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The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage
Chapter 23: Tragic End
...
Montmorency carefully mixes up the potion, from time to time looking back at an old book by her left to verify she's doing everything right. The rest of the group are all there too, in her room, since it's there she has all the necessary tools and ingredients to make the cure.
Louis is leaning against the wall, arms crossed while looking outside the window with a pensive expression. Tabitha is sitting at the table, reading a book with Kirche by her side, polishing her nails. Despite the two having nothing to do with the situation, Kirche could not contain her curiosity and thus ended up dragging her best friend with her and meddling, eager to see the resolution to the problem. And Guiche and Sachiko are sitting on Montmorency's bed, the young man trying to distract her from clinging to him by teaching her a card game.
With a final sigh, Montmorency pushes a lock of hair behind her ear, being careful of the nail marks on the left side of her neck and jaw.
"It's done" she says, her shoulders dropping tiredly. Louis is the first to move, approaching her while he looks at the cauldron and the substance Montmorency is gathering inside a glass.
"Is it really?" he asks as she gives him the glass. The girl nods.
"Yes, now give it to her and get all this over with already, I'm tired" she flops on a chair, her whole body melting now that the stress is gone. Louis spares her a glance, before turning to Sachiko, presenting the glass to her.
"Drink this" he orders.
Sachiko leans in, eyeing the strange red liquid, and carefully sniffs it. She scrunches her nose in distaste and quickly puts distance between herself and the smelly drink. "No way, that smells like mold."
"Sachiko…"
"I won't drink it" she says with finality, turning back to her cards. Louis' eyebrows twitch.
"Very well" he sits on the bed, next to Sachiko but on the other side from where Guiche is, and without giving her time to protest pulls her head back by her hair with his right hand, while forcing the liquid down her throat with the left.
Sachiko tries to fight, but Louis presses the glass forcefully to her lips, preventing her from spilling its contents, and in just a few seconds the potion it's completely gone. She coughs once he releases her, raising a hand to her throat with her face completely red.
"What is your problem?! I could have…!" she stands up, screaming at Louis' face before halting. She blinks, looks around confused, until her eyes stop on Guiche.
Her face becomes entirely red, this time for a completely different reason.
"I-I…" she takes a step back, earning curious glances from everyone, except Montmorency.
"Oh, by the way, the antidote doesn't erase your memories, so you will remember everything you've done while under the effect of the love potion" she explains plainly, as if it has nothing to do with her.
"I-I…" Sachiko is still struggling, looking for the right words. She looks Guiche up and down, and then, in a movement no one was expecting, throws herself at him and rips open his shirt. Guiche screams while everyone else stares, dumbfounded.
"Wait a-! Montmorency! Wasn't the antidote supposed to work?!" Louis is the only one who takes action, but he stops too, once he sees Sachiko isn't doing anything else but… staring. At the love marks marring all of Guiche's chest.
Kirche gives a low whistle at the sight, and even Tabitha is surprised. Sachiko trembles, taking a step back and looking, horrified, at her handiwork. For a moment everyone is afraid that she will faint, but then, out of nowhere, she relaxes. Her shoulders fall and her expression becomes blank. Then, with a voice so dejected and full of resignation, she simply says.
"I'm going to leave now, and never again talk to you" and with that, she bolts out of the room.
Louis blinks. He looks down for a little while, and then stands up, gives Guiche the empty glass, and approaches the door. "I'll be waiting for you two to give me my money back" he tells the couple, causing them to eye him with irritation. Not minding this, he opens the door and raises a hand in the air in farewell. "Later" and with that, he officially closes this chapter of his life.
In a dark corner in Vestri Court, a young woman with ebony hair is burying her face on her knees, sitting on the ground and hoping beyond hope for the earth to open and swallow her whole. She's trembling, tears of embarrassment prickling at her eyes, unwanted flashbacks coming forth, reminding her of every single thing she did the past two days.
God, just the night before she snuck inside his room a-a-and…
She drowns another scream, frantically shaking her head to get the memories from playing again in her mind. From all the people that could have been the target of the love potion, why did it have to be Guiche!? Even Montmorency would have been preferable!
And just to add salt to the injury, she can also perfectly remember Shiro's face, what she said to him and how angry it made him. But it's all a misunderstanding. Surely if she explains what happened to him he would forgive her, right?
"What should I do? How should I behave from now on?" not just with Shiro, but also with Guiche, with Montmorency, with Louis... even Kirche and Tabitha. All of them saw such an embarrassing moment of her, how can she even face them now without being reminded of the horrible things that happened while she was under the effect of the love potion?
Damn Montmorency, if only she was more confident… no, damn Guiche, why does he have to be such a womanizer? If he would just calm down for once nothing of this would have happened!
"Maybe he should be fixed… like dogs and such. Maybe like that he will stop…"
"I don't even want to know what you mean by fixed."
Sachiko yelps, her body jumping like a spring. Louis raises an eyebrow, only getting a wide-eyed look from her before she turns away, her face getting red.
He sits down next to her, not minding the dirt and extends one leg, while the other he keeps close to his body, wrapping an arm around it. He looks at her, but she's avoiding his gaze, seemingly preparing to run away at any moment.
Louis sighs. "You can't escape reality forever."
"Try me."
He snorts. Well, if she can be snarky then that's a good sign, no? "I'm not going to judge you, you know? These past few days were really strange, but no one blames you for it. If anything it should be Montmorency's fault. No, actually it is completely her fault. Blame her all you want."
"But I only drank the love potion because you were chasing me…" she murmurs dejectedly, not trying but succeeding in making Louis wince, remembering his behavior and how it ultimately leaded to that. He closes his eyes and shakes his head. What's in the past it can no longer be changed, but he can strive to avoid the same mistakes, no?
"I know, and I… I shouldn't have done that. I promise I won't do something like that again."
"Liar."
And he was shot down immediately. Louis gives her a blank stare, which Sachiko returns.
"…I actually mean that."
"Mmm" she answers noncommittally. Louis narrows his eyes in a glare, but after a while gives up. It's not like he can't understand her incredulity. He wonders if even he can believe himself. But he's going to try. Truthfully.
"In any case… things are finally over. We should be happy about that."
"I would rather not remember any of this. Ever again."
Despite himself, Louis can't help but chuckle at her attitude. Sachiko glares at him, but it does nothing to diminish his mirth. Of course he understands her embarrassment. He was there to see it from beginning to end. The fact that even he as an outsider felt ashamed should speak volumes on how Sachiko must feel. But it's in the past now. It would be better just to leave it behind, no?
"Stop laughing! This is not funny!" she yells, her face red. Her body turns in his direction, her hands extending as if she wants to grab him and hit him or something, but her behavior only manages to make him laugh again. "Louis! I'm going to hit you if you keep laughing!"
"I would like to see you try" he responds, still smiling, but this time with a more serious undertone. He's challenging her. Sachiko grits her teeth, still moving her hands, but gives up, letting her head fall to the front with a defeated sigh. Be it because of fear or something else, she won't lay a hand on him. Louis doesn't know how to feel about that.
"It's just… it's not only because it's embarrassing, you know? While I was under the effects of the love potion, I did other things… things I shouldn't have done" she confesses, again gathering her legs and hugging them to her chest. "He probably hates me now…"
Louis looks at her, wondering for a second who she might be referring to, until a face comes to mind. He resists the urge to snort, instead asking himself when she had time to speak with that servant since the events of two days ago, but leaves the matter after a while. It is not his business, he must remind himself. It should never have been, in the first place.
Instead, he lifts a hand and pats her on the head, the gesture so awkward even Sachiko is frozen. He leaves the hand there, not knowing what else to do, and trying to ignore the atmosphere as much as he can, tells her. "If you did something bad, just apologize. You weren't on your right mind at that time. Surely that person will understand if you explain what happened."
"But what if he still hates me…?" she asks, unsure. Louis drops his hand, eager to dissolve whatever moment they're in, since it only makes him feel more and more awkward, which in turn is making him irritated. Towards him or her, he's not sure, and he doesn't want to find out.
"Then screw him. Anybody who is so sensible they won't even accept an apology with such a good explanation behind is an idiot who does not deserve you."
It takes him three full seconds for the words to reach his brain, and another two to understand their meaning. Louis chokes, getting away from Sachiko, almost sliding on the dirt as she looks at him with wide eyes. The surprise is apparent, and Louis quickly looks away, covering as much as he can of his face with his hair, though he can still feel the heat on the tip of his ears.
"D-Don't misunderstand. What I mean by that is that if the idiot is so bent on being angry despite everything, then surely he isn't someone worth being with, for anybody, not just you, ok?" he spats to the other wall. When he said that he was only thinking about her being embraced by that servant, kissed and caressed like he found them that night, so his mouth acted before his mind and he just let his emotions take control again, but as expected, it's no good. He can't let her know what he actually thinks. Moreover, just a few minutes passed since he promised not to let his emotions govern him again, why is it so difficult to keep himself in check?
He's not expecting the soft laugh that follows his hurried response. When he looks back, he finds Sachiko back to normal, her eyes closed and a hand daintily covering her mouth. He gets flustered all over again.
"What's so funny?! Don't laugh!"
"Oh, so now it isn't funny, huh?"
"It's not the same! And why are you still laughing?!"
Sachiko shakes her head, trying to keep her smile down, but she fails, causing another racket from the boy beside her. She calms down slightly after a while, and looks at him, causing him to halt and become petrified at the smile she's giving him.
"Thank you, Louis."
He doesn't say anything, lost in that smile, until a distant noise breaks him out of the daydream. It's faraway, so it's not really important, but it's enough to cause him to, once again, come back to his senses. He furrows his lips, looking away, his attention going to the ground.
"Why are you thanking me? What I told it's nothing incredible. In fact, you should have been able to come to that same conclusion, stupid."
"I'm not talking about that… well, yes, I thank you for the advice, I needed to hear that, but I also…" she bites her lips, closing her eyes and releasing a sigh. "You knelt for my sake in front of the water spirit. For you to do that…" she shakes her head; "thank you."
Louis lets his head fall back against the wall, closing his eyes in a resigned gesture. "…You remember…"
"Of course I do. From all the things that happened… that's the only one I'm happy I remember" she says, completely serious. Louis snorts, running a hand through his hair and refusing to look at her.
"Well, whatever. It's not really worth remembering anyway. But boy… that sure brings back memories, going back to that lake" he says, doing a very conspicuous effort to change the subject. Sachiko smiles, understanding what he's doing, but follows the conversation, deciding to give him a break for once.
"What do you mean? You've been to Ragdorian Lake before?"
Louis nods. "When I was thirteen, Queen Marianne celebrated her birthday there… that was the last time I saw Henrietta and Wales before the whole Albion incident…" he frowns, realizing his change of subject just brought about another unwanted memory. Sachiko blinks, resting her head on her knees, but looking at him from between her bangs.
"Was that the time the three of you…"
"Yes… I mean…"
Sachiko shakes her head. Although she's really curious, she feels it would be better if she doesn't ask. It's the same sensation as when they were both in Albion. Deep down, she knows it has nothing to do with her. So instead of that, she decides to change the subject again.
Or would have, if she hadn't been interrupted by a shrill voice coming from the other side of the courtyard.
"Ah! So that was it!" it's Kirche, who jumps from her hiding place behind some bushes. Next to her, Tabitha closes her eyes and sighs, releasing the enhanced hearing spell she had been using in order to spy, obviously all at Kirche's petition.
Louis and Sachiko look at her, the latter surprised while the former is angry. He stands up, his fists balling at his sides as he stalks up to her with intent.
"Zerbst! Spying again?! Why do you have to meddle in every single thing concerning me?!"
"Don't think so highly of yourself! I was just curious about Sachiko's reaction and how in the world someone like you would try to comfort her!"
"What do you mean by that?! And I wasn't comforting anyone!"
"Oh" she gives him a cat-like smile, cocking her hips to one side and crossing her arms. "Then, why getting so upset over some idiot who doesn't deserve our darling Sachiko?"
Louis stops, choking again at hearing his own words throw back at him, before charging full head once the shock passes.
"I wasn't upset! Thinking something like that would m-matter to me! And you've been here since when? Just what the hell were you trying to hear?"
"Oh, just since you two left the room" she responds nonchalantly. Louis' eye twitches, making Kirche give a hearty laugh. "And I don't regret it one bit! But really, what is this about you kneeling? Did you really kneel before the water spirit? Just when I was thinking tristainian nobles were too uptight!" she continues laughing, shocking Louis, who can only tremble, his body torn between embarrassment and anger.
Sachiko chooses this moment to step forward, placing a placating hand on Louis' shoulder, who looks at her as if asking for help to deal with this girl, lest he ends up hitting her for her insolence.
But Sachiko has her own interests. She looks at Kirche, tilting her head towards her in curiosity. "Say, Kirche, what did you mean by 'that was it' before?"
Kirche stops laughing, though she's still smiling with mirth, much to Louis' irritation. "Oh, that" she places a finger on her chin, tilting her head to the side playfully. "Last week, just when we were going to Tabitha's house, I saw a group of hooded people walking in the opposite direction of our carriage. Pretty conspicuous going around like that, if you ask me. Anyway, among them, I noticed an especially hot guy who I found oddly familiar. Since I couldn't remember his name, I completely forgot about him, but now I understand! That was Prince Wales!"
Sachiko and Louis look at each other, before turning to look at the overly enthusiastic Kirche in front of them. Sachiko is the one to talk. "Kirche, that can't be right. Prince Wales is dead."
"Yes, besides, how do you even know how Wales looked like?" Louis asks as well. Kirche huffs.
"I saw him during Emperor Albrecht's Inauguration Ceremony, two years ago, a little before the civil war in Albion started. And he's not dead. I thought so too, but it seems it was just a rumor, he's actually alive!" she cups her chin, her brows furrowing in thought. "I wonder how he managed to survive and escape. Though I can understand why Albion's new emperor would spread false rumors about his death. They must be searching for him on land and air everywhere!"
"Kirche" this time it's Louis who calls her name, freezing the young girl since he doesn't do that often. "Wales is dead. I saw his heart being pierced with my own eyes. You must be confused."
"I am not!" she retorts, puffing out her chest. "I never forget a handsome man once I see him, there's no way I could have confused him with someone else."
"But that makes no sense. I saw the prince's dead body as well. I… I saw him die too" Sachiko continues, remembering what she saw with Louis' eyes.
"Maybe it was a fake?" Kirche tries to argue, but her resolve is starting to shake as well.
Louis crosses his arms and frowns. "No, I'm sure it wasn't. It couldn't be…"
"But how come I saw him, then? I'm sure it was him…"
"That's what I would like to know as well. By any chance, do you know where was this group heading?"
"Well, they passed us on our way to Ragdorian Lake… maybe they were going to Tristania? The road we took is the principal that goes directly to the capital, after all."
"So they were going to Tristania… around a week ago…" Louis thinks hard, trying to remember anything that might help him with this. He doesn't think Kirche is lying, although he doubts her memory, but something in his chest tells him he should not dismiss her words so easily. Whatever is going on, it's no small matter. Sachiko steps closer to him, the movement catching his attention, and when he looks at her face something immediately clicks.
The water spirit, and its story about the ring of Andvari and Albion's new emperor, who stole it before the beginning of the civil war. Louis gulps, pieces starting to come together. Although it's just a hunch, the implications are enough to send chills down his spine.
"Damn it!" he bolts towards the courtyard exit. Sachiko gasps, and although she doesn't know what's gotten into Louis, she follows him, leaving a flustered Kirche behind.
"H-Hey, what's going on?" she asks, but the two are gone before the question can reach them. Clicking her tongue, she turns to Tabitha. "Come on! We have to know what's happening!" and without another word she runs after them. Tabitha sighs, closing her book and using a flying spell to reach Kirche before her, too, can disappear from her sight.
After catching up with Louis, he told them what he thought was happening: Oliver Cromwell used the ring of Andvari to revive Prince Wales, and was planning to use him and his relation with Henrietta to his advantage. In what way, he didn't know, but considering they had a week of advantage over them, he feared they might be coming too late.
"So, we're going to check everything's in order, and warn the Queen about Prince Wales?" Sachiko asks just to make sure. Derflinger is strapped at her back, with Kirche and Tabitha next to her. They're all flying on Sylphid to the palace, since it would take them less time by air than going by horse. Louis nods his confirmation, his eyes narrowed and attentive as they reach the borders of the capital.
"Since we're already a week behind, wouldn't it make no difference if you tell her now or tomorrow? Why rushing all the way here in the middle of the night?" Kirche asks, raising an eyebrow. It's almost two hours after midnight. Everyone in the palace must be asleep already.
Louis shakes his head. "If he had done something, news would have reached us already. Believe it or not, the court it's horrible leaving private affairs private. They obviously didn't make their move yet, but that just leaves us less time to inform her. As you said, a week has already passed. For all we know, they might be planning to do something tonight."
"Still a bit farfetched… but ok. I accept your logic" Kirche shrugs, just as the palace is coming into view. However, something isn't right. Even from the distance, they can see the courtyard booming with activity. Soldiers are running from one end to another, carrying torches that give the palace a brighter illumination than usual. Seeing this, the three girls turn to look at Louis, dumbfounded, but he isn't paying attention to them.
As expected, so they really…
The dragon doesn't even have time to land. When it's close enough to the ground, Louis jumps off, running directly to the person who seems to be in charge. A heated discussion starts between them, the man giving Louis an annoyed expression, but after a while, he humbly bows his head, and seems to give his men instructions.
Louis turns his face back towards them and makes a gesture to indicate they can land.
"Amazing, just what did he tell them?" Kirche asks out loud. Sachiko wonders the same. Once in land, they prepare to get off, but before they can even get a foot off, Louis is mounting Sylphid again, looking at Tabitha under the surprised stares of the other two.
"Tabitha, can you tell Sylphid to take us to La Rochelle?"
The girl nods, and after telling her familiar a few words, they take off again. Just before they're completely off the ground, Sachiko takes a look at the man Louis talked with before. She recognizes him. It's the same man she saw that day in the palace. D'Cesaire or something, right?
Kirche jabs Louis on the stomach after a few minutes. "Alright, what's going on? Why do we have to go to La Rochelle?"
Louis nurses his stomach, giving Kirche a glare, but confides in her, anyway. "I talked with that man. He's the captain of the manticore corps. He told me Queen Henrietta disappeared from her room around three hours ago. After looking for her everywhere, they found evidence someone kidnapped her, and they're suspecting it was Albion. Thus, why they're thinking they're taking her to La Rochelle, since it's the only harbor from which they can come and go to Albion."
"Wouldn't that be too easy to deduce? Maybe that's what they want us to think, but they're actually taking her somewhere else…" Sachiko says, worried. Louis shakes his head.
"Even if they were, they still would need to go back to Albion, and while it's true there are other harbors, La Rochelle is the one closest to the island, not to mention the amount of time it would take them to go to another, in this case in Gallia. It's dangerous for them to keep Henrietta in the country for too long, and difficult to leave pass the borders without getting caught. Not to mention…"
"She might be going with them of her own free will?" Kirche provides. Louis nods, closing his eyes and caressing his temples.
"Yes… that's why they're using Wales… damn it…"
"That's sick…" Sachiko whispers.
"Still, I'm surprised he told you all of that, considering you're only an academy student, never mind your family name. What did you tell him to have him confide in you this way?" Kirche asks, curious, but her only answer is another shake of the head.
"I have my ways… but for now, we should think on how to retrieve Henrietta if we find her. Another corps is already on the way there, so for all we know, they might even be engaged in battle in this moment. In any case, look carefully at the road for any sign of something strange, alright? The captain told me it's more likely they're running away on horses, so keep an eye open."
The three girls nod. For another hour, they go on, attentive to any change on the road. Sachiko stifles a yawn, her eyes beginning to get droopy due to tiredness. She blinks slowly looking ahead, when something catches her attention.
"Louis" she taps his shoulder, and points to the place. Louis nods, looking at Tabitha, and the dragon starts to descend.
What they find makes Sachiko almost thrown up.
"What in the name of…?" Kirche says with a horrified voice.
Bodies are splattered everywhere, griffins and men alike. A few of them even have their limbs cut off, splayed in different directions, sometimes not even close to another body. Blood taints the ground and grass around them. Sachiko's frozen; her mind blank at the sheer gore of the scene in front of her. Tabitha also seems disturbed, while Louis puts on a disgruntled face.
"This is madness" he murmurs, stepping towards the sea of blood almost in automatic. His eyes scan the corpses, trying to find someone who isn't beyond salvation, when they land on a crawling figure. "There's someone alive!" he shouts, running towards the man on the ground. He kneels, ignoring that his clothes are getting bloodied, and delicately turns him around. "We have to take him to a doctor, his wounds are severe, but if we act now…"
"They…" the man suddenly interrupts him with a rasped, weak voice. Louis gets closer to better hear him. "They were supposed to be dead; their wounds were fatal… why?"
"Sir, what do you mean?" he asks, but doesn't receive an answer, as the man faints soon after.
"We should treat his injuries for now. It might not be much, but even something so little can be the difference between life and death" Kirche says, looking at Tabitha. The girl nods, kneeling next to Louis, while Kirche walks towards Sachiko and puts a hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"
"I…" she bites her lip, looking at her, and then at Louis and Tabitha. "How can you three be so nonchalant? This…"
"We are not, but you can say… we're kinda used to it" she says, looking at the other two with sadness. Sachiko balks.
"Used to it?" she asks with incredulity. Kirche shrugs.
"Not to this magnitude, of course, but… when you're the child of nobility, it's just impossible not to see some things from time to time. Louis is the only son of a strong military figure near the borders of a country they go to war with every few decades, Tabitha… had her own experiences, and I'm not far myself, being in the same situation as Louis… except Germania isn't as peaceful as Tristain."
Sachiko bites her lip, looking again at the bodies lying everywhere. For her, even though she went to battle that time at Tarbes, she wasn't privy to the destruction caused, flying on the airplane taking out dragons by shooting at their wings, and then staying in the village, far, far from the battlefield where she didn't have to see the aftermath.
Not for the first time, she worries what will become of her now that she's decided to stay… to participate in this war, along with Louis. A void forms in her stomach. She feels lightheaded.
She's so distracted, she's completely startled when she hears a rush of wind enveloping her, and by the time she looks up, Tabitha and Louis are already positioned in front of them, the former with her staff at the ready, while Louis and Kirche take out their wands and get in a battle stance.
There are shadows swaying in their direction, and it takes little time for Sachiko to understand they probably attacked them with magic, and it was Tabitha who defended them with a wall of wind. She takes out Derflinger as well, pushing upsetting thoughts away and concentrating only in the enemy in front of them.
The shadows stop moving midway between them and the forest behind. Sachiko feels another chill down her spine when, clearly under the moonlight, she can see their bodies. Mangled, bloodied, with missing limbs and wounds on their necks and chests that should have been fatal. These are revived corpses.
"So it was true, after all" she hears Kirche murmur, completely horrified.
"Don't get distracted Zerbst" Louis warns, and while in any other moment the older girl would have refuted him, now she simply nods, steeling herself and not relaxing her position one bit.
"Why aren't they attacking?" Sachiko ventures to say after a few moments had passed. Louis shakes his head, wondering the same thing. It's just then when they hear a voice coming from the bushes, right behind them.
"Ah, so it's a dragon. Too bad. It would have been better if you came by horse."
Louis and Sachiko turn around, while Tabitha and Kirche keep their eyes on the bodies. Sachiko gasps, but Louis grinds his teeth, seeing exactly what he was expecting.
"But then again" Wales says, taking a step forward. There's a gash on his shirt, covered by blood. Since it's dirty they can't see it clearly, but it appears to be deep. And even still, the prince stands, as if the wound is hardly significant. "You wouldn't be here so soon if you didn't use the dragon."
Louis and Sachiko tense upon looking behind him. Henrietta is there as well; her head low while her simple gown dances in the wind. Louis takes a step forward, and Sachiko tenses up even more, ready to assist or defend him shall something happen.
"My Queen! Please get away from him! That's not Prince Wales but a revived corpse brought here by Reconquista!" Louis shouts. Wales tilts his head, in an innocent act that doesn't match his wry smile at all.
"Ara? Louis de La Vallière, if I didn't know any better, I would think you've totally lost your mind. What is this you say about revived corpses and the like?"
"Stop joking! Relinquish Queen Henrietta right now!"
Wales shakes his head, extending his hand, and Henrietta takes it without hesitation, moving to stand by his side. "I think there had been a mistake. I cannot relinquish Henrietta when she's following me on her own accord. See?" he raises their hands slightly. "She wants to be here as much as I want her here."
Louis grinds his teeth, tightening his hold on his wand. Henrietta is still, not moving a muscle and not saying anything, and that's slowly starting to irritate him. What is she thinking?
"Now, I would like to make a deal with you. You see, we lost our horses in the fight with the griffin knights, but traveling without them during the night is dangerous, so even though I'll like to quarrel here with you, I would prefer to save as much magic as possible. A dragon, though faster, it's not an option since it only listens to those it wants, but if you allow us to…"
Just in that moment, Tabitha finishes the spell she has been silently chanting, and turning her head just slightly to aim, throws a windy icicle to the prince. The ice hits him square on the chest, but he remains standing, taking only a step back to regain his balance, even with the projectile protruding out of his body.
"It's useless" he takes the end of the icicle with his free hand and yanks it off him, "I can't be damaged by your attacks."
Even after seeing this, Henrietta doesn't flinch.
Louis starts shaking out of pure anxiousness. "He's not Prince Wales! Your Majesty! Didn't you just see what ha-?!"
"I know" the queen finally opens her mouth. Her voice is completely and utterly lifeless, something that makes Louis clench his fists in frustration. "Don't you think I know that? In my room, when he came for me and our lips touched, I knew it. I knew a hundred times over. Still… you don't know how it is to love someone so much, you'll do anything for them, you'll follow them anywhere. I love him, Louis, I cannot live without him; so even though I know it is a lie; I have to be with him. Please, just go home and let us be" she bows her head, expecting Louis to obey her immediately as always.
It's thus, a big surprise, when instead of that he replies in the darkest, most commanding voice she had ever heard him use.
"I don't know how it is to love someone? You must be joking" he lets out a dark laugh. "Sure, I've never fallen in love with anyone. Romance it's not something I'm privy too, but you're saying I don't know how it is to love someone… how funny…"
"Louis?" Sachiko asks, letting down her guard just the slightest bit.
"Ever since we met, I've always been letting you do whatever you wanted. I'd let you choose what game to play next, then I would let you win. I'd let you eat the last cupcake even though it was the one I liked the most, even though it was difficult to get Eleonore to bake at all and even though you knew I wanted it. We'd always go at your pace, like when you suddenly appeared in my room that year I turned eleven, wanting to 'practice' for our future spouses, even though I was against it and even though I told you no, you still kissed me and made me touch you and do so many things we really shouldn't have done at that age…"
"Louis, stop talking" Henrietta orders, but her voice is weak, broken by embarrassment. Sachiko gasps, and behind her she can feel both Kirche and Tabitha fidget uncomfortably. Just what is Louis saying at a time like this?
"And when you started getting bolder, when I told you it was enough, you suddenly told me it was 'fine since we're going to get married anyway', what a joke. I didn't even think about you that way. Then out of nowhere you fell in love with someone at first sight? And not just that, you lied to me so I would cover for you every night of that week long celebration… so you could sneak out to meet with Wales! So don't tell me I don't know how it is to love someone! I think I've done enough throughout the years to prove I do know how it is to 'love' someone!"
"It's not the same! The love between two friends… it can't be compared to the love you feel for someone…"
"No, you're not going there!" Louis shouts, drowning out Henrietta's voice, who looks about ready to cry. "Like I fucking care about the stupid difference you think there is between romantic and platonic love! If you think the only love that means anything and that can make you do anything for another is the love of a couple, then you're an idiot!"
"Enough! This is an order! Let us go!"
"You asked me to retrieve a love letter from Albion, a suicidal mission, and I went! You asked me to use my powers for your war, and I'll also do that! Everything, absolutely everything I do is for you, and you know perfectly well that I would never deny you anything, but this I won't do! You're stupid if you believe just for one second that because you 'cannot live without him' and 'don't care if it's a lie' I'll let you go just like that! You're a complete and utter idiot if you believe what you're doing right now it's for love! It's just blindness, stubbornness, folly!"
"What do you know?! Calling my love a lie!" Henrietta cries. Louis snorts, but before he can say more, Sachiko moves, stepping in front of him and blocking a wind spell that was aimed at him.
"You! Stop getting distracted! If talking doesn't work just use force!" Sachiko yells at him, charging at Wales before he can finish his second spell. However, a wall of water erects between her and the prince, born from the humidity of the air. Henrietta stands on the other side, her wand in her hands, with tears still flowing down her cheeks.
"I won't allow anyone to lay a finger on Wales!"
The wall shifts, going after Sachiko, but before it can go any further, the ground in front of the queen explodes, blowing her away. Wales stops chanting to catch her midway, moment in which another explosion resounds, throwing them further back.
"I'm sorry" Louis says, hearing movement behind him. Tabitha and Kirche had also engaged in battle at the same time as them. "But I won't allow anyone to harm my familiar either. If that means blowing up the prince until there's nothing left, so then be it."
Henrietta's eyes narrow in fury. She chants another spell, but Sachiko absorbers it with Derflinger, throwing it back just to be repelled by a gust of wind. Before Louis can release another explosion, the undead rise, surrounding them, and although the spell it's ready it cannot reach them, blowing up the corpses in front of him.
"Damn it!" he curses when, once they're down, he can't see Henrietta and Wales anymore. "They've ran away! We need to follow them!"
"Easier said than done!" Sachiko shouts, seeing how the bodies that are cut down by Tabitha with her wind and her with her sword stand up again, as if no harm has been done. Louis too, lets out another curse when he sees the ones he blew up standing again. It becomes really creepy when even disembodied parts start crawling towards them.
Kirche chants a fireball and throws it at one of the bodies. It quickly catches fire, completely stopping its movements, and she smirks. "I've got it! Sachiko! Tabitha! Cut down as many as you can! I'll burn them with my fire!"
"Gotcha!" Sachiko yells in return. Tabitha nods, and the two make quick work of the bodies, with Kirche extending her fire as much as possible.
However, their luck doesn't last.
Sachiko feels something cold and wet grazing her cheek. She looks up, and sees big stormy clouds that hadn't been there a moment ago. "Rain" she whispers. Louis also looks up after hearing her, and frowns.
"This is bad" he says, watching the rain extinguishing Kirche's flames little by little.
"Kirche! Can't you make your flames stronger?" Sachiko asks. The redhead looks at her with anger.
"Do you really think stronger flames won't be put out with the rain?"
"Don't fight! We still need to follow Wales and Henrietta before they go too far!" Louis shouts so his voice can be heard above the rain. Hearing this, Tabitha raises her staff.
"After this, I won't be able to accompany you" she says, and chants. A really big gust of wind envelopes the area, sweeping the bodies away, opening a path for them to pass. "Leave!"
"I'll stay with Tabitha! You two, make sure to bring back that stupid queen of yours!" Kirche pushes Sachiko, who only nods and runs in the direction of the forest, following Louis who looks back at them, nodding in gratitude before disappearing along the foliage.
The rain augments in intensity, making it all the more difficult to locate Henrietta and Wales. Sachiko looks around, but it's too dark, and she starts to feel hopeless.
"Louis, it's impossible. They ran away a while back, and the rain already erased their tracks. I don't think we'll be able to find them."
"You're free to leave if you want!" Louis retorts, making Sachiko roll her eyes.
"Don't be stupid. Wait!" she halts, Louis doing the same and looking at her seriously. "I think I can hear something… they're… chanting?"
"Huh? What do you mean? I can't hear anything."
"No, it's more like… a sensation?" she bites her lips, while Louis gives her a look of incredulity. "The air changes, like when Kirche and Tabitha chant…"
"And how in the world would you be able to sense that? I can't sense anything. In fact, no mage has that ability, so a commoner like you should be even less-" he never finishes, as Sachiko quickly jumps behind him, parrying a powerful air needle from penetrating his heart. Louis turns around, his eyes round, just to see Wales and Sachiko engaged in combat.
"Good reflexes" he compliments. Sachiko pushes his blade away, but just when she's about to slice his chest, a water whip hits her, sending her flying as she cries out in pain.
"Sachiko!" Louis runs to her side. Henrietta appears from behind a tree, her wand at the ready.
"I told you I wouldn't let you lay a finger on Wales."
"Sachiko! Are you alright?"
"Ugh, yes, just…" she slowly stands up, holding her side. The whip tore her blouse, exposing her skin, which looks red and swollen. She takes a better hold of Derflinger and pierces Henrietta with a glare. "Your boyfriend just tried to kill Louis, and you're still defending him?!"
"I do not want to kill you, but if you insist on following us to stop us, then you leave us no choice."
"Stop joking! And you tore my clothes! Do you know how difficult it is to get Louis to buy me something other than dresses?!"
"I think it's time we finish this" Wales says, standing next to Henrietta. "Water spells are stronger with the rain. Since the moment it started pouring, it was our win."
Henrietta nods, prepares her wand, and chants at the same time as Wales.
Derflinger sighs. "Give it up partner, this one is a big attack. There's no way you can stop it."
"What is it?"
"I don't know. I've never seen anything like it. Five, no, six elements add one after another."
"Hexagon magic. I've only ever heard of it…" Louis says, dumbfounded. Sachiko looks at him, confused, but he shakes his head. "There's no time to explain, we need to leave…"
"Even though you've come this far? How easy it is to give up once the opponent shows a little more of strength, no?" Derflinger says nonchalantly. Louis glares at the sword.
"And what do you want me to do?"
"I told you, no? In times of need, use that book. You have it with you, no? There might be something new there."
"What, but…"
As they're talking, they can see a huge wall of water emerging from the raindrops. It starts swirling, the speed getting faster and faster. Sachiko takes a step forward, raising Derflinger.
"Louis, stop hesitating and just do what Derf says! I'll give you time somehow!" she yells at him, just before running towards the water tornado. Louis tries to call her back, but she's already far, and with reluctance takes out the Founder's Book, searching for that 'something new' Derflinger talked about.
He finds it.
Sachiko looks at the tornado, still forming, and glares at the couple behind. When she tries to bypass it, the water shifts, and she can feel the huge pressure from it throwing her back, preventing her from reaching those two. She clicks her tongue, just standing guard as the spell finishes. The final result it's something terrifying: wind blades combined with high-pressured water. Sachiko can feel her skin crawling.
"Damn it, what is taking him so long?" Sachiko whispers. Though she's obviously scared, there's something more. She can hear, under the sound of relentless raindrops and the water swirling inside that tornado, Louis' voice chanting, and for some reason, even though she knows what she has to do, even though she is truly scared, it doesn't bother her, because she has something more important to do.
"Well, it is expected, but that's why you're here, no? To give your master the time to chant" Derflinger says. As his last words resound in her ears, the tornado approaches. Sachiko runs right towards it, pushing Derflinger right into its core, absorbing the attack.
But as expected it is too much.
For a moment she fears she will be swallowed, but she stands firmly on her feet. The water hits her viciously, cutting her body, and the pressure of it makes it impossible to breathe, adding up to the pain she feels as everything, from head to toe, is sliced, shred by shred. But she can still hear Louis chanting, so even though it hurts, she resists. Even though she feels like dying, she resists.
Until the spell it's finally ready. She can't hear it, but just like she felt Wales chanting before attacking Louis, she knows. Relief floods her body, making her hold on Derflinger weaker; and the sword is swallowed by the water, but she doesn't care.
After all, the idiot finally finished chanting.
When she wakes up, the first thing she sees is Henrietta's face.
Her body's first reaction is to jerk away, but a firm hand on her shoulder prevents her from doing so. It doesn't belong to the queen, as she can see both her hands, one of them holding her wand and… chanting? When she leans her head back, Louis' face comes to sight. He has a wry expression.
"Don't move. Her Majesty is curing you" he explains. Then, as if his words were a charm, Sachiko can suddenly feel every nook and cranny in her body aching. Memories flood from when she was almost swallowed by that water tornado, and she instinctively tries to get away from the queen again, remembering she's the one who chanted such a spell, but Louis stops her again, putting pressure on her shoulder. "I told you not to move!"
"B-but…" her voice it's a little scratchy. She clears her throat and concentrates only on Louis, wanting him to explain what happened after she lost consciousness.
It isn't him who talks though.
"Sachiko… right?" Henrietta asks, unsure, catching the attention of the other girl. It's so strange hearing her saying her name, that for a moment the only thing she can do is stare at her wide-eyed. Henrietta puts her wand away, and sighs. "After Louis finished chanting, everything, the tornado and Wales included, stopped. I had no strength left after chanting such a powerful spell… so I collapsed, and when I came into… I understood everything I've done."
She hangs her head in shame, but Sachiko doesn't say anything. She's still too stunned. She tries to sit up, but the moment she does so she feels something strange. When she looks down, she blushes, seeing her clothes had been completely tattered, from her blouse to her tennis. Her blouse in particular, which received the most damage, exposes her chest completely, even the underwear torn apart and showing…
She covers herself, looking at Louis, but he's pointedly avoiding staring at anything below her face. Though she's grateful, she's still embarrassed. What happened to censorship? Shouldn't there be at least strings of fabric covering her… her…?
"I do not have any words of apology. What I did to you… what I did to Louis, and everyone else… what should I say in order to ask for forgiveness?"
Sachiko doesn't say anything, as she doesn't know what to tell her. Part of her is angry. Even if now Henrietta seems incredibly guilty, that doesn't change the fact she consciously pointed her wand at them, that she allowed Wales to slaughter an entire corps and almost killed Louis without hesitation. It certainly doesn't change the fact she, along with the dead prince, chanted an incredibly powerful spell with the intention of killing Louis and her.
But a larger part is weary, and sad, and honestly, she would rather not have to look at her face. When she doesn't say anything, Henrietta seems to become more and more depressed, so Louis speaks, taking off his cloak and giving it to Sachiko.
"Your Majesty, there are a few survivors between the griffin corps. Tabitha is out of willpower, so could you please treat them?"
"Yes" she nods, and stands up. Sachiko thanks Louis for the cloak, and when she looks around she realizes they're back on the road. Bodies line up under the trees, being carried by the other two girls. The rain has stopped, and the grass and bodies are wet and enveloped by a cool atmosphere.
"How did we come back?" she asks. Louis sighs.
"I woke up Henrietta and had her cure you as I brought you back. I couldn't leave Tabitha and Kirche alone, and since my new spell worked on the prince, I used it to help them as they were about to be defeated. After that the rain stopped… and you woke up."
"Where is Derflinger? And the prince?"
"They're still where we left them, I couldn't bring you all. Come on, let's go look for them. We can't possibly leave them in the middle of the forest."
Sachiko nods, and while the two of them enter the forest, she throws a last look at Henrietta, who's curing wounded soldiers, while Kirche and Tabitha continue moving the dead bodies one by one to the line of trees. She sighs.
When they arrive at the clearing they fought in, Sachiko sheaths Derflinger, who complains about being forgotten and not taken seriously enough, while Louis carries Wales' body on his back. Sachiko winces, and looks away, nausea surfacing at the thought of touching a corpse.
Even though Kirche and Tabitha are doing that on their own… she suddenly feels guilty. This is not the time to feel disgust. She should go back and help them. Once they arrive back to the road, the job seems almost done. Louis puts down Wales' body with the rest, and tells Sachiko to stay where she is and not move a muscle, before going to help. Sachiko sighs, knowing that's his way of telling her not to overexert herself, and just looks at the dead prince's face with gloomy eyes.
The battle of before just seems like a far-off nightmare. Even though she was scared at that time she tried to stop the tornado, her mind was calm and her body moved on its own. She knew deep within her there was something more important than her own safety, and that was the reason she could do what she did, even if it almost killed her.
I'll need to talk with Derf about that. Does that courage have to do with hearing Louis chant? It certainly felt so…
Her mouth forms a tight line, seeing the prince's eyes, a light blue that can't see anything.
"Ah, they're open…" she says as if she'd just realized it. Being as respectful as she can, she closes them, just like that time in Albion, and even though she doesn't intent to, her hand moves to his hand, taking it and clasping it on her own. What a sad fate had befallen him. Robbed of a dignified death, even his body had been profaned and used to get at his lover, of all things. Rage bubbles at her chest, and she closes her eyes so she can stay calm.
After a while, she opens them, just to see Henrietta kneeling on the other side, startling her. She feels disrespectful, touching Wales so freely in front of her, but Henrietta shakes her head, her eyes settling on his face. There is silence between them.
"Even after I woke up…" Henrietta starts, and Sachiko looks at her. She can faintly feel the other three approaching, as they seem to have finished recovering all the bodies, and for just one second wonders what each of them feels about Henrietta, about Reconquista and what happened that night. But that thought's gone when she keeps whispering, so low it feels she wants only Sachiko to hear. "When I realized everything that took place… I wanted to see him. But I felt foolish looking for the dead again. This time I saw him collapse before my eyes… but I guess I wanted to pretend it did not happen. We can't run from reality forever though…"
She caresses Wales' cheek, and Sachiko heaves a deep breath, holding back tears.
Henrietta takes one of his hands, entwining her fingers with his, bringing it close to her face. "But… as expected, it hurts too much…"
She sobs, quietly, but Sachiko feels the pressure. She closes her eyes too, frustrated and angry. Why did it have to turn out like this? Wasn't it enough bearing the death of a love one just once? Not taking into consideration what she personally feels towards Henrietta, or Wales, or even Reconquista, this is too much, too cruel. And…
"Henrietta?"
The moment she hears that voice, Sachiko jerks back, her hand, that had been holding Wales' all this time, is pulled away, and she, along with everyone else, can only see as the prince, once again, opens his eyes, searching for the face of his loved one, who can only put a hand to her mouth, sobbing.
"Oh, Wales" she calls out, understanding. This time, it wasn't a puppet. This time, it was the real Wales. Everyone could feel that. She searches his hand again, that she dropped due to surprise, and brings it to her face; "but, how?"
Before he can answer, she sees the blood spreading over his shirt. Panicking, she pulls out her wand again, and tries to close it, but no matter how much she tries, blood continues flowing freely through the wound. Wales stops her, covering her hand with his, and shakes his head.
"It's no use, it won't close" he softly pushes her hand away when she stubbornly keeps trying. "I'm already dead."
"No, you're talking to me, you're…" Henrietta insists. Wales smiles sadly.
"I don't know how I'm able to talk or move right now; surely, it is only a whim of God, but even so, if it's only for a moment… there's one last wish I want you to concede to me…"
"No, are you trying to leave me again? Wales…" she hugs his body, sobbing again. "Please, don't say something like 'last'…"
"I want to go to Ragdorian Lake, where I met you for the first time. There is something I want you to promise there" they stare at each other for a moment, telling everything they can't say with their eyes, before Henrietta finally nods, disentangling herself from his body and drying her tears, even though they seem like they won't stop flowing.
Tabitha immediately calls for Sylphid, and they're off.
The journey there is long and tense. All the while Henrietta holds Wales' body close to her, caressing his cheek and not once looking away from his blue eyes, which are so similar to hers.
When they arrive, everybody steps back, and allow the couple their time alone, as they walk by the lake's shore, Wales leaning against Henrietta for support.
Sachiko watches the scene with watery eyes, feeling like she's going to break down and cry at any moment. She turns to look at Louis, seeing he isn't so far behind her. His eyes are sad, his fists clenched at his sides. Sachiko speaks up.
"So this is it" she mutters; her voice low. "At least, now they can both have some closure, right?" she says, trying to find something positive from the situation even though she feels at that moment that there's nothing bright about anything. Louis doesn't answer, so she looks up.
If possible, he looks even sadder than before, and Sachiko berates herself for talking when she shouldn't when he opens his mouth.
"Do you think I did right?" she tilts her head to the side, confused by his question, so he elaborates. "Do you think I should have let her go with him? Instead of screaming how much of an idiot she was… even if it was a lie, wouldn't that have made her happy?" he glances down, looking really troubled by this. Sachiko frowns.
"Of course you did the right thing" Louis slowly turns to look at her, and she continues. "She might have been happy, right, but exactly because it was a lie is that, sooner or later, she would have regretted her decision. There's only so much one can do in a situation like that, and living a lie, no matter how sweet… that's pretty sad, don't you think?" she concludes, bringing her hands together under the cloak and nervously playing with them.
Louis blinks, and thinks over her words before giving a light nod, leaving her wondering if she had helped him at all or not. He looks at the shore again, this time seeing Henrietta kneeling near the water with Wales in town. He's making her promise something, an oath made in the name of the water spirit. He hopes it is something that will give her hope, make her look towards the future, and not being stuck in the past.
Sachiko also watches the scene in silence. When Henrietta leans and gives a soft kiss to Wales' forehead, she knows the Prince is gone, and as she sees how the Queen pushes his body to the lake, flinging her wand to make the water carry him farther and farther away, she feels the tears going down her cheeks.
She unconsciously grabs Louis' hand in hers, seeking comfort, and sobs freely. He doesn't look at her face, his eyes still fixated on the unmoving form of Henrietta, but he lets her hold him, and maybe for a bit of comfort himself; squeezes her hand as well.
Wales' body floats for a little while, before slowly sinking. The lake's water it's crystalline, so Henrietta can still see him, but as he sinks lower and lower, he disappears into the darkness of the bottom. Even as he is no longer in sight, Henrietta continues to stare, her eyes not breaking from the point where she last saw him.
Farther away, the sun is slowly rising in the horizon.
A/N: There are plenty of things that bothered me from the original FOZ. The excesive fanservice, Saito's lack of a background, everybody acting as if they have only one working neurone except at times like this when it was convenient to the plot... but I think the thing that bothered me the most is how all the girls, no matter what they did and how bad they were, would always be forgiven with a "she's so cute" or "you can't just be angry with someone so beautiful", like... what? Louise was the main culprit, but Henrietta it's not far behind. Literally every time she did something questionable everyone was like "you can't judge her, please forgive her" and if not, it would be her saying "I'm so sinful, look at me, so moist and pitiable, can you forgive me for my sins? And when you tell me there's nothing to forgive I'll tell you no because I'm a sinful woman that only wants to be pitied."
Ugh...
Ok, I am being bias, I'm not going to apologize for that, but this scene here, this, what she did here after being captured by Wales and then going with him of her own accord... I know the mains didn't forgive her easily, and she was played and a victim too, but I just couldn't help but feel like the subject was simply brushed under the carpet afterwards. Especially for Saito. Like, get a hold of yourself man. He took like seven novels, and in universe's time almost a year to completely forgive Guiche for trying to kill him when literally Henrietta tried the same here, and Louise practically every day. Just because they're girls, no? Whatever. And I thought, since Saito seems to be so forgiving towards females while bearing a grudge forever towards boys, Sachiko will do the same. Thus, out of everyone, she's not going to forget what happened here so easily.
But she's still Saito/Sachiko, so she's going to try to at least understand her, something that Saito actually does, regardless of gender.
Welp, taking that out of the way, I took so long with this chapter because, you got it, the fight scene was so freaking difficult to write. Then I listened to 'Emperor's time' from HxH and somehow... it helped me. I may use it again when I have another block. Anyway, hope you liked the chapter, and if you read all this A/N, thank you, and tell me what you thought!
Until next time!