Footsteps of Fate
"Lyn? Lyn, where are you?" Alysia called out. She'd managed to scrape together some supplies for their journey ahead: two bedrolls, a tinderbox, some assorted tools and other things that they may find need for on the journey. Now, she walked to Bulgar's south-eastern gates, wondering what Lyn was doing. Surely purchasing some provisions couldn't take this long...
"Alysia! Over here!" Alysia walked over to where Lyn was waving. She was already at the gates, waiting patiently for her. She smiled to herself as she closed the remaining distance.
"Ready to go?" Alysia asked. Lyn nodded.
"Oh, my heart! What a dazzling vision of loveliness!" A male voice called out behind Lyn. Both Lyn and Alysia looked to the source to see a brown-haired cavalier in green armor ride up. "O beauteous one," he addressed Lyn, "would you please favor me with your name? Or better yet, your company?"
Lyn frowned. "Where are you from, sir knight, that you would speak so freely to a stranger?"
The cavalier's smile grew impossibly wide. "My lady, I come hail from the Caelin canton of Lycia, home to men of passion and fire!"
"Shouldn't that be 'home to callow oafs with loose tongues?" Alysia needled.
The cavalier managed to tear his eyes away from Lyn long enough to see Alysia standing not two feet away. His eyes widened in mock horror. "Such a shame that a lovely damsel as yourself should possess a tongue so venomous!"
Alysia rolled her eyes. "I'm hardly some dainty little girl in need of rescuing." She drew a knife from its sheath sewn into her cloak's sleeve. There were a few of them in various places throughout her cloak, she'd discovered, as well as a pocket sewn into the cloak that she had holding a vulnerary.
"Come on, lets go." Lyn said. Alysia nodded, and quickly followed behind, replacing the knife.
"Wait! Please..." The cavalier called out from behind them. They ignored him, and continued on, only to find themselves stopped by yet another cavalier, this one wearing a red shade of armor that matched his hair.
"Sain! Hold your tongue!" The other cavalier said sharply.
"Ah, Kent! My boon companion. Tell me, why the severe face?"
At this, the red cavalier's face lightened ever so slightly. In an exasperated tone, he said, "If you didn't go galloping off to consort with ladies every chance you get, I wouldn't have to be so severe! If you could just be silent for five minutes..."
"In the presence of such beauty? Impossible! To do such a thing would be discourteous!"
Alysia cleared her throat, but before she could speak, the red cavalier started up.
"And what would you know of courtesy?"
"Excuse me!" Alysia said, stopping another exchange before it could begin. "Could you two please move your horses? You're blocking the road."
Kent nodded. "Of course. My apologies." He quickly moved his horse off the road, with Sain following close behind.
"Thank you." Lyn said. "You seem honorable enough."
Kent turned from Alysia and looked at Lyn. His eyes narrowed slightly. "I beg your pardon, but you seem familiar. Have we met before?"
"What?" Lyn frowned. "No... I don't believe we've met before. Why?"
"Hey, I saw her first, Kent! That's no fair!" Sain interjected.
"It seems that there are no decent men among Lycia's knights!" She turned to Alysia. "I've run out of patience. Alysia, let's go." Alysia nodded, and followed quickly.
"Wait!" Kent called out. "It's not like that!"
"That was... odd." Lyn said as they walked along the road, heading south. Alysia nodded.
"I can only wonder how those two managed to become knights in the first pl-" She paused, listening.
"What is it?" Lyn asked. She strained to hear what Alysia had heard, but it was to no avail.
"We're being followed." She said.
"By the knights from town?" Lyn asked.
"I wish. It's a group of bandits, at least eight of them." She grabbed Lyn's hand. "Come on, lets keep moving. We won't be able to handle them all-"
"Got that right, girl!" A rough voice called out from a stand of trees nearby. Lyn pulled Alysia behind her, even as she drew a pair of knives.
A green-shirted man stepped forwards, making no attempts to hide the long scar crossing over his right eye, or the battle-axe in his hand. His eyes fell on Lyn. "Well then, aren't you a pretty one! You're called Lyndis, aren't you?"
Lyn visibly stiffened. "How do you know that name? Who are you?"
The bandit shook his head. "Such a waste. An absolute waste. The things that I'll do for gold. Ah well. Time to die! Come on out, boys!"
More bandits appeared everywhere. "Lyn, we won't be able to handle all of them!" Alysia said.
She shook her head. "I won't give up!"
"There! She's over there!" A familiar voice rang out. Lyn and Alysia turned to see the two cavaliers charging. The bandits scattered as the knights approached, though none went very far.
"Hold! You there, what is your business?" Sain brandished his lance, and looked around. "Such numbers against girls? Cowards, every one of you!"
"You're the knights from Bulgar!" Lyn said, surprised. "Why would you-"
"We'll discuss that later." Kent said quickly. "These bandits obviously mean to do you harm. If they wish to fight," He drew his sword, "let them look no further than myself!"
"Stand back! We'll take care of this!" Sain cried.
"No, this is my fight! Stay out of this!" Lyn countered.
"Well, I won't just stand here and do nothing!" Sain said. Spurring his mount on, he prepared his lance and charged at a nearby bandit. Information flowed forth.
"Wait, Sain!" Alysia cried. The bandit settled into a crude combat stance, and knocked the lance aside before landing a blow on Sain's back as he passed.
At this rate, Lyn won't have much choice other than to fight alone. Alysia thought.
"Sain! Why aren't you using your sword!" Kent and Alysia called out at the same time.
"Please! The lance is a hero's weapon!" Sain called back. "A knight should be heroic!"
"There's nothing 'heroic' about an early grave!" Alysia replied. "Keep such a cavalier attitude about this fight, and that's all you'll get!"
Kent took a moment to look Alysia over. "You seem to know quite a bit about combat."
"I've dabbled in the fine art of tactics." Alysia said.
Sain seemed to overhear this. "Beautiful and talented? Lead us, by all means! I shall gladly ride through Hell itself for you should you but give the word!"
Kent sighed. "Alysia, I have a spare blade. Please allow me to make up for my companion's blunder."
Alysia nodded. "Please." Kent charged forwards, brandishing his sword. The bandit tried to parry the sword as he had done with the lance, but found himself with a fair slash across his chest for his troubles.
"Lyn, he looks close to defeat! Land the final blow!" Alysia called. Lyn nodded, and broke into a sprint towards the bandit. She cut across his chest, dodged an anemic blow from her foe, and landed a lethal strike atop her foe's head, splitting it. She cleaned off her blade on the grass as Kent handed off his spare sword to Sain, along with a comment about him almost not being worth the trouble. Sain countered with a comment about growing old before his time, then turned his attention back to Alysia.
"Alysia!" Sain called out. "Give me another chance!"
Alysia nodded, and looked around, surveying the land, feeling the world around her like a sixth sense. "There is a bandit in the trees to the south! Take him!"
Sain nodded, and spurred his horse towards the unseen foe. He charged into the trees, and a sharp cry was heard. Sain galloped out.
"Another foe defeated!" He called, holding up his sword in victory. Behind him, another bandit slowly approached.
"Behind you, you lout!" Kent cried, spurring his horse on. Lyn prepared to follow, but Alysia stopped her. She shot Alysia a look of confusion.
"They'll be able to handle him. Do you see the bandit atop that bluff?" Alysia pointed north. Lyn followed her hand, and squinted.
"Barely, yes." She confirmed. "But how did you-"
"Then let's go!" Alysia interrupted. Lyn nodded, and together they dashed forwards, using scattered groves of trees for cover.
A little while later, the knights came up to join them as thy reached the base of the cliff. Alysia looked at Sain with worry.
"You said your name was Sain, right?" Alysia asked.
"Yes, milady!" Sain said cheerily.
"Why have you yet to heal yourself of your wound?" Alysia asked pointedly.
"I'm injured?" As if on cue, Kent slapped Sain's back where he had been hit with the blade of an axe earlier. He inhaled sharply at the pain.
"Kent!" He groaned. "Simply pointing the wound out to me will suffice in the future."
"I have a spare vulnerary with me. Please take it." Alysia tossed the ceramic container to Kent, who caught it and began applying it to his companion's injury.
While Kent tended to his companion, Lyn and Alysia moved up the bluff to deal with the bandit. Lyn easily dispatched the foe with two quick strikes to the chest.
They returned to find Sain ready to fight again. From the base of the bluff, they moved to a nearby river. Across the river was the man who had attempted to fight Lyn earlier, before the knights had intervened.
"Damned knights! Always interfering with the business of others!" He shouted.
Sain attacked first, charging forward and catching the bandit on his right shoulder. The bandit wheeled around to hit the knight as he fled. His back was turned as Kent rode past, hitting his other shoulder. The bandit was sent spinning, and staggered to regain his balance.
"Now Lyn!" Alysia cried out. Lyn pounced like a cat, sword raised high. She brought the blade down hard on her foe's neck, neatly separating the man's head from his shoulders.
"That's the last of them!" Lyn said victoriously, cleaning off her sword. She looked at the knights. "You knights of Lycia said that you were going to share your story with me?"
Kent nodded. "We came here from Caelin, in Lycia, to find someone."
"Who is so important to find that you would risk the hazards of traveling through the mountains to the southwest?" Lyndis asked.
"We've come as messengers to the lady Madelyn, who eloped with a Sacaen nomad somewhere around twenty years ago." Kent explained.
Lyn's eyes perked up at the mention of that name. "Madelyn?"
Kent nodded. "She was the only child of our lord, the marquess of Caelin. When she left him, his heart was broken. Eventually, Marquess Caelin declared that she was no longer his daughter. So-"
"So imagine his surprise," Sain interrupted, "When earlier this year, he received a letter from Lady Madelyn, saying that she, her husband, and their daughter were living happily on the Sacae Plains! The marquess was ecstatic to learn that he had a granddaughter. I can still remember the smile on his face when he announced the news. His granddaughter's name is Lyndis, named after his own wife, who passed away at an early age."
"Lyndis?" Alysia asked. Hadn't that bandit called her Lyndis?
Sain nodded. "The fact that his wife's name was chosen for his granddaughter thawed the man's heart. He merely wishes to see his daughter's family for himself. That is our mission. Unfortunately, we didn't know that Lady Madelyn died days later in a bandit attack. We only learned that after we arrived here in Bulgar."
"But all isn't lost." Kent continued. "We learned that her daughter still lives alone on the plains. I... I knew it the second we met. You are the lady Lyndis."
Lyn's eyes widened. "Why would you think that-"
"You look just like your mother." Kent said.
"You knew her?" Lyn exclaimed.
"I never got the chance to meet her in person," Kent explained, "but there are many portraits of her in Castle Caelin."
Lyn fell silent. "To the rest of my tribe," she whispered, "I was always Lyn. But when I was with my parents, I was Lyndis. It's strange. Just a few days ago, I thought I was all alone in the world. Now I have a grandfather!" A peaceful smile graced her face. "I... I never thought I'd hear the name Lyndis again."
They were silent for a moment. Alysia broke it first. "Didn't that bandit call you Lyndis?"
"What?" Kent sputtered. "How would he have known-"
"He must've been a henchman of Lord Lundgren." Sain said.
"Lundgren?" Lyn asked.
"The marquess's younger brother." Kent explained. "With Lady Madelyn gone, he'd be next in line for the throne, but with you alive..."
"She's the new heir." Alysia said.
"But I have no interest in the title!" Lyn exclaimed.
"I doubt your granduncle will believe that." Sain said. "So long as you live, you are the rightful heir to the throne. The attempts on your life will continue, whether you intend to take the throne or not."
"What should I do?" Lyn asked.
Kent spoke up. "Accompany us to Castle Caelin."
Lyn nodded. "I'll come with you." Lyn turned to Alysia. "I'm sorry. This changes our plans entirely. What happens now?"
"That's up to you." She said.
"Well, your companionship would ease the journey," Lyn said, "but-"
"Then I'll stay with you." Alysia said quickly.
"Are you sure?" Lyn asked, poorly hiding her relief.
"Yes." Alysia said confidently. "Who knows, maybe I'll remember something about my past."
"What do you mean?" Lyn asked.
"I... I don't remember much about my life before you rescued me from the Sacae Plains." Alysia admitted. "I've been recovering bits and pieces, but it isn't much."
"I see." Lyn said. "Maybe this journey will help you."