XXV. LAND OF PEACE
Hefting the massive culverin into the air with both arms, Sir Dyarka released the mechanism, sending a searing enchanted round blasting out towards its mark-their longsuffering quarry, the Archangel.
"Evade!" Captain Murrue barked to Arnold at the helm, the ship's rudder clearly straining from the swerve. One of the lower balconies as well as a burning mast were spewing thick trails of dark smoke into the air, despite the best efforts of Romero and his men. In addition to endangering the ship, it had the unfortunate effect of occluding their view of present surroundings.
But then again, things never did quite seem in their favor. Sometimes the Captain half-wondered if the ship might have been cursed during its construction. It would certainly explain a few peculiarities. After all, had any ship seen so much of battle only months from its maiden voyage?
"Fire the Valiant rockets and Wombat cannon arrays!" Lieutenant Natarle shouted to Tolle and the others, snapping the Captain's attention back to the present.
On cue, the ship's enchanted munitions blasted forth from its decks amidst a shrieking mass of enchanted rockets, carefully aimed by their operators, who made haste to load another round as soon the first had flown.
Sir Nycol and Sir Yzak quickly separated, avoiding the impact of the shot whilst they reposed with hastily conjured lightning strikes to destroy the cannon rounds from above.
"What are you doing, Sir Dyarka? Halt that ship's advance now!" Sir Yzak shouted to his compatriot sternly.
"I know!" Sir Dyarka retorted, fully aware of the burden which fell to him as the party's heaviest source of artillery.
"Bastard," Sir Kyra muttered under his breath from atop the bow of the ship, tower shield gripped firmly in one arm as he released a bolt from his crossbow for the enemy Knight with the other.
"Rrrrah!" Sir Mwu growled fiercely as he fired a devastating round from Agni atop the back of Skygraspar, forced to lay prone in order to effectively wield the massive weapon. The blast shot downward for Sir Dyarka, who narrowly missed its blow with a panicked lunge sideways.
"Sir Yzak, do not stray too far without support!" Sir Athryn scolded, presently engaged in dodging the array of munitions being volleyed by the Archangel's artillery with much improved precision. If there was one thing that could be said in admiration for the ship it would have to be the sheer number of its armaments.
"Silence!" Sir Yzak retorted.
Sir Athryn's emerald eyes narrowed. "Concentrate your strikes on the rudder!" he ordered, taking charge as party leader. "Sir Nycol, take them from the left!"
"Right!" Sir Nycol replied, diving through an opening in the Archangel's barrage to accommodate.
The air had become literally blanketed with its cannonfire, pitch, shot and arrowheads, not to mention the blasts of lightning and ice repeatedly conjured by the Zodiac Knights.
Meanwhile, Sir Athryn willed his flight faster and faster, soaring headlong towards the ship, his keen enchanted mind intuiting a path through the haphazardly flying artillery and munitions.
As long as we sink this ship!
Calling down bolts of lightning from the sky, he directed them into the nearest row of the Archangel's cannons, they were summarily cast down and enflamed.
Meanwhile Sir Nycol summoned several shafts of pure ice to his gauntlet, throwing them into the lower decks of the ship where their razor edges pierced clean through its support beams and caused part of its lower deck to collapse completely into the sea amidst a burst of white foam, a few of Koijiro's men tumbling into the deep along with it as they were ensnared in its grasp.
Sir Kyra's eyes widened as he beheld the familiar sanguine Armor of Aejis soaring by him through the smoke. Concentrating intently, he outstretched his gauntlet against his old friend, casting a powerful blast of air which caught hold of the Zodiac Knight, throwing him backwards away from the ship.
"Ugh," Sir Athryn grunted, winded from the unexpected spell as he struggled to regain his balance in midair.
"The fourth and fifth Ingelstellung ballistae hath been struck!" Sai shouted from the rigging above.
"We hath also lost one of the lower balconies!" Romero added breathlessly.
A terrible glare came over Captain Murrue's face as a trail of sweat slid down from the side of her brunette head.
"Aejis and Blytz are approaching!" Jackie called down.
"Aim the Wombat cannons for their cuirasses!" Lieutenant Natarle barked to her officers. "Miriallia, tell Stryke to do the same!"
"Cuirass, maam?" Miriallia hesitated.
"The plate which covers their chest and torso. It will be the easiest target to strike successfully at this range," Marshal Dalida explained to the girl quietly, understanding her confusion.
Suddenly the air was renewed by the deafening blast of several cannons, their rounds spreading out from the Archangel in all directions to overwhelm their four pesky targets.
"Damnation! Who would hath imagined they would come this far after us?" Tolle cursed, bracing himself against the railing from the impact. "Those bastards!"
Kuzzey meanwhile clutched his head fearfully, suppressing a quiet sob in his throat.
Sir Kyra maintained his ground atop the ship's bow, launching a steady stream of broadhead bolts from his crossbow toward Sir Athryn, whilst he parried the oncoming rounds from Sir Yzak with his shield.
But they were so fast, flying around out there like that. He had made the mistake of leaving the ship to engage them before and he was not going to repeat it now. Not in its present condition.
Suddenly, Sir Yzak came diving in, growing impatient. "Fall back, Sir Athryn! I shall take this whelp!" the grey Knight screamed ferociously.
"Sir Yzak! Do not be reckless!" Sir Athryn scolded him once again, doing his best to cover the impetuous Adept.
Deflecting another blow from Sir Athryn with his tower shield, Sir Kyra lined up his shot upon Sir Yzak. Releasing the bolt with a snap of his finger, it streaked clean into the Armored torso of Duwel.
Sir Yzak's icy eyes went wide with pain as the enchanted broadhead pierced clean through the cuirass and burned out through the other side. He shot upward, desperate to escape the Archangel's reach for the moment, lest he be felled by stray cannonfire.
Shaking away the searing pain, Sir Yzak drew one of the scimitars mounted upon his back, its shrill ring cutting through the air as its blade glinted off the light and allowed himself into a free fall.
"Is he going to attempt to board the ship?" Sir Kyra gasped as he watched the enemy Knight falling straight towards him, blade outstretched.
Deciding this was a threat which could not be ignored, Sir Kyra soared upward from the ship's bow, drawing his own saber in a flash. Within an instant the two met in the middle, their enchanted blades emitting a shower of sparks as they rang off one another when they passed by.
But when Sir Yzak turned to regard his handiwork he was shocked to see that his scimitar had been severed clean in two at the hilt, its shards no doubt lost to the sea by now. "Impossible!" he exclaimed in disbelief.
"Sir Yzak!" Sir Nycol shouted, trying to figure out how to break through for a rescue.
Eyeing Blytz carefully, Sir Kyra used his momentum to summersault in midair, his sabatons landing hard atop Sir Yzak's back as he continued to fall. The enemy Knight grunted from the harsh blow, winded by the sudden change in position and it felt like his back might break under the strain.
Ere Sir Yzak could react, however, Sir Kyra vaulted from his back, kicking off with his legs as he pushed him further downward, soaring away into the air.
The grey Knight just barely managed to roll over, slowing his descent with a quick blast of air as he conjured several streaks of lightning up after Sir Kyra, who merely flew in corkscrewing concentric circles, avoiding each bolt by a fraction. A testament to the Adept's growing prowess.
Suddenly Sir Nycol, his focus previously diverted by Sir Yzak's plight, let out a scream as he beheld Stryke appear suddenly before him. Sir Kyra slashed at Sir Nycol viciously, no doubt under haste, cutting a deep gash across his spaulders and throwing him into free fall.
"Nycol!" Sir Athryn exclaimed, calling down a bolt of lightning upon Sir Kyra, who lunged backwards to evade its crackling tongues to no avail.
Sir Kyra quickly reposed, however, coming after Sir Athryn now, who backed off cautiously. Setting down once more on the bow of the Archangel, Sir Kyra deflected the remainder of Sir Athryn's blows, driving him into a retreat with a barrage of his own. Staring intently at the gleam of red falling back into the sky, Sir Kyra gripped the stock of his crossbow tightly, breathing heavily from the exertion.
Giving his party time to recover themselves, Sir Athryn held back, staring down at the Armored form of his old friend with mixed feelings.
You hath improved greatly, Kyra
Meanwhile in waters not far from the skirmish, a fleet of battleships floated nearby, escorted by several riders atop flying mounts who scryed the battle taking place so close by guardedly.
Their mission was one of mere observation. For the officers onboard the vessels below represented the Oceanic Union, the territorial waters of which the battle had threatened to encroach upon.
Carrier gulls had been sent back to the main islands with a full report on the situation and for the better part of an hour they had been awaiting orders on what response to face the potential threat with.
They waited still.
In the finely furnished offices of Oceania, an emergency meeting had been called for the Union's chief leaders, between men and women drawn from the highly esteemed ranks of its landed noble families and select representatives from the state legislature elected by the nation's substantial urban population at large.
They sat around the dark wooden tables holding concert with one another as they contemplated how best to address the unexpected situation. In reflection of the seriousness of the occasion, the crystal adorning the table was filled with fresh water rather than the customary white wine which might be offered any other day. Their present business obviously required the most serious mind.
"As many of you are already aware, gulls from our fleet have brought word to us of a battle taking placee naught a league outside our territorial waters, and have taken precautionary measures to prepare for any possible incursion," a minister explained to the board. "We hath also sent word to the Zodiac's garrison at Carpentaria as well as the Alliance of Earth's fortress in Panama to condemn these actions and demand the immediate withdrawal of their troops from the area, but given the proximity, if there is to be an incident, it is unlikely our communications will reach their destinations in time."
Whispers and furtive conversations erupted around the rooms as various opinions and sentiments were quickly offered, seeking their allies or detractors.
"Lord Uzumi," the minister motioned, indicating a man seated at the table who apparently garnered high respect from his fellows. His skin was the shade of tan as is common among islanders and he bore smooth brown hair which fell to his shoulders as well as a very well kept beard upon his chin. A hint of grey could be seen throughout, which, combined with the wrinkles under his eyes, indicated his steady advancement in years.
Lord Uzumi took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Should we make an exception to our stance against military vessels approaching our territorial waters without authorization, Steward Homura?" the aging man asked, his voice a deep rich tone.
"No. But..." the Steward hesitated, making sure to keep his hands folded tightly together, so as to avoid fidgeting with them nervously. "In which case, I do not believe disclosing this to the public has been of any use."
Lord Uzumi's gray eyes narrowed imperceptibly, understanding the ramifications of the Steward's remark.
Below deck, Cagalli ran down corridors, bracing herself from the constant impacts inflicted upon the ship's besieged hull.
Just as she reached a staircase to take her up on deck, however, the booming voice of Ledonir shouted behind her, struggling to catch up to her.
"Cagalli!" Ledonir exclaimed breathlessly, placing his burly arms around her shoulders, holding her in place away from the staircase. "What do you intend to do?"
"Out of my way!" Cagalli demanded, shrugging him off roughly. "At this rate, we shall sink to the bottom of the ocean. And right beside Oceania no less!"
The dark man stared down at his charge, falling silent as his mouth turned down in a contemplative frown.
"I cannot! I cannot let this happen!" Cagalli stressed, almost stifling back tears. "Damnation!" she cursed, slamming her fist into the plank as Sir Athryn's face flashed in her mind. For some reason, seeing him now attacking the ship again after what had happened between them on the island felt like betrayal in a way, even know she knew in her mind that it was inevitable.
Continuing his assault on the Archangel, although deciding on a far more cautious approach now given the state of his men, Sir Athryn suddenly espied a fleet of what appeared to be battleships taking up formation not too far from the ship, escorted by an entire company of airborne riders, armed with all manner of artillery.
"No," Sir Athryn muttered.
"There is an Oceanic fleet advancing to the border of their territorial waters!" Jackie called down to the crew, his voice on edge.
"What?" the Lieutenant exclaimed, the sentiment repeated by the likes of Kuzzey and Miriallia as well.
"Hath they come to give us aid then?" Kuzzey perked up excitedly.
"Nay, we are in danger of infringing upon their territory!" Captain Murrue sounded with a scowl. "Take us away from here at once!"
"But...Captain," Arnold said hesitantly, turning towards the her.
"If we approach any nearer, they shall surely open fire upon us," the Captain warned him sternly. "Oceania is not our ally."
"Nevermind that!" a voice shouted, drawing everyone's surprised attention. It was Cagalli, standing at the top of the staircase which led below deck, with Ledonir close behind. "Head into their territorial waters and align the deck within range of the nearest ship!" she demanded, sprinting towards the helm. "I shall talk to Oceania myself! Hurry!"
"Cagalli," Captain Murrue said in confusion, dumbfounded as to the blonde girl's reasoning.
Suddenly, as if to confirm the Captain's warning, a booming voice echoed out over the waters. All on deck fell silent as they regarded the grave message, no doubt issued from an enchanted horn of the Oceanic Fleet.
"THIS IS A WARNING TO THE ALLIED EARTH SHIP AND ZODIAC FORCES CURRENTLY IN THE AREA. YE ARE APPROACHING THE SOVEREIGN DOMINION OF THE OCEANIC UNION. AS A NEUTRAL CONFEDERACY, WE STRICTLY PROHIBIT TRESPASS INTO OUR TERRITORIES BY ANY FOREIGN ARMED FORCES! ALTER YOUR COURSE AT ONCE. SHOULD YOU FAIL TO DEPART IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS WARNING, WE SHALL EXERCISE OUR SOVEREIGN RIGHT TO DEFEND OUR NATION AND ATTACK YOU WITHOUT HESITATION!" the voice explained sternly.
"What a dog!" Sir Yzak quipped, hanging back along with Sir Nycol.
Sir Athryn braced himself, ready for anything.
"Attack us too?" Kuzzey muttered fearfully. "Surely they cannot mean it!"
"Besides that, what can they mean, 'neutral'?" Marshal Dalida pointed out, also perplexed. "After all, the Archangel was built by Oceania."
"Nevermind!" Cagalli repeated, her voice unfaltering. "Proceed into their territory!" Suddenly she took off for the bow. "Ledonir!" she called, outstretching her hand expectantly.
The dark-skinned man said nothing as he begrudgingly plucked something from his belt and handed it to the girl, wearing that same disapproving glare all the while. There was definitely something being silently communicated between the two that the others onboard simply were not privy to.
Placing the strange object to her lips, Cagalli's voice suddenly rang out over the waters, its high feminine pitch piercing through the air, giving all on deck quite a start. "HOW CAN THAT POSSIBLY BE YOUR DECISION AFTER OBSERVING OUR SITUATION!" she shouted.
Magick, Sai realized. But that means...
"ARCHANGEL WILL PROCEED INTO OCEANIA'S TERRITORIAL WATERS. DO NOT OPEN FIRE!" Cagalli declared.
Sir Athryn remained motionless in the air, the familiar voice giving him pause.
There was a moment of silence as quiet fell over the area. Suddenly, however, the voice of the Oceanic messenger fired back through their horn, "WH-WHO ARE YOU?", its hesitant stammer in the face of such audacity clear to all.
"THE QUESTION IS, WHO ARE YOU?" Cagalli retorted, straining her eyes to catch a glimpse of the man on the other side of the waters. "IF YOU LACK THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE DECISION THEN PASS MY MESSAGE ALONG TO THE PROPER AUTHORITIES. INFORM MY FATHER..." Cagalli paused, clenching her fist tightly as she wrestled with some inner uncertainty. "... LORD UZUMI OF THE HOUSE OF ATTHA AT ONCE!" she demanded imperiously.
Officers of the Oceanic Fleet were taken aback, a row of puzzled expressions breaking out amongst them.
"I AM LADY CAGALLI OF THE HOUSE OF ATTHA!" she explained finally, drawing bewildered stares from her crewmates who looked at her as if she had gone mad.
Sir Athryn's emerald eyes went wide beneath the sanguine bascinet. "Cagalli?" he muttered in surprise, almost losing his focus as her image flashed across his mind unbidden.
"Attha," Sai breathed.
"The Chief Steward's..." Miriallia chimed in, her voice trailing off.
"I AM IN NO MOOD FOR JOKES," the Oceanian messenger warned through his horn. "THE LADY COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE ON YOUR SHIP!"
"WHAT?" Cagalli spat. Kuzzey bristled beside her. The constant shouting was beginning to unnerve.
"BESIDES, EVEN IF IT WERE TRUE, WE CANNOT SIMPLY DO AS YOU SAY WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR CLAIM," the messenger added.
"BASTARD!" Cagalli cursed, ready to smash the horn in disgust, just as the ship was rocked violently from a renewed assault from Busdir's culverin.
"There is no need to worry!" Sir Dyarka teased. He had heard quite enough of the boring exchange. "I shall not let them enter your territorial waters!" the Zodiac Knight shouted down, releasing yet another searing blast against the battered vessel, the explosion releasing a plume of smoke and splint wood. "I shall fell them before they arrive!" he boasted.
Lieutenant Natarle clenched her fist defiantly, unsure what options remained. At this rate, the ship's wards were finished.
"Not you again!" Sir Mwu fired back atop Skygaspar, sending another round from Agni streaking towards Busdir, forcing him to evade and sparing the Archangel yet another blow. His legs gripped the beast's belly as tightly as he could so as to not be thrown off from the enchanted weapon's massive recoil.
Bursts of sea water erupted uncomfortably close to the Oceanian fleet, throwing up white foam and burning metal.
"Sir Dyarka!" Sir Athryn shouted to the tan Knight "You could hit an Oceanic vessel! Flank them from the other side!"
"How can I do that?" Sir Dyarka balked. However, his insubordination distracted him from the enchanted bolt which Sir Kyra let fly from the bow of the Archangel. The shaft pierced Busdir's greave, choosing a target he knew would hath little defense left, drawing a pained "Damnation!" from its wearers lips. Sir Dyarka could feel the blood pooling in his sabaton as the wound began to seep within the Armor.
"Take this!" Sir Mwu shouted, firing the falconneau once again. His back was beginning to ache from the exertion.
Sir Dyarka just barely avoided the blast, hefting the culverin up once more with all his concentration as he fired at the Archangel's smoldering hull, his descent through the air a free fall.
The massive blast shook the ship violently, almost throwing Cagalli overboard had not Ledonir caught her in his massive arms.
Sir Kyra's amethyst eyes went wide. He sensed it immediately.
"The rudder is hit! My men are furling sails three through five!" Romero reported breathlessly, dashing off to lend the already stretched thin crew whatever aid he could muster.
"Without the sails we cannot maintain our speed!" Arnold called out from the helm.
Sir Kyra vaulted into the air from the bow of the ship, drawing Sir Athryn's spells away from the ailing vessel as he absorbed and deflected the fire with his tower shield. Retaliating with a spell of his own would not do; Sir Athryn could merely counter it.
Athryn...
Stringing his longbow, Sir Kyra released a flurry of flaming arrows at his opponent, a technique he had learnt from Sir Mwu, although the fire was his own improvisation, driving his opponent farther backward as he made haste to evade the deadly barrage. The magickal fire had the effect of making the steel tips quite hot without compromising their form, allowing them to pass into enemy armor far more easily.
"Now there is nothing we can do but enter their territory," Ledonir remarked, drawing stunned glances from both Captain Murrue and Lieutenant Natarle. "Do not worry," he assured them. "Oceania's Second Escort Fleet is highly skilled with their artillery. Everything shall be fine."
"Very well," the Captain replied, the scowl never leaving her face, nodding to Arnold who threw the wheel for Oceania. All onboard prayed what remained of their wind would be enough to ferry them there in one piece, more or less.
It was not long ere the battered ship passed through the ranks of the Second Escort Fleet and they were quickly hailed by the messenger who had spoken with them before.
"AS YOU HAVE IGNORED OUR WARNINGS, WE SHALL HEREBY EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO DEFEND OURSELVES!" the voice boomed through the enchanted horn.
The threat was quickly followed by the sound of cannonfire as shot and pitch were launched from the decks of the Fleet, bursting around the Archangel with eruptions of seawater and a thick blanket of smoke.
Sir Athryn scowled. With so many munitions going off around the Archangel, there simply was no visibility for him to conduct a proper assault anymore. And he was not going to risk his party and suffer the same fate by encroaching into Oceania. With one last look, he turned about face and flew away from the rake cautiously, hailing his Knights to follow after him.
Chief Steward Lord Uzumi rose from his seat at the table. "Now that was quite a farce to be sure, but was there truly any other option?" he asked his fellows seated there. "How are the contents of the official announcement coming along?" he turned towards a row of aides standing at attention on the far side of the room.
"I hath a revised draft of the announcement here," a woman perked up quickly, handing him the parchment.
Lord Uzumi's eyes fell over the page, scanning it quickly. "This will be adequate. I leave it to you," he said finally, apparently satisfied.
Steward Homura stood to his feet, stretching out his hand to take the announcement.
"I shall personally attend to matters regarding that ship and Morgenroete," Lord Uzumi explained.
"Yes, my lord," the representative bowed.
With that, Lord Uzumi took his leave from the chamber, followed by his attendants and retainers.
Upon his departure, a racket of whispers broke out among those left behind, as they discussed the odd occurrence.
"That ship is nothing but trouble," someone muttered.
Lord Uzumi stopped and all in the room fell silent once more. "Tis a bit late for such talk, is it not?" he questioned, glancing back over his shoulder.
There was no retort. All eyes kept to the floor in fearful respect as the Lord shut the polished door behind him, satisfied that he had quieted a needless vein of discord.
The eyes of the Archangel's crew members could not help but be drawn to the crystal blue waters and glittering emerald islands which had become their present surroundings.
They sailed gently along the water, in tow with a coterie of escort vessels supplied by Oceania's Second Fleet, who had taken care not to put another scratch upon her.
"Dock the ship as instructed," the voice of their messenger explained to them from the deck nearby. The ships were traveling so close together now, that they had no need for their voices to be amplified.
Sir Kyra stood on the roof of the ship, just below the tattered and worn sails. He had removed his Armor, replacing it with a sailor's attire, and now stared out over the shining waves wearily.
A company of riders flew overhead, carefully cradling their bows across their laps atop their winged mounts.
The escorts brought the ship to a nondescript rocky cliff face But there was more here than the eye could see and, granted entry, they found themselves sailing through a portal in the rock beyond which they had cut a hidden harbor, burrowing under the island. Sailing within its murky depths as instructed, the deck of the Archangel was blanketed in darkness, the dim illumination of several candles springing up.
"The island of Onogoro belongs to its military and is home to Morgenroete Arms Crafters' largest workshops in the world," Ledonir explained to the officers on deck. "There are powerful spells wrought about the island and its seas. We cannot be discovered here even by magick."
"Do you not think it is expedient that you tell us who you really are?" Captain Murrue asked suspiciously.
A smile curled at the burly man's thick lips as he raised his hand in salute. "Sir Ledonir of the House of Kisaka, a Knight with the Twenty-First Company in service to the Union of Oceania," he announced. "I am presently abroad as her escort," he added softly, casting a satisfied look down towards Lady Cagalli at his side.
"So it really is her..." Miriallia whispered to Sai, awestruck at having shared the same space with the daughter of such a celebrity without even realizing it.
"How should we react to the measures being taken against us," the Captain questioned carefully.
"I believe you would be better served asking that question directly to the one you will soon meet," Sir Ledonir affirmed, his arms folded behind his back at ease. "To the chief steward of Oceania, Lord Uzumi of the House of Attha."
Now that she knew it, Lieutenant Natarle wondered why she did not realize it before. The man was clearly a Knight, proud of the service he had rendered to his Lords.
Beneath the waters just outside of Oceania, Sir Athryn's Party had gathered at the helm of their vessel, the Vosulgov, a sealed enchanted capsule of glass and whirring blades, much like those commissioned in General Maryco's fleet, to discuss their present course. Needless to say when dealing with youths on whom is placed such a great burden as war, emotions were running high.
"Do you expect us to believe this horse shit?" Sir Yzak sounded off slamming his hand down on the steel table, scratching the uncomfortable precautionary bandage which had been applied to his stomach with his other. The Armor Duwel has been sent to the small smithy on board for repairs, the silvery-haired Knight now clad once more in the coat of the Zodiac elite, a deep red sash tied round his waist just like the others.
"How can they announce that the 'legged ship' has already left Oceania?" Sir Dyarka joined in, seated beside Sir Nycol who stared out the enchanted glass at the various creatures plumbing the depths alongside them. "Do they think that an adequate solution?"
Sir Athryn meanwhile leaned against the nearest wall, saying little, lost in his own thoughts.
Officers and aids who had been sent by Carpentaria along with the vessel, stood by at attention, unaccustomed to such displays coming from their superiors and truthfully unsure of how to best serve them.
"They are taking us for complete fools," Sir Yzak agreed, agitated and on edge.
"Perhaps tis because we hath such a young leader," Sir Dyarka suggested carefully, keeping his eye trained on Sir Athryn.
"Sir Dyarka!" Sir Nycol protested with a scowl, speaking up.
"Tis not important," the dry voice of Sir Athryn broke through. "But as long as that is Oceania's official response to the situation, no good will come of sitting here and screaming about it all being a lie, now will there?" he pressed.
"What?" Sir Yzak bristled, the deep gash across his face as prominent as ever as he regarded his new leader with apiercing eye like ice.
"If we force our way into there..." Sir Athryn continued coolly, unfazed by the outburst. "It would escalate into a diplomatic thorn in the side of our nation. We must be mindful of our actions with regards to the grander political scale."
Taking a deep breath, Sir Yzak exhaled slowly, letting the anger ebb away as he thought about the Knight's words. "I have to concur that is quite a coolheaded decision, Sir Athryn," he admitted with a smirk. "Oh, excuse me, Lord Athryn," he added snidely.
An audible sigh escaped Sir Nycol's lips.
"Are you saying we must simply accept what they claim and depart?" Sir Dyarka pressed, a condescending grin splayed across his face.
"We shall send word for Carpentaria to pressure them," Sir Athryn replied without hesitation. "That is the most sensible thing to do. But, if things are not resolved quickly," he added, his emerald eyes narrowing, "We shall sneak in and discover the truth of the matter ourselves."
Sir Yzak's mouth hung agape for a moment, quite taken aback by the surprising concession.
"Are ye alright with that?" Sir Athryn demanded.
"We shall look into the whereabouts of the 'legged ship', then?" Sir Nycol clarified.
"Whatever the case, our opponent is a sovereign nation," Sir Athryn replied. "We cannot take unsanctioned actions alone without conclusive evidence."
"We can just force our way through! We know the 'legged ship' is there, after all!"Sir Dyarka said brashly.
"This is not like Heliopolis!" Sir Athryn scolded him, brushing away the thought of Kyra which rose to the surface. "For instance, the size of their force. I should not have to remind you how advanced Oceania's industry is, due in no small part of the substantial numbers of fellow Adepts who reside there. Officially, it has adopted a doctrine of neutrality, but in secret those islands are quite troublesome."
"Hmph," Sir Yzak remarked smugly. "I shall go along with your plan. But, note that if it were me, I would force my way in," he added, knocking Sir Athryn's shoulder roughly as he took his leave.
"You are not the son of Sovereign Counselor Grandmaster Lord Patryck of the House of Zala for nothing!" Sir Dyarka quipped, standing to his feet to join his friend. "After all, sneaking in sounds like fun too."
"And I may even be able to see the Stryke Knight's face," Sir Yzak added finally, looking over his shoulder at Sir Athryn one last time.
Sir Athryn bristled, his teeth on edge as he watched them go, whilst Sir Nycol looked on, unsure of what to say.
In the lower decks of the Archangel now anchored within the secret underground harbor at Onogoro, several members of the crew had gathered in the mess hall to wait out their fate.
"I never expected to come to Oceania under these circumstances," Tolle admitted, leaning against the wall beside Miriallia.
"So...what happens in this case?" Kuzzey wondered aloud. "Do you suppose we shall be allowed to disembark?"
Sai looked up, regarding his friend carefully through his spectacles. "Disembark?" he repeated.
"Well, I know we are not permitted to leave the crew during a mission," Kuzzey clarified. "But perhaps granted leave?"
"I would not rule out the possibility," Arnold, the helmsman, remarked overhearing, sipping from a mug of stew. "For one thing, the necessary repairs will require the ship to be remain docked for some time."
"Really?" Kuzzey exclaimed excitedly, turning round.
"However, this is a...difficult nation," Arnold continued carefully, regarding Sir Kyra as he entered the galley. "Tis astounding that they even allowed us anchorage at their port like this," he finished. "In other words, the decision belongs to Oceania. We cannot know a thing until the Captain and the others return."
"But...our parents are here, after all," Miriallia said softly.
"You wish to see them?" Arnold asked tenderly.
For some reason, the eyes of his friends all turned toward Sir Kyra at that moment, who stood with his back to them at the far end of the hall, filling his platter. The young Adept could feel their focus upon him and remained still.
"I hope you get to see them," Arnold said, oblivious.
Finally the moment passed and Sir Kyra took his platter and walked away.
Lady Fllay knelt on the bed she and Sir Kyra now shared, looking out at the massive harbor they found themselves in through the lattice, Torii perched contentedly before her by the window.
Suddenly the door opened and Sir Kyra returned, holding a platter with a meal for two.
"Fllay," Sir Kyra greeted. "Do you want to have a look outside?" he asked, taking note of her gaze.
"No. Not really," Lady Fllay replied sullenly, looking away.
Confused, Sir Kyra pursed his lip and approached the bed with the platter, avoiding the Lady's thigh high boots which lay strewn beside it.
"Here," he offered, handing one of the mugs to her as he took his seat beside her and took a drink from his.
"Thank you," she replied, staring down at it for a moment, feeling the steam as it rose to her face.
"They say we may be granted leave to disembark," Sir Kyra began as cheerfully as he could muster.
"Oh," came the Lady's simple reply.
"You had an estate here in Oceania as well Fllay, right?" the boy asked.
"Yes I do but..." Lady Fllay hesitated. "No one is living there. My mother died when I was a little girl and my father... Well, he is gone as well," she finished with some difficulty.
Sir Kyra's jaw tightened and he looked away, trying not to think about it again. The fact had already caused them both too much pain.
Suddenly Lady Fllay exhaled deeply and she let her head fall to Sir Kyra's shoulder, closing her eyes. Sir Kyra looked down in surprise for a moment, the feeling of her soft red tresses brushing against his face.
Within the cavernous harbor, a plump woman from the island strode toward the Archangel, a large scowl set across her face. Coming across the pier, she ascended the plank and boarded the main deck, lugging a large trunk with her.
When she reached the quarters of Lady Cagalli, however, and laid eyes her, she gasped in shock and her mouth hung agape in disbelief.
"Hello, Myrna," Cagalli greeted guiltily, her hands behind her back as she swayed back and forth.
Myrna's mouth made tremulous motions of speech, finally culminating in, "My Lady!" The trunk fell to the floor with a thud as she threw her large arms around the girl. "You are safe!" she exclaimed.
Lady Cagalli smiled sheepishly to herself, her chin resting on the woman's kindly shoulder.
Suddenly, however, her smile faded as Myra threw open the trunk she had brought aboard, bringing out a smooth turquoise fabric which she rolled over one arm, turning towards the Lady.
Lady Cagalli shook her head firmly just as Myra took hold of her simple shirt, trying to rip it off by force. The Lady backed away, stubbornly refusing, but Myra pressed her all the more.
Together the two struggled, pulling and tugging at her clothes, as they went round and round. But, as the Keeper of the Wardrobe for the Attha family, she was quite proficient in dressing the stubborn girl.
Finally the shirt came off, flung into the air by the strong arm of Myra. And in the end, so did everything else too.
Within the chambers high above the expansive Oceanic fortress at Onogoro, the nation's chief steward sat with three officers from the Archangel, holding concert to negotiate which measures would be taken by their respective parties. A row of chandeliers hung from the gilded ceiling, the light streaming in from the towering windows at the far end of the room glinting off their crystalline surfaces.
"As you know our cherished confederacy, Oceania, remains neutral," Lord Uzumi explained to the three officers across from him at the long wooden table, polished so completely that it captured one's reflection like a mirror.
"Yes," Captain Murrue affirmed, her hands clasped upon her lap . A quick glance toward Natarle, however, revealed that she was having a much harder time remaining as poised.
"And so officially, it has been reported that our Fleet chased your vessel from our territorial waters," the steward continued.
"I see," the Captain said, nodding her head.
"The reason you gave us harbor was because we had your daughter aboard, was it not?" Sir Mwu spoke up.
"Do you think I can even compare the fate of this nation to one spoiled daughter?" Lord Uzumi retorted guardedly.
"Ah...excuse me for assuming that," the Knight replied, looking down apologetically.
The Steward let out a slight chuckle. "Things would be far clearer if it were as simple as all that." He paused for a moment, clearing his throat as he regarded the three faces before him carefully. "There is the matter of Heliopolis," Lord Uzumi said finally, his voice grave once more. "Children of these islands who pledged their service as warriors. The achievements of those who wore those suits of Armor in one battle after another. I contemplated it many times-whether it would hath been more prudent to simply protect the people and leave that ship and its enchanted armaments. To this moment, I am still not certain if the correct decision was made."
Lieutenant Natarle's lavender eyes narrowed.
"I am terribly sorry," Captain Murrue offered. "About Heliopolis and the children. Tis not as if my words have any power to them, or official sanction, but I simply wish to say that, as an individual, I am terribly sorry for what happened."
"Forget it," Lord Uzumi said simply. "We are just as much at fault for the way things turned out. The reason that we uphold our doctrine of neutrality is that we wish to face neither Humans nor Adepts as enemies. But, without power, intentions cannot be enforced. Yet by obtaining power, one becomes a target. I am sure as soldiers you do not wish to hear this."
"I can understand what you are saying, Lord Uzumi," Captain Murrue came back quickly, her amber eyes riveted to the steward. "However, we..." she hesitated, the memory of Admiral Lewis coming to the surface.
The Zodiac will no doubt continue to use more magick on the battlefield. Tis one of their few advantages. However, to those fools who keep spending their wealth on useless concessions, the number of warriors lost in the battle is only a figure on paper!
Suddenly, the Captain felt silent, sobered by the thought.
"In any case," Lord Uzumi continued. "We must convey to ye the chief reason we did not sink your ship for violating our sovereignty. Verily, we hope to obtain from ye the Stryke's combat record to this point and the expertise of its wielder, Adept Knight Sir Kyra, for Morgenroete."
Lieutenant Natarle and Sir Mwu exchanged worried glances.
"Should you agree, I am certain that we can provide you with extensive assistance for your ship," the Lord finished.
"Lord Uzumi, that is-," Captain Murrue retorted, raising her voice as she abruptly stood to her feet.
Lord Uzumi, however, merely regarded her with a hardened stare.
As Sir Kyra and Lady Fllay went down one of the corridors below deck together, arm in arm, they met a group of officers riveted to the sight of a plump woman leading a girl by the hand but...
-It was Cagalli. And she was wearing a dress! A fine thing made from silk and lace, with white trimmings in a light seafoam color. It had to be the most expensive gown Sir Kyra had ever seen, even considering Lady Fllay's expansive wardrobe back on Heliopolis. Her jagged blonde strands were brushed and neat, clasped in the back by a golden brooch and a pair of blue ribbons, whilst a matching ruby necklace and pair of earrings adorned her face. She looked completely out of place.
Sir Kyra and Lady Fllay's eyes went wide in unison as they regarded the unfamiliar creature being led down the hall.
"I can walk on my own," Lady Cagalli's voice echoed through the corridor. If it had not been for that same volatile voice he had grown accustomed to, Sir Kyra might not have believed it was really her.
Lady Fllay's grip tightened around Sir Kyra's arm, her grey eyes narrowing as her face fell into a scowl.
Lady Cagalli's eyes widened as she regarded Sir Kyra and Lady Fllay, but she quickly turned away, following Myra toward the stairs.
Sir Kyra allowed himself a chuckle as he watched her go.
"What is it with her, anyway?" Lady Fllay muttered to her lover who merely blinked, unsure of what to say.
Within one of the private lounges provided by Oceania, the Captain and her Lieutenant held discourse, along with Sir Mwu.
"I am against it emphatically! This country is dangerous," Lieutenant Natarle asserted.
"Well even so, what do you suggest?" Sir Mwu pressed her, his burly arms resting on his hips. "Shall we disembark and swim to Alaska?"
"That is not what I am suggesting!" Natarle countered. "We should pay for the necessary repairs."
"I certainly understand your reasoning, but..." Sir Mwu looked back toward the Captain for support.
"Do ye truly think this situation will end here?" the Captain questioned them. "He said nothing about it, but I am certain they are under pressure from the Zodiac. Yet they choose to shield us. You understand why, do you not?"
"I do not have the authority to say otherwise, Captain," her Lieutenant said bitterly. "But know this, as far as this incident is concerned, I will surely bring it up when we finally arrive in Alaska," she added with a formal salute.
At that she took her leave, followed by the twinkling azure eyes of Sir Mwu, smiling to himself all the while. "Not just this incident, no doubt," he added with a laugh upon her departure.
Captain Murrue snickered despite herself, ever grateful for Sir Mwu's jovial disposition.
Leaning against the table at which she sat, the Knight rested one hand on its surface and another on his hip, the smile never leaving his face. "Still, I feel sorry for the boy and what he will be put through again," he added thoughtfully.
"True," Captain Murrue admitted, letting out a sigh. At that she let her head fall into her hands, burying her face in her arms.
The Knight regarded her quizzically, unsure of how he should respond. Apparently deciding with about as much forethought as he did most other things, he gave her a firm pat on the back, chuckling to himself to lighten the mood. His hand lingered, however, and the Captain spoke up.
"Sexual harassment is a violation of your chivalrous Code of Honor," Captain Murrue reminded him dryly, not bothering to look up from the table.
"Uh-" Sir Mwu flinched, retracting his arm like he had been stung. His mind raced with confusion over how to respond to such a remark. "Is it?" he asked sheepishly.
The Captain made no reply.
Rain began to pour over the island of Onogoro as night fell, filling the air with its sound. Its life giving water was quickly absorbed by countless plants and cisterns throughout the land.
Arrayed in the Armor of Stryke, Sir Kyra was escorted through the storm to the massive workshops of Morgenroete Arms Crafters by a coterie of Oceanic Knights in a large horse-drawn carriage. The only sound within its spacious interior was that of rain pelting off its surface as Sir Kyra regarded the armed men seated around him warily.
They were not being overtly threatening, but he could sense their concern over his possession of such weapons in their presence.
Meanwhile, on a bare stretch of land all the way on the other side of the island, a coterie of swimmers were helped ashore past the threshold of the water's devious spells by a pair of men, well concealed by the hoods which hung from their heads and the fog that had come over the area from the sudden unexpected rain.
Well, unexpected by those on the island, that is.
"Sir Athryn of the House of Zala under the command of General Lord Rau," Sir Athryn announced himself to the pair of men who had come to meet them, shaking the water from his long dark hair.
"Welcome to the land of peace," the man greeted in turn clasping Sir Athryn's hand whilst his companion kept a careful watch on their surroundings for any unexpected arrivals.
A dark smile spread across Sir Athryn's face.