Memoirs of the Holy War

by Naryfiel Lilith

It was a war that spanned across two generations. It was a war that tore Jugdral to pieces. It was a war between those who only did what they thought was right. It was a war manipulated by those who had suffered too much. It was a war filled with tragic mistakes and crippling hope. It was a war immortalized by the survivors, and this is their tale. (FE4 Novelization)

4. Chapter 3) Sanctuary

Chapter 3) Sanctuary

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In the southwest of Jugdral lies Verdane. It is an unusual country by Jugdral's standards, as it was not founded by a Crusader. Instead, it was founded by people who chafed under the rule of the Crusaders, finding too many similarities to the Emperor Galles and Loptous for their comfort, though the stories of just how this founding occurred differ with every telling. Some say it is through the blessings of the elementals and fairies who lived within the Spirit Forest. Others claim they swept in with blades and fire, and forced the people to bend the knee. Still others insist it was only at the grace of the Crusaders themselves, as the people native to these forests adored and trusted them. You can guess which one is more common in Verdane itself, and which ones are spoken elsewhere.

Regardless of how, it is a country with a distinctly tense relationship with its neighbors. Once, long ago, Verdane's armies attempted to invade Agustria, only to find themselves annihilated by the Cross Knights of Nordion. Never again did they try, instead focusing their efforts on border 'skirmishes' that left it dangerous for Grannvale to build any villages within half-a-day's journey of Evans, and traumatized the survivors with nightmares that persist years later. No few people think King Azmur mad for accepting King Batu's plea for peace, yet in the twenty years since that treaty was drawn up and signed, there have been no raids. At least, there hadn't until now, and Prince Munnir's presence in said raid hints to something dark and darker. Had King Batu broken his word? Had he been slain and now, Munnir ruled?

Then there are the questions of the other two princes of Verdane. Second Prince Cimbaeth is said to be of a similar temperament to his older brother, but Third Prince Jamke is the people's favorite for being kind and wise like his father. Where is he in this mess? Has he been silenced or worse? The answers to that lies in the winding paths of Verdane's dense forests, and we can only hope they do not lead us through the infamous Spirit Forest, where the veil between worlds was said to be so thin, the unwary would find themselves captured by those who lived between and trapped forever amidst the branches.

Would these spirits spell our doom as well? I suppose part of my job was to mitigate the chances of that...

---

"Mister Finn, careful, you're mixing in too much oil," I chided, resting a hand on his shoulder. Immediately, he stopped mixing and looked up at me curiously. "You will make it much too soft like that, and it shall run. Add in some more beeswax."

"On it," Mister Finn replied, setting the vial of oil far away from his current work area before scooping and measuring a small amount of beeswax. I watched with a little smile, amused and gladdened at how seriously he took this. "Is this enough?"

"Yes, that should be fine."

"Good…" He breathed a sigh of relief, and added the wax into the small pot he was using before returning to his mixing. "What was in the oil? I'm assuming something is in it, at least. It doesn't smell like the usual."

"It smells different because I had infused it with some herbs first." Otherwise, this would be a simple lotion, not a medicinal balm. "Specifically, I used the petals of a odledil, the blooms of an ashraxis, and the leaves and stem of an ekipeet."

"I only know that last one. We use the sap from the leaves for sunburns in Leonster."

"Yes, and you're making a balm for minor burns." I smiled a little more when Mister Finn blinked at the mixture in his pot in clear, if subdued, surprise. "Keep mixing."

"Ah, right, sorry!"

Scenes like this had become part of my 'normal routine' in Evans. After my morning talk and tea with Lord Sigurd, I would return to the infirmary to find Lord Oifey and Mister Finn sitting at the table, chatting about their training and daily tasks while waiting for me to start their lessons. What lessons they were depended on what needed to be done most urgently. Yesterday had been sewing and weaving, as a hunt had turned our hunters into the hunted and left most with many wounds that needed bandaging and many holes in their clothes that needed mending. Today, however, was medicines. Truthfully, most of them were medicines.

"So, this is for 'minor' burns?" Mister Finn asked, frowning as he mixed the oil and wax in the pot on the table. It was a little more fanciful than most would use for their medicines, but it had been a gift from Arvis, supposedly given on 'orders' of Bishop Cowen. I still thought he'd used Bishop Cowen as an excuse, but I couldn't refuse the extensive and well-made medicine making supplies. It saved me coin and trips to the church. "Then what sort of thing would you use for major burns?"

"Aside from my healing magic, I'd use a liniment," I explained. Unfortunately, the attack in Yngvi used up most of the liniments I had for burn-treatment. I had some steeping in the window now, of course, but it would still be another week or so before they were ready for use. "They and tinctures are made with a water-alcohol mix." Though, they could be made with vinegar as well. I'd found they didn't store as long, but I could either use them on their own for those who avoided alcohol or as part of an oxymel, which was particularly useful for the more bitter-tasting herbs.

"I see." He nodded to where Lord Oifey was straining a decoction of dandelion roots and srebroil bark into a jar. "Then what is Lord Oifey making?"

"He's finishing up a hangover remedy." It surprised me just how much alcohol everyone went through, though perhaps it was just because I had always avoided drinking it. My father had… "I'm afraid the soldiers used my last bit.." They and headache remedies disappeared as quickly as a flash of lightning. I'd need to stay up late the next few days to prep some batches in advance.

"That looks less suspicious than the hangover remedies in Leonster." Mister Finn smiled as he got the oil and wax fully mixed and removed the pot from the small fire to pour into a container. I smiled at how quickly he took to the lessons, even as I wondered why he'd wanted them. He'd given no explanation; he'd simply shown up with Lord Oifey just two days after the lessons began. "Those ones look far too much like the drainage from an abscess." Did he mean the pus? What sort of herbs would result in that color…?

"Good morrow to you all!" Sadly I had no time to ask. Sir Alec swept into the room as if he were a broom and held out a bouquet of flowers with all the grandioseness of a child playing at theater. "A little bit of color for the infirmary," he 'explained', trying to give me the flowers. Instead, I took one and ducked into the back corner where all my notes and books were. Just a few days ago, I had interrogated the local apothecary about the local herbs and their variety of uses. I was curious if this flower was among them. "Aw, really?"

"Where did you get the flowers, Alec?" Lord Oifey asked, carefully squeezing out the last of the decoction into the jar. Then he set the cheesecloth he'd used as a strainer down on a nearby towel and got up to take the flowers himself. "This is too many to pick, and you rarely spend your money on anything more than a single flower."

"Well, yes, since that's less I can spend on weapon maintenance." Sir Alec sighed and shook his head, but smiled at Lord Oifey. "These, however, were a gift!"

"From one of your lady friends? Again?"

"She wished to show her appreciation for my help the other day!" Sir Alec shrugged, feigning innocence. Lord Oifey rolled his eyes and found an empty jar to use as a vase for the flowers. Sadly, I couldn't find a description of them in my notes… I'd have to learn their name later and research from there in the books I 'borrowed' from the library. Though, there were also the notes from the previous doctors/healers in Evans I could look through… "Nothing so scandalous."

"Right. For once." Lord Oifey set the vases in the middle of the table where he and Mister Finn worked-learned. "Is this one of the two you were with last night? The ones where you said something like 'I am thoroughly enjoying the company of these lovely ladies and, gods willing, I shall be continuing to do so come sunrise'?"

"No, no, this is a different one."

"Sir Alec, did you become a knight simply to flirt?" Mister Finn asked, his tone dry and flat. I had a sneaking suspicion he wasn't very impressed by the possibility. "It seems like you've always got someone to charm."

"Many knights swear their oaths for many reasons," Sir Alec replied with great dignity. Though he wore a teasing, joking smile, the way he said the words made it seem like… to me, it sounded like he had different reasons. Not only that, I remembered how he had anticipated Lord Sigurd's request to get a feel for the town, and how we had learned of Prince Munnir's plans for the captives through him. "Why, Midir signed on due to being madly in love with Lady Edain!"

"...What."

"Alec, you mustn't gossip like that," Sir Naoise chided as he walked in suddenly. I tucked my flower back into the vase with the others and went to get my medicinal bag, certain he was injured. Yet he didn't appear to be… so, why was he here? "Particularly when it's a lie. Midir didn't train as a knight for Lady Edain. The madly in love part came later."

"Spoil my fun, why don't you?" Sir Alec complained, stretching his arms up above his head. He then made a point to ruffle Mister Finn's hair, purposely messing it up. "Would it not have been hilarious to see our too-serious squire here ask pointed questions of Midir?"

"I fear Midir would yelp and jump before flailing as he tried to protest the matter and, thus, worsen his wound." The light way Sir Naoise said the words hinted something like that had actually occurred before. "Let us not give Miss Alicia even more work, shall we? Midir's injury is almost healed."

"Do you ever get tired of being right?" Sir Alec's grin showed no shred of annoyance. "So, what brought you here? Our favorite squires are taking lessons, and I'm here to see if I can tease a smile onto our healer's beauteous visage." Pardon? "Did you get overzealous in training again? You don't look it, but I distinctly remember when-"

"No, nothing of the sort." Sir Naoise bowed very formally then, as if to hide how he'd interrupted Sir Alec. Sir Alec simply snickered. "We have visitors. Lady Ethlyn has already gone to greet them."

"Ah, but Lord Sigurd and Lord Quan are out on a ride…" Lord Oifey murmured. He immediately headed over to the sink to roll up his sleeves and wash his hands. "I'll go fetch them!"

"Thank you, Lord Oifey, since Alec and I have other duties," Sir Naoise murmured, straightening. To my surprise, he focused on me. "I shall escort you to the visitors, Miss Alicia. I am certain Lord Sigurd would wish for you to meet them."

"...Very well," I whispered, keeping calm despite my confusion. While it wouldn't do for them to see, I also could not fathom just why he'd want me to meet anyone. It would be one thing if they were more soldiers, but the ones Arvis had promised arrived just yesterday. "Mister Finn, would you mind cleaning? We shall continue the lesson at another time."

Thankfully, he did not mind in the slightest, so before long, Sir Naoise had shown me to wherever our guests were waiting. Perhaps he expected me to step up from there, since he left as soon as I entered the room, but I lingered back to access the situation. Of course, there was not much to 'access'. The visitors were only two people, a man around Lord Sigurd's age and a woman around Lady Ethlyn's. Both of them had hair of gold and eyes to match; between that and the similar features, I guessed they were siblings. Given how they both greeted Lady Ethlyn with hugs, the man even lifting her up to spin her around, I also guessed they were friends of the family. It made no sense why I would need to meet them. Perhaps I should simply return, yet Sir Naoise had been so sure...

"Eldigan!" Right about then, Lord Sigurd strode into the room with a bright smile and brighter laugh, Lord Quan trailing after him like a shadow. "It's been far too long!" he greeted, hugging the gold-haired man with casual ease. The man was quick to return it as well, with a quiet laugh of his own. "Was it your coronation…? No, it was Quan and Ethlyn's wedding, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but my coronation was but a couple months prior to the wedding," the man confirmed, stepping back. Though he smiled just as warmly, there was something searching to his gaze. Lord Sigurd noticed and tilted his head curiously, like a puppy, but the man gave no answer. Instead, his smile simply became even warmer. "I imagine much of that time was spent in chaos for you."

"Aye, for reasons that do not in any way involve spoiling my picky baby sister." Lord Sigurd looked confused for a moment more before shrugging and making room for Lord Quan to join them. I glanced at Lady Ethlyn to see her response, but she was engrossed in whatever conversation she was having with the blonde girl, the two even moving away from the trio so that they would not be overheard. "Still, that's… a year ago? No, it's been a little longer than that."

"It has, as Ethlyn and I celebrated our first anniversary just before we heard about Darna," Lord Quan added, smiling softly at both the man and Lord Sigurd. Clearly, whoever this was, he was a good friend to Lord Quan as well. "I cannot believe it has been so long since we've seen each other, though. Life just seemed to catch up with all of us, what with our various duties."

"It is unfortunate how true that is," the man agreed, sighing in what seemed to be annoyance at first. But his smile faded with the sigh, as if he was 'breathing out' his good cheer. "Speaking of duties, I must ask. Sigurd, Quan, why have you suddenly occupied Evans Castle? The reports from my scouts provided no answers."

"Ah, that's right, Nordion is but a stone's throw from here…" Lord Quan grimaced before smiling sheepishly. "In retrospect, we should've remembered that and sent you a message. It must've been a shock."

"You can imagine how dumbfounded I was, particularly when I heard Sigurd was here." The man focused completely on Lord Sigurd, his eyes searching again. "What happened? Grannvale already wars on Isaach. Surely, it is not warring on two fronts?"

"Er… I suppose… sort of…" Lord Sigurd mumbled, looking away in chagrin. The man's mouth twitched into a smile, like he was desperately trying not to do so, but simply could not help it. "I am here with permission, but I swear it was only in retaliation, Eldigan. Verdanite soldiers breached the border and brutally attacked Yngvi. The fires and corpses…" Lord Sigurd winced and looked down. His hands clenched at his side. "What could I do but ride out to assist how ever I was able? Then, once we recaptured the castle, we learned Crown Prince Munnir and his forces had captured many civilians, of all ages, and Edain. While, thankfully, most of the captured were found here in… relatively good health, Edain is still prisoner and if rumors are true, Prince Munnir plans to force her into marriage."

"...Meaning that, of course, you press on," the man sighed, shaking his head in clear exasperation. But his smile returned, along with a chuckle. "That is far too much like you. Your devotion to chivalry and personal loyalty demand you do no less."

"I don't need to hear about 'devotion to chivalry' from you, Eldigan." Lord Sigurd looked back to the man, almost but not quite scowling. "You are far worse than I am."

"No, you just see things with such straightforward honesty that both of you land into trouble more often than not," Lord Quan sighed, clicking his tongue as if in disappointment. However, his grin belied any sort of attempt to appear stern. "Thankfully, I'm a little more pragmatic than you both. I'm guessing that's why you're not surprised to see me here, Eldigan?"

"Once I learned Sigurd was here, I half-expected you to not be far behind, since you were always quick to pull us out of trouble," the man agreed. His own smile became a teasing grin. "I must say that most of the time it was 'pull Sigurd out of trouble', however."

"True, true."

"Must you two mock me so?" Lord Sigurd groaned. He definitely scowled when the other two laughed. "I'm not always causing trouble. Just… most of the time."

"Aye, because of your good heart, Sigurd," the man laughed. I noticed him relax, even as he attempted to become serious again. "To return to serious matters briefly, a word of caution. You cannot afford to leave Evans unguarded."

"I take it, then, Agustria has not looked kindly on recent events?" Lord Quan murmured, his own cheer disappearing. Lord Sigurd winced and looked down once more. "Word has reached us in Leonster of King Imca's illness… has that stirred up the in-fighting further?"

"Sadly, that is correct. With King Imca ill, they are content to do as they wish with no regard to anything but their own egoes."

"Ah." There was a very long pause. "So, has Lachesis punched Elidiot in the face again?"

"...Quan…" The man fought to keep the smile off his face, and he fought harder to keep from laughing. He lost both battles miserably. "Gods damn it, why must you bring out that stupid nickname?"

"Perhaps I didn't want a repeat of the 'hello, we're neighbors and I was playing a harmless prank on the people who were sneering at you for being a foreigner except somehow it turned into the hall flooding and we need to run'." Lord Quan rattled off the words without taking a single breath, and Lord Sigurd's sigh hinted it was for 'perfect' recollection. "We have to encourage our squires to come up with new ways to cause mayhem, not repeat our escapades. Or, rather, Sigurd's."

"You two were laughing before long," Lord Sigurd countered, confirming that truly had been for 'perfect recollection'. Part of me feared just how a 'simple prank' had spiraled so far out of control like that. "It also stopped the sneering, though I do feel bad about giving the servants extra work."

"Which is why, of course, you subsequently dragged us to the market to buy them apology gifts," Lord Quan pointed out, laughing. "Poor Eldigan was so bewildered!"

"And now we're all friends, so I fail to see the problem." Lord Sigurd grinned, unrepentant. However, worry soon crept into his eyes. "Still, it seems I am causing you more trouble than usual, Eldigan. Agustria…"

"Fear not, Sigurd. I shall never become your enemy," the man instantly reassured. He didn't hesitate for a single second, not even enough to imply he had to think of the words to say. "I merely wished to warn you of my fellows. I had planned on writing a letter, but it is far more pertinent now. I fear they may use this as an excuse to justify their whimsical greed." He sighed, this time aggravated. His eyes even sparked with quiet anger. "As nobles, it is our duty to protect the people. We are not the ones who suffer when war comes; the people are."

"You never change, Eldigan," Lord Quan murmured, bringing his hand up. The other two immediately grasped it, like it was part of a pledge. Perhaps it was. "And neither has our friendship. I doubt anything will change that."

"Quite true." The man softened and smiled warmly. "I shall assume you do not have many forces, so let me lend you mine. I cannot do more, due to Agustria's internal turmoils, but know that I shall guard your backs."

"Then we have little to fear," Lord Sigurd murmured, smiling softly. After a second, it became an outright grin. "When this is over, we should sit in front of the fire and catch up properly. There's a few bottles of wine back in Chalphy that I know you'd like."

"Pray, do not tempt me," the man joked, laughing. I did vaguely remember hearing that wine was one of Chalphy's chief exports. "On the subject of catching up, though, neither of you have met Ares, have you?"

"No, I have not met my 'nephew', nor have I met my niece." Lord Sigurd grinned at Lord Quan. "I can already hear the gossips about those two."

"I'm not handing over my precious baby girl to anyone," Lord Quan immediately retorted, sparking more laughter from the other two. Perhaps it was how playfully stubborn he pretended to be. "Not even to Ares!"

"If you boys are done with your bonding moment, perhaps you might instead be polite?" The blonde girl's dry voice cut through the warmth, and the three turned to where she and Lady Ethlyn were standing near the wall. "That lady over there has been standing in the shadows since before you guys started yammering on," the girl continued, tossing her hair over her shoulder before settling her hands on her hips. It took me a second to realize she was talking about me. "So…?"

"You must have only just noticed her yourself, Lachesis, if you apparently waited this long to bring it up," Lord Sigurd noted in an equally dry tone, before turning towards me. Immediately, he smiled warmly. "Ah, Miss Alicia! Did you need something?"

"Sir Naoise told me we had visitors you wished for me to meet," I explained, hesitantly stepping forward. I hoped it didn't show, of course, but I felt like an intruder. I shouldn't be here; I should be in the infirmary where I could be of use! "If he was mistaken, I can take my leave."

"No, no, please, come here!" Lord Sigurd came over to offer his hand, and I let him pull me to the others. "Miss Alicia, this is Eldigan, one of my dearest friends, and his younger sister, Lachesis." The man bowed, while the girl curtseyed. Knowing that any attempt to do the same would only make me look like a clumsy fool, I simply nodded my head in greeting. "Eldigan, Lachesis, this is Miss Alicia. She kindly agreed to serve as our Chief Healer for this campaign."

"I had wondered who you had in that position," Lord Eldigan murmured, crossing his arms. Lady Lachesis, meanwhile, focused sharply on me. "Ethlyn is skilled to be sure, but I did not think she had enough experience."

"That is precisely why I asked Miss Alicia!" Lady Ethlyn explained with a bright smile. Already, I felt awkward. "Well, that and how skilled she is. She healed Midir and gods, you should have seen his injury! I'm amazed he still breathed when they found him!"

"Truly? How bad was it?"

"Well, it…"

The conversation quickly turned to the attack on Yngvi, and the subsequent battles, no doubt to give Lord Eldigan a clearer picture of just what had happened. While they talked amongst themselves, I slipped away to return to the infirmary. I'd introduced myself and that was all I needed. Now they could gossip and catch up, and I could go back to work. That was all I needed. Healers… didn't need anything else.

---

The notes left behind by the previous healers provided a great deal of insight into the 'plague' that had ripped through Evans, and proved to be a good source of what local herbs and medicines were used for the more general symptoms of illnesses, such as 'fever' and 'headache'. After all, whatever this plague had been, the typical manifestations had both. There was also myalgia, sore throats, vomiting, and a terribly itchy rash. Those who ended up perishing developed respiratory issues and 'severe joint pain, to the point the patients swore their bones were shattering inside them'.

"It seems best to assume this disease has returned if we see a sudden rise in illnesses," I whispered to myself, carefully reading through while I mended some of the soldiers' shirts. It would be difficult, of course, as some of the milder symptoms were generic and far too easy to ignore. Yet, for the safety of the troops and the townspeople, I… "There must be a way to ease the more severe cases and lessen the death rate, though." The notetaker, whoever they had been, had helpfully listed out things they'd tried and the results. Of course, most of them simply had 'no effect noticed' scrawled out in spidery lines. "Mmm… I won't be able to determine anything unless I see it, which I dearly hope I don't…" It was best to keep it in mind, and move on to other things to study, like the books from the library.

Tying off my thread, I moved the notes to the side and opened up one of the books to the last bookmark I had labeled. While I didn't bookmark everything that seemed important, as otherwise every page would have one, I did mark things I might have trouble remembering or that were noticeably more serious. So, it was a good place to start with studying again as I picked up another shirt from my basket and mended the first of the three holes it had. After all, there were no patients in the infirmary for the time being, so I saw no reason why I shouldn't sit at my table and do what I could. Anything else would be a waste of time, and I couldn't do that. If I wasted time, then I'd just be a burden. I couldn't be one, not to these people who depended on me. I wouldn't be a parasite like my father was. I…

A flash of gold hair caught my attention, and I glanced to the doorway, where I could see Lady Lachesis peeking inside. As I had the previous times she'd done this, I chose to ignore her and continue with my work. If she needed something, she would approach me. If she didn't, she'd keep her distance. That was how it always was. I saw no reason to try and hasten the process along. Though, I supposed that didn't mean others wouldn't give it a little 'shove'.

"Lady Lachesis, what are you doing?" Mister Finn's confused question was 'punctuated' by Lady Lachesis's startled squeak. "I promise there is no barrier that prevents entry unless you're bleeding," he continued, his tone so sincere it was difficult to tell if he truly meant the words or if he was attempt to joke.

"W-well, what are you doing here?" Lady Lachesis retorted, very firmly not answering the original question. When I glanced up to look at them, I saw Mister Finn with a quizzical look on his face, and Lady Lachesis with a scowl that did nothing to hide her blush. My eyes then fell to the covered basket Mister Finn carried. "You don't look injured!"

"I'm delivering something. Miss Alicia?" Mister Finn walked into the infirmary, and I looked up properly to smile faintly at him. "Here, these are from the townsfolk. They bade me to deliver it to you once I had finished my patrol."

"Is that so?" I asked, carefully setting my mending on the table. I didn't want to accidentally prick my finger on a hidden needle again. "I wonder why…" Once everything was settled, I directed Mister Finn to set the basket on the table by everything and lifted the cover to peer inside to find a plethora of baked goods, each carefully wrapped to keep from getting crushed. "Well then." I picked one up, a loaf of herbal bread, and found a small note tucked underneath. A quick read of it provided the answer to 'why'. "Goodness, I told them I didn't need payment…" Yet it seemed they insisted, giving me food and treats in lieu of the normal gold. Though, the gesture baffled me still; no one before had gifted me anything instead of paying. Most just accepted it, or took it as given…

"From what I've picked up, returning favors seems to be very important to them," Mister Finn explained, with a small smile. He helped me unpack the basket, though I had to move my books and notes to make room for everything. "The one who gave it to me said 'a kindness given is a kindness earned', as if it were a saying."

"I truly haven't done much." All I did was treat them. I was glad to help people.

"It doesn't have to be. We've gotten gifts from the townsfolk just for playing with the children when they rush up." Mister Finn shrugged, and turned back to the door, where Lady Lachesis still lingered. "You can come in, you know."

"I should set up some tea for these…" Well, ignoring her would be more awkward than acknowledging her, now. "Come over here, Lady Lachesis, and join us for a snack."

"Miss Alicia, I only meant to deliver the basket…" Right then, though, Mister Finn's stomach growled. He immediately blushed a bright pink. "Um…"

"You're a growing boy. I insist you help us eat this." I smiled serenely at him, and he sheepishly smiled back. "Let's see… what will pair well with this?"

It did not take me long to make the tea, and it took even less time to set out the treats. With all in place, the three of us sat down for the meal, with Mister Finn carefully balancing 'gorging' with 'manners' and Lady Lachesis nibbling on her chosen pastry. None of us said anything. I had my studying, after all, and Mister Finn was too polite to talk while chewing. Lady Lachesis herself simply watched me, her gaze sometimes flicking to my books before settling back on me. I'd never had anyone stare so much; I almost wanted to check and ensure she wasn't suffering from some sort of head trauma or anything that would lead to shock.

"This tea is very good, Miss Alicia," Mister Finn murmured, breaking the silence. I supposed most held conversation while sharing tea, but I had little experience with such things. Before now, I only shared tea with Arvis when he visited and we were content with the silence. "I wouldn't expect mint to suit these, but they do."

"...Mint?" Lady Lachesis repeated, frowning slightly. She looked at her teacup and took a rather large gulp before looking back at him. "I... don't taste mint?"

"Truly?" Mister Finn frowned now. "Strange, as it is very distinct. There are some other ingredients, of course, but it stands out."

"I've something with citrus and apple?"

"I…" Mister Finn's frown deepened, and he scrunched up his face slightly in confusion. "Apple, I think I taste, there is a sweetness to the mint, but citrus?"

"Yeah, I want to say 'lemon', truthfully."

"Mister Finn has a different tea," I explained, drinking my own tea and flipping the page of my book. Noticing it was about hemorrhaging and internal stitches, I set my cup down and used some extra paper to make a quick bookmark before reading the words closely. "You have the same tea as me, Lady Lachesis, but Mister Finn does not seem to be fond of lemon, so I made him something else." As for the mint itself… I noticed Mister Finn always drank more mint tea when I served it, and drank it faster. So, I guessed he liked it. "That's all."

"Oh?" Lady Lachesis replied. It was all she said, and she went right back to staring at me in silence. Mister Finn smiled a little awkwardly, but I saw no reason to acknowledge it. I had my books to study. At least, that was my plan.

Shouting from down the hall, however, stopped that plan cold. I tensed instantly, bracing myself for a lecture, before I realizing the shouts had panic to them. There was an edge of fear among the panic as well, and that let me guess what had happened just before the yells condensed from simple 'noise' to something coherent: "Enemy raid! Armed forces marching from the south!"

"Well, it seems someone was impatient," I murmured, standing. Careful to keep everything from my tone to my movements even and calm, I cleared the table and took stock of everything. The infirmary was as ready as it could be. Now, I had to hope it would be enough. "Mister Finn, might you let Lord Sigurd know all is ready here?" Mister Finn nodded sharply, and strode off without another word. I had assumed Lady Lachesis wouldn't be far behind, if only to check on her brother, but…

"Miss Alicia?" However, she didn't leave. Instead, when she stood, it was to grasp my sleeve to catch my attention. "Might I assist you?" she requested softly. I met her gaze calmly, masking my own surprise. Why would she want to help? "I do have training. Minimal, yes, but even that can be helpful, right? And I'm a Hezul Minor, so I'm stronger than I look."

"...I shall take all the help I can get." After all, she was correct. With healing, even a little could buy enough time and the strength could be useful for many things. "Here, let me show you where everything is."

How many graves would be dug? How many dead would I count? How many would I fail? It didn't matter; I'd find out soon enough.

---

Truthfully, I expected Lady Lachesis to balk when the first of the injured arrived. I wasn't certain as to why; I had no reason to assume she didn't help in the infirmaries in Nordion. I suppose it was the nervousness with which she held herself while pretending to be strong, much like a kitten bristles and hisses at a threat it cannot hope to match. To be fair to myself, she did blanch at all the blood. But when I asked her to hold down a soldier screaming and flailing in pain, she did so without hesitation and barely flinched when blood hit her face. Once they were stable, she ducked into the back to vomit, rinsed her mouth out with water, and returned immediately to my side. Then she worked and kept working until we'd done all we could for all the injured and she could sit down at the table and rest.

"Here, sip on this," I whispered, setting mug of ginger-infused water on the table in front of her. It wasn't warmed, of course; anything that could be used to boil water was appropriated for sterilizing or medicines. But it would still be effective enough. "It should ease your stomach."

"Thank you…" Lady Lachesis mumbled. Her hands shook when she picked it up, and a little bit of water dribbled down her chin when she drank. I called attention to neither. "...Some of them…" She glanced over at our patients, who thankfully were asleep. Otherwise, I would've had her rest in a different room; it wouldn't do for the patients to see their caretakers as anything but confident and calm. "They're my age…"

"If you are sixteen, then yes, they are." Truthfully, I suspected more than a few were younger, but I had no proof. "That is, of course, the age of majority in Grannvale."

"I'm fifteen, so…" She sipped a little more of her water. I frowned slightly, though. I had thought her a little older… "I turn sixteen later this year, mind. I…" She made a face and knocked back the last of the water. Studying her complexion, I decided to pour her a little more. "Thank you…"

"It's fine." Noticing she had some blood in her hair, I wetted a small cloth and carefully wiped-washed away the worst of it. She mumbled some sort of thanks again. "Would you like to move to the sideroom?" I could easily find something else for her to do there.

"No, if I'm not in the way, I'd like to continue helping." She tilted her head back to look at me, with a painfully sincere gaze. "I… learned healing to help the Cross Knights. To help Eldigan. This is the sort of situation I need to be prepared for. Agustria is no stranger to conflict. While Nordion may have avoided the worst of it in recent years, it would be foolish and irresponsible to simply assume that shall continue."

"Yet, as I tell you, Lachesis, there is no need to push yourself…" The words announced the arrival of Lord Eldigan in the infirmary, and I quickly took stock of his condition. His clothes were torn, and there were definitely bloodstains, but I did not see any injuries. I did, however, note he still wore his sword on his hip, the gold and black hilt strangely immaculate given his state. "You already help Grahnye with running the castle," he gently chided, smiling at Lady Lachesis. "That is more than enough."

"Eldigan, I am not a child. I know we cannot expect Jarl to forever spare us. War spares no one," Lady Lachesis snapped, scowling at him. Lord Eldigan sighed, and shook his head. "I would like very much to not lose family. Running the castle helps you, of course, but knowing how to organize and budget the treasury will do nothing from keeping someone from bleeding out." Her scowl only deepened. "Your Cross Knights are family as well, you know. Death has to fight me for them, and I intend on fighting hard. After all, I have War in my blood."

"Times like this remind me why I had to carry you around when we were children to keep you from bloodying people's noses when they upset you." Lord Eldigan sighed again, but this time he shrugged. "Well, I know better than to dissuade you. It just makes you dig your heels more." Based on how Lady Lachesis's scowl slowly morphed into an outright glare, I gathered she didn't find the words reassuring. "Regardless, the battle outside is won. It was a simple, easy one."

"Simple?" Lady Lachesis choked on a yelp and coughed almost violently. Immediately, I got her more water, and passed her a spoonful of cough syrup to ease her throat. She hesitated at the syrup before taking the spoon and quickly putting it in her mouth. "Oh, that's… spicy. Yet sweet. Very sweet, actually." She looked at the spoon in wonder; Lord Eldigan, meanwhile, bit back a laugh. "It actually tasted good. But spicy. Very spicy."

"It has ground ginger and alezess pepper, as well as honey," I explained. It was an old medicinal recipe in Yngvi; I was still in the process of making and trying some of the local cough remedies. "Now then, Lord Eldigan…" I turned my attention to him, and he blinked a couple of times in confusion. "Since you are already here, I shall go ahead and give you a check-up."

"Oh, I'm fine, Miss Alicia," Lord Eldigan immediately replied, one hand dropping to the hilt of his sword. I almost thought it pulsed with a dark light. "I wield Mystletainn, the Demon Blade. For every strike I land, it heals my injuries." There were stories detailing how Hezul, the King of Knights, had been considered 'immortal' once blessed by Jarl of War. I also knew from Arvis the Holy Weapons lived up to their reputation. Still…

"Are you certain?" Still, it felt foolish to simply rely on the blessing. All power had its price. Everything did. However, I couldn't force him into accepting healing. A patient, or potential patient, had the right to refuse treatment. If he chose to not enter my care, then I had to listen. I couldn't force, not like my father...

"Eldigan, stop being stubborn," Lady Lachesis grumbled, downing the rest of her water in one gulp. Then she leapt to her feet, picked up Lord Eldigan with all the ease of picking up a piece of paper, and dumped him onto one of the few empty beds. Lord Eldigan blinked a couple of times, no doubt confused by the sudden turn of events. "No protesting, either. You might wake up the other patients." Personally, I was surprised they had not awakened already.

I waited briefly, to see what Lord Eldigan would do, but he rolled his eyes and nodded, resigned to it all, so I grabbed my staff and went to work. "Hmm… while your injuries are closed, there is definitely underlying inflammation and bruising…" I murmured, thinking aloud and taking mental notes. There were also signs he had not been sleeping well, and he may or may not have skipped meals recently. "'Tis nothing that shall require a stay in the infirmary, but I will give you a medicine to take." Things like this truthfully required rest, but I could still do what I could. "I will write down the instructions for them, so please, follow them."

"Eldigan, are you ill?" Ah, so now Lord Sigurd decided to grace the infirmary with his presence, no doubt to check on Lord Eldigan and Lady Lachesis. Unlike Lord Eldigan, Lord Sigurd bore visible injuries, but his were also bandaged. Likely, he had seen Lady Ethlyn prior to coming here. "You're always been bad about overworking," Lord Sigurd continued, with worry radiating off him from his tone to his knit brows. Lord Eldigan flinched slightly, and immediately smiled reassuringly. It… reminded me of Arvis when I caught onto something he wanted to hide. "Are…?"

"I would call it more of a 'preventative' than a true illness." So, I found myself skirting the edge of the truth when answering the question. I glanced briefly at Lord Sigurd, just long enough to see the worry morph to relief, and then ducked into the sideroom to prepare that medicine and instructions. "I would like it if he rested more, of course. However, this is more to ensure he does not have a true illness later."

"I see…" There were still threads of worry amidst the relief in his tone, but he did sound placated. "You must take better care of yourself, Eldigan…" I wasn't sure Lord Sigurd, with his recklessness, should be saying that. "Who else will scold me when I charge into danger?" At least he was self-aware. "While also keeping up."

"I was about to list every single person who has ever met you," Lord Eldigan replied, with a tone dry enough to spark fire. When I peeked out briefly, I saw Lady Lachesis had her arms crossed and she nodded vigorously in agreement. "But I suppose I am the one who goes chasing first."

"You 'suppose' that, but I remember when a certain brother of mine went chasing after Sigurd without hesitation when he ran into a burning building," Lady Lachesis teased with a smile. Lord Eldigan rolled his eyes; Lord Sigurd shrugged. "Of course, that was because Ethlyn was trapped inside, but that is neither here nor there, yes?"

"Will you ever let that die?"

"Oh, maybe when we're old and gray."

Shaking my head, I returned to what I was doing, carefully measuring out how much he'd need into a spare jar and writing down the instructions. I hesitated for a moment before adding an extra message to it, one that had nothing to do with the dosage: 'Get rest and remember to eat well and regularly. Otherwise, you will grow worse and I will not be able to hedge your condition to Lord Sigurd.' Perhaps I should not have written anything at all; it did pertain to his health, of course, yet…

"Miss Alicia?" Yet Lord Sigurd apparently had business with me, and not Lord Eldigan, as he stepped into the storeroom to stand next to me. I flipped over the instructions (and message) and sealed the jar shut. "We will be marching out in the morning," he informed me, once I was done. I nodded, mentally calculating how much we used for this first wave. There wouldn't be time to completely replenish our medicines, but I could prioritize… "Second Prince Cimbaeth is dead. He was among the attackers. Ideally, this means Genoa will be undermanned, but I shan't hope for that."

"Will there be any changes to the original set up, or shall we continue with it?"

"For the moment, we shall stay the course." So, I would remain here to maintain a 'full infirmary' while Lady Ethlyn made a field one. I would need to meet with her about what medicines she'd take with her… ah, we should have done this much sooner… it was completely irresponsible of me to… "If there is an attack here, evacuate to Nordion. Eldigan will keep everyone safe." That made sense, though I didn't know where…

"Hey, Sigurd?" Lady Lachesis poked her head in the room and, at his nod, entered with her hands clasped behind her back. "Might I remain here to continue assisting Miss Alicia?" she asked. I didn't know who was more surprised by the request, myself or Lord Sigurd. I could only confirm that he showed it more than I did. "I know I can help, even if it is only a little, and if worst comes to worst and the people here need to escape, I can easily lead them to Nordion. After all, the only other person here that will know both the path and secret ways in will be Arden, and I think we both know he would be the last to leave."

"I suppose that is true…" Lord Sigurd conceded slowly. He looked to something behind her, and I stepped a little closer to him to see it was Lord Eldigan, looking fondly exasperated and apologetic at the same time, somehow. "With that said, that decision is not mine to make."

"Hmm? But you lead…?"

"I lead the army. The infirmary is in Miss Alicia's care. Thus, the decision is hers." He gestured to me, and Lady Lachesis ducked her head, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Miss Alicia? What do you think?"

"Would there be trouble in Agustria because of this?" I asked instead, remembering what Lord Eldigan had said when he and his sister first arrived. Agustria's inner turmoils prevented him from outright marching with Lord Sigurd, and I had little doubts he wished to do so, if only to help his friends.

"If she remains only until you capture Genoa, then I believe we can make excuses," Lord Eldigan replied softly, stepping up to join the rest of us. Lady Lachesis immediately beamed up at him and he smiled back. "Assuming it does not turn into a long siege, of course. But considering today, it likely won't."

"I see." I debated a moment more before nodding. "In that case, I shall gladly accept her help." I couldn't refuse, truthfully. She had been helpful earlier, and another pair of hands went a long way when people were dying. If it increased my patients' chances even a little, I had to take it. "I take it you shall be leaving soon."

"Sadly, yes. I've been away too long as it is."

"Very well." Quietly, I handed the jar of medicine to Lord Eldigan, along with my written instructions. He glanced over the words, paused to read them again, and looked up at me. I met his gaze as calm as I could and, after a moment, he smiled slightly and nodded. I could only hope that meant he'd listen. "Then, Lady Lachesis, we must check on our patients. There might be things missed in the initial check."

Another battle was upon us. Another long series of battles was here. I had to do my best. It would never be enough, of course. Yet I had to anyway.

---

When I was very little, long before I devoted myself to my studies with the foolish and childish hope it would earn me a smile from Father Eirik and the other priests and priestesses in the church, I'd read a story set in the ocean. It described it as a terribly cold place, filled with salty water and creatures one could only describe as 'monstrous'. As such, I would not describe the infirmary as an 'ocean of wounded'. Blood was warm and tasted of iron and the 'denizens' were not monstrous, only people. They were only people, no matter how mangled they appeared. They were only people, no matter how much they screamed and cursed in pain. They… were only people.

"Miss Alicia?" Mister Finn's call was quiet and tired. I could not blame him; he had been assisting me for the past however many hours and he had volunteered for a particularly gruesome duty. "I fear we are out of numbing balms," he informed me. I glanced up from cutting an arrow out of a soldier's eye, but quickly returned to my work. This patient still breathed; if I worked quickly enough, I could still save him. If I was good enough, skilled enough, then… "Should we use sleeping medicines instead?"

"Only if Lady Lachesis cannot hold them down," I answered, reaching into the patient's eye socket. With a wiggle and a yank, I plucked the arrow out, along with the remains of their eye, and immediately set to work to minimize the blood loss. I was glad I didn't have to reach in again for the eye, as I had the last one. "There is no time to calculate the proper dosage nor is there anyone to spare to watch them for signs of potential overdose." They also took longer to take effect, time the patients may not have.

"Very well."

Without another word, he left to inform Lady Lachesis. I cursed myself for my lack of foresight even as I stopped my current patient's bleeding and got to work stitching the socket shut. It was my fault there wasn't enough; I should've made more. I should've woven more bandages. There were a thousand and one things I should've done, but hadn't and now, others paid the price. The number of dead rose by the second and, now, those who required amputations would be stuck screaming as Lady Lachesis held them down for Mister Finn to remove the limb.

So much had been used in so short a time. It had been three days since Lord Sigurd led the march to Genoa Castle. Lord Oifey wasn't here; he had traveled with the army. Lord Quan had intended for Mister Finn to also accompany them, but Mister Finn requested to remain behind and assist Sir Arden and Sir Midir with the castle's defenses. I didn't hear why; I thought it might have to do with his previous (now scarred) injury. Truthfully, I couldn't care. When he wasn't patroling or reporting to Sir Midir and Sir Arden, Mister Finn helped Lady Lachesis and me in the infirmary, and the extra pair of hands had saved many lives. Though with the dead piling up, it was almost hard to remember.

The worst, however, was how strict our triage system had to be. In light of our depleting stock, it would have to be even stricter. Still, we did what we could. We saved who we could. No one could save everyone, but I'd try my hardest anyway.

Eventually, no more wounded passed through the infirmary's doors. Our focus could shift from 'maximizing lives saved' to 'maximizing the chances of the survivors'. At least, my focus could. Once I had confirmed there were no more amputations needed for the moment, Lady Lachesis and Mister Finn all but collapsed in a corner to rest. Both swore it would only be for 'a few seconds', but in those few seconds, sleep firmly claimed them and refused to release them. Smiling slightly, I draped one of the few clean blankets we had left over them and had to muffle a little laugh when both curled into the warmth. It resulted in Lady Lachesis resting her head on Mister Finn's shoulder, and his head resting against hers, and the sight was somehow adorable, despite them being caked in sweat and blood.

Reminded of the grim duty they'd taken upon themselves, I stepped into the side room they'd used. Blood was… everywhere. Some was on the walls, some on the ceiling. My steps squelched in crimson puddles as I crossed the room and retrieved the container of limbs. Inside, there were fingers and hands, legs and toes. Some had the threads of a makeshift tourniquet still attached; others showed splintering bone. All were mangled in some way, of course. Some had been torn apart by weapons, others reeked of pus-filled gangrene. All were proof of what we had to do to try and save a life, and a testament to just how many bodies might be lining the road between here and Genoa.

"To get that much blood on even the ceiling, a tourniquet must have slipped during the cutting," I whispered, looking up again. A droplet fell onto my cheek, but I paid it little mind. It was just one more drop. "We should have a lesson on good ways to secure them." I dreaded to think of how many died because I hadn't made sure. How many died for my mistake…?

It didn't matter. I made the mistake; I had to learn from it to save the next ones. There was always someone to save. There was always another to heal. Right now, I had a room filled with them, and if I didn't give my all, I'd have a room full of the dead.

When I stepped out into the infirmary proper, my grip on the box of limbs slipped and I almost dropped it on my foot. Thankfully, however, Sir Arden had apparently been waiting to speak with me and he caught it before it made a terribly loud noise that woke my patients. They needed their rest, and too many already slept fitfully. If I disturbed them, I...

"Where should I take this?" Sir Arden asked, easily hefting the box up onto his shoulder. Of course, given how broad he was, the box looked almost small. "Buried? Burned?"

"Traditionally, we burn the limbs twice," I answered softly, only giving him half of my attention. The rest was on a nearby patient whose chest did not rise and fall as much as I'd expect. When I went over to check, I discovered he had died. I grabbed my staff to check him over, to see what I might have missed, and found I hadn't missed an injury. He had simply bled too much for the medicines and healing to take effect in time. "Let us do that for now. We can adjust depending on volume and needs."

"All right." Sir Arden looked at the patient, no doubt realizing just why I lingered. "I'll send some of the soldiers to carry the dead."

"Thank you."

"Midir is out on patrol to check for any others. Ones that might've gotten lost or…" It was too easy to fill in the blank.

"Very well." How many dead? How many? How many were lost before I even saw them? "Might he report directly to me, no matter the number?"

"I'll let him know."

"Thank you."

What felt like both seconds and hours later, Sir Midir returned with only one soldier, carrying them on his back. "I know there might be nothing to be done," he whispered as I helped him get my newest patient onto a bed. It was all too clear why they'd been left behind; the gaping hole in his abdomen was barely covered by filthy, stained bandages. I thought their armor might be all that kept them from evisceration. "Yet he still breathed and I could not leave him."

"He still breathes now," I replied, for that was the only answer. He made it to me alive. Now, my duty was to try and ensure he left me alive. "My helpers slumber and I would not wake them. Might you assist me in their stead?"

"Gladly."

That soldier survived the night. Some of his fellows were not so lucky. Twelve died in the initial rush, and seven more expired before the dawn broke. Nineteen dead, for now. The number would only grow higher.

---

More injured arrived. Some died; others didn't. Worried about space, I talked extensively with Sir Arden and Sir Midir, and eventually we set up two more rooms as makeshift infirmaries. We wouldn't always have such a luxury, but for now, I wanted each patient to have enough space to breathe. Being crammed together like fish in a barrel would not make their recoveries any easier.

"I'm sorry I brought you more work, Alicia," Azelle mumbled behind me. Just the other day, he had returned to Evans with another batch of wounded. I had to admit that, at first, I had been worried he was injured himself, but he quickly reassured me he had only minor injuries. He had just overextended during the fighting and Lord Sigurd requested he return to rest and lessen the chances of an accidental Final Strike. It was kind of him to consider it. "There's so many…"

"A healer's work is never done," I reassured, more focused on my task than the conversation. It was terribly rude, especially to him, but I absolutely had to get these medicines made. We had already bought all of what the local apothecary had stocked, and thus, the only way to replenish our own was to make them. Out of those in the castle, only Mister Finn knew anything about medicine making, thanks to the lessons, but I had ordered him to rest today. He and Lady Lachesis both needed it. "You needn't fret."

"Still, have you slept?" Azelle, however, had wished to help me however he could and, thus, we were in a sideroom, where I could sit down and make medicines and he took care of a task I didn't want to waste time on: brushing my hair. I would have just tied it back or braided it to keep it 'neat' otherwise. "Eaten?"

"I have."

"Quick naps in the corner does not count as 'sleep'. No more than nibbling on whatever you manage to grab counts as 'eating'." He grumbled something else I didn't catch under his breath, yet despite the exasperation, he handled my hair with great care and a surprising amount of gentleness. It was certainly more than I did; I was fairly sure he brushed each section of my hair until it shone in the candlelight. "I think you're worse than Arvis. Which is a bad thing."

"I have not resorted to taking stimulants in order to work." The 'strongest' thing I ever took was a energy boosting teas, and I made sure to keep it that way.

"I knew he'd used those!" Though I could not look back at him, I had a feeling he was scowling. "When we were younger, at least."

"He better not still use them. I gave him quite the lecture when I found some among his things." I would dare say it was the first and only time I had ever been angry at him. "Now I'm worried. Perhaps one of us should write Aida about it?"

"I will. I'm in the middle of writing one to her anyway." That would be best. It would be more difficult for me to sneak one out. "Okay, so you're not worse than Arvis. But I'm not sure you're better."

"I promise I get sufficient rest." I had to. Tired healers made mistakes. I was fine. "Though, it warms the heart you fuss anyway."

"Well, of course. You're…" Though we were safely away from people, Azelle still paused to double-check before continuing. "You're my sister."

"I love you too, little brother."

"Miss Alicia?" Sir Arden's voice startled both of us, though I was quick to get on my feet and into the main part of the infirmary, certain another wave had come. However, Sir Arden was not a grim shadow in the doorway, simply calm. "Scouts spotted enemy soldiers chasing after two figures, one of whom is limping," he explained. I nodded, anticipating the next words. "Midir rode out to intercept and direct them here. Which room should we use?"

"Let us use the one across the hall for the initial examination," I suggested. If they could run, then I guessed they were not badly wounded. Then again, the body could push itself through the most remarkable of circumstances… "I shall want to check Sir Midir as soon as he returns as well." His wound had healed, but that was no excuse to shirk.

"Very well. Is Lord Azelle still here? I'd like him on the battlements."

"He is…" I glanced over my shoulder just as Azelle stepped out to join me. He smiled bravely, and I smiled back slightly. "I shall set up the room, then. Stay safe."

It was easy to ensure the room was ready. It had already been half-prepped in anticipation for more injured, and it took time to rescue people. I was even able to get a pot of chamomile tea ready. Eventually, though, one of the guards led our two newest patients to the room, and I turned to greet them. My words caught in my throat, however, because… because one of them was Lady Edain.

"Um… hello…" she mumbled, smiling sheepishly. If not for the circumstances, and how her dress was stained with a dreadfully tattered hem, you would think she was greeting me after a jaunt through the market led to being soaked in the rain. "Arden said you were the healer in charge, miss…?"

"Alicia," I supplied, ushering her to one of the chairs. I noticed the small spots of blood left in her wake, and glanced down to see her feet were bruised and bleeding. She had no shoes; she must've lost them. "I made some chamomile tea. Would you like a cup?"

"Oh, yes, please!"

"Alicia seems like a weird name," Lady Edain's companion commented, reminding me there were two patients. Though the young boy, likely around Lord Oifey's age, did not look injured, I led him to another chair. "Well, not like I can talk, I guess. The name's Dew, miss. Can I have something to drink, too? Throat's all scratchy."

"Of course," I reassured, immediately pouring them both cups and passing them. Lady Edain sipped hers with a smile and a sigh; Mister Dew downed his in one gulp. "Goodness, you are quite thirsty."

"Oh, uh… guess I'm supposed to drink it slow, huh? Used to being quick." He shrugged, and did drink the next one more slowly. "So, that great armor fellow said Sigurd is south?"

"He is. The army marched on Genoa after we weathered an assault. I maintain a full infirmary here for the injured." I fetched my staff and first stepped towards Lady Edain. However, she nodded subtly to Dew, so instead, I started my examination on him. I feared he might have worse injuries than his demeanor conveyed. Thankfully, however, that wasn't the case. "You have some bruises. I'll give you a balm for them."

"No need to waste it. Bruises are just bruises."

"If it is used to treat you, then it is not wasted." I ignored his surprised look to fetch a jar. "I can apply it, if you would like."

"...N-no, I can put it on myself." He took the jar from me and blinked at it a couple of times before ducking his head. "Um…"

"You can head next door, if you would like."

"Thanks." He bolted out of the room, returned briefly for his cup of tea, and bolted again.

"Goodness…" Lady Edain breathed after a moment of starting. She finally finished her cup, and I refilled it before starting her checkup. "I hope he hadn't been hiding too much pain."

"His bruises were not serious, merely something to be treated," I reassured, more focused on tending to her. She had some bruises as well, yet it seemed her feet had been the worse off. "May I ask what happened to your shoes?"

"I got stuck in some mud, and rather than risk our pursuers catching up, I decided to forgo them entirely." Lady Edain smiled wryly at me. "There is debris, isn't there?"

"Yes." I knelt down to visually confirm what my magic had found, and saw a rock had embedded itself into her heel. "I fear I do not have numbing balms, yet we must remove these at once."

"Oh, they already went numb ages ago." She smiled at me, and it almost hid her dread. Even if they were 'numb', neither of us truly believed she wouldn't be in terrible pain. Still, she knew the dangers of leaving foreign objects in wounds. "Go on ahead."

"If you are certain, then I shall." I did give her time to brace herself. After all, I had to gather my materials first. "Try to not kick me."

"I'll do my best." She looked down at me curiously as I sat down on the floor and wiped away the worst of the blood and mud on her feet. It was a miracle she did not already have an infection. "I've… seen you before, haven't I? One of Father Eirik's healers?"

"You might have seen me once or twice, when I was called in to assist. I normally worked outside of the church." I didn't… want to talk about that right now. I had to be the calm one, particularly now. "I'm starting now."

Even with that warning, and her reassurances, Lady Edain jerked reflexively and kicked my side. I ignored it to keep working, alternating between picking out rocks and pieces of leaves and sticks and washing her feet to remove the blood. My skirt was soon stained and I thought she might have apologized for it in between whimpers, but I paid it little heed. I had work to do, after all, and the sooner I was done, the sooner she could heal.

I had just finished picking the debris out of Lady Edain's feet when someone knocked on the door and opened it. "Miss Alicia, Arden said you…" Sir Midir began as he stepped inside. However, he trailed off and froze when he saw just who my current patient was. "Lady Edain…?"

"Midir…!" Lady Edain breathed, automatically trying to get to her feet. I freed a hand and rested it on her knees as a silent reminder why she shouldn't. For one thing, I needed to triple-check her wounds. "You're alive!"

"Aye, my lady." Sir Midir smiled sweetly and kneeled next to the chair before bowing his head. "I must apologize, however. Because of my mistakes and weaknesses, you had to suffer a terrible ordeal."

"No, no, Midir, if I had listened to you from the start and fled to Chalphy…" Lady Edain's smile faltered briefly and her hand shook as she reached out to touch his cheek. "I am… so glad to see you survived. The wound… the blood… I was so sure that…"

"I will not deny the wound's severity; I have only recently recovered from it." Sir Midir hesitated for a moment before looking up at her. Her fingers still lingered on his cheek. "However, it seems Laima decided it was not my fate to die, and sent Miss Alicia to tend to my wounds. It is thanks to her care I did not fall into Neit's realm."

"It seems my debt to her grows by the second!"

"I simply did my job," I corrected, bandaging her feet now. Both of them jumped a little, as if they had forgotten I was there. Perhaps they had. "Speaking of his injuries, though, Sir Midir, I would like to check the wound on your chest. We must be sure you stay recovered, after all."

Sir Midir was quick to agree, of course, though he was embarrassed when Lady Edain insisted on staying to see the scarring for herself. After confirming there was no lingering damage, however, I urged them both to leave and rest, even allowing Sir Midir to carry Lady Edain to her room. While I was cleaning up, though, I had one last visitor: Azelle. He smiled at me, a painfully resigned smile, and that told me he had seen Sir Midir and Lady Edain. I smiled back faintly and urged him to rest against me under the pretense of helping me clean.

Sadly, broken hearts were not something a healer could tend to. But, perhaps this would be enough. I hoped, at least.

---

I sent a messenger to Lord Sigurd within the hour. I knew he'd like to know as soon as possible that Lady Edain was safe, and perhaps it might change their current strategy in the field. With that in mind, it was a surprise when Sir Arden told me the next day that a message had arrived from Lord Sigurd, since unless the messenger I had sent could bend the laws of reality and space, they should not have arrived yet. The message itself, however, clarified matters; it was not a reply. Instead, it was Lord Sigurd relaying that the battle was at Genoa's gates and if all proceeded to plan, it would not be long before the castle fell. As such, he asked if it might be possible for me to leave ahead of the others to be on hand for infirmary preparations. Though I was initially hesitant, since I had my current patients, Lady Edain's presence made mine less needed, particularly with Lady Lachesis and Mister Finn assisting her. The thought of how being 'on hand' might save more lives was what ultimately made me agree, though, and by the end of that day, I had left Evans for Genoa, with a small escort of soldiers handpicked by Sir Arden.

When I arrived at the castle, the hustle and bustle hinted the battle had recently been won. I couldn't confirm that, however. As soon as one of the soldiers helped me dismount, Lord Oifey seized me by the hand and all but yanked me into the castle proper.

"Lord Oifey, might I ask where we are heading?" I asked when it became clear he was not leading me to where Lady Ethlyn had set up a temporary infirmary. I frowned when Lord Oifey did not answer immediately. "Lord Oifey?"

"A moment, please, Miss Alicia," he whispered, tightening his grip on my hand. Immediately, I wondered if Lord Sigurd himself was injured and they wished to hide it. "We are almost… there!" All at once, he stopped at a door and pushed it open. Inside was a dank, damp staircase barely lit by torches on the wall. "I… there's a civilian, Miss Alicia. In the dungeons here."

"Oh?" I waited for more of an explanation, since I failed to see why that would warrant such actions. Yet Lord Oifey did not elaborate. "Is Lord Sigurd down here?"

"Yes." He bowed formally to me, and did not straighten. I guessed he had no intentions of leading me below.

So, I nodded and carefully descended the staircase. The steps were cold; I could feel that even through my shoes. They were also barely clean, with dirt encrusted in the cracks and edges. Assuming this would be indicative of the state of the dungeons themselves, I triple-checked my medicine bag and kept a tight grip on my staff. With each step, the air grew colder and heavier. It grew stale, thick with the smell of mold and grime. There was no wind down here, no light. Each breath felt wet, and coated my throat until it choked me. At the bottom of the stairs themselves, the sharp smell of 'old death', the scent that lingered even after the flesh sloughed away and all that was left was bones, mingled with the rest. That told me what I would find even before I saw the muddied bones wrapped in cloth behind metal bars that shone dully in the torchlight. Lord Oifey had said these were the dungeons, but I never expected to see one, much less one that was so stereotypical.

"Miss Alicia?" It didn't matter, of course. Lord Oifey had sent me down here, and now, Lord Sigurd stood in front of me. "I didn't… did you just arrive?" he asked, frowning slightly. It only enhanced the worry in his eyes. "It feels like it wasn't long ago we got your message about Edain."

"Your own messenger arrived soon afterwards, and I left that very day," I explained, focusing entirely on him. There were no injuries I could see. "Lord Oifey brought me here, and only told me there was a civilian."

"Ah, yes." Strangely, Lord Sigurd did not elaborate further. He simply stared at me… no, that was the wrong word. He studied me, measuring something. I held his gaze, wondering just what he looked for. If there was someone injured down here, then would I not need to see them immediately? "He's back this way." Whatever he searched for, he must have found it as he offered me his hand and helped me through the winding paths of the dungeon. "We found him when one of the soldiers tried to escape down here. I suppose they thought a hostage would buy them the time to escape."

"I see." I looked around, noticing just how empty it was. "Why was he here?"

"Why, indeed." Lord Sigurd looked down briefly before stopping at a particular cell. It took a couple of blinks and Lord Sigurd moving a torch closer for me to see the small child huddled in the back corner. "He… heard we are from Grannvale, and could not get away fast enough."

"Oh?" I frowned slightly, wondering why, but I decided it didn't matter. None of it did. Even from here, I could see the thin trickle of blood seeping from the grimy ropes that bound his wrists. There was someone who needed help, and I was here. That was what mattered. "Might you open the cell for me?"

Lord Sigurd did just that, and it opened with a rusty groan that made the boy flinch back and desperately try to make himself smaller. I made sure my steps were sure and noticeable as I approached, specifically so that he could hear when I stopped. I set my medicine bag down, again just loud enough for him to hear, and I sat on my knees to study him. Dark hair was the first thing I noticed. He had dark hair, and I could just barely make out white specks I feared might be lice. Given the conditions, it would not surprise me. His clothes might have been well made, once, but the stains made it clear he had not changed them for some time. Their looseness hinted he had lost a substantial amount of weight at some point. Said looseness also let me see the bruises mottling his skin, dark and swollen even through the dirt.

While I studied him, he remained in his corner, shivering and coughing. However, as the silence stretched out, he hesitantly looked up at me. His eyes were as dark as his hair, with enough sorrow and fear to make my heart ache. Based on his face, I would guess he was no older than ten, and likely was younger. Blood trinkled from his lip, a sign of how chapped they were. More joined when he bit his lip, desperately trying to stem back tears as he stared. He stared and stared and stared. I smiled slightly at him, and waited. Even as my knees ached and my legs went numb, even as my back keened in protest, I waited. I waited until he leaned forward and reached out and, even then, I only moved when it became clear the ropes were limiting his own movements. Still, I was surprised when he grasped the hair that had fallen over my shoulder. I made sure not to show it, of course, but…

"Oh, it's cold. I thought it would be warm, because it's so red," the boy rasped. He blinked slowly at me, and I saw his gaze was slightly out of focus. Was it from fever? He did radiate heat. "I…"

"I'm sorry to disappoint, but it is simply my hair," I gently teased, making sure to keep smiling. Now that I was closer, I was all but certain he had lice. I could see how irritated his skin was, and worried he might have some infection. "My name is Alicia, little one. I am a healer. May I tend to you?"

"A healer?" The boy frowned, his hand shaking on my hair. "There shouldn't… are you from Grannvale…?"

"I am." I leaned down slightly so that I could look the boy in the eye. "However, as I said, I am a healer, first and foremost. I wish to help you. Will you let me?"

"I…" He stared at me for a long moment, his hand still shaking and his gaze wavering. But, after a moment, he nodded. "Please?"

"Of course." I smiled and he relaxed slightly, letting go of my hair. "Let's start with these ropes." However, I found a problem immediately. Namely, the ropes were tied very tightly, too tight for me to pick apart. While I did have a dagger, I did not want to ruin the edge on the rope. I did not know if I would need it for him, and... "Little one, these will have to be cut. Will you let…" How was I supposed to describe Lord Sigurd? "Do you see the man outside the cell?"

"Yes…?" He tilted his head and nodded. "He seems… to be staying away…?" He would. "Why?"

"Will you let him cut the ropes?" I waited for an answer; the boy shrunk back. "I worry about hurting you, but if you would be more comfortable with me doing it, then I shall."

"..." The boy looked back to where Lord Sigurd was. "He's been there this whole time."

"Yes."

"Even when I was scared. Even when I screamed and he figured out who…"

"Yes." Who…? Ah, it did not matter. "He is also the one who brought me to you."

"...Will... you stay too?"

"Yes."

"...O-okay…" The boy shook, but nodded firmly. "He can…"

"Okay." I cradled the boy's hands in mine and looked over my shoulder. "Lord Sigurd, come here, please. These ropes are too tight for me."

"How freaking tight did they tie them?" Lord Sigurd grumbled, carefully stepping in. He paused when the boy flinched, and waited until he nodded to continue approaching. "Hey, there. I'm Sigurd. Let's get these ropes off of you." He moved slowly, to not startle the boy, and even let him inspect his dagger before cutting the ropes. "There we are…" He smiled kindly at the boy, who tentatively smiled back. "Are his clothes wet?"

"It wouldn't surprise me," I murmured, already moving to pull the shirt off. Normally I would ask, but given the boy's condition, I needed a better look. As soon as I did, however, many pieces fell together. There, wrapped around his torso, was a very large Holy Mark. Black as the night, the lines twisted from shoulder to hip, resembling either a very large beast or, perhaps, a whole group of them. It didn't matter, of course, because it was the size that held my attention. Only one who inherited Major Holy Blood would bear a Mark so large. Given his hesitancy and fear of Grannvale, I could take a guess of just which one and what it meant about the boy's identity. I supposed that was why Lord Sigurd had been hesitant before. "Yes, this shirt is soaked. I doubt it is suitable even for rags."

"We can't leave him in those, then, but it's so damned cold…" In a fit of inspiration, Lord Sigurd yanked off his cape and draped it around the boy. "I doubt that will help much, but…"

"It certainly will be better than what he wears now." I helped the boy out of his pants, which were very soaked. I thought there was some mold. "Might I ask about the lord of this castle again?"

"The Second Prince? He's very dead." Ah, yes, that was right. He'd died at Evans. "Though, he did leave guards, including one very talented swordswoman." Lord Sigurd focused on the boy, specifically his hair. "Is she a relative of yours, by chance?" Hesitantly, the boy nodded and shrunk back. "Last that I saw, she is well. Injured, but nothing fatal. Alec noticed the other guards were watching her more than us, and Lex took it upon himself to goad her away and keep her occupied. When the castle fell, she was captured."

"So, my aunt is okay?" the boy asked, blinking slowly. When Lord Sigurd nodded, he smiled very slightly. It was a shaky smile, as if it were teetering on the edge of a cliff, but there was something sweet about it anyway. "She didn't want to fight. But since I was here, she had…" A coughing fit interrupted him briefly. "She had to." He looked down briefly before focusing on Lord Sigurd. I did my best to treat the worst of his injuries, enough that I felt it was safe to move him. "My name is Shanan. Shanan, of Isaach. As I'm sure you've both figured out." That shaky, sweet smile disappeared in a blink. "You're from Grannvale."

"I am, as you learned earlier," Lord Sigurd confirmed. Though he still smiled, his gaze was serious. "I am Sigurd, knight of Grannvale, heir to Chalphy, and bearer of Major Baldr." He gestured to me. "Miss Alicia introduced herself earlier. She is a healer from Yngvi, and serves as the Chief Healer of this campaign."

"I see." Prince Shanan did his best to meet Lord Sigurd's gaze calmly, but it was all too easy to see his trembling. "What are you going to do with me? I'm sure… I don't know everything that's going on, but I know enough. I think. I also heard what that boy said."

"Our lands are at war, yes, and I will not say Oifey is necessarily wrong in that I should inform His Majesty." Lord Sigurd's smile turned a little wry. "With that said, I have no intentions of doing so." He made to ruffle Prince Shanan's hair, but at my look, he instead rested his hand on Prince Shanan's back. "The war should not involve you. You are a child, who should be running around getting scraped knees, not worrying about whether or not he will die. Yet, thanks to us adults, you have been forced to suffer much. I know I cannot make up for that. I cannot recover all that was lost, or erase your experiences. But I can give you shelter. I can keep you safe. That is what I plan to do." He grinned suddenly, and Prince Shanan blinked a couple of times in shock. "Though, I'm not sure when Miss Alicia will let you run around. I have a sneaking suspicion she's going to have you on bedrest."

"That will be the least of what I'll need to do," I replied, shifting the cape higher on Prince Shanan to better cover him. Unfortunately, I had done all I could for now. "Might you carry him, Lord Sigurd? I want him out of this mold-infested hole as soon as possible."

"Of course," he agreed at once. I had a feeling he would. "Let's…" However, he soon trailed off and looked behind us at something. "Someone else is here." Was there? Now that he mentioned it, I thought I heard the sound of someone running…?

"Shanan!" Yes, someone had indeed been running. The same someone swung into the cell, their armor clanging harshly on the metal bars. Seeing them lurch straight for Prince Shanan, I interposed myself between them to block the way, keeping Prince Shanan firmly behind me. "You…!" the person hissed, snarling at me. They did not look like one of our soldiers, none among us wore their hair so long, and their face had enough similarities to Prince Shanan's for me to take a guess as to who this was. "Don't you dare…!" However, that only hardened my resolve.

"He is injured and he is ill, and you will not worsen his condition," I told her firmly, careful to met her gaze calmly. It was all the more important that I keep calm. She was angry and scared; a healer's job was to reassure. "I would also prefer you not catch his illness, though it is possible you have already. Sit down so that I may check you over."

"I… what?" All of their anger bled out, leaving only confusion and fear. "You…" She blinked at me a couple of times, blinked at Prince Shanan, and then turned her attention to Lord Sigurd. I focused on Prince Shanan again, adjusting the cape and helping him stay up when he coughed harshly. "You're of Grannvale."

"We are, yes," Lord Sigurd replied, bowing respectfully. Her stanced stiffened and her hand dropped to her empty sheathe. I imagined the weapon itself had been lost, or removed, during her capture. "I am Sigurd of Chalphy, your highness. The one tending to your nephew is Miss Alicia, our Chief Healer." Her eyes darted to me again, but I pretended to not notice. "I apologize for any fright we gave you."

"'Fright'?" Prince Shanan's Aunt repeated with a scoff. I supposed given the current war, 'fright' was an understatement. "It seems you know our identities already, so I will not waste my breath with posturing. I am Ayra, Shanan's aunt, and princess of Isaach." She unbuckled her vambrace to reveal the black Holy Mark underneath. I noted with some surprise that it was the same size as my own, stretching from the heel of her palm to the inner part of her elbow. "So, what do you plan to do?"

"As I told Prince Shanan, I plan to provide shelter and safety."

"Really, now?" Lady Ayra raised a skeptical brow, and rolled her eyes. "I'd hoped my disregard for lies would have prompted the same."

"I tell no lies. I am absolutely rubbish at lying, actually."

"Hmph…" She buckled her vambrace again, and might have said more. But Prince Shanan's cough reminded her this was not just her confronting a potential enemy. "...He is injured and he is ill. That's what you said, yes?" I nodded, still mostly focused on Prince Shanan. "A kind way to put it, as I'm sure there's more. It's a hard journey, but I thought it was the only place safe. The furthest place from the fighting. So we bartered with merchants and kept off the roads and…" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. She held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. "I'm the one my brother entrusted. I can't… my only family, and I can't..." Her fists clenched at her side and she bowed her head. "Please, treat him? I know Gran-"

"He is my patient, so of course I will treat him," I interrupted, a little annoyed. I could only hope it did not bleed through my calm; Father Eirik would have 'words' if it did. "I am a healer, Lady Ayra. I leave warring to the warriors, and politics to the politicians. My duty is to heal, no more and no less, and I treat all who come to me for aid." I looked up at Lord Sigurd, ignoring Lady Ayra's baffled expression. "If that has been firmly established, we are leaving this forsaken place immediately. Lord Sigurd, to ask again, might you carry Prince Shanan? I don't want him exerting himself, and Lady Ayra needs a full checkup before I allow her to bear such a weight."

Well, my day just got a little busier. Oh well.

---

Between the lesser number of enemies and careful planning, there were very few among the injured who specifically needed my attention. That let me focus solely on Prince… on Lord Shanan, which was well. A more thorough examination showed he was worse than I'd originally suspected, and if I wanted to prevent a lice infestation, then he needed scrubbing. Immediately.

"Are you going to make me take another bath, Miss Alicia?" Lord Shanan mumbled, looking up at me pitifully from his chair. I tilted his head down so that I could continue to comb his hair and pick out the nits and dead lice. "That's two already."

"The first one was for the medicine," I explained, sparing a moment to tuck the towel around him better. Truthfully, it would be good for him to be in clothes, but for now, this had to suffice as I refused to let him wear his old clothes. He did not shiver, at least, even if there was a small puddle under the chair and soaking into my shoe. It took a bit to convince him to sit down with his back to me, no doubt wary given the war and his subsequent capture. "The second was for the dirt. I shan't make you take another today, however, unless you wish it." Lord Shanan immediately made a face and I couldn't fight back my smile. "I promise your next bath shall be more relaxing and less scrubbing."

"Okay." He looked up at me again, no doubt to ask something else, but his cough forced him to double-over. "Ugh..."

"Here." I stopped combing and quickly measured out a spoonful of cough syrup. "This is spicy, but it should help." With his fever, though, I worried he had some sort of pneumonia. I'd read of mold causing that. Now, what was the best treatment? I would have to check my notes and books to be certain. "I have some tea for you to sip afterwards."

"Can I have warm milk with honey?" Lord Shanan eyed the spoon suspiciously, but dutifully took it from me. He refrained from actually putting it in his mouth. "Please?"

"Given your current physical stomach, I would need to double-check that it would not irritate your stomach, among other things." What a strange request… I'd never had someone ask for milk before, certainly not with honey. Still, he looked crestfallen at the refusal, so I knew it was important for him. Thus, I crouched down and smiled at him. "However, as soon as I am certain you can drink it without making yourself sick, you may certainly have some."

"Promise?"

"I promise." I straightened and returned to combing his hair. "That does mean taking your medicine, though."

"Right…" He scrunched up his face, but shoved the spoon into his mouth. After a moment, he blinked a couple of times and pulled out the spoon to stare at the remains of the syrup. "Sweet. And barely spicy." 'Barely' spicy, was it? Isaachian dishes must use quite a bit. "I never had a medicine didn't taste like moldy dirt."

"I try to make my medicines palatable. They do not all taste good, of course, but I keep tea on hand to help wash it down and remove the taste." I paused in my combing to step to the side and look at him. "Speaking of which, would you still like the tea?"

"Yes, please."

I gave him the tea and continued with my combing, going over every area twice to ensure I didn't miss anything. Lord Shanan, meanwhile, sipped his tea and remained quiet, letting me work. All was quiet, truthfully. Though this would become the 'main infirmary' of Genoa, Lady Ethlyn had the injured resting in another area until I was certain the room suited my standards. It had the benefit of keeping Lord Shanan's presence here quiet, as I was fairly certain few knew about that quite yet.

"Miss Alicia?" Not long after I finished combing Lord Shanan's hair, Lord Sigurd knocked on the door before cracking it open. He waited to step inside until I checked with Lord Shanan, and Lord Shanan nodded. We didn't want to scare him. "I brought some clothes for him to change into," he explained, holding up the small bundle of clothes. He shut the door behind him and approached Lord Shanan slowly before kneeling and smiling at him. "They'll be a bit big, these are Oifey's, but they should be more comfortable enough until we can find you clothes that fit." He looked up at me. "I also have a change of clothes for Ayra. Where is she?"

"She's taking a bath next door," I answered, pointing so that he knew which 'next door' I meant. She'd originally planned on being here to scrub Lord Shanan herself, but I overruled her for his health. "I see you listened and changed. I trust you used the medicated shampoo i gave you?"

"Yes, and I have my previous clothes, and my cape, bundled in their own pile and wrapped to keep them separated." That was surprisingly. I was thankful, certainly, but few would think to do that without being told. "We had a bad lice infestation once at the Academy. It was a veritable nightmare and the itching was terrible. Some of the others contemplated setting themselves on fire."

"I would have expected something more along the lines of 'slathering themselves in lard'." Of course, that could lead to other issues. "In that case, why don't you deliver the clothes to Lady Ayra? I need to clean this comb, and Lord Shanan needs to finish his tea."

"I'll do that. Where should I leave his clothes?"

"The bed will be fine."

I washed the comb under warm running water and left it to soak in a bucket while I cleaned the container I used to drop the dead lice and nits. Lord Shanan remained quiet, even after finishing his tea, and I worried he'd been overwhelmed. When I returned to his side with a fresh towel, however, I saw the reason was much more mundane; he was half-asleep. He scrunched up his face when I dried his hair one more time, but did not protest as I helped him into the clothes. In fact, by that point, he could barely stay upright, so I picked him up and set him on the bed. He was asleep before I had even finished tucking him in and after cleaning up, I decided to check on Lady Ayra to let her know. However, I ended up lingering awkwardly in the doorway of her bathing room for two reasons. One, she was still bathing. Two, she was talking to Lord Sigurd.

"And that, Princess Ayra, is how our campaign ended up here," Lord Sigurd was explaining, no doubt in answer to a question she had asked. On the surface, he seemed perfectly at ease with the conversation, despite Lady Ayra's lack of clothing and the absence of a convenient curtain for privacy. I noticed, however, that he was careful to keep his back to her and he kept fiddling with the hem of his cuff. "With Edain safe, however, our objectives have been fulfilled and, ideally, we can negotiate some sort of peace."

"I seriously wonder if you were dropped on your head as a child to be so idealistic," Lady Ayra retorted tartly. To add more heat to the words, she scrubbed her arm roughly, uncaring of the water sloshing over the edge of her basin or the angry red marks left behind on her skin. "And I told you before, there's no need for a title. We both know that if Isaach has not already fallen, then it will soon. I am the princess of a dead or dying country." When had she said that? Had that been what prompted conversation in the first place?

"Grannvale may kill Isaach's army and may claim the lands, but if your people are even half as determined as you are, Princess Ayra, then I doubt Isaach will ever truly fall." Lord Sigurd closed his eyes and smiled faintly, as if amused. Lady Ayra, for her part, stopped her scrubbing and twisted to frown at him. "Though I suppose it also depends on your definition of 'country'. To me, a country is made up of its people, not the land. So long as the people's spirits still burn, then I believe the country survives no matter what happens. It may be battered and broken, but it can still rise." Lord Sigurd laughed suddenly. "That almost sounded wise. Or foolish. Ah, but if you want me to stop with the title for safety reasons, I'll gladly do so. Comfort takes priority over propriety."

"...You are completely unlike any Grannvelian I have met or seen, and I'm not sure how much I like that." Lady Ayra scowled, but when she went back to bathing, I noticed she was not so harsh with her scrubbing. "Do you truly mean to give us sanctuary?"

"Yes. Though, I understand it is difficult to believe, given how mad the world is." Lord Sigurd opened his eyes again, perhaps to try and make an excuse to leave, and his gaze fell on me. "Oh, Miss Alicia?"

"I wanted to make sure Lady Ayra did not fall asleep in her bath," I jested, smiling faintly. Lord Sigurd smiled back, while Lady Ayra leaned over the side of her basin to better watch me. "Lord Shanan is fast asleep. I shall want him to remain in the infirmary for now. He has quite a bit of recovering to do." I caught Lady Ayra's wince, but pretended to not notice. "Lady Ayra, I would ask for you to spend tonight in the infirmary as well, just in case."

"Gladly," Lady Ayra replied, the word sharp. Her inability to meet my eyes softened it, though. "I think I will soak for a while longer, if you don't mind. My muscles ache from the earlier battle."

"Of course." I caught Lord Sigurd's eye and nodded to the hallway behind me. "If you would follow me, Lord Sigurd? I wish to check for any dead lice in your hair." I had not actually planned on that, since he had so little contact and lice were not known for 'jumping' from head to head. I had only given him the medicated shampoo as a precaution.

Still, it provided a convenient enough excuse for us to leave Lady Ayra to her bath. When we entered the infirmary, though, it was no longer silent. Though he had slept peacefully when I left, nightmares had quickly clawed into Lord Shanan's dreams and now, he groaned and mumbled in his sleep, tossing and turning to try and escape. Immediately, Lord Sigurd bolted for the bed and reached for him. At first, I thought he might try to wake him, but he hesitated before gently taking Lord Shanan's hand in his. Immediately, Lord Shanan rolled to be closer and latched onto his hand, desperate for comfort even in sleep. Seeing that, I grabbed one of the chairs and brought it over to him for him to sit.

"Thank you…" Lord Sigurd murmured, barely glancing up at me. I nodded anyway and returned to the sink to check the comb and container. "I fear what he might have seen and heard during his flight from Isaach. It isn't fair for a child to suffer so."

"Life isn't fair," I pointed out, drying the comb and bucket. Once I had it dry enough, I joined him by Lord Shanan's bed. "It is no excuse, of course. What's wrong is wrong, and we should always strive for the ideal of fairness. But like all ideals, it is simply a lovely little dream and can never truly become reality."

"It might be a reality for him if we adults didn't…" He sighed and let me tilt his head down. "I swear; everything about the attack of Darna is strange. But I suppose we shan't learn the truth until long after the blood of the fallen has soaked into the mud. Even then, it won't erase the past or the wounds." He cradled Lord Shanan's hand between his, almost like he was praying. Perhaps he was. "He will get better?"

"I must consult my notes, but in terms of his physical health, I do not believe he will suffer permanent damage." The wounds to his spirit, though… those would be much harder to 'heal'. There was no true medicine for that. All I could do was support and reassure. "I believe the best thing for his mind shall be safety and some form of stability." Ah, there was that request. Perhaps it would help too. "He'd like warm milk with honey as soon as I deem it safe for him to drink."

"Milk?" Lord Sigurd frowned in confusion, but shrugged. "Then he shall have it. It seems like a simple thing, especially if it soothes him."

We fell silent after that, with me combing his hair to ensure there were no lice and him holding Lord Shanan's hand while he slept. Even after I finished, he stayed, unwilling to pull away until Lord Shanan was awake. I certainly had no quarrel with it, and the two of us discussed how to best move the injured from Evans to Genoa and how to maximize our space. Once or twice, Lord Quan and Lady Ethlyn peeked in, no doubt worried for Lord Sigurd, but neither disturbed us. In truth, the only 'disturbance' was Lady Ayra finally stumbling in and, even then, it was easy to nudge her into the bed beside Lord Shanan's for her to pass out.

Things may be complicated later. I knew enough of politics to know that much. But I knew I would have no regrets, and I knew Lord Sigurd wouldn't either. After all, if you could help someone, you should. Some things in life were truly that simple.

---

Naoise

Class: Cavalier

Skills: Critical, Charge

Holy Blood: None

The son of a farmer and a weaver, a chance encounter with Sigurd when they were both young led him to his path of knighthood, as he was impressed and moved by Sigurd's kindness and compassion. It was difficult, especially since he did not have many resources to train with, but he persevered and managed to earn his spurs through his hard work and dedication.

Unlike many knights, he is self-taught, having only received proper training after being accepted as a squire of Chalphy. Though he continues to train hard to compensate, it does show in how he is not as swift as his fellows. He also has a liking for fighting, which can lead him to charging the enemy… even when it might be detrimental to do so.

He's actually the eldest of four children, and the only one to leave the farm to pursue his personal goals. Unfortunately, doing so strained his relationship with his family considerably and though he sends money back to 'make up' for the loss of labor, he has not seen any of them since becoming a squire and knight. It is the only regret he has in becoming a knight, but he would not give up the chance to serve Sigurd for anything.

---

Author's Notes: And now we have one of the most broken chars of the 1st generation, Ayra! Yay! Or something. We also have our game-required thief of the generation, Dew! Yay! Or something.

In the game, Lachesis makes a small cameo AFTER Genoa is captured, but I decided this suited better. There's nothing about Naoise's background, so I… kinda made things up. Same with how Midir became a knight and all.

In game, Mystletainn simple grants the 'critical' skill, but the Inflation Patch (and perhaps others) give it the ability to leech HP from enemies, much like the Earth Sword and Nosferatu, and that suits a blade granted the title of 'Demon', so I slid that in.