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)

1. Chapter 1) Birth of a Crusader

Chapter 1) Birth of a Crusader

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They say that there was once a large, divine tree that bridged the various worlds together. The world of mortals, the worlds of the gods, the worlds of the dead, the worlds of the mythic creatures... all lived in harmony, supported and blessed by the great tree whose branches and roots stretched to the ends of existence. Yet, one day, the peaceful days ended. The gods and mythic beasts warred among each other. The damned dead rose up from their hells to slaughter every mortal in their path; the blessed dead armed themselves for battle and charged into the war alongside their chosen gods. Nevermelting ice encased the warrior's hearts to allow such cruelty, and so, too, did it encase the branches of the great tree. Ever-burning flames devoured the senses and morals of the warriors and so, too, did the devour the roots. Thus, when the war was finally sated, all of the realms were shattered and alone. The great tree had died, and no longer could one easily travel from one realm to the next. Yet despite the devastation, the old wounds scarred and from the ashes came new life. In the mortal realm, a single piece of the great tree's trunk remained and provided shelter and food for those few mortals who survived. Eventually, that piece turned to soil and rock and became the foundation of a new continent: Jugdral.

Perhaps because of its chaotic origins, Jugdral is no stranger to war and disaster. Millions upon millions have fallen to blades and magic, choking on their own blood or their tears of fear as death takes them. The most recent of these 'epic conflicts' is the Holy War, where the divinely blessed Crusaders toppled the tyrannical Loptousian Empire. Then, afterwards, they divided up Jugdral as a child does a cake, and set about reconstructing the once-again broken continent.

Grannvale lies in the heart of the present-day Jugdral, and is the home of most Crusader descendants. On the surface, it is a peaceful and benevolent country, fitting for the kingdom founded and ruled by Saint Heim. Such 'peace', however, is nothing more than an illusion, the 'healed skin' that hides the infection swelling underneath. Its politics are cutthroat at the best of times, where even the most benevolent of nobility manipulate and trick their opponents to push their reforms through. Then, of course, there are the Hunts. Almost every territory in Grannvale sends out their prized knights to hunt down the descendents of the Loptousians, all to eradicate them to the last babe. Though, that assumes the accused's neighbors didn't rip them apart first. Some of the deaths inflicted... one could say being burnt at the stake, in front of a cheering crowd, was a mercy compared to them.

Perhaps, however, the Hunts will end soon. Though the reigning king, King Azmur, has said nothing for or against the Hunts, his only son and heir, Crown Prince Kurth, has made his distaste for them quite clear. If there are any who doubt, then they need only to look at his two closest advisors: Duke Byron of Chalphy and Duke Ring of Yngvi. Despite the urgings, and threats, from the other provinces, neither have allowed a Hunt in their territories.

Whenever one deviates from the norm, however, one makes enemies. Chief among Prince Kurth's enemies is Chancellor Reptor of Friege, a man known both for his stubbornness and for his devotion to his family and his country. He views it as a noble's duty to eliminate all potential threats, and Loptousians are always 'threats' in his eyes. Seeing now a threat to his country and, more importantly, his influence within said country, he allies himself with Duke Lombard of Dozel, an avaricious and bitter man who has long disliked how often the crown has ignored his people's troubles. Together, the two lead a faction opposing Prince Kurth and his radical reforms, crafting a political landscape that grows thornier by the day.

Making things more complicated is that not all nobles are aligned with one side or the other. Some remain neutral, watching the debates and pointed threats with impassive gazes, always looking to see just who might succeed. Arvis of Velthomer is one such noble, though he hides his interest through his work as the leader of the Royal Guard, to make himself seem less of a threat than he is. Another notable neutral figure is Father Claud of Edda, the leader of the Church of the Twelve Gods, who is not as passive as Arvis. Instead, he frequently preaches and advises for peace and cooperation, far too aware of the storm Grannvale's political climate would bring.

Sometimes, however, life decides to play a little game with mortals and drops a storm where no one would expect. The proud nation of Isaach, founded by the Sword-Saint Od, launched a brutal assault on Darna, a city in the Aed Desert with deep ties to the Crusaders. Reports of the brutal massacre reach every ear, even those in far off Yngvi, and it was not long before the people were united behind a single cause: retribution. As typical, King Azmur quickly yielded to the will of the furious people, and declared war on Isaach for the atrocity. Prince Kurth leads the army on his father's behalf, and the bulk of Grannvale's military marched east to the desert and war. To most, that would be the end of the matter and eagerly did the people await the news of victory.

However, as the wise frequently remind, trouble rarely travels alone and war is never predictable. Verdanite soldiers, led by Verdane's Crown Prince Munnir, crashed through the border and laid siege to Yngvi Castle. With only Lady Edain and a token force of green knights to guard it, it quickly crumpled to the assault and the only hope the people have lies in neighboring Chalphy, where Lord Sigurd governed the lands in his father's absence. A friend to Lady Edain since both were babes, he was a knight many adored, respected by even more, and known for his fierce, perhaps even reckless, loyalty.

The year is 757, Grann Calendar. It has been just over one hundred years since the Loptousian Empire fell, and now, the doors of destiny are cast open once more to lead all to their fated doom.

---

"Easy there..." I urged as the child in my lap flailed about wildly in pain. One couldn't blame them, of course, as few would react well when a burning door fell and the red-hot hinge had seared itself onto their shoulder. "It shall be okay." I kept my voice even and calm, soft and soothing. I doubted they could hear me, but the tone was enough to comfort them. They stopped flailing as much, though they did still accidentally hit me in the face. I ignored the stinging, focused on treating the burn. It was a particularly bad one, and not just because of how they obtained it. The child's sister had ripped their shirt off to keep it from catching fire and burning them worse, and accidentally ripped the cloth from where it had stuck to the burn. Still, it was treatable, unlike some of the other victims. The dead strewn about the streets made that far too clear. "There, there..."

When the Verdanite soldiers struck, they seemed determined to act exactly as the stereotypes. They attacked anything and everything remotely in their path, setting fire to houses as they passed and abducting whoever they could grab. I wasn't certain why they had taken children, but I knew far too well why they had taken some of the young adults, particularly the 'prettier' ones. One such victim sat next to me, staring into nothing and reacting to even less, and she had been one of the 'luckier' ones. Only one had their way with her before some of the braver villagers managed to save her. Another victim laid under a blanket a short distance away; he'd confused his rescuers for more attackers and ran straight into a burning house to escape more trauma. The house collapsed before he could be coaxed out.

It hurt that I could do nothing more for either, but I couldn't focus on it yet. There were others who needed to be healed. There were others I could potentially save. That was why I was sitting in the middle of a city on fire, treating who I could. I couldn't stop. I wouldn't.

"Alicia!" I had just finished tending to the child's burn and had given them some pain medication when someone appeared and shoved a half-burnt body into my arms. "Heal them!" they demanded, fat tears carving clear tracks in the soot and dust clinging to their face. "Gods damn those bastards!"

"Easy," I urged gently, moving so that I could check my newest patient over. One of their eyes was seared shut, and some of the burns were as black as charcoal. Others appeared white and leathery. Burns on the other parts of their body were technically 'lesser', but that meant little. For one thing, they had been blistered, but they'd all popped, with pus oozing over peeling skin showing. Surprisingly, they were still breathing through all of this, but when I brought my staff up to begin treatment, the healing magic wouldn't take. That alone told me... "I am sorry." I shook my head and gently handed the body back to the person. "I can't heal them." I wasn't strong enough.

"Then what good are you?!" They clung to the body with all they had, and started sobbing. Someone else hugged them, gently rocking them while kissing their hair to soothe them. That person glared at me over the first person's head, silently asking the same thing, but I ignored them. There were others I could still save.

"There you are." At least, that had been my intention, but a hand roughly snatched my arm and dragged me away from where I had set up a make-shift 'clinic' for the wounded townspeople. I barely had time to grab my staff and medicine-bag. "Honestly, you'd think you'd try to make yourself useful," the person muttered. It took me a couple of blinks to recognize him as Father Eirik, as I had never seen him in bloodstained clothing before. He always left the healing to others. "In here." He yanked me into the church, where the normal pews had been tilted up against the walls to make room for the wounded. "Lord Sigurd just liberated the castle, and rescued some of the wounded within." He shoved me into the barely-dusted back corner, where a particularly badly wounded man was laid out on some blankets. "Tend to this one. Your blood should help, for once." He left before I could point out that the man here would probably die with or without my help. The wound gaped open in a facsimile of a twisted smile on his torso, and he had lost so much blood already that the despite the large size of the wound, barely any blood seeped out.

However, I knew well why Father Eirik had dragged me here. All of the wounded here had to be servants, soldiers, and knights and he could easily charge the castle for the treatment once things had settled. He could charge a pretty little copper for this man in particular, as I discovered when I sank down on my knees to do a preliminary examination. After all, this was Sir Midir, the bodyguard of Lady Edain, and he alone was 'worth' more than what random civilians could pay, particularly when the healer who healed them didn't bother keeping track of their names. That was why I was assigned to this one. It was considered ill-mannered to ask for payment when the patient died, but out of all the healers currently in Yngvi, I was the most powerful. At least, I was perceived as the most powerful. After all, as Father Eirik knew, I had...

"They certainly made a mess of you," I whispered, so that I focused on trying to save the man in front of me instead of woolgathering. Normally, I would curse at the slip, but Sir Midir was firmly unconscious. Even if he heard me, he would likely dismiss it as a dream. "Let us see what I can do."

I did not know how long I worked on him. It was long enough that blood seeped into the deepest crevices of the wooden floor, and had irreparably stained everyone's blankets and clothes. It was long enough for the blood to dry in crusty patches in my hair and tint my sweat pink and copper where it tried to dry on my skin. It was long enough that forty-seven people died in this cramped space, easy to tell by the cursing of their healers and the distinctive 'thud' of a body being dropped off to the side to make more room for the ones who could still survive.

By all rights, Sir Midir should have been one of those dead. As I gathered from the ramblings of the nearby patients, he had nearly been cleaved in two by Prince Munnir himself, who took advantage of how archers were at a disadvantage in closer quarters. Yet, somehow, Sir Midir lived. He stubbornly clung to life even as death tried to drag him through its doors, and thus, my healing magic was able to piece the broken bones together, knit the muscles whole, and urge the blood to scab and hold the skin together. He would have a lengthy recovery, and a terrible scar that might never fade, but he would live.

"Lady Edain," he mumbled towards the end of the treatment. His sleeping face contorted in pain, as if he were trapped in a nightmare. Perhaps he was, repeatedly seeing his lady taken away by Prince Munnir. The other patients had babbled her fate and I always did my best to listen to everything I could. Anything that would suggest something was not quite right or… "Lady Edain... I'm... sorry..." Shaking my head, I measured out a little bit of sleeping medicine I had prepared and carefully gave him it to push him into a deeper slumber. He needed all the rest he could get.

I lingered by his side for a moment, to ensure there were no immediate side-effects, then I carefully stood. My muscles keened at the movement, but I ignored it. After all, one of the first things a healer learned was that it was our job to maintain calm serenity. A frowning healer, a tired one, a pained one... anything else would simply make the patient and their loved ones worry. A panicking healer was even worse; they wouldn't be able to do their job. So, a healer had to remain calm, and it was a lesson Father Eirik had ensured I'd perfected. 'Blood will always tell,' he would mutter whenever I slipped, as if I needed a reminder of just whose blood ran through my veins.

Shaking my head slightly to get rid of the useless thoughts, I picked up my staff and medicine-bag and waded through the blood to check on the other patients and assist where I could. Sometimes, it was with my staff. Sometimes, it was with my medicines. Still other times, it was urging the healer to stop as the dead could not come back to life. Only those descended from Bragi and inherited the bulk of his power could do so, with the sacred Valkyrie Staff. Everyone else had to move on to try and save someone else, and let the body rest with the others. I helped move some of the lighter bodies, like the children who had likely served as messengers, and I counted the number of corpses we had. I always counted. It reminded me of why I always had to strive to better myself, so that 'next time', the number would be a little less. I owed it to those I couldn't save.

Still, not everyone needed help and I soon ran out of those I could assist. By then, I was near the entrance, so I decided to step outside and ask if anyone could spare some straw to help soak up the blood. The last thing any of us needed was a healer slipping and becoming one of the injured or, worse, the blood seeping into a patient's open wound and making things worse. However, I wasn't able to do so. Elder Reisin, who frequently acted as the town's representative whenever nobility came calling, blocked the front while conversing with someone.

"We are incredibly grateful to you!" he gushed, smiling warmly at whomever he was speaking to. The shock of blue hair and the quiet elegance of the clothes hinted it was Lord Sigurd himself. "We greatly feared what those Verdanite barbarians would do, my lord." That confirmed it, then. What brought him here? "Oh, I remember the old raids... they haunt my nightmares still, and this was even worse..."

"I wish I had made it sooner," Lord Sigurd murmured, inclining his head. His posture was sure, almost proud even, but there was genuine sorrow in his eyes. "I can see the damages, and I am certain there is more that I will never see." He looked back at the town proper, where smoke slowly spiralled up from charred buildings. I wondered when the fires went out. "Do you know how many have perished yet?"

"I... well..."

"Forty-seven of the castle servants, knights, and soldiers here have passed," I answered, stepping up. Though I was a terrible mess, and a healer shouldn't look messy, it was better to answer his question as best as I was able. "I imagine it will be a little higher by sunrise tomorrow. The majority of the dead are the knights and soldiers." From what I had understood, seventy knights and soldiers had remained behind when Duke Ring and Lord Andorey had marched off to join the rest of Grannvale's army. Prince Munnir's assault had annihilated them. "I have not yet heard the number of casualties for the townspeople yet." It would be higher than it should be, though. I had been the only healer tending to them before Father Eirik dragged me off.

"Alicia!" Elder Reisin yelped, aghast I would answer Lord Sigurd's question so bluntly. He scowled harshly at me, frowning deeply. "You ought to know better than to be so disrespectful! Certainly-"

"Sir? She simply answered my question," Lord Sigurd 'reminded', frowning slightly. It was a bit of a shame, as I wondered which lecture on respect I would receive this time. Orphans around here eventually heard all of them at some point, and I was no different. "In truth, I am gladdened some live at all. Their wounds were..." Lord Sigurd looked away briefly; it did nothing to hide his wince of pain. "I am... assuming Midir was among them?"

"No, Sir Midir still lives," I reassured, ignoring Elder Reisin's slight sputtering. It always took him a second to recover if someone interrupted him in the middle of a lecture. "I just finished bandaging him, actually."

"Truly?" Lord Sigurd's face lit up with a bright smile. I had heard from Arvis's letters that Lord Sigurd never hid his emotions, and was as bright and free as sunlight. I had always assumed he'd been exaggerating, but now, I thought he had talked it down. "You must be very skilled to have saved him! I know the wound was terrible..."

"I am only moderately skilled." What had given me an advantage was the magic that ran through my blood. "He dreams of Lady Edain's capture. I have not heard whether or not you managed to rescue her?" The soldiers only knew about the events that had happened before their rescue, after all.

"No, sadly, Prince Munnir was long gone by the time we arrived." Lord Sigurd focused completely on me; Elder Reisin took that as a dismissal and, after giving him an odd look, disappeared down the way. "Hopefully, we can catch them at Evans Castle, along with the children who were abducted." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Even more hopefully, though, the famous Ulir Luck will keep her safe from the... usual fate that awaits the captured." That was certainly a tactful way to put it.

"If so, she shall be luckier than some in town." I spoke the words without thinking, and mentally cursed at letting my healer-mask slip so much. Even if I was exhausted, I shouldn't... "I apologize. I shouldn't have said that."

"I already knew. My knights saved a few." He looked down, regret painfully obvious in his expression. I wondered if that played a part in why he wished he had gotten here earlier. "Ah, I am severely off-topic. I came here to check on the wounded and to see if there is a healer available. Do you know where…?"

"My lord, you are looking at one." I held up my staff for emphasis, already steeling myself. If someone needed help, then I would help them. I didn't care how tired I was. "What do you need of me?"

"Are you certain? You have to be exhausted." He looked so fretful that I couldn't help but laugh. It was easy to see why so many found him charming. It was even easier to see why Arvis liked him. "I know from Edain that healing can be taxing even in the best of circumstance. I don't wish to ask too much of you."

"Well, I do need to give myself a cursory wash and to change my clothes. If you do not mind waiting for a moment, I believe I can find the energy to assist you." I laughed again as he mentally debated. "What say you?"

"I say... 'thank you kindly', Miss Alicia." He bowed gracefully to me. I had to fight to keep from laughing a third time. When was the last time I had laughed so much? I couldn't remember. "Should I meet you at the western gate?"

"I shall be there in a moment."

It didn't take me long to wash up and change. I had to do such things quickly in the past, and saw no point in wasting time. My hair was still a little damp when I met Sigurd, but he kindly did not mention it. Instead, he led me through the gate and down the road, to where I assumed he had his soldiers camped. As we walked, I studied him to discern his mood and his physical state. I noticed he bore a few injures, superficial wounds that needed no bandaging, and his mind was agitated, no doubt because of why he had been looking for a healer.

So, I asked, "do you not have a healer among your forces?" I didn't truly care about the answer. The question was simply to try and ease his mind. Stress was never good for the body, or mind.

"We sort of do," he answered after a moment, with a sheepish smile. I wondered why he was sheepish at all. "There were none in Chalphy. We never had many to begin with, and Father took what ones we had to Isaach with him." That made sense, as an army of that size would need as many healers as possible. "However, Ethlyn joined up with us and she knows how to use a staff."

"I would have thought your younger sister would be in Leonster, given she is married to Prince Quan." Most of the townsfolk had thrown a festival in celebration, though you still had lovelorn fools bemoaning how their 'pink-haired angel' was married. One or two of them had even managed to catch colds because they had spent too much time moping in the rain.

"Father sent word to Leonster in case of potential trouble, and while they were preparing to come visit, they heard what had happened and rushed out." That was still some impressive, and startling, speed. Leonster was on the south-eastern peninsula and, to avoid Thracia, they would've had to have crossed the Aed Desert. "So, she's here, along with Quan and Quan's squire, Finn."

"That is a very small group."

"Well, it's not as if Quan could bring the Erde Ritter with him. That would leave Leonster defenseless against Thracia." Despite the chiding, Sigurd smiled at me. "However, the person who is injured is Ethlyn."

"Ah, I understand now." A healer could not heal themselves with a staff. They would have to rely on medicines, unless they were rich enough to purchase bespelled rings that passively healed a person. Though, I had heard some of Bragi's blood naturally had such power as part of their Holy Blood. "How badly is she wounded?"

"She says it's not bad, but I'd rather have someone else check just in case." He sighed mournfully. "If only to get her husband to stop fretting my ear off. I like my ears where they are, thank you very much." He held out his hand to me and, when I took it, led me off the main road to one of the groves that dotted the landscape here. That was where he had his army camp, and he easily led me through to a tent that was only slightly bigger than the rest. "Ethlyn should be in this-"

"Quan, I love you, but I swear if you ask 'are you okay?' one more time, I'm going to scream!" someone snapped just as we entered the tent. Inside, an exasperated young woman sat on a cot, scowling up at the young man who hovered anxiously. "This is worse than when I was pregnant," she continued sourly. It was only then I realized she was Lady Ethlyn.

"But dear..." the man began defensively. He had to be Lord Quan. I had seen him once or twice before, when he attended festivals with Lord Sigurd, but this was the first proper look I'd gotten of him. "You're-"

"Finish that sentence, Quan, and-!"

"I come with salvation!" Lord Sigurd cheerfully interrupted. He grinned when both looked at him with palpable relief. "I am also delighted I didn't find you two in the middle of making out again."

"You're never going to let that die, are you?" Lord Quan groaned, turning so that he faced both Lord Sigurd and Lady Ethlyn. His anxiety faded with his smile, and I thought the adoration in his expression would be obvious even to a child. "That was a while ago."

"It's also how I found out you and Ethlyn had confessed while I was out almost drowning." Lord Sigurd kept the cheer, but I thought Lord Quan and Lady Ethlyn winced slightly. It reminded me of how I'd heard Lord Sigurd had been swept away by a flood a year or so ago, only to return safe and sound a couple days later with barely any injuries. "Regardless, as I said, I have brought salvation for everyone's sanity." He tugged me forward and gestured to me. "This is Miss Alicia, a healer from town who graciously agreed to check on Ethlyn."

"Is that so?" Lord Quan turned his smile my way. "You have my deepest gratitude."

"I am pleased to assist," I politely replied, thinking over what might be best for the current situation. The patient's well being took priority, so... "However, if I may ask you and Lord Sigurd to leave so that I can tend to Lady Ethlyn?" Lord Quan immediately looked ready to protest, but Lord Sigurd seized his collar just as quickly and dragged him out of the tent without a single hesitation. It took me a half-second to recover from how easily he did that. "I take it this is a familiar scenario."

"Quan tends to be the calm one, unless someone he dearly cares about is hurt," Lady Ethlyn explained with a little sigh. Still, it was easy to hear the fondness amidst the exasperation now. "When that happens, he becomes something far worse than a mother hen, and that's coming from a fusspot like me." She immediately sulked. "Of course, I only became such a fussy person because of my brother. He's always been reckless, and then he has the nerve to tease me about it!"

"Yet, you love him dearly."

"Of course. Even strangers find it hard to hate him, and I'm the cute little sister he literally ran into a burning building to save." She gestured to her side, where I assumed the injury was. "This is his fault too. Honestly, who jumps over a person, especially when they're mounted?"

"I assume Lord Sigurd." I knelt down next to the cot, and set my staff and medicine-bag down next to me. "Do you need help removing your shirt?"

"Yes, please." She managed to start with taking her shirt off, but thanks to the injury, I had to take care of the rest. "Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me." I draped her shirt on the cot and carefully undid the bandaging she had wrapped around her waist. Underneath was a relatively small wound that slowly weeped blood. A quick check proved... "This looks to be an arrow wound?"

"Yes, I got shot while recovering from my brother jumping over me while I was on a horse." She made a face. "When I had to dodge an axe soon afterwards, the arrow ripped itself out."

"I see." I gently prodded the area around the wound, and then brought up my staff to do a more thorough examination. I immediately found something. "Ah, there is some dirt deep in the wound. I imagine the archer stuck their arrow in the mud before firing." I'd read about that possibility in my studies, as an example of why arrow wounds should always be treated very seriously. "Aside from that, however, you are correct in that the wound isn't serious."

"I see. What an awful tactic." She shuddered. "You would think I would be used to such things now, given Leonster's fight with Thracia, but..."

"Perhaps that is why Lord Quan fretted so much?" I mostly said the words to say something, as I noticed something else as I examined her. "Lady Ethlyn, you aren't recovered from your pregnancy or birthing, are you?"

"No, both were hard on me. I hadn't planned on having a child so soon." She sighed gustily, and held still as I opened my medicine-bag and carefully cleaned the injury. "Grannvale's contraceptives are a one-dose only, but the ones in Leonster require two. I wasn't told that, though."

"I see." I was tempted to point out she could have forced a miscarriage, but I immediately knew she couldn't have. She was the wife of the heir to Leonster. It wouldn't surprise me if the people there had purposely avoided warning her so that she would get pregnant quickly and give Lord Quan himself an heir. "Then it shall come at no surprise that your body is still healing, and you must rest more." I smiled up at her before bandaging her side. "You will also want to clean this in the morning and let it heal on its own for now."

"Very well, but do I have to rest right now?" She frowned at me, even when I finished with bandaging and helped her put her shirt back on. "I need to check everyone over. I'm the only healer, so..."

"Lady Ethlyn, I can do that for you." I stood up fully and went through my bag to see if I had anything that would help her with her recovery. Sadly, I didn't and I scolded myself for being so unprepared. I did, however, have some herbs. "However, I think I'll make some medicine for you to help you with recovering first."

"Oh, but you must be exhausted after today." If that was her reason for protesting, then she was just like her brother. "I wouldn't want you to overwork yourself."

"Lady Ethlyn, this is my job." I was a healer, after all. "I am glad to assist, and it makes my job easier if I treat you as much as I am able from the start."

"I... suppose that makes sense." She frowned a little, but then shrugged. "Can you at least tell me what herbs you're using? I love learning, and my knowledge of plants doesn't go much farther than the various languages of flowers used in the different courts."

"Hmm? Ah, of course, I can." What else could I say? She had to be used to watching for poisons, after all.

"Thank you!" She smiled warmly at me. "Sigurd said your name was Miss Alicia, right? I hope we can be friends."

...I'd never had someone say that to me before. She was a very odd girl.

---

Because I explained each herb to Lady Ethlyn, making the medicine took longer than I anticipated and it was surprisingly late when I left the tent. I didn't fancy walking home alone in the dark, so I quickly headed for what looked to be the main part of the small encampment to check on the soldiers.

"Oh, beauteous lady of the sun!" This did not, however, explain why I suddenly had a knight still in his armor spouting nonsense at me. "It warms my heart to see you!" he continued with a cheeky little grin. He somehow produced a rose and held it out towards me. "Might you honor me with your name?"

"My name is Alicia," I replied, utilizing every bit of willpower I had to keep my composure. What sort of mad fool was this? "I am here to check the health of the injured."

"You are as gracious as you are beautiful, Miss Alicia!" He moved the rose closer towards me for some reason. "Truly, we are blessed this day!"

"...You must have taken a severe head injury to be babbling such nonsense." I nudged him over to a crate to sit down and undid the white cloth he had wrapped around his head. "Is this why your head is so poorly bandaged?" Though, the cloth was much too wide for a typical bandage.

"It's not a bandage! It's a turban!" The knight tried to scowl at me, but I tilted their head down so that I could look for any visual signs of a head injury. "My mother was born in the Aed Desert, in a village near Phinora, and it's traditional to wear one there. I might be of Chalphy, but I am proud of my mother as well."

"I apologize for mistaking such an important item, then." I hoped I sounded as sincere as I felt, but I worried I might not because of my confusion. Though I had been certain he had a head injury, I could find no sign of one at all. "Hmm... I should look you over with my staff." It was entirely possible that the outer injury had been healed without treating the underlying damage. I'd done that a couple of times while learning.

"Oh, don't worry, miss. Alec just talks that way sometimes to try and get a laugh out of people." It took me a second to find the speaker, a young boy noticeably younger than the knight standing nearby. "Are you the healer Lord Sigurd brought to help Lady Ethlyn?" he asked. At my nod, he smiled in relief. "Oh, good... I was hoping I could catch you. Finn was helping me move some supplies, but he got unbalanced and twisted his leg weird and now..."

"Perhaps you should show me," I suggested, stepping back from 'Alec'. I made sure to return his turban to him, though. "Where is he?"

"He's this way, miss." The boy bowed, and quickly walked away. I barely managed to keep up, but thankfully, we didn't have far to go. The camp itself was terribly small, and truthfully, I had only seen a handful of people here. Did Lord Sigurd truly attack the castle with so few? Even I knew that was reckless, yet he succeeded... "Finn, I found her!"

"Did you find her, or did she find you while you were babbling tactics out of stress?" Sitting on one of the various boxes scattered about was a boy a little older than the boy leading me, whose pant leg was stained with a slowly growing bloodstain. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't tease when I'm delaying things, Oifeye," the boy mumbled, looking down. The boy shrugged off the apology, though, and hovered over his friend worriedly. Now that I had a name, though, I realized I knew of him. He was Lord Sigurd's squire and a distant cousin who also bore a Holy Mark. After his parents died from illness, Lord Sigurd took him in and the gossip painted the two as close as brothers. "I'm also sorry to be of trouble, miss."

"You are no trouble at all," I reassured, kneeling down to assess the injury. "Do you want to take your pants off or just have me cut the cloth?"

"Cut the cloth, please. It'll be easier for me."

"Very well." I found the small knife I had in my medicine-bag and cut a 'flap' out of the pant leg so that I could actually see the injury. I was glad I did; the bandages underneath had soaked through. "I am surprised you were walking on this."

"Oh, it was just a bit of pain." The boy shrugged, and I debated lecturing him or not. "Well, it was until it wasn't. I'm really sorry, Oifeye."

"Finn, I think that's the seventh time you've apologized," Lord Oifeye pointed out. So, this was Lord Quan's squire, then. "If anything, I should apologize for not taking your wound into consideration. You got hit by an axe, after all."

"That was only because I stupidly forgot my legs weren't as armored as the rest of me," Sir Finn immediately retorted. I ignored both of them to undo the bandage and inspect the injury. It was, thankfully, mostly a surface wound. One could call it a 'scrape', truthfully. The main worry was that the damage underneath the skin was greater than the damage on the surface, which could lead to pockets of infection and did lead to a pocket of blood pooling within. "Now we won't be done with moving the supplies before dinner."

"Naoise and Arden won't mind covering for us, assuming Lord Lex hasn't done so already." That last name surprised me. I knew him. I had never met him, of course, but I knew of him from Azelle's letters. I wouldn't have expected him to travel all the way here, though. "It's more important that you get your wound fully and properly treated."

"He is right, as otherwise, you will have much more to worry about than delayed chores," I chided, bring up my staff. I heal up the damage underneath the skin, up until the wound itself, and then I rifled through my medicine-bag for my disinfectant, numbing balm, needle, and surgical-thread. "This needs to be stitched for it to heal properly. You shouldn't feel anything but some pressure, at most, once the balm takes effect. Let me know otherwise." I worried he might not, especially given the earlier comment, but sounds behind me gave me another thing to worry about. "Whoever is approaching, you had best ask someone besides Sir Finn if you have a task that needs to be done."

"I promise that I asked Azelle for the help when I noticed you were over here, Miss Alicia," Lord Quan reassured, looming over me as I applied the disinfectant and numbing balm to Sir Finn's wound. Though, the name almost made me freeze. Azelle… he was here? He always got sick when traveling, though…? "Though, Oifeye, if you can ask the others how they are? If Miss Alicia doesn't mind, we should take advantage of having a healer and they might try to endure the pain if Sigurd or I ask." Lord Oifeye nodded, bowed, and scampered off. "That... I need to remember he jumps on requests quickly. How is Finn?"

"There was more damage underneath than what the outer wound suggested, but it should be fine." When I was done, I carefully prodded the area around the wound. "Do you feel pain?" Sir Finn simply shook his head; I hoped he was being honest. "Very well." With that 'confirmed', I quickly stitched up the wound, using a couple of different stitches to better secure it, and I watched him for any signs of pain. At the first wince, I paused to apply a little more numbing balm and then I finished up. "There we are." I wrapped my used needle in a small cloth to sterilize later and re-checked the injury to ensure I hadn't missed anything. If I had, it was nothing I could sense, so I pulled some clean bandages from my bag and wrapped them around his wound. "If you insist on chores, Sir Finn, find some that will allow you to stay off that leg. You must rest it for the day."

"But..." Sir Finn began to protest. But I simply fixed him with a look and he sighed and nodded. "Yes, miss."

"For now, you'd better change pants," Lord Quan ordered, in a strangely teasing tone. Sir Finn simply bowed his head. "I'll have some duties ready for you by then, I'm sure. We know well how there's always too much to do when there's fighting."

"That's very true, my lord." Sir Finn carefully stood up and wobbled a little when he tried to put weight on his injured (and partially numb) leg. I steadied him quickly and helped him take a couple of steps. "All right. I have the feel of it. Thank you again, miss." This time he bowed very formally to both of us before leaving. I thought about offering more help, but he was careful with his steps, so...

"May I ask why you cut a flap in his pants?" Lord Quan quietly urged me to take Sir Finn's vacant 'seat', and I decided to do so in order to organize my bag. "Wouldn't it have been easier for him to just take them off?"

"I asked and that is what he prefered," I answered, more focused on ensuring the wrapped used-needle was in a different pocket than my clean ones. Then I carefully returning my disinfectant and my numbing balm to their proper pouches, before slipping my small knife into its own pocket. I only had the one, so I had to keep it separated in case I needed to use it again. Ideally, though, I'd be able to clean it before then. "That's all there is to it."

"Then I suppose I should ask why he went with that," Lord Quan mused. He chuckled, as if amused by the idea, before looking down at me again. "How is Ethlyn?"

"Lady Ethlyn shall make a full recovery. The arrow wound itself was relatively minor, though the mud deep within could have caused an infection if it was not properly treated." I wondered what else I should say and decided to simply leave it at that. Lady Ethlyn could inform him about the lingering issues from her birthing, if she chose.

"I see." He sighed in relief, bringing a hand up to his chest as if that would calm his heart. "I must admit I panicked a little when I saw you tending to Finn. I'm assuming you wouldn't have let him walk on his own if he wouldn't be fine, but..."

"So long as he rests his leg, then he should also make a full recovery."

"Thank goodness..." The relief radiating off him was almost palpable now. "I'm sorry. I do not react well to loved ones being hurt. I've seen too many die during our not-war with Thracia."

"So I've been told." I noticed he still looked anxious, and decided to try and ease his nerves a little. Though, the only method I could think of was teasing, and I was decidedly lacking in that skill. Still, that was no reason to avoid trying. "Based on what I have heard, I am certain Lord Sigurd-"

"Sigurd and his recklessness have taken entire years off my life!" Though he groaned, his following smile was incredibly fond. I didn't think he would give up that friendship for anything. "Eldigan and I would both panic if we realized he was late for curfew when we studied at the academy together, because that always resulted in him getting caught up in some sort of trouble while helping someone."

"You don't seem to mind nearly as much as one would think."

"It's just how Sigurd is. He has always been bright and always willing to reach out his hand to someone. Even when that someone was a too serious brat from a foreign country." Was he... talking about himself there? He sounded as if he was. "When he first befriended me, I swore he was light personified. Some days, I still have to wonder." All at once, he stilled and, surprising, blushed. "I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"It's no trouble." I was used to rambles. "In regards to what you say before, I do not mind checking over the rest of your soldiers. In fact, I am still here because I told Lady Ethlyn that I would handle it. Since Lord Oifeye is asking them, however, might I ask if you or Lord Sigurd need healing?"

"Hmm..." He closed his eyes to carefully think on his answer. "No, I don't believe so." He spoke slowly, continuing to think even as he began answering. It made me more inclined to believe him. "Verdane's soldiers are not well trained, whereas Sigurd and I have fought battles before. I wouldn't say we are uninjured, but I do not believe it is anything serious."

"I see." That matched what I saw when I studied Lord Sigurd on the way over. "Then I shall wait and see if the others in your group are the same."

"Might I escort you back to the town proper once you're done? The hour grows late and we do not know if the Verdanite dogs truly ran with their tails between their legs, or are hiding in ambush." He waited patiently for my answer and, after a second, I nodded. "Wonderful. Shall I tell you a funny story while you wait, then? There's the time Arden pretended to be Sigurd while Sigurd dealt with a hostage situation."

"Which one is Sir Arden?"

"He's... ah, actually, he's over there." He pointed to a very large, bulky man who carried large sacks of whatever an army had sacks of. I neither knew nor cared, as I was too startled by how little the man looked like Lord Sigurd. "Thanks for carrying the horse's feed, Arden!" He waved to make sure Sir Arden heard him, and Sir Arden waved back before continuing on. "I am always in awe of just how loyal Sigurd's personal knights are to him. Arden is actually afraid of horses, has been since being thrown from one as a child, but he endures that fear whenever it can help Sigurd."

"I see." I wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell me all of that. "I can't help but notice the lack of resemblance between him and Lord Sigurd. So, I assume the ruse you spoke of failed?"

"Actually, it worked perfectly." He grinned and I had to fight to keep my expression calm and not gape at him like I wanted. "It involved a wig, and Lachesis putting some makeup on him and... truthfully, the situation ended up becoming so absurd that Eldigan thought we were drunk when we told him." He muffled a laugh, amused by the memory alone. "So, surprisingly, this started as a very serious situation. Some local bandits grew bold and decided to take some of Chalphy's servants hostage..."

---

Thankfully, no one else had significant injuries or, at least, significant injuries they were willing to admit to. As such, Lord Quan escorted me back to town and I made it to my little house on the outskirts of town just before the sun had fully dipped below the horizon. That didn't mean my day was done, though.

"There you are!" After all, I had people waiting for me at my house, though I knew well it wasn't out of any concern. "I need medicine for my little girl," one demanded sourly, aggravated that she had to wait for me. Others in the waiting group scowled or glared to silently convey their own annoyance. "I needed it ages ago."

"What are her symptoms?" I asked, stepping past everyone to enter my house. Immediately, I moved to the back, where I used a blanket to 'wall off' a work area. I didn't bother telling any of them that I had been treating other patients. I didn't bother telling them I was exhausted. I knew they wouldn't care. "When did they start?"

My nights often went like this. People from town would come to me for their medicinal woes, and I would do my best to tend to each one. Most of the time, they simply came for medicines, but a few would come for more serious things. Tonight, I had far more of the latter than usual, because of the assault. For instance, there were broken bones that needed more treatment, or even had to be re-broken to heal properly. There were wounds that kept bleeding because they needed stitches. I quickly lost track of the number of infected wounds and burns I dealt with. It certainly felt like everyone in town came to me for at least one.

When my last patient left, I debating eating before deciding I was too tired. I had to replenish my medicinal stock, after all, as well as sterilize my needle. Both took priority for me. So, I brewed some tea, one of my handmade mixes, and boiled some more water in a small pot on my stove. Once I had it to a roiling boil, I dropped the needle in and left it to continue boiling while I fetched some herbs from my garden to grind up for medicines. It was a routine I knew well, though I never would say I could 'do it in my sleep'. Medicines were both a cure and a poison, depending on the dose and the person receiving it. I never shirked when it came to my measurements.

However, in the middle of my medicine making, I realized there was something I had shirked on and cursed myself for such idiocy. I left things to set, dampened the fire on my stove, and left my house to return to the church. Inside, the wounded were still sprawled out on their blankets, being tended to by a handful of healers. I immediately headed to the back corner, and was relieved to find Sir Midir still there, fast asleep. His bandages needed changing, but his pulse was stronger and his breathing more even. I should have checked on him as soon as I returned, instead of gone to my house. I was lucky Sir Midir hadn't paid the price for my stupidity.

Now that his life wasn't in immediate danger, I could better study the injury and work out a plan to minimize any long-term complicates. I decided it was best to stitch up the wound to better ensure it actually stayed shut, so I grabbed some needles and surgical-thread from the storage room and some numbing balm from the medicine cabinet tucked away in a nearby room. Yes, he was unconscious, but that didn't mean I wanted the pain to wake him. If I could avoid that, then I wanted to. I could always make more to replenish it.

With supplies in hand, I went to work. I had to use quite a few different stitches simply because of how the axe had torn through him, but that was fine. It wasn't as if I expected this to be as simple as Sir Finn's, where only one needle and threading sufficed. With a wound this large, I had to tie off the thread and start again twice before I was finished. But that was fine. If that was what it took to help him heal, then that was what I'd do.

"...Who...?" In the middle of the final bit of stitching, however, Sir Midir managed some sort of consciousness. It was hard to call him 'awake' with his eyes completely unable to focus, but they were at least open. "Your head is... bleeding?" he slurred, trying to gesture vaguely at my hair. I supposed the color could resemble blood. "Should get that... treated."

"I assure you that I am quite well, Sir Midir," I reassured. I figured it was best, since the conversation could help ground him back into reality. "You shall be as well. I have almost finished stitching your wound."

"My... wound...?" It didn't surprise me that his memory was fuzzy. Yet, all at once, clarity sparked through him and he tried to sit up. "Lady Edain...!"

"She isn't here." I did my best to soften the words by speaking in a calm tone, but there was no prettying this up. I supposed I could lie, but he'd see through it before long. "Lord Sigurd saved you and some of the other survivors in the castle, and he will continue on to save her as well. What you must do right now is rest."

"But she..." He tried to sit up again, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Please, miss, I am..."

"Sir Midir, if someone as weak as me can pin you, then you are certainly in no condition to go rushing off." I did have a bit of an unfair advantage in this scenario, of course. I'd given him that sleeping medicine earlier, and it had been a strong one. "What you do when I discharge you is your own business, but for the time being, you are my patient."

"Lady Edain is...!"

"She isn't here." I repeated the words slowly, to make sure he heard them. "If you want to rescue her, as I am certain you do, then you must rest. You were nearly cleaved in two, after all."

"I..." He jerkily brought his hand to his chest, as if just noticing the injuries. Then again, given the numbing balm, he might have. "That's right... I remember that part now. Prince Munnir got too close for me to shoot and I..."

"Yes, and now you are here." Satisfied that he wouldn't try to get up anymore, I sat back on my heels and grabbed fresh bandages to bandage his wound. "Ah, you wouldn't know where 'here' is. You are in the church. I understand you were carried out."

"I see." Sir Midir blinked a couple of times. "Oh, your hair is red."

"It is."

"I'm sorry for confusing it for blood."

"Considering the circumstances, I am grateful you did not think me an enemy." I smiled gently at him. "If you need more medicine to sleep, I can provide you with some tonight."

"I..." He mentally debated it for a moment, and I finished bandaging him up. "Actually, if I can simply have some pain medication, I think I will sleep well enough."

"Of course. I'll leave some sleeping medicine nearby, just in case."

"Thank you, miss..." He closed his eyes, likely more exhausted than he wanted to admit. Healing always took a lot out of the patient.

So, I gave him one final check-up for the night, helped him take that pain medication, and left the exact dose of sleeping medicine he should take within easy reach. Once I was satisfied, I checked on the other wounded in the room before returning to my house to take a quick bath and return to my medicine making. I refused to go to sleep until I finished, after all.

---

The next morning, I woke with the dawn. I'd done it since I was little, to squeeze in a little extra studying time, and now, it was simply my habit. It didn't matter that I had gone to bed merely a couple hours before. I was up with the sun, and I set about my day with only an extra cup of my energy-tea to help me through. At least, that was my plan. However, a knock on the door stopped that before I had even had a first cup of tea, much less my extra. Still, it wasn't unusual for someone to want medicine this early in the morning, especially if it was a farmer injured their hand or something while doing early-morning-chores. So, I quickly changed into a clean dress and pulled my hair back into a ponytail to hide that I hadn't brushed it yet. Only then did I open the door to greet whoever was there. I didn't manage to actually say anything, though. I was too surprised by my visitors.

"Hello!" Lady Ethlyn chirped, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed despite what had to be an early hour for her. Lord Sigurd, who was with her, simply waved and smiled warmly. "It took a bit to find you! Father Eirik didn't want to tell us, for some reason. I guess because you worked so much yesterday?"

"No, that is…" I began automatically, because I knew that wasn't the case at all. He'd been reluctant partly out of habit (he had been tasked with keeping people from finding me, after all) and partly because the church would lose money if they came to me for healing. But I bit my tongue in time, because I couldn't say any of that. "It is quite early. Is something wrong?" My eyes fell to Lady Ethlyn's side. "Did I miss something with your wound?"

"Hmm? No, it's fine."

"Did Sir Finn's stitches rip out?"

"Noooo…?" Lady Ethlyn frowned on that one, and looked up at her brother. "They didn't, right?"

"Last I saw, they were perfectly fine and bandaged," Lord Sigurd reassured with a smile. He actually hadn't stopped smiling since arriving. "But might we come in, Miss Alicia?"

"Ah, yes, of course," I replied, stepping out of the way. "Would you like some tea?" Defaulting to politeness was a wonderful way to ensure I kept my calm and didn't let my confusion show. If nothing was wrong, if they didn't need a healer, then what were they doing here? "I was just about to make some."

"That would be nice, actually." Both Lord Sigurd and Lady Ethlyn looked about my one-room house curiously. They probably had never been inside such a small abode before. "That's a beautiful blanket. Why is it hanging up like a curtain, though?"

"It separates my work-area from the rest of the room. I made it for that purpose." I started boiling some water on the stove, and grabbed some mugs from my cabinet. "Go ahead and sit down."

"Thank you."

"Miss Alicia, you said you made that blanket?" Lady Ethlyn asked. I didn't know her expression, since I was busy figuring out what teas to mix them, but there was some sort of wistfulness to her tone. "I wish I could do something so intricate. I can mend clothes, but that's about it."

"That's because a certain someone thoroughly disliked sitting still during her sewing lessons," Lord Sigurd easily teased. "Didn't Mother once say that it was enough of a miracle that your stitches were even?"

"Sigurd, I swear…!"

The two started bickering at my table, and I ignored them to focus on the tea. Eventually, I decided on what mixes to make them and just in time, as the water in my teapot started boiling around the same time. So, I finished up and carefully brought the three mugs to the table. Lord Sigurd stopped teasing Lady Ethlyn to help me, and I made sure he took his own mug before giving Lady Ethlyn hers. Only then did I sit down to join them, and I waited for some indication of why they were here. Neither seemed to be in a hurry, though.

"Oh, this is so delicious…" Lady Ethlyn breathed, smiling softly at the tea. She looked like a very contented cat, actually. "Is there a bit of orange? I swear I taste some."

"Orange?" Lord Sigurd repeated, frowning slightly in confusion. Of course, I supposed that was to be expected? "How are you tasting oranges? All I taste is honey, chamomile, and something that's noticeably more tart. I agree it's delicious, but…"

"What in Neit's name are you talking about? There's no honey! I'd definitely taste if there was honey!"

"I somehow doubt there's oranges and yet-"

"You two don't have the same tea," I revealed, mostly to interrupt the argument. Both fell silent and stared at me. "I'm out of my market-bought teas, so I mixed up some herbs for you both. I keep some on hand for my patients as some medicines are easier to take when they're mixed in with tea." I also kept them on hand to make my personal mixes, but I only did that for myself, Arvis, and Azelle and those were less 'medicinal' and more 'preventatives that had other things they enjoyed'. "Lady Ethlyn's has some orange peels to blunt the bitterness of the yalniper root, while the tart flavor you tasted, Lord Sigurd, is from some iklurin petals." Yalniper root was often given to new mothers to help them recover from their pregnancy, while iklurin petals were a stress-relieving herb like chamomile and lavender. "So, there's no need to argue. You're both correct."

"...Is that so?" Lord Sigurd asked, blinking slowly like an owl. He immediately stole Lady Ethlyn's mug and took a sip. "Well, look at that. There are oranges." Did he think I was lying? "I just thought Ethlyn's sense of taste went crazy again." He easily dodged Lady Ethlyn's half-hearted attempt to bat his shoulder, and her more-serious attempt at stealing his mug. He did give hers back, though. "I suppose that's a good enough lead-in for why we're here." I was surprised he looked for one. Most just told me what they needed. "It came to our attention during dinner that we forgot to pay you for your services." ...Ah. That. "I suppose we could have talked with the church, but that seemed rude to you. So..."

"I don't charge anything." I didn't see a need. Most of the herbs I used I either grew in my garden or foraged for myself. Most of the food I ate came from the same garden. I made my own medicines, and my own clothes. I would never say I was fully self-sufficient, of course, but I did what I could. What I had to actually buy was covered by the monthly stipend Arvis insisted on sending me. So, I didn't charge for my healing. It was something Father Eirik vehemently disagreed with me on, but then again, he ran the church, which required upkeep, and took care of the numerous orphans in the province, so he and his needed that coin. Now, granted, I disagreed with how much he charged, considering the average amount of money people had around here, but that was neither here nor there. "So, you needn't worry about it. You owe me nothing."

"I would argue that I owe you a great deal." Lord Sigurd frowned at me, and, to my surprise, Lady Ethlyn nodded in agreement. "You saved Midir's life, you tended to my little sister, and you treated Finn. From what I heard, that was after you ran into the flames to provide healing for the townsfolk, and when you returned from our camp, you treated even more before checking on Midir again." Where would he have heard any of that? I suppose Sir Midir could've told him about the night visit, if they visited him prior to coming here, but I had no answer for the rest. It wasn't something people talked about here. "Yngvi is like a second home to us, and…"

"I still say you owe me nothing. I am a healer, Lord Sigurd. My job is to heal those who come to me for treatment." I sipped more of my tea, realizing it was lukewarm now. There was a trick Arvis always did to warm it back up, but I… couldn't do that.

"Most people are paid for their jobs."

"My payment is seeing my patients recover, Lord Sigurd." It was terribly naive. It was terribly childish. Yet, I couldn't help but love such a simple thing. Being able to help people and seeing their wounds heal was something I loved. That was why I lived as I did, so that I could afford to cling to such silliness. "Speaking of them, I had best head over to the church. Was there anything else you needed?"

"Ah, no?"

"I do, but I can walk with you to ask~!" Lady Ethlyn cheerfully said with a bright smile. I wondered what it could be, but then thought it could be about how she was recovering from her pregnancy. Perhaps she didn't want her brother knowing, and worrying. "I'd love to finish this tea first, though?"

Lady Ethlyn and Lord Sigurd both finished their tea while I made sure my medicinal-bag was fully 'stocked'. Then all three of us left my house and walked to the town proper. Once there, Lord Sigurd split off to tend to whatever business he had, and Lady Ethlyn and I continued down the path to the church. Just as before, she didn't seem to be in any sort of hurry to talk about whatever was bothering her. Instead, she happily skipped next to me, ignoring the weird looks the townsfolk were giving her.

Finally, when we were almost at the church, Lady Ethlyn spoke. "Miss Alicia?" she began, skipping a little ahead so that she could turn and face me. "Would you consider joining our… well, calling us an 'army' seems like a stretch with so few people..."

"Pardon?" I replied, since I… hadn't expected that. I kept my healer-mask of calm, of course, but it was still…

"Would you consider joining our group? I'm not a bad healer, if I do say so myself, but I was taught more of 'quick fixes' that are done on the field. I certainly have more practice with that sort of thing, given Leonster." This should be the point where she claimed to be joking and teasing, but her gaze and expression were both sincere and serious. "I think this little battle has reminded us of why armies travel with dedicated healers as well as field healers. I didn't catch that Finn's wound was worse than it appeared. I wouldn't have even thought to check until things went very wrong, very fast. I certainly don't have the breadth of medicinal knowledge you do. Heck, I don't think Edain has it."

"I have been studying for much longer than Lady Edain." I always had a little knack for memorizing plants and their uses. That was what started my interest in healing in the first place, as I became curious about those uses. "She only took up the staff recently."

"Right, so even when we eventually find her… well, assuming she won't be a patient herself, it would still be better to have someone who has trained longer. I already know you're skilled as well. I saw Midir's wound; not many would be able to heal that." She had the most unwavering gaze. It took a lot to meet it instead of hiding. "I know it's a large request, and that the people here could use a healer like you. But, would you consider it?"

"...I shall consider it." Once I was past the initial shock, I supposed the request wasn't so unexpected. It wasn't much different than how the townsfolk treated me; it was just phrased more nicely. Still, such a thing would require a great deal of thought. To agree immediately would be irresponsible. To refuse immediately… well, even if she was a nice noble, it was generally a poor idea to refuse one to their face.

So, I would think about it later. The wounded took priority for now.

---

I tended to patients all morning. I focused on treating Sir Midir, of course, as he was the one assigned to me, but I helped the others where I could and made medicines when I saw our stores were low. It was just a typical morning for me, truly, though it felt more atypical thanks to how my morning started. Perhaps that should have been the first sign that the afternoon would be even stranger. At some point after most took a break for lunch, someone arrived in town. Based on the commotion, it was a very important someone and I decided to use my 'lunch break' to see just who it was and why they were here. The only reason I could think of was that there were more wounded on the way. I was soon proven wrong, of course. I was soon proven very wrong, but that certainly didn't help my confusion. Why was Arvis openly here?

"Ah, so that's the situation, then," Arvis murmured, frowning slightly. He and Lord Sigurd spoke together in front of the burnt-out ruins of a tavern; I hid in a nearby alley to eavesdrop. It seemed he was here on official business for once, which made a little more sense. Though, I wasn't sure what he held in his hand, or why it was wrapped in a cloth. "I must admit the rumors that made it up to Belhalla were not nearly so dire."

"No one truly knew how dire everything was until yesterday," Lord Sigurd reassured, smiling slightly. As far as he and Arvis knew, it was just them here, and so both were relaxed, despite the serious topic. "There are a lot of dead. More than half the soldiers left here were slaughtered, and civilian casualties are still being counted. That isn't going into how many were abducted."

"Damn it all." Arvis closed his eyes briefly, clenching his jaw to force back more vitriolic curses. "Has there been any demands in exchange Edain yet?"

"No, it seems she wasn't kidnapped to serve as a hostage. It seems Prince Muddy…" Lord Sigurd grinned when Arvis tried and failed to bite back an unexpected laugh. "I know it's absolutely terrible of me to butcher someone's name, but he kidnapped my dear friend, so I think I'm allowed to be a little childish."

"Where did that even come from?" Arvis had to use his free hand to muffle his snickers. From the shadows, I smiled, glad to see him laughing so much. "Did Quan come up with it? I understand he came up with nicknames like that in the past."

"He only does it when we tell him that he can't go dueling people like he wants to when someone is being particularly insufferable. I'm fondest of 'Elidiot' personally." Lord Sigurd chuckled, shaking his head. "Alas, this one is not his fault, though he dearly wishes it was. It was simply Oifeye misreading his own handwriting while delivering a report, so it was said with the utmost seriousness, and we all spent far too much time laughing about it." Still, even his amusement faded. "Regardless, Prince Munnir seems to have kidnapped Edain specifically to force her to be his wife."

"So, essentially, he actually did what half of Grannvele's own nobility talked about doing." Arvis sighed, shaking his head before reaching up to fix his hair. "I don't know if they plotted or got lucky, but regrettably, they couldn't have chosen a more perfect time. I fear we have little to no aid to give you here, Sigurd, and I have no doubts that you intend to push forward."

"Of course. They still have Edain and the civilians here." Lord Sigurd's following smile somehow enhanced the conviction in his words. "Be at peace, Arvis. I knew of that possibility when I marched out. Many would no doubt call it reckless and foolish to do so anyway, but just as there is a price for action, there is a price for inaction. I decided the price of inaction would be too high, certainly much higher than I wished to pay."

"As always, Sigurd, you are far too kind." Arvis smiled back, but I could easily see the worry in his gaze and in how stiff his shoulders were. "I fear it will be taken advantage of, one of these days."

"Well, if I die for being kind, then that is just how it is. I'll still take the risk." Lord Sigurd shrugged, unbothered by the notion. "I suppose I haven't changed much from the stubborn child I was."

"Perhaps, but there is no reason to grow out of being gentle. If more people were like you, Sigurd, I feel like the world would be much better." Arvis looked down briefly, collecting his thoughts, before holding out that cloth covered item. "I digress. This is a gift from King Azmur." Lord Sigurd took it without a word, frowning at it in confusion. Said confusion dropped for shock when he unwrapped it to find a sword. "He said that a silver sword would better suit a paladin of the realm. He dislikes he cannot send you aid, so he wishes to at least ensure you are well-armed." Arvis smiled teasingly. "Perhaps you shan't have so much difficulty with these barbarians now that you have a proper weapon."

"Not all of us can wield the flames of the sun, Arvis." Still, Lord Sigurd laughed, easing the sarcasm into teasing. "So, His Majesty is giving me his approval."

"Yes, so you will go with his blessings, and my prayers." Arvis crossed his arms, now that he had both hands free, and frowned at Sigurd. "Speaking of hope and prayers, your report mentioned Azelle."

"Yes, as he played a critical role in our liberating the castle." Lord Sigurd smiled wryly, though he tried to hide it by undoing his belt to put the silver sword on it. "I know he came here behind your back, and I'm sure you have quite the lecture prepared for him, Lex, and me."

"So, Lex is here. I thought he might be." Arvis's frown deepened, giving Lord Sigurd a stern look that would make most quake in fear. Lord Sigurd, of course, didn't even flinch, so Arvis let it go with a long suffering sigh. "I would much prefer him to be safe at home, but if he felt so strongly that he went ahead and ran here, then I suppose I should let fate have its way and let him learn whatever lessons it wishes for him to learn."

"Perhaps it is, instead, fate intervening to help you?" Lord Sigurd appeared teasing at first, but his smile dimmed, hinting towards seriousness. "This might be overstepping my boundaries, but though I know well how much you adore him, it seems Azelle himself thinks he's a nuisance to you."

"...I feared that might be the case. Between my duties and my poor 'fatherly instincts', I worried I neglected him." Arvis looked down briefly, almost hiding his slight wince. "He is my precious little brother. I adore him. Yet…"

"Yet you have difficulties showing your kind heart." Now Lord Sigurd was back to teasing, and his mood didn't falter even when Arvis scowled at him. "No, that won't work on me. I saw through you ages ago." He shrugged, smile softening. "I'll see what I can do on my end of things. I doubt he'll truly believe it until you two have a proper talk, but I can at least encourage him."

"Yes, and I shall think on how best to approach the topic." Arvis nodded a couple of times, no doubt already scheming. "I best return to Belhalla now, however."

"Already?" Lord Sigurd frowned. "Will you not see Azelle?"

"I think your lecture made it clear I need to wait a little to gather my thoughts and words." Arvis chuckled, and Lord Sigurd actually sulked. "Right now, I will likely simply lecture him. It will be better for us both."

"I'm not sure if I agree, but I won't press." Lord Sigurd's continued frown, however, showed how little he liked this choice. "I will simply tell you that there was a time when Ethlyn thought I hated her because I did not properly show or tell her." That must have been quite some time ago. I'd honestly never heard anything like that on the gossips.

"Ha… that makes me feel a little better, truthfully." Arvis smiled and held out his hand. Lord Sigurd took it for a firm handshake, and smiled back. "I shall hope for news of everyone's safe return, and will see if I can rearrange things to give you a little more aid."

"I will accept that only if you promise to not overwork. You have to get at least one hour of sleep." Lord Sigurd grinned, and Arvis actually rolled his eyes. "Give my regards to His Majesty, please."

"Of course. Farewell, Sigurd."

"Until we meet again, Arvis."

The two parted without another word, both striding off to their next destinations. I had no idea where Lord Sigurd was heading, but it was easy to guess Arvis was heading to a carriage or something on the outskirts of town. For something so public, he would've kept to 'official' means of transportation, instead of riding. That meant I had a little time, though I still hesitated. I peeked carefully out from the alley and looked both ways to confirm no one was looking. Then, I bolted after Arvis, luckily catching him before he made it to the carriage.

"Will you not at least see me, Lord Brother?" I gently chided as soon as I got close. Arvis whirled at my voice, and smiled softly when he confirmed it was me. "I am hurt, indeed."

"Sigurd was just telling me of how many casualties there are," Arvis protested, walking so that he could stand in front of me. "I figured you would be busier than a bee."

"As I have told you in the past, I am never too busy to see you." Now that I was closer, I took the opportunity to study him and I frowned when I saw the exhaustion lining his face and the bags under his eyes. "No wonder Lord Sigurd made a joke about you needing to sleep. When was the last time you slept?" Arvis was quiet, trying to remember. "If it is taking you that long to answer, Lord Brother, then it has been far too long. Do I need to write Aida?"

"She's just as busy. There's… a lot going on." A dark look briefly crossed his face, and I wondered why. I had a feeling it was tied to that one secret he would not tell even me. "Enough of such dark talk, though. How is my favorite sister?"

"As far as we are aware, Arvis, I am your only sister." Of course, it would not surprise either of us if we had more half-siblings running about. Our father had been a notorious womanizer and rapist. We three were simply the only ones with records and Holy Marks to connect us to him. "No matter. Aside from recent events, I have been well. How have you been? I'm assuming the chaos is why your latest letter was delayed."

"It was. I was in the middle of penning it when we got word of Darna. As for how I am, I believe your answer matches my feelings well." He pressed a finger to my cheek, peering at me worriedly. "Did you sleep?"

"I slept some last night, though I am certain I needed more." I shrugged, since I couldn't see a way I would've gotten it. I had to tend to my patients, and I needed to make that medicine. "We are at war, whether we like it or not, and I am a healer. Healers rarely have leisure time when there are wounded."

"Yes, they have less than even soldiers." He smiled at me, and I caught the trace of envy in it and his tone. "I can't help but be proud, though. Fjalar's blood is fire and destruction, yet you use it to mend wounds instead of burning everything in your path."

"Some would argue that preventing your people from needing a healer in the first place is a much better use of power." I couldn't do it, though. It was one thing to cut into a person to remove a foreign object, or to stitch their wounds together. To me, it was another thing entirely to hurt them. I couldn't do it. I wouldn't. "There are also plants that thrive in fires and ash, and controlled burning helps forests to grow instead of suffocate."

"As always, you scold me for my self-pity." He made a face, and I muffled a quiet laugh. "I should keep a running list, huh?"

"I can send one in my next letter. I'm sure Aida would appreciate it." That reminded me, though. "How is she doing? How is Saias?"

"Both are well. Saias's hair becomes redder by the day, so I think it's safe to say he inherited the traditional Fjalar coloring." He gently tugged a small lock of my hair, as red as his own, for emphasis. "Thankfully, the coloring isn't entirely rare in Velthomer." From what I'd heard, many in Velthomer, nobility and commoner alike, prized the coloring specifically because it resembled Fjalar's, so they 'highly encouraged' pairings that would yield children with the coloring. "He also shows a strong magical aptitude, but thankfully, no Mark has appeared yet." He glanced down at my right arm, where my own Holy Mark was hidden. "Given that yours and Azelle's both appeared when you were young, perhaps…"

"Perhaps." It was all I said, as we both knew the chances of that were very small. Arvis was the Fjalar Major of our generation, after all, and Saias was his first child. Typically, that would mean Saias inherited Fjalar Major as well. "So, you haven't driven Aida to madness yet. I'm glad to hear it."

"No, not yet, though she swears she is going to stab me for the mess that is my office." Arvis laughed at the old joke between him and Aida, and I smiled softly, glad that things weren't very awkward between them. I knew Arvis felt guilty. What had supposed to been a simple night of passion, mutually agreed of course, had spiraled into something neither expected. Despite the numerous precautions they took, Aida had ended up pregnant and, worse, was allergic to the key ingredients of most known miscarriage teas. Arvis, of course, saw all too easily the similarities between him and our father, and offered to marry her to make it 'right'. Aida had refused, content to being his right hand and best friend. She mentioned she'd be a widow in five minutes of being married. "You could see them for yourself, you know."

"Arvis." I frowned slightly at him, and he smiled sheepishly. Then we both shared a laugh, because it was our own little 'joke'. If I ever wanted to come live with him Velthomer, he'd pack my bags for me, but I didn't want to leave. I was content with being a simple healer, and I was terrified of being used against him and Azelle. It was much better for all of us if I stayed. "Though, I am reminded. You usually use Azelle for the joke, but I've heard…"

"So long as he rides a horse instead of in a carriage, he doesn't get motion sick anymore." That was a relief… I knew it had always bothered him. "I was hoping to arrange for both of us to visit when this mess started."

"How cruel of the world to deny me the chance of having both of my brothers in my humble house." Still, knowing Azelle was truly here made me remember Lady Ethlyn's request. "Arvis?"

"Yes?"

"Earlier today, Lady Ethlyn asked if I would consider joining their group as their more dedicated healer." I wrapped one arm around my waist to grip my other arm, just to have something to do with my hands. "What do you think?"

"Hmm…" Arvis crossed his arms, likely for the same reason I'd moved mine, and was silent for a very long moment. It was almost too long, truthfully, but I knew that meant he had to mentally debate quite a few things. "Sigurd did mention you saved Midir and treated some in his group already. It would be more surprising if Ethlyn didn't ask you after that." I supposed. I was really only doing my job. "Thinking logically, you would be a very good choice. It will be brutal, certainly, but I know you. I know you'll give it your all and then some, and that… is what such a campaign will need."

"What about illogically, Lord Brother?"

"I am torn on that front." He sighed slowly, like he was trying to breathe out all his tangled up thoughts. "On the one hand, I don't want you anywhere near a battlefield. You are my dearest little sister, and I would prefer you to be safe and sound. Though, this incident certainly serves as a reminder for how tenuous that 'safe and sound' can be."

"I am guessing the other hand weighs Azelle."

"I would be glad to know you are near to watch over him and give him advice. I also know that he's been looking forward to spending time with you ever since I first told him about you." He fussed with the hair by his face, still weighing all of his thoughts. "Yet I also do not like the thought as it feels like I am considering his feelings more than yours."

"I know that isn't the case." I dug my fingers into my arm, like I could somehow pull the answers from it. "I wish to spend time with him as well, though I am not certain working as a healer for an armed group would give me a lot of time." Though, it would certainly be more than we had before. "I worry for the people here. It will take many months for them to recover, if they do at all. I would like to continue helping them." Yet, I thought of why Lord Sigurd would keep charging forward. "At the same time, I worry for Lady Edain. I have never met her, of course, but Azelle's letters mention how kind she has always been to him."

"Of course, that plays a role in his infatuation." Arvis rolled his eyes, and I had a feeling the two had argued about that recently. "Still, I can see the path your thoughts take. You want to help her because of that."

"Yes." It was a terribly selfish reason, of course. But it lingered in my head like a parasite and it latched onto other thoughts, burrowing deep into my heart. Specifically, it latched onto thoughts of how I might be able to help more people if I… "I think… I will accept that request." I looked him right in the eyes with a little frown. "Do you truly think I can do it?" I frowned a little more when he opened his mouth to give an immediate response. "I expect a serious, non-biased answer, Lord Brother."

"It is exactly the same as what I said before. I believe you would be a very good choice." He smiled wryly. "In fact, my fussy heart wishes you were a little less skilled so that there was a good excuse to keep you away from battle. You don't know how to fight."

"Well, that's what the knights are for, yes?" What else could I say? He knew why. The only argument we'd ever had was because of it. "I suppose I'd best inform Lady Ethlyn, and you have to be terribly late."

"I am, sadly." He tugged me into a warm hug, and I returned it. "Please, try to stay safe."

"I shall, if you make the same promise." I pulled away first, just as always. He always felt so guilty when he left, even though this was my choice. "I love you very much, Lord Brother."

"And I love you, my dearest little sister."

He left abruptly, no doubt because otherwise, he'd linger and put off leaving and he simply couldn't. He had too many duties, too many schemes, to stay. I knew that, and so, I wasn't offended. If he had done anything else, I might have worried. So, I simply watched him leave and, when he was out of sight, I returned to town to find Lady Ethlyn. I needed to let her know I accepted, after all.

---

Surprisingly, I found Lady Ethlyn quickly and told her my decision. She'd promptly squealed in utter delight, and almost dragged me off before I could pack my things. Thankfully, we passed Lord Sigurd along the way, and he helpfully reminded his little sister that I at least needed another change of clothes. To my surprise, the two helped me pack, despite there not being much, and then Lady Ethlyn led me to the camp while Lord Sigurd informed Father Eirik that I would be accompanying them.

"Thank you so, so much!" Lady Ethlyn had thanked me ten times in as many minutes. I tried to think of the last time someone had thanked me so much, or even half as much. I came up blank for both. "I know you're doing us a huge favor," she continued, as if she hadn't said that already. "Don't hesitate to let us know if you need anything, okay?"

"I shall keep it in mind," I replied, far more focused on organizing my medicines. You had to keep things organized, because you moved so much on instinct when lives were on the line. No amount of training fully took that away; training simply changed what your instincts told you. "For right now, however, would you see if someone has a list of what medicinal supplies you have on hand?"

"Of course~!" With that, she left with a skip to her step. As soon as she was gone, I closed my eyes as the weight of what I had agreed to crashed into me.

It was one thing to be a village healer and it was another to be a healer in an area that suffered an attack. It was another thing entirely to be a healer in the army, and what I agreed to was… it was yet another thing. I wouldn't simply be a healer; I would be the healer 'in charge'. This group may be small, but the position was still more responsibility than I'd undertaken before. I would have to work harder than ever to live up to expectations, particularly Arvis's. He said I was a 'good choice', and I didn't want to disappoint him. Then, of course, you had my more selfish reasons, which was that I didn't want to seem incompetent in front of…

"Um… hello?" A quiet, shy voice knocked me from my worries, and I turned towards the entrance with my healer-mask in place, with a serene smile painted on. The speaker hadn't entered yet, but it never hurt to be prepared. "May I come in?"

"You may," I reassured, already preparing myself for whatever injury I would need to tend to. However, the person who entered didn't appear injured. He simply appeared as a very shy young boy, who looked so much like a younger Arvis… "You must be…"

"I'm Azelle." He smiled warmly, though he averted his gaze. "I… I'm sure you must be busy, but…" He held up a paper. "Ethlyn said you needed this, and it seemed like a good excuse to…"

"I'm very glad to finally meet you, my sweet little brother." It was dangerous to say it so openly. I had no idea who was near. Yet Azelle beamed, and I decided it was definitely worth the risk to see his face light up like that. "Is that the list of medicinal supplies I requested?"

"It is." Azelle looked around the tent Lord Sigurd had set up for me, and set the paper on the small table set up haphazardly in the middle. Throwing this together had clearly been a quick job, but I had a place for my medicinal supplies, so I wouldn't complain. "Um… do you need help?"

"Right now, I'm determining what I'll need to make a proper infirmary for everyone." Still, I didn't want him to leave just yet. This was our very first meeting. "If you do not mind listening to me mumble while I think, I could use your insight on the people here."

"Yeah, I can do that!" It was so easy to see why Arvis loved Azelle's smile so much. It just looked so bright and chipper, more than his own smiles or mine. "There's not a lot of us, for now. I think you saw almost everyone the last time you were here."

"Is that so?" I found a pen in my medicine-bag and headed over the table to start going through the list. "So, for right now, I should ensure we have room for everyone." Then, of course, I'd want a couple of extra. I'd like it if we could avoid cramming everyone together, and to have the extra in case we came across wounded. "So, that means more cots and blankets, for certain, and space to put them."

"I think there's an old church near the bridge to Evans Castle, which is our next destination." Azelle hesitantly came to my side to look at the paper with me. Yet, for some reason, he kept looking at my face. "Green…"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry, it's just…" He gestured vaguely at his eyes. "Arvis always said you have green eyes instead of red like ours. It was always so hard to imagine, though."

"Yes, I suppose so." I also supposed it was very helpful for my mother when she threw me away. "Arvis commented on them a lot too. Though, I suppose in his case, it was because he remembered my mother."

"Sunna, right? I remember Mother talking about her, and how she always protected Cigyun and Arvis from our father."

"The name sounds familiar enough." I had to rely on years of practice to keep my tone even and calm. I hated her. I didn't want to talk about her, no more than I wanted to talk about our father. "Hmm? Do we really have so little herbs?"

Thankfully, Azelle went along with the blatant change in subject, and he helped clarify a few things for me. Then he left to confirm the numbers on what I was most concerned with, and I poked my head out of the tent to see if anyone would mind if I returned to my house briefly to gather what herbs I had. Clearly, they would be more needed than I'd assumed.

"Is everything all right, Miss Alicia?" That was when Lord Sigurd appeared, smiling warmly. "No one caused any explosions while I was gone?" he asked, clearly teasing. I wondered why his mind jumped to that, though. "The camp almost seems too quiet."

"I have not heard of anything," I replied, wondering if I should make up some burn balms. I didn't have a lot on hand anymore, thanks to the assault on town, but… "I was simply thinking I should gather what herbs I have in my garden. I was also curious about what budget I would be working with."

"No budget. Chalphy's way is to spare no expense when it comes to health." Well, if that was true, that was certainly a worry off my mind. "I can walk you to your house if you'd like."

"Did you not just return?"

"Yes, but you're the only one who knows." He grinned, mischief making it seem strangely wicked for how good-natured he was. "Besides, I had a question or two for you and depending on your answer, I'd have to return to town anyway."

"Oh?" I debated for a brief moment before deciding to go along with it. It didn't seem worth the argument, and I had to be certain I acted like a proper healer. I might have gotten away with slips before, but that wouldn't last. "Very well." I ducked back briefly into the tent to fetch my bag and then returned so that we could walk together. "What question was it?"

"It's something I was reminded of when checking on Grani." He held out his hand to help me around a hole in the ground, and I took it to hide my confusion. I didn't know the name. "Ah, sorry, Grani is my horse and he pulled a muscle during the battle."

"So, your question is about my knowledge on animals?" I shook my head, almost amused by the question. There weren't enough hours in the day to study about just humans and their health. "I know the basics, but my knowledge of animals and their health does not go beyond that. You would want a specialist for that sort of thing, someone who has spent a very long time learning about animals."

"That is something I should keep an eye out for, then. Though I pray for this to be a short campaign, I must prepare as if it will be very long." His gaze darkened briefly, perhaps because of what everyone had already suffered. "So, that was my first question. The second is…" He hesitated, and I tried to think of the reasons why he would. "Midir asked to travel with us."

"Somehow, I am unsurprised." I also heard the unspoken question, so I did my best to decide, based not only on his wounds but his mental state. "Travel would be fine; however, I am certain the next question from there is battling and I do not believe he is fit to fight." I didn't know much about fighting, but I did know it put the body through a lot of even when it was perfectly healthy. "With that said, I fear being forced to stay behind will inflict terrible wounds to his mind or, rather, deepen the ones already there."

"Yes, I worry about that as well." Lord Sigurd sighed. "Well, perhaps for now, we have him travel and we'll… see about the rest? I'll make sure he is aware that he has to listen to your orders."

"So long as he does that, I believe it can be managed." The wind gusted then, heralding some sort of change to the weather. Without thinking about it, I brushed my hair out of my face and behind my ear. "Perhaps he might be able to ride, but I do not-"

"Oh, your arm…" Lord Sigurd immediately focused on the bandages I had wrapped around the lower part of my right arm. "I'm sorry. Were you injured in this whole mess?" He actually looked distressed that he hadn't noticed. "We shouldn't…"

"No, I'm not injured. It simply covers a scar." The lie came easily, just as it always did. Father Eirik had hammered it into me from a young age. "I burned myself when I was little, and it would upset some of my patients, so I cover it up."

"I see." His relief that I was unharmed was almost palpable. I wondered why he worried so much in the first place. "Ah, do you want to stop by the apothecary while we're in town? I'm certain our medicinal supplies are nowhere near what you'd prefer. Ethlyn nearly threw a fit, until I reminded her that most of Chalphy's medicines went with the soldiers to Isaach."

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but yes, some of the items are deplorably low. I do not wish to take much from here, given how many will need them, but perhaps a little…"

The apothecary was certainly surprised to see me in his store, especially with someone. I chose to ignore his slack-jawed staring to simply pick out the most needed items, while Lord Sigurd chatted happily with him about how the town was doing. I had other things to worry about after all.

This was going to be a nightmare and a half, and I was jumping right into it. I could only hope I wouldn't grow to regret this.

---

Alicia

Class: Cleric

Skills: Charisma, Miracle

Holy Blood: Fjalar Minor

A 19-year-old healer who grew up in the church in Yngvi, she is an illegitimate child of Duke Victor of Velthomer, born from when he raped her mother, Lady Sunna. The nearest thing she has had for a parental figure is Father Eirik, who always made it quite clear that he was only doing it as a favor to someone else.

Her Mark is on her lower right arm, which she hides by wrapping bandages around it. Due to the inheriting the blessings of the Fire God, Salamander, she is very proficient and powerful with magic. The blessings should also let her conjure flames without a tome, but she claims to be incapable of that.

Few know what goes on in her head due to her keeping up a 'healer-mask' of calm during most social interactions, a practice that was 'highly encouraged' by Father Eirik to minimize the chances of her turning out like her father. The very few she speaks her mind to will find her a strange combination of cynicism and idealism, where she believes the world is a mess and is terribly unfair, but that doesn't mean she can't strive to make it better anyway.

---

Author's notes: Ha… I'm not even going to try with excuses. If you're here from before, welcome back, and if you're reading this for the first time, welcome to Memoirs of the Holy War, an FE4 novelization. It'll cover the whole game, with both generations, so meet our first POV char, Alicia. If you're curious about her skills, miracle is me 'justifying' a few instances later in the story, while charisma is something a friend insisted on. As for her background… Arvis and Azelle's father, Victor of Velthomer, canonically had a myriad of lovers yet only canonically has one bastard child: Azelle. So, I decided to add another, Alicia. (There's a popular theory that Hilda (who shows up in Gen2) is another one, but until I see canonical evidence for that, I choose to believe otherwise.)

The name 'Jugdral' is most likely derived from Yggdrasil, the great tree of Norse Mythology, so I thought I'd pay homage to that in the opening scene. The war between gods, and the specific mentions to ice and fire, are nods to Ragnarok.

Technically, in canon, the Leonster's army is dubbed 'Lanz Ritter' or 'Lance Ritter', but I felt it didn't fully fit the theme of the other armies, so I went with 'Erde Ritter' instead. Supposedly, 'erde' is German for 'earth', tying in to the Gae Bolg and all.