Chapter 19) Exile
It's the strangest of things. We'd gone through hell. We were ambushed in the castle, where I nearly died and Deirdre was kidnapped and Shanan was re-traumatized. We lost Eldigan in a heartbreaking fashion. We were nearly slaughtered by Travant and his dragon knights. We fought and killed Chagall. On a personal level, I had my oath tested, twice. Yet now after all of this, we're dealing with pirates. Some of us don't think it's something to take seriously, but we're all paranoid, remembering how unexpectedly horrible everything has gone. So, we pack up and ride for Madino, hoping that we're just jumping at shadows.
After all, if we weren't, then things were going to get horrifically worse, and I wasn't sure any of us could bear that weight.
It was almost hilarious, really. Despite our hopes, our fears long outstripped them, and all of us were next-to-convinced that we'd arrive in the middle of a siege, or ruins. So, there was something… almost anti-climatic when we arrived and everything seemed just fine. It was relieving, certainly, but anti-climatic.
"Sigurd!" Still, there was something cheering about how quickly Aideen raced out of the castle and tackled Sigurd with a hug. "Welcome!" she greeted, giving him her best smile. Sigurd was a little blinded by it, and the tackle-hug, and thus didn't respond. The rest of us dismounted and milled about, slowly relaxing as it became obvious that everything was okay. "Goodness, you haven't been sleeping, have you?" She took his face in her hands, and frowned worriedly. "And you've definitely lost weight."
"Hi to you too, Aideen," Sigurd finally replied. He closed his eyes and let her fuss. "So, everything is okay here? We heard about the ambush."
"Yes, everything is fine. We got advance warning, so we had a lovely plan. Is that why you were rushing here? I'm sorry, Sigurd. We should've sent you a message saying everything was okay."
"Yeah, well…" He opened his eyes and hugged her back. "I'm glad you're okay. I was more than a little worried that whoever attacked Agusty would come up to here."
"Nope, never did. We've been keeping an eye and ear out for any information." She hugged him again. "I'm so sorry, Sigurd. But we'll find Deirdre. I promise we will."
"Thanks, Aideen."
"So that's why she ran outside." King Jamke walked out then, flanked by Midir. "We were in the middle of a meeting, and then she looked out the window and ran," he teased. Aideen pulled away from Sigurd and stuck out her tongue childishly. "Welcome to Madino… looks like everyone. Was that safe to do?"
"Chagall is dead, and all his forces surrendered," Sigurd explained. He smiled warmly at them both. "Bit of a surprise to hear of an ambush after that."
"I imagine." King Jamke laughed, smiling in return. Midir bowed politely and began actually ushering everyone inside to rest. I lingered back, mostly to try and snag Aideen to ask about wounded. But she was busy greeting everyone, so I waited. "But it's all taken care of. I'm sorry we worried you."
"So Aideen said. Mind if I ask how?"
"Classic lure and ambush strategy. The courtyard is very well set up for that sort of thing, almost too much so for my comfort." King Jamke shrugged. "Between the advanced warning we had and that, they weren't hard. We are still cleaning a bit, though, so I can't invite you to the gardens or whatever."
"That's fine. I was just…" Sigurd sighed and hugged King Jamke. King Jamke stiffened, startled, but awkwardly returned it. "Sorry. Things have been weird."
"Yeah, we've heard." King Jamke pulled away, blushing and desperately trying to ignore that fact. "Well, I can't say things haven't been weird on our end either."
"Really?" Sigurd frowned. "You've mentioned 'advanced warning'. Does it have something to do with that?"
"Well…"
"Aideen?" Another person walked out, and I wasn't the only one who just stared. If not for the fact that I had literally just seen Aideen, wearing her normal white clothing, I would've asked why she changed to an orange. "Oh, hello," the woman whispered, eyes narrowed. Immediately, I hunted for differences, finding them fairly quickly once the initial shock passed. Her hair was much longer than Aideen's, partially tied back. Her shirt was sleeveless, showcasing long gloves and muscled arms. Her face was leaner, sterner. "Who are you people?"
"Perfectly timing," King Jamke sighed. He shrugged and gestured at Sigurd. "We told you we had a leader, right?"
"You did." Her eyes narrowed further, but then she frowned and got a quizzical look on her face. "…A little boy with blue hair who taught me swords because bows were weak in close combat. You…"
"My name is Sigurd," Sigurd said slowly. He smiled softly, and a tear slipped down his face. "Hi, Brigid. I'm honestly surprised you remembered that. We were children, young children. You were five when I last saw you."
"I don't remember much," Brigid admitted. She reached up to touch the back of her shoulder, likely where her Holy mark was. "Yewfelle seems rather determined to make me remember as much as possible, though. I'm still reeling a bit over everything, truthfully."
"Makes sense." His smiled grew. "So, you were the 'advanced warning'."
"Partly. I was raised by these pirates, but the old leader, who raised me, died and… well, they wanted to just pillage. I stopped them, so they tried to kill me." She sighed gustily. "Then I ran into a priest of all people, along with a hurricane in human form."
"A… hurricane?"
"Aly, you're here!" And just like that, Tailtiu popped out of the castle and raced straight for me, nearly knocking over Brigid in the process. "Hi!" she chirped, wrapping her arms around mine and tugging me inside. Brigid gave me a sympathetic look. "I already checked with Aideen and Father Claude and they said there's no one who needs your immediate attention, so let's have tea and talk, okay?"
"Be that as it may, Tailtiu." Claude appeared to rescue me. "I do need to speak with her, and with Sigurd," he explained. Tailtiu sulked. "I'm sorry, Tailtiu. But I do want her to hear this."
"Fiiiiine…" She grumbled a bit before giving me a hug and, surprisingly, a kiss on the cheek. "Tea later, okay!" She skipped off and actually jumped onto Azel's back, making him yelp and Lex laugh.
"I hope she can hold onto that cheer." Claude smiled at me. "I'm pleased to see you've recovered. If you can follow me inside?"
Quickly yet quietly, Claude led the way to what likely was the 'receiving room'. Apparently, he'd given the others the same instructions, as Sigurd, Aideen, Brigid, King Jamke, Ayra, Lewyn, and Quan soon joined us. "My apologies for calling you all here," Claude began. He held himself calmly, but I recognized it quickly as a healer's mask. I made sure my own was 'on'. "I wanted to talk to you all, first, about what I saw at Blaggi Tower."
"I remember you telling me you were on your way," I murmured. I clasped my hands in front of me, and did my best to project serene confidence. "So, what is it that you learned? I assume little good, give the subject matter."
"No, it's little good indeed." Claude looked everyone in the eyes, and everyone appropriately stiffened. "Lord Langbalt and Lord Reptor conspired together and plotted against Lord Byron, Lord Ring, and Prince Kurth." His gaze lingered on Aideen and Brigid. Brigid silently glared back; Aideen paled. "Lord Ring, unfortunately, did not survive the initial assault. He fought valiantly, but Lord Andrei shot him as a traitor."
"N-no…" Aideen whimpered. She staggered back, like the words had physically slapped her, and Sigurd caught her before she collapsed. "No, he wouldn't. They haven't gotten along, certainly, but he promised he'd try, and he promised we'd all have a dinner together. He…"
"I do not know if he's part of the conspiracy or simply shown enough falsified evidence. But that is what I was shown."
"W-what of Byron?" Aideen's voice cracked and she began crying. Sigurd hugged her and Brigid awkwardly tried to wipe away the tears. "What of…?"
"He lives, barely. He holds Tyrfing and the Book of Naga, entrusted to him by Prince Kurth in his last moments." Claude closed his eyes. I knew it was to gather his thoughts and calm. "Prince Kurth's final words… I did not hear all of them, but I know he begged Byron to return to his father and let the truth be known."
"Then, let me ask the obvious question," Ayra murmured. She held herself very stiffly, but she moved to take over hugging Aideen from Sigurd. She knew the pain of losing a father, after all. "Who killed Prince Kurth?"
"I'm not certain if it was the axe wound across the back, or the lightning that hit him soon after," Claude replied with a touch of dryness. Lewyn closed his eyes and tilted his head like he was listening to something. "But it was either Langbalt or Reptor. That much is certain."
"Wind stirred more at the name 'Langbalt'," Lewyn commented. He opened his eyes again, eyes dark. "So, my best guess is the axe, but that makes sense. Those of Naga's blood are good at resisting magic, but like other magic users, don't wear a lot of armor. The Book of Naga is said to create a shield, but gods know how that works."
"The wind sees much."
"The wind sees everything, but few things hold the sylphs attention, and the sylphs are detached enough from humanity that they simply can't think 'oh, hey, this might be important to the silly humans'." Lewyn shrugged. "I can ask them, but honestly, it's better suited for quick immediate things. Like 'why is the wind freaking out, oh hells, the castle that should have been safe is under attack'."
"Was there anything else?" King Jamke asked, turning the conversation back to the original subject. He frowned heavily, and there was very real worry in his eyes. "If not, I'll need to get word to my own people to prepare. I certainly don't regret coming to help, but I worry Grannvale will turn this against my own people."
"Oh, gods, that's a possibility…" Sigurd breathed. His whole demeanor fell, from his expression to his posture. "I'm so-"
"I literally just said I don't regret coming." King Jamke smiled reassuringly. "I just need to warn my people. So, was there anything else, Father Claude?"
"No, I did not see much else," Claude replied. His tone, however, reminded me of when I held back information to patient's loved ones, to tell the patient in private. "Mostly, I saw dark shadows behind all these events. Shadows that reminded me of the magic that inflicted Alicia twice."
"Then did they arrange for Deirdre's kidnapping to lure Sigurd out?" I asked softly. I clasped my hands in front of me, keeping my healer-calm. "That sounds plausible to me, at least. Sigurd is known for his loyalty."
"Could be, but then we have to wonder why these dark mages are working with Reptor and Langbalt," Quan pointed out. He wrapped a reassuring arm around Sigurd's shoulders. "Both are known for their hunts. Reptor is infamous for them."
"That's true. We've been away for so long that I have forgotten." I thought about the feeling I'd had earlier, of being a piece of a cracking board. "Maybe they're manipulating things?"
"But why?" Quan sighed heavily. "We're running on so little information. It might be best to just think of what to do with the current problem. Sigurd is falsely accused, and Prince Kurth's true killers are trying to hide their crime."
"We also have to tend to Agustria. We can't simply leave it as is."
"What a mess," Ayra murmured. Aideen was still crying silently on Ayra's shoulder. "For now, we should let everyone know."
"Maybe not everyone," Brigid suggested softly. She held herself firm as all eyes turned to her. "I mean; who here wants to tell Tailtiu that her dad is guilty of regicide or whatever the proper term is? And I think someone told me that you've a Dozel son here?"
"…Oh, gods, I have to tell Lex this." Ayra groaned. "This is a huge mess. Let's just sleep on it. We're all tired anyway."
"Here, I'll show you rooms. I think I can remember where Aideen had people set up. If not, we'll have a lovely tour of the place." The others filed out, each in varying states of shock and worried. I lingered behind though, as did Claude.
His slight smile told me he'd expected me to remain. "Both you and I are far too skilled with a healer's mask to fool each other," he commented. I smiled slightly, but studied his expression. "Do you think the others saw how worried I am?"
"I doubt it," I reassured. "They haven't seen through mine yet, at least, and they've worked with me longer. But it also means I know the tone you used. What else did you see?"
"Nothing they need to know, in my opinion. One future among many possibilities." He shrugged, shaking his head. "I already had to give them news that broke their hearts and shook their spirits after a set of grueling battles. It would just be cruel to give them something else to worry about when there are so many different outcomes."
"I see." I didn't agree, but I couldn't force him to tell. Different healers had different opinions on what was best. "Did you see Arvis in your visions?"
"I saw him tending to King Azmur, and I saw him frowning worriedly over something." He smiled slightly. "I am uncertain if he is involved. It's possible he's pretending, to find the right opportunity to strike."
"That would be like him." I smiled back, relieved. "Thank you. It's enough to know that they've not hurt him."
"Of course." He gestured to the door. "Now, Tailtiu was correct in that no one requires your immediate attention in my opinion, so I think you can take the opportunity to rest, for once."
"A rare thing for this army." I laughed, amused. "But I'll take it. We'll talk later about the injured."
Claude and I parted then, with him going down one hall and me going down the other. A small sniffle caught my attention and I peered behind a nearby pillar. To my surprise, I found a silently sobbing Tailtiu, and her despairing eyes told me everything. She'd overheard. She overheard what her father had done. Despite Brigid's worries, Tailtiu already knew.
"…Why don't we have that tea now?" I suggested, gathering her up in a hug. She leaned into me, still crying. "Come on. All we can do right now is walk forward, so let's have some tea and sweets."
Ayra was right. This was such a complete mess.
With Claude's news weighing heavily on us all, we thought about returning to Grannvale immediately. But there were still pirates to deal with and there were still damages to the surrounding villages to be mended and healed. So, instead, we decided to focus on 'smaller things', things we could definitely accomplish to help us feel more in control of everything as our lives spiraled into madness. Still, there were many talks of just how to get a message out or how to arrange safe travels, since we had no idea who could be trusted. I didn't contribute much to them, though. I spent most of my time tending to the wounded, listening to grievances, and helping Tailtiu cheer up. Since the full details hadn't been revealed to everyone yet, only those in the room plus Lex and Ethlyn, she tried to hide that she also knew, but those that knew her knew something was off about the act. Azel in particular worried, and often took her out on walks to help her calm down.
However, even that fragile peace shattered in an instance. Erinys had flown a patrol, and found Grannvale soldiers on the horizon demanding one thing: Sigurd's head.
"This is absolutely ridiculous!" Ethlyn snapped. Her eyes filled with frustrated tears as she voiced what all of us in the room were thinking. Well, Sigurd might not have. Sigurd had completely frozen up and had all but fallen into his chair. I stayed at his side, checking for signs of outright fainting. "They can't do that without a trial! How can they even think they can get away with this?!"
"It seems his harboring the last members of Isaach's royal family has made people question his loyalty," Erinys reported to the small little group in Sigurd's study. Ayra, Quan, Ethlyn, Sigurd, Erinys, and me had been called in. Others had been invited, but they opted to help people calm down instead. "So, he could have been judged guilty in his absence. It could also simply be that they plan on killing him before going to trial to hide their crimes."
"This is… argh!" Ethlyn threw up her hands, the threatened tears falling. "Let me guess! It's Langbalt and Reptor, isn't it? Leading them, I mean!"
"I don't know those people. But one leader wielded an axe that sparkled much like Gae Bolg and Mystletainn. The other held a tome that crackled with power, reminding me of Forseti."
"Yeah, that's them then. Helswath and Mjonir." Ethlyn rubbed at her face to try and get rid of the tears. But more simply joined them. "Ugh, I hate them! They've always had it out for Father and Sigurd! Gods, how are Lex and Tailtiu related to those vile-?!"
"Now isn't the time to shout, Ethlyn," Quan cut in gently. He gently rubbed Sigurd's back, but Sigurd didn't react. He was in far too much shock. I was surprised he hadn't fainted, truthfully. "I understand, of course, but we should think of what to do. I am the prince of Leonster, and they can't get away with killing me easily. Maybe I could reason with them?"
"You could give me over to them as a sign of good faith," Ayra added. She flinched as everyone's immediate response was 'no way in all the heavens and hells!'. "It was just a suggestion? They're specifically using Sigurd's kindness against him, the same kindness that saved Shanan's life. I don't mind risking mine if it gives him a chance."
"We really can't guarantee they won't kill you on sight, Ayra. I have a minor shield due to my position and rank." Quan stepped away from Sigurd and crossed his arms. Ethlyn quickly took his place, hugging Sigurd, but Sigurd was still in too much shock to return it. She didn't mind, simply kissing his cheek and continuing to hold him. "My home would never believe Sigurd involved with my death, and my death would lead to… well, increased taxation on needed goods at the very least of things."
"Your people can't afford a second war."
"Neither can Grannvale. It's a gamble, but my odds would be better than most in the army."
"Sigurd," I whispered then, deciding that Sigurd simply shouldn't remain for the rest. He didn't react to me, but I half-expected that. He really was in total shock. "Sigurd, it's Alicia." I tilted his head up to face me and waited for his eyes to finally slowly focus on me. "Come on. Let's head outside." Sigurd blinked a few times and glanced to the others. Ethlyn smiled warmly at him and helped him out of the chair. "Let them work out a plan to protect you. You need fresh air and movement. Healer's orders." Slowly, I got Sigurd to move. Ethlyn almost followed, but she paused and simply gave Sigurd another great big hug before returning to the conversation. Erinys remained as well, reporting all the information she had again, to help them find some sort of escape route.
Once he was out of the chair, it was simple to usher Sigurd out onto the battlements, where the crisp wind could help him ground himself back in reality. I caught sight of Lewyn lounging on the walls and worried, but Lewyn winked as soon as he caught sight of eyes and carefully hid himself from Sigurd's sight. I had no idea just why he was out here, but I was grateful he knew to keep quiet. Sigurd needed it.
"What have I been fighting for?" Sigurd whispered after a long moment of simply staring blankly to the horizon. He leaned against the walls and peered over. "Long drop."
"It is, so I do hope you don't accidentally fall," I replied. I glanced over as well, doing some mental calculations. "A fall from here wouldn't kill you immediately, and I'd have to get my pretty dress quite bloody."
"You never care about blood."
"I care about ruining a dress with your blood, Sigurd." I rested a hand on his arm, and smiled sadly. "As for what you've bee fighting for… well, you've fought for your friends and country. The Verdane campaign was because Aideen got kidnapped, and King Jamke's brothers would not let Grannvale be. The first Agustrian campaign was because Noldion was attacked, and the southern lords would not stop fighting. This one we just finished up was because they attacked us."
"And yet, here I am, on the verge of being executed as a traitor for a false crime."
"Yes, I'm surprised King Azmur would let them do this without Claude's return. My best guess is that he's given up from grief." King Azmur was well known for doting on his son and, politically speaking, this was an absolute nightmare. Unless Prince Kurth had a secret child somewhere, the royal line would die with him. We had a succession crisis on our hands, and no doubt people were exploiting that. "Reptor and Langbalt must be taking advantage of that grief, enough that even Arvis couldn't stop them." But I knew he must've tried. Arvis adored Sigurd, and Azel and I were here. I knew he must've tried. "But that is neither here nor there."
"Yes, what's here and now is that I'm in quite a bit of trouble." He laughed mirthlessly. "I think you warned me, once, that my kindness would get me in trouble."
"I did. And I believe your response was that you'd rather risk death than kill a little boy." I had to fight my own urge to laugh. That conversation felt so long ago, not just a mere two years ago. "I replied that life wasn't very fair, and you demanded why it shouldn't be, why you shouldn't make it fair."
"I think I'm getting a first hand look on why."
"Now, now, what did I say about you losing your optimism?" I desperately wished Deirdre were here. She'd have him laughing by now, easily. "You need to look forward. Chin up."
"Chin up, huh?" He smiled wryly and pointedly looked up. Then he frowned at something. "I thought Erinys was inside."
"She is, though it's possible she left for another patrol. Why?"
"There's a pegasus knight in the sky."
"Pardon?" I jerked my head up, startled, and I gasped when I realized he was right. My eyes widened when I realized something else. "That's… not Erinys. Erinys wears different armor."
"Then who is-"
"That's Annand!" Lewyn appeared behind us. Sigurd yelped, but I kept my calm and simply turned my attention to Lewyn. "She's the commander of Silesse's pegasus knights, and my mother's right hand," he explained. "I'll signal her down, if…"
"Yes, go ahead," Sigurd replied. He pressed a hand to his chest, groaning. "Also, thank you for the heart attack."
"You're oblivious to your surroundings." Lewyn whistled sharply and waved. The pegasus knight above waved back and began a long, arcing descent. "She's doing that to not kick as much wind and feathers into our faces."
"That's kind of her." Sigurd smiled slightly, watching her descent. "I wonder if she's here to make sure you and Erinys can get out of here safely."
"If I wanted to just save my own skin, I could've left with Erinys already. However, this is such bullshit that I'm having to convince the sylphs that, no, unleashing a tornado isn't a viable option, and they're normally incredibly peaceful." Lewyn gave Sigurd the sternest look I'd ever seen him wear. "Don't be so quick to believe your friends will leave you."
"That's… I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to imply."
"Though I imagine given the sudden kidnapping of Deirdre and Eldigan's equally sudden death, you might be falsely thinking that it's safer for your friends to be away," I murmured. Sigurd's slight wince hinted the thought had crossed his mind. "In which case, I will remind you that the healer's recommendation for dealing with this spiel of self-pity will be a sharp blow to the head. Sadly, I do not have convenient branches to snap off this time, but I'm sure I can find something else to get through your hard skull."
"That's…" Sigurd began, frowning in confusion. But then he remembered and laughed instead. "Right, right. You said that last time I was moping."
"I did. You're not yourself if you're not looking forward."
"You also told me that before, and not that long ago."
"Clearly, you needed the reminder already."
"Ah, it's heartwarming watching you bicker," Lewyn teased. He smiled warmly and nodded up to the skies. "She's about to land. Might want to stand back a bit."
We did as he asked, and soon, the pegasus did land quietly on the battlements, with barely any wind. The rider dismounted quickly and bowed to us, and at first, I was startled by her resemblance to Erinys. Then I remembered Erinys told me her sister was named 'Annand' and realized this was her. She was shorter than Erinys, and she held herself with a confidence Erinys was still growing into.
But her smile was the same. It lit up her whole face as she straightened. "Good, I made it," she murmured. "I worried I wouldn't when… well, that doesn't matter. Prince Lewyn, it pleases me to see you in good health."
"Good to see you too, Annand, and I've no doubt you'll give me a lecture when things aren't serious," Lewyn retorted. He smiled, though. "Annand, this is Alicia, the Chief Healer for the army, and Lord Sigurd, our illustrious leader who has gotten himself in a spot of trouble. Please tell me this is what I think it is."
"Possibly." Annand let her smile fade to bow again. "Lord Sigurd, I bear a message from my queen. Will you seek sanctuary in Silesse?"
"Will I… what?" Sigurd repeated, staring. I had to default to my healer-calm to keep my own surprise from showing. Lewyn simply grinned, smug. "Queen Rahna is…"
"Queen Rahna heard of the accusations and she thinks they are absurd. You have always had a good reputation and have treated Prince Lewyn with such kindness according to Erinys's letters." Annand lifted her head and smiled encouragingly. "We have ships ready and waiting to take you and yours to our home, Silesse. My queen is offering you sanctuary until your name is cleared. That's her message."
"Your queen has heard…?"
"Yes, a message was sent to her weeks ago, detailing the accusations against her. I understand they were sent prior to Father Claude of Edda's departure and were meant to simply be a 'warning' for her, but she rightfully called it nonsense. Knowing the political situation, she ordered our ships to head south, just in case." Annand's smile warmed. "They wait only for my order, Lord Sigurd. We can have you and yours away by sundown."
"You should take it up," Lewyn encouraged, resting a hand on Sigurd's shoulder. It took a few blinks for Sigurd to turn his attention to him. "It'll be winter soon, meaning Grannvale can't follow. Silesse is isolated once the snows hits, and Silesse has always been a neutral country. We can recover there."
"But…" Sigurd tried to protest. He couldn't think of the words, though. "I…"
"Truthfully, I was wondering if I should offer, but the problem was getting you there. But Mother thinks of everything, as always." Lewyn smiled warmly. "It's a good answer to our problem."
"It would also be a good place for Seliph," I added helpfully. I made sure my own smile was gentle. "It's very peaceful according to Erinys. There are tensions, certainly, but nothing overt yet. He's been living in a war camp for the past few weeks, so it'll be a nice change of pace."
"That's mean," Sigurd complained. I knew it was only because he had to focus on something. "Using my son against me."
"Then let it be the healer's recommendation again. We do need a quieter place to recover from everything. It'll be good for Lachesis, for instance."
"Fine, fine, I give." Sigurd sighed, but he gave Annand a thankful look. "We'll accept Queen Rahna's most gracious offer. Thank you dearly for it."
It took a lot of rapid, almost frantic, juggling to get everything and everyone we could onto the ships. Too many times we had to triple check if we'd left something important behind, and most of the time, we had. But as the sun began to set on the horizon, we were sailing away from Agustria, long before the soldiers arrived. By the time it set entirely, Agustria had faded in the distance and we were safe.
"It's so tiny," Sigurd whispered. The wind whipped about, pushing us northward, and both Sigurd and I tugged our cloaks a little closer. "Agustria, I mean."
"In an hour or so, we won't see it at all," I agreed. It felt a little… I had no idea. Our two campaigns in Agustria had been filled with pain, but there was a great deal of happiness hiding there too. For instance, Seliph had been born there. Chulainn and I started our relationship there. In fact, many of us had started our relationships there. Ares and Grahnye still lived there. There were such lovely memories I'd forever hold dear. "I really hope we didn't leave anything important behind."
"At this point, there's no getting it back." Sigurd nodded to my bracelet, to change the subject. "That's pretty, by the way. I didn't notice it before."
"It's a recent thing." I looked to the bracelet Travant had given to me. No one had mentioned anything about it. Even Chulainn had simply called it 'pretty'. It made it a lot easier on me. "A patient gave it to me in thanks."
"I see." Sigurd leaned against the railing, watching the moonlight dance on the waves. "So, quick question."
"Is it why you and I are up above instead of below deck like the others? That's a good question, but perhaps its because it can get a bit cramped below." I smiled slightly. "I feel horrible for the horses, by the way."
"They have roomy stalls on this boat! It's made to house pegasi, after all, with the wings!" He grinned, but shook his head. "No, it's not that. Besides, we're up here because I wanted to mope and you're not letting me."
"Deirdre would be saddened if I let you, not to mention Quan and Ethlyn and literally everyone." I shrugged, not feeling the least bit guilty. "So, what is your question?"
"I'm grateful, but why did you, Azel, Lex, and Tailtiu stay with us? I know why everyone else did, but…"
"Ah, yes, I imagine that'll be the question everyone will ask once the shock of having to escape wears off." I looked up at the sparkling stars, like they had all the answers for why this was all happening. They didn't, of course, but they were still pretty. "Well, Lex didn't place high hopes on his survival. He and his father haven't gotten along in years, after all. Azel thought Langbalt would've let him live, since he apparently favors Lex over his elder son, but even Azel agreed that he doubted he'd let Ayra and Shanan live. Then there is also how Lex simply didn't want to live his love and his friends."
"That makes sense. Tailtiu?"
"Well, I know you tried, but Tailtiu did actually overhear what happened."
"Damn it. I knew her cheer was off."
"Yes, so she's in shock over it. She's scared her father used her rebelliousness to hurt you all, but she's also scared of having it confirmed via confronting him. When you add in the reason why she snuck off to start with…"
"You mean there was a reason besides following, sorry, guarding Claude?"
"Yes." I returned my attention to him, and his cheer faded when he saw how serious I was. "Apparently, her brother married recently. It seems to be a happy marriage, but she feels uncomfortable around her sister-in-law, Hilda. So did Ethnia, but Ethnia recently married and thus moved out. So, Tailtiu felt trapped in her own home, and seized the first chance to escape that she could."
"I see." Sigurd sighed. "Ah, I feel so sorry for her. Everything is messed up and she got caught up in it in the worst of ways."
"I'd argue that applies to all of us, Sigurd." But I did agree. It was painful watching her try to be cheerful. "As for Azel and me, we stayed for the same reason. We're very certain that if they caught us, we'd either be killed to ensure Arvis turned against you or we'd be used as hostages for the same purpose. Neither of us wants that." I smiled warmly at him, to hide my own fear. I was desperately afraid of being used against anyone I cared about, but especially Arvis. "I'm certain Arvis is doing what he can to help you. I don't want that support to fade away."
"I see." He smiled again and rested a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks, Alicia. All this support makes me feel better about everything. I feel like we can make it through."
"I'm sure, but it'll likely take a while." I might've said more, but a wave of nausea hit me, and I groaned, covering my mouth. "Ugh…"
"Seasick already?" Sigurd grinned, and it widened when I glowered. "Sorry, but for some reason, I find it hilarious."
"I've never been on a boat before. Actually, this is the first time I've gotten a good look at the ocean in general."
"Well, I'm no healer, but I think the recommendation here is to go rest." He bounced a little, incredibly smug about the temporary role reversal. I would've been far madder if he hadn't been just so darn cheerful. "Let me help you down, and I'll get Claude for you."
"I don't think I need Claude for simple seasickness." I didn't ask why he didn't, say, get Aideen or Ethlyn. Aideen was still reeling from learning her little brother killed her father, and Ethlyn was helping keep everyone's spirits up. "I really don't."
"And just what would you be doing if you weren't the patient?" He waited, still perfectly smug, and I groaned again because I knew he was right. "Come on, Alicia. Let me help you."
"Fine, you may, as soon as you stop being smug!"
Despite the teasing, Sigurd was very careful in helping me down, checking in case I got dizzy or fatigues, since those symptoms also accompanied seasickness sometimes. He got me settled quickly in my room, perched on the bed, and went to get Claude. I debated sticking around or not, but another wave of nausea did make me decide to be a good patient and wait. Claude arrived not long after, a slight smile hinting he knew I'd debated just leaving, and proceeded to give me a very quick check up. However, his diagnosis for my nausea was surprising, to say the least.
"I'm pregnant?" I repeated, startled. Of all the things I thought it might be, that hadn't been on my list. "Really?"
"Well, we'll have to keep an eye on things to be certain, since I think you're only a couple weeks in, at most," Claude answered. He set his staff down and nodded. "But, yes, that's my best guess for now, given what else I sensed."
"That's odd. Chulainn and I…" I trailed off, thinking. It took only a moment to remember that the past couple of times we'd had sex, neither of us had actually taken the normal contraceptives. "Oops."
"Ah, yes, getting so caught up in the moment that you forgot important things. A fairly typical cause for unexpected pregnancy." Claude smiled sympathetically. "Thus, I do need to ask. Do you want to keep the child?"
"Mmm…" I closed my eyes to think about it. I hadn't planned on this, certainly. Chulainn and I hadn't talked about children. Hell, we hadn't even talked marriage and, typically, that was the first thing that came up. But it did feel 'right' that we kept going out of order, and I couldn't deny how happy I was at the news. It was inconvenient, certainly, but I was happy. "No, I think I'll keep it." I opened my eyes and smiled. "I'm afraid I'll be giving you more work."
"The best of work, really." His smile warmed. "In that case, we'll have to change your diet a bit. You know the drill, of course."
"Do I ever." I grimaced. "Oh, hell, I won't be able to help in the infirmary as much."
"Well, not once you're further into the pregnancy. But we're going to a relatively peaceful area, you can still supervise, and I am here to assist as well." He laughed warmly, and I smiled back. "Ah, but first… I do think I should let Chulainn know, yes? Should we keep it secret from the others?"
"With this group, things don't stay secret long." I shrugged. "Just keep them from stampeding me."
"I'll be certain to tell… hmm… Sigurd and Azel. After that, I'll let the gossip handle the rest."
"So, the whole ship will know by the morning, and somehow, the rest of the ships will know by tomorrow night."
Claude laughed warmly and left me alone. I shifted so that I was sitting a little more securely on the bed, and pressed a hand to my stomach. It surprised me, really. I'd never thought about becoming a mother. I never thought about falling in love. I'd been alone in the village, respected but not loved, tolerated at best. This sort of thing never occurred to me. Now, here I was. It was a strange feeling, and sadness crept in as I thought of how Deirdre had these same thoughts. I wished she were here for this. She'd been excited at the thought, and I wished I could tell her. I wished I could hear her squeal in delight. I wished we could discuss names. I wished… I wished for a lot of things.
Still, all the sadness in the world couldn't keep me from smiling at the half-nervous, half-stunned Chulainn that walked inside and shut the door behind him. "So, if it's a girl, I already have a name," I informed him. "Deirdre suggested one and I'm keeping it. I told her she could help name my children, after all."
"Of course," he whispered. He smiled slightly, that boyish smile I loved so very dearly. "Whatever you want." He hesitated a brief moment before shyly, shyly, sitting down next to me and pulling me into his lap. "A baby, huh?"
"Yep. I'm pregnant. We're going to be parents."
"That's a terrifying thought." But his smile was still happy, telling me that he felt the same as I did. It was unexpected, but it was a happy bit of news. "Well, now Ayra's really going to push us marrying." He made a face and I laughed. "She's been on my back about it for the past couple of weeks."
"Has she? That's amusing." I leaned against him, and sighed. "However, I want to wait. I promised Deirdre that she'd be my Maid of Honor, you see, and that she'd help plan it. Plus, I'd want Arvis to be there, and you haven't even met him yet." I smiled up at him. "You don't mind, right?"
"Honestly, I don't see the point of weddings by this point in my life. Why do we need some ceremony to say 'I am yours and you are mine'?' He kissed me gently. "I'm just fine with that. Whatever wedding we have, it'll just be what you want."
"Honestly, if I thought we could get away with it, I'd just rather elope."
"That's a thought. Could we?"
"As I said, I don't think we'd get away with it, not with this group."
"True." He kissed me again, and tucked me against his chest. "I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat in happy silence for a while, before Azel knocked on the door and peeked inside, looking both panicked and excited. He chatted with us for a while, playfully telling Chulainn they needed to duel or something, and then he stepped to the side to let Sigurd congratulate me, and to organize the stream of well-wishers so that I really wasn't stampeded.
I couldn't help but smile at it all, though. Here we were in exile, yet strangely, I was incredibly happy. I was still with my friends. I had an unexpected surprise, but one I found happiness with. Honestly the only way things could be better was… well, Sigurd to have his name cleared, for Arvis to celebrate with me, and for Deirdre to return.
It was almost perfect, all things considered. I was content with that.
Notes on Lewyn:
The 20 year old Prince of Silesse, who ran away to try and avoid a civil war due to his uncles' opposing his inheritance. He feels horrible guilt over this, but at the same time, is terrified over the deaths said civil war might've brought.
Definitely one of the more powerful units, having a full mastery of wind magic thanks to his Major Sety blood. He's incredibly fast, sometimes able to fire off two spells in the time it normally takes to cast one.
His Holy Mark wraps entirely up his left leg, from his ankle to his hip.
Perhaps the one person in the world whose kindness rivals Sigurd's. This kindness attracts may people's eyes, specifically Sylvia's, but he has strong feelings for Erinys that he tries to hide for whatever reason. He does very poorly at it, but Erinys is oblivious.
Author's Note: And thus we end Game-Chapter 3, with Sigurd going into exile because politics. Considering the timing of things, to give fair warning, expect a lot of pregnancies and babies to start showing up during these next few interludes for the established couples. Also have the last recruits of the first generation, Brigid, Claude, and Tailtiu. Tailtiu learning about what all is going on via eavesdropping is from the Oosawa manga. Claude's telling of events is based off his optional with Sigurd, though the fact that he saw more than what he said comes from his lover-talk with Aideen in Chapter 5. Yewfelle 'forcing' Brigid to remember is based off her talk with Aideen, as is the fact that she was five years old when she was kidnapped by pirates. Langbalt favoring Lex over his elder son, Danann, comes from the Oosawa manga.
Next Chapter – Interlude, Sanctuary
