It had taken all the morning before Louise had been summoned to meet King Charles of Albion. But eventually Prince Wales ushered Count Wardes and her into the small hall that was the king's "private" meeting chamber. The Prince and the elderly Master of Ceremonies were there as well.

While she had been waiting she'd been quietly furious at the annoyance. Now that she saw that man she understood why he'd taken until a bell before noon to meet her.

The King was dying.

Not from any wound or obvious illness, but the man was clearly ready to keel over any second. His frail hands trembled even while resting, and his lips were blue. If there was a rebel in the castle they could probably assassinate him by yelling 'boo.' No wonder he'd been unable to stave off the rebellion.

She swallowed those feelings down and forced herself to look noble and stern. She was going to shove some hope back into this mess if it killed them!

"Greetings your highness. Louise de Valliere, and Count Wardes of Tristain, here to offer our aid to our noble allies," she said with a bow.

King Charles nodded weakly. "A pleasure. Though I doubt aid will do much good. It is nice to know we aren't yet forgotten."

"And you won't be for a while." Louise stepped forwards. "We're here to help break the siege and give you the first step to reclaiming control of Albion!"

The king gave her a smile meant for a small child, and Louise found herself clenching her fists to avoid going for her wand. "It's good to see you have fire in you child. But I'm afraid that time has passed."

"Should I blow something up again?" Utsuho asked.

"Maybe later," Louise thought back. Instead she forced herself to sound reasonable instead of just barking at the man. "I'm aware you don't have the troops to take back the country. Yet. But I do have a plan that will send this Reconquista running for the hills and break their alliance."

Prince Wales shook his head. "And what weapon will we use for this? It's impressive that your familiar can destroy a galleon with a single shot, but that won't crush an army."

"Young Louise here believes she can slay the Reconquista's leader from a distance," Count Wardes said. "And given her familiar's skill I believe she might be able to do that. However Louise you haven't explained how that will defeat the Reconquista. They have a strong belief in their cause. A simple death won't end matters."

Louise shook her head. "The soldiers might. But the renegade nobles? They're in it for the power. With Cromwell dead, they'll squabble for succession. And since the army is funded by their money, that will buy you time."

King Charles chuckled. "You've got the measure of the traitors among the nobility. But even those scum know better then to fight a battle with themselves during a siege. They'll finish us off first I fear."

"Not if we break their army as well." Louise pointed down. "Albion is a floating island, and the land here is thin. A dot rank earth mage could burrow through." She smirked. "After our initial strike Utsuho and I will blast the ground out from beneath the enemy camp. Between the fire and the fear of falling the army will rout."

Count Wardes shivered. "And the nobles will split up and gather their own soldiers. They'll inevitably be at odds."

Louise grinned. The strategy she'd put together with Momiji looked better then ever. "And while they fight among themselves you can gather your forces. With some money from Tristain you can start your counter attack."

The Prince and King both looked at her in stunned silence. Finally the King sank back on his throne. "You would be willing to fund us? Even though we'd failed already?"

"It's cheaper than fighting a war on our own," Louise admitted. The princess would have to work for it, but maybe with her parents' help they'd get it through the court with only a bit of complaining.

Prince Wales looked at Count Wardes. "You think this plan will work?"

"Yes." Wardes said solemnly. "I think it's very likely. If nothing else it'll set back the Reconquista years."

The King looked them over again, before turning to his son. "Wales. What say you?"

The prince took a deep breath. "Father, we'd decided to die before fleeing our country. We swore to fight to the last." He looked over, and Louise was proud to see the fire back in his eyes. "Why would we stop now that we have a chance at victory? Even a meaningless one?"

"Why indeed?" The King smiled. "I leave it in your hands my son. And Miss Valliere?" The man looked at her. "We thank you, and your country for your aide in this, our time of need. We will not soon forget it."

Louise puffed up almost as much as Utsuho. She'd done it! Today would be a day to remember!

Tabitha was uneasy.

Part of that was they were in a castle under siege. Not a good siege, but that didn't matter. War was a messy affair. And while this castle was wonderful for defense, it was sure to fall.

It didn't help that she had no reason to be here. Okay she was here to help Kirche, but Kirche was here on a whim. Tabitha's country wasn't even involved in this mess. Probably. So she didn't really have orders, or even goals beyond keep her friends alive.

But she couldn't help but feel there was more to it then those details. Something was in the air. The deadly feeling before an ambush, or the calm before a charge. So she was making sure Irukuku was fed. It could be the last meal for a while, and dragons ate a lot.

Guiche groaned under the weight of his two meat buckets. "Wouldn't it be easier to just bring her a cow?" A professional whiner that one.

"Offal," Tabitha said. They weren't going to waste the best cuts on dragon chow. Which meant the butchery had to be done elsewhere.

The comment sailed right over Guiche's head, but Tabitha didn't bother pressing the point. Waste of breath there. Instead she continued leading Kirche and him to the stables.

The trio finished dragging the bloody buckets to Irukuku who downed them one by one. The girl really was a glutton. Still Tabitha was glad the dragon was there for her. Irukuru gave a happy croon as Tabitha rubbed her neck.

"Big sister. Listen."

Tabitha paused. Irukuru wasn't good at using her mental voice. Louise's Utsuho had helped the dragon girl with that, but it wasn't as clear as just speaking. "You notice something Sylphid?"

"I smell that bad rock lady."

"Fouquette?" Tabitha's eyes widened. She'd learned via rumors the woman had been broken out of prison, but why would she be here?

Kirche put a hand on her shoulder. "What are you bringing that old lady up for Tabitha?"

"Sylphid thinks she smells her," Tabitha said quickly, palming her wand into her hand. "Where?"

The dragon tapped her tail against the wall.

Seconds later the rumbling of a golem forming resounded through the stables. Tabitha leaped onto Irukuku's neck before dragging Kirche up behind her. She pointed at Guiche. "Grab," she commanded.

Guiche and Kirche both barely had time to yelp in surprise. Irukuku burst out of the stables just as the golem smashed the building. Foquette sat on the monster's shoulder, grimacing.

"How'd that old lady get here?" Kirche yelled, ineffectually throwing a blast of fire at the golem.

"I'm not old!" yelled Foquette.

Well at least her friend was distracting their enemy. Tabitha took the time to guide Irukuku up to the wall and drop off Guiche. The boy tumbled onto the stone, but quickly recovered. Unfortunately he then just stared at the golem like an idiot. "How can we fight that?" he asked.

"Warn Louise and Siesta," Tabitha stated. There was no way a simple thief would start a fight like this alone. Something else had to be happening. Fortunately Guiche figured out what to do from there and started running down the wall towards where the others were.

Tabitha turned around and started to circle Fouquette. She had to pin down the enemy for now.

Kirche gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Usual strategy?"

Tabitha nodded. The golem would be a hard foe, but with Kirche distracting with fire blasts, Tabitha might get a lucky shot at Fouquette herself in. She guided Irukuku on a pass, and began to look for that opening.

At least she wasn't on edge anymore.

Louise stood on the inner wall of Newcastle. She'd have liked a closer vantage, but not enough to risk getting shot by a sniper. She'd managed to get Tabitha to drag off Kirche and Guiche. So that left Siesta, the Prince, and Wales to help her scout the enemy camp.

Well, to wait as Utsuho scouted the enemy camp. Louise had almost agreed to let her familiar fly over like an ordinary raven, but armies were suspicious of animals that might be familiars. And Utsuho's gem would stand out. Too dangerous. Instead the youkai was using her incredible vision to transmit what she could to Louise.

"That's gotta be Cromwell's tent," she finally said. "Any noble would have heraldry. A normal priest wouldn't have guards." She let her eyes return to her own vision. "I think that's what we need."

Wales nodded. "It fits our suspicions as well. You plan to strike at night?"

"Yeah, as people start settling down. It'll keep the nobles off balance so they can't take command easily." Louise took a deep breath and looked over the camp. She was really going to do this.

Utsuho preened next to her. "It'll be easy."

Prince Wales leaned on the parapet. "Perhaps you will be able to return the ring and those letters to me as you said."

"Huh?" Louise blinked. "Letters? I didn't get any letters from you."

The prince rose and turned to face her. "You sent Count Wardes to collect them did you not?"

Of course she'd done no such thing. "Count Wardes did you-"

Wales stiffened, letting out a coughing gasp. Louise stared as crimson started to stain the prince's white shirt from the sword wand poking through. And then stinging blood splattered into her eyes as a blast of wind tore through Wales' chest.

A meaty thud on her shoulder and a pained croak snapped her out of her shock. "Utsuho!" she screamed turning to see her familiar lying on the battlements.

And then there was a blade at her neck. She looked up at Count Wardes' blood flecked face. Why? Why was this happening? Why had he done this? This couldn't be real right?

"I'd hoped to bring you to our side more gently," Wardes said quietly. "I'd hoped you'd listen to my words. But it seems your childish loyalty to the princess is too strong. So I'm afraid I'll have to bring your skills to the Reconquista this way."

"You're one of them?" Louise reached for her wand, but froze as the blade pressed closer. "You believe that insanity?!" Her heart was beating faster. The shock turning to rage.

Wardes' eyes burned with determination. "It's the truth. We're doomed if we do not reunify and take the Holy Land. And we will need your void power to do it Louise."

"Void magic? That's quite a claim." She didn't want to give him a damn thing.

"You didn't think you could disguise that Stasis spell as air magic did you?" Wardes replied. "Especially not from an air mage. Now if you please, tell your maidservant to carefully drop her wand and get ready to leave."

Louise ground her teeth. "Utsuho, please get up!" But there was no reply.

The blade pressed against her throat. "Miss Siesta."

Louise heard the clatter of a wand on stone. Then a faint hum. "Illusion Laser!" Siesta cried as a beam of light slashed between Louise and Wardes.

As the traitor jumped back, Louise raised her own wand. She had to focus. Draw in the power. Create the antimatter from the void-

Count Wardes flicked his sword, and pain slashed through her body. She staggered back, losing the spell. Looking down she saw the wind blade had cut her hip to mid side. Fresh blood started to cover the stains the prince's death had left. She sank to her knees.

"Deep Ecological Bomb!" Siesta yelled, throwing a small pot at Wardes. The man swung his blade twice, and the pot shattered while Siesta screamed. Louise tried to raise her wand again, but her body seemed slow.

Then there was a blue flash and Siesta's bomb knocked her flat.

Louise heard bells as the shock wore off. Had she hit her head? No those were the warning bells. A little late, but not surprising.

Her entire body was heavy. She wanted to just lie there. But to lie there was to give up. To accept death. So she grabbed the wall and pulled herself up, inch by agonizing inch.

Then a shadow fell over her. She fell onto her butt and looked up. Guiche? Guiche of all people was standing there, his bronze valkyries between her and Count Wardes.

She decided she must be dreaming and let herself collapse against the wall.

Guiche de Gramant knew he was dead.

He was standing against a square class mage, the leader of the gryphon knights, by himself. That was it. He was doomed. He should have stayed home and begged Montmorency for forgiveness. She wasn't as... refined as the princess, but he did care deeply for her. It was just so hard to ignore a woman in distress.

And now he was about to be killed by one of the most powerful knights of his kingdom.

Wardes glared at him through his one good eye. Whatever Louise and Siesta had done to the man had injured him badly. Not that it would matter. "Fouquette was supposed to deal with you."

"Difficult for a stone golem to stop a dragon," Guiche pointed out. Too bad they'd had to stay behind to keep her occupied.

"You have one chance to flee," Wardes said, leveling his blade.

Guiche wanted to run. He wanted to get out of this whole mess. But what would the princess say? What would his family say? What would Montmorency say?

"I have been ordered to defend Lady Siesta with my life sir. I can not abandon that mission." Guiche prepared for the slash of wind that would end his life.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up, as the horrific fear of death washed over him. He tried to stop his knees from quaking, to ignore the part of his mind screaming for him to run from the certain doom... behind him?

A harsh croak ripped through the air and a giant crow of fire and shadow streaked past Guiche. Wardes leaped off the wall just as the fiery terror exploded, ripping the battlements apart. Guiche flinched, but his golems blocked the shrapnel.

To his shock Louise's raven glided out of the blast. It was bleeding a little, but otherwise unharmed. Utsuho managed a few wing beats and landed on Louise's shoulder. Louise nuzzled against the bird. "Good work."

Guiche let his golems fall apart as he hurried to the wounded girl. "How bad are you hurt?" There was no way she was alright with that amount of blood.

"Fine. Help Siesta first." Louise managed to groan. Utsuho flapped angrily, but didn't do anything else, so Guiche turned to the lady he'd failed to protect.

Siesta was still breathing, thank Brimir, so he tried to summon up some healing magic. Water wasn't his element, but every noble learned a little if they could. To his relief, her eyes fluttered open as his spell washed over her. "You're safe now," he declared as authoritatively as he could.

"Left pouch," she muttered. "Green vials."

"Eh?" He didn't have a clue what she was talking about, but followed her instructions. Among a number of other pots and beakers were three green vials.

As he pulled them out Kirche and Tabitha landed next to him. "She ran," Kirche hissed. "With that backstabbing bastard." Her eyes flicked over to the potions. "Wait, isn't that the healing potion she used on me?"

Siesta nodded, before closing her eyes in pain. Guiche figured out what to do from here. He handed one vial to Kirche. "For Louise," he said before holding a second to Siesta's lips. The woman relaxed as she finished the draught, and seemed to fall into a slumber. Guiche hoped that was a good sign.

He looked over to see Louise cough and try to stand. "We have to leave."

Kirche held her down. "You shouldn't be going anywhere! Besides the castle's surrounded. Leaving in the day would be suicide even with Tabitha's skills."

"The Reconquista will attack." Louise tapped the wall. "Dig."

"How will digging a hole help?" Guiche asked. "I can't make an escape tunnel fast enough. Besides, there's nothing below the castle foundation but air!"

Tabitha perked up. "Below the blockade. We can fly down."

Guiche blinked. Well. That was a cunning plan. "Fine. But let's get you on Sylphid first!"

Wardes was fairly certain he was in shock.

He wasn't used to being grievously injured. He wasn't used to being hurt at all. His style favored decisive strikes and illusion. But he'd underestimated his foes badly. And paid a hefty price. His left eye.

"I hope this Cromwell has a good water mage around," Fouquette muttered as her golem carried them towards the Reconquista lines. "Because I can't heal that."

"No one can," he replied. "I'll settle for not dying of blood loss."

"I warned you that bird was dangerous," she said. "You should have hit it harder."

Wardes couldn't argue. Still he'd hit Utsuho with a thrust that should have killed a grown man. That should have been overkill on a light bird that size. He could only hope the creature was injured enough that Louise would be forced to retreat. "At least it didn't vaporize us."

"A pleasant thought." Foquette moved towards what looked like a hospital. The troops on guard made way for her. Good. His message had gotten through.

The golem shrank as it continued on, until it finally dumped him straight into a bed. Foquette dragged a water mage over as he landed. "Heal him fast."

"Now look here-" the man paused as a golem rose up behind him. "Very well. But Cromwell will hear of this." The mage began healing Wardes' wounds, while bandaging his head.

A few minutes later Cromwell himself arrived. The noble healer started to speak up, but the Reconquista leader waved him down. "Wardes. I'm surprised to see you in such a state."

"So am I," he admitted. "Be wary. Those children are not to be taken lightly. They might do some damage to the assault."

Cromwell folded his hands. "They seem to have fled via a hole in the ground. I've sent a squad of dragon knights to catch them. In the open air they stand no chance."

Wardes' jaw dropped. "The dragon knights stand no chance! That damned familiar is alive!"

"Surely a simple familiar can't defeat a dozen knights?"

"If it was healthy it might stand a chance against six dozen," Wardes muttered, lying back on the bed. Damn! Today had been a mess. "Pray some return."

At least he had the letters. It wasn't a total loss. But it was hardly a victory.

And so that segment ends. And now that there's less people looking over Louise's shoulder I can ramp the Touhou involvement back up.

For those familiar with the setting, expect heavy reordering and/or editing. For those not, hopefully it'll all seem planned!