Mark again walked in silence at the rear of their little group, he raised an apple to his mouth and bit into it. Glancing up briefly he spots Lyn and looks down sadly, he had no choice, and this was the only option available to him.
"Awwww Markie." Serra said jumping onto Mark's back again and nuzzling his cheek.
"I can't believe you broke Lyn's heart, what's wrong with you?" Serra continued shaking her head.
"I mean really, who cares about rank and nobility. Psh who need's such things; all you need is love Markie. You clearly need to be on top of that." Serra said now snuggling comfortably on Mark's back.
"This coming from you, Miss Noblewoman," Erk said. Sighing as he walks up to the pair.
"Oh Erky don't you worry." She jumps off of Mark's back, and walks up next to Erk.
"I know you have strong feelings for me. What man doesn't I mean I am the dream girl after all." She places her hand on her chest.
"I'm of noble birth, I'm rich, I'm charming, and to top it all off I'm beautiful." She runs her hand through her hair.
"Yes, truly you are the dream of all men." Erk mutters rolling his eyes.
"Why thank you Erky, well I'll let you men talk." She gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and walks off whistling happily to herself.
"That girl, I swear she lives in her own little dream world." Erk mutters shaking his head and walks up to Mark.
"I'm in no mood to talk about this Erk." Mark says glancing at Erk.
"I understand Master Mark , for now I think it's time we focus on getting to Caelin alive." Erk says nodding in agreement walking past Mark.
"Don't worry about Serra; I'll be sure that she leaves you alone for the time being." Erk walks off leaving Mark alone.
Mark looks up at Lyn and closes his eyes.
"… I just… I just don't get it." Lyn said shaking her head as she looks back at Mark who was talking to Serra. Though talking wasn't quite the term she'd use, Serra was on his back and rambling on about something.
"Milady Lyndis!" Sain shouts riding up next to Lyn.
"Yes Sain, how much further until we arrive?" Lyn says glancing up at Sain.
"We can reach Castle Caelin in two days, if we hurry." Kent says riding up next to the pair.
"Two more days…" Lyn sighs and glances back at Mark; she closes her eyes and sighs.
"Hold on, Grandfather. Please…" She muttered quietly to herself. While her grandfather's fate concerned her, that wasn't what was truly troubling to her.
"Cheer up, Lyn. If they see you looking so sad, the entire company will lose heart." Florina said softly walking beside Lyn.
"I know Florina but…" Lyn says looking up at Mark again, how her heart ached every time she looked at him.
"I-it's Mark isn't it Lyn… that's what's really bothering you." Florina said softly looking at the ground.
"I know the company is relying on me to be their pillar, but the man I love continuously breaks my heart." Lyn said nearing tears, she placed a hand on her chest and sighed.
"I…" Florina begins, however she is interrupted by Nils running up to their side.
"Lyn… Danger approaches…" Nils said gasping for breathe.
"What did you say?" Lyn says looking up at Nils, her previous expression all but gone.
"I don't see anything. Are you sure?" Sain says walking up beside the pair, he was glancing around.
"I feel it, too. I'm sure of it." Ninian says quietly now standing beside Nils. Ninian's eyes widen.
"Milady, don't move!" Ninian shouts, Lyn pauses for a moment, and where she would've been standing an arrow now rested.
"What in—where did this bolt come from?" Lyn says staring at the arrow in the ground.
"I'll be damned, technology at it's finest." Mark muttered walking up to the group. A grin on his face as he bit into an apple, she knew this look. He was already playing the battle out in his head; this is what he lived for. "So they have a ballista"
"The Lundgren must be getting serious, heheh deploying siege engines with no castle." Mark said, laughing as though to emphasis this fact.
"What is a ballista?" Lyn said, glancing at Seproth before again glancing down.
"A long ranged weapon, imagine if you will a giant bow. Only an archer can make use of the damn thing, but with their range they are death." Mark says, chuckling as he looks out into the distance.
"Well Florina, sad to say but I doubt you'll be seeing any action in this fight. You'll be a sitting duck for that damn thing." Mark says, shaking his head.
"The best way to deal with the thing is to get in close, and kill the rider. Quite simple, Sain and Kent I leave that task to you two." Seproth says walking off not stopping in shouting orders to everyone.
"Ahhh Lady Lyndis, I had hoped to talk to Master Mark but he appears busy." Matthew says, suddenly appearing beside Lyn.
"… What is it Matthew?" Lyn says her displeasure evident.
"I have some minor… business… to attend to. I'm unable to join you. If you need any of my possessions, please take them now." Matthew says, not bothering to actually leave any possessions as he runs off.
"I'm supposed to be the leader, and yet everyone defers to Mark." Lyn says, sighing in the process and closing her eyes. When she opens them again all doubt is washed from her face. For now let the battle be joined.
The battle was difficult; the troops were hell bent on guarding their siege weapon. Sain himself was nearly felled in battle, yet under Mark's guidance they at last secured the ballista.
"Well, well is this what all the fuss was about." Mark said glancing at the machine, then at Wil who had accompanied him to the ballista.
"Well, time to see what you're made of kid." Mark points at the Ballista
"Pilot the thing and shoot the enemies with it. Should be easy enough." Seproth said walking off, leaving a confused Wil staring at a Ballista.
"Well… it's just a giant bow right?" Wil mutters operating the controls of the ballista.
Meanwhile on the other side of battle, Serra was busy treating Sain's wounds.
"You should really be more careful, instead of foolishly charging into battle like that." Serra said shaking her head.
"Forgive me, my gorgeous Lady Serra, I just got a little headstrong." Sain says smiling at Serra.
"Well it's forgiven, just be more careful in the future." Serra said finishing up the wound.
"Ahhh as always, my precious flower you have rejuvenated me in more ways then one." Sain said placing his hand on his chest and riding back into battle.
"Yes, I know Erky, how jealous you are that I get so much attention from the men. Don't worry though; I only have eyes for yo…" Serra says glancing back and noticing, that Erk wasn't there.
"Erky, it's not good to leave a lady alone… Erk" Serra said, attempting to remain calm although, she was loath to admit it. Deep down she was worried.
"Well, well, what have we hear." A large shirtless man wielding an equally large axe walks up to Serra, brandishing the axe menacingly. Serra freezes and takes a step back.
"Seems a little cleric, has wandered off alone." The bandit chuckled holding up his axe.
"I dun really like, hurtin girls, but… that castle guy payin me a fortune, to see yall dead. Heh, I can push aside my morals for that." The bandit steps forward lifting the axe.
"Erk… please… come save me… I-I don't want to die just yet." She closed her eyes and took another step back. The bandit laughed as he brought his axe down and was struck in the back by an arrow..
"Ugh… wha-what happened?" The bandit stumbles forward losing the grip on his axe, which falls to the ground. Another arrow strikes him and another after that.
"How uncivilized." Rath mutters, pulling the bow string back one last time and… hitting the bandit in the back of the head.
"Are you alright, Serra?" Rath says riding up next to her. Serra looks up, still shaken by her encounter.
"I-I'm alright, Rath…" Serra said softly. Rath noticed she was looking around for something… or someone. He smiled softly as he looked at her.
"I believe I saw Erk up at the front lines. I will escort you to him, Lady Serra." Rath says holding his hand out to Serra.
At the front lines Mark was giving the final bit of orders.
"They have weapons that reverse the triangle. In other words Axe's now beat swords and lances beat Axes. So on and so forth." Mark says to Lyn and the company beside him.
"So Lyn, you handle the leader. The knight in the armor I assume, I can tell by lookin at him he's practically a target for you." Mark says, chuckling as he watches Lyn obey his order.
"Well, well everyone you did a good job. Battle's over we won and blah, blah, blah." Mark says, running his hand through his hair. He walks off to be alone. Lyn casts a glance at him and walks off too talk with her men.
"What a pain." Erk mutters, he glanced around the battlefield.
"Looks like I got ahead of Serra, no bother she should be fine on her own." Erk dusts himself off and begins to walk off. When he hears a horse ride up, a moment later he was all but tackled by an all too familiar pink haired girl.
"ERK!" Serra screamed, hugging Erk tightly. He could see the tears running down her eyes.
"Wha-what happened?" Erk said looking down at her, he had never seen her so… vulnerable.
"A bandit nearly did her in; lucky I was in the area… otherwise." Rath drags off shaking his head.
"I'll leave you two be." Rath rides off to join up with Lyn and company.
"Erk… how could you just leave me alone like that, you're supposed to be my bodyguard." Serra said between sobs, looking up at him with tear filled eyes. The sight was unnerving for Erk.
"I-I'm sorry… I was… just trying to assist in the battle. I thought you'd be… fine on your own if only for a little bit." Erk said.
"That's no excuse Erk… because of you… because you abandoned me… I-I…" Serra couldn't finish her sentence; instead she was quite content to slap Erk. Erk rubbed the area that Serra slapped.
"I… there are plenty of others capable of fighting, they could protect you. Rath did an excellent job… didn't he?" Erk said still rubbing his cheek.
"I don't care about the others Erk, I only…" Serra again couldn't finish. She closed her eyes, stood up and began to walk away.
"I only want you… to protect me Erk…" She muttered under her breathe. Erk couldn't hear her as she walked away. Instead he watched her walk off.
"I-I…" Erk fell to his knees and lowered his head in shame, he had failed. His only task to protect the young priestess, and he failed that.