Aegina Union Episode 1: The Fugitive Bearing Hope
Disclaimer: I do not own Yggdra Union or any of the characters.
-ew generations ago, there existed three nations; the Empire of Bronquia, the Kingdom of Fantasinia, and the long lost Vanir.
At this age, there is almost no one who knows of this nation and it is impossible to know what kind of nation Vanir is. There are no records, as if they never existed, of any history of Vanir. Worse, we do not even know where Vanir is. Caged within my own country, I was unable to travel to Fantasinia to try to find the remnants of the culture of the lost Vanir. If I have to make an assumption, something other than man is involved in the lost of Vanir.
This shall be my last record of all the information I could gather from Bronquia. If I wish to pursue further knowledge about Vanir, I will have to travel to Fantasinia and see our rival kingdom myself. To my friend who found these records of mine, I ask of you to keep it safe. I will be back.
-Unknown rogue researcher who left Bronquia and never returned. This half-burnt paper is the only paper salvaged by the Bronquia Empire when they inspected the researcher's house.
-WE'LL NEVER FIGHT ALONE-
Aegina was able to escape from her pursuers and met a rogue thief, Milanor, who became her first ally for her vengeance against Fantasinia.
Now with the legendary sword, the Gran Centrio in hand, the two hasted their way out of the forest and through the canyons to escape the Royal Army who would be re-pursuing them soon.
As they ran, the Royal Army was already at the Jaws of the Wolf, waiting for their arrival…
Chapter 2: Wound
"Kill the wounded Valkyrie!"
The words haunted the Valkyrie carrying her injured sister. No matter how fast she ran, the voices never ceased but became louder. The Valkyrie looked at her sister, the cursed arrow was stuck in her eye, blood bleeding non-stop and dripping down her sister's face.
"Kill the wounded Valkyrie! Don't let her escape!"
The Valkyrie's heart pounded against her chest as the voices continue to haunt her. She was not going to make it. There was no reinforcement and her Emperor was too far away to help her. They were alone. At this rate, the enemy was going to catch up and kill-
"Kill the wounded Valkyrie! Don't let her escape!"
-Kill the wounded Valkyrie?
The Valkyrie stared at her sister. She was unconsciousness but still alive. She would live if she received treatment soon. However if the Fantasinia soldiers caught up, there was no way she would be able to fight her way out of them with her sister as a burden. Even if she left her sister here and fought their enemies first, they might split up to find and finish her off.
So, as long as she was the wounded Valkyrie they wanted to find, everything could work out, couldn't it?
The Valkyrie looked at her wounded sister, then at the eye patch their doctor gave before he was killed. She has reached a decision.
"… …"
"… …gina…"
"… …?"
"… Aegina…"
"… …Lucia-"
"Aegina!"
"Wha-Uwah!"
Aegina jerked her head up, only to yield in surprise when she started to slip from wherever she was seating. With sharp agility and instinct, her hand reached for the figure before her and she held a tight grip, her eyes staring warily at the moving ground just before her eyes. With a pull, she lifted herself back and she found herself riding on a horse behind Milanor.
"Aegina! Are you alright!?"
"… …Milanor?"
Aegina asked, her mind was obviously still in drowsiness. Milanor sighed.
"Whose horse would you be riding with if not mine? You had fallen asleep, didn't you?"
It took Aegina a few seconds for her to take in Milanor's words. When Aegina final registered the words, she blushed in embarrassment. Seeing that Milanor's focus on the road ahead, she allowed herself to hide her face behind Milanor's broad shoulders.
"I was only resting my eyes for a while. You can only blame yourself for not being loud enough to catch my attention."
"Funny, you were all that reluctant to hold onto me when we started riding. However for the past hour, you have been boldly hugging me from behind, haven't you?"
At that moment, Aegina looked down and her face went into deeper shade of red when she realized that she had instinctively hugged Milanor when she got up from almost falling from the horse. She quickly released her hands from Milanor, only holding him by the shoulders just to make sure she does not fall off again.
She looked up and her crimson face put her crimson armor in shame. It was still dark in the morning when they had started on their trip. Right now the sun is at its peak, suggesting its noon already.
Past hour, that was an understatement of how long she has been asleep and how long she had been hugging Milanor.
"… …So, what did you call me for?"
Aegina silently muttered, her words might as well be as crimson as her face.
Milanor made a light chuckle. He was tempted to continue his jokes but he was a veteran when it came to teasing. Experience told him to never, never ever, went across the line of teasing, when the girl was seating right behind you and you definitely have no way to defend yourself. The last time he did that, an undine pounded him in the face with her tail, a witch set him up in flames and a princess boldly kicked him off his horse.
… …Those were good times…
Milanor smiled sadly. He has made his decision, there was no turning back anymore.
Speaking of his princess…
"Aegina, I have a question for you. You are Ygg- Queen Yggdra's blood sister, aren't you?"
Milanor winced when Aegina's nails abruptly dug through his clothing and touched his skin. Aegina then answered in cold and stern voice.
"…How do you know about that?"
"It's not that surprising for me to know. The Gran Centrio would only accept people from the royal blood line. For normal people like me, the Gran Centrio is simply an impractically heavy great sword. However I have seen how you swung it to face Sir Durant this morning. There is no way that someone not from the royal blood line could swing that sword to their own will."
"For you to know the details of the Gran Centrio, you aren't just a normal rogue thief, are you?"
"Well, I am a rogue thief now. That is all that matt-"
"You were a Fantasinia soldier, weren't you?"
"…What if I was?"
Milanor just felt one of Aegina's hands left his shoulder. He kept his eyes locked focusing on the front
"Talk, Milanor. Who are you?"
Milanor could feel a knife being held beside his neck. The rocky trip made the blade cut in at times. If Aegina suspected him and decided that he was not trustworthy, she could end him right there and then.
However Milanor knew that would not happen. He knew that Aegina was not a bad person. He smirked at the development of the situation and gave his most confident answer.
"We made a deal this morning, didn't we? I will be yours until you finally become mine."
"!"
"Ouch! Watch that thing!"
Milanor reacted, shouted in pain when the blade, revealed to be Aegina's broken sword, suddenly went and cut in slightly into Milanor's neck. Aegina hastily retracted her sword and pushed Milanor's face away to face the front.
Aegina looked up at the sun, it's a hot and sunny day. The sun was to be blamed for her sweating and crimson face. Sir Baldus did mention something about UV lights from the sun, she now learn it first-hand that they are nasty. She'd have to take note to avoid the sun as much as possible from now on.
… …It was already afternoon already…
Aegina thought silently. Her mind was running fast upon noticing the time then.
"It has been hours since we shook off Sir Durant's pursuit, hasn't it, Milanor?"
Milanor's eyes narrowed at Aegina's words. He was also an experienced warrior. He understood what Aegina meant.
"Are you betraying me, Milanor?"
"…The end of the canyon is right ahead. Your answer is there."
"… …I see."
Aegina muttered. She could see the upper edge of the canyon reaching an end. They were arriving at the Jaws of the Wolf.
Milanor pulled his horse's leash and held his horse to a stop. As a thief and a Valkyrie, further travel by horse was dangerous for their class. Aegina landed on the ground and unstrapped the Gran Centrio that has been on her back for the entire journey. Milanor landed shortly after, taking out his personal crescent-moon like axe and sling it across his shoulder.
"You knew that Fantasinia forces were going to block the only path out of the canyon, didn't you?"
"If they wanted to chase us, they would have reached us by the morning. Since they didn't do that, they are most likely before us, waiting for us to reach them."
Milanor explained and started walking warily towards the end of the Canyon. A pause, Aegina stared at Milanor with suspicion. She was clearly walking to a trap, an army of Fantasinia. There was no way she could survive fighting an entire army. She should take Milanor's horse and escape to the other side to avoid direct confrontation.
I am Aegina's Milanor.
…If she abandoned Milanor here, who would she have left?
"I am the commander here. Don't walk ahead of me."
Aegina brushed past Milanor and walked ahead. Milanor stared at Aegina, chuckled, and followed after.
As they expected, their enemy was already at the end of the canyon waiting for them. However it was not an army that Aegina had dreaded. There were only three squads of fencers standing at their way.
Even if it was only two of them, had Queen Yggdra really underestimated them to the extent that they were only worth three squads of fencers? Aegina thought, with more suspicion than anger.
Aegina glanced at her only ally, Milanor. Milanor's doubtful eyes answered her that something was odd about the situation.
"Greetings, Aegina of the Twin Valkyrie. I am Sir Russell, the Astral Fencer of the Royal Knights."
From the three squads of fencers, the commander, Russell, emerged from his Fantasinia force and walked up to greet them.
Aegina bit her lip. She recognized that name. Russell, one of the six Royal Knights of the Royal Army. While she has never clashed with him in battle, she had heard stories from the survivors from Fort Ishnad. The Fantasinia Army used dirty trick and flooded the Fort. At the end, Sir Baldus, the Bronquia' shield, was forced to a disadvantage and eventually lost to the Royal Army. While Emilia was managed to save Sir Baldus in time, he was not in any shape to fight anymore. It would have been different if Sir Baldus was still in action.
Aegina shook her head and focused on the situation. While there was Russell on the field, there was obviously no other Royal Knights around. She has two revolution cards with her. With those cards, the other two fencer squads were as good as dead already.
There was no need to talk with your enemy. Aegina brandished the Gran Centrio. She shall end the battle right here and now.
"What game are you playing, Russell? Why are the late King's Royal Guards here? Shouldn't they be back at Platina?"
Aegina paused. Her attention sharpened as she listened into Milanor and Russell's conversation.
"Hmm, I even went through the effort to tell them to disguise themselves as normal fencers. It looks like nothing can deceive you, Sir Milanor. It would be wise of you to stay there until we finish our mission. I am sure Queen Yggdra will be delighted to see you and the Gran Centrio again."
"That is not going to happen. I am out of the Royal Army already. The fact that the Royal Guards are here means that old man Bly sent them here, didn't he?"
"… …I am surprised that you know that much of the Royal Guards. Even the Queen doesn't know that the Royal Guards are actually under Bly's direct command. That's right, Sir Bly has sent them to assist me to finish of the remaining commanders of the Bronquia army and to retrieve the Gran Centrio. I request you, as an old friend, to stay out of this. In return, I will promise to not tell the Queen that we have met."
Russell lifted his hand and gave the signal. The Royal Guards behind him responded and started to surround them. Milanor stared at the Russell, at the Royal Guards, then at Russell again.
" 'Kill the late King's twin daughters.'. That is old man Bly's order, isn't it?"
"… …"
Aegina held her breath when Milanor's words entered her ear. Russell shook his head.
"… You should have kept quiet, Sir Milanor. It seems that it is inevitable that it must end this way…"
Russell drew his sword and took out a tactics card. His intention is clear now.
"In the name of our late King Ordene Artwaltz, we shall deliver Fantasinia's justice upon the cursed child Aegina Eine Artwaltz and the traitor Milanor! Do not let them escape!"
Ace Guard
"O emperor, protector of many..
Victory exists under thy flag alone."
…
… …
… … …
There was a girl, shifting in her bed because she could not sleep.
She was in a room of unusual elegance. Swords instead of decorations were hung on the walls, all with different decorations and designs of their own. The room's master was long gone, fled from the castle to escape the Royal Army. Knowing that her sister once occupied this room, the girl has insisted that she wanted to try the night here, for the scent of her sister might finally helped her to get some peaceful sleep.
The girl stirred under the covers again, it was apparent that sleeping in her sister's room proved it was unable to help the girl with her sleep problems.
"Princess Yggdra, are you still awake?"
The girl snapped opens her eyes when she heard his voice across the door. Her knight, he would never betray her, was finally back. The girl's thin smile managed a small upward curve. She quickly lifted herself up in her bed and welcomed her knight in.
"Please come in, Durant."
The door creaked open and Durant stepped in, a tray with a bowl of soup in his hands. He settled the stray on a table and gave the soup to the girl
"Madam Rosary made this soup for you. She said she added in some magic to help you to sleep well. You should take it when it is still hot."
The girl silently accepted the soup and tried it. After the first spoon, she smiled.
"It's delicious… I have to thank Rosary tomorrow morning."
"I am sure that Madam Rosary will be glad to know that you enjoy it. I will stay here with you until you finish the soup. You should get some sleep after this."
The girl silently nodded. What followed after was just silence. The girl quietly sipped her soup while Durant stayed by her side. Durant himself was not a talkative person. He could not replace the person who could make her smile and laugh. The least he could do is to stay by her Queen's side, to not let her be alone.
The silence was broken when the girl finally finished her soup. Durant took the empty bowl from her and settled it on the tray. It was time to let the sleep magic do its work, he would leave-
"Wait, Durant. Please don't go yet."
"…Princess Yggdra, you need to sleep."
"…At least stay by my side until I fall asleep. Just don't leave me."
"…As you wish."
Durant sat back on his seat. The girl lied down and pulled the covers to her cheek. The girl faced Durant one last time.
"Good night, Durant."
"Good night, my princess."
The girl smiled and closed her eyes. The sleep magic soon started their work and helped the girl to a long peaceful sleep.
Even with the sleep magic, Durant waited. He wanted to be at the girl's side for her as long as possible.
It was only an hour later, when he confirmed that the girl had fallen into deep sleep that he left the room, with reluctance.
"Sir Durant, how was Princess Yggdra?"
"Madam Rosary…have you been waiting out here all these time?"
Durant exited the Queen's room and found Rosary to be at the same place when she had given her the tray with soup. Judging from the fatigue expressed on her face, Rosary must not have been sleeping well recently too.
"I should have given her the soup last night…I never thought she would be awake all the way until morning. How was she? Is she fine?"
"…She thought it was still last night, her sense of time was getting worse. Her face doesn't look too good either. Can you tell Madam Mistel to prepare something simple but nutritious for her when she wakes up?"
"I will. We just received fresh supply of food from Sir Bly. Now that we have already conquered Flarewerk, we should take matters slowly as that Princess Yggdra can rest more."
"I agree. If you would excuse me, I have some matters to attend to."
Without even waiting for a reply, Durant turned his heels and prepared to leave. However Rosary still has more to say.
"I heard intriguing news from your soldiers who came back with you just now. While you were pursuing Aegina, you were interrupted by a man with silver hair and a large axe of unusual design. Do you mind explaining the details?"
"… …"
"It's fine if you don't want to talk. Just know that Russell just left in a hurry shortly after you returned. Other than Princess Yggdra, there is only one more person who has enough authority to command Russell."
"…Sir Bly."
"…You are Princess Yggdra's closest friend now. I'd say that the Royal Army is now under your command until Princess Yggdra gets better. To let her know that we found him, or to order the Royal Army to not mention a word about him, I leave these matters to you."
"… …"
Rosary left. Durant remained outside of the Queen's room. Rosary was right. With Yggdra at such a state, it would be advisable to take command of the Royal Army while letting her to rest. And just as she said, he, as Yggdra's closest friend now, must make a decision.
To ignore Sir Milanor, or to kill him.
A/N: I AM TERRIBLY SORRY. I promised to one of the readers that I would definitely continue this but…this is LATE. I actually have half of this chapter done 5 months ago but just never had time to finish the second half.
And thanks for the 5 reviews! Those 5 reviews are really motivational! Thanks a lot! I will try to manage my time to write continual short chapters at a better pace (it's gonna be hard, with all the studies but I will try…)
Again, please read and review!