A/N: Hello again! Thank you to my reviewers and to Syner for beta reading, as usual!
Does anybody even read Inside Joke Theatre? Probably not.
"Name a wooden instrument."
"WOODEN FLUTE! BONGOS! DIGEREEDOOS!"
"Guitar!"
"Why didn't we think of that?"
Oh, right, disclaimer. No, Fire Emblem and the characters who aren't OCs do not belong to me.
Also, I didn't fail any courses this year! Yay! Um, not that I ever did before, just so we're clear.
Here is Chapter 3. Please ignore the fact that I'm too lazy to title them properly.
ENJOY AND REVIEW!
Oh, and, one last thing. Chappie is long and important. Lots of plot introductions here, so the DB will take a while to show. Be patient! :D Enjoy!
Chapter 3
Kest was repeatedly running his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit he picked up from his younger, adopted sister.
It was another thing that made it hard to get her off his mind. He hadn't stopped panicking since he read the note she'd left him, which he'd found tucked under the oil lamp in her room, now in his pocket, creases withering from being unfolded constantly. He re-read it over and over, staring at it and flipping it between his fingers and not showing anyone else.
He memorized the words from reading them, and imagined her writing the words blindly in the dark. Her scrawl was messy as ever, but the words were legible enough.
Kest, it's happened. Win and Orland and I are leaving, and we'll be gone by the time you read this. I can't believe we only talked about this last night, but it was being planned for weeks. We have everything we'll need, I've made sure. Don't worry about us, I promise I'll try my best to be safe. You can trust my friends. I love you, and I miss you already. Make sure my family knows how much they mean to me. Goodbye.
He knew he should show at least his father, but he couldn't. His father would not understand, for he didn't know of Nyala's desire as strongly as he did. He would have to tell him, of course, it would be terribly wrong to keep such a secret from someone who deserves to know, but the note was his only.
Kest knew he'd try something, anything, to get her back home, even if it was reckless and stupid, which pretty much summed up walking alone through the country filled with enemy soldiers. He would be picked off easily and mercilessly. When Kest told him Nyala was missing and why, he had kept his calm in front of the younger children while Sade explained to them that their sister would be away for a while. When they were alone in the kitchen, however, there was yelling and panicking. Rage and fear. His father insisted he should go find her, but Kest forbid it.
Angrily sitting across his father, he hissed, "Use your common sense!" earning a look of betrayal from the man. "Please. If you take off now and don't come back... you can't do that to your kids! Jenia's old enough to know what's going on, you know she's as scared as we are!" Barrett looked up at him, piercing him with an icy stare. He took a deep breath. "Father, please. Nyala is safe with her friends. Trust her, father, she'll be alright." He begged shamelessly, hoping for his father to understand. He just had to. Barrett continued staring at his son, less coldly now and deep in thought.
"Kest... she's too young. I want you to get her back. It's an order."
The words stung him, hearing his father use such a rough but heartbreaking tone... his voice was commanding, but his eyes were begging. Kest felt his heart drop painfully, averting his father's eyes subconsciously.
He had to go, he knew, but how could he bring home his sister? He knew it wasn't going to happen; he had to disobey his father. The answer was obvious- he would help Nyala fight. It was kind of the same as what his father wanted in a way, wasn't it? To keep her safe? But lying and betraying his father's wishes to do so... and what would Ny say when he showed up? His mind was made up though- he would side with his sister who trusted him so much. He smiled a little.
"Yes father, I will make sure she is safe." He whispered, hands on his father's shoulders. He was acting on a whim, he knew, and he hadn't a clue on how to find his sister. Barrett looked up at him, eyes unreadable.
"Thank you, son. Take Sade with you, she's an excellent fighter." Oh, damn. If Sade came, it would ruin everything! She didn't know about Nyala even joining the Dawn Brigade, she just thought she was missing! And if they saw her, she'd be taken straight back home, and he would be an even bigger traitor!
I can't let that happen... everything she worked for...
"No, father, you need her at home. She's like a mom to Jenia and Terry! How will they feel when three of their siblings disappear? And it would lower the family's income dram-"
"Kest, your concern is not necessary. You will take Sade with you and find my daughter. Please, son, you know how important this is to me, and if you're alone in this country you die. You need to be safe, too." His heart pumped faster as he fumbled in his mind for anything that could change his father's mind, but when he saw the fear in his father's eyes behind the mask of determination, he knew he lost. He was cornered. His head lowered and he breathed a deep breath.
"Yes father."
But inside, he was thinking, I'm sorry Nyala, I tried.
XXX
"Cloak? Blankets? Canteen? Oil lamp? Damn, where'd it go? I reckon Nyala took it..." Sade was marching proudly around the house, head held high in fearlessness as she was named leader of this quest to bring back their missing sister. Calling out items as she went through her mental list, her brother was solemnly checking if they were packed. His guilt hung like a willow everywhere he went, bent on reminding him on what he was setting off to do.
He was agitated and edgy, but was trying to remain calm with his sister- it would do no good to make her angry when she didn't know what she had done wrong. His dark brown hair was messed from clawing at it with his fingers, and his face was slightly flushed from frustration. He was a monster. His sister trusted him so much, and after only a few hours, he would be part of the party to get her caught.
There had been a brief town meeting regarding the missing children- Kest had almost forgotten that other townsfolk had missing family too- and lots of the younger villagers stepped up, declaring they were suited for bringing back their fearless friend Winnie. They didn't seem as concerned for the Branded girl or Orland as they did for their socialite heir. In the end, most were declared too young to be allowed to venture off, leaving only Kest and his sister in the end. He didn't mind attending the meeting- he actually purposely dragged it out for as long as possible. Even precious few minutes could be used for his younger sister to get farther and farther away.
Sade was the exact opposite, trying to hurry everything along and set off, which was why she was now throwing things to her brother instead of handing them to him. He knew she was every bit as concerned as her father was, she just showed it in a different way, and that was becoming the leader and getting things done.
"Finished! We're good to go, Kest. The sooner, the better!" She grinned, fixing the last buckles of her rucksack. "I have a feeling she'd be headed north, to the capital. She always wanted to go there, right? And she heard you talking about how great it was." He knew he should be trying to drive her away from her spot-on intuition, but she had run out of the room before he could do anything. He knew she wouldn't listen anyways; after all, she was in charge.
She called for him again, her voice further away this time, and he rose slowly. There was no turning back now...
He stepped out into cold mid-morning air, a sharp breeze meeting his arms and face in stingy bursts. Two horses stood a few feet away. They were given to the two travelers during the town meeting, gifts from the local ranchers, even though none of their kids were the ones gone. They all seemed to think they were heroes or something, giving them things and beaming up at them in awe and respect... Kest certainly didn't feel like a hero.
Sade wasted no time in climbing onto her horse, waving down at her friends below. She leaned down to hug her father, bid him farewell until next time, which she planned to be a few days later.
She reflected her borrowed horse (a female Chestnut named Arwyn) exactly, Kest noticed, in lots of ways. They had the same long, wavy dark hair and probing chocolate coloured eyes, an elegant, comforting face and long, powerful legs. She was a princess and an overworked peasant all at once. She and her horse also had the same air about them- they were calm and majestic, fearless and ready. Sade was a good person, no doubt about it. Sweet and motherly, helpful and loved amongst everyone, but sometimes impatient and scolding.
"Come on, Kestrel, we have to get to Nevassa before dark." Ignoring the chuckles from the villagers at use if his full name, he too swiftly climbed onto his horse's back. His was mostly white, with a black muzzle and feet, and by the name of Lyik.
"Before dark? We can't make it there in only hours- it's a day trip!" Fear flooded him as he only realized her words after he spoke.
"Not on horses, and these ones can run for miles! We'll make it to Nevassa around sunset." Same as Nyala... everything would be timed perfectly... she doesn't have a chance...
The friends he didn't even have time to catch up with were patting him on the back and wishing him luck in finding his sister. He put on his best tragic face.
"Bye, everyone." He waved, attempting palely to shift his expression to hopeful and determined. His words were met with wishes of luck and safe traveling and rushed goodbyes, also directed at his older sister.
"Alright, we're off!" She said, nudging her horse with her calves, getting it to walking pace. Kest followed her, trotting off towards the woods he knew Nyala vanished from hours earlier. He wasn't really sad to be leaving, again, but he did wish he could have spent more time back home. Weighed down by concerns, he barely noticed Sade picking up the speed to a healthy run, which he had no choice but to mimic.
The inevitability of meeting his runaway sister was almost tragic. Her dreams would be ruined so easily... and there was nothing he could do... he failed her.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Oh, Cecilia! She's so beautiful!" Cooed Winnie, stroking the cheek of the child in her friend's arms. The former cat laguz, now essentially a beorc, beamed down proudly at her baby girl, wrapped tight in the blankets Winnie made for her as a gift.
"What's her name? Oh shush, I know they're announcing it in the square, they always do! But I'm your best friend, I have to know first!"
Cecilia laughed at that.
"When did you decide that? I'm old enough to be your mom!" She questioned, lightly punching the younger girl's arm.
Winnie huffed. "You're only older by..." She stopped to calculate for a moment."... ten beorc years! I'd be thirteen and you'd be twenty-three, right? This would be easier if they just aged like us."
Still laughing, Cecilia drew her chair as close as possible to the wolf's.
"Well best friend, I suppose you do get the privilege of hearing her name, but you can't tell anyone. Only Nifco and Corrah know so far." She obliged, grinning and shaking her head still.
She cupped a hand around the other girl's ear and whispered, as not to let anyone else hear beforehand.
"Nyala."
Winnie squealed a little. "The ancient tongue word for "unity"! That's perfect, Cess! It makes sense."
"I know!" Her friend chuckled, and Winnie resumed stroking the newborn's velvet face. Neither of them spoke for a little while after, simply admiring the beauty of the sleeping baby girl. Suddenly, loud and uneven footsteps sounded in the hallway, headed towards the nursery the two girls were in.
A small head poked around the door frame, and squealed with glee.
"Auntie Winnie!" She shouted, throwing herself into the wolf's arms and squeezing her tight around her waist. Winnie ruffled the girl's bright orange hair in response.
"Aunt? I'm barely older than you, kid!" She joked, picking the giggling kid up and sitting her on her lap.
Cecilia snorted. "You seem to be a little controversial regarding your age, there, Win." She teased, lightly jabbing her in the side, making her give a sort of spastic flail. It also earned her a look that promised certain death. Winnie was not one to be poked.
"You're lucky I'm holding the squirt, here, or you'd pay for that." She chuckled darkly. That caught the attention of the girl she was holding, who stood up on Winnie's lap (digging her shoes into the wolf's thighs in the process) and looked her straight in the eye.
"I'm not a squirt." She huffed indignantly, not breaking eye contact. Despite their desires, Cecilia and Winnie both burst out laughing, hugging the girl tightly.
Damn her adorableness. Thought Winnie, brushing tears of laughter from her eyes. Her sides felt ready to explode from laughing pains.
"You know Corrah, for a four year old, you sure are... opinionated." Winnie gasped, drawing another burst of laughter from her friend. Corrah smiled proudly. Winnie doubted she really knew what she meant, but that was okay. As long as she was happy.
She loved Corrah like a little sister and Cecilia like an older one. Now that Nyala was born, she could be big sister to another girl, too. She already loved her, with her soft face and the dark green Brand that stood out so shamelessly on her shoulder. She would do whatever it would take to protect her.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Perfect timing! We should make it there by sunset!" She called, twisting around from her position in the lead to view her friends.
She had taken a break from walking in her half-wolf form after a particularly thick twig jammed itself into her front paw- now her bleeding left hand. Shifting back was more dignified than limping, she's said. Despite her minor injury, Nyala was thrilled to have her human again. Her chatter filled the aching silence, driving painful thoughts from her mind and boredom from the journey. She never seemed to lose confidence in her sense of direction, either. She just walked straight, endlessly.
For a while after she shifted back into her human form, Nyala could easily tell she was lost in thought. Thoughts of what, she didn't know. All she could see was the glassy look in her eyes and the twitching of her lips, something that happened to her when she was upset by something.
Intrigued, she spent a few moments pondering whether or not she should ask what was wrong, but decided that if it concerned her, she'd have been told already. Winnie came to after a few moments, bright as usual and showing no signs that anything was wrong at all. Despite being curious, Nyala chose to leave it alone.
She let her own mind stray after a while, just for something to do. Being focused and aware all the time made her restless and mildly paranoid.
It was late afternoon, the Branded had guessed, using the sun- what she could make of it behind the thick wall of winter clouds, that is- as a compass and clock.
The scarlet rays of the late sun shattered against the uneven frost, and the forest was alive with glitter. Icy blue pines stood stagnant in the absent winds, watching the travelers pass.
To Nyala, the forest was always a place of fun and laughter, memories and nostalgia, somewhere to go when you needed to get out. Today, it was like a cage. It made her fate inescapable, and her heart claustrophobic. If it weren't for Winnie's voice to help her regain her sanity after hours of silence, she knew she would have gone mad. She hadn't the faintest idea on how Orland didn't himself. He was as deathly calm and composed as ever, which sort of made sense. Winnie was in a great mood again, (after her mysterious bout of agitation) finally getting was she wanted for so long- an escape. Orland was in a silently happy mood, because he wanted to go too, which meant...
It's me in the unusual mood. Of course they're both thrilled, they were sure of what they wanted. Brilliant.
Of course, despite her fears and regrets, she couldn't lie to herself. They were only short hours away from meeting the Dawn Brigade. Her heroes, her idols, her obsession. And she was not only going to fight among them... she was going to be part of them.
Slowly falling into a state of nervous excitement, she, for once, forgot her troubles for a moment, just to bask in the joy.
She hummed softly and stroked Miss Winnie the Second (whose name really did need be changed soon) behind the ears and twisted round to see how Orland was fairing. He still looked unfazed as ever, but smiled back at the girl. Somewhere up ahead, Winnie was still chattering away to nobody.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sunset, and Micaiah was agitated. She constantly shot eager and nervous glances towards the windows, hoping for some sign that the wolf-girl and her company were coming. She had been doing this since well before the sun began to set, and her friends were trying hard to distract her for at least a few minutes. Edward suggested she pack her things, but she already had, and Leonardo made tea, but she didn't want any. She was grateful for their efforts, but she knew they were futile, and eventually, they came to the same conclusion.
"Micaiah, you've been staring out that window for the better part of two hours." Sothe sighed, somehow appearing beside her without her seeing. She sighed too.
"They'll be here any minute now. I think. I can feel something like a presence, but it comes and goes in waves... but it's been getting stronger, and I think it just may be here shortly. I hope it's them and not someone else."
Composed and thoughtful on the outside, banging her head against a wall on the inside. This feeling of presence was driving her insane. It's as if a little voice in her head kept telling her, not yet, not yet, not yet, every time she asked when it would arrive.
Being so restless and anticipating something that may never arrive, one can only imagine the way her heart lurched when Leonardo claimed he saw figures heading this way.
"Three of them, it looks like." He said, squinting into the distance, the edge of the forest. Almost knocking her stool over as she bolted upright in haste, she hurried to her friend's side at the window. The others crowded behind them for a look, but she barely noticed. Three shaded figures, no, four- they had a horse trotting behind them- emerged from the cover of the pine trees and into open air, and into the view of the inhabitants of the base.
Puffing a long breath of relief, she sank back into her stool and smiled. The images in her head showed that they were indeed what she was waiting for. Excitement flooded through her as they drew ever nearer, lead by Winnie herself. Micaiah'd made sure to give her flawless directions and a description of the base.
When they were decently close, Micaiah stepped outside to greet them, tailed by her comrades, who fanned out to stand in a line with the Maiden in the middle. A welcoming smile spread across her soft face as Winnie raised a hand in acknowledgement. One of the figures, the smallest, was clutching the wolf above the elbow, visibly bouncing on the balls of her feet, whipping her head between her friend and Micaiah. She couldn't hear what she was saying.
Their faces came into view. Winnie was in the centre, with her dark-skinned face and untamed ringlets framing it. Her hood was lowered for the first time since they'd met, and Micaiah could see the pointed ears of a dog poking through her curls.
A boy barely shorter than Winnie was to her left. He had an angular, pale face and a curtain of equally pale hair. Though dressed in the signature colour of a thunder mage, he had a Heal staff strapped across his back. He was also the one guiding their horse.
The third figure, the one who had Winnie's elbow in her clutch, was small and wearing a thin traveling cloak of deep blue that concealed whatever she wore underneath. With no visible weapons, it was impossible to tell how she fought. Blue was a rare colour for fighters, not many mages nor combatants wore it as far as Micaiah was concerned. She had a gaunt, shallow face and hair of simple black. She looked young, very young, triggering thoughts about if she were maybe a thief or rogue. Her age reflected not enough time to master any weaponry, not to mention she had the size and general appearance to be the kind with knives hidden within her cloak.
"Winnie!" The silver-haired girl said, stepping forward and holding out her hand. Grinning, the wolf clasped it, her hand warm and her grip firm to an almost painful degree.
"Pleasure seeing you again, Micaiah!" She said, releasing the girl's hand. "Thank you for this; you can't imagine our excitement at being part of Daein's liberation- which, trust me, will happen."
"The pleasure's all mine. How about introductions? I'm afraid I don't know your friend's names."
"Of course." The way she spoke... she was almost controlling. She seemed a little tense, even though her body didn't show it. A force to be reckoned with, she came off as through her voice, but in a polite way. Almost like a politician, or a noble. Was she an important figure? Either way, it gave Micaiah a feeling of comfort she couldn't quite explain.
"This," The wolf started, gesturing to the boy, "is Orland." What he did next confused Micaiah, to put it simply. He put his hands together as in prayer, and for a moment it looked as though he was going to bow, formal Goldoan style. Instead, his hands hinged at his end fingers, opening and revealing his palms. Winnie appeared to be as confused as anyone else, only she looked more like she was figuring something out.
"Oh, not book, story!" She concluded, glancing at him for confirmation. He nodded. Still waiting for an explanation, the Maiden noticed the slightest of sighs emit from the small cloaked girl.
"Orland wants me to tell you his story, that's what the gesture meant. Like opening a book, you know?" The wolf started, making the same gesture as Orland, only this time it made sense. Frowns crossed the faces of the Dawn Brigade, however. Not speaking was a strange and uncommon thing, usually viewed by prejudiced people as a curse or punishment. It wasn't like they themselves believed it, they were just curious.
Seemingly taking notice of the wondering looks, Winnie continued her explanation.
"A couple years back, he was attacked by bandits who- well, not really bandits, more like thieves... you know, the swift, lethal kind, I guess... anyways, they attacked him and he took a dagger to the throat. It was Brandy here," She waved towards the dark girl, "who took him back to our healers. She was there, see, but she didn't get hurt as bad."
Thieves, how terrible! Even young children weren't safe from them! She thought, aghast at how low some people had gone to fulfill their selfish needs. She had dealt with thieves of all sorts, of course, Sothe was one himself, but never would he harm a kid! She couldn't curb the anger that rose at hearing that.
Something else that bothered her though, was the way Winnie told of Brandy being there, too... it almost sounded as though she had meant to avoid it. Was she lying? Or did she want to deny the girl's involvement? It was the first time in so long that someone had stumped her. She was definitely having a problem trying to read this wolf.
Stop being critical, her mindordered. It isn't your business.
"Which brings us to Brandy!" Winnie was saying, drawing Micaiah back into the conversation. The girl, Brandy, began shifting her weight between her feet uncomfortably. This one was an open book; the Maiden could easily tell her nervousness and diversion to speaking in public. It was safe to assume Winnie did most of the talking.
'Um... everyone just calls me Brandy." She stuttered over a few words, looking more and more uneasy by the second. Her voice was low and barely audible. She was still gripping the wolf girl's arm, her fingers digging into the flesh. Though choosing not to voice it, Micaiah wondered what her real name was. She decided that it would be best to ask her when she was alone, or had warmed up to the group.
"I'm a dark mage." Another revelation. That explained why she carried no visible weapons, and for magically talented people, spells took less time to perfect than any weapon. That was also why she wore the deep blue robes- it was the signature colour of dark mages.
Still looking shy and nervous, she continued as Micaiah gave her an encouraging smile. However, she abruptly cut herself of no less than halfway through the first word, glancing up at her laguz companion. There was something she wanted to know, like she was silently asking a question. Winnie also seemed to understand, and nodded once.
"Yeah, you can tell them, if you want. Everything." The wolf said with a casual wave of her hand. Brandy raised an eyebrow momentarily in response, wanting to know if Winnie was sure. About what, the Maiden didn't know.
"Um... can you?" Muttered the mage, casting her gaze towards the ground. Her thought patterns suggested she'd never been in such a position. Micaiah couldn't help feeling slightly guilty, because it was her and her friends that were intimidating her. None of her friends had even had the chance to introduce themselves yet, and she was already scared of speaking before them.
Winnie seemed to find it more amusing, and gave a short, loud laugh.
"She doesn't like speaking around people at all; I swear to the Goddess it isn't your fault! She's just nervous around you guys 'cause she likes you, if that makes sense." Brandy was hiding her face as the girl spoke, scuffing her boot on the dusty ground.
"I see." Said Micaiah, trying to give a reassuring smile the mage didn't see. "We are honoured to have you by our side, so please, don't be nervous! You're a friend now." A slightly flushed Brandy peeked up from under her hair, nodding slowly. She was trying to stop being how she was, and building courage to present herself properly was one step toward the right direction. The Maiden had to admire her will to try.
Suddenly remembering that they had something to tell them, the silver haired girl asked them about it.
"We wanted to tell you where we're from," Started Winnie, "and about why we- did you hear that?" She asked suddenly, her pointed ears pricking. A frown drew across her features as she tried to catch the sound again. Nobody else had heard anything though, and they were now exchanging confused looks.
Then, Winnie's eyes widened and she gasped, startling everyone.
Something bad was happening, something the Maiden didn't foresee...
"Get inside!" She hissed, ushering Brandy in front of her. Whatever it was, it was urgent, a wave of fear crashed in Micaiah's stomach. Following suit after the wolf, she also began to rush the others into the base.
"Orland, send off the horse." Commanded the laguz while giving Brandy a rather hard shove towards the door. The girl seemed rooted to the spot. Within a matter of seconds, the entire group was behind the closed door, demanding to know what was going on. There was a knot in Micaiah's stomach, and she wanted to know more than anyone else, because she had no indication of any event in the future. She couldn't see everything, of course, but missing something that caused so much panic?
"Oh, Goddess, they're getter closer!" Winnie muttered, eyes wide and ablaze with mixed emotions. Now they were so vivid, they were easy to understand - fear, mainly, with a strong sense of resentment and sorrow. She felt like she had done something wrong... led her friends into danger...
Danger. The moment the word sounded in her mind, a familiar sound filled the cold air. Hooves, many of them, had broken out of the soft forest flooring and were now thundering across the harder, rockier ground. The forest only broke a few hundred meters from the base, which meant the horses were close.
And it was obvious who was riding the horses. It was the reason they wanted to leave Nevassa by now. The Begnion Occupation Army had found them, and they were going to attack.
The instinct to protect snapped on inside Micaiah's head, and her brain flicked into defence mode.
"Soldiers!" She cried. "Get down, everyone, and ready weapons. We have to fight!" It was the only option, they had no choice, and oh, Goddess, she was so sorry, but there was no way out. They were being charged.
"Dammit!" Cursed Sothe, as he slid a long, slender dagger named Kard from his belt. He was angry, she knew, at having the events come to play like this and not be ready; he had being relying too much on Micaiah's visions. Edward was giving himself a quiet pep talk, holding a sword in each hand, and Nolan was wiping dust off his steel axe, gaunt but ready. Leonardo and Orland both looked simply calm, stony-faced and trying to keep silent. Brandy wasn't looking so serene. Pale and twitchy, she sat with her back against the door, a tome clutched in little fingers and her shoulder being grasped by Orland, attempting to soothe her.
The strangest, though, was Winnie. She did look frightened as the rest, but her ruling demeanour was not lost in it. Her head was high and her shoulders back, but there was, as usual, something about her the Maiden couldn't place. There was something else in that fear.
The thundering was growing ever louder now, until the remaining beams in the house were rattling precariously.
Muttering a quick prayer for help, Micaiah peered out the window, and her worst fears proved true. Soldiers, maybe ten of them, were headed straight for the hut, with two in the front to lead the assault. Winnie was at her side, just barely peeking around the frame for a moment, before ducking again.
I'm so sorry I got you into this... She thought, as though Winnie and her company could hear her. Useless, but all she could do at the moment. If they were captured, they would be imprisoned, hanged even, and her stomach twisted at the sheer idea of it. Her heart was racing, and blood and adrenaline were already pulsing with dreadful awareness.
The hooves were so close now, so impossibly loud, and all her mind was processing was her friend's faces, losing visibility in the coming darkness of night.
A great neighing rang through the air as one of the lead horses' reins was sharply jerked and the stallion reared. One of the leaders, it seemed, was drawing the others to a halt.
They're waiting for us to come out.
And then, everything changed. The other mount in the front followed the other's lead, also sharply ceasing its movements. At most, they were only thirty feet away, their faces close enough to see in the fading light. The weird thing, though, was the soldiers following them. For some unknown reason, they kept charging, heading straight for their leaders.
And then one of them threw back his head, and laughed. A vicious, scary laugh.
"If you want us, come and get us, Begnion scum!" He roared, raising his lance high into the air. An equally frightening laugh of bloodthirstiness tore the crisp air, emitting from the rider beside him. With that, the two took off at lightning speed once more, headed east after turning ninety degrees from the direction they came, and streaking right past the windows of the house they thought to be abandoned.
With cries of rage and fury, the actual soldiers tore off after them, and in the blink of an eye, all were gone, and silence ensued.
It had all happened so fast! The approach, the exchange, and they were gone. Why were the soldiers chasing those people?
Despite the lasting fear she felt now, Micaiah was overwhelmed by the rush of relief. They weren't after them at all, they were safe today, and her friends were alright.
Breathing heavily after holding her breath for so long, she turned to the rest of the group, utterly beaming with relief. Their reactions were very much the same as hers, and they were muttering "Oh, thank the Goddess!" repeatedly. Brandy hadn't moved an inch since they got inside the house in the first place, and was visibly trembling in the arms of Winnie.
"It's alright, Brandy, we're safe now." Micaiah said, placing a hand on the young girl's shoulder. The poor girl, she was so young, and to see such a thing on her first night with her alleged heroes? They dealt with things like that every day. She could already feel Sothe having his doubts about her, but the others wanted to be supportive. People were executed daily, in some parts of Daein. It was just an ugly truth.
Brandy looked up at her from behind a veil of hair, lips slightly parted and tears falling from her eyes. An iron hand gripped Micaiah's heart and squeezed as she landed on her knees beside the girl, taking her hand.
"Be strong, Brandy. We see this every day, and I know it's horrible, but it's life. I'm so sorry you had to see that." She whispered through the pressure beneath her chin that made it hard to swallow. She couldn't help but feel like it was her fault.
"Did you see them, guys?" The dark mage choked suddenly, turning to Orland and Winnie, who exchanged raised eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" Asked Winnie slowly, shifting to get a view of the girl's face. Micaiah knew before the girl even said it though, she could hear it in Brandy's mind.
Oh no... oh no no no !
Brandy's eyes gleamed as more tears fell, streaking her pink face. She pulled Winnie tighter, and clenched Micaiah's hand before speaking.
"The two being chased. I know you knew who they were, Win." She coughed, and drew her knees to her chest. It was such a sad, volatile position. Winnie's head also fell, and her eyes darkened considerably. The Maiden gave Brandy's hand an extra squeeze, trying not to let her own head drop.
"I know you could tell it was Kest and Sade."