Chapter 21) New Resolve

The rest of the trip was quiet. Everyone had made their choice to stay, but I couldn't say the mood of the group was any better when we got off the ship than when we got on. It's like we made the decision, but hadn't resolved ourselves to it yet.

Well, they haven't. I have. I think. …Okay, I've mostly just resolved myself to help this group to the best of my abilities. I might still be reeling from the dragons. Just a little.

Fargus landed the ship with quiet ease, and got us all to the inn in Badon. To my surprise, the owner was already there, bustling everyone off to rooms. She caught me staring and waltzed over, smiling gently. "You look a little lost," she told me, voice lilting with a laugh. I just continued to stare at her. "My lover, Jake, serves under Fargus. He sent me a message." How? A bird? Wait, no, that made sense. Marcus sent a message to Pherae with one of Fargus's messenger birds. "But are you 'Lady Katri'?" Why was she asking? "A 'Sir Charles' came here for you." What. "And you look like the description."

"I told him I wasn't going home," I sighed. I was too tired for this. "Where is he?"

"Drinking in the corner at this hour." …The hell happened at home for Charles to take up night-drinking? He barely day-drank. "Yell if he gets pushy. I'll come running."

"Thanks, Miss Anna." I almost headed to the corner before pausing. "Oh, wait, the bill."

"Fargus is paying." …The man was really far too good to us. "I'll get meals to everyone too." Ah, yes, it would be mean to make Lowen and Rebecca cook when everyone was so tired. "You jus talk to that knight guy. He makes the clients nervous."

"Oh, now why would they be afraid of an Etrurian knight? Oh wait." She giggled and I managed a smile before making my way towards the corner of the room. Just as she said, Charles was there. Somber and drinking. Okay, what happened back home? "Hey?"

"Hmm?" He glanced up at me, and blinked slowly. "…You look like hell, Lady Katri." If that was his greeting, I really must. "What happened?" he asked, urging me to sit down with him. I did so without a word. "I heard you went to Valor to chase after Lord Elbert. Did you-?"

"Elbert is dead." That came out way blunter than I wanted. "He died protecting us," I continued, ignoring his wince of pain. "Yes, I know. You now have the job of telling Father he not only…" My mouth dried. I couldn't say it. "Regardless, you should tell him." Charles nodded. "And I'm not coming home. I've been hired by Ostia. Things got complicated." Again. Why did things escalate around here so much? "Why are you all the way down here?"

"I met your father on the border, and he asked that I pass along some messages and presents to you." Ah. That sounded like him. "And a present for Lord Eliwood." Huh? "You asked for a horse. Lord Nick delivered." Oh. So, I had done that. "He's in the stables. Come, take a look."

"Do I have to?" Yes, I did. "Fine, fine."

"Come now. You rode through a storm."

"That was for Lyn. And I'm only going because it's for Eliwood." I pushed myself up, wobbling a little before straightening. "Let's go."

"On second thought, maybe this should wait for…" I scowled and he sighed. "One of these days, my lady, you really must learn the basic skill of taking care of yourself." Hey, I was doing just fine! I wasn't dead yet, at the lest. "Fine, fine, this way." Taking only a second to finish off his drink, and making me worry even more, he led me towards the stables, and to one of the back stalls. I nearly laughed when I saw the horse. White as snow. The dashing knight-lord saving the day on a pure white steed. The image suited Eliwood so much, it hurt.

Cautiously, I peered at it, studying. Calm, especially for a stallion. And I knew it was a stallion because of the black reins. Strong muscles, but still capable of good speed. A very 'balanced' horse for a very 'balanced' fighter. The gold tag on the reins showed it was of the 'valkyrie' stock, meaning the horse was bred for a tolerance to magic. Marcus had mentioned, once, that Eliwood had a naturally high resistance, so between the two, he stood a good chance against most mages…

"Father once again proves himself a genius," I finally said, smiling slightly. I couldn't think of a better horse for Eliwood if I tried. "How's he doing?"

"Under-eating and over-working," Charles answered without missing a beat. I sighed. Of course he was. He never took care of himself. Mother… had always done it for him. "The same thing he always does when he's trying not to think about things. A habit you share." Charles's eyes sharpened. I bit back a groan. Lecture time. "You've been avoiding thinking about-"

"Considering everything that's going on, I've been focused on-"

"Running away." I was not! "Excluding your mother for a second, have you even thought about what you'll do when you return to Etruria?" I couldn't answer. I hadn't. I had no answers, despite a year's travel. All I had was a muddled head and a list of complicated problems. "I know you want to help them, Lady Katri, but you should think of yourself too." But…! "Before you hate your-"

"I already hate myself." My voice was quiet. Too quiet, really. Charles looked startled. "My tactics haven't saved the people we wanted to keep safe." Renault's words echoed through my head. Damn him, he was right. But there was also that 'advice'. Even if I hated myself, there was someone who loved me. Multiple someones. I knew this. And I would give them my best, or die trying. "If I go back to Etruria now, I'd regret it for the rest of my life." I saw Charles clench his jaw. Saw him look away. He was hiding something. "Charles, you're not asking just because you're worried about my mental health, are you?" He sighed, rubbing at his temple. I was right. "What's going-?"

"Katri!" I whirled towards the entrance just in time to see Nils swing in. "Enemies!" he told me breathlessly. He looked haggard. "A lot of them!" For crying out loud! I wanted everyone to have a break for once! "Ninian and I will help as much as we can, but…" I needed to go. Now.

"Guard the inn, Charles!" And I was off, racing after Nils.

I was led to the tavern area, where everyone was waiting. But I could see the exhaustion in their postures, the hesitancy in their eyes. Things would be difficult, because everyone was so tired and worn. I'd have to be extra cautious tonight or…

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you waiting for me?" I jerked my head up to the staircase, startled to see Eliwood there. And, even more startling, was the resolve in his eyes. He had grieved and now he would fight. That's what those eyes told me, even more than the rapier in his hand. "Katri, how possible is it to end this battle quickly? I'd like to avoid giving trouble to the townspeople if possible."

"Night conditions will give us some trouble, but a group like this will likely fall apart at the death of the commander," I answered without missing a beat. If he was resolved, then so was I. And based on how the mood of thr group lightened, I'd say they were too. "You're guarding Ninian and Nils, Eliwood. They're dancing and playing for us." Eliwood nodded, and smiled warmly at the two. "Legault and Matthew are out on map duty." Or should be. "Join the circle for the strategy meeting. We're all too tired to bite."

You know… compared to Dragon's Gate… this battle was so easy. If any battles could be easy, that is. A breather, there we go. Perfect for reminding an exhausted group that they can still gain victories. I couldn't have planned this better if I tried.

"And now I'm worried," I whispered, watching Rebecca and Wil tag team to give Raven an opening. I glanced up at the sky, watching the stars. All I got, though, was 'battle now, think later' basically. "Life is going to hit us with a brick or something later, isn't it?" Shaking my head, I called out orders. "Dart! Let Wil get you an opening! Dorcas and Bartre follow through! Sain and Kent, break through the lines to the east!"

A bit of warmth washed through me, and I glanced back to see Ninian had Danced me some energy. She and Nils were primarily on that duty, to combat how exhausted everyone was. A few enemies tried to pick off the 'easy targets', but they were quickly dealt with thanks to Eliwood. Honestly, I'd been worried he'd be weaker than normal, but if anything, he was stronger now than he was at Dragon's Gate.

I frowned, however, when I noticed something. I would've thought Ninian would be exhausted, due to everything, but she looked as fresh as a daisy, while Nils teetered and swayed. "Nils?" I called. He looked at me. "Head inside the inn." He opened his mouth to protest, but I shook my head. "I appreciate it, Nils, but you're barely able to stand. Head in and rest. I'll call if we need your help, I promise." Nils hesitated, but nodded before scampering off. "Time to rearrange then." Not that it should be too difficult. With thinning numbers, not as many of the group needed the energy boost. "Dorcas, Barte, Dart, and Lowen, fall back to form a defensive line! Wil and Rebecca stay near them and cover as needed! Matthew, Legault, and Erk, focus on guarding Serra and Priscilla! I want them to check on townspeople!" It would be a miracle if some hadn't gotten caught by now. "Marcus, Sain, Kent, charge through! Flush out their leader! Guy, strike those caught off balance! Oswin, guard against those who charge back! Lucius and Canas, cover them!" Who was I forgetting…? Oh, yeah. "Florina and Fiora, strike and retreat!" And… uh… ah, yes. "Lyn and Hector, wait for the leader and then take him down in two hits maximum!" Was that everyone? Please let that be everyone. I needed a better way to give orders. Should I just assign squads and squad leaders? Actually, that might be a good idea, but how to do it? I should ask Lucius to make sure I don't force sworn enemies to spend lots of time together.

Shaking the stray thoughts out of my head, I found myself coughing again. Ah, I also needed a better way to give orders besides shouting. I was getting tired of all this damn coughing.

"Water?" I glanced over to see Eliwood passing me a water-skin. I took it and sipped without a word. "It seems like we're doing fine," he murmured, smiling tiredly. Okay, he wasn't as recovered as I thought. Good. I was actually getting a little unnerved. "As always. I was worried about how tired everyone was."

"I took it into account, and we have Ninian and Nils," I replied. I returned the water-skin with a nod of thanks. "I'm going to guess we'll be hearing that the enemy leader is dead at any-"

"Katri!" And there was Lyn, smiling despite the blood splatter. "Think we got him," she told me breathlessly. Oh, battle-fever was racing through her, no questions about that. "The enemy is retreating." Eliwood and I exchanged a look before bursting into laughter. Much needed laughter. "…Did I miss something?"

"Oh, they probably just hit their heads or something," Hector deadpanned as he walked up. "Katri gets injured enough after all." Hey! "Before you completely dissolve into a hyena, tactician orders?"

"Fliers and cavalry should chase to ensure they're not just turning around," I answered, the words wobbling as I fought to get my laughter under control. Eliwood had managed to quiet his to shaking snickers. "Everyone else should check on the town." I glanced at Ninian. "Sorry, you mind telling?" Ninian hesitated before nodding, giving a little curtsey before scampering off. Probably a bit mean, since she's so shy, but it might also be good for her. I'd check on her later.

"All right, with that all out of the way…" Hector focused his attention on Eliwood. "You're okay now?" Eliwood smiled and nodded in reply, snickers dying for the smile. "You sure?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry to worry you so," Eliwood replied. "You were doing a fantastic job mimicking Uther and Amanda in nagging me, though." Hector scowled. "Truly, you'll be a lovely father."

"Stop teasing me."

"You're an easy target." I feel like I heard this conversation before. Just… reversed. "Regardless, I have a lot of making up to do."

"No, it's fine," Lyn reassured. She gave him a warm smile. "You don't have to push yourself."

"I promise I'm not." Eliwood's eyes hardened with determination. "There will be time for lengthy mourning when this is finished. For now, I will do everything I can to stop Nergal and protect our lands." And I swear, Eliwood is one of the few who could say something so dramatically and not have it be unintentionally hilarious. "But first…" Eliwood looked to Hector. "We need to talk to Uther. After everything, we can't not tell him."

"Yeah, and Amanda will find out anyway," Hector sighed. He still looked conflicted. "Eh, sure, I guess…" Why did he sound so reluctant? Wait, didn't he tell me on the boat that…?

"You've been lax in contacting him and are now afraid to face him, aren't you?" Eliwood guessed. Hector immediately scowled. "Right again, I see."

"And how am I supposed to send him any messages when we're traipsing about the country like merchants on holiday?"

Eliwood burst into laughter. "He's going to be so mad at you!"

"That's it! Come here!" Hector lunged, trying to snatch Eliwood, but Eliwood easily dodged and took off running, still laughing. Hector gave chase, and I couldn't help but giggle at their strange, impromptu game of tag.

"They're both in good spirits," Lyn observed. Her smile was warm and soft. "It's a lot better than giving in to despair, I suppose." I nodded in agreement. "Should I help Eliwood or Hector?"

"Neither," I answered. I grinned at her curious look. "Make a third side." Lyn grinned back and jumped into the game, crying 'tag'. I laughed as they easily included her in, and laughed even harder when I saw them drag others into the game, even some of the children from town.

Here we were. A bunch of tired, worn fighters playing a child's game after a fight. It was exactly what was needed, though, so I couldn't complain.

As I predicted, most everyone basically passed out after a bit of food and much needed baths. I'm not sure a lot of them even bothered to get dressed, so tomorrow morning was probably going to be interesting. However, Eliwood was not among the ones sleeping, so I snagged him to go meet Charles.

"It is good to see you again," Eliwood greeted Charles, smiling politely as we walked to the stables. "Is everything all right in Hanover?" Ah, hell.

Charles glanced at me in silent question. I shook my head, and I thought he actually rolled his eyes before he answered, "Nothing has really changed since I last saw you in Laus. Perhaps a bit more politics, but it's Etruria. Politics are its lifeblood." Sadly. "It hasn't been that long since we saw each other, Lord Eliwood."

"I suppose so. It certainly feels longer." That was an understatement.

"I can understand that." We hit the stables and Charles led the way to the stall. "I heard about your father, Lord Eliwood. I am so sorry for your loss. He was a good man."

"Yes, thank you." Eliwood smiled sadly. "I will miss him, though I imagine the pain will pass."

"Here's a secret, Lord Eliwood. It does only because you get used to it. What happens is that you're able to go on longer without breaking down in tears." I couldn't help but think of Father. Of Mark and Maria. Of Anastasia and Nicholas. They were okay, right? Father never took care of himself, but they were normally good about it, right? "Regardless, here's why we dragged you all the way to the stables, Lord Eliwood."

"And now for the big… sec…" Eliwood trailed off as he stared wide-eyed at the horse. "Wow…" Carefully, he crept closer, laughing as the horse nosed his hand. "Beautiful…"

"Strong too," I added, mostly just for conversation. Eliwood was enraptured. "I think it's from one of our best lines too, actually." The kind Father rarely sold. Only kept for the family, or gave as gifts. "You like him?" Eliwood nodded shyly, ducking his head to hide his sheepishness. "Good, because he's yours." Eliwood looked at me like I was insane. "For free before you say anything. Not many can claim to get a Hanover horse for free." He looked between the horse and me, visibly groping for words. "Father picked him for you, and you alone. And, I warn you, Father is even more stubborn than I am."

"So save yourself the trouble and just accept the horse," Charles added. He was smiling softly as he leaned against the stable door. "From what I've seen and heard, you're going to need a skilled horse. There are none better than Hanover's, especially for a knight."

"…Thank you…" Eliwood finally mumbled. His smile wobbled a bit, but he looked cheerful enough. "Truly, thank you. Please, let him know how much I appreciate it."

"I will." Charles looked at me. "I take it you're still not coming home." I gave him a look and he sighed. "I had to ask, considering the earlier conversation." Ah. Right.

"No, I don't think so." I studied his face, though, and thought something seemed… off. "Oh, yes, you never answered my question. What was the other reason? Are you forgetting to tell me something?"

"Not that I am aware of." So he said, but I knew that look in his eyes. Locked up and cautious. He knew something, something that concerned me, but someone, likely Father, had told him to keep his mouth shut. Well, that was… disconcerting. "Get some sleep, though. Both of you. I'll nag."

"And you're a horrible nag at that." I sighed, shaking my head. "All right, all right! Off to bed we go! You'll probably leave before I wake up, so safe travels. Give my love to the family."

"Of course, my lady. And stay safe." Yeah… uh… that wasn't only 'half' possible at that, considering everything.

Still, I smiled. "I'll try." What else was there to say?

Notes on Ninian

· Similar to her brother, possesses the Dancer's Gift. Her abilities are focused on speed and protection, though.

· Very shy. Speaks slowly, with lots of pauses. Still, she's opening up to the group rather well.

· Like Nils, holds the ability of foresight. Also has the ability to open Dragon's Gate. For some reason. Is she related to the builders or something?

Author's note: Technically speaking, Isadora appears at the end of this chapter, but I'm moving her recruitment to the next chapter. Eliwood has his horse now. I wouldn't quite call him 'promoted' yet, but… he has the horse. I've always considered this a breather chapter, just sort of a 'hey, look, you can succeed still' sort of thing.

Next Chapter – Kinship's Bond