Chapter 42 – If You Lose Heart

Flik awoke next morning refreshed and at ease. He was disappointed in their failure to sway Lady Teresa to their cause, but he no longer had to worry about searching for her or playing a part. He looked at the rose robe, gauntlets, sash, and collar. There was only one thing that he still had to do. Donning the clothing, he left the attendants' lodge for the last time, walking down the paths until he stood before the administration building. The sky was overcast, and warm, misty drizzle hung in the air. It was shaping up to be a miserable travel day.

Inside, Emilia was the secretary on duty, sitting at the desk in the foyer. She smiled cheerfully as Flik entered. "Good morning, Bluto. What may I help you with?"

"I would like to withdraw Master Reen and his companions from enrollment at the New Leaf Academy."

Emilia's expression didn't falter. "I'm sorry to hear that. Is there any particular reason for the change of heart?"

Shaking his head, Flik answered, "I'm afraid our reasons are personal."

Emilia pulled some papers out of her desk. "I see. Then I take that to mean that you managed to meet with Lady Teresa. Did she give you the answer you were looking for?"

Flik nearly forgot himself and only just refrained from drawing his sword. "That…was never our purpose."

Giggling, Emilia responded, "There's no need to lie. Master Reen told me his purpose two days ago. I too want to see Lady Teresa safe and Greenhill free."

Flik chewed the inside of his lip. How did Riou know that it was safe to confide in this person? Finally he said, "Lady Teresa refused to work with us."

Emilia's smile faded. "I hope you'll forgive her. All we can do is keep her safe until the right moment. Now, if you'll just fill out these papers, we can have you on your way."

There were more forms than Flik expected. It seemed the academy, once they had a potential student, was loath to let the student depart. When the papers were completed, there was also a small potch transaction to cover the three days that Riou and the others had boarded at the school. Afterwards, Flik walked back out into the drizzle to wait for Riou at the fountain. The children were not long in coming. He could hear them talking before he saw them.

Nanami waved cheerfully as they came into view. "Good morning, Flik!"

They gathered around the fountain. Flik looked at Riou and asked, "Does everyone have everything? I don't think we'll be back here for some time."

Riou nodded. "We have everything."

"What about you, Flik?" Meg asked, chuckling. "Did you get a chance to kiss Nina goodbye?" Nanami frowned, looking intently at him.

"I told you, I'm not interested in her," Flik replied. "Besides, I haven't seen her since yesterday." He paused for a moment, wondering if he'd offended Nina to the point where she was ignoring him. "I don't care," he said out loud. Noticing the looks the others were giving him, he coughed. "Come on, time to go."

They walked down to the stables, where Flik paid out some more potch to retrieve their horses. Nightstar bumped her nose against his chest in greeting, followed by trying to take a playful nip at him when he grabbed the reins. He jumped out of the way in time and looked back to see the mare giving him an astonishingly innocent face. Once they were out of the stables, Flik decided that they should lead their horses, as the cobblestones were slick with moisture. He was anticipating a leisurely stroll through the streets of Greenhill, but it didn't turn out that way. A large crowd had formed in the square beyond the academy gates.

"What's going on?" Nanami asked. "You think they're going to beat someone up again?"

Flik craned his neck, trying to see what was happening up front. "I don't know. I hope not." The crowd appeared to be restless, people shifting back and forth. A gap opened up, and he could see that there was a squad of Highlanders at the other end of the square. Their leader was Rowd.

"Listen carefully!" Rowd shouted. "Prince Luca Blight of Highland decrees that whosoever captures or provides information leading to the capture of Lady Teresa, former acting mayor of Greenhill, shall receive the boon of twenty thousand potch and the right of Highland citizenship."

Several people in the crowd shouted insults and obscenities, but others had more thoughtful expressions on their faces. "Twenty thousand potch and citizenship," Flik murmured. "It'll only be a matter of time before the temptation gets to someone."

Pilika gasped, bringing Flik's attention back to the crowd. A new figure was approaching from the Highland side. All of a sudden he recognized the newcomer, but his mind did not want to believe it.

"Pilika, what's the matter?" Nanami asked. Then she exclaimed in surprise, as well. "No! This…it must be a lie."

It wasn't. Though his attire -a white coat, black pants, a white boots- was different, there was no mistaking his face. This was Jowy Atreides, who'd been part of the Unicorn Brigade, who'd fought with the mercenaries, who'd allegedly killed Anabelle. Now he walked confidently towards Rowd, who was yelling at the crowd.

"Impudent idiots! Why won't you do as you're told?"

Jowy stepped neatly in front of Rowd, interrupting his tirade. The mob quieted, waiting to hear what the newcomer would say. "Citizens of Greenhill, hear my words. Any person who has suffered injury or damages due to unlawful searches by Highland troops should present himself at the office of the commander in order to receive compensation. Know that the responsible parties have been punished." He directed a meaningful look in Rowd's direction. "The reward for finding Lady Teresa has been issued directly from Prince Luca Blight. I swear by my own life that those promises will be honored."

The crowd began to murmur again. Jowy held out his hands for silence. "However, there is one condition. Lady Teresa must be delivered alive and in good condition. We wish to work with her to restore a working government for the people of Greenhill. Therefore, no reward will be given for a corpse."

Thoughts and question jostled for position in Flik's mind. Were Jowy and the commander who took this city one and the same? The reward was good, and Jowy's words about wanting to work with Lady Teresa would definitely sway people. Something brushed against Flik's leg, and Nanami gave a startled yell. He looked up just in time to see Pilika dart between two people in the back of the crowd. She was heading for Jowy.

"Hold on!" Flik shouted, but was jostled as Nanami ran past him, chasing the girl. "Damn it, come back here, brat!" He wasn't sure which girl he meant, though it really didn't matter now.

Riou was at his side. "We have to follow her!"

Flik held back his sigh. "Agreed." He tossed his reins to Luc. "Hold these. Nobody else come after us, but be prepared to move."

They plunged into the crowd, Flik judiciously elbowing people out of the way. People began yelling angrily, drawing Rowd's notice. "What is going on here?" Too late, Flik could see Pilika standing before Jowy. Nanami ran up and grabbed her hand. "Who's this little girl?" Rowd demanded.

Pilika held up her free hand in Jowy's direction, but he couldn't meet her gaze. Flik and Riou finally got to the head of the throng. Rowd's eyes narrowed in recognition. "You, I've seen you before."

Riou ignored him, turning his attention to his best friend. "Jowy, why are you…did you really-"

He wasn't able to ask a complete question. Jowy turned away, refusing to acknowledge Riou. Rowd did. "Hey! That's the traitor from Highland. Soldiers, arrest them!"

Another voice shouted, "They're spies! Grab them and you will be rewarded." Flik thought it might be Fitcher, but didn't have time to work it out. Riou took Nanami's hand, pulling both her and Pilika away from the Highlanders. Flik leveled his elbow and shoulder at an approaching townsman, knocking him back into a half-dozen of his fellows.

Highland soldiers jumped into the jam, but so did more citizens, eager for a chance to make some potch. In the confusion, Flik managed to clear the path back to the others. He mounted Nightstar and surveyed the situation. The Highlanders were rapidly reestablishing order and a squad of them was approaching his position.

"Let's get back to the academy," Flik shouted.

The guards at the gate did not hinder their progress, but scattered when Flik rode up. He dismounted and pulled the gate open, allowing the others to ride through. As he got back up in the saddle, the squad of pursuing Highlanders arrived. He drew his sword, intending to buy Riou enough time to escape, but the enemies suddenly stopped, their mouths wide open.

Flik turned, hearing a faint buzzing at the edge of his consciousness, and saw Jeane leaning against the gate. She smiled at him. "I wouldn't waste time staring, if I were you. More of them will be coming, and I don't intend to stand here all day." He started, his head instantly clear, and got Nightstar moving. As he passed Jeane, she looked at him and asked, "What will you do now?"

He hadn't planned that far ahead, but an idea popped into Flik's head. "We'll need to get Lady Teresa. She won't be safe for much longer."

"A most admirable plan. I suppose I shall have to go to Dunan Castle as well. It just wouldn't do to shirk destiny and make her mad, now would it?"

Flik had no clue as to who Jeane was talking about, but he didn't stay to find out. He found Riou and the others waiting for him a little ways up the path. "Are you okay?" Nanami asked.

"Delayed by some Highlanders, that's all. There are more coming; we can't go back by the gate."

Nanami suddenly looked as though she were going to cry. "Flik, why would Jowy be with the Highland army?"

He sighed, glancing over his shoulder to check on the pursuit, then looked back at Nanami. "It's hard to believe, but he must be the commander that Fitcher was talking about. We need to keep moving. I, for one, don't want to get caught."

"Let's use the secret passage," Meg suggested. "We can escape through the woods."

"I agree," Flik said. "We need to get Teresa, too. We can't let her be used as a pawn by Highland."

They continued on down paths that were mostly empty, trotting for the administration building. The drizzle had ended, but the sky remained clouded over. At the entrance to the administration building, they dismounted and walked their horses in. Flik had not looked forward to trying to explain the situation to Emilia, but she was not at her desk, so he didn't have to. He led them down one of the halls leading to the back of the building.

Halfway down the hall, the door for the head of the history department swung open and an old man with a generous helping of gray hair confronted them. "Oh dear, oh dear! Have I wandered into the stables again? I thought for sure that this was my office, but here you come leading horses down the hall."

Flik put a hand on his shoulder. "You're in the right building, sir. We're just on our way to see Lady Teresa."

The professor didn't bat an eye. "Well, give her my regards. And tell her that she needs to do something about the leak in the second floor study hall."

Nodding, Flik answered, "Sure, I will."

The old man didn't seem to hear him, mumbling, "Did I have a class to teach? Confound it, I was supposed to be giving them a test today!" He ambled back into his office and shut the door.

Flik walked Nightstar to the back of the building and down the hall to the dead end. When the bust was turned, the secret door slid open once more. Outside, they remounted and trotted down the trail in the direction of the cabin. They went by the site of the previous night's skirmish. The nearby trees were stripped bare and the ground was scored with patches of torn earth.

A few minutes more brought them to the clearing with the cabin. To his surprise, Flik saw that Shin and Teresa were already outside the cabin, speaking with a girl who held the reins to a pair of horses. To his further surprise, he saw that the girl was Nina. He dismounted and walked towards the group.

"You have to go!" Nina exhorted Teresa. "If you stay here, they'll surely find you." Shin glanced sharply at Flik as he drew near, causing Nina to also look. Her expression was amazed. "My Bluto, is that you? Goodness, have you stalked me even here? You're so very persistent."

Nina's presence created so many questions in his mind that Flik temporarily forgot about Lady Teresa. "Nina, what are you doing here?"

It was Shin who answered, "Nina has been helping us, especially buying us food. I couldn't have done so without drawing unwanted attention."

Nina's expression became serious. "Bluto, why are you here? You shouldn't know about this place."

That brought Flik back to the task at hand. He faced Teresa and sternly said, "We have come to take you to safety. I am afraid that the situation has changed, such that I fear you will soon be discovered. If necessary, I will remove you against your will."

Teresa's answer was cool. "I am well aware of what is happening. Nina already informed me."

"Then let's go!" Nanami interjected, before Flik could voice the same opinion. "Don't you want to get away?"

"No, I don't. I will surrender myself to Highland. I do not want anyone else suffer for my sake. Once Highland has me, things will be peaceful again. I must believe that."

Shin gave the tiniest of frowns at those words. Nina's mouth opened in shock, her voice rising as she argued, "Wait, you can't just-"

Teresa walked forward, taking the reins of one of the horses from Nina's hands. She glanced wearily in Riou's direction. "I am sorry, Lord Riou, but I cannot be of any help to you."

Flik moved to block her path. "Do you think I'm going stand by while you turn yourself over to the enemy? I don't want to hurt you, but-"

He might've expected a move from Shin, but the knife in Teresa's hand was a complete surprise. She had it pointed at her heart. "Step aside, or I will take my own life."

For one moment, the perverse thought ran through Flik's head that he should permit her to do that. At least she would not become a captive of Highland. Angrily, he quashed the aberrant idea. As much as it might hurt the New State Army, it was preferable to him that she surrender to the enemy than commit suicide. He yielded, and she walked her horse past him.

Shin quickly snatched the reins to the other horse and followed the former mayor. "My lady, allow me to fulfil my duties one last time."

Teresa stopped and looked back, her face very sad. "Yes. Please bear witness to what is to come." They mounted, and their horses walked from the clearing, heading back towards the administration building.

No one spoke, until Flik, overcome with bitterness, asked, "Why do you go meekly into slavery? Isn't freedom better?"

"I won't allow it," Nina cried. "You fought harder than any of us. We all knew that the situation was perilous, but you kept our spirits up. Even after the food ran low, you didn't want there to be blood between allies. How can I stand by and let you be shackled?" She sprinted after them, vanishing into the forest.

Nanami shook her head. "What are we waiting for? This isn't finished yet! Let's go after them."

"Right," Riou said. "As long as we don't give up hope, we can keep trying to make things come out in our favor." He looked at Flik, who couldn't help but be buoyed by the words. Flik got back on Nightstar and turned her in pursuit.

They did not overtake Teresa and Shin before making it back to the administration building. Once again they dismounted and led the horses through the hall. No one challenged them this time. Outside, they found Lady Teresa by the fountain. She had dismounted and was faced by Rowd and two squads of Highland soldiers.

"You wish to surrender?" Rowd asked. "Well then, allow me to thank you for saving us the trouble of having to find you. That was very polite." He started laughing at his own wit. Teresa remained stoically silent. When Rowd realized that no one else was laughing, he abruptly gestured at one of his soldiers. "Apprehend the former mayor and her associate."

Shin's sword slid free from its sheath, his horse coming forward to block the Highland soldiers. "What is the meaning of this?" Rowd shouted. "Do you dare resist the Highland Army?"

Shin's response was emphatic, "While I am alive, I will never let you lay your filthy hands on Lady Teresa!"

"Shin, why are you doing this? Please, stop," Teresa begged. "The House of Wisemail has fallen, and I am no longer acting mayor. There is no reason for you to die for me."

Shin looked back at Teresa. Even from a distance, Flik could see the pain in his eyes. Red rage showed on Rowd's face. "Get them both! If they resist, restrain them by force!"

"It's time to help!" Nanami exclaimed. She and Riou mounted, trotting towards the action.

Flik also got on his horse, glancing back at the others. "Luc, you're with me. The rest of you, stay back and keep Pilika away from the fighting." He and Luc went after Nanami and Riou.

Rowd sneered at their arrival. "More fools who wish to enter Highland custody? Perfect! Sergeant, take them all."

The Highland soldiers fanned out, a combination of men with spears and crossbows. Flik plunged into the melee, his sword banging down on the helmet of closest enemy, stunning him long enough for Flik to deliver a stab at his face. Shin's blade flashed, cutting easily through the chain mail of another Highlander. Riou's tonfar crunched off the helmet of yet another, dropping the soldier back first onto the ground. Nanami swung her three-part rod, raking the faces of two opponents.

But Flik knew that they were still far outnumbered. Riou nearly fell off his horse dodging a crossbow quarrel. Flik suddenly had three soldiers with spears prodding at him. He forced one back with a thrust of his sword, then used the motion to parry the second soldier's spear. The third stabbed at his left side, the point of the weapon slipping under Flik's gauntlet and scoring up his forearm. Ignoring the pain, Flik swung his sword into his adversary's neck. In his haste, he connected with the flat of the blade, not the edge.

Luc raised his hands and a sharp wind gusted, lifting first one and then a second archer into the air. They slammed back into the ground some distance from the fighting. Shin effortlessly cut the spear and neck of the soldier facing him. Three more soldiers were trying to flank around Riou, but one stumbled, taking a thrown knife in the knee. Another was hit by a fireball and knocked to the ground. The third wisely chose not to continue along that course.

"Get them!" Rowd shouted, slipping behind the next wave of soldiers. Flik glanced beyond Rowd, seeing a crowd of civilians approaching from the square.

Teresa must've seen them too, for she put herself between Flik's group and the Highlanders. "Please, stop fighting! I don't want to be the cause of any more trouble."

There was a lull in the skirmish as both sides watched the developments. Nina appeared at the head of the mob. "Trouble?" she shouted. "Trouble for whom?"

Rowd, from his place in the rear, turned to face the crowd. "You are not authorized to be here. Disperse at once!"

Nina strode confidently towards Rowd. She had a set of books on a strap. Without warning she swung the books right into his groin. "Will you kindly get out of my way?" she asked. Rowd was too distracted to object. Nina continued on, walking past the other Highland soldiers until she was face to face with Teresa. "You can't allow yourself to be captured!" she demanded.

Teresa shook her head. "If Highland has me, then everyone will be able to move beyond the battle and get back to their normal lives. Everyone can be happy finally."

"You think that will make us happy?" Nina asked testily. "Please, Lady Teresa, have faith in us the same way we had faith in you. When you led us in battle, we believed we could win. When our own actions led to our defeat, it wounded our hearts. Do you really think we prefer a tyrant's stability to freedom, even if we have to suffer to get that freedom? If you lose a battle, we will help you fight again. If you lose this city, we will remember freedom until you return. But if you lose heart, what hope will we have that things will ever get better? Please, Lady Teresa, don't lose hope."

The crowd surged forward, several hundred of them, yelling their intention to protect Teresa. There were even soldiers wearing the colors of Muse City. Rowd's men had no choice but to get out the way, pulling the wounded and dead with them.

Tears began to run down Teresa's face. "Why are you doing this for me? I lost the city. I don't deserve your devotion."

Flik suddenly felt the pain from his arm wound. Grimacing, he pulled off the gauntlet to examine the damage. A long, bleeding cut ran up his left arm from just above his wrist nearly to his elbow. Fortunately it wasn't deep. Nanami, who'd been attending to her brother, squeaked in dismay and guided her horse over to Flik.

"You're hurt! Let me heal you, okay?"

For some odd reason, his pride was telling him to refuse. "I'm fine, really. I don't need any help." Nanami grabbed his left arm between her hands, the water rune in her right glowing softly. Flik winced as his forearm felt like it was encased in ice. He noted Nina looking at him with a sour expression on her face. No, she was looking at Nanami with that sour expression.

Then the feeling of ice around his arm was gone. He looked down to see that the limb was unmarked. He flexed his fingers in a quick test to assure himself that everything still worked. Nanami continued to hold his arm.

"Um…thank you, Nanami."

Meanwhile, the crowd had come up all around Lady Teresa, and she was speaking to them. "I understand. I promise that I will keep fighting for my people. I will not stop until I know that you can walk these streets, breathe this air, and speak this city's name in true freedom. I promise that I will return to Greenhill!"

There was movement from the direction of the academy gates. Flik could see that Rowd had returned with a much larger force of men. "It looks like the Highlanders are back. We need to go, now!"

One of the leaders of the crowd shouted, "We need to delay the Highlanders so that Lady Teresa can escape!" They turned about, arming themselves with paving stones, and advanced on Rowd and his men.

Shin had gathered Lady Teresa's horse. He offered the reins to her. "I shall go ahead and clear the path." He trotted his horse back towards the administration building. Flik and the others followed after him, walking their horses through the building for what he hoped would be the last time. He could hear the sound of rioting from the outside.

Once in the forest, Flik guided them down the path in the direction of the cabin. The fighting at the academy grew louder. By the time they arrived at the cabin, it sounded as though some of the Highlanders had broken through in pursuit. Shin was waiting for them in front of the dwelling.

"My lady, we must part here. I will stay behind to hold off the pursuit. I wish you good speed in your escape."

Teresa dismounted. "Please, come with us!"

A group of Highland soldiers entered the clearing from the path. Rowd was leading them. "You won't be going anywhere!" he shouted. "Those stupid civilians might've slowed us up a little, but it changes nothing in the end. You won't escape." Flik could see that there was blood on some of the soldiers' weapons. Naturally enough, Rowd's sword was still sheathed.

"You're terrible!" Nanami yelled.

"Me? You're the ones who caused all of this by resisting. This time I'll kill all of you as soon as you're subdued."

"Go!" Shin commanded, drawing his sword. "On my life, I will not let any of them pass."

"No!" Teresa cried. "No, I don't want you to die."

Shin looked back at her. "My loyalty was never with the office of Mayor, nor with the House of Wisemail, but with you Lady Teresa.

Teresa shook her head. "I'm not leaving you, Shin!"

There was no more time, Flik decided. The Highlanders were only yards away. He dismounted, jogged over to Teresa, and -while mentally begging Odessa to forgive him- punched her in the solar plexus. With a gasp, she fainted into his arms.

Shin didn't look happy, but said, "Thank you."

Flik nodded. "I swear by the name of my blade that I will get Lady Teresa to safety." He carried her over to Nightstar and placed her in the saddle in front of him. He took the reins of her horse and tied them to his saddle's pommel. By this time, Shin was already attacking the foremost of the enemy. Flik glanced at Riou. "Time to go!"

They plunged on down the path, riding past the cabin. At first the way was wide and well defined, but quickly it narrowed and became cluttered with undergrowth, branches and leaves reaching out to slap them as they rode by. Presently, Teresa recovered from her swoon and elbowed Flik in the ribs.

"Let me off!" she ordered. "I'm well enough to ride my own horse."

"Just as long as you don't try anything foolish, like going back to Shin."

Teresa sniffed and made her way over to her horse. When she had mounted, she looked at Riou. "I'm sorry for putting you through all that trouble. I hope we can work together to liberate Greenhill and all of Jowston."

Riou smiled. "What matters is that you wish to help us. With your aid, we will be one step closer to both of our goals."

After that, they continued on in silence. Flik kept glancing back the way they came, trying to determine if he could hear pursuit. Teresa ended up pointing out the paths and, as the day wore on, they turned more and more to the south. The sky had cleared so that Flik could see the westerly sun when they entered a glade in the forest.

"From here the path is easier," Teresa explained. "We are nearly to the road."

"Looks like we made it," Nanami said, relieved.

Flik had no evidence that they were being followed, but was uneasy anyway. "We shouldn't let our guard down. We have a long way to go until we're out of danger."

Pilika suddenly gasped and jumped down from her pony. Immediately she was running across the meadow.

"Pilika!" Nanami shouted. "Come back here!"

Flik was already looking at the person she was running towards. He bit the inside of his lip and drew his sword.

Nanami glanced at Flik and whispered, "Please, no."

Mentally, Flik swore. Of all the people who could've found them, why did it have to be this one?