Author's Note: Yes, I am accepting ideas for characters. Keep in mind that when I created Loedan and Kiri, I was using the stat system from FE 7, to give me an idea of how best to keep the characters 'average', so to speak. I have no lords in this fic (not yet at least), so I have to be sure to keep things mostly standard so far. Of course, the tactician could be viewed as a lord, at least, so maybe I should just use him as such.
Chapter 2: An actual beginning
It was by the dawn of the morning after their arrival in Sacae that Loedan was awakened. The sun was low on the horizon, and cast shadows from the few trees that could be found on the plains. With a yawn, Loedan awoke and smiled, watching the sun that slowly made its presence known to this place where the sun could call home. Looking over to the stump that had been found, from a fallen tree, he saw his friend Kiri sitting upon it. She watched the sunrise as well, sparing the training tactician a glance before looking back to the sunrise. He smiled still, walking over to sit beside her on the stump before looking back to the sun. The rays of light burst forth and weaved through and over grass and tree, shadows behind each in comparison to the sun.
"A beautiful morning to you, my friend." he said quietly to the pegasus knight. She smiled and nodded, just watching the sun. It took a moment for Loedan to look over to her and realize that she had tears in her eyes, and he had to wonder as to why she was crying. Kiri blinked, and then as if only now realizing the moisture on her cheeks, wiped at them with the back of her hand quickly. When Kiri found that her friend, the tactician, was watching her, her cheeks flushed softly as she shook her head slowly.
"It is the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen, Loedan. To watch the sun itself come up over the grassy plains... I am now, more than ever before, glad to have gotten away from the mountains, if only for a short while. This sight will always be special to me, and I will treasure it always." she said quietly, even as she held herself up on the stump with both hands. Loedan nodded, and looked behind the stump, to where Hewn was resting on the ground with wings tucked in to his sides. He gazed back towards the sunrise, and found himself agreeing with his friend. Indeed, this was a spectacular sunrise, with only a few light clouds drifting along. To compare to the bloodshed yesterday, this was a reason to live and keep others alive as well.
One must find a way to keep on going, Loedan had once read from one of the several books his grandfather had studied from. A battle, though harsh and bloody, must always be balanced with peace and time for reflection. With those of the group, friendships and alliances must be formed. One must always watch out for the others, and the others must care for the ones who cannot fight. Only by working together, one goal for all, might there be a chance to survive a battle, no matter how great or small. Take every challenge and learn from it, and practice caution. Losing a member of your group will never be acceptable. One person for the lives of many must never be allowed, though the risks may be great. A life is worth more gold than anything else in the world: treat life as such.
Loedan remembered these words of wisdom, strength inside them and a message that could never be forgotten by a tactician. He was not only in charge of a battle, but also for the safety and well-being of those fighting for him as well. Of course, for a tactician as he wished to become, keeping himself safe from harm was another constant concern. But then it took a moment for the combat tactician to realize something, and he looked back to the Pegasus Knight who was still watching the sunrise. "Why did you not wake me, Kiri? You let me sleep through the night."
The girl looked at him sheepishly and shrugged. "I was thinking, Loedan. By the time I realized that I had not woken you, the sun was rising." she replied, and Loedan sighed softly. Great. A tired Pegasus Knight would not do so well in battle, should they need to enter into one soon. She saw the look on his face and knew exactly what he was thinking- in a tactical sense, she knew he was right, but as a friend, she knew that he had needed his sleep. He had done more than his share of the fighting yesterday, after all. "Relax... I will sleep tonight, alright? You may take the first watch." she told him, and Loedan was forced to agree with her on this, or else risk an argument with his friend. With a stretch, he stood back up and looked around slowly. He hadn't heard anything or anyone earlier, save for the wind.
"Pardon me for a moment, if you would, Kiri." Loedan said, blushing slightly as he walked to the nearest tree, quite a ways away. The girl just watched him until her stopped at the tree, wondering what he was going to do and why he had gone that way, before realizing his intent. Her cheeks flushed a deep red; the Pegasus Knight looked away to her Pegasus and just watched that way as the lance she carried swayed from side to side against her lap. Well, most people did prefer their privacy when dealing with their morning 'problems', after all. Loedan wasn't but a moment before he walked back, the once steady pressure now dealt with as he felt a bit lighter in his steps.
"All taken care of now?" she asked, in a voice loud enough that would wake Hewn, who snorted loudly before rising to his hooves and stretching out his wings. Loedan blushed and nodded in return- neither cared to speak of such things, really, even though they'd been friends for such a long time. She laughed softly and slipped to her feet, one hand taking the lance and spinning it once until the lance tip was pointed to the air and the butt of the weapon rested upon the ground at her feet. "Good... then, once Hewn is fully awake, we shall be off towards Bulgar." she replied, stretching as well. She was definitely tense, and if Loedan didn't mistake the heavy look to her eyes, tired as hell.
"That sounds like a plan to me... I did see a Ger, maybe a mile past that tree. Not sure though, hard to judge distances here on the plains." Loedan commented, looking back over towards the tree he'd 'visited' a moment ago. The cool air did wonders to make them wide awake, though one of the two was certainly very tired anyway. An uneasy feeling passed through the tactician, causing him to shiver- it wasn't the cool air, however. To begin with, the air was still much warmer than the very cold air back in Ilia. He thought he could feel some sort of... thundering? But no, as he looked to the sky to be sure, there were no storm clouds overhead. He blinked and felt it again, and then heard a whinny from a horse- not a Pegasus, however.
Kiri had noticed this much sooner, of course, having been around horses and Pegasi all her life. "One horse rider... a knight, maybe." she told him. She would have information like that before him, thanks to her own training- the light galloping of a hoofed beast often would make such information known. She shook her head slowly, smiling even as she went over to her steed and jumped astride Hewn. "Coming towards us, if I hear correctly." she told him, and Loedan took his bow and pulled an arrow, notching the arrow to the string carefully. If they were about to be attacked by a single horseback rider, then perhaps this day would start out badly after all.
It took but a moment longer before the rider became known to them both. The sun had rose enough to provide enough light for them both to see who it was- a rider clad in dark red armor, the horse itself also wearing the same color of armored plates. The coloring struck Loedan as odd, yet somehow familiar. That in itself got him wondering about who it could be, for as far as he could remember, Loedan had never actually met a cavalier. Yet, somehow, this rider seemed to be more experienced than that. Once the rider had crested the hill, he had begun coming towards them at a gentle gait, barely moving at all it seemed. A leisurely ride, perhaps, by the rider? It seemed hardly possible, but Loedan knew that everyone had their reasons to do the things they do.
Loedan and Kiri watched as, for the next five minutes, the rider came closer and closer to them both. In that time, Kiri came up alongside Loedan and the tactician set away his bow and the arrow was placed into the quiver again. Obviously, unless this was a trick, the knight coming towards them meant them no harm. The one thing that cinched it for Loedan, however, was the fact that there was no menace in the air or about the rider. Oftentimes, he could sense such things before one came too close to him, allowing him the ability to prepare for any trouble that might arrive. When the knight came up before them, he raised his hand to show that though he was armed, he meant to offer not trouble to them.
"Hello, sir and lady!" came an old man's voice from within the helmet of the knight's figure. "Good madam and sir, I am sorry for intruding upon you without introduction. We were out for a bit of a ride, and by Elimine, you surprised us both! If I was younger, I am certain I would have seen you, but my good pair of eyes here did. See Rook? You were right, there is a Pegasus Knight here." he said, pulling his helmet off. He was a fairly old man, though quite possibly older than he looked- a Paladin, Loedan realized. No wonder he was more sure of his gait than some cavaliers could be. A shock of red hair surprised him, and as Loedan gazed upon the man, he was suddenly aware that he seemed awfully familiar.
From behind the man, a young girl slid off from his steed's back to stand beside the paladin. A native of Sacae, if her garb was any indication, Loedan noticed, as well as the color of her hair, which seemed to only be rather common in the northern regions- a green color, not quite as dark as Kiri's. Her garb was a light tan color, with a blue trim that covered her body beneath the cloak she wore of the same coloring. "Yes, I told you I thought I saw a Pegasus Knight, uncle. We of Sacae do not lie, remember?" she reminded him, almost scolding but obviously just being playful with the old knight, who chuckled in response. The girl wore her hair in two long braids that reached down to her knees- she must not have ever had her hair cut by anyone, Loedan thought to himself, before he looked from the girl back to the paladin again.
"Ah yes, I do remember hearing that from your grandmother when first we knew one another, Rook." he said, reaching down to squeeze the girl's shoulder softly. Loedan looked to Kiri, who was watching the exchange with an amused expression in her face. The tactician looked to the knight again, who had now looked back to them; mostly to Loedan, however, a thoughtful look in the old paladin's eyes as the sharp blue eyes, though obviously near-sighted now. "My... you look familiar, somehow. Have we ever met before, sir?" was the question asked of Loedan by the paladin, and then all eyes were on the young tactician. He thought for a moment how best to phrase his response, and then let fly, as if firing an arrow into the wind.
"I am afraid not, good sir. My name is Loedan, and this is actually our first day away from Ilia." he told the Paladin, smiling a little to him before bowing and continuing. "This is my good friend Kiri, and it is a pleasure to meet you both." he says, standing slowly up... only to find himself to blink at the point of a blade that had presented itself in front of him. Loedan looked to the one holding the blade- the girl, of course, and he wondered, as he watched the Sacae girl's blue eyes, a brightness that reminded him, somewhat, of the man she called her uncle just a little earlier. "Ah... is the blade necessary right now?" he asked the girl, who just giggled and sheathed the blade quickly, almost too fast for his eyes to follow, really.
Rook watched the young boy... young man? Hard to tell. He was a bit short and had a young-looking face. He wore a bow slung across his chest and had a sword on his belt- an unusual combination outside of the Nomadic Troopers that one could find here and there within the boundaries of Sacae, she knew. Obviously not too quick, she thought of him, before her gaze was drawn to the Pegasus and the Knight who rode astride it. Her grandmother's best friend had been a Pegasus Knight. It was a beautiful beast, the Pegasus... She had been captivated by the chance of seeing one up close, and now that she was almost close enough to touch it, it was difficult for the young girl to keep her hands to herself. The woman riding upon it looked nice- almost like her grandmother, really, because of the color of her hair.
"Ah! Mercenaries heading for Bern then, I wager?" the paladin asked, an almost disappointed tone in the old man's voice as he shrugged- an interesting feat for an old man wearing fairly heavy armor, mind you. Loedan could tell that the man must still train, even now, to be limber enough to do battle, as it seemed he was still capable of doing. "No matter... my name is Kent, former captain of the knights of Caelin. This is Rook... granddaughter to one of my greatest friends, the Lady Lyndis of Sacae and Caelin." the paladin spoke, fond memories bringing back the friendliness of his voice again. The words that the paladin spoke caused Loedan to blink in surprise and his jaw dropped as well. The expression on the tactician's face was priceless- both Kiri and Rook giggled as they saw the look on his face
It took the aspiring tactician a moment to say anything after that. "The same Kent who traveled with The Tactician... Mark?" he asked quietly, hope entering his mind and voice. Kent nodded slowly- the tactician's name was not widely known among many people. Mostly, only lords and families that had been directly touched or directed by the man's orders knew his name these days.
Yet, how would anyone from Ilia know the tactician's name, from so long ago? Loedan smiled warmly and bowed again to the paladin. "My grandfather... his name was Mark, Sir Kent." he says, and quickly went back to where he had kept his grandfather's diary overnight. Loedan picked it up, and carried it back over to the paladin, holding it out so that the brave man could see it. "Does this look familiar to you at all?" he asked... and then shivered a little as he looked about slowly, his senses taking a moment out of this moment to check on their surroundings.
Kiri watched these proceedings with a small smile- the name of Kent was known to her family as well, for her own mother had, at one time, met a man by that name. However, for he had been smitten with another woman, her mother had given up upon the paladin, returning home and raising a family in Ilia instead. But she had never known that he remained alive- her mother would be overjoyed to learn that the man she once loved was still alive and well even now! If she had a chance to do so, she'd definitely send word back to Fiora so she would know what she had just learned.
"Why is there black smoke back the way you came?" Loedan asked now, unable to wait for a response from Kent. Rook gasped and looked back towards the smoke, and jumped as she saw about where it was coming from. Obviously it was a place important to the young girl… possibly to them both? Kent looked to Rook, who did the same, and the girl nodded to him before quickly getting onto the horse's back, behind Kent.
"The bandits must have found our Ger while we were away. I am afraid that I may not be as young as I once was, to beat back bandits with ease... might I ask for your help, sir and lady?" the Paladin asked them. Loedan only glanced to Kiri, who nodded slightly to him before he looked back to Kent and Rook.
"It would be an honor to help those who met my grandfather." he replied, grinning slightly. Kent's eyes went foggy for a moment, as if remembering the old days, before nodding and smiling in return. Then, with a flick of the reins, they were rushing back towards the Ger. Loedan was surprised as he heard the thundering of hooves behind him, and then was snatched up by his tunic by Kiri, who set him on Hewn's back before taking off into the air. "Never a dull moment, eh?" he asked sarcastically, to which he heard no reply, but Kiri did smile ruefully at.
At the Ger ---
About ten minutes later, Kent and Rook arrived at the Ger that they lived in. There had been no sign of any bandits about save for the trampling of grass- many had come, but none were still in sight, strangely. Kent's horse slowed as they came closer, Kent looking about as Rook jumped from the back of the steed to run over to the collapsed and still-burning tent. It was obvious that nothing inside was left, from the way that everything was burning. Oil and fire had been used, a lethal combination upon anything even remotely flammable- paper, parchment, rug, clothes... and people. Rook fell to her knees as Kiri came up close, Hewn landing on the ground and Loedan slipped off of the Pegasus now as well, surveying the damage for a split second before shuddering, feeling as if they weren't the only ones here.
Rook began to cry, not for lost belongings or memories, but for her parents- they had still been asleep, still in bed while recovering from an illness. Kent was turned away from the tactician and the Pegasus Knight, his head held low. Obviously, he'd felt like a guardian for this family, and not just for the girl that had called him uncle. Loedan sighed softly, before looking to the sky. Hadn't the bandits been mostly wiped out here on the plains? Obviously, not anymore...
And now, there was no illness, but an eternal release. "Mother Earth and Father Sky..." Loedan said quietly, quoting his grandfather's favorite saying from the plains, closing his eyes before he opened them and looked about quickly. Plains as far as the eye could see. This burning wreckage of a home. Rook in a state of shock. Kiri was looking about as well, and Kent was on the other side of the burning ger now. Then, to Loedan's surprise, he found that they were practically surrounded by an oncoming horde of bandits, as they popped out of concealment within the tall grasses.
"You four won't leave here alive... 'er Grandmother's knight wiped our leader's clan out almost completely. We've been waiting for years to get even... By killing that woman's entire line!" the leader said, a man who carried a sword on his shoulder. Many brigands lined him, nearly a dozen in all surrounding the now broken down Ger. Loedan swallowed slowly- eleven bandits, not including the leader. 3-to-1 odds, though the tactician knew that we had a distinct advantage thanks to Kent's superior skills and training. An odd sense of calm washed over him suddenly, as his mind gave in to the urgings that he hadn't felt before yesterday.
"Kent! Kiri! We need to protect Rook until she can fight again! Engage the enemies that come near, but don't let them through to her!" he cried out to his group, to which he then drew his bow. An arrow left the quiver quickly, and he notched it to the bowstring before aiming at the nearest brigand. The brigands then began to almost march forward, rushing headlong into the battle. Kent was the first to engage the enemy, and with his beautiful silver blade, parried the brigand's attack and then lopped his head off with a quick and deadly strike. Kiri was in luck- her opponents were the furthest away, so she would have time to prepare for the onslaught of 3 axe-users.
Then, it was time for Loedan to attack, and he let the arrow fly at the oncoming brigand. No sooner was it let loose than he set the bow across his shoulder, slinging it before drawing his sword. The brigand managed to avoid the arrow easily, and as Loedan heard another death scream from Kent's area of defense, the first brigand made it to the tactician and attacked. Loedan was barely ready for it, and managed to duck under the wild swing before swinging his own blade low, striking at the man's knees with the iron sword. He connected this time, blood seeping from the wound and causing the brigand to fall to his knees, crying out in pain before another slash of the sword brought about a wet sound rather than the coarse yelling that had once come from the living man. The brigand fell to the ground completely, clutching at his slashed throat that was now pouring blood from the severed artery.
Another brigand found his way to Loedan as he had finished his strike, and swung the axe he held in hand at the tactician's side. It was almost a direct hit, if not for Loedan's seeing the movement just in time. The Ilian quickly moved aside, but not before feeling a scratch at his side, part of his cape and tunic gone now as he groaned slightly and counter attacked. His blade went forward, thrust towards the brigand's chest, to which the man dodged by ducking downwards. Loedan, the faster of the two, slashed down now, bringing the blade up and then sweeping downwards before the blade connected with the brigands' spine. The pain that coursed through the man was all he could feel, for a split second, before Loedan pulled the tip from where it had lodged itself within. The bandit fell to the ground, the second of the axe users gone now.
"Kiri! To me!" he cried, knowing that the bandits would reach her soon, and that their axes would deal with her lance easily. Loedan spared Kent a glance and saw that the majority of the brigands were concentrated on him, though the Paladin knew what he was doing, obviously. He was protecting the girl, who was now watching the battle raging around her, the state of shock obvious in her eyes. With a sigh, the aspiring tactician darted over to her and knelt beside her- a relative calm in the storm as the winds raged around them. "Rook, please... I know this is painful for you, but we must have your help!"
Rook flashed him an almost evil look, her eyes red and cheeks moist with her tears. "You... have no idea how painful this is..." she said, quietly. Loedan had to concede that point, but knew that if she didn't get to her feet, then any reinforcements would likely defeat them. "My mother... my father... both were inside the Ger, ill. Now they are gone..." and she started sobbing again. The tactician sighed as he looked to where he heard Kiri land beside them, and he stood up, looking over to where her axe-using opponents were making their way closer to them now.
"Let them come to me... stay with Rook, Kiri, and protect her." he said, and then darted off to stall, perhaps even defeat, the oncoming bandits. Kiri looked to Rook and sighed, wondering just what to do in a situation like this? It was something that had never before come up, after all, in her years of training to become a Pegasus Knight. So, she surveyed the battle, her eyes coming to rest on the Paladin who had successfully defeated half a dozen of the bandits already, and was rushing towards the leader, who remained a supposedly safe distance away.
Loedan now faced three more bandits. His side hurt- the 'scratch' now was bleeding somewhat, not too much but enough to make it noticeable as he moved. He held the sword in his hands, raising it as he ran to the first one, the one in the middle of the three who were moving towards him in almost a 'V' formation. He strode forward once more before swinging down at the oncoming bandit, the blade slashing deep across the man's chest before swinging free again, to be drawn up to Loedan's free arm before slashing horizontally across the bandit's stomach in another swift movement.
The bandit fell, of course, to the swinging blade. Its effectiveness astounded even Loedan- adrenaline rush, he told himself, before he looked to the bandits who were now on either side of him with their wicked axe blades held towards him. As soon as he tried to step away, the one behind him struck and Loedan cried out in pain for the second time in as many days, feeling the edge of the axe within his side. The tactician managed to somehow avoid the slash of the one before him as he turned away from the axe that had struck him when it left his body. It left a large gash that he could feel was bleeding freely.
The shock of the strike began to take over his body, but it wasn't fast enough to stop the young man's counter attack. With a yell, he grasped the hilt of his blade with both hands and swung once more, slashing at the one before him wildly. Of course, he missed, falling to the ground and dropping the blade. He cursed his numbed fingers as he shuddered there, writhing in pain on the ground as he looked up to see the pair of brigands hovering over him, as though they were vultures circling a carcass.
A cry of anguish could be heard, and to Loedan's surprise, it wasn't his own. No, it was the sound of a woman's voice, and then another, as both Kiri and Rook launched themselves into the fray. Kiri's target was immediately skewered from behind, much as she'd done the day previous to this to the leader of the group that had been targeting her. Rook's opponent found himself with multiple slashing cuts along his sides, arms, and legs before a final one brought her back into sight. The man had only begun to bleed slightly along those visible cuts before his throat erupted, blood pouring from it to splatter on Loedan before the now dead brigand fell to the ground.
Loedan's consciousness began to flee as he felt the warm, sticky fluid of another's life splatter on his face in a few drops. His own blood was escaping, and the way his body shuddered told him that soon his mind would be gone as well, into a shock that he could not afford to slip into. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, even as he managed to speak. "Kiri... get the... mer... ce... na...ry..." he managed to gasp out between ragged breaths, his chest heaving up and down even as his sight left him, and then all was dark.
Much later that day.
---
The afternoon was winding down as the sun began to dip beneath the mountains in the distance. Inside a tent, two young women were tending to a fallen man. He'd grown feverish, even after the bleeding had been stopped, and now lay on the ground with a blanket about him, a cold rag wet with river water set upon his brow. Rook was kneeling beside him, watching over the tactician carefully. The Pegasus Knight stood near the tent's doorway, looking out upon the plains. Both were very worried about this boy- Kiri had known him for years, but Rook had barely met him at all this very day before having to enter into a battle with the brigands that had destroyed her home and family.
The sound of hooves played lightly upon the ground as Kent arrived at the tent, and he allowed his passenger off at the entrance. Kiri stepped aside and then outside, holding the flap of the tent open for the two who would enter, seeing the robes that the visitor wore- a sister of St. Elimine, she could tell, and then Kent followed the cleric into the tent. Upon seeing the harm that had been done to the man (though to be fair, she could not see the extent of the damage because of the blanket), she held her staff up and breathed a prayer to her faith. An aura of blue light erupted from the staff, escaping to encompass the hurt tactician that was resting. The wound was gone as the aura covered the tactician, all other bodily harm gone in an instant. The pain ended and a groan escaped the young man that lay there. All waited for him to open his eyes, which he did within a few moments. His sight did not return quickly, all was hazy as he reached up with his right hand to rub his brow slowly.
Then a sudden weight could be felt on his chest- not a foot, but a body, and Loedan's hand went to the arm that he felt wrap about him- who was this? His eyes could not focus yet, even as the shock and pain was gone from his body. He felt wetness, even through his tunic, from the person who was lying upon him. "Wha... Mother Earth and Father Sky, who is this?" he asked quietly. His gaze began to focus as he blinked a few times, and he found himself looking to the girl of the plains, Rook, as she held to his waist. "Rook?" he asked now, before smiling a little, more surprised than anything else by the way that she held fast to him.
"Are you feeling better?" a young woman's voice asked him, and Loedan looked up to see the Elimine cleric kneeling beside him now. He nodded a little bit to her, and then blinked, wincing once as he felt Rook's hand graze by where there once had been a very grievous wound. It took only a second for him to realize what had happened since he had been knocked unconscious. Someone, likely Kent, had gone to a shrine or temple that was reasonably nearby and summoned this cleric to heal him. Loedan's face flushed as looked to the floor. The stress of combat and ordering troops had overcome him... or had it been the bloodloss? It could very well have been a combination of the two as well.
"Milord..." came Kent's voice, proud as he came into sight before kneeling beside the cleric. "Milord Loedan, thank you for your help this day in battle against those bandits. I fear I would not have been able to protect Rook by myself without your and Kiri's help." the proud Paladin said to him. Loedan shook his head slowly and smiled gratefully to the powerful man who had dealt with the majority of the bandits earlier in the day. Loedan had only been more of a liability than an asset in this battle, after all.
"I did nothing extraordinary... I did what needed to be done, but all that was to simply get myself into trouble and endanger your lives." was the tactician's response as his eyes locked to the floor. Kent simply shook his head and then rapped his sheathed blade against his armored leg to get the man's attention again. Loedan silently muttered before looking up to the Paladin, who now had fire in his eyes. Obviously, he was going to go ahead and say something supposedly uplifting to the man who had risked his life to save the one left whom he had sworn to protect.
"No, milord. Your sword and bow were the deciding factor against the enemy this day. I could never have protected anyone from so many brigands at once. Kiri's lance would never had stood against the brigands, either, and Rook was in no position to protect herself..." the man said, and then reached over to place his hand on Rook's back, gently rubbing now. "Your grandfather," and Kent nodded at that, as if confirming to himself that he now believed it, "Your grandfather was a great tactician, leading the lords of Pherae and Ostia, as well as the lady of Caelin, and the troops into battle with precision and daring. His strength lay within the ability of the troops to do as directed, to take a risk every now and again. A failure was only a minor setback- he would redraw his plans and go back into battle with a new strategy to get things done right. You took a risk when you knew it must be gambled, to save your friends and my charge's life."
Kent bowed his head, closing his eyes after that, before speaking again. "For your bravery and strategic sense, milord... and for saving Rook from those bandits, I would offer the services of an old knight of Caelin. I cannot leave my charge, the last of Lady Lyndis' line, however, so I must simply offer you my undying thanks." The Paladin looked back up, and stared into Loedan's eyes, to burn into his mind that he was not in any sense jesting of this matter. The cleric had left, stepping outside and leaving the three alone inside the tent as they talked.
Outside the tent ---
Kiri was sitting down on the ground, her Pegasus resting comfortably beside her as she wrote in her own book the events of today. She had written already the events of the day before, when the tactician she traveled with had risked his own life to protect hers from brigands. At the sound of the cleric stepping out from the tent, she set aside the small book and stood, bowing to the cleric before looking to her hopefully. The cleric nodded, and Kiri sighed in relief as she knew this meant that her friend and comrade was no longer in mortal danger.
"Thank you, milady." was the Pegasus Knight's words to the cleric, who simply shook her head. Kiri had no tears to shed for her friend- at least, it did not look as if she had shed any for him. But if one could see within the book that she had just closed, then they might find small patches of moisture upon the pages within it, the drying of which would cause several pages to stick to one another before a little effort would be able to pry them apart.
"No, it is not a problem at all, milady. It is an honor to help the one whose grandfather saved the temple of the Mani Katti." the cleric said, smiling softly. Kiri blinked, not having heard this story before, and shrugged a little bit. If you say so, she thought to herself, though the saying could almost be heard by the cleric from the knight's body language. The cleric giggled a little, her long pink locks falling straight down along her cheeks and down behind her back shuffling slightly in the process. "Oh yes, the resemblance is there, milady. According to Lord Kent's accounts of the battle you four were in, there can be no doubt. Besides, Lord Kent was one of the two knights who helped defend the temple from the bandits who had entered to steal the Mani Katti before the spirits found the Lady Lyndis to be the sacred blade's rightful owner."
Kiri was speechless at this- she'd never heard of the old tales of The Tactician's first battles. Only the ones of his battles after helping the Lady Lyndis had ever fully been accounted by others. The Lady Lyndis' best friend was a Falcoknight of the highest order back at home- few had ever received the honor of meeting Florina, the youngest of the three sisters that had gone with The Tactician's group. Not since it was found that despite her brilliant battling techniques, she still could not handle working with men very well, at least. None know from where that fear stems from, not even her own mother- Her Aunt Florina would never tell a soul.
"I... I see." Kiri replied, nodding slightly. She would have to ask Lord Kent to tell her about those days sometime. The battles of old was a subject that Kiri loved to discuss. However, after this latest battle, she'd had to return to the campsite that they had left behind and recover their things- bedroll, packs, and even Loedan's book. She looked to the cleric and smiled a little as she lifted the rather large book from her side, and turned the cover over. At the signature on the back of the front cover, the Pegasus knight nearly jumped- and even upside down, the cleric could recognize the name that rested upon the page in ink.
"T.. the Tactician's diary?" the cleric gasped, stepping closer to look more carefully. Indeed, it was that, and the two sat down, side by side, as they began to read the diary of Mark. Kiri's curiosity was too great now- she had never before seen this book, nor had the chance to read it before. It was now that she could indulge herself before giving the book back to her friend, and read of battles long past. First, she read of the day when Mark met the Lady Lyndis, and then...
Day 3 ---
Lyn told me, as we neared the city, that Bulger was the largest of all cities in Sacae. Of course, I believed her, for I had not seen any larger in my travels in this direction. Once in the city, we wandered about to try and find anything that would be of use to us, supplies to help us on our way, but Lyn was stopped by a man in green armor. His brown hair was well kept, and a youthful face was brimming with hope. However, the way that he tried to compliment Lyn told me that there was something... odd, to say the least, about this knight of Lycia. Lyn just shrugged him off and pulled me by the hand with her, away from the man and towards the edge of the walled city.
But lo, what should we find but that same man and another beside a pair of horses, speaking to one another as we neared the entrance to town? This one had quite nice red hair, and seemed somewhat sophisticated- a rather unusual pair they were, it seemed to me, but at least this one had manners. Though when the red haired knight said that he had thought he had seen Lyn sometime before, she took offense (saying as much to him as well) and dragged me off, it seemed to me that he did not mean that in the same light as the green armored one.
Once out of the city, we found ourselves surrounded by even more brigands! What was more surprising, however, was the fact that their leader called Lyn by a somewhat different name, Lyndis. Just when I thought I might have to try my hand at fighting as well against these hopeless odds, despite the vulneraries that Lyn had with her, reinforcements arrived in a peculiar manner. It was the pair of knights from before, and I was introduced to them. The green armored knight, a louse and a hopeless womanizer, was called Sain. An interesting play on the word vain... I wonder if his mother and father planned it that way? The red haired and armored knight was called Kent, and he at least knew his way around a battle, I found, as he provided Sain with instruction regarding how to defeat those who used axes. He was also very serious and quite well trained in more than simple battle. He seems to be an honorable man, almost the opposite of Sain in practically every way.
With their help, and timely use of Vulneraries, we all managed to triumph over the bandits. Then it was time for the knights to share their story- that Lyn's real name was Lyndis, and she was named after her grandmother, a once noble woman of Caelin. Her mother, Madelyne, eloped with a nomad, and came to Sacae. Lyn's parents were killed months ago. Then Lyn learned she had a grandfather, and her eyes were alight in a different manner than they had been before. Family was something that I no longer possessed in my life, though Lyn had become much like a sister to me in the three days we had known one another. I could appreciate it when she decided to travel with the knights to meet her grandfather, but when Sain, the knight with the looser tongue, spoke of her grand uncle...
---
"What are you two looking at?" came Loedan's voice, a cheerful smile on his face as he walked slowly out from the tent. Of course, when he saw the somewhat guilty expression on the cleric and knight's faces, as well as the large book that rested in Kiri's lap, Loedan blinked and he seemed almost angry about what was obviously going on. But then, as he sensed Kent and Rook walk out from the tent behind him, he shrugged and smiled softly to the two. "Ah... I see. my grandfather Mark's journal. I knew you loved the old stories, Kiri, but I hadn't read the book in a long time, myself. I did not want to keep his diary a secret from anyone. And I suppose that is no longer possible, is it?" he said, before chuckling softly and walking over to where his weapons had been placed while he had been resting.
Kent walked over to the two and just chuckled softly- unlike in the book, he seemed to have picked something up from his old companion Sain, and become much more friendly towards others, less strict even. "I wonder what my old tactician wrote about me, hm?" he asked, and winked to the knight before walking towards his horse. The cleric stood, thanking Kiri for the chance to read with her, and quickly moved after Kent to get a ride back to the temple.
Rook, looked from Kent to Kiri, and then to Loedan again. She was a youngster, of course- not old at all, not in the slightest. Her cheeks were streaked with moisture, her eyes red as if she had been crying all day. And, of course, she practically had been, first at the Ger and then as she kept watch over the young man that had helped to save her life as she had been motionless from shock and grief. But when she saw that man fall in battle, a voice sang in her head to get up, pick up her blade and save him. Where the voice came from, she didn't know, but it was somewhat familiar. It hadn't been her conscience. It hadn't been common sense (or had it?). The voice hadn't even been her own, to tell the truth. But when she felt the brigand's flesh cleaved in two from her strikes, she knew she had done what she had been told to do in her head.
She was not sure why that voice had been able to shake her out of the reverie that had claimed her in the beginning of the battle. But it had done its work, and in a rage, she had even taken out the mercenary before Kiri could do it, as she'd been instructed by the tactician that had fallen. She'd never felt that way before- detached from her body, almost, as it did what was required to avenge the man that had protected her. She'd never felt so vulnerable before, when she'd seen the man fall while attacking three brigands. It was a feeling that she never wanted to feel again, either. And so, she had made a vow to Mother Earth and Father Sky, repeating it many times as she had knelt beside the young tactician before Kent had returned with the cleric. She vowed that she would never again be so weak as to rely only on others for her own protection. Never again. She would become stronger to protect herself from now on.
"Hey... Rook? Would you like to read from this book as well?" Kiri asked her, and Rook smiled softly, blushing a little bit. "Your grandmother is in here, too. Did you know that your grandmother and Loedan's grandfather helped each other on the plains a long time ago?" she asked the plains girl, who shook her head but smiled happily and walked over. Rook's clothes had been stained lightly in places with the blood of the two men she had killed earlier in the day- later on, they would have to see about cleaning the blood stains out somehow.
The sound of a horse galloping away could be heard, and that meant that Kent and the cleric were heading back to the temple that she had come from.
"I'll start from the beginning then." Kiri told her, and then began to read from the day that Mark had met Lyn, to the passage that she and the cleric had read through, and then further into the diary. Rook was captivated, enthralled by the way that the tactician himself had described her grandmother and 'uncle'. Loedan, however, was nowhere to be seen, as the two continued to read. He was sitting off to the side of the tent, unseen by the two who were reading his grandfather's diary, as he rested, legs crossed and eyes closed as he attempted to find focus within himself that had been fleeting earlier today.
Dear grandfather, he thought to himself. Am I doing well? Should I be allowed to continue this path if I continue to put others in harm's way like that which has happened already. By Elimine, am I so unsuited to this calling that I have already been involved in two battles in as many days? What is this world coming to?
---
Author's Note: Yep… a self-doubting tactician. Of course, when you're not part of a 'Tactician's Guild', and you weren't really taught to be a tactician save from self-studies, can you blame the guy? Please Read and Review!
Chapter 2: An actual beginning
It was by the dawn of the morning after their arrival in Sacae that Loedan was awakened. The sun was low on the horizon, and cast shadows from the few trees that could be found on the plains. With a yawn, Loedan awoke and smiled, watching the sun that slowly made its presence known to this place where the sun could call home. Looking over to the stump that had been found, from a fallen tree, he saw his friend Kiri sitting upon it. She watched the sunrise as well, sparing the training tactician a glance before looking back to the sunrise. He smiled still, walking over to sit beside her on the stump before looking back to the sun. The rays of light burst forth and weaved through and over grass and tree, shadows behind each in comparison to the sun.
"A beautiful morning to you, my friend." he said quietly to the pegasus knight. She smiled and nodded, just watching the sun. It took a moment for Loedan to look over to her and realize that she had tears in her eyes, and he had to wonder as to why she was crying. Kiri blinked, and then as if only now realizing the moisture on her cheeks, wiped at them with the back of her hand quickly. When Kiri found that her friend, the tactician, was watching her, her cheeks flushed softly as she shook her head slowly.
"It is the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen, Loedan. To watch the sun itself come up over the grassy plains... I am now, more than ever before, glad to have gotten away from the mountains, if only for a short while. This sight will always be special to me, and I will treasure it always." she said quietly, even as she held herself up on the stump with both hands. Loedan nodded, and looked behind the stump, to where Hewn was resting on the ground with wings tucked in to his sides. He gazed back towards the sunrise, and found himself agreeing with his friend. Indeed, this was a spectacular sunrise, with only a few light clouds drifting along. To compare to the bloodshed yesterday, this was a reason to live and keep others alive as well.
One must find a way to keep on going, Loedan had once read from one of the several books his grandfather had studied from. A battle, though harsh and bloody, must always be balanced with peace and time for reflection. With those of the group, friendships and alliances must be formed. One must always watch out for the others, and the others must care for the ones who cannot fight. Only by working together, one goal for all, might there be a chance to survive a battle, no matter how great or small. Take every challenge and learn from it, and practice caution. Losing a member of your group will never be acceptable. One person for the lives of many must never be allowed, though the risks may be great. A life is worth more gold than anything else in the world: treat life as such.
Loedan remembered these words of wisdom, strength inside them and a message that could never be forgotten by a tactician. He was not only in charge of a battle, but also for the safety and well-being of those fighting for him as well. Of course, for a tactician as he wished to become, keeping himself safe from harm was another constant concern. But then it took a moment for the combat tactician to realize something, and he looked back to the Pegasus Knight who was still watching the sunrise. "Why did you not wake me, Kiri? You let me sleep through the night."
The girl looked at him sheepishly and shrugged. "I was thinking, Loedan. By the time I realized that I had not woken you, the sun was rising." she replied, and Loedan sighed softly. Great. A tired Pegasus Knight would not do so well in battle, should they need to enter into one soon. She saw the look on his face and knew exactly what he was thinking- in a tactical sense, she knew he was right, but as a friend, she knew that he had needed his sleep. He had done more than his share of the fighting yesterday, after all. "Relax... I will sleep tonight, alright? You may take the first watch." she told him, and Loedan was forced to agree with her on this, or else risk an argument with his friend. With a stretch, he stood back up and looked around slowly. He hadn't heard anything or anyone earlier, save for the wind.
"Pardon me for a moment, if you would, Kiri." Loedan said, blushing slightly as he walked to the nearest tree, quite a ways away. The girl just watched him until her stopped at the tree, wondering what he was going to do and why he had gone that way, before realizing his intent. Her cheeks flushed a deep red; the Pegasus Knight looked away to her Pegasus and just watched that way as the lance she carried swayed from side to side against her lap. Well, most people did prefer their privacy when dealing with their morning 'problems', after all. Loedan wasn't but a moment before he walked back, the once steady pressure now dealt with as he felt a bit lighter in his steps.
"All taken care of now?" she asked, in a voice loud enough that would wake Hewn, who snorted loudly before rising to his hooves and stretching out his wings. Loedan blushed and nodded in return- neither cared to speak of such things, really, even though they'd been friends for such a long time. She laughed softly and slipped to her feet, one hand taking the lance and spinning it once until the lance tip was pointed to the air and the butt of the weapon rested upon the ground at her feet. "Good... then, once Hewn is fully awake, we shall be off towards Bulgar." she replied, stretching as well. She was definitely tense, and if Loedan didn't mistake the heavy look to her eyes, tired as hell.
"That sounds like a plan to me... I did see a Ger, maybe a mile past that tree. Not sure though, hard to judge distances here on the plains." Loedan commented, looking back over towards the tree he'd 'visited' a moment ago. The cool air did wonders to make them wide awake, though one of the two was certainly very tired anyway. An uneasy feeling passed through the tactician, causing him to shiver- it wasn't the cool air, however. To begin with, the air was still much warmer than the very cold air back in Ilia. He thought he could feel some sort of... thundering? But no, as he looked to the sky to be sure, there were no storm clouds overhead. He blinked and felt it again, and then heard a whinny from a horse- not a Pegasus, however.
Kiri had noticed this much sooner, of course, having been around horses and Pegasi all her life. "One horse rider... a knight, maybe." she told him. She would have information like that before him, thanks to her own training- the light galloping of a hoofed beast often would make such information known. She shook her head slowly, smiling even as she went over to her steed and jumped astride Hewn. "Coming towards us, if I hear correctly." she told him, and Loedan took his bow and pulled an arrow, notching the arrow to the string carefully. If they were about to be attacked by a single horseback rider, then perhaps this day would start out badly after all.
It took but a moment longer before the rider became known to them both. The sun had rose enough to provide enough light for them both to see who it was- a rider clad in dark red armor, the horse itself also wearing the same color of armored plates. The coloring struck Loedan as odd, yet somehow familiar. That in itself got him wondering about who it could be, for as far as he could remember, Loedan had never actually met a cavalier. Yet, somehow, this rider seemed to be more experienced than that. Once the rider had crested the hill, he had begun coming towards them at a gentle gait, barely moving at all it seemed. A leisurely ride, perhaps, by the rider? It seemed hardly possible, but Loedan knew that everyone had their reasons to do the things they do.
Loedan and Kiri watched as, for the next five minutes, the rider came closer and closer to them both. In that time, Kiri came up alongside Loedan and the tactician set away his bow and the arrow was placed into the quiver again. Obviously, unless this was a trick, the knight coming towards them meant them no harm. The one thing that cinched it for Loedan, however, was the fact that there was no menace in the air or about the rider. Oftentimes, he could sense such things before one came too close to him, allowing him the ability to prepare for any trouble that might arrive. When the knight came up before them, he raised his hand to show that though he was armed, he meant to offer not trouble to them.
"Hello, sir and lady!" came an old man's voice from within the helmet of the knight's figure. "Good madam and sir, I am sorry for intruding upon you without introduction. We were out for a bit of a ride, and by Elimine, you surprised us both! If I was younger, I am certain I would have seen you, but my good pair of eyes here did. See Rook? You were right, there is a Pegasus Knight here." he said, pulling his helmet off. He was a fairly old man, though quite possibly older than he looked- a Paladin, Loedan realized. No wonder he was more sure of his gait than some cavaliers could be. A shock of red hair surprised him, and as Loedan gazed upon the man, he was suddenly aware that he seemed awfully familiar.
From behind the man, a young girl slid off from his steed's back to stand beside the paladin. A native of Sacae, if her garb was any indication, Loedan noticed, as well as the color of her hair, which seemed to only be rather common in the northern regions- a green color, not quite as dark as Kiri's. Her garb was a light tan color, with a blue trim that covered her body beneath the cloak she wore of the same coloring. "Yes, I told you I thought I saw a Pegasus Knight, uncle. We of Sacae do not lie, remember?" she reminded him, almost scolding but obviously just being playful with the old knight, who chuckled in response. The girl wore her hair in two long braids that reached down to her knees- she must not have ever had her hair cut by anyone, Loedan thought to himself, before he looked from the girl back to the paladin again.
"Ah yes, I do remember hearing that from your grandmother when first we knew one another, Rook." he said, reaching down to squeeze the girl's shoulder softly. Loedan looked to Kiri, who was watching the exchange with an amused expression in her face. The tactician looked to the knight again, who had now looked back to them; mostly to Loedan, however, a thoughtful look in the old paladin's eyes as the sharp blue eyes, though obviously near-sighted now. "My... you look familiar, somehow. Have we ever met before, sir?" was the question asked of Loedan by the paladin, and then all eyes were on the young tactician. He thought for a moment how best to phrase his response, and then let fly, as if firing an arrow into the wind.
"I am afraid not, good sir. My name is Loedan, and this is actually our first day away from Ilia." he told the Paladin, smiling a little to him before bowing and continuing. "This is my good friend Kiri, and it is a pleasure to meet you both." he says, standing slowly up... only to find himself to blink at the point of a blade that had presented itself in front of him. Loedan looked to the one holding the blade- the girl, of course, and he wondered, as he watched the Sacae girl's blue eyes, a brightness that reminded him, somewhat, of the man she called her uncle just a little earlier. "Ah... is the blade necessary right now?" he asked the girl, who just giggled and sheathed the blade quickly, almost too fast for his eyes to follow, really.
Rook watched the young boy... young man? Hard to tell. He was a bit short and had a young-looking face. He wore a bow slung across his chest and had a sword on his belt- an unusual combination outside of the Nomadic Troopers that one could find here and there within the boundaries of Sacae, she knew. Obviously not too quick, she thought of him, before her gaze was drawn to the Pegasus and the Knight who rode astride it. Her grandmother's best friend had been a Pegasus Knight. It was a beautiful beast, the Pegasus... She had been captivated by the chance of seeing one up close, and now that she was almost close enough to touch it, it was difficult for the young girl to keep her hands to herself. The woman riding upon it looked nice- almost like her grandmother, really, because of the color of her hair.
"Ah! Mercenaries heading for Bern then, I wager?" the paladin asked, an almost disappointed tone in the old man's voice as he shrugged- an interesting feat for an old man wearing fairly heavy armor, mind you. Loedan could tell that the man must still train, even now, to be limber enough to do battle, as it seemed he was still capable of doing. "No matter... my name is Kent, former captain of the knights of Caelin. This is Rook... granddaughter to one of my greatest friends, the Lady Lyndis of Sacae and Caelin." the paladin spoke, fond memories bringing back the friendliness of his voice again. The words that the paladin spoke caused Loedan to blink in surprise and his jaw dropped as well. The expression on the tactician's face was priceless- both Kiri and Rook giggled as they saw the look on his face
It took the aspiring tactician a moment to say anything after that. "The same Kent who traveled with The Tactician... Mark?" he asked quietly, hope entering his mind and voice. Kent nodded slowly- the tactician's name was not widely known among many people. Mostly, only lords and families that had been directly touched or directed by the man's orders knew his name these days.
Yet, how would anyone from Ilia know the tactician's name, from so long ago? Loedan smiled warmly and bowed again to the paladin. "My grandfather... his name was Mark, Sir Kent." he says, and quickly went back to where he had kept his grandfather's diary overnight. Loedan picked it up, and carried it back over to the paladin, holding it out so that the brave man could see it. "Does this look familiar to you at all?" he asked... and then shivered a little as he looked about slowly, his senses taking a moment out of this moment to check on their surroundings.
Kiri watched these proceedings with a small smile- the name of Kent was known to her family as well, for her own mother had, at one time, met a man by that name. However, for he had been smitten with another woman, her mother had given up upon the paladin, returning home and raising a family in Ilia instead. But she had never known that he remained alive- her mother would be overjoyed to learn that the man she once loved was still alive and well even now! If she had a chance to do so, she'd definitely send word back to Fiora so she would know what she had just learned.
"Why is there black smoke back the way you came?" Loedan asked now, unable to wait for a response from Kent. Rook gasped and looked back towards the smoke, and jumped as she saw about where it was coming from. Obviously it was a place important to the young girl… possibly to them both? Kent looked to Rook, who did the same, and the girl nodded to him before quickly getting onto the horse's back, behind Kent.
"The bandits must have found our Ger while we were away. I am afraid that I may not be as young as I once was, to beat back bandits with ease... might I ask for your help, sir and lady?" the Paladin asked them. Loedan only glanced to Kiri, who nodded slightly to him before he looked back to Kent and Rook.
"It would be an honor to help those who met my grandfather." he replied, grinning slightly. Kent's eyes went foggy for a moment, as if remembering the old days, before nodding and smiling in return. Then, with a flick of the reins, they were rushing back towards the Ger. Loedan was surprised as he heard the thundering of hooves behind him, and then was snatched up by his tunic by Kiri, who set him on Hewn's back before taking off into the air. "Never a dull moment, eh?" he asked sarcastically, to which he heard no reply, but Kiri did smile ruefully at.
At the Ger ---
About ten minutes later, Kent and Rook arrived at the Ger that they lived in. There had been no sign of any bandits about save for the trampling of grass- many had come, but none were still in sight, strangely. Kent's horse slowed as they came closer, Kent looking about as Rook jumped from the back of the steed to run over to the collapsed and still-burning tent. It was obvious that nothing inside was left, from the way that everything was burning. Oil and fire had been used, a lethal combination upon anything even remotely flammable- paper, parchment, rug, clothes... and people. Rook fell to her knees as Kiri came up close, Hewn landing on the ground and Loedan slipped off of the Pegasus now as well, surveying the damage for a split second before shuddering, feeling as if they weren't the only ones here.
Rook began to cry, not for lost belongings or memories, but for her parents- they had still been asleep, still in bed while recovering from an illness. Kent was turned away from the tactician and the Pegasus Knight, his head held low. Obviously, he'd felt like a guardian for this family, and not just for the girl that had called him uncle. Loedan sighed softly, before looking to the sky. Hadn't the bandits been mostly wiped out here on the plains? Obviously, not anymore...
And now, there was no illness, but an eternal release. "Mother Earth and Father Sky..." Loedan said quietly, quoting his grandfather's favorite saying from the plains, closing his eyes before he opened them and looked about quickly. Plains as far as the eye could see. This burning wreckage of a home. Rook in a state of shock. Kiri was looking about as well, and Kent was on the other side of the burning ger now. Then, to Loedan's surprise, he found that they were practically surrounded by an oncoming horde of bandits, as they popped out of concealment within the tall grasses.
"You four won't leave here alive... 'er Grandmother's knight wiped our leader's clan out almost completely. We've been waiting for years to get even... By killing that woman's entire line!" the leader said, a man who carried a sword on his shoulder. Many brigands lined him, nearly a dozen in all surrounding the now broken down Ger. Loedan swallowed slowly- eleven bandits, not including the leader. 3-to-1 odds, though the tactician knew that we had a distinct advantage thanks to Kent's superior skills and training. An odd sense of calm washed over him suddenly, as his mind gave in to the urgings that he hadn't felt before yesterday.
"Kent! Kiri! We need to protect Rook until she can fight again! Engage the enemies that come near, but don't let them through to her!" he cried out to his group, to which he then drew his bow. An arrow left the quiver quickly, and he notched it to the bowstring before aiming at the nearest brigand. The brigands then began to almost march forward, rushing headlong into the battle. Kent was the first to engage the enemy, and with his beautiful silver blade, parried the brigand's attack and then lopped his head off with a quick and deadly strike. Kiri was in luck- her opponents were the furthest away, so she would have time to prepare for the onslaught of 3 axe-users.
Then, it was time for Loedan to attack, and he let the arrow fly at the oncoming brigand. No sooner was it let loose than he set the bow across his shoulder, slinging it before drawing his sword. The brigand managed to avoid the arrow easily, and as Loedan heard another death scream from Kent's area of defense, the first brigand made it to the tactician and attacked. Loedan was barely ready for it, and managed to duck under the wild swing before swinging his own blade low, striking at the man's knees with the iron sword. He connected this time, blood seeping from the wound and causing the brigand to fall to his knees, crying out in pain before another slash of the sword brought about a wet sound rather than the coarse yelling that had once come from the living man. The brigand fell to the ground completely, clutching at his slashed throat that was now pouring blood from the severed artery.
Another brigand found his way to Loedan as he had finished his strike, and swung the axe he held in hand at the tactician's side. It was almost a direct hit, if not for Loedan's seeing the movement just in time. The Ilian quickly moved aside, but not before feeling a scratch at his side, part of his cape and tunic gone now as he groaned slightly and counter attacked. His blade went forward, thrust towards the brigand's chest, to which the man dodged by ducking downwards. Loedan, the faster of the two, slashed down now, bringing the blade up and then sweeping downwards before the blade connected with the brigands' spine. The pain that coursed through the man was all he could feel, for a split second, before Loedan pulled the tip from where it had lodged itself within. The bandit fell to the ground, the second of the axe users gone now.
"Kiri! To me!" he cried, knowing that the bandits would reach her soon, and that their axes would deal with her lance easily. Loedan spared Kent a glance and saw that the majority of the brigands were concentrated on him, though the Paladin knew what he was doing, obviously. He was protecting the girl, who was now watching the battle raging around her, the state of shock obvious in her eyes. With a sigh, the aspiring tactician darted over to her and knelt beside her- a relative calm in the storm as the winds raged around them. "Rook, please... I know this is painful for you, but we must have your help!"
Rook flashed him an almost evil look, her eyes red and cheeks moist with her tears. "You... have no idea how painful this is..." she said, quietly. Loedan had to concede that point, but knew that if she didn't get to her feet, then any reinforcements would likely defeat them. "My mother... my father... both were inside the Ger, ill. Now they are gone..." and she started sobbing again. The tactician sighed as he looked to where he heard Kiri land beside them, and he stood up, looking over to where her axe-using opponents were making their way closer to them now.
"Let them come to me... stay with Rook, Kiri, and protect her." he said, and then darted off to stall, perhaps even defeat, the oncoming bandits. Kiri looked to Rook and sighed, wondering just what to do in a situation like this? It was something that had never before come up, after all, in her years of training to become a Pegasus Knight. So, she surveyed the battle, her eyes coming to rest on the Paladin who had successfully defeated half a dozen of the bandits already, and was rushing towards the leader, who remained a supposedly safe distance away.
Loedan now faced three more bandits. His side hurt- the 'scratch' now was bleeding somewhat, not too much but enough to make it noticeable as he moved. He held the sword in his hands, raising it as he ran to the first one, the one in the middle of the three who were moving towards him in almost a 'V' formation. He strode forward once more before swinging down at the oncoming bandit, the blade slashing deep across the man's chest before swinging free again, to be drawn up to Loedan's free arm before slashing horizontally across the bandit's stomach in another swift movement.
The bandit fell, of course, to the swinging blade. Its effectiveness astounded even Loedan- adrenaline rush, he told himself, before he looked to the bandits who were now on either side of him with their wicked axe blades held towards him. As soon as he tried to step away, the one behind him struck and Loedan cried out in pain for the second time in as many days, feeling the edge of the axe within his side. The tactician managed to somehow avoid the slash of the one before him as he turned away from the axe that had struck him when it left his body. It left a large gash that he could feel was bleeding freely.
The shock of the strike began to take over his body, but it wasn't fast enough to stop the young man's counter attack. With a yell, he grasped the hilt of his blade with both hands and swung once more, slashing at the one before him wildly. Of course, he missed, falling to the ground and dropping the blade. He cursed his numbed fingers as he shuddered there, writhing in pain on the ground as he looked up to see the pair of brigands hovering over him, as though they were vultures circling a carcass.
A cry of anguish could be heard, and to Loedan's surprise, it wasn't his own. No, it was the sound of a woman's voice, and then another, as both Kiri and Rook launched themselves into the fray. Kiri's target was immediately skewered from behind, much as she'd done the day previous to this to the leader of the group that had been targeting her. Rook's opponent found himself with multiple slashing cuts along his sides, arms, and legs before a final one brought her back into sight. The man had only begun to bleed slightly along those visible cuts before his throat erupted, blood pouring from it to splatter on Loedan before the now dead brigand fell to the ground.
Loedan's consciousness began to flee as he felt the warm, sticky fluid of another's life splatter on his face in a few drops. His own blood was escaping, and the way his body shuddered told him that soon his mind would be gone as well, into a shock that he could not afford to slip into. He felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, even as he managed to speak. "Kiri... get the... mer... ce... na...ry..." he managed to gasp out between ragged breaths, his chest heaving up and down even as his sight left him, and then all was dark.
Much later that day.
---
The afternoon was winding down as the sun began to dip beneath the mountains in the distance. Inside a tent, two young women were tending to a fallen man. He'd grown feverish, even after the bleeding had been stopped, and now lay on the ground with a blanket about him, a cold rag wet with river water set upon his brow. Rook was kneeling beside him, watching over the tactician carefully. The Pegasus Knight stood near the tent's doorway, looking out upon the plains. Both were very worried about this boy- Kiri had known him for years, but Rook had barely met him at all this very day before having to enter into a battle with the brigands that had destroyed her home and family.
The sound of hooves played lightly upon the ground as Kent arrived at the tent, and he allowed his passenger off at the entrance. Kiri stepped aside and then outside, holding the flap of the tent open for the two who would enter, seeing the robes that the visitor wore- a sister of St. Elimine, she could tell, and then Kent followed the cleric into the tent. Upon seeing the harm that had been done to the man (though to be fair, she could not see the extent of the damage because of the blanket), she held her staff up and breathed a prayer to her faith. An aura of blue light erupted from the staff, escaping to encompass the hurt tactician that was resting. The wound was gone as the aura covered the tactician, all other bodily harm gone in an instant. The pain ended and a groan escaped the young man that lay there. All waited for him to open his eyes, which he did within a few moments. His sight did not return quickly, all was hazy as he reached up with his right hand to rub his brow slowly.
Then a sudden weight could be felt on his chest- not a foot, but a body, and Loedan's hand went to the arm that he felt wrap about him- who was this? His eyes could not focus yet, even as the shock and pain was gone from his body. He felt wetness, even through his tunic, from the person who was lying upon him. "Wha... Mother Earth and Father Sky, who is this?" he asked quietly. His gaze began to focus as he blinked a few times, and he found himself looking to the girl of the plains, Rook, as she held to his waist. "Rook?" he asked now, before smiling a little, more surprised than anything else by the way that she held fast to him.
"Are you feeling better?" a young woman's voice asked him, and Loedan looked up to see the Elimine cleric kneeling beside him now. He nodded a little bit to her, and then blinked, wincing once as he felt Rook's hand graze by where there once had been a very grievous wound. It took only a second for him to realize what had happened since he had been knocked unconscious. Someone, likely Kent, had gone to a shrine or temple that was reasonably nearby and summoned this cleric to heal him. Loedan's face flushed as looked to the floor. The stress of combat and ordering troops had overcome him... or had it been the bloodloss? It could very well have been a combination of the two as well.
"Milord..." came Kent's voice, proud as he came into sight before kneeling beside the cleric. "Milord Loedan, thank you for your help this day in battle against those bandits. I fear I would not have been able to protect Rook by myself without your and Kiri's help." the proud Paladin said to him. Loedan shook his head slowly and smiled gratefully to the powerful man who had dealt with the majority of the bandits earlier in the day. Loedan had only been more of a liability than an asset in this battle, after all.
"I did nothing extraordinary... I did what needed to be done, but all that was to simply get myself into trouble and endanger your lives." was the tactician's response as his eyes locked to the floor. Kent simply shook his head and then rapped his sheathed blade against his armored leg to get the man's attention again. Loedan silently muttered before looking up to the Paladin, who now had fire in his eyes. Obviously, he was going to go ahead and say something supposedly uplifting to the man who had risked his life to save the one left whom he had sworn to protect.
"No, milord. Your sword and bow were the deciding factor against the enemy this day. I could never have protected anyone from so many brigands at once. Kiri's lance would never had stood against the brigands, either, and Rook was in no position to protect herself..." the man said, and then reached over to place his hand on Rook's back, gently rubbing now. "Your grandfather," and Kent nodded at that, as if confirming to himself that he now believed it, "Your grandfather was a great tactician, leading the lords of Pherae and Ostia, as well as the lady of Caelin, and the troops into battle with precision and daring. His strength lay within the ability of the troops to do as directed, to take a risk every now and again. A failure was only a minor setback- he would redraw his plans and go back into battle with a new strategy to get things done right. You took a risk when you knew it must be gambled, to save your friends and my charge's life."
Kent bowed his head, closing his eyes after that, before speaking again. "For your bravery and strategic sense, milord... and for saving Rook from those bandits, I would offer the services of an old knight of Caelin. I cannot leave my charge, the last of Lady Lyndis' line, however, so I must simply offer you my undying thanks." The Paladin looked back up, and stared into Loedan's eyes, to burn into his mind that he was not in any sense jesting of this matter. The cleric had left, stepping outside and leaving the three alone inside the tent as they talked.
Outside the tent ---
Kiri was sitting down on the ground, her Pegasus resting comfortably beside her as she wrote in her own book the events of today. She had written already the events of the day before, when the tactician she traveled with had risked his own life to protect hers from brigands. At the sound of the cleric stepping out from the tent, she set aside the small book and stood, bowing to the cleric before looking to her hopefully. The cleric nodded, and Kiri sighed in relief as she knew this meant that her friend and comrade was no longer in mortal danger.
"Thank you, milady." was the Pegasus Knight's words to the cleric, who simply shook her head. Kiri had no tears to shed for her friend- at least, it did not look as if she had shed any for him. But if one could see within the book that she had just closed, then they might find small patches of moisture upon the pages within it, the drying of which would cause several pages to stick to one another before a little effort would be able to pry them apart.
"No, it is not a problem at all, milady. It is an honor to help the one whose grandfather saved the temple of the Mani Katti." the cleric said, smiling softly. Kiri blinked, not having heard this story before, and shrugged a little bit. If you say so, she thought to herself, though the saying could almost be heard by the cleric from the knight's body language. The cleric giggled a little, her long pink locks falling straight down along her cheeks and down behind her back shuffling slightly in the process. "Oh yes, the resemblance is there, milady. According to Lord Kent's accounts of the battle you four were in, there can be no doubt. Besides, Lord Kent was one of the two knights who helped defend the temple from the bandits who had entered to steal the Mani Katti before the spirits found the Lady Lyndis to be the sacred blade's rightful owner."
Kiri was speechless at this- she'd never heard of the old tales of The Tactician's first battles. Only the ones of his battles after helping the Lady Lyndis had ever fully been accounted by others. The Lady Lyndis' best friend was a Falcoknight of the highest order back at home- few had ever received the honor of meeting Florina, the youngest of the three sisters that had gone with The Tactician's group. Not since it was found that despite her brilliant battling techniques, she still could not handle working with men very well, at least. None know from where that fear stems from, not even her own mother- Her Aunt Florina would never tell a soul.
"I... I see." Kiri replied, nodding slightly. She would have to ask Lord Kent to tell her about those days sometime. The battles of old was a subject that Kiri loved to discuss. However, after this latest battle, she'd had to return to the campsite that they had left behind and recover their things- bedroll, packs, and even Loedan's book. She looked to the cleric and smiled a little as she lifted the rather large book from her side, and turned the cover over. At the signature on the back of the front cover, the Pegasus knight nearly jumped- and even upside down, the cleric could recognize the name that rested upon the page in ink.
"T.. the Tactician's diary?" the cleric gasped, stepping closer to look more carefully. Indeed, it was that, and the two sat down, side by side, as they began to read the diary of Mark. Kiri's curiosity was too great now- she had never before seen this book, nor had the chance to read it before. It was now that she could indulge herself before giving the book back to her friend, and read of battles long past. First, she read of the day when Mark met the Lady Lyndis, and then...
Day 3 ---
Lyn told me, as we neared the city, that Bulger was the largest of all cities in Sacae. Of course, I believed her, for I had not seen any larger in my travels in this direction. Once in the city, we wandered about to try and find anything that would be of use to us, supplies to help us on our way, but Lyn was stopped by a man in green armor. His brown hair was well kept, and a youthful face was brimming with hope. However, the way that he tried to compliment Lyn told me that there was something... odd, to say the least, about this knight of Lycia. Lyn just shrugged him off and pulled me by the hand with her, away from the man and towards the edge of the walled city.
But lo, what should we find but that same man and another beside a pair of horses, speaking to one another as we neared the entrance to town? This one had quite nice red hair, and seemed somewhat sophisticated- a rather unusual pair they were, it seemed to me, but at least this one had manners. Though when the red haired knight said that he had thought he had seen Lyn sometime before, she took offense (saying as much to him as well) and dragged me off, it seemed to me that he did not mean that in the same light as the green armored one.
Once out of the city, we found ourselves surrounded by even more brigands! What was more surprising, however, was the fact that their leader called Lyn by a somewhat different name, Lyndis. Just when I thought I might have to try my hand at fighting as well against these hopeless odds, despite the vulneraries that Lyn had with her, reinforcements arrived in a peculiar manner. It was the pair of knights from before, and I was introduced to them. The green armored knight, a louse and a hopeless womanizer, was called Sain. An interesting play on the word vain... I wonder if his mother and father planned it that way? The red haired and armored knight was called Kent, and he at least knew his way around a battle, I found, as he provided Sain with instruction regarding how to defeat those who used axes. He was also very serious and quite well trained in more than simple battle. He seems to be an honorable man, almost the opposite of Sain in practically every way.
With their help, and timely use of Vulneraries, we all managed to triumph over the bandits. Then it was time for the knights to share their story- that Lyn's real name was Lyndis, and she was named after her grandmother, a once noble woman of Caelin. Her mother, Madelyne, eloped with a nomad, and came to Sacae. Lyn's parents were killed months ago. Then Lyn learned she had a grandfather, and her eyes were alight in a different manner than they had been before. Family was something that I no longer possessed in my life, though Lyn had become much like a sister to me in the three days we had known one another. I could appreciate it when she decided to travel with the knights to meet her grandfather, but when Sain, the knight with the looser tongue, spoke of her grand uncle...
---
"What are you two looking at?" came Loedan's voice, a cheerful smile on his face as he walked slowly out from the tent. Of course, when he saw the somewhat guilty expression on the cleric and knight's faces, as well as the large book that rested in Kiri's lap, Loedan blinked and he seemed almost angry about what was obviously going on. But then, as he sensed Kent and Rook walk out from the tent behind him, he shrugged and smiled softly to the two. "Ah... I see. my grandfather Mark's journal. I knew you loved the old stories, Kiri, but I hadn't read the book in a long time, myself. I did not want to keep his diary a secret from anyone. And I suppose that is no longer possible, is it?" he said, before chuckling softly and walking over to where his weapons had been placed while he had been resting.
Kent walked over to the two and just chuckled softly- unlike in the book, he seemed to have picked something up from his old companion Sain, and become much more friendly towards others, less strict even. "I wonder what my old tactician wrote about me, hm?" he asked, and winked to the knight before walking towards his horse. The cleric stood, thanking Kiri for the chance to read with her, and quickly moved after Kent to get a ride back to the temple.
Rook, looked from Kent to Kiri, and then to Loedan again. She was a youngster, of course- not old at all, not in the slightest. Her cheeks were streaked with moisture, her eyes red as if she had been crying all day. And, of course, she practically had been, first at the Ger and then as she kept watch over the young man that had helped to save her life as she had been motionless from shock and grief. But when she saw that man fall in battle, a voice sang in her head to get up, pick up her blade and save him. Where the voice came from, she didn't know, but it was somewhat familiar. It hadn't been her conscience. It hadn't been common sense (or had it?). The voice hadn't even been her own, to tell the truth. But when she felt the brigand's flesh cleaved in two from her strikes, she knew she had done what she had been told to do in her head.
She was not sure why that voice had been able to shake her out of the reverie that had claimed her in the beginning of the battle. But it had done its work, and in a rage, she had even taken out the mercenary before Kiri could do it, as she'd been instructed by the tactician that had fallen. She'd never felt that way before- detached from her body, almost, as it did what was required to avenge the man that had protected her. She'd never felt so vulnerable before, when she'd seen the man fall while attacking three brigands. It was a feeling that she never wanted to feel again, either. And so, she had made a vow to Mother Earth and Father Sky, repeating it many times as she had knelt beside the young tactician before Kent had returned with the cleric. She vowed that she would never again be so weak as to rely only on others for her own protection. Never again. She would become stronger to protect herself from now on.
"Hey... Rook? Would you like to read from this book as well?" Kiri asked her, and Rook smiled softly, blushing a little bit. "Your grandmother is in here, too. Did you know that your grandmother and Loedan's grandfather helped each other on the plains a long time ago?" she asked the plains girl, who shook her head but smiled happily and walked over. Rook's clothes had been stained lightly in places with the blood of the two men she had killed earlier in the day- later on, they would have to see about cleaning the blood stains out somehow.
The sound of a horse galloping away could be heard, and that meant that Kent and the cleric were heading back to the temple that she had come from.
"I'll start from the beginning then." Kiri told her, and then began to read from the day that Mark had met Lyn, to the passage that she and the cleric had read through, and then further into the diary. Rook was captivated, enthralled by the way that the tactician himself had described her grandmother and 'uncle'. Loedan, however, was nowhere to be seen, as the two continued to read. He was sitting off to the side of the tent, unseen by the two who were reading his grandfather's diary, as he rested, legs crossed and eyes closed as he attempted to find focus within himself that had been fleeting earlier today.
Dear grandfather, he thought to himself. Am I doing well? Should I be allowed to continue this path if I continue to put others in harm's way like that which has happened already. By Elimine, am I so unsuited to this calling that I have already been involved in two battles in as many days? What is this world coming to?
---
Author's Note: Yep… a self-doubting tactician. Of course, when you're not part of a 'Tactician's Guild', and you weren't really taught to be a tactician save from self-studies, can you blame the guy? Please Read and Review!