My brief foray into Miraculous Ladybyug was...interesting. Nothing unique to talk about, of course, but I'll try to update that story after this one. Since there's about an equal amount of those who wanted the three segments I'll try to balance them out.
Oh, and we're literally less than a thousand views from hitting the 500k mark! I know it's not that big a deal but getting halfway to a million reads is a landmark for me. Thanks to all those who keep reading.
EDIT: Uh...scratch that, we just passed the 500k mark. Success!
"I'll take first watch."
Estelle looked up from her place on the fire before shrugging and continuing her work. Apart from when they'd agreed to gather firewood the two hadn't spoken a word to one another in the hours that passed. She scraped two rough rocks together, trying to spark the small pile of wood and create a small fire. If they were going to stay the night in this forest then they needed to avoid freezing their asses off.
The only other option was trying to grope their way to town in the darkness and she wasn't nearly suicidal enough for that.
"You know, I do have magic," Karin pointed out. Her aptitude lied in wind magic but a small flame shouldn't prove too much of a problem.
"You should conserve your willpower for possible threats," She answered softly. After a few more flicks the wood finally ignited and they were bathed in the warm light of the fire, "That should last for at least a few hours." She tucked the stones back in her pack before throwing a handful of leaves into the blaze, "Are you sure you don't want to rest first? Your wound's still healing."
"I'm fine," She snapped, harsher than she intended, "Look...I know you're trying to help but I need some time to think, okay?"
"Suit yourself."
They did their best to not stray too far from the small clearing they woke up in. She'd used up some of her willpower to try and pinpoint where the closest town was: She made out the outline of a village in the distance but there was no way they were going to get there in the pitch black darkness. As soon as the sun rose they would begin their trek. With luck they would make it before noon.
Where in the hell were they?
Karin tucked her knees into her chest and let out a cold breath. Even with the longcoat she sported the cold from the bitter night wind chilled her to the bone; perhaps she should have paid extra for those sleeves, but hindsight was always obvious, "Fuck..." She shivered and brought her gloved hands closer to the fire. Brimir above she felt miserable. Her head was pounding and she was freezing her ass off.
Across from her Estelle lied on the ground, her breaths soft and eyes closed. How the girl could sleep in the lumpy dirt she had no idea but she wasn't going to complain. She had volunteered for first watch both out of a sense of chivalry and to keep an eye on her; while she made it clear she wasn't going to attack her she couldn't help her paranoia. The last person she trusted ended up being a Vampire who tried to turn her into a ghoul.
Granted said Vampire was now one of her closest friends, but still. She wasn't naive enough to assume that everyone would be her friend and discretion was the better part of valor when it came to situations like these.
The night was still, leaving her to her own thoughts. How did she get here? Last she recalled she had been on a mission to exterminate a group of goblins that had taken refuge in the hills. While they hadn't attacked anyone yet it was only a matter of time before they started taking people from the surrounding villages to sacrifice them to their false Gods. Better safe than sorry in this case.
She'd also met that bizarre man. He claimed to be a wandering aristocrat, and though she didn't trust his claims she couldn't see any reason to refuse his offer of traveling together. They were going to the same destination, after all, and there was safety in numbers.
And then...nothing. They'd stopped by a lake to try and replenish their supplies of water but after that it was all a blank. The next thing she knew she woke up in this God forsaken forest with a gash on her forehead and a migraine to go with it.
She looked at the sleeping girl across from her. Given the way she acted earlier she could presume that she had been taken from wherever she had been as well, but apart from that she knew little. Once she got to the closest town she would part ways with her and go back to Tristain. She would receive a reprimanding for failing her mission but she could worry about that when her head didn't feel like it was being split open.
Across from her Estelle stirred, moving about in her sleep. Karin looked at the other girl worriedly; she couldn't make out what she was saying, but it couldn't have been pleasant given the way she was squirming.
A growl from the left drew her attention.
"Shit!" She fumbled for her sword-wand and aimed it in the direction of the call. In forests the most common problems were wild animals, roaming packs of wolves in particular. It would be okay; so long as she killed the head the rest would scatter easily enough.
Unfortunately, it wasn't a wolf that came out of the darkness.
She didn't know how to describe them. 'Monster' was the first word that came to mind, but it seemed to pale in comparison to their grotesque appearance. Warped and mangled limbs dragged the ruptured body forward, its deformed face splitting open to reveal a row of of uneven teeth and a multi-pronged tongue. How the thing could see was a mystery given that it seemed to have no eyes, the entire upper side of its face nothing more than a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and bone.
It seemed to blend into the darkness, its black skin masking it despite its horrible appearance. Karina steadied her grip on her sword-wand; it hadn't attacked her as of yet, but already she was chanting a spell to eviscerate it should it draw too close.
The creature charged, mouth splitting wider to let out a screeching cry. Before she could throw the windblade at it an arrow lodged itself into its 'forehead', causing the creature to stumble past her and slam into a nearby tree. Karin looked to the side and found the hooded girl holding her bow up haphazardly.
"They're here..." Estelle stood up quickly, hands already notching another arrow, "We shouldn't have stayed. Now they know where we are."
"What are you talking about? What are these things?" She looked around frantically. More chilling calls; evidently the creature hadn't come alone, "Look, what the hel is going on here? Do you know what these things are?"
"The Corrupted...shouldn't you know this as well?" She gave her a questioning look before drawing closer to the fire, "We can talk more later. Stay close to the fire, the creatures hate light and fire more than anything-"
Another pair charged, each as grotesque as the last. Karin aimed the blades at their heads, splitting them open and spilling the dark bile that she could only assume to be blood. The creatures' death throes chilled her to the bone; despite everything it sounded remarkably similar to the wails of a dying human. It brought back painful memories of Eustace's dungeon and the denizens within.
She cursed, picking up a log from the fire and tossing it ahead of her. She needed to see if she wanted to fight, "How many of these things are there!?" She pointed her foci at the ground and blasted a quick torrent of wind. She flew through the air, the creatures looking up at her soaring form, before they were crushed by a quick 'air hammer' spell. She stumbled back onto ground before running back to the fire. Casting two spells at once was difficult but manageable.
"You said you could use fire magic before, right?" She let loose another arrow, hitting a creature at its knee and making it stumble. The second one aimed at its neck finished the job.
"Yeah!" She created a miniature tornado and threw it at where she heard their calls. It didn't matter if she missed; she just needed to keep them distracted, "Don't think it's a good idea, though! We'll probably burn the forest if we try!"
One managed to get close. Karin ducked to avoid its clumsy swipe and Estelle charged into it, stabbing one of her arrows at its forehead until the wood snapped, "Stay close!" She pulled the archer close and created a shield of razor wind. Three more charged at them but the cutting winds tore them apart before their gnarled hands could reach them. Karin winced as the black blood splattered all around her. The smell was nauseating.
"We have no choice, just try to control it!" The wall of wind came down. Estelle took out on of her arrows and stabbed the head into the fire, "We just need enough to drive them back!" She shot it into the darkness, earning another cry. How in the hel did she see these things? "As long as we can distract them we should be able to escape and- Look out!"
Karin turned and let out a cry of surprise. One of the creatures crashed into her and forced her onto the ground. Her head smashed into the hard dirt and she felt her wound splitting open, the blood spilling on the ground in droves. The pain was agonizing, but it was nothing to the feeling of rage and humiliation that ran through her. The creature attempted to bite her, but she kicked it away with a frantic cry.
"God damn monsters!" Hands shaking, she stabbed her rapier into its mouth and pushed the blade until it was halfway into the hilt.
"Karin-"
"Get down!" She waited for the archer to drop on all fours before releasing a wave of razor wind all around. her As the 'sphere' expanded she heard the creatures crying in pain, which only pushed her to release another torrent. She couldn't see them, but she didn't need to; anything that was standing within a fifty foot radius would turn into broken chunks of meat.
All was silent as the spell died, the only noise coming from the occasional creaking tree or gust of wind. Estelle looked up from her place on the ground at the devastation around her; apart from the dead Corrupted the trees surrounded them had been cut apart, the few that remained standing seeming to sway with every gust of wind. There weren't any more of the creatures, at least as far as she could tell.
Karin panted, her breath shaky as she swayed in place. Spells like that always drained her willpower and it wasn't long before she fell on her behind, "Damn monsters..." She pressed one hand against her forehead. It was still bleeding, and her drained willpower wasn't doing her any favors, "You...You owe me an explanation for...for whatever in helheim those fucking things were."
"Later." Estelle offered her a hand. She ignored it, "Listen, we can't stay here. The Corrupted rarely ever leave well enough alone and they'll find us eventually if we don't move. We need to find somewhere else to stay before their 'friends' come searching for them."
"...Fine." She accepted her hand and did her best not to squirm as she pulled her up before wrapping her arm around her shoulders, "I can walk by myself-"
"No, you can't." She ignored the chevalier's scowl and trudged ahead, "You wouldn't have hesitated cast that spell earlier unless it cost you something. Just...lean on me for now. When we find somewhere else to stay then you can complain."
Karin didn't know how long they walked, it was all a blur to the fatigued teen, but eventually they managed to find an abandoned cave and camped out inside. Estelle left her alone briefly so she could gather firewood but soon enough they were once again sitting across from one another, albeit much worse for wear. They hadn't found any more of the creatures but she wasn't willing to let her guard down so easy; she had no idea what in the hel those things were but the way they attacked them didn't spell good things. She needed to recover her willpower, fast.
"I'll take first watch. You need to rest," Estelle said. Karin opened her mouth to protest but she cut her off, "After what just happened do you still think there's a chance I'm going to attack you?" She asked incredulously, "Look...I know you don't have reason to trust me...but I don't mean you any harm. If I wanted to kill you then I would have just left you there to die."
"Right...well, I guess you have a point." She fingered the rough bandages. Estelle had offered them to her before but since her wounds had healed she saw no need. She wasn't going to refuse a second time, "Look...sorry for that. I have no idea why I'm here and you were the first person I saw so I was going to be suspicious. Even after I said we were going to be partners." She smiled wryly, "Thanks for dragging me outta there."
"I'd probably be dead if it wasn't for you. We're even." She shrugged, "...Get some rest. We should be safe in the morning; the Corrupted hate sunlight."
"Look, about that...what the hel were those things? I've seen some nasty crap but those things are new. Some new Firstborn of some kind or the experiment of another mad alchemist? Those things can't be natural."
"I still have no idea why you don't know what they are, but fine." She traced a gloved hand against the cave floor, "The Corrupted are...well, exactly what they mean. Corrupted humans that have been tainted by the abyss." She clicked her tongue, "You're lucky none of their blood got into your wound. Once you become tainted it's difficult to impossible to cure yourself."
"Those things were...were humans?" God she felt even more sick. She shook off the urge to vomit and pressed again, "Look...you don't have any reason to lie to me so let's say I believe you. What exactly is our plan here? I can barely walk and, no offense, but I doubt you can take those things on by yourself."
"First you need to rest." She stood up and walked to the entrance to the cave, "I will wake you up in a few hours time. At that point we can decide what we wish to do with ourselves."
"Well if you don't have a better idea then I suggest we continue our plan of going into town and trying to figure out where the hel we are." She felt her eyes drooping. She removed her blue longcoat and bundled it into a makeshift pillow. It wouldn't be the most comfortable pillow but at least her head would have some cushioning, "Maybe you'll find your friend there as well, the one you were calling for earlier."
"Doubtful. Vent dislikes going to towns, they could be teeming with Corrupted as well." She sighed, "But we have little choice. As soon as the sun rises we continue our previous arrangement. With any luck we'll not run into another pack."
This wasn't what Louise was expecting.
"Tiny Louise, where have you been!?" Honored sister Eleanor pinched her cheeks, but it lacked the force of her usual 'attacks'. While the older woman wasn't crying it was evident by the way her face twitched and cracked that she was holding back, "Do you have any idea how worr- how much of a shock you gave us all!?" She corrected quickly, "We received a letter from the Queen saying you died in Albion!"
"I-"
"Oh, leave her alone, sister!" Cattleya pulled her away into another tight embrace. Her older sister had always been affectionate, but now her affections were (quite literally) suffocating, "All that matters is that she's here now and she's okay." She wiped away another onset of tears with her sleeve, "I'm sure Little Louise needs rest, not more reprimands. We can question her after we know she's alright."
She still felt guilty for the way she made her big sis cry. Honored sister Eleanor and her parents had managed to keep a stiff upper lip, as expected given their position, but big sis Catt had cried openly upon catching sight of her and ran towards her before she could even finish waving. She couldn't deny that she missed them as well, but she knew they were safe for her entire month of being 'dead'. They knew nothing and they had no body to mourn.
"Girls, please, this isn't a discussion that should be had outside." Her father grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from Cattleya's hold. Her big sis struggled briefly to hold onto her before quickly relenting, though she kept close to her as they trudged back to the estate.
She caught her mother's gaze and looked away quickly. Her mother...hugged her, told her she loved her and not to worry her like that again. It was...odd, no it was fucking surreal. Her mother was...she wasn't affectionate, she simply wasn't. She'd taught them to keep their emotions in check (lessons she failed on a near-daily basis, but that was a matter for another day) and always watch their actions.
Said mother kissing her forehead weirded her out more than being related to that Half-Elf.
Just before they entered the house she looked back towards her former Familiar. Raziel looked back at her and offered her a faint smile, but did little else. She mouthed a quick question, 'Aren't you coming?' She asked. Princess Henrietta was going to explain the situation and Julio was accompanying them to explain his part of the story. Surely as her F...friend he would be required to attend as well.
Whether he heard her plea or not she didn't know, but his only reply was a light wave before the door closed behind them, "H-Hey wait, Raziel's-"
Princess Henrietta sidled up next to her and took hold of her hand gently, pulling her away from her father's grasp, "He will meet us later, Louise," She assured her, offering a comforting smile, "For now we need to discuss something important...something I should have told them of months prior." She squeezed her hand, "I never got the chance to apologize to you before for my selfishness. I suppose you could think of this as my warning."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Princess. I was the one who-"
"What are you two talking about?" Eleanor questioned, eyes narrowed.
"Simply apologizing for my role in her presumed death, Lady Eleanor," Henrietta replied easily, her calm demeanor never waning, "I'm sure you're all curious as to what happened to Louise in the past month and Sir. Julio and I will do our best to explain."
The rest of the walk was mercifully short, and before she knew it they had seated themselves in one of the vacant rooms. Big sis Catt had sat next to her, though her family had finally decided to give her some much needed space. She missed them as well, but she...to be perfectly honest she wasn't used to open affection from anyone save her beloved big sis. She was glad they missed her, but it still felt odd.
"Your Majesty forgive my impudence but I must demand an explanation," Her father started, "You sent us a message a month prior speaking of our daughter's demise and now here she stands alive and well." He took a moment to consider his next words. Speaking out of turn against a monarch was a grave sin, "While I am understandably relieved that you were mistaken I...we still require clarification on this matter."
"Agreed." Her mother said. It might have been her imagination but she seemed...strained, fatigued almost, "I cannot presume to know my daughter's intentions, but I find it difficult to believe that she would not have returned home if she was not deceased."
Crap...she suddenly felt guilty. Maybe she should have gone to visit her family first, but they were safe and Raziel's status was unknown so she had to pick the lesser of two evils. She hated lying to her parents, but she doubted they would take it well if she admitted to placing the safety of her former Familiar over their relief.
"I believe I can explain that, milord and lady." Julio bowed quickly as he announced himself, "Lady Valliere was present in the last stand at Saxe-Gotha and sustained grievous wounds in the ensuing battle. She would have come back sooner, but the injuries she'd received coupled with her fever made it difficult for her to act. I decided to wait for her recovery rather than risk aggravating her condition."
"Why didn't you bring her back here in the first place?" Eleanor questioned, "If it was medicinal aid she needed we would have been more than glad to care for her."
"Again, I did not wish to aggravate her condition," Julio countered, "We hid in one of the towns and when Gallia joined the war we saw no reason to leave given the lack of danger. I could look after her, but she rarely left the room of the inn we stayed in. It wasn't until the peace treaty was formally signed that we were confident enough to leave and that was when we had run into Queen Henrietta."
"Is this true?" Her mother turned to look at her, "Did this young man save your life?"
Did he save her life? Yes, without a doubt. Did he do it in such a way? Absolutely not, "I...can't truly be sure." Her mother could always tell when she was lying, so half-truths would be her salvation, "My fever made it difficult to understand how much time passed." That was technically true...for the first few days, "And by the time it I was good enough to walk it had been weeks..." Two weeks in fact, but she would leave that unsaid, "The rest is more or less the same."
"I see." She nodded, turning back to Julio, "Well then, you have the gratitude of myself and that of the entire Valliere family as well. We will ensure you are justly rewarded for your efforts."
"No need. As a man of the cloth it is our duty to help those in need." He smiled softly, "Pardon me for saying but Lady Louise has an amazing gift. While saving her life was the right thing to do, she holds more importance than to her family."
"What Sir. Julio means to say is that...that Louise is no ordinary Mage." Henrietta cut in. She saw her best friend give her a disbelieving look but she forced herself to continue. They...They deserved to know, "I'm certain she told you that she awakened to her magic and that it was the reason she was chosen to partake in the conflict. Is this true?"
"Yes, she told us she inherited the element of fire," The Duke answered, "Is this incorrect?"
"It was a...partial truth." She needed to convey this properly. The wrong word uttered and this could all end in disaster, "Louise did awaken to her magic, but it was not the element of fire as she told you." She wrung her hands together nervously, "You may not believe me when I saw this, but she has inherited the magic of Allfather Brimir. Louise is...she is a Void Mage."
The stunned silence that followed was expected, but no less uncomfortable. Henrietta watched them all in turn; to the stunned Duke, the disbelieving Lady Eleanor, the worried Lady Cattleya and the seemingly unsurprised Duchess. She didn't blame them for their shock - Claiming to be an inheritor of the Void was oftentimes done by heretics trying to start a cult or selfish nobles seeking to amass more power. Just because her best friend had the backing of a monarch didn't mean she was legitimate; even royalty could be bribed and coerced, after all.
"That is...pardon me, but have I misheard?" The duke all but sputtered, "You are claiming that my daughter is the inheritor of Allfather Brimir's Void magic?"
"An inheritor, not the inheritor," Julio corrected, "Brimir split his power between his three sons and his apprentice, as you may recall. Lady Louise is simply one his inheritors, the other three pieces are with others."
"Even if we assume this is correct, why would it be Louise that inherited this power?" Eleanor questioned, "I have read the legends beforehand and it's clearly stated that the inheritors are those of royal blood. Would it not be Queen Henrietta that inherited this gift?"
"You would think so, but Void Magic is rarely so clear cut." Julio smirked, "If it was always royalty that inherited the blessed gifts would not the sightings of such Mages then be common to every generation rather than slander spread by heretics?" He traced a hand through the runes on his gloved hand, "The Void does not simply pass to the eldest child of every generation, else you would be correct."
"The Valliere family has always had close ties to the royal line," Henrietta continued, "Even if it is not wholly accurate Louise inheriting Allfather Brimir's power is not so unexpected." She bit her lower lip, "If you wish to have proof of these claims then we can test them later, but know that I have no reason to lie to you about this."
"Was that why you wanted Little Louise to go to war?" Cattleya asked, her expression growing more troubled.
"...Yea." She took a deep breath, "I am not proud of my actions, but I had previously thought that her gift would be our only way of winning the war. The 'miracle' at Tarbes is her doing, as is our fleet bypassing the Albionese blockade. They attributed the explosion to the phoenix, but it was no God that granted us salvation on that day."
"It was needed," Louise insisted, doing her best to keep her voice stable, "Mother, father...I know that I lied to you and placed myself at risk but without Raziel and myself the Reconquista upstarts would have succeeded in their ill-founded rebellion. I don't regret going to war...and if need be I would do so again."
"Louise-"
"Cattleya, please." The Duchess pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep, calming breath, "Louise, why did you not tell us of this before? Why lie to us about your element?"
"I...I thought you would have kept me locked away once you found out..." She looked down at her lap, tiny hands balled into fists, "I had planned to tell you after the war when Princess Henrietta no longer needed my aid, but...well, I was preoccupied with recovering from my injuries." She looked to Julio, "I wanted to be useful...I wanted to do something worthwhile."
She didn't want to be the Zero anymore.
"...Your Majesty, why would you tell us this?" The Duke asked, "As a loyal subject it would be dishonorable of me to refuse you my daughter's assistance should you require it, but as a father...I cannot let you manipulate her as one would a tool or a weapon."
"Father-!"
"I understand your views," Henrietta interrupted, "It was what I was hoping for, actually. I had used her before but I wish to avoid doing so..." She licked her lips nervously, "By telling you I hope that you will discourage me in the future if I am tempted to do so once more." She took a deep breath, "...And as shameless as this may be I also wish to ask for your aid in keeping her safe."
"Safe from whom?" The Duchess' eyes narrowed, "Is someone targeting our daughter?"
"Another Void Mage." It was Julio who answered, "Their identity is not known to us, but they have sent their Familiar to attack us twice now. Whether they have a grander plan in mind or they simply wish to be the sole remaining Void Mage is currently not known to us, but Lady Sheffield has shown considerable skill. She has not targeted Lady Louise specifically, but she showed no hesitation in placing her life in danger when given the chance. Better err on the side of caution."
"Should be easy enough. So long as she stays here she's safe." Eleanor conceded, ignoring Louise's look of protest, "Anyone who decides to attack our family in the heart of our territories must have a death wish."
"But-"
"As simple as it might seem, I'm afraid it's not that easy." Julio frowned slightly, "You have heard of the massacre in the port town, soldiers turning against one another?" A few nods, "That was her doing." He flicked his hand and grimaced, "An army is nothing to her, she will simply make them turn against one another with a single spell. Placing her here will no more protect her than placing her in an open field."
"What do you suggest we do then?" Eleanor snapped, glaring at the moon-eyed priest, "You say an army's useless but we can't just leave her undefended like this."
"Sir. Raziel and I will do our best to protect her. I understand that this might not seem very comforting bu our abilities are best suited for defending against Lady Sheffield's attacks," He plucked off the glove covering his right hand, "Void Mages do not summon ordinary Familiars, you see. It is why Lady Louise summoned an Undead and why my master summoned myself."
"An Undead...?" Cattleya's brows knotted together in worry. The rest of the Valliere family seemed to share her sentiments, looking at one another in uncertainty.
"It's fine. Raziel would never hurt me," Louise quickly reassured. She didn't want them doubting him now of all times "Just...Just think of him like you would big sis Daisy or big sis Amy. If they can be our allies then he should be able to as well, right?"
"Apologies, I assumed you knew of his..condition. Regardless I must agree with Lady Valliere. Sir. Raziel shall prove crucial to your daughter's continued protection," Julio said, "He is Gadnalfr, the shield which protects his master. I am Windalfr, the messenger. With both of us we should be enough to keep her safe until we find whoever is pulling her strings." He raised his right hand to show them the runes, "If Lady Sheffield gets past us...then there is little chance of anyone being able to protect Ms. Valliere."
"This is far too risky," Eleanor argued, "We're supposed to put Louise's life in the hands of a what, a priest and a walking corpse? Surely a platoon of soldiers is a more reasonable choice."
"The results speak for themselves, Lady Eleanor," Henrietta said, "I was not there in Albion when the madness overtook the army, but half of those men died either from the hands of their comrades or by killing themselves. Sir. Julio and Sir. Raziel were both there when it took place and they both survived. She...Louise told me that if it wasn't for them she would have perished there as well."
"So this is it then? You just want us to act like nothing's wrong? I thought you wanted our help in keeping her safe?"
"Eleanor-"
"I implore that you watch over her, yes, but confining her here under lock and key solves nothing." She looked to Louise. Her best friend gave her nod and mouthed something she couldn't make out, "Give her a bodyguard if you wish, someone you can implicitly trust, but safety in numbers does not apply in this situation. Whoever it is that controls this woman has enough influence and money to pull the strings of Reconquista. It only takes one bribed soldier for a well-armed group to fail and, forgiving any offense, I doubt each and every soldier working under your command has undying loyalty to the Valliere name."
"Point taken, Your Majesty." The Duke rubbed his temples and let out a sigh of frustration, "I...suppose we can have Daphne and Amethyst guard her if possible..." Granted they wouldn't be able to hurt anyone if it was a human, but they could escape relatively fast...provided it wasn't daytime.
"Ah...apologies, but I will be needing their assistance," Henrietta clapped her hands together ruefully, "We cannot be on the defensive forever; if we wish for these attacks to stop then we need to find this woman's master. I have precious little I could trust with such tasks and the pair's...unique abilities would be of great aid to me. You will have to find someone else-"
"I can do it!" Cattleya piped up. Everyone turned to look at her, most in disbelief, "I may not be a warrior but I am a decent Mage. If it's just someone to look out for her then I could do that, right? Besides, I'll have Sir. Julio and Sir. Raziel helping me as well so it's not like I'll be defending her by myself." She looked at each of her family in turn, "Just...please trust me, okay?"
"Not alone you're not." Eleanor rolled her eyes, "I was looking forward to going back to Vandabona...but until this situation's been dealt with I suppose I could watch over her as well." She looked to her parents, "So long as she stays in the academy it should be fine, yes? ...Though the academy doesn't have the best reputation right now after that mercenary attack; hopefully they fixed it up some."
"You are absolutely certain soldiers wouldn't suffice?" Karin asked, giving the monarch a piercing stare.
"If it was nothing more than an open battle then certainly, but whoever this Void Mage is they strike from the shadows. Unless it's someone you can place your life in then I would discourage telling anyone else."
"I see..." She looked away and the royal could have sworn she looked pained, but the second she blinked it was gone, "Fine then, we shall place our trust in your decisions for now. With luck whoever this renegade Mage is they shall not be a problem for long."
The reunion went about as he expected.
A small distance away at the time, Raziel had watched as the members of the Valliere family pulled their youngest into a backbreaking hug, each talking over one another as they asked questions and rambled on about their relief in equal measure. The only one who seemed to avoid the crowd was the Duchess, and that had less to do with reticence and more with the fact that she had greeted her daughter first and had already gotten it out of her system.
He had to admit, seeing the Duchess break down and embrace her daughter was an odd sight. The woman was cold, at least that was the impression he had gotten from her when they'd previously interacted.
And now he was back in this closet room.
To be fair he wasn't complaining; the room was small and basic, but he was never one for frivolities. At least this allowed him some peace and quiet...though it also left him to stew in his own thoughts. His brief moments with Tiffania were...well, describing them would take up far too much time. He cherished the time they spent together, of course, but he also knew when to let the past rest.
Looking up at the ceiling from his place on the bed, he raised his left hand and twisted it experimentally. It still felt odd, knowing that he had the remnants of Manus inside him. He wasn't filled with self-loathing about it, it was simply...well, odd. He knew that he wasn't an average Undead ever since Louise summoned him, but something as absurd as this...he could never have imagined it even in his wildest delusions.
"You okay there, partner?" Derflinger clicked from the end of the bed.
"Just fine...simply thinking." He sat up and shook his head, "Queen Henrietta...Gwynevere...she wishes for a way to end this cycle. I want her to succeed, of course, but the odds are stacked against us. She cannot be the first to attempt to break the wheel, and without any knowledge we are running blind."
"Hey, whatever happens happens, yeah? I mean I'll be here either way since we're stuck together and if we're both gonna bite it then I'd rather go out doing something heroic, wouldn't you?"
"I wish to die peacefully in bed, but you and I both know that can never happen to either of us." He smiled, the wry gesture belying his feelings, "Do you have nothing in your memories that could help us? You have been present for thousands of years, surely you have seen something worthwhile."
"Hey you gotta remember that most of those years were spent in the hands of assholes. Maybe Ol' Brim knew something, but those memories are so vague it's like watching a fucked up drawing and being asked what the symbolism of it is. Just trust that Queen for now and see where she goes with this. With any luck she'll figure out what to do and we can ride on carriage when the festival of victory happens."
"Ha, maybe."
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Julio again? No, Julio didn't knock; he would have simply barged in here quick as he pleased and...well, Gwyn could be a perverted bastard when he put his mind to it. He made sure to button up his shirt before going to answer. He'd let him get away with it before but right now he didn't have the patience to deal with his soul's antics.
"Didn't realize this was an open invite room." Derflinger called, "I'll keep quiet, wouldn't wanna interrupt anything."
"Haha." He laughed flatly, rolling his eyes. It wouldn't be Louise, she'd be too busy with her family, and since he had already written off Julio the only one that came to mind would be Ciaran. No doubt she would be asking about the Magic Academy and how best to protect Tiffania.
"H-Hello, Raziel."
It wasn't Ciaran at the other end of the door.
"Tiffania...what are you doing here?" He looked past her but found no one else. She was alone, "...Where is Ciaran? Should she not be with you?" He allowed her to pass and she scampered inside, hands holding down the sunhat she always wore. The employees of the Valliere household had no idea of her lineage so it was easy to see why she was nervous. Causing a scene here wouldn't have been pleasant.
"She's with the children...I told her I wished to take a walk." She sat on the bed nervously, finally releasing her deathgrip on the hat and allowing it to fall to her side, "I...wanted to see you. We haven't really talked to one another these past few days."
He sat on the other end of the bed, making sure to keep a fair distance between them, "It has been relatively busy..." The excuse sounded weak even to him, "And I...I thought that you would not wish to talk given our previous conversation." They both winced. The memory was still fresh, "...Look, let us not dance around it. Yes I regret cutting off our relationship, but we cannot continue like this."
"Why not...?" She clenched a fist tightly, "I...I still love you, I told you before. Do you...still love me?"
"I told you the answer to that before..." He answered half-heartedly, "...I wish to ask a question then. You told me that you still hold affection for me, correct?"
"Yes...I love you..."
"...Are you talking to Robin or me?"
The flash of hurt and uncertainty was brief, but it was enough. Raziel closed his eyes and willed himself to calm, "Whether it was because of Manus or not, I am not Robin. The one you fell in love with...he is gone. A part of him still remains, but I am not him any more than he is me. Ignoring Manus' influence, could you still continue a relationship even if the one you love is no longer present?"
"That's..." She bit her lower lip, "...I don't want to lose you. Raziel or Robin...it doesn't matter. I care about your, no matter what."
"I am not leaving you." He held onto her free hand, relishing in the warmth, "We can still remain friends and I will be with you when you go to the academy. I know that it will be difficult parting with the children, but you could still visit them in the orphanage."
"Maybe they'll get adopted..." He couldn't tell if she was happy or devastated by that prospect... "It'll be nice for them to get a family, of course, but I'll miss them when they're gone."
"You can still visit them when they have families. It's unlikely they'll be adopted by someone who's not in the capital," He reassured, "Just...I know that you were hurt by our separation, but I want you to understand that I still care for you...whether that love is romantic or not does not matter." She leaned her head against his shoulder and he smiled. They were close but not to the degree that she would have gotten hurt.
Just being with her like this...it was enough.
"...I want something more than that." She whispered to herself, so soft that he couldn't hear it. She wanted their relationship to go back to the way it was, for them to love one another as they had when he'd confessed his insecurities. She wanted to kiss him again and for him to reciprocate rather than backing away out of fear of hurting her.
She...She wanted Robin back.
Another knock at the door nearly caused them to jump. Looking at one another briefly, Tiffania fastened her sunhat on her head again before rushing for the door. Ignoring the surprised yelp on the other side, she pushed past whoever it was that came to visit and ran back to her room.
"...Was it something I did?" Cattleya asked, looking down the hall where the young Half-Elf ran.
"She is...simply shy." Raziel answered. What was she doing here? "I would have thought you'd still be with Louise given the circumstances." He adjusted his place on the bed so that he was properly facing her.
"She's with mother, father and Eleanor right now. They're...testing her Void Magic." She sat on the lone chair in the room, crossing her legs, "They want proof that she really inherited Allfather Brimir's magic."
"So you were finally told." He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. A secret like that could only remain hidden for so long, "If you came here for confirmation then yes, Louise is a Void Mage and I am her chosen by destiny Familiar." He muttered, sounding positively bored, "Forgive my appearance, I am sure Louise has told you of the circumstances. I have had this conversation many times and it does not bear repeating. If that is all you came here for then..."
"Not all of it." She pursed her lips and sat up straighter in her seat, "Ann and that priest told us all about the attacks Louise was privy to in Albion, that woman Sheffield."
"To be fair she never targeted Louise specifically...though that only makes it all the more difficult to discern her intentions." He frowned, "I am not sure if I am still considered her Familiar, but I will do my best to watch over her as I would Tiffania. I owe her at least that much."
"It's...relieving to hear that." She laughed softly, "Eleanor and I plan to go back to the school in order to watch over Louise as well...and our dear older sister is no doubt curious about Little Louise's magic. Void Magic is, after all, one of the mysteries any scholar wouldn't hesitate to study." Her smile turned slightly sour, "But so long as she's safe that's all that matters, right?"
"I cannot be there for her all the time," He warned, "Queen Henrietta may require my...assistance in certain matters. The length of such tasks might cause me to be absent for days, so please excuse any absences."
"Just do your best to protect her," She said, her eyes trailing along the length of his body, "...Forgive me for prying, but I'm surprised by your new appearance. Truth be told I had almost mistaken that young priest for you until I remembered that he was present in the school as well."
"As I said before, it is not a conversation I wish to have. Suffice to say I am lucky that I am still physically a male and let us leave it at that."
Looking over him once again she was tempted to ask if he was sure of that before deciding against it. So instead she decided to change the topic, "Hmm, well for an Undead you certainly don't look the part."
That...wasn't much better.
"Did Louise tell you that?" He rolled his eyes. At this point he wasn't going to bother repeating the same diatribe from before, "I assume by your lack of panic that you aren't going to string me up and burn me in a pyre."
"It was Sir Julio who told us, actually, and of course not. You do recall that Daisy and Amy are close family friends and Godmothers despite their Vampirism." She waved away lightly, "It's just...well, it's a bit of a shock if I'm being honest. You don't much look like a corpse being possessed by a spirit...then again Daisy and Amy are at least eight decades old and they certainly don't look the part either so maybe it's just something about Firstborns.
"I am not that kind of Undead." Technically he wasn't his kind of Undead either but he would let it slide.
"My soul is my own."
Not.
"And this body is mine."
Stolen from some poor bastard.
"I am not possessing anything."
He very much was.
"Oh? My apologies then?" She clasped her hands together, "Still, I suppose we weren't too far off when we thought you were a Vampire of sorts. So long as you don't cause Louise or anyone else harm then you have nothing to fear from us."
"That depends on your definition of 'anyone else'," He muttered, "Still, you never told me your reason for coming here. If it is to guarantee that I am to protect Louise then worry not, I shall do my best to not have her come to harm."
"That's not all." She shook her head, "Louise was vague on the details, but I got the impression that you weren't with her during the month that she recovered." She leaned forward, "Are you okay? I know it might be rude of me to ask but I did worry for you as well. Louise clearly cares for you and any friend of my dear Little Louise is a friend of mine as well."
"You do not have to worry. My...'recovery' was very pleasant." He crossed his arms, "I am completely fine, so your worry is unfounded. You should focus more on your sister-"
"Stop being so polite. It's making me sick."
"This is oddly familiar..." He raised an eyebrow, though his lips curving into a smile made it clear he took no offense, "Alright then, tell me what you see beneath the 'mask'. Am I hiding some deep, longing pain that is clear for all to see?"
"You're hurt." She stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Not just with Louise, though that's a big part of it...whatever happened I can tell that you're trying to keep it bottled in." Her smirk was oddly teasing, "Don't try to hide it from me, okay? I've had more experience doing that than you have."
"You are prying a little deep." He sighed lightly, "Fine...I broke off a relationship with Tiffania for...various reasons." He clicked his tongue. He didn't need to recount that particular tale, "It is still difficult think about, though the pain lessens as the days pass. As for Louise..." He took a deep breath, "I feel...distant from her. It is through no fault of her own, but our relationship is not the same as it once was."
"How do you mean exactly?"
"It is just..." He winced and let out a muffled curse, "I do not know how to describe it in proper detail. Ever since I had arrived in this land protecting Louise has been my first and most important focus. Even as I grew closer to Siesta and others Louise's safety mattered more in the end." He clenched his left hand, "Now this instinct is...gone. I still care for her, but-"
"Not as much as before?" She finished. He nodded, "Well I can't tell you the reason for that because I don't know, but Louise doesn't have to be your first priority for everything. I know it sounds odd coming from her older sister but you have a life of your own. It's enough for you to love her, you don't have to make yourself a martyr for her sake. I'm sure that's what she'd like as well."
"I suppose." He sighed. He wasn't sure if he believed her but since he hadn't talked to anyone else about this he had little choice. Still, it was...comforting to expel his problems onto others. He supposed that was why Siegmeyer was so chatty.
"Try not to worry about it too much, okay? That new face of yours looks bad when you frown." She smiled cheerily, ignoring the forced frown he gave her, "I'm sure that if you just talk to Louise about this it'll help you both."
"Maybe...though I am not sure if I am ready to tell her just yet..." He drummed his fingers on the mattress, "Speaking of Louise, should you not be returning to her side by now?"
"It's going to be another hour before they finish with her tests. Mother can be...thorough." She bit her lower lip, "I'm worried about her. Ever since a a short while ago she seems to have fallen ill, but every time we questioned her she acts as if nothing's wrong. I don't know, maybe I'm simply imagining things but I can't help but worry for her even with the stoic front she pulls up."
"Showing weakness is never pleasant," He commented aloud, "Going back...do you plan to stay here till then?"
"Hm? Well, we're not done with our conversation yet so I suppose so." She shrugged, "Louise was only one of your problems, if you recall. Let's talk about that Tiffania girl."
"...Do we really have to-"
"Yes, absolutely," She insisted, "Talking about it helps, and even if I don't know this girl it can be very relieving just rambling to someone who's willing to listen." She gestured to him with her hand, "So, shall we?"
"...Fine. It all started one month prior..."
"You sure this is a good idea?"
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing." Estelle mashed the herbs and roots in her hand before adding a few drops of water, "You don't have any potions and that cut's only going to get worse without proper treatment." She waited for her to unwrap the bandages before continuing, "This should stop the swelling and keep it from getting infected. You'll need proper medicine and rest but if you want to walk then this will help."
"Rrrghh...fine, just make it quick."
Karin shivered as the cold salve was smeared against her skin, the sticky feeling doing little to calm her nerves. God it felt like she was being bathed in slime, but at this point she would take it over dying of infection or her head bloating worse than Barkus' stomach after a night of drinking.
"There, that should keep any swelling down for at least the next few hours." She wiped her gloved hands on her pants, "Come on, the town shouldn't be that much further off and we can rest at an inn when we get there."
"A bed...I'd kill for one of those right now." Karina stood, balancing herself on her heeled boots. The sun was beating down on them and she sorely needed a bath after staying the night in the forest, "...Where'd you learn to this kind of stuff, anyway? No offense but you don't really seem like the healer type."
"I had a friend, Constantine. He was training to be a priest so he made his own recipes for salves and the like," She replied, looking back to make sure she was still following, "I'm not as good at it as he is, but basic work like this is possible even for someone like me."
"Well it's definitely useful I'll give you that." She rubbed the bandages. The skin underneath felt tingly; it was somewhat pleasant, "Look, sorry again for being such a hardass last night. I was really stressed after waking up in the middle of nowhere and, no offense, but you look kinda like a bandit in that get-up."
"None taken. I suppose I do appear rather...off-putting like this." She looked down at her attire, "Still, it accomplishes what it needs."
"Right, so are you ever going to take off that hood or..."
"No."
Thankfully it didn't take them much longer before they reached the town she'd spotted. Karin allowed herself a breath of relief as she caught sight of the trickle of people moving to and fro. Given the size of the town and the people milling about she could only assume that this was a countryside village of sorts, likely filled with farmers or merchants and the like.
"...The people here seem carefree. Where are the sentries and guards?" Estelle looked around, brows knotting together in worry, "When night comes they will be overwhelmed by the Corrupted."
"Little places like this only have to worry about orcs and goblins and the like. Whatever those monsters were before I can tell you they're not a common sight. The knights patrol here occasionally so it should be fine." She brought a hand through her sweat soaked neck, "Look, we can have this conversation later. Right now I really need to get a drink and a bath before I collapse."
Unfortunately it proved far harder when they arrived at the village proper. It only took one look at the sign before she realized that she had no idea what it said, which could only mean one thing: They definitely weren't in Tristain anymore.
"...Crap, where the hell are we?" She looked around her frantically. The physical features of the villagers were definitely familiar, but...no, she refused to believe that she was here of all places. Not when she had no reason to be.
"...Those signs look familiar." Estelle muttered, "...Hold on, I think I can get us the lay of the land."
Karin watched as the other girl approached a gruff looking man, "Entschuldigen Sie, der Herr?" She called. Karin couldn't understand a single word she said but she hoped it was something polite, "Haben Sie einen Moment Zeit?"
"Hmm?" He looked down at her, expression still put-off, "What ist los, kind?"
"Wo sind die Wachen, die nach den Verdorbenen Ausschau halten?" She gestured the edges of the town, "Diese Stadt erscheint...sehr anfällig gegenüber Angriffen." A trace of worry seeped into her tone.
"Verdorben? Was zur Hölle laberst du da?" He shook his head and sighed, "Ach, egal, ich hab keine Zeit um mich um Kinder und deren Unfug zu kümmern."
"Ah, Verzeihung, guter Herr!" She clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture, "Meine Begleitung und ich haben uns verlaufen und wir bräuchten etwas Hilfe. Könnten Sie uns sagen wo wir uns befänden?"
"Lebst du hinterm Mond, Junge?" He scoffed, "Das hier is das Dörfchen Bielefield; wie biste überhaupt hier aufgekrützt ohne das zu wissen?"
"Eine lange Geschichte..." She looked away and let out a fatigued breath "Hmm...ähm, wie lange bis wir die Haupstadt erreichen?"
"Hauptstadt? Mindestens eine Woche, und das zu Pferde für euch beide." He looked at them both, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before turning back to Estelle, "Wenn ich euch zwei aber anschaue halte ich das für unwahrscheinlich." He jerked his thumb in the direction of a slightly larger building. Definitely a tavern of sorts by the looks of it, "Ihr seht aus als müsstet ihr euch mal ausruhen."
"Werden wir. Danke sehr, Herr." She bowed.
"Ja ja. Mach keine Dummheiten, Jungchen." He gave her a pointed look, "Wir gehen in dieser Gegend nicht gerade sanft mit Verbrechern um."
Karin waited for her to walk before before she grabbed her arm and pulled her close, "Uh...what the hel was that?" She gave a cautious glance to the rough looking man, one hand already gripping her sword-wand, "I can't tell if you just insulted his mother or got him to help you...maybe both. Mind filling me in here?"
"I didn't insult his mother." She rolled her eyes and pulled her arm away from her grip, "I simply asked where we are and..." She sighed, "...Look, when Vent and I were travelling together I'd sort of lost track of where we were...but I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to be in Germania."
"Germania!? Ah, fuck!" She looked around once more, noting the stares of the villagers at their curious attire. No wonder she felt put-off being here, "Look we can't be here. Gernmanians and Tristainians don't exactly see eye to eye, if you catch my drift."
"The capital's at least a week away by horse. Unless you plan to walk there with no food, water or change of clothes we're pretty much stuck here for the moment." She pointed to the same building the man had gestured to, "Look, he suggested we go to the inn. I...don't have any money, do you?"
"I had some in my pack, but that's gone." She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Look, let's just offer to do the dishes or cut some firewood or something. If we do good enough maybe they'll let us sleep in the stables and we won't freeze our asses off out here." She growled in frustration, "You know this really isn't how I thought I'd be spending the rest of my week with. I'll be lucky if King Philipp doesn't fire me on the spot when I get back...though I'm sure Princess Marianne would throw a fit if he did. I can't tell which is worse."
"Let's just worry about finding a place to sleep." She rolled her eyes," I don't mind resting in the forest but you seem to have issues with it."
"Well yeah, sleeping on the ground isn't comfortable." She snapped back, briskly walking to the inn, "Anyway, what the hel was that back there? I thought you were Gallian or something with how you screamed Vent all the time but you spoke perfect Germanian. You used magic or something?"
"I have no magic. Halkeginian, Firstborn or otherwise." She sighed, "We can chat later, okay? Right now I'd rather get in so people can stop staring at us."
"Agreed...God, Centurion's gonna kill me when I come back."
When Henrietta entered her office she wasn't surprised to find Alsanna waiting for her.
Trudging past the shard of Manus, she plopped down on her desk and all but collapsed atop of it. The trip back to the castle had been exhausting and by the time they had arrived the sun had already set and the twin moons dominated the sky. Sleep was something she sorely needed, but first she had to deal with her...cousin's enrollment into the academy along with assigning her wards to a decent orphanage.
But first...
"Do you have a brother?"
Alsanna gave her a look confusion but did her best to answer, "When Father's soul shattered there were four of us: Nashandra, Elana, Nadalia and myself." She traced a hand through the lower half of her face, "Father's strongest memory was that of Princess Dusk and so we took semblances of her form, some more than others." She looked the least like her Father's beloved than the rest of her sisters while Nashandra held the closest resemblance.
"Are you sure?" She gave the woman a piercing gaze, "You split yourselves into four and went after the monarchs to gain a semblance of security. There were no...remaining pieces?"
"There were...remnants that we had all left behind," She answered after a moment of hesitation, "They were broken pieces, nothing more. Without a will to hold them together they would eventually pass from this world."
"Apparently not." She rubbed her temples to try and assuage the coming headache. How exactly did she find herself here? A little over a month ago the worst she had to deal with had been an attempted insurrection, and now she discussed the fate of the world with a Dark spirit that existed for possibly dozens of millenia, "I just met said remnants and they're very...lucid."
She hated to admit it, but she was far too young and inexperienced to deal with such matters...but it wasn't as if anyone else would take her place so here she was.
"That is not possible," She replied, though her voice had taken a harder tone, "The soul shattered and only four remained. Another piece...it cannot be."
"And as I said, I just talked to him. He really has no reason to lie to me about this," She pressed, "...Apologies, Lady Alsanna, but the story is...confusing to me as well. From what I could gather the pieces...'stitched' themselves together and eventually gained a will of their own...or they created a persona in order to protect them." It sounded more insane saying it out loud, "The point of the matter is that there is another 'shard'. Whether he is completely similar to you is another matter entirely, but he is here."
"...You have little reason to fabricate such falsehood." Alsanna conceded, "What is...does he fall prey to the same instincts that drove myself and the rest of my sisters?"
"That's...difficult to say. Surely he can be...savage, but he seems to try and keep his impulses in check as of this moment." The fingers of her right hand twitched. She still remembered the pulse of darkness that flared at the simple contact, "He has agreed to help me try and find a way to stop the cycle. He doesn't know much more than I do, but he should prove helpful."
"A brother..." The shard muttered softly, "What was he like? This...brother of mine." The world felt foreign to her tongue.
"That's...difficult to describe." She drummed her fingers on the desk, "Prior to the events of Albion I did not talk to him much; he was present mostly when I conversed with Louise. He seemed to hold a specific dislike for me...though for that I can't blame him. My actions were...selfish." It was far more than that, but now wasn't the time for self-pity, "He seems to have calmed considerably since then, though I can only hope that remains the case."
"Does he know of me...of the rest of his kin?"
"I don't think so. He knows that this Manus' soul shattered and that larger shards formed their own being, but who you are specifically he has no idea. I refrained from telling him...I thought you would wish to meet him yourself."
"...No. Not now...not yet," She let out a faint breath. Henrietta shivered at the sudden chill she felt, "I care for my sisters...but at times their lust for power would overwhelm them and they would turn against each other in their cravings. I must...until I am certain I can trust him I shall keep myself hidden. When I am certain he is trustworthy I will reveal myself to him..."
"As you wish, I'm not going to force you into anything," She conceded, "Lady Alsanna...you seem to know more about this cycle than any of us. Any information that you could share would be invaluable, so please don't hesitate to tell me of any suspicions you may have. I can send Agnes and a few others to investigate and we can nip this problem the bud, so to speak."
"I will...try. At times the line between predestined tragedy and those caused by our natures become indistinguishable." She walked towards the window and peered outside, "I shall return when I have information that shall prove useful."
"You can stay if you wish," She offered, a soft smile on her face, "I could use the company."
"I...very well then, Henrietta. Thank you."
She gave her a rare smile and the monarch found herself calming. These pleasant moments were rare and she'd learned to cherish every moment.
Done. Evidently there's a lot less 'countering against Joseph's plan' segments, but at least they're starting properly. I know Louise's POV was kind of...lacking, I'll try to make up for that in the next chapter in the return to school segments where she takes more focus in dealing with returning to a normal and watching over Tiffania to make sure she doesn't frag up and expose herself.
I'd like to thank my good friend Sascha for translating the English words to correct German :D I know no one will likely care but proper language is preferable to brute force google translate.
Anyway, I'm glad I got this chapter out since I'm about to go on a hot date *Stares at The Division lustfully* and she needs my full attention. Hope you guys enjoy it as well and if you wanna co-op together on the PC version you can PM me :)
To finish up: To clarify for those that might be confused, 'Karin (real name Karina) Desiree de Maillart', better known as 'Duchess Karin de la Valliere', was the main character of two ZNT side novels that focused on her antics as a teenager when she crossdressed (very poorly) as male knight to sign up for the chevaliers. Back before she became the Ice Queen Rule of Steel matriarch we all know and fear she actually looked and acted VERY similarly to her daughter, down to being a massive tsundere for her love interest Centurion (assumed to be the future Duke la Valliere).
So it should rather obvious that her being in the present timeline isn't right, but as they say 'Time in Lordran (or Halk in this case) is convoluted' :P Good thing DS time travel seems to be paradox proof or both Karins would disappear in a puff of logic.
Oh and the segment with Cattleya was supposed to end differently, as you can see below:
"Try not to worry about it too much, okay? That new face of yours looks bad when you frown." She stood up and kneeled in front of him. Before he could ask what she was doing she put a finger to both ends of his mouth and forced them up, "You look better when you smile, everyone does." As if to emphasize her point she also quirked her mouth upwards into a cheerful beam.
She was treating him like a child.
"...Please let go of my face." At her amused refusal he grabbed her hands and pried her fingers off, "I appreciate the gesture, but I also value my own personal space...which you are very much invading right now."
"I'll do it when you stop frowning," She demanded, "And not one of those forced or wry smiles, I want a real one. It's bad enough that Louise is sad, her Familiar being mopey too is just wrong."
"Yes, fine, I promise never to frown in your presence if it will make you let go." He rolled his eyes at the amused smirk playing at her lips. He understood that she was trying to cheer him up but the force of it was disturbingly embarrassing.
My friend commented that it was cringeworthy (though that was deliberate so meh) and that it could be misconstrued as romantic, which would be poor taste considering the breakup with Tiffania. I thought it was more reminiscent to her treating him like a kid, but those who like specific partners will turn anything romantic. Besides, we had enough sappy bs in the last chapters.
To answer some reviews:
Quichwe - I do have plans for the two, but you already did see Anastacia. Don't believe me? Look in Ciaran's first segment in the village and read closely.
Guest - I'm not one for extended fight scenes really, as I've said before. To warn you now: If you expect epic, choreographed fight scenes then you're going to be disappointed. Like many Dark Souls fights combat here is quick, brutal and to the point with no fancy flourishes or whatnot. You stab your opponent and then keep stabbing till you win. It's not flashy but it gets the job done.
Roku - Romance of that kind can feel forced in a story like this. Platonic relationships or interactions with little to no romantic tension are more my style and where the characters can really flourish.
Remvis - Insanity can be a good drawback for the massive power it brings, else you feel no sense of tension. It was like that reading Hill of Swords: Sure Shirou was a badass but I never felt like he was in any danger at any point since the guy never stoops to pulling out Unlimited Blade Works, meaning he doesn't see the need for it. If Raziel controls Manus' fragments then there's no sense of tension at all since he gets all the pros and none of the cons. At least now he has to be careful since damage to his body leads to the seal weakening and Manus rampaging.
Raziel fills a niche, that being the brute with a sword, the same way Ciaran is the assassin and Julio is a cleric. Having someone who can do everything like Sheffield is boring.
Ubermaster - Hey, nice to see a new reviewer! Anyway, I'll PM you the answer when I can cause that's gonna be a long one.
Kishinokurobi - I apologize if I seemed annoyed to you. Truth be told I enjoy our little back and forth, it's better than a one-liner definitely. Anyway, to the concept of soul - Julio 'just' dry humping Raziel shows that he's definitely not wholly resistant, so he is being influenced. Likewise throughout the entire story Raziel is shown to be more susceptible to Manus' influences, turning psychotically violent when injured or blatantly sadistic when he recovered his memories. Given that he's not the real 'owner' of the soul and is a split personality moving the body he's far more at risk of losing himself.
Essentially what if he snaps and rapes her because he kept the relationship going, allowing Manus to influence him further? This chapter does show that he put a fair amount of distance between him and Tiffania whereas if they stayed together they'll likely be in very close proximity all the time, which puts her at risk. You may not agree with his actions but he does have reason to be wary. He makes clear with conversations between Louise and Henrietta that he's not sure if the seal is permanent and the first time he saw Julio he was prone to blacking out and attacking him with no memory of his actions, so it's not as if he has no precedent.
That and, as this chapter and a couple of paragraphs in the breakup scene show, he doesn't think she's the one he likes. Raziel and Robin are fundamentally different individuals and they're treated as such both in-story and by readers. Siesta choosing to leave him behind is treated as valid because of his personality shift and new life, so why not Raziel ending the relationship with Tiffania now that Robin is more or less 'dead' save a few scraps?
The Girl in the Forest - Nice to see a new reader :) Thanks for making it past chapter 8, the first few chapters were pretty badly written compared to the rest.