CH 4:

The Lycian Border

"Ah, Lycia! I see her just ahead, past that hill. My heart soars at the thought of returning home!"

Wil looked over at Sain and sighed. "You know, I'm beginning to suspect he's always like this."

"You don't have to ride with him," Dev told him. Kent was scouting the terrain, determined to find them a place to rest for the night. Some instinct told Dev that this had something to do with Sain, but it couldn't articulate itself clearly through the ringing in her ears. "Why are you here, Wil?"

"Kent came back. He was in a fight. Lyn wants y--" Wil dove to the ground, biting off his sentence (and very nearly his tongue) as Sain whirled his steed around to face him.

"The enemy? Here? We must face them!" He unhooked his lance and brandished it in the air. "Come on, Wil! Get on behind me We'll teach them what Lycian steel tastes like!"

"Sain, I'm back here," Dev said, as Wil spat dirt out of his mouth. "There's no room on the horse for Wil. Besides, we need to go talk to Lyn and Kent and find out exactly where this enemy is. Then we will fight them."

"If we have to, right?" Wil asked, picking himself up.

Dev shrugged behind Sain's back. "Don't ruin his good mood, Wil."

All the same, she agreed heartily.

...

"The same bandits as before. huh? Ganelon." Dev frowned. "They're obviously after us, but once we cross the border, we should be fine. Can't we just evade them?"

Kent shook his head, dashing her hopes. "No. They're too determined. Our only option is to meet them in the field." Dev groaned. Too many battles. Why can't the Ganelon just give in? She shook her head and focused, pushing her reluctance to the back of her mind, where it belonged. Giving in to it now was a death warrant for those under her command.

Time to fight.

"Kent."

"Yes?"

"What are their positions?"

...

"ERK!! ...ERRRRK! Listen to me when I speak to you!" Serra pouted for a few moments, before having a different idea. "Or-- no, you must simply be too dazzled by my beauty to understand me. That's it, isn't it? The sound of my voice must be as a flock of angels in chorus to you..."

"Host," Erk murmured to himself, his mind on the in map in front of him. Serra's voice was quickly joining birdsong and wind in the list of noises his brain unconsciously tuned out. His eardrums were not so lucky, however, and he couldn't ignore her forever. If only this damn map made sense! Whoever had made it was as skilled a cartographer as Erk himself was a womanizer. Not that he wanted to be, especially considering the present company.

Serra appeared in front of him. Speak of the devil.

"What did you say, Erky?" He shuddered involuntarily and quickly blamed it on a passing breeze.

"Serra," he asked, ignoring her question, "how certain are you, exactly, of this particular route to Ostia?" It was the wrong thing to say. Serra glared at him and exploded in a fit of pretended rage.

"How dare you suggest that I could have been wrong! Erk, you really should learn to respect your better--" She stopped as a thought hit her. Erk almost fancied he could see it, pummeling its way through her skull. Just a silly fantasy...

"Erky, does this... mean... that we are lost?"

No, they've redesigned the Ostian town square while you were away. Do you like it? "Yes, Serra, I believe we are."

"Ooooh, we're lost! This makes me so mad!--"

Erk sighed and rubbed his temples. "You told me you were certain this was the correct path." Serra whirled on him and narrowed her eyes.

"What are you trying to say?" She looked quite like a demon when she did that. She also sounded like one. "Well?" There was something in that, actually. A demon disguising itself as a member of the clergy was quite plausible. Imagine the horrors they could achieve--

"WELL?" Nope, never mind. He had no need to imagine.

"I swear, you are not the woman I agreed to escort." Her mouth dropped open in shock.

"And that! What's that supposed to mean?"

"I heard someone was needed to escort a frail Lycian princess to Ostia--"

"Yes, and that is me! I'm that princess!" Erk resisted the temptation to snort. He owed his teacher far better than behavior of that sort. It wouldn't improve things anyway.

"Frail? You?" He shook his head and pointed the rolled-up map at her. "Serra, this is the truth. You have no need of any escort to protect you. Even the most hardened criminal would flee in terror after five minutes in your presence." He unhooked his money-pouch. "I'll return you money. Gladly. Now, will you please go on to Ostia alone?"

Serra squealed in dismay and stamped a foot. "Nooooo! You're my escort, Erk! Mine! You're so clean and tidy!" Her shouting stopped abruptly and she regarded him thoughtfully. "Your personality's not much, but you're not bad to look at."

You stole my line, I believe. She was already flouncing off. Erk ran his fingers through his hair and followed after her. No amount of money was worth this.

It wasn't long before he caught up with her. She was standing on top of a ridge, watching something with avid interest. Erk joined her at the top of the ridge, just soon enough to see what was going on. What looked like a small, motley group of mercenaries was fighting a large force of bandits. Serra spotted him next to her and squealed, very loudly, before he could shut her up, "Erky, look! A battle! Who do you think is winning?"

"Serra!" Who cared!? "Get down and be quiet for once! Don't let them--" Branches cracked behind them; one of the bandits had found them. He saw them and snarled.

"You're not Ganelon! You with that she-devil and her pack of curs?" He lifted his axe, swinging it with little skill, but obvious strength. "Prepare to die!"

Serra screamed, ducked behind Erk, and kept on screaming, loud enough to wake the dead and send them running to Hades of their own free will, just to get away from her. "Erk! Eeeerk! Save me!"

"Aaagh... must you be so loud?" Erk asked, taking out his Fire tome, banishing Serra from his mind as he concentrated on his spells. "You! See if you can match me!" he challenged the bandit, already calling forth flame to roast him.

...

"Take that!" Wil yelled, triumphant, as a bandit fell with an arrow in his eye, caught totally unaware. Dev, beside him, scanned the countryside before her.

"Nice one, Wil," she told him, but it was little more than a mumble. Her mind was elsewhere. She watched for more bandits appearing, shouted orders to those around her, and, every now and then, pointed out a specific enemy for Wil to shoot, usually one creeping up on Florina or the ever-inattentive Sain.

After felling another enemy with his arrows, Wil stood back and surveyed the carnage. "It's not going too badly, is it?"

Dev was about to reply when flames exploded on the side of a hill, quickly followed by two figures running down the hillside for all they were worth. One--a cleric--kept seeming to want to stop and look at things, but was always pulled onward by a red-cloaked mage.

"D'you think they caused that?" Dev chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, I'd say they did. Impressive, isn't it?" Wil shrugged.

"If you like fireballs." He raised his bow, his hand going to his quiver. "I can hit them from here."

Dev laid a hand on his bow-arm, forcing it down. "Wil, from what you know of these bandits, would you say they have many female clerics in their ranks? Ah, you see? Following them down the hill?" He nocked his arrow as Dev signaled 'likely allies' to Lyn.

"Got him." He let the arrow fly.

...

"Come on, Serra, move!" Erk leapt over a rock in his path, dragging Serra along behind him the whole time. His Fire spell was still in the front of his mind, but he didn't want that bandit getting within range. All the same, it looked as if he was. Erk drew in a breath, ready to release another gout of flame into the bandit's face.

Before he could, an arrow appeared in his throat, closely followed by another. Blood spurted out of the wound, spraying over Erk's face and cloak. He swallowed hard. Serra jumped and screamed, dashing behind Erk again. He tugged his cloak out of her hands and looked around for the archer.

He was easy to spot, a brown-haired man standing on a hill, shooting whatever bandits came within range of his bow. He waved to Erk, a damnable grin on his face, and pointed to Erk's right. A woman with a long, green ponytail, and wearing Sacaen garb, was climbing the ridge toward him. Behind her walked a Lycian knight in red armor, his hand on the pommel of his sword. Both were spattered with blood; neither seemed badly injured. Erk stood up a little straighter.

"Let go!" he whispered. "And stand up." Serra peeked around him and saw the two figures approaching. The green-haired woman stopped five paces away and greeted him.

"Were you attacked?" she asked him, concerned. Erk nodded, still out of breath. She frowned. "Ah. I'm sorry about that. They're after us, you see. I didn't mean to involve anyone else." Erk was shaking his head, about to reply, when Serra abruptly recovered.

"Well, that simply won't do! It's your fault we're caught up in this mess, now, is it? Then you'll just have to protect me until those bandits are dealt with. Don't you think?" The woman looked somewhat taken aback by Serra. Erk put his fingers to his temples. Sometimes it felt like they were glued there.

"Serra, I think we have bothered these people enough--"

"What do you mean, Erky? This is THEIR fault!" He sighed, and attempted to reason with her.

"No, Serra, you attracted their attention--"

"And they will have to make up for causing me such distress!"

"You are a cleric of St. Elimine, are you not?" the knight asked, holding up a hand. Serra drew herself up and looked, well, like herself, really. There wasn't any other comparison.

"Yes, I am. I can heal, too! Watch!" She brandished her staff at Erk. He felt the aches in his muscles and the burn on his cheek quickly subside. Why hadn't she done that earlier?

The knight and the Sacaen traded glances. "We'd be glad to protect you, lady Serra," the knight told them. "We would be honored, also, if you graced us with the aid of your holy staff." Serra nodded.

"Well, of course you would! I'll fix everyone up, good as new!" She turned around, seeming to remember Erk. "Oh, and this is Erk. He's a mage, and my escort. Erky, go burn up some bandits, will you? We're going to help these people." The Sacaen shook her head slightly, but nodded in his direction.

"Well met, Erk. I am Lyn, of the Lorca and-- Caelin. This is Sir Kent, a knight of Caelin." Kent nodded at him, and Erk returned their greeting. Serra shooed him off, as Kent pointed to the ridge where the archer was skewering bandits.

"See the girl, in a green cloak?" he asked. Erk nodded. "That's our tactician. Ask her what to do." Erk nodded. He could hear her bellowing at someone called Sain, referring to a god-forsaken blasted lance and his thick skull. As he watched, she picked up a rock and threw it in the direction of a green-clad knight. It fell far short, landing only about ten feet away from her.

"Don't judge her over-hastily," the knight told him. Erk chuckled. She didn't look like much, but, then, neither did Serra.

...

He could only hope this would be a more pleasant experience.

"Hey, Erk!" It was indeed. The tactician greeted him with a grin and a handshake, introducing herself as Dev. Odd name, but he couldn't judge. She asked how far he could throw fire before telling him to guard the pegasus rider, Florina, warning him that she was nervous around men. "You're so soft-spoken, though, she might not have too much of a problem," she mused, pausing every now and then to mark out bandits for death by shooting. She told him, briefly, who was on their side, before waving him off and turning her attention back to the archer and the battlefield.

Florina was, indeed, incredibly shy, but after about fifteen minutes of fighting, she calmed down enough to stop squealing whenever he moved, and even relaxed enough to shout a warning hen a bandit snuck up on him. Their arrangement was simple: Erk threw fireballs at any bandits that appeared, and Florina skewered them with her lance.

It wasn't long at all before the scents of blood and charred flesh made them abandon their post. There wasn't time enough to move the bodies, so what remained once the fires guttered out was left where it fell, or continued to smolder, emitting choking, retch-inducing smoke.

Luckily, by that time, the rest of the army was moving on, too, although neither would have given a damn if they had all been gathering in that charred little clearing; they would have left it anyway. They were both tired and sick to their stomachs, not in the best mood for being attentive. Dev's shout was the only warning they got.

"Florina! Erk! Turn around!" Florina let out a little scream and kicked her pegasus around; Erk spun on his heel while trying to avoid the pegasus's wings. He cursed his stupidity as he pulled out his fire tome. His first bolt of flame went astray, and the bandit rushed in close. Erk pivoted on the ball of his foot, barely evading the man's sword. He threw another bolt of flame,which died on the bandit's shield.

Erk saw Florina to his right, and sidestepped another lunge of the sword. He moved left, trying to trap the bandit between himself and Florina. One of Wil's arrows appeared in the bandit's shield arm. He grunted with pain, yanking the arrow out.

"Both of you! Now!" That tactician had lungs, anyway. Erk called a flame into existence and hurled it at the bandit just as Florina pierced his torso with her lance. He screamed, making all the hair at the back of Erk's neck stand on end, then fell off Florina's lance and onto the ground, blood leaking sluggishly out of the hole in his torso. Erk let his breath out-- he hadn't been aware he'd been holding it.

"That was sick," he murmured. Florina, wiping her lance with trembling hands, nodded.

"Yes." She agreed with him, an Ilian knight? Maybe she was new. He shook his head to clear it, and started running to catch up. Hoofbeats behind him announced Florina was following.

...

"Kent?" The knight turned to face Dev and stood to attention.

"Yes, Lady Dev?"

"Don't call me that. and don't stand like that, either. Relax, please." He stood in the way described as 'at ease' by knights. Word not found? Relax, she thought. Means 'take it easy.' "Why are you just standing here? There's the leader."

"Yes, l--, ah, Dev. How do we proceed?" Dev looked around their small group and frowned. Erk and Florina looked ready to throw up. Wil had three arrows left. Sain was being healed by Serra (what a nut!) and Lyn was applying a poultice to her left arm.

"Um, okay, Kent, Dorcas, go attack him, Sain, Lyn, don't let anyone attack them from behind. Serra, help anyone who needs it but don't get yourself killed--" (Dev became dimly aware here that Serra began talking, but it hadn't taken long to learn that little of what she said was relevant and even less was useful.) "--and Erk, Wil and Florina, conserve yourselves and your weapons, but stand by just in case." That was everyone, right? She made sure nobody was at a loose end, then crouched down on a rock to watch the fight.

Oh hell, this one was actually a skilled fighter, with a real axe, made of good steel, and he was bigger than Dorcas. Kent came in on the man's right, Dorcas on his left. Sain and Lyn were behind them, distracting him with feints and jabs of their weapons, forcing him to divide his attention four ways. The two knights, especially, worked well together. Every time Kent stepped back, Sain was there; Kent often concealed Sain's intentions until the last moment, and the bandit was covered in bruises, cuts and blood from the two knights' efforts. Often one would trap his weapon for the other to rush in and attack.

Lyn and Dorcas did not work so well together. In fact, they managed to hurt each other more than they did the bandit, although thankfully none of their injuries were much worse than a bruise. It was clear that each was far more used to fighting alone.

"Get out of each others' way!" she yelled down at them, but she doubted they'd heard. She pointed at Erk, telling him to cover her, and started towards them. She could hear the mage's harsh breathing as he followed at a trot. Bloody mages had no stamina whatsoever.

Reaching Lyn and Dorcas, she shouted at them again. When they didn't hear her, she thrust her staff between them.

"Get out of each other's way! Look at the knights! Look how they fight!" Lyn and Dorcas both looked at her like she was insane for a moment before they took the advice. They didn't really manage to follow the knight's example, but they stopped stabbing each other. That was good enough for Dev, and she jumped back just as an over-eager swing caught her on the arm, breaking the skin. Blood leaked out, but not quickly, and Dev figured it wasn't serious.

"Erk?" she murmured, stepping back and squeezing the wound as tightly as she could.

"Huh?" He was doubled over, panting for breath.

"Any more magic in you?" He nodded and straightened, whispering the words to a spell. She held out a hand, telling him to wait.

"Ready," she cautioned, "wait for it." He nodded, his eyes far-off, concentrating on his magic. Their view of the bandit was blocked, but sooner or later an opening would come, especially considering Lyn and Dorcas's lack of cohesion.

The bandit swiped at them both with his axe, forcing them back to avoid the sweeping cut. Dev dropped her hand swiftly, in a cutting motion. " 'Ware!" she shouted, as Erk let a bolt of flame loose. It leapt to the bandit and caught on his clothes. He dropped his axe and slapped his clothes, trying to extinguish the flames. It was only another second before Dorcas's axe broke his neck. He fell to the ground, stiff, as the fire consumed what was left of him.

Lyn wrinkled her nose and backed away from the corpse. Dev agreed with her; the scent of burning flesh was almost too much to bear. Blood was one thing; this went a long way towards explaining the animosity warriors held towards mages. Erk had already turned around and was heading back towards the others. Dev followed him, holding her arm again, waving for the four warriors to do the same.

Serra was already talking to Erk when she got there. "Good boy, Erky. See, that wasn't so bad. You've done a wonderful job of dealing with those smelly bandits." Erk was looking at Serra as if he wanted to see her inside out. Dev was about to ask if Serra could heal her when Sain saw the wound.

"Ah, Lady Dev!" She pulled her cloak over her arm. Too late. "Delicate flower, you are injured!"

"It's a scratch, all it needs is a vulnerary, or some attention from Serra. Sain, I'm sure you've seen far worse--"

"But you need to be more careful! It could be infected! You could catch a disease!" Lyn and Kent had come up now. Dev made a mental note to kill Sain.

"As much as I hate to admit it, my partner is correct," Kent told her as Lyn inspected the wound. "We cannot have you falling ill. You are not as physically strong as us, and none of us can do your job." Thank you, Kent. I wonder how on Elibe I ever survived without you all fussing over me.

"You never said you were hurt! How long ago did this happen?" Lyn asked, motioning Serra over.

"Five minutes. It's not deep. Stop making a fuss." Lyn glared at her.

"It is not a fuss. I am worried. Did I not tell you to stay by my side?"

"I was by your side. The axe barely clipped me." This stopped her. "I'm sure we've all had far worse."

"We are all warriors, you're a tactician--"

"So you have to coddle me?" Dev shook her head. "Lyn, if you all have to watch me and guard me and keep an eye on me, constantly, then I'm not an asset to you. I'm dragging you all down." Sain, to her surprise, was the one to nod and, gallantly placing his hand upon his breastplate in a courtly manner, agree with her.

"Very true, Lady Dev! The sight of a fair damsel, injured and bleeding, was too much for me, but of course you are right. You know to see to your own wounds; one so skilled must have seen the battlefield many times before." Lyn listened to him and sighed, putting a hand on Dev's shoulder in apology.

"Sorry. My worry made me foolish. Of course you now what you're doing-- I came on this trip to learn from you, didn't I?" Dev nodded.

"It's alright, Lyn. I understand your worry. But I can look out for myself. Okay?"

Lyn laughed. "Alright. Kent, lead the way to our campsite."

Sain's head shot up. "Campsite? But there's an excellent inn at the border crossing! Fine ale, fine food, and the loveliest barmaid in all of Elibe!"

"Real beds?" Lyn asked.

"And real baths." Dev looked at Kent. "Did you know about this inn, Sir Kent?" He sighed.

"In my opinion, milady, considering our need to be covert, it would be best to miss the inn. Especially if Sir Sain's behavior will be as deplorable as is usual." Dev waved his complaint away.

"Nuh-uh. There's nothing odd about a group crossing from Bern into Lycia, and we've only suffered one assassination attempt so far. Is this inn popular?"

Sain nodded. "Best, and possibly more important, only inn within a day's ride of the border. I've never heard it to be empty." Dev smiled at Lyn.

"Well? Any assassin would be more cautious in a crowded inn of good repute than in a forest glade. Besides, Sir Kent, you wished to petition the Marquess Araphen for aid? We're not going to get anywhere near him looking like we do, dirty, sweaty and bloody."

Kent seemed about ready to argue some more, but Sain beat him to it. "Everyone who wants to go to the inn and sleep in a real bed, after a real hot bath and a real home-cooked meal accompanied by a cold mug of real ale, say 'aye'."

Everyone but Kent shouted it back, raising their hands into the bargain. Wil raised both. Kent glared at them for a brief moment before relenting.

"Ah, alright. Aye. The horses could use a proper stable for the night, I suppose, and some good hay. But you," he snapped, rounding on Sain once more, "had better behave yourself!" Sain chuckled and saluted, swinging himself onto Star.

"To the inn!" he yelled. The group was cheering when Erk tapped Dev on the shoulder.

"I hope you don't mind if we accompany you as far as the border? Keep in mind," he added, "that Serra has already invited herself, so you don't really have a lot of say."

Dev nodded and beckoned him onward. "Sure, the more the merrier. We did kind of drag you into the fight. Mind you, if you disappear in the night and leave her with us, I will hunt you down and make chaining yourself to an addled, rabid wyvern look pleasant by comparison. Got it?" Erk nodded, half smiling.

"If she weren't so clingy, or a member of the Ostian court, it would be a very attractive plan indeed, wyvern and all. But I'm afraid I'm stuck with her." He looked over at her. "You're a tactician?"

"Yep."

"Hmmm." He glanced at Sain and Wil, who were having an involved discussion about the quality of ale at different inns. "Care for some intelligent conversation?" he asked, sounding more than a little hopeful. Dev bit her lip and looked around, making sure no-one would hear her. Holding nothing against present company...

"Alright."

...

By the time they came to the inn, it was after dark. Erk and Dev were still talking; Serra had been tending to everyone's wounds on the road. Apparently all of Elimine's followers were devoted to their healing duties, even that nutcase. Their conversation had ranged from tactics, to their respective homelands, and had finally come to magic. He was impressed by how much she knew of it.

"--well, yeah, I know the theory, and I even managed a few sparks in practice. Magic requires a lot of concentration, though. If I was going to pick a way to defend myself in battle, it wouldn't be something that took my concentration away from the battle around me."

"But-- ah, yes, you need to see more than just the enemy in front of you. Of course. Still, I don't find it distracts me, unless I over-exert myself."

"Have you ever done that?" The corners of Erk's mouth twitched; everything was funny once it was over, it seemed.

"Twice. The first time was physical, mind. My master is very... distinguished. I wanted to be worthy of him, so I studied hard, barely pausing for rest or food. I collapsed after about a week and a half." Dev laughed; Erk chuckled. He could still remember Lady Louise fussing over him, bringing him food every day after that and watching him eat it.

"I'm sure you impressed him. The other was magical?" Erk nodded.

"I over-estimated my abilities. I put my life in no danger, but I was too tired even to get up for a week."

"Can magic exhaust you that much? I know Anima is the earthly magic, that sustains our life-forces, but--" Erk nodded.

"Indeed it-- is that a light?" Dev followed his gaze and grinned.

"Yes! The inn! Food, here we come! Bath! Bed! Yeehah!" Erk shook his head. He'd already learned how irrepressible she was. He was looking forward to a decent meal too: Serra would not cook for the two of them, and his own cooking was awful, refused even by the scavengers that skulked around the edges of their campsites. His stomach was growling at the prospect of a real meal.

What were they serving? He sniffed the air surreptitiously, trying to identify the odors. Woodsmoke mingled with less pipesmoke floated in the air, but it was harder to find the scent of any food. No, wait, there was something else, was it gravy, or roasted pork--

Memories of the battle assailed him; those bandits had been roasted too. The sight, smell, even the sound of burning flesh-- human flesh-- came to him in far more vivid clarity that it had ever managed during the battle. His stomach twisted in his gut and he gagged, doubling over. Dev noticed.

"Erk? You okay?" He tried to nod, but gagged again, before his stomach finally overpowered his will. He lurched to the roadside to be sick, until he was bringing up thin, bitter bile-- all that was left in his stomach. He sat back and put his head down, nearly against his chest. He didn't notice that his hair had been held back until it fell in front of his face.

He looked left as Dev crouched down beside him. "The battle," she said, her tone practical. He hesitated, then nodded. She patted him on the back and offered him her waterskin. "You've never seen one before, have you? Just read about them." He rinsed his mouth out and nodded again. His throat was a little too raw to consider talking.

She chuckled and sat back. "Thought so. Don't worry," she added as Erk jumped at the sound of hoofbeats, "it happens to everyone, unless you're just a heartless, soulless bastard by birth. They'll understand. They'll call you green, but they'll understand."

"Why didn't I throw up right after the battle, or during the battle? Why four hours later?" he asked her. He'd been sickened during the battle, but not sick.

"During the battle, it always gets blocked out. Battle-rage, excitement, fear... the rush, basically. You don't notice what's happening around you, not in your gut. Later, when you remember without that rush, that's when it really hits you." She patted him again. "Food'll make you feel better." He glared at her; she was very cheery. Damned cheery.

"How can you think about-- Why aren't you sick? You were there. You saw more than I did, too; I only fought five and you were watching everything." Her smile disappeared and she shrugged.

"Well, that's it, isn't it? I've seen more than you have. It doesn't get to me anymore. I threw up before and after every battle once. Then it was only after, and later, I was just queasy. Now I barely notice at all. I block it off. You'll learn to, too, eventually." She paused, and added, "If you're unlucky." On that note, she stood up, bright again. "As to the first question, I can think about food because I'm hungry. Come on, they're waiting for you."

He wiped his mouth and stood up, following her down the road and shaking his head. That had been a sudden change of tone. Now he could understand why his teacher did not like battles, for all he said about overusing strength, and fostering good relations with other nobles and Generals. He hadn't become a mage so he could cook people in their skins, and close the memories off in some dark corner of his mind.

That was why.

...

The inn was a godsend. The meal was a far cry from their camp cooking and warm water from skins, and simply feeling clean put an entirely new angle on their journey-- a far more pleasant one, too.

All the others seemed to share her attitude, too. Florina had collapsed onto her bed within moments of seeing it, apparently just to reassure herself that it was real, since she got up only a minute after collapsing onto it. Sain was quaffing mug after mug of ale (he had an inhuman ability to hold the stuff) and chatting up every female he saw (except Lyn), pausing now and then to argue with Kent. Wil was trading jokes that would have earned a severe slap from Kent with some mercenaries from the Warrior Isles. Erk had managed some dinner, after being prompted, and now seemed to have recovered completely: he was discussing the effects of magic use on environments with a shaman in the corner, an eccentric fellow with a monocle and an Ilian accent. Dev eventually got drawn into the conversation and stayed up talking to them until very late.

After they finished, which was when the innkeeper told them to get off his chairs and finish their discussion in their rooms, they simply bid each other goodnight and disbanded. Dev joined Lyn in their room. They both had a bed this time; both clean, in good repair, and comfortable. Lyn was already asleep, and Dev followed suit after only a few moments, only pausing to take off her traveling clothes and put on those meant for sleep.

...

She was a little surprised when she woke up stiff despite the soft bed, but it wasn't unexpected. Traveling at her own pace and whims day after day was a very different thing to keeping pace with three horses, with intention to reach a destination. The battles took their toll as well, running back and forth to give orders and climbing up and down hills to check progress. Her body simply had to get used to the new routine.

She stretched and woke Lyn, washed and dressed before she went downstairs. After breakfast, they paid the innkeeper and went outside, ready to leave. Sain was bidding Serra farewell in his own unique idiom. The very one which would be turned on Dev herself, once they got going-- Kent was to ride ahead and arrange an audience with the Marquess Araphen.

"It really is a shame you cannot accompany us to Caelin, Lady Serra," Sain told her. Erk snorted, but neither of them noticed. "Are you sure you must hasten on to Ostia?" Serra flapped a hand at Sain. Dev nearly burst out laughing, and Wil wasn't much better.

"Oh, yes, for you see, the dear lords Uther and Hector will pine without me. But, Sir Sain, Ostia is so much grander, and more impressive, than little Caelin! Why do you not accompany us?" Sain drew himself up.

"I beg pardon, lady, but Caelin is most impressive indeed! It may not have the standing or prestige of Ostia, but it has men and women of passion, strength and undying fidelity! Besides, it is to Caelin that we have sworn our oaths, and we are bound to accompany the Lady Lyndis to its heart!" Serra's attitude changed immediately.

"Lady Lyndis? Sir Sain, you never mentioned this!"

"Well, it is quite secret, you see, as we are embroiled in an inheritance dispute involving the Marquess's brother. We must proceed with all caution! The Lady Lyndis's life is in danger." For once he actually looked serious. Serra gaped and squealed.

"You certainly never mentioned this! Well, I must accompany you!" Lyn seemed taken aback.

"Join us? But I thought you had to get to Ostia, with all possible haste." Serra shook her head, ignoring Erk's protests.

"Not if you are in danger! As a member of the Ostian court, I have a duty to aid any Lycian that needs it! And usurpation of a throne is blasphemous, a terrible crime against those chosen to succeed by the gods! The ones I serve, incidentally," she added. Erk rolled his eyes and shook his head at Dev.

"You can't be serious. Now that Sain's told you Lyn's a noble, you want to come with us all of a sudden." Dev fiddled with the edge of her cloak. Serra's motives were suspicious, but she seemed harmless enough, even if she was the most annoying being since...

Dev grinned, aware that it looked like a shark's. She had a plan so cunning she could have painted it red and called it a fox.

"Of course!" she yelled, ignoring the stares from the rest of the group. "We'd be only too happy to have you!" Erk was looking at her like she had grown another head, and not in a place where heads normally go. She let him. "But you're so delicate... we can't have you tiring yourself. It's a long way to Caelin." Erk's face cleared and he looked at her with renewed respect. Sharp as a wyvern's scales, that one.

"Florina could carry her," Kent interjected. Dev shook her head vigorously.

"No, no, she needs to be near us at all times, just in case. If she were in the air, then we couldn't reach her easily. Also, pegasi don't do well with strangers, right off. No, it will have to be someone else. Someone brave, and strong, willing to protect you and treat you as a lady is treated, of course," she said, bowing. "Someone with a horse, obviously."

Sain cleared his throat, looking at Dev. "I can think of a name, lady Dev, but I fear I would neglect your own care." Dev waved him away.

"Nonsense! She needs it far more, Sain! I'm a soldier as much as you, and she is a delicate princess! Offer your service, man!" she finished, pointing to Serra.

Sain dismounted and bowed to Serra. "Milady Serra, please, allow me to serve you! I shall make your trip to Caelin as effortless as gliding across a ballroom floor!"

Serra blushed and offered him her hand. "Ah, Sir Sain, you are gallant. But what of my escort? I cannot leave him at a loose end. He would pine after me."

Erk sighed and stepped forward. "I suppose that I could accompany our brilliant tactician to Caelin. After all, you do deserve the very finest, Lady Serra. I only grieve that I cannot provide it, but I have always been a poor horseman at best." Serra looked at Erk sideways, but didn't catch on.

"Well, I suppose you are only human, Erk. Elimine taught that all have strengths to help those with weaknesses. And now Sain is helping you to help me! Isn't that wonderful!" She curtsied to Sain and allowed him to help her onto his horse. "Thank you, Sir Sain."

"It is the duty of any knight, Lady Serra." He wheeled his horse and followed Kent, who had already cantered off in disgust. Lyn was looking at Dev, suspicion in her eyes.

"Did you invite her just to get rid of Sain?" Dev shook her head.

"Nah, I would have anyway. A healer's good to have with us. This way, we can conserve our medicines. Besides, Lyn, do you really think she woul have taken 'no' for an answer?" Lyn smiled and shrugged.

"I suppose you're right. In that case, well done." She left, following the knights down the road to Araphen. The others did the same, either wearing expressions of horror or mirth. (Wil seemed to laugh at nearly everything, actually.)

Erk crossed his arms and shook his head, a smile crossing his face. Dev spread her arms and shrugged, a helpless expression on her face. "What can I say? I'm a genius."

"That you are. So, shall we be off? I believe I agreed to escort you. You may well have just saved my sanity."

"And my own," Dev told him. "Still, I don't think we finished our conversation last night." He bowed to her, and they followed the others down the path, heads turned toward each other in conversation.

"Where did we leave it again?"

"It was the effects of divine magic on those suffering from--"

...

Heheh. Alright! This may be my fastest update EVER. And the chapter is only slightly shorter than the other ones. Are you proud of me? I'm proud of myself. It hasn't even been a week!

...Does it make up for nearly a year with no uploads? Don't think so, but maybe if I can keep this pace up, I'll dig myself out of that rut. ...Man, I can't believe I did that! It's probably that I'm just so hyper about having the internet back. I feel like I don't need sleep anymore. Sleep takes up time that could be spent reading webcomics and fanfics.

One serious thing (and just about completely off topic) : In the Fire Emblem Writer's Guild forums, there's a idea to hold Emblem awards, a way of showcasing outstanding FE fanfics (as far as I can tell.). I'm not asking for a nomination in there, just for anyone who's interested in participating to look, because there are doubts about it getting off the ground. It's a great idea, IMO, and it could really use some support. That's all on that...

Reviews are extremely welcome, as always. Sagewolf out.