Patarasus: puh-TAR-a-suhs Or something like that

Chapter 2:

Birthrights

They set out on their adventure later that day. Dev was amazed at how quickly Lyn packed up, and at the ease with which she had left her home, considering it was all she had. Lyn told her that Key's family, the ones they'd rescued, would pick up the tent, since Lyn had told them she was leaving. An extra tent was always a bonus, and when Lyn returned to the plains, she would get it back. Their first stop was Bulgar, the largest town in Sacae. They had both decided on the destination, knowing they would need more supplies than Lyn had had in her tent.

Lyn had a horse, although she had never favored fighting on horseback. She showed him to Dev; he was corralled (the Sacaens dislike the use of stables, considering them too confined for the good of the horse) behind the tent and came over at her whistle. He was a blue roan, seven years old, a well-built stallion with excellent bone and muscle. He stood calmly enough for Lyn, allowing her to saddle and bridle him, responding to her slightest command, willing and eager under her hands. Watching them sent a pang of regret through Dev's heart; Lyn's Thunder was exactly like her own Khend. Lyn rode over to Dev and offered a hand to get her up onto the horse behind Lyn. Dev did not go near the horse. As she'd been thinking, Thunder was exactly like Khend. Khend was the reason that that prick Wherias only had three fingers on his right hand.

"No, it's alright. I'll walk. How far is it to Bulgar?"

"Only a day's ride." Dev did not miss the emphasis on the last word. Sighing inwardly, she placed her staff into the holders on her pack and stepped up to Thunder to try to swing onto his back.

……………..

They arrived in Bulgar two and a half days later. Dev's first assessment of Thunder had been accurate, but she'd gotten away from the horse with only severe bruising on her hand, instead of any blood or digit-loss. Lyn had been extremely apologetic, placing a poultice on her hand and checking the bandage every mile. It was nice, for three or so hours, but after that Dev got sick of the worrying Lyn was doing and threatened to run off if she didn't stop. After that, Lyn had been a far less annoying companion. She was still bouncing in the saddle from excitement, though. Dev hadn't seen someone this excited since…um… her memory was failing her… Damn. Perhaps she hadn't met anyone this excited before. Still, she'd managed to calm down often enough for the two to forge a bond of friendship on the journey. This was looking like a better idea every moment.

Bulgar was the biggest city in Sacae. Dev would have called it a town, but hey, this was The Country Of The Neverending Grass; she'd been expecting a far smaller settlement. Besides, it wasn't as if it was tiny; it was a trading hub connecting Sacae, Bern and Ilia together and showed in the width of its streets and the variation of its clientele and goods. Lances and magic tomes such as the Sacaen nomads rarely used were found in the armories and shops; the better inns offered stabling for pegasi and wyverns as well as horses. A blue-haired pegasus knight no older than Dev and Lyn was running around, gathering supplies for a mission when she bumped into them. They spent ten minutes finding all her things.

They agreed on the supplies they needed to get, found an inn, checked in and stabled Thunder (Dev considered putting a 'warning' sign on him, but settled on a verbal caution to the stableboy, they could usually recognise that telltale gleam in the eyes anyway) and went to the room they'd checked out for the night. The room was barely big enough for the lone bed and they wound up fighting over who didn'thave to sleep on it. Dev won, as her companion was still so excited about being on the road. Lyn probably would have slept on a bed made of rats. Dead, rotting ones, complete with maggots. Dev, on the other hand, wasn't entirely convinced that Lyn wouldn't be, and was more than happy to claim the floor.

Of course, they stayed up for a while, talking. Neither was tired, or excited, enough to justify letting their guard down; whatever lived in the room, bugs or rodents. (There was no question of whether or not something lived in the room, but they argued for a time over what exactly it was that they were bunking with.)

"How old are you, anyway, Lyn?" Dev asked, once they had established that the scraping sounds were too big for bugs.

"Eighteen years, two months ago," Lyn told her. "And what about you? How old are you, where are you from?"

"Ah…I'm eighteen too, no, I'm eighteen in three months. I'm from Ilia, in a village called Sentanis, on the Venlask Mountain range. It's in the northern half," she elaborated when Lyn looked confused, "and not very long or big. It's not a bad place for farming-- it doesn't rely on the knight brigades as much as the other towns," she finished, not seeming at all concerned about her hometown. "Last time I was there, I was about eight or so. I went to live near the capital with an aunt." A little lie.

"Do you want to go there? On our trip, I mean." Oh, jeez. No, no I do not want to go there; I'm not welcome in that country. Well, I'm extremely welcome, actually, but it's not the reception I'd want.

"…Not really. It's kind of boring, from what I remember. Just like every other town in Ilia, really, only less worrying about food." Lyn frowned. Dev began to worry. Was she going to make a fuss about this?

"Don't you miss it?"

"I miss my family, I guess, but I write to them often." Lie. Blatant, glaring lie. The conversation was starting to be uncomfortable. "…Why are you so interested in my hometown?"

"No reason, I just thought you'd like to go home." Now it was Dev's turn to look confused.

"I prefer travelling around. I like it better out on the road," she explained. That was true enough, she thought with inward relief. Strangely enough, she didn't like to lie to Lyn. It wasn't that she thought lying was a hobby or anything, but she'd never felt so guilty about lying to someone.

"Why would you like sleeping in the dirt more than being home?" Lyn didn't get it at all.

"Have you ever travelled before?" Dev asked Lyn after a moment's thought on the subject, wrapping her cloak tightly around her for extra protection. Something had definitely moved in that corner.

Lyn shook her head. "Not for a long way. I have travelled, of course, but it was from camp to camp, with my tribe. I've never travelled for the sake of travelling, though, and since we were taking our homes with us, I can't really say I've travelled away from home. Was that what you were asking?" Dev nodded. "Is that what you do, travel for the sake of it? Why?" Lyn asked Dev.

"I'm not implying that I think you'll slow me down, I just wondered… Wait. Why?" Dev looked at Lyn incredulously. "You don't understand why someone would travel around and see the world?" Lyn shook her head. Dev stared, perplexed, as Lyn answered.

"No. If I could, I would be content to simply stay in my homeland for all of my life, but I know I must become stronger. Someday, I will return, and never again leave. Why leave your home just to see things?" Dev shook her head.

"Lyn… I don't know how to explain. …Have you ever seen a huge mountain, Lyn? Not the tiny hills on the Bern border, real giants humans can't climb, ones even pegasi and wyverns can't reach the tops of. Or the ocean?" Lyn shook her head, probably wondering what was so great about what she thought were just giant rocks and a giant puddle. Dev went on, finding her favorite pieces of architecture to describe. "Or the Three Towers of Magecraft in Etruria? They built those with magic, it was amazing to see them; they look as if the rock just… just flowed up and made the towers; there's no mortar or blocks or braces or anything, they shouldn't stand up. But they do, and they are an awesome sight, the Anima tower's all decorated with flames and lightning bolts and sculptures of spirits, you know, the spirits of the elements, Earth, Sky, Flame and Water? It's all different colours of stone and clay, red clay and rubies, and blue sapphires, and topaz and amethyst, just raw and uncut and wild, the ruby phoenix at the top is amazing, as if it's truly on fire! And you should see the Elder Tower at sunrise; it's made of obsidian and the effect is spectacular, especially since there are carvings of demons, minotaurs and hydras and suchlike, and the light all over them makes them look like they're right out of the pits of Hell. The Light Tower doesn't even need the sun, Lyn, it illuminates the entire… It lights up the surrounding area for about a mile at night, as if it soaks up the sun in the day and lets it out at night! There are angels and mythical beasts, like gryphons and valkryies and on the top, Lyn, The Eight Heroes, with Saint Elimine at the top, holding out a book as a symbol of learning and memory, telling all those who look on the tower to never forget the Scouring... Lyn, you can't say you don't want to see that!" Dev finished with a shout, then frowned.

She'd fallen asleep. Even sleeping on that bed, in this room, was more appealing to Lyn than listening to Dev's enthusiasm over the magical architecture of Etruria. Dev sighed and shook her head. Maybe Lyn just wasn't the adventuring type. Dev couldn't imagine staying in one place all her life, without seeing all the world had to offer to those willing to look for it; yet, she knew that life wasn't for everyone. Punching her pack into a slightly more comfortable shape (trusting there was nothing breakable in the path of her fist), she draped one of their blankets over Lyn and the other over herself. Settling down, she allowed herself one last, determined thought before she drifted off for the night:

I am taking you to see those towers, Lyn. Someday, you will see those towers, and if they don't get you, nothing will. Next stop: Etruria.

…………………………

Dev announced their destination the next day. Lyn seemed bemused, but she agreed that Etruria would be a good place to go first. Actually, she had an expression on her face that suggested she didn't have any idea of why Etruria was relevant to anything. That girl was plain unfathomable.

"…Anyway… It's a long trip, so we'll need lots of supplies. You get food, I'll get vulneraries. How much money do you have?"

"A hundred gold. We don't use gold much in Sacae, we simply trade for things." Dev bit her lip. They had three hundred gold between them.

Maybe they didn't need vulneraries. They did need food, though. Dev gave Lyn a list of things to get, and went off herself in search of a place that sold clothing. She needed a new cloak; this one was so frayed and full of holes it wouldn't be out of place in an Eliminean temple. She found a decent shop, and got a new one, trading her old one to the tailor along with a few gold. She had no idea what he'd use it for, maybe to patch up other fabric or as a rag. From the look on his face, he didn't know either.

Wearing the new garment, she went in search of Lyn, navigating her way through the crowd with ease. No-one spared a glance in her direction; she was used to it. It was partly her own skill in going unnoticed, and partly her decidedly average looks. Either way, she was perfectly happy with that arrangement. She didn't particularly want people coming up to her and introducing themselves on whims…

"Ahh! What radiance! What perfection! Please, young lady, would you grace me with your name?" There was a green-armoured knight in a side-street, rushing towards the main street of the town, leading a handsome bay destrier. He had tousled brown hair, just long enough to obscure his vision and held out of his green eyes with a brownish (it might have just been a dust-covered red, actually) headband. He skidded to a halt near Dev and she began to walk on, not wanting to draw attention.

Unfortunately, she already had. "Ah! No, do not leave! Your gallant knight Sain is here to serve you!" Dev felt a tug on the sleeve of her cloak and looked up into messy hair, green eyes and a dirty hairband. Oh. Was he serious?

"Me?" she asked, rather stupidly. He let go of her sleeve and bowed with an elaborate flourish. His horse whinnied loudly, and he shushed it.

"Star, hush! I am speaking to the lovely… I am sorry! I do not know your name! Please…" He tried to take her hand; she stuffed it beneath her cloak.

"Uh…Dev. I'm Dev. And I really have to be going…I'm meeting a friend in a little while…" Star pranced at the sight of another destrier, this one a strawberry roan. This other horse tossed its head, standing otherwise perfectly still as its rider dismounted. He (it was definitely a stallion) carried another knight, with carrot-coloured, neatly clipped hair that clashed wonderfully with his ruby-red armour trimmed, like Sain's, in golden metal (which she strongly doubted was actually gold). A sword rested by his side. He was frowning severely. Dev raised her eyebrows. Was she in trouble? Damnit! How to escape these two… "I'm sorry, sir, I have to find my friend Lyn…"

"Allow me to escort you! A beautiful lady such as yourself should not be alone in such a place–" The other knight came forward and laid a hand on Sain's shoulder angrily. Nope, she wasn't the one in trouble. Poor fool, he didn't seem to mean harm by his actions… even if they were a bit creepy at first. Sain looked over and exclaimed, "Kent! Where have you been? I was–" Dev didn't wait to hear what Sain was (other than mad). She took the opportunity to slip into the crowd, away from the two knights, trying not to laugh. What an odd person.

……………………

"–Was simply offering my services to a lone girl. It was only chivalry, my friend." Kent snorted. Sain was going to drive him mad someday. How had he been assigned for this mission? Lord Hausen certainly had a lot of faith in this lout.

"Chivalry my eye. I'm sorry for my companion, miss…ah…" The girl had disappeared as Sain had been speaking. Sain looked around and proceeded with his usual drama.

"What? She has disappeared! Some villain has absconded with her! She has been kidnapped! I will not–" Kent slapped his partner lightly on the back of the head. He was wearing gauntlets, after all.

"Sain, I highly doubt she has been kidnapped, and even if she had, we have a mission to perform. We are–"

"Searching for the Ladies Madelyn and Lyndis, yes, Kent, I know. Why, my boon companion, must you forever be so serious? There is time to help one girl find her friend." Kent glared at him for an answer and Sain sighed. "Very well. What did you learn?" Kent frowned.

"…A minor setback. I have learned of the Lady Lyndis' whereabouts… 'about' being the key word. The tribe the Lady Madelyn lived with, the Lorca, were all but annihilated six months past." Sain gripped his lance tightly, yelling.

"No! All for naught? Or.. Wait, the Lady Lyndis yet lives?" Kent nodded and a smile reappeared on Sain's face. Honestly, he was irrepressible.

"Yes. She lives alone now, in a small camp to the west of here. We ride out in the morning." He looked at Sain's empty scabbard. "Go buy yourself another sword, will you?" Sain nodded and led Star off into the town square. Kent shook his head and went to buy vulneraries and other emergency first-aid supplies.

Knowing Sain, and the Sacaen women's tendency to take offence, they were going to need it. A green-haired young woman, simply clad in a long blue dress split up the sides, was coming towards him. There was a sword at her side, resting beside a bag. She was reading a list as she walked. He stepped in front of her and bowed as was courteous.

"I'm sorry, miss, but do you know where in this town I can purchase vulneraries and other such equipment?" She nodded, let the hand holding the list drop, and pointed with her other hand. She had blue green eyes, clear and determined, set in a striking face. They seemed to be appraising him as he spoke or listened. Elimine, he hoped she did not run into Sain. The fool wouldn't be able to resist, and looking at this woman, it might be the last thing he ever did.

"Down that way, your second right. There is a sign depicting a healing staff shining with light outside it, but it sells non-magical items as well. …May I ask if you have seen a young woman in blue and brown traveller's attire, with rather messy brown hair? She is quite slight of build, and not particularly tall." Kent nodded. So this was the friend that girl had been meeting.

"Yes, called Dev, was it?" The woman nodded. "She went that way," he told her, pointing down the road. "My partner met her only a moment ago." He would not say why. He was too attached to life. "She said something about meeting a friend." The Sacaen woman nodded, thanked him, and continued on her way. Kent went the way he'd been pointed.

That young woman had seemed extremely familiar… What had that girl Dev said… Lyn… He stopped.

He could not believe his luck. Or stupidity. Those eyes… The eyes of his liege's daughter… How could he not have seen? He turned around and dashed after her. Fidele whinnied in protest of the sudden change in circumstances, but followed faithfully.

He truly hoped Sain did not run into her.

………………………..

Sain went to buy a sword with the best intentions. He went into an armory, only to learn that it was full of bows, arrows, and nothing else. He asked where he could buy a new sword and was sent back in the direction from which he'd come, with instructions to look for a sign with–of all things– a sword on it. The shopkeeper seemed to think he was an idiot. He dragged Star back down the road…

Oh! What a delight! A woman walked down the road, the most beautiful one he'd ever seen! (For once, it was close to being true.) He had never before seen anyone so… so striking! She had long green hair, tied up in a ponytail, and beautiful eyes of the clearest teal. Her dress was embroidered in Sacaen designs on sky-blue fabric, split up the side for ease of movement. A sword rested by her side. Before he could make his presence known, however, someone ran up to her, calling out happily.

Why, the lady Dev! She'd disappeared so abruptly, but Kent had been right! As he usually was, admittedly, but it was good that she had not been hurt. The two began talking. So this was her friend… there was something bothering him now… what had Dev said her friend's name was? Oh dear, Kent had knocked it out of his head back there… Ah, he could not help himself.

""What a dazzling vision of loveliness!" he cried out, almost shocked (as ever) at his own sappiness. He was truly hopeless, just as Eagler had said. Oh well, an enjoyable hopelessness it was. "Please, would you favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?" Dev started and looked up, seeming at the same time to be disappointed and amused. The other, the Sacaen, stared at him in equal disbelief, although she looked altogether angrier.

"Where are you from, sir knight, that speaks so freely to a stranger?" she asked, very formally, with ice in her voice.

"Ah, I'd thought you'd never ask! I hail from the Caelin canton, home to men of passion and fire!" He hefted his lance and Dev seemed to stifle a laugh. Either that or she was choking on something. Well, she'd come around, anyway. Now… her friend…

Looked like she was going to carve him a new mouth. If he was lucky.

"Shouldn't that be 'home to callow oafs with loose tongues'?"

"Ah, you're even lovelier when you're cruel," he told her, realizing as he did so that he was probably signing his own death warrant.

"Gah! Are the knights of Lycia all as indecent as you? Come, Dev, I am done here!"

"Ah, Lyn, calm down… I don't think he meant harm… Some men just like romance and drama, that's all…" Their voices faded away as Sain's jaw dropped and he stared after them, dumbstruck. Star nudged him, worried.

Lyn? Lyn? As in Lyndis? Oh no, oh no… He had to find Kent!

He turned around and searched. After a moment, he saw Kent running toward him at full speed. Had Kent been looking for him? …Kent usually was, actually. Sain waved him down. "Kent! Kent, I just saw a young woman called Lyn, with the young lady Dev, do you think–" Kent nodded, his face lighting up.

"Is she here?" His smile faded into an expression of disgust as Sain squirmed. "You didn't…Oh, who am I kidding. You did, of course you did; you're you. Well, I'll just be thankful you're alive. Come, we must find them! Where did they go?" Kent mounted Fidele, the large stallion tossing his head excitedly, sensing a gallop in his near future. Sain swung onto Star and took up her reins. They trotted until they were clear of the town gates, then set off at a full gallop, westward.

……………………………….

"So, this is the western gate?" Lyn nodded, still in a light huff over the knights. Thunder pranced nervously underneath her, eyeing Dev hungrily.

"Yes, but I want to go to a small shrine first. To ask the spirits for luck." Lyn looked as if she expected Dev to scoff. Instead Dev smiled.

"Right. Lead the way. To the spirits!" Spirits and shrines, what sort of enemies would they meet there? It wasn't that she hoped they wouldn't meet any enemies; that would have defeated Lyn's purpose in coming. Still, every day Dev went without having to fight people was a good day in her books.

Bushes rustled to her right. This area was a sparse woodland, only about half forest, but nothing in between big enough to be a plain or meadow, or even a proper wood, only clearings and glades. Good place to ambush someone. Dev's hand tightened on her staff. Lyn looked down and the two traded a glance that said one thing: Bandits are here. Dev swore underneath her breath, but maintained a casual demeanour, and instructed Lyn to do the same. The ambushers would expect them to be off guard; they themselves were in for a surprise. As long as they did not know Dev and Lyn knew of their presence…

"Dev, would you like to ride Thunder for a while?" Lyn asked, as casually as she could. Dev shook her head; that horse looked even meaner than usual just now.

"How far do you think it is to the shrine, Lyn?" she asked, hoping it wasn't far at all. Lyn shook her head.

"A day's ride." Running to the shrine was out, then. Dev was trying to think of a way to lure the bandits out, when one walked out in front of her.

"Heheh… You're Lyndis, aren't you?" asked the bandit, a grey-haired, heavily built man with a smashed nose and scarred face. He carried a huge axe over one shoulder as if it weighed no more than its garden-variety cousin.

Lyn reacted with obvious shock. "Wh…What did you call me?" The bandit grinned.

"Ah, what an absolute waste," he chuckled. "The things I'll do for gold… Ah well! C'mon out boys!" In the space of a minute, four more bandits had stepped out and surrounded Dev and Lyn. Lyn dismounted and secured Thunder's reins as she drew her sword.

"Four more… Damn, I don't think I can take them all… What are we going to do?" Dev licked her lips nervously. Lyn was right.

"Maybe… if we ducked into the woods we could lose them… If we hid in a tree or something…"

"What about Thunder? He's all the family I have left." Dev grimaced. She hadn't thought Lyn would leave Thunder, and she'd actually felt bad about it too.

"…Give them a fight to remember, I guess… If you fight from the woods… They don't look like they know the meaning of 'aim', so you might have an advantage there. I think our only hope is to scare– huh?" She turned to the east, towards the town gate. Hoofbeats? Shoed horses too, not Sacaen mounts.

It couldn't be those Caelin knights? No… Yes, there they were! What were their names again? Sain and… Kent? She took her chances with Thunder, clambering onto his saddle before he could react. Waving her staff in the air, she called out. Lyn saw what she was doing and grimaced. The knights wheeled their horses and galloped towards them. Kent drew his sword, slipping his arm through a crimson shield, as Sain unhooked a lance from his saddle, donning a similar shield in the same emerald as his armour. Both guided their steeds with their knees; either that or the horses needed no guidance. That stallion of Kent's looked particularly ready to do battle. The mare, like her master, seemed more interested in showing off. She galloped through the bandits' circle, scattering those close to her, pivoting to face them and rearing dramatically. The stallion snorted in her direction as he joined her, stamping the ground viciously and rolling his eyes to see all the enemies. Dev stared. That was a warhorse. They were as good as the soldiers they carried!

"Such numbers against a woman? Cowards, the lot of you!" Sain cried, raising his lance in a challenge as Kent eyed him suspiciously. He looked as if he wanted to hit Sain on the head. The look on Lyn's face made Kent's likely intentions look positively friendly and loving.

"You are the knights from town? What–" She was extremely angry, but she was also looking at Sain. Sain did not notice.

"We can discuss that later, mi– ah… It appears these ruffians intend to do you harm. If it is a fight they want, let them look to me! Stand back; we will handle this!"

"Why are you here?" she asked. "I need no aid!" Kent looked at her as if she were insane, a sentiment Dev was sharing with him, although she didn't mask it quite as well.

"Lyn, don't take this the wrong way, but these people are fairly determined assassins, and they outnumber you five to one, even if they are idiots. You need help." Lyn glared at her.

"I have your help! I do not need these knights' assistance! I fight my own battles!"

"Then you need help of two kinds and a funeral plan!" The two glared at each other. The bandits looked at each other uneasily, probably wondering if the knights were indeed going to fight. The Lycians had bought them time… they couldn't waste it like this.

"We cannot stand and do nothing! Neither my heart nor the vows I took as a knight of Lycia would allow it!" Sain protested.

Kent spoke, not taking his eyes from the bandits. "Your name is Dev, is it not? Are you a strategist?" he asked, seeming sceptical.

"Yes, I am," Dev told him, cutting Lyn off before she could speak. Kent nodded curtly, probably the only way he knew how.

"Very well. I have a suggestion. I am Kent, and my partner there is Sain– you already met him, I'm sorry to say. We will follow your commands in this battle. Is that acceptable to you and la– your friend?"

"Yes," Dev replied, again before Lyn could. "We'll lose them after this battle. The main idea here is to not die. Alright?" Lyn nodded, although reluctance showed in her eyes.

"If you say so. I don't trust them." She frowned. "Wait-- I met Kent in the town. He seemed nice enough. Unlike his partner." Dev shrugged.

"I don't think he can help it, actually, Lyn. Now, why are you standing here and not watching the bandits?" Lyn started guiltily and whirled around, her blade at the ready. Dev nodded.

"Alright–"

"Lady Dev! Permit me to strike the first blow!" Sain cried, holding his lance aloft in a very…knightly…fashion. Dev stared at him for a moment–who could help it?– before nodding. He was just so odd.

"Alright, you take that bandit, Kent takes any bandits going after your back–" Kent sighed almost imperceptibly, "–and Lyn, stay over here and watch for any that come near you. No, don't go out, it's you they're after!" Lyn frowned and seemed about to say something when one of the bandits came up at her left, slicing through the air with his axe. Lyn sidestepped, a rushed manoeuvre, and the bandit knew it. He reversed his stroke and came in low. Lyn saw it just in time and hopped back, out of his range. As he straightened, she sliced his axe arm open with the tip of her sword. Switching his axe to his other hand, he chopped at Lyn's right shoulder, coming from over her head. Lyn pivoted and blocked his attack, bringing her sword downwards and slicing his other arm open at the same time. The bandit fell to the ground; as he did, Lyn stabbed him through the neck and his own downward momentum pulled her sword out. She watched the others for the next attacker and was not disappointed; the leader came to the fray himself, chopping the air in her direction, fury written all over his face.

"Ah!" The knights, she'd nearly forgotten! Dev whipped her head around to look at Sain. …Why in hell was he attacking an axeman with a lance? What kind of fool knight was he? She was surprised the bandits hadn't chopped the thing in two yet. She wanted to yell at him, but from the yelling already going on, that was Kent's job.

"Where is your sword?" Kent spoke without looking at his partner, concentrating on the enemy in front of him, fighting with obvious skill.

"I…ah… The armory only had bows, and then I…" Sain desperately avoided the axe as he spoke. Luckily, the bandits didn't know as much about fighting as the knights seemed to, and he managed to get out of the weapon's way each time.

"Saw a girl?"

"Eh… But the lance is more heroic anyway, and a knight should look heroic! Besides, I'm better with it than with any sword," Sain protested. Kent threw a sword at his partner, although he kept his own in his hand.

"Take my spare, and use it!" Kent ordered his companion, returning to the fray almost instantly. Sain strapped his lance to his saddle and reengaged the bandit with his, or rather Kent's, sword. The bandit blocked the blade clumsily, nearly dropping it, and ran into a glade of trees and Sain tried to follow him.

"Stay out of the trees, you won't be able to move on that horse!" Dev yelled at him. "Yes, you, Sain, do you see anyone else trying to force their horse into the woods? And wait for him to come out so you have a clear shot! I said wait!" My, he was infuriat–

The last bandit came at Dev, roaring a battle cry and swinging his axe over his head. Dev brought her staff over and in front of her head, halting the downward stroke, although the blow jarred her hands and arms. The bandit roared again–didn't he know Common?–and tugged his axe out of the wood, trying to chop through her shoulder this time. She pivoted and knocked his weapon off-course, then, seeing Kent riding up, moved to distract the bandit. She aimed a blow at his head. He batted her staff away as if it were a gnat, then stared at her in horror as Kent's sword ran him through. The knight half-bowed to Dev from his horse and Dev nodded back, turning her attention elsewhere. Sain and Kent's bandits were dead, ripped open by their swords. Lyn was still fighting her bandit, the leader, and Sain was nearby, although he did not fight. Lyn had probably warned him off.

She seemed to have the advantage as well, as the bandit's right arm hung limply at his side and his attacks with his left were awkward at best. Desperation showing on his face, he aimed a high swing at Lyn's neck, one Lyn easily dodged, and one that opened his defence. Lyn saw her advantage and pressed it hard, slicing through his other arm as he blocked her thrust to his chest. The next thrust hit its mark and the bandit fell to the ground, cursing the knights for meddling.

Said knights dismounted and walked over to Lyn and Dev. Lyn was wiping her sword on a patch of grass and eying them warily. Dev inspected her staff; a few more nicks, but nothing serious. One of these days, though, it was going to break. Kent bowed extremely formally to the two of them and Sain imitated him, although somewhat more casually, if it was possible to be casual and formal at the same time. He lounged against his lance, although his eyes were sharp and alert. Behind them, their horses got acquainted with Thunder. Thunder seemed extremely suspicious of them. So far, Thunder had seemed suspicious of anyone or –thing that wasn't Lyn, actually.

Kent walked over to her, waiting politely for a chance to speak. "That's all of them, Dev," Lyn was saying, barely noticing him. His manner didn't help, either; if Dev had come up and seen them, she would have wondered who had put such a realistic statue in the middle of nowhere.

"I was worried about you for a moment. Stay close to me from now on, alright?" Dev nodded.

"Sure, Lyn. One thing, though… that bandit, he–hmm? Do you want something, sir knight?" she asked, as Kent swallowed uncomfortably. Lyn looked over and met the knight's eyes.

"Ah… Sir Kent?"

"Yes, that is my name."

"…Thank you for your help. You were very generous to help us, when our quarrel had nothing to do with you. We are in your debt."

"No, you see, we were looking for you when we left the town anyway"

"Not that we wouldn't have helped if we hadn't been," Sain interjected, before allowing his partner to go on.

"…I… Allow me to explain. My partner and I are on a mission, a direct order from our marquess, Lord Hausen of Caelin, part of the Lycian League."

"Lycia?" Lyn asked. "That's the country beyond the mountains to the southwest, isn't it?"

Dev nodded. "As the pegasus flies, walking you have to go through a part of Bern," she told her, consulting her map.

Kent nodded. "This year, our liege received a letter from his daughter, Madelyn, who had eloped with a nomad some nineteen years ago. We have come as messengers to her in response to that letter."

Lyn's expression changed drastically, from attentive-but-disinterested to open shock. "Madelyn?" she asked, her voice a whisper. Dev watched her silently. The name on the headstone… Hmm. She could guess where this was going.

Kent nodded, watching Lyn carefully. Dev gave him the same treatment. That one bore watching; he was no loyal dullard, waiting on his master's command to piss. A faithful vassal, yes, but more than that by far. "Yes, our marquess' only daughter. He was heartbroken that she would abandon him so, and as such, declared that he had no daughter."

"However. this year we received a letter from her," Sain continued. "It said, likely among other things milord kept private, that she, her husband and their daughter were living happily on the Sacaen plains." Sain grinned, and for once, Kent did the same. "I remember well the marquess' joy, when he announced to his court that he had suddenly become a grandfather to a girl of eighteen years." He continued to smile, but his eyes acquired a sharp glint. "The granddaughter's name is Lyndis. This was also the name of the marquess' late wife, who had passed away at a young age."

"Lyndis?" Lyn was staring at the two knights openly now, one fist clenched and trembling. Dev said nothing; it was a personal moment for Lyn. …But why had that bandit called her Lyndis? Bandits, from what Dev knew, did not go around researching their targets.

Sain seemed not to hear. "That she should bear this name thawed the marquess' heart. Now, his only wish is to meet his daughter's family once. This is why we are here." Sain was obviously proud of having been picked, although his smile faded away with his next piece of information. "…We did not know that the Lady Madelyn had died shortly after sending her letter, however. We only learned this when we arrived in Bulgar. But, we did not come in vain. The daughter yet lives, alone on the plains."

Kent bowed slightly in Lyn's direction. "I knew it at once. You are the Lady Lyndis. Your resemblance to your departed mother is remarkable." Lyn swallowed.

"You have met my mother?" Kent shook his head.

"I have never met her directly, I am sorry to say. I saw her portraits in Castle Caelin, however." Lyn did not appear to hear him.

"Lyn?" Dev asked, forgetting the bandits for a moment.

"To the rest of my tribe, I was just Lyn. But with my parents, when it was just the three of us, I was Lyndis. I had never hoped to hear that name again. I was all alone, and now I have a grandfather." She stared at nothing, her fists clenched tightly to keep them from trembling.

"Lyn, it's-- wait. Only your parents knew that name?" Dev asked. "The rest of your tribe didn't know Lyn was short for something?" Lyn shook her head, looking at Dev.

"No, they didn't. Why?"

"The bandit called you Lyndis. And trust me, Lyn, bandits do not go finding personal data about their random targets. Even assassins don't tend to. And those guys were not the graduating class of the Etrurian High Academy. I'm surprised the one that went after me knew to hit me with the shiny part of the axe. Someone told them. My guess is someone in Caelin."

Sain frowned. "Lord Lundgren."

"Who?" Lyn asked.

"The marquess' younger brother. When Lady Madelyn was disinherited, he became heir to the marquess' title. But now that the marquess has recognised his daughter again…" Kent trailed off as he spoke and Sain picked up the sentence.

"To be blunt, you are an obstacle to your granduncle's ambitions."

Lyn protested. "I have no interest in inheriting any title! He may have the lordship, I wish only to see my grandfather!"

"Unfortunately, Lord Lundgren is not the sort of man to believe that. The attempts on your life will likely persist." Sain continued with his bluntness.

"Then, what should I--"

"Do you want to go to Caelin? The only way to settle this is likely face-to-face negotiation, whether with words or steel, and you'll see your grandfather. Besides, if assassins are truly after you, then you'll be safer by far with the knights." Lyn nodded, looking at Dev suspiciously, noticing her use of the second-person.

"I feel that I have little choice in the matter. Yes, Sirs Kent and Sain. Please accompany me to Lycia."

"Of course. You are our liege, you forget."

"Your every command we shall obey, milady!"

"Alright. We'll go back to Bulgar for today and plan our route. Dev, you'll help, right?" Dev looked up and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll show you a good route through the mountains." She was being quiet, and she knew Lyn noticed, but she didn't want to discuss it here.

"Alright, then. We'll go back for now. Please tell me we can afford a better inn than last night, Dev." Dev nodded.

"I don't care if we can't, we're getting one," she replied, laughing weakly. Lyn chuckled in response. Kent steered them towards a good inn, the one the knights had stayed at the previous night. They covered the bill with the funds they had been given for their journey. They stayed up late determining a route to take and how long it would take to reach Caelin. Their estimates ranged from fifteen days to thirty, and they settled on aiming for twenty. Kent planned to petition the Marquess Araphen for aid; Sain wanted to spend a night in the inn at the Lycian border. Lyn offered no opinions on most things, having little knowledge of Lycia, and asking only to make the detour to the shrine she'd mentioned to Dev, and Dev was silent unless she had to say something about the map or route.

They had rented two rooms, one for the knights, one for Dev and Lyn. They were silent for a time, until Lyn spoke. "You don't want to go to Lycia, do you?"

"It's not Lycia, Lyn. Frankly, I want to go everywhere. I have no problem with Lycia. It's this noble business. I've had bad experiences with people like that. Lundgren seems like the worst kind of noble. The kind of person who sees other human beings as nothing but tools to be used or annoyances." Lyn looked at the floor.

"So you don't want to stay with me." Dev levered herself up and met Lyn's eyes.

"No, I don't want to get involved in the games of royalty. Lyn, I do want to keep travelling with you, I just--"

"I understand, Dev. It's going to be dangerous, after all, far more dangerous than I had envisioned before. But your companionship would do much to ease my journey. I'm not going to manage much conversation with those knights." Dev smiled.

"Yeah, not with the romantic and Sir stick-up-his-butt." She considered it for a moment and managed a small smile for Lyn. "Don't ask me to call you Lady Lyndis, though. I'd rather just keep calling you Lyn, if that's alright." Lyn smiled widely.

"Of course. I'm sure you have noticed, but I'm no noble, Dev. I'm a nomad, through and through…and I'm coming back to Sacae someday. And, until that day, I need someone to remind me who Lyn of the Lorca is." She reached out and extended her hand towards Dev; Dev clasped it tightly, grinning, the two setting their friendship in stone.

"I think I can do that, Lyn. Don't worry. I'll stick by you."

………………………

Chapter two done. Reduxed and everything. Almost nothing changed here, either, although I did take out that dumb reference to Hanon and Barigan that I made without knowing which was a girl and which was a boy. (I am going to find the game's artbook somewhere, and then I won't make dumb mistakes like that.) Jeez... other than that, it's just details, details, details. I stuck a certain overpriced mercenary in there too-- did anyone notice? xP Right. Thanks for reading so far-- reviews are always appreciated.

(And yes, I know I said I'd be anal about the difference between strategy and tactics, but that doesn't mean Kent has to be. Dev knows the difference too, but she knows when not to make a fuss. And she's not anal like me.)