Chapter 3) Kindness


Verdane's lands are blanketed by dense forests, most famous of which is the 'Spirit Forest' which surrounds its castle. Grannvale's people often looked down on it, though, for both being a kingdom of 'barbarians' and for being the sole country of Jugdral to not be founded by a Crusader. To be fair, though, Verdane used to launch horrific raids on the border, to the point that the elderly still have nightmares of the attacks. King Batur, however, put a stop to such raids when he ascended the throne, and an entire generation has grown up in that tentative, hopeful peace.

But now, it seems King Batur, the so-called Pacifist King, has shattered the peace he spent so long building. I supposed he was just biding his time, waiting to strike when his victims were the most vulnerable, and now showed his true colors since Grannvale was busy with Isaach.

King Batur's three sons are the main threat to the army. Prince Kinbaith, the second son, holds a defensive line at Genoa, while Prince Gandolf returns to his castle in Marpha, where he has dragged Lady Aideen. There is no word on Prince Jamke, the youngest and most beloved of the princes, but I doubt that'll hold for long. The rumors paint him as a fierce archer, as skilled with a bow as those of Jungby, despite not having a drop of Holy Blood to give him a helpful boost.

Lady Aideen's fate… King Batur's belligerence… both unknowns have their fates hidden in the great forests that sprawl before us. But I worry of the Spirit Forest. All lore states the trees lure weary travelers and trap them among the branches for eternity.

Will we find our path or be lost too?


"Thank you very much, Miss Alicia," Sir Finn mumbled as I tended to his injuries. From my understanding, he had asked Lord Quan for a more intense training this morning, keenly aware of how much weaker her was. The result was Finn becoming stronger, at the expense of some more serious bruises. "It's very kind of you to treat me."

"It is my job to heal you, Sir Finn," I gently corrected, checking him over one more time. We were expecting a battle at any moment, so I wanted to be certain he'd be ready. "There is no need to thank me."

"In Leonster, we wouldn't be healed for injuries during training."

"Leonster is actively at war with Thracia. We are simply in the middle of a campaign." I moved away then to mix up some medicine. "Drink this."

"Yes, ma'am." He drank the medicine without hesitation, even though I knew it was bitter and most soldiers would gag. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome." I passed him some water to help him get the taste out of his mouth, and laughed when he downed it even faster. "Should I have added honey?"

"No, Miss Alicia. I'd rather you save the honey." He shook his head. "Your medicines taste better than what we have in Leonster anyway."

"Well, I do use different herbs." I was learning some of the local remedies as well, bringing in Verdanite treatments as alternatives to what I already knew. Different people often required different medicines. "Try to take it easy for the rest of the day."

"I'll try, Miss Alicia." He stood slowly, carefully stretching his legs, which had taken the brunt of the bruising. He smiled as he straightened, but it faded as he looked to the door. "I think you might have another patient."

"That would not surprise me." I made sure I was smiling as the door to the infirmary opened, but my standard greeting died when I realized it was Lord Oifeye.

"Sorry to bother," he noted, bowing slightly. He was a bit out of breath. "We have some visitors, and Lord Sigurd and Lord Quan requested you both."

"We'll be right there," I replied, fixing Lord Oifeye a glass of water. "Stay here and catch your breath."

"Okay." Lord Oifeye smiled before half-collapsing into Sir Finn's vacated chair. "Thank you."

"It's no trouble." I turned to Sir Finn, who nodded and led the way. I didn't know this castle very well; I mostly only knew the path from my room to the infirmary, from the infirmary to the arena, and from the arena to my room. Others had invited me to socialize, but I spent my time working and ensuring the infirmary would be ready for the inevitable battles to come. There was always something to do.

So, Sir Finn had to show me the way to the throne room, receiving room, area of the castle. There, it soon became clear we had two visitors, with similar enough features and coloring that I guessed they were siblings, and they were good friends with Lord Sigurd, Lord Quan, and Lady Ethlyn. Lady Ethlyn was in the corner gossiping happily with a blonde girl, while Lord Sigurd and Lord Quan warmly hugged and welcomed the blonde man.

"Eldigan!" Lord Sigurd cheered, smiling warmly. "It's been a while. Was it your coronation when we last saw each other?"

"No, it was Quan and Ethlyn's wedding, but that was… two months after my coronation, if I recall correctly.."

"That's right. I remember being really confused when they announced the Lord of Nordion had arrived, and I couldn't find your father."

"And then we both remembered and felt horrible," Lord Quan laughed. Clearly, it was a fond memory. "But that's been a year or so. Has it truly been so long? Life just seemed to catch up with all of us."

"Unfortunate, but true," Lord Eldigan agreed. His smile faded. "But speaking of duties, I must ask. Why do I suddenly find you all occupying Evans Castle? Surely you're not declaring war on Verdane?"

"I am, but reluctantly," Lord Sigurd answered easily. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "The Verdanites raided the border, assaulted many villages, devastated Jungby, and kidnapped Aideen. I had to save them."

"Of course, because your devotion to chivalry and your personal loyalty would not let you do anything less."

"I don't need to hear 'devotion to chivalry' from you, Eldigan. You're worse than I am." Lord Sigurd shook his head. "Regardless, that's what's going on."

"I knew there was a reasonable explanation. This is far more like you, and I don't even need to ask why Quan's here." Lord Eldigan sighed. "But a word of caution. Whatever you do, you cannot afford to leave Evans unguarded."

"We weren't planning on it," Lord Quan murmured. He looked concerned. "But I take it that you have a more… serious reason for that."

"Unfortunately, yes," Lord Eldigan replied. "I hate to admit this, but my fellow lords have been a rancorous sort as of late, taking advantage of King Imca's illness to do as they wish."

"Has Lachesis punched Elidiot in the face again?"

"...I try to be serious, and you bring out that stupid nickname again." Lord Eldigan fought to keep a smile off his face, and lost the battle miserably. "Gods damn it, Quan."

"You're too serious. That's why Sigurd pounced on you when we were at the Academy anyway."

"He did the same with you."

"Well, in my case, it was more of a 'hi, we're neighbors, and I just flooded the rooms of the people who bullied you for being a foreigner, but we kind of need to run because it is a little out of control' sort of thing. Yours was a little more controlled."

"Yes, in the form of 'hi, you're always alone, so I'm dragging you into the market where you're forced to interact with people.' So, barely."

"Hey, you both laughed," Lord Sigurd pointed out, completely unrepentant. He even grinned. "And now we're all friends, so I fail to see why it was a problem." His cheer faded slightly. "Though, maybe it is one now. Eldigan, is Augustria…?"

"Fear not, Sigurd, I shall never become your enemy," Lord Eldigan instantly reassured. He smiled to enforce the words. "I simply wanted to warn you about my fellows. They seem to forget that it is not the nobles who suffer when war comes, but the people. We are supposed to protect them, not have them thrown about because of whimsical bouts of greed."

Lord Sigurd laughed softly. "You haven't changed one bit."

"I'm not the only one." Lord Eldigan smiled. "Neither of you have changed either."

"And neither has our vow of friendship," Lord Quan murmured. He brought his hand up, and the other two automatically reached out to clasp it. It was clear this was something important to them. "It's as strong as always."

"Of course," Lord Eldigan agreed. His smile softened. "So, please, allow me to guard your backs. I cannot do much more, but I can keep Augustria from striking you."

"Thank you, Eldigan," Lord Sigurd replied. He grinned. "And then, when all of this is over, let's sit together in front of the fire and catch up. The three of us, a bottle of wine… it'll be just like old times!"

"Yes, that does sound good." Lord Eldigan suddenly became thoughtful. "You two haven't met Ares yet, have you?"

"Your son? No, we haven't. Then again, I haven't met my niece either."

"That's right; Quan is a father too." Lord Eldigan turned to Lord Quan with a grin. "I can hear the gossips already."

"I'm not handing over my precious baby girl," Lord Quan instantly retorted, looking playfully stubborn. "Not even to Ares." He shook his head. "How is Grahnye doing? Has she been driven up the wall yet?"

"No, not yet," Lord Eldigan laughed. "But she insists that between Ares and me, she's going to go grey early."

"Of course she does," the blonde girl suddenly interrupted. She looked both exasperated and amused. "After all, a certain lord goes about taking his son on early morning rides without telling her."

"Oh, Quan does that with Altenna!" Lady Ethlyn sighed. She crossed her arms and nodded. "I think Grahnye and I will have much more to talk about nowadays. But, that's not why Lachesis and I interrupted your guy time." She pointed to Sir Finn and me. "They've been here for a while."

"And I don't know either of them, which probably means Eldigan doesn't either." The blonde girl smiled warmly, and I noticed her gaze linger on Sir Finn. "I'm Lachesis, Princess of Nordion. My rude older brother over there is Eldigan, the Lionheart."

"Must you introduce me with that ridiculous nickname?" Lord Eldigan sighed. He smiled, though, and bowed. "A pleasure to meet both of you. One of you wears the livery of a Leonster squire."

"Yes, Finn is my squire," Lord Quan introduced. He gestured for Sir Finn to come to his side, and rested a hand on his shoulder when he did. "He's young, but I think he'll be leading the Lanzritter before long."

"Quite a bit of praise, since you're so critical of who leads your soldiers."

"I picked up that trait from you."

"And here I thought I picked it up from you."

"Well, you two can keep bantering over the poor boy's blushing head," Lord Sigurd teased. Sir Finn was a bright red, and he'd ducked his head to try and hide it. "But I'm going to be polite before I get another lecture." Lord Sigurd actually came to me, instead calling me over to him. "Eldigan, this is Miss Alicia, our chief healer, and lifesaver of just about everyone in the army."

"Especially you and Quan, if your recklessness is still the same," Lord Eldigan deadpanned. He bowed to me again. "I apologize for how much work they'll give you, Miss Alicia. I never did get around to teaching them caution."

"Says the one who stubbornly sticks to his decisions no matter what until you get hit in the head enough." Lord Sigurd grinned. "Like that time when-"

"My lord!" The doors to the hallway burst open, and Sir Noish raced inside, armored and armed. "My lord, we're under attack," he reported, saluting. The cheer of the room evaporated. "Scouts report Prince Kinbaith is leading his forces directly here."

"So, they moved first," Lord Sigurd murmured. He frowned in thought and turned to Lord Eldigan. "What will you and Lachesis do? If you leave now, you might be able to get back to Nordion before being caught up."

"As if I'd pass up the chance to fight alongside you and Quan again, Sigurd," Lord Eldigan replied with a slight smile. "I have Mystletainn with my things. I'd feel better knowing I was here to watch your backs. I won't be able to help beyond this battle as Nordion calls, but…"

"Thanks, Eldigan." He turned to Lady Lachesis, who bit her lip. "What about you?"

"I… think I would like to help in the infirmary," Lady Lachesis answered slowly. She turned her attention to me. "That is, if you would like some more help. I am trained in a staff."

"I shall take all help that is offered," I replied calmly. I didn't expect her to be much help at all, but she could hold things if nothing else. "But if you are to help, we must prep the infirmary now."

I wondered how many graves we would dig tonight.


I had expected Lady Lachesis to balk and panic when the first badly injured man came in, but she wasn't even sick until after he was 'secure'. Then, after she finished vomiting, she rinsed her mouth out with water and returned to my side, even as her hands shook.

"Who is Lady Grahnye?" I asked her as I changed some bandages. It was mostly as a distraction to help her focus. "Lord Ares's nanny?"

"No, she's my sister in law," Lady Lachesis replied. She passed me some water to rinse the wound. "She's originally from Leonster, and she and Eldigan were arranged to be married when they were children. I'm not sure if they're in love or anything, but they're amazing friends, meaning it's a happy marriage." She made a face. "The wedding was so much fuss, though. I'm glad I won't have to go through with it."

"How so?"

"Well, Eldigan told me he'd never force me into a marriage, and I refuse to marry a man who is lesser than my ideal: Eldigan." She nodded to herself, and I chose to not point out the incestuous implications of the statement. "Of which I know only two: Sigurd and Quan. And those two have basically been my older brothers since I met them."

"You certainly seemed intrigued by Sir Finn. I noticed your gaze lingering."

"He's cute. I'm allowed to admire." Still, she blushed. "You… don't think he noticed, right?"

"I doubt he noticed much of anything through his own embarrassment. He does not yet know how to take praise graciously." I finished with the bandaging and stood up. "How do you feel?"

"...Better." She looked a bit surprised, and smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"It is no trouble." I paused as rapid footsteps came our way. "We're getting the first real wave."

"Okay." She visibly steeled herself, but she still went pale when the first ones came in, carrying a man screaming bloody murder because his arm was half cut-off. "Oh, gods…"

"Follow my orders, and don't think." Honestly, a lot of healing was like fighting. You had an enemy to 'battle', and within an hour, you were so tired that you were running on instincts. "Keep your expression as stable as you can."

"Okay."

We went to work, healing and stitching where we could. Those who died were moved into a side room, just in case I had to strip them down for excess bandages. My earlier preparations, though, proved to be a good thing as we had plenty of numbing concoctions for surgeries, and plenty of disinfectant for the injuries.

Lady Lachesis followed me dutifully, following my directions without a second's hesitation. She turned an interesting green-grey color as the hours wore on, and I thought she was going to lose it when I had to cut an arrow out of someone's eye, but she held on to her calm with tooth and nail, and didn't break down until the waves calmed down enough that both of us could step into a side room for a better-than-cursory wash.

"Oh gods…" she mumbled, shaking. She had collapsed to her knees, and hugged herself as she struggled to not cry. "Oh gods… some of them were my age…"

"Here, chew this," I whispered, passing her a little bit of ginger as I focused on making some more medicine. "It'll help your stomach."

"Thank you…" With trembling hands, she took the piece and chewed, wincing at the intenseness of the flavor. But it helped her calm down, and she managed to stand. To my surprise, though, she wetted her hands and ran them through my hair. "Your hair is bloody." She finger-combed it carefully, making sure that she didn't drip water over my work. "I know it's probably not something to care about, but…"

"Actually, it is." I glanced back at her to smile before returning to mixing the medicines. "It is one thing when you're in the middle of working, but the new patients would rather not see too much evidence of how many of their fellows were injured. My hair color helps hide it, though."

"It's a beautiful red, as red as Lord Arvis's." Her hands paused, and I wondered what she thought. But then she went back to getting the blood out of my hair. "It's soft."

"People trust a pretty healer. After all, if you don't look as if you take care of yourself, then you don't look like you can take care of others."

"That sounds like being a leader. You have to dress nicely, because people are more likely to follow you." She stopped finger-combing and stepped to my side. "I think that's all I can get without a brush."

"Then work on your own hair." I poked a section, and she looked a little green again. "Do you need more ginger?"

"I… no, I'd like to try and push through." She took a deep breath, and started finger-combing the blood out of her hair. "Should we change clothes?"

"The clothes can wait. I have a few spares." I looked at her. "They might be a little big on you, but I'm sure they'll be preferable."

"R-right…" She sighed. "Is it worse or better on the field?"

"I don't know. But a healer always sees the worse of a fight." A knock on the wall made me turn. "Come in." There was no screaming, so I assumed that the next wave of wounded hadn't arrived yet.

"Are you two alright?" Lord Eldigan asked as he walked in. He was sweaty, but he looked in almost perfect shape. "You look… well, Miss Alicia, you look perfectly confident. Lachesis, not so much."

"Lady Lachesis is looking quite well considering everything," I replied calmly, mostly to head off her defensive reply. I turned to face him, eyeing him critically. "Do you need healing?"

"No, but I thank you for your concern." He held up his sword, and my blood warmed at the sight. That alone told me this was a Holy Weapon, and because he was of Hezul, that meant this was Mystletainn, the Demon Blade. "It gets it's nickname for how it acts as a more powerful Earth Sword, among other things. It's magic heals me as I kill people."

"I see." I nodded, accepting that. I had heard Arvis mention that property of Mystletainn, once. All of the Holy Weapons had special properties. "Then what brings you here? Are you checking on Lady Lachesis?"

"In part." He turned serious again. "The ambush has been routed, and Kinbaith is dead. I understand Lord Lex has claimed his handaxe for his own use. It was an easy, quick battle."

"That was easy?" Lady Lachesis yelped. Her eyes went wide. "The infirmary is…!"

"You must keep your voice down," I chided. She instantly became contrite. "The infirmary is only half-full. That is very good." I turned my attention to Lord Eldigan. "However, since the ambush is done, you must return to Nordion, correct? I imagine Lord Sigurd will use the momentum to push forward."

"Yes," he confirmed. "Already, Sigurd and Quan are planning a bait and strike assault on Genoa Castle." He focused on Lachesis. "Would you like to change before we head home, Lachesis?"

"I…" Lady Lachesis began. She hesitated briefly, glancing at me. "Actually, if it is all right, I would like to stay and continue to work here."

"You… what?"

"I want to heal. I want to help." She bowed her head, fingers twisting in her skirt. "I know I'm not much help, Miss Alicia, but if this much work is 'easy', then I cannot even imagine how much more you will have to do. What little help I can give, I really want to. If it's all right by you."

I didn't answer right away, a little startled by the offer, and found myself smiling. She was just… endearingly sincere. "You were a wonderful help, and even if you can only change bandages, that frees me to do more," I reassured her. She glanced up at me to smile and I turned my attention to Lord Eldigan. "Please, if it is no trouble, I would gladly wish her help, at least until we move to Genoa Castle."

"Well, how can I refuse when both of you are asking?" Lord Eldigan replied. He smiled slightly, and looked a little proud. "Lachesis, listen to her orders faithfully, and only argue if you do not know how to do something."

"I will," Lady Lachesis promised. She straightened and smiled. "I promise to return to Nordion after they take Genoa Castle. I know staying much longer will make for complicated politics."

"I have Cross Knights on the border, and that is only half-a-day away at most. Go to them."

"Have a safe trip back." She waved goodbye as he left, and turned to me. "Thank you very much."

"It will be much worse," I warned her. Genoa was only a day's ride, give or take, but this battle could easily stretch for two or even three days depending on how quickly Lord Sigurd's 'strike' force got Genoa. "People will die, no matter how much you try to save them."

"That's okay," she whispered. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I learned healing so that I could help the Cross Knights who protect my home. These are the sort of injuries they might face." She opened her eyes again, and locked her gaze with him. "So, I don't want to run and hide from it. This is the danger they face for being knights. I want to help." She managed a little smile. "Besides, as a Hezul minor blooded, I'm stronger than I look. I can at least help with pinning uncooperative patients down."

"I just might need you to do that." My smile softened, and I ran a hand over her hair. It was still damp, so some herbs clung to the gold strands, but she didn't care. "You're a good child." Rapid footsteps caught my ear, and when I peeked back into the main part of the infirmary, I found Azel carrying a wounded man through the doorway. "Come. It's time to work again."

"Right!"


Lady Lachesis and I worked through the night, as the wounded flooded us. Dawn came and went the next day, and still we worked. When things calmed, she and I took turns napping, but it was basically just enough to not faint as more injured came in.

Sir Finn appeared on the second day, limping from a pulled muscle. He insisted that he didn't need to be healed, and had told me he had requested falling back so that he wouldn't receive an injury requiring treatment. Instead, he wanted to help. I paired him with Lady Lachesis, and left the more minor injuries to them while I worked on the more major ones.

At some point between stitching up someone's insides to stop internal bleeding and sending someone to get me another heal staff as all the ones I'd had on hand were broken, I discovered I actually had two more helpers: Azel and Sir Midir. I gave them orders in the same calm voice as always, even as I wondered what they were doing here. Then, when things were calmer, Sir Midir went to patrol, while Azel cleaned what he could. Lady Lachesis and Sir Finn were asleep in a corner, leaning into each other. They looked so adorable that I didn't have the heart to wake them up, and instead, found a spare blanket and used it to cover them.

Only then did I turn to Azel and said, "I love being able to spend time with you, little brother, but I am confused."

"You are, Lady Sister? I didn't notice," Azel replied honestly. He looked exhausted. "Sir Sigurd's strategy required using me as a bit of a trump card." He smiled proudly. "So, I did! But we got pinned between Genoa's forces and Marpha's, so I got a bit overworked. Sir Midir offered to escort me back here, as he was running out of arrows. When we arrived, we saw you were up to your knees in blood and to your eyes in wounded, so we came in to help."

"Oh?" I smiled softly at him. "How do you feel?"

"Even more tired, and maybe a little ill, but otherwise, I'm okay. I'm not injured." He peered at me worriedly. "What about you? Are you okay? You look fine, but I'm bad at reading people."

"I'm fine, Azel." I couldn't help but laugh a little. It really did warm my heart that he'd be concerned about me. "I am used to this sort of pace."

"If you say so." He became a little pouty. "But if you need help, let me know, okay? We've barely spent any time together."

"Oh, you." I ruffled his hair, laughing as he squeaked. "You're unbelievably sweet."

"I don't see what's so sweet about wanting to help my Lady Sister." He sighed. "You're like Arvis. Working, working, working. Did I miss that family trait?"

"Considering our father, I think Arvis and I just happened to get it from our mothers, separately."

"I don't know. From what I heard, Father worked very hard, at raping and drinking, and generally making life miserable for everyone. That requires effort."

"Well, clearly, you do have some of Arvis's sarcasm." My cheer faded a bit as I stroked his head, frowning as I noticed just how tired he was. "Azel, I know you wish to be helpful, but you really must be careful."

"Because of the Final Strike." The 'Final Strike' was something only those of Holy Blood could do. It took all the magic of the area and the mage and released it in one last burst. Vala's blood was one of fire and magic, meaning her descendants were capable of great destruction if they loosed one, and were in greater danger of accidentally reaching that point. "I know. That's why I fell back."

"Sorry, I'm sure you know the dangers better than I do. I just can't help but fret."

"That's okay." He ducked his head shyly. "I… like being fussed over? A little?" He made a face. "Well, not so much fussed as… um…" His face slowly turned red. "I know you fuss because you care. And I like that you care? Um…"

"Miss Alicia, Lord Azel!" Sir Midir's voice heralded his approach, and both of us automatically stepped away from each other as he swung into the room. "My pardon," he murmured, leaning against the doorframe. "But the scouts have reported two people being chased by Verdanite soldiers. They were very close."

"Oh?" I asked, curious. The best guess I had was that they were two villagers seeking help. "Are we capable of sending help?"

"Yes, if we are quick." Sir Midir looked to Azel. "Are you recovered enough, my lord?" Azel paused for a moment before nodding. "Then you and I can lead a small group."

"I'd better come along." I turned away and gently woke Lady Lachesis and Sir Finn. "These two can watch the infirmary, but if they're civilians, they might need immediate treatment."

"Very well, Miss Alicia." Sir Midir waited all of a second for me to tell Lady Lachesis and Sir Finn what was going on before leaving, Azel quickly on his heels.

Unfortunately, both of them seemed to have forgotten that I was tired, and wasn't very fast anyway, so I was left trailing after them, just barely able to keep either of them in sight as they rallied a small group to chase down the Verdanites.

I'd barely made it out of the castle before they charged the enemy striking them hard and fast. I sighed, barely checking the urge to mutter about impulsive soldiers, and made my way towards the edge of the castle town, wondering where the two civilians were. I found them before long, and froze. One was a small boy, easily Lord Oifeye's age. The other was Lady Aideen.

"Oh, hello," she greeted with a warm smile. Her expression, though, was a little dazed. "Um… Dew was just saying that this is Sigurd's army?"

"Yes, my lady, though Lord Sigurd is currently fighting at Genoa," I answered. This just felt bizarre. "You were captured."

"Yes, but Prince Jamke helped both of us escape." She glanced towards the fighters. "Um… why are there so many people?"

"You are very loved, Lady Aideen, as is Lord Sigurd. The people flocked to helping both of you." I stepped closer and checked her over for signs of fainting. I noticed she was barefoot, but didn't call attention to it. "That's all." I looked over to the fighters and saw them returning. "It seems they routed them."

"Yes…" Her eyes focused on something, and then wavered. "Is that…?"

"Sir Midir? Yes." I moved back as her eyes filled with tears. "He's been quite worried about you."

"He…" Her voice cracked and, as soon as Sir Midir rode over and dismounted, she threw herself at him, sobbing. "Midir! You're okay!"

"Lady Aideen…" Sir Midir murmured. He awkwardly stood as Lady Aideen sobbed into his chest. "I'm sorry. Because I was so weak, you had to go through such a trying time."

"All that matters to me, Midir, is that you are safe!" She pulled away, and tried to wipe her tears away, but they just kept running down her face. "You gave your all to protect me, and I feared you gave your life as well!"

"Miss Alicia saved my life, Lady Aideen." Hesitantly, Sir Midir reached up and wiped away the tears himself. She smiled gently and leaned into his hand. "To which I am grateful. I could see you rescued."

"Midir…" She hugged him again and, after a moment, Sir Midir returned the hug.

I noticed how Azel both looked happy and like he was about to cry and hesitantly reached out to offer him a hug. He took it, leaning against my shoulder and crying silently. I ran my hand through his hair, and didn't say a word until little Dew made a snarky comment about lovebirds, making the soldiers laugh and Sir Midir and Lady Aideen blush.

Only then did I suggest we return to Evans. It seemed appropriate.


"Oh, so you're Miss Alicia," Lady Aideen murmured. She held still as I checked her over, and made small talk as I worked. "I'd heard of you in the castle, actually. One of the healers who left with Father and Andrei told me that if I needed help with healing, I should come to you." She smiled warmly. "I was making plans of coming to visit when all this happened."

"That is very kind of you, Lady Aideen," I replied. I knelt down and started working on her feet. "Try not to kick me, but you have rocks and the like stuck inside."

"And if you tried to heal it, there's an even-odd chance of you healing it inside." She held herself very still as I carefully plucked rocks and splinters. "My shoes fell apart while we were running."

"I had wondered." I focused entirely on my work. We were in a side room, leaving Lady Lachesis to check over Dew while Sir Midir, Sir Finn, and Azel tended to our injured. "How did Dew hear we were here when you hadn't?"

"He was thrown into the dungeons as a thief after I was captured."

"I see." I paused as I worked a particularly stubborn rock out of her heel. "Do you wish for a… miscarriage tea?"

"That won't be necessary." She smiled wryly when I looked up at her skeptically. "He didn't touch me. Not like that."

"Oh?" Getting the last of the debris out of her feet, I healed them easily and stood up. "Do you mind if I check you over? Sometimes, victims block out their memory of the trauma."

"Certainly." She closed her eyes as I urged my magic to wrap around her and check for any bleeding or bruising, for any diseases, and for any signs of pregnancy. But there was nothing.

"Well, then." I could honestly say I was startled. Considering everything I'd heard of Prince Gandolf, I'd been certain he would've… "I think, my lady, that your Ullur luck is the stuff of legends."

"I think so too. Prince Jamke freed me not two hours before the 'ceremony' Gandolf was going to force me through." She opened her eyes and smiled gently. "I suppose he had some sort of honor."

"Maybe." Though I wasn't going to try and figure out how that worked. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot of things, truthfully." She sighed, and let her perfect poise slump. "I am… happy that people came to save me, and frustrated that I needed saving. I am ecstatic Midir is alive, yet devastated that so many good soldiers died. I want to apologize to Sigurd that I was captured, and wring his neck for being so reckless."

"No fear?"

"Oh, I think I'm still in shock of everything for the fear and what-ifs to set in for now." She shook her head. "I'm sure I'll be screaming later tonight, when it all catches up."

"Well, you can cuddle with Sir Midir." I couldn't help but laugh as she flushed. "My lady, if I may be so bold, most of Jungby was taking bets on when you and Sir Midir would announce a courtship."

"Please tell me you're joking!" Her face went even redder and she pressed her hands to her cheeks in a vain attempt to hide it. "Oh, goodness…"

"Now, now, my lady, it warms everyone's hearts that you are in love. Your little brother is engaged, is he not?"

"Ah, yes, he is." Lady Aideen sighed. "But that does not mean I should be so easy to read! I am a healer. I should be calm and unreadable."

"Throwing yourself at him while in tears is not exactly subtle, my lady." I laughed softly as she winced and whimpered. "My apologies. I should not be so teasing."

"No, please, especially since you and I will be working together." Lady Aideen smiled. "You and I are both healers. Healers… are the only ones who help each other."

Who healed the healer? No one, unless another healer happened to be near. "That is true, and there are very few here who even know herbal medicines."

"Besides, you and I do not fight. We are both healers, not warriors who happen to know how to heal." Her smile softened. "So, please, call me 'Aideen', and feel free to tease. A little bit of laughter…"

"Laughter is often the best medicine." Noise in the main room caught my ear. "Oh, dear." Was it another wave of wounded?

"It sounds like only one or two people." Lady Aideen stood up, and moved to the doorway. "Yes, just one person."

"Well, that can be good or bad." I stepped out of the room and smiled at the messenger, a farmer turned soldier. "Oh, hello." I wondered what he was doing here. It was much too early for the messenger I had sent to Lord Sigurd, telling him of Lady Aideen's rescue, to have returned, so this could not be a reply. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, Miss Alicia," he replied. He saluted, the movement a little clunky. "I'm here to inform you that Lord Sigurd has successfully taken Genoa castle." The room instantly cheered. "He also requests that you come to the castle, Miss Alicia. He did not say why."

"Oh?" I could think of a few thousand reasons, and all of them involved lots of blood and pain. "Give me a moment, then, to check on things here."

I just wanted to go to bed.


I tried not to whimper as I dismounted from the horse. The messenger had been insistent on getting back to Genoa Castle as soon as possible, meaning that we'd ridden at a gallop, pausing just long enough to keep the horse from foundering. I couldn't tell the messenger that I had no riding experience, not when haste was apparently very needed, and so, I hurt, a lot.

I didn't even have a chance to stretch out. Lord Oifeye was waiting for me, and quickly led me into the castle. I noticed Lord Lex and an unknown woman with black hair glaring at each other, and wondered who she was. But then she was out of sight, and I focused again on Lord Oifeye. Of course, I couldn't do that for long. Lord Sigurd was clearly waiting for us, and he soon took over leading me through the bloody, corpse-ridden castle, with Lord Oifeye staying back.

It was only when we were heading down to a place smelling of damp and mold did he say anything. "I apologize for the haste and the quiet," he said as we carefully walked down the stairs. He held out his hand to help me when I stumbled. "There's a prisoner down here who needs a healer, a young child."

"Is there a reason why Lady Ethlyn could not heal him?" I asked, squinting as everything darkened. There were no windows down here, and the smell wafting up was almost nauseating. "She is skilled."

"We tried, but he saw her weapon and panicked." He sighed as we made it to the bottom, and took a torch off the wall to help light the way as we walked. Our steps squished along the way, and I tried not to think of how many prisoners died in a place like this. "She removed it, of course, but he still panicked."

"Why did she have it on at all?"

"Why else? She came straight from the field, and hadn't noticed the weight." We came on a cell in a particularly damp corner. "He's in there. I dare not get much closer, but if you want the torch…"

"No, if you keep it there, there should be enough life for me to work." Cautiously, I approached the cell, and I pushed the door open. It creaked loudly, and I winced as the sound assaulted my ears.

A whimper caught my attention, and I focused on the little boy in the corner. Dark haired and thin, he looked barely older than ten, and I'd be willing to bet that he was actually younger. I crawled over to him, sat on my heels, and waited for him to look at me, studying what I could see. He was bound with ropes, and had found against the bindings so much that he bled. Bruises mottled what bits of skin I could see through the dirt.

After a long moment, he looked up at me. His eyes were dark, both in color and in emotion. It was all too easy to the see the pain and fear in them, and a deep rooted sadness that made the eyes look too old for his face. He stared at me, studying me as I studied him, and then, very slowly he reached out. The ropes limited the movement, but I moved a little closer until he could touch me. Then, to my surprise, he grabbed a lock of my hair, and tilted his head.

"Oh, it's cold," he murmured. His voice was raspy, like he'd been crying. "It's so red. I thought it would be warm."

"It's fire-red, yes, but it is just hair," I gently teased, smiling softly. He relaxed slightly. "My name is Alicia, and I'm a healer. Will you let me tend to you?"

"You're not with Kinbaith?"

"No, I'm not. He and his men are dead." I paused as he looked alarmed, and I looked again at his hair. I was reminded of the woman outside. "Do you have a family member fighting with them? A woman?"

"My auntie, Ayra." His eyes wavered. "Is she okay? Is she still…?"

"I saw a woman who looks like you outside, glaring but alive." I heard footsteps and knew that Lord Sigurd was leaving to fetch her. "I think she's fine. Will you let me help you?"

"O-okay…" He let go of my hair and held still as I carefully untied the ropes. It was slow going. The knots were tight, and had been made tighter by his struggling, but I remained determined, even as my vision blurred slightly from exhaustion. He whimpered when I managed to undo the knots and pulled the ropes off of him. Once they were off, I gently tugged him out of the corner, mostly so that he was no longer trapped there. Then I stripped him of his shirt; it was little more than rags anyway.

He flinched, and at first, I thought it was the cold. But then I noticed something startling. There, wrapping around his torso, was a very large Holy Mark. The black lines were smooth and spiraled, almost looking like a patterned robe imprinted on his skin. A second look showed that the pattern was set up almost like a moon and stars.

He was a Major Holy Blooded, and given the circumstances, I had a very good guess as to which Crusader he was descended from. However, I purposely ignored it and worked on tending to his injuries, using both my staff and some medicines. After all, I could easily count his ribs, and it was clear the boy hadn't had a decent meal in a long time. I was a healer; a person's allegiances didn't matter to a healer.

Footsteps heralded someone's approach, and they were purposely loud to make sure neither the boy nor I would be startled. I did not look up from my work until someone knocked on the cell. Then, I turned to smile, because only Lord Sigurd would be so cautious.

He waited at the cell door, and did not enter until the boy hesitantly nodded. Even then, he moved slowly, holding up his hands slightly so that the boy could see that he was unarmed. When the boy looked uncomfortable, he stopped, and sat down there.

"Your Aunt Ayra is currently being treated for some muscle strain," Lord Sigurd explained. The boy smiled hesitantly. "I'm sure she'll be here before long. She was screaming at Lex, Ethlyn, and Quan when I left."

"That sounds like her," the boy replied. He shook slightly, but he looked more curious than afraid of Lord Sigurd. "She's really nice, but she has a temper."

"I'm sure she's also mad at Lex. He used taunts to keep her from cutting his head off." Lord Sigurd smiled softly. "I take it you were used as a hostage to keep her cooperative."

"Yes…" His eyes wavered. "Um… what's going to happen to us?"

"Well, that depends on what you two want to do, but we can talk about that later." Lord Sigurd shook his head. "But what is your name?"

"It's…" He hesitated again, and he glanced at me as I continued to work. He watched me close up a cut, and he seemed to find courage from it. "My name is Shanan." He looked Lord Sigurd right in the eyes. "I'm Shanan, of Isaach."

"Really?" Lord Sigurd looked surprised, and his eyes focused on the Mark on Lord Shanan's chest. Lord Shanan flinched, but did his best to not hide. "Poor child. You must have gone through so much." Lord Sigurd smiled warmly, and I saw Lord Shanan's expression blank from shock. "I cannot even imagine. You're quite brave, to hold up through all of that."

"I… I'm not…" Lord Shanan's eyes filled with tears. "You…" He lost the battle and started to cry. I shifted so that he could cry into my shoulder. "S-sorry…"

"Do not be sorry for crying." Lord Sigurd carefully approached, ready to back away if needed. But Lord Shanan let him come close, and even rest his hand on his head. "Especially when so much has happened in such a short time. Trust me. Crying is perfectly natural."

Lord Shanan continued to cry, and Lord Sigurd and I let the poor boy sob. It was increasingly clear that he'd gone through rough times since the campaign started, and he had been holding back his tears this entire time.

He had just calmed down when we heard someone running down the hall. We barely had time to look up before the woman I'd seen earlier swung inside the cell and went straight to Lord Shanan, crashing to her knees and gathering him in her arms. He started crying again, and this time, Lord Sigurd and I stepped away to give the two some privacy.

"Did you get my messenger about Lady Aideen?" I asked him. I made myself ignore how my knees ached and how my vision was greying at the edges. I needed to go to sleep, but I needed to do my job. "I left her in charge of the infirmary."

"I did get that message," Lord Sigurd replied. He smiled in relief. "It made me feel a little better dragging you away from the injured." His smile faded. "Dare I ask…?"

"I have no counts for you yet. It has been a very busy few days." I gave him a look. "I'm assuming you had a field infirmary?"

"Yes, though it was mostly a 'Ethlyn heals people enough to either fight or be transported back to Evans'." Lord Sigurd sighed. "When we take Marpha, I might need you and Aideen closer to the fighting, unfortunately. I'm sure the trip didn't help their injuries."

"It depends." But that did make me wonder just how many bodies littered the road between Evans and Genoa. "But the distance between here and Marpha is not too bad."

"Marpha and Castle Verdane, though… that is a hike." He shook his head and focused on the woman and Lord Shanan. "Verdane is very far from Isaach."

"You risk a lot." It was all too easy to imagine how the courts would react to him giving the Prince of Isaach safety. "It is, in many ways, too much kindness."

"Perhaps, but I would rather risk death by kindness than to kill a little boy for an accident at birth." His words were firm. "He's so young. It's not fair that he should suffer."

"Life isn't very fair, Lord Sigurd."

"Why not?" He paused, expecting an answer, but I had none. I could only stare, because my only response was 'it just is', and that was an answer I knew he wouldn't accept. "That phrase nothing more than an excuse for all the cruel and petty things people inflict, and get away with it. But there's no reason why life shouldn't be fair, yes? Why can we not make it fair?"

I could only continue to stare, as I had no real reply to it other that 'you are a naive idiot and will get yourself killed'. That wasn't something a healer said, especially to the leader of an army. Thankfully, though, I was spared trying to think of a reply anyway. The woman had torn her attention from Lord Shanan, and focused her hard, fierce eyes on us.

"My name is Ayra," she told us. "I'm Shanan's aunt, Minor Odo." Her eyes glinted, daring us to say anything. But, of course, she remained silent. "What do you plan on doing with us?"

"My plan is to either grant your sanctuary among my army, or to help you go to a place you believe is safe, Princess Ayra," Lord Sigurd answered without a moment's hesitation. He even bowed to her politely. "Whichever you wish."

"Is that so?" She seemed skeptical, but she glanced down at Lord Shanan, the fierceness in her eyes faltering. But then they sharpened again, and focused on me. "You. You're a healer, yes? The pink-haired girl said you were."

"I am," I confirmed, crossing my arms and schooling my expression back to being impassive and serene. "I'm assuming you wish for a healer's opinion on your nephew's condition?"

"Yes. Things were rough before… all of this…"

"He is in very bad shape." I kept my voice even and my face, calm. "He's underfed, so much so that I hesitate giving him solid foods for some time. He is suffering from injuries, both physical and mental. It would not surprise me if he has caught some sort of illness from all the mold around."

"In short, suck up my pride or he will die." She saw the underlying meaning of my words and sighed. "I was tasked with keeping him safe and, more to the point, he is my nephew and the only family I have left." The fierceness in her eyes faded for a deep, sorrowful pain. "So, please… I know Gran-"

"I am a healer, my lady. I heal people. I leave the politics to the politicians, and the fighting to the soldiers." I looked up at Lord Sigurd. "The first order of business is to get him out of this cell. I want to get him a bath, and a good scrubbing. I thought I saw signs of lice, and I was not kidding when I said I think he might've caught something from the mold."

"Of course," Lord Sigurd replied. He offered his hand to Lady Ayra and, after a moment, she took it. "It is an honor to meet you. I shall do everything in my power to ensure you're both safe. You have my word."

"...I am not certain how much I trust that word…" Lady Ayra mumbled. She used the hand to pull herself and then bowed, tucking Lord Shanon into her side. "However, you didn't slay Shanan out of hand. For that kindness alone, I will take the leap of faith."

"And I shall endeavor to never prove unworthy of that faith."

We were definitely going to catch a storm from the court for this. But I couldn't find myself faulting his kindness. Maybe it was because Shanan was a child, and one in dire need of something to show him that the world wasn't entirely cruel. It was just… mostly cruel.

Then again, maybe I was just getting used to crazy Lord Sigurd. I liked that opinion better.


Records on Sir Noish

Cavalier, 20 years old

A proper knight of Chalphy, cautious and serious.

Slow and precise in his fighting, but he'll often will score critical injuries on his enemies, and his stamina is enough that he can often pursue an enemy even after they break off combat.

He's often sent at the front alongside Sir Alec, as he is one of Lord Sigurd's most trusted knights


Author's note: Lachesis does cameo in this in-game chapter, but she doesn't have a substantial appearance. I chose to include her for extra characterization, and for ship tease. Missletain's ability in-game is 'critical', since the critical skill is required to actually do critical hits in game (well that, or being adjacent to siblings or lover or by using a weapon with 50+kills). I switched it to 'life steal' as a) it suits the name 'demon sword' and b) that was done in the Inflation Patch.

Next Chapter - Interlude, Genoa