Chapter 5- Of Battles Past and Present
The air smelled of the sweetness of new blossoms as Viktor and Flik rode past the regular rows of an orchard on the outskirts of Kyaro. The last rays of the setting sun flamed gold and red between the peaks of two mountains. The shadow of those mountains just now reached the road, and for a moment Viktor, ahead, rode in the light while Flik, behind, found himself in the darkness.
The gate in the wall was unattended, save for a child, a dog, a donkey, and some chickens. The child, a little boy of about five, and the dog were enthusiastically trying to herd the chickens into cages. Their efforts, however, served only to cancel each other out, and the chickens wandered around in a lazy circle between the two of them. The donkey, hitched to a very simple flatboard cart, regarded the scene with a flick of one ear and then returned to cropping some of the taller grass by the wall.
Inside, the city was dark and quiet, the only sound that of the Alba River gurgling in the distance. In the far distance, some of the manors of the wealthy were visible.
"What now?" Flik asked, feeling a sort of nervous excitement.
"Inn…there," Viktor gestured towards a two story building that was showing some lights. "Let's learn what we can learn."
They dismounted and walked the horses, plus the two extra they had taken in anticipation of Riou and Jowy, over towards the squat stone building. A reedy boy with vaguely reddish hair was standing in the shadows of the entrance.
"Take care of your horses, sirs?" he asked in a high, excited voice.
"Sure thing, kid," Viktor laughed, pressing some potch into his hand.
"I'm not a kid, you big doofus," he said snarkily, "I'm eleven years old."
Viktor laughed some more, but Flik found himself yawning hugely. "I believe you," Viktor continued, jovially. "Since you're not a kid, maybe you can tell us what's going on around here?"
That seemed to strike a chord. "Can I ever!" the kid babbled excitedly. "There were lots of soldiers here preparing for war because the Unicorn Brigade was attacked. The Second Army was here and also the White Wolves. But yesterday, they all left, and then today a pair of traitors were caught. Can you believe they were Riou and Jowy? I can't believe they were the traitors; I always looked up to them."
"Sounds like a lot has happened," Viktor replied. "Here you go." He handed over the reins to the kid. "Take good care of 'em."
After the kid had led the horses off, Viktor turned and said, "Now we've run them down."
Flik shook his head, trying to clear his thinking. His stomach gurgled uncomfortably, signaling an appetite built up over a hard day's travelling. "Doesn't help us much," he finally said. "They're already in Highland custody."
"So, we'll just relieve Highland of their custody." Viktor smiled, patting his sword. "Call it an…involuntary extradition…or something like that."
"A what?" Flik mumbled, trying to follow the conversation.
"Extradition…it's a word I heard somewhere, means something about returning criminals to their home country."
"Viktor…they are in their home country."
"Oh." Viktor's stomach growled mightily. "No use arguing about semantics, then. Come on, I'm hungry."
The interior of the inn was well-lit, warm, and full of delicious food smells, but strangely subdued nonetheless. A few patrons were up at the bar, slowly drinking themselves into somnolence. Viktor and Flik sat down at a table and ordered platefuls of steaming roast beef slices slathered in brown gravy with mashed potatoes and green beans. Flik immediately went about disassembling the food, but Viktor took the moment to chat with the serving girl.
"…yeah, that's right, Schtolteheim's an old family name, from Na-Nal." Flik grimaced between chews. The least Viktor could do was get his facts straight, like the fact that the name was from Middleport. "Now Bluto here, I found him lying half dead on a pier at Karaya, which is in Vinay del Zexay, of course." Flik tried to ignore the tale, concentrating on the tasty food, but the story just kept getting weirder and more incorrect. "So, after he recovered, we went on to Alma Kinan. Let me tell you, that's the strangest place I've ever seen. The people live underground, in a giant cave, and never see the sun at all. The women, they wear rings around their necks, so that they look like giant snakes. The men pierce their lower lip and pull it back like this." Viktor then proceeded to pull down his lower lip to the tip of his chin.
Flik looked at his food, it was all gone. Viktor was just getting into a story about travelling to the Knights of Kamaro, in search of the Fountain of Youth. "I think I've heard enough for one night." Flik said, rising out of his chair. "Don't tell the young lady too many lies, Vi…er… Schtolteheim."
Viktor glowered slightly. "I don't remember that I've ever told a lie, Bluto. It all happened just the way I recall it." Then he smiled goofily and took a bite of meat. "Course, I've been hit in the head so many times, who knows what I know now."
Upstairs, Flik found the room they had been assigned. Their travel bags had already been placed inside. Lighting a single candle, he settled down to his pre-battle routine. Focusing, fingers honed through countless repetitions, he checked his armor, searching for breaks, chinks, and other signs of disrepair. He pulled out his shield, feeling the tightness of the boss, the soundness of the wood backing, even noting scratches in the paint finish.
When he got to the cape, though, his mind began to wander. It was a mass of stitches, hastily repaired rents that told the story of battles past and present. One told of an arrow received at Gregminster Castle. This one brought back memories of his first meeting with Viktor, on the docks of Vinay del Zexay. Flik laughed ruefully; he had been terribly inexperienced and overconfident at that time, a youth of sixteen running away from Warrior's Village. Those Falenan bravos would certainly have killed him if Viktor hadn't come along at that moment.
And another rip, Flik's eyes teared, told of his first meeting with Odessa. She had been attacked by assassins, and he had blindly rushed to her aid. Death had been close at hand that time, too. Now he pulled free his sword, named for the only thing he had ever loved, examining the blade glinting in the light of the candle. His throat tightened. "I will make myself worthy of your love." he said, quietly.
"You already are," Viktor's voice boomed out of the darkness. Flik spasmodically half-jumped, half-lunged upright, heart suddenly gone into overdrive. Viktor, sitting on one of the two beds, laughed heartily. He continued seriously, "Of all the men I know, you are the most worthy of being loved."
"I failed to protect her; how can I be worthy of her love?"
Viktor rolled his eyes. "I don't understand you, Flik. You forgave Tir McDohl, hell, you even forgave me…after a while…why can't you forgive yourself?"
Flik knew he didn't have a good answer for this, though he'd thought about it a lot.
Because if I claim responsibility for it maybe, just maybe, I can believe that her death had meaning, instead of simply being a random act of fate. Because I felt, just for a moment, that the Liberation Army was more important than our love. Because I feel her slipping away from me, bit by bit, each memory fading away over the gulf of time.
Because it's easier holding on than letting go.
"You're brooding, Flik." Viktor chided.
"I am not." Flik responded, sulkily.
Viktor laughed. "Fine. Remember her how you want, but don't be dead to love. You never look happy when you're thinking about her, but she always smiled when she was thinking about you. She'd want you to be happy again, even with someone else."
Flik suddenly felt a spasm of red rage. "My love is constant, unwavering!" he shouted, suddenly throwing his sword scabbard at Viktor. Nonchalantly, Viktor plucked it out of the air. "I'm not going to…to become like that guard commander…so desperate that I'll sleep with anyone, anytime!"
They stared at each other for a long moment, Flik huffing heavily, Viktor with an even expression on his face.
Flik shook his head and let his emotions slide away into the blackness. "I'm sorry," he said, quietly.
Viktor passed the scabbard back. "No problem. But don't beat yourself up forever…it gets tedious." Then, pulling off his boots, he rolled over on the bed, facing away from Flik. "I'm going to get some sleep now. Don't stay up too late, or you'll be sleepwalking through the action tomorrow."
In fact, Flik did not feel terribly rested when the first shafts of misty light filtered through his window early the next morning. The air was definitely chilly and his bed suddenly felt very warm. On the other hand, Viktor, in the bed across the room, was snoring like a saw cutting boards. Flik got up.
The inn was quiet and felt empty. Flik worked his way downstairs and to a courtyard in the back. There he found a hand pump connected to the well and squeakily pumped out a basin full of water. Then, meticulously, he proceeded to shave himself, watching his reflection in the water. This finished, he went around to the front of the inn to regard the rest of the town.
The square at the front was empty, the town gates were closed, and everything still lay in shadows, for the sun had not yet risen above the distant eastern mountains. Flik casually strolled up the cobblestone street and across the little span over the Alba River. On this side of the river, the houses were larger and much more ornate, miniature copies of the great mansions that stood at the crest of the hill. Merchants and businessmen slavishly aping those they considered their superiors.
Flik puffed out some of the morning air and worked his way up the hill, towards one particular building on the outskirts. Nestled among the great houses of the rich, sticking out like a soldier who had forgotten the drill, was a large, squat building of undressed stone. It was obviously the local guardhouse and probably where Riou and Jowy were being held. He didn't see any soldiers in sight, but it still didn't look like the sort of place they'd want to try and rush with just the two of them.
He turned around and started back down the hill. Halfway back, the sun finally rose above the mountains, bathing the town in its light and casting huge shadows off to the west. The mist began to burn away and the air warmed up. People were shaking off their slumber and setting up awnings and shops for the new day. The city gates were opened and a stream of wagons poured through them.
Viktor was still snoring away when Flik returned to the room. He could not help but laugh, thinking of his friend's admonition last night, just before going to bed. "Wake up, you great oaf!" He continued to chuckle, shaking Viktor vigorously. "Stay asleep any longer and you will be the one sleepwalking through the action."
In response, or perhaps just by reflex, Viktor swung out with his right hand. Flik, though, was ready, jumping back and watching as his friend unceremoniously toppled out of the bed and onto the floor in a heap. Slowly, Viktor sat up and untangled himself from his blankets. "Now why'd you do that?" he asked Flik, rubbing at the back of his head. "I was right in the middle of one of the best dreams I've ever had."
Flik sat down on his bed, continuing the conversation cheerily. "Back at the fort, you would've been up hours ago, running the men through their morning exercises."
Viktor wadded his blankets up into a large ball and chucked the arrangement in Flik's general direction. The conglomeration fell apart midway between the beds, collapsing in a mess on the floor.
"And…what was your 'great' dream about?" Flik asked, ignoring both the blankets and Viktor's sour expression.
"Ah…" Viktor squeezed his eyes shut, apparently trying to think hard. After a few moments, he angrily pounded the floor in frustration. "Damn…I completely forgot. See what your waking me up has done? Ruined the greatest dream of my life."
"Very good. While you were busy working on your dreams, I took a look up the hill and found the local guardhouse. That's probably where they're holding Riou and Jowy."
This news seemed to cheer Viktor considerably. He jumped up off the floor and rubbed his hands vigorously. "So, we just walk up this hill, clunk some heads together, and ride out of town with our two guests of honor?"
"That would've been my very last plan of action." Flik replied. Viktor frowned again; Flik continued speaking. "The guardhouse is a difficult place to get into, with only one path of approach. I was hoping to learn more about the execution site, which might offer us better options."
"But if we time that wrong, we kind of lose the whole purpose of our coming here."
Flik stood up. "Well, let's at least try to find out when the execution is, and…" his stomach growled, "let's get some breakfast."
Halfway through breakfast, a small contingent of soldiers entered the inn, bearing a stack of broadsheets. After watching them paste several of the sheets in a prominent location, Flik nodded to Viktor, got up, and casually walked over. The broadsheets all discussed the same topic, the impending execution of the two traitors, Riou and Jowy. Leaning forward and reading the smaller print, Flik determined that they would be ritually marched to the outskirts of Kyaro and then hanged at sunset. As he straightened out, he noticed the commander of the little detachment regarding him, especially his sword.
Flik tried on just a little bit of a scowl and said, "Traitors like these two deserve to die. Nothing worse in my line of work than to discover that your closest confidants are selling you out to the enemy."
That did the trick. The commander stepped forward and asked, "Just what is your line of work? And who are you?"
In an instant, Flik switched from scowl to smile. "My name is Bluto, sir. Chief negotiator for the Drakenguard Mercenary Company, of which my chief is that hairy beast over by the table." He gestured meaningfully in Viktor's direction. "We had heard rumors that the war was heating up again, so we came hoping to sign on under the main army."
"Hmm, mercenaries, you say?" the commander replied, with just a touch of scorn on his voice. "Just a little too late, I'd say. The main army's already gone out to the staging area. Left but two days ago, leaving only Captain Rowd's unit behind, and I doubt he'd hire on your little group." The commander waved dismissively. "Best you can do is run after the army, if you want a job. Now excuse me." The squad of men, finished wallpapering the wall with broadsheets that all said the same thing, turned and departed. Flik casually walked back to the table.
"Well?" Viktor asked, after Flik had been mum for several minutes.
"Learned all we'll need, and a little more besides, but we shouldn't talk about it right here." Flik answered, projecting a calm that he didn't feel.
After the breakfast was over, back up in their little room, the first thing Flik did was grab the pillow off his freshly made bed and hurl it across the room. Then, struggling to keep his voice under control, Flik spoke. "Of all the horrendous times and places to have perfect intelligence. Their whole stupid army left two days ago for the staging area. They'll probably attack before the week is out, and we won't even be able to warn Muse."
Viktor shrugged his shoulders. "We'll see about that when the time comes. What about Riou and Jowy?"
Flik managed to speak normally, this time. "They're to be executed on the outskirts of town at sundown. I still figure that's the best time to rescue them."
Viktor smiled grimly. "Well then, that's how we'll do it." He then proceeded to collapse right back into bed and, incredibly, started snoring almost as soon as his head touched the pillow.
Flik, try as he might, was unable to follow his friend's example. He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes, but all that did was allow him to visualize the upcoming fight and everything that might go wrong. Sighing, he got up and began to pace about the room, Viktor's snores taunting him with each step. Eventually, he did lie down and close his eyes, though sleep would not come. The day wore on monotonously, but eventually the sun began to sink into the west.
Getting up from the bed, Flik walked over to the window and watched the crowd assembling. Then, deeming the moment right, he went over to Viktor's bed and, with his sword scabbard, gently prodded Viktor in the ribs.
Viktor rolled over, opened his eyes, and said, sleepily, "Is it that time already?"
Flik, belting on the scabbard, nodded in reply.
Minutes later, after settling accounts with the innkeeper and collecting the horses, they were out in front of the inn. The crowd was definitely thicker than a few moments ago.
"What do you say to finding some place a little more discrete?" Viktor said, raising his voice slightly above the babble around them. "Wouldn't do us any good if one of those "traitors" blew our cover by recognizing us and besides," he wiped his brow, "it's hot out here in the sun."
They walked the horses down into an alley between two of the buildings. It was cooler, but the view of the street was mostly obstructed. Still, they didn't have long to wait. A sudden hush came over the crowd and Flik walked towards that end of the alley, trying to get a better view. He didn't see them until they were almost directly in front of the inn. Both Riou and Jowy looked worn, but neither seemed to be defeated in spirit. Riou marched along aloof and distant, seemingly unconcerned with the crowd. Jowy, on the other hand, looked tense and angry.
At that moment, as they were passing in front of the alley, the crowd suddenly murmured, and Flik heard the sudden clattering of hooves on the cobblestones and the spinning of wooden wheels. An ornate carriage, pulled by two beautiful, white horses, rolled into the square, completely blocking Flik's view from the alley. He swore under his breath, and then nearly jumped right out of the alley when Viktor tapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't do that," Flik whispered, heatedly, trying to control his breathing.
"…they seem so young to be spies." A girl's voice was speaking from the other side of the carriage.
"We are not the traitors here," Jowy replied, in anger, "it is Highland who betrayed us."
"I think it's time for us to be getting to the execution site, unless we want to miss the main attraction." Viktor said, pulling Flik away from the street and back towards their horses.
Flik felt a sudden spasm of nervousness, but then it melted away as his battle instincts kicked in. "Yes, it is time." He then strode past Viktor and mounted.
Viktor, looking up at him, only commented, "You've got that look, again."
They rode their horses at a brisk walk down one of the side streets, through another alley, and managed to reach the gates before the procession. There were no guards in evidence, though they might have simply moved to another location to watch the events. Regardless, no one challenged them as they passed through. The sun hung bloated and crimson among the western clouds as Viktor and Flik walked the horses to the orchard alongside the road, dismounted and secured the horses, and then waited.
The prisoners and their guards were along shortly, marching past the orchard on foot, save for one officer on a dun horse. This, Flik decided, must be the infamous Captain Rowd, confidant of Luca Blight, left to guard Kyaro in the wake of Highland's offensive. Flik snorted, tightening his grip on his sword and earning a pointed glance from Viktor. Rowd didn't look like much, just a blond haired, straight-jawed, bootlicker who'd been in the right place at the right time.
They trailed the execution party down the road, until it turned towards a fenced clearing at the end of the rows of trees. In that clearing was the instrument of justice, a scaffold with two nooses already prepared. Pausing just out of sight of the clearing, Flik turned to discuss a brief strategy with Viktor.
"If at all possible, I want to take Rowd as a prisoner," Flik stated. "He might have some useful information about the campaign."
Viktor nodded, pulling out his sword. "So, I saw six guards, plus this captain. If we split up, we can defeat the guards and catch the big fish between us."
Flik drew his own sword, it's blade reflecting the red light of the sun in an ominous foreshadowing of the events to come. "Let's do this." Flik answered, grimly.
Whenever he reflected upon it later, especially in regards to the events that followed, Flik always remembered this as one of his easiest fights. Of course, that had almost no bearing on how he felt in the moment. Slipping out from underneath the trees, muscles tensed, breathing regular, but slightly accelerated, he found the first two guards posted as sentries at the gate in the fence around the clearing. However, they were looking the wrong way, back towards the execution site, and not out towards the road. Thus, when Flik cleanly decapitated the first of the two guards, his partner only had the barest inkling that something was wrong before he, too, met with Flik's blade.
The second corpse had not even finished collapsing to the ground before Flik opened up into a sprint towards the scaffold. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Captain Rowd looking off towards the setting sun, apparently in a monologue about his future career. The two soldiers on the scaffold were doing their best to make Riou and Jowy's final moments uncomfortable ones, beating on them with clubs. Neither of those soldiers even registered Flik's presence until he leaped onto the wooden planking. The closer soldier only managed to look up before Flik managed to ram his sword into his neck. The last soldier was only able to cry out as Flik barreled into him, shield bashing him into one of the posts of the scaffold and knocking him senseless.
Rowd, dimly aware that all was not as it should be, shook himself out of his reverie and said, "Huh?"
Flik, engaged in cutting the ropes that secured Riou and Jowy, smiled and answered, "I think you'll have to put those promotion plans on hold."
At that moment, Viktor burst from the trees at the far end of the clearing and shouted, "Stay right where you are, Rowd, if you want to live through this."
Rowd, naturally enough, chose to run, quickly abandoning his sword, shield, helmet, armor, and finally kicking off his iron boots in an attempt to flee the field of honor more quickly. Viktor chased him off into the woods, but returned empty handed after a few moments. Between big gulps of air, he said, "I'm sorry. I would've caught him if I were just a little younger."
Flik, working on the ropes that bound Jowy's hands, only shrugged as a response. Then, finishing with the rescue, he quickly checked over his own body for any injuries that he might have sustained. Finding none, he allowed himself a sigh of relief at surviving another battle.
Viktor, meanwhile, was speaking to the two former prisoners. "Of course we came after you. You're our special guests. Besides, Pohl begged me to pull your chestnuts out of the fire, so I couldn't go and let you be executed."
On hearing the word "executed", Jowy suddenly started, blurting out, "We've got to go save Nanami. She's still back in the cell."
Flik, cleaning his sword on the cloak of the nearest soldier, blinked. Viktor asked, "Who's Nanami?"
"Riou's sister," Jowy answered, instantly. Then, grabbing Riou by the shoulders, he said, "We've got to save her, right."
Riou, calmly enough- considering it was his sister- replied, "Yes, let's go save Nanami."
Without another word, the two of them started sprinting right back towards Kyaro.