Author's Note: I do not own Dragon Quest IV
Battle For Glory
Chapter 5: Trouble Brews
Airlia had fully expected them to turn her down, and she was sure that the guard was in on it… That he was the one putting words into Alistair's ear. Still, when they allowed her past, it didn't feel like a victory. It felt more like death… They just wouldn't understand… I can help them but they have to trust me… But they wouldn't understand where I come from… And I'd rather they all be present before I tell them. Before I give them the ultimate proof.
She hurried from the inn and went over to Hank studying hard. "Thank you for everything my friend. May the Master Dragon watch over you always."
Carlton Illod looked at her. "Who are you to interrupt my class? Do you think you know everything that you can interrupt me?"
Airlia groaned as she looked at the old man. "I apologize, but I wanted to thank my friend for his help. But if you're challenging me to knowledge, let's go."
His left side of his lip quirked up. "Really? Then let's have our little quiz and see if you win a prize. Do you think I only know everyfin' about the sea only?"
Airlia shook her head, "No you know everything about everything Sir Carlton."
He nodded, "Correct my dear. Now what is the golden rule in sale."
The brunette remained silent, putting her hands over her mouth to indicate silence.
He chuckled, "Right silence is golden. My dear, you may have the wit to get the one treasure that eluded me. Use this special map to find it and complete my dream." He handed her an old scroll with a small smile. "Good luck my dear. Thank you."
Airlia nodded as she took the scroll with reverence. "You're welcome Carlton. Thank you, and thank you Hank."
She hurried back to the wagon to tuck it amongst their belongings while the others were figuring out how long it would take and what supplies to bring with them. "They'll find you. I know. But I don't know if they'll trust me enough to bring me with them." She whispered to the scroll, fully aware it wouldn't talk back to them.
The other awaited as she braced herself for the icy reception. Only Borya who hadn't known her that long, but knew she had something she desperately wanted to talk about and Meena were able to really understand her silence, her sadness. Borya got between them all. "The Tsaravina went south. So that is where we must go. Hopefully she will be on her way back with the feverfew crop we need."
Airlia shook her head. "She's only about two days ahead of us. At the pantry at the other edge of the continent to the south. We shall make up our time by traveling on the ocean." She was all about business, even as it hurt to have Alistair look at her with distrust. She clarified, "Alena is a strong combatant, Borya is incredibly strong in magic like Maya's style, though his lean more towards Ice than Fire. Kyril is useful for another swordsman who can revive the fallen in battle and heal wounds like Meena. The more we have in numbers, the better off we will be. Please." She begged.
Alistair looked like he was firm on something, but the plea in her silvery eyes made him nod in agreement. "I want full answers though later! Or I will show you to be the creature you are… One sent to kill us all."
The tears returned as her chest constricted. She nodded before turning to flee for the ship and to her quarters before she whispered to herself, "Why… Why am I so hated wherever I go? I had no friends at home… My parents used to beat me… I should be more understanding of their point of view… But it hurts because I'm only trying to save everyone and reveal the truth behind it all. Psaro shouldn't die because he's being fooled by one of his minions… It's all for greed. I need to only get to Rosa, then I'll reveal the truth of who I am… Then and only then will I take whatever they throw at me. That will be my noose… My one time noose. Then after I save Rose and Psaro… I don't care what happens to me." Her heart quivered in pain at that thought.
A knock came to the door as Meena poked her head in with Borya behind her. "Airlia? Come… talk to the two of us. Please… It'll be okay."
Silvery eyes slowly turned ice cold. "No. It's okay Meena. I'll tell everyone soon. They can only learn the truth for themselves on that I'm not a bad person. Just one with really odd circumstances." She wrapped her arms around her stomach in comfort.
Meena smiled at her. "I know what you told me was a fantastical tale, but the details you gave me… it isn't something that can be just made up. But I do understand where you're coming from. I explained a bit only to Borya when the others weren't listening."
She looked at Borya and felt her heart fall into her stomach. "You probably think I'm some sort of witch… a sorceress."
He shook his head. "Considering you knew the three of us, and worked hard to not say who my princess was… I believe you. I trust you. Please. Help my friend then you can count my princess and Kyril on your side."
Airlia shook her head. "No. I want you to be able to come to the decision on your own. I'm only trying to gather the warriors together so that we can begin to gather the pieces of Zenithia armor which are spread around the word. I gave you the only hint I can about the sword. Just know you need to be able to fly to get to it. That answer will come soon enough. The armor is locked in a cave in the east, a kingdom to the northwest holds the helm and almost directly north in a kingdom beyond the mountains isolated for now holds the shield. Only then can we get to the kingdom in the skies and work towards finding the solution to the hate…"
Borya frowned. "I will do what I can, but the sooner you tell them…"
Airlia remained firm, "The sooner they shut me out forever and anything I could do to help is dead. Please."
They remained in her room until a thud came to the door. Airlia jumped as Meena glared and stalked to the door. She opened it to see Richard. "Yes? What's going on?"
He growled. "We're nearing the edge of the southern coast. The edge of the coastline and the cave that you described Borya is there. We should hurry." Richard's glare was deadly and pinned on Airlia.
Meena placed herself between them. "You leave her alone alright?"
The man barely acknowledged Meena as the group left the safety of her cabin. She kept close to both of her allies as she got dark looks from the others in the group. Her silver eyes shined with tears that she tried to brush away quickly. "Let's go."
The walk was in silence, as Meena looked at her twin for hints of how she felt towards the young woman who had changed much. The brown eyed dancer was unsure, just mildly angry at the fact there was some sort of secret being kept. Taloon didn't seem to be angry at the girl, because of how she had helped him to reunite with his wife and son without thought to her own safety through the travel. But Alistair was seething. "Alistair, why are you so angry at our friend? Surely her kindness to help those around her without thought doesn't deserve it."
He shook his head, "I want to know the truth. About why she's helping me. About how she knew everything that she knew."
Airlia's face became cold, distant as her eyes seemed to turn to stone grey. "I'd rather go through it only once. After we help Borya's companions, we will then go west to where Meena and Maya are from… We have one more ally here to find. The stout warrior Ragnar McRyan of Burland. Then we will have our allies and the next step of the journey begins. Finding the Zenithian equipment that belongs to Alistair by blood. All I ask is after we get Ragnar that we go north to what was the kingdom of Zamovska. An old enemy of Meena and Maya are sitting on the empty throne desecrating the kingdom's good name." Anything to avoid the others hating me because of the fact they will never understand my past. Not that I would blame them.
The pantry was cold, unsurprisingly. She wrapped her arms as she descended with the others as Taloon remained with Mary Lou. "Alena should be only just ahead…" And as predicted they heard a door being kicked down.
Borya chuckled, "Aye that is my Tsaravina. Let us go catch up with her and work together to save her."
They hurried even as Airlia led them carefully around some icy patches of ground, "Watch your step, there's icy steps around here and in the lower levels." She advised as Meena nodded, coming forward to find the group heading down the stairs.
Hurrying along, they found the princess with three others looking about the room as Airlia approached them. "Tsaravina Alena? I'm a friend who can help you to find the cure. Let's work together for the same goal…"
The red haired woman looked at her with wide brown eyes. "You want to help? Fantastic! We'll take this half of the large pantry… can you take that other half there?"
Airlia grinned merrily, "Of course." She turned to Meena and Borya, "Come, let's go together." She wanted to put as much distance between her and the handsome Alistair with his dark looks, to let her heart heal even a little. She stepped the wrong way on the ice and slipped backwards, slamming her head against the ice.
Meena screamed as she tried to wake the girl. "Airlia? Airlia!" She used her magic to heal the wound as she and Borya tried to sit her up. Looking at the others she growled, "Are you going to stand there being stupid or are you going to help us?"
Alistair walked over and looked at her. The same woman who had saved his village, who had done so without thought to her own safety. Who had helped him so deftly to cross the desert and to gain a ship and a merchant for an ally. She knew so much, but wouldn't tell him how she knew it all beyond being a 'seer.' "Airlia… forgive me." He used his healing magic to try and finish the healing as her silvery eyes opened.
"Where am I?" She asked looking around. "Who are all of you?" Her head hurt too much to try and think. "Who are you all?"
Meena helped her to sit up. "You don't remember? You're Airlia… You helped us all to come together… You don't remember me? I'm Meena." Her words came out in a rush as she slowly realized that the girl genuinely didn't remember. She looked up at the others with an angry glare. "Come on. We'll get you walking around a bit and maybe something will wake your memory."
She walked slowly with the amnesiac woman and the wizard as they slowly made their way around the corner of the frozen pond looking around for what Airlia could have possible been going towards. A set of stairs leading deeper into the pantry was tucked into a small corner. "Was that it Airlia?" She muttered more to herself than anything as they went down the stairs to see two chests.
Borya looked at Airlia. "I will stay here with her, use your sword as I do my walking stick. One of these must be the cure."
Meena nodded as she withdrew a sword from her bag and used it as a steadying point by driving it into the ground firmly before each step on the slick floor. She eventually came to the center chest and opened it to find a seed. "This must be what Alena came for Borya. Come, let's go back and take it to Parthenia to get our cure for your friend." She carefully pocketed the seed before returning equally carefully to the two sitting on the frozen steps.
Once they returned to the top of the stairs, they slowly made their progress back, even as Airlia fought the shivers from the cold of the pantry. Borya frowned, "She's going to come down with an illness Meena if we stay in this cold much longer… We should hurry." He said as they made it to the bigger group. "Alena, come with us to Parthenia. We have the seed. We can save Kyril now!"
Aleena nodded as the group hurried out of the freezing room as she dug through the bag for a pink robe. "Give this to her, hopefully it will help warm her body some Borya."
He took the cloak with a small nod of thanks. Draping it around the woman, he whispered, "It's going to be okay. Your memory will return little one. Until then, we will not speak of your past to anyone."