"You're a horrible, horrible, horrible woman!" spat Orochi, laid out on the deck of the boat. Reina had finally released her from her clutches.
"Now, now, don't be like that, I thought you were having fun" cackled the Kinshi Knight. "Lady Kamui, I kept my word. And hey, you're looking a lot perkier than Mozu is on the other boat. Hana and Sakura have been holding her hair back all morning." Gross. But I guess seeing Orochi suffer has cheered me up.
"I'm so glad I could have been of help for you" groaned the Diviner, sitting herself up. "Hey, isn't that Oboro over there?" she said, pointing. The spear fighter was sitting on some barrels, alone, looking to the horizon behind the ship. "She's on her own. Catch her now and clear the air. And keep your dress on, this time, alright? That can wait for later" she says with a wink. Urgh, she really wasn't going to ever forget that.
"Good luck kid. I'll spare you from telling Orochi what you were saying about your princess last night" laughed Reina. In a flash, the scheming mage was on her feet and clasped onto the flier.
"I've got money, name your price" she said. Of course that'd cheer her up. Still, I've got to buck up and do this. Deep breath, Kamui, and keep it cool.
"H-hey Oboro" I say, stammering only slightly. Good start. I got the words out.
"O-oh… Hello, Milady. H-how are you feeling today?" said Oboro, stammering a bit too. Strange. She's blushing a bit too. Maybe she's seasick.
"I-I've been better. I wanted to apolo-"
"N-no need!" she said, waving her hands and shaking her head. "I-it was just a drunken mistake, right?"
"Y-yeah. I wasn't expecting you to be so… understanding."
"I-it's okay… It just caught me by surprise…" Now she's kind of looking down at her feet. She must be really ill. If I can show my caring side, she'll definitely forgive me! I reach out and put my palm on her forehead. It feels warm and clammy. Quickly, she lets out a small squeak and recoils.
"L-lady Kamui!" she said, her face completely scarlet. She must be really ill.
"I-it's okay, Oboro! There's nothing to be ashamed about seasickness!"
"What?"
"You just need a lay down. Here, let me take you back to your room" I say, with my most reassuring wink.
"NO! I-I mean… No thanks, Lady Kamui… I'll go and get some rest…" she says, quickly rushing past me. Something felt off about that. But she wasn't angry, was she! I'm back to where we was!
"Well, you didn't take your dress off, but damn, going for the face stroking already?" said Orochi, coming around from the corner with Azura and Reina. All three of them damn women had been spying on me.
"My favourite bit was offering to take her back to her room. You certainly don't wait around" laughed Reina.
"At least she wasn't angry. Before you started stroking her, at least" chortled Azura. Wait… Oh crap! She probably thought I was teasing her or something!
"I've got to go apologise again!" I say, heading after Oboro. Orochi grabs me by the arm.
"Going by your track record, you'll end up with your tongue down her throat when you say sorry" she laughed. That… doesn't sound so bad. "Give it a minute and just think about what you're doing when you run in."
"Although, I think they might be close to finally sorting themselves out now" said Azura. Before I could ask what she meant, the boat suddenly ground to a halt.
"W-what's going on?!" I ask, pulling myself off the ground. Subaki swooped down to us.
"Nohrian warships at our 12 and 6! They've frozen the sea too, we're stuck here until they let us go" he said. Where the hell did they come from?
"Avoid their boats and go to the other ship and fill Gunter in! Reina, see if you can see what kind of force they've got." Both the fliers nod and take off, as the three of us that remained raise the alarm for everyone.
"They've got Fighters and Dark Mages with grappling hooks. We're going to get boarded soon" said Reina. Everyone was on deck now, with Oboro staying far in the back. I'd have to make sure she gets looked at by Sakura as soon as we can get over there.
"Orochi, Saizo, Kaze and Takumi. Try and take out as many as you can as they run for us. Everyone else, don't let them get over the side. Reina, go deliver that message to the other ship too then come back here to try and take them down from above." Why did they have to attack when my head hurt this much?
"We won't hold forever, sister" said Takumi, his arms crossed. "Those ships are probably carrying more people than we could handle."
It's true, we really need a way of getting away from this trap.
"I can feel a dragon vein deep in the sea. If we wait for the waters below the ice to calm down, we could use it to disrupt the ice" said Azura. "Sakura on that side should be able to help break them free."
So we had a plan. Now we just had to hunker down. Crouching next to the railing, I hear Takumi yell as he lets arrows from his blessed yumi rain down on the enemy. In the distance, I can hear the same coming from the other ship. Grappling hooks flew past me and Hinata, digging into the boat. Nohrian after Nohrian came climbing up, as the fighters amongst us got pushed further and further back.
"How much longer, Azura!" I call out to her. I see Oboro take the blunt of an axe to the cheek, knocking her to the ground, but before I can get to aid her, Saizo snaps the neck of the man that had knocked her down.
I let her get hurt. Dammit, whoever is in charge of this attack is going to pay!
"Kamui! Behind you!" yelled Oboro, pointing at me. A Dark Mage had managed to get on deck and had held his tome up. Oh no you don't you slippery bastard. I throw all my weight into a punch, knocking him over the railing. My hand feels like it's on fire, but the adrenaline is too much. I look over to Oboro, seeing that she can't stand. She needs a medic! Why didn't I stick Jakob on this ship!
"K-kamui… I'm fine, just give me a second" she says, leaning on her naginata to get up.
"Dragon Vein, activate!" called Azura. The entire ocean began to shake as she put her hands on the deck floor. The ice trapping us in shook, with a path raising up.
"It doesn't look like we're free yet. But I think we can get to their ships this way" said Azura, wiping sweat from her forehead. Reina quickly dived from the sky on her mount, drenched in blood as usual. It didn't seem to be hers, at least.
"Gunter said he'd lead a group down to the rear ship whilst you attack the larger one up top. There should be the leader of the enemies up there."
"We'll rally between the boats, then split up. Take Oboro with you, Reina, she needs to see Sakura" I say, despite the spear fighters protests. Reina practically scoops the girl up to the seat in front of her and takes off into the skies again. Leading the charge across the raised ice, I see the others coming towards us. Luckily, everyone seemed accounted for, a few knocks and scrapes notwithstanding.
"I bring news, Kamui. I have confirmed the identity of the enemy leader. It is your sister, Princess Camilla." Perfect. This was going to be tough. "Maybe you'll be able to talk her down. Either way, may I take Mozu, Hinata and Subaki with me to secure the southern boat?"
Mozu was barely standing, but gave a weak wave to me.
"Of course. Any advice for what's up ahead?"
"Dodge her axe" he said with a wink, riding off as Hinata ran after him and Subaki dragged Mozu on back of his pegasus.
"Everyone, stay on your guard. Camilla wont hold back so we need to get her on her own. Rinkah and I will take point" I say, with the Oni Savage patting me on the back.
"Alright! You take that maid then, I've got the Knights!" she said. Maid? I look to where she's pointing and I see a blue haired mage crouched on the ground, her hands arcing with white magic.
"Is that Flora?!" asked Jakob. His voice seemed to catch her attention. It was Flora! Thank god she was alive!
"Flora! What are you doing over there?" I said, running over to her as Rinkah toppled a Knight with her club, assisted by Hayato. A dagger thrown by her is quickly slapped out of the air by Jakob.
"Kamui. Do you know what your actions have done?" Huh. She seems colder than usual. "Of course you don't. Nohr has claimed that me and Felicia are collaborators to you, Jakob and Gunter betraying the country."
What? How does that make any sense?!
"And now, I have to prove my innocence or else the Ice Tribe will be executed. So please, let me make this quick."
"What is this foolishness, Flora?!" yelled Jakob. "Are you really just going to follow Garon's every word and throw all those years we spent together away?"
"The King's word is absolute in Nohr, Jakob" called another voice. Camilla had joined the fight and was circling above. "We have no choice but to obey. Kamui, please come with me. I couldn't bear the idea of your death on some pointless battlefield somewhere."
I'm not taking that crap from you, Camilla. I will bring you out of this fear, both of you. "No-one needs to die! Why don't we stop all of this?"
"We don't have a choice! The cost of treason in Nohr is death!"
"Then join me! There's something wrong with this entire thing! Like someone was pushing Nohr and Hoshido to war, some kind of invisible enemy!"
"It is true. We cannot explain fully yet, but have faith and we will show you everything" said Azura.
"ENOUGH!" shouted Flora. "Defeat us and we will talk then!" she said, pulling another dagger from under her skirt. Dammit, why are you being so hard headed!? Camilla began to rise in height, dodging past an arrow from Takumi. But before she can swoop to strike, another Wyvern Rider divebombs at me from nowhere.
"Die, traitor!" he yells.
It all happens so fast.
"KAMUIIIIIIIII!" screeches a woman from behind me.
Something pushes me out of the way of the diving Nohrian. I see Oboro's orange kimono get in front of me as the Wyvern slams into her. I hear a crack and she falls down, landing on me. Orochi blasts an Ox Spirit at the rider, blasting him off the back of his mount as Reina rockets off into the sky after Camilla. Jakob is fighting Flora hand to hand, slowly gaining the upper hand as he sweeps her ankle and pins her.
"Thank you for saving me, Oboro" I say, trying to nudge her off me. Sakura is sprinting towards me, with Hana in tow. She gives off a gasp. Oh, that isn't good.
"Stay with me, Oboro!" shouted the Shrine Maiden, her Festal glowing brightly. Oh no. She's badly hurt isn't she? I can't even budge her off me to see what happened, but she got hurt protecting me. Maybe even killed. I'm a terrible commander and an even worse suitor!
"I yield! Surrender, men!" comes the call from further along the deck. Camilla had been forced to land and Takumi had Fujin Yumi trained on her. The fight was over.