Louise de la Valliere, Eighth Dragon of Halkegenia

by Gallian Squad 7

Or that's how history knows her. Demon-Slayer, Peace Maker, Champion of Nations, Archon. History knows her as a champion and leader of the world in the darkest of times, alongside her lovers. What most don't know is that the savior was once an abject failure. It was on her last chance, upon the edge of despair, that her life changed. And with it, history. LouisexYuri!Harem

15. Into the Fog

Into the Fog

The first man to die that day did so quickly.

Upon the landing crash of the boat into the remains of the wharf, Wardes's saber flashed with lightning and lanced his spell down the middle of the charging defenders, instantly roasting the first poor sod up front. The power depleted but not spent, it had sent the others behind into convulsions, forcing the slap-dash charge into immediate disarray.

Tabitha was immediate and merciless in her response, sending Sylphid into a dive that drove her bulk between the convulsing center and the left flank. The wharf wasn't narrow by any stretch, but a dragon's charge was a mighty thing and sent those cut from the center tumbling from the force of it. Most managed to, if barely, get their bearings. Some were not so fortunate.

Tabitha ignored the screams of the doomed as they fell, flight spear lashing out at one of those that had fallen. It was a very specific weapon that Wardes had introduced her to on the flight proper, a short-spear made for those that were lucky enough to summon flying familiars. It wasn't as hefty as a cavalry lance, but it didn't need to be with a whole dragon's charge behind it. The poor target screamed a death knell as the spear-head lanced home, opening him from hip to throat as the momentum dragged it through him in a gory spray.

The rider was already past though and flipping into a U-turn for another charge. Holding on with her thighs, she released the combat reigns and gripped her staff, muttered words flying under her breath as cloud became ice, gleaming and sharpened.

She witnessed the disarray turn to slaughter as the rest of the party charged forth. Led by Guiche's valkyries to absorb any immediate counterattacks, Kirche dove into the fray with her tell-tale war-cry. A shrieking cry she'd unleashed as a surprise on her friends in practice, it combined with her howling helm to make the disorganized mob think an even more dangerous golem was in the fray now. A fear proved true as she dove through the Valkyrie line and slammed the pommel of her blade into the first man she saw. Cracking his nose, what guard he had was blown wide open for Kirche's slash to cut through, spattering her in gore as she claimed her first kill.

Louise was no slouch in the rush forward, head down and eyes forward as she took in the field instantly. As one of Guiche's bronze constructs was felled, she dashed in before the attacker could summon resolve and strike at Kirche's back. A swift jab, blocked, then two more blocked as well before she kicked him clean in his gut. The attacker hadn't expected that and folded, Derflinger spun round to stab up into his throat and out the other side. Cold calculus in her eyes, the adrenaline set in to push revulsion away, Louise barked a word that echoed over the crash of iron on bronze and steel in flesh. "SLOW!"

With their fellow's body blocking them a moment, the mob had barely a moment before black-purple miasma vomited from the Eye of Malassa, flowing over the wharf like a putrid mist to grip and tangle and tear at their limbs. Already thrown entirely into disarray, the sudden onslaught of dark magic sent the entire force into a panic, immediately attempting to turn and flee back into the port and up into Albion.

Those by the golems found no such mercy from Guiche or Kirche. The former directed his golems to hack and cut, felling men with each swing of their weapons. The latter ran them down where they'd managed to get clear of the golems, blade slick with gore and her armor spattered in blood as she claimed two, three, four, six more kills. The last taken as the man tried to turn and run her through, only to meet the unfortunate crux of her swing. Where once he stood, now as two he fell, leaving Kirche hunched over and sick at the sight of it.

Montmorency wasn't doing nothing in the course of this. With so much vapor to play with, she'd worked more subtle magic than a charge or the miasma. A slick coating of water on the end of the wharf, invisible in the panic of the retreat, and a dozen men fell as they slipped. A fall from which they'd never rise, a shape flowing from the smoking remnants to descend upon them. Baselard flashing and knives flying, Siesta exploited the opening for all it was worth. In moments, she'd slain six of them, throats slit and knives embedded in jugulars.

Tabitha's ice rained a moment later to impale the other six, killing them instantly and freezing the water that had doomed them. In barely a minute, the defense had crumbled and been near slaughtered to a man, Wardes and Leonidas finishing off the few stragglers with talon and lightning. It was fast, it was brutal, and the party was soon having to force down their gorge as the adrenaline faded.

"Well done!" Wardes complimented with a booming call as Leonidas landed with Sylphid, Tabitha stoic before the blood-soaked corpses. "Golems blunting what little momentum they still had was brilliant Gramont! That use of your environment was inspired as well Montmorency, both of you should be proud!"

The blondes took the solace of that praise to force their revulsion down. They had to keep focused.

Wardes nodded to Tabitha and Kirche next. "Your shock tactics were textbook as well, very good! Flame may not have had a chance to show his prowess in this battle, but small clashes are quick like that. Throwing the enemy into a panic secured the victory, hold your heads high!"

The two nodded and focused their attention on him instead of the dead. One had practice, the other did not, and Tabitha mourned within her mind that before this was done… no, best not think on it. That'd bring memories when she needed to be in the moment.

Wardes continued, either ignoring or missing her melancholic flash. "Siesta, your timing is impeccable! Not a word of communication, but you read the situation and placed yourself to maximum effect! If I had ten who had that kind of initiative, we'd be clear of all brigandry back home!"

Siesta, trying silently to clean what little blood she had from her cloak, only smiled weakly in thanks. The blood was coming out, and it seemed the cloak was made for that, but… she shuddered as more of it ran on her fingers. When that adrenaline left, it was just so horrid…

Wardes turned last to Louise, Derf bloodied at her side and lightly spattered with the blood of her kill. "And you, Louise, were spectacular! Instantly taking in the field, coming to Kirche's defense, and then throwing them into a rout with something they never expected to see! Nor I expected to see for that matter, but your explanation of that… staff makes it understandable. Keep at it!"

Louise only nodded, knowing she'd be sick if she opened her mouth. Founder they had to keep moving, or heaven help them if some reinforcements showed up while they were busy retching. Derf gave no noise beyond the swish of his blade as he was cleaned and Flame waddled over to Kirche to get in position. He'd been thrown a bit by the crash and hadn't been with his master during that charge, but by golly he would be now.

"Good show down there!" Wales called from the ship. "And best of luck to you making it to Newcastle! Last word we got is that's where the royal court's hold up! Three days steady march, or two if you're pushing yourselves!"

"Thanks for the ride!" Louise calls back up, glad for the distraction. "With any luck, we may just see your sorry hides back in La Rochelle!"

Wales laughed and the rest of the crew shouted some friendly jeers to go with it as the ship began to pull itself free of the shattered wharf. "If you do, I'll buy you all a round instead! Earn your stripes out there kids, and may heaven favor your journey!"

"We're not kids!" Louise barked, jumping to her friends' defense as they shared a laugh. The ship though just pulled away with the hollering crew in tow, and soon disappeared into the clouds. All was silent save the winds for a moment before the party sighed and moved the bodies off the wharf. Enemies they may have been, but Neb had drilled it into their skulls that only scum deserved to be left for the vultures.

With the corpses moved and ready to be buried when their friends inevitably came to see what in the hell had happened, Louise convened the team. Wardes was giving her field command for the moment, but had made it clear he would take total command if things turned pear-shaped. "Alright, so we're looking at Newcastle as our destination."

She pulls out a map of Albion that she'd 'stealthily' ripped out of Wales's hands before they'd started towards the port. "We are… here. On the southwestern side of Albion. Newcastle is… here, to the northeast. If we head up those trails we're bound to run into resistance, but if we try to fly up on Leonidas and Sylphid, you can bet gold to rocks they'll have patrols descend on us from every direction."

Wardes nodded and passed something to Louise. She blinked and looked at the wrapped item, unfurling it only to gape at what she saw. "What the?! The Water Ruby?! Why do you have this?!"

Wardes shrugged, smirking at the dropped jaws from the rest of the party. "Her Highness informed me that the ruby's twin was in the possession of Prince Wales. It's to mark us as her agents proper to any royalists we happen to run into, and hopefully not get shot for the trouble. I've kept it secret up to this point given we weren't in Albion proper. Not a great idea to let any possible spies of Reconquista know we have something so important."

Louise shook her head and felt a scowl paint her lips. "Truth or not, that's still something we should've known about sooner! Gah, no matter, back to the matter at hand! Guiche, I want you to send Verdandi tunneling up through the stone and get a look through his eyes, tell us what you see. If he senses any rumbling in the tunnels, I want to know that too!"

Guiche nodded and Verdandi saluted, diving into the stone and disappearing. He wasn't near as fast in the much sturdier rock than he was in looser soil, but his claws were more than strong enough to tunnel through it regardless. While this went on, Louise turned her gaze to the paths leading up into the hollowed tunnels that would take them to the soil of Albion proper. "Hmm… Guiche, you sent him up which first?"

"Center-left." He answered, focusing on his bond with Verdandi. "By what he's feeling so far, that path is clear, but he's feeling faint rumbles in the one on his right."

Kirche was already acting before Louise could spit a curse. "Flame!"

The salamander saluted and they hurried to the center path, Kirche's wand appearing in hand as Flame's namesake poured from his jaws. "Lauffeuer!

Joining Flame's efforts came another powerful stream of fire, Louise catching the plan the moment the smoke began. "Tabby, put some wind behind that, waft the smoke into the passage!"

Reading the plan as well, Tabitha muttered a simple wind spell that sent the roiling black smoke right up into the tunnel. Sylphid added the beat of her wings to it, and as Guiche continued to give updates on Verdandi's progress, Montmorency and Wardes got in on the action to add scalding steam to the smoke.

Before long, all but the one passage was full of choking smoke and scalding steam, rendering them a blind passage into pain and suffocation for any poor sod that tried to get in them. Using the strewn wreckage from the bombardment to create such sulfurous obstacles was a bit of genius, and Louise about kissed Kirche for buying them so much time.

"Ok, that's going to keep us with a clear shot to the-"

Guiche grimaced and Louise gave him a baleful glare. "What?! Verdandi just happened to spot some kind of… barricade up that path. He's on the surface, but there's no easy way up through that particular tunnel. He's… yep, that's a spell. Some kind of lid on the tunnel, probably needs a code-word to activate it."

Now Louise wanted to turn around and smack Kirche clean across the tit. NO, CHEEK!

Flushing with anger and embarrassment both, she groaned. "Great… I'm going to have to work something for that. Derf, we're up!"

"If it's just a heavy-ass rock, I'm gonna laugh."

She smacked his hilt and he went quiet, only for two problems to enter her vision. Sylphid and Leonidas, there was no way they'd fit through the tunnel without squeezing… Grr, what could she do… here…

"Tabby, Sir Wardes, neither of you are going to like this idea, but I've got one for how I can widen the tunnel enough to get Sylphid and Leonidas through."

Before either could answer or even give her an odd look, she marched over to the path leading up to the tunnel. Measuring it, figuring what kind of dimensions it had, comparing to Sylphid with her wings closed… it could be done, but this wouldn't be fun.

"Milady?" Siesta asked from nowhere, damn near making Louise squeal. "What are you planning to do?"

A deep breath swallowed the squeal and Louise pointed to the tunnel. "This isn't large enough for Sylphid to get through. Leonidas could if he really pushed his wings together, but given how long it took Verdandi to dig up there, it'd be a painful climb for him. Now I'd love nothing more than for all of us to just fly up there, but given all the smoke rising up from this area, you can bet your bonnet that the navy's going to be here before too long. For all I trust Wardes and Tabby's flying abilities, no one fancies running from all that cannon."

Siesta had to agree with that, nodding mutely. If they were in the tunnel and managed to get into the relative safety of the forests above, they'd at least be safe from the navy's bombardments. Sylphid and Leonidas would be able to fly more freely once they were away from the area anyway.

Seeing her onboard, Louise started back towards the tunnel. Taking the staff from her back, she carefully unwound the cloth covering and revealed the Eye to the world once more. She shuddered, feeling something heavy settle on her shoulders for a moment, but it passed the next. Shaking that off, she muttered a few choice words about miners before directing her willpower into the staff and envisioning exactly what she wanted to happen. "ERODE!"

Instantly her brow beaded, her willpower set to flow into an open channel and rushing out like water from a dam. Instantly a cloud of acidic green vapor exploded from the staff, sounding almost like a huff of annoyance to her ears, before it flowed to the edges of the tunnel and began to… twirl, for lack of a better term. Like a carpenter's auger, it spun and started to eat at the edges of the tunnel, the tunnel swiftly widening to the point Sylphid could walk through. So long as she kept her head down and wings folded, but progress was progress!

Seeing the cloud, the rest of the party rushed over, and before Louise could so much as order everyone to follow after, she was promptly lifted into Siesta's arms. The spell required concentration, so much as she wanted to flail and bluster over being so unceremoniously grabbed, she couldn't! All she could do was steam through her ears and flush a mortified pink as Siesta set forward at a steady pace.

Founder above, the smirks on Guiche and Montmorency! All of them had a smug look of amusement, even Wardes! She'd have vengeance for this humiliation come hell or high water, and neither were looking very likely on a flying island now were they!

…That made more sense in her head.

Regardless of the smug grins and thoughts of vengeance, Louise had to put most of her concentration solely on the spell. Earth magic was far from something she was good at using, and it showed in how it took so much effort to cast the spell. For this amount of energy, she could have summoned forth a stream of lightning or covered the entire party in stone armor. And it just kept… draining at her. Every foot that she widened the tunnel to the needed diameter felt like an eternity, sweat and the flush of exertion replacing embarrassment. Neb hadn't been kidding when he said Sylanna wasn't her biggest fan.

Breaths came in fits and starts, lungs burning and limbs aching as more and more energy went to just maintaining the spell. She had to ignore the slag that fell and crumbled across her, coating the party in a thin layer of dust. A cloth was pressed to her mouth as she coughed on it, Tabitha the holder. She'd dismounted to help lead Sylphid through the tight passage, and much as she wanted to thank her…

Founder, when did the world start spinning? She'd been staring at the cloud for what had to be hours now, watching it twirl and swirl as it did the work of entire teams of miners or thousands of years of nature. She was getting so dizzy staring at it…

"Girly! I'm sniffin the magic in the earth, we're at the lid!"

Louise heaved a retch as her concentration shattered and the acidic vapor dissipated. She… wait, there's no light-paths drilled into the stone here… how is she staring at the stone like she's just in the shade?

A flame appearing from, well, Flame solved the light issue. Golly but that bit of fire on his tail was useful. "…That's a lid alright."

Louise groaned at Kirche's wry observation, Siesta pressing a water-skin to her lips. Giving a glance of thanks, Louise sipped at the cool water and worked to get her breath back. She needed to get herself back to normal, had to… stab Derf into the stone…

"Wait…" Tabitha muttered, close enough for Louise to hear. "…Kirche, the ruby. Grab it and push it against the stone."

Louise felt someone rummage in her bag before a shining light met her eyes. Realization hit her a moment later. "Right… the ruby's supposed to be… our mark…"

"And this was supposed to be an off-the-books port." Wardes supplied from the back, eye ever down the tunnel they'd just climbed. "If the royalists started using it, they'd mark the entrances with spells if they could. And given the ruby's twin rests in royal hands…"

Kirche pressed the glowing stone to the lid of rock, the glow spreading across the face of it to show a series of spell-runes inscribed into it. With a rumbling groan, the stone slowly shifted aside to bloom with light, the party forced to cover their eyes as the shine of it sought to blind them. The sound of a sword drawn met their ears and soon was joined by steel rending flesh.

As sight returned, the party gasped as a man collapsed, Derf plunged into his chest. They looked back to see Wardes nodding solemnly, having drawn and thrown the blade into the man. "He was surprised, but attacked on sight. It's a rather ingenious bit of extra defense really, anyone that's not ready for it will be blinded on exit and wide open to attack."

The party shuddered in agreement and swiftly poured out of the tunnel. They'd exited into an area of lush forest and deep fog, instantly muting most sound as they moved into it. There wasn't much ability to see beyond ten or so feet around them, so for all they knew they'd be stumbling around blind.

"I can't exactly clear it." Montmorency growled as she instinctively moved behind Guiche. "Too much of it for one thing, and I don't want to end up like Louise."

Siesta put Louise down. "And that's not counting any potential patrols noticing the fog swirling as it moves out of our way. We're going to have to do this the old-fashioned way."

Louise grumbled a few empty words at being held like a babe but took the moment of observations to settle her balance. "About the only ones that could operate in this are Siesta and Leonidas. It's not going to be fun keeping our sense of direction, even with a compass."

Siesta pulled the life-saving apparatus out and turned to face northeast. "For now, we should head out while we can. Even with all this fog in place, it won't stay like it forever. The moment they have clear skies and we don't have a place to duck down, all it'll take is a lucky patrol."

Wardes chuckled to himself. "I must say, Miss Siesta, that you are perhaps the most level-headed woman I've run into in some time. As she says, we should get moving. Keep her ever in sight and we'll be fine."

The party gave silent agreement and split into prearranged groups. Leonidas would take Wardes, Guiche, and Montmorency onto his back to keep their healing and golem shields ready for rapid deployment. Kirche and Tabitha were atop Sylphid, the dragon slower on the ground compared to her more experienced griffon colleague. Flame joined them, his tail a torch to help the others mark where the heavy hitters amongst them were in the fog. Verdandi was immediately underground, the only one able to completely ignore the fog by navigating through the earth, following the thudding tread of Sylphid.

Louise would be following Siesta, the two of them in the lead. Siesta for her sharp navigation sense and Louise for her ability to 'react' as Wardes had gently put it. He meant her ability to utterly fly off the handle with some truly colorful language when surprised, as well as a quick spell hand. She was actually the closest of the group to being able to cast without touching her staff, but that was slow going no matter the mage. Once everyone was arranged, a silent signal was given and the party strode off into the mists of Albion.

Tales had long been told about the mystifying and confusing fogs that plagued the denser woods of the country. It was said fairies and monsters roamed the deep woods and would prey on any hapless traveler that happened to get lost in them. Paths turning around on themselves, supplies going missing, the works. And Louise, for one, could tell how those tales had come about. The fog was thick, it was cloying, and she could feel like she was swimming in open air there was so much of it. She could only just make out Siesta's cloak in the crush of it.

And that was probably the best way to spot each other, their cloaks. The colors broke the monotony of trees, brush, and fog enough to keep them focused. Even after they'd been moving at a brisk jog for the better part of an hour, everyone was still in formation and visible.

Then as if by the word of the Founder, the fog closed in and the cloaks of the party vanished.

Louise's senses went into immediate overdrive, and she rushed forward, running right into Siesta's back and tackling her to the ground. Her friend gave a yelp of surprise, only for Louise to slap a hand over her mouth and shush her. A few moments passed before Louise leaned in to whisper to her. "I can't hear anyone… something's wrong, we need to stay down. I'll follow your lead but be quiet."

Siesta nodded once against the hand keeping her quiet and Louise let go. She too felt the sudden quiet and pulled her cloak's hood up. A bit of enchantment worked into it flowed to life as she did, the thread changing color just so to help break up her outline. It wasn't a cloak of invisibility or anything so outrageous, but it helped. Louise had no such recourse and had to keep low to the ground, crouched deeply as they started to move. Doubtless the others had noticed the sudden change and were moving cautiously as well, they just had to meet up.

But when Verdandi, the most likely source of a message, failed to materialize after several minutes, both knew foul play was involved. A silent series of signals passed between them and they pressed forward slowly, carefully stepping over roots and passing through shrubs. The woods were… less dense here, old growth it looked like… but that gave them so much less-

Louise ducked as something met her ears and she felt the fog over her head swish and roll. Siesta hit the deck immediately, baselard out and ready as the silence returned. Louise panted as quiet as she could, slowly reaching down to draw a silent Derf from his sheathe. There was something in the fog with them, clear as day…

Siesta rolled to the side as something slammed into the ground beside her, blade lashing out to the sound of tearing flesh and an unworldly squeal. Blood that burned splattered her hand and Siesta had to roll away as the victim of her blade ran off on… clopping hooves? What in the…?

Louise had to roll as the rattle of metal met her ears, twin slams hitting the ground where she'd once been. Something like a mad cackle came from the fog and the clang of chains met her ears. There was indeed something out there, it was just a matter of what.

The two slowly pushed up back-to-back with each other. They couldn't just be down on the ground like this, it wouldn't give them any even footing. They had to trust each other, feel the other tense, and move in turn…

Louise licked her lips, a spell on her tongue. They needed something, anything, just to break the fog up a bit and find their foes… right, that one! She nudged Siesta to ready her, the faint clack of chains and the clop of hooves ever circling and echoing around them. When she felt the handmaid tense, Louise roared.

"SUNBEAM!"

The head of Raelag's Staff blazed with sunlight, instantly striking at something Louise couldn't see. From on high did the beam fly, striking and casting a spotlight on… some manner of creature. It was stunted and squat, a portly belly resting over its naked form, goat legs held in a squat. Pencil thin arms raised up in pain as its pink-red skin was blazed and blistered by the intense light, a bulbous head with thin eyes and long pointed ears turned away to try and defend against the spell.

As if dispelled, the fog rolled away. Maniacal cackles filled the air and instantly the pair were beset by similar creatures. Deformed and laughing mad mutants, wrapped in black-iron chains that seemed to drive them into ecstasies of pain and torment. Slouched and heavy brutes bearing great horns atop a muscular, masculine torso with a bull's face, goat-legs coiled and stained with soot as they trundled and leapt towards the pair. The scraggly one died beneath the intense light, falling to the ground and disintegrating to ash, answering for true what these were.

"DEMONS!" Louise screamed, Siesta drawing and throwing two knives to impale one of the mad chain-wrapped Maniacs in the head. "SWEET FOUNDER, THEY'RE REAL!"

"And coming for us!" Siesta warned with only a small tremble in her voice. "Milady… we can do this, but please be careful!"

Louise nodded, the tremble enough to steel her nerve. She had a friend to her back and spells on her lips, they would not fall here so long as she could help it. They weren't advancing quickly, preferring it seemed to taunt and roar at them. Fear mongers, and if she'd been of only a year ago, she'd have likely wet herself and tried to run.

But not here, not with Derflinger in her hand and Siesta to watch her back. No, the only think Louise would cry out here was defiance. "DETERMINATION!"

Fire bloomed in their hearts and strengthened their limbs, lines of flame blooming across Siesta and Louise's bodies. Seeing the magic take hold from the staff on Louise's back, the demons howled and surged forward as one, looking to overwhelm them entirely with numbers.

Louise leapt up as Siesta spun on her heel, cloak and the skirt she wore over her trousers fluttering out to reveal the braces of knives and daggers sewn into them. It was a silly maneuver, and one Neb had told her was one of last resort, but simply loosing the string that ran the length of each brace to unleash them all in a storm of flying steel wasn't terrible. By and large, without the accuracy of her eye and arm, the blades did little more than stumble the creatures. But getting pelted with steel, alongside more than a few embedding and some outright slaying, gave Louise enough time to gather her will for another spell. "DIVINE ARMOR!"

Another surge of golden light formed in the Eye, flowing over the pair into ethereal shields. Louise had a distinct feeling that she was somewhat upsetting the 'owner' of said eye by using such magic, but frankly she didn't care!

The Maniacs were upon them first, chains flying in a wild and cacophonous storm of lashing metal and ember. Clash and clang and bashing rings rang off the golden shields as the magic repelled the blows, what few that screamed in to bite breaking their ashen fangs upon the magic. It was enough, for the moment, and that's all either girl needed to retaliate.

Siesta's short sword flashed in the light of radiant energy and sooty fire, driving point first into the one that had dove over Louise at her and piercing straight through out the back of the neck. Ignoring its death spasms, she yanked the dagger that had flown into it free from the creature's arm and threw it again, finding the eye of a bulkier fiend that had stumbled from the storm of steel. It barely shuddered before going down, another flash of her short blade parting one of the scraggly squatters from its head. Roars and screams batted at her ears, a dozen threats coming in every direction. Indecision briefly held her, mind working feverishly to ascertain the worst threat amongst them.

"SIESTA!" Louise cried in warning, barely giving the maid enough time to hit the ground, one of the muscular creatures leaping clear over her head and crushing one of the squat… Imps to paste upon the ground. The mage was upon the creature instantly, Derflinger lashing at it in silver arcs as the sword began to counter the roars and screeching cries with boasts and insults!

"I'VE SEEN MORE SPUNK FROM A SUCCUBUS! YOU CALL THAT A HORN YOU CALF-WEIGHT! COME AT US YOU SLIVERS OF MADNESS, I'LL DRINK YOUR INFERNAL BLOOD LIKE ALL THE REST!"

Louise wasn't sure where he was getting all these lines from, but it seemed to be doing the trick. Of getting the demons incredibly, irresistibly mad. The one she cut into died when it sought to smack Derflinger from her hand, the clumsy attempt at a disarm flowed around and severing the hand from its arm, the howl of its pain silenced as she brought the silver blade down to part its head cleanly. Whatever these creatures were, the thicker hides didn't seem terribly resistant to Derflinger, at least in comparison to Siesta's normal weapons. By contrast, her knives had barely pierced the hides of the larger ones, hardly slowing them down even as they pounded on the golden shields of the girls.

It was not something that could last, and Louise knew it. The spell could only absorb so much damage before it shattered, and with still another ten of the creatures around them, it wasn't long for this world.

"LOUISE BEHIND YOU!" Siesta called in warning, her last knife fleeing her hand as a Maniac rushed Louise, its chains whipping and crashing in gouts of earth and birthed sparks. Louise barely managed to turn in time to duck the initial blow, the flexible chain suddenly flipping direction from the Maniac's jerking motions to slam down right on her forehead. The shield broke the impact, but the force of it still knocked Louise to the ground, forcing her to roll as the demon lashed and struck at her.

She stopped short half-way through a roll, pushing back to her feet as the chain crashed where she would have been. The Maniac screeched at her and yanked impossibly hard on its own chains, bringing them screaming back towards Louise's back. Only for her to hit the ground again, the self-same chains that had sought to brand and bruise slamming into their own with the sick crack of bone. The screech died in its throat as it fell into a boneless heap, swiftly turning to ashes like those before it.

But Louise had no time to relax, she couldn't. Siesta was beset by three of the thick hide demons, punches and headbutts just barely missing as the maid was forced to dance and weave in what little room she could manage. Such close quarters were normally her forte, but the demons had closed their eyes and kept coming at her in a relentless frenzy, leaving her with only glancing hits that did nothing but feed her attackers' fury. Yet, it gave Louise a very brief chance to see what was going on.

That Maniac she'd slain had been the last of them, with the rest now being those Imps. They were jockeying about, four of them bounding for her to dogpile and start beating and clawing. The other two were ducking in and out of the thick-hides, trying to either get glancing blows or trip Siesta up. All told… she could do this.

"There's the fire in ya girly!" Derflinger laughed as Louise's fire-backed muscle flexed in anticipation. "Now gimme more of these fuckers' blood to suck on, I ain't eaten this good since that golem!"

Something deep in Louise shouted 'LANGUAGE!' at him for that crass crack, but she didn't pay attention to it. All she saw were the four Imps charging at her, each one holding that same sick grin and gurgling grunts as they loped and almost hopped towards her. If she was going to get to Siesta in time to help, she needed to get through these things, fast.

Then she remembered, will gathering as she intercepted the first on the flat of Derflinger's blade, sparks and the screech of metal filling her ears as she caught wicked claws. "SLOW!"

Dark miasma poured from the Eye, as if delighting in the curse that lashed out at the Imps, dredging them in the mire of darkness and purple-tinged muck, each of the demons suddenly finding themselves uncoordinated and generally incapable of moving as they wished. The one that struck at Louise found its claw lashed to its own body, its futile squeals ended when silver flashed, and Louise cut it open at the potbelly it bore. While it bled out and died, she rushed around the mire towards Siesta, closing distance as fast as she could.

It seemed almost an eternity, how long it took her to get there. Maybe twenty steps, but she could see in utmost detail every duck, weave, and light glance that stole ever more protection from Siesta. The maid was far from defenseless, her dance and dodges keeping the spell that protected her going far longer than it should have, the fire that ran in her muscles doing what normal metal could not in digging furrows into the thick hides of her foes. But she was getting boxed in, the demons making their goal clear as they shot forward to catch her in a crushing grip.

But Louise was faster.

So focused on their quarry they'd ignored the bloom of magic darkness, Louise had enough space and time to scream her own… 'boast'. "GET AWAY FROM MY HANDMAID YOU SWINE BRED SLUG HUMPERS!"

The demons jerked their heads towards her and some part of her fancied that she'd managed to offend the creatures of damnation. The rest of her promptly sent Derflinger through the roof of the first thick-hide's mouth and out the top of its skull, dropping it with a thud as she lashed out with a kick at the Imp beside it, sending it to the dirt for her to decapitate with a hard stroke.

A distraction provided is all Siesta needed, her shield winking out just in time to have to take the initial impact of the two thick-hides leaping at her. She grunted in pain from the bruises their hard and rough bones left on impact, but it's enough for her to slam her short-sword home into the one directly in front of her. Its instinct to roar at Louise's provocation had opened its soft weakpoint, steel piercing into what passed for a brain as it slumped down, Siesta wrenching a knife out of the thick hide in the same motion. With the precision she'd honed and with no room to maneuver, she sent it right into the second Imp's head, pinning it to the ground to writhe in its death throes.

Now with room, she retrieved her dagger from the first of the Imps she'd slain and turned to leap atop the final thick-hide demon, the beast having leapt at Louise and bowled her to the ground in the scant seconds it took Siesta to dispatch her pair. It roared in Louise's face and she roared right back, even as its hoofed feet stomped and its arms slammed into her divine shield until it broke apart entirely.

But before it could do more than dent Louise's breastplate, driving the wind out of her with a harsh groan, Siesta was upon it. Driving both her dagger and her short-sword into its back and stabbing with abandon, its yowls of rage and pain nothing before her sheer zeal, enflamed by the magical fire in her veins to get this thing off of her lady!

In a display of flexibility that such a compact and hunched being should not be capable of, it spun on its hoofed leg and punched Siesta right in the face, sending the maid stumbling back as a sickening crack met her ears and blood flowed freely. She knew it had broken her nose on the hit, and a cry of pain mixed with the crash of metal told her it had stomped Louise in retaliation for the damage done. Only for it too to howl in pain as silver bloomed from its chest, Louise gathering herself enough to impale it right out through where its heart should be.

Even as Siesta's eyes ran with tears, blurring her vision, she could just see Louise shove the thing off herself. Forcing herself through the pain, Siesta blinked her vision clear and retrieved the closest knives, flinging them at the still-cursed Imps and ending them, ash swiftly darkening the clearing as the slain demons withered and vanished.

"Siesta!" Louise choked through a gasp, golden light against her ribs as she worked her magical healing. "Dear Founder where did… what were those things?!"

Siesta pressed a hand to her nose, feeling the wet warmth of flowing blood and doing what she could to staunch it until Louise could get to her. "Dwemons my wady. Same as twe wons in La Rochwe. Diffwent fwom but…. Dwemons."

Louise panted and nodded, getting her breath back as the remnants of the armor faded and the blood went out in their veins. "Here, let me fix that. We got enough of these just sparring, I almost don't even need the magic."

But the golden glow returns all the same and Siesta is instantly breathing easier, nose making a wince-inducing cracking noise as it magically reset and reoriented. "Ow…. Thank you, My Lady. As I said, those had to be demons. They stank the same as those hounds in La Rochelle, and frankly I don't think anyone could conjure something so vividly out of the scripture without more trouble than it's worth to be fake."

Louise grunted and patted her cheek, checking her over. "Yeah, agreed. It'd explain the sudden turn in the civil war too. If these things suddenly appeared and mutually slaughtered one of the forts in the ring… well, it'd look like a bunch of ash and dead defenders. I don't like this Siesta, not one bit. I didn't like it when those things mauled us in La Rochelle, I sure as the Founder's holy don't like it now."

"Not too much we can do about it." Siesta sighed as she went about retrieving as many of her knives as she could, some of them bent or blunted and now unusable. "We must find the others and keep making for Newcastle. If what you say is what happened, then Prince Wales needs to know about it. In all honesty, Princess Henrietta needs to know about it."

Louise sighed and sheathed Derflinger, giving him a look as she did that promised a later interrogation. "I know, but we have no idea where they could've gotten by now. We were moving at a good clip, and only just able to see each other at that. They may not have even heard us amid the fog."

Siesta shook her head. "They could've been attacked too. I don't worry for Neb or Tabitha, but Kirche getting separated from Tabitha is bad news, same with Guiche and Monmon. Flame can't launch an emergency flare either, nor can Sylphid fly up to do a head count."

"Guiche and Monmon can take care of themselves, they're never far from each other regardless of all their drama." A glance to the sky, Louise's frown growing. "But we must keep moving. The sunbeam and all the noise is going to bring rebel patrols down on our heads and I don't fancy trying the lost tourist routine."

"You're very good at the huffy madam." Siesta giggled, already set to go. "Kirche and Tabitha were closest to us before the ambush, I think we should look for them first."

Louise nodded and pulled up her cloak's hood. "Right, let's go."

They set off at a quick jog, soon finding themselves back in the fog but less focused on it. They weren't trying to see exactly in front of them like they had earlier, they were looking for prints. The simple fact of a fog shrouded region like this was that the ground was soft. It made for squishy and unpleasant noises when run across, but Louise had mostly kept her disgust about it well locked away. Now though, as they tracked Flame and Sylphid's trademark prints through loam and mud, she couldn't help a small grunt of annoyance as her boot briefly caught in the muck.

"I'm getting the distinct impression you don't like the locale." Siesta quipped, adrenaline loosening her tongue. "Not exactly the most fairytale of spots is it?"

Louise scoffed and hopped over a stump in her way, the tracks growing fresher. "Far from it! I tell you, I wonder what Her Highness ever saw in a place of such bogs, let alone how it produced someone worth her heart!"

Siesta, feeling cheeky in her adrenaline-fueled state, started jogging backward, avoiding obstacles and following the trail with a kind of giddy ease that made Louise just wee bit jealous. "What, do you not think Prince Wales a fairytale match?"

"He's her cousin for one thing." Louise shot back, nearly making Siesta stumble in surprise. "It's far from uncommon in royal families, but it's partly why we need that letter back. She is betrothed to the 'Emperor' of Germania, if that letter were to show she already had a paramour, let alone her own cousin, the diplomatic damage would be catastrophic!"

Siesta recovered and kept up her jog, a bit of a darkness whispering to her after just putting her life in danger for the young woman afore her only to be talking of one not even here. "Even more of one than if she showed interest in you?"

That made Louise outright trip and faceplant into the mud, stunned for a moment at the sheer audacity of what Siesta had said!

Siesta instantly regretted saying it! "Oh, Louise, I'm so sorry! I-I don't know what came over me!"

Louise launched back up, a fury in her eyes as her heart traitorously thundered at the thought of such a thing. "Bite your tongue before ever insinuating such again! The Princess is so far and above my meager self that any 'interest' you would dare imply is but pity and sympathy for our old friendship! Never speak such heinous words to me ever again!"

Siesta backed up, her instinct to help cowed for a moment as Louise gathered herself. "…Of course, My Lady."

"Good." Louise huffed, not looking at Siesta and marching forward again. "Even if spoken in ignorance, I will not tolerate any demeaning of the princess. That's final."

Siesta only followed along, head bowed and cursing herself for even thinking it. Why had she done that, what had prodded her to say something she knew would anger Louise like that?

Louise wanted to know too, though she could guess. Siesta had simply misconstrued the affection Henrietta held, doubtless influenced by her guilty love of penny novels and silly romances. It was not words born of malice or intent to harm, mere innocent observation. But it still steamed her to hear such slanderous words, let alone implying that someone so unworthy as herself could have Henrietta's romantic interest! She'd stay mad at Siesta until evening, that should give her plenty of time to reflect on it before Louise gave her own apology for snapping over something innocent.

Silence descended over the two of them as they continued to follow the path through the loam, steps only hurrying when they found hoofmarks curl in from the surrounding marsh to start following Flame's tracks, Sylphid's worryingly vanishing. They didn't look like horse hooves, more goat-like, and that spelled more of those demons! If Kirche had fallen from Sylphid, and was having to fight them with only Flame to help her…

But Siesta shook her head when Louise gave her a silent look asking as much. There weren't enough of the tracks to speak to the number that had attacked them, maybe half that assuming these weren't in some other shape with multiple legs and arms or whatever unholy combination had spawned from the hellfire. And given how fresh the tracks were, they couldn't be more than a few minutes behind Flame!

With a renewed vigor, they dove back into the foggy forest and marsh, strides lengthening as they began to hear just the faintest noises amongst the muffled drip of water and rustle of vegetation. The ring of metal on metal, the sizzle of fire sparking in mist… the roars of a woman in combat with her familiar. Breaking into sprints, Louise and Siesta hurdled the last two hundred yards in mere moments, clearing tree trunks and smoldering branches as they drew steel and silver, bursting out into a marsh-laden clearing!

Only to witness Kirche bifurcate the last of a half-dozen thick-hided demons with a harsh cry, Flame making double sure and igniting the remains into charcoal before it too fell to ash. She looked a mess, silver armor dented and muddy from the fight, cloak stained with marsh water… but she was ok. Unlike when she'd dove into the flames to retrieve Louise's necklace, her armor had held well, and she stood without any clear injury or difficulty. She was panting, as was Flame, the poor boy a bit bruised but otherwise moving normally.

"Oh praise the Founder." Louise breathed, the relief she felt almost a surprise in its intensity. "You didn't manage to end up a damsel in distress."

Kirche briefly flicked her great sword towards them only to relax when she saw it was them. "No less so than you both. These things are all over the fog, this is the second group I ran into bare moments after we got separated in there."

"We ran into a large group of them." Siesta reported as they got closer and gave each other a look over. "Different kinds than just these, though none of those hounds. We think them demons as well."

Kirche grimaced and scooted from where Flame was being very thorough in burning the remnants. "Yeah, wouldn't surprise me. These… things came roaring out of the fog, kicked me straight in the chest and right off Sylphid. Took three whacks and Flame clawing and firing at them to put any of them down, didn't even give me a moment to get more than a couple flame blasts off. After that, couldn't find Tabby or Sylphid."

Louise sheathed Derflinger and crossed her arms. "So it's true, they are resistant to normal steel. Derf was able to cut into them without issue, but he's enchanted. And getting our other weapons similar treatment would require a visit to the capital and more money than we've got on all of us put together. And that's after we sell Neb and Sylphid for parts."

Flame hissed at her in defense of his friends, but she just glowered at him. "Not really, you silly newt. Neb would just keep growing heads back and then we'd never have a moment's peace anyway."

"I feel I should be offended on his behalf." Kirche drawled after a moment, giving Siesta a surprised raise of the brow when the maid didn't jump at that quip attempt. "But enough of that. I don't think we're liable to find anyone else in this damnable fog before its thinned enough for the patrols to start spotting us. Even less so if Sylphid took to the air."

Louise and Siesta shared a glance. While sound, and objectively true, they didn't like the idea of moving further into Albion with just the four of them…

A cry up in the sky made all of them scramble for cover, a shadow passing over the clearing a few moments later. A dragon's cry, but not one that spoke to prey being spotted. A patrol, but it'd missed them.

"We don't have a choice." Kirche repeated once they were sure it was gone. "I don't like the idea of Tabby, Monomon, or Guiche being out there with just themselves and their familiars, but we've gotta trust they can take care of themselves."

Louise sighed long and hard. "…Very well if we must. We'll be playing catch up to Sir Wardes, but there's little we can do at this point except hope he remained with Guiche and Monmon. To Newcastle we must go, and Founder preserve us if the tales of being assaulted by demons at all hold up."

All three shivered at that, only for Derf to pipe up. "Ah, that's justa bunch of wash, ya hear! These ain't some hellspawn out of the brimstone pits, they're a bunch of lesser spawn made a mana gone mad! Why I like munchin on em so much, ya take that mana out and their nothing but coal dust!"

That made the girls stare at him in open disbelief. Mana gone mad, like… orcs?!

"I can see it on yer gobs! If yer gonna trust anyone on what these things are, ye gonna trust a buncha dusty books that ain't seen one of these things since creation, or the one eating the mana!"

Louise growled and smacked his guard in what petulant punishment she could manage on him. "Your casual blasphemy is going to get us killed on day, mark my words!"

She ignored his cackles and pushed him from her mind. "Regardless of whatever they are, they're dangerous and viciously cunning. Not necessarily smart, from what I could tell, but leagues over ogres and orcs."

Siesta agreed with a nod. "We'll have to be careful and not let them catch us off guard again. Those stouter ones are hardier and more resistant to our weapons, but the thinner and squatter ones fell to my blades without issue."

"And I've got enough weight behind my sword to cleave the stubborn ones apart." Kirche supplied with a grin as she polished her helm of any remaining grime and gore. "It's not going to be an easy march to Newcastle now, but least I remembered to buy an extra map."

Leader and scout stared at Kirche in shock. "Wait, when did you get a map?!"

"When we were on the ship?" Kirche drawled, enjoying the gobsmacked looks as much as she was annoyed by the gobsmack. "What, you didn't think I was on there just lying around on my tits did you?"

Both clam up from their immediate answers, knowing Kirche had them beat. They'd thought she was training, certainly, but not that!

"Your lack of faith is disturbing." Kirche sighed, turning her pack out onto the ground. Canteen, rope, bedroll, shovel, axe… burnt bedroll, slashed twine, bent pinions.

And a decidedly scorched piece of parchment.

All three stared at the pitiful remains of what had to be the map for several long seconds.

"…Not a word."

"Not one."

"I mean it Louise."

"I'm not smirking. I have the other."

Siesta just sighed and pulled out a compass to figure out their direction while the two started to bicker like it was old times again. Sometimes, it felt good to just kind of get the ire out in the air before moving on.

"And there… we… are. Alright, I've got our direction. Kirche, you got a look at the map… and don't have your mouth full. How far was Newcastle from where we came up the cliffs?"

Kirche looked up from giving Louise a noogie, her captive railing and trying to bite through her gauntlets to free herself. "Last I looked at it before everything started exploding and screaming, it looked like two, three days run. If we had Neb's bulk to make it a straight line, it'd be one or two, but Founder knows where he is right now. Louise?"

Louise gnawed at the metal for a moment longer before grunting and focusing on her bond with Neb. Reaching out, feeling for him, trying to put her sight in his if even just a bit…

Fog, trees like sentinels in shadow, roots and tangle being cleared with claw and fang. A bog, a mire, one of the many that filled Albion's interior where the clouds it soared through congealed and sunk into the muck and mud of the land. He seeks through it, looking not just for her, but Tabitha, Guiche, Montmorency, anyone. He'd only just landed in this sorry place, and now he was having to navigate damnable fog-

A sudden spike of pain drove right through the bond and Louise was thrown out of the vision sharing, gripping at her head and kicking hard as her body flew into fight or flight, Kirche's grip hardening to keep her in place as Siesta hopped back to avoid the kicking feet while Louise beat at Kirche's armor.

"Whoa! Louise, calm down!"

"Milady, are you ok?!"

Louise whined and groaned for several moments before the sudden migraine finally loosened, allowing her to breathe and whisper the words of healing needed to banish it entirely, the golden glow flowing from her staff to suffuse her. "…I… I don't know… I saw Neb in… in the fog and… he was lost, trying to find us, but… I don't know… I just don't know…"

Not the greatest of news, but Siesta just rolled with it. "Just knowing he's still out there is comfort enough for now. Do you need any help, Milady?"

Louise shook her head and patted Kirche to release her. "No, no… I'm fine now. I don't know what kicked me out of the sharing, but I'm sure he's ok. We should get moving, Founder knows what else could be out there in these woods now."

An opinion shared and supplies gathered before Siesta took point again and they were off through the woods once more. Direction and pace could be done at least, but now a sinking paranoia began to sink into the girls' minds. Even Flame, stalwart companion, and reassuring source of light in the darker sections of the forest, grumbled and whined as they moved. Ducking to avoid patrols and making wide circles around any clearing they came across to avoid detection by the very much human threat of the Reconquista was bad enough.

But now with fairy tale monsters ready to jump out at you with fang and fire?

By the time the sun was setting, and the girls had run themselves to the point Flame was having to act as the point-lizard, everyone was exhausted. Louise had gotten into her own thoughts again and hadn't been speaking much to either of her friends as the run went on, leaving Kirche with only Siesta for any engaging conversation.

"What happened?" Was her first question shortly after Louise went off with Flame to patrol and clear the area around their chosen campsite. There'd be no above-ground fire tonight, night patrols had been heard screeching and swooping above, and the clouds hadn't rolled back in to provide cover for it yet.

Siesta sighed and shook her head, shoveling two pits for their cooking fire her job. "It's… I spoke out of turn and insinuated something that made Louise very… cross with me. I don't know what came over me in all honesty, but it's water under the bridge."

Kirche didn't buy that with a wooden coin. "Yeah, no. You're upset over this Siesta, come on. It's one thing when you were a fresh hire and Louise held your contract over your head, but we've gone through life and death battle. Hells, you came real close to croaking when we were in La Rochelle, and Louise was damned near inconsolable over that before things went even more to shit."

Siesta blushed, looking away as she leaned on her shovel. "…I don't like making those I care for upset. It's a fault of mine."

"Fault of a lot of people." Kirche countered as she piled in wood and kindling. "But you can talk to me, Siesta. As I said, we've gone through battle at this point. Far as my family's concerned, you and I are sisters in all but blood, least far as our codes go."

That made Siesta glance back, confused. "Germania… has such concepts?"

"Not at large." A whisper and flames began to rise in the pit, the second acting as a reservoir of air to supply the fire. "Mostly teachings of my grand-dad and dad. We're military for more than just being neighbors with the Valliere's, we've been part of it for generations. Point of pride. And, when you're in life and death struggles like a battle, you stop caring about class lines real fast if you want to live."

She remembered more than one story of her father's where particularly haughty and incompetent nobles would meet 'tragic ends' on the field of battle. Commoner or noble, the land drank the blood all the same. She hadn't put too much stock in those stories when she was younger, or when she first started at the academy, but now that she'd been through a few? Oh yeah, all points to Dad and Grand-Dad.

Siesta stammered and blushed a bit more, even pulling her cloak up over her head to try and hide it, twisting and turning like she was back in a milk-dress. "I-I-I guess so…"

Kirche finally smiled a bit and bid her to sit, their cook for the night doing so out of habit. "So, why's all that upsetting you so much? I'm a good ear, promise, I got Tabitha talking after all."

"More to comment on your antics as I recall."

Kirche mimed being shot in the chest by that one. "OW! Go right for my heart, your sharp-tongued viper!"

Siesta giggled, a tired and small, but genuine sound. "It's no poison to you… Louise has already gone through a lot and is bound to go through even more. I… I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. I still haven't paid you all back from saving me from that terrible Count either, and…"

"You don't owe us anything." Kirche huffed, grin rising at Siesta's shocked glance. "If anything, we owe you. We owe half of the stuff we can do now to you. Neb sure as the sky's blue didn't teach us how to wash our own clothes, or how to sew. They may be ugly sins against embroidery, but at least we don't have to worry about our clothes falling apart on this journey. Or eating Montmorency's attempt at Sunday Surprise."

Both shuddered in memory of that foul sludge. Neb had declared it some manner of weapon to be used against only the most heinous of foes, and the bastard ate rotting meat!

Siesta cleared her throat. "…That's very kind of you, Kirche. To be honest, I… didn't think such kindness was in you, when first we met."

"Looking back on it, I'd be surprised if you ever thought so!" The Germanian agreed. "I was a little shit. First time free of my family, being fawned over left and right, proving myself the better of my family's blood enemy, why I was queen of the world! It just… I don't know, it got… tiresome."

She leaned back on her hands, thinking on her first few weeks in the academy while Siesta started cooking on autopilot. "Louise and I were at each other's throats from day one, no surprises there. I jeered, I insulted, none of that is news to you. But… what you didn't see or hear about is what I did in the more private areas."

Siesta looked up, Kirche's eyes clouded over with memories, and not good ones. "One of the mantras growing up that I'd deeply internalized was… that we needed to defeat the Valliere at everything. To show we were the best of the best, the shining star of the nobility at large. So… I spread rumors. I stole her crushes and dumped them that same day, I cast aspersions on her honor, Founder I even called her legitimacy into question when it was clear she couldn't do 'our' magic beyond the most basic of basics."

Siesta went ashen at those last two.

"Yeah, you know exactly what that brought about. She lashed and she raged at me, and I returned it in ken, because that's how I was supposed to show that I was better. That I was better than the poor, pathetic, youngest scion of greater sires and would eventually rise to be greater than all her sisters too. Sounds damned juvenile when you hear it aloud, and honestly, I think I completely misunderstood what my parents were trying to tell me when I got that pushed into my head."

Siesta had to take a few moments to get her breath and color back to normal before venturing forth the big question. "And… what made you change?"

"I saw her crying."

And there went her recently recovered rosy cheeks. "…You did?"

Kirche looked back down, grin long gone, and eyes dulled from their usual sign. "I did. I'd just broken some sap's heart, can't even remember his name, when I just heard… sniffling. I wasn't a complete cad, praise the Founder, so I at least went off to see who was having such a poor evening. Couldn't have been the sap, he ran off in the opposite direction, and I thought why not?"

A vague gesture in the direction Louise had set off to start her patrol. "That's… where I spotted her. First instinct was some kind of insult, but the way I found her just… made it die in my throat. She was outside the chapel, praying on the steps leading up to it. Just… crying to herself. I don't know what she was saying in those prayers, or what had brought her there, but I felt deep in the pit of my gut that I was seeing someone that did not deserve the vitriol I was meeting her with. It was such a change from how she acted during the day, so radically different… I don't think I was supposed to see it. See what was beneath her 'Mask of Steel'."

She looked down into the fire-pit, voice quiet but steady. "But I did. And I realized that I was inflicting torment on a girl that must've already been tortured beyond words just living as was. I know you can't quite imagine it, and I'm green with envy you had such a loving family as yours Siesta. But Louise, born to such prestige and expectations, to hold herself to those and not come close to it? That… that's not something you come back from. Not easily."

They're quiet for long moments before Siesta felt compelled to reach out and take Kirche's hand. "…That's when you started to change."

Kirche squeezed back gently. "Yeah… a realization that you're being the biggest bitch in Tristain is pretty knocking… I'd already said a lot of things I can't take back. Done a lot of things I could never be forgiven for. Yet… when I finally saw that. Finally saw how hard she was working and how deeply she was hurting… it inspired me a bit. I mean, Louise had no reason to try as hard as she did. Sir Wardes to hand for a fiancé, who adores her might I add, she could've just been a housewife and done just fine."

Siesta chuckled and gently gave her a warm bowl of stew. "But that's not Louise. Damn the pain she suffers and damn others opinions about it, she's going to do what she feels she needs to do."

"Amen and bread." Takes it with a nod of thanks. "After all I've done, I hope she and I can really be true friends one day. There's been steps, sure, but… I can still feel some of that distance between us. And now with all this going on, not going to be a whole lot of chances to try and keep making up for that distance, right?"

Siesta just… smiled. The kind of smile that speaks to meeting someone that shared the same woe. "Yes… I feel much the same. Yet, we're not going to have much chance if the world gets destroyed, so… guess we'll just have to do our best and make the most of things right?"

"Damn straight." Changes the gentle hold into a firm shake. "We'll get through this somehow, just like we made it out of that torture Neb called training."

Siesta chuckled and stood; their dinner now ready to merrily soak in its own juices while the rest of the camp could be seen to. "Indeed we will. Thank you, Kirche… I feel so much better now."

Kirche just winked and they set to finishing up their camp.

All while Louise say slumped against a tree out of sight, tears gathering in her eyes and heart thundering in her breast. Thundering, yearning…

To forgive. To rush into them and forgive them for everything. Well… not everything, there would always be some stubborn part of her that refused to let go of those sins. But… they had changed. Kirche and her had both changed, so much… those tirades felt almost a lifetime ago now…

In many ways, she owed herself to Kirche's seemingly endless torment. That well of anger, while not… healthy, had at least given her the energy to rise above her own despair. And when she put it like that, all of what she had now… Siesta, Tabby, even Neb and getting to meet Henrietta again…

It traced back to wanting to wipe that smug look off her former tormenter, now friend's face.

A sobbing chuckle shook free of her lips as she thought on it. Founder but how things could change so quickly. Small wonder Mother tried to keep her emotions on such tight lock. If this was what it could do with only a conversation, well… no, best not think on it. Even still… she owed them both an apology.

It took her some time, and Flame returning from his neck of the patrol, for her to calm down enough to head back to the camp itself. Siesta, ever vigilant, already had a bowl ready for her and one for Flame, a cautious but comfortable silence descending. Kirche and Siesta could tell that something had made Louise come back from her own thoughts, but they couldn't guess it'd been because she was eavesdropping. She was too clumsy for that!

…Louise had to stop herself from laughing as she had that thought. Oh, compared to them both she was pretty clumsy. Even Kirche, in all that armor she wore, was stealthier than she was. Something about 'imperious stomps' or whatever. That didn't matter.

"Siesta?"

"Yes Milady?"

Louise put down her bowl and cleared her throat, the picture of contrition and ignoring Siesta's immediate confusion at the sight of it. "I… I want to apologize for what I said earlier today. I know you didn't mean a word of it in malice, and I took it too personally. I shouldn't have snapped at you over it, no matter how much hearing the words angered me. You're not wrong to share your opinions I'm just… sensitive over what I hear."

She bowed at the waist, doing it exactly as Neb had shown her and the best she could do seated, even as Siesta all but lit up the area with how red she went. "I do care for the princess, deeply, but as my dearest friend. Yet I know that I was out of line and acted rashly against you when you've only had my best interests at heart… can you ever forgive me?"

Siesta had to babble and wave her arms like a monkey for several moments before catching hold of her own raging thoughts to manage a reply. "I… I-I forgive you, Milady, of course. I… I spoke out of turn and with no regard for your clear admiration for Her Highness, I assure you it won't happen again."

She proceeded to bow, so Louise bowed lower, and Siesta bowed lower, until there was this odd race to press their heads as far into the dirt as humanly possible. Only for them to stop, look at each other, and break into giggles over how silly they were being. It was… good to clear that air now, while they had the chance.

Kirche, sitting back and stroking Flame's head, just sighed fondly. "You two, I swear. I got morning watch, so I'm hitting the roll. Which of you's taking first?"

Siesta rose and patted herself clear of dust. "I'll get first. I'm long used to being up this late and the mid-watch is Louise's normal wake up time anyway."

"How convenient we should all have such schedules." Louise drawled as she cleaned herself with a rag. "Stay safe out there Siesta, if there's so much as a whiff of danger, you come right back. No heroics."

The handmaid merely nodded and strode into the tree line, instantly melting into the shadows as she drew up her hood. A few moments passed before Louise laughed. "What trouble we'd be in if she were against us."

"Trouble, we'd be dead." Kirche huffed, incredulous that there'd be any other option. "Take our eyes off the branches and she'd have her dagger in our throats before we could scream."

Louise just laughed again and went to her bedroll, the three of them set up in a triangle around the two pits. She sat down, took off her breastplate, and started to clean it. "You going to sleep in all that metal?"

"We're in enemy territory, I'd prefer not to be out of it unless we're in a better shelter."

Louise had to concede that point. "True enough, but don't blame me if you're all stiff in the morning. How'd it stand up, in your own words?"

"Pretty good. Those horned ones leaping about probably would've broken something if I didn't have it to absorb the hits." She shrugs and scratches Flame in his favorite spot, her familiar promptly going to sleep as the comfort and exhaustion met up. "Poor Flame. He tried throwing himself in front of them, but they were quick on the hop. His fire hurt them plenty, but he was… nervous. Didn't want to hurt me."

Louise hummed as she worked off her greaves. "He's a good friend. We're lucky to have him along, same with you."

That got Kirche to sit up and stare at her. "…Excuse me, who are you and what have you done with Louise?"

A thrown stick is her answer.

"Ok, so you're not an imposter. What uh… what brought that on? You're not one to dole out that kinda compliment to anyone not named Siesta."

Louise pouted at her. "I give compliments! They're just… usually less direct. I guess."

"Praise the Founder, she found sense on her patrol." A low chuckle, then a sigh. "But thank you, Louise. It's been a long day, but that made it a little easier. Need any help with your stuff?"

Louise waved her off and freed herself of her boots, a grimace made as she poured some muck out of them. "Nah… I gotta get these dried or I'll get bog-foot at this rate. You get out of yours and hand em to me, save the trip."

Kirche just saluted and sat up to get out of boots and greaves as well, glad to at least be out of them. Just her luck she'd gone through a mire when the group got split, but nice to know she could at least dry her feet before morning. It was such a relief to be out of them, in fact, that she was out the moment her head went back to land on the thin pillow.

Louise wasn't long from joining her. Enough to dry the boots as promised, clean her poor feet, settle down and… no, she wouldn't get much of a chance from here on if she didn't do this now.

Carefully, and with as best a stealth as she was able, Louise slowly crawled over until she was beside Kirche. Dirt and grass and mud stained her crimson tresses, much as it did Louise's own pink locks, and she felt herself stroke a hand through it to at least get rid of the worst offenders. Kirche didn't stir, much to her soul's relief, but words came unbidden in the smallest whispers.

"…I forgive you, Kirche. For… most of it. There are some things I just can't forgive you for… not now. But hey… if I didn't give up in the face of all that, I know you won't give up either."

A small, kind smile as she regarded the exhausted face, a warmth in her belly that made her heart flutter spreading just so. "And… I'm glad to call you a friend now. So, hey… one step done, right?"

She leaned down to lightly press their foreheads together. "We'll make it through this… we'll show that we're stronger together than we are as enemies. That we're better as… friends…"

The exhaustion must be getting to her. There was barely any moonlight, but she could swear that what little there was played tricks on her. She'd always been jealous of all the attention Kirche got, but was she always this… this… pretty?

If she'd been awake, they'd be eye-to-eye right now…

Louise's heart thundered in her chest. Her head felt fuzzy, eyes focused solely on the smudged and sweat-streaked face of her enemy turned friend. A voice whispered to her, something from deep in the darkness, urging her to… to listen to the thud of her heart, to… drink in the sight more… closer… she's right there…

Louise feels her lips just brush Kirche's…

And she almost leaps back like a cat getting poked, scrambling backwards in a flurry and frenzy as good sense blasted her haze apart and sent her reeling! What in the world was that!? S-s-she'd almost k-k-k-kissed Kirche! While the girl was sleeping! That was scandalous in three different ways, and she wasn't sure which made her more panicked!

A panic swiftly silenced when her mind simply gave up the goat, shut down for the evening, and went off to bed. Louise slumped into her bedroll, dreams none-the-wiser and the whole incident promptly purged from her mind, Kirche not so much as stirring the whole time.

But Flame knew. Oh he knew alright… he'd seen the whole thing when he'd heard Louise shuffle over. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew enough that his mistress would be pleased. Maybe not on the morrow, or the sunrise after that. But in time…

And that was enough for now.

Ch. End