Louise de la Valliere, Eighth Dragon of Halkegenia

by Gallian Squad 7

Or that's how history knows her. Demon-Slayer, Peace Maker, Champion of Nations, Archon. History knows her as a champion and leader of the world in the darkest of times, alongside her lovers. What most don't know is that the savior was once an abject failure. It was on her last chance, upon the edge of despair, that her life changed. And with it, history. LouisexYuri!Harem

14. Flight to Albion

A bloody Pit Lord.

Of all the rancid, pox-ridden hellscourge to crawl out of Sheogh, it had to be this one.

Neb growled deep in every throat he had, backing slow and careful from the advancing demon. Its cackling malice, rumbling from a throat near bursting with flame, filled the air between the crack and clack of their claws, each matching the other. One step back, one step forward, a tense dance.

The hydra's gaze, though, was ever on the Pit Lord's sword. Smoking from profane magics, glowing with the very heat of its forging trapped into the blade. A Vorpal Blade was no mere weapon to the demons. It was a sign, a status symbol. To hold it was to be marked as one that could fight and win against even the fiercest of foes. The kind that could land a scratch on the greatest of champions.

And that was all it needed, for the cursed blade to kill. For it did not strike merely at flesh. No, it smote the very thread holding spirit to body. Not even a hydra could simply regenerate through such a wound of the being, nothing could. Only the strongest and most sanctified of Elrath's magic could retie that thread, and Neb wasn't feeling in a particularly blessed mood here in the deserted streets of La Rochelle.

"Why so scared?" The demon taunted as it slinked and strode along, hooves cracking against the stone of the street whilst its claws screeched on the walls. "You spoke of such… 'grand' ideas for the master… Surely, a Firstborn isn't so cowardly as to run?"

Neb's only answer was to snarl and curl his necks in preparation. He had to be absolutely on top of every single motion he made. If that blade so much as met his scales, it would be over. And he'd not let this creature of raw malice have the run of this city, not least of all because the nestlings were still in it. Carefully, keep backing away, watch for even the slightest movement…

The demon's claws dragged another shrieking squeal from the stone of the next building they passed, obsidian claws cleaving through it with little issue. The claws, the teeth, the hooves and fire… those Neb could deal with. But there was no Fiend that ever earned that sword it held and dragged against the ground easily. Disarming it and going for the throat were about the only sure-fire ways of winning this…

"And here I thought the master was being rightfully cautious with you." The demon whose name Neb refused to so much as think chuffed. "But look at you. Backing down and all but looking for a reason to run. How delicious it would be, to see what such a sight would bring if… Oh, say, those you rescued were to see it?"

Neb refused to rise to the taunt, even as his scales rose ever so. Not quite like the hackles of the dire wolves, but close enough. The demon just laughed, flame licking at black flesh as those malice-born eyes flickered with glee. "Oh yes, I do enjoy this… let's have some fun with you first…"

And that was all the warning Neb got before miasma rose from its armored fore-arms, flaming sigils of a cursed tongue flaring to life along the length of its blade. A roar to quail the hearts of the brave shattered the still air, flame answering its call and roaring forth from its off-hand. A fireball, one of the demon's favored spells of wanton destruction and surging right at the hydra!

"Hydrus!" Neb spat, water flowing and shifting from the nearby collection barrels. He'd chosen this route for a reason, passing by so many of them on his search. Retracing his steps would at least stop this first blow, as the water surged up into a frothing wave that crashed over the flame. But he couldn't be idle, leaping back from the explosion of steam with all the strength he had. A whistle pierced his ear as the steam rolled over his scales, the scalding heat nothing as he felt the air part mere inches from one of his necks. Heart hammering like it hadn't in centuries, he could only praise his own forethought in getting back into shape for keeping himself alive.

That slash had been the blade, the demon surging through the steam to strike at his shadow. If he hadn't leapt back, that would've spelled the end. As the demon wrenched its Vorpal Blade from the wall… Neb did the smart thing and ran.

The demon had chosen its battleground as only a creature of cruel cunning could. Neb's sheer bulk took up most of the street as was, and his numerous heads made for rich targets in such a confined environment. If he didn't beat claw and find somewhere more open, or somehow manage to lose the demon, it was only a matter of time. The demon knew it too, its roar shaking dust from mortar as it gave immediate chase. Neb couldn't hope to truly outrun in, such an idea was ludicrous. It had stamina born of endless desire for death, and dark magics bolstered its legs. Not quite to the extent they would back home, no, but Neb wasn't taking chances that those same enchantments were weakened on the blade.

"Fight like the champions you taught!" The demon roared as it raced after him, claws and hooves digging into the stone and mortar around it as it gave chase. Blasphemous words called another blast of fire, ripping across the air like a dark comet. Neb jerked two of his heads aside, forcing it to pass and slam into the corner of a building up ahead, the blast blowing it apart. Shrapnel rained on the hydra as he skidded against the ground, sparks flying from his claws as they dragged for grip, anchoring him for a moment to slide on his belly with a groaning hiss. Momentum changed, he released his grip as the demon's blade came down, impaling the stone he'd once gripped.

The swift change in direction let him start lumbering along, using his gait and striding run to get more speed than he'd get just trying to sprint. Less tiring too, and he'd need every drop of energy if he was going to face this thing down and live. Just a little… bit…

WHAM

He had to duck aside, a shriek ripping from his throats as a blast slammed into the road beside him.

WHAMWHAMWHAMWHAM

Multiple more, explosions and fire roaring into being around him as flaming stone rained and hissed around him, the demon behind roaring and hissing after him as it gave untiring chase. A Meteor Swarm, albeit a much smaller scale, made to impede and burn. He could feel the heat and flame searing into his scales, but he couldn't stumble for even a moment. Even with his gait-based run, he was much slower than the demon, and he'd be caught at the slightest hitch.

The spark-birthing claws of his pursuer were getting closer, he could hear them over the ringing of the blasts. Drawing his tail up and around, he slammed it against the road as his rear-legs hit the pavement, cracking it to dust and shrapnel that only served to make the demon angry as it powered through the cloud.

But it was enough. With a hissing cry, Neb burst into a plaza as deserted as the rest of the city thus far. If he had to guess, the commotion with the hellhounds that Wardes told him about had sent everyone with half a brain scrambling to higher ground… which meant he could work against this fiend of the pit.

Striding to the center, he dug his claws in and skidded to a halt, using his momentum to spin across the stone and face the demon as it roared into the area, still charging at him with raw hatred fueling every step. But that was always the weakness of those born of Sheogh. Rage was their fuel, their master. Only those that truly mastered it rose to become Lords, and this one was most certainly not a Lord.

Here in this plaza, with room to work and no living collateral to deal with? Neb's maws grinned evil grins, claws digging into the ground as a special surprise he'd been working on in these last months made themselves known. Carefully made circle-runes, painstakingly carved into the palms of his claws worked their purpose, what ambient magic he could sense drawn in and given very specific purpose.

He had no hope facing a Pit Lord in head-to-head combat, so he did what any clever hydra did when the odds were stacked against him.

He cheated.

The magic flowed into the pavement, spreading beneath the stone and gripping the earth. A twist of his claws, right as the Pit Lord was upon him and raising his claws in a two-handed grip of the Vorpal Blade, looking to rend his soul from his body in one stroke. Rage saw only a tired, ancient, half-dead hydra waiting to die.

It did not see the eruption of stone and soil that ripped out from beneath its feet, knocking it off balance and impaling one of its arms. It roared in confusion, rage renewed, and agony as it wrenched the blade out of its impaled arm.

But then roared no more as Neb struck, two maws to its throat, two to its freed arm, and two more to its leg. Fangs sank into infernal flesh, blood so hot as to boil against tongue and stone flowing free as Neb bodily ripped the demon into the air with a harsh hiss. With his mouths full, he could say nothing as muscle tensed and bunched, even as the fiend's claws hacked and hoof kicked, bone cracking and hide rent by each strike. Neb just pushed through the pain and began to thrash the demon like a rat terrier with a rat, pulling and twisting and shredding at the burning flesh even as his tongues began to black and his gums burned down to their nerves.

With a wordless roar, he pulled with all the sheer strength he could manage, every last fiber of his being and chord of muscle taut beneath his hide as he tore and pulled…

A final scream of rage ripped from the Pit Lord's throat before Neb finally crushed it, and in that motion, pulled it apart with wet, boiling tears. Into thirds was it ripped and slaughtered, claw and hoof striking at Neb for several more seconds before at last the flame in it died and the demon went limp. With it, the runes in its blade died and it became just another hunk of metal. Spitting the corpse out, where it swiftly began to dissolve into ash, Neb worked his jaw and necks. The claws had near hacked through one of his necks and he could feel more than a few ribs and vertebrae shattered from the hoof strikes. And he didn't want to think on how many burns he'd suffered just attacking it.

He didn't even have any tongues to speak with either. Regrowing these was never fun, and it'd take hours to regrow all the muscles and nerves that had been killed by the heat. All he could do for now was glare at the ashen remains and look at the trail of destruction it had rained on the way here. A single Pit Lord had, just by chasing him, leveled an entire district it looked like. Running after prey made them less accurate, that much he knew, but damn… it was good the city was mostly carved from stone. Otherwise, the damage could've been much worse.

A chuffing growl rose in his throat and he abandoned the plaza, loping back into his gaping stride as best he could with the broken bones in his chest. He had to make the tree and get onto the ship before it departed, or he'd have a hell of a time trying to catch up with all the fledglings.

And with what they just went through, he really wasn't keen on leaving them alone.

Neb turned the next corner, pulling himself into sight of the tree.

And just in time to see the ship on its bare, upper branches pulling away from its moorings.

…

"BASTARD-BRED PUS SLATTERN!"

-Louise-

A gasp filled burning lungs and Louise awoke with a groan. Cold knives ripped at her cheeks and nose, howling in her ears and whipping her hair around like a living creature. Bleary vision barely had a moment to take in a realm of passing grey and black before white filled it, then eyes of grey… she couldn't hear anything over the howl of the wind. There was a mouth, and it was moving, but nothing made it through over the howl of… wind, that's what the cold knives were. Harsh winds and the pounding thunder of her own heartbeat…

She felt the urge, strong and seductive, simply to close her eyes and surrender to dreamless oblivion once more. Nearly gave into it too, as the sounds began to fade…

'Bastard-Bred Pus Slattern!'

Her head rocketed forward, colliding with the one speaking to her in a flash of stars and throbbing pain, words ripped out of her throat as if commanded from on high. "LANGUAGE!"

Then a mewl of pain, hissing as stiff arms rose to rub cold gloves against her aching forehead. Gods, what… where were…?

"Louise!" That voice finally broke through. "Calm yourself, everything's fine! We're on the ship to Albion as we speak, you've been seen to and everyone's safe!

Louise grunted and mewled a few more vague noises before finally opening her eyes again. She wasn't sure if that jolt to the head had woken her fully, or whatever that 'noise' in her mind was had done it… but here she was. Staring at Wardes, who was giving her no small frown of concern, and…

"Oh… Oh Founder… what?"

Wardes, welt prominent on his own forehead, stroked her cheek comfortingly, even though the cold of his gloves made her shiver. "You all took quite the beating, and willpower depletion bordering on total exhaustion. Those… things, that attacked La Rochelle. They're responsible for your state, and for that I can only apologize. Had I not gone off ahead to secure us a ship, this whole mess may well have been prevented."

Louise blinked and worked her jaw, lips cracked and dry. "It's… it's no… no one's fault, Sir Wardes… None… none of us…"

He stroked her cheek again, warmer but still cold against her skin. "No need to speak, Sweet Louise. It's thanks to you and your friends that we're on our way to Albion in the first place. It'll be a few days before we arrive, so take the time and recuperate. Trust someone who's gotten his fair share of wounds, it's worth its weight in gold."

She felt a pat on her shoulder, not sure which, before she felt weightless. Lucid, if only by the loosest definition, she could only just make out what looked to be… a deck. Yes, a deck, with masts and… barrels and boxes and crates… oh, there was Leonidas, but…

Before she could hope to crane her head, the deck vanished behind a wooden door. With it, much of the cold wind vanished, and she could feel the aching chill against her skin and down to her very bones. She wanted to shiver but found herself unable to manage more than a tremble, so tired and leaden her limbs were. She could scarce recall if ever she'd felt such exhaustion and managed to be capable of even the smallest thought.

It was a struggle to even hold onto her thoughts, such as they were. Questions, wonderings, trying to gather the shards of a fragmented memory and glue it back together with what amounted to mud and quicklime. By the time she even managed to focus on the outside world, she was alone once more in a two-bed cabin with only a small lamp for light. Shadows danced and writhed in the flicker of the flame, and she'd swear fanged maws grew from them. Claws and blades and all manner of horror rising forth, only to be dashed as the flame flickered again.

She licked her dry lips and gave the room another look. There… was a small table, a chest beneath it… oh, good, their reagent chest… and praise all of creation, there was a waterskin too. She strained, gritting her teeth as she commanded and all but forced her aching core to pull her from the cot she'd been laid in. The pain, the ache, gave her something to focus on and granted just that bit clearer of vision. The cabin held two bunked cots, her on the bottom. She wasn't sure if there was anyone above, but right now, she did not care. Her hindbrain saw that waterskin, all but felt the slosh of its liquid relief as the cabin swayed ever so and wanted it. Wanted it more than Louise had ever wanted something in all her life.

Straining, aching, fire in every twitch of muscle that was screaming to just lay down and rest. Inch by inch, even as she tumbled out of the cot and smacked into the floor with a jolt and a cry of misery. She clawed at the floor, pulling and crawling… reaching…

Her hand finds the edge of the table and she works a force of herculean will just to sit up and settle her chin on the edge. The waterskin was right there, so close, she could almost touch it…

Then it was gone, and never had she wailed such a pitiful cry of despair in all her existence. She'd knocked it off the table in her reach for relief, and now she flopped onto the ground trying to get at it. If she had even a bit of water left in her system, she'd be weeping, so blue was her mind and so deep her wants. That waterskin was more important right this minute than her family, her friends, or her country.

As her fingers just barely grabbed it, nails cracked and worn from tight grips and the damage of the day, she felt vindication. A cry of euphoria squeaked past her throat as she pulled it to her lips and tugged at the stopper with her teeth. Once, twice, barely any grip in her fingers to work against.

Pop!

Louise didn't know what heaven felt like, but she'd swear up and down from then to doomsday that it felt like cool water pouring from that water skin down her parched throat. There were no words to describe what she felt run through her in that moment, as her desperate thirst was quenched. Relief, euphoria, bliss, none of them seemed to come close with how in love she was with that waterskin. Nor was there a word to match the pit of black despair that opened in her gut when she tried to guzzle down more and found not one more drop left in it.

She flopped onto her side and, for a time, took time to weep for such a travesty. Wept for things she could not name in that moment, could not remember, yet she wept. Wept and wailed and cried and sobbed into the floor. Tears never came, not with how much she craved even one more drop of water, but her cries stilled eventually. And with her storming emotions exhausted, she looked around dizzily, trying to see if she could make it back to her cot…

"…Lou…ise?"

Blinking, dizzy eyes turned to the voice. Up there, high and far away from her spot on the floor. Louise had to squint and press the back of her head against the cool wood of the floor before her vision stopped swimming enough to… oh… that familiar blue hair…

"Tabby…" She croaked, voice raspy and cracked. "You're… you… ok…?"

Tabitha's exhausted, pale face appeared at the edge of the top cot, glasses gone and her eyes squinting just to see Louise. Slowly, she nodded, as if to herself as much as to Louise's question. "…Yes… tired and… dizzy but… ok… you?"

"Thirsty…" Louise said with a groan as she forced her rebelling muscles to sit her up. "Tired… don't want to be anywhere right now…"

Tabitha coughed and turned her head away, more rocking her body in tiny shakes. A hard swallow and she looked back, panting low and heavy. "Same… hurting… pretty bad… Kirche and… Siesta they're… in the infirmary, they… they're ok now, but…"

She started to hack and cough again, Louise falling onto her hands and crawling with agonizing slowness towards her cot. For all her determination to get up there and thank Tabby for the news, she… just couldn't. Not, not now…

"Thank you…" Louise managed to force out of her tightening throat. Founder but it hurt to speak. "I… thank you, Tabby… rest, please… we all need… to rest…"

Tabitha moved to try and reach down, to help Louise up, but her arm went limp before it was fully over the edge. She had nothing left to give. Louise could only whimper in pain as she hauled herself up onto the cot, Tabitha surrendering to exhaustion and passing out above her. All she could do, as darkness closed in at the edge of her vision, was reach up…

And grip Tabby's hand, as her dear friend rolled just enough in her exhausted rest for her arm to flop free of the cot. A squeeze, a promise that they'd speak in the morning… and she was gone too. To dreamless oblivion once again.

-Hours Later-

When she awoke again, Louise desperately wanted nothing more than to return to sleep. Her entire being hurt, from the tips of her toes to the crown of her head and all the way to the depths of her soul. All was pain and all was suffering, no matter what balm or healing the Founder would ever deign grant unto the mortal world. And even if she was being dramatic, the ache and pain of even the smallest motion was enough to make her groan.

But she was, for the first time, alert. Alert since the fire had seared into her side and all the world had been shattered. When she'd been shattered, thrown from on high and cast to the stone alley below. Alert and able to piece together what little she had. What little she could grab from flashes of consciousness, flashes of words and actions…

She wanted to scream. To rage and thrash and beat on the cot with all the wrath her body could muster. They'd done it again. Gone and gotten into a bad situation, made bad decisions, and damn near got themselves killed! They'd sworn not to, not after the bandits, and now look at this! Here she was, lied up in a cot in a windowless and black room. The light long gone out and the pained breath of her burning lungs all to keep her company beyond the faint whisper of Tabby's own.

What a gong-show! They'd charged in without all the information, damn near got Siesta and Monmon killed, then the forsaken hounds showed up! Everything seemed set and able to kill them at a moment's notice if they so much as left Neb's sight! She had half a mind to rage out of here and go beat Guiche to the edge of death too, for disappearing on them!

But her rage was a flash in the pain compared to the ache of her muscles and joints, forcing her to lay back with another harsh groan. The room was nearly black, only a thin line of light creating a beacon to where the door was. Gods… were, were they on the ship…?

"Hey, Pinkie!" Came a harsh whisper by her head. "It's me, Derf! Tall and grey put me in 'ere with ya. You looked like shit when the light went out, ya still lookin like shit?"

She snarled at him, even though she knew he couldn't see her. "What do you think you rusted toothpick?! The only reason I don't hammer into you with-!"

She coughs and hacks hard for several seconds before getting her breath back, heaving and wheezing. "…Shit. I feel like shit, I look like shit… nothing more to it."

"And she speaks honestly fer once in her life." Derf cracked, darkness saving him from a retaliatory slap at his guard. "But seriously girly, yer lucky ye ain't crippled. Was right 'ere when you hit that pavement. Pretty sure based on all that snapping I heard you broke most everythin on that side. All rights say you shouldn't have been able to do anything after that, but by golley that Montmorency listened during the medicine lessons."

Louise's temper cooled a degree at that. Her entire body shivered to be reminded of that, the pain that had coursed through her like liquid fire, seeing her own blood run into the street… The mangled sight of her body broken and torn in ways it was never meant to be…

"Same wit that cap'in here. Don' know what he's seen, but moment you lot got dropped and dragged into that infirmary, he worked some real magic. Ring's his foci I think, healed you all to the point you'd just be sore as hell. Even managed to get the poor fire-brand's skin unfused from her armor, so we got a square mage on 'ere."

Louise would've shot up if her muscles were at all willing to listen to her. "A square?! If he's a square mage, why in all the world did his face ring not a single bell?! We know most every square in the world by reputation alone!"

She almost heard Derf do his version of a shrug. "Dunno, probably one of them rogues that cast off there old name fer one reason or another. Either way, he's got us flyin to Albion and got you all back from the brink of permanent disability. Thinkin you need to thank him fer such a kindness if'n you ask me."

Louise huffed and stewed in the darkness for several long moments of silence.

"…Ye can't move, can ye?"

"What was your first clue?" She snapped at him, barely able to turn her head. "I'm sore as all get out. Haven't felt like this since the first time I managed to run all of Neb's laps. I can already hear him lecturing us for doing such a poor Founder-damned job."

"Well, I haven't seen him." Derf drawled, lacking any form of sympathy and infuriating Louise further. "But I was also shoved up against a griffin until one of the crew took me in 'ere when we were getting ready to take off. Probably missed him as he thundered aboard."

Louise looked to snark some manner of acidic reply, but she paused. Neb hadn't already been aboard when they were getting ready to take off? That didn't seem right at all… She could be overthinking things, but at the same time…

Something clicked in her mind and her entire body was almost swallowed by the pit that opened in her stomach. "I NEVER SAID HOW BIG OUR PARTY WAS, OH FUCK!"

The sudden shout woke Tabitha something fierce, her friend jolting in the cot above. Enough apparently that it sent her out of the cot, a dull thud and low groan from the floor saying as much.

"OH SHIT, TABBY! I'M SO SORRY!"

Another groan from below. "…Cold floor… feels kinda nice… leave me here…"

Louise heaved a sigh of relief. "Founder but you didn't wake up funny. Can… can you move?"

"…Little… dark in here…"

Louise would've given her a look so flat as to level land were she able to see her friend on the ground. "Then call some light! I know you don't need a wand for it anymore!"

Tabitha grumbled something under her breath, doubtlessly casting doubt upon Louise's honor, before a blue light bloomed just below the lip of the cot. "…Ok… can see now."

"Good! Now just… get me a stick or your staff or something so I can waddle out of here."

Tabitha groaned again and very, very slowly managed to drag herself up to lay her chin on the cot. She looked like Louise felt, haggard and tired and altogether just not wanting to be conscious. "You… can't move though… and I can't… move the best either…"

"You can move at all." Louise sighed, twitching her fingers a bit only to hiss. "Now just… I know it's asking a lot, but just drag me out of this cot please."

Tabitha made a noise in the back of her throat and tried to. She really did, even got her hands around Louise's opposite arm and gave it the best pull she could heavenly manage. All it got was turning Louise up onto her side.

With a noise of frustration, Louise commanded herself to roll further, a searing line of fire blazing to life in her back and making her cry out in pain as she toppled over. Right into Tabitha, arms caught, with enough momentum to send them both to the floor this time. In a tangle of pain, groans, and altogether bitter sentiments of each other's lineages spilling past their lips.

It was at this point the door to the cabin opened once more and a low whistle pierced their ears. "Should I come back later little ladies? You're lookin mighty comfortable there in each other's embrace."

The tangled pair, with light aplenty now atop Tabitha's own, loosed groans of pain and abject misery for a moment. Then blinked as their sight adjusted and found each other not a few inches from sealing a kiss. A silent moment passed between them, flush spreading over both from neck to forehead until they were pink as Louise's hair.

The speaker chuckled and boots sounded on the wooden floor before gentle hands untangled them. "Sorry, sorry. Couldn't help a bit of teasing, but I shouldn't do that for the wounded and tired. Let's get you both sat on the cot."

Louise and Tabitha looked resolutely away from each other, steam pouring from their ears as they sat in mortified silence. Had either of them so much as tried to struggle, that would've been the end of their chastity and any chance of getting properly married! A downright horrible thing when one of them had a fiancé on board!

Their erstwhile rescuer, once sure both were sat and not liable to tip over, turned the chair about and took a seat. He was a decidedly handsome man of blonde hair and blue eyes with a bit of a roguish charm to him. A charm sealed in the small smirk he wore, a cap twirling on one finger while he leaned against the chair-back. "So! You are two of the lovely ladies so decidedly determined to throw yourselves into the cauldron of misery that is Albion. I won't ask your exact reasons for it, but surely you're not glory seekers. Seem a bit too put together compared to that ilk."

Louise just had to retort to that. "Put together? What gave you that impression? The broken bones, scars, or being near crippled?"

"The burns really." He riposted with nary a pause to think. "That and you're alive. An ambush like that, but you manage to get to the ship on time. Sure, took some knight on a griffon to get you here, but after all the chaos erupting in La Rochelle? You've all got some guts and skill to make it to the point of even being rescued."

Louise huffed and looked away. With her not looking to answer anytime soon, and not wanting to leave an awkward silence hanging, Tabitha bucked up and spoke. "…Who… are you?"

The man's grin turned a bit lopsided. "First-Mate Wales, at your service. Mom had a bit of a cruel sense of humor, wanted me to have a 'dignified' name, so she decided to go with the prince of Albion himself. What's more dignified than that, right?"

Tabitha frowned, trying to think on something, but her brain refused to shake off the cobwebs and get in gear. "…I guess so… and why are… you in here?"

"Well!" He leaned back, grin righting. "That's because I heard a right commotion while walking down the hall and just had to see what was going on! Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to find you both squirming about on the floor in agony!"

Then a bit of a joking glint to the eye. "Or was I perhaps interrupting something?"

Both girls lit up pink at the insinuation, Louise instantly energetic and pointing imperiously at him. For all of a moment before her muscles started screaming and she had to put it down with a whine she hoped sounded more like a growl. "Shut up! We're friends and sisters-in-arms, don't you dare make such lecherous comments ever again!"

Wales just chuckled and winked. "I'm already taken, so worry not. I'm not going to be moving in on any territory or making too many off-color jokes. You've all gotten enough scars to let me extend that much to you."

He sits back in the chair. "But all levity aside, none of you are in a good state. Your friend's work saved all of you from being crippled or otherwise permanently scarred by and large, but it was a close thing. I had to put in my own few hours of work to get your much taller friend unfused from some of the parts of her armor. I'd bet budget was a concern in getting those runes worked into it, but if you don't have it everywhere, something fails. In this case, all is well and we've gotten most of your salvaged gear organized for you. Repaired too, no charge. Think of it as a 'welcome aboard' gift."

Louise worked her jaw like a gaping fish for several seconds, processing his sudden change in demeanor and summary of just how close they'd come to disaster! Eventually, she settled for grudging acceptance. "Your… generosity is appreciated. We'll be sure to pay the favor back at a later date, but I for one want to see everyone. I won't believe you're not scoundrels taking advantage of us until I do."

Wales stood with a grace that belied his easy-going grin. "Always nice to see someone with good sense. Would you like to come as well, Lady Tabitha?"

Tabitha shook her head slowly. "Tired… sore and a bit nauseous too… I'll just lay down and rest please…"

Louise lost her steely indignation for a more sympathetic frown. "Alright Tabby, you get plenty of rest. I'll be back to check on you as quick as I can, promise."

Floppy arms, still stinging with bits of pain, do their best to give Tabitha a hug, and the poor girl does her best to return it, but they just end up tangled together again. Much to Wales's amusement, though he keeps it to a sharkish smirk as they babble their way out of the tangle and steadfastly refuse to look at one another.

Once that is settled, Tabitha takes over Louise's old cot and is swiftly sawing logs. She was exhausted after all, and water-based healing or no, she needed her rest. Louise wasn't one to begrudge that, but… there was just something so sad about seeing Tabby like that. A kind of tired deeper than it had been since they'd first started training.

Founder but that felt a lifetime ago.

She shook her head clear of the thought as she left the room behind and started to follow Wales through the ship. It was a dark place under the deck, lanterns having to light the way through halls and closed doors. Wales moved through it as if born to the ship, which she supposed he was in some way, but he was dodging things she didn't even notice until she tripped on them! What did they need all that rope for anyway?!

Blessedly however, the darkness began to lighten and she found stairs under her feet. Wales was only just before her, reaching up to push against something and-

"AGH IT BURNS!"

She got stabbed right in the eyes by dagger-shaped beams of light, the sudden entrance of sunlight burning straight through her corneas to play as devils upon her retinas. She couldn't close her eyes fast enough to avoid the sudden pain, and she stumbled backwards. It would've sent her tumbling and banging down the stairs again, but someone grabbed her wrist and caught her. Pretty sure it was Wales, and his query after her health proved it.

"I'm ok…" She ground and growled through her pulsing eye-pain. "Should've expected that. Just, gimme a minute."

Wales laughed and guided her blind self to sit on what she was pretty sure was a crate. "All is well. We're at least two days out from Albion as is, given the need to… go around the current blockade. Feel free to explore the ship at your leisure, you paid to be on it after all."

Louise grumbled something or other and heard his footsteps fade away. There was the general chatter of crew and the creak of rigging to fill her ears instead, but that wasn't interesting. No, now that she felt the pain begin to fade, she was far more interested in listening for two things in particular. Leonidas's wingbeats, or the tell-tale thud of Neb walking over to dress her down for a disaster of a time in La Rochelle.

One she heard quickly, out past what the edge of the sky-ship would be. Doubtless flying out on patrol, based on how it was slowly fading. But she did not hear the second… nor did she hear the usual sounds of rushing wind that supposedly plagued the open decks of all but the most prestigious ships. Being up in the sky made for strong winds after all… so what was this crew of smugglers doing with enough wind-stones to completely scythe through the wind-currents like a schooner on the sea?

"You're answering your own questions." Louise muttered to herself as she slowly opened her eyes, barely able to see in exchange for not getting them gouged out. "Of course they have enough wind-stones. If they were as dependent on the currents to get through as the rebel navy, they'd never be smuggling to start with."

A few more blinks let her see vague shapes against far too bright outlines, white glare washing away all color. The ship itself had… three masts, from what she could tell. A lot of thrust for the entire thing in the right gale, but that would make this thing a good sight bigger than most of the others in the rebel navy. Had the smugglers managed to steal a full-rigged ship from the navy before the war began?

She blinked a bit more and color began to resolve. The stained wood of the deck, the worn and chipped paint of the railings, the white of the great sails above, the numerous serpentine strings of rope and knots. This was a pretty big ship alright, it even had a very finely decorated quarterdeck that she must've been guided out of onto the deck proper. But geez, where was… no, no it couldn't be…

"Louise!"

A blur of dark colors entered her vision and swiftly took up all she could see, bright blue eyes shining with tears turning into a nearly weeping Siesta. The poor handmaid looked a lot better than she had last Louise had seen her, color back in her skin and moving much better. But that was about all she could tell before she was pulled into a strong embrace and Siesta buried her nose in Louise's shoulder.

"Founder, I'm so sorry!" Siesta wailed into her lady's shoulder. "I was an idiot and ran into a whole alley of enemies, then made my wounds worse, then I couldn't help and and and… aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…."

Louise floundered and blubbered in confusion for several seconds, mostly trying to figure out what in the world she could say to get Siesta to calm down and stop trying to crush her poor, smaller body like so much parchment! However, as the tears began to calm on their own and Siesta could only sniffle, Louse gave up. She hugged Siesta back, one arm around her friend's back to hold her in place at the shoulder while the other stroked soothingly from her shoulder to her mid-back. "It's ok, Siesta, it's ok. We all screwed up during that… complete disaster. You did the best of all of us, don't be ashamed."

Siesta swallowed, thick and trying to force words past the emotions raging in her throat. "B…but I… I was a liability! When… when those things came at us I… I couldn't do anything! I got hurt doing… doing something so stupid, then you got thrown off the building and… and…"

She starts sobbing again, the vision her words conjured driving her to tears. Louise kept up stroking her back, shooting glares over Siesta's shoulders whenever she spotted a crewman staring at them for whatever reason until they got the hint. Once that was taken care of, she tried again. "Siesta, listen to me. You're not at fault any more than any of us were. I wasn't quick enough to figure out the ambush, Tabby was too surprised to conjure the ice sooner, and so on… But we're alive, right? We're ok, we're on our way. We'll learn from this and be that much better, I promise."

Siesta swallowed hard, sucking in a deep breath to try and steady herself. "…Ok, ok… I'm ok now. I… I'm just so glad to see you up, Louise. You're the first one to come up on deck since we all got brought on board…"

Louise nodded and squeezed Siesta a final time before slowly pushing her to a more comfortable arm's length away. "Everyone's exhausted, Siesta. I'm barely suppressing enough sore achiness to lay me out for another day as is. Only reason I can is finding out everyone's where they should be. So… where's Kirche? Monmon and Guiche? Our poor, overworked familiars having to save our lives time and again?"

Siesta pursed her lips and clasped her hands in front of herself, a sure sign she was about to give Louise news she wasn't going to like. "I woke up in a bunkroom with Kirche on the cot below me. She was sleeping soundly, and I didn't want to disturb her while I… scouted a bit. I found Guiche and Monmon in the room beside ours, and placed in a compromising position, likely done by the crew on purpose. I moved them to separate cots to save Guiche the pain of a rude awakening."

Louise nodded. "He saved our skins down there, I think a peaceful waking is the least of what he earned. And Siesta, I'm not asking you for a full report, just… is everyone ok?"

Siesta sighed, some of her own exhaustion showing now. "Sylphid's been assisting Sir Wardes and Leonidas on their patrols for the ship. So far, she's not strayed from the ship very long, but if Tabitha wakes soon, she'll be eager to prove herself. Verdandi and Robin are keeping with their masters right now, and even helped me move them into separate cots. Flame's making the best of things and helping in the galley, so he's about as popular as anyone."

Her eyes shifted and Louise just knew the worst part of the news was coming. She always looked down and to the left when she was about to give it. "Neb… the creatures were attacking the docks too and… the captain ordered us into the air the moment we landed. None of us were lucid and Sir Wardes couldn't convince him with the ship at risk from the attacks."

"…He got left behind." Louise finished, going numb instantly. "…We're going into a warzone without one of our best."

Siesta fidgeted with her hands before daringly taking Louise's own to squeeze. "Milady, I know it's about the worst news, but he'll join us in time. Until then… we just have to learn, like you said. I promise, here and now, that I'll be as careful as I humanly can. If need be, I'll be your shadow and never leave your side."

Louise took one deep breath. Exhale… then another… exhale… in… and out… in… and out.

A little bit of meditation to get her head back in the game. "You're… you're right, I'm sorry. I felt him earlier, so… he's still out there. Probably running down the nearest dragon to get him after us."

That managed to get a smile on Siesta's lips. "Doubtless… And we'll have to do all we can to make sure he can lambast us for being moronic students."

Louise managed one as well. "Yeah… I'm ok here for now, Siesta. We're all going to take the trip there to recover, so don't feel the need to hang around me if you don't need to. Get some rest."

Siesta remained where she was and Louise had to wheeze a laugh, soreness once forgotten rising again. "Founder… but you're stubborn as always. Fine, fine… stay if you like. Just know that I'm not going to be moving all that much for a bit yet."

Siesta shrugged and took a seat beside Louise, idly pulling out one of her knives. Had she not disarmed herself being on the ship? Paranoid, but properly so. "With how much injury you suffered, I'm earnestly amazed you're whole... I… I could barely bear to look at you, when we got down to see if you were… alive…"

Louise bit at her lip and squeezed her hands in her lap. "I… don't remember too much of it. After I hit the ground, it's all black. All I really remember is… coming to, just long enough to see how mangled I was, only to pass out again. Next, I was lucid, Wardes was untying me from Leonidas…"

Siesta sighed. "Then I'd best fill you in on what happened while you were under…"

She gave the best summary she could until her own injuries and blood-loss had forced her unconscious. It was far from a graceful or even somewhat ordered retreat, given everything, and Louise had to squeeze her nose. "Wow… we really screwed up."

"In fairness, we'd been ambushed by more than just mercenaries." Siesta tried to soothe, sensing Louise's urge to blame herself rising. "Those… horrid creatures roared in from nowhere. And from what Guiche was telling us before he went to secure the area, a great many of them had appeared in La Rochelle. We had to run because the guard came and we couldn't miss the ship, not anything that could be construed as your fault."

Louise grunted and scowled to herself, feeling the scar that crossed her face throb beneath the… foundation… "Siesta… do I have my makeup on?"

Her handmaid blinked at the sudden question. "Um, not anymore…? Landing in the water that Monmon conjured washed part of it away, and the treatment did away with most that remained. About all that managed to survive was a stripe covering… your scar."

Louise relaxed with a great sigh. "Oh… I see… well, I should try and… pay the favor back. Just let me… woo… get my breath back…"

Siesta patted her shoulder, both too tired for any stand on formality. "I'll not start the argument again, but I don't think you lesser for having the scar. And don't try to repay the favor when you're probably only a single spell from falling over and passing out again."

Louise stuck out her tongue in a petulant sign of disagreement but didn't argue further. "…Can I see the others?"

Siesta smiled again, a melancholy settling in her breast. "I don't believe any of them are awake right now, but if you so wish."

Louise eyed her strangely, a weird niggling at the back of her mind wanting her to say more but not able to understand why. She shook it off, disguised as a tired refusal. "No, if they're resting then they should keep resting… honestly, we both should too."

Siesta nodded again and they fell to silence. A comfortable silence, sure, but silence nonetheless. Neither really knew what to talk about at this point, so… Louise did her best with small talk. "Done anything interesting while you've been up?"

Siesta shrugged, not thinking of anything too great. "Mostly just worried over everyone… some of the crew tried to flirt with me. A quick flick of a knife into the deck between their feet scared them off at least, but then I had to fix the notch it dug."

Louise huffed a laugh. "Not even a knife-throwing competition? You really were worried… did you meet the captain or first-mate?"

Siesta frowned this time. "I've met both, but the captain hasn't left his quarters since last I'd spoken to him. I can't imagine what he's doing in there so late into the morning. As for the first mate, he actually pointed me over to you. He's a strange one, quite well-spoken but with an air of… mischief, oddly mixed with melancholy. Frankly I'm not sure what to make of him."

"You and me both." Louise groaned, soreness rising again. Damn her habit of kicking her legs when she was sitting on high enough spot! "Ow… ok, yeah, I'm… I need some actual sleep. And probably another round under some healing magic. Founder, but I hope I can cast again soon."

Siesta gave her most encouraging grin, only to realize that something was making a noise nearby. Namely, her stomach. "…Oh… pardon me, milady, I haven't had much of an appetite…"

Louise chuckled, glad for a bit of levity. "Then what are you sitting here with me for? Go get yourself fed, it's not like I'm going to vanish into the wind as I am. Don't make me turn it into an order."

Siesta had her mouth open to protest exactly that, but Louise was giving her an insistent look and she couldn't ignore the gnawing ache in her gut any longer. "…Very well. But you must go below deck and get some rest in the meantime. If you can't come with me to get a meal, you shouldn't be in the way of the crew."

Louise pouted only for a shot of pain to shoot through her as she shifted wrong. "…Point made. I'll limp my way down to my cot, so get moving!"

She couldn't exactly shove Siesta into moving, but she could keep nagging until she did! Siesta, sensing a losing battle with Louise's ever-present stubbornness, put up a token resistance. But the moment Louise started to nag, she bowed out of the battle and left her lady to take her time getting back under the deck.

Louise huffed to herself, making a show of her displeasure and annoyance until Siesta was gone. Then, still pouting and glaring, she gave the deck a quick look. No one was really looking at her, too busy with their work… good. Gingerly, and with greatest care, she scooted herself towards the edge of the crate… little more… little more…

"YIPE!"

She squealed in pain as her feet met the deck, a shiver of agony running from her toes, up her shins, converging on her spine, and shooting right up like an arrow straight through her brain. Biting her lip to keep any further noises sealed into her throat, her eyes flitted about. No one had looked over, praise be, but she could feel tears gathering in her eyes. Founder, she hadn't been this sore in so long…

But determined she was, and despite every step seeking to send her to the ground in howling, fiery misery, she kept taking them. One by one, right to the door, where she had to start weeping through her grit teeth just to pull it open. Down the dark stairs, having to take each one carefully and slowly to keep from tumbling down into a living hell of yet more bruises to go with her screaming muscles. An eternity, just taking it one step at a time, right until she got down to the floor again…

A loud groan sounded through the hull of the ship and the entire hall turned. Louise tried to catch herself, but she tripped over… something she couldn't quite see in the darkness. And with a harsh thud, a scream ripped from her throat as stars blazed before her eyes and the air was knocked clear of her lungs. On the floor again, weeping miserable tears as knives shanked into her flesh and tore at her body. To move was a torment, to breathe was a task beyond mortals!

Yet, slowly… she did move. She did breathe, and she did manage to force herself to her feet. She had no idea where the sudden turn had thrown her, but she could make out a door at least… good enough. There hadn't been any turns taken getting up on deck, so one of these had to be her and Tabby's cabin. Decided, she tried the one before her, barely able to creak her fingers around the grip. A harsh tug opened it with a creaking groan that sounded like it would crack off its hinges, but thankfully it didn't. Louise didn't really care if it did, but not having to repair a door was always a highlight.

She trundled her way into the room, stumbling and bumbling about on sore legs. She still had some tears in her eyes, too tired and sore to bother clearing them away, so she only saw the outline of a cot and a lamp to light the cabin before she gave up. A few steps over, hands on the wooden edge, a push…

Pomf

Sweet, soft bliss… wait a minute… where was the scratch of the woolen cover over the straw stuffing? This felt a lot nicer… and a lot warmer too…

Before she could fully make out this sudden conundrum, more warmth wrapped around her, a raspy voice begging for water reaching her ears. "Mmm… good pillow… ugh…"

Louise. Froze. Oh Founder she'd flopped right into Kirche's cot! And right atop her at that!

The redhead groaned again, Louise having to take a moment to gather herself. And in doing so, noticed how Kirche bore… quite a bit of recent healing signs. She'd known her friend and current captor was injured during the fighting, but…

A half-remembered lesson came back to her in a flash of memory. Anyone that suffered burns, but was seen to quick enough, would have a lighter tone to their skin. For a few days until normal color asserted itself, but… oh no, had Kirche been burned?

And why did that thought make a hole of worry in her gut?!

And why was she enjoying being held in the valley of sin?

Kirche gave no conscious thought to any of this, her foggy mind unknowing of Louise's internal crisis. "Warm… fluffy pillow… pink… and… squishy…"

The hold tightened and Louise had to abandon her spiraling cascade of a mind to focus on not getting suffocated. Her entire head was being threatened to be squished straight into the valley of sin and she was sure she'd kiss Kirche's sternum if she got pushed in much further!

But valiant flailing didn't get her much of anywhere as Kirche's delirious fever-waking rambled on. "Oh… oh Louise, you shouldn't have… that's a… that's a lovely cake, thank you… oh, you cad of a woman…"

Louise felt it no choice to be had anymore. Flailing was too Founder-damned painful to keep up and Kirche wasn't going to let go at this rate! And given the clear signs of burn healing, the delirium wasn't going to get broken by anything less than a smack to the tit! A lush, gorgeous, bouncy, caramel treat of a tit-

Louise went to smack herself for daring to think such thoughts and ended up laying a handprint into Kirche's shirt. The smack sent a fresh spike of pain roaring through the red-head's nerves and woke her with a startled cry. Only to be followed by a groan as she released Louise and cradled her aching breast, rolling over and letting her erstwhile prisoner gasp in a blessed breath. "What… was that for…?"

Louise had to keep breathing a moment before getting a word out through her sheer aching pain. "Thought… this was my cabin… and you grabbed me…"

"…Louise?"

The way Kirche said the name made Louise's frustration, pain, and general annoyance at being trapped again fade. She'd never heard the flirtatious and altogether fire hearted Kirche sound so… small. "Uh… yeah, it's me? Were you expecting someone else to be in so much pain they managed to wander into the wrong cabin?"

"…Oh, thank the Founder, you're ok."

The sheer relief was enough to make Louise frown. "…I was really in that bad a shape?"

Kirche nodded, still turned on her side away from Louise. "Yeah… the fall it… Monmon said it broke pretty much everything on one side of your body. Thank heaven your head's so hard, if that'd cracked too, well… you'd have been in even worse shape."

It goes unspoken, but Louise knew she meant to say, 'you'd be dead'. Kirche had kept her voice steady while saying it, but she'd seen the redhead's attempts at being 'tough' far too many times not to notice the slight tremble in her shoulders. And… the pit in her stomach grew to join her heart too. Something she desperately tried to fill with Wardes and his gallant rescue of them all, but it just. Didn't. HELP.

Trying to distract herself, she put up a front of annoyance. "Damned creatures… They'll never catch me so unaware again, I swear it. And…" She makes an audible noise of effort. "I'm… I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

A moment of silence passes before a pained chuckle meets Louise's ears. "…You've well and… truly changed. At least a bit… apologizing to me? Do it in public and I'll wonder what fae creature replaced you…"

Louise huffed, annoyance more genuine and overriding her ever-present soreness for a moment. "The moment I'm nice to you in public that isn't a life-and-death situation, I'll go find one to cleanse myself of the ick."

Kirche chuckled and slowly turned herself back over, the sight of her making Louise pause. Now that she really looked, the burn remnants were… mostly all over her, but… only where her armor hadn't been enchanted. Her hair was pristine by the looks of it, and she felt a surge of both jealousy and panic-inducing relief at the sight!

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Kirche teased hoarsely, throat growing sore from speaking this much without water. "We all did… stupid things down there. Lost a lot. But I'm… just glad we're all alive."

Louise gripped at her skirt. Oh, she had all her clothes on, good… didn't notice that, she could've been wandering around naked for all she knew, and likely have died of embarrassment then and there at the realization. But she was clothed and so gripped at her skirt. "…We are, but… Neb's not here. He… he got left behind."

Kirche blinked, shock pushing past her tired and pained expression. "…What? Wha, why was he left behind? Were the creatures on our heels or something?!"

Louise looked down, grip on her skirt tightening and canine digging into her lip. She didn't want to just spit something out and make Kirche do something stupid, that wouldn't be good. They had to stick together, had to be… and she had to lead, much as she damned well wished to jump on Leonidas and drag Neb back by his claws.

"The captain took off on an emergency departure given the sudden nature of the attacks." She recounted, sharing what Siesta had told her. "He couldn't be sure the creatures wouldn't be rushing up the tree and he couldn't risk his ship… the only reason we're aboard is because Sir Wardes found and loaded us up onto Leonidas. Neb… Neb didn't make it. Sylphid couldn't carry him, and she had to carry all the other familiars too…"

Kirche's jaw tried to slam into the floor but couldn't make it past the cot. Louise expected all manner of reactions, from raw disbelief to despairful wails at the loss of their main font of wisdom. She didn't expect the red head to reach out with shaking arms and try to give her the best hug she could. "Founder… Louise, I'm so sorry… I know you'd have my head for casting blame on anything, but… I'm so sorry for not being a better fighter, a better… just a better friend…"

Louise's heart beat a sickening symphony and she couldn't take the warring emotions in her breast anymore. She cast her arms out, breaking the embrace, and scrambled away over the wailing protests of her muscles. "Don't you dare! Don't… don't touch me with such sodden and miserable limbs! Your only blame is doing… whatever it is that so burned you! Blame lies only with me otherwise, and that for being so arrogant as to believe I had any idea of what we were facing!"

She panted and pressed herself into the wall of the cabin, uncaring of the deep pain in her back. "I. Know. Nothing. Of what comes next… of where we'd even start… none of it. The only thing I have is that we must find the prince, but anything after that, I just… I just don't know. I've been a suckling pig, and now that the teat is gone, I'm as confused and scared! Confused, scared, angry and all other kinds of things I can't even get my head on straight! I just…"

She buries her head into her knees and tries to curl up into a ball. "…I don't want anyone to die."

Silence fell again but for the slight creak and groan of the ship in motion. Louise didn't want to look at anything, see anything, or feel anything… She just wanted to mope in her ball for a little bit. Get whatever this sick knot of feeling and emotion and warring understanding of all she was taught to know about caring just… untangled. Or just buried.

She didn't hear the thud of a door opening. She didn't hear whispered words and grunts followed by another thud. She heard nothing said to her, so lost she was in the storm of emotion and haunting realization that they were well and truly on their own. The sheer terror that they, girls and boy barely on the cusp of being considered true adults, were going into a warzone. She heard and saw nothing.

But she very much felt two pairs of warm arms, one strong and another that bore hands smelling faintly of ink. She felt them wrap around her, pull her in against soft comfort, and hands stroke her back. Words still failed to reach her ears, but she knew they were doing what they could to offer succor and relief to her wounded self. Even through their own injuries, their own dark thoughts and hateful inner voices…

Before she knew it, she was crying, and pushing into them and wailing and just… letting it out. The fear, the anger, the disgust, the pain, all of it. She wasn't sure what set her off, what sent her spiraling into such an outburst, but… it felt good to just drain the well. Even if she'd be utterly mortified when it was all out and spent, it felt good…

She wasn't sure when the third pair of arms got there, smelling vaguely of bacon and toast, but she enjoyed her warm cocoon of crying and comfort for all it was worth… until she realized she was being squeezed between some very soft and downright sinful prisons that swiftly overrode everything in her entire being. Embarrassment and scandalized shame roared from the depths of her heart, and she erupted out of the cuddle pile (for that's what it was) and ran screaming from the cabin.

This left Siesta, Kirche, and Tabitha very confused as to her sudden change in emotional state, but Louise didn't care! She could only run, slam the door shut, and jump into her cot to whine out her sheer shame like a scullery maid caught bathing in the woods. That was the apropos metaphor for this, it had to be!

Derf of course, still being in the room, had to get a word in. "Ah, there's the pinkie! What, yer good sir gift ya a sweet kiss to the hand and some kind words? Ya look like he did! Or was it little betty-blue bein all considerate? She stumbled on out of 'ere lookin fer either you or Red!"

Louise buried her head in the straw pillow and refused to give him the time of day.

Derf just laughed. "Ah, so much ye missed bein updeck for a while! I 'eard Red wake up an start lookin for the maid, but she couldn' move! Hollerin and screamin from 'er cabin until the blondies woke up just long enough to yell at 'er to put a sock in it! Wen' quiet again, till I 'eard the maid come down askin after betty-blue, gave 'er something nice lookin, then wen off again! Think she mentioned sometin 'bout payin Red back for doin' something or other, should ask 'bout that!"

Louise made some manner of noise like a strangled coyote and gave him no further thought. Though… what did Kirche do that would have Siesta want to thank her for it? Had the redhead saved her handmaid in the time she'd been unconscious? If so, well, she'd have to… properly thank her old tormenter, turned friend, turned sister-in-arms, turned… whatever it is her heart wanted to say despite every demand that it be quiet and let soothing images of Wardes escorting her through the forest play.

So why did it keep replacing the handsome man's form with one of her friends?!

"Yer lookin even redder!" Derf cackled, quite enjoying her misery of confusion. "Wha, did ya get a little peck on the cheek too? Little too much fer yer proper and prim sensibilities there eh?"

"QUIET OR I SHOVE YOU SO FAR DOWN THE SHEATHE YOU END UP IN THE GROUND! AND I MEAN THE GROUND!"

Derf wisely shut up and Louise returned to stewing. For how long she was there, she wasn't quite sure, but she heard a knock on the door. Fine, if they were being polite. "…Come in."

The door opened… and in swept Wardes, eyes concerned and bearing as gallant as ever. He strode to her side, kneeling beside the cot, and taking one of her hands gently between his own. "Dear Louise… I'm so glad to see you fully awake. Do you hurt? Can I do anything to help you?"

Louise's blush somehow deepened into a brilliant scarlet. "I-I-I-I… no, thank you. Your… your hand is enough for me, Sir Wardes, as is your concern…"

Wardes looked at her with even deeper concern, reading her expression with such intensity Louise was sure he was looking into her soul. With a nod, he waved his sword-wand and Derf was sent clattering and hollering into the hall, the door shutting tightly with him. Once that was done, the gust of wind subsiding, her smiled and found the lone chair in the cabin. "…My sweet Louise, may I speak frankly to you?"

This very sudden turn of events left Louise rather stupefied, so she can only nod, staring at him. Wardes for his part put on a grim, but no less caring expression when her agreement was clear. "This… is not a kind place we go to. Whatever those creatures in La Rochelle were, I can only imagine they play some part in the sudden turn of the civil war in Reconquista's favor. And if that be true, then a place of cruelty and cold disregard for life will only grow that much worse. You have fought bandits, orcs, even ogres yes… but men are far worse. Men of means and power, they do things that make even the lowest brigand green. These people… they're trained and ready to kill anyone that gets before them, no matter who it is. And those possessed of a zeal like what we've heard are even worse, for nothing is beyond doing for the cause they stake themselves in."

He squeezed her hand between his. "I must know, despite telling you all this, if you're still willing to go there. If you're not completely, ironclad certain that you wish to continue this journey… then simply tell me. I will gladly pay the crew, take you and your friends upon Leonidas, and flee back to Tristain and safety. The mission I was assigned to coincide with yours can wait a few more days, I swear, so do not think on it when telling me what you think."

Here, he smiled, still that same gallant man she'd first fallen heads over heels with. "And know that I do so care for you, deep and true, no matter what you choose. What your heart wants, let it guide you. Unto this mission, unto your own path, even unto the arms of your friends."

That brought her up short of speaking anything to such a heartfelt declaration. "What… what do you mean, Sir Wardes? Surely you know mine affections and care have always been to you."

He chuckled and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I have no doubt that was true, in the time when first we met. But you've grown Sweet Louise. Grown and begun to walk your own path, not the one your parents, your family, set for you. It is a beautiful thing, one that I stand in awe of knowing how much pressure and derision you've endured. And so too, have I grown. Once, I would have jealously guarded your heart for myself… but in battle and in this brief time seeing you blossom, I realize how short-sighted that is. How selfish."

Louise only listened numbly, not sure what to make of this. "But I shan't push you towards something you're still not set on. And when he awakes, I must apologize to the young Gramont for letting my ego get the better of me that night in the forest. But do know this, Sweet Louise… your path is yours to walk, and yours alone. Whatever your heart chooses, I will support it. That much, as one who dearly loves you, I owe."

The young woman gulped, tears gathering in her eyes and a knot of emotion rising once more into her throat. How… how did one even begin to answer such an impassioned and noble plea? Thinking of her so much, asking her what she wanted to do and offering only acceptance…?

She gulped and gasped, small sobs spilling past her lips as she tried so hard to give him an answer. So much did she wish to give him that same level of affection and sheer belief… but she couldn't. Still the Mother-Goddess of Neb's world appeared behind him, still did the warning echo in her ears. She couldn't trust him, no matter how hard she wanted to, no matter how dearly sincere he was being… And in that, perhaps she well and truly did not deserve him.

But rather than shatter her want to go on… she felt a spark settle in her belly. It wasn't the fire with which she first set out in this training, this path of hers, but it was something. Something to hold up against the pain and the tears and the confusion. To proudly say was hers. She would prove that she was worthy of this kind man… and, hopefully, it could put her maelstrom of a heart to rest. After all, he loved her… that's all she could want right? She couldn't dream for anything more…

She couldn't dream for that hug that had so comforted her to be anything more than a one-time blessing.

Wardes smiled a bit brighter, seeing the spark in her eyes. "I see your resolve is clear… very well, Sweet Louise. I may not be your familiar, nor your teacher… but in these few days we have, I will offer what insight and advice I can for the storm we're soon to brave. If you and your friends will have me, of course."

Louise finally found the strength to grip his hands back. "…Gladly, Sir Wardes… we… can't let this defeat us… we owe ourselves… and you… and Neb… too much to let it break our spirits. And… thank you, so much… I… I needed to hear that."

He lifted one hand to kiss the back of hers. "We all need some honest encouragement sometimes. Your mother gave me some, early in my career, and whilst very… out of character given her reputation, I've held it close for some time."

Louise blinked, stunned stupid for a moment. "…What… what did she tell you?"

Wardes stood and squeezed her hand a final time. "That no matter how rough it gets, and no matter how good you get, you should never stop asking for help. Shame, hubris, none of that matters on the field of battle. Only that you can count on the person beside you. And I dearly hope to be someone all of you can count on."

Louise stared after him as he strode for the door. "That… that doesn't sound like Mother at all…"

He paused before the door, back to her. "…No… no it doesn't. Rest as best you can, Louise. We'll start fixing what we can on the morning."

And with that, he was gone, Derf left to curse and rattle in the hall until the door shut once more.

Louise… didn't know what to think now.

So, she chose not to. Rest and a return to something approaching normal would do her good… it'd do them all good.

Hopefully.

-Deck, Two Days Later-

And for a definition of the word 'good' the next days were. The crew paid Louise and her friends little heed so long as they kept out of the way, and the first mate did most of the conversing when he wasn't in the captain's cabin going over things. Or sleeping, whereupon they saw the captain himself. It was rather odd that the two of them were never clearly together to the group, but they didn't have time to speculate on that overmuch.

Wardes was too busy living up to his promise.

Guiche, returned to consciousness and with only the dull ache of muscles returning to normal, observed the current match. Kirche was dueling Louise and forcing her to learn how to deal with a stronger, much tougher foe compared to those she'd usually prefer to fight. Wardes was a harsh and demanding instructor, calling out flaws and correcting mistakes with a blunt stick. However, he was fair, and as free as he was with criticisms, he was equally free with praise and encouragement. It was an interesting model to see first-hand, and Guiche certainly appreciated the somewhat 'normal' routine of this training.

"He's quite the taskmaster." Siesta noted beside him, wiping her brow of sweat. She'd just finished having a bout with Montmorency, where Wardes had been especially praiseful of the maid's abilities but equally harsh on what he called 'lack of concern for her own well-being'. Montmorency had certainly demonstrated that lack, scoring harsh bruises on the maid's shoulders and hips with the blunt estoc she used. Not that Siesta hadn't scored her own, given the blonde medic was laid out beside her and panting.

"Almost as bad as Neb." Guiche agreed after taking in the sight of them. "Though he can only focus on a couple of us at a time, he brings a certain level of intensity that Neb just doesn't have. A military captain through and through, and one who's trained his fair share of new arrivals into capable soldiers."

Montmorency huffed from where she'd sprawled out on the deck. "Founder save us… from older men with silky smooth voices…"

Guiche snorted and Siesta had to stifle a burst of giggles. Whilst none of them would ever say Neb was an attractive specimen beyond being someone who took good care of himself, his voice had a way of being downright sexy when he was trying to flatter someone. Too bad he was so far out of practice and used corny lines from three centuries ago, but alas, at least it gave another way to prod and drawl at him.

A harsh thwack drew their attention back to the duel, Louise's blunt sword bounding off Kirche's armor and the return blow hitting the deck as the more agile girl leapt away. "They're both moving well. Your magic works miracles Montmorency."

The blonde puffed away the compliment from Siesta. "Please, I only got them stable. That prince knock-off of a first mate did all the actual work. He's gotta be something like a triangle mage at the very least, his sheer control was… far and away better than mine. I wasn't awake to see it, but when he mended that fracture…"

Siesta gripped at her arm where she'd been shot. The arrow that had slammed home into her had chipped bone in multiple places, but Wales had healed it and placed the fragments back where they belonged. It was… she couldn't really begin to describe the relief she'd felt, but it had been amazing.

Guiche hummed as he looked from the duel to the skies beyond the rails of the ship. Out there, following alongside their voyage towards Albion, were Leonidas, Sylphid, and Tabitha. The griffon was guiding the young dragon through a series of complicated and strenuous maneuvers that were pushing her to the limit. All their familiars had been… deeply disappointed in themselves for how little help they'd been to their masters that they'd started helping wherever they could. Even training amongst themselves, odd as it sounded.

He never knew what it would be like to see his Verdandi smacking away at a sack of straw, but there he'd been that morning. Turns out, a mole's claws were just as good tearing through stuffing as they were digging through the ground.

Though it'd been adorable seeing him wear that sweatband on his head while Flame held up the targets and croaked encouragement like a coach egging on his pupil.

"Gah!"

The grunt of pain followed Louise getting caught on the wrong end of a swing and sent tumbling across the deck. Some of the crew cheered and booed in turn, the duels they'd started up as training turning into a spectacle for the off-duty sailors. Even the first mate was watching, and with no small amount of interest at that.

"Enough!" Wardes barked, instantly ending the bout. "You've both already improved in accuracy and reading your opponent's tells, but you're both still being held back. Kirche, you're relying too much on your armor to do all the protecting for you. It's clearly been made to give you as best a range of motion as possible, so use it!"

The redhead nodded, panting and hunched over from having to keep up with the more agile Louise.

"Louise! Whilst you're less burdened than your opponent, you're not using your speed to its fullest advantage. You're also attempting to meet your adversary head-on, and whilst the chivalry of facing such a challenge is noble, it will get you killed! You're fighting to live, not uphold the honor of someone or something."

Louise nodded as well, panting and sweat dripping from her nose and chin. All the girls had their hair tied back for this, and even the breeze of the sky-ship wasn't enough to keep the heat of exertion at bay.

Wardes leaned on his training rapier. "I can say, however, that you all have astounding stamina for your ages. Your recovery ability is beyond anything I've seen thus far, and that gives you a great edge. Were we not on a ship, I'd see if you're able to weave spells into your fighting effectively, but that will have to wait if we ever manage the chance."

He cracked the wooden blade against the ground, ending the session. "Take a short break then we'll reconvene. Your next opponent will be me, and it will be against all of you. I suggest bringing your best, it's the only way you'll get anything out of this short time we have to work in peace."

He turned about and went to speak with Wales, the first mate offering whatever his observations were while Kirche and Louise trudged over to join their friends. The group leaned against several crates and did their best to catch their breaths, the duels coming fast and furious. Guiche had been the first to go and thus the one with the most time to recover, letting him be the snarky observer. "For all his gentlemanly conduct and gallant manners, he's no less a taskmaster."

Louise grumbled something as she tried to put her face in the breeze. "You… said that yesterday too… still taking you by surprise or something?"

"A bit." He conceded as Montmorency finally managed to sit herself up. "His sheer chivalrous air makes it an incongruous lesson to learn. But where one conducts himself in polite company is not where he conducts himself in trying times I suppose."

Kirche snorted, a smirk crinkling her eyes. It was still rather odd to see both of those golden irises glinting in the daylight, no matter how many times anyone saw it. "You're just disappointed you can't go and fawn over his every word and deed. And here I thought Louise had a crush."

The nominal leader of the group tipped forward and crashed onto the other side of the crate she'd been leaning on, leaving her rear-end in the air and twitching with shock for a moment before rolling forward and popping to her feet. About she whipped, finger pointed and blubber at the ready, only to poke Siesta right in the cheek as she did. "…Sorry."

Siesta giggled and patted her lady's shoulder free of some dust. "It's quite alright, at least you've got keeping your skirt flattering down to muscle memory."

Louise's face turned pink as everyone in earshot broke into guffaws. "You… I… grrr…"

She ground her teeth and pulled at the hem of her skirt, shooting venomous glares as the crewmen that were laughing at her. Founder but she wished she could cast something at them to shut them up… but no, not on the ship. Not when Tabby was out there and potentially hittable.

Siesta at least looked contrite. "…My apologies, milady, I didn't mean to embarrass."

Louise gave a few mumbled words before Montmorency snagged an opportunity to snark. "She can never stay mad at you Siesta! Whoever would clean her clothes and cook her pancakes if she didn't have you?"

Louise rounded on her, ready to deny that slander, only to pause as any attempt to think of an example to counter came up empty. She'd… proven adept at mostly stirring a pot and roasting a ham… and nothing else. Now that she thought about it, her job was mostly handing ingredients to the others around the campfire stove and trying not to burn herself going for the tasty bits while they were still in the pan.

Montmorency gave a small smirk at her victory but didn't hold it long. "Now don't give me that hangdog look, you can do plenty she can't. And Siesta all but forbids us from doing our own laundry anyway, something about 'brutish fingers' and such."

That got the maid to flush and Guiche had to add to it. "Not to mention our 'heavy feet' whenever we try to go past her for a snack."

"And the 'baying calls' when we're trying to whisper." Kirche drawled, leaning atop her chosen crate now with a feline smile. "Not everyone's a sleuth at stealth madam."

Siesta went scarlet and ducked behind another nearby create to stew, jolly laughs lending the air some levity it'd been missing the last few days. Louise, he embarrassment momentarily forgotten, turned her eye past the ship's rails again just in time to see Sylphid coming in for a landing. The poor dragon looked exhausted, stumbling as she landed and having to take a few steps to stop herself. Leonidas landed a moment later, giving her a scree of approval before striding off to join his master. With him gone, Sylphid slumped down to catch her breath and Tabitha hopped down from the saddle. A few consoling pats later and she was with her friends, helm under one arm and lance in the other with staff over her back. "…Hard flying, wind's unpredictable. Clouds are thicker too…"

She looked about before leaning in to whisper to the group. "Saw something, on the horizon. We're closing, but it's… closing too. I… I think it's Albion."

Air filled lungs with hard gasps, but Kirche managed to keep her voice down. "It's already that close?! We're supposed to be another day's hard flying from even seeing it!"

Tabitha shook her head. "That was without… good winds. Yesterday had tailwinds, strong ones… almost from sunup to sundown. Albion… is moving too, heading inland…"

Louise cursed under her breath; how could they forget that?! "It's on the inland leg of its journey, that's the only way a ship from La Rochelle could even reach it! And with it still moving inland, shit! We're going to be there in… how many hours now?"

"About six." Montmorency answered, numbers and formula already scrawled on a scrap of parchment. "Judging by what Tabby said and our current output from the windstones, and that's assuming Albion proper isn't having tailwinds of its own."

"…Founder how do you do that?" Guiche had to wonder aloud, everyone staring at Montmorency.

She puffed her cheeks, flushing in embarrassment. "…You get good at math when a good chunk of your day is trying to figure out the exact measurements needed to make potions alright? Speaking of, if we're going to be getting that close so soon… we need to tell Wardes and get stocked up."

A ripple of nervous energy ran through them, but they all knew their parts well enough. Those with familiars went off to prepare them while Siesta accompanied Montmorency to retrieve supplies and other essentials. There was no wagon this time, only their bags and the strength of their backs. Only the maid was ruthless enough with material to cast it aside without a second thought if it wasn't essential.

Sentimentality could be bad like that, but it left Louise the unenviable task of informing their current trainer that their destination was soon to be upon them. She had to take a few breaths, steady herself and clean off the sweat of her duels before striding over to Wardes and Wales. "… Sir Wardes, First Mate. Tabitha's spotted something on the horizon."

Wales and Wardes looked to her, both grim-faced and clearly expecting her. The former spoke first. "Leonidas saw something too. It appears Albion is making better time in its usual journey than expected. Much as I'd like to have you all face me and give you as thorough a chance to improve as I can, we don't have time."

"As he says." Wales echoed with his usual easy grin nowhere to be seen. "And given where we'll be docking, it's entirely possible we don't get an easy landing either. When we left for La Rochelle, the outer defensive lines had been breached, and no one's gotten word of anything since. For all we know, our little smuggler's dock could well be in the hands of less than amiable people."

He held up a hand to forestall Wardes's question. "And before you ask, no, we don't have other smuggling docks. Trying to make them in Albion's coast isn't an easy feat, especially with the blockade always breathing down your neck with patrols. If it's not in safe hands, or at least being fought over, we're going to have to turn around."

"That's no good!" Louise barked, making the first-mate blink. "If we must retake the docks ourselves, we will! I don't mean to brag after we've been aboard in such terrible shape, but Sir Wardes is a master of lightning magic and you're far from a slouch yourself! Atop that, we're all mages of some description, and we're not afraid to use our magic either! We've made a poor first impression, but we're landing on that island and that's final!"

Wardes and Wales took turns exchanging looks between each other and the standing-on-her-toes-to-prove-her-point Louise. Then, as if coming to an understanding, they burst into laughter.

"DON'T YOU LAUGH AT ME!" Louise roared, almost leaping at them. "I DON'T GIVE HEARTFELT DECLARATIONS OF DETERMINATION AND DUTY OFTEN, SO BUZZ OFF!"

That only got them laughing harder, and before long they had to hold themselves up by the railing while Louise screamed and flailed at them for 'failing to appreciate a maiden's feelings'. Eventually they got themselves together and Wardes took her hands, a gallant knight once more. "Sweet Louise, we mean no offense. Your earnest words and determination merely broke us from our own melancholy, and for that we thank you. Whilst there is little I can do right this moment besides prepare myself, know that I will ever be with you and your friends no matter what may await us."

Now she flushed and began to blubber and wiggle in place, torn between continued indignation and flattered embarrassment. Really this entire voyage thus far had been one long string of embarrassments, from the silly to the serious. Wales made some manner of comment about the 'show' before striding off to start slinging orders at the crew, the deck exploding into activity. It was such a rush that Wardes scooped Louise into his arms and hurried her below-decks, putting her down once there and wishing her luck before heading off to his own preparations. Still a bit loopy from the affectionate encouragements, Louise wandered back to the cabin she was sharing with Tabby and sat on the cot.

"So…" Derf started, bored after being left down here most of the morning. "Anything exciting happening?"

Louise blinked and reached over to grip him. Just feel the smooth lacquer of his sheathe and ignore the entendres that came from drawing comfort in the feel of a sword that identified as a guy. Derf however refused to be silent. "Woah, girly, yer gonna make me blush!"

Louise growled and smacked his hilt but kept her grip on him. Sensing she wasn't in a joking mood, the sword sombered. "Alright, what's up? We gettin close?"

"Yeah…" She sighed, slowly pulling him free to look at his blade. Shiny, oiled, and sharp as she could make it. A click sounds as she re-sheathes him. "…Dammit, why are so many sword terms entendres too?"

Derf chuckled. "Because a bunch of idjets got it into their head that a sword was the same as what they were packing. Overcompensatin methinks, something fierce. Anyway, what's on yer mind girly?"

Louise huffed and leaned him against the cot. "A lot, what do you think? We're about to land in a country gripped in civil war, searching for a prince likely at the dead-center of the entire conflict, and having to go through who knows what just to even get the opportunity. Those creatures we fought, and that near crippled me, are likely there too. It's just… you know, at lot to take in. We'll be doing a lot of… a lot of…"

Derf sighed. "A lot of killing. Can't help it girly, you're foreign agents diving straight into a civil war. If'n they catch you, best case is decent prison-time while ye get ransomed. Worst case, they kill ye on sight and anything after that ain't much concernin ya."

Louise gave him a dour glare. "Your pep talks really need some work. Just… I'm not looking forward to this Derf. I can tell none of us are. I… I don't want to kill anyone, but if it's them or me or them and my friends… I must choose ending their life. Founder, I hate the idea so much, but they're forcing it and they may have those things possibly on their side too…"

Derf sighed. "Wish I could offer ya better words, girly, but I'm a sword. Ma whole job is slicing things apart. I ain't gonna say it gets easier, cause frankly I wish it doesn't get easier. But ya gotta focus on what ya do have. Yer friends still breathin, yer country still free, and yer life still yours to live. These folks made their choice, and you made yers. All any of us can do is live with those choices, whether it ends our road early or not."

Now Louise was giving him a strange look. "…Wisdom, from you? The sky must've turned green." Then she hugged him as best one could hug a sword. "But… thank you. I know I can't escape that I'll have blood on my hands, but… I needed to hear that."

The sword huffed and rattled, unable to return the embrace. "Well, someone's gotta stand in fer the big lug, may as well be me. I'll be right with ya girly, don' worry about that. Now get yer stuff together and go help Red with her own armor, she's going to want it all spic and span before we go into whatever fire awaits us."

Louise puffed a laugh, a smile finally on her lips. "Yeah… alright, let's do this."

She put Derf back down and grabbed her gear. First thing on the agenda was getting herself cleaned up, since her set of gear didn't take that long to actually put on. On top of that, if there was one thing their entire group remembered, it was that you never knew when you'd next get a bath on the road. While they had the hours and time to do it, it was best to be clean and refreshed as possible before diving into the muck and grime of a warzone.

Thus to what passed for a bathing area on this ship, a small room with an equally small window to let some light in, benches lining the wall with basins atop them and a drain in the floor. It was rather luxurious far as facilities on a ship went, so she wasn't going to complain too much. It was rather rude to, given they were essentially paying stowaways.

There were also two other occupants, already stripped down and washing themselves. Kirche, unsurprisingly, and Tabby. To this day it never failed to amused Louise just how diametrically opposed they were in body structure, but diet and exercise had… really done them good. And now she was staring, get a grip girl!

"You too huh?" She managed to get out and sound casual in doing so. "Almost like bath-time back at the academy."

Kirche laughed as she splashed a basin over her head, water rolling and making her loose red hair shine like liquid vermillion. "Founder, remind me of much simpler days! Well, simpler for me anyway, before all this started happening. Come on, get out of the sweaty stuff and wash up. We're not getting another for who knows how long, may as well enjoy it."

Louise gulped as the water ran down skin but cooled her thudding heart at the sight of still visible burn marks. They'd already faded quite a bit, and would likely vanish in a few more days, but she could see the scars where the creatures had made it through her mail. "Yeah… you too Tabby?"

Her fellow studious soul nodded silently, soap in her hair before a basin turned it to shining lapis. She'd never be the same as their curvy Germanian friend, but Tabitha's own intense training had given her a toned, svelte form that very much complimented her work as a rider and spear-woman. And Founder dammit she was staring again!

Shaking her head just so, Louise pried herself out of the sweat-stained clothes she wore and took a seat on the bench. These at least were nice and smooth, so she need not fear a splinter in her poor tush, but there was no conversation as she filled a basin and grabbed some soap. Nor was there any as they all soaped up, brushed the sweat and grime away, washed, etc. It was so quiet that it silently unnerved Louise!

"…I don't like this." Tabitha finally spoke at length, breaking the silence like a snapped plank. "There's just this… feeling in my bones. Like we're going to jump right into the jaws of death."

Louise sighed, brush flowing through her hair with long practiced ease. "I'm leery of it too. There's only one smuggler's port that we can get to if the first mate's to be believed, and he's been nothing but honest if a tad needling at us. He healed all of us and didn't charge extra, so I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt, but…"

"We may well be landing right into the arms of the enemy." Kirche finished, brushing her hair in an odd rhythm with Louise and Tabitha both. "And the moment we do, there may well be no rest for us short of reaching our objective or meeting the Founder."

The girls brushed their hair in sync for several more seconds before finishing, putting the brushes down, and simultaneously praying that if they did make it through this that Neb wouldn't figure out how to teleport and start reaming them for all their inevitable mistakes and miscalculations. Tabitha looked to be praying particularly hard, but neither Kirche nor Louise were going to poke and prod at her when they had such a big question mark quite literally flying towards them.

Kirche finished first. "Alright girls, any big regrets or potential regrets we want out in the open before diving into hell?"

"I wanted to get married." Louise answered without preamble. "White dress, cathedral, the whole fairy-tale story. I wanted my mom and dad to be proud of me, I waned my big sisters to be proud of me, and I desperately wanted to pay the princess back for being so kind to me. So… guess I'll just have to live."

She blinked and looked over to find Kirche and Tabitha staring at her, bemused. "What?! You asked if we had any regrets or potential regrets, and I gave them! Don't stare at me like I just grew another arm!"

"I wasn't expecting you to be so honest about it." Kirche mused with a touched smile. "Shucks, now I have to be honest too. Alright, laugh it up when you hear it, but here I go. I… wanted to get married too. Do good by my parents, find a nice partner to journey around the world with, party with friends, and just enjoy what this Founder-given world has to offer. Maybe even get really lucky and see the Holy Land, but we all know that's a pipedream for most everyone."

She glanced at Louise and her cheeks darkened, a bit of embarrassment showing on the teaser of their group. "I, uh… also really hoped we could finally bridge the gap between our families. Founder knows it wouldn't be until after our parents retired, but… I think we could do it. If we really wanted to, ya know."

Louise had heard Kirche make some vague mention of being good neighbors, but this? Well… a bit flabbergasted, but she didn't find the idea… repulsive anymore. Maybe it's because she'd now been in combat with Kirche and trusted her now-friend to watch her back, but… still! This was a big step in Valliere-Zerbst relations!

Kirche waved off the look before Louise could be gobsmacked for too long. "Oh, stop it, you're going to make me blush! I always speak from the heart, even when it's gotten me in trouble. Now…"

She looks to Tabitha, Louise craning to do the same. The quieter girl was poking her fingers together, a little melancholic and shrunk into herself. But before Louise could answer the call of the universe and give her a hug, she spoke up. "I… I always wanted to… just ride through the countryside. Seeing the sights… no rush to be anywhere, with good books and weather and… maybe someone special, if I'm lucky. I… I just don't… want to lose any of you in this. I… feel like I didn't really… start living until… I met everyone…"

If Tabitha didn't want a hug, that last part sealed the deal on her getting a hug whether she liked it or not! Kirche came in from the side and Louise from the front, swiftly enveloping her in a pair of openly emotional arms and soon finding herself getting squeezed like she was going to pop! They were even blubbering some manner of emotional oath or something, but she couldn't hear it over the blood pounding in her ears or over Kirche's heartbeat when her head got shoved in the heavenly prison!

Thankfully that moment of sheer emotional outpouring ended before Tabitha had to put them both on ice solely to get some air. When sense returned, Louise and Kirche released Tabitha and retreated to their previous spots. All three blushing, all three giving odd glances at each other… and soon, all three bursting into fits of giggles and mirth that had them banging on the benches and having to lean on each other to stop from falling over. None of them knew where it had welled from, and maybe it was just the absurdity of what their lives had turned into after that fateful day in the academy field. But whatever the case, they laughed until they had no breath and took solace in each other, because for all the wounds of the past… they'd have each other's backs now. As they'd have the backs of all their friends and they theirs.

Louise recovered first and flicked out her hair. "Alright, alright… we need to give this over to whoever needs it now. Dry off and get ready, we'll meet above deck."

Kirche stood and grabbed a towel, Tabby already working at it. "See you both up there! This'll take me a little bit, still working to get all the belts right. Don't do anything crazy without me!"

She winked and wrapped herself up, taking the brave step to poke her head out and check the hall. She declared it clear before scampering off to her cabin to properly change and start the process of getting her armor ready. Tabitha wrapped herself up a moment later, sharing a small smile with Louise before running off to their shared cabin first. Louise took her time to dry herself off, get her hair in order, and give the hall a final look before bounding off to join her. When she got there, Tabitha was already in her shirt and pants, lacing on her boots and taking the lone chair. She smiled in greeting before turning about, giving Louise the privacy to change into her own clean undergarments, shirt, pants/skirt combo, socks, and boots.

Then came the armor. Louise's jerkin and breastplate, light greaves, tying her hair into its long braid, belting Derf to her waist… and very carefully taking hold of Raelag's Staff, the dark eye of Malassa still wrapped up and kept in the darkness of the corner where it had been left ever since they'd boarded. None had been able to approach it, and it had just spontaneously appeared in the cabin shortly after Louise had been put in there. Nothing spoke to her, praise the Founder, but she was glad to have the foci back in hand again. This time, she'd put her magic to use!

Tabitha's was a bit more complicated. Her own breastplate had a few straps Louise had to get, the greaves were longer to cover her long boots, and her helm needed a quick adjustment of the padding to fit comfortably. But on it went and there they stood. One with sword and staff, the other with spear and staff. One to ride into battle atop a dragon, the other to command and adapt as the field changed.

They smiled at each other, Louise going first. "Have my back partner?"

"Always."

Louise reached over to squeeze Tabitha's shoulder. "Let's get everyone together."

A final nod, a sigh and deep breath, and they strode from the cabin for the last time. Down the hall, right to Kirche's door, whereupon they found the rest of their friends helping the redhead into her armor. There really were a lot of pieces in it, and she just couldn't reach them all!

"Gang's all here." Montmorency drawled at the sight of them, standing in her full gear of leather and potion belts. "Good timing too. Kirche just asked us if we have any regrets, and what better way to share than to everyone in ear shot am I right?"

Siesta flushed and played with a lock of her hair. "I was… uh… going to start us off… Kirche was just so sincere, it'd be wrong not to and… well, if this is a warzone, there's really no point not sharing right? Though, first, I'm glad we're all here."

She kneeled beside where she'd been buckling Kirche's cuisses in place. From a small case… she produced their cloaks. Aw, she'd kept them… "Here. Neb had these all made specially for us, and I feel it'd be a rank shame to leave them behind."

As she handed them out, she gave her regrets. "I wish that, in time, I could have found love. Before all this came, and life turned on its head. I wished to see more of the world, know more of it, and to… settle down one day, be a happy mother on my own bit of land. To share stories and warm nights after an honest day of work."

Humble though they were, genuine wistfulness carried her words as clouds did rain. And with her wishes spoken, the blondes could no longer deny speaking their own. Guiche, clad in his pauldrons and breastplate, went next as he tied on his greaves. "Absent an audience that won't jeer at me for speaking grandly, I wished that I could join the military and prove myself a worthy bearer of the Gramont name. Rise in the ranks, do my family proud, and hopefully not do something that got myself killed. Ask me this a year ago and I'd say I miss the chance at glory, but… well, we don't get a shot at any of this without getting out of here alive."

Montmorency grumbled something as she clipped her cloak into place, letting the shimmering blue settle over her armor. "I don't have much, and frankly I want us to just go out there and do this instead of sitting here being all wistful. I've had enough of just spitting words at people and nothing getting done by it. Much like the other girls, I wanted to get married, though I've since… soured somewhat on the prospect."

Guiche looked away in shame as she continued. "I wanted to discover new poultices and brews to raise my family to new heights, drag it from relative obscurity to where it should be. Selfish, certainly, but I was never not going to look out for the best of my house. However… this time in study and training has forced me to realize how much good we willfully hold from the world. I for one had no idea that poultices of similar potency could be made from far more common materials."

She crossed her arms and gave a harrumph, curls bouncing. "So there, I wish only to get out of this and start making the work of healing and potion-brewing a bit more wide-spread. We all happy?"

She got a variety of drawled 'yes, mother' from the group, and she gave them a stomped foot and a huff for being 'emotional fuddy-duddies' because she didn't have a better word. The annoyance passed though, and as the last of armor was placed and potions put in place, Louise called a circle. And by that, she dragged everyone into one and held out her hand. "Alright. We're getting closer by the minute, so I want all of us to make a promise. No matter what happens on this flying country, we're going to get through it. Together, and that's final."

"Did you have to convene a whole council and start acting like we're starting a suicide pact?" Kirche drawled, making Louise flush pink until she put a hand on her friend's. "But screw it, why not at this point?"

Siesta chuckled and put her hand in, the dark of her clothes blending into the shadows of the room and making only her knife brace visible against it. "We're all being wistful and dramatic, why not a little more?"

Tabitha's sardonic smirk joined the pile, and the blondes acquiesced with much eye rolling. If they were going to be amateur thespians, may as well do it right. A one, a two, a three and… cheer! With that done, a final check showed they had everything they'd brought along. And so, it was back to the deck…

Where they spotted the flying country itself.

"Founder, seeing it…" Louise awed as she took it in. A great cliff of sheer rock, interspersed with lines of white that shone against the darker greys and black of the rest. The wind-stone layers that kept it afloat, the gusts that buoyed it swirling the clouds that gathered about it like foam in hot milk. And atop the crags, trees that had been growing in the sky-borne soil since it had been ripped from the ground ages on ages ago. It was a truly magnificent sight… and terrifying, for the shadows that swished and swirled in the skies around it. The Rebel Fleet, what was once the Royal Fleet, clear and patrolling even this far out.

"They've been concentrating their patrols." Wales noted, sensing the party arriving. "Wardes just flew off to scout our current course, but this isn't good. Either they have information on a weakness in the royalist's lines, or they've sniffed out one of the few smuggling rings that still operate on these cliffs, us included. If we're lucky, they found someone else. If not, well, it'll be a hot landing."

Nods all around and the familiars made their way over. Robin hopped into Montmorency's cloak, Verdandi nuzzled up against Guiche, Flame croaked at Kirche, and Sylphid came to rest beside Tabitha. She cooed at her master, Tabby patting her leg. "…Once we're closer."

A nod from the young dragon. If this was going to be a hot landing, it'd be them as the first into the fight. Mass, magic, maneuverability… they'd need it all. But there was one thing that they all noticed the crew doing, namely… manning cannons?

"We're prepped for the worst." Wales answered without being asked. "There's a specific signal that we must send out in order to dock at our port. If we don't get its twin, we can assume the port's been taken and we need to bombard it preemptively. As it stands, we're still about four hours out."

"That far, and yet the cliffs are so great." Montmorency murmured, as if reassessing her opinion of things. "That's… going to be a lot of ground to cover."

Wales gave her a lopsided grin. "Yep, it is. If things had been as they were a couple months ago, we'd have been able to sail in just south of the royalist command center. Now? You'll have to march three days through forest, crag, river, and cliff just to make the lines. Assuming of course those haven't been pushed back yet further."

Louise narrowed her gaze before something finally clicked in her head. "So. What's our heading going to be then, Captain?"

The grin grew. "Smart girl. The heading is just getting you on the port and on your way before beating sails and flying out of here."

Her friends shared a few odd glances, but Louise just nodded. "Very well. We'll see to our final preparation and hope this landing goes smoothly."

"If only such optimism could bend the world to our whims."

-Four Hours Later-

"And if only optimism could bear out." Louise drawled to Wales as they at last began to descend towards the port. Hewed into a deep crag in Albion's floating coast, the port was a series of wharfs sticking out of the cliff-sides with clouds swirling about it in a perpetual fog. Well made and able to handle several sky-going vessels, a series of warehouses, lifts, and paths dotted the main cliff-face and led up into the rock proper. Doubtless paths to various safe houses on the surface of the flying country.

They'd approached upon Wardes return and declaration of a clear path, but the signal to land had not been returned. They'd tried once, twice… and nothing. Now, Tabitha was mounted up on Sylphid and Wardes was atop Leonidas, their ship creaking as it turned about. Wales sighed and shook his head, grim and solemn. "We expected that this would happen, though I wish it was not the case. Stand-by, this is going to get loud."

Louise grimaced and hurried to her friends. Kirche's helm was on, hair more like a plume as it flowed from the top in a ponytail. Montmorency was checking her vials and bottles, several pouches of clean water on her belt. Siesta had all but faded into the shadow of Sylphid's wing, playing with her baselard and short-dagger. Guiche was organizing his Valkyries and making sure Verdandi had at least a small cap of bronze to help protect him. The mole was itching to get back into some rock and dirt, but he couldn't just pop out of the ground without something to protect him!

Flame was helping Robin up into Montmorency's pocket, the little frog her emergency source of water for her magic. Once secure, he waddled over to Guiche to get his own extra bronze plating, for he'd be with Kirche every step of the fights to come. And while he couldn't count on sheer mass like Sylphid, he could sure as hell spit fire.

Before anyone else could offer a musing, Wales's hand dropped… and great booms shattered the air. Belches of acrid black smoke poured from the cannons, the powder within igniting with only the spark of a wick. Shot screeched through the air as great clouds of birds took panicked wing, the fusillade rocking the entire ship back from the force of its eruption. Everyone managed to keep their feet, watching as the black smog streaking behind the shot screech across the sky…

BABABABABABOOOOM!

They all landed within seconds of each other, the sheer force of impact blowing apart walls and street and landings in great explosions of stone, wood, plaster, and glass. There was barely a moment to collect a thought before another broadside slammed from the ship, booming and breaking into the wharfs and warehouses like the fist of God. The gunners knew where to aim too, as the second broadside broke the mooring crag of an entire half of the port, sending rock and building and the shapes of screaming people hidden within them tumbling down to the clouds below… and to a long, terrifying fall unto the earth and the embrace of death.

The young party shivered at the sight, but kept their eyes peeled as the ship turned about and began to fly right for the undamaged set of wharfs. Wales looked to them. "We've softened up whatever resistance was down there, but be alert. I highly doubt we took care of the entire occupying force."

Sylphid and Leonidas took to the air as the ship flew into the wharf, diving off the railing with roar and screeching cry. Ice formed from cloud and lightning crackled on saber-wand, the wharf closing swiftly. A harsh, grating, scraping sound like nails on chalkboard ripped at the ears of all who could hear it, the ship driving right along its docking area in the haste to get the party off. There was no time to think, not anymore.

With cries and hollers, the party leapt over the railing before the ship had a chance to stop, rolled across the splintering deck, and ran forth to meet the roaring enemy that streamed from the ruined docks to greet them. No more than forty all told, easily 5-1 odds.

But as Siesta vanished into the smoke of the bombardment and magic was called forth to aid the charge of dragon and griffin, all knew what this meant.

Their fight was at last beginning.

May their lessons be well learned.

Ch. End