The Eve of Battle
Not long after we were released by the Oronir, the Nadaam began. It was a fierce battle and one that truly showed just how strong the warriors of the Xaela were. In the end, though, it was neither Magnai, nor Sadu, nor anyone else that claimed the ovoo, the spot upon which the victor would be declared for all to see. It was S'eni, the Warrior of Light and now also the Khagan of the Steppe.
With the tribes united and rallied to our cause, there was nothing else to do but to return to Yanxia and to prepare...
Prepare for the battle that would see the Garlean Empire driven out and the people of Doma finally free after 25 long years.
The House of the Fierce was largely quiet as she stepped out of the little corner that served as her room. It was little more than a bunk against a chipped wall and a blanket hung up to give a little bit of privacy. Pulling the blanket back into place, she could hear the occasional whisper and snore drifting towards her.
Quietly, as to not disturb anyone, S'eni made her way down the hallway into the direction of the main hall. She was just about to step out of the broken doorway when she bumped into Lyse.
"Sorry, I wasn't—Oh S'eni," her friend said. "Still awake?"
"I could ask you the same," S'eni replied with an amused tone.
"Yeah, well, I was helping the people of Namai..." the expression on her friend's face became one of embarrassment. "But, um, they threw me out. Told me I should get some sleep. Big day and all."
Lyse sighed and looked past her down the hallway, where the people of the Liberation Front were resting. "Not long now, eh? I'm a bit nervous, to be honest. Something is going to change tomorrow. Really change. And when the dust has settled, we'll see what we've won...and lost..."
S'eni wished she could tell her that everything was going to be alright tomorrow, but they both knew that was a lie. People would die tomorrow. So instead she reached a hand out and put it on top of Lyse's shoulder.
Her friend's blue eyes filled with warmth and a smile danced across her lips.
"Thanks, S'eni...Let's give it our best tomorrow." A yawn then forced its way past her lips. "Alright, yeah, I think I had better get to bed. You should probably too, Warrior of Light."
"Don't worry. I will," S'eni promised with a chuckle.
"Well, good night then."
"Good night." She watched her friend leave for a moment before continuing on her way.
Moonlight shone through the large hole in the ceiling of the main hall, wrapping itself around the repaired Aetheryte and mingling with its own soft, blue glow, making the few torches that had been lit around the hall almost obsolete.
As she walked around the main hall, she noticed that light came out of the room they had gathered at earlier to discuss their plans come morning. The corners of her lips curled into a smile when she peeked inside.
The twins were sitting at the planning table, leaning against one another and both fast asleep.
Looking around for a moment, she managed to find a blanket and place it around their shoulders before leaving them to their sleep of the righteous.
Leaving the main hall in the direction of the second entrance, S'eni could hear two familiar voices talking to one another, filled with merriment that could only be caused by one thing: a good drink.
So she wasn't at all surprised when she found Hien and Gosetsu sitting at a table and sharing one. Or a few.
"Oho, another restless soul," Hien greeted her and waved her over. "Come, have a drink with us!"
She considered his offer for a moment, then shrugged. "Sure, why not? What are we drinking to?"
"To freedom!" With a grin on his face, he grabbed a glass and filled it with a generous amount of wine, handing it to her as she sat down.
They raised their glasses and each took a healthy sip. A breath escaped her as the alcohol began to work its magic almost instantly, calming her down and making her belly feel pleasantly warm.
This was some strong stuff.
"What's wrong, Gosetsu?" she asked when she noticed the old man's expression.
"He still isn't on board with the plan."
"Ah." It didn't surprise her in the least that the old Samurai was against flooding Doma Castle, but as Hien had said, it could always be rebuilt so long as Doma's people lived.
"No." The Roegadyn said, shaking his head. "I have accepted your decision. But sitting here, drinking. It makes me recall the many things we have lived through."
He emptied the glass and refilled it again.
"In all my years of service, there are but two failures that haunt me to this day. The first was our defeat 25 years ago. I considered taking my life to atone for that, but it was your father that stopped me. 'Live, Gosetsu. For my unborn child, Shun.' he had said." The older man released a deep sigh. "The second, of course, was the betrayal of that command when I could neither protect Lord Kaien nor you during the rebellion. Yet all of you...saw fit to grant a failure such as me a second chance. To serve a higher purpose. Thank you...for pitying this old fool..."
After saying that, he bowed his head so deep S'eni was afraid he might knock it against the table and from the way his shoulders were shaking he was about to cry.
"Now now. Save your tears for tomorrow, we will have ample cause to shed them, be it for joy or despair," Hien said, then shook his head. "Bah! Even that sounds morose. We shouldn't think too much of the destination and instead welcome whatever comes with open arms."
"Then let's drink for whatever tomorrow may bring."
"That's more like it!" The young king refilled both of their glasses and clanked them together. "We have you to thank for coming this far. All debts will be repaid, my friend, you have my word."
They once more raised their glasses to their lips, but stopped almost simultaneously and looked at one another. So they both had noticed. With a shrug, he turned his head towards the shadows, where a certain Au Ra was lurking.
"If you have no intention of sleeping, Yugiri, then you might as well join us," he said.
The Shinobi stepped out of the shadows, looking a tad embarrassed to be found out.
"Forgive me, my lord. I did not mean to...If that is your will."
As Yugiri walked over to them, S'eni poured her friend a glass and handed it to her with a little smirk. "Well, bottoms up," she said.
"Well then—" Hien turned towards her with an expectant smile on his face. "—I think it's time I heard some of these tales that seem to surround you."
"Sure," S'eni replied, running a finger along the edge of her glass while enjoying the slight buzz she was feeling. "Now what would be a good one..."
She didn't exactly want to start off with ending a war that lasted for a thousand years. That might just temper expectations for tomorrow.
"Why not the time you fought Leviathan?" Yugiri suggested.
"Ah, yeah, that's a good one. So it began just after Yugiri and I had arrived in Revenant's Toll..."
She told them how the Sahagin, with the help of an enthralled group of pirates, had gathered a large amount of crystals to summon forth their primal and terrorize the seas they claimed as their own. How they tried and failed to stop them and thus were forced to come up with a rather bold plan to deal with the Lord of the Whorl. Of course she didn't leave out the not inconsiderable assistance that Yugiri had provided during the whole situation.
In the end, Leviathan had been defeated. Not an easy task at all.
Though now that she thought about it, the Kojin's blessing would help a lot if she had to fight Leviathan again.
After she was done with that story she regaled them with their misadventure in the Sylphlands. None of them walked away from that one feeling smart and Y'shtola was still bristling in annoyance way after they had left that place again.
"What a curious tale," Gosetsu said. "It was fortunate you and your friends know each other so well as to see through such disguises."
"Yeah." S'eni emptied her glass and a grin formed on her lips. "Maybe when everything's over, Doma could send an emissary to the Sylphs. They could teach your Shinobi a thing or two."
Yugiri's eyes widened as she nearly choked on her drink and Gosetsu's booming laughter began echoing through the air. Wiping the corners of her mouth, the Au Ra sent a glare towards her.
S'eni's grin grew and she held up her hands as if to surrender herself.
"And I suppose that's my cue to leave," she said and rose to her feet.
"Off to bed?" Hien asked.
She shook her head. "Not yet. But I figured if I still want to take a walk I should probably do so before it gets too late. And I think it'll help me sober up."
"Very well. Be careful though."
"Don't worry. I won't go far," S'eni promised and, with a small wave of her hand, left her friends to their drinking.
A soft, yet warm, breeze caressed her cheek as she stepped outside, making her pause and close her eyes to enjoy the feeling for a bit before continuing onward. While one couldn't see them, S'eni knew that there were lookouts nearby, keeping watch over their sleeping comrades for the big day ahead of them.
Walking down the hill, she stopped in front of the pond there and sat down on the ground to untie her sandals. After placing them next to her, S'eni took off her black-colored tabi before dipping her feet into the water.
She released an appreciative sigh as the pleasantly cool water soothed the little aches that had built up over the course of the day and looked up at the starlit sky.
Such a beautiful night...
S'eni enjoyed the sight for a little longer before lowering her gaze once more and letting it come to rest on the yellow lights dancing across the pond's surface, like tiny stars that had been pulled from the endless sea above and were flickering in and out of existence.
Almost on its own volition, her hand reached into her pocket and pulled out the small pearl inside of it. She rolled it between her thumb and index finger, absentmindedly feeling the engravings on it.
She raised her linkpearl, stopping just shy of her ear and keeping it there for an agonizingly long moment before finally giving in to desire and popping it in with her finger.
Long seconds passed and she was about to pull away again when her call was accepted.
"Yes?" Y'shtola's voice broke through the static, sounding quite groggy but still making S'eni's heart do a little flutter. "Who is there?"
"It's me," she replied, a small smile forming on her lips as her cheeks flushed. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
"Eni?" The grogginess was gone in an instant, followed by the faint sound of rustling sheets. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, don't worry. I just wanted to check in, I suppose. But if it's a bad time—"
"No no. It's fine," Y'shtola interrupted her and released a breath. "I was just napping anyway."
"Healer's orders?" S'eni asked, not being able to stop herself from chuckling at her lover's weary sigh.
"Very much so. I know Krile means well, but I believe she is a little excessive."
"Getting a taste of your own medicine for once there."
"I'm not that bad."
She simply let her silence be her answer.
"Fine. Perhaps a little," the other Miqo'te said with a huff. S'eni grinned, but kept herself from saying that it was more than just a little because she then would most likely have to admit that she quite liked that side of her. "On that note, you will be delighted to hear that I was allowed to walk a few steps today."
"Oooh, keep that up and you'll be jumping in no time!"
"Yes, and once I do, I shall frolic through the fields." She dropped her dry tone. "But I doubt you hearing every minute detail of my recovery was the reason for your call."
"No. But it does me good to hear it nonetheless," S'eni admitted. Maybe it was the alcohol still coursing through her system, or maybe it was the fact that they were heading into battle tomorrow that made her say her next words. "...I miss you."
Y'shtola released a sigh. "I miss you too..."
To hear those words from someone like Y'shtola, who kept most of her feelings close to her chest, made her feel incredibly happy.
They went silent for a moment and S'eni simply enjoyed the warmth coursing through her before her lover broke it again by clearing her throat, something that made her lips form an affectionate smile.
"So, how have things been on your end?"
"Well..." she raised a foot out of the water and watched the moonlight on her wet skin. "I...might have become the new leader of the nomadic tribes of the Azim Steppe."
She didn't need to see Y'shtola to know that she was blinking at that.
"Only for a year though," S'eni added and dipped her foot back in.
"Whenever I think you can't surprise me anymore you prove me wrong every time."
"Is that a good or bad thing?"
"I will leave that up to your imagination," her lover replied.
"Alright. I will do that then," she replied with another chuckle. "And how are things in Gyr Abania?"
"The Resistance is recovering well, or so I'm told, and the Alliance is still holding Baelsar's Wall, though not for lack of trying from the Garleans," Y'shtola explained. "It's actually the reason why I and many of the other wounded will be transported to Revenant's Toll tomorrow. Krile thinks it's not safe for us here, and I'm inclined to agree."
"Yeah. It was only a matter of time anyway. And it's a better place to recover than a Castrum."
Y'shtola sighed once more. "At least I shall have something to read."
"You mean all the books you've read at least a hundred times already?" S'eni's eyes rose back up to take note of the moon's position. It was getting late. "Listen, I wish we could talk more, but I need to go. It's actually quite late here. And I think I kept you from your nap long enough."
"I feel like all I'm doing these days is sleeping, so I very much appreciate the distraction."
"So I'm a distraction now?" they both shared a little laugh.
"The best kind," Y'shtola replied, her voice just above a whisper with an audible smile in it.
"I'll be back soon," S'eni said. "I promise."
"I will hold you to that." A yawn escaped her, serving as proof that despite her words, her body was still recovering. "Good night, Eni."
"Good night, Shtola."
After their connection was cut, S'eni exhaled through her nose, pulled the linkpearl from her ear and put it back into her pocket. Rising to her feet, she put on her sandals once more and began to make her way back to the House of the Fierce, stopping halfway to look into the direction of where Castle Doma was located.
They had done everything they could. Now all there was to be done was winning...