The Fiery Queen of Nohr : Part 2
The arms room was silent. A group of soldiers in heavy armor were watching one of them dueling the women training them since three years. She was using a katana, a weapon usually wielded by the warriors of Hoshido. His opponent was wielding a silver lance and a medium shield, weapons of choice of Nohr's great knights. The knight took initiative and charged, his spear shining blue. Just before the impact the katana deflected the blow to the side and was thrusted at the knight wich parried the strike… Before stopping, the blade of a shorter katana right under his throat. In the flash of the parry, the weapon master had unsheathed the blade, closed the distance and pointed it at his throat.
''Good parry, but you relied too much on Luna to hit and lost balance. Be more careful and protect your throat, a master samurai would be able to target it easily.'' She explained while they sheathed their weapons.
''Yes, master of arms.'' The knight answered before bowing.
''Next one. Double handed axe.''
It became a regular occurrence for the royal guard. One after the other, they had to do a single assault against their master of arms with a specific gear. To pass, one would have to land a decisive hit without being touched, and mutual death situation where not accepted. So far none had ever succeeded, thanks to the superhuman speed and power of the woman. Bets were all around the challenge on the one who would do it first or at all, and while officially disapproved they were tolerated. For such a daunting task, motivation of all kind was welcome.
The session ended without a single success once more, although some praise were given, and Lora finally found herself alone to maintain her gear. First her armor, which previously belonged to the dancer of the boreal valley. It was her favorite : light, graceful and beautifully ornate, while still able to protect against most blow. Onikiri and Ubadachi, that she used to train the royal guard against katana. Ironically, she never utilized them much before and was now forced to use them every training session. Once the twin blades sharpened she took the next one : the splitleaf greatsword. Despite the name, it was looking like a halberd and was surprisingly alike the naginatas of Hoshido. But where those were build for speed and precision, the splitleaf was an exceedingly heavy weapon entirely made of metal requiring enormous strength to wield rather than elegance. However, her own unnatural power was enough to twirl it like a light spear, making it an acceptable tool for training. She heard the sound of boots and lifted her head in time to see the king enter the hall, two butler on his footsteps. She noted that one carried a staff before bowing.
''Milord.''
''Lady Lora. I heard with pleasure that your victory streak is still unfinished.''
''I am glad it please you, milord.''
She sent the weapons in her soul one by one, flames enveloping them before they faded.
''A pity that you cannot do the same with provisions or message.''
''I am sorry to disappoint.''
''Do not sell yourself short. It is already very practical that you do not have to carry your gear around.''
When she revealed her power to the sovereign, he ordered all of his mages to study it, with no avail. Every object she tried to take inside her Soul was incinerated by the fire, even steel or stone. Only what was already linked to her was spared.
''But I did not come to dwell about this. Since you finished training my soldiers, it is time for you to fulfill your duty as my royal arms master.''
''Do you wish an assault or a first blood ?'' She asked while knowing what the king always chose.
''First blood as usual, Lady Lora.''
A shockwave crossed the hall as the king unsheathed his legendary greatsword Siegfried, nearly snuffing out the torches. Lora opened her palm and in a blazing light an ornate silver sword appeared, the blade of judgement, shining with a dark blue light as it touched her hand. The two duelist faced each other for a single instant before the knight took initiative and stroke. Garon parried the blow and their blades started to dance.
The woman before him fought without any kind of fear or hesitation, all the reverence she exhibited before gone. Her orange eyes never left his, shining of their own light like incandescent embers even in the dark as they exchanged blows. Blocking an energy spear with his sword he stroke down and endend in a stalemate, blade against blade. He could not push her. Even with all his strenght, the might of the dragon blood inside of him and the power of Siegfried, he could not make her step back. Lora forcefully rised their weapons and broke his guard before violently hitting him with her shoulder. Briefly destabilized he couldn't protect himself and she slashed his pauldron, breaking it and lightly burying the blade in the flesh before being taken out with a streak of blood and pushing back him with a kick, preventing him to retaliate and claim a draw. As he regained his balance, Garon lowered Siegfried, the gesture admitting his loss while the two butlers hastened to him.
''I believe it is my victory again.'' Declared Lora with a large smile, the glow of her weapon vanishing.
''Is it really correct for you to show so must joy after hurting your lord ?'' Teased Garon while his butlers healed him.
''I-I'm sorry milord, I was carried by my victory.''
The king internally struggled against his laughter when she looked down and fought the smirk on her face. Behind all her dignity and seriousness lied a yearning for battle, a lust for challenge that ignited his blood. The gods damn him, he wanted this woman. If only she opened herself a little more.
''I need you in the incoming war council.''
''The war council ?'' She asked, puzzled. She has never approached it, her duties being solely on the battlefield.
''It is time for you to take part in it. I am sure you will greatly contribute to our strategies.''
''As you wish, milord.''
He was now absolutely sure that she could attends to it without any risk. His spies were formal : in three years, Lora never did anything that could indicate a treacherous goal or another allegiance. Beside himself, his wife or the soldiers, she never interacted that much with anyone, devoting herself to her duties and training. In fact, he was almost worried about her lack of hobbies. The only thing that ever made her smile was their duels.
''You can call me by my name, Lora.''
''It would be disrespectful of me to address my king so familiarly.''
''Very well, arms master. Come then, the council await.''
''For the glory of Nohr !''
''For the glory of Hoshido !''
War cry echoed across the battlefield among the thunder of steel. The forces of both kingdom fought under the radiant sun of Hoshido. Nohr's crops have been disastrous during the year, way too small to feed the population even with more rationing than ever. That is why Garon decided to raid Hoshido, a quick operation with a simple goal : cross the frontier, secure the western territories and their granaries before holding enough time to transfer most of it to Nohr before retreating behind the Bottomless Canyon. The armed forces were chosen for their speed : one squad of wyvern riders, some lancers, a lot of fighters and archers, and a majority of cavalry. Among them was the king himself and his royal guard, made of the best great knights, paladins and dark knights. The bulk of the Nohrian army moved to the south to lure the Hoshidian ninjas while the troupes advanced.
The first part was a complete success, most peasant villages seized in a blink of an eye and their inhabitant made prisoners, forced to help their captor in sending the crops to Nohr. Vast amounts of grains were thus taken and progressing to Windmire. However, Hoshido's reaction was faster and harder than anticipated and now the nohrian force was struggling against a much larger army in a hasty attempt of retreat.
The heavy cavalry of Nohr were constantly charging in the ranks of the samurais, disrupting their lines and killing left and right before retreating, sometimes losing their own against naginata wielders scattered amongst the enemy force. The solitary squad of wyvern struggled in their attempt of contesting the sky to the pegasus knights in far greater number while the bowmen on ground were shooting to cover the infantry, unable to assist them.
''Lancers form the line, the rest fall back! Archers, assist our fliers! Royal guard, follow me!'' Boomed the voice of the king above the melee.
All lancers turned back and formed a shield and spear wall against the samurai charge, the ferocity of the impact almost destroying the formation before the troubadour's healing eased the burden and allowed them to hold. The nohrian archers switched their targets and made a hail of arrow to the sky that forced the pegasus to retreat higher to avoid casualties, leading what was left of the wyvern riders to make an escape. At the very moment the Oni fighters of Hoshido finally reached the norhian lines to use their massive clubs Garon's knights charged at full speed in their flank with the king at their head. The tremendous impact almost cut the hoshidian infantry in two, the heavily armored knights crushing everything in their path.
''Lancer, retreat! Knights, it is our turn to hold the enemy back! For the glory of Nohr!''
Onis and samurais trapped between the nohrian cavalry and infantry were quickly dispatched and the lancers retreated under the archers's cover, letting the entire brunt of the hoshidian assault on the knights organised in two lines, dark knights and strategists supporting the paladins and great knights. Samurais hastily fell back and let place to naginata wielders more adept in fighting horses and oni savages whose kanabos were better at crushing heavy armor.
King Garon was the keystone of the nohrian defense, his enormous strength bursting through his opponents defenses while Siegfried shock waves pushed back infantry like leaf. On his side fought his weapon master in a matte black full armor, whose enormous black and gold ornate double-edged axe spun around at a terrifying speed, breaking spears targeting her lord and crushing bones and metal as easily as flesh When a club broke the legs of her horse she jumped on the ground and resumed her bloody slaughter without even pausing.
''Milord, we have lost the sky!'' Yelled a great knight parriyng the blow of a diving pegasus knight with his shield, the strength of the impact nearly unhorsing him.
''Their diviners are coming into range!'' Reported a paladin assaulted by a phantom tiger born from an enemy scroll.
The retreat of all norhian archers left the sky open to the hoshidian sky knights. Nohr's cavalry, deprived of it's mobility, was beginning to lose more and more men against the number and ferocity of their enemies who were now supported by their diviners and fliers. Garon lifted his sword to the sky.
''Soldiers, fall back!''
What was left of the still fighting nohrian army tried to disengage, attacked from everywhere. A sudden rain of arrow targeting the dark knights and troubadours worsened the situation again. Kinshi pegasus of were here and without any way to strike back the nohrian were forced to endure yet another hindrance to their attempts of escape.
Lora grunted when a phantom snake struck her shoulder and stunned her right arm. The oni savage she was fighting took the opportunity to strike her with his kanabo and made her loose her right hand grip on the haft. Using only her left hand she twirled the axe and broke his skull before spinning on herself and smash a careless samurai before taking the weapon again with both hand. Too much enemies from too much sides. They will not be able to break through, nor the cavalry nor the king. She had to go all out.
''Milord I will go ablaze, use it to escape!'' She yelled to the king before leaping into the fray.
Striking in large arcs she cleared a way inside the enemy forces, killing and dismembering without discrimination while slowly heating up. Suddenly a circle of soldier was around her, forming a sort of arena where she was pitted against a samurai with ornate armor and two katana in hand.
''I am Shingetsi, swordmaster and vassal of king Sumeragi.'' Proudly declared the man facing her.
''I am Lora, royal arms master of king Garon.'' She replied, using the small banter time to heat up her embers.
''Defeating you shall bring glory to Hoshido!''
The swordmaster readied himself before dashing, his swords gleaming green before launching a lightning fast sequence of five strikes, faster than any swordsman of Hoshido Lora faced ever did. But it was still too slow. Using the axe's blades as shield she parried every move while her skin was slowly starting to fume before pushing the swordman back.
''To block Astra so easily!'' Gasped the samurai.
The First Flame's power violently burst in an explosion of heat and fire that incinerated him and tossed the circle of soldier aside like rag dolls. Fire was now entirely enveloping Lora, her black armor glowing like it was covered in ember, the blades on her axe wrapped up in white-hot fire that lengthened them by a cubit. Without letting the enemy recover from the shock she lunged right in the fray like a wolf, her axe cutting and burning everything on her path in one ten meters leap. Ignoring the arrows that targeted her and were consumed by the fire she then jumped on the air and cut down the pegasus knight trying to dive on her, sending a crescent on fire that exploded mid-air and dislocated the kinshi knights's formation. Her landing provoked an explosion, incinerating all soldiers too close of her position and crating a movement of panic among the hoshidian soldiers.
Taking her axe firmly she took a low stance and started spinning like a whirligig in a circle of flames and destruction, slicing clean every souls coming across her path and burning alive those who could not evade the large trail of fire left behind her blades. When multiples spell were hurled at her she stopped to spin and dodged them before crashing her blade on the ground, creating a wall of fire that separated the hoshidian infantry from the knights of nohr, who finally could disengage themselves after killing what was left of their assailants before galloping behind the protection of the barrier of flames.
It burned. It was like her skin was melting, her muscles were frying. And the lords of cinder endured this for so long? Scream of pain and terror accompanied her next offensive when she launched herself in the air and did a series of somersault in the same style as Gael, each impact of her blades on the ground generating an explosion of heat that scattered the hoshidian soldiers even more before finishing with a circular slash to the sky, creating yet another blazing crescent that exploded in the middle of the sky knights and burned several of them, making them fall back.
''Arms master!''
The yell of a nohrian knight beyond her weakening flame barrier caught her attention, a single horseman waving at her. She had to fall back. Running through the fire she extinguished herself before jumping on the horse's back, griping the rider as the exhaustion took its toll on her as the power of lords left.
''Hang on arms master, the king is using the Dragon Vein!'' He said while spurring his horse to gallop.
A deafening creak was heard at this moment. Multiple fissures appeared on the ground and quickly became crevasses extending on the whole plain, stopping the hoshidian army in their pursue. The retreat was a success.
The advanced camp was deep in a gloomy stillness. While the raid have been successful, the large amount of casualties tainted the victory. The dead were counted, identified. Meanwhile, the king and his arms master were conferring in the calm of the royal tent.
''How many did we lost?'' Asked Garon while Lora accepted a wineskin of water with gratitude, drinking long stroke before answering.
''Report of our captains should come soon enough. But if I had to estimate, I would say a third of our wyverns, a quarter of our infantry... and two third of our cavalry.'' She finished bitterly.
Among them were number of royal guards, men she trained herself during the past four years. It was infuriating. Their gear, their skills were far greater than that of their foes: exhaustion, number and the heavy fire of arrows and magic killed them more than any samurai blade. The number of dead was not that high in truth, especially compared to the army as a whole. But the skill and experience of those men would not be easily replaced.
''This is more than I feared. However, we secured enough food to avoid starvation. Their sacrifice was not vain.''
''I should have set myself ablaze sooner.''
''Do not depreciate your action. You saved a lot of them and enabled us to retreat at the last moment. I will see you rewarded for this, Lora.''
''I appreciate those kind words, milord.''
''I already told you to use my name in private.''
''You are my lord and my king, I cannot speak to you in such familiar fashion.''
''Still no progress in a year.'' Sighed Garon. ''Once all reports heard, we will head to Windmire. I order you to rest until then. I know how much being ablaze take a toll on you.''
''As you wish, milord.''
The citadel of Krakenburg was dark and intimidating, but possessed an undeniable aura of security for its inhabitants, protected by a giant gulf and the vast walls of the city. The royal quarters were its more comfortable and protected place, perpetually illuminated by torches thank to the work of servants. In this sanctuary where few could access, two women were quietly taking tea together. The queen Katerina rose her cup and smelled it, appreciating its subtle scent.
''You are definitively in my husband's favor. First royal arms master and now general, in just four years. How high do you intend to rise, I wonder?''
''Since my promotion I spend nearly as much time on paperwork as on the training fields. I feel one more would drown me under reports until the end of my days.'' Answered Lora while drinking the still burning tea. ''And I still have my doubts about it...''
''You fear it mostly came to you because of Garon's affection to you, isn't?'' Asked the queen with an understanding smile.
The silence of the newly promoted general was enough of an answer. The sovereign set her cup before continuing.
''The feelings he have for you are no mysteries, be it among the court or the servants. You are brave, unfailingly loyal and strong, qualities that strongly draw him, like beauty and sharp mind attracted him to others.
''Don't you disapprove his...''
''His concubines? Not anymore, even if I had difficulties to accept it at first. It is also for his passion that I love Garon, a passion so intense that I cannot contain it all by myself.'' Said the queen with affection.
''You undervalue yourself, majesty.'' Protested Lora. ''Moreover, I doubt being able to return such feelings.''
''Truly?... May I ask you a question about your past?''
The general tensed. Katerina knew the reluctance, almost repugnance the woman had talking about herself beyond what she already told during their first meeting. Each time she mentioned something about it her eyes filled were filled with pain, and it often discouraged the queen to inquire in more details. Her interlocutor slowly nodded however.
''Did you ever loved a man before?''
Silence settled. Lora stayed petrified for a long minute, hesitant, before setting her cup and answering blankly.
''There was a man that I met on my wandering. His name was Anri, a knight pretending to come from the kingdom of Astora, a land renowned for housing the fine flower of chivalry. He was on a quest with a mute companio name Horace, and joined me for a time. We traveled, spoke and fought together for a week, before...''
Katerina took the uptight hand of the woman between her slender fingers, loosening the grip she had on the delicate porcelain before it could broke.
''Outriders knights or Irithyll ambushed us, led by the pontiff himself. Horace fell protecting Anri, who had to fight the pontiff alone while the knights prevented me to interfere. At the very moment I killed the last of them Anri was pierced by the twin swords of Sulyvahn...''
Truth in it almost entirety, the scene still crystal clear in her mind. Candles on their golden candelabrum, benches of fine wood broken. Corpses of the Irithyll's knights, the one of Horace, and Anri... She thought the pontiff would have been an easy opponent, he was a known scholar of Lothrics Great Archives. She thought of a frail sorcerer with disillusion of greatness, hidden behind his army of slaves. Not that. Not a frightening monster able of duplicating himself, wielding swords of magic and fire with supernatural speed and power.
''Calm down.''
The serenity and gentle grip of the queen took the knight out of her painful memory, and she looked down with shame.
''I am sorry to show you such display of weakness, your highness.''
''There is no shame in suffering from a heavy past. But you should not let it burden you like this.''
''You are too kind.''
''No, you are too hard on yourself. Having feelings does not mean you are failing your duties.''
''I am afraid I do not understand what you mean, majesty.'' Said Lora, puzzled.
''Then tell me. What do you feel about my husband?''
''… He is steady, valorous and dedicated to his kingdom, but also a caring and loving person toward his family. A great king that I am proud to serve under.''
''This is not what I asked, Lora.'' Gently reminded the quen. ''If I must, I will order you to answer truthfully.''
''… Even if I were to feel something for him, I am his vassal. There is nothing more that can exist between us.''
''Why not?"
''I cannot. I cannot betray you like this-'' Protested the knight before being interrupted with a stern look.
''I am not telling you to become his mistress or to bear his child. What I demand of you is to consider yourself. Swear to me that you will not let those feelings destroy you or worse, destroy him.''
''Majesty...''
''Swear it, general.'' Insisted the queen with a commanding tone.
''I swear.'' Finally said Lora with her heart in turmoil, incapable of refusing,
Katerina smiled again and released the hand she held tightly before waving toward the waiting maid.
''More tea?''
''I would love to.''
And that's the second part of the story. As you can see, it won't exactly be linear, but follow important moments for the characters. I hope you liked it ! Once again, don't hesitate to review, it would really help me to know your opinion.