Zero War - The Long War
Ok first am sorry for the delay been busy the last few months since summer with family issues and this fall catching me by surprise with many a essay (Which i hope turned out well). Also on another note, i found myself a new beta reader but he's busy right now and hasn't replied to any of PMs (for a week however i've been informed that he's was more likely to be busy) so this chapter has not been beta read him or her but it has been by me. So if you see any mistakes let me know via review or PM me, this also goes without saying in regards anything that you don't like about the story.
Also just one more thing, I'm pretty happy that i've been able to write eight chapters (counting this chapter) and yes i know there aren't the best but still am rather proud of it considering past attempts at writing. So please read and enjoy this new chapter. :D
Zero War - Chapter 8
Louise woke as the first rays of the sun assaulted her eyes and in reaction, she turned around until she face away from it.
A few minutes later, she opened her eyes and the first sight she saw was one which frighten her. It was the sight of a man sleeping on the bed of hay meant for her familiar however it did not last.
"Oh right" she thought, relaxing and remembering the events of the day before as her eyes come to rest on the white pillow which her familiar head was resting on. She'd forgotten to take it back after dinner last night. It didn't matter to her, remembering that he was still injured.
Remembering that her familiar was injured, brought the rest of her memories rushing into her still hazely mind.
The man before her was her familiar and a soldier from a distance land, she told herself as memories of her familiar twin explanation yesterday of his own nation flashed through her mind.
The translation spell must have made a mistake she was no fool. It was impossible for the familiar to be from an empire that controlled whole planets. True the world was round, that far she was aware of, but it was just impossible for what the familiar said to be true. In addition, she thought, the man had little evidence to support his claims beside his weird sword.
So clearly whoever was responsible for casting the translation spell on her familiar must have made a mistake so this mistranslation was clearly their fault.
She thought, as her eyes begun to feel heavy.
It was a mistake that had lead to the use of the word "world" rather than "land" however even as this thought occurred to her, a part of her disagreed. This Imperium of Man must be on the other side of the Holy Land, she reasoned, but even so she had a hard time imaging an empire ruled by commoners rather than nobles.
It was impossible, she thought with little conviction.
The man, her familiar, the colonel, had defensed a noble with nothing more than a sword. It was a...impressive display of skill, she admitted but he was still a commoner. The man had even admitted to it without any shame.
But the question of 'how' echoed in her mind. The man had only a sword on him so how did he beat an experienced noble like Mr. Venture?
She carefully studied her familiar peaceful and relaxed facial features, in the hopes of finding an answer, until her eyes begin to feel tired and slowly made their journey downwards. However when her eyes come to rest on the colonel sword, it was only then that she realized it was a short sword.
A short sword.
He defensed Mr. Venture with nothing more than a short sword, she thought shocked.
A short sword was used primary as an auxiliary sword but it was also known to be used in close quarters and in doors fighting. Short swords were not actively used by magi swordsman in the five nations, according to Wardes.
The thought of Wardes, reminded her of the warmth she'd felt when he embraced her within his firm and well muscled arms. She smiled at the memory, her cheeks turning red, as her mind cleared the last of the morning haze.
She stood up and yawned, noticing that the sun was higher in the sky, before she made her way to her chest at the end of her bed. She opened it without another thought and found herself staring, stupidly, at neatly folded cloth, until she remembered that she had asked her maid to pack her belongs because she planned to leave the academy. Did she still plan too? She asked herself turning to look at her familiar.
She was interrupted before she could come to a decision when someone knock on the door. The pattern sounded familiar, she thought, so without thinking she made her way to the door and opened it. A woman wearing a lovely dress with a hood stood there silently staring at her. She recognized the dress but she couldn't quite place it from where.
"Don't you remember our secret knock?" the hooded figure asked her, amused. The figure removed the hood and stepped into her room.
"You can close the door now, Louise and stop staring at me." the princess said, teasingly.
She barely managed to close the door before she realized who it was, she brushed embarrassed that she did not recognized her childhood friend. She quickly cast a quick check at her familiar before looking back at the princess. Good she thought, her familiar was still asleep.
"I never imaged that we would be reunited again under this kind of situation, Louise, but our fate is never ours to control now is it Louise?" the princess asked, playfully with a grin on her face. She couldn't move her month nor even think. The princess could see the shock in her face; she smiled at childhood friend and continued until she stood behind her.
"It's nostalgic, this feeling Louise Francoise of old times when we weren't trapped like a bird in a cage. Isn't it?" the princess turned around and looked at her friend, the frozen shocked face still painted on her face, the princess smiled. "Yes, Louise it has been a long time since we've seen each other."
"Princess!" she finally managed to say, joyfully, rushing the princess until she come to a stop close to her childhood friend. The princess reach out for her and in turn she took hold of her hand, the warmth of the princess hand was enough to bring buried memories of her childhood rushing to the forefront of her mind.
"Louise!" the princess said, with a smile on her face and warmth in her tone.
"It is really very nostalgic, seeing you again, princess after all these years." she said, softly. "I always wanted to see you princess, again." she admitted, even quieter to the point that the princess barely heard it.
"And I to, Louise I too wanted to see you again but fate has not been kind" Henrietta said, softly with a tears in her eye. The two of them slowly moved closer until their foreheads were touching.
The second turned into minutes, the minutes turned into dozens, and yet the silence was not broke by either of them, as they took comfort in each other presents however it did not least when suddenly Louise break away, kneed, and held her left arm crossed over her chest.
"I, your loyal servant was caught up in the moment of weakness, my princess. I did not act not as I should have princess in your presents. I beg your forgiveness your highness."
"Louise don't be like this we were childhood friends and we'll always be friends no matter what happens" Henrietta said, kindly.
"No, princess. This will not do your highness. This servant has even made you grace your present upon a humble and coarse place like this highness, you are too kind." Louise said.
"Please do ignore the formalities, after all you're one of the few I can open my heart to and we are friends, are we not?" Henrietta said, looking down at her friend. The princess could see that Louise brush at her words..
She moved closer until she was level with her childhood friend and held Louise hand in her own. "How could I ever forget you Louise Francoise." Henrietta said, fondly.
"I am honored that you still remember me princess." Louise said, firmly. The princess hugged Louise without another word as tears of joy ran down her eyes, Louise joined her too as was unable to stop herself from giving in, tears of joy escape her eyes "It has been too long, Louise my dear friend." Henrietta whispered.
"Do you remember the time we chased butterflies in the palace courtyard..." the princess started.
"...and because we had gotten our clothes covered in mud, we were scolded by the chamberlain, Lord La Porte..." she continued.
"...yes that's right, Louise the two of us were together" the princess finished. The two of them stayed silent for a few moments, enjoying the present of the other and the warmth of each other until it was broken by the princess. "Those were the days, when every day was filled with happiness and without a thought or touch of concern or worry. Passing the time having fun with you." Henrietta said, softly and with a touch of sadness in her voice. "these were the best times Louise."
Louise laughed not noticing her tone at all but rather remembering these memories long buried within her memory. "There was that one time when we had puffy cream cakes and we ended up in an quarrel! And every time we had a fight, I would always lose and start cr..." she suddenly come to an stop and coughed loudly "I mean, your highness has never won a fight against me, in any of our fights."
Henrietta laughed at the her reaction and smiled at her, then asked "Do you still remember the incident that we called the 'Siege of Amiens'?"
"I do remember your highness that was when we were playing 'palace game' fighting over who would wear the dress and who was going to be the princess too!" she said, cheerfully.
"It was at that moment at the most crucial moment that I managed to hit you in your stomach!" Henrietta said, laughing. Louise soon joined in with her as she remembered the moment. The two of them know that it was a dumb thing to be laughing at but they did not care as they drained themselves free of all their concerns, worry, pains, and sorrows.
Their laughter lasted for a good while however it was the princess who was the first to regain control of herself, who then waited until her friend stopped before asking her question. "How have you been, my dear friend"
"It been good." she lied. The princess let it be.
"That is good to hear, Louise."
"You haven't changed, Louise. That is good to hear indeed." the princess paused for a moment, as various emotions crossed her face until it settled on a smile. "I honestly envy you, Louise. The freedom you have must be great." Henrietta whispered softly, that it was only by change that Louise heard her.
"Is there something wrong your highness?" she asked.
"I'm due to be married soon..."
"Congratulation, princess." she said, happily but it didn't last long as she saw that her words did not cheer the princess.
"Louise can you deliver a letter to prince Wales of Albion, please?" Henrietta asked, bleeding, pulling a letter from a hidden pocket on her dress.
Louise without another word broke away from the princess and kneed down her left hand crossed over her chest.
"Your highness, this servant and third daughter of the Valliere family, Louise Francoise, is not just your friend but also your faithful subject. I will never forget my eternal loyalty to you, my princess and future queen." she said.
"Then you will do it, Louise?" Henrietta said her tone hopeful.
"Yes princess I will deliver this letter to the princes." she said, raising and taking the letter.
"Thank you, Louise for agreeing and remembering our past friendship. Know also that you will forever have my favor from now until death, my dear beloved childhood friend." Henrietta said, each word dipping with heartfelt emotions.
"Thank you, Louise. Now I have to leave as there is business that I must duel with." the princess said, turning around but she stopped half way and turned back to face her. "When you're ready to leave Wardes is waiting outside in the front ready to escort you on your journey." The princess turned once more and left her room, as for her, closing the door behind her.
She had frozen at the mention of her future husband name, Wardes. He was here, when? How? She didn't remember seeing Wardes at all, so how was he here? No, wait when did he get here, did he arrive last night?
Wait, never mind, she thought pushing the thought out of her mind, despite her strong desire to go and see Warde. She had to deal with a few things first, like checking on her handmaid and making sure that she was fine, she thought, suppressing the memory of the events yesterday. She maybe a commoner but she was her handmaid and in turn she was a member of the Valliere household and no one else had any right to touch her without her permission.
She decide to first check on her first before going to the main hall for a quick breakfast before heading out to meet Wardes out at the front of the academy. OK, time to…she stop as she realized that she was wearing her night dress.
Oh better change, she thought embarrassed.
As she changed, she remembered that she should ask her maid to pack a bag for her trip, in the case that she wasn't too injured.
Done dressing she looked at her familiar, for one last time, before she left the room, closing the door behind her.
A little while later, Siesta woke and immediately felt pain while struggling to breath. She tried to ignore the pain but it was a too much for her however she suppressed the need to grunt or cry helplessly.
This was the price that she paid for leaving the farm, she'd learnt over the years working for various nobles. So the injuries that she'd suffered yesterday wasn't the first time that she'd been harmed by a noble that she worked for.
So waking up to pain wasn't anything new to her however the pain in her chest was new. The water magi, Ms. Goon, had told her that the pain will fade in time, it just needed time to heal but was this pain normal? she thought, as she took another painful breath.
She signed, remembering her parents warning when she told them of her desire to leave the village to earn enough money to help raise her siblings. Of course, this wasn't the only reason but these wasn't important.
She was the elders of her siblings, so she was there watching and helping her parents raise her and her siblings. True, it meant more hands to help with work around the house and in the field but it also meant more mouths to feed and it was especially hard to do when they encountered a poor harvest.
This was why she sent most of her earning home and only kept a little for her.
She took a deep breath and slowly sat up on her bed, as her body squealed in pain but it was her chest that hurt the most, for a moment she felt a spell of dizziness and weakness wash over her.
But she had work to do, she told herself, work. So taking another breath of pain, she forced herself to stand, only to quickly seat down again when she felt her legs weaken and begin to give out from under her. Come on, she thought, this isn't the worst that you've had to endure. So she closed her eye and focused on home, her family, before finally saying a quick prayer to the emperor.
"God-emperor of mankind pass onto me strength to endure the pain and suffering in which I endure for the greatness of mankind. May your wisdom guide me and bring fortune to my family."
Opening her eyes, she stood again and pushed the pain to the edge of her mind, when she heard someone knock on her door thinking that it was just another commoner. She made her way to the door and opened it only to be surprised by the person she saw. It was her boss.
"However can I help you, master" she finally said, after a long pause.
"Good, I see Ms. Goon has done a good job healing all of your injuries, are you well enough to work?"
"Yes, I am, master." She said, despite the pain.
"Then please pack a bag for me and bring some food for my familiar in my room, where he's still asleep. Once the colonel has finished his meal you're to bring both the bag and the colonel to the front of academy where I or Viscount Wardes will be waiting."
"Yes, master." She answered, as Louise turned to leave her behind.
She took another painful breath before heading back into her room to clean herself up before doing as her boss commanded however a quick spell of dizziness hit her as she was about to open the door and she crashed into it but she caught herself before she hit the ground.
She took a deep breath of pain and forced herself to her feet. She had a duty to do and nothing will stop her from doing, she thought, as she opened the door and headed off to the kitchen.
While Louise headed off to breakfast at the main hall captain Wardes waited at the front of the academy, sleeping lightly in a high-wheeled cart (wagon kind off) which he'd borrowed from the academy.
The captain had woken early in the morning before sunrise, despite only getting an hour or two of sleeping during the night. The captain spent the early hours doing two things, waking the princess and reminding her of her desire to talk to her childhood friend and the second, getting everything ready for the mission to Albion.
Speed, he knew, was required of him in this mission but he didn't care really, after all, he would be traveling with a injured man. The captain chuckled softly to himself before he allowed his mind to drift off into the realm of dreams.
Siesta entered her room holding a tray of food for her boss familiar only to find the man stretching and exercising with his back towards her. Her eyes momentarily hung studying the familiar firm muscles before she finally noted the countless scared that crisscross his body before successfully tearing her eyes away and remind herself that she had a duty to do.
She closed the door behind before finally making her way to the only table in the room and placed the tray there and turned to wait until the familiar was done so that she could inform him of their boss desire.
The ignored her until he finally noticed her standing there beside the table, her eyes cast down.
Lin paused for a moment in confusion, unsure of where she'd seen the girl face before, as seconds turned into minutes. It took a while before it finally clicked to him. It was the maid from the fight but wait what was she doing here, shouldn't she be resting? But of course, he told himself he should have been surprised, he thought.
He smiled as he made his way towards her and seeing her keep her eyes downcast at all time rather than looking up. A sight that he'd seen before on dozens of worlds, it was a sign of respect and submission but he'd never like it nor cared for it.
"My lord, I see that you're feeling better." the maid said.
huh so they follow this tradition where only only nobles can be bestow the rank of colonel, he thought with distaste. It made sense to him but after his encounter yesterday he wasn't expecting much of the local nobility.
"I'm feeling fine, thank you." he said, nodding at her. He studied her carefully and quickly noticed the lack of features on her face that should carefully illustrate the punishment that she suffered yesterday however he found none despite carefully examining her face.
The only signs of injuries that he could find was that her breaths were uneven, almost as if she was short of breath...without another thought he closed the distance between them and placed his hand on her shoulder and placed the other on her chest.
Siesta immediately tried to defend herself, which include almost screaming, but she stopped herself when her chest erupted in pain and grunted in pain instant.
"What the hell are you doing moving around?" Lin said, his voice almost shouting.
"I...I'm..duty." she answered, saying each word with difficulty.
Lin almost hands tighten to the point that Siesta was frighten at the strength she could feel behind them but she was surprised when suddenly, he released her and pointed.
"Sit."
She did as she was told. The noble followed soon after her.
"You shouldn't be moving around, you're still injured." Lin said, sitting down opposite her.
She said nothing in answer.
Lin glared at the maid, admitting to herself that the maid was bravo for working with broken ribs and enduring the pain but it was stupid of her. There was no telling if she'd broken only one or more, if it was the latter than she would be dying a painful death.
She can't die. He refused to let her die. She can't die. A voice whispered softly in his mind. She can't die.
"Here eat" he said, pushing the food towards her. The maid made no move towards to it but he said nothing and waited.
Was this is another example of lost dark age of technology that the locals was just calling magic out of ignores or was this just another sign of heresy? he thought, as his hold on his short sword tighten. No he reminded himself, he'd been over this carefully, none of the abilities that the locals matched any psyker abilities which he knew off from his experiences with the guard.
But he wasn't sure, he'd had no proof, only observation.
A few minutes passed by before Siesta finally had the courage to say anything however she was cut off before she was even able to say two words.
"Don't worry about me, maid. I'm a soldier before I'm a noble. I've survived worse than not eating my breakfast. Now eat." he said, using his command voice.
The maid slowly moved towards the food and slowly ate while the colonel watched her every move. Siesta made sure to keep her eyes downcast as she ate.
"So what's your name, maid?" Lin asked, once Siesta was done with her meal.
"My name is Siesta Marcellus, I'm Ms. Valliere handmaid my lord."
"Good to meet you, Ms. Marcellus. My name is Colonel Marcus Lin of the Imperium of Man.." she did not hear the rest of the colonel words as the words Imperium of Man echoed in her mind. It couldn't be, she thought, fighting to stay put in her place.
It couldn't be true, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be true, the thought repeated over and over again in her mind.
Lin noticed the sudden fear appear in her eyes, at his mentioning of of the Imperial Guard but he did not push the issue. He simply filed it away for future discussion.
"So now that you're done, I assume that there was something else that our little master wanted?" he asked.
"She wanted me to pack a bag for her and bring it with you to the front of the academy, where we are to meet with her and her fiance, Viscount Wardes." she said, once she shook her mind clear however her newest discovery wasn't far from her mind.
"So Ms Marcellus, why don't we get to work on it." Lin said, chuckling with a knowing smile. "So why don't you let me lead the way." Lin said, standing up and gripping her hand.
The maid tried to protest but she was silenced with a command. The colonel chuckled loudly and evilly as they existed the room, leaving the leftover foot on the table and Louise clothes neatly folded in her chest.
Lin let the maid lead him while he followed still attached to her arm however he was mindful of her chest, it was clear from her laboring breaths that her ribs were broken. The girl was lucky to be alive, he thought, remembering others who hadn't be so lucky and spent moments in unbearable pain.
They made their way down stairs of stone until they made contact with the ground and from there she lead them through the empty hallways.
It was a nice and quiet walk that was with the exception with what he assumed was the main hall, judging by the amount of noise coming out of it. The students were more than likely honoring that princess that he'd meet yesterday at the headmaster office, he thought, as he exename the architecture around him.
There was nothing of interest about it, as far as he could tell, so he turned his attention to Siesta, the handmaid was leading him to the front of the academy. The thought of running had occurred to him, the moment existed the main gate but he'd crushed any further thought along this line. He had a debt to repay and he will repay it.
The maid was beautiful, there was no doubt in his mind, her black smooth shoulder length hair nimbly swing back and forth as she walked, soft youthful features, and her bounty chest, if she had been born a noble. Man would be chasing her in droves.
The thought, brought a sad smile to his face, before it disappeared hidden away within. However it seem that he was too slow as he saw Siesta looking at him out of the corner of her eyes, confused. He smiled at her and answered.
"You remind me of someone." he said with a laugh "So are we almost at the front of the academy, Siesta?"
"Yes my lord, we're approaching the main gate now." she said, nodding at the direction in front of them his eyes followed seeing the gate. Despite his attempt to hide it from himself, he couldn't help but feel relief that he would be leaving this academy behind, even it wasn't a psyker academy as he first assume it was.
No human should be able to do what these nobles do, it was inhuman. Only monsters had such power and he'd seen monsters before whether they be human, mutant, xeno filth, or heretics.
The two of them passed under the main gate, where two guards were stationed. They greeted them and let them passed by without any trouble. Of course, as with any other commoner in the galaxy he heard them whisper to each other, no doubt in regards to the closeness between him and Siesta. A quick look at Siesta showed her unease.
He answered with nothing more than a smile on his own, there was little else that he can do beside ensuring that Siesta didn't fall over. She was still injured. He did a quick check in front of them and saw only a cart, it looked more like a wagon to him, but it didn't really matter to him.
He began walking towards the cart, with Siesta still attached to his arm and following, but as they approached the cart, the person in it sat up. This must be the Viscount they were meant to meet with, he thought, judging by the clothes the man was wearing.
"So you're Viscount Wardes?" he asked, as the two of met each other eyes.
"Yes, I'm Viscount Wardes or you just call me Captain Wardes." Wardes said, smiling at him however he didn't miss the lack of one within the man eyes. They were cold. They were the eyes of man like him. So the Viscount has seen the battlefield, he thought.
"Colonel Marcus Lin of the Imperial Guard and this here is Siesta Marcellus, Ms. Valliere handmaid." he said, letting go of the maid arm.
"Nice to you, my lord." Siesta said, bowing to the Viscount.
Wardes nodded to her in answer before turning to face him.
"So when will my fiance be arriving here I'm assuming that she sent you here first while she's doing something else?"
"Yes, my lord. She asked me to bring breakfast to Lord Lin and then bring him to the front of the academy to you. She said that she will meet us here." Siesta said, eyes downcast.
"So then it's just us until Louise arrives" Wardes said, looking at the maid before turning to face the colonel. He smiled at the colonel but the man simply stared at him, his eyes examining him head to toe.
So this man was coming with them on this errand huh so the princess was worried for the safety of her childhood friend. It was cute and illustrate to him the dept of their friendship but it was also sign that she was been cautious.
So the little princess was wasn't a complete fool.
"It would seem so" he answering, turning to face Siesta.
"lady's first" he said, bowing to her. Siesta cheeks turned red, her eyes flew between the captain and the colonel unsure of what to do.
Wardes didn't stop the maid, as it seem that she'd finally made up her mind and climbed up into the cart and sat somewhere behind him. He didn't care for her however he did care as the soldier climbed onto the cart.
He suppressed his desire to harass the colonel and turned to check the gate. Surprise, surprise, there was his future wife coming right now, he thought, smiling.
Louise had left the main hall, as soon as breakfast was over, which meant when the princess was finished with her breakfast. There was little that they could do but communicate the odd smile, look, here and their. It was enough for her. It made her feel happy and upbeat again after so long, to actually feel like she had a friend. That she wasn't alone.
Thus the reason she felt confident today, it was the best that she'd felt in weeks if not months, now that she thought about it. This was no surprise to her considering that she'd been dreading the familiar ritual.
Everything she'd been doing since she enrolled in the academy was to for that single moment in time, when she would finally summon a familiar of her own and prove that she was a magi. And prove she did, she thought with confidence.
She'd been able to summon a familiar, even if he was but a commoner, it was still a familiar and the proof was the runes on his hands.
Exiting the main gate, she saw no horses only a single cart with her handmaid sitting in the back with a man standing at the end, looking at her. Wait wasn't that the man from yesterday at the headmaster office?
She blushed, could this be Wardes? he looks so different, she thought, maybe she should head...no she firmly decide and so with the blush still evidence on her face. She begun a slow walk towards the captain but as she got closer her heart beat faster and faster, the closer she got to him.
"Morning, captain." she began, nervous "I sorry that I didn't recognize you yesterday..."
Wardes smiled at her and she blushed even more in return. "Don't worry, my dear beloved Louise, it wasn't the appropriate time to be introducing ourselves." he said, before he hang her.
"It's been too long my dear Louise." he said, releasing her. "Well everything is ready, my dear..."
"Don't call, my dear in public please" Louise managed to whisper softly.
Wardes looked at her, seeing a face that reminded him of his childhood, before he crushed it completely. "Then Louise it is, my dear." He saw anger replace her blush momentarily as he called her "my dear" again and smiled at her.
"So now that everything is ready, let get going Louise, we have a message to deliver" he said, cheerfully and lead Louise to the front of the cart where the driver sat and lifted her up before climbing up after her.
Sitting down and taking the reins in his hands, he noticed that Louise had yet to seat down. "Is there something wrong Louise?"
Louise looked at her handmaid before her eyes come to rest on her familiar who was sleeping from the look of it. Why were they taking a cart, wouldn't be faster if they ride horses? but her familiar was injured, she reminded herself but still why was her handmaid with...
"She was called a whole by that fool yesterday" Lin said, casually without even turning to face her from his sleeping position "It wouldn't be smart to leave her in the academy, someone may get a the wrong idea."
"But..I didn't want her to come along, she isn't necessary to the mission for the princess" she protested.
"Really, do you know how to cook?"
"I..." she turn red in embarrassment "...I don't need to, Wardes knows how to cook right?" she said, turning to face him.
"I don't."
"But..." she looked at her Wardes helplessly.
"I have my subordinations cook for me"
"See, you need her" Lin said matter of factly "Now I'm going to sleep, goodnight."
Louise tried to say something but couldn't come up with anything so she just sat down and leaned on Wardes. She so wanted to hit her familiar, she condam herself for forgetting to bring something to throw at her familiar.
"Don't worry, Louise the real reason she's coming is because she's still injured and considering the rumors I've heard from your fellow students and teachers. It's a good thing that she's coming with us, she'll be safer with us." Wardes whispered softly to Louise.
"But she'd been healed by Ms. Goon. She can't be still injured" she said, natively. He grinned in answer at her foolishness.
"Not all wounds can be healed by magic, Louise" Wardes said, causing Louise to look up at him and see a sad grin on his face before it disappeared under a smile but she could still see in his eyes. "She's been injured in her chest, her ribs were likely broken by Mr. Venture yesterday so she's suffering each time she breaths. It will take awhile for them to heal maybe a month or two, so be easy on her."
She didn't know that and it was reasonable now that she thought about it. She lean onto Wardes arm and said "We should get going."
Wardes smiled at her and with a bump the journey begin on her secret mission from the princess.
Back at the academy, the Griffin Knight stood at guard and alert for any signs of trouble but there was none until noon, when students were down at the main hall with the princess having lunch. Wardes had stationed two Knight's outside outside the infirmary heard the sound of someone crying softly to herself.
Concerned the two knight's entered the infirmary, weapons and magic ready for the worst. It could be nothing, thought Gerald, but it could also be a trip. She turned to her friend and fellow soldier, Hermione, and signaled on the count of three.
One.
Two.
THREE.
Hermione casted a wind spell that slammed the double opens, the hinges almost breaking, from the force of the spell while she launched herself through the wide open door expecting trouble but what she found was just the school water magi by herself.
She was sitting on the bed opposite the injured man, staring at the teacher who'd lost to the commoner yesterday. She lowered her sword, just a little and carefully approached the water magi and until she was standing within a step of her.
She carefully checked her surrounding for any signs of enemies but she found none however she didn't relax just yet. She nodded back her friend, who had remained at the door covering her back, while she turned to face the water magi.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked, as she brought her sword up in front of her.
"He's dead" the water magi nodding at the direction of the injured familiar "I've just woke up myself to check on him and I found him like this, dead. I've checked everything, there nothing wrong with him, his wounds are healed and his bone is recovering nicely so there should be no reason that he's dead." Ms. Goon finished, frustrating.
It was another blow but she will not hide. Thus the reason for the tears that ran down her eyes, There were tears of sorrow for Mr. Venture, she may have not liked the man, but he was still a human being. Another life. That she couldn't save.
The Knight beside her hadn't said anything since she'd finished her statement but she didn't care. There had to a reason that Ms. Venture died, she thought, it couldn't be from the injuries that been inflicted by the soldier yesterday.
So what could it be? she asked herself, no it was the wrong time to thinking about, she thought, pushing the thought to the back of her mind.
"Dam" said Gerald, as she turned to double check the room for any signs of entrance but after carefully triple checking her surrounding. She finally let her guard down and returned her sword to its rightful place beside her.
"Hermione" she said, turning to face her friend "It's clear"
"We'll have to inform the headmaster." she heard the water magi tell her "He wanted to talk to Mr. Venture before he return to duty."
"We'll inform the headmaster after we checked double checked this room. A man can't die for no reason at all." she said.
"True" the water magi said.
She ignored the water magi answer and left her where she was while she got down to work. First she had to inform the sub-captain and then get some of the more experienced members to join her, she may have missed something, she thought, getting to work.
The headmaster was in a good mood and so was Henrietta, he thought, thinking of the past when the princess was still young. She changed over the years ever so slightly, it weren't observe, but he could tell. The key was watching the minor details, for example, while the princess good mood was enough to fool everyone else it didn't fool him. He could see the touch of fear and concern within her eyes.
But he said nothing about it.
The morning passed and went and finally lunch come, where the tour of the academy ended. So that was the reason, he and the princess was here in his office. She was smiling again, he thought, watching the princess talking on and on without evening stopping. It was a change from yesterday.
He know from experience that it wouldn't least. It never does.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in" Henrietta said, cheerfully and without worry.
The door opened and in came Ms. Longueville, she didn't waste any time before headed over to his side and whispered softly into his ear. It was so sexy, he thought, but anymore thoughts along this line died as he heard what she said.
He shouldn't have been surprised, he thought.
"thank you for Ms. Longueville for letting me know, please tell Ms. Goon to double check the body for any signs of what could have killed the fool" he whispered back, making sure to keep his voice low.
Ms. Longueville turned and headed out of his office, closing the door behind her. When he turned to look at the princess, it was with difficulty. She was still so young and she had to deal with this mass, this was one kind that he hated about getting old.
"We have a problem, Ms. Venture is dead" he said, plainly.
Henrietta did a double take, unsure if the headmaster was being serious, but he was. All signs of cheerfulness disappeared from her face and was replaced with a pair of cold eyes.
"How?" the princess asked.
"Ms. Goon found him dead just recently, there was no signs of how he died or of anyone breaking into the infirmary. I've asked Ms. Longueville to ask Ms. Goon to double check the body" he said, studying her face.
"Dam it" Henrietta said, as her eyebrows knitted togather "There's nothing that we can do about it, what's past is past."
So young, too young.
"What did you do about the incident? with his death, his family will be demanding an explanation and you know the Venture family. If they don't like it they will cause you trouble." Henrietta said, coldly.
"That will not be a problem in itself, the rank of colonel is only given to these of noble birth. Ms. Valliere familiar is a noble, a minor one at that, but still a noble. They will simply be informed that he died from injuries suffered during a duel again another noble." he said.
The princess simply stared at him, as her mind considered what had been said.
"That can work, just make sure that they don't find out that he was Ms. Valliere familiar. It will only made the situation worse" she said.
"I will not..." he never got to finish as the door was slammed opened and Colbert entered the office short of breath, his eyes red from lack of sleep, and his clothes in a complete mass. Colbert looked up and tried to speak but was quickly silence as he tried to breath.
The Knights outside the office was glaring at the sight of Colbert threadly but a nod from the princess and they relaxed but there eyes remained on Colbert until the door was closed.
"Do you mind closing the door, Colbert and telling us why you're here?" Henrietta said. The professor closed the door and then made his way to the nearest chair and sat down.
"I stayed up all night in the library, princess, looking through everything we have and I managed to find out why Louise summoned a human" Colbert said, between deep breaths "It took quite a bit of time but I managed to find it."
"It?" he said, curiously .
"Yes it, the runes on the colonel hands. There's no doubt in my mind, that he's a Gandalfr and that Ms. Valliere is a void magi." Colbert finished.
Colbert words hit the two of them hard but the princess was the hardest hit as she remembered a memory long buried in her memories. She turned green and fall onto all fours before finally throw up her lunch.
It couldn't be, it couldn't be, it couldn't be, it couldn't be, the words echoed over and over again within her mind. It just couldn't be. Father wouldn't do such a thing.
So this meant that Louise, her friend was the rightful ruler of Tristain but father wouldn't do such a thing. He wouldn't. But he would, she thought, remembering other memories of her own father and detail that she'd learnt about his rule once she'd grown up.
He must have a reason for doing what he did, she thought, thinking of a particular memory. Once where a woman with pink hair and features that was similar to her childhood friend was arguing with her father about something while she stood in the corner afraid.
The memory had been buried by her mind over the years due to its nature but thinking about it now who was this woman? If Colbert was right and Louise was indeed a void magi then could her father have done...
"SUB-CAPTAIN HINO get the carriage ready. We're leaving right now." she shouted, with authority.
"You can't princess, we still have dinner and the final closing event of your tour. You can't leave yet" Osmond said.
The princess stared at the old man as he'd done something wrong before she finally calm down a enough to think clearly. That's right she still had the rest of today to consider, she thought, looking at the remains of her lunch.
The sub-captain choice that moment to enter the office.
"Princess"
"Sub-captain sent a message to the palace to my mother telling her that i want to meet with her as soon as i get back." she said and before she finally stood up. "I'm sorry about the floor Osmond, forgive me."
"All is forgiven princess."
"Thank you, I'll be in my room if you want to see me about anything, Osmond" she said, bowing at the headmaster before she turned to leave the office leaving the two of them to stare at each other as the door was closed.