Dear Mother,

I hope you don't mind hearing about my dreams: Sir Trec said it helps reduce his panic, a feeling that overwhelms me as we prepare to reclaim the Etrurian capital of Aquileia. The dream is quite embarrassing though, so you must not laugh, wherever you might be.

I had a dream about my wedding ceremony. I knew it was a dream instantly because no one took notice of my outlandish wedding dress: a lavish Etrurian-style gown puffed like a cabbage with a frilly train and fairy wings. Thankfully, there were no full-length mirrors: I cannot even imagine how such a fashion monstrosity entered my mind. However, the dress was unimportant because Gale took the circlet from a cushion that Ellen was holding beside Father Renault who recited a prayer. I was happier than I had ever been since those spare moments with Gale in the Western Isles.

Then, I woke up alone and remembered: I was part of the Lycian army and might never be by his side again.

Having awoken to Trifinne grumbling at the sliver of dawn, I wonder if she sensed my shock at exiting that dream. The air outside my tent is a cold blast when I leave to find my wyvern.

'Trifinne, where did you get that apple?' I try to wrench it out from her claws but she whimpers, gripping on to it. Hearing light footsteps behind me, I turn around, 'Hello?'

A child mage I'd often seen with Ellen stands by with three apples gathered in his cloak, 'I-I'm sorry Miss Miledy! Is your wyvern allowed to eat fruit?'

'Yes, but you should ask Merlinus if it's OK to use our supplies like that,' I examine the boy's leafy green eyes and hair. His face brightens when he holds the apples up to Trifinne's snout. She gobbles them up and purrs. Unlike before, the boy now seems unbothered by the fact I'm from Bern, 'what's your name? I often see you with Ellen. I'm sure she appreciates your help and company, especially since we're from Bern.'

'I'm Lugh,' Lugh fists his palm in triumph, 'Sister Ellen told me that you were our friend. We're going beat bad guys in Bern!'

How do I know that the path I've chosen, deserting my country and family, is the just one? My faith may be in Princess Guinevere's judgement as Bern's guiding light - but can I truly think for myself? Lugh scurries towards Merlinus' cart where an elderly bishop in sky blue robes is loading healing staves. The bishop's familiar hymn draws me closer.

'M-Miledy!' Just before I can ask the bishop about the hymn, a woman in white runs out from behind him to meet me. Her sandals patter against the dirt floor. It is Ellen! Her long brown hair floats like a curtain as she clasps her hands.

'Ellen!' The tension in me dissipates upon recognising those puppyish brown eyes. I remember the trips back to our hometown together, the time we scoured the Bern markets for a hairdresser to fix the accident I had while training with Gale. Oh, Ellen, my friend and now fellow protector of Princess Guinevere! How glad I am to see her! 'Is that a guiding ring? You can wield light magic now?'

'I-I'm still learning...' She clutches a light magic tone against her chest, 'but I'm quite proficient with healing staves so I can help you when you're wounded.'

'I'm glad you found another guiding ring after that sleazy man Legault made you give up the one Father Renault gave you.'

'So you met Mister Legault too,' Ellen gasps, 'he was a little intimidating but altogether a good man. Why do you say he's sleazy?'

'Don't worry about it...' I grumble before bowing to the bishop. He looks like a senior member of the Elimine order given the subtle gold embroidery around his blue robes. His eyebrows and beard are blanched white.

'You must be Lady Miledy.' Loose skin pouches weigh down his smiling eyes., 'I am Father Yoder. Sister Ellen spoke very highly of you. I look forward to working together.'

'Thank you for looking after Ellen, Father Yoder.' This feels like we're back home with Father Renault at the church again, although Father Renault's face is much sterner, 'that hymn you were singing. I couldn't help noticing the line "St Elimine, o purest light". I've only ever heard it sung as "St Elimine, most powerful light".'

'The hymns change according to the region,' Father Yoder's eyes crinkle at the corners, 'are you a believer?'

'Miledy used to follow Sir Ga—.'

'I-I patrolled the churches often, so I'm familiar with the afternoon masses!' I bite the inside of my mouth. Ellen whispers 'sorry' while casting a panicked look at the ground.

'Very well...' Father Yoder mumbles.

'It was good speaking with you, Father Yoder.' Though the thought of Gale weighs on my mind, disclosing my engagement will only evoke doubt in my loyalty to Princess Guinevere, 'I must be preparing my own weapons.'

'U-Um, wait!' Ellen catches my arm before I can go. 'I-I'm sorry that the Princess and I left without telling you! I've been wanting to apologise since you joined...'

'It's fine. I'm glad we can both work together, serving Princess Guinevere to bring Bern into lightness again.' I blush as she wipes her tears against the back of her hand.

'Thank you Miledy — or I should call you Lady Miledy, shouldn't I?'

'Just Miledy like always,' I look at the guiding ring that gleams with magic potential. Through the hardship of defecting, sweet Ellen has developed her magic skills and become the princess' trusted vassal. I must do the same, 'now let's knock down General Narcian for the princess!'

'I take that you are one of General Narcian's contracted thieves, Legault,' Gale greets the thief who had been eavesdropping on his conversation with Zeiss in one of Aquileia's back passages.

'So you won't help your buddy Narcian if someone from the Etrurian army tries to kill him?' Legault twirls his lock pick around one finger, 'that's a little harsh.'

'Lord Murdock's instructions were for me to observe the battle and study the enemy's tactics,' Gale adjusts a buckle around his wyvern's neck, 'besides, a general who feels the need to scapegoat his junior doesn't deserve to be rescued.'

'So that's why the spiky-haired boy is hiding,' Legault tosses the lock pick up to snatch it out of the air, 'hm, you and I have a similar silhouette because of our long hair. No wonder Miledy looked so disappointed when she saw me on the Bern-Lycia border!'

'You met Miledy?' Gale knows he has fallen for the thief's ploy but cannot stop himself. A crook forms in Legault's scar when he grins.

'Miss Miledy, Sister Ellen— it feels like I've met your whole family.' Legault sidles right behind Gale, 'it's a nice substitute for the family I lost during the previous war.'

'I don't have time to be dishing out sympathy,' Gale loops a pair of binoculars over his head. It feels like a rock tugging down on the base of his neck.

'You know, I happened to see my former love, Lady Isadora, on the battlefield,' Legault lets out a theatrical sigh, 'the Pheraen knight was as beautiful as ever but alas, we'd met as enemies for I was contracted by General Narcian.'

'I don't care,' Gale tries to concentrate on adjusting the strength of his binoculars to see through the castle windows. But his mind wanders: what if Miledy appears? How will he suppress the urge to call out and join her side? His fingers keep slipping on the knobs.

'Jeez, you are one heartless man. I don't know what Miss Miledy sees in you,' Legault ascends a tree like a squirrel. He stretches one leg along a sprawling branch, 'but don't you want to hear what happened when Lady Isadora and I reunited as enemies? You're still fiddling with that pathetic toy anyway.'

'Well...' Gale pictures him and Miledy facing each other across a chasm, lances poised. Could he really bring himself to fight? 'You might as well finish the story.'

'I knew that'd catch your attention,' Legault rests his head against the tree trunk, 'Lady Isadora and I looked at each other and walked away.'

'Is that all?' Gale climbs onto his wyvern's back.

'She had already married another knight,' Legault's smirk descends into a bitter frown. He rips a green berry from the branch above and pops it in his mouth, wincing at the sourness, 'but maybe it could've turned out differently.'

'What do you mean?' Gale's eyes are transfixed on the thief's languid form in the tree.

'Aren't you busy being Lord Murdock's little helper?' Legault lands silently in the grass like a cat, 'now that the chaos has started, it's a good time for me to break into the castle.'

'Watch out!' I strike a soldier who is about to slash Ellen from behind.

'Eek!' She jumps away from the felled soldier, gripping her healing staff, 'thank you Miledy—is he going to be alright?'

'Let's worry about ourselves first.' Aquileia Castle is a chaotic scramble of shouting and clanging metal. Opened and emptied chests lie around my feet. I unhook a key from the fallen soldier's belt, 'I wonder what's in the last chest.'

After checking behind, I kneel down and open it. The lid creaks open, 'a defence bracelet? Here.' I give it to Ellen, 'this will help if someone happens to strike you. But I'll do my best to look out for both of—.'

GWAAA! Trifinne wails at one of the walls.

'What's wrong, Trifinne?' I stand against a crack in the wall. Wyvern claws scratch on the other side, 'Ellen? Do you hear that?'

'It's Zeiss' wyvern,' she scurries over, 'Rubley! Is that you?!'

Rubley's familiar growl echoes on the other side. Zeiss must be with her. But why is he hiding in the middle of battle?

I draw an iron sword, 'let's bust open this wall.'

Ellen flicks through her light magic tome. We take turns striking the crack. Someone strikes with a lance from the other side. At last, the wall breaks in a dust explosion.

'Zeiss!' I see Rubley shielding Zeiss with her wing.

'I-Is it true?' Zeiss pushes the wing aside like a curtain, 'you're… With the enemy…?'

'I'll explain the details-.'

'I'm not a child!' Zeiss shouts, causing Rubley to whimper, 'why am I the last to find out about everything? Like Sir Gale telling you not to open my letter about Mother's illness until after your mission? Is none of my news important?!'

'I'm sorry, it's hard to explain,' I exchange glances with Ellen, 'I've… learnt a lot about the truth of Bern's actions and the violence inflicted in the name of liberation. The princess saw through it and is seeking peace.'

'She convinced you to leave Sir Gale and me—to let Mother die with regret!' Zeiss points his lance at me, 'why did you choose that stubborn princess over everything you had?!'

'I – we are loyal to the princess and trust her judgement!' I step past Zeiss' blade and push the lance aside, 'so you will not insult her!'

'Watch out!' Zeiss grabs me to one side. An arrow flies straight past my hair. Ellen dazzles the archer with a light magic spell. Zeiss' wide, observant eyes remind me of Mother, 'I'm not fully convinced but I feel I can trust you. I want to see Princess Guinevere's vision that moved you. Besides, Mother would hate it if we warred against each other.'

'Yes…' I try to steel myself against the thought of Mother dying without me by her side. So she truly is gone: I will never be able to share my silly dream with her, 'she would...'

'Oh Zeiss…' Ellen clasps her hands, 'we can work alongside each other again.'

'I'll do my best to protect you.' Zeiss blushes.

In the throne room, Shin of the Kutolah tribe fires an arrow at General Narcian from his horse but it bounces off the Dragon Lord's delphi shield.

'So the treacherous siblings have arrived?' General Narcian cackles at a fever pitch, 'you're both a disgrace to your family and country!'

'What does a fraud like you know about pride?' I point my lance at him, 'you were never meant to be a Dragon Lord of Bern!'

'You'll get your chance to fight Gale – unless I finish you first!' General Narcian raises his runesword. It glows an amethyst purple before unleashing a dark energy. It drains my strength to invigorate him.

'Sir Gale told me everything, that you were going to frame me a traitor to avoid responsibility,' Zeiss' hands grip the handle of his javelin.

'I wasn't wrong though, was I?' General Narcian's hair sticks to his forehead, 'you're a pathetic child who just follows his big sister!'

'We'll see about that!'

'Zeiss, don't-!' I reach out but it's too late. Zeiss launches in to attack. He can't match General Narcian's deftness. Just before General Narcian's blade crashes down, Shin's arrow catches him in the ribs. A triumphant glimmer passes the nomad's stoic eyes as General Narcian shrieks, toppling off his wyvern like a rag doll.

'Thanks—Wait! I'm not— Ah!' Zeiss ducks just in time when Shin shoots at him, 'what're you doing?! I'm on your side.'

'Ah, sorry…' Shin mumbles. His olive-green bandana looks ready to fall over his eyes, 'that was good evasion though.'