-The Academy of Magic-
'Harder than I thought...'
Priscilla clutched her tail as she pressed as hard she could to the wall. A chain of maidservants shuffling back and forth ferrying an assortment of toiletries, sheets, random snacks and late meals for students.
'Come on, I just need a clean break. How many maids are th-...oh no...'
Directly across from Priscilla a flaming lizard the size of small man stops in its tracks. It looks side to side searching for something before angling its head upwards, sniffing the air.
'Oh please, oh please, oh please, NOT NOW, FLAME!' Priscilla shivered as Flame slowed turned to face the invisible half-breed. She froze, breaking out into a cold sweat.
Against her expectations, Flame arranged himself to sit on his haunches to face her, but otherwise not moving from where he sat. Minutes passed with Flame lazily wagging his tail, ignoring and being ignored by the hired help, staring knowingly into the 'empty' space occupied by Priscilla. Eventually the waves of maids thinned until they finally disappeared entirely.
'Why, why, oh why did I have to show up during the evening rush...maybe I can sneak away from this evil lizard,' Priscilla thought as she shifted her left foot, drawing Flame's attention.
Hearing the miniscule sound generated by Priscilla, Flame's overall stillness was broken, the salamander springing to life. The harsh tackle pinned Priscilla to the wall where Flame proceeded to enthusiastically sniff the entirety of her body. Satisfied in finding the scent recognizable as his beloved dragon lady, Flame made to let out his distinctive bark when Priscilla clamped her arms around his face and dragged him down to the ground, silencing the salamander.
"Do not get used to it, dirty lizard," Priscilla whispered as she smothered Flame's face to her chest, "I am in the middle of an important task, I need to get to the Headmaster and I do NOT need an excitable lizard making a scene, got it?"
Flame wriggled his head in understanding, taking deep breaths as he did so.
"...Pig...," She mumbled as she pushed Flame away.
She took a few steps before hesitating, seemingly remembering something important.
"Uh, Flame? I do not seem to remember how to get to the Headmaster's office...," she gulped, "could you...help me..."
Flame formed the closest thing a salamander could that resembled a toothy smile.
'Oh, Velka help me...'
'You are on your own child.'
Priscilla let out a small squeak.
-Outside La Rochelle-
"She's changed, you know?" Sheffield said in a sing-song voice.
"Oh, You don't say," Wardes quipped.
Sheffield had taken to sitting on a pasture fence, swinging her legs childishly.
"Truly, your antics are getting on my nerves Lady Sheffield. Right hand to Cromwell or not, if you hadn't made her kill those children and that...thing...she wouldn't have had the change of heart."
Wardes let out an exasperated sigh when Sheffield simply grinned in response.
"We've lost an asset thanks to that stunt, we'll have to clean up loose ends too."
"Oh, we shouldn't have to worry about that, I already reported to the local inquisition," Sheffield laughed.
"Seriously? You have to stop doing things behi-...you're kidding me...," Wardes massaged the bridge of his nose as he turned towards Sheffield. Wardes was greeted by silence and nothingness.
-The Academy of Magic-
After following Flame's waddling behind through several hallways and many more staircases, Priscilla finally found herself facing the surprisingly barren and nondescript door to the Headmaster's office. A simple placard bearing Osmond's title being the only indication that she had found the right place.
'Humble I suppose,' she took a deep breath, 'here goes nothing...'
She gently turned the doorknob and cracked the door open enough to slip inside silently.
'Is he not here?' She thought.
She was surprised to see the Headmaster's desk empty. Papers were scattered across the desk, an open ink pot with a pen till inside, and a pipe freshly packed with tobacco suggested that the desk was recently occupied.
'Maybe he stepped out a moment? To the privy? Food maybe, it is about that time I believe. I should wait for hi-'
"HEEEEE!" Priscilla let out a restrained scream as her tail was harshly pinched by a suddenly slamming door, forcing her spell of invisibility to be dispelled in a light puff of snowflakes.
"AH! If it isn't the ever cute Priscilla, for what reason do I have the pleasure of you sneaking into my office?" Old Osmond innocently commented from the former blind spot to Priscilla's right, at the hinges of the doorway.
Priscilla shot the old man a baleful stare as she gingerly pulled her tail free, rubbing it to ease the pain.
"Oh, please forgive me. You must understand, you triggered quite a few detection spells and the door opened to reveal nothing, I'm well within my rights to be suspicious. Remember to take that into account when you decide to sneak around, you weren't exactly subtle," Osmond raised his eyebrows and grinned beneath the mass of his beard.
The headmaster, satisfied in his impromptu lesson on stealth, moved to sit behind his desk. He stopped only a moment to observe an irate salamander staring at him, trying desperately to be intimidating. Alternating his focus between the angered lizard and the smarting half-breed, he clapped his hands in a gesture of realization and pointed at Flame.
"I seem to have angered your boyfriend, I apologize again," he restrained a snort.
A sleek, black scythe embedded itself in the headrest of his relatively luxurious chair.
"You need a sense of humor, milady. But I'm sure you know that," Osmond said as he poked at the scythe in curiosity, "I assume you're here for a reason and not for a social visit? After all, you are supposed to be dead, right?"
At this statement Priscilla composed herself, giving Flame a warning look before stepping forward to Osmond's desk. She gave him a curt nod, prompting him to cast a silence spell for privacy.
"Quite," she deadpanned as she pulled out Fouqet's letter from her sleeve, "I came here to deliver this for Fouqet."
Osmond's face screwed into a visage of seriousness he lacked just a moment ago as he took the letter and opened it. After a moment, he placed the letter down on his desk and let out a deep sigh.
"Can't say I didn't see this coming. A matter of time really, though I wish it wasn't for THIS particular reason," Osmond lit his pipe, taking several deep puffs from it.
"Headmaster?"
"Young lady, would it too far-fetched to believe that Fouqet isn't who you believe her to be?" Osmond leaned back into his chair, shifting to the right slightly to accommodate the scythe.
"Well, I don't suppose so, she was already incognito as Longueville before...," Priscilla scratches at her neck in thought.
"Indeed, I've actually done some extensive digging into her past ever since I first suspected her. No easy task mind you, she is...very good at what she does," the headmaster placed his pipe down, pulling out a sheet of paper, an inkpot, and pen, "Now I fear her past has come to bite us all in the behind. I have to let the princess know her 'mission' and her dear Louise are in danger."
Priscilla was unsure how to react to Osmond's demeanor, the normally playful old man becoming grim and cold. Flame seemed to understand the situation, realizing something no one present knew. The salamander began to whine and tug at Priscilla's robes. Annoyed, she kneels to address him.
"What is it?" Priscilla said, pushing Flame's snout away.
Flame let out a low squeal before laying flat to the floor, placing his fore-paws to over his head. Never before had he so desperately wished to be able to speak the human languages. Old Osmond looked up from his correspondence, noticing the agitated familiar.
"Is something wrong with Flame, Priscilla?"
"I-I am not sure? He just started acting this way when you mentioned this...Louise...person," she responded, still kneeling by the whimpering Flame.
"Ah, could it be that, Flame, did your mistress follow Louise?"
At the mentioning of his summoner, Flame shot up to his hind legs, giving a pained bark. Old Osmond pinched the bridge of his nose.
"She has been around the Valliere near constantly ever since the incident. No doubt because she was the closest thing to a friend she had besides Tabitha," the old man sighed.
"Th-then she is in danger too?" Priscilla's head snapped in the direction of the headmaster, her face taking a similar grim expression to Osmonds.
She didn't know anything of the girl known as Louise, nor did she care at all about any royals of this land, but she knew Kirche. She not only knew Kirche but knew that she was the dearest friend to her summoner.
"I-is there a-anything that we can do?"
Taken back by the sudden change, Osmond ran a hand through his gray beard.
"Well, I'm afraid there isn't much we could do. Mathilda...er...Fouqet's real name mind you, is in a tight bind herself. Her 'employers', as she puts it, more or less are blackmailing her. Though I suppose indirectly holding someone dear to her hostage would be just as accurate," Osmond said.
"Could you not protect that person?" Priscilla rose to her feet.
"That is problematic, you see. This person is of a troubling heritage, a half-elf to be exact. They are most likely threatening to turn her in to the church. Even if we were to try, we couldn't get to her and then let Mathilda know in time to prevent anything from happening to my students, " taking his pipe to his mouth once more, Osmond started taking a long drag from it.
The feeling of powerlessness pained him to no end. In the end he could at least send a message via bird to the palace, in the hopes that damage would be minimal. Priscilla had taken to pacing beside Flame, chewing nervously at her right thumb in though. Flame watched the half-breed in relative silence.
"Is this person really that far?" Priscilla asked.
"She runs an orphanage in Albion to be exact," Osmond answered with a deep frown, slowly exhaling smoke from his nose.
'If I remember correctly, that is a floating island country...I would need...to..' Priscilla's musings were interrupted when she noticed a crow sitting on the windowsill.
'Vel- M-mother?'
'Yes dear.'
Priscilla darted to the window, ignoring the surprised Osmond and Flame.
'M-mother, did you bring-'
'Yes,' the crow goddess interrupted Priscilla mid thought.
'And you could-'
'Yes,' Velka once more interrupted, a faint giggle crept into the back of Priscilla's mind.
The half-breed slowly straighten and turned to face the confused headmaster.
"Lady Priscilla? Are you okay?" He asked.
Flame sat wide eyed, staring intensely at the crow.
"Mr. Osmond...give me directions to the orphanage and a description of this person," Priscilla smiled.
Taking out another sheet of paper, Osmond reluctantly complied, handing the final product to Priscilla.
"And what do you plan to do with this?" He asks.
"What we both wish to do, headmaster," Priscilla said as she pulled her scythe free.
Priscilla vanished in a light puff of snowflakes, only the wetness of the remains, the gentle click of the door, and the large gash in Osmond's chair told of her visit.
"Well then, I wish you luck," Osmond, still confused returned to writing the letter to the palace.
Flame remained in the office, unnoticed by the preoccupied man. He cautiously made his way to the window where the crow sat lazily, bringing his face up to get a closer look. He was unsure what to think of the crow.
'Yes, you heard me talking to her. No, you are not going mad. Yes, I can understand you. No, she could not, and most likely will never understand you,' Velka gave a vicious peck at Flame's forehead, 'and stop molesting my daughter, you pervert!'
Flame recoiled, cowering in front of the violent bird.
'Ye-yes ma'am!'
-Fouqet's Cottage-
Priscilla made excellent time on her return trip, only being out done by her first time when she was consumed by an adrenaline boosted panic. She made no effort to calm herself as she slammed the door to the cottage open.
"Get yourselves ready, we leave for Albion now!" Priscilla yelled between her own gasps for breath.
'W-what? Where did this come from?" Siesta had jumped from her seat in surprise.
"Fouqet?" Tabitha looked up.
"Yes, well, partly because of her. Your friend Kirche is in danger too!"
This time Tabitha jumped from her chair, nearly tumbling to the floor in the process.
"H-how?" Tabitha questioned, her face still seemingly frozen in her usual emotionless state, a slight frown and twitching eyebrow betraying the image.
"Apparently she has been with the Valliere girl, Louise ever since we left, so she followed her on the mission," Priscilla said as she placed her hands on her knees, panting, "anyway, hurry, I'll meet you at the statue, do not question it."
With that, Priscilla left leaving Siesta and Tabitha to prepare. Siesta changed into her full overcoat and robes, tucking as many sorcery scrolls as she could into a satchel she found. Tabitha simply waited, thinking.
'Why would I even go? I can't use magic like anymore, I haven't even learned Siesta's Sorcery. I'm not sure I could even fight, certainly not like Priscilla could.'
Siesta shouldered the satchel and grabbed her staff catalyst, once more adjusting her wide-brimmed hat. Pulling the door open, she looks back at Tabitha.
"Well, are you coming?"
Tabitha flinched out of her thoughts.
"Ah, ye-"
'A moment, child.'
Tabitha froze.
"Is something wrong, Tabitha?"
'It will not be long, she can not hear me.'
"I-I'll catch up, go on," Tabitha responded, eyes widened slightly more than usual.
"A-alright, if you say so...you sure you okay?" She received a quick nod from Tabitha before finally leaving, the door slowly closing on its own behind her.
"Who are you? Where are you?" Tabitha said quietly, her eyes narrowing.
'Easy child, I am a friend. And behind you.'
Quickly turning into a defensive pugilist stance, Tabitha was confused to find nothing behind her.
'Down...'
Tabitha shifted her gaze towards the floor to see a crow, absently grooming itself on a bundle of black cloth. Tabitha tilted her head in confusion.
'Oh? Nothing? Well, I should have expected such a reaction.'
"What are you?"
The crow tilted its own head.
'Why, I believe you may know already, if the dreams you have had are any indication. Honestly, Priscilla should have told you of our meeting by now...but it can not be helped I suppose...'
"Crow...Priscilla...you're Velka?"
Velka hopped off the bundle of cloth, taking a few small crow steps towards Tabitha.
'Yes, yes, the goddess, the one and only. Now we have not much time for introductions. So please, do not faint or go into shock.'
Tabitha gulped and nodded.
'Good, for someone your size you certainly seem rather hardy. I come bearing gifts for my dear Priscilla's treasured friend. It would not do for harm to come to you. Go on, these are yours now. Ha, Priscilla will be surprised when she sees them for sure.'
The crow flies up to the table and nods its beak, motioning towards the bundle. Tabitha steps forward, poking at it with her foot and looking at Velka with suspicion.
'Go on, child.'
Tabitha kneels down, taking the bundle. Unwrapping the layers revealed a set of robes, pants, boots, gloves, and an oddly ornate helm. At the center was a slender sheathed blade, a rapier if Tabitha wasn't mistaken.
'Welcome to the family, Tabitha.'
"Priscilla, this pace still gives me the creeps," Siesta rubbed her shoulders as she shivered.
"Oh, grow up, there is nothing to be afraid of here. Anyway, we will be going just past here," Priscilla parted the brush behind the statue and pushed through, breaking branches and slicing undergrowth to create a path for Siesta.
Letting Siesta pass, Priscilla looks around, frowning on concern.
"Hey Siesta, where is Tabitha?"
"Oh, she said she'd catch up, I honestly don't know what she would be doing back there though," Siesta shrugged.
The rustling of underbrush drawn their attentions back towards where they came from.
"I'm here," the cool voice of Tabitha called to them.
"Oh, in that case, let us conti-"
"Tabitha! What are you wearing?" Siesta interrupted Priscilla.
The half-breed turned to see what caused Siesta's outburst only to be choke on her own spit at the sight of Tabitha clad entirely in black with highlights of silver, a blade slung on her left hip and an ornate helmet tucked under her right arm.
'Those are Pardoner's robes, where did...oh...Velka?'
'Yes dear?'
'This is your doing is it not?'Priscilla only received the mental laughter of an eccentric witch goddess.
Priscilla shook her head, motioning for Siesta to drop the issue and for Tabitha to follow.
"So, just what are we here for?" Siesta asked.
"Didn't know about this," Tabitha said, noting a rather steep, if not sheer cliff.
"Oh, you will see, just be patient," Priscilla said, despite showing all the signs of impatience as she walked to the edge of the cliff.
Beyond the cliff lay what seemed like endless forest, back dropped by the setting sun and rising moons. Siesta and Tabitha had begun to gaze out at the sight. The two human girls froze as they heard the beating of wings. Priscilla's excitement seemed to heighten, as she held her scythe to her chest and bounced on the balls of her feet. As the beating got louder, Priscilla turned and grabbed on to the smaller girls, one in each arm.
"Here she is! Our ride to Albion...," Priscilla yelled in barely restrained cheer.
As if on cue, a massive crow appeared from below the cliff. A screech rang out, feathers scattered, and time seemed to slow as the giant bird's talon armed feet stretched out to grasp the excited half-breed and terrified girls, wings outstretched and beak open.
"SNUGGLY!" Priscilla squealed in delight before all three were snatched up by the monstrous being.
-Tiffania's Orphanage-
She couldn't understand what was going on, why anyone would be doing this. Even the occasional bandits weren't this persistent, only sometimes requiring her to use 'that'. She hated using 'that'. No matter who she used it on, she always felt guilt in doing so, feeling dirty even. So she prayed instead, surrounded by the children she cared for, she prayed that those outside would give up and leave.
"Come out and no harm will come you," the armored man outside yelled as he pounded on the barricaded door, a sick smile hidden beneath his full face helm, " we only wish to question you."
"W-what about the children!?" Tiffania yelled back.
The banging stopped.
"They will be taken care of, we promise you."
'Perhaps...perhaps this will be different, but...they'll find out about me...'
Tiffania stood, grasping her mother's ring to her chest, slipping it on in the process.
"I-if it is only for s-some questions...," she adjusted her sun hat, ensuring her ears were hidden.
She reached for the plank of wood barring the door, her instincts screaming at her to not undo that barrier. Her instincts screamed for her to use 'that'. The magic she hated, to alter their memories. Instead, she slowly pulled the plank to the side. To the children and her horror, almost immediately the door was kicked in, sending Tiffania flat in her back. Armed soldiers flooded the room, surrounding the half-elf.
"Tiffania Westwood, you are hereby under arrest by authority of the Inquisition," the lead soldier announced sword drawn, kicking off Tiffania's hat and sneering, "on several accounts of heresy and consorting with elves...as well as being an abomination...half-elf."
'I-Inquisition!?'
Tiffania lifted her left hand, the one bearing the ring, and begun to cast her magic in as much a haste she could muster. The lead soldier preempted her casting with a sweep of his sword, cleanly slicing off the finger with the ring as well as the two surrounding finger. Tiffania had only a split second before her mind registered what she had seen and the pain caught up to her, crumpling into the fetal positions and clutching her bleeding hand. The children joined her in the screams and crying.
"We won't be having any of that, bitch. I don't know why, but we are supposed to bring you in alive, don't make this harder than it has to be. And as for the whelps, well, unfortunately they are guilty of consorting as well, and they don't have to be taken in alive."
"N-no...," Tiffania tried to reach out to the children, only to be kicked in the stomach.
"Get to it men," the lead soldier signaled for someone to bandage and restrain the half-elf, stepping over her to approach the children, "don't worry kids, this will be painless...mostly."
He raised his sword to strike down the first child, a boy who somehow mustered the courage shield the others, only to stop mid swing as a scream rang out followed by a loud thump and clang. The scream did not belong to a child. He turned to see the figure of a man standing over the half-elf, clad in chain mail and a tabard bearing an unfamiliar coat of arms. Behind the figure a blond woman stepped out of a buzzing green portal.
"Just who the he-," the soldier was unable to speak further as the man nimbly pushed a sword through his chest.
The man kicked the dieing soldier off his sword as he turned to face the others. He spoke briefly in an unfamiliar language as the soldiers slowly overcame the shock of losing their medic and captain to this newcomer.
One of the soldiers, a minor noble and second in command, whipped out a wand.
"FIREBALL!" the noble launched a burst of fire at the man.
The man was enshrouded by the flames. For a moment it seemed that the noble had succeeded in incinerating the man.
The crackle of the flames were then eclipsed by a sharper crackle just before a brilliant flash dissipated the fire and a bolt of light slammed into the noble, sending him doubling over into the far wall behind him. He died of cardiac arrest.
The man stood where he was hit by the fire, shaking his head slowly as if in disappointment, his left arm extended in front of him, index and middle finger pointing forward with the remaining holding an odd piece of folded fabric. The remaining soldiers looked among themselves, only mundane men remained in their ranks. With hesitation they decided to charge the man in unison, hoping to overwhelm him.
The man drew back his left arm, light crackling in his hand once more before thrusting it forward, sending another dieing man flying to the wall. A forward kick knocked the first soldier to reach him back as another was parried and stabbed through the chest.
Another soldier thrust forward, only to meet air as the man dropped forward and to the side, rolling over his shoulder. Coming out of the roll he twisted around, swinging his sword in a horizontal arc, slicing at the back of the soldier's knees, followed by a stab in the back.
The soldier that was kicked earlier had since recovered, making for a clumsy overhead lunge only to be disarmed easily and having his throat slashed, he crumpled to the floor gurgling as he died.
The man stood amidst the carnage, finally seeing that every combatant aside from himself was dead or dieing. He mumbled once more in a foreign tongue, looking at the terrified huddled mass of children before shaking his head. He walked briskly towards the pitiful sobbing form of Tiffania, his blond companion kneeling over her. He quietly spoke to his companion, who nodded and smiled.
The blond woman looked over the surrounding floor a moment, gathering the lost fingers, seemingly unphased by the carnage. She pulled out a fold of cloth similar to the man's and once again knelt over Tiffania, tugging the bloodied hand from the half-elf's chest regardless of the pained protests. The woman brought the cloth to her chest and bent forward as if in prayer as a soft yellow light enveloped her and Tiffania. After a moment bathing in this light it faded, the woman allowed Tiffania to pull her hand away, giving the half-elf a light chirp of approval.
Tiffania marveled at her hand, the hand that at one time was missing several fingers and bleeding profusely. It was fine, not a mark, not a scar or speck of blood to be seen. She stared at the blond woman in disbelief, only to see her smiling brightly in return. She then turned her head to the children, who still huddled together, though quiet and subdued. Her eyes widened as she seen the bloodied forms of the soldiers that had once terrorized them. Her gaze snapped towards the other person beside her. The man had removed his helm, revealing a similarly blond head of hair and smile as the woman. He had his hand extended, offering to bring Tiffania to her feet. Taking his hand and using his arm to steady herself as she stood.
"Th-thank you, I...we...owe you," Tiffania rubbed her newly healed hand.
In gratitude, Tiffania first drew the woman close into a light hug, giving her a soft peck on the cheek. Quickly she did the same for the man, perhaps lingering longer, drawing an annoyed look and hum from the woman. Pulling away she bowed and was about to turn to take care of the children when the two strangers flinched and began to rub their chests.
"Well, I believe this to be a new feeling, do you not agree Anastacia?" The man yelped as he tapped his chest.
Anastacia, as she was called, responded with a pout, still rubbing just above her bust.
'What was that about? Where did they come from anyway...wait I think I...oh my...did I...summon them? And did I...oh, oh dear,' Tiffania broke into a cold sweat.
"Oh? Is something the matter? It seems that you can understand us at any rate. You may call me Solaire by the by," the man, Solaire, placed a hand on Tiffania's shoulder.
"I-I'm fine, b-but...I think I have m-made a mistake...," Tiffania's eyes darted between the two newcomers nervously.
"Oh? And that would be...?" Solaire quirked an eyebrow in concern.
Tiffania let out a soft whine and gulped under his too gentle gaze.