Chapter 10: Tension
Author's Notes: Regarding Hugo's father: I've drawn my own conclusion about the identity of Hugo's father based on the official clues provided by Konami in and out of the games. For the purposes of this story, my guess is "canon". More will be revealed as the story progresses.
After the Council of Chieftains, Lucia had slept through the day. When she'd awakened, she'd left the Great Hollow to greet a landscape washed in copper and gold by the setting sun. She made her way up onto the hillside overlooking the cavern's hidden entrance, and let her feet carry her aimlessly across the field.
It wasn't that she didn't treasure the hospitality of her saarak cousins. She was grateful that her people could count on the Lizard Clan for shelter and protection. But Lucia was a Karayan. The wind and the earth were in her blood, and she could not abide the stone walls of the saarak caverns for days on end. The feeling of the soft grass beneath her bare feet was enough to sweep the fears from her heart, at least for a moment. A moment was enough.
Lucia was deep in contemplation when a commotion from the entrance to the Great Hollow broke her concentration. More curious than wary, she made her way back down the slope. She arrived just in time to see a surprising meeting take place at the entrance to the caves. Her face split in a grin. Finally, some good news.
"You're late!" Lucia shouted down at the woman greeting the lizard clan guardsmen. "Missed the council!"
Rina turned, and a smile broke on her face. She was a slender woman in her late thirties, with waist-length opal-black hair and big, dark eyes. The chieftain of the Safir was as beautiful a woman as Lucia had ever known, and her smile had been known to bring men to their knees. Women too, sometimes, Lucia thought. But the smile that sat on Rina's face now was not one of those sultry-warm tokens of affection, but rather a look of relief. It was the look of a woman who had been worn down by bad times, and needed something to believe in.
Lucia knew that feeling. "Spirits, Rina," she said as she stalked up the woman and enfolded her in a tight embrace. "It is good to see you. But I gather things aren't well with the Safir, either?"
"Lucia," Rina said, kissing her cheek. "I heard about Karaya. I'm sorry. I should have come sooner." The Safir chieftain sounded as weary as Lucia had ever seen a person.
Lucia placed her hands on Rina's shoulders and pushed back so she could see her face. "We will manage. It is good to see friends. Now, tell me what's going on. You look tense enough to scare away even the most hideous of drunken suitors."
Rina closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed her temples with a silent groan. The runes on her bare palms and forehead still shone with a pale light, a testament to their recent usage. "Harmonia," she muttered.
"What?!" Lucia spat.
"My sentiments exactly," Rina said. "They're pouring in over the mountains, and they've dislodged us from our villages." Her words had a bite to them, thinly veiled anger.
"First the Karaya, and now the Safir…" Lucia shook her head. "What about your people? Where are they now?"
"With the Chisha, for the time being. The Harmonians seem intent on crossing into the Grasslands, and I don't think we can stop them. They have some most talented rune-bearers," she said, voice thick with irritation.
"We must discuss this at once," Lucia said. "Come," she added, and led the way into the Great Hollow. The gentle breeze that had soothed her spirits moments before had built to a gale, and the cool wind chilled her to the core.
The thundering footsteps of a dozen knights beat in tune with Chris' splitting headache as she hurried down the corridor towards the battlements. The wind caught her hair as she stepped out onto the wood-paneled parapet, but the strict braids barely budged.
"How long until they are here?" she asked.
"According to our reports, about a day's march," Salome replied solemnly. "Depending on how we respond, our skirmishers could meet their scouts before that."
Chris tightened her lips and looked out across the billowing fields of Amur Plains. The earthen colors of the land, clad in verdant green, showed little sign of the battle that had been fought there mere days ago, and no hint at all of what would come.
No matter how much blood it drinks, the Grasslands remains ever green. The words came from a famous philosopher, Galdric of Merney, but they echoed her current sentiments well.
"The problem lies in their intent. My intent is to avoid antagonizing the Harmonian Army, Sir Salome," she said. "What are their numbers?"
Salome cleared his throat as he stepped up next to her and leaned his elbow against a wind-swept merlon. "It's hard to tell, so far. Our scouts have been less than successful, especially with the stirring of the barbarians," he admitted.
"Estimate."
"Thirty thousand," he said. "Perhaps more."
These words brought a rustle of unease from the knights assembled on the parapet.
"With Goddess knows how many rune-bearers," Chris said. "We stand no chance of matching them in the field; that much is clear, and must be recognized."
"You are correct, milady," he said simply.
Chris crossed her arms over her breastplate. She felt trapped, restricted by the weight of the armor, and this feeling was not like her. The wind tugged at the restrained tresses of her hair, and for a moment, she felt an urge to let it flow. Shaking the sensation, Chris turned to regard Salome.
"They will send a messenger. We must first ascertain the reason for this troop movement. Their efforts might be centered on the Safir Clan, but their soldiers are already spilling into the Grasslands. Is this an invasion? Do they seek to subjugate the Grasslanders, or will they march on Zexen?" She suddenly wondered how Zexen would react if Harmonia annexed the Grasslands. Would her people stand idly by and watch their barbarian cousins suffer under the Perpetuator's iron fist? How many would care, should that come to pass?
"We must prepare for the worst," Chris said. "What will we do if Harmonia intends to conquer Zexen?" she asked.
"The most logical response… is surrender," Salome said.
"That's absurd!" Borus exclaimed. "Our pride as knights forbids it!" Similar voices were raised by others, but Borus's words gave voice to them all.
"I'm not saying it's a notion I enjoy entertaining," Salome said. He did not show it openly, but Chris sensed irritation behind those calm words. "The knights exist to protect the people of Zexen. The Harmonians are ruthless conquerors - those who resist are treated like slaves. Fighting for the glory of Zexen might be a romantic ideal, but who are we to give our people up to slavery?"
Borus was about to protest, but Chris cut him off with a raised hand. "You are both correct, in your own ways. The pride of the knights demands of us that we put our heart into whatever we decide to do. Losing a war against Harmonia may be far worse than surrendering without a fight. We must weigh our options carefully. There might be a way to turn a potential invasion aside, if we play to our advantages."
Loud footfalls from the corridor alerted Chris and the knights to the arrival of a messenger. The boy fell to a knee and saluted. "Silver Maiden!"
"That is not a proper title, young man. You will address me as Captain, or madam," Chris instructed.
"Y-yes, madam," the boy replied sheepishly. "Madam, there's an envoy from the Harmonians!"
The walk to the meeting room was a wordless procession, but the silence betrayed the nervousness of a dozen uncertain hearts, too tense to speak before the question in their minds had been answered. It seemed to Chris that the corridors of Brass Castle had never been so long.
The Harmonian envoy waited in the inner keep's grand audience chamber. He had opted to remain standing, and his strict posture suggested that he was a soldier. The smart uniform in blue and white fit him well. His homely face was framed by thick sideburns, with a hawk's nose at the center. Upon their entry, he took a step forward and closed his eyes, tracing a circle on his own forehead. When he opened his eyes again, he gave a tight smile.
"Lady Chris Lightfellow," he said, "I am pleased to be Dios, adjutant to the Most Exalted Bishop Sasarai, Beloved of the Circle Rune, and Defender of Holy Harmonia."
Chris bowed her head in greeting. "I am Captain Chris Lightfellow, commander of the Knights of Zexen. Please, have a seat." She gestured at the chairs surrounding a hexagonal conference table.
"If you don't mind," Dios said, "I much prefer to stand."
"As you wish," Chris agreed, remaining standing before him. Naturally, none of the knights took a seat.
"No doubt you are curious to know why Holy Harmonia, under the grace of the Most Exalted Bishop Sasarai, has extended its grasp into the Grasslands," Dios said.
"That is a correct assumption, Adjutant," Chris said cautiously. "Please, go on." Her heart was beating like a drum, but she kept her posture, looking up at the significantly taller man, and pretended as though she were the eye of the storm, preternaturally calm.
"You may rest assured that Holy Harmonia, under the grace of the Most Exalted Bishop Sasarai, is pleased not to oppose Zexen or its allies," Dios said.
Though no one spoke a word, Chris could sense the stir of relief mixed with confusion. Feeling much the same way, Chris raised her eyebrows slightly before speaking. "You understand, of course, how this must seem to us. Might one inquire about Holy Harmonia's intent? About Bishop Sasarai's intent?"
"I cannot answer for Holy Harmonia," Dios said with a crooked smile, "But the Most Exalted Bishop Sasarai intends to still the pagans, and spread the One True Faith into the Grasslands."
The mindless worship of the Circle Rune, and its bearer, High Priest Hikusaak. If the barbarians are pagans, then what does that make us, who venerage the Goddess?
"You are conquering the Grasslands, then?" she asked.
Dios clasped his hands at the small of his back and hesitated for a moment before responding. The hilt of his sword protruded from his side, and seemed a poignant reminder of Harmonia's strength. A common messenger would never have been allowed to retain his weapon here.
"The Most Exalted Bishop Sasarai does not wish to think of it that way. Holy Harmonia has a duty to protect the people in the borderlands against savages such as the Grasslanders. It is the Most Exalted Bishop Sasarai's intent to stem the recent tide of violence directed at Harmonian citizens," Dios explained.
Tide of violence? That is the first I hear of it, Chris thought. Is this the casus belli they wish to pursue?
"I see," she said, diplomatically. "I had no idea this was such a major problem."
"I would hardly call it a problem," Dios said. "Even so, Holy Harmonia cannot shirk its duties towards its citizens. The pagans must be made to see the Truth."
The Grasslanders cannot stand against the Harmonians any more than we can… but they will never surrender without a fight. And what then? Will they come for us next? He would never admit it, of course…
"Very well, Adjutant. Thank you, and thanks to Bishop Sasarai, for thinking to inform us of your intentions. You have… eased our hearts," she said.
"Naturally," Dios said. "We are to be allied in this endeavor, after all."
Chris's lips parted in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"
Dios offered a look of mild confusion. "I had thought that the council had informed you of the circumstances…? After all, Zexen has allied itself with Holy Harmonia, under the grace of the Most Exalted—"
"—Bishop Sasarai," Chris cut in. "Of course. Pardon me, but I had not been informed of this." Goddess, her headache was practically flaring!
"This surprises me," Dios admitted. "The alliance was finalized about a week ago. In addition, the council has requested a contingent of Harmonian soldiers to assist in the defense of the Zexen heartland, and its capital of Vinay del Zexay."
The knights stirred around her. Leather creaked as hands were balled up in fists. What madness is this! She somehow managed to keep the shock from her face.
"I see. I must speak with the council about this."
A servant cleared his throat. "Lady Chris," he said. The man held out a sealed scroll. "I was instructed to deliver this missive from the council… at such a time as…"
"Thank you," Chris said, pulling the scroll from his hands. She broke the council's seal.
The scroll was signed by Head Councilor Rean. When Chris finished reading the document, her blood had begun to boil.
"I am leaving for Vinay at once," Chris declared as she handed the scroll to Salome. "Adjutant, forgive my rudeness. Please, make yourself at home in Brass Castle while I am absent, and convey my regards to Bishop Sasarai if you opt to leave before I return."
"With all due respect, Silver Maiden," Dios protested, "I was instructed to follow you to the capital, along with my soldiers."
"With all due respect," Chris shot back, "I cannot allow that until I have verified the orders I seem to have failed to receive. Standard procedure, you see."
Dios hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I see."
A storm of different emotions vied for room in Chris's heart as she left the audience chamber.
Hugo paid little attention to his surroundings on his second visit to Vinay. Where he had once stared wide-eyed at the city's curiosities, he now walked in silence. Where before he had gawked at every little thing, now he saw only that which led him towards his destination.
The Lightfellow Estate.
The journey from the Great Hollow through Zexen territory and into the capital itself had been surprisingly easy once he had taken care to hide his features, even with the ironheads' heightened alertness after the recent battle.
Ducking into an alley, Hugo scanned the façade of the estate that had been described to him. It hadn't been hard to find the place. The estate was one of the more prominent houses within the city, and was surrounded by an expansive walled garden. All it took was asking a few people for directions, and he found himself outside the estate.
He slid down against the wall to rest, and wait for nightfall. Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out his father's sword, and for the tenth time since leaving the Great Hollow, he unsheathed half a foot of steel to examine the gleaming edge.
It's well cared for. Mother must have kept it sharp, and oiled it as well. Holding the edge up to catch the fading light, he sighed. I wonder what kind of man father was. Would he disapprove of what I'm going to do…? No, it doesn't matter. I won't be using his sword, anyway. Not for this. All that matters is that I learn the truth. Chris…
Once more, Hugo heard an insistent voice at the rear of his mind that desperately wanted to hear that Chris had not taken part in what had happened to Karaya. Once more, he did his best to silence it.
The face of the rising moon reflected from the blade of his father's half-sheathed sword. Slowly, the sun retreated, and night began to fall. He glanced down the alley, towards the street, and saw no one.
The city is a maze. A place where people cannot find each other, he mused darkly. Hugo replaced the sword in its scabbard, and sank into the growing darkness of the alley. Fighting off bad memories, he tried to rest.
Chris did not wait for the doors to open fully before she pushed through into the council's chamber. The councilors watched her with bemused expressions as she set the chair on the table's far end aside, but did not sit down.
"I have received the strangest missive," she stated.
Head Councilor Rean cleared his throat, and clasped his hands on the table. "Please, have a seat, milady."
"Thank you, but I prefer to stand," Chris mimicked. To her satisfaction, most of the councilors seated around the table seemed somehow disconcerted by this statement.
Rean sighed. "No one ever wants to use the chair…" He smirked, and this brought a few chuckles from the other councilors. "Lady Chris, would you care to explain the reason for this impromptu meeting?"
Do not presume to treat me like a child, you snake! "I would," she said. "Why are we allied with Harmonia, and why did I have to learn of this fact from a Harmonian envoy?"
"Lady Chris," Rean said, "surely you must understand that there is no point to standing against Holy Harmonia…?"
"As Captain of the Knights, I should have been informed of such plans," Chris said. The leather beneath her gauntlets creaked as she balled her hands into fists, but she denied herself the satisfaction of grasping the chair.
"You are a servant of the council," Councilor Lekshan rasped. "It is not your place to question our will."
"I have not even begun to question you," Chris said, slapping her hands on the table and leaning against the surface. Lekshan, and several of the other councilors, jumped in their seats.
Rean rose halfway out of his seat, leaning against the table on the opposite end. "Please, Silver Maiden, calm yourself. Have a seat."
"Do not call me that," Chris said coolly. She did not even deign to answer the second request. "Now, explain to me why the council is seeking alliances behind the back of the knights," she demanded. "Now I am questioning you," she added, looking at Lekshan. The councilor shrank back in his seat. He looked as if he wanted to call the guards on her.
"The council did not intend to go behind the backs of the knights," Rean assured her. "If there was a lack of information, there must have been a failure of communication."
Chris shook her head slightly. "I should be apprised of such considerations; my advice should be taken into consideration."
"Again: the knights serve the council," Lekshan muttered.
"And the council serves the people of Zexen, correct? As do the knights. Your apparent lack of trust in the knights is disturbing," Chris said. Standing straight, she let her arms fall to her side, and swept her eyes between the councilors.
"We will be sure to take your concerns into consideration the next time," Rean said.
How heartfelt, Chris thought scornfully. "The bishop's adjutant suggested that you had agreed to… even requested the presence of Harmonian forces on Zexen territory? Is this true?" she demanded to know.
"This is true," Rean said.
"Why?" Chris asked.
A moment of silence passed between the councilors as they met the question, but Rean seemed unperturbed. The ornate room seemed small, smaller than Chris had ever seen it before. She knew that her headache, and her temper, were going to cause her problems, but for once, she did not care.
"I don't understand the question, madam," Rean said. "The military protection of Holy Harmonia will be beneficial to the protection of Zexen against the barbarians. Besides, the friendship of Bishop Sasarai will no doubt benefit Zexen in the long run."
"Harmonia has no friends," Chris said. "Only vassals. Allying ourselves with Harmonia is one thing, but to allow foreign soldiers to guard our land is a preposterous idea. I cannot believe that Harmonia has good intentions in this regard. I strongly urge you to reconsider this decision," she said.
Nodding slowly, Rean smiled. "The council values your advice. Tonight, there is much to do, but we would be glad to discuss the situation at length with you, tomorrow. Is this acceptable?"
Chris knitted her brows in confusion. She had not expected the council to accommodate her so easily. What is that man playing at? Is he trying to buy time? Even so, she had no reason to refuse, and no authority to press them further on the matter. "It is acceptable," she admitted.
"Excellent. One more thing…" Rean said.
"Yes?" Chris said.
"While you are here, there is a smaller matter that we wish to discuss. Sir Alron, would you please step inside?" he said in a louder voice.
Chris' mind grew dark with the mention of the man's name, and as he stepped into the room with a comfortable smile on his lips, she nearly ran from the chamber. Only the thought that she did not want to give the man the satisfaction stopped her.
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked.
Alron's smile grated on her. His face was bruised, discolored around the broken nose. He had obviously refused magical healing.
Rean cleared his throat. "Sir Alron has explained to us what transpired following his actions during the defense against the barbarian raid."
"Has he, now?" Chris said, glaring at Alron. She wondered what nonsense the man had regaled the councilors with. To Rean, she said: "This is a matter for the knights to deal with."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Rean said. "Not when it involves the Captain of the Knights herself. In such situations, the old laws give us the authority to take whatever measures we deem proper."
Chris struggled to restrain a wave of fury. Is this punishment for trying to stand up to the council? she wondered. Out loud, she said, "What measures?"
"I believe some manner of public display would be proper," Rean said, "To set things right." Several of the other councilors nodded their assent. "After all, Sir Alron has fought bravely for Zexen. And we would be doing the people a disservice by showing that the Captain of the Knights stands above the rules," he added. "We are, after all, servants of the people." The head councilor smiled.
Chris wanted to cry from frustration, but she would not give them the satisfaction. She could not. She shot a glare at Alron, and found that the man was openly grinning. She needed time to think, to consider the circumstances. "Can we discuss this tomorrow, as well?" she wondered. This is madness. Pure madness.
"That would be acceptable," Rean said.
"I hate to interrupt," Alron said smugly, "But I should add that as much as I pine for the people's satisfaction, and to see this dreadful thing resolved, I am prepared to let it wait until a better time. After all, who knows what might change?"
Chris closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. Dear Goddess, grant me the strength to resist assaulting this man.
"That is most gracious of you, Sir Alron," Rean said. Several of the councilors voiced enthusiastic agreement. Chris tuned it all out, straightening to face them squarely.
"Would that be all?" she asked.
Rean nodded absently. "You are dismissed, Lady Chris."
Chris saluted, and left the chamber as quickly as dignity allowed.
Years of practice had taught Chris to hide her emotions in front of other people. She had not done a good job at it with the council, but she could hide behind a pleasant mask as she made the short ride from the Council Hall to the Lightfellow Estate. It was easy enough to smile and wave at the people greeting her along the way, without showing the storm that was brewing inside her.
Something has to break, she thought.
At the estate, she found Jena waiting for her. Chris was happy to see the chambermaid, but part of her wished she could be alone to vent her frustration. It would not be good to let the help see her have a meltdown. Such things had a tendency to change the dynamic between master and servant in unpredictably unpleasant ways.
Jena was as cheerful as always, however. "You look tired, milady. Shall I make you some calming tea?"
"Yes, thank you, Jena," Chris said, and climbed the grand staircase in the atrium to reach the second floor and her bedroom. The master bedroom was closer to the stairs, and more spacious, but Chris had never moved out of her childhood room, even after Mother's death. The master bedroom had been closed up ever since, tended only by Mother's butler, Prion, who still remained with her to this day. This evening, she did not see the old man anywhere. Strange, she thought. He does not usually retire this early.
Jena arrived with the tea as Chris was finishing up her washing. She took the cup gratefully, and said goodnight to the woman. Sitting down by the window, she leaned back and sipped the tea, trying to still her roiling emotions. Everything seemed to be in a shambles.
Even the tea tasted bitter.
The Lightfellow Estate's timbered walls made for an easy climb. Hugo didn't even need to consider using the Wind Rune. Good, he thought. I might need it later.
After nightfall, and Chris's return to the estate, he'd waited for a while before climbing the wall and hoisting himself over into the garden. The pale moonlight washed out the vibrant colors of the flowers there, but it was still a remarkable sight, and one which he struggled to reconcile with Chris's stern exterior.
Scaling the wall on the side of the main building, he made his way to the only illuminated window on the second floor, and peeked inside.
Chris was sitting on the bed, huddled up against a pile of soft pillows. The bed was facing away from the window, and her back turned partly to him. Strangely, the bed was filled with countless cloth animals of the kind Lulu and he had seen at the stalls of Brass Castle. He still couldn't figure out what they were good for.
Hugo shot a glance over his shoulder at the streets below, but no one moved there at this hour. He could hear voices somewhere in the distance, but nowhere near the estate. Carefully, Hugo slipped his fingers through the gap between the window and the window frame, and felt for the hook. A brief tug from the Wind Rune, and the hook lifted free. Hugo pulled the window open slowly, careful not to make a sound. Once the window was open, he climbed through.
It was not until he was halfway into the room that he registered the sound of soft sobs. Breath caught, he sat still and listened. Spirits, she IS crying! For several seconds, he sat petrified on the windowsill, having forgotten his vengeful thoughts.
He stepped into the room and walked over to her. "Chris?" he said.
Chris shot up, spinning around. "What? Hugo!" Her eyes went wide.
Hugo swallowed, and pulled Lulu's knife from its sheath, holding it out against her. "I need to know," he said, choking on unshed tears, "Tell me… tell me it wasn't you! Karaya! Tell me you didn't do it!"
He felt surprised at himself. These were not the words he had rehearsed.
Chris sagged back against the bed. "I swear - I had nothing to do with what happened in Karaya, or what happened to you."
"Then why?!" Hugo snapped. "You killed him! You killed my best friend!"
"I… I am… I am…" Chris sputtered, words slurring together, as if she were drunk. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she crumpled, sliding down the side of the bed, where she lay unmoving.
Hugo sheathed his knife and knelt beside her. "Chris! What happened?" He shook her shoulders, but she would not rouse.
The door opened behind him, and light spilled from the corridor. "She's in here," a woman's voice said, as if talking to someone outside the room. A woman brown hair bound up in two braids stepped into the room, followed by three men in dark clothing.
"I thought you said she was alone," one of the men exclaimed. The woman turned to see Hugo, and her face fell. Her mouth worked in silence for a moment, and then she threw herself out of the way and jabbed her finger at Hugo. "Get him! Don't let him get away!"
The three men rushed into the room. Without thinking, Hugo awakened his Wind Rune and summoned a burst of wind. Curtains blew in the breeze as the wind struck the three men and shoved them back. They went down in a pile on the floor. The woman shrieked at them to get up.
Looking around, Hugo desperately tried to think of a way to get Chris out of there. He was drawing a blank. He wouldn't have time to carry her out of there. He'd have to try to fight.
The men got back on their feet and advanced on him, drawing knives. Hugo drew his own knife to match theirs, and came at them. He spun and swung his knife to deflect the blades of two of the men, unleashing the Wind Rune on the third man.
This time, the thug was prepared. Green light flashed around the third man's arm as he awakened his own Wind Rune. The two invisible forces slammed together in the middle of the room, neutralizing each other. Hugo cursed, weaving left and right to duck and parry the blows of the other two men. The next time their ally unleashed his Wind Rune, it was Hugo who wasn't ready. The fist of air slammed into his stomach and sent him flying onto the bed.
Hugo got to his feet shakily. Chris lay beside him. She wasn't moving, but he could see her chest rising and falling. "I won't let you touch her," he growled.
He came down from the bed swinging, forcing one man to backpedal or lose his face. The second man circled around, stumbling and grunting as his knee hit a table. By the time he could thrust his knife at Hugo's ribs, Hugo was already on the floor and dancing back out of range. Drawing on his Wind Rune, Hugo sent a blast of air right into the man's face, knocking him out cold. He turned around to grin at the remaining men.
"That's what you get for—"
An invisible fist slammed into Hugo's chest, knocking the breath from his lungs. The blow threw him back, and the unknown woman's triumphant cry was the last thing he heard as she slammed through the half-open window. His vision swam and he was struggling to breathe, but he had enough foresight to draw one last time on the Wind Rune, commanding the air beneath him to lift and slow his fall. Even so, he hit the ground with enough force to knock him out cold.
Chris was slow to wake, and when she did, she struggled to comprehend her surroundings. Where am I? What happened? Her arms and legs were numb, and would not move when she asked them to. A throbbing ache sat in her skull, and her vision was still blurry, as if she was seeing everything through a thick mist. As she came to, she looked around to see an unfamiliar, dimly lit stone chamber.
"Looks like it's finally wearing off," a scornful voice said. "How do you feel, Silver Maiden?"
Chris tried to place that familiar voice, but the thoughts kept slipping through her fingers. She looked up to see three figures standing before her. As her mind began to clear, she recognized two of them, and thought that she might know the third.
"Looks like she really needed her beauty sleep," Alron joked. He stepped up to her and planted his foot against her shoulder, smirking as he tramped down, pushing her back.
Chris gasped in pain, and tried to move, to escape the pressure. Her arms, which were held aloft over her head, did not budge. He removed his boot with a malicious laugh, and she looked up to see that she had been restrained in manacles hanging from the ceiling of the stone room. This is the dungeon beneath the council hall, she realized.
"What…" she gasped, "What is going on?"
"It seems that your services are no longer needed," the unfamiliar woman said. Her hair was gray, and she wore a blue-and-white dress. Chris suddenly realized where she had seen her. She was the young woman she had seen at Brass Castle, the one she had thought looked like a temple acolyte. She still had her black staff with her, Chris noted. Not an acolyte, she thought. That dress… it bears the same designs as Dios' uniform!
"You… You are Harmonian," Chris managed.
The woman watched her impassively. Unlike the other two, she was not smiling. In fact, she did not appear to take any pleasure at all from the situation. "Chris Lightfellow will be of no further use to use," the woman said, "But the Silver Maiden will serve us well."
"I do not understand," Chris said, regaining some of her strength, "but you can forget whatever deal you were thinking of offering me. I will never run your errands."
"That will not be a problem," the woman said. "You see, I know quite well how to run your errands for you." She spun the staff she wore, and the jewel at the head gleamed with pale violet light. The woman's features melted, and changed, becoming a perfect image of the reflection in Chris's mirror, complete with full armor.
Chris gasped at the mirror image of herself. She—the illusion—smiled slightly, and then she twirled the staff once more. Smile and spell both faded, and the woman's doll-like face returned from beneath the magical mask. "You see, you are no longer needed."
Chris wanted to scream, but all she could do was to breathe. She looked up at the second woman in the room. "Jena," she said. "This is your doing."
"Right you are," the woman giggled. "It's quite an interesting drug, don't you think? It takes a while to kick in, and depending on the dose, you can delay the effect… It's a very effective way to plan."
Chris suddenly thought of Hugo, and wondered what had become of the boy. She almost feared to ask, but the question slipped out anyway: "What about the boy? What happened to him?"
Jena snorted. "He got away, but don't worry, we'll find him soon enough."
Chris heaved a sigh of relief. At least he is safe. This woman… Something connected in Chris' mind. 'I served as Sir Galahad's chambermaid before his tragic death.' That was what the woman had said. "Captain Galahad was strangely tired before the end," she said, feeling a horrible sensation twist her guts. "He fell from his horse during the battle. He… you… It was you!"
Jena grinned. "Right again! You're rather clever, aren't you? It was difficult to make him trust me, too. Then that idiot Pelize almost ruined Galahad's heroic death with his own foolish charge! Imagine if he had saved the captain… what a waste," she said, shaking her head.
Chris struggled against her bonds, but only succeeded in chafing the skin of her wrists. She felt more powerless than ever before. For a moment, she could hardly breathe. In her shocked state, her mind brought back a memory.
"Your father was not always a respected knight, you know," Captain Galahad said. "He came to us as an outsider. We all doubted him at first, but he worked harder than anyone else. In the end, he earned our trust, and he continued to impress me for as long as I knew him… I was pleased to call him a friend. I see much of him in you. His stubbornness, but also his kindness." Galahad's mouth creased into a smile.
"I will kill you," Chris said, and her voice quivered with rage.
For a moment, Jena shrank back in fear, cheeks losing their color. The woman swallowed, and then her bravado returned as she realized just how helpless Chris was, bound as she was. "Don't be so dramatic," Jena said, smiling. "This isn't personal. We all have to work for a living, don't you know?"
Chris considered this, and wondered if the woman had given away more than she had intended. "For the council?" she said. Jena's mouth worked, but then she clamped it shut, apparently deciding that she had said too much. No matter. Her reaction all but confirms it.
"If you release me now, I will be lenient with you all," Chris said.
"Shut up," Alron said. The man stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. Chris's ears rang, and her vision swam. She saw his mouth move, but could not hear what he was saying. He frowned, said something, then shook his head. Kneeling before her, he steepled his hands and waited.
"Can you hear me now?" he said, as her hearing returned. "Yes, I think you can. That was payback for how you humiliated me in front of the knights. But I'm not done with you yet. I've always hated you, you know? Zexen's precious 'Silver Maiden'. What rubbish." Rising, Alron grabbed her hair and lifted her off several inches off the ground. As she struggled, gritting her teeth against the pain in her scalp, she felt something hot and wet stick to her nose and cheeks. Alron had spit in her face.
He threw her down. She thrashed in her bonds, snarling, kicking at him. Alron leaped out of range, laughing. He turned to the Harmonian woman.
"Give me some time alone with her."
"Later," the woman said. "Your presence is required elsewhere at the moment."
Alron grunted. "Well, let's get it over with, then." He smiled at Chris as they turned to leave. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you miss me," he assured her.
Chris breathed raggedly. "I highly doubt you shall live to be that old," she said.
Hugo stumbled through the streets of Vinay, hoping for a miracle. He had woken up in the garden, on top of a crushed rose bush, only to discover that the assailants were long gone, and Chris as well. He didn't know where Chris was. He didn't even know who had taken her. And he was starting to wonder why he was even there in the first place.
I can't let her go, no matter what. I need an answer. Otherwise… None of this will have mattered. I have to find her.
In the morning, he began to hear rumors of a proclamation. There was to be an important announcement of some sort at the square below the Council Hall. No one knew quite what it would be about, but the words 'Silver Maiden' were on everyone's lips. Hugo followed the stream of people as they gathered in the heart of the capital.
He couldn't believe his eyes when Chris stepped out onto the balcony of the Council Hall's second story, flanked by a knight clad in ceremonial armor. Hugo drew a sharp breath as the man stepped forward – it was Alron.
Something's not right, Hugo thought.
"People of Zexen!" Chris proclaimed, "Thank you for listening to me."
The crowd cheered her name. Parents lifted their children onto their shoulders to allow them a glimpse of the woman on the balcony. Hugo struggled to see, and managed to find a half-decent spot near a wall. He thought about calling out to her, but it was no use. His voice would be just one in the crowd, and even if he waved to her, what use was it? Besides, something told him that he should wait and see what happened.
"My good people," Chris called out, silencing the crowd. "The barbarians have gone too far. Their craven attack during the truce negotiations was an act of cowardice. A brutal declaration of war! We have been merciful, and patient, and we have embraced the desire for peace. We trusted them! But the barbarians chose to throw our noble intentions in our faces, and stab us in the back."
Chris paused, and the crowd burst into a roar of outrage. She waited for the crowd to settle down.
"The barbarians speak only one language," Chris proclaimed, "and that is the language of steel and blood. Before we can have the peace we so desire, our enemies must be brought to their knees. It is time that Zexen dealt with its ancient enemies once and for all. Only when the barbarians are subjugated can there be peace between Zexen and the clans of the Grasslands!"
The crowd cheered enthusiastically. One man near Hugo threw his arms into the air and seemed near tears for fanaticism.
Hugo couldn't believe his ears. These aren't your words, Chris. They can't be. Yesterday, he would've believed it. Yesterday, he would've cursed her for a fiend. But something had changed when he saw her tears the night before. The woman who had fought beside him against the hunters in Zexen Forest was not the woman who stood on the balcony above him. She'd been taken away, and… His heart skipped a beat. Could it be another illusion?
"It's not her," he said out loud.
A man standing next to him raised an eyebrow.
The woman on the balcony – he couldn't think of her as Chris anymore – went on: "To this end, we require the assistance of Zexen's mightiest and sternest defenders. We have been without a Vice-Captain since I took office. It is time this post was filled… and for this purpose, I have chosen… Sir Alron, the hero of the Betrayal at Amur!"
Alron stepped forward to receive the accolades of the people. He drew his sword and raised it to the sky. Then, kneeling, he presented the sword to the woman who wore Chris's face, and she tapped the blade to his shoulder.
Hugo shook his head. "That's not Chris," he said. I can feel it. I can see it. She seems… off. Like that man I fought in Brass Castle.
"You're quite astute," said the man next to him.
Hugo turned to look at him. The man was a handsome blonde with an easy smile, perhaps ten years Hugo's senior. He was dressed in well-worn traveler's clothes, and a striped green scarf was slung around his shoulders.
"What did you say?" Hugo asked.
The man stuck out his hand, the way foreigners sometimes did when they wanted to talk to someone. "I'm Nash," he said.
Hugo looked at his hand and frowned. "I'm Hugo," he said, "But I don't really have time to talk."
"But you've got time for Chris, right?"
"What?"
"Sure you do. So you figured it out, huh?" Nash wondered.
Hugo watched the man, feeling uneasy. Does he know? How could he? He looked closer at the man. Though his clothes were roadworn, they had been fine garments once, and not in a style one saw in the Grasslands. But aside from his easy mannerism, there was nothing to set him apart from other people who traveled the region. "Who are you?" Hugo asked.
Nash shrugged. "Eh, let's just say I'm working for a man with a funny hat, okay?"
"I'd rather you said something that made sense."
"I suppose you're right," Nash admitted. "Look," he said, pushing Hugo away from the crowd. Hugo felt uneasy, but he didn't resist. He wanted to know what the man knew. "You want to find the real Silver Maiden, right? We both know the one up there's a fake, though I have to say that you seem pretty damn clever to have figured it out on your own. My congratulations."
"So what?" Hugo said, frowning. He kept glancing towards the balcony, where Chris and Alron stood to receive the people's praise.
"So, I also happen to know that she's being held somewhere in the Council Hall," Nash said.
"Then I'm going to get her out," Hugo said.
"Slow down, slow down," Nash urged him. "Look, I know a thing or two about getting into places, and about as many about getting out of places. How about we cooperate? We can share the glory, and we'll both come off looking like white knights. What do you say?"
"I don't care about glory and I don't want to be a knight. I just want to get Chris out of there," Hugo protested.
"Sure, whatever works for you," Nash said with a shrug. "So, do we have a deal?" he asked, reaching out his hand.
Hugo stared at him. It felt all too sudden, but the thought of being able to find and free Chris filled him with hope, and something else. "How do I know I can trust you?" he wondered.
"You don't," Nash said. "But seriously; don't you think it's worth the risk?"
Hugo hesitated for a moment, and then grasped Nash's hand uncertainly.
"We have a deal," he said.
Next Chapter: There's no need to steal anyone's glory when Hugo breaks into the council hall, looking for Chris. In fact, even Nash's judgment proves wrong when it turns out that there is in fact enough glory for three. An unexpected ally comes to the assistance of the unlikely duo, and a plan comes together.
Emotion, action, swordplay, and a race against time, with a twist! See you next time, in Blazing Waves, Burning Rain!