Riza couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips after listening to Sir Cormac recount another ridiculous story from his time on the Aerugonian royal court. The older man certainly had a knack for story-telling, fluffing up each tale with ridiculous nonsense that had the group of gathered Aerugonians, Amestrians, and Cretians howling with laughter.
There was something strangely homely about this gathering. She certainly felt comfortable, sat amongst her fellow people, but they weren't the only ones gathered around the large, low-set table in the main tent to enjoy the night. It was hardly a feast, as they mostly had been surviving on necessities and whatever supplies were rationed out. There wasn't free-flowing ale or large and lavish dishes, but Riza felt more content here than she had in a long time during the nightly dinner gatherings at the Amestrian castle.
The thought of life back in Amestris helped ground her temporarily. Ever since the Aerugonians of the group had gathered around and welcomed her with all the reverence of a true leader, she'd had the nagging feeling that the people here didn't understand a great deal of what had happened. She doubted most, if any, of them knew about the breaking of the Amestrian-Aerugonian treaty, and she wondered to what extent they'd all been informed about the Homunculi's plans...or Amestris's role in their past.
She tried to shake off that familiar feeling of unworthiness. She ignored the thoughts slowly increasing in her brain that these people trusted her to lead and she had gone and done something incredibly jarring and rash that some of them may not even agree with. She knew she would have to say something at some point, but she was unsure how much she could even share. Some of the details surrounding all of that were so private not even her closests friends were aware of them.
It was information certainly not worth sharing to a group of Aerugonians she had met less than an hour ago.
But part of being the leader that they believed her to be meant being honest. She would tell them eventually, but she didn't want to bring down the bright mood just yet.
"There was a reason I retired when I did. That crazy old Boden was enough to handle even without the crown. We certainly had plenty of good times, though," Sir Cormac said with a fond smile.
"What eventually did make you leave the court?" Lord Matthew asked curiously.
"Well...the years started catching up, my family kept growing, and I realized Boden was capable enough that he didn't need an old archer hanging around telling him what to do. I did miss it for a while. A lot has happened in Aerugo since my time on court."
"That's certainly true," Riza affirmed as she took a sip of the water that had been poured out for everyone.
Sir Cormac's eyes found hers and he continued, "I am sorry I never got to see your sister, Your Majesty. I've been told she's the spitting image of Cordelia."
Riza's smile softened further at the reminder of her younger sister. Her heart still ached when she thought about what position Winry must be in now. She prayed to the gods every night that Roy wouldn't take anything out on her. She didn't know if she could even call it trust, but she had to believe that he would understand she wasn't involved.
Something told her, however, that Winry wouldn't have let him lay a finger on her. She had more drive and fight in her than Riza did at times.
"Yes, she is. Has the same fiery spirit too. Dances like you wouldn't believe," the queen commented.
Sir Cormac sat back as the memories seemed to whoosh across his mind's eye. "Ah, yes, I remember Cordelia on the dance floor quite well. I used to always joke with Boden that it was a wonder he didn't marry her on the spot the first time he saw her dance in Amestris."
As everyone who remembered the old Aerugonian queen replayed their memories of her, the conversation lulled and Sir Cormac's jovial expression fell slightly. "I do hate what happened to her. Part of me regrets not being on the court when it happened. I'm sure Boden was a wreck."
Riza's smile fell too at this reminder. "We both were. I think many here remember how dark that time was for all of us in Aerugo." Others around the table nodded their heads grimly as they thought back. Cordelia's death had certainly affected more than just Riza's immediate family. The whole kingdom had mourned her loss.
"A terrible thing...a child losing their mother that young," Andres spoke up from beside Riza as silence enveloped the group again. "My son was still a boy when I lost my wife."
An older man sitting near Sir Cormac, and who Riza remembered had introduced himself as a retired Amestrian royal guard member, added on, "The Amestrians here went through the same thing not that long ago. Our princess was not even a year old when Queen Isabella got sick."
A wave of nausea hit Riza as the connection all three kingdoms held hit her for the first time ever. How had she never realized it?
Sir Cormac spoke with a grim voice, "A tragedy to be sure...but we've let ourselves fall into a rather morbid discussion. We all mourn their losses...but we move on in their memory."
Riza spotted a few heads nodding as everyone affirmed the older man's words.
"Your Majesty," the Amestrian from before spoke up, his voice strangely timid. She turned her attention to him curiously as he continued. "I wonder if it might be too presumptuous of me to ask but...well, King Roy is fiercely private and protective of his young daughter. Many of us who are not on the court don't even know what she looks like. We all loved Queen Isabella like she came from Amestrian blood and we wonder...is the princess anything like her?"
The question surprised the queen. She hadn't thought a random Amestrian citizen would've been that invested in such a thing, but she supposed after hearing the way everyone in the room had grieved a kind queen, that it helped with the sting of the loss to know things like this. Again her heart twisted at the reminder of what she had left back in Amestris. Margaret adored her and she loved her right back. She could hardly explain what she had done to her father, let alone to a little girl. She had no idea whether she would even see the small princess again but she let a fond smile appear on her face, nonetheless.
"The king and Queen Isabella have a beautiful daughter, Sir. She is lively and fun. I believe she's a fairly even mixture of her parents, but she will love Amestris well when the time comes...just like her mother."
The man who had posed the question sighed in what seemed to be relief. "That's good to hear."
A random man with an accent giving away his Cretian heritage spoke up suddenly from further down the table. His voice was strangely strained as he said, "It's amazing that Isabella was able to find such happiness. She comes from one of the worst families in Creta."
The woman sitting beside him nodded her head. "The Catalinas are a curse to our kingdom. What they did to that poor girl…" she shook her head, unable to even get the words out.
Riza felt Andres stiffen from beside her before he spoke up, "It was truly an atrocity. When we accomplish our goals, the remaining Catalinas will receive the appropriate punishment. Let's just be happy Isabella and her sister were able to escape."
The queen couldn't help but flash a curious look to where the former Cretian king sat. While Andres never looked truly angry, she could see the fiery spark alight in his eyes and she had to wonder at it. In their short time being reunited, she had never heard his thoughts on...all of that, but now she was beginning to see how much of a role he played. Roy had told her what had happened to Isabella and the aftermath without ever mentioning Andres. Had he tried to punish her family and been stopped by his corrupt court? Or had he just never acted on it at all?
The reform he spoke of was certainly needed in Creta, if a family that had committed such a heinous crime could still be as prosperous as they were. But still, Andres's reminder that a broken system was present in all of their kingdoms made the queen think about what she would've done in a similar situation. After what happened to Winry, she knew she would have acted, but if her influential court held her back...what would she do?
"Speaking of those goals, we'll have to discuss strategy with you, Your Majesty. But," Sir Cormac stated in a much lighter tone than what everyone else had been using. "That can wait until tomorrow. We have good company and while the food may not be great, we're still grateful for it. Let's just enjoy this night."
A chorus of 'aye's arose and some lifted their cups of water to clack noisily against each other. Riza couldn't help but smile again as she looked around at the group gathered. She had no idea what was going to happen, but she was reminded quite clearly what she was fighting for.
They set aside one of the larger tents for her to use (she attempted to protest, claiming they didn't need to pay her any extra luxury, but everyone had insisted) and set down the few things she had brought with her for the journey. Lord Matthew and Andres had only anticipated being at the camp for a few days, so she didn't bring much aside from a few simple dresses, her cloak, and her bow and arrows. Back at the castle, she was used to wearing expensive dresses and always having a crown atop her head. If she were being honest, she was enjoying the simplicity of this spartan life, constantly on the move. It made her feel far more connected to the people she was with.
She laid out on the simple cot provided for her and attempted to get some rest. She didn't expect much luck, however. Even with how tired she was all day after not getting much sleep the night before, she still couldn't quiet her overworked brain long enough to get rest. The neverending thoughts continued to plague her.
When the tossing and turning grew to be too much, Riza huffed and threw aside her thin blanket. She sat up and wrapped her cloak around her body before exiting into the small city of tents. She didn't know how safe these areas of the kingdom were, but she figured she could handle herself fairly well. She walked to the outskirts of the camp, passing a few other night owls who nodded silently to her in passing.
Just as she was about to step out of the confines of the camp to roam the sprawling hills, she passed a particularly familiar night owl whose presence shocked her enough to halt her footsteps.
"Matthew? What are you doing over here?"
Her cousin was sat comfortably against one of the wooden posts that marked the makeshift fence hastily built around one portion of the camp. He held a flask of who-knows-what and smiled genially at her. "Ah, good evening, cousin. Wasn't expecting to see you up so late."
She lifted an eyebrow as he took a swig from the flask, his face twisting from the sensation. Well, it certainly wasn't water he was drinking.
"I could say the same for you," she answered as she walked over to where he sat and plopped onto the ground next to him, holding her cloak around her body to ward off the night chill.
"You're not the only one who's had trouble sleeping lately," he spoke simply.
"Something tells me we're not being kept up by the same problems, though."
Matthew scoffed lightly at this. "I suppose. But the threat of an upcoming battle still makes both of us nervous."
"Is that really what you believe we're headed to?" Riza asked, trying to keep her voice calm and steady.
Matthew shrugged. "I think it's foolish to believe this will all be solved peacefully. The Homunculi mean business, Riza. They've been brutal with their work in Creta."
"The Homunculi or the Republic?" the queen sharply clarified.
Matthew took another swig. "What's the difference?"
"There is a difference, Matthew. The Homunculi are a people who have been wronged and are blindly searching for a home. The Republic is the product of those people who want revenge. They don't all belong in the same category."
"How noble to distinguish them."
Riza was not too stupid to miss his sarcasm.
She sighed and spoke, "We need to be careful how we act as Aerugonians, Matthew. The Homunculi don't have a vendetta against us."
Matthew tipped his head. "Fair enough." He raised the flask to take another drink before pausing with the opening at his lips. "But forgive me if I have trouble following your example for appropriate actions in all of this."
His words had Riza's eyes sharply finding the side of his face, no emotion appearing on his features. She gritted her teeth and asked, "You think what I did was foolish?"
"I don't know yet if it was foolish. But it was certainly rash."
"Matthew…" Riza began in a low tone. "You know what my father made me promise him when he died."
Her cousin nodded his head. "I do. And I know how fiercely you hold to promises, Riza. But still...to give up everything that makes you happy…"
"Aerugo makes me happy. My family makes me happy."
"As happy as the King of Amestris?" he questioned, his eyes finally meeting her fierce gaze.
"Matthew...you don't exactly have a place to lecture me on this," she responded, her voice becoming cold.
Her cousin did not back down. "No? I'm one of your last remaining family members. I've lived my entire life beside you."
"You also have a stake in my crown."
Quickly rolling his eyes and setting down his flask with a loud thud, he responded, "You still question my loyalty. After all this time? After all I've done?"
"I don't question you, Matthew. I do trust you. But I also refuse to blind myself to inherent truths any longer. You have quite the motivation to get me to marry into the Amestrian monarchy."
"Because you're happy there, cousin. I've seen you in Aerugo and I've seen you in Amestris. It's like you're a completely different person depending on where you are and the people you're surrounded by. Why force yourself to stay in such a state of misery?" Abruptly pointing his hand back at the camp, Matthew continued, "Those are good people, Riza, but are they truly worth denying yourself every last shred of happiness?"
Silence passed between the two of them for a long moment. They held each other's gazes fiercely, but neither seemed willing to back down from what they believed. Eventually, Riza broke eye contact with her cousin, a scoff passing through her lips. "This is exactly why Father chose me to inherit the crown. You're far too weak to understand the decisions a true leader must make."
Not giving Matthew the chance to respond, the queen abruptly stood to her feet and moved back toward the entrance to the camp. Her cousin was still able to get one last question in and it froze her on the spot.
"When do you plan on telling all those people in there what you've done?"
Her back still turned to him, Riza waited a long while before responding. "I will tell them. I need to. But as you always say, I have to be smart about these things."
"You don't have much time, cousin. None of us do."
Stealing her resolve, Riza spoke a quiet, "Rest assured, I am well aware."
"Nice shot, Your Majesty!" Sir Cormac let out enthusiastically.
The queen lowered her bow with a satisfied smile before turning to the older man. "Thank you. That's certainly quite the compliment coming from someone as well known as you."
Sir Cormac chuckled, his large belly jiggling slightly with the sound. "A good reputation means nothing if the skills don't match."
"You sell yourself too short, Sir. It seems as though your mastery has trickled down to quite an experienced band of archers," the queen spoke confidently, indicating the others practicing their marksmanship in the hastily constructed range.
Sir Cormac looked proud as he smiled and followed her gaze. "We have done well in our training. Some of these people had never held a bow before they joined our cause. They feel passionately enough about it to work harder than I've ever seen."
Riza contemplated this as she loaded another arrow and shot the makeshift target with her usual finesse. "Is everyone so sure of an impending battle?"
Sir Cormac's confident smile slipped slightly at the question. "I don't believe anyone here wants this all to devolve into bloodshed, but unfortunately with the way the Republic operates, it seems inevitable."
"What is your experience with them?" Riza asked, calmly continuing her practice as though they were discussing the weather.
"The Republic? I only became aware of their existence recently. I have been familiar with the Homunculi for decades, however."
Riza's brow scrunched up and she finally paused to turn towards the older man standing beside her. "Truly? How much do you know of their past?"
"All of it, essentially. The unrest in Amestris, their eventual scattering, and how they've come back together for revenge. I've known it since the beginning."
The confident way with which Sir Cormac spoke startled Riza. She had originally believed no one in Aerugo knew anything of what had happened until recently. "Don't look so surprised," Cormac continued. "Your father had his fair share of secrets, like every other royal. And he and Phillip were always close. Part of the original plan to have you marry his son was to expand the kingdoms and give the Homunculi more of a permanent home. The fact that it never happened was likely a major source for all the unrest."
Riza looked away as her mind processed his words. She supposed after everything that had happened, she shouldn't be too surprised her father would keep this from her, but she still felt the pang of anger deep within her chest. Honestly, Boden and Phillip had never seemed like the power hungry types, nor were they the kind of men to arrange a marriage for their children for the hell of it, as they both had fallen in love with their respective spouses. The fact that the original treaty to combine Amestris and Aerugo had largely been to resolve the conflict with the Homunculi made perfect sense, in hindsight.
Riza just wished someone would have explained all this to her earlier.
She shook her head. "I'm beginning to grow quite sick of all these 'secrets'. I've yet to see a single one turn out for good."
Sir Cormac tilted his head and observed the queen as she spoke. With a suspiciously nonchalant voice, he asked, "I am curious to hear how you made your way to our camp, Your Majesty. From the way Lord Matthew spoke, it seemed as though this all didn't happen by chance. In fact, the last I heard, you were quite established in Amestris."
Riza's stomach twisted at the question. Just how much had Matthew told him? The night before he had made it seem like everyone hiding out along the border was none the wiser to the greater scope of things. But Matthew also liked to keep secrets.
"Yes…I've been kept quite busy there," she spoke with an unsure tone. She didn't know how much she should reveal at this point in time. "My sister is getting married soon and there's been a lot of things to prepare."
Sir Cormac hummed in agreement. "Yes, I had heard. News comes to us slowly but that was a big enough event to make its way over. It does seem a bit peculiar that a queen planning a wedding in a foreign kingdom has the time to make such a long journey."
His tone was obviously leading, but the queen wasn't ready to have this conversation. Certainly not in such a public place. She turned to face the older man fully and squared her shoulders. "A queen can find the time to make a journey when there's a war brewing. Unfortunately the happier things in life tend to be less of a priority." The older man didn't seem to be backing down despite her confident rebuttal, but he said nothing. "You still have not shared much of your role in what's happened with the Homunculi. Clearly, if my father's court members were privy to it all, there's more to this story than you're letting on. I just told you…I don't like secrets."
Sir Cormac placed his hands behind his back and smiled knowingly. "You're so much like Boden at times, it's quite scary. Come, let's find a quieter place to discuss this."
He led her back to one of the main tents before making sure there were no listening ears close by. He lit a few candles and asked her to sit around a low-set table in the center of the tent. There were maps of all three major kingdoms laid out atop of it, along with small red X's marked in red ink lining the Amestrian-Cretian border-no doubt the locations of all the other ally camps.
As Sir Cormac sat down across from her, she couldn't help the piercing look she sent his way. She made her intention to find answers quite clear. If he had any respect for her as his leader, he would give them to her
"Do you know who the leader of the Republic is?" he asked, quite out of the blue. Riza raised a curious eyebrow but she still answered him.
"All I know is they refer to him as 'Father'."
Sir Cormac scoffed and nodded his head. "Yes, the colloquial name. As the Homunculi have morphed into the group known as the Republic, they have taken on many code names, which I'm sure you have heard. Lust. Envy. Pride…and this mysterious Father. But 'Father' is not actually a father. He is a king."
"A king?" Riza questioned with a puzzled look.
"Yes…though he has no actual titles to his name. He was one of the first members of the group to fight back after all the injustices and the other Homunculi have begun to look to him for leadership. He has taken that role quite seriously."
Bits of information were coming to the forefront of Riza's mind as Cormac spoke. A queasy feeling erupted within her as she remembered a distinctly recent memory.
"Their king is very good at masking himself…and he has taught the others the trade, as well. They have been able to get this far and do as much damage as they have because they easily blend in. They're well trusted."
The queasy feeling continued to grow.
"Their infiltration of the Cretian monarchy was very calculated…and quite successful, as I'm sure Andres can attest to. They have enacted chaos in the kingdom and have committed atrocious acts as part of their revenge. They have no intention of reform. They want all of us to feel the pain they felt. Part of me believes it to be deserved…but I can't in good conscience justify the violence against innocent lives they preach."
Riza agreed, but there was something that she still didn't know. "And how do you know all of this? You seem remarkably familiar with the philosophy of your enemies. If I didn't know you, I would suspect you of being a spy."
Cormac's sly smile startled the queen. "You still should. As I said, everyone has their secrets. But I will tell you that I am more familiar with the Republic and their plans than most and it's because I knew this 'Father' person…their king. His name is-,"
"-Bradley," Riza abruptly finished for him as the pieces all fit together in her brain. "King Bradley."
Sir Cormac looked surprised at this. "You do know him."
It was silent for a moment as Riza contemplated what this new revelation meant. "Unfortunately."
"He has a good way of gathering your sympathy, doesn't he?"
Riza's eyes sharply met Cormac's. It seemed as though they'd had identical experiences.
"You can tell me how you came to know him later. I don't suppose it matters. I had the misfortune of coming across him in the countryside of Aerugo. I was on a hunting trip when I ran into King Bradley and some other Homunculi with him. They had always been perpetual travelers, only made worse by King Phillip's acts, so I don't think either of us should be too surprised that I came across his group.
"He's an incredibly intelligent man. He has all the qualities of a good leader and the Homunculi trust him. If he wasn't so hellbent on meaningless revenge, he would make a great ruler when this is all said and done. He drew me in and relayed to me everything about what King Phillip had done. I had a hard time believing it at first."
As did Riza. Her conversation with Bradley had been one of the first major turning points in her decision to leave Roy and break their treaty. She wondered how many allies Bradley had gathered using the same tactic.
Sir Cormac continued on. "But as I said, I was aware to some extent of Phillip's measures to erase the Homunculi. Boden had been privy to bits and pieces and he was good at keeping the rest of his court in the loop. I put everything together in the way Bradley wanted me to. I was so outraged I went directly to your father to demand he stop King Phillip."
At these words, Cormac shook his head and balled one of his fists up in apparent anger. She had not been expecting these emotions out of the older man when she had asked for his story. In any case, she remained silent as he spoke. "But as you know, Boden was a wise man. Though he knew his ally was keeping secrets from him, he also knew who to trust. He had enough information about the Homunculi to realize they were forming into the Republic…and that would spell danger for all our kingdoms. He was able to keep me focused, and promised to talk some sense into Phillip.
"But then, of course, your mother passed and you and your father stopped traveling to Amestris and a lot of Boden's plans were forgotten. When I met him, I had promised Bradley that I would use my influence and position to make a change, but I had retired from the court before anything could be done. Part of me felt guilty…until King Bradley decided to enact his unique type of revenge."
Suddenly, Sir Cormac's voice filled with barely contained rage, startling Riza. He hadn't spoken with such conviction in the short time they had been at the camp together. Even when he had discussed the upcoming battle he hadn't become so emotional. Riza could only guess at what would come next.
"After I retired from the court, I took my family to live out in the countryside, not far from where I had first run into Bradley and the Homunculi. My kids grew into adults and eventually our home was filled with grandkids. It was the happiest I'd ever been in my life."
The older man's voice broke as he went on, "One day my eldest daughter went to the nearby market with her youngest son. He was not even 6 months old at the time. They never returned…"
Riza's heart ached for Cormac at this bit of information. She already knew where this was heading. "We searched for weeks. They had disappeared without a trace. I contacted Boden and he sent an entire army to track them down. Eventually they were found, and part of me wishes they hadn't been."
A lone tear fell down Sir Cormac's cheek. "Their bodies were unrecognizable. Beaten and stabbed multiple times before being left to rot away in the woods. The only comfort I took was that they were found together, my daughter's arms wrapped around my grandson. I've never felt such agony in my life.
"As we searched, we assumed they'd been attacked by robbers or bandits. We lived in a safe part of the kingdom, but you never know with those types of things. It wasn't until their bodies were found with a lone rose, freshly picked, that I knew what had happened."
The older man practically shook with anger now and Riza couldn't blame him. Yes, she believed the Homunculi were wronged, but to do something so atrocious to a treasured family member of a man who had essentially nothing to do with it all? It was horrific. Barbaric.
"They hadn't referred to themselves as the Republic at that point, but the rose had a note tied to it with the Homunculi's signature sigil…the Ouroboros. It was then that I knew what was to come. They would stop at nothing to enact their revenge. The only wrong I had done was to fail to help at a political level…and King Bradley decided to brutally take my daughter and grandson from me. I knew in that moment that this was going to be bigger than anything our kingdoms had ever seen. And I knew I had to stop him and the rest of the Homunculi who considered acts like that as rightful revenge."
Riza was speechless as Sir Cormac finished. It seemed that King Bradley would consider anyone who didn't defend their cause an enemy. Which meant they were all in danger.
She knew that Bradley had wanted her to break apart the Amestrian-Aeurgonian treaty. That much was obvious. It would be significantly easier to attack Amestris if she and her kingdom did not offer their support. But did Sir Cormac's horrific story mean the Homunculi would eventually come after Aerugo for not giving support either way? It terrified her to think that she had no idea what Bradley would do next.
"My lord…I am terribly sorry you had to go through that. An act of violence of that scale against innocent lives will always be unforgivable to me. It may not be worth much, but you should know I have no intention of making nice with the Republic. They need to be stopped. Everyday I understand that fact more and more."
Sir Cormac bowed his head in thanks and attempted to compose himself. "You're wrong, Your Majesty. Your determination means the world to myself and my fellow countrymen. It's why we have chosen to follow you."
Even though you've done exactly what King Bradley wanted you to do…and put all of them in grave danger, a voice spoke from the deep recesses of her mind.
"I thank you for your support, Sir. And as to how I became acquainted with King Bradley…it's a rather long story. One that has led me here. You and the rest of the Aerugonians will be privy to it with time, but I'm afraid I have much to think and plan in the meantime." Riza knew it was a lame excuse, especially for a man who had just told her the gut wrenching story of losing his daughter and infant grandson, but she still had to defer. The others in the camp would be far more motivated for the cause if they knew they had a chance to achieve it. Perhaps as they trained, Riza could attempt to put together the tattered pieces of her relationship with Amestris…if for nothing else but to defeat such a formidable foe together.
Sir Cormac let out a small smile. "I understand, Your Majesty. Your support and leadership is all we ask for."
The queen nearly felt like vomiting at his confident words. She felt wholly unworthy of his devotion…now more than ever. But she wasn't going to let that stop her from moving forward.
A war was approaching.