask, you dummy!"
Gulcasa grinned, not at all the expression of a man who had murdered hardly an hour earlier. He pushed her gently to the door. "I'm sure Langford's itching to resume your history lesson. Though - I trust you won't share all the history you've learned."
Emilia half-smiled, half-grimaced, and left.
Langford came in early during Emilia's lunch, and she couldn't help glaring at him over her chicken dumplings. "You'll be interested to know," Langford said, "that General Espria - now merely Espria - has left Flarewerk, as have her three personal units."
"Father'll hunt them down." She reached for her napkin. "Why was she so upset?"
Langford glanced at Emilia with some surprise. "She and Darian were lovers."
Emilia sipped her drink. She couldn't imagine dry, humorless Darian as anyone's lover. "Well, you didn't have to come so soon. Can't I at least have half an hour before my next lesson?"
"There will be some reshuffling in the aerial divisions," Langford said leadingly. "I think you had better get a head start on your studies."
