Chapter 2) The Protected

Instead of resting in Frelia and finding some way to help the war effort there, Eirika decided to instead search directly for her missing twin. Just another reason for me to be irritated with him, I suppose. Though I could admit this was also Eirika's emotions getting the best of her again. I understood, though. Waiting until you heard word of your family, not knowing if it would be good news or bad… that wasn't easy. It was less easy when your heart was already cracked and bleeding.

Thus, we march, leaving the relative safety of Serton. Seth has determined the best path would be to head towards Serafew. From there, we would sneak into Grado itself and track down potential leads for Ephraim, Orson, Forde, and Kyle. And hopefully not get caught. Somehow.

I'm beginning to understand why Dad always carried herbs that induced stomach troubles when traveling with King Fado.

"Princess Eirika, you should have gotten me," I chided, carefully sectioning out her hair to brush. It was difficult, because it was terribly tangled. "When it's this bad, it's better to have someone help you." It didn't help that Eirika's hair always tangled easily. It honestly seemed like a simple breeze tangled her hair into matts.

"I didn't think it was that bad…" Eirika mumbled, sheepish. Still, she giggled, amused. "If not for our surroundings, I'd think we were back at the castle."

"It pains me that you still have such bad habits after four years worth of scolding." Finally finished sectioning, I began brushing her hair slowly. Eirika also had a tender scalp that didn't take well to excessive yanking. Well, less than scalps usually do. "Should we review the etiquette books your tutors foisted on you?"

"Foisted, huh? That's a fun word." Eirika laughed, and I was glad to hear it. The whole reason her hair was so tangled was because she had been tossing and turning throughout the night. I knew because she had accidentally hit me a few times. "I want to help around the camp next time we set up. I know Seth said that I didn't need to, but…"

"First thing we have to do is get your hair in order."

"Right…"

As gently as I could, I brushed Eirika's hair, letting the sounds of everyone else wash over me. Cooking, cleaning up, rolling up the tents… that sort of thing. Things Eirika and I really should help with, but didn't. Seth insisted on it. It wasn't 'proper' for Eirika, and he mentioned something about Orson killing him if he let me. I planned on ignoring him, but the past few mornings on the road had been rough for both Eirika and me. I kept dreaming of Grandpapa James and his death, of Rosewatch burning, of Valter. I didn't know if it was better or worse than the dreams I had before, about Monica's death. But they did make it hard to actually get some rest. Eirika had the same problem, more or less, though I didn't know what haunted her nightmares. I didn't ask. Instead, I simply… did what I could. Hold her hand and help her take care of herself. She didn't really want the others to know just how badly off she as. Particularly the three 'new additions' to the group, three soldiers King Hayden had asked to accompany us and who had agreed.

Gilliam joined us officially. I wasn't sure who led the East Watch in his place. I assumed there was some sort of chain of command, since you never knew when someone would keel over and die. Still, I was surprised. Gilliam was clearly a veteran, and more importantly, he was a leader. So, why he had agreed… I had no idea. It made no sense to me.

Vanessa was more like what I expected when King Hayden told us he could spare a couple of soldiers to help us. While not a fresh recruit, she was still new, having served for a couple of years. She was a serious, almost dour, sort of person. Terribly sincere and dutiful, like she didn't know how to relax. I'd been surprised when I learned she was Syrene's sister, though I could easily see the family resemblance. She didn't share her sister's ability to chat with strangers, though, as she was almost painfully quiet.

Moulder, the last of the Frelian trio, had perhaps been the most surprising addition. A healer who had served the royal family for almost all of his life, he was patient and dutiful. Perhaps too dutiful, since he'd nearly missed a couple of meals because he'd been working on something and lost track of the time. Still, a healer traveling with a motley group? I would've thought King Hayden would keep every healer he had close. So, why was he here? Why had Moulder agreed? Like Gilliam, I couldn't make much sense of it.

"Say, Emma?" Eirika quietly began, drawing me from my thoughts. Noticing that I was over-brushing her hair, I set down the brush and began braiding her hair back for the day's travel. "Has Seth recovered?"

"Pardon?" I asked, startled. I looked up to see where Seth was helping Franz with the tents, looking for any sign that he was in pain. But I saw nothing. "Why do you ask?"

"It's more of a feeing, but…" She frowned, clearly thinking. I shifted to tuck my legs under me and keep braiding her hair. "Just sometimes, I swear it looks more like he's enduring something? I don't know. I could be wrong."

"I see." Well, this was awkward. I knew from eavesdropping that Seth's injury could at least still be reopened. I had no idea how bad it was still, but… "Even if he hasn't recovered, do you truly think he'd actually tell either of us?"

"No, he wouldn't." Eirika tilted her head back to look at me, a distinct glint in her eyes. "You would find out anyway, though. You have no qualms being nosy."

"One of my duties is to gather information for you." I barely noticed the use of present tense in the sentence, until Eirika smiled faintly. I chose to ignore it. "Let me guess. You want me to find out."

"Please?"

"Oh, very well." Sorry, Seth… but my promise to never lie to Eirika took precedence. "I'll see what I can learn." I suppose I could at least work with him to figure out what he was willing to let her know, though. That seemed like a good compromise.

"Thank you!" She let me move her head back forward so that I could continue braiding. "I know he simply doesn't want me to worry, but I can't be sheltered. Not anymore."

"I remember Mom once say that innocence was the first casualty of battle." I tightened her braid a little before tying it off. "Truth is the second."

"Truth, huh? I suppose so, based on the history lessons we had..."

"Yes, I have no doubts Grado is vilifying Renais to the populace to help justify the attack."

"Not only that, but it would make it easier to recruit new soldiers for them to send out to slaughter." Her fists clenched in her lap, tight enough that the charms on Grandpapa James's bracelet trembled. "I wish there was a way we could end this with words and words alone. No bloodshed. But that won't happen, will it?"

"Sadly, I don't think there is any chance until we learn why." I moved in front of her and brushed her bangs back, before arranging the strands that fell by her face. Habit. "But, perhaps one day, it will."

"...If I could just talk to Lyon, then I know…" She sighed. "Though, he does adore his father so. This must be killing his heart…"

"Perhaps a confession from a certain lovely princess would help mend it."

"Perha… EMMA!" Eirika immediately flushed and flailed. I dodged and tied off her braid with practiced ease. It wasn't the first time I had teased her while doing her hair, after all. "I can't believe you…!"

"Is everything okay?" With the most perfect timing, Franz walked over to us, visibly confused and worried. Eirika quickly did her best to appear poised and proper. I had to duck my head to hide my smile. "I thought I heard you yell," he continued, frowning. With his earnest eyes, he almost looked like a puppy. "Is there something I can help with?"

"Oh, no, I assure you that all is well," Eirika immediately replied with a bright smile. It was her 'I am at a public function' smile, one practically tailored made to look genuine and hide whatever thoughts she had. "Emma is simply being incorrigible, as usual."

"Oh, so she's teasing you relentlessly? Forde said Sir Alex often did the same for…" Franz trailed off, wincing. By now, everyone knew King Fado was dead. No one talked about it, but everyone knew. "Princess Eirika, I'm sorry for your loss." He bowed deeply. "I could speak of his virtues, but you would know them just as well, or better, than me."

"...Thank you, Franz…" Eirika's smile faltered briefly, but she had it back in place when Franz straightened. "I appreciate your sympathy…"

"I fear I can only imagine what you're going through. My father died when I was still young, after all." That was true. Both Franz and Forde had been young when they became orphans. I believe they were raised by a relative of their mom after Felix died, though when Forde enlisted as a squire, Franz had come with him to live in the castle. So, I didn't think they had been particularly close to said relative. "Still, it is a pain that lingers. I hope you give yourself the time you need."

"Is there time?"

"There always is." Franz said the words simply, but the earnestness in his expression gave them weight. "It's not selfish to mourn. In fact, I think it is selfish to push off mourning. It is saying that your grief does not matter, despite what those around you may think." He smiled warmly, though he hastened to bow. Again. I almost thought he'd slammed his nose against his knees with how quickly he'd bowed. "Pardon my rudeness, of course. I shouldn't… um…"

"Thank you, Franz…" Eirika smiled softly, though it was also worn and sad. "Truthfully, it doesn't quite feel 'real' yet. It's like a nightmare, except I know it has to be real because I could never imagine something so horrible. That dissonance is…"

"Of course, Princess Eirika." Franz straightened, still smiling. "Just… please remember that we are all here for you. I know it's not my place, but you always seemed lonely after Em… er…" He coughed, flushing pink. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say and it made my heart ache. I knew it had been selfish, but to hear that… "A-anyway, that's all. I apologize for disrupting you."

"You didn't." Eirika muffled a laugh. It was one of her polite ones, more for reassuring the listener than due to true joy or amusement. "If anything, you kept Emma from teasing me more."

"Well, that's just dreadful. I should return to General Seth so that she has the time." With a distinctly mischievous grin, he bowed once more and ducked back to the other side of the camp's remains. Almost everything was packed. It was almost time to leave...

"Hey, Emma?" Eirika whispered, gently taking my sleeve. She didn't continue immediately, so I just waited for her. "How long did it take you to accept your parents' deaths?"

"Their deaths?" I repeated, surprised. Of all the things I expected, that hadn't been one.

"Yes…" She smiled wanly at me. "I know that's rude, so don't force yourself to answer, but…"

"Perhaps it's the Jehannan blood in me, but I accepted both pretty quickly. Mom didn't dance around the subject when Dad died, and neither had ever hid that dying in the line of duty was always a risk of being a knight." Plus, there was how Dad had died. He had died protecting King Fado, Ephraim, and Eirika. Even when I was small, I had understood that they were something he'd been willing to risk, and lose, his life for. It hurt, of course. It still did. I missed him terribly. But I had understood and accepted what had happened. "Mom's death had been a little harder, but it hadn't taken me long. It took Monica and Orson longer, actually." But when Mom left to help, I had known there was a risk. Mom had decided that risk was worth it, and I had understood. "In both cases, though, I had a body to look at, so perhaps that helped."

"That is true. Perhaps when I see…" Her voice cracked, and she coughed to try and clear her throat. "Perhaps it will feel real then. Just another reason to reclaim Renais, then. A selfish reason, of course, but…"

"I believe I have said this to you before, but what's wrong with you being selfish? You just have to balance it out." Unlike a certain crown prince. Ugh… the reminder just rankled me! So many times Eirika had felt she couldn't do something selfish because she had to 'balance' Ephraim…!

"You're thinking of Ephraim, aren't you?" She smiled teasingly and actually laughed when I looked at her askance. "You're grumbling under your breath and your eyes are sparking."

"...Perhaps." I wasn't going to admit to that right now. Her triumphant grin showed that I didn't need to anyway. "Regardless, I agree with Franz. You are not being selfish for taking the time to mourn. But I will add to with this. I do not think you are being a 'bad daughter' or anything for taking your time with mourning either."

"Emma…" Eirika's eyes widened; I'd hit a nerve. I figured I might. "...Thank you…" She smiled sadly and rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm tired."

"We've some time before we leave. Why not nap a little?" I took her hand and rested my cheek against her hair. "I'll wake you when it's time."

"Thank you."

"Of course."

It took a couple of days to wear Seth down, but he eventually relented and let Eirika and I help out with the camp chores. Granted, there wasn't a lot we could do. Neither of us had been particularly outdoorsy. But I could do laundry and I could cook, and it quickly became clear that… uh… I was somehow the best cook of the group. I blamed/thanked Monica for that little fact, particularly since it let me get out of some of the grimier chores, which suited me well. Eirika mostly just assisted whoever, to learn as they worked, which suited her just fine. And it was amusing to see her eagerly listening and learning. Like we were back at the castle and she was learning about history or folklore...

Though, at the moment, Eirika was listening to Franz as she rode on his horse and he led it. Eirika had wanted to walk just like the rest of us, but when I discovered her feet were more blisters than skin, I forced her to rest. Even though King Hayden had provided us with clothes and shoes that fit, she had hiked quite a distance in Monica's poorly fitting shoes. It was no wonder her feet were swollen. Of course, Eirika had tried to protest, or at least get me to ride as well (since it wasn't as if I was used to hiking), but I'd managed to get out of it. It wasn't as if we had unlimited mounts or anything. Other than Franz's horse, we had Seth's Tyr and Vanessa's pegasus. But Vanessa regularly scouted, and Seth's horse was truthfully still recovering from the mad dash from Ivroria. I refused to burden either.

As for the horse we had taken from Mulan… well, it had been 'conscripted' for the army. I didn't mind, but it was a terrible reminder that literally every resource Frelia had was being diverted to the war effort in the south. I felt guilty for taking even the three people who came with us. Particularly Moulder. I knew just enough of battle to know you needed every healer you could get, and Moulder was apparently a senior healer at that. With all the experience and knowledge that entailed. Yet, here he was, helping to make our goal to reach Ephraim just a little less suicidal instead of helping keep soldiers' insides where they were supposed to be. How many would die because he wasn't there to help? How many would die because Ephraim ran off, and I didn't convince Eirika to not be so foolhardy? Yes, of course, I understood, but I should've at least tried to stop her. The point of being loyal and honest was to keep someone from doing stupid shit, yet…

"Emma, how are you doing?" Moulder suddenly asked, falling in step with me. It took me a couple of blinks to realize he was there. I was near the back of our group, and he'd been closer to the front with Gilliam. "Yesterday, both Seth and Gilliam seemed intent on training you past your limits. Are you suffering from any aches?"

"I'm fine," I replied automatically. It was a lie, of course. I ached terribly, but I didn't really want to deal with it. So, I pretended otherwise. Besides, I barely knew Moulder. I didn't mind lying to strangers. "All my limbs are attached and aren't screaming at me."

"I see." He had a knowing look in his eyes, like he knew I was lying. Then again, he'd probably dealt with the aftermath of Gilliam's training many times. "When we rest for the day, there are some stretches I'd like you to do. To ensure that your muscles stay healthy."

"Of course." No point in pretending otherwise. I'd lie to a healer about how I was doing, but I wasn't stupid enough to disobey a healer's 'suggestions'. Monica would pinch my cheek each time I tried when I was little, a habit she had picked up from Mom. "Thank you for your consideration." Because you always had to thank a healer. That was something Mom enforced, and Monica continued.

"Oh, there's very selfish reasons for checking on you." Moulder chuckled, amused about something. "If you are injured, you cannot cook us another delightful lunch."

"That was nothing, really." It was just… one of the recipes Monica had taught me. While Emilia taught me baking, and the castle cooks had given me lessons, Monica had always been my primary teacher with… almost everything. "I'm glad you liked."

"Few things soothe a weary soul better than a home-cooked meal." That was true. I thought longingly of the fruit omelets Monica would make to cheer up Orson or me… "Ah, but I see Vanessa has snuck off again for more scouting." He pointed up to where Vanessa was flying off. Even though I was reasonably certain she'd only just returned. "She works too hard, sometimes."

"Well, we are a small group." There were… how many of us? Seven?

"If he could've, King Hayden would've given so many more soldiers." Moulder sighed, shaking his head in regret. "It pains him that Princess Eirika does something so reckless, but it is impossible to ask someone to simply wait and see if their last family member returns from fighting."

"Yet that is a scenario many are facing now. Many in Renais have already accepted the horrible truth." Not to mention the knights who died bringing back the scant snippet of information we had on Ephraim's whereabouts. Their families must be… "You should instead say that it is impossible to ask Princess Eirika. She is as stubborn as a mule and can hyperfocus on short-term things."

"Quite the scathing critique."

"If you believe that is 'scathing', then I dread what you would call the critiques I have of Prince Ephraim." Oh, the words I would have…! After confirming Orson and Forde were fine. And Kyle as well. I didn't know Kyle as well as I did the other two, but I was still annoyed. "I should have tried harder to convince Princess Eirika to not be so foolish, shouldn't I?"

"I do not necessarily think this is a foolish endeavor. Risky, to be certain, but not foolish." He closed his eyes, thinking his words over carefully. I tried to not scoff from how ridiculous that sounded. We were sneaking through a war-torn… no, a war-destroyed country in order to head behind enemy lines to search for a single prince and his knights. What else could this be but foolish? "Gilliam mentioned you had some knowledge of tactics?"

"He is much too kind. My brother-in-law is Orson-"

"Ah, the Knight of Thorns, yes?"

"Yes, that's right." That epithet had always amused me, mostly because it irritated Orson so much. The main reason he had it was because of the poisoned daggers he wore, which were much less effective if people knew about them. Monica had once teased that he should've shown another trait more, like Dad who had also used poisoned daggers but was associated far more with honesty… "I used to skim through his books, and I read a little in case I had to help Princess Eirika defend the castle while King Fado and Prince Ephraim were away, but it is the basics at the most."

"Still, that is some knowledge." He chuckled, amused about something. I simply let him have the point. "Regardless, you are aware of how important morale is for troops, yes?"

"I know that it is important." Motivation was key to practically anything you did. If you weren't motivated, then you were unable to perform as well as you could. Morale and motivation went hand in hand. That was about the extent of my knowledge. "Why?"

"Well, Prince Ephraim's skill in battle and tactics are very well known. The Knight of Thorns is as famous as the Silver Knight and just as skilled." Orson would always protest that. He said Seth was more skilled and was very proud of his friend for that. Seth would always shrug and say he'd be dead ten times over if not for Orson's common sense, so it didn't matter who was more skilled because skill wasn't everything. "From my understanding, his other two personal knights are also well known for their skill, correct?"

"Forde and Kyle? Yes, they're both quite skilled." They had been Ephraim's personal bodyguards since they were all young, and both Seth and Orson had trained them extensively for the job. Especially Orson, since he had guarded Ephraim for most of his career as a squire and knight. "Are you saying that having them would bolster morale?"

"Whatever rumors there are of Prince Ephraim, and there are many, none can deny his skill and his ability to rally even the most tired of fighters to victory."

"Is that so?" I did vaguely recall Orson praising Ephraim for helping to deal with bandits a few times. I had always snapped that he'd done it for glory, irritated because he'd always leave without warning and put Eirika in awkward situations. "So, you don't think it's foolish because if we succeed, we will bring back four skilled fighters?"

"Including one with copious experience." Well, that was true. Orson did know a lot about fighting. He had traveled with Seth a lot during Seth's hotheaded days. I still remembered Seth awkwardly apologizing for that, and Monica giving them both a third-degree lecture for such recklessness each time they returned. "Not to mention any information we gather, and any soldiers we manage to pick up." Moulder stroked his mustache, chuckling. "Not to mention the songs that will be crafted of the delicate princess skirting past Grado's forces to rescue her brother from behind enemy lines…"

"...So, letting Princess Eirika have her way is, essentially, King Hayden being very crafty at great risk?" I wasn't sure how much I liked that.

"And great heartache." That didn't make it much better. "I suppose we should be grateful that you do not do as your father did to keep her from rushing off."

"My dad?"

"Your father was Sir Alex, yes? Sir Seth mentioned it." Moulder smiled warmly. "I have served the royal family for quite some time, and since King Hayden and King Fado were childhood friends, I had the honor of meeting Sir Alex a few times."

"Oh, that makes sense." More than just 'made sense'. Dad had been King Fado's personal knight since they were both young, and was most often the one who traveled with him to visit other countries. "Let me guess. He poisoned King Fado with herbs that led to his stomach protested. Vehemently."

"Precisely." Moulder actually laughed, though he was quick to muffle it. "I was aghast when I learned about it." Most were, from my understanding. Then, to their own surprise, they grew used to it. "Sir Alex shrugged it off and said that a knight's duty involved making sure his chosen lord didn't do something criminally stupid."

"That sounds like Dad." My vague memories of him, at least. And the stories I had heard. "I don't carry such herbs on hand as he did, though. I would have to forage for some."

"That was going to be my next question. I needed to know if I had to prepare for such an eventuality or not."

"Not right now." Maybe if we found Ephraim alive and well. Surely a few of them grew around the border. "I prefer to use my herbal knowledge to assist in what teas to brew."

"So, you know herbal remedies?"

"Orson taught me some, yes. I am, by no means, an expert. But he learned from Dad."

Moulder and I continued to talk quietly, which more turned into him giving me lessons on the different ways herbs could be used, and which ones were particularly beneficial in teas. I listened as best as I could, already knowing I'd need at least one repeat of the information before I had any idea what he was talking about. At some point, Vanessa returned, far earlier than expected, her serious expression noticeably more drawn and grim. It didn't take long for her to relay why, but I didn't comprehend what it was until she led us to what she'd seen. It was a village. Or, rather, the charred and broken remains of a village. Complete with the rotting, bloated corpses of its former residents.

I supposed Rosewatch looked like this now. Well, with a few less bodies strewn about. That day, only Grandpapa James had died, and we had buried him in the middle of nowhere. I wondered if… if we'd ever be able to find his grave after all of this. Or if he'd just be lost forever…

I barely noticed I had started walking until I was right next to one of the burnt husks that had once been a home. After a moment of staring, I brushed my hands against my skirt and pulled one charcoaled support beam off of a body so that I could pick them up. A child, based on the size. Hard to tell the age, due to how burnt the body was. And due to rot. And due to where carrion eaters had picked away at the remains, and dug about for the bone and bone marrow. But they'd definitely been a child. Someone who should've been sheltered and protected from all things evil in the world. Except now, they were a corpse, a victim of war despite never once raising a weapon.

I felt numb as I carried the body to an open space to lay down. Numb and dissociated from everything as I meandered to other ruined buildings to pull out bodies and lay them out in the open to be buried. Did we have the time? Probably not. Actually, I was certain we didn't. But when I got the third body, Eirika was right next to me, pulling out a fourth. Gilliam and Seth hunted for tools to use for digging, something to make the graves easier to make. Moulder began praying over the dead, giving them as much of a 'proper' funeral as he could. I didn't see Vanessa or Franz at first, but a feather fell from the sky, hinting Vanessa was patrolling to make sure we had the time. And when I laid out the seventh body, I saw Franz tucked in the shadow of a fallen building, quickly making grave markers with bits of wood and rocks bound with twine and vines. Something to show that there were bodies here and to turn the shallow graves into something a little more 'formal'.

There was no doubt in my mind that there were other villages like this, who didn't have random strangers happen to pass by to give them a proper burial. Villages filled with people who should've been safe, who should've been protected, only to be cut down cruelly and mercilessly. Only to be left to rot, to be a nest for maggots and a meal for carrion eaters. That was just how battles and wars were.

Eirika cried when we finished burying them. Cried for the pain and terror the villagers, people who relied on her and her family for protection, had felt in their final moments. I was numb to it all. It was just more death to me, and I was far too used to the weight of the dead breaking my back to react. Or maybe I was just too exhausted. Or maybe there was just something wrong with me. Hard to say. It was what it was.

That wasn't the only village we came across. Some were lucky and showed signs of evacuation prior to being ransacked. Others were like the first one we came across. We buried all the dead we came across. Gilliam and Seth would dig the graves, Franz would make the markers, Vanessa would make sure we had the time, and Eirika and I would dig the corpses out of the rubble. Then we would stand and pray as Moulder said funerary prayers for the nameless dead. ...No, not nameless. Just unknown names. And possibly would never be identified. Their names only known to the gods… and all people who should've never have been in harm's way in the first place…

Eirika's nightmares grew worse. It took her forever to nod off, and she always jerked back away before long with thousand of dead phantoms clawing at her heart. All I could do was hold her while she calmed down, which grew harder every day. As we saw more and more ruins, more and more dead… ha, and it made me think of the soldiers we had killed. The new recruits so green that even I could kill them… their families had to be in agony, hearing of their deaths. If they heard at all. Perhaps they would be left waiting and waiting for an answer that would never come…

"Are you okay, Emma?" Franz asked me, jolting me out of my head. This time, he walked with me in the back, carefully leading his horse beside him. Eirika had insisted on walking despite my worries; Moulder helped us compromise by walking with her. Gilliam and Seth were up front, discussing something. Vanessa was scouting, as per usual. "You seem melancholic."

"I'm fine, Franz," I replied. It was… closer to a lie than I'd like. While I never promised honesty to Franz, I had known him for some time. "I'm just a bit tired."

"You were still recovering from Monica's death when all this started too…" Franz frowned worriedly at me for a moment before gasping and digging through his saddlebag for something. "I'm sure I… yes, Forde, thank you for being predictable!" I didn't have time to wrap my head around that before Franz presented a couple of pieces of hard candy. Apple drops, a favorite of his. "He's always sneaking these into my things. Here, have one!"

"...Thank you." Unable to think of a reason to refuse, I popped one into my mouth. It was sweet and sour… and reminded me of the apples in Rosewatch. Specifically the apples I had taken from the stores, that Grandpapa James had insisted on giving me honey for because they were 'too sour' without the honey… "He likes spoiling you."

"And it's near impossible to return the favor." Franz happily tossed the other drop in his mouth, humming in delight at the taste. I had to smile at his enthusiasm. "But sugar makes everything better."

"That's why Orson had to lock all the sweets away from you when you were supposed to be training. You wanted to munch on sweets instead."

"I… I did not!" Franz's embarrassed blush, however, said otherwise. "He just thought I was eating too much for a proper diet and got worried."

"Most would worry when they see their friend's squire eating his weight in sugar."

"I wasn't eating that much!" He made a face and I ducked my head to try and hide my growing smile. "There, that's a bit better."

"Hmm?"

"You're still sad, but you're smiling." He grinned at me, and I… well, I had to admit to being touched. "I know you're pushing yourself a lot. You always do even when you're at your best."

"I am perfectly aware of my limits, Franz."

"Of course you are. That's how you know how to go past them every-whoa!" Franz's horse suddenly jerked forward, trying to reach one of the nearby trees to nibble on the leaves. Or maybe the grass by the roots. "No, no! You just ate!"

Though I tried to assist Franz in getting his horse to behave, we did have to recruit Seth's help. It led to a surprising amount of laughter and teasing, with poor Franz taking the brunt of it for his childish horse. Eirika tried to at least muffle hers, unlike the rest, but I swore even Tyr, Seth's horse, snickered. It wasn't a bad thing, mind. It lightened the air and made the next few minutes of our journey strangely peaceful.

"Princess Eirika!" That is, until Vanessa returned, dismounting from her pegasus even before she had fully landed. Her pegasus danced in place, nervous, but Vanessa held onto the reins and kept her still. "There's bandits attacking the village to the east, past the mountains," she reported. Her words were terse and no-nonsense, but she gripped her reins so tightly that her fists shook. "From what I could tell, they just started the assault."

"Bandits…" Eirika whispered, eyes widening. In the distance, I thought I heard people screaming. But perhaps… "So, the villages we saw had truly been…"

"It seems so, your highness."

"Yes, while the soldiers are busy warring with each other, there are few who can ride out and rescue them," Seth elaborated. He calmly stroked Tyr's nose, the only sign on his frustration being how rigid he stood. "The bandits know this. That's why this is happening." That's why when the war ended… no matter who 'won', there would be countless villages destroyed, and even more dead. Because the knights could no longer protect the villagers from the 'simple' and 'everyday' threats when war came. Because the 'bigger picture' forced them to fight distant battles, and there was no room for the small. 'Save the world' and ignore the thousands of worlds that died everyday… "What shall we do, your highness?"

"We must help them," Eirika insisted. Not a single person was surprised. "If nothing else, surely we can buy time for the villagers to evacuate?"

"More like we can buy time for the other villages to fortify themselves, and to make the bandits decide this is too much trouble for the potential worth," I sighed. I had little doubts the village under attack was lost. If we had more than one flier, perhaps we could've helped them more, but we had only Vanessa. And only a flier would be able to get over the mountains in time. How many graves would be dug today? ...No, perhaps it would be more accurate to ask 'how many bodies would be left to rot?' instead. We would try, but given the circumstances, we might not be able to bury any of the fallen… "Still, we can probably handle that. For maybe one village."

"That will be enough." No, it wouldn't. I could tell by the sadness in her gaze. But it would be better than doing nothing. "I'm sorry, everyone, but… but these are my people. I can't do much for them now." She faced everyone and bowed. I noticed that she had 'flipped' one of the charms on Grandpapa James's bracelet to clutch tightly. No doubt she was remembering the flight from Rosewatch. "But what I can, I must."

"Do not forget, Princess Eirika, that you travel with a healer and knights," Moulder gently chided. His smile was kind and reassuring, matching his tone perfectly. "If you gave the order, we might be able to ignore our own wishes, but none in this company can simply turn away when innocents are hurt." He chuckled, nodding to where Vanessa was already tightening her saddle, checking everything over for potential battle. "The main worry is simply how to utilize our small force effectively. Then again, if we go by songs..."

"Can we please not bring up those songs right now?" Seth sighed. I knew he was doing his level best to not get irritated. Particularly since there were a few songs of how he had stormed bandit bases alone. Those songs neglected how Orson had to drag him to the healers afterwards. And the lectures Monica had shrieked at him. "Please."

"You shouldn't have let him know they bother you," Gilliam immediately 'scolded'. He didn't smile, so the words came off as 'serious'. But there was definitely a glint of laughter to his otherwise hard gaze. "Now he'll bring it up as often and innocently as possible."

"Well, it can at least wait until we're camped for the night." Seth turned to Vanessa and waved her closer. "Tell us all that you saw. Numbers, weapons… everything. We'll need every shred of information we can get."

"And then we'll need more, but we'll learn that along the way." Gilliam calmly checked the buckles of his armor, tightening a few. I supposed when he traveled, he kept them looser so that he didn't heat up as much. "We also need the locations of other villages."

"We passed a village on the way here, didn't we?" I prompted, thinking. I remembered something like that. It had stood out along the way because it had been whole, with people walking about like it was just a normal day. Well, it had been, for them. "I'll head back and warn them. One person should be enough for that, and we don't know how many might be in the mountains, hiking down, right?"

"Will you be all right on your own?" Gilliam asked immediately. Once upon a time, I might've bristled and thought I was being ridiculed, but I was too tired to get offended. Besides, I could see the concern in his eyes. Even if I didn't, Seth's frown showed enough. "If there are bandits there, then you will have to help the villagers."

"We have limited numbers, and if we're to have a chance at saving the villagers, then the ones with the most experience need to push forward, right?" That's how I saw it. Better to have the least experienced fall back and take the gamble. The least experienced here were Eirika and me. But I was less likely to be recognized, and even those who thought they'd recognize me were likely only going to 'see' a 'Jehannan mercenary'. I was also easily the most expendable of the group. Yes, there was my promise to Grandpapa James, and I'd hate to break it if only because it was one of his last wishes, but that mattered little in the grand scheme of things. "We don't really have time to debate, do we?"

"No, we don't." Gilliam frowned… but then again, his face just seemed to almost always be scowling or stoic. "Remember that lances do not fare as well against axes. If you get into a fight, dart in close before they can strike."

"Understood." Noticing Eirika's worried look, I forced a smile. It felt stiff, but hopefully, it was enough to reassure. "I'll return soon."

When I made it to the village, I discovered a couple of things. One, the bandits had actually tried to attack here. Two, someone took offense to that. Three, that someone decided the best way to deal with said offense was to char-boil them into ash. Four, that someone was still here. And five, that some was General Selena, the Fluorspar of the Imperial Three. Of all the people it had to be…!

"Another one?" she asked, her words drawling slightly from annoyance. However, she didn't attack me immediately. Instead, she frowned, studying me closely while she calmed her horse down. "Who are you? Based on your weapons, I would say you are not one of the local peasantry." Her eyes narrowed, quickly focusing on my hair. "Ah, of course. You must be a mercenary."

"Yes, I am," I lied, doing my best to mimic Mom's accent. I used to do so as a child, just for fun. I could only hope it at least added to the sudden act I had to pull off. Oh, I was especially glad Eirika hadn't come here now. For one thing, Eirika couldn't lie anymore than a newborn could walk. "With a group, heading back towards Jehanna. Thought we could avoid trouble by swinging south, but no such luck."

"Yes, with the collapse of Ivroria, bandits had squirmed out of the woodwork." She sighed, shaking her head. I bit back the scathing words I thought, specifically about how it was her emperor that gave the order. "I would like to assist further, but…" She looked back at the village, which had its gates firmly shut and archers on the edges. She must've gotten them organized enough. "I have orders to quit the area immediately. Might I hire you to take care of the problem?"

"You may." The hell? I didn't know Selena personally, since she was assigned to guard or escort Eirika back in Grado, but I knew her by reputation. With her magic, she could obliterate the bandits in maybe twenty seconds. "Bit surprised you're wanting to help. You're a Grado general, aren't you?"

"These aren't soldiers. They're people." So, were soldiers not people now? That was just wrong. They still had families who mourned, families who waited…! "They shouldn't have to suffer because their leaders fight." And soldiers should suffer? It wasn't like everyone joined for moral superiority or whatever. Some just did it for steady pay. That's why Daniel had enlisted. "Here, take these as your payment." At least she paid well. The gems she pulled out of her saddlebag and handed me at least looked like they were of good quality. "Thank you."

"Of course." I bit back further words and kept silent as she rode off. Rode off to the north at that, far away from the bandits. "She really couldn't have bothered to stay and help? Or at least kill some on her way out? Does she really think orders are everything?" That just… disgusted me. She was no knight, no matter what her title claimed, if she followed orders so literally and blindly. "Tch…!"

I pocketed the gems and walked over to the gates to make sure the village was fine. They asked me to help them reinforce one of the walls, an easy enough task, and then reassured me that they'd be fine and, more specifically, would prepare for any refugees. I was touched to hear them volunteer and promised to help any survivors make it to them before I left to rejoin the others. Who were in the thick of battle by then. Since I had no idea what to do, I decided to go straight for Seth, since he was easily found even in the mess and he'd probably have an idea of where I should be. Also, because Seth killed a bandit with each swing of his blade, it was arguably the safest place in the field.

"I see you've returned," Seth noted, cutting down another bandit with ease. I frowned when I noticed he slightly winced. Eirika was right… something had to be up. But now wasn't the time to confront him. "Is everything well?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked, walking over to him once he stilled. I distinct 'squelch' sound made me look down and I saw I… I had stepped in someone's guts. My stomach didn't need that… "Do I look worried or something?"

"You look annoyed." Seth patted Tyr's neck, whispering praises to him. Tyr tossed his head back, slinging some blood off his armor. "What has you angry?"

"Selena is a gods damned idiot who 'hired' us to kill bandits while she..." I grumbled a few more curses under my breath, and only noticed Seth's staring after a moment. "What?"

"To clarify, by Selena, you mean…?"

"The Fluorspar. Mage-knight extraordinaire who could turn a field of soldiers into charcoal, who insisted on following orders instead of helping people." Gods above and below, that just irritated me. But the edge of the feeling was dulled by Seth's incredulous staring. "What?"

"...You were hired to kill bandits by a Grado General." Seth spoke slowly, adding weight to each word. It still took me a second to realize the complete and utter ridiculousness of what had happened. "Why do I have a bad feeling we're going to be seeing a lot of that Jehannan luck?"

"We're at least going to hear about it a lot." There had to be a bias for it. Noticing it more, that sort of thing. Or just strange luck being attributed to Jehannans. "But yes, she annoyed me. Didn't stay around to help because she had orders."

"Of course that bothers you." Seth smiled wanly, and I shrugged. Anyone worth serving wouldn't balk at the idea of delaying a little to save people. I wholeheartedly believed that. I knew Seth did as well. "I'm surprised you didn't yell at her directly."

"I didn't want her to pay that much attention to me." And if I had to admit it, I knew it was a good thing that she hadn't stayed. She might've just seen my coloring and made assumptions, but Seth was famous. Still, she didn't ask a damn thing about 'my group'. Nothing about numbers or even how many years of experience we had!

"You don't think she guessed who you were?"

"I barely saw her when I visited Grado with Princess Eirika. I saw Glen and Duessel far more than I did her." So, I doubted she'd recognize me, particularly when I was dressed so differently. "I suppose I wouldn't call it 'impossible', but…"

"I see." He nodded, frowning slightly. No doubt determining scenarios just in case. "I wonder why she was on her own here."

"She didn't say." She had enough sense to keep quiet, at least. "Maybe looking for stragglers from Ivroria?"

"Perhaps." Seth shook his head, no doubt to rid himself of distracting thoughts, before nodding to something I couldn't see. "The village that was under assault is that direction. Vanessa managed to rescue a young boy who had been fighting alongside a few others and was injured, and she returned to see who else she could help."

"So, you want me to hunt for archers or something?" Even a child knew how dangerous arrows were to fliers, particularly pegasi. "Village in the north is fine and preparing for refugees. Should I tell Vanessa if I see her?"

"Yes. I'll inform the others."

"Understood." This was… much too serious for me. "Is this where I salute? Or should I curtsey?"

"On with you." He rolled his eyes, now shaking his head in exasperation. I was good at getting that reaction out of him. I had years of practice. "I'll check the area here before heading south. I'll send Franz up to reinforce you. We don't know how long the villagers can last."

"Got it." Honestly, the villagers were probably dead. But neither of us wanted to say that. "See you soon."

I ran the direction he'd nodded, ignoring when why steps gained a distinct 'squish' or 'squelch' sound. And trying to not fall when I accidentally stepped on a limb and it rolled under my weight. There weren't that many bodies out here, but once or twice was more than what a person should experience in their life. Much more. But I couldn't focus on that. I had things to do. I had to help Vanessa, because a single arrow could mean more than her death. It could mean the death of any villagers she tried to protect, tried to save.

I got lucky and managed to ambush the first archer I found. I got luckier and dodged their retaliatory arrow before getting the kill. Unfortunately, though, the fight was loud and caught the attention of the bandits nearby. And they wanted revenge for the one I'd killed.

I wasn't sure how long I fought. I did know that these bandits didn't go down as 'quickly' as the soldiers I had killed. I had to resort to thinks like kicks to the groin in order to even get a good hit in, much less a kill. It really made me think of those soldiers. They must've just joined… just joined and died. Because of me. It was my fault. And even these bandits… did they have family? Friends? I knew the stereotype of bandits, of course, but I also knew that stereotypes rarely reflected reality. So, the ones I killed… did I destroy part of a person's world with each thrust of my lance? The blood, the smell… neither were as nauseating as that single thought.

But, unfortunately, thoughts were distractions, especially during a fight. More than once, I nearly lost my head or had my guts replaced with an axe just because I wasn't fully focused. I certainly gained an assortment of gashes and cuts from near misses. But the thing that almost proved fatal? A single arrow, straight to my leg. That alone made me crumple to the ground and, even worse, the shaft broke off, leaving part of it in my leg. Right as a couple of bandits were bearing down on me. I tried to stand, but I couldn't. The pain in my leg was too great. It made black dots swim in my vision, and I could barely grip my lance, much less grab my fan from my belt. So, I was certain… that this would be where I died…

It wasn't. Because someone wielding an axe like it was just an extension of his arm cleaved one bandit's skull into pieces, before taking the bandit's own axe and throwing it into the other bandit's chest. The archer who had shot me tried to kill my savior, but he blocked it with the flat side of his axe before throwing the axe and scoring another kill. He calmly picked up one of the fallen axes nearby, checked the area for any other attackers, and turned to look at me. That's when his jaw dropped.

"Tabitha?" he whispered. Almost immediately, though, he shook his head. "Wait, no, Tabitha died. She died years ago." He blinked slowly, trying to process things. I was doing much the same because I recognized him. I knew him. I hadn't seen him since Felix's funeral, but he hadn't changed all that much. "The coloring is hers, but those eyes are too much like Alex's… you can't be Emma, can you?"

"Hello again, Garcia," I mumbled, defaulting to manners. What were the chances? I knew he had retired after his wife's death to raise his son, but for us to pass by his home? While it was under attack, meaning we actually got involved instead of just walked on by? Seriously, what were the chances? "It's been a while."

"It has." He looked at my leg and swore. I had to smile, because I recognized it as one of Mom's favorite curses. "Of course it broke in your leg."

"Yes, of course." Because that was just how it was. "Hey, at least it's not poisoned! I think."

"No, they probably just made sure it was stuck in the mud first." Garcia crouched down and easily picked me up with one arm. Like I was five years old again, not seventeen. "Meaning you have a muddied arrow-head buried deep in your leg."

"Ah." Well, damn. "That sounds bad. And something that Mom would do."

"One way that Tabitha and Alex flirted was through discussions on how to kill people with plants and dirt." That… that somehow didn't surprise me. "Let's get you to someone. A healer, hopefully."

"Moulder. He's…" Somewhere. I had no idea where, actually. "Well…"

"Shouldn't be too hard to find him. His area will be relatively calm." A bandit charged us, emerging from the underbrush of some nearby trees, but without even looking, Garcia slammed his axe into them, leaving a giant gash across their torso that gushed blood as they fell. They jerked and spasmed for a moment, choking on the blood, before growing still. "Try to keep still? It'll be easier for me. I'm a bit out of practice." His eyes narrowed suddenly, frowning at something behind me. "Who's… that blonde knight reminds me of Felix…"

"That's Franz, his younger son." I answered before I even twisted to look and I waved when I confirmed it was him. Franz waved back and immediately turned his horse to ride over to us. And yelped when he saw my leg. "Hey, Franz… Garcia is carrying me to a healer. Is Vanessa near?"

"Vanessa just evacuated the last of the villagers and has switched to targeting bandits," Franz informed us. He quickly pulled some cloth from his saddlebags and pressed it against my wounded leg. I hissed in pain, and he winced in sympathy. "Sorry, but it looked like you needed pressure on it. Oh, wait, I should introduce myself to… hold on, I know the name 'Garcia'."

"I see you took after your mother," Garcia gently teased. He looked between Franz and me a few times before sighing gustily. "Damn, I'm old. I was feeling it before, but seeing you two grown makes it really obvious."

"Er… sorry?"

"Children shouldn't apologize for growing up." Garcia shook his head and smiled. "Still, she's right. I'm getting her to your healer."

"Down south." Franz saluted. "I'll take over here!"

"Good, lad."

Leaving Franz behind to fight, Garcia carried me easily, killing any bandits who thought he'd be an easy target while carrying someone. But Garcia fought like it was nothing, making me wonder if he had some practice with this. It didn't really matter, of course, but it was a curious thing. Still, I was grateful when we found Moulder, who had set up a small 'infirmary' in the relative safety of a grove of trees. I was very, very grateful.

"I see we should have sent Franz to you earlier, based on these injuries," Moulder murmured, immediately checking me over as soon as Garcia set me down. Garcia left without a word, possibly to return and help Franz. "Where is your lance?"

"Probably somewhere on the field, since Garcia picked me up," I explained. It took all I had to not accidentally kick him when he inspected the arrow wound on my leg. It hurt a lot. Even more now, actually. Battle-fever was a terrible thing. "I should've held onto it." Did… did I need a weapon right now? "I have my fan. Do I need to cut something?" Did my leg have to be amputated? Like how I'd cut that soldier's arm off back at Mulan?

"Hmm? Oh, no, it was simply a conversation topic. Something to try and help you deal with the pain." He smiled faintly at me. Faint, and wry. "I should have picked a different subject. My apologies."

"Nah, it's fine." I flinched when he pulled the edges of the wound on my leg to peer inside it. Just that little bit felt like molten metal... "This is going to be painful, isn't it? You're going to have to dig into the wound, right?"

"I have some numbing herbs." He sat back on his heels and pulled his pack over. "I'll apply-"

"No, just go ahead." I gripped the grass beside me with a white-knuckled grip, ripping some of it out of the ground. But I set my jaw and met his gaze when he looked back at me. "I can endure. Save it. Who knows when we'll find more?"

"...Very well." Moulder checked over my other injuries before nodding. "Then we'll treat this first." He pulled out a few instruments, most notably a knife. Oh, gods, this was going to suck… "Still sure about no numbing herbs."

"Yes." Because I was a stubborn idiot.

"Okay."

Within seconds into the surgery, I had bloodied my lip to keep from screaming and mentally called myself at least twenty different kinds of idiot. I completely tensed up, so rigid that my other injuries burned in protest, and I had to close my eyes to keep from crying. All the worse was the feeling of warm blood streaming down my leg. It felt warm even as prickling heat flooded me, like when you were stuck outside for too long and you were about to faint. Was I about to pass out? I'd honestly welcome it.

"...Ma…" Someone was saying something. I could barely hear it through the pounding of my heart and head. "Emma." My name. Someone was saying my name. "Emma, are you conscious?"

"Reluctantly," I croaked, coughing. Slowly, I opened my eyes and I saw Moulder peering at me as he healed up my leg with his staff. Once he got it to a certain point, he stopped and began bandaging it. "Is it out?"

"Yes," he confirmed. He paused in bandaging to show me the arrowhead, drenched with my blood. He set it down on his leg and went back to bandaging me. "I want to check the wound again when we rest for the night, to ensure it was properly cleaned. Once I confirm that, I'll heal it in full."

"Thank you." My voice was crackling. My mouth was dry. "I appreciate it."

"Of course." He finished with my leg and then picked up his staff to investigate the rest of my injuries. "When we can, we should get you some armor for your legs."

"Huh?"

"While a weakened arrowhead is a pragmatic trick, they're not good against armor. Easy to imagine why, yes?" It took a bit of thought, but yeah, it did. "Most women in Frelia's army are pegasus knights, who don't require armor on their legs because they're strapped into their saddles. You and Princess Eirika were armed as they are." Moulder shook his head and smiled regretfully at me. "My deepest apologies, Emma. I should have thought of this before we left."

"Well, at least it was me and not Princess Eirika." Slowly, I made myself relax. And I winced as pain spiked through me. "So, am I as bad off as I feel?"

"Nothing that can't be fixed."

"That doesn't actually answer my question." But, then again, I didn't actually want an answer. It had been mostly rhetorical anyway. He no doubt knew that. "Do I need to do anything?"

"Just sit still."

"Okay."

By the time Moulder finished healing me up, the battle was over. Not only that, but Garcia had actually agreed to join our little group. He and his son, Ross. I just nodded when Eirika told me, and rested my head on her shoulder to doze while Moulder healed Franz and Ross up. Both had taken significant injuries, just as I had, so it would take a while...

I was exhausted… I didn't want to move...

'Hilariously', in that very specific 'life must hate me' sort of way, despite how exhausted I had been after the battle, I couldn't sleep. At all. Even though my eyes felt gritty and prickled from tiredness, I just couldn't sleep. I couldn't even doze off. I just laid there under the blankets, staring at the blank 'ceiling' of the tent while Eirika mumbled and whimpered in her sleep from nightmares. After a while, I sighed and got up, slipping out of the tent. I thought maybe a walk or stargazing would help me. However, I didn't quite expect to see Garcia up, with Ross was fast asleep on Garcia's shoulder. At least, until I remembered the two had volunteered for 'first watch' of the night.

"Couldn't sleep?" Garcia asked, noticing me immediately. After all, it wasn't as if I was trying to hide. "Not that much of a surprise. You either pass out or remain wide awake during your first few." He smiled at Ross, chuckling. "He ended up being the former, for all his talk of 'doing his duty'."

"I'd be just as asleep if I could," I answered, envious. I just wanted the day to end already. I didn't want any thoughts bouncing through my empty skull anymore. "But no, you're right. I couldn't sleep."

"Tomorrow, ask Moulder for some sleeping teas to keep on hand. It'll help." Silence fell, more than a little awkward. Not that much of a surprise. It had literally been years since I'd seen him. Hell, it had been years since I'd even heard from him. Monica had invited him to her wedding, and while he had refused, he had sent a wedding gift. "So, how is Monica doing? Must be worried, with you out here."

"She died six months ago." I wasn't surprised he didn't know. It wasn't like you sent 'invitations' to a funeral, and we were pretty far from Ivroria, where most of the gossip was.

"...Ah." Awkward silence again. Not sure how to go about breaking it. "So, did you escape Ivroria with Princess Eirika? I got a letter about you being her lady in waiting." He had? I hadn't known Monica had told him. Though, maybe it had been King Fado...

"No, after Monica died, I left her service. I…" I couldn't say more. I felt ashamed to say this to him, of all people. He had been, after all, one of Dad's best friends. And Dad wouldn't have…

"I see." Strangely, however, Garcia didn't sound surprised. That made me feel worse. Like he'd expected the disappointment. "Then, how did you end up here?"

"Seth and I are blaming his Jehannan luck, actually."

Hesitantly, I sat down next to him and told him about how I found Eirika and Seth in my house during the rain. How Eirika had just picked it at random after Seth fell unconscious. I told him about the days after, where I hid them there while Seth healed, and Rosewatch slowly emptied. I told him about Valter's attack, of the flight from Rosewatch, of Grandpapa James's death. How we made it to Frelia, and helped recapture Mulan. I held nothing back, save what I thought about it all and… and what I knew about King Fado's death. Garcia didn't need to hear from me that he'd been mercy-killed after hours of torture. I was sure simply hearing of the death had been hard enough.

By the end of it all, though, Garcia surprisingly had to muffle laughter. "That… that sounds like Jehannan luck right there," he managed. I immediately made a face. "Tabitha, Lady Ismaire, and Lord Raphael complained about it all the time. It only took about a week in their company for me to agree with them."

"You're talking about the job where Mom and Dad met, right?" Lord Raphael… that had to be King Raphael, Queen Ismaire's deceased husband. He died suddenly to illness a few years back, and then their son disappeared.

"I am. But, I'd rather not speak of it right now. Or, rather, I swore secrecy and I do not wish to break my silence." That was disappointing, but I could understand. Promises were important, after all. "Still, that fan saved you, huh? Lunete would've been glad."

"Was that the friend who gave it to her?"

"Indeed. Tabitha tried to refuse, but Lunete insisted. 'You never know when it might be useful!'." I'd say. That fan had hung on the wall for as long as I could remember. And it just so happened to be the first weapon I had grabbed. "A shame Lunete died years ago. I can imagine her glee far too easily."

"I see." Honestly, it didn't surprise me to hear she was dead. So many connected to my parents and me were dead that… "So, this is Ross, huh?" I vaguely remembered him talking to Mom about him, at Felix's funeral.

"Hmm? Ah, yes." He smiled lovingly at Ross, who just kept snoring away on Garcia's shoulder. "He's a hothead and reckless, but he's a kind kid at heart. He might badger you some, though. I told him stories about Alex and Tabitha."

"That so, huh?" Well, I'd have to deal with it. I wasn't quite sure how old he was, but I did know he was younger than me. Fifteen, maybe? That sounded right, at least. "I'm sure I've ways to distract him if he bothers me. I'm an expert at being a younger sibling, after all."

"You can just send him to me. I can figure out something pretty quickly."

"I'll keep that in mind." Still, I was distracting him, wasn't I? Watch had to… well… keep watch. That was the point of the job. "Speaking of being an expert little sibling, I should bother Seth. I doubt he's asleep yet."

"He better be. He's last watch."

"That means nothing to him."

It was amusing seeing Garcia frown, and I had a feeling he was going to at least try and scold Seth about his sleeping habits. But that wasn't my business, technically, so I simply wished him well and headed for Seth's tent, which was on the other side of the camp. I walked inside without knocking. Because I could. However, that led to a sight that was familiar, though I really didn't want it to be. Seth bandaging up the hole in his arm again, with the bandage practically dripping from blood.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Seth asked dryly, trying to keep his bleeding arm over a towel. Probably to keep from staining things. "We're halfway through first watch."

"You are the last person to scold anyone on their sleeping habits," I retorted without thinking about it. After staring at the wound for a moment longer, I immediately snatched his first aid kit from him to handle cleaning the wound myself. He just sighed and let me. "How is it not…?"

"It could be a number of factors. Based on the degree of injury, Moulder believes it's caused partially due to Valter's spear being serrated, and it 'scraping' over my skin instead of piercing." Serrations… that would could lots of little tears, wouldn't it? And since I doubted Valter cleaned his weapons in between battles… "Since it was showing signs of necrosis by the time we made it to Serton, it's also possible there was some sort of slow-acting poison. That's less likely, however, given the length of time."

"You did not just say necrosis." I frowned at him and immediately began inspecting the wound as I cleaned. I hadn't noticed anything when I helped him before, but… "Seriously?"

"It had just started. It could've been caused by… what was the word Moulder used? Ischemia? Restriction of blood to the area, he said. Which also wouldn't help with it healing properly." He shrugged, unbothered. I felt like grabbing his lance and whacking him over the head with it. "While he was cutting away the dead skin, Moulder also mentioned that stress and repeated trauma are also lengthening the healing."

"Repeated trauma?"

"I would have to immobilize my arm to keep from irritating the wound, and even then, that might not be enough." His smile was faint, bitter, and I felt cold. Valter had been trying to cripple him. If not kill, then cripple. And while I could acknowledge that was a 'viable tactic' in battle, since pretty much anything went in battle, it was sickening to see it happen to someone I'd grown up with. To Seth. "I'll be fine, Emma."

"Eirika's noticed something is wrong." Carefully, I began bandaging up his arm with shaking hands. "She asked me to find out. What do you want me to tell her? I won't lie to her."

"Of course you won't. You show your loyalty through honesty." And he showed it through enduring. "...You may tell her that I am being treated by Moulder. But I ask that you do not tell her the full extent of my injury, if you can avoid it."

"Okay." I'd have to be careful. Ugh… I hated situations like this… "I'm going to be dancing around with words a lot, aren't I?"

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault." It was just war. Like Eirika and I had mentioned, truth was always the second casualty of war. That made it harder to be honest. Yet, it felt all the more important because of that. "Just know that if I can't wriggle out of answering, I will have to tell her the full truth. I promised that I would never lie to her."

"I know." Seth used his free hand to awkwardly ruffle my hair. "We must do what we can."

"That would be a lot easier if someone had let Eirika and me help with chores earlier."

"That is another matter entirely." And it was a very good subject change for that reason. "I just know Orson is going to hurt me for this."

"Oh, please, he's going to have an aneurysm anyway when we're done explaining things to him, so I doubt he'll be fit enough to hurt you." ...It was a joke, but I realized there was a very real possibility of Orson's health complicating things. It wasn't as if he'd been all that healthy before disappearing after Ephraim. He'd been wrecked by Monica's death, all the more so because he hadn't… "We might want to warn Moulder before we tell him anything."

"Probably a good idea."

I finished bandaging Seth's arm and bullied him into at least laying down. If stress was a cause of his wound not healing properly, then him resting was even more important than usual. I knew I couldn't make him sleep, short of finding some herbs and making some sort of sleeping potion, but I could at least make him rest. For a few seconds. I thought about just staying in the tent to make sure he'd rest, but I knew that would make Seth uncomfortable. He hated being fussed over.

So, I did what I could and returned to the tent I shared with Eirika. A good thing, since she had just woken up from a nightmare and was frantically looking around. The relieved smile she wore when she saw me made my heart ache, so I quickly laid down and held her hand while whispering some stories. Fairy tales… things we liked to read when we were younger and the world didn't seem so scary. Eirika told a few of her own, and sometimes, we took turns telling the same one. The whispers were almost like a prayer, a talisman to ward against the nightmares that loomed over us both as we tried to go to sleep...

This was all either of us could do. Might as well do it.

Franz

The younger son of Sir Felix, the Ashen Knight, and the younger brother of Forde, one of Prince Ephraim's personal knights. Once the squire of Seth, he swore his oaths of knighthood recently before the trouble started and is keenly aware of just how far he has to go before reaching the same level as his brother

Because he is only recently knighted, his experience is lacking. However, his willingness to learn leads him to eagerly train with anyone and everyone, and he is constantly studying the tactics and training of those around him to incorporate into his own fighting style. As a result, he's a highly versatile fighter with a great amount of potential.

A terribly kind, earnest young man who is incredibly loyal to the royal twins, partially due to the influence of Seth and Orson, partially because of his brother's own loyalty, and partially out of his deep-set belief that they will be able to raise Renais to even brighter heights.

Author's Notes: It's… rather hilarious I just happened to pick names that connected to Three Houses, huh? Though 'Glen' and 'Glenn' is something the game inflicted on me and, let me tell you, it was annoying trying to remember which spelling was used. I'm almost certain I switched them more than a few times, so sorry for the ones I didn't catch!