The air was frigid as Maria rode across the grand bridge to Cainhurst Castle. Snow pelted her face and her garb flowed in the stiff winds, yet she continued on unimpeded, intent on returning home as soon as she possibly could. Behind her, the horses of her fallen comrades were keeping pace, dutifully following her in spite of the perilous weather she was leading them into. Every time she looked back to check on them, a part of her foolishly hoped that she would see their masters riding atop them and a few times, she could've sworn she did, until they disappeared like specters in the wind. Eventually, she chose to keep her eyes focused straight ahead, knowing full well there would be no triumphant return for them.
Eventually, she found herself approaching the main gates. The journey across took mere minutes, but it never quite felt that way; traveling to Cainhurst felt much like crossing into a different world entirely, as if there were an unseen barrier hindering any aspiring visitors. But with the blessing of the Queen, anyone could find their way there. And no-one ever refused the Queen.
Even before she brought Siegward to a halt, the gate started to open, with a volley of cries and orders passing across the wind. Very soon, a group of knights started to pour out of the castle, each of them dressed in the Castle's decorative garb. It provided only minimal protection from the cold, but those born of Cainhurst had lived in this brutal climate for centuries, granting even the lowest-born servant a resistance far beyond that of an ordinary man. And it was because of this Maria was able to stay atop her horse without her cheeks so much as reddening, watching as the knights made their way down the grand staircase before her, with one of them hurrying ahead of the others.
"Maria?!" a familiar voice echoed amidst the bellowing gale. But even without this, she knew right away who was approaching her, prompting her to unsaddle herself and drop down onto the bridge, snow crunching beneath her feet. Soon after, Adrian became visible amidst the storm, as did his relief upon seeing her.
"Oh, thank the Gods, it's you," he said. "I trust your quest was a…?" As Adrian spoke, he quickly seemed to realize that something was amiss. Taking a few steps forward, he first looked over her, observing the blood that still coated her garb before finally noticing the herd of riderless horses behind her.
Shocked and confused, he turned back towards her. "Maria, what happened?" By now, the knights that had been following Adrian had gathered around them, all of them looking to her for answers. But alas, Maria had none to give. Not now.
"Where is Her Majesty?" she demanded. "I must speak to her at once."
Her brother seemed to hesitate for a moment, but eventually relented. "In her throne room. She's been expecting you."
This came as no surprise to Maria, who looked towards the gate with a firm look of determination. But before she could leave, she handed Siegward's reins over to Adrian, who was rather slow in accepting them.
"Wait for me here. Gather your men and prepare to depart as soon as I return. One last task awaits us in Loran," Upon giving these instructions, Maria let go of the reins, only for Adrian to take hold of her hand to stop her from leaving.
"Are you certain, Maria?" he asked. "I can handle things from here."
Of this, she had no doubt, just as there was no doubt about her exhaustion. But regardless of how much her body was begging for her to rest, Maria took her hand away, still as determined as ever.
"I am. I owe it to them." As she spoke, she spared one last glance at her men's former horses, who stood ever dutifully in their absence. With a cheerless gaze, she turned back to her brother. "Make sure that they are treated well."
A few moments after receiving these instructions, Adrian silently nodded his head in understanding, leaving Maria to return the gesture. Clenching her fists, she started making her way towards the gate, with the gathered knights parting for her along the way. Despite not looking back, Maria could feel their eyes boring into her as she ascended the staircase, until she heard Adrian issuing orders to his men, finally taking their attention off of her.
Making her way further into the castle, she passed by countless others, all of whom backed away in shock upon seeing her. Be it noble, knight or servant, none dared try to stop her as she marched through the halls, not slowing down for an instant.
As she approached the throne room, Maria quickly became aware of a figure standing at the entrance, obscured by the blowing snow. Hurrying forward, she found none other than Queen Annalise herself awaiting her, her hands folded behind her back and her silk-white hair flowing in the wind. She remained unmoving even as Maria stopped right in front of her.
"So, it is true. Thou hast returned." Maria did not question how she knew of this. Her Majesty was always acutely aware of all that happened within her castle and perhaps, even further beyond.
Without so much as a nod, Queen Annalise turned away from her and started making her way back inside. "Come," she beckoned, with Maria having no choice but to follow.
As she followed her up the stairs leading to her throne room, the Queen remained unusually quiet, no doubt on account of the guards that stood dutifully as they passed. But even as they entered her otherwise empty chamber, neither of them said anything, though Maria knew that she had no shortage of questions to ask her.
In time, Maria would stoop at the foot of Her Majesty's throne, watching as she took her rightful seat and leaned against one of its arms, eyeing her expectantly. Without needing to be reminded, Maria bent the knee, lowering her head as she did.
"Now, then, captain. What tidings?"
Even still, Maria hesitated. She had long decided on what she would tell her, silently rehearsing every word on her journey here, but it didn't make it any easier. But she knew there was no other way.
Taking a deep breath, Maria finally broke her silence. "My men…they're gone. All of them."
Despite the magnitude of what she'd just told her, the Queen's only reaction was a raised brow, more resembling chagrin than any sort of shock. "Is that so? Well, that is a pity, indeed…" she eventually said, though her tone remained unchanged. Silence once again settled over the throne room as Queen Annalise observed her almost scrutinizingly, as if she were pondering over a most pressing question.
"How has this come to pass?"
Once again, Maria failed to answer. She knew there was no way she could tell her the truth – that they disobeyed her orders and abandoned their duty for her sake. But there was an aspect that she simply could not deny.
"They…they died protecting me," she eventually answered. "Loran proved more perilous than any of us could've anticipated and we encountered no shortage of dangerous foes…but they did not falter. Even when I ordered them to retreat, they stood ready to fight, for they would not abandon me even as the tide turned against us."
As she spoke, the Queen listened attentively, taking a few moments to process the information she'd given her. "Hmm…yes, We suspected as much. Thy grandfather inspired similar loyalty in his men, and he has taught thee well."
In response, Maria silently bowed her head. Her grandfather had often spoken of the comrades he'd lost throughout his life and warned her to prepare for similar loss in her own service, but nothing he said could've prepared her for this harsh reality.
Seemingly taking note of her despondence, the Queen leaned forward in her seat. "And they were dear to thee, as well, We see. Thou art like him in more ways than one…" she noted, though despite her words, the comparison did not feel entirely favorable. Afterwards, Queen Annalise leaned back on her throne, resuming her original position.
"But I must ask, captain. If the lands thou traversed were as treacherous as thou claimst, what compelled thee and thy men to continue forward? Are We to believe thou've returned to Us empty-handed?"
This wasn't so much a question as it was a warning. After all, such heavy losses had to have been suffered for a reason. And, perhaps thankfully, they had.
Rather impudently rising to her feet, Maria looked the Queen in the eyes and reached inside her satchel, silently taking out the vial that Professor Laurence had given her and presented it to her. And upon seeing it, her eyes widened in shock, the mere sight of it being enough to make her almost spring up from her throne.
"Do Our eyes deceive Us?" she said, speaking so quietly that one would think she was conversing with herself.
"They do not, Your Majesty. And as you've no doubt guessed, it was not easily obtained," said Maria, tightly gripping the vial before she continued on. "But it is with their sacrifice that I am able to present this to you."
Queen Annalise's eyes remained fixed on the vial, so much so that Maria wondered if she had even heard her. Eventually, her shock subsided, instead being replaced with a firm, greedy gaze.
"Give it to Us…" she demanded in a low, almost desperate voice, hardly befitting someone of her standing. Regardless of this, Maria tentatively started to approach her, only to have her impatiently rise out of her throne and close the distance between them, practically swiping the vial out of her hands.
Turning away from her, Queen Annalise carefully held – or more rather, clutched - the vial in her hands, holding it up high as she inspected the contents within. "Yes…this is it…" she muttered to herself as Maria looked on. "We can feel its power…a power beyond this world…"
The sense of triumph in the Queen's words was evident, yet this feeling was lost on Maria. She knew of the Old Blood's significance, both past and present, but after becoming the first to glimpse at it in what must've been centuries, it left much to be desired. Perhaps it was ignorance on her part to think so or perhaps the price paid to bring it to the surface simply hadn't been worth it.
These feelings Maria chose to keep to herself, watching as the Queen continued to preciously hold the meager sample she'd retrieved, seemingly forgetting that she was even there. At some point, she eventually turned to look back at her, keeping the vial close to her chest.
"Thy men, captain…their sacrifice was to ensure its acquisition?" she asked.
"Yes…" Maria replied after yet another pause. "They fell in battle against its guardian, a battle in which I myself nearly lost my life. In the end, the beast was slain and only I was left to claim our prize…in spite of my best efforts to ensure I would not be."
As she spoke, Maria ended up all but echoing Professor Laurence's words, just as he no doubt wanted her too. She realized now that they hadn't been a question or even an appeal, but rather a suggestion on how she should portray events to the Queen. They certainly presented a more favorable image of her company…
"We see. And what of the scholars?" Was Queen Annalise's next question, once again putting Maria on the spot. Her answer to this question could very well alter her kingdom's relations with Byrgenwerth, perhaps irreversibly.
"They all survived." Maria almost left it at that, but no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise, this account simply wasn't sufficient. "And they showed great fortitude. At many points, they even offered us their help or as much as they could provide."
"Did they, indeed?" said the Queen, appearing genuinely surprised. "And didst thou accept it?"
"Sometimes…sometimes not…" Maria bitterly replied.
To this, the Queen raised a curious brow. "Interesting. Very interesting…" she eventually said, looking once again to the vial she held in her hands.
So far, all that she had told the Queen wasn't too far from the truth, but it was difficult to tell if she was convinced by her account. Had she so wished, she could've laid the truth bare and revealed the true reason behind her survival…but she chose not to. Despite her continued suspicions of him, she had no doubt that Professor Laurence's desire for peace was genuine; were it not, this exchange would not have been possible. And as it was, her grievances did not lie with him…nor were they anyone's business but her own.
And from the looks of things, Queen Annalise seemed to agree with her, for she did not press her further. "Ah, but no matter. It is good that thine cooperation seems to have gone smoothly. And if thine claims are true, then We owe this result in part to Professor Laurence's leadership."
These words felt carefully chosen, leading Maria to believe that the Queen might have greater insight than she initially believed…or perhaps not. Whatever the case may've been, her words rang true.
"Indeed."
After a few more uncertain moments of silence, the corner of Queen Annalise's lips curved into a smile, after which she started to approach her. "Make no mistake, Lady Maria. We do not seek to devalue thy accomplishment. With thy valor – with thy sacrifice, thou hast ushered in a new era for our people." Maria remained perfectly still even as the Queen stopped just in front of her and presented the vial with both hands, as if offering proof of her success.
"And true to Our word, We will see that thy actions receive the distinction they so rightly deserve."
Maria looked down at the small vial in the Queen's hands, which she handled with the same reverence and care as a newly born child. There was a certain allure to the contents inside, but even so, she refrained from taking it from her, not that she was meant to. Instead, she met her eyes and dutifully bowed to her.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said.
She maintained this bow until Queen Annalise motioned for her to rise, after which she awaited further instruction. "Hmm, thou art impatient. Is thy task not complete?" she said more as an observation than a question.
"No, it is not…" Maria replied.
After waiting a few seconds, the Queen drew an adverse sigh, seemingly understanding what it was she wanted of her. "Very well. Go if thou must…but We suspect you would've done so with or without Our approval."
To this, Maria had nothing to offer in response. Instead, she merely accepted Queen Annalise's offer and turned to leave the throne room, her mind now set on another, and much more pressing task.
"Captain!" The queen called after her, forcing her to stop and listen. "Forget not what thou art…for thine own sake."
Yet again, Maria stayed silent and after a moment's delay, continued on her way, leaving Queen Annalise alone in her throne room. And as she made her way back into the raging storm, she couldn't help but ponder over the words the two of them had just exchanged…and how different it could've been had her original plan come to pass. How would Matthias have explained her demise? How would the Queen have reacted to such news? Would she have reacted at all?
These were questions that Maria simply could not answer. But what she did know was that no matter the accolades the Queen offered him and the others, they wouldn't have been enough – not if she wasn't there to share in them. It was why they had come back for her. And it was why she now went back for them.
…
Upon returning to the main gate, Maria found Adrian and his men awaiting her, having untied her company's horses and taken their place in their saddles. Her own horse stood waiting at the front of the herd, standing just beside her brother, who cast her a silent, almost condolatory stare as she mounted Siegward once again. Neither sibling said a word as they looked at each-other, but there was nonetheless a clear sense of understanding between them. Both knew what must be done.
Turning her gaze forward, she roused Siegward with a gentle kick, sending him into a gallop. Behind her, Adrian and his men followed after her, riding with her across the bridge and back into Yharnam. It was a silent journey, with Maria not giving any sort of instruction or even an explanation as to where they were going and why. Not that she needed to, of course. Adrian had no doubt already done all the explaining for her and if he hadn't, it wasn't difficult to determine what they were to do.
Very soon, Maria once again found herself on the Great Bridge, which now lacked any traces of Byrgenwerth's procession. Leaving the horses tied to the railings for some well-deserved rest, she began to lead her fellow knights down into the Tomb of Oedon, though unsurprisingly, her thoughts were entirely centered in the past. Morale had been high among her company as she led them through these very same passages, but even then, she remembered being gripped by a lingering feeling of uncertainty, one that grew stronger the closer they got to their destination. Now, she couldn't help but wish she'd heeded it.
Once they reached the entrance to the Tomb, Maria stopped, looking over the all too familiar setting as her brother came to stand beside her. Not long after, his eyes settled on the monument at the center of the tomb or more accurately, the faint glow that could be seen at its base.
"The chalice?" he uttered seemingly to himself before turning to her in surprise. "You left it here?"
Despite the clear judgment in his voice, Maria offered no explanation for her actions. "Let us go," she eventually said before starting to make her way inside. And after a few seconds of hesitation on their part, Adrian and his men followed.
As they made their way towards the monument, the outline of the chalice became clearer and clearer. A part of her had expected to find it missing upon her return and yet, here it was in the very same spot it had been placed. But aside from it, the Tomb was suspiciously empty. Where was…
"So… it is you."
Maria's head veered in the direction of the voice, as did Adrian's. "Who goes there?!" he demanded as he reached for his weapon. But before he could draw it, Maria put up a hand to stop him, after which she walked towards where the voice had come from.
And soon, she found the scholar that Professor Laurence had left to watch over the chalice sitting on the steps on the right-hand side of the monument, showing no sign of unease even as the other knights continued to eye him in suspicion.
"You didn't tell them I was here?" he observed as she approached.
"I did not know whether you would still be here," Maria replied.
To this, the scholar merely smiled. "And where else should I be?" he asked her, seemingly taking no offense to her statement.
When Maria offered no answer, he stood up and slowly made his way down the steps. "Your skepticism is understandable, but misplaced. It is as my colleague said: we are not enemies."
"So he is eager to prove," said Maria, keeping her eyes fixed on him.
"That should tell you something, no?" "Yes. That you pity me."
"Pity has nothing to do with it." he replied before stopping just a few steps away. Upon doing so, he took on a more serious expression. "But for what it is worth, I am sorry about your men. From what I understand, their final act was a noble one."
Maria soon dropped her gaze. "Noble. Valiant. Foolish." She was speaking more to herself than to him at that moment, drawing a quiet, regretful sigh soon after she finished.
After a few moments, she looked back at Lobsang, who patiently stood among the gravestones. Much like Professor Laurence, his words had sounded genuine, but she had long grown weary of their condolences. Yet despite that, she could not bring herself to be angry with him. Really, it was difficult to say how she was feeling at that moment. But judging from his silence, he was expecting her to say something.
"I…thank you for standing guard in my absence," she eventually said, turning away from him soon after. "I must go to them now."
"And what then?" he asked, stopping her in her tracks and causing her to look back at him as she pondered her answer.
"They will be put to rest." "Then you believe that this is the end for them?"
Caught off guard by his strange question, Maria turned to look back at him, unsure of how to respond. "They are dead. Nothing is going to change that," she told him.
"That much is true," said the scholar. "But the choices that they made in this life matter and will determine their fate in the hereafter… and even further beyond. Death is not the end, my lady, but this need not always be so."
Despite all that Lobsang said to her, Maria found herself no less confused. The scholar's words did not feel threatening in nature, but they also felt oddly personal, leaving her unable to tell whether they were meant as a form of consolation or as a warning – or perhaps a mixture of both. Did he know something that she did not?
"Who are you, scholar?" she asked him, even though she knew better than to expect a proper answer. Surely enough, Lobsang remained almost perfectly still, save for the small smile that appeared on his face.
"Now that is entirely up to you," he replied and just for a moment, Maria thought she saw something briefly reveal itself in his eyes, something that she recognized all too clearly. Regret.
"Oh, enough of these vague platitudes! Answer the question." Adrian suddenly interjected, once again coming to stand by her side.
"Ah, but I have," Lobsang said to him. "These may seem like platitudes to you now, but one day, I promise that you will understand. Hopefully by then it won't be too late."
"You gain nothing by speaking in riddles!" Adrian firmly replied. "Tell me who you are and why I should let…"
"Enough! No more of this!" Maria stepped in before things could escalate further. In response, her brother reluctantly backed away, though he continued to glare at Lobsang, who conversely remained unmoved.
"Yes. I sense that I may have overstayed my welcome," said the scholar, turning his gaze back to Maria. "I will keep you from your duty no longer. Do what you feel must be done and perhaps our paths will converge again one day. But until then…" he paused for a moment before turning his head away.
"Well, I'm sure I don't need to repeat myself."
With that ominous statement, Lobsang turned to leave the Tomb, calmly walking past the group of knights who had silently observed their exchange. And up until the moment he disappeared past the gate, Maria continued to look after him, pondering over what he had said to her. Of all the scholars, he was perhaps the most inscrutable and given the company he kept, that was saying something. Yet even so, it was clear that he did not merely speak in riddles.
"Aren't you going to explain yourself?"
Finally looking away from the gate, Maria turned back to her brother, who was looking at her expectantly. "What is there to explain?"
"A fair bit, it would seem," he said. "Namely, why you left a Holy Chalice under the watch of a scholar and an outsider, no less."
"I had no choice," was Maria's prompt response.
"Did you?" Adrian was clearly not convinced. "And why would that be so? What are you not telling me?"
Against her better judgment, Maria chose to remain silent. It was no surprise to her that he felt – no, knew that something was amiss, as he so often did. But for once, she decided that it was best he remained ignorant of the truth. This was something that he needn't concern himself with.
"We have delayed long enough," she said, turning back towards the Chalice. "Choose which of your men will accompany us; the rest will stay behind to watch over the Chalice."
As she walked away, she heard her brother sigh behind her. "Of course," he agreed.
Though she did not hear him say anything afterwards, she did eventually hear a collection of footsteps behind her, indicating that he had done as she asked. With this in mind, Maria soon found herself once again standing before the Chalice, watching as an eerie white mist continued to flow from its skull-like visage in even greater volumes. And as she gazed down at its radiant light, she could swear she heard a mess of disembodied voices calling out to her, begging for her return.
And after taking a moment to collect herself, Maria knelt down and reached out to it, preparing to descend into Loran's sandy depths once more.
….