Chapter 14 – Worth of an Alliance

In Solis 460, Windsdei, the 30th of Avrai:

Dear Diary,

Muse City is buzzing in anticipation of the Hilltop Conference tomorrow. People have literally come to blows over the chance to get a glimpse of the various delegations. Yesterday's arrival of the Tinto delegation marks the last. They are all here; now the Jowston Alliance can settle down to the business of expelling Luca Blight from its territory. And then this war will be over, not a moment too soon.

Viktor has taken the kids out to see more of the sights, as he's done every day for the past six. They all seem to be recovering nicely from their harrowing experience during spying mission and its aftermath. Well, I suppose they do deserve a chance to have fun; they've already been through more hardship than most. The only problem with that is Viktor's left the work of seeing to the men up to me. I only hope that I can get back from my duties in time for the Conference.

Flik closed the diary. If he had any hope of meeting that goal, he'd have to get things rolling immediately. He clipped tight the clasp on his blue cape and tucked the diary under his right arm. Then, closing the door to his room behind him, he walked downstairs to the bar.

Leona was purposefully striding over to him even before he'd reached the bottom of the stairs. "That man has got to go." She gestured towards Zamza, who was busily trying to chat up one of the serving girls. The girl ignored him. "He doesn't help at all, he's annoying, and no one will share a room with him." One of the bouncers had stepped between him and the waitress, and Zamza was just beginning to raise his voice, exclaiming about the "rudeness of some people."

Flik rolled his eyes. "I'm on it."

He strode towards Zamza swiftly, watching as the irate mage escalated from shouting to jabbing at the bouncer with his finger. The bouncer's hands strayed down towards his cudgel, but then he noted Flik, and backed down. Zamza didn't notice anything until Flik grabbed him by the shoulder. He glanced sharply in Flik's direction, but then moderated his tone. "Ah, now here's a good chap. Can you believe this ruffian?" Zamza continued, pointing at the bouncer. "He's ruined a perfectly good conversation I was trying to have with that nice young lady. I tell you, some people are so insufferably rude. The worst part is that they don't even realize it. Let me tell you, have you ever been in a conversation with the sort of boor who won't let you get a word in edgewise? All you can do is just stand there and nod and hope he gets the hint."

Flik nodded. Then, catching Zamza taking a breath, he said, as pleasantly as he could fake it, "I was thinking about your accommodations. Especially at how…limited they are."

"Yes, yes, my rooms are so very meager." He frowned, deeply, though it seemed very theatrical to Flik's eyes. "Not at all like the place you gave me back at the fort. That was a nasty piece of business, it being burned down and all. I bore it all with my usual grace, of course, and helped Master Riou get to Muse."

"Well," Flik interjected, "if you'll follow me, I believe I can get you some rooms more to your liking." Without waiting for Zamza's response, he turned and walked towards the doors.

Naturally enough, Zamza followed, babbling conversationally all the way. "Those rooms in the fort were great; it's just too bad that I never got a chance to accessorize them properly. Hey, do you think we could stop by one of those carpenters on the way to these new rooms? One of the upscale ones, of course."

Flik ignored him as he stepped outside, adjusting to the light and temperature of the morning. The weather had not yet warmed up to the degree that he considered normal for mid-spring in Toran, though he'd heard some of the locals complaining about the early heat. He shrugged; at least he wasn't waking up to his own misting breath most mornings.

A curious collection of men and carts waited outside the inn. Many of the men were new recruits, about a hundred, formed by yelling sergeants into a rough approximation of a marching column. The recruits were a motley bunch, some obviously nervous, a few feigning indifference, and others puffed up on self-importance. The ten carts, aside from Tsai's cart of Fire Spears, were full of various supplies: foodstuffs, armor and weapons, saddles for horses, and even the wood needed to expand the number of beds in the fort.

Barbara, naturally enough, was overseeing the supplies. Noting Flik's arrival, she turned and said, "Everything's loaded up. This will hold you for at least a week, unless you silly men decided to stuff your ears with the food."

Flik chuckled; it was likely that Barbara had seen to it that there was enough food even if the men decided to stuff their ears with it. "What about you?" Flik asked. "When are you coming up to the fort?"

"When you make it more livable than the inn," she answered. "I don't mind roughing it, but not when I know I can get hot baths here."

There wasn't much to say to that; after all, Flik liked hot baths, too. He looked aside, seeing the senior sergeant Tarrance riding forward, leading Flik's horse. Handing the reins to Flik, he said, "There are two people who wish to speak to you, sir. They are Master Huan and young Tuta. They're just beyond the end of the inn, sir." He paused to frown disapprovingly at the assembled recruits. "We're as ready to move out as we'll ever be."

Flik nodded. "Right after I see what the good doctor wants." Leading his horse, he walked over to where the doctor and his apprentice waited. They were just beyond the lead cart. Tuta, standing next to his bag of medical tools and another bag that Flik hadn't seen before, was gazing at the men with wonder and what seemed to be a touch of nervousness. Surprisingly, his master, Huan, also seemed nervous, shifting his hands over his orange dress gown and red tunic, and then suddenly adjusting the glasses on his face.

The doctor bowed as Flik approached. "Good morning, commander," Huan said, shifting his sandaled feet slightly. "I'm sorry to take up your time, but I've come to beg a favor." Flik's eyebrows shot up, but before he could speak, the doctor continued. "Actually, it's a favor for my apprentice, so perhaps he should ask."

Tuta took a moment to gather himself, stepped slightly forward, and excitedly spoke, "I'd like to…um…join your mercenaries. As their doctor, of course. Riou came around the other day and I asked him and he said I could join, but my master thought I should get your permission, too." Huan put a reassuring hand on Tuta's shoulder when his apprentice stopped.

Flik looked back at the doctor. "Are you okay with this? I mean, this is war, he's likely to see some pretty ghastly stuff."

Huan smiled serenely, which, with his long hair, made him look much younger than he actually was. "There is only so much that Tuta can learn by studying pictures in books, even under my instruction. He must practice his craft to improve and to do that, he will have to see many ghastly things." He squeezed Tuta's shoulder and the boy looked up at his master's face, smiling. Huan met his apprentice's gaze. "You'll do well, Tuta. All you lack is experience." Then he turned back to Flik, pushing Tuta gently out in front. "I leave him in your care, Flik." Huan nodded and swiftly departed, leaving Flik standing in front of Tuta, feeling very much like he'd been blind-sided by a carriage.

Tuta tugged at Flik's arm. "You'll really let me set up a ward in the fort?" he asked, still nervous.

Flik was still staring after the doctor. "Yeah, that's no problem."

Tuta's manner immediately changed, all hesitation gone from his voice. "I'll need about five or six orderlies from your men, then. They need to be reasonably intelligent and good with their hands; I'll let you pick the men. Also, I'll need at least twenty beds, and more like fifty if you can spare them."

Flik blinked. "What?"

"Then I'll need to do an inventory on all the…uh…alcohol. I'll need something to knock my surgery patients out with."

Right around the word "surgery" Flik finally realized that Tuta was serious about going through with this. He reached down, grabbed the larger of Tuta's two bags, and started towards one of the carts. Tuta obligingly followed, carrying the other, and continuing to list off things that he needed. "And a cabinet, of course. Probably several, actually. Gauze, too, lots and lots of gauze."

Flik arrived at the closest cart, where Hanna sat in the driver's position. He passed Tuta's bag up and then hoisted the kid into position. "Look after him; he's going to be the fort's doctor."

Hanna glanced bemusedly at Tuta, who sat looking rather awestruck by the female warrior from the Nameless Lands. Then she smiled. "I shall look after this son you have given me." Flik nearly fainted at that announcement, catching himself with one hand on the side of the cart. Hanna chuckled at his antics. "There is no need to worry, commander," she continued, cheerfully. "This usage of 'son' comes from my homeland, where it refers to anyone smaller than the speaker."

Flik fought off his blushing. He also didn't wait around to find out if the term "son" covered him, as well. There being no further delays, he got the column of carts and men underway, leading them through the crowded city streets. Like last time, the throngs of people paid his men little heed, making his progress difficult to say the least. To pass the time, he watched other groups of people struggling to get to their destinations. On one street, he saw a group of White Knights, from Matilda, seemingly unsure of how to get the crowd to make way. Over on another street corner, he saw a pair of Duck Clan merchants, from the Grasslands, arguing over whether to go right or left. Their Lizard guards lounged uncomfortably on the wall of a residence, drawing stares even from the cosmopolitan people of Muse.

Eventually, they made their way up the causeway to the monument and the conference hall. Here Flik let the men take a break, some of them sitting down in the shade to find some respite from the sun. Flik smiled, the southwest breeze and spring warmth suited him just fine, though there were clouds building up out of the south. The Blue Moon -half-full, waning, and only a pale wisp in the daylight- was just rising out of the east. The Scarlet Moon would follow along later.

"Commander, sir, I'd like a word with you."

Flik turned as a woman with short blond hair, a purple coat, and high-heeled iron boots approached. This was Anita, who since her arrival about seven days ago, had done nothing but sit at her one table, yell at anyone who came close, and occasionally walk over to the bar to rail at Leona for cutting her off from the drinks. Somehow, Riou had recruited her into the force. Flik still didn't know how this had been accomplished. Leona would only say that it had involved some antitoxin and a bowl of sake. Viktor had commented, "The kid's got scary good luck with the ladies. I'm a little envious."

"Yes?" Flik answered, shaking out of his reverie.

Anita didn't smile, but continued speaking much as if she were going down a checklist. "You were in the Liberation Army, during the war, right?"

"Yes."

"Valeria, now one of the Six Great Generals of the Republic, was also in the Liberation Army, yes?" Anita's tone suggested that she knew the answer already.

"Yes." Flik tried to keep his impatience from showing on his face. "Your point?"

Now Anita's eyes seemed to blaze with eagerness. "Tell me about her time in the war. How was her technique? How well did she do?"

Flik felt compelled to turn away from her gaze. "She was an excellent swordswoman, and she had a rune that helped her focus her attacks. She was instrumental at Pannu Yakuta and in many other battles. Whether on attack or defense, she always seemed to be at the fiercest fighting."

He sensed, rather than saw, Anita's nod. "Of course, she could hardly deserve to be called my rival if she was not the best." There was a pause, and then she asked, "Who is more beautiful, her or me?"

Suddenly he felt every little bead of sweat forming on his forehead. "I'm," he had to stop to take in a breath, or maybe release one. "I'm not really sure."

Anita had stepped around to his other side, back into view. She wasn't smiling. "Oh come on, it's not a difficult question. Who's more beautiful?"

Flik worked on finding a suitable way to dodge the question. "I really couldn't say; I mean, she's not here for me to compare."

If anything, Anita's frown deepened. "What kind of man are you? Didn't you even look at the most beautiful woman in the Liberation Army?"

He bit down hard on the harsh response forming in his mouth, swallowing it for good measure. Anita continued to stare directly at him. Finally, he answered, curtly, "We didn't spend much of our free time together. I certainly didn't seek her out for companionship. I had other things on my mind at the time."

She huffed angrily into his face. "Well, you don't have to get all bent out of shape about it. All I asked was a simple question. Forget about it, if it upsets you so much. I'll just ask the big guy. He'll probably have an opinion." With that, she stalked off, her iron heels clicking off the white bricks of the road.

They arrived at the Dawn Fort just after the end of dusk. The supplies were unloaded and the new recruits were quickly hustled off to their new living quarters. Tuta quickly appropriated an unused room to serve as his ward. Anita sniffed disdainfully at the fort and wandered off to find a secluded room, saying she might consent to training some of the men in swordplay sometime in the morning. Zamza, exclaiming that the new rooms were "just perfect" dashed off to begin jotting down a list of possible improvements. Hanna seemed to have disappeared after the unloading.

Flik took in a hasty meal of beef and vegetable soup, more vegetable than meat, and more broth than anything. There were some hard rye rolls to sop up the broth. Not for the first time, Flik wondered about hiring on a professional chef to see to the cooking.

After dinner, Flik sat down to a meeting with the senior sergeants. Karl, a senior sergeant with the infantry, spoke first. "Sir, with this latest batch of recruits in, we now approach the fighting strength we had in East Muse. Unfortunately," he frowned, "it will be some time before we approach our old combat effectiveness. Most of these recruits would run from their own shadows. They seem to think this'll be easy money, but we'll soon put paid to that notion." There were several snorts and guffaws in response to Karl's statement.

"What about enemy movements?" Flik asked. "Rossgard, do you have any news?"

"Almost everything my men hear is rumors, sir. Some of the Matilda Knights seemed sure that Highland would come after them. One of the border guards swore that he saw Luca Blight at the north border of Muse, riding down the Highland side of the checkpoint." Rossgard frowned at that last bit of news. "I don't know whether to believe him or not, but it's not good news if he's there."

"No," Flik agreed, "it's not good news. And we have to work under the assumption that Luca Blight really is there. We all know that they're planning a quick campaign" -he still wished that Riou and Jowy had not been caught up in the spying mission- "so we'll need to be very alert once he makes his move."

The meeting moved on to other subjects, mostly a discussion about the soundness of the fort walls. Flik mentioned Tuta, noting that he would be the mercenaries' resident doctor. The sergeants took the news with approval; they knew the young man well. The news that Anita was to be chief blade instructor to Riou's unit they took with measured silence; they'd wait and see how that turned out. The meeting wound down, and Flik went to bed, content that he'd managed to arrange everything in time for the conference.

The fort woke early, and Flik with it. Breakfast was the remains of last night's dinner, with some of the winter apples that had been brought up the day before. Flik found it singularly unappetizing, and hurried through it. Outside, with the rising sun burning off the morning mist, he found Hanna organizing the empty wagons for a return trip. Rossgard was busy organizing the squad of riders who'd serve as Flik's escort.

"Morning, sir," he greeted, when Flik walked over. "Hopefully, things will go well at the conference and we won't have to worry so much about the Highlanders."

Flik nodded, mounting his horse. "Indeed. Today we see the worth of an alliance."

Then, checking that the men were ready to go, Flik led them out past Hanna and the carts, moving off at a trot into the face of the rising sun. By tradition, the conference would begin at the moment of exact noon, and he did not want to miss it if at all possible. As they rode west, Flik could see the other forts of the outer defenses, appearing as the mist gave way. The road was empty of other travelers, though they did startle a family of white-tailed deer that had been grazing by the side. Hours passed, the sun rose higher in the sky, and finally Muse and the conference hall were visible. Drawing nearer, Flik could see a cordon of city patrolmen guarding the entrance from the east. There was quite a crowd of dignitaries and spectators around the causeway and western approaches.

Reaching the cordon, Flik halted the patrol and dismounted. One of the watchmen approached and asked, "Your business, mister?"

Pulling out Lady Anabelle's orders, Flik tried a bluff. "I've got important information for the mayor. I need to get through." The watchman frowned, at least, until Flik added a bag of potch to the bluff. Then he nodded.

"You can go through. Your men will have to wait here."

After ordering the men back to the fort, Flik passed through the cordon. Inside, there was much more of a carnival atmosphere, with merchants having set up stalls on nearly every available patch of grass, and members of each delegation's entourage milling about. Eschewing the delegate's entrance, Flik worked his way towards the visitor's entrance. Here the normal citizens thronged, not really expecting to get in, but waiting to be the first to hear whatever decisions were made. However, one group of people did seem to be trying to negotiate with the woman who blocked the portal in.

"Hey, don't you recognize my face?" a big, booming voice shouted. "My face is all the proof I need." The owner of such "proof" was none other than Viktor, with Riou, Jowy, and Nanami in tow.

The woman was unimpressed. "I'm sorry, but you're not on the list of dignitaries, so I can't let you in."

This news seemed to distress Viktor. "What?" He goggled. "Anabelle would never forget about me. This must be Jess' fault. Why, the next time I see him I'll pound his scrawny little-"

At this point, Flik intervened, walking towards Viktor. "I hope you're not thinking of using your "good trick" again." He laughed as Viktor did a double take in the direction of his voice.

Then Viktor laughed as well. "Glad you could make it, Flik. I thought you were going to miss out on all the festivities. Now if only we could get through this official."

"Oh!" The woman's eyes grew wide at the sight of Flik coming up to stand next to Viktor. "Are you really Sir Flik? The one they call 'Flik of the Blue Lightning'?"

Flik blushed; it was obvious that silly nickname was stuck on him. "Uh…yes," he answered.

The woman shrieked in pleasure and rushed forward to grab Flik's hand. "Oh I can't believe it! I'm standing next to the gorgeous Flik of the Blue Lightning! This is the very best day of my whole entire life!"

Viktor furrowed his brow in consternation. "They don't recognize my face in my home country, but somehow they know yours?" he asked.

Flik was too busy fending off his exuberant fan to try and respond to Viktor. Instead, he asked, "Could we…uh…get in there, please?"

She seemed to be trying to melt into his arms. "Anything for my precious Blue Lightning," she cooed.

"Precious?" Viktor chuckled.

"I'll just-" Flik finally managed to disengage from her and stepped past. "Come on, let's go before this whole thing's over." He turned and dashed into the building.

From behind, he heard the woman say. "I'll be waiting right here for you, after the conference ends. We can see some more of each other, right?"

Risking a quick glance back, he saw her leaning against the frame of the entrance, fanning herself with one hand. Finally Flik rounded the corner and was safe.

Viktor and the others caught up with him there, as he paused to collect his wits. They seemed quite amused by his discomfiture. "Enough!" Flik said, when their collective chuckles threatened to burst into full-throated laughter. "Let's just find some seats."

Walking down the windowed corridor, he found that it very quickly opened into the main conference room. It was rectangular in shape, with a second level viewing gallery that was packed with people. A large oaken conference table dominated the lower level, with flags representing the six city-states hung above the three chairs on each side. A seventh chair stood at the head of the table, at the far wall of the room.

A trumpet fanfare suddenly startled Flik, snapping him out of looking around the room. "Mayor of Muse City, Lady Anabelle," a female herald announced. There was much shuffling in the gallery as people turned to watch the mayor arrive. She was dressed simply in her working clothes, with Jess trailing in behind her. She glanced at Viktor for one moment, smiled slightly, and then made her way to the head of the table. Jess' face betrayed nothing.

Viktor gestured towards a series of smaller tables at the closer wall. Many of them already had seated dignitaries, but one in the back appeared to be empty. "That's where we'll do our sightseeing."

Viktor led the way, with Flik and the others following. He had not yet proceeded very far when a gruff voice rumbled, "Out of the way, girl." Flik turned around just in time to see Nanami stumble backwards out of the way of the speaker. She landed with a squeak on the tiled floor. The speaker, who swept past without a look towards Nanami, was a heavy-set older knight. He was one of the White Knights of Matilda. Though his hair and beard were completely gray, he moved with a dangerous determination. He was dressed for battle, mail gloves visible out past the sleeves of his white tunic and gray mantle. The sword on his hip shifted with his stride.

Two younger knights followed at his heels, representatives of the Red and Blue Knights. The Red Knight, with blond hair, knelt down to see to Nanami, his purple half-cape fluttering in the air. Nanami was not happy. "Creep!" she shouted. "Are you trying to kill somebody?" The White Knight, now halfway across the room, didn't hear the remark, or perhaps, affected to not hear the remark.

"Pardon us, gentle lady," the Red Knight said, drawing Nanami's attention. "I believe he was but overeager. Might we beg your forgiveness?"

Riou took a step back towards his sister; Flik put out his hand to catch his shoulder. Nanami, still sitting on the floor, blushed and ran a hand through her hair. "No," she answered, flustered. "I mean, yes." She smiled wonderingly up at the Red Knight.

His comrade, a black haired man in a blue and black surcoat, spoke, "What are you doing, Camus?" He shifted tensely, glancing towards Viktor and Flik, and then back at the Red Knight.

Camus didn't seem put off by the tone. "I am merely fulfilling the requirements of chivalry, Miklotov. It is a knight's duty to be polite and courteous to a lady."

The lady in question continued to babble from the floor. "Ah-I…it's…I'm okay."

Camus helped her to her feet, smiling all the while. "It gladdens my heart to hear that. But now, I hope that you will excuse my departure."

Miklotov nodded. "Hurry up; it's also a knight's duty to attend his lord- in a timely manner." The two knights turned to follow their commander, leaving Nanami staring off after them.

"Did you hear?" she exclaimed breathlessly. "Riou, Jowy, he called me a lady!"

"So what?" Viktor said. "He's a knight; he'll call any woman "lady", even an old crone."

Nanami stuck out her tongue.

Flik, seeing that everything had turned out well, and noting the next group of dignitaries eyeing the empty table in the back, said, "Come on, let's take our seats."

As they shuffled into place, the herald continued announcing.

"Knight-Commander of the Matilda Knights and Captain of the White Knights, Lord Gorudo."

"Representative General of Two River City, Lord Makai."

"Acting Mayor of Greenhill City, Lady Teresa."

"Mayor of Tinto City, Lord Gustav."

"Mayor of South Window City, Lord Granmeyer."

"Commander of the Muse City Forces, Lord Hauser."

By this time, all of the chairs around the table were filled, and the two entrances to the room had been sealed off by guards. With the sound of gears grinding, a narrow strip in the roof was opened, revealing a shaft of light which fell almost on the center of the table. Imperceptibly, the light crawled towards the exact center, and a faceted diamond that had been set into that exact location. Suddenly, the light flared, reaching the center, refracted by the diamond and carried out to mirrors. For a moment, dazzling color filled the whole hall. In the next moment, it was gone. Silence had descended.

Solemnly, Anabelle stood, and the whole assembly rose with her. Flik, at the back of the room, shifted to try and keep her in view. Then she spoke, loud and clear, voice pitched slightly up to carry:

"By the grace and dominion of the Twenty-Seven True Runes, under the Covenant of Jowstone, established in Solis three-fourteen, I hereby call to order this, the one hundred and forty-seventh sitting of the Jowston Alliance."