Chapter 70 – Free Time

Water squelched under the hooves of Flik's horse as he rode through a sea of giant ferns, some which brushed his feet in the stirrups. Ahead of him, not too far away, he could hear the waters of Lake Dunan. That was where the rescue was. Behind him was a line of weary riders.

During the night they'd ridden east from Bernand's Crossing, following the King's Road towards Toto for many miles before Flik finally abandoned that route and plunged south. From the dawn's light, he'd had Wingers guiding him towards a galley that was waiting for them.

That wasn't the only thing the Winghordes were doing. Chaco swooped in low and shouted, "Pick up the pace! There's a group of Highlanders about a mile back, and I don't know if we can decoy them off of you."

Flik wanted to shout that there was no way he could, but was too tired to muster the energy. Rather, he asked, "How far to the boat?"

"The way you're going, it might be all day!" Chaco retorted. He pulled a lazy loop and pointed ahead. "Half a mile. You'll see the beach once you get over that little hill."

Flik looked over his shoulder to his lagging men. They'd been active for more than a day now, and the toll was high. He had maybe half of them left. Maybe. Viktor had fallen out of the saddle once during the night, and Flik had almost countermanded his own order to keep going, but the fall only stunned the big man back to wakefulness. He had remounted and caught up within minutes.

"Just a little further," Flik shouted. "Come on, men! We're almost home!" His eyes strayed to Riou and Nanami. Her anger had only abated with exhaustion, and now Riou was helping her stay astride. For his part, Riou didn't look dazed anymore, but still didn't say anything. He rode with a set expression.

The sun was rising, climbing into the sky, and the rain had long since departed. Flik's horse found the hill that Chaco had described, a gentle sloping of the land. The ferns abruptly began to thin out and the ground grew sandy. At the top of the hill, he could see the blue of the lake. Waiting just outside the surf line was one of the galleys from Dunan Castle. Flik turned to urge on his men, but the sound caught in his throat. From his vantage point, he could see the Highlanders. There were about a hundred of them, closing from behind rapidly.

"At a gallop, men!" Flik commanded. "Don't spare the horses, just make for the ship!"

Chaco wheeled overhead. "Looks like we've got one more job to do!" From somewhere, he'd been joined by a dozen Wingers. They arced towards the approaching enemies, talons and spears plunging in.

Flik's men struggled around him, men and horses puffing audibly. When all were past, he kicked his horse up to a gallop. In front of him, the others were sending up sprays of sand and grit, the horses feebly trying to sustain the pace. One collapsed, falling to the beach and taking his rider with him. The mercenary cried out in pain as the horse rolled over his leg. Two of his comrades, disobeying orders, jumped down from their mounts and pulled him free. Looking back, Flik could see them trying to carry the wounded man between them.

He couldn't ignore such a gesture and so turned his horse around. The first Highlanders were already on the hilltop and were shouting back, calling for the others to come up. Flik nodded as the two soldiers bore their comrade past him. "Take him to the ship," he ordered. "I'll cover for you."

"Not alone you won't," Viktor added, drawing the Star Dragon Sword.

The Highlanders were coming down the hill now, some thirty of them with swords drawn. One was stringing a bow. This was the one the Flik targeted first, throwing a bolt of lightning, knocking the man off his horse. The other Highlanders hesitated only a moment, then started to spread out. More were coming over the top of the hill.

"This is going to be a tough fight," Flik commented.

"Ah, we've been in tougher," Viktor retorted.

A dome of white light suddenly flared up around them, expanding out towards the Highland cavalry. Men and horses screamed, retreating rather than face that wrath.

"It would be a shame to see you two die so foolishly," Riou said, riding up between them. "Especially after you've gone through so much trouble to save me."

For the first time since the conference hall, Riou was smiling. "Are you okay?" Flik asked.

Riou shook his head. "There are things that we need to talk about." His smile faded. "But I don't hold you two responsible, not when you were trying your best to save us. Now is not the time for this. We must get to the boat."

The three of them wheeled their mounts around and galloped. Flik could hear the Highlanders regrouping behind him. Ahead, the abandoned horses gathered nervously at the edge of the surf, while the two soldiers rolled their wounded comrade over the rail of the ship and then jumped in after. Flik was sorry that the horses had to be left behind, especially after their noble work, but there was no room on the galley. He dismounted, waded out into the water, and accepted the hands of his men, pulling him up onto the boat. Viktor and Riou were pulled in after, and the oars began to back water, guiding the ship out of danger.

A few of the enemy soldiers came down to the shoreline, to gather in the horses that were left behind. At least the horses would be fed and rested. Flik almost laughed at this point, knowing that the Highlanders wouldn't treat him so gently, if he fell into their hands. It was odd to think that both sides in this war would show consideration for animals, but not their fellow men.

That was Flik's last cogent thought. In the next instant, he was wondering about the pain in the back of his head, then wondering why he was looking up at the cloudless sky. His eyes closed of their own accord, body succumbing to sheer exhaustion. He drifted into a dream of endless riding, of fleeing some threat that was drawing ever closer. Nanami's face floated through the dreams, her silent anger making him quiver. Viktor fell from his horse, but didn't get back up, and Flik couldn't reach him, no matter how hard he pushed.

With a gasp, Flik awoke, and found that Viktor was by his side, shaking his shoulder. His friend gave him a goofy grin and said, "That must've been some dream you were having. I didn't want to wake you, but we're almost back."

Flik squeezed his eyes tight, then opened them slowly. For a minute, he thought he was back in the dream. The galley appeared to be drifting along a sea of blood. He shook his head, clearing cobwebs. It was only the light of the setting sun. He stood up, registered Viktor's concerned face, and saw the remainder of his men sprawled out on the deck. Chaco was asleep in the crow's nest, one wing drooping over the side. In the distance was the harbor of Dunan Castle, other ships bobbing on the waves, and the cliffs reflecting the evening red. Higher up were the stone walls of the city and the towers of the castle, including the highest tower that he was wont to climb at all hours of the night.

The galley rocked slightly on a wave, and Flik started to take a step to balance himself. He doubled over in pain, falling back on his butt. All of his muscles hurt, especially his thighs, which were extremely tight.

"Damn," he groaned weakly.

"Yeah, that's about right," Viktor observed. "Basically no one can move right now. Your men will probably have to be carried back into the castle."

"How the hell can you stand it?"

"Me?" Viktor shrugged. "I guess I'm too thick-headed to notice. I wonder if Riou hired a masseuse during his travels? I could sure go for that. Or for a nice, long bath."

Flik crawled towards the railing, trying to find some support. Viktor ducked down and, offering a shoulder, steadied him back onto his feet. The galley was closer now, lining up with the long, stone dock. The others – Riou and Nanami, Lady Teresa and Shin – appeared on deck. The galley rocked again, and Flik nearly lost his footing.

"Steady there, Flik," Viktor said, tightening his grip on Flik's side. "Try to look awake; we've got a welcoming committee to face."

Flik squinted against the glare. At the midpoint of the dock were several people. Shu and Apple were at the forefront, but he also recognized Ridley, Kiba, and Klaus. The galley began to slow, and experienced crewmen tossed lines to the dockhands waiting on shore. The ship slipped smoothly into place, and the gangplank was dropped down.

Viktor and Flik, relying mostly on Viktor's strength, shuffled forward towards the dock. Riou and Nanami were already off, and Shu was walking up to greet them.

"Lord Riou, words can hardly express my relief at seeing you whole and unharmed." He glanced up, catching sight of Viktor and Flik. "General Viktor, General Flik, you have my sincere gratitude. It was only due to your commendable efforts that my plan was executed successfully."

Apple was smiling. Ridley, Kiba, and Klaus began to clap, but another voice brought the celebration to a halt. "So it was your plan!" Nanami shouted, advancing on Shu, pointing a finger at him. "You made us bring Pilika along just so you could…you could…"

Words failed her momentarily. Shu's smile faded as he met her glare. "It was entirely necessary to ensure your safety," he answered softly.

If Shu had meant those words as an apology, he failed. "You used Pilika like a tool!" Nanami shrieked, balling her hand up into a fist. "Just like you use everyone else! I hate you! I won't ever, ever forgive you for this!"

Shu continued to meet her gaze, even as the others behind him looked aghast. Apple took a few steps forward. "Nanami, you've got to understand that-"

Shu stopped Apple with an outstretched hand, then quietly said, "Any blame belongs to me alone, but I'm not going to ask for your forgiveness. I did what had to be done to save you and your brother."

Nanami's fist was shaking and a growl threatened to erupt from her throat, but at the last moment it turned into a sob. Riou reached out to comfort her, but she hid her face in her hands and dashed forward, splitting the dignitaries right down the middle, leaving her brother's hand touching nothing but air. Seconds later, she had disappeared into the castle.

Sighing, Shu fixed his attention back on Riou. "If it helps, you may hate me too, Lord Riou. Just remember that we need you, all of us. Everything must come before that, even friendship, even honor, even life."

Riou shook his head. "You say those words, but can you help me if you don't trust me?" He walked past the strategist, adding, "I need to think about things alone. I understand why you did this, Shu, but that doesn't mean it hurts any less." Without another word, he followed his sister into the castle.

Shu's head dropped. "It would've been easier to bear had he screamed at me, like his sister."

Apple turned to face the strategist, trying to look in and read his expression. "Shu…"

He glanced up again, composure regained. "Viktor, Flik, you are dismissed. I give you tomorrow as free time." He turned around and, with a measured pace, walked away, trailing Apple and the others behind him.

"Well, that was exciting," Viktor commented. "What should we do first, bathe or eat?"

Flik's stomach was complaining, but he couldn't imagine showing up at Hai Yo's in his current state. "Bath," he answered. "A nice, long bath to wash off all this sweat and work my muscles out."

Viktor whacked him on the back. "Good answer! I could go for just sitting in there for hours until I shrivel up into a prune. Let's go, or do I need to carry you there?"

Thighs complaining, Flik managed to stand up straight. "I can walk there. At least, I think I can." He was not going to be carried through the castle by Viktor, not where everyone could see him.

They started off, but before long, Viktor had to slow his steps so that Flik could keep up. Flik struggled up the stairs, using the wall for support, then hobbled down the hallway, feeling very much like an old man. Eventually they made it to the entrance of the baths.

Tetsu, the graying, muscled proprietor of the establishment, gave them a disapproving stare. "Damn, I'll have to flush the entire system after this. Go on, you two rogues, get in there and get toasty! And don't wander into the women's bath by mistake, or I'll have to ban you permanently."

"Okay, okay," Viktor groused. "It's not like we'd do something like that on purpose. You've got two gentlemen here, and you know it."

"I've got two men here, that's for sure, and I've already had complaints." He nodded to them. "Just giving you fair warning, that's all."

They ambled through the door clearly marked "men" and into the changing room. In moments they had stripped down and walked out to the baths. These were actually several rooms, each with a bath at a different temperature. Supposedly, there was a correct order, but Viktor and Flik proceeded directly to the hot bath, in a room made entirely of cypress. As he settled into the steaming water, he realized they weren't the only people in the bath.

"Hey Riou," Viktor said. "We didn't realize you were here. If you want, we could leave you alone."

"That's all right," Riou answered. "I guess I can't send everyone away, can I? Besides, you two are my friends."

Viktor nodded. "There you go. You know, Riou, you've really grown up with us. When you first arrived, you were nothing but a string bean. Now look at you, you've definitely got some muscle there."

Riou blushed and ducked lower into the water. Still, Flik could see that Viktor's words were the truth. There was a muscle tone on Riou's arms that hadn't been there half a year ago, when Flik had first seen him. "He's been working out every day," Flik commented. "He should be stronger, I'd think. What about you, Viktor? I never see you down on the training grounds."

Viktor was working the soap up into a lather in his hair. "Now what's that supposed to mean, Flik?"

Flik could feel the water's heat seeping into his aching muscles. "Nothing," he bantered. "Nothing at all."

There was a moment of silence, then Viktor turned to Riou. "Hey, Riou, you think I've put on a little weight?"

Riou didn't answer, but Flik did. "Of course you have. What do you expect with the way you eat, fatso?"

Viktor stood up, sending a tremendous wave of water splashing in Flik's direction. "That's a low blow! Who are you calling a fatso?"

"You, tubby."

"Listen up, Flik. This is all muscle, every last bit of it."

"Yeah, big old fat muscle."

Viktor growled, advancing to the center of the pool. "We'll settle this with a wrestling match! Come on, challenge me, and then you'll see how much muscle I've got."

Riou started laughing, though he tried to hide it by covering his mouth. Flik shrugged. "Some other time, Viktor. I don't think Tetsu would like it if we capsized his baths."

Viktor was smiling as he walked back to his side of the bath and sat down. "Figured you'd say something like that. I'll have you know that I only eat five cups of rice at dinner."

"I thought Huan had you on an all-salad diet?" Flik asked.

"Bah! Let's drop the subject, all right?"

Flik had gathered a bucket of hot water, which he upended to get the soap out of his hair. "No problem."

"So, back to the original subject," Viktor replied. "I bet the ladies don't leave you alone, Riou. Not with a physique like that." Riou sank even lower into the water, trying to hide his blushing. Viktor laughed aloud. "That good, huh? No wonder you don't want to talk about it. How about you, Flik?" He turned back to meet Flik's gaze. "How are…things going with you?"

Flik scrubbed his face furiously. "What do you mean with 'things'? You're with me almost all the time, so you know I'm not seeing anyone."

Viktor chuckled. "It's not like I share a room with you. Maybe you're inviting in female company that I don't know about."

"Since when am I like that?" He knew that Viktor was only ribbing him, but the questioning was starting to annoy him. "Listen, my sword's name is my vow of undying love. So, drop this subject, unless you want me to sheathe my sword in you."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. Viktor didn't let the chance slide. "Now, now, you know I'm not like that. But hey, I'm sure there are plenty of women who'd line up for the opportunity."

Flik knew he'd lost the contest. The only thing to do now was make a graceful concession. He gathered a breath and shouted, "Ridiculous! Believe me when I say that there isn't anyone that I like even a little!"

Viktor opened his mouth, but any reply was cut off by an anguished cry from the far wall of the bath. "Not even a little! That's so cruel!" The voice was Nina's, coming from the women's bath. Flik thought he heard a sob and the sound of footsteps splashing through water.

"Ah, love, it is such a dangerous pastime," Viktor murmured. "The heart of a young girl is a fragile thing, which you must handle with care, Flik."

"Shut up!" Flik responded through gritted teeth. Viktor laughed all the more vigorously. Riou, somehow, managed to sink all the way out of sight, except for his brown hair.

"How about we go to Leona's after this?" Viktor said, wiping tears from his eyes.

Leona, as usual, had a stew ready for Viktor and Flik. She was only a little surprised that Riou was with them. Flik was also a little surprised. Usually, Riou retreated to his upstairs room to eat with his sister. Maybe Nanami still wasn't feeling sociable? Whatever the reason, Riou sat down to dine with them. As always, the bar was crowded. The three of them didn't speak, but they did listen in on a few conversations. One, between a Zexen and a man from Toran, was carried on in a lively fashion.

"So you're saying it was like this two years ago, in the south?" Ace asked. He had several empty mugs of beer in front of him.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Sheena replied, putting his feet up on the table. "Tir McDohl had a whole bevy of young girls running around his army. It was quite an exciting time."

Ace belched loudly. "You know, I've always been an open minded sort of man. I wonder if I could get boss to let women into the unit. Or maybe I'll just retire here after the war is over. I could get used to all these short skirts."

"Indeed." Sheena nodded sagely. "Speaking of short skirts, what do you think of Meg and Millie? They've both got so much energy, it's hard to choose. Maybe I could get them as a package deal?"

Ace started laughing, snorting beer out his nose. "Package deal! I like that. But I think I like Tengaar better. There's a girl with fire in her eyes. You know it'd be great."

"Sure, but you've got to know when you have no chance," Sheena cautioned, shaking his head. "She's only got eyes for one man. Even if you pranced around her in the nude, she'd never notice."

"I'd rather she do the prancing," Ace suggested, splashing beer all over his coat. "But I understand. It's kind of like that knife girl that's all over Riou."

Sheena leaned in closer. "Now that we're on the subject of our great leader, how about his sister, Nanami? She may not be as much of a looker, but you know if you got her in bed, that would be it, man."

Ace started laughing, which turned into a gigantic burp. "Wouldn't it, though? You'd have to bring some glue with you, because you'd be pasting yourself back together when it was over. But it would be worth it, I agree."

Riou abruptly got up from his chair, swinging his tonfar into a ready position. The bar went quiet, though most of the women had been giving the two men evil looks for quite some time. Sheena's mouth worked furiously. "Oh…hey, hi, Lord Riou. We were just talking about you, actually."

Ace chuckled nervously. "Yeah, about you. Please don't hurt us!" He ducked under the table.

"Someone just climbed the stairs to the second floor," Riou said softly. "Someone suspicious." He darted around the table, right past Ace and Sheena, running towards the stairs. There was a startled shout from above, and Viktor and Flik were right behind Riou, drawing their weapons as they rumbled up the wooden steps. The landing turned around a corner, heading for the upstairs inn. Riou smashed the door ahead of them right off its hinges, then stopped to assess the situation.

Flik's first impression was of red. A man with an oversized red hat and an equally oversized red and black coat was looming over the innkeeper's husband, Alex, who had fallen to the floor. The intruder's clothing had a ragged look, especially the hem of the coat, which trailed down to the top of his black boots.

Hilda was between Riou and the confrontation, hiding her son Pete behind her maroon dress. Her eyes darted back to the door. "Please, Lord Riou. This man barged in here and started threatening my husband. Please stop him!"

The stranger had lifted Alex up off the floor gripping him by the front of his orange vest. He glanced once in Riou's direction, revealing a face with a long scar running over his thin nose. Then, apparently unconcerned, he went back to questioning Alex. "One more time. What did you find in the Sindar Ruins?"

Riou advanced a few paces into the hall. Flik backed him up by going to right. Viktor went to the left. The space was too narrow for the three of them to line up abreast, so Riou took the lead.

"Silence will not save you," the stranger admonished Alex, pushing him up against the wall.

"You!" another voice shouted. A woman's voice.

This new arrival broke the intruder's calm. "Damn, not you. I haven't forgiven you for landing me in that cell."

Flik recognized the voice, but he didn't want to take his eyes off the intruder and Alex. He could hear her laughter as she walked forward. "You deserved it, Killey. You're always sending others off on false trails, so I thought you needed a taste of your own medicine."

Killey sneered. "You have no idea what you're pursuing, girl. At least Zweig was smart enough to fathom some of it out. That's what made him dangerous. That's why I gave him that information."

Viktor finally risked a look back to confirm who was behind him. With a wary smile, he asked, "You want to clue us in as to what's going on here, Lorelai?"

A woman with black hair hanging to her shoulders stepped forward, her gray cape trailing out behind her. She was another member of the old Liberation Army, another who had seen war two years ago. She finally stepped into Flik's peripheral vision, and he could see that she hadn't changed much in that time. She was still wearing black pants, a yellow shirt, and a blue coat over that. She also carried an impressive array of weapons, including a quiver of arrows and a short bow on her back and a coiled whip at her side. The arm that she was brandishing, however, was an impressive halberd – spear point, axe head, and curved hook all on one pole.

Lorelai's smile was much too friendly for the tense situation. "Why don't you let the poor man go, Killey? You're not going to get any information out of him in this state."

"Put him down," Riou commanded.

"Wait!" Alex pleaded, looking Killey in the face. "You want to know what I found in those ruins. Fine!" He pointed towards his wife and son, then turned his head to face them. "That's the treasure. Right there, in front of you. That's all I found, so if you've got a problem with it, you can go to hell!"

Killey abruptly let Alex drop. "Your words ring true. You are lucky. You dabbled in things that are beyond your comprehension and emerged unscathed. There are many…many who can't say the same. He pulled his oversized hat low. "I'm sorry for the interruption." His red coat swirled as he turned towards the window at the far end of the hall.

"Hey! You can't leave that easily," Viktor shouted, stepping out beyond Riou and raising the Star Dragon Sword.

"Idiot," Killey snapped. "I'm not going anywhere." He suddenly turned again, staring directly at Riou. "You, boy, I'd like to talk to you about what you saw in those Sindar ruins too."

Riou lay a hand across Viktor's arms. "Join my army and then we'll talk."

"Always the same." Killey shook his head and Flik thought he saw the barest hint of a smile. "The things that I do," he muttered under his breath. "Of course I'll join you," he concluded, more loudly.

"And I'll join too," Lorelai added. "Somebody's got to keep an eye on you."

Riou glanced back at her. "Who are you, exactly?"

Lorelai smiled broadly. "We're ruin hunters! We run all over the land, exploring Sindar Ruins."

Killey snorted derisively. "Don't lump me in with that sorry lot. I still say you have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, Lorelai."

"Let's get you two registered," Riou ordered. "Follow me." The five of them walked down the stairs, back down to the bar. By this point, there was an impressive group of armed men waiting at the foot of the stairs, soldiers who'd seen their leader dash up the stairs and were preparing to follow him. Riou waved them off and passed through the bar, heading out the side door and into the entrance hall. It was dark, with only a few lit torches and the moonlight to provide vision.

"Now, there are a few questions that we'll have to ask," Riou said. "Do either of you have experience with military units?"

Killey gave out a startled gasp, his head turned to the right. "Oh hell no," he whispered. "No!" He broke into a run, coat billowing up with his legs, and nearly collided with Luc at the Tablet of Stars.

Lorelai was also looking in that direction. Her face paled. "Damn. Not her." She glanced down the hall. "Don't leave me behind, you coward! Don't leave me to face her!" She sprinted after him, both of them disappearing through the first door they could find.

Riou was left dumbfounded. Flik turned to see what had frightened them so. There, standing in one corner of the hall, was Viki. Moonlight streamed down, illuminating her pale skin, dark hair, and closed eyes. It gave her a very ethereal aura, he decided. At this distance, he could just hear her gentle snores.

"Waffu," she murmured softly.