Chapter 5) Fire


People are strange. I have always thought so, but being with the army has only enforced the perception. Upon realizing Sigurd and I dropped titles with each other, Lady Ethlyn and Lady Edain took to giggling and smiling in the most bizarre fashion. I tried to ask Sigurd about it, but he was as clueless as me. I supposed it was a joke the two shared, one which would make little sense to outsiders.

Despite the oddness, life moves on. Slowly but surely, my patients heal. Slowly but surely, the people of Marpha come to trust us. It is surprising, that. After all, by this point, we've unintentionally conquered three-quarters of Verdane. Only the castle and its lands beyond the Spirit Forest remain, and still, there are no answers. Would there ever be?


"I really don't get it." Ah, here it was. I'd been expecting it. After all, it was a near daily thing by this point, as reliable as the sun's rising and the wind's blowing. Somehow or another, while helping me, Mister Dew would discover something about our patients' conditions which would confused and confound him enough he simply had to ask about it. "How is he peeing blood without blood? It was bright red!"

"The red coloration of his urine is due to his muscles breaking down, Mister Dew," I explained, more focused on helping Lord Shannan walk. It was part of his daily therapy, to rebuild the strength in his legs. Today, we slowly walked about the room which had become my workshop, one slow step at a time, both his hands in mine as he walked forward and I walked backwards. "He has rhabdomyolysis."

"...That's too big of a word," Mister Dew complained from his seat at the table. He wasn't the only one there; Mister Finn and Lord Oifeye were preparing medicines for me after their lessons. All manner of herbs and contraptions spread across the table, both completely focused. This, too, was simply 'normal' nowadays, after Mister Dew and I finished the morning rounds. "Can I just say 'rhabdo'?"

"You may." I smiled encouragingly at Lord Shannan when he stumbled. We'd almost finished the last lap, and I knew he tired. But his grip on my hands remained strong. "Regardless, the red is muscle tissue, not blood." It was a bit of an oversimplification, if I remembered my studies correctly, but it would suit for now.

"How did he end up like that anyway?"

"He continued to exercise and train instead of resting when Lord Quan and Sir Naoise told him." I ignored how Mister Finn stiffened at that. I knew he trained extra, even on top of the lessons Lord Quan gave him separately. "So, now he's confined to bed with fluids while we help him through this." Sadly, it was all we could do, based on what I read.

"...Wait, but how does the muscle end up there?" Lord Shannan asked, looking up at me curiously. He let me lead him to another chair at the table, and snatched my skirt to keep me from escaping his questions. "Muscles are what makes you strong, right? And solid? How does it become liquid?"

"Muscles help you move and, yes, having strong muscles usually means you can lift heavier things," I answered, wondering just how to explain the rest. The breakdown of muscles and filtration of the kidneys... oh, I'd need a diagram for this. "Let me grab one of my books." As I stepped away, Mister Dew immediately scooted his chair closer to Lord Shanan, eager to learn. When I found the book I wanted and returned, I noticed he was not the only eager learner. Lord Oifeye 'subtly' leaned towards the duo in a blatant attempt to eavesdrop while he worked. Mister Finn only tilted his head, but it was noticeable since most people did not hold their head at such an angle for long. "Move closer, you two." I could not help but smile, especially when both Lord Oifeye and Mister Finn started and smiled sheepishly. "You can let those medicines sit for a little while, and it will be harder for you to see the pictures from there."

Neither tried to hide their eagerness at that point, and thus began a different sort of lesson than I'd planned. It was surprisingly fun, though Mister Dew had to ask about words since he could not read, and I found it a shame when all had to leave for their next bit of chores (or, in Lord Shannan's case, to rest because he tired easily). Still, time waited for no one and I had my own tasks to do, even if I ran into a slight complication along the way.

Though the people of Marpha did treat us kindly, for safety reasons, I was required to have at least one guard when I went to the Town Square to treat the residents. Most often, it was Lady Ethlyn since though she wasn't the strongest, her Baldr blood did give her a talent for swords and, of course, her own healing skills let her assist. However, some days, she could not step away from her other duties and usually one of the Chalphy knights would serve as my escort instead. When even they could not, though...

"My thanks for accompanying me, Sir Midir," I murmured as we navigated the winding streets from the Castle to the Square. It wasn't necessarily hard trip, but it could be confusing thanks to the many side-streets spiraling off the main. A patient, one here for a broken bone healing poorly, once told me the cities and towns of Verdane were constructed like the branches of a tree, whatever that meant. "I feared I would not make my daily round when I realized Sir Naoise was busy." Sir Alec was in the middle of investigating something for Sigurd, and Sir Arden was assisting the newer soldiers in training. Sir Naoise should have been free, but one of the farmers needed extra help in the fields, and Sir Naoise had volunteered thanks to his background.

"It is little trouble, Miss Alicia," Sir Midir reassured, smiling kindly. I knew he would've prefer helping Lady Edain with her tasks, as he usually did when not on patrol, but when he'd noticed my conundrum, he'd volunteered before I could even think to ask. "I am gladdened to help. I have not thanked you properly for saving my life, after all."

"You truly do not need to thank me." It had been my job, after all, and my greatest 'thanks' was seeing him recovered. The wound had left a large, messy scar, as I feared it would, but it had healed fully with no signs of complications. "Besides, you have kept yourself healthy and uninjured since. I do believe you hold the record for the least visits to the infirmary out of the knights."

"It is not hard when your lady panics when you so much as sneeze." He chuckled, and it was only then I realized I'd teased him. I'd done it without thinking, how improper. I was on the job. "Given I took up so much of your time earlier, it's only right I take extra care of my health. It is both unfair and unwise to taunt Laima of Fate so soon after escaping death's grasp."

There… didn't seem to be a way to reply to that, and thankfully, Sir Midir did not expect one. Instead, we continued walking in silence until we reached the Town Square. It was as crowded as always, but those closest recognized me immediately and why I was here. In a matter of seconds, the crowd parted and swirled so I could set up in my preferred spot near the fountain, in the middle of everything. By now, everyone knew my habits and preferences. Someone had kindly brought out a small, spare table for me to use instead of a convenient box, and someone else even had my initial patients organized so I would not be mobbed. That let me start even sooner, and I was grateful for it.

Sir Midir tried to stay near during the set up, of course. He was here for my protection, and to assist if needed. However, he couldn't. Amusingly, he apparently was quite popular with the local children, and when they spotted him, they insisted he play with them. He tried to placate them into behaving, but they refused to listen and jumped on him. Their shrieks of joyous, raucous laughter echoed through the town and it was hard to keep a smile off my face at the antics. I wasn't the only one.

"One would think their mothers never taught them manners with how they're acting," someone chuckled as they stepped up after I finished with a patient. I recognized her in an instant; Mistress Yesui was the main midwife for Marpha. She'd been the one who originally treated one of my patients, and I'd badgered her with many questions about local herbs and remedies. Her disinfectant was the best of all I'd used, far better than even Father Eirik's. "Hello there, little healer."

"Hello, Mistress Yesui," I greeted, automatically checking her over. There did not seem to be any obvious injury or symptoms. "What brings you here?"

"Must I have a reason to simply chat?" She grinned, eyes dancing with silent laughter. I tilted my head to the side, confused. "Ah, but I suppose such a thing suits your seriousness. I had not originally planned on disturbing you, but when I saw the initial wave of patients had passed, I thought I might take advantage and ask how Zaya is doing."

Zaya... that was the new mother with necrotizing fasciitis. "Her recovery is slow, but steady. She wakes briefly and asks about her baby and her family before resting once more." Between medicines and magic, I hoped we could start the surgery to repair her abdomen soon. "The infection was much more extensive than originally anticipated."

"Yes, Sarnai told me." Sarnai was... ah, yes, she was Zaya's sister. She visited often to see how her sister was doing. "Wish I knew just what infection that was. I'll need to improve my disinfectant for it. Magic isn't common in Verdane." Mistress Yesui sighed, tapping her cheek. "Her babe's been doing well, but would you mind checking him over for me sometime in the next few days?"

"No, I wouldn't mind at all." Truthfully, given just how sick his mother had been, I'd wanted to see him myself. Finding a way to word the request without seeming overbearing or arrogant, though, was hard, and it was made harder by how my knowledge of newborns and their health was terribly minimal, no matter how much I studied. "Are you certain?"

"I'd feel better knowing you've checked him over with magic. Everyone's confidence gets shaken when something unexpected happens." She smiled and, surprisingly, reached over to pat my head. "I also figure you'd like to see his health yourself. You're quite the worrier, little healer."

"I..." Well, I had no idea how to reply to that. She was right, after all. "Sarnai can bring him when she next visits."

"I'll let her know. Ah, but this does not mean you should fill your time with extra studying. You've barely any free time as it is." Hmm? "I see that confusion, faint as it is. You hold onto your calm with startling ease given your youth. You can't be older than twenty." She was right; I was nineteen. "Yet I do not believe I've seen you walk about the market or gossip with friends like others your age. Why, just yesterday, I saw Lady Edain and Lady Ethlyn chatting away at a stall." Ah, yes, they had gone on a shopping trip then. They had invited me, but I was busy, so I'd refused so, instead, they had happily shown me their purchases afterwards. If I recalled correctly, Lady Edain had bought a Return Staff for Lady Ethlyn. It paired well with the Warp Staff Mister Dew 'found' for Lady Edain a few days ago. "Either you work or study. The one time you're out of the infirmaries and not working is when you walk with Lord Sigurd and little Shannan." I could not quite place the 'feel' of her smile then. 'Fond exasperation' was my closest guess, but I could not remember the last time someone regarded me with such a smile. "What do you do for fun, little healer?"

"...Studying is fun." It was my only answer. After all, no one had ever asked me such a thing, not even Arvis. Usually, our conversations focused on our various duties and how best to accomplish our goals, if they did not focus on how he needn't buy me presents. He'd ask my opinion on some policies he wanted to pursue, and I'd share what fascinating thing I'd learn from my latest lesson, or tell him of recent trends I'd noticed in people's health. Most often, though, we'd spend our time in comfortable silence, working on our individual things in each other's company. "I like mending as well."

"That's work, dear. Even if it's work you enjoy, it's still a weight on the heart. All the more so when you see so many hurt and dead. That's why you need to have fun and relax. It lets your spirit rest." She had a point, and I knew it, but there was so much to be done. I had medicines to make, patients to tend, bandages to make, studying to do. I had to do my job. I enjoyed doing my job. "Well, I'll leave off with that today. Think of it as advice from someone older, and maybe just a touch wiser." Her smile was back to warm fondness, and she ruffled my hair in clear affection. "When you get a chance, swing by for another lesson. I enjoy teaching you."

She left with a wave and a light laugh which lingered on the wind. I could only stare after her, trying to wrap my head around the conversation. However, my mind focused on her last sentence. 'I enjoy teaching you.' No one had ever told me that before. It was strange how... happy and terribly confused the simple sentence made me.

"Ah, my apologies, Miss Alicia!" Right then, Sir Midir finally managed to extract himself from the pile of children, looking rather harried. He had to reach back to untie and redo his ponytail, for instance. "Goodness, you'd think I didn't just play with them yesterday," he sighed, shaking his head. His slight smile told me he didn't mind as much as he pretended. "Is all well?"

"Hmm? Yes?" I answered, looking up at him. Was there something that seemed off? I heard and saw nothing. "Why?"

"You seem..." He trailed off, slight smile turning to a frown as he tried to find the word he wanted. But eventually, he shook his head. "No, never mind. It must have been my imagination."

"If you are certain?" I had to admit to being curious, but I chose against asking. After all, someone was rapidly approaching with their sniffling, coughing child held tight in their arms, and they took priority. "In that case, Sir Midir, can you take the child from them?"

I would... think of Mistress Yesui's words later. My job was more important right now.


Though we've changed castles twice now, and I had a myriad of duties both new and old, somehow my mornings still started the same. I'd handle my morning rounds and then head to Sigurd's office to make him tea while we discussed the soldiers' health and how the locals fared. As time went on, our topics broadened to include Lord Shannan's recovery, Lord Oifeye's lessons, and little things about the army such as how I still went through far too many hangover remedies.

"I didn't think we had enough alcohol for them to get so many hangovers," Sigurd laughed from his desk, even as he skimmed through a letter. It was from Lord Byron on the Isaachian front, the first since he'd left from my understanding. "Are all the soldiers such lightweights?"

"I wouldn't know, Sigurd," I replied, making another pot of tea for him in the back corner. He'd already gone through the first, and it was a good excuse to linger. Selfish as it was, I didn't want to end the conversation just yet. "Ah, but I do remember hearing Verdanite alcohol has a deceptively high alcohol content."

"You know; I think Khasar mentioned the same. Maybe that's where the hangovers come from. They drink it thinking it's weak like Grannvale's ale, and pay for it the next day."

"Perhaps I should ask about local remedies, then." If nothing else, having another recipe would ease the strain on my stock of herbs.

"That or I tell them they have a limit to the number of remedies they can get. It's good to socialize and have fun, but the last thing we need is drunken brawls. Especially since things between our soldiers and Verdane's have only just settled into a stalemate." That was true. I'd heard of no altercations since I was accidentally punched, but whispers of heated arguments had reached my ears. I didn't blame Sigurd for being worried. "Still, you're in a good mood. I would've thought you groggy after that emergency surgery you had for... what was it again?"

"Hmm? Oh, he had an ulcer in his intestines and it was spurting blood." The poor man... he'd been fine, with barely any nausea, until he found himself sitting in a pool of his own blood and blood clots. "It was difficult to determine the cause since we also had to combat the massive hemorrhage, but once we found it, I just had to oversew it." Poor Lady Ethlyn and Lady Edain had been asleep when all of it occurred, though. They'd helped the surgery while wearing their nightgowns!

"Oversew?"

"It's a type of stitch, Sigurd." I continued to fuss with the tea, making sure I made enough. Part of me was a little nervous as well, since for this second pot, I decided to make a different tea. Specifically, I decided to make up the special tea mix I'd put together for him, which I had not served him yet. I only finished it yesterday, after days of trial and error for the specific taste. "Regardless, do I truly seem to be in a good mood?"

"It's subtle, but you're smiling more and there's a lightness to your step." Was there? I hadn't noticed. "I didn't bring it up to make you self-conscious. I just couldn't help but notice."

"I see." If Father Eirik were here, he'd no doubt scold me for not being calm as a healer should be. "I suppose I am rather happy this morning. One of the worst wounded of the Verdanite soldiers woke briefly."

"Did he?" Sigurd sounded excited, and he looked it too when I finally brought the tea over to him. "Which one?"

"I'm not sure if you remember, but he was one of the ones we treated in the field." He'd had such a deep wound to his side, and his body had already been falling apart before then. He'd slept ever since, and I'd worried he might never wake. "It's the first hint of progress since we stabilized him here." I'd wait to inform the family, though. I wanted... needed... to see if there would be a second before daring to give them hope.

"He's the last of that group, yes? Everyone else who survived is either well on the mend here, or healed enough to able to go home." Yes, he was. "I hope he can make a full recovery. Khasar mentioned he had a little girl." Sigurd glanced through his letter again and then set it down with a sigh before taking his tea. "My father writes all is well where he is. It's quite the complicated feeling."

"...I can imagine." Personally, it felt awkward. Even I was glad, to some degree, to hear they were safe. Many major lords, and their heirs, had gone to fight; Sigurd stood out in being the only Crusader heir to not join the soldiers. Yet, at the same time, if all was well for them, then it meant all was likely not well for the Isaachians and knowing the pain the news would bring Lady Ayra and Lord Shannan hurt. "What else could we do? He is a child and she is in need of sanctuary."

"Exactly. No matter how complicated or awkward things get, I won't regret it. Though, I do dread hearing Father's lecture over my idealistic tendencies once again." He made a face, and I had to smile. "I wonder if it will be a new one. I've memorized the rest."

"Somehow, I am unsurprised he's lectured you so often." Lord Byron was known in Yngvi for being a skilled warrior and politician, serious to the point of severity. "I am curious. Why didn't you march with him?"

"Originally, I was supposed to. King Azmur's call for arms meant every lord and heir needed to go to war. It's why Edain was in the castle alone; Andrey went with Ring. Reluctantly." Ah, yes, I vaguely remembered hearing gossip about this. Apparently, Lord Andrey and Duke Ring had argued until the day of departure, as Lord Andrey had wished to remain in the castle to help defend it with his sister. "However, Claud privately told Father how he had a terrible feeling about all of this, like a shadow looming over, and Arvis later mentioned feeling uneasy himself." Had he? He hadn't mentioned it to me, though his letter had been delayed by everything. "So, Father asked for an exception to let me stay behind in case there was more than one threat. Prince Kurth agreed, since he too thought something strange about the whole mess."

"With so many warnings, one would think it plotted by someone."

"They'd have to be someone with a very wide range, given these campaigns are on opposite sides of the continent." Sigurd sighed once again and nursed his tea. "Still, though all is well there, he mentioned things will take some time, perhaps even years. In contrast, I hope we'll be done here in a couple of months."

"Have you sent messengers to Crown Prince Jamke yet?" I studied his expression worriedly, wondering if he disliked the tea. His slight smile hinted he liked it, but... "It's been some time since we've come to Marpha."

"Not yet." Using his free hand, he waved me a little closer so I could see the map spread out on his desk. "Prince Jamke is, most likely, in the castle proper. From what Khasar has told me, he doesn't have lands outside the palace as he took over caring for the castle and its surroundings after his mother passed away. The only way there, though, is through the Spirit Forest, and only the locals know how to safely navigate it."

"I see." I could see his reticence. There was something wrong about having a local be a messenger to their own prince about peace negotiations, considering everything. "Perhaps you can hire one as a navigator? You've already hired some of those in town, right? I've noticed an increase in the number of children in the halls." Many would peek into my workshop curiously, and a few would shyly approach for bruises and scrapes they'd picked up.

"Considering everything, giving them jobs is the least I can do. But yes, we've hired some older children as messengers, to free up some of our soldiers to help in the fields. The conscriptions did a number on their labor force, but crops wait for no one." He leaned back in his chair, thinking. "Perhaps I'll do that. What you suggested, I mean. I'll discuss it with Khasar when he next visits."

"I wonder what makes it so difficult to navigate." From here, it looked like a normal forest to me.

"Apparently, very little light makes it through the leaves, so the darkness makes it hard to traverse. The legends say the veil between life and death is particularly thin due to ambient magic, and many will disappear into the trees and find themselves stuck between realms." It sounded more to me they got lost and starved. "You know... Deirdre is supposed to be from there."

"I remember you saying that." It was a little odd for him to bring her up, even more because this time I was certain his tone was wistful. But, after a moment, I decided it was better to ignore it. "I also remember the rumors she mentioned."

"Yes, and that is another reason why I've worried about a messenger." He finished off his tea and quickly poured himself another cup. "If Prince Jamke has heard them, then negotiations become much more difficult."

"...Lady Edain has spoken with him. Perhaps her words will be enough." Somehow, I doubted it. What were the words of a stranger, compared to the cries of your people? "Sigurd?"

"Hmm?"

"What will happen to Verdane when this is over?"

"..." Sigurd was silent for a long moment. "I don't know. Regardless of the reasonings, Verdane broke the treaty. There will be consequences, and there's no way to stop it." He leaned back in his chair and stared at the map. "I can only hope we find some way to mitigate those consequences, considering all the people here have already suffered."

"I see." I hesitated before resting a hand on his shoulder, as I would when Arvis found himself tired and worn over the path he'd chosen. "Then, I suppose we simply continue as we have, in the hopes of saving everyone." No matter how foolish or self-righteous others called us, we could only keep walking.

Sigurd didn't answer. Instead, he lifted his free hand to rest on mine and smiled faintly. I could only hope my words brought some sort of comfort. I certainly didn't know how. But Arvis always took solace from things like this. Perhaps Sigurd would too.

"Sigurd?" Perhaps sensing a change in subject was in order, the door opened without a knock, and both Sigurd and I looked up as Lord Quan strode inside. "Is this a bad time?" he asked, looking mostly serious. He did have a slight smirk, though, for some reason. "Alec has a bit of information we probably need to discuss further." He gestured behind him just as Sir Alec joined us in the study, closing the door behind him.

"Does he?" Sigurd asked, drinking his tea again. He waved them over and set his tea down on the saucer. "What is it? Actually, no, first, what has you smirking?"

"Nothing at all." Lord Quan's seriousness evaporated for pure mischief. Sigurd immediately frowned suspiciously. "What? Don't believe me?"

"I may be the one known for reckless loyalty, Quan, but you are the prankster of us three. I remember how you turned three dignitaries into chickens." He did... what now?

"Flour, water, and feathers does not make a chicken. No matter how much they might squawk like them." Lord Quan's smirk only widened, and Sigurd sighed. "It's nothing important anyway and I have set no traps yet."

"Please don't set traps within the castle at all. You never remember where you set them." Sigurd looked to Sir Alec, who seemed distracted by something. "What is it, Alec?"

"The information? It's possibly nothing, but it's better to be safe," Sir Alec answered, his eyes snapping to Sigurd's face. It was only then I realized he'd been looking at where my hand still rested on Sigurd's shoulder. Was... did I break some rule of etiquette? I knew only the absolute basics, and I knew from Arvis and Azelle such things could be a quagmire to navigate. "Khasar snagged me as I was making my rounds. He thinks there's more people than usual, even accounting for the army." This was a problem, then?

"More people?" Sigurd repeated, frowning. I still wasn't sure why this was a problem. "Refugees or spies? Which is more likely?" ...Oh. Yes, that was definitely a problem.

"Hard to say. Could be some survivors from the villages Munnir hit only now managed to crawl their way over, but if it's spies..." Sir Alec shrugged. "It could also be nothing. He's asking around to get more opinions, but he wanted me to tell you just in case."

"It sounds as if it's better for me to step away and let you all talk," I murmured, giving a calm smile. Between the potential faux pas and now this, I felt terribly awkward, but I could not let it show. "Try to remember to eat. I know how long these meetings can get."

"Before you leave, do you mind terribly making me up another pot?" Sigurd requested, smiling a little sheepishly. My mood immediately lifted at the confirmation he liked it. "It's quite good, though it's maddening trying to figure out what's in it. I only know it's a different mix than the first."

"I can tell you later. It's a mix I made for you, based on what you like." Well, it was more 'medicinal herbs for common ailments tailored to your tastes'. It was actually similar to the mix I made Arvis, though Arvis's had cinnamon and apples mixed in. Sigurd's was milder, with hints of citrus like orange and lemon.

"No wonder it's so good then!" Sigurd grinned, and I smiled back before taking the pot and mixing up another one for him. As I did, I noticed Lord Quan and Sir Alec share a significant look and smirk, but I could not figure out why. A glance to Sigurd proved he was just as confused.

Perhaps I should ask Lady Ethlyn. Surely, she was an expert at interpreting her husband, yes?


"Here, I need you to drink this," I murmured, helping one of my patients drink their medicine. Their hands were shaky, and the medicine was terribly bitter. "I've a tea to wash the taste out once you've finished."

"Must I drink the whole thing?" my patient, a grown man somewhere in his late twenties and certainly older than me, whined. Still, he dutifully listened, though he made a face at the taste. "Ugh..."

"My apologies, I have not yet found a less bitter medicine as effective." I set the empty mug on the table and passed them a different mug, this one with mint tea. He seemed to like it the most. "I don't want to risk you succumbing to sepsis, or its complications, so soon after you recovered."

"I understand." He smiled happily at the mint tea, and I couldn't help but soften. I still thought it a miracle he lived; he was a patient all the way from Genoa, whose sepsis had been so terrible we had to use our strongest medicines. Despite our worries, they had worked even better than we'd hoped. His recovery would be lengthy, not the least because of how long he remained abed, but if he continued to improve as he was, he'd make a full recovery. "I see you have a clingy shadow today."

"Hmm?" Instinctively, I glanced down, despite knowing what, or rather, who, he meant. Lord Shannan's physical therapy today was to walk around the room with a crutch, but otherwise on his own. I had anticipated he'd use the wall or the walking stick Mister Dew found for him. Instead, he had decided my leg was perfect and he ended up following me about the infirmaries as I did my rounds, all while clinging to my leg and skirts. "Ah, well..."

"I'm helping!" Lord Shannan protested, sulking. It was true he helped to some degree, but it was less 'passing me items' and more 'brought smiles to everyone's faces'. Mister Dew had handled the actual item passing, though since this was my last patient of the rounds, he'd already headed to my workshop next door. "Besides, I'm practicing."

"Right, you're building up your strength," my patient laughed, still smiling. It was a little breathy, hinting he was pushing himself, but the determined glint in his eyes told me he wished to sit up just a little longer. I let him. "I'll be doing that in a few weeks, likely. Will you help me then?"

"Sure!" Lord Shannan immediately went back to smiles, pleased at the idea of helping an adult. "Make sure to rest until then, though. I had to rest a long time before Miss Alicia let me walk."

"I certainly will. I'd like to not find myself back in this bed again." Considering how close to death he'd been, no one could blame him. "Lady healer, is it all right if I keep sitting up?"

"You can to finish your tea, but afterwards, I'd prefer you rest," I told him, smiling apologetically. I knew he was disappointed he couldn't sit for the rest of the day, but his nod told me he'd listen. He was a most excellent patient in that regard, even if he complained about bitter medicines. "In a few days, we can try having you sit up for longer."

He cheered at the reassurance, and finished his tea with a smile before laying back down. It was good he did; he was fast asleep in the time it took to draw the blanket up to his chin. From there, I did one last check about the room before returning to my workshop. It was… slower than you'd think, since Lord Shannan did not let go of my leg at all. We managed, barely, and inside, I saw Mister Dew had set up my medicine-making supplies on the table before checking if Azelle needed help doing inventory in the storeroom. I also saw we had two unexpected guests: Lady Ayra and Lord Lex. Both were at the far back table with a tray full of mugs and various fruit snacks, but they looked up when we entered.

"Ah, there you are," Lady Ayra greeted, rushing over to meet us in the doorway. Lord Lex found a stopping point to whatever he was doing before joining us. "Dew said you wouldn't be long."

"And I figured Azelle was probably so engrossed in numbers and perfectionistic tendencies that he needed to eat," Lord Lex added, neatly explaining his presence. I'd wondered, since he was the only one without a reason. I could take a guess for Lady Ayra, after all. "You know how he gets, anxious as he is." He flashed me a grin and, surprisingly, crouched down and held his hand out to Lord Shannan. "Mind helping me with the snacks?"

"Um... sure?" Lord Shannan agreed, looking a little confused. Though one hand reached out to grab Lord Lex's, his other hand gripped my skirt tightly. "What sort of help?"

"Mostly organizing it and making sure nothing got squished in transit." Lord Lex winked and mimed for silence. "We also need to make sure all the apple slices go to our lovely healer here. They're her favorite."

"Really?" Lord Shannan's eyes went wide, and he immediately let go of me to grab Lord Lex's hand with both of us. His were so tiny compared to his. "Yes, we'll give her all of them!"

"That's the way!" Lord Lex grinned, and carefully led Lord Shannan to the back table, lifting him up onto it so he could help without standing. Though he tried to hide it, Lord Shannan was a little shaky.

"...What in the world did I just witness?" Lady Ayra asked softly once they were settled. I didn't blame her since it had been rather sudden. "Ignoring... most of it, but apples?"

"I am rather fond of them," I admitted, hiding a smile. They looked like they were having fun, despite only organizing the snacks. "Lord Lex has noticed and sneaks me some from time to time." It was more Azelle had told him, but that would be more awkward to explain.

"Huh. I'll remember that." Why would she do that? "He had me help him carry the mugs while he carried the snacks, since I was already on my way here." She hesitated before focusing on me fully with a slightly sheepish smile. "I try my best to not harry you with questions, but I..."

"He's recovering well, and he can even walk unassisted for short distances." I was right. If she was not here for her check-ups, or helping stand guard while I checked on my patients, then she only came to the infirmary to ask about Lord Shannan's progress. She needed reassurance what she saw was correct. "He still needs a crutch when walking further."

"Such as your skirts?" She muffled a laugh, and I could only shrug. "I can only imagine what the other patients thought."

"They found him adorable, of course."

"Fair." Still smiling, she looked to me. "You said during my last check-up I can return to my normal training, yes?"

"Indeed. I would not call you fully recovered, but so long as you do not overdo it, I see no reason why you cannot resume normal activities." I was not certain on her heading out to battle, mind, but that was a different discussion.

"Good. I wanted to confirm I heard correctly before I did." She hesitated before glancing at the back table again, where Lord Lex and Lord Shannan were laughing about something. At some point, Mister Dew had joined them, no doubt wondering just what was going on. "Will... Will I be able to teach him swordsmanship soon?"

"Hmm..." I closed my eyes as I thought, weighing everything carefully. "If there are any exercises which are low energy, you might be able to start next week. Anything more vigorous will have to wait for at least another month, and I'd like him to be checked after each lesson to be certain all is well. I do warn he'll tire quickly, far more quickly than you'd guess."

"Low energy... so, I can teach him some stretches, then? From there, we teach the dances to warm up and cool down. Only when those are mastered do we..." She trailed off, mumbling more under her breath. Clearly, she'd been simply thinking aloud. "That will be good. He had just started training before all this happened. Mariccle had so looked forward to it..." Though she was still clearly thinking aloud, she looked so sad I wanted to do something to cheer her up. Yet I knew nothing of how to cheer anyone up, much less for something like this. So, the silence stretched on, growing more awkward, until someone thankfully took a little mercy on us both.

"Huh? When did you all show up?" The words announced Azelle's return from diving through the storeroom. He stared blankly at everyone, even Mister Dew who had just been there. "I... did I miss something?" he asked, looking around worriedly. He clutched his notes to his chest. "Um..."

"See? I told you," Mister Dew suddenly chirped, grinning as he hid behind Lord Lex. Lord Lex struggled to bite back his snickers, while Lord Shannan stared with wide eyes. I supposed they'd been talking of Azelle's tendency to be oblivious to his surroundings when focused. It was a habit he shared with Arvis. "I was all but yelling in his ear and he didn't notice one bit!"

"Surely not!"

"It's true! I was about to head in and sing a bawdy little ditty like Lex suggested to see if that got you to react."

"Lex, what have you been telling them!?"

Azelle joined the trio immediately, sputtering and turning as red as his hair. Lady Ayra and I glanced at each other, she exasperated and me amused. Then she rushed over to cover Lord Shannan's ears as Mister Dew launched into said song, his voice surprisingly clear. Surprisingly, Lord Lex beat her to it, even as he guffawed at Azelle's increasingly indignant efforts to cover Mister Dew's mouth to make him stop. So, instead, Lady Ayra worked to distract Lord Shannan from the noise, lest he insist on hearing everything in full.

I watched them for a moment, hiding a smile, and then I slipped close, intent on taking Azelle's notes to continue working. However, as soon as I tried, Azelle noticed and immediately switched from 'indignant protests' to 'anxious perfectionist' about the numbers. As we went over them together, for his peace of mind, someone else tugged my sleeve, and I looked to see it was Lord Shannan, his ears no longer covered. When he had my attention, he grinned and happily presented me an entire plate full of apple slices. He looked so pleased with himself; I couldn't help but smile more and made a point to take a slice to nibble on while I talked with Azelle. Without thinking, my free hand ruffled his hair, and I caught sight of Lady Ayra staring when I did. I pulled back my hand, worried I'd offended somehow, but she smiled warmly before returning to whatever argument she'd managed to start with Lord Lex this time. I thought it had something to do with how he was slicing the remaining fruit, based on the comments Mister Dew made.

All in all, it was a happy little afternoon. I'd miss them when this was over and everyone left.


We often had people visit the castle. Some, like Khasar, would share information about the town and how everyone was doing. Others would check to see how we were adapting, because they were kind. Still others had other reasons, such as learning from the knights. A few of the latter group would find me in one of the infirmaries to ask how loved ones were doing. I hated troubling them so. Perhaps I should borrow one of the castle's messengers to deliver reports and save them time? I'd think on it another day.

"I can see why you had warned me," Sarnai murmured, watching me as I looked over her sister's baby. We weren't actually in any of the infirmaries, or even my workshop. Instead, we were in one of the unused rooms further away from where most everyone was. Apparently, the babe wasn't fond of noise, and would only stop fussing for a check-up once we were far away. "Her stomach was..."

"Yes, we had to cut a lot away to ensure no necrosis remained," I replied, only half paying attention to the conversation. I did not want to risk missing anything for the baby's health, especially since Mistress Yesui had requested I check for her own peace of mind, yet no matter how much I studied, it felt as if I knew next to nothing about newborns and their health. "I thank you for seeing her, though. I think it did wonders for her mental health."

"That's a strange thing to thank me for, since she's my sister." Sarnai smiled teasingly, and I managed a slight shrug before resuming the check-up. Though usually Zaya was asleep when her sister visited, this time, she'd actually been awake and coherent. Since both her sister and baby were here, I asked if Sarnai would be willing. "Ah, her smile was so bright when she saw her baby!" Indeed, it had been the first time I'd seen her smile. "I wish her husband..." She trailed off awkwardly, and I knew why. Zaya's husband had been one of many who Prince Munnir had conscripted and, like far too many, he had not survived. "Um..."

"You know; I have not heard the baby's name yet." The only thing I could think to do was change the subject entirely. Her grateful smile told me she appreciated it. "Is it rude to ask?"

"Oh, no, he doesn't have one yet." She giggled, back to her cheer once more. "I don't know how it is in Grannvale, but Verdane is home to many spirits. Most are ambivalent to humans, but there are a terrible few who covet the living. The newly born do not yet have a strong presence, a grounding in this world, and thus, they are particularly at risk to those terrible few. However, it is difficult for them to find anyone without a name. They can't see our world as we do, so names help them differentiate the living from the not-living."

"So, you wait to give them one?"

"Indeed! After a year, their presence and grounding are much stronger, too strong for the spirits, so it's safe." She sighed happily, clapping her hands together. "When my sister recovers enough, we'll discuss it together. A name contains a wish and prayer, after all."

"I fear such things are outside my area of expertise." It did, however, make me wonder. Why had Cigyun named me 'Alicia'? Had it simply been the first she'd thought of, when my mother refused to name me? "But I am rather relieved to hear I hadn't simply forgotten." 'Forgotten'. That in itself was strange. Growing up in Yngvi, none had ever given me their name. I knew Father Eirik's, of course. I knew Elder Reisin's since he had given me many a lecture about my obligations as an orphan taken in by the church. But everyone else had kept their distance. Then, when I learned to heal, they would come for my healing and still never tell me their names. Sometimes, I'd hear them when they talked amongst themselves, but never enough to accurately place a face.

It occurred to me, then, that I knew the names of more people in Verdane than I did in Yngvi where I had spent almost all of my life. I had... no idea how to feel about it.

We fell into a comfortable silence afterwards, broken only by the baby's gurgling and quiet questioning noises. Sarnai took the opportunity to make silly faces at him to get him to laugh while I finished up. We… had a slight problem when I did, though. Namely, he had decided he very much liked my hair, and had grabbed some strands that had fallen from my ponytail. He had a strong grip, too! Wasn't there supposed to be a saying 'like taking candy from a baby'? The phrase implied removing things would be easy, not difficult!

"Oh, goodness, I am so sorry!" Sarnai blurted, her laughter making the apology completely unconvincing. At least she tried to help free my hair. "He's got a fascination with pretty things, but he usually just stares, not grab the pretties!" None of this explained why he had my hair. "Now, now… she kind of needs it." The most challenging part of this was somehow getting him to let go without him wielding his most effective defense: guilt-inducing crying. "Aw, don't be like that! I knew I should've brought a ribbon. That always distracts him."

"Does he think we're playing a game?" I asked, moving my head a little closer so he would stop tugging. He happily gurgled, spitting up a little. I found a spare cloth to wipe it up, and he immediately tried to eat it. "I'm not certain how tasty the cloth is."

"Little ones explore through their mouths. They try to eat everything." Taking advantage of his distraction, she finally pried my hair from his fists. I immediately used my free hand to brush them behind me ear. "Ta-da! Success!" She grinned triumphantly, with a haughty laugh. "Goodness, that took a while… hmm?" All at once, though, she frowned and looked to the door. "Strange. Why am I smelling smoke all of a sudden?" Was she? I smelled nothing. Yet without hesitation, she headed to the door and cracked it open to peer into the hall. "...A-ah…" She paled instantly at whatever she saw, so I gathered the baby in my arms and joined her in the doorway. Yet what I saw defied comprehension.

Fire. There was fire. The tapestries were on fire. The support beams were on fire. The rugs were on fire. The castle... was on fire. The castle was on fire, and we... we were nowhere near where anyone was, or would be. Even if someone came looking, they would not know where to find us.

"...We have to escape," I whispered, holding the baby even more tightly. The smoke and heat already made him squirm and fuss, the crackle of the flames hurting his ears. "If we do not, we will be cut off." The fire was spreading quickly. "Sarnai?"

"Y-yes?" she squeaked, looking at me with wide eyes. She was so pale. "I... right, yes, we need to find..." Something cracked and crashed down the hall. Her hands flew to her mouth to muffle a screech. "The path..." I knew without looking it was blocked.

"Would you like to hold your nephew while we escape?"

"I... no, it's probably better for the calm one to hold him. Children sense these things." She tried to smile. It was a poor attempt. "Let's go." She boldly stepped out the room, and I made to follow before glancing back. My staff remained near our chairs, but I did not think I could safely hold the babe and hold onto my staff. So, I left it behind and followed her into the fire.

The flames were everywhere. Already, rooms and halls were completely blocked. How long had it been burning? I wouldn't have thought long, since Sarnai only just smelled the smoke, but could fire spread this quickly? Magic was rare in Verdane, so I doubted it was empowered. Was an accelerant used? It was hard to say and, truthfully, such thoughts were useless for our predicament. Too many times did Sarnai and I try to find a way outside only to find ourselves blocked. We had to crouch as we walked to avoid the smoke spiraling above us, and I was grateful for the high ceilings. Still, the baby in my arms wailed in fright, aware of just enough to know things were terribly wrong.

"I... damn it, the way forward doesn't look stable..." Sarnai rasped at some point. Her breathing was unsteady; had she breathed too much smoke? "But we're running out of paths..." She was right. I needed only to look back to see the flames closing the way off like doors. "Um..."

"How unstable?" I asked, moving a little closer to her. I was crouched even more than her, so the baby could avoid the smoke, so it took me a moment to realize what she meant. "Ah." The left side of the hall was naught but stone and was untouched by fire. But as if to mock us, the flaming tapestries on the right fluttered in the wind. Worse, the fire climbed higher, close to the support beams. We had no time. "Keep to the far wall. I'll treat your burns later."

"...Right." She tried to take a deep breath, only to catch a lungful of smoke instead. She coughed harshly, and the baby wailed at the noise. But even his wails were fading. I could only hope it was from exhaustion. "F-forward..."

She led the way, one careful step at a time, all but attaching herself to the wall. I followed closely behind, turned slightly to minimize any chances of the flicking flames reaching the baby. She flinched as the flames licked at her face, fading sparks from unraveling threads. Logic told me the distance wasn't great. Logic told me it was perhaps a handful of rooms. But what should have been a short walk had to be the longest I'd ever traversed.

Sarnai breathed a sigh of relief once she was passed the worst of it, and turned to offer me her hand and help me the last bit. Before I could reach out, though, something cracked above us and I jerked my head up to see the flames had reached the support beams, and one was already crumbling to ash. A large chunk broke and tumbled down, and I brought my arm up to shield my head and be absolutely certain it did not hit the baby.

It hurt when it hit. I definitely buckled under the force, but though it tore through my sleeve, I'd been lucky. It had only embers, and thus, I wasn't on fire. I would've had to toss the baby to Sarnai if I was to keep him from being burned.

"My lady!" Sarnai was at my side in a flash and she helped me hobble to a safer area. "Are you alright?!" she squeaked breathlessly, her hands patting my arm to find any hint of injury. It hurt, telling me there was bruising, but there did not seem to be blood. "Oh, your clothes are ruined from the soot. Wait, what am I even saying?"

"I can still walk, and we'd best keep going lest we find ourselves in a similar predicament," I both reassured and chided her. My focus was on the baby, who no longer wailed. He was quiet, fast asleep, yet my anxiety spiked. Would that I had my staff, but I dared not even attempt to return. If I had a better idea of where we were, I might have suggested heading to one of the infirmaries, but we had taken so many turns I barely knew which way was up. "Quickly."

Sarnai took the hint, and lead the way once more. I could only hope we were heading to safety. The castle was already a maze, but the fire had turned it into a labyrinth. How close were we to the outside? We had taken no stairs, so should we try breaking a window and climbing? Would that be more dangerous? Fire needed air just as much as a living creature, so would breaking the window just make the flames grow hotter and higher? I wished I knew, if only to provide some sort of comfort to Sarnai. She held herself rigidly, sheer determination fueling her every breath. I wanted to help her, yet I could only follow and shield her nephew.

"Miss Alicia!"Despite the chaos and despite what logic dictated, at some point as we passed through one half-broken intersection, someone called my name. "Hey, Lord Lex, over here! There's two over here!" Recognizing the voice, I snatched Sarnai's arm to yank her closer to me, just as Sir Naoise stepped out from the smoke from the other corridor. "Ah. Well, there's three," he laughed breathlessly, noticing who I held. He... was a mess. Soot-stained and sweaty, I thought he might have a minor burn on his neck and arms. "Glad I decided to follow the baby's crying. I am relieved to see you are well, Miss Alicia. I am guessing these are two of your patients?"

"The baby is, and this is his aunt," I confirmed, smiling back. My smile only grew when Lord Lex joined us, just as messy as Sir Naoise, though he carried handkerchiefs to give us. "I do hope you know a way outside."

"Yes, please, follow me." Sir Naoise bowed, surprisingly formal given the circumstances. "Do you need assistance with walking?"

"I do not..." I glanced at Sarnai, surprised by her quiet. Her wide eyes, pale skin, and distinct shakiness hinted she'd finally gone into shock. "Might one of you carry Sarnai? She's been terribly brave through this, and I fear it's caught up."

"Of course." Though he made to do so, Lord Lex beat him to it. So, instead, he helped him steady her on his back. "This way, Miss Alicia."

"Thank you." Still, there was one thing I couldn't help but ask. "Did you truly hear him crying amidst all this?"

"I've good hearing, and I thought it better to check and be wrong, than to ignore it and be right." He shrugged, smiling a little helplessly. "I'm glad I did."

There were no more words after that. With surprising, even startling, ease, Sir Naoise led the way outside. The fresh air hurt to breath. The bright sunlight hurt my eyes. But, to my relief, the change in environment was enough to stir the baby in my arms awake once more, though he immediately protested via more tears. I awkwardly cradled him against my shoulder, too gladdened by the signs of life to even think of how I might calm him.

"Miss Alicia!" Besides, I wouldn't have to. Lady Ethlyn was in front of me in a blink, tearing up in relief. "Oh, thank goodness!" she breathed, smiling. Sir Naoise immediately left us then to talk with another of the soldiers, though Lord Lex lingered a little awkwardly. He still had Sarnai on his back. A quick look showed she'd outright fainted by this point. "Why were you so far away? You're never far from the infirmaries!"

"This little one wanted some place quiet before he'd let me give him a check-up," I explained, gesturing to the baby for emphasis. Immediately, Lady Ethlyn made a concerned noise and frowned over him. "Do you have your staves? I had to leave mine to better hold him, and I worry how much smoke he and Sarnai have breathed."

"To say nothing of yourself!" Lady Ethlyn scowled up at me, but did thankfully take the baby from me. I almost envied the ease with which she held him. "I'm guessing Sarnai is the one Lex is carrying? The fainted one?"

"Yes, she is his aunt. His mother is one of our patients." The smoke spiraling into the sky reminded me of the danger still present. Now that Sarnai and her nephew were safe... "How are evacuations?"

"Everyone is doing what they can. Sigurd is spearheading them." Of course he was. "He has Azelle, so he's gone to the worst areas." It took me a moment to remember why that was so. Most those of Fjalar's blood could control flames without the use of tomes, a trait shared by all the magical Holy Bloods. Arvis had tried to show me, once, but I... couldn't do it. "It's slow going since we were ambushed and all. Quan's coordinating things from here to keep track of just where we still have to look." Lady Ethlyn shook her head. "That's for later. Right now, we need to get you three checked!"

Lady Ethlyn took off somewhere, her steps somewhere between a brisk walk and a run. Lord Lex followed her, glancing worriedly at Sarnai as he did. I didn't follow. If evacuations were still going, then I needed to ensure my patients were safe. Now that we were in the courtyard, I knew exactly how to get there as well, so there was no time to waste. Thus, I went back into the burning castle. I could be checked later, once everyone else was safe.

The heat felt more intense the second time. The smoke was infinitely more irritating than before. The air was drier. Still, I pressed forward, finding the paths with ease. Some of the rubble had been cleared, hinting others had already been through here. The hint grew stronger when I checked the closest of the infirmaries, and saw signs of a quick, efficient evacuation. The others showed similar signs, and were just as empty. It was not until I made it to the last one, where the worst wounded like Zaya and Erdene rested, that I found anyone at all.

"Huh? Miss Alicia?" Sir Arden asked, surprised to see me. Most of the room was empty. He held Zaya in his arms, unconscious despite the hecticness. I rushed over to check her wound, terrified something had shifted in her abdomen, or, worse, gotten past the bandages to seep inside. "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to ensure my patients' safety," I explained, first checking the bandages. They were undamaged and clean, so I snatched one of my spare staves to check her directly. There was... minor inflammation, but so long as it was treated immediately, it shouldn't be a problem. She did have some pressure ulcers developing, though. I'd need to treat that later. "I apologize for not being here sooner. I was tending-"

"To the baby, right? The lady mentioned her sister and son were here before she passed out again." Sir Arden moved her to a stretcher and carefully tied her in so she wouldn't slip. "Some others were here as well, to get the rest. I did a check to make sure no one had hid here first."

"I see." I continued to fuss as he secured her. Outside the room, the flames crackled and popped. "Thank you."

"It's not like they can run on their own, and like I said, I had helpers." He glanced at me as he finished, frowning. "Your arm..."

"Hmm?"

"It's pretty red. Did the flames get you?"

"No, though I did have some debris fall on me." Absently, I ran my hand over my arm to check for blood again. There was still nothing. "I imagine I have quite the bruise, but it's little worry about for now. Are all your helpers gone?"

"Save for three, who wanted to do a last check of the nearby rooms. Once they're back, we... ah, right on time."

"Hmm?" I looked up then, curious, and saw his helpers were Lord Oifeye and Mister Finn, with a Lord Shannan half-hiding between them. "Oh?"

"Miss Alicia!" Lord Oifeye gasped, immediately rushing over. One hand fell on my reddened arm while he peered up at me worried. "You've soot smudged on your face." He reached up to wipe some of it off with his sleeve. "I'm sorry. I gave my handkerchief to one of the patients."

"You needn't worry," I reassured, making sure to smile. Ha... now that I thought about it, I no doubt looked as much of a mess as Sir Naoise and Lord Lex. "Thank you for taking care of them when I couldn't."

"W-we did what we could! Shannan's the one who thought it would be a good idea to fetch your medicines." Oh, then perhaps I could delay heading to my workshop then. "We did our best to think of which ones you'd need and prioritized those, though I think... we got most of the finished ones out?" He smiled hesitantly, eagerness turning to shyness. "Is she the last patient?"

"It seems so." Ah, I was blessed to be surrounded by such kindhearted people. "It seems Sir Arden is ready to carry her out." I hoped so; I could see the fire growing from here. "We should-"

"Did Dew come back here, Arden?" Lord Shannan suddenly asked, stepping out from behind Mister Finn. He glanced around worriedly, tears gathered in his eyes. "He said he wouldn't be long. He just wanted to check the shouts and he swore he'd be right back." He glanced back down the hall, where he'd likely disappeared. "But then the fire..."

"No, there's been no sign of him, Lord Shannan," Sir Arden reluctantly revealed. Everything felt a little slow to me suddenly. "It'll be dangerous to chase. Where he ran is where the flames are strongest." So, Mister Dew... was not here. He was not here. He was where the flames were strongest, where the danger was greatest. He was... "Once we get her out, I'll let my lord know and they can-"

I bolted out the door and down the hall before I could think twice. I thought someone shouted my name behind me, but I didn't hear. I just kept on running, ignoring the ever-growing flames. ...I shouldn't run. Father Eirik was always clear on that. Healers should not run. At worst, they should 'walk briskly'. Few things troubled people more than a healer at the run, and it was a healer's duty to be a calm center to any chaos. They should lessen their patients' worries, not give them more. So, I knew I shouldn't run down the halls as I was. I shouldn't. Yet, I couldn't help it. Mister Dew was potentially in danger, was potentially hurt, and I could not keep myself from running as I searched for him. If anything, I wished I could move faster, even as my own lungs burned and my legs ached into numbness.

The fire grew hotter as the seconds ticked by. The smoke became more intense. My eyes burned. My skin felt stretched. Each breath felt like shattered glass. In retrospect, my actions were reckless to the point of absurdity. Still, I continued on, looking for any sign of people. I thought of the words Sir Naoise said not long ago, where he'd chosen to follow such a faint lead because the possibility of leaving someone in trouble behind was simply too much. It was similar here. I had to keep going. I had to search everywhere. If the flames were worst here, and they had not already checked, then likely, they would check here last.

"Is... is someone there?" As I passed by one of the rooms, a voice caught my ear. "Huh? Miss Alicia?!" It took me a long second to realize it was Mister Dew. "What are you doing here?!" he yelped, staring at me wide-eyed from the doorway. His arm was blistered. His face was red. His hair was almost gray from the soot, instead of blonde. "This is...!"

"I was looking for you," I told him, because what else could I say? He only stared in reply. "You're injured. Let me see."

"Ah, it's..." He looked away, fists clenched at his side. "It's not bad. Not as bad as..." All at once, he seized my arm. "Here!" With one good yank, he had me inside the room, one where everything potentially burnable had either already burned or been thrown outside. In fact, it was devoid of everything but its occupants, three children I remembered seeing in the halls over the last few days. They were some of the new messengers, and all three were burned. One child's leg was already more blister than skin. "I... when I left, I got blocked by the fire. When I looked for a window or something to crawl out of, I found them, and I tried to help, but the fire grew too fast, and they couldn't climb with those burns anyway, so I..."

"I see." I sat down on the floor next to the three and did my best to smile. Here we were, in a room surrounding by flames, but that was all the more reason to be calm. "I'll be limited without my medicines, but let's see what we can do here, shall we?"

"Th... this one first!" Mister Dew helped one of the children sit up, and I saw part of their face was burned. Their eye... I was not sure if they'd keep it. "He... the fire suddenly burst right by..."

"It will be fine." I reached over and urged the child a little closer so I could see. "Watch the door for me, will you? We might have to move if the flames grow stronger." There was no 'might' about it. We both knew it. But the three needed immediate treatment if they were to have a chance of surviving. Up close, I could see how the third one's arm was already infected.

I worked as quickly and efficiently as I could. Mister Dew stood guard, trying to gauge just how long we had before we absolutely had to leave or risk being trapped. The three children were silent, from both terror and pain. The air thinned. The smoke grew darker. The heat climbed. It hurt. It hurt to breath. It hurt to move. It hurt to even sit. Yet still, I did what I could. I had to do what I could. I was here and they needed help. What else could I do?

Around the time I decided I'd done all I could, Mister Dew yelped at something, sounding more happy than surprised. I twisted to ask, but there was a suddenly 'whoosh' noise followed by a terribly loud 'snap'. Far too slowly, I looked up and realized there had, indeed, been something flammable still in the room: the ever-present support beams. Somehow, the fire had jumped or perhaps the thinning air and subsequent dizziness made us not noticed. Either way, the result was the same. The fire had reached the beams above our head, and they were falling.

Immediately, I pulled the three messengers towards me, hoping to shield them. But just before impact, someone else managed to cover all of us and took the full brunt of it. I only knew when I heard the grunt and hiss of pain and I jerked my head up to see Mister Finn, his lip bloodied. It took a second to realize he'd bit it to keep from screaming.

"Finn!" Mister Dew was beside us in an instant, and I immediately helped Mister Finn sit down so I could begin emergency treatment. "The hell?!" Mister Dew kept yelling, glaring at him. "You should at least say 'hello' before getting yourself injured!"

"That is... a rather nonsensical thing to say?" Mister Finn joked breathily. I patted out some of the flames on his back, taking stock of his injuries. The bruises... the minor cuts... the burns... where should I even begin? "I couldn't let Miss Alicia get hurt."

"There had to be a smarter way than you getting hurt in her place!" Mister Dew looked ready to cry. "And just what are you doing here anyway?"

"Miss Alicia raced after you, so I ran after her to try and help. I fear the flames impeded my progress, though." He had run after...? Why? Yes, he'd said to help, but no one had ever... "Not to mention Miss Alicia's apparently a very fast runner."

"You..." Mister Dew looked down and away, trembling. "The fire's spread further." It was an obvious observation, one made to move the subject along. "We... if we don't try to leave now, we'll be trapped." We would, and a quick look showed only part of the beams had fallen. The rest strained to bear the weight of the room and they would not last long. "I'll... I'll lead."

"I can-"

"I'm the less injured of us two." He had a point. "And Miss Alicia needs to keep treating you four while we move." Yes, if Mister Dew handled the path, then I could focus on them entirely. "Feet under, we have to move now. The trees of Verdane are stupidly flammable." Was there some variation in the flammability of wood?

There was no time to ask, and no breath to spare. We had to move, so we did, one slow step at a time. Truthfully, it was all 'too slow' considering the danger, but we couldn't move faster. Everyone's injuries prevented it, and while I tended to what I could, the fact was healing magic alone wasn't enough. They needed medicine and rest, neither of which we had in the flames. Still, to stop was to die, and none of us were in a hurry to travel to Neit's realm. So, we kept walking. I relied on Mister Dew for the path, focused solely on our wounded. Mister Finn leaned more heavily on me than he liked, I knew from his winces and disgruntled expression, but he placated his pride by shielding one of the messenger children in front of him. The other two limped close to me, the less burned of the two clinging to both my skirt and their friend's shoulder. Mister Dew stayed two steps ahead, and never left our sight. He couldn't. With the smoke and crumbling walls, if he took even three steps away, we ran a high risk of being separated. Though with said smoke, I wondered if we should crawl. Yes, the ceilings were thankfully high, but the air was thinning and the smoke was falling. It was dangerous. Yet, with their injuries, I wasn't certain any of them could, so I kept silent.

At some point in the hazy heat, Mister Dew made a startled noise and leapt back stand right in front of us. I opened my mouth to ask why, wincing when my lip suddenly cracked and bled, but the answer came quickly. It came with the flames suddenly parting and rising, dispersing safely along the stone walls. At the end of the hall, glowing slightly from his magic, was Azelle. Next to him were Lord Lex and Lady Ayra, and both rushed forward to meet us as soon as the flames were safely clear. They took one child each, leaving Mister Dew with the third, and I continued supporting Mister Finn. We had to keep walking, after all. Azelle might have cleared the flames here, but there rest remained and the fire had ravaged the halls. Who knew when it would collapse?

Azelle led the way out from there. In the blink of an eye, we were back in the much more bustling courtyard, with everyone being funneled to some sort of triage Lady Ethlyn and Lady Edain had set up. I felt guilty, seeing them. I should've been helping. I needed to help them. I… would need to wash the soot off of me first. I couldn't risk bringing infection to the wounded. Burns were notorious for how easily they infected. What had my books said about the effects of smoke inhalation? No, there was another term for it. 'Inhalation injury', I think. It wasn't just for smoke, but for heat as well. How many were injured? I needed to-

"There you are!" My thoughts scattered as Lady Edain suddenly appeared in front of me. She looked haggard and annoyed. "Honestly, where did you go!?" she scolded, scowling at me. I could only look away. I… I should've been here to help. It was no wonder she was angry at- "You're a healer! You should know better than anyone to go running off while injured!" …She… why was she yelling at me about this? Shouldn't she be yelling because I had abandoned my duty here? Father Eirik would have. He would've given me a particularly brutal lecture, seeing as I let myself be ruled by emotions when there was work to be done, much as my father always did. "Just look at how red your arm is! You're bleeding!" …Wait, no, I wasn't. I had confirmed it with Sir Arden. By this point, the only blood was on my lip, thanks to the heat drying things out. Certainly, my skin prickled and stretched for the same reason. Ah, but now that I looked, I saw my hand was blistered from holding my staff despite the heat. I'd need to bandage it before tending to the injured. "See? Right..." She pulled my arm up to 'show' me the injury, but trailed off as her fingers touched the 'red' on my arm. It was only then I realized what she meant, what Arden had meant earlier. "Wait, this isn't blood. This is..."

At some point in the chaos, the bandages around my lower right arm had been damaged and, subsequently, unraveled. So now, my Holy Mark was visible, and there was no chance of hiding it once more. Not only had Lady Edain's words drawn attention, but the sun shone sickly on it, making it as clear as blood to any who so much as glanced my way. The red color also made it all too clear just which Crusader it was tied to, which one I was descended from, which family I was part of. There was... no hiding at all anymore. I didn't... I couldn't... .

"There you are, Alicia." Even as my thoughts spiraled, my dread overcoming even my healer's calm, a gentle weight fell on my shoulders. It took only a handful of blinks to realize it was a cape, one of dark blue. "You should have said something prior to running off." The owner of said cape, of course, was Sigurd, who smiled so gently when I looked up at him. I could tell, just by his eyes, he had seen the Mark. He, like everyone else in the courtyard, now knew my greatest secret, the one I had kept since I was abandoned as a one-year-old. "We could have coordinated a tad better." Yet he made no comment and did not stare. Instead, he simply chided me for my recklessness. "Speaking of coordinating, though, what area will work best for a makeshift infirmary?" he asked. "I have a guess or two, but I don't know how much room you'll need. Triage has found there are thankfully few burns, for now, but I fear quite a few managed to hurt themselves while escaping. More than the triage areas can hold."

He led me away from Lady Edain, speaking of the injured and the rescuers and what I would need to do my job in these circumstances. It was... exactly how we usually were and there were no words to express how grateful I was for that. None. So, I did not try. Instead, I seized the offered change in topic, the offered 'here, focus on this', and we discussed anything and everything needed while I washed the worst of the soot off my skin and used some spare cloth to wrap my hand to keep the blisters from popping and making a mess in a patient's wound. Then, he went to do… whatever he needed to do and I went to work, taking the worst wounded. Their wounds, however, reminded me of a terrible truth, one I did my best to not think about. I hated fire.

I hated how destructive it was. I hated how it blistered and charred people. I hated how it turned them a sickly crumbling black or terribly pasty white or mottled and writhing pink. I hated how it devoured them, and left what remained weak to illnesses and sepsis. I hated how it left people in pain unimaginable, or numb beyond comprehension. Most of all, I hated how even though Lord Sigurd was right on how few suffered burns, the flames had still caused so much destruction and terror.

"Are you certain you have time to treat this, Miss Alicia?" Mister Finn asked me breathlessly, some time later. We sat in a corner of the courtyard not far from the makeshift war table set up; it was the only free space. "The others…"

"Everyone has received initial treatment, so we must treat your own burn," I whispered in return, more focused on applying a cold-water compress to burns. He had… he had second degree burns on his shoulders and upper back, from shielding me. They were terrible, a deep and blistering red. The swelling already made it hard for him to move his arms. "Burns infect quite easily. It's better to treat them sooner rather than later."

"If you are certain." He kept his head down as I worked. He had a first degree burn on the back of his neck. I'd need to watch for any swelling, in case it blocked his airway. "Why did you keep away the ice offered?"

"Ice can cause more damage." Since the compress had lost its coolness, I dropped it back in the bowl of water next to me, and popped open one of my burn balms to treat the burn on his neck. "...It is good you helped me make these, back in Evans." I didn't know why I said that. "Though, I wish you were not the recipient."

"Oh, are these the burn balms you taught me how to make?" Mister Finn forced himself to smile at me, despite the terrible pain he was in. I knew it was great; despite the pain medication I gave him, he continued to flinch and wince. "I hope I made them well, then."

"You did. I promise; I would not use it otherwise."

"True, you do have high standards when it comes to your work."

"'Good enough' is not enough when dealing with people's lives."

His smile gained a bit of warmth, like there was something amusing about what I said. …No, that wasn't quite right. Normally that was what I would think, but there was clear admiration in his gaze, shining even through the pain. It would… probably be more accurate to say the warmth was because he thought the same? It was difficult to say, and I certainly didn't want to drag out the conversation when he was hurting. Instead, we lapsed back into silence, though the rest of the courtyard still bustled with energy. Some, like Sir Alec, were rushing to and fro to pass out supplies. Others, like Azelle, were part of a fire brigade to make the castle safe once more. Still others, like Lord Lex, cleared rubble and investigated the damage. And yet still others were at the table not far away, holding a strategy meeting. Since they were close, I ended up eavesdropping out of a need to have something to focus my thoughts on while I worked. They were wandering too much.

"We did manage to capture one of the arsonists, and they confessed rather readily," Khasar was explaining. I wasn't sure when he had arrived. It felt like I had blinked and he was suddenly at the table with Sigurd, Lord Quan, Lady Edain, and Lady Ethlyn. "They're part of the royal guard, and…" Khasar hesitated before continuing more softly. "And it was on Prince Jamke's orders. The fire, I mean."

"Prince Jamke's?" Sigurd repeated, startled. He glanced around worriedly, wondering if anyone overheard, but all were far too busy with their own tasks. "Why would…" Sigurd winced, looking down. "...It's the villages, isn't it? Blame is placed on us."

"It's likely, even if the fire tactic confuses me." Khasar sighed, and grimaced. He was uncomfortable, and why wouldn't he? The prince he had placed his hopes in set a place on fire and hurt dozens of people. "Maybe Sadima corrupted him…"

"Sadima?" Well, that was a new name. "Who is he?"

"...It is uncharitable for me to say, but it feels as if everything slowly spiraled out of control after his appearance in the court." Khasar looked down, his hair covering his expression. It did nothing to hide his fists clenched at his side. "He's a magic user who appeared not long ago, maybe a year ago. He saved King Batu's life and, thus, was awarded a place in the castle. It was soon after we first heard whispers of war." He shook his head. "There's nothing connecting him to anything, of course. It's just the timing."

"We can add it to the innumerable questions we already have for King Batu," Lord Quan pointed out, a touch curtly. Lady Ethlyn immediately elbowed his side and he winced. "My apologies, that came out more rudely than I wished. The whole situation is simply frustration, and it's going to escalate." Lord Quan smiled apologetically at Khasar before turning to Sigurd. "You already know this. We can't risk him setting the town on fire and no matter what we may hope, we have to assume the worst."

"And, ignoring the damage already done, we have neither the time nor resources to try and wait him out," Sigurd agreed reluctantly. I think he winced at each word. "We're still stretched thin from sheltering the refugees." He frowned, closing his eyes. "But I do have my promise, Quan. I wish to honor it still."

"Of course you do. I'd have to demand who you were if you didn't." Lord Quan's smile brightened briefly at the attempted joke, before fading. "So, might I propose taking him into custody? From there, we can yield to the people of Marpha for what to do." He looked at Khasar, silently asking for approval. After a moment, Khasar nodded, still looking terribly awkward and uncomfortable. But even with the discomfort, this was preferable to simply giving up. "Let's plan on that. Where is Oifeye? He's usually right here for the strategy meetings."

"Helping with bandaging last I checked. He insisted." Sigurd shrugged. The motion reminded me I needed to give him back his cape at some point; I still had it draped over my shoulders. "So, we should get started on our own for strategies. Perhaps a bait and ambush?"

"Are you going to use yourself as bait again? Really?"

"It worked quite well last time."

Talk continued in that vein, numerous strategies discussed and discarded in what felt like blinks. I paid it little mind, letting the noise wash over me. Yet, as I did so, I noticed something odd. Though she participated in the discussions as much as the other, Lady Edain had the strangest look on her face, somewhere between 'worry' and 'determined'. Even stranger, though, was how Sigurd glanced at her while he listened to Khasar and Lord Quan's suggestions, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. Neither spoke a word to each other. It was only that single look, yet their very slight, almost hidden smiles hinted they had an entire conversation. It was a conversation most did not notice at all, save Lord Quan, based on his even slighter frown when he looked at them.

Some part of me was curious, but I shoved it away to continue tending to Mister Finn. When I was done here, I'd need to check our medicinal supplies and quickly make up what I could. It... would conveniently let me hide from the questions I knew others wanted to ask. After all, my Holy Mark was still visible. I had no bandages to spare to hide it. So, I would hide in my work; at least I would be productive.


Patients had to be moved. A couple of the infirmaries had been too damaged by the fire to be considered 'safe'. Thankfully, not as many as I'd feared, and even better, my workshop remained more or less intact. We lost a lot of blankets, though. Some had burned; others had been cut up as makeshift bandages or compresses. So, after the frenzy of the immediate aftermath finally calmed, I spent my time sorting through what remained to see what could be salvaged and what couldn't. Those that could not were further sorted into what had to be burned and what could be cut down for scraps and bandages. It was a long and tedious job, just what I needed after treating so many patients for burns and smoke and bruises.

A slight movement down and below reminded me I was not alone in the task. Oh, I was certainly the only one sorting. Lord Shannan didn't know enough about sewing to make such judgments. However, when I stepped into my workshop with two large baskets stuffed full of blankets, I had found him here, sitting at the table. When he saw me, he immediately rushed over to latch onto my leg and skirts. He said no words; he only clung with slightly shaking hands. I didn't have the heart to ask him to let go. Instead, I simply moved with him firmly attached and let him stay. Every once in a while, I'd absently stroke his hair, hoping it gave some modicum of comfort, before returning to my work.

At some point in the quiet, the door clicked open and Lady Ayra poked her head in, her hair damp like she'd just gotten out of a bath. Her eyes immediately landed on Lord Shannan, a wry smile on her lips. "I thought I'd find you here," she commented, stepping in. Lord Shannan simply looked at her, still silent. His eyes were dull, and he clung even tighter to me. "It's time to eat, Shannan."

"...Not hungry…" he mumbled, half-hiding in my skirt. His voice shook. "I still taste the soot."

"That's precisely why you should eat. Get the taste out. Like how Miss Alicia gives you tea after medicine." She knelt in front of us, flashing me an apologetic smile. Her gaze, however, soon fell on my Mark, still uncovered. Without knowing the injured to come, I refused to use what bandages we had to cover it. I simply ignored it, and the questions everyone's gazes held. "Miss Alicia might need her leg soon as well. I saw Edain walking about like she was looking for someone." Ah, had someone else been injured? I knew some of the soldiers were still shifting through the rubble, hunting for hidden flames and people who might have been buried. "Come on."

"...Okay…" Lord Shannan still hesitated, but he took Lady Ayra's hand without much more protest. I noticed he held it tightly enough for his knuckles to whiten, but Lady Ayra made no comment about the pain. "Is it just us? I know you like eating at a different time than the others."

"Lex threatened to join us, something about promising you a story." Lady Ayra sounded almost annoyed, but Lord Shannan's eyes finally gained some light at the thought. "Maybe a couple more. Everyone's eating schedule is thrown off today." She looked at me, and surprisingly smiled. "Make sure you eat too, Miss Alicia. You always seem to conveniently miss meals."

With those words as her goodbye, she and Lord Shannan left and I was left to the silence. I… should be used to it. I was always alone, back in Yngvi. Things were easier when I was quiet, and everyone kept their distance. I was used to the solitude and the silence it brought. Yet now, I found myself somewhere between 'uneasy' and even 'irritated' at the silence. I kept anticipating someone's arrival, be it a patient or simply a passing soldier checking in. When had I started expecting visitors? I wished I wouldn't. It was much harder to focus on my task when my thoughts twisted. It was almost a relief when the silence finally broke.

"Miss Alicia, are you still working?" The simple question heralded the arrival of another visitor: Lord Oifeye. "Wait, what are you even doing?" he asked, blinking slowly at the large piles of blankets surrounding me. "Are you mending all of those?"

"No, I'm simply sorting for now," I answered, studying one particularly damaged piece. I was almost done. I would need to think of something else to do soon. Perhaps I should take Lord Oifeye's suggestion to start on the mending? "We need to see what blankets can be used. Some in town thankfully donated their own, but it would be better we returned them sooner rather than later."

"Er… I suppose?" He sounded confused, and a little suspicious. Did he think it busy work? …Well, I suppose most would. "Are you…?" He trailed off, an awkward silence hanging in the air. I glanced over, and saw his eyes, too, had fallen on my Mark. "...Does it hurt?"

"Pardon?" I paused in my sorting, startled. "No? It doesn't?" Of course it didn't. It was a Holy Mark. It was just like any other birthmark, save for how they would pulse and buzz with power under your fingertips. They never hurt, even when they first appeared, and they remained even on your corpse. Though, there were tales of Holy Marks fading to near-invisibility in times of danger. Said tales were, of course, vague on what 'danger' meant. It felt more of a bardic invention to keep people from thinking too much of how people could be unaware of their…

…I must be tired, for my thoughts to meander and tangle so much. It wasn't important. It had nothing to do with the current situation. I might need some energy-boosting tea before continuing to work. Should I make some for the others? I was certain it would be a long night for most. It was already a long day. It was barely evening, despite everything that had happened. Yes, I should… my thoughts were running away from me again. Maybe I should make the tea a priority.

Despite the rudeness of my woolgathering, Lord Oifeye did not speak. He simply studied me for a very long moment in silence, letting my answer hang in the air awkwardly. Then, all at once, he lunged forward to hug me tightly. It was a quick hug, barely long enough for me to even register what he'd done. Then, in a blink, he was gone, out of my workshop entirely. I could only stare at the doorway, wondering just what had brought that on. Yet, at the same time, I had to smile a little, because it had been sweet and it had been surprisingly comforting despite how quick it had been.

In that good mood, I set about making my tea, returning to my sorting while it steeped. Once I finished, I poured myself a cup and thought of what best to do from here. At some point during my mental-list-making, though, I realized I heard voices just outside my door. They were low, quiet, but definitely there. Curious and worried, I poked my head out to investigate. The last thing anyone needed was another argument among the soldiers. But, to my surprise, it was not random soldiers arguing. It was Sir Midir and Lady Edain.

"My lady, enough of the secrets," Sir Midir scolded, shaking his head. Lady Edain simply frowned. "What are you plotting?"

"Must I plot to simply walk through the halls?" Lady Edain retorted, her tone distinctly waspish. No, wait, that wasn't the right word. It was more 'defensive', if a little more aggressive than the usual defensive tones. "What makes you think I'm doing anything?"

"I have been by your side for five years. I do believe I know exactly when you are plotting something." Sir Midir frowned, looking rather exasperated. Lady Edain looked simultaneously contrite and defiant. "If you are heading somewhere dangerous, it is my duty to accompany you."

"Well, I relieve you of such for the day." Lady Edain looked away, still defiantly contrite. I wondered if she thought of how much of an admission the sentence was. "You need your rest."

"As do you, my lady." Sir Midir frowned further. "But very well. Where are we heading?"

"...Midir, I just said-"

"Forgive me, my lady, but you relieved me of duty, which leaves me free to do as I wish." Despite the continued frown, though, Sir Midir's eyes were earnest. "I wish to accompany you, as always." Lady Edain definitely blushed at said earnestness. "So, where are we heading?"

"I... that..." Lady Edain tried to form words for a solid minute before giving up with a sigh. "I can never win, can I?" Still, she smiled. "Well, first thing is talking with Miss Alicia."

"Is it not lucky, then, that she is standing right there?"

"Eh?" Lady Edain stared at him for a second before turning to see he was right. I was still standing in the doorway, leaning out to look at them. I even still had my tea in hand. "Ack!" To Lady Edain's continued embarrassment, Sir Midir muffled a laugh. "You should have told me sooner!"

"My lady, with all due respect, where else would she be? We're right outside her workshop." That was also very true. "Good evening, Miss Alicia. I hoped we did not disturb you."

"Stop being polite while I'm flailing!" Lady Edain scowled; Sir Midir did his best to quiet his snickers. "But, yes, hello! Good evening! Are you in the middle of something?"

"I was just drinking some tea," I reassured, holding up my mug for emphasis. I was too tired to try and make sense of this. "If you were looking for me, though, I assume you need assistance."

"This time, yes," Lady Edain confirmed, pressing her hands together in a false-clap. My mind caught briefly on her clarification of 'this time'. "I'd like it if you can accompany me?"

"Are we checking the townfolk's health?" I knew it had been suggested earlier, but priority had gone to those injured within the castle walls first. Last I heard, no one in town had so much of a bruise, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to confirm it firsthand.

"No, though it would be best if people thought that was what we were doing." She smiled conspiratorially. I was reminded of Sigurd's. "However, my plan is very different. I wish to speak to Prince Jamke myself." There was a very long silence at her declaration. Sir Midir sighed at it. I had to take a few seconds to realize what she said. "I know. It's risky. It's beyond risky. Yet I can't let that stop me. After all, he risked much to free Dew and me from our cells here in Marpha." Part of me wondered just how much of a risk it was, considering Crown Prince Jamke was royalty and clearly well-liked. Another part reminded me of what sort of people Prince Munnir and Prince Cimbaeth had proven to be. "Besides, he promised to speak with his father about all of this. I want to know why he is now attacking and there's no better way than to ask him directly."

"I suppose that is true." What was I supposed to say to any of this? "If you are looking for a story to tell instead, I am guessing no one knows of your plan besides us three?"

"Oh, don't worry! Sigurd knows. He knew I'd do this even while we were planning out in the courtyard." So, this must be what their unspoken conversation was about, then.

"No wonder the patrols are conveniently light," Sir Midir muttered, shaking his head. Something about his even more apparent exasperation hinted this was not the first time the two pulled such a stunt. "Why bring Miss Alicia into this, though? You rarely involve others." Yes, they had definitely done something like this before.

"Simple. Miss Alicia never does anything for fun," Lady Edain declared, with all the simple truth as declaring the sky was blue. I was reminded of Mistress Yesui's lecture not too long ago. "If she's with me, even Quan will think it's something to do with our jobs." Lady Edain smiled brightly, despite the steely resolve in her gaze. Some part of me felt like sighing, though I resisted the urge. It wouldn't be proper.

"You say this as if Lord Quan is not already aware of how similar Miss Alicia and Lord Sigurd are." Were we truly so similar? We had been 'conspirators' twice now, yes, but I could never shine as he did. "Then again, you are correct. Miss Alicia is well known for her devotion to her work."

"Precisely! It's the perfect cover! Oh, but only if you're comfortable!" Lady Edain whirled to fix her attention back on me. "I know it's asking a lot, especially given everything. You've had a terribly long day yourself."

I regarded her silently for a moment, thinking carefully. She was right; it was a lot to ask. If both of us left, then only Lady Ethlyn would be here to treat the wounded if something unexpected occurred. There were still medicines to make, bandages to weave, mending to be done. There were still a thousand and one things needed still, and I could not say I was in a hurry to pause them to talk with Crown Prince Jamke. After all, I... I did not like him at this moment. To attack us as he did... while logically, I could understand, and understand even more if he thought us responsible for the devastation his brothers had left, it still...

The fires he set hurt my patients. The fires he set hurt Mister Finn. I hated fire, and he made me remember why. More unreasonably, the fires he set indirectly led to my greatest secret being revealed. I did not like him. I did not care for him. Yet as a healer, I sought to heal everyone, save everyone. This included even those I did not like. That was what 'everyone' meant. If he had been injured, or corrupted, as Khasar feared, then it was my duty as a healer to see if he could be treated. His soldiers, also, could have been hurt in the mess. They deserved treatment as well. Not to mention how... if assisting Lady Edain led to Crown Prince Jamke surrendering, then there would be no battles. There would be no newly injured. My patients could recover in relative peace. As their healer, I needed to seek out such options whenever and wherever I could.

More selfishly, though... Lady Edain was the one asking me. Lady Edain, who had asked little of me this entire time, was asking me for help. Lady Edain, who had always treated Azelle so kindly and, truthfully, was one of the reasons why I agreed to accompany Lord Sigurd in the first place... she was asking me for help. So, I only had one answer.

"Let me ensure everything is stable first," I replied softly. Lady Edain's face lit up with a bright, relieved smile. Sir Midir sighed, but smiled too. "If things go sour, Lady Ethlyn will be alone with the wounded until we return." I waved both of them inside my workshop. "Have some tea while you wait."

Just what was I getting myself into this time?


It was almost startling how well things were. There were no unexpected complications. There were no shortages in needed medicines. There were enough bandages to last a couple of hours. With the blankets sorted, we even had enough of those. So, in what felt like a blink, Sir Midir, Lady Edain, and I were leaving the infirmary areas to head outside. Of course, we barely took two steps past the front doors, not even the gates to the castle area, before we faced a complication, but it had gone well until then.

"Where in Gaia's name are you going at this hour?" Namely, Lord Quan had conveniently been on the ramparts by the gate and called out as soon as he saw us. Though his suspicious frown hinted it wasn't 'convenient' at all. "It's past dinner," he continued, walking down the stairs to join us. "I know we're in for a few late nights, but I wouldn't think any required heading out."

"Miss Alicia was asked to tend to a patient unexpectedly," Lady Edain 'explained', lying through her teeth with a smile. I kept my calm, just as always, and Sir Midir remained just as stoic. "I'm tagging along to assist and learn. You know how Ethlyn and I have been wanting lessons." …They had? When had this been a thing? "Midir's coming for protection, just in case. That's why he has his bow and arrows." Sir Midir had insisted.

"Uh-huh." Lord Quan looked highly skeptical, even raising a brow. "Strange. I saw no messenger coming in and I've been here for the past couple of hours evaluating the defenses."

"It was at the request of someone already here. They'd wanted to ask earlier, but the fire delayed things." Lady Edain was a talented liar, having an answer to everything as she did. I never would've guessed.

"Right. Which is why you, who has always been able to convince a miser to give up coin, is the only one talking." It was good the fires had already been put out. Lord Quan's words were dry enough to spark a flame. "So, Miss Alicia?" He focused his attention on me. "I already know Sir Midir knows how to lie without lying." All of this confirmed this was not the first time Lady Edain had done something like this, and it was little wonder she and Sigurd had been close friends since they were babies. "Thus, I'd like to hear your explanation."

"I fear there's little more to say," I replied carefully, thinking quickly. I had to treat this as if Arvis was asking how I was doing, and I was trying to hide the bruises to keep him from worrying. "Someone here requested I help, once the chaos of the fires calmed. I do not know when they arrived." He didn't need to know the 'someone' was Lady Edain herself.

"May I ask who the person is?"

"I fear I'm terrible with names, Lord Quan. I only know the names of two people in all of Yngvi, despite living there all my life." Deciding we needed to cut this short, I held up my medicine bag, glad I had thought to grab it. "Do you need to look through this to confirm it's filled?"

"Mm… no, no." He sighed, crossing his arms. He still looked skeptical, but it had been mostly replaced by worry. I felt bad. He was just trying to keep us from doing something reckless. It was a shame our sense of duty compelled us to be reckless anyway. Perhaps I should make him some tea in apology. I knew a little of what he liked already. "And Sigurd's been in meetings since the fire, so I know you two can't have conspired." No, I was a third party to this conspiracy. "Still, it is late. Can it not wait until morning?"

"In matters of health, sooner is better than later."

"Fair." He was silent for a moment more before focusing once more on Lady Edain. "Lesson, though?"

"Of course~!" Lady Edain chirped, beaming. She even wrapped her arms around mine. "Come on, Quan. Don't deny me the perfect excuse to spend time with Miss Alicia! I have questions!"

"And not all medicinal related, knowing you and your penchant for teasing," Lord Quan retorted. Still, he finally relaxed enough to laugh. I felt even worse about tricking him. "Well, if you get around to asking, do let me know. I need more ammunition for Sigurd, after all." Why was Sigurd being brought up right now?

"If you want that, I can share childhood stories. He and Brigid would always fall into some sort of trouble."

"You know that won't work. Sigurd shares those stories himself." He smiled and waved us along. "But I'm keeping you. If you're not back within a couple of hours, I'm sending someone after you."

"See you in a while, Quan!"

We left quickly. It felt like if we had tarried even a half-second, Lord Quan would've seen through the story, and with such haste in mind, none of us spoke while we walked through the silent streets of Marpha. It surprised me how quiet it was. It made sense; most would be eating and preparing for bed. But I had never seen it anything less than bustling with energy, so it only added to the unease settling in my heart. It was an unease neither Lady Edain nor Sir Midir shared, based on their expressions. Lady Edain looked far too elated, truthfully, while Sir Midir kept a wary eye on our surroundings but otherwise appeared quite calm. At least, he did until we were near the town's edge. At that point, he started chuckling and I realized he had been biting back laughter this whole time.

"It seems I am not the only one who can lie without lying," he commented, covering his mouth to quiet said chuckles. Realizing what he meant, I could only shrug. "You were right, Lady Edain. He was still suspicious when he let us go, but having Miss Alicia put most of them to rest."

"He'll probably give it an hour before confronting Sigurd," Lady Edain agreed, not at all perturbed by the idea. By her giggles, I'd say she too found it hilarious. "Now, the first thing we need to do is figure out where they could be."

"I imagine somewhere close. Given how the fires didn't spread to town, they must have stayed near to ensure it." Sir Midir looked around, studying the landscape before looking back to the town. I wondered how he could see anything at all, given how dark it was. "Strange…"

"What's wrong?"

"There's someone with a lantern nearby, walking away from town." Sir Midir pointed to a building not far away, where a shadow crept along its walls. Only the small light in their hand showed their outline. "See?"

"At this hour?" Lady Edain tilted her head, curiously. "Think it might be one of his? I could be that lucky."

"With your luck, Lady Edain, it might be Prince Jamke himself." Though Sir Midir said it dryly, Lady Edain laughed like it was a joke. "Well, it's as good of a place to start as any." With that, he jogged over to intercept said shadow. Lady Edain followed with a little hum, dragging me with her.

It was hard to say just who was more surprised when we caught up: us three or poor Altan. I knew it was him. His son had insisted on prettying the bandages on his stump by drawing on them just the other day, and he'd asked if it was all right for them to stay. I'd seen no reason why they couldn't so long as they did not seep past the first layer, and they still remained. I think it was a drawing of some sort of beast. …My thoughts were running away from me again.

"What… are you three doing?" Altan asked, holding his lantern up higher to better illuminate the area. Perhaps he was looking for any one else ready to surprise him. "I heard about the castle. The fire. So, why are you out here?"

"I would think the question is better put to you?" Sir Midir replied, tilting his head. His eyes darted to the bandaged stump, placing him in an instant. After all, Sir Midir had been with Sigurd and me when we rescued him in the field. "Surely you need more rest?"

"I think that goes double for you all, and it's infinitely less suspicious for me to walk around my own home." Altan's immediate deadpanned response earned an apologetic smile from Sir Midir, and a sheepish one from Lady Edain. "But no, I am not going against healer's orders if that's the worry. I'm allowed light activity. Just need to adjust to not having a hand."

"Has the phantom pain lessened?" I asked without thinking, remembering his last visit. He'd complained of such, describing it as burning and crushing. He even remembered the smell of the rot and almost took the bandages off to confirm it wasn't infected. "Did the medicine help?" Unable to find a true cause besides his mind, I had given him a mild pain reliever in the hopes it would help.

"It did, Miss Alicia," Altan confirmed with a smile. It was nice to see him smiling. His mood improved significantly since he was allowed to rest at home. "Oh, uh… how's Erdene doing? Was wondering, since I heard everyone had to be moved around thanks to the fire."

"Erdene?" He… ah, that was right. They were friends. He was careful to not ask too many questions during his own examinations, so I'd forgotten. "Truthfully, he woke briefly a few days ago." Altan's immediate relieved smile made my spirits soar, despite how tired I still was. "I apologize for not informing you and his family sooner, but I wished to wait until he woke a second time to be certain it was a true step towards recovery." Too many times did a patient appear to recover, only for them to die only hours later. "I'm told he stirred during the evacuation, so it is my hope it won't be long." No matter how high my spirits were, though, I knew we were off topic. "Were you out to ask about him?"

"Kind of going to the wrong way for that." Yes, he was, but that wasn't the point of the question. "...I'm looking for Prince Jamke." He was… what?

"You are?" Lady Edain gasped, covering her mouth to muffle the sound. I wasn't sure why. "May I ask why?"

"To ask him to give you all a chance and talk," Altan answered bluntly. He looked away almost shyly. "I'm tired of fighting. Tired of it all. And I already know you lot keep your word. Figured the fire was because Prince Jamke didn't know that." He shrugged. "Thought I saw one of the royal guard disappear in the trees not long after the smoke appeared. Figured I'd see if I was right."

"That's perfect! We want to talk to Prince Jamke as well!" Lady Edain clapped her hands in delight, even laughing. "He saved me from his brother, and Sigurd desperately wants to keep his promise to Khasar, so here we are! Or, well, here I am. Midir and Miss Alicia are here to make sure I don't find myself in too much trouble." No, I was just here as a cover.

"Ah." There was a long beat of silence. "Well, I don't know if you've this saying in Grannvale, but there's one here about how wise ones think alike and fools seldom differ. Shall we find out which ones we are? I'd like to get back before my son tries to follow. Not to mention it's only getting darker."

"Yes, let's go." Lady Edain once again reclaimed my arm, assuming I would continue following. To be fair, it was a safe assumption. "Which way did you say again?'

The trees Altan mentioned were not part of the Spirit Forest. They were, instead, perfectly normal trees which grew next to the Spirit Forest, or so he explained while leading us down the path. I didn't understand the difference in the slightest, and I didn't think Lady Edain or Sir Midir did either. Yet Altan was insistent, so it was better to nod and keep moving along. Once we reached said trees, it didn't take long to find a small grove nestled within, one where a camp clearly had been set up recently. There were no tents, but even I could see where the grass had been flattened and though someone had done their best to quickly scatter the remains of a campfire, the wood still hid faint embers. Altan immediately walked along the perimeter, looking for signs of a trail, while Sir Midir examined the abandoned camp itself, perhaps hoping for clues or a convenient note. Lady Edain and I hung back to avoid getting in the way, and part of me wondered if we should simply return to town and let those two find Prince Jamke for us.

But even as I had the thought, life had other plans. Sir Midir stiffened suddenly and whirled, bow at the ready. At the same time, there was the barest movement of the far branches, so subtle one could mistake it for the wind. Yet when I looked up, I saw a young man crouched there, arrow knocked and ready. In a blink, both had their arrows fired, and both had a second arrow at the ready, though I thought the young man had a third just behind. Not that it mattered.

"STOOOOOP!" Lady Edain raced between them just after the arrows had fired and both Sir Midir and the young man froze the second they realized what she had done. My hands dropped to my medicine bag, certain she would be hit twice. Yet, somehow, she hadn't. "Bring down your bows, both of you." Somehow, both arrows thudded harmlessly in the dirt, on either side of her. It was as if they had swerved to miss her. "Prince Jamke, I am gladdened to see you again." Lady Edain, meanwhile, kept her calm throughout, as if she stepped into the paths of arrows all the time. "We wish to speak with you."

There was dead silence for a long moment, the young man, Crown Prince Jamke himself, staring at Lady Edain in complete shock and bafflement. On either side of the grove, Altan and I remained frozen by the sudden turn of events. Sir Midir, however, sighed, and walked over to recover his arrow. "I wish you would not rely on your Ullr luck so much, my lady," he chided, exasperation threading the words into a tired chorus. "I fear I need another heart each time you do so."

"My apologies, Midir." Lady Edain's smile held only the slightest hint of repentance. "Still, it seems like a good thing to rely on. The legends say during one of the last battles of the Holy War, Ullr stood alone against a storm of arrows so thick they blotted out the sun. Not a one even scratched her and she laughed at how lovely it was to fight in the shade after the grueling battles in the desert."

"Then you shall explain this part to Lord Sigurd."

"I most definitely will, and I'll remind him of his own reckless actions in the past when he squawks."

"So, you admit to the recklessness."

"No, his reckless actions, not mine."

"I cannot even begin to wrap my head around this nonsense," Crown Prince Jamke suddenly groaned, shifting so he sat amidst the branches instead of crouched. He looked like he had a headache. "Can someone with some sense explain what's going on?" Sadly, I do believe that particular condition meant not a one of us could actually answer him. Yet someone had to. The whole point of the excursion had been to talk. So, I locked eyes with Altan and nodded to Crown Prince Jamke in a quiet 'you start'. After all, out of us four, he clearly had the most sense.

Altan stared a moment longer, hesitating, before stepping forward to say, "I suppose I can try, Your Highness?" He moved his arm as if to brush his hair back from his face, but his only hand still held the lantern and he did not yet know how to mimic the movement effectively with his stump. "Pardon my boldness."

"I'll pardon anything if it gets me an explanation," Crown Prince Jamke grumbled, fussing with the arrows in his quiver. I worried he might try to shoot again, but neither Sir Midir nor Lady Edain shared my worries. In fact, Sir Midir was much more preoccupied fussing over Lady Edain. "So?"

"Well, we're out here… I'm out here… to talk. To you." Altan tried not to squirm at Crown Prince Jamke's hard stare. "I… I want you to not attack Lord Sigurd and his forces anymore, Your Highness. I'd like you to talk with him."

"You… what?" Crown Prince Jamke blinked slowly, trying to comprehend the words. "You wish… for me to parley?"

"Yes." He shrugged. "I'd like the fighting to stop. There's been enough of that. Talking seems better than killing each other."

"...You would say that even after the destroyed villages…?" Crown Prince Jamke's voice shook, his eyes sparking with terrible yet quiet anger. So, he had heard the rumors after all. "The graves? The trodden corpses? The scoured fields? I've heard it all, seen many. Yet you would ask…"

"My prince, I'm sorry, but Lord Sigurd isn't responsible for that." Altan, thankfully, spoke quickly and concisely to prevent a indignant rant. "It was the other princes, Munnir and Cimbaeth." Crown Prince Jamke looked away at the words, an unreadable expression on his face suddenly masking the anger. Yet somehow, I thought there was resignation within, as if... as if he had already suspected them to be the cause, and yet still hoped otherwise. After all, they were his brothers. "Lord Sigurd and his people have been taking in refugees, even as their own supplies rapidly dwindled, and they frequently checked the nearby villages for survivors. Many were injured in the process. Not to mention…" He hesitated before holding up his stump. "He and Miss Alicia there… after a battle, they raced back to tend to us in the field. The enemy. The soldiers who fought and killed their own. It's unthinkable, in a way. It's hell, both sides suffer, and no one does anything about it. Yet they still came out. They still saved us. They let us stay in their infirmaries until we were healed enough to go home. My best friend is still there, finally healing when all logic says he should've died in a ditch. That I should've died with a rotten arm." The flood of words faltered and he tucked his stump behind his back. "Lord Sigurd promised he would speak with you. He doesn't want war. He just wants to know what the hell is going on…" He trailed off then, the words drying up.

"Yes, that's correct!" However, Lady Edain took advantage of the end to press her own verbal attack. "I told you before, Prince Jamke," she continued, clasping her hands in front of her. "Sigurd only fought to rescue me and my people. He has no interest in invading. He is obligated to learn why the treaty was broken, but there's no need to war for that, is there? Surely, we can speak and find the truth together? Reason with your father?"

"...I am not certain on that..." Crown Prince Jamke muttered, still looking away. Another bit of emotion trickled across his face: frustration. "My father has not heard my words for some time. Not since Sadima arrived." There was that name again. Had Khasar been correct?

"Then let us speak to him together! All of us! Please? I know we can convince him!"

"..." Crown Prince Jamke was silent for a long moment, holding Lady Edain's gaze briefly before focusing on Altan's awkward yet sincere earnestness. Then, and only then, did he sigh and smile bitterly. "Well, when my own people speak so highly, how can I refuse? Much less when victims speak of peace?" He hopped down from the branches at last, landing on the ground as graceful as you please. "Are you so certain Lord Sigurd will negotiate with me? After the flames I sparked to try and drive you all out of the castle?"

"Of course." Lady Edain's smile was brilliantly bright. "He knew I was coming out here, after all. Altan having the same idea was a happy coincidence."

"Then seeing how you are willing to go so far, I will stain my name with treason." Somehow, his smile became even more bitter. "I trust you understand none will hurt my father?"

"I'm certain no one will mind that condition." In contrast to Crown Prince Jamke's bitterness, Lady Edain's happiness rapidly approached smugness. "Thank you, Prince Jamke. I knew you'd prove your people's judgment right." Of course, now we had the awkwardness of trying to figure out how to continue from here. "...Um…" Not even Lady Edain quite knew how. So, I decided to try.

"If you and yours are injured, might we discuss it on the way back?" I asked softly, speaking for the first time since Crown Prince Jamke showed himself. I did my best to keep polite and calm when everyone focused on me, as it was only proper. I did not think even Father Eirik could fault my conduct. "I wish to know what to expect." I'd probably need another room, in light of the fires. I disliked separating them, but I wanted to avoid fights.

At least they would be the last of the wounded, until we pushed forward. It should give me time to replenish some of our stock.


Despite the late and later hour, Sigurd greeted us at the gates, with a warm smile balancing relief and smugness. Lord Quan also met us at the gates, ready to strangle us for not only being so reckless and successfully tricking him, but having the gall to succeed. Some others might have joined the welcoming group, especially considering we brought back not only Crown Prince Jamke, but his closest soldiers. Altan did not join us; he had enough of our craziness for a night and had to deal with his far too curious and adventurous son. I made a point to see him off, and then slipped back into the castle to return to work. By which, I meant I had to quickly check on Lord Shannan as I had missed his late night check-up. It wouldn't be long before I wouldn't have to give him so many, given how much he had improved. In fact, at this rate, he'd soon have no need of me at all.

The thought made me pause my mending, despite how easily and thoughtlessly I usually completed such tasks. It was very deep in the evening now, perhaps closer to morning than night, with most fast asleep in their beds. This was, therefore, the perfect time to take care of the mending, while half-made medicines steeped and settled. Earlier, I had fixed the most salvageable of the blankets from before. But now, desiring a break front the blankets, I adjusted some clothes for Lord Shannan. Perhaps that was why my thoughts turned to how wonderfully his recovery was going. It was a happy thing. As a healer, I loved little more than seeing my patients recover. But it was a little sad, knowing I would not see him once he was better. But that was how it always was. Once someone was healed, they had no need of a healer and went on their way. I would see them off with a smile, as was proper for a healer, and I would not see them again until and unless they were injured and ill once more.

…Now, granted, the army was strange. I saw many who had no need of my skills thanks to the chores list and lessons, as well as everyone's oddities. But even this would end. With Crown Prince Jamke now firmly on our side, this campaign shouldn't last much longer, perhaps only a few more weeks. When it was done, there would no need of me, and I would be sent back to Yngvi, away from everyone. They would continue on, leaving me behind, and I would remain where I have always been. Of course, with my Holy Mark known, things would change, but the basics would stay the same. It was how it always…

A knock on the door startled me, and I looked up from my work to see Sigurd standing in the half-open doorway. "Should you not be asleep?" I asked, setting the half-adjusted clothes on the table beside me. He did not look distressed, merely tired, but… "Is someone injured?"

"I do not know of any newly injured, Alicia," he reassured me immediately, with a smile even. However, he gestured for me to follow him and, confused yet curious, I did. Though I did not know why he would lead me to a nearby balcony. The stars were pretty at this hour, stretched over the world like a blanket, and in the distance, one could see the legendary Spirit Forest, the final barrier to Verdane's castle. "I could, however, redirect your question to you. Shouldn't you be asleep at this unholy hour?"

"You have yet to answer mine."

"True, and that is quite rude of me." He grinned, playful and boyish. I relaxed without thinking about it, even as I remained confused. "To answer your question, I was speaking with Prince Jamke."

"Was it about the initial attack?"

"A little, though truthfully, I worried more for him and wanted to be certain he was settled and certain of his decision." Of course he did. "I figured any answers could wait until the morning, at the earliest. I'm certain Quan would love the chance to make a list." He snickered, and terribly, I had to hide a smile. "This latest bit drove him extra mad. What we've done would be tantamount to suicide many times over in Leonster from my understanding." I imagine it was tantamount to suicide in more places besides there. "And he was so annoyed Edain successfully tricked him." That… might have been my fault. I truly needed to make him some tea. "But since I have answered your question, might you answer mine?"

"I had some medicines steeping and sitting, so I was adjusting some clothes for Lord Shannan. He's almost at a normal weight again." This likely would be the last time I'd need to take them in for him. "The quieter part of the night is the best time to take care of such chores."

"Yet now, I worry on how little you have been sleeping on other nights." In response to his sudden worried frown, I only smiled. "That's not assuaging any worries. In fact, I think they spiked." Well, that was no good. It was a healer's job to ease such things. "Ah, but I've distracted myself from the reason I looked for you in the first place." He held out his hand to me and, without thinking, I placed my hand in his. To my surprise, though, he pulled a handful of bandages from his pocket and pushed my sleeve up to... to cover my Holy Mark once more. "Perhaps I am being pushy, but my assumption is you're much more comfortable with it covered."

"..." I had no idea how to reply. Truthfully, I'd never had anyone wrap it for me before. Even as a small child, Father Eirik had me cover it myself, as a means of reminding me of the weight of the secret. "Do we have the bandages to spare?"

"I remember telling, and showing, you I have a first aid kit in my office. This is from that." This only confused me further. Why use what he'd set aside for himself just to cover my Mark and help me feel more comfortable? "I'll be extra careful for the next few days so I won't need the bandages. Or borrow from Quan. He keeps a first aid kit on hand for similar reasons."

"I see." I could say no more. I couldn't even think of what to say until he had finished tying off the bandage. "I'm… certain you have many questions." How could he not? It was rare for someone with a Holy Mark to hide, and yet…

"Perhaps, but that matters little." He shrugged, smiling softly. "I want no answers you are not willing to give, Alicia. Secrets are often kept for a reason." He meant it. I knew he did. No matter what questions he had or what curiosity wriggled in his head, he would neither ask those questions nor expect answers. He would respect my wish to remain silent and say nothing more of the matter. That was how he was.

Perhaps that was why... I decided to tell him all I knew anyway. "You can guess by the color, but I am Fjalar minor." I couldn't look at him while I spoke, so instead, I looked out to the horizon. I supposed it was a nice view, but I didn't know how to appreciate it. Part of me focused on how much more time my medicines needed to steep. Another feared Father Eirik's reaction when he learned. I knew he would. Given how many had seen, and how gossips worked, I had no doubts it would reach Belhalla itself within the week. "Arvis is my older brother, and Azelle is my younger. Yes, they both know. Azelle and I never met in person before this. His motion sickness prevented him."

"But Arvis has." Despite not looking, I knew he was smiling ruefully. "Ah, I dread the lecture he has prepared for me, taking his two siblings to war as I have."

"He's aware. We actually discussed it, since his visit came after Lady Ethlyn made her offer. I wanted his opinion on whether he thought me capable." I hesitated before adding, "we also discussed why I would want to agree. I have to admit, though I did wish to assist and hoped I could assist more people marching with you, part of me agreed to help Lady Edain. We never met or even seen each other before, but I knew from Azelle's letters, and gossip, how kind she was to my little brother."

"Seems you're a bit of a protective sister in your own right." Sigurd chuckled at that. "No wonder Azelle seized everyone excuse to help you. I imagine he wished to make up for lost time." Indeed, that was the case, and I did enjoy spending what bits of time I could with him. "Since you were in Yngvi and not Velthomer."

"Yes." Now came the hardest part. "My mother was a lady named 'Sunna'. She was Cigyun's best friend and lady in waiting. Arvis often called her 'Sunny' for her bright smile, and how she was the sole light in those dark days." I doubted I needed to elaborate. Rumors of my father's crimes might have died down over the years, but everyone in the nobility had heard of them ten times or more. "Arvis tells me she was protective of him and his mother. Later, when Prince Kurth befriended Cigyun, she protected him too." That was the main thing he said about her. 'She was protective.' She used herself as a shield, and burned herself to keep others warm. "My father raped her during one of those times. I was the result." Based on months, and Arvis's vague memories, it had been around his birthday. It was the only birthday our father didn't ruin. "Like Azelle, my Mark appeared young. I was a year old, and my father was still alive. So, for my safety, I was..." I tried to think and say the most 'tactful' way to describe it, the least damaging. 'Hidden away' would've worked, but those were not the words which bubbled on my tongue. 'Abandoned'. 'Thrown Away'. Those were the words I always associated with my mother.

"So, that's how you ended up in Yngvi." He stepped to my side, though I did not know where he looked. I still couldn't look at him while explaining this. "Arvis, I am guessing, learned of you later."

"Yes, he learned through his mother's journals." Truthfully, I was still surprised he had them. From my understanding, our father had destroyed many things associated with both of our mothers, from portraits to favorite books to even jewelry, before killing himself in a tantrum. "He visits from time to time, when his myriad of duties allowed."

"Ah, so this is why you're not fearful of horses?" It was such an odd observation, and I could not help but glance at him in confusion. He wore a slight, soft smile. "I noticed when we went to check out the abandoned church; you were surprisingly comfortable riding side-saddle. More so than one would expect, since not many outside the nobility have access to horses."

"Was I? You asked me so many times how I was doing I thought I was awkward about it." The teasing slipped out before I could stop it, and his immediate grin meant I didn't regret it in the slightest. "Arvis has taken me for a ride once or twice. It's something he greatly enjoys, even if he doesn't get to do it as often as he likes." I knew why, though. When he was out riding, he wasn't anything but himself. He was not the 'Duke of Velthomer' who inherited ridiculously young. He was just 'Arvis'..

"Huh. I should drag him riding next chance I get then." He sounded, and looked, so nonchalant about it I could not help but laugh a little. "Ah, there's a smile and a laugh." He grinned once more, this time looking distinctly victorious. "I don't believe I've heard you laugh since we met." That was likely the case. I wasn't one for laughing. It was always better if I was silent. "Almost as rare as Arvis's own. It's easy to see how you two are siblings. You act more like him than Azelle, and Azelle grew up with him."

"He did his best to ensure Azelle ended up nothing like him. He wanted him happy and free, or as free as one of Holy Blood can be." Still, I couldn't help but be a little pleased. It was terrible, but I liked he could tell Arvis and I were related, and not simply because of our Holy Blood. "I imagine if I took up his offers to come to Velthomer with him, he'd eventually take the same attitude with me." At least, he would've tried. I'd put my foot down and out-stubborn him once more.

"Would it be too forward if I ask why you did not?"

"After all I've told you, I think that is the least 'forward' thing to wonder about." I was silent for a moment, my mouth going dry as I remembered once more the potential consequences. I needed... to send a letter to Arvis, hopefully before the rumors reached him. I had to warn him. "I don't want to be used, Sigurd. I will not be used. I would rather die than be used to hurt those I care about." I thought briefly of when Prince Munnir took me hostage. If Lady Ayra had not saved me, I would've set us both ablaze to keep Azelle safe and I wouldn't have regretted it. "I also worried for Arvis. He has so many duties, so much stress, and I didn't want to burden him further. Nobles may have wealth and resources, but raising another child when he was barely an adult would have been too much." He would've born it happily, of course. But I couldn't bear it. "My presence would also cause another surge in the gossips about our father. How could it not? It's a delightfully scandalous topic crafted perfectly to tear down one of the highest houses." Arvis still flinched whenever there was so much as a whisper about our father. Time, and stress, wore away the memories, but the reactions, the fear, lingered. "Given how long I was hidden even before Arvis learned of me, I worried too of how the gossips would spin it."

"So, to protect your brothers, you remained hidden. That seems very like you." He made it sound so noble. I was just scared and selfish. "I wish I could promise secrecy, but..."

"Too many people saw." It was kind of him to even offer. "So now, I simply have to deal with the consequences."

"You say that as if you will be alone." His tone was definitely chiding, and he seemed almost put out when I frowned a little. "That's another thing you and Arvis have in common. Too often, you try to walk your paths alone. Take today, for instance. If you had asked, you would've known the infirmaries were already mostly evacuated." It was terrible how much of a point he had there. "Now, granted, it worked out, and it's good we rescued Dew and the others sooner rather than later, but even then, Arden could've come with you." Instead, I got Mister Finn terribly hurt due to my recklessness. "Wait, this is sounding like one of the lectures Eldigan's given me before."

"Somehow, this does not surprise me. I have heard many a tale of your exploits." It was tempting to keep teasing him, a strange thought in of itself. Yet, I felt doing so would be rude in the face of his sincerity. "I do apologize for earlier. I fear… I am unused to asking for help." I learned long ago it would not be given. Only Arvis had even wanted.

"All the more reason to learn how to ask. After all, you're not alone." His smile became rueful. "Now, granted, in this case, I do not know how much help I can be. There's little I can do for gossip and politics. I've neither head nor patience for either. But I can keep you safe. All of us will."

"That is..." What was I supposed to say to that?

Thankfully, he didn't expect a reply. "Ah, we've been out for a bit, haven't we? Think your medicines are ready?"

"...Most likely, they are." It was much better to seize the offered change in conversation. I knew what to say when it came to my duty.

"Then, since I'll still be up for a while, may I assist?" He offered his hand to me again and, like before, I took it without thinking. "Admittedly, I know very little. Mostly only what Oifeye's excitedly told me."

"Has he truly talked of it so much?"

Talk turned to the lessons I gave, and instructions on just what to do, since of course, Sigurd insisted I return to adjusting Lord Shannan's clothes. In turn, he shared stories from his own experiences teaching Lord Oifeye, including a time Lord Oifeye somehow managed to get his sword stuck in the ceiling. They were lighter tales, and they did much for my mood, even if both of us stayed up far too late.


Quan

Class: Duke Knight

Skills: Adept

Holy Blood: Njorun Major

The 22-year-old prince of Leonster, he is a man known more for his pragmatism and loyalty than any chivalry, both traits born from the long war Leonster has waged with Thracia. However, more recently, the rumors speak of how happily married he is, or how much he adores spoiling his little girl.

His Mark stretches across his lower to mid back in a pattern reminiscent of leaves and branches. Due to the blessings of Gaia, the goddess of earth, he has enhanced strength and speed, as well as a resilience to physical damage.

His close friendship with Sigurd and Eldigan is unusual, not the least because of how isolationistic Leonster is, but it is something he treasures dearly and would not give up for anything. Though he frequently likes poking fun at both for the trouble they get into, he is always there to pull them out no matter the cost or danger to himself.


Author's Notes: Well, did this a tad different than before, huh? Thought it would be fun, even if it made me wrack my brain. But yay, we have Jamke, our archer for the first generation! And... er.. Alicia's secret being revealed to the others because... because life. Or something. As usual, all patients are based off patients we've dealt with at the hospital I work at. The anecdote about Ullr is based off a famous exchange the Spartans apparently had with an enemy. (Mild thing of while I do research to try and make things make as much sense as possible, please remember Alicia lives in a fictional world with fictional plants and magic and some things she does for her patients may or may not have equivalents in the real world.)