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)

19. Chapter 11) Hunt

Chapter 11) Hunt

---

Well, isn't this delightful? I'm in a hostage situation again, though this time is moderately more comfortable than the previous two. Clement, in his 'wisdom', decided to hold Deirdre hostage until he could talk to Sigurd, and Ayra and I were captured alongside her. This is ridiculous. It is absolutely ridiculous. Was the man truly neutral or was he so foolish he simply pretended until he could go along with the majority so he didn't have to think?

...No, that was uncharitable of me. But the fact remains the whole mess should've never happened.

---

The day after we became Clement's 'honored guests', our rooms were filled with enough seamstresses to run an entire workshop. Penelope was not the type of person to leave things waiting, so she sent the messenger before they even opened for the day. Now, Mistress Ariadne, the owner of the workshop, chatted with Deirdre about various materials and colors by the window while Ayra reluctantly let herself get measured in the far corner. Since I was already done with my measurements, I was seated in one of the plush chairs, flipping through a booklet they dubbed a 'catalog', which provided basic drawings and patterns for various clothes and accessories. I had no idea if it was something typical for shops or if it was unique to Agustria, but I rather liked it. It let me easily ignore the whispers of the gossiping seamstresses. Goodness, they talked as if they'd die if they were quiet for half of a second.

"This really is fascinating," I murmured to myself, studying the patterns. I did, however, notice a commonality with all the pictures and called out. "Deirdre, remember your dresses should be loose around your middle." For some reason, the chittering of the seamstresses quieted a little at my words, but I didn't care enough to look up yet. "Otherwise, we'll have to call for the tailors again in a few months." Chalphy may be able to afford it, but it was better to be prepared and all the pictures here showed very tight waistlines.

"Just like you to think of everything, Alicia!" Deidre laughed, clapping her hands together. The seamstresses glanced at each other curiously. "Maybe these should be loose in general to hide the... oh, what do they call it? Baby fat?"

"I think that only applies to babies, not their mothers." I flipped again, and came across a rather pretty design. It was much too fancy for me, but I thought it might suit Edain. "But you will be gaining weight and not all of it will be the baby. Your body has to adjust."

"So, eat all the sweets I want?"

"That would be a hard 'no'."

"Meanie." She giggled and then gasped before turning to Mistress Ariadne. "Oh, I'm sorry! See, I'm pregnant, Mistress Ariadne." She beamed at the words, and deftly ignored the looks the seamstresses were sharing. Meanwhile, I glanced around and saw Penelope come in with a tray of sweets. Where had she gotten them? She'd been opening the curtains last I'd seen. "Alicia was thinking of my comfort during the next few months."

"Lady Deirdre, you should have informed me sooner," Penelope gently chided, setting the tray down on the table in front of me. Though she spoke lightly, she held herself stiffly. "I'll need to tell the Housekeeper. You'll need a special diet, among other things." That was true, and why I'd wanted to bring it up first thing, but Deirdre had wanted me to wait. I suppose she'd wanted more of an audience for the 'revelation'

"Ah, I suppose I do, don't I?" Deirdre easily conceded, smiling a little sheepishly. I had to fight off a sigh, because I'd spent a good hour this morning inspecting our breakfast because she'd chosen to wait. "I only recently learned, so I'm still wrapping my head around everything." She giggled and returned her attention to Mistress Ariadne. "Anyway, Alicia's as right as always. Is there a design you'd recommend?"

"Well, this sort of design is always popular with pregnant women," Mistress Ariadne answered easily, producing her own catalog to show her. But I caught the unease on her face. "See? The waist is shifted up, so it creates an illusion of elongating the body and drawing attention to the bust. However, this means it's very loose below..."

Mistress Ariadne and Deirdre continued to chat, talking designs once more, and the room settled back into the chittering cheer. However, my attention remained on Penelope, who lingered by me with a dark look on her face. "Why would a recently pregnant woman stay here instead of returning home as soon as possible?" she muttered, words barely loud enough to hear. "That is..." She shook her head abruptly. "No, no, think later."

"Is all well?" I asked without thinking. She promptly squeaked and jumped from shock. "You look..."

"O-oh, just thinking of everything she'll need!" Even if I didn't already know it was a lie, her awkward laugh would've made it obvious. "And... uh..." She looked around almost desperately for a distraction, her attention focusing on the young lady standing near Mistress Ariadne, scrutinizing some of the cloth they had brought with them. "Trying to catch my older sister's eye. That's her there, Hellen." I could see the resemblance. They had similar features, and their hair colors matched, but Hellen's eyes were a bright gold. "She's too focused, though."

"I see." She most definitely had not been looking that way at the moment, but I'd play along. She might have been trying earlier. "Ah, Mistress Ariadne?" I pitched my voice to carry, and she paused her conversation to glance at me. "Might I borrow the young woman next to you?" Hellen looked up then, curious, and her eyes lit up when she saw Penelope. "I would like more insight into these designs."

"But of course, Lady Alicia," Mistress Ariadne replied, smiling warmly. She helpfully nudged Hellen forward, her smile growing when Hellen looked at her hesitantly. "Go on. Whatever flaws you think the cloth has can wait a moment."

"I... yes, ma'am," Hellen mumbled, smiling shyly. She took a breath to steady herself before actually joining me by the chair. "Good morning, my lady. What might I help you with?"

"What? I don't get a greeting?" Penelope immediately retorted, sulking even. I had to muffle a laugh, especially when Hellen immediately became exasperated. "I'm right here."

"We're working, Pen."

"We can still say 'hi'."

"Hi."

"Ugh, you're the worst sometimes." Penelope smiled slyly. "I bet if I was Alexius, you would've said more than that." Hellen immediately blushed and Penelope snickered. "Alexius is her lover, Lady Alicia. He's a knight here and soon, I'll be calling him brother~!"

"Pen...!" Hellen's blush darkened with a scowl. "Hush now. He hasn't asked."

"Yet."

"How did you ever become a maid with such a quick tongue?" She sighed gustily. "I apologize for my rambunctious sister, Lady Alicia."

"No, no, I quite enjoy her cheer," I reassured, muffling a laugh. This was fun to listen to. "It's been quite the balm."

"Balm?" Hellen repeated, tilting her head. But Penelope caught her eye and shook her head, so she let it go. "R-regardless, my lady, you did call me over for a task."

"This is true." I held out the catalog to her, smiling. "Might you tell me a little more about the designs and what you'd recommend?"

"Of course, my lady!" She moved so she was standing by the arm of the chair, almost sitting on it. "Um… may I ask a question?"

"What is it?"

"Who is paying for this?" Hellen gestured vaguely to the room. "These are some of our more expensive cloths, to say nothing of the fee for a rush job." She stiffened suddenly. "I… I don't mean to imply-"

"What? It is a large amount of money, and few would carry so much on their person. I can understand being concerned you will not be paid properly." I smiled reassuringly and she relaxed slightly. "To answer your question, Clement is paying." Of course, he was paying with the expectation we would repay him as soon as we could, but I saw no reason to bring that up. Since he was holding us hostage, I had no idea how or when he actually expected compensation. "Now, can you tell me how this stays in place when the neckline and sleeves are so low?"

"Ah, it's hard to see on the drawing, but there's actually two thin straps over the shoulders..."

That was how I spent my morning, talking about designs with Hellen while Penelope listened in with a giggle and gave her own commentary. I ended up listening to their recommendations for what style of clothes to wear; I may know how to sew, but I knew next to nothing about fashion. It was better to leave it to the experts.

---

Mistress Ariadne and her workers were very, very efficient. Only a few days later, most of our commissioned clothes arrived, and their quality did not suffer from the speed. She even made us nightgowns, so we would no longer have to borrow from the staff here. After spending an hour or so admiring the clothes, Deirdre insisted we head to the training yards. I had no idea why, but Ayra quickly seconded the request, and Penelope had no qualms at all about showing us the way.

"The knights are in the middle of their morning exercise," she explained as we walked outside. The training yards were separated into two tiers. The upper tier where we were was where I guessed they'd spar and have their weapon lessons. Down some stairs, the lower tier appeared to have some sort of track for horses, and that was where all the activity was. "Specifically, they go on morning rides. A proper knight must be a skilled equestrian, after all, even if they do not fight while mounted. Think I heard only half of them get the additional training." So, it was not like Nordion, where all their knights trained for mounted combat. "Oh, but Lady Alicia, do you see the one in front?" She pointed to the one noticeably ahead of the others, a handsome young man with blonde hair and eyes as green as mine. "That's Alexius." Ah, so this was Hellen's love? "Strange, though... he's not usually alone leading them. Where is...?"

"Penelope, what are you doing out here?" The quiet question came from the equally quiet young man, dressed in light armor bearing Mackily's crest, who joined us. A quick look showed he'd stepped out from a nondescript door just down the way. "Oh, good morning, my ladies," he continued, bowing politely. He wore his blond hair longer than I had seen other Agustrians, tied back with a ribbon, and his eyes were just as gold as Lachesis's. "I apologize for interrupting."

"Ulysses, there you are!" Penelope greeted with a cheerful smile. She then turned to us. "Ah, forgive me, my ladies. This is Ulysses, a childhood friend of mine. He's a knight here, so I don't know why he's not out doing training exercises with the others."

"That would be because I was on morning guard duty and, thus, was exempt. I just finished reporting to Captain Lykos, so he'll be out soon to oversee the more in-depth training." He smiled faintly, and she made a face. "I am pleased to see your personality hasn't changed since becoming a maid here. I'm surprised you were assigned to them, given how new you are."

"Housekeeper Larisa assigned me specifically because I'm friendly and cheerful." Oh, well, that was interesting. Was the Housekeeper aware of what was going on or did she simply think we'd prefer a more upbeat maid? "Unlike a mister grumpy."

"Who is grumpy? I'm perfectly content right now." He muffled a laugh and Penelope scowled. "Ah, but I must beg forgiveness for my rudeness once again, my ladies. Might I ask what brings you out to the training yards?"

"I was curious," Ayra explained, watching the group ride with calm eyes. I thought she might be evaluating them, but I wasn't certain for what. "I also thought about asking to spar. It's been days. I'm going to wither away from a lack of activity." She rolled her shoulders and turned her full attention to Ulysses. I chose against mentioning Deirdre was the one to bring it up first, mostly since Deirdre herself was silent. "You mentioned a report. Standard or something unusual?"

"My lady, surely you are aware there is only one answer I could give to that question," Ulysses answered easily, his expression smoothing out for a stoic calm. I wondered if he received lessons in it like I did, or if this was just his natural state. "I would recommend speaking to Captain Lykos if you are worried about the safety of your charges."

"Aw, not even a little hint? You're too proper for a new knight."

"I fear many, including your maid, say I am too serious for my age." He shrugged. "But there is nothing I can do for hints. Even if I saw a little lioness, I would not be allowed to say." I couldn't help but glance at him, wondering why he'd mention lions suddenly. Lions were strongly associated with Nordion, and Lord Eldigan himself was known as the 'Lionheart'.

"Now I'm reminded of Lachesis," I murmured, quietly gauging his reaction. His expression didn't twitch, but his shoulders tensed. "I miss her. She was doing so well with her staff and medicinal lessons."

"I'm sure she's eagerly studying, just like the boys," Deirdre reassured with a laugh. She kept an eye on the knights below, but mostly, her focus was on me. "Sigurd is right; you should open a school. I was talking to him about providing lessons for the people of Chalphy so everyone knows how to read and write. Maybe we should build a little schoolhouse like the academy!"

"You would have to balance it out with work. I know in Yngvi, many children helped their families in the fields."

"Night lessons, maybe? Oh, that might be better for any adults who want to learn." She tapped her cheek, thinking. "Mmm… maybe I should actually ask the people. I don't know much of their way of life after all. Life in the Spirit Forest was… well…"

As Deirdre struggled to find a way to describe the isolation of the Spirit Forest, a sudden storm of yells and yelps caught our attention and we whirled to face the track below, wondering what happened. No longer did the knights ride, but were clustered in a single area, dismounted and screaming while the horses danced and stomped the ground in confusion. I wondered why, but then I saw blood. It was just a split-second's look, a sliver of a gap between bodies, but I knew it in an instant. Someone was bleeding. Someone was hurt. Someone…!

"Ayra, get my staff and bag!" I snapped the order even as I ran down the stairs as fast as I could. Hurry. Hurry, hurry, hurry. They'd been riding at some speed. If there was blood, then had someone fallen? Had someone been thrown? Mentally, I tried to categorize all possibilities, and pair them with what I had in my emergency pouch. I should be able to triage. I should be able to buy time. I should…

I stumbled on the last step, nearly falling, but I got my feet under me and pushed past the first knights, clustered and staring in shock. The horses were more troublesome to slip past, heavy as they were, but I managed to squeeze through until I found the source of the blood. One of the knights was unconscious on the ground, and another of the knights was attempting to lift them, but…

"Don't move them," I ordered, kneeling in the blood. There was a crush injury to the arm and leg, heavy bruising on the other side, blood from the head… was his spine injured? "Might someone explain what happened?"

"W-we're not sure, my lady," someone mumbled. I barely heard them due to the noise around me. There were too many bodies, and not enough space. I needed more space. "He was riding fine, same as always. That's why Alexius usually leads." It took me a long second to realize my patient was Alexius. Oh, Penelope must be frantic. "Then he brought a hand to his head, swayed, and..."

"He fell, then?"

"Yes. We... we swerved as soon as we realized, but I think..."

"I see." This explained why the crush injuries were on the other side. Thankfully, it was only the limbs. "I need more space to-"

"Ulysses, organize and clear the area, will you?" That was a new voice, and I glanced up to see it belonged to a man around Arvis's age, who wore deceptively simple clothing. I knew enough about cloth to know his shirt alone would've fed a family in Yngvi for a week. "You all should have moved the horses first," the man continued, carrying himself with clear authority. He never raised his voice above a normal conversational tone, but it was clear he knew he'd be obeyed. "What would you have done if they stampeded in their nervousness?" To be fair, he was right. I could already hear Ulysses snapping names and directing people. "My lady, is he…?"

"Ayra should return with my staff soon, so I can do a more thorough examination, but he's breathing for now," I informed him, returning to my task. It was difficult to decide where to begin. I needed to stop the bleeding, keep him immobilized, yet I also needed to move him out of the dirt. "I'll need a stretcher and restraints. Are there any nearby?"

"We should, unless my knights and squires have been skimping on inventory." He looked around, and caught the eye of one of the nearby knights. "I'll see to it."

"Thank you."

From there, my focus went completely to Alexius and treating him as best as I could. Thankfully, Ayra was as fast as ever and returned quickly so I could use my staff to check for internal injuries. There weren't many, some minor bleeding caused by the broken bones. Those were easily healed and splinted, but we would have to watch for compartment syndrome. The head injury looked worse than it was, more of a scrape than anything, and there were no cracks in his spine. Near as I could tell, he'd instinctively tried to tuck and roll when he'd fallen, and suffered injuries when he could not move quickly enough and the horses behind him could not stop. He was very lucky. By the time the knight returned with the stretcher, I had him stable enough to move.

"We should bring him to our rooms for now," I murmured, doing one last check. Now that I wasn't so focused, I could see Ayra hovered over my shoulder in case I needed additional hands. Ulysses, apparently finished with his task, held a trembling Penelope, and Deirdre rubbed her back reassuringly. "I am not certain I have access to the infirmary." That, in fact, was a problem in of itself. Beds could be easily found, but Alexius would need many medicines, and what I had would only last a night at most. "Sir?" I turned my attention to the authoritative man, lingered near in quiet worry. "Whose permission should I seek to use what is in the infirmary?"

"Since Cassian is not here, I believe it would be either Larisa or Duke Clement," the man replied, speaking slowly. He was thinking as he talked, and I took note of the lack of title for the Housekeeper. I was almost certain now; this was the captain Ulysses mentioned. "I will handle it, my lady. Please, focus on Alexius."

"Thank you." With that, I waved Ayra over. "Help me move him onto the stretcher, please."

"Captain, should one of us check on the convalescence room?" Ulysses called, still holding Penelope. She refused to let go of him. "I'm not sure if it's stocked properly since it's been a while, but..."

"To say nothing of how the staff probably has avoided cleaning it since they got tired of being screamed at by Cassian for not meeting his high standards," the man grumbled, barely biting back a sigh. Ayra, surprisingly, choked on a laugh. "If you know a joke, my lady, I would be glad to hear it right now."

"Cassian is your healer, right?" she replied, smiling gently even as she helped me with the restraints. They were different from what I was used to, looping about in an 'x' fashion across the torso, instead of straight bands. "Think it comes with the job. Alicia here never screams, about anything, but she's also got very high standards when it comes to cleanliness."

"A dirty environment leads to dirty injures, and that leads to infection and sepsis," I retorted without thinking. This time, she didn't bother hiding her laughter. "But how close is this convalescence room? It can't be dirtier than the mud here, and minimizing the strain on Alexius's injuries takes priority."

The answer was: 'in the barracks'. As soon as I heard that, I changed my initial plan and take him there, since our rooms were much farther away. The convalescence room itself was dusty, but useable. The single bed was soft while still being supportive, and there was a nightstand in easy reach for any teas or medicines. Anything that couldn't fit on it could be placed on the lone table by the window, and the room was large enough to feel spacious, but small enough that someone could manage to move around even while limping. I thought about studying it more, but opted against it to focus on giving Alexius another, more thorough, examination. I had to ensure nothing had been worsened by the move.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" Deirdre commented, looking over my shoulder. Ayra chatted with Ulysses at the door, probably offering to help him return the stretcher, while Penelope found a rag somewhere and began wiping down everything. "Does it meet your lofty standards, Alicia?"

"It needs cleaning, but for right now, it's fine," I replied, far more focused on my task. Then again, I doubted Deirdre expected a lengthy conversation out of me right now. "It will at least hold for the night."

"Didn't you once clean a place seven times?"

"If we're talking about the abandoned church between Yngvi and Evans, that place was so coated with dust one could have mistaken it for blankets." This room was nowhere near as bad. You could simply tell it hadn't been cleaned in a few days. "The first three turned it all to mud."

"Oh, that... ick." She made a face, and returned to watching me work. "...Happened sooner than I thought..."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing for now." Her smile was hesitant, and a little guilty. "You might get mad when I tell you."

"Do I ever get mad at you?"

"W-well, I'm not in a hurry to find out?" She ducked down to hide her face against my back. "So, I'll tell you later."

"Very well, then." Ah, I should let her have this. "Do remember that even if I get angry, I won't stay mad at you forever."

"My head knows that." She peeked out over my shoulder, leaning against me. "Is he stirring?"

The answer was 'yes, he was', and the second he groaned and blinked open his bleary eyes, Penelope zipped over to the bed to lean over him worriedly. He groaned again, and looked around to try and get his bearings. Failing that, his attention settled on the wide-eyed Penelope. "Pen?" he rasped. "What in the…?"

"You… you damned idiot!" Penelope snapped, tears of relief and worry pooling in her eyes. He blinked slowly at her, still trying to process everything. "You… you fell! On the track!" He scrunched up his face in confusion and tried to sit up, but I rested a hand on his chest to stop him. I was still examining him, after all, and I did not want him to exacerbate his injuries."You are so, so lucky Lady Alicia was near! I know you all are usually getting hurt in training, but this…!"

"Oh, right, I was dizzy…" He absently raised his non-injured arm, frowning. He tried to do the same for his injured arm and hissed in pain. "Ugh…"

"I knew you were pushing yourself too much!" Penelope continued glaring at him. I continued my examination, making sure to miss nothing. If a bone piece had been missed somewhere… "Doing all those odd jobs after a long day here was..."

"You know why, though."

"Yes, I do. But Hellen prefers you over a ring any day." Ah, so, that was what happened. He was trying to earn extra money quickly so he could propose sooner, and overworked. "And now look at the sorry mess you're in!" A quiet knock barely caught my ear, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Ayra open the door for the authoritative man from before. Ulysses was no longer here; he must've won the argument. "You…!"

"Yes, yes, I don't think the head injury completely knocked out my intelligence. I'm assuming there's a head injury. I fell from a horse at a gallop." He sighed gustily, smiling wryly. But his gaze was finally clear. "Well, it's a good thing I have the extra money. This bill will gobble it all up."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll help!"

"Pen, you really-"

"Actually, I will be footing the bill," the man said, joining us by the bed. Now, what 'bill' were they talking about? Did he have to pay for missing training? "So, you do not need to worry about it, Alexius."

"But Captain Lykos...!" Alexius tried to protest. He even tried to sit up again, but hissed in pain and flopped back down before he could. "It was-"

"No, the failure is mine. I knew you were pushing yourself, and did not intervene. It's my responsibility as your captain to step in, and I did not." So, I was right. This was Lykos, captain of the knights. "Thus, it is also my responsibility to pay the healer." ...Wait, why were they...? Oh, of course, I wasn't with our people. They might not know.

"That will be difficult, since I do not charge," I informed them lightly, sitting on the bed next to Alexius. All three of them fell silent, for some reason. "Did you obtain permission, Lykos?"

"Ah, yes, I did, Lady Alicia," Lykos replied, staring in what appeared to be shock. Behind him, Ayra was smirking, and next to me, Deirdre was barely muffling giggles. Now, what did they find so amusing? "But what did you mean by...?"

"It's what I said. I do not charge. So, it would be quite difficult to pay a bill that does not exist." I smiled at them, and decided the best thing to do was shift the subject. "Ah, but might you escort me to the infirmary in the morning, Lykos? I should have enough medicine for him to get through the night."

"I… of course, my lady."

"B-but surely this would be expensive…" Penelope tried to protest. Maybe I should've been firmer about changing the subject. "We should at least replace your dress, Lady Alicia."

"Pardon?" I asked, surprised. It took me a very long second to actually look down and see what she meant. Blood and mud stained my skirt and sleeves. "Oh, this is nothing that won't come out with a good wash. I should probably soak it first, though."

"A-at least let me do that! It's my job!"

"But I was the one who dirtied it, so…" I trailed off, shaking my head at her earnest expression. "Oh, very well, but it will have to be later. Alexius, since you are awake, I have a few questions for you. I do not think you have any nerve damage, but it's better to be certain."

I think Lykos and Penelope attempted to bring up payment again, but I kept the focus completely on Alexius's health and did not let them get a word in to prove me right or wrong. As I worked, I glanced up to see Deirdre watching us with a bright smile, like the gleam of a knife in sunlight. I thought again about asking, but decided to simply trust and wait. She'd tell me when she was ready. So, instead, I needed to finish my current tasks and sent someone to fetch me a change of clothes. I'd be staying the night, after all.

---

The night passed peacefully, once Alexius stopped protesting me staying. He'd tried to argue for some time, claiming he was well enough, but it wasn't long before he'd passed out. Heavy injuries led to heavy exhaustion, and he had already been worn down. So, I'd judged it better for him to say what he wanted and let his health prove him wrong. That was what had worked best on the Nordion patients, and he'd been no different. I didn't even have to give him pain medication; he'd stayed asleep the entire night. So, I spent it giving him regular check ups to ensure his health remained stable and reading through my medical books. The Agustrian ones had an entire chapter devoted to injuries from falling off horses; it was good to remind myself in case I'd forgotten something.

Shortly after dawn, while I was giving Alexius another examination, the door opened to reveal both Ulysses and Lykos. "My pardon, my lady," Lykos murmured as soon as he saw me, bowing his head apologetically. Ulysses blinked at me in confusion. "I did not think you would be here so early."

"Hmm? Oh, I stayed the night," I explained, finishing up. Now both of them were staring. "Is something wrong?"

"Lady Alicia, surely someone else could have…"

"Given the injuries, I thought it better to be near in case something happened. The body can react in unexpected ways and though his head injury is more of a scrape than anything, it isn't wise to underestimate the potential damage."

"But there's..." Lykos gestured vaguely to the room. Ulysses, for some reason, stepped back like something in the hall caught his attention. "Please tell me you did not sleep on the floor."

"No? I didn't sleep."

"Pardon?"

"I didn't sleep. I stayed awake through the night." Why was he staring like I'd developed the pox? "So, no, I did not sleep on the floor."

"My lady, that-"

"LADY ALICIA!" That shriek belonged to Penelope, who nearly trampled Lykos in her haste to reach me. Ulysses only avoided her by jumping out of the way. "I cannot believe you stayed the night here!" she continued, frowning severely at me. "How could you even sleep?!"

"As I was just informing Lykos, I didn't?" I replied, tilting my head. For some reason, that seemed to upset her further. "I was watching Alexius in case his condition destabilized."

"My lady, there is no need to sacrifice your health for an idiot like him!"

"But I'm fine? I always do this for critically injured patients." It was no 'sacrifice' at all? "He will need more medicine, though, so I'd best get on that." But first, I needed to remember where I put my change of clothes…

"L-let me help!"

With Penelope's assistance, I found my change of clothes before long and ducked into the bathroom to change and wash my face. When I returned, Penelope insisted on brushing and braiding my hair. I… decided to go along and not ask why she'd been carrying a brush or hair tie. Instead, I discussed with Ulysses about what he needed to keep an eye out for, since the whole reason he'd come by this morning was he'd won (his word, not mine) the game of chance to be Alexius's minder for the morning. Lykos waited outside until we were finished and then escorted me to the infirmary. Though, he continued to be perturbed by my all-nighter, for some reason.

"I cannot believe my knights did not say anything," he grumbled, scowling. I tried to decide if he was thinking aloud or actually talking to me. "I told them to keep watch last night."

"Well, one did come by," I replied, wanting to defend them. In fact, I needed to. "I told them I would handle it, and they left."

"I need to have a word with them." Oh dear, I seemed to have made it worse. "They should have continued to check. You didn't sleep because-"

"I would have stayed up regardless." I kept my voice firm, and he blinked a few times at me. We passed some servants as we continued to walk, but they ignored us for their various tasks. "So please, do not punish them for my choices."

"You're remarkably coherent for someone who pulled an all-nighter."

"It was only a single night." It was harder without my energy-boost tea, but certainly not impossible, especially for so short of a time. "But regardless, how quiet is that convalescent room?" Let's try to move the subject away from 'lecturing the knights for the healer's choices'.

"Very. While it's in the barracks, it's in a separate area, and all know they are not allowed to simply barge in unless there is an emergency." Lykos finally softened enough to chuckle. "Cassian and I designed them, actually, so my knights could recover in a more familiar place than the infirmary."

"I see." Now that was a thought. Should I arrange for something similar? Usually, I had the wounded in an infirmary until they were well enough to recover in their own rooms or homes, but something like this would be a very good in-between. "He shouldn't have visitors today, but we can see how his condition is tomorrow."

"Might I ask why you do not simply heal him with your staff?"

"Magic is essentially another kind of medicine. If you try to use it for every injury, you run the risk of harming your patient in the long-term." I shrugged and smiled. "In this case, it's much better for his arm and leg to be healed in stages. He was stomped on by a horse. There's a significant chance of nerve damage, which might be missed if everything was healed at once."

"Ah, I see." He nodded a few times, smiling a little awkwardly. "I apologize for the question."

"Why? It's a legitimate question." As it stood, I used magic to mend his bones and heal any internal damage and bleeding. As for the rest, we'd use a combination of magic and medicines. "However, in my experience, this is the best way to minimize long-term complications. Is Hellen aware of what happened?"

"Yes, I sent her a message, and told her I would let her know when he could have visitors."

"Oh, she can come sooner. I rarely bar family from visiting unless the patient requests it." And based on how far we were walking, it seemed the infirmary was not situated close to the training yards as they were in Evans. "Is there anything I cannot touch in the infirmary?"

"Lord Clement stated you have full access. He dares not inform a healer about how to do her job."

"I am pleased to hear that." Though I had to wonder about the phrasing. Was this some attempt to warn me? What about? It was much too vague to be a proper threat. Maybe I was overthinking this. "Though I will admit I was more worried about the actual healer's reaction."

"I doubt Cassian would mind, so long as you know how whatever you grab." Silence fell for a moment, but I could tell he was mulling over his words. "Lady Alicia?"

"Yes?"

"About the bill…"

"I thought I said there wasn't one?" I frowned a little in confusion before realizing why he was bringing it up. "Ah, did you think my answer would change since neither Alexius nor Penelope can hear?"

"Yes." Well, that was blunt. "Since you asked about her and dubbed her 'family' to Alexius, you clearly know about Hellen's relationship with him. It wouldn't surprise me, since Penelope has been helping him plan the proposal for months." Did proposals usually require planning? "So, I thought you might have refused because of the circumstances, and…" And, so, he brought it up so I would not be 'shorted'. It was considerate of him, but…

"I meant what I said. I do not charge." I muffled a laugh, not quite sure what I found amusing. But something about it just made me want to laugh. "In truth, I wouldn't know what to charge as I have never taken payment. I only have the vaguest of ideas from what Father Eirik in Yngvi charged, and I always thought it was too much."

"You..." Strangely, he frowned. "Cassian told me the costs were high to cover medicines, provide a means to live, and to keep people from taking the healer for granted." I suppose this all made sense. "But you..."

"I adjusted my life to it. I grew and foraged my food and herbs. I made my own medicines and clothes." I made sure to live as frugally as possible so I could indulge. I had the extra help of a stipend from Arvis, so those few times I needed money, I had savings. "I know most wouldn't be able to do so, but I could, so I did."

"But that does not mean you were not taken for granted, my lady."

"Oh, I was. The people of Yngvi would come to me at all hours over illnesses and injuries, no matter how tired I was, and ignored me otherwise. I never heard a word of thanks until I joined Sigurd." I smiled, ignoring the slight pain in my chest at the memories. He stared back, eyes wide with shock. "And now, I'm with Sigurd and everyone. Chalphy's policy is to not set a budget for anything related to healing and the infirmaries, so I can continue indulging my silly ideals. So, there is no payment. It's as simple as that."

"Why?" He sounded genuinely confused. "Being taken for granted is…"

"I want to save everyone." I didn't want to save only those who could afford it. I didn't want to save only those who didn't make sacrifices. I wanted to save everyone, and, more selfishly, I was glad I could finally be of use to someone. I was glad someone acknowledged I existed. I was glad I could help. "That's all. I love seeing people recover. I love seeing them live their lives. There's no greater joy."

Lykos didn't reply. By his expression, I guessed he didn't know what to say. But that was fine; I didn't need him to understand. I didn't need a response. The people closest to me understood enough and that was all I cared about. So, we walked in silence until we reached an oak door with a flower carved into it. Though he opened the door immediately, I lingered for a moment to see if I could identify it. Then I decided such a thing could wait until I didn't have company and followed Lykos inside.

"So, this is the infirmary?" I asked, looking about curiously. There was a layer of dust; no one had been in here to clean. Yet a faint, floral smell remained, the remnants of herbs. I thought it might be lavender and wondered what sort of sachet Cassian had made for the scent to linger so long. "Do you know where the key to the storeroom would be?" I guessed it was the door on the far side, but would the key be near? I always hid mine in one of my books, personally, but there were no books here to check.

"Key?" Lykos repeated, sounding surprised. He looked it too when I faced him. "Why would you need a key?" Before I could explain, he went to the far door and opened it easily. "It's already unlocked."

"That…" A chill settled into my bones, unease pooling in my stomach. Why was it unlocked? It shouldn't be unlocked already…! "Did you come here earlier to unlock it?"

"No?" His confusion deepend. My unease grew. "Is there a reason why it shouldn't be?"

"Medicines may heal in proper dosages, but they can easily kill when taken improperly. Many individual ingredients for medicines are poisonous without proper processing." In Agustria, one of the most commonly used stabilizing compounds, the chonis blossom, was incredibly toxic alone. But when combined with the antidote and mixed into a concoction, it produced a stable amplifying effect that was critical to many of its medicines. "There are also many medicines which can lead to addictions. Pain and sleep medications are most notorious for it." The more I talked, the sicker I felt. This was wrong. This was wrong. "I have never known a healer to leave their storeroom unlocked when they were not here. It's too dangerous."

"Is that... so?" Finally, he looked as uneasy as I felt, but I found no comfort in it. "It could be he forgot it wasn't locked. He left very quickly that day." His hand lingered on the doorknob, twisting it like he was confirming it was working properly and not broken. "I'll write to let him know."

"Please do." In the meantime, I suppose I should try to be grateful? It meant I didn't have to search the place for a spare key.

Yet try as I might, I couldn't shake the unease. Maybe those in Agustria weren't taught as… I mean; Father Eirik would scream at anyone who left the storeroom unlocked. I still remember when an acolyte had forgotten, and a child had gotten in and nearly died of an overdose. Never did I see Father Eirik so furious; I'd hidden in my room, under my bed, and still heard the blistering lecture he'd roared. So, I never, ever left mine unlocked. I was always too terrified of what might happen. But others might not have that anxiety. Maybe in Agustria, where the in-fighting would obviously lead to more medicines being needed, they were left unlocked for convenience. So, I should push past this sick feeling, gather what I need, and do my job. Even if I doubted Lykos would be able to see my continued unease, I should still…

"Ah, so this is why the infirmary is open." My thoughts were disrupted by a voice as soft and authoritative as Lykos's, and I had to admit, when I turned to look for the source, I did not expect it to be an older woman, probably somewhere in her fifties, with hair so pale a blond it was almost impossible to pick out the graying streaks. "I thought some of mine forgot young Cassian dislikes it when the maids clean his infirmary," she continued, gazing at us cooly from the doorway. There was something unnerving about it, probably because they were the same color blue as Sigurd's. "Odd place for a rendezvous, Lykos."

"Larisa, please do not slander Lady Alicia," Lykos sighed, shaking his head as he joined her by the door. So, this was the Housekeeper? "I know you're joking, but she won't."

"Now what path is your mind treading? I simply said it was a strange place to meet." She smiled faintly and Lykos groaned. "Though, she is a pretty one. No wonder she is known as Lord Sigurd's Red Rose." Please tell me those rumors were not coming up right now. I would not be able to ignore them as I usually did given everything.

"Larisa, I am very happily married. To your daughter."

"There you go making assumptions again. You're supposed to indulge your mother-by-marriage." She turned her attention to me, and I regarded her calmly. A healer's mask was good for that. "You must be here for medicines for Alexius. My staff informed me of his injuries." She studied me warily before nodding slowly. "Well, I doubt young Cassian would mind someone competent using his things."

"You know he hates it when you call him that."

"Why else would I?" She chuckled, her expression softening again when she looked back to Lykos. "Besides, he is young to me. He's barely older than my youngest."

"And you practically raised him." Lykos shook his head and smiled apologetically at me. "My apologies, Lady Alicia. This is Larisa, the Housekeeper for the castle. I fear she has known me since I was a toddler and she never lets me forget it."

"Why would I? You're the one who eloped with Iris."

"I'd apologize, but I do think marrying her is the best decision I ever made, so…"

"Bah, there's the silver-tongue." Now that her attention wasn't on me, I had to say, watching the two of them was fascinating. But I suppose continuing to only watch, after being introduced, would only be rude. So…

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," I murmured, inclining my head in greeting. I originally meant to leave it at that, but I remembered what Penelope said and decided to see what more I could glean. "And thank you for assigning Penelope to us. Her cheer has been a great comfort."

"I'm glad to hear it," she replied, smiling very slightly. Her eyes, however, were cold and piercing. Was my guess wrong and she was unaware, then? It was hard to say. She kept her thoughts as guarded as I did. "She's still new, but quite skilled. Perhaps a little too chatty for a maid, but the temperament comes from experience."

"Does it? She reminds me of the maid I had back in Velthomer." I smiled serenely, as calm as ever. Poor Lykos, meanwhile, looked between us like he was trying to decide if we were fighting or not. "This includes the talkativeness. Deirdre adores listening to her."

"And how is she doing? The first few weeks of a first pregnancy can be especially hard. I heard she nearly fainted?"

"She was only dizzy, but she still needed to lay down quickly." It actually hadn't been that bad, but Deirdre purposely played up her symptoms to earn sympathy from the staff. I just sighed and requested she'd inform me if she wasn't acting. "My main concern is medicines. I brought very little, and I fear the storeroom here won't have ingredients safe for a pregnant woman to take." I wished Chulainn had returned, but he hadn't yet. I hoped all was well. It must be difficult to sneak in. "Are there any you would recommend?"

"Pardon?" She started, and I wondered what was so surprising. "You would ask me?"

"Yes?" Did I offend? She had mentioned children. ...Then again, maybe her children were adopted? "I apologize if I was rude." This was the worst. My curiosity got the better of me.

"No, it is simply..." The coldness in her eyes thawed, just a trifle, as she scrutinized me. "Most healers would not ask a little old lady like myself."

"That seems silly. Why should I not ask someone who is older than me? People know more about medicines than they think, and I have developed a fascination with traditional medicines in regions. Not all herbs are as prolific as the ceron blossom. Each region's medicines has to adapt to the natural flora." I smiled a little shyly, wondering if I should say this. But, at the same time, I... "I fear obstetrics and pediatric care are my weakest areas. Most of what I know comes from books, and my lessons with Mistress Yesui back in Verdane. So, I welcome the chance to learn more."

"Do you?" She smiled sardonically. I stiffened, wondering what I'd done this time, and Lykos frowned at her in quiet warning. "And you do not believe it is a threat to your pride as a healer?"

"What use is pride when others are in need? My duty is to take care of my patients. So, I believe it would be a failure on my part to not seek new knowledge. My field is always adapting to new knowledge and research." I made myself smile, calm 'healer mask' in place. She was no scarier than Father Eirik, after all. "If you do not have a recommendation, then perhaps you can direct me to someone who will?"

Silence reigned for a very long heartbeat, and then, she started laughing softly. "I think I like you, little lady." Indeed, her gaze was nowhere near as piercing as before, even as I was confused at what prompted the comment. "I don't quite remember what remedies I used, but I will contact the local midwife for you."

"Thank you very much!" Yet, at the same time, I wasn't stupid. It was all too easy to disguise poison as medicine. "Might she also write why it's recommended? I do love to learn." And I had my books, so I could compare and decide from there. "Oh, and while you are here, if any of your staff needs a healer, I don't mind tending to them." Both she and Lykos looked surprised by the offer, exactly as I hoped. I didn't want either to dwell on why I wanted the extra information. "Before you fret, I did the same in Evans and Nordion."

"Is that so?" Larisa looked skeptical. "You personally tended to all of the staff's injuries?"

"Well, some were treated by Edain and Ethlyn. But I handled the majority." I was the chief healer, after all. "I'd rather tend to a thousand minor cases over a single major. The former are easy to heal, but the latter rarely are."

"I will... keep that in mind, Lady Alicia." Larisa had a faint smile on her face as she turned away. "Ah, but I have neglected my own duties too long."

"Have a pleasant day, Housekeeper." I waited for her to leave before I turned my attention to Lykos. "The offer extends to your knights as well, Captain."

"My lady, they're always bruising themselves in training," he tried to dismiss. He even shook his head. "Surely-"

"As I said, it is nothing I did not do in Evans and Nordion," I repeated, keeping my tone firm and even. I couldn't do anything if either didn't believe me, but... "At least consider it, please? It makes me antsy, having so little to do."

"You are a guest."

"Ah, but I am also a champion workaholic! At least, that is what the others say." I smiled and ducked into the storeroom. "Speaking of which, I should gather what I need for Alexius. Do you think Cassian will mind if I borrow his medicine-making supplies?"

It was nice to work as a healer, a bit of familiarity amidst the strangeness. I hoped my next patient wouldn't be so critically injured, though.

---

I had my first patient among the regular staff the very next day. While cleaning, a vase was bumped and shattered, cutting a maid's leg deep. While they and another tried to handle the bleeding on their own, Penelope shyly asked if I'd mind and I agreed with a smile. It was an easy enough fix, requiring only a handful of stitches, and I gave them balm for their chapped hands while I was at it. After that, slowly but surely, more started hesitantly visiting me in the rooms.

"You'll need to change the bandage every day, and rub this balm on it," I explained, gently pressing a cool compress on my current patient's arm. She was one of the cooks, and a hot pan had fallen onto her arm. Thankfully, she moved quickly enough she suffered only a first-degree burn. "Keep it covered and take this pain medication if it hurts too much. If it shows signs of worsening, please return to me immediately."

"Thank you, my lady," she mumbled, smiling shyly. I wasn't certain she would've come for this if her friend hadn't dragged her, but she listened faithfully. "I'm sorry to bother you for something so..."

"Please, I'm glad to help." I smiled back and switched to bandaging her arm. We were in one of the side rooms, so the patients could have privacy. I even kept the door shut. "As I'm sure you're aware, burns can be notoriously tricky. I'd rather we look over it now and ensure it's minor." I tied off the bandage and stood, offering my hands to her to help her up. She hesitated before taking them, keeping her head down. "Is there anything else you want me to check?" She shook her head. "All right." With that, I opened the door and gently led my patient out.

Her friend was still waiting by the door and popped over as we stepped back into the 'main' rooms. "I'm so sorry about dropping the pan," she mumbled, smiling awkwardly. My patient laughed and waved it off. "I was so surprised to hear what that Elliot lord had been doing that..." Elliot? Was this the same Elliot I knew of? "Oh, s-sorry, my lady!" She blanched and bowed hastily, hinting this was, in fact, the lord I knew. Why was he coming up? "I shouldn't be babbling."

"You're fine," I reassured, deciding to not ask. I didn't want to think of him anymore than I had to, after all. "While you're here, are you injured? Is there anything you need me to look at?"

"No, I'm fine, my lady." She hesitated, though. "Um..." She glanced at her friend, my patient, and she smiled encouragingly. "However..."

"Yes?"

"My... my sister works for another noble house, and she was recently hit with a switch. F-for good reasons!" I wasn't certain there was a 'good reason' for such a thing, but I'd hold my tongue. "Her arms, though... I'm worried it might be infected or something because it's not healing like it should and…"

"If you'd like, you can bring her here." I kept my calm and smiled gently at her. Her expression immediately lit up. "I don't mind at all."

"Thank you so much!"

We discussed the issue a little more, mostly me reassuring her that she could bring her sister whenever she wished, and I saw them off with a gentle smile before closing the door. Then I joined Ayra and Deirdre by the table, claiming one of the chairs. Ayra was seated by the table, sharpening her sword, while Deirdre was sprawled out on the nearby couch, reading. As soon as I sat down, though, Deirdre passed me the book I'd planned to read before my patient arrived: 'The Assassin's Bride'. I was still behind, after all.

"So, they mentioned Elliot," I informed them, settling into my chair. Then I flipped open my book to begin finding my bookmark. It had managed to slide down again. "At least, I believe it is the same Elliot we know and not someone conveniently sharing the same name."

"Did they?" Deirdre asked, looking up curiously. But, after a moment, she returned to her own book. "Fascinating. Did they say anything further?"

"No, and I didn't ask. She panicked when she realized what she'd said in front of me."

"Of course." She flipped a page, humming in thought. "Oh, what request did she make? We did our best to not eavesdrop, but..."

"Her sister may have an infection from some corporal punishment." My grip tightened on the edge of my book. I could never think of such things without thinking of my father. He'd beaten many, many servants to death, and many more suffered the same fate Sif had. Sif had just gotten lucky; she'd outlived him. "So, she asked if I could take a look."

"Oh?" That was all she said, but her smile was particularly pleased. "I see."

"Should I have asked before agreeing to treat someone from outside the palace?"

"Wait, she's outside?" Deirdre looked up again, her smile strangely smug. "That's even better~!"

"Is it?" I tilted my head curiously before shrugging and turning my attention to Ayra. "Well, I have her opinion, but what is yours?"

"Mine is 'do not interfere in a healer's duties'," Ayra answered lightly, applying more oil to the whetstone. She scrunched up her nose at it, for some reason, as she set the vial back down on the table. "Ugh… hey, isn't Penelope due soon?"

"I believe so?" Deirdre replied, resting a finger on her cheek as she thought. After a moment, she nodded. "Yes, given the hour, I would dare say she'll be knocking on the door any…" Right on cue, there came a knock. "Ah, there she is."

"My ladies, I've returned!" The cheerful greeting heralded Penelope's arrival, carrying a tray filled with sweets for us to snack on. She used to try and bring us tea, but I would make it out of habit. Tea was one of the few things I was good at, after all. "The head cook is particularly pleased with this batch, so make sure to eat it all~!" she continued with a laugh, setting the tray down so she could move everything to the table. "She's been worried about how little you've been eating."

"If I eat more, I'll have to exercise more to keep from gaining weight," Ayra grumbled, eyeing the plates warily. I was more staring because of just how much there was. "Anyway, good timing, Penelope. Do you know any merchants who sell ephrelas oil?"

"Ephrelas oil?" Penelope paused for a moment, thinking. "Mmm… depends. What is it?"

"It's what we use in Isaach to sharpen our blades." Ayra grimaced and looked at the oil on her whetstone. "Lykos gave me some of what his knights use, but…"

"Is it not good?"

"In terms of efficacy, it's very good. My problem is the smell. It's too strong and makes my nose itch." She sighed gustily. "Ephrelas has a much lighter scent, like the forest after a good rain." She glanced at me, for some reason. "You'd know it, Alicia. Chulainn smells like it all the time." Now why would I know it? Did she think I went around smelling him? Please tell me no one thought I was that creepy. "I keep meaning to ask where he gets his, but…"

"Chulainn?" Penelope tilted her head curiously and brought the last of the treats over. I hoped it was the last; the table was practically groaning from the weight of everything she'd brought. How did she even carry it? "Who's that?"

"Alicia's guard."

"...Oh?" She frowned slightly, and her eyes held the obvious question: 'then why is he not here?' "I'll look into merchants for the ephrelas oil, Lady Ayra. I'm not sure if anyone will carry it since we use glafnine in our honing oils." Glafnine… oh, that was an ingredient in Agustria's most common poultice. It made sense they'd use it for other things. "But I can ask!"

"Thank you." Ayra smiled warmly. "I appreciate it. Now, for the second favor, have you heard anything interesting?"

"Interesting?"

"Yes, I'm bored and want to hear of fun things."

"That's a good lead-in for my own question," Deirdre noted, already piling a plate high with sweets to devour. Her pregnancy had turned her 'sweet tooth' into a 'sweet jaw'. Perhaps her baby would like sweets. "Earlier, I thought I heard something about Ellidiot... sorry, Elliot."

"Oh, that's a good name for him!" Penelope laughed, her smile bright. Yet I saw the unease in her eyes. "I'm not surprised you heard something, my lady. Most of us have been talking about how even being a Hodr Minor can protect you from entitled brats."

"Then this has something to do with his obsession with Lachesis?" Deirdre did her best to frown around a mouthful of cake, but all it did was make her look absolutely adorable. "Sigurd told me Quan came up with the name 'Ellidiot' to try and make himself feel better after she talked him out of killing the cad. She worried Boldor would call for war." She paused and looked at me. "You actually met him right, Alicia?"

"I'm not sure if we can call it a 'meeting' when it was when he died," I replied, wondering why she was bringing me into it. But, after a moment, I decided that maybe she wanted... "While his soldiers were dying in the streets, he slipped inside to try and force Lachesis into surrendering via blaming her for the siege and deaths."

"Ugh... he's even worse than I thought..." Penelope growled, shuddering from disgust. Deirdre caught my eye and winked, so I gathered I did as she hoped. "Has he really been after her for years?"

"From my understanding, he first tried to court her at her mother's funeral."

"Gross. That is so, so gross." She arranged the pastries again to give herself something to do. Over her head, Ayra gave me the most 'you cannot be serious' look she could muster and I could only smile awkwardly in return. "That's even grosser than what I've been hearing about Anphony's lord."

"Anphony's lord?" Ayra repeated, settling back in her chair to continue sharpening her sword. "What about him?"

"Well..." Penelope began, hesitant now. But the three of us leaned forward eagerly and she glanced at the closed door. "You didn't hear this from me, but Anphony's always had a bad bandit problem. Thing is, they're saying Lord Macbeth himself was behind the bandits, all so he could fatten his coffers."

"A lord exploiting his own people? My, what a surprise." Ayra's words were very dry. "There was a sharp uptick in those sorts after Sophara fell, back in Isaach. Then again, one of Sophara's duties was to investigate and eliminate such lords."

"Truly?"

"Grannvale has something similar in place, I think? It's not a household, but it's part of the job of... I want to say the Royal Guard? Think that's what Lex said."

"Since the Royal Guard is neutral, they are allowed to investigate and intervene in matters of nobility," I confirmed, thinking of Arvis's numerous duties. Then I thought of something much more recent. "That's why Dietrich and the City Watch approached them for assistance about the warehouses." But I didn't want to elaborate on that here. "Some try to bribe Arvis to avoid investigation, but he usually burns and imprisons them." My brother did not take kindly to corruption among the nobility, after everything that happened with our father. "But in Isaach, Sophara handled it?"

"Most of them, yes," Ayra explained, focusing very intently on her sword. I saw her hand shake as she gripped her whetstone. "Think there might have been more to it, but I was too young to learn the full duties. And there was no point in learning after it fell. It hasn't been able to fulfill the job since, so we had difficulties."

"Who rules Sophara now?"

"Marricle governed it after dealing with the rebels, but it was to go to me. We were in the middle of transitioning between his rule and mine when... everything happened." That way it remained in the hands of someone with Od blood. I could understand, but I wondered what Ayra thought, knowing she'd have to rule over the land her best friend should have inherited. "But that's a discussion ill-suited for the day. Any other stories, Penelope?"

"Other stories?" Penelope repeated, thinking for a moment. "Well… there is this strange rumor about how Lady Deirdre is a total spendthrift." Deirdre immediately flinched at the words. "It showed up shortly after you all put your order in with Ariadne, faded, and then popped up again. So, it stood out."

"Those who say that must be unaware Chalphy is the second richest duchy in Grannvale, which is the richest country in Jugdral," I murmured, returning to my book. Was this Clement's attempt at a counter-rumor? I hoped not, since it was poorly done. I even had a response ready, thanks to Ruarc. "It would be an insult to Chalphy's honor if their lady was not adorned in the finest of materials." I flipped through the pages, finally finding my bookmark. "We might have gone a little overboard here, of course, but I think most would forgive us for splurging in the face of such quality."

"I know, right~?" She giggled, paying the rumor little heed. "I can't help but be happy for selfish reasons too. Word has spread that the three of you bought from Ariadne, and so, they've gotten a lot more commissions." Why would we…? Maybe it was better if I didn't ask. "But honestly, that's more or less what everyone has been talking about recently."

"Have there been no travelers? I was wondering how Nordion is doing," Deirdre murmured, carefully stretching before settling back on the couch to sprawl. The gleam in her eyes, however, hinted she was more focused on appearing relaxed than actually relaxing. "Alicia has been so worried about her patients there."

"Deirdre, it should be fine," I reminded, wondering what she was talking about. She knew I would have never left if there had been patients in need of me. "Edain is there to tend to them, and there's plenty of medicine if something unexpected happens."

"There better be enough medicines. How many all-nighters did it take you again to replenish our stock? Five?"

"Deirdre, I've never pulled five all-nighters around you. The most was three." I think? Maybe it was four.

"That's only because the rest of us intervened," Ayra grumbled, shaking her head in clear exasperation. I wondered why this was being brought up now of all times, but Penelope's eyes were wide with shock and growing wider. "You definitely would've pulled more, otherwise." She paused and frowned at me. "Wait, hold on, you pulled one with Alexius. And last night!"

"While I concede on Alexius, since his condition demanded a minder, I did not stay awake all night yesterday," I sighed, terribly confused. I couldn't figure out what they were trying to do this time. "I simply woke before dawn to finish the bruise balms for Lykos's knights." Like the staff, they were hesitant to come to me for all their injuries, but they went through the bruise balm even faster than our own soldiers. I'd taken to delivering some to them when I went to give Alexius his daily examination.

"I'm not sure that's much different."

"Ayra, you're being-"

"Sounds like you all need a little nightcap before bed~!" Penelope interrupted cheerfully, smiling brightly. But her eyes were serious and I could barely bite back a groan. "What time? I'll arrange it with the kitchens."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to trouble them, so let them choose the time," Deirdre suggested, giggling. These two were lucky I loved them. "Do you think you can tell us more about the local gossip when you do? I'd love to hear more about the town."

"I would be happy too!" She stepped back and curtseyed. "For now, my ladies, I will head to the kitchens to speak with them, unless you need something from me?"

"No, I think we'll be fine for an hour." She paused, realizing something. "Wait, am I the only one eating?" The answer was 'yes'. "...So, maybe two hours."

"Of course, my ladies. I shall check on you later." She curtseyed once more before leaving with a determined glint in her eye and a skip to her step.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, I turned to Deirdre and asked in the driest voice I could muster, "was that a ploy to hear how things were going outside?"

"Partly, since Chulainn is taking longer than I thought to return," Deirdre admitted easily. Ayra's slight scowl hinted she had joined in to scold me for overworking. "More importantly, though, I want to hear how those within the castle are interpreting the rumors outside. That's what Clement is most likely to hear, after all."

"I see." I returned to my book, glad for the explanation. "I'm pleased to be useful, then."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, I haven't been contributing that much to your plans." I'd just been doing what I've always done, healing and reading. "I'm sure I've messed up a-"

"Absolutely not!" Deirdre swung around so she could lean over the arm of the couch and frown at me. "You have been most helpful!" I had absolutely no idea how, but I wouldn't bring it up. "You don't believe me at all, do you?"

"I know better than to answer that."

"Ayra, Alicia is being a meanie."

"Why are you dragging her into this?"

Ayra, thankfully, didn't take the easy bait and pointedly returned to sharpening and polishing her sword. After sparing a moment to sulk, Deirdre returned to her book and I finally started my own reading. A comfortable silence reigned as we relaxed, and it might have continued that way until dinner if not for a very strange thing I noticed. While reading, I found some of the descriptions were terribly familiar. Curious and confused, I decided to flip through previous chapters to skim over the words. More key phrases jumped out at me, all in the same specific context. Specifically, each of them were the author's way of conveying the developing feelings between the protagonists, and the reason why they seemed familiar… well, bizarrely, most of them matched how I felt when I was around Chulainn.

"I have a question for you two," I began, still skimming. Deirdre looked up curiously from her own book, while Ayra made a noise to let me know she was listening. "Are the descriptions here typical for romantic feelings?"

"Are they what?" Ayra asked, startled. She stared at me for a long moment, so I held her gaze to convey how serious I was about the question. Deirdre, meanwhile, looked strangely excited; her eyes were even sparkling. "I haven't exactly read it, but I'd imagine so?" She set her sword on the table and fiddled with her whetstone. "That's the whole reason why people read the genre. Why?"

"Oh." I read back through, confirming the words. Based on this and what Ayra said, then… "I suppose this means I'm in love with Chulainn."

"...I'm sorry, but did you just diagnose your feelings?!"

"It worked!" Deirdre blurted not even a second later. She was laughing brightly, the sound filling the room with cheer. "Oh, I had a feeling it would!" she continued, barely able to talk through her mirth. "Yay!"

"What worked?" I asked, not entirely certain how to feel. I think 'exasperated', but I didn't know who I was exasperated at, so maybe that wasn't the right word. "Come on. This is where the villainous mastermind reveals their entire plot, yes?"

"Hey, I'm not a villain! I'm always on your side!" She sulked very briefly before returning to her near-maniacal giggling. "And, for the record, I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to read books with you." I knew that; I would've noticed if she had. "But I did choose a romance novel first because I thought it would be the best way to get you to realize your budding feelings?" Now she looked away sheepishly, fiddling with her hands. "I mean... I thought you were falling in love with Chulainn, but I also thought you were in love with Sigurd and... uh..." I couldn't help but bite back a laugh at the reminder. Even if I found the gossip irritating and tiring, the idea itself was ridiculous. "See? You still think the notion is laughable. So, I acknowledged I could've been wrong and decided it was better for you to figure it out on your own?"

"And you figured the best way to do that was to provide context via books."

"The only other thing I could think of was to attempt gushing, but that was..." She flushed at the thought and I muffled another laugh. For all her own adorableness, outright gushing wasn't something she could do easily. "I-I thought this would suit your practical nature more."

"I have no idea who is more ridiculous in this situation," Ayra groaned, twisting so she could swing her legs over the arm of her chair and rest her back against the other. "But it was a ridiculous thing that worked, so I suppose it was also brilliant." That certainly was one way to describe it. "But I digress. The next step is planning out a confession, right?"

"Hmm? Why would I do that?" I asked, genuinely curious. I had no intention of telling anyone, much less him. The feelings were my own problem.

"That's... typically what people do after realizing their feelings?"

"Why?"

"Er... well..." Ayra struggled to come up with a response and was only saved by a knock on the door. Had Penelope returned already? "Yes?"

"My pardon..." The door clicked open to reveal Ulysses. "I apologize for bothering, my ladies, but Captain Lykos wondered if Lady Alicia was available," he explained softly, bowing his head politely. "A sparring match got a little too heated and he is worried about the possibility of a concussion."

"Of course I'm available," I replied, marking my place in my book. Ayra looked a little relieved by the reprieve, but Deirdre pouted. "Let me fetch my things."

"Thank you, my lady." He took note of Ayra and Deirdre's reactions, though, and hesitated. "Is…?"

"Ayra is just worried because now, she's the sole target of Deirdre's teasing." I set my book down on the table and stood. "That's all."

Of course, it was nothing but a lie. However, Deirdre decided it was better to play along and was teasing Ayra relentlessly about Lex, of all people, as Ulysses and I left. The halls themselves were quiet in a 'proper' way, where you could tell people were around and working, but none were near enough you had to make conversation. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but then I noticed two things. One, this was not the usual path I took to the yards and two, Ulysses was carefully studying each hall we passed. In most cases, such things would be warning signs, but I sensed no danger. His demeanor was not stiff or jumpy; it felt more like a cautious protectiveness. So, I didn't say a word and watched him closely for any sign I was wrong.

Eventually, we came by a hallway very close to the yards, judging by the voices drifting in, but not one traveled by many since the servants didn't bother to scrub properly. Only then did Ulysses turn and bow to me. "My apologies for bringing you a roundabout way, but there was something I wished to speak to you about," he explained softly. "I had originally planned on telling you shortly after we left your rooms, but I noticed watchers and opted for caution."

"So, I was right about you watching the halls," I replied, speaking just as quietly. I tilted my head to focus on the voices and as I did, I saw the nondescript door nearby. This must be the door he used the day we met. "Did Lykos actually send for me?"

"Yes, so I will make this brief." He straightened and looked right at me. "The day I met you three, I was on morning guard duty. Usually, it's dull enough you're finding shapes in the clouds to stay awake, but that day, we had an unusual visitor: Lady Lachesis of Nordion."

"So, she was the little lioness you mentioned." Why would she have been here, though? Why was he telling me this outright now? "Was she alone?"

"No, a blue-haired man was with her, someone around her age."

"That must have been Finn, then." Though there were more pertinent things to focus on, I couldn't help but worry when I remembered how long the walk was from our camp to the castle. "He must've pushed himself to walk here with her. He's barely recovered from his injuries."

"Indeed, he seemed out of breath, but he remained at her side as she requested an audience with Lord Clement." Yet there had not even been a whisper to us. "She stood there for hours before her request was denied. I thought it was strange."

"Clement is known for his neutrality." I couldn't help but try and find a plausible explanation. It was safer. Finding other explanations was always safer. "He could've feared Chagall would take offense."

"Wouldn't it be a greater offense to have three foreigners as 'honored guests'?" Sarcasm seeped into the last two words, and I realized why he was bringing it up. "Why would he refuse her but take you three in? Why would he not inform you three of the visit?" Though his expression was stoic, there was a gentle earnestness to his eyes. "I thought perhaps you three were taking sanctuary here, but everything I've heard before and since implies you have a very good relationship with Nordion and its princess. When I gave my hint, you even said you missed her."

"There is a question you want to ask, but it is one I cannot answer."

"But that in itself is an answer, is it not?"

"Perhaps." I smiled faintly. "However, it is still the only one I can give, much as you only had one answer you could give that day."

"Of course." He then did something very odd. He knelt in front of me and took my hand to bow over it. "I swear to do all I can to ensure you three remain safe, my lady."

"...Thank you, Ulysses." It felt right to say. Later, I would inform Deirdre and Ayra about this. They could decide how to best utilize a potential ally. "For now, though, we should ensure there's no concussion."

"I'll be amazed if something actually did damage their hard heads." Still, he smiled kindly and stood. "This way, my lady."

One of the two actually did have a concussion. His fellows tried to declare it a 'national holiday' to 'commemorate that which we thought was impossible'. I would never understand knights.

---

Late afternoon, early evening a few days later, Ayra decided she wanted to spar and headed to the training yards. I opted against going and, instead, lounged in the main room to read more of 'The Assassin's Bride'. Deirdre sat next to me on the couch, nearly vibrating with excitement. Apparently, I was coming up on a very interesting chapter with crucial plot events and she eagerly anticipated my reaction. I wasn't sure why, but she was beaming, so I dutifully read. It was nice to see her so cheerful, and not plotting.

Right as I was approaching the plot twist, though, a knock jarred me out of the book. Instinctively, I looked up at the door, but the knock came from behind us, so I twisted to look. The flash of blonde hair by the window answered everything, and I set my book to the side before heading over to open it for Chulainn. As he climbed in, I... well, according to the book, I should probably feel shy or bashful around him now that I knew what this feeling was. But I didn't. I simply loved him, and there was no need to be ashamed of it. There was no need to be anxious over it. It was what it was. Seeing him only confirmed how much I enjoyed his presence; I didn't want to ruin it by acting strange. But I did have a smile on my face, and I couldn't sweep it away no matter how hard I tried.

"Apologies for the delay," he greeted, partially closing the window behind him. Deirdre joined us with her own smile, looking terribly eager for some reason. "I couldn't use the previous route the second time, so King Jamke, Dew, and I have been observing patrol patterns and the relative skills of the guards."

"Yet from what I hear, that hasn't interfered with your rumors," Deirdre noted lightly, clasping her hands behind her back. She glanced around before sitting down at a nearby table. "I'm guessing they're part of your way to turn the people against Clement?"

"Rumors are how most people learn about anything. Control the rumors and you control public perception." He smiled faintly, sharp as a knife. "It's slower work, but builds a good foundation. Already, people whisper. Now, we need only tilt the rumors in our favor and that is easily done."

"Is it?" Deirdre tilted her head, thinking. "Well, I suppose stories and vicious rumors could be useful."

"Ha... for the short term, perhaps, but not for the long term. People are sheep, but they are not stupid." He'd said the same thing before, in context to what happened to Ares. "They're inclined to keep to the herd and follow the shepherd, but eventually, someone starts wondering and investigating. So, for the long term, you must keep to the absolute truth. That will give the rumors more weight."

"Didn't you mention 'framing' before, though?"

"Again, that is for the short term. I can adjust if needed, but I'd planned this hunt for the long term."

"Oh?" She smiled sweetly and, given the context, even I found it creepy. "Ah, I see. You want to completely ruin him. I wonder what sparked that~?" Chulainn frowned a little, like he wasn't certain what she meant. "Don't mind me. Anyway, I noticed a few rumors have focused on the strong bonds between Sigurd, Quan, and Eldigan?" Indeed, yesterday, Penelope had even asked about Sigurd's long stay in Nordion and had squealed when she learned it was so Sigurd could support Eldigan through a trying time. "May I ask why?"

"If we're churning the rumor mill, we might as well make our position stronger and Chagall's weaker." He shrugged, speaking of it as simply as one spoke about the weather. "Chagall is already not well liked. He has few accomplishments to his name, and yet believes those few are all he needs. His sense of entitlement and rashness is something you'd expect from a pre-teen, not a man in his mid-twenties."

"Even his own lords don't listen." She scoffed. "Heirhein only did because it suited them."

"And, believe me, the people have already noticed. However, since Heirhein did technically move out at his orders, his reputation is now tied to theirs. It will plummet once we finish tearing Heirhein's to shreds."

"Hence why Ellidiot's harassment has hit the rumor mill." Deirdre looked a little uncomfortable. "Was...?"

"It is nothing Lachesis was not comfortable in telling me, and I refused to use a few of the stories she gave me because I saw how fearful the memory made her." Chulainn's words were firm. "We're hunting Clement and Chagall. There's no need to be gluttonous."

"Oh, good. I worried she was forcing herself because she wanted to be helpful." Deirdre tapped her cheek, a slight smile on her face. "But if we're not being gluttonous, why are Heirhein and Anphony getting involved?"

"As I said, they're needed to bring down Chagall and boost Nordion's position." He said it easily, but looked away as if embarrassed. "And I may have been irritated about Elliot."

"Is there a secondary reason for Anphony?"

"We can't send a messenger, there's too few of us, so we're reliant on Nordion to do so. However, since Mackily isn't closed off, rumors travel quickly. Adding Anphony into the gossip makes it more likely the rumors will reach there."

"...And Sigurd." She clasped her hands in front of her, almost like a prayer. "Ugh... he'll hear of my pregnancy from them before me, won't he? I hope he won't be mad."

"Knowing him, he'll be far more worried about everyone's health and safety," I reminded gently. She managed a smile for me. "I'm a little more concerned with him recklessly charging in and ruining your plots."

"Everyone takes turns on sentry duty," Chualinn reassured immediately. I was glad he took that precaution, even as I worried it might not be enough. We were talking about a man who captured a castle with only four people, including himself. "Should be enough to slow him if nothing else."

"If it doesn't, inform him Deirdre will be very mad if he charges."

"That'll stop him. Easily."

"I can't tell if you two are teasing me or not," Deirdre huffed, pouting at us. Chulainn regarded her stoically as always, while I smiled serenely. "And now I'm even less certain." She scowled, and I had to muffle a laugh. "So…" Another knock interrupted her, this time from the door. "Why are people always knocking at inconvenient moments?"

"They might knock less if we didn't hide in our rooms all the time," I pointed out. It got me an odd look from her. "What?"

"Alicia, who is it that hides in her infirmary or workshop usually?"

"And I have many people come knocking." A second knock hinted the person wasn't inclined to walk away quietly. "I'll get the door. You two hide or something."

Chulainn was the only one who actually hid, ducking into one of the side rooms. Deirdre decided to stay at the table and pretended to be fascinated by something outside. Only when I was certain both were 'set' did I actually go to open the door. I had to say, though, I wasn't expecting the visitor to be Lykos. He usually sent one of the knights if I was needed.

"I apologize for bothering you, Lady Alicia," he greeted, bowing slightly. He seemed relaxed, so I didn't think someone was injured yet. But why else would he be here? "This is for you." He handed me a letter, and I eyed it dubiously. Please tell me this wasn't a poem. I highly doubted Mackily's knights were any better at writing them than Nordion's. "It's from Cassian."

"Cassian?" I repeated, surprised. Why would he write me?

"Yes, after I showed you the infirmary, I sent him a letter about the storeroom." Oh, I did remember Lykos saying he'd do that. "In his reply, he thanked me for the worry, informed me where the key was kept, and asked if I would deliver this to you personally."

"Oh?" Sadly, the explanation only led to more questions. Was it a list of everything in the storeroom and their uses? Was it a request to not touch certain items? "Is he expecting a response?"

"I doubt it." Something behind me caught Lykos's attention, and for a half of a second, I worried he'd somehow seen Chulainn. "You shouldn't keep the windows open, my ladies."

"Deirdre wanted some fresh air. It helps her with the nausea." It was the first plausible excuse I could think of, especially since she was still staring out. "Since we're on the third floor, I didn't think it would be dangerous."

"Save for birds flying around." If a bird did fly inside, Chulainn would probably charm it. "Ah, I apologize for my paranoia. Recently, we've had at least one person sneaking into the grounds."

"Truly?" Thank goodness I could keep calm through anything. This was awkward. "Have you caught them?"

"No, and they're quite skilled. What traces are left behind are..." He sighed, shaking his head. "I agree with Ulysses. Whoever this is, they're purposely leaving traces to gauge our reactions. They're determining who is the strongest, who is weakest, and what spots are still hidden even with our patrols."

"Ulysses said that?" I had to smile a little. Thank goodness Deirdre recruited him to our side, then. "He must be one of the stronger ones, then."

"He and Alexius are easily the most skilled of their year. Once they gain a little more experience, they'll be my most skilled, period." He glanced at the window again before shaking his head. "Well, even if they did sneak in, it's not as if they can climb up the castle's walls." Oh, this was so awkward. "Still, be careful."

"We will." I needed to change the subject. Now. "Ah, how is the sparring going? I'm assuming Ayra found challengers?"

"Lady Ayra is trouncing them all, but does so in a way that spurs their fighting spirit. Meaning I'd best return before they turn themselves into patients again."

"I don't mind." But clearly, this conversation wouldn't last much longer, so I needed another subject to try and push the original one from his head. "Though, this all reminds me. Before I forget, yet again, do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Not at all, my lady. What is it?"

"Is there a special meaning behind a knight kneeling before a lady and bowing over her hand?"

"Such a thing occurred?" He seemed surprised for a moment before nodding to himself. "Well, it's not uncommon for knights to do so for healers who save their lives. Given your skills and what little I've heard of Nordion's siege, you must've had a few do so." I had no such thing? "I think I'm more surprised you only ask now."

"Everyone was always so busy in Nordion. Repairing the damages took a great deal of time and effort."

"True, and I suppose the younger knights are more easily embarrassed." He chuckled, amused. "But I digress. If a knight of Agustria does so, my lady, they are swearing a personal oath to you and your cause. They promise to be your sword and shield until you have fulfilled your goals." That... huh? "In other words, it is not a knight's fealty, but a person's promise. Typically, they're sworn to those the swearer admires or feels indebted to." I wasn't certain the clarification actually made things make sense. "I wouldn't be surprised if Alexius swears such an oath once he's recovered more."

"I see." I would just write this off as 'part of Agustria's culture' and let it be. "Thank you."

"It is no trouble." He bowed politely and stepped back. "But I had best return to the yards."

"Of course. Have a pleasant day." I waited until he walked away before actually closing the door, and briefly rested my head against it to keep from sighing. Then I pushed off and returned to Deirdre. "It's safe now, Chulainn."

"What was that about kneeling?" Deirdre asked me curiously, standing slightly to close the window properly. I sat down across from her and studied the note from Cassian. It wasn't sealed, merely folded. Did he not care if Lykos would read it or did he assume he wouldn't? "You would've asked Sigurd right away if it had happened in Nordion, so…?"

"Ulysses did," I explained, unfolding the letter. I waited to read it, though, and instead twisted to give Chulainn an exasperated look as he stepped out. "I wasn't actually interested, mind. I asked mostly so he'd stop thinking of people climbing the walls, since a certain someone does do that."

"To be fair, no one seems to have figured out how he does." She grinned up at Chulainn and he shrugged, lingering at my side. "You should teach others. It's a useful trick."

"I might, if Alicia gave her permission first, since I'm not risking her wrath," Chulainn replied immediately, the slight dryness hinting he knew very well I'd never actually 'give permission'. I'd be fussing too much over how injured everyone could get. "So, to change the subject, who was that man and who is Ulysses?"

"Ulysses is a knight here who we've won over," Deirdre answered, leaning back in her chair to rest her hands in her lap. "For now, he passes on what the knights gossip about, but he's been chatting with his fellows to subtly nudge them into realizing how strange our situation is."

"Ah, good. I was going to suggest winning him sooner rather than later. Most wouldn't be able to figure out what we were doing, and I dislike the idea of someone that clever being on the opposing side. Makes the hunt harder." He smiled faintly. "And the visitor?"

"That was Lykos, the Captain of the knights." She giggled. "I'm not sure if he's won over, yet, but he's fond of Alicia."

"Of course he is."

"Now I'm the one who cannot decide if you're attempting to tease or not," I sighed, focusing on the letter again. I certainly wasn't going to learn why Cassian sent it just by holding it. "He's merely grateful I am tending to his injured knights, and that I treated Alexius. Though, he came by to deliver…" I trailed off as I read the first words. This was...

'Hearing how quickly you realized something was wrong just from the storeroom, it makes me wish Clement didn't want me dead. Then I could walk over to chat, but alas, he does. Thankfully, it'll take him some time to forge evidence of treason, so I can pretend to be harmless for now.

You must forgive me for being blunt, but if you noticed the storeroom, then I'm assuming you're clever enough to know the predicament you're in. You're just lacking extra information, so here's what I know. The reason why he wants me dead is simple; I refused to play along with his original plan. He wanted me to drug Lady Deirdre, so he could hide her away in some fortress. From there, he was going to watch the winds of war and deliver her to the victor as a prize. He approached me about said drug, and I told him to go to hell and fled when he ordered his guards to attack me.

I managed to write Larisa a warning before I had to play sick to prevent any of Clement's people from reaching me. She never replied, but the old biddy raised me, so I know she's keeping a careful eye on everything, especially your meals. She's the second-most trustworthy person in the castle, right behind Lykos. Lykos, however, doesn't know anything about this. I thought about telling him, but worried Clement might kill him if I tried. As the Captain, Lykos is the only one with the authority to remove Mackily's reigning duke. So long as Clement thinks Lykos is ignorant, he's safe. So, I recommend getting some decisive evidence that'll force Lykos to make a decision quickly. Don't give Clement time to retaliate.

But be wary. Clement owns a Sleep Staff.'

That was the end of it. There wasn't even a signature. I had no idea how much to trust the words, but they were very...

"Your calm froze over," Chulainn whispered, gently nudging my shoulder. I had to take a breath to settle my nerves. "What is it?" In answer, I passed him the letter. I didn't want to even try to parse out my thoughts yet. They whirled too much. "Who is this from?"

"It is from Cassian, the healer for the castle," I answered softly. Across from me, Deirdre frowned worriedly. "Officially, he's ill and, thus, is away."

"Is he truly ill or did Clement stupidly chase away his own healer?" Chulainn skimmed through, his own irritable stoicism growing colder with the words. "Well now..." By the time he passed me back the letter, his eyes like chips of ice. "I have to say; I didn't expect Clement to have the gall."

"That is assuming this is true." Yes, I should focus on that. What this all meant could wait until I ascertained the truth. Words were easily written. "The best person to ask might be Larisa herself, but..." Arranging a meeting might prove difficult.

"Larisa?"

"She's the Housekeeper. That's why she would be able to keep an eye on our meals." Right, there was something more important. "Deirdre, from now on, don't eat anything until after Ayra or I have tasted it first."

"Er... all right?" she agreed, looking terribly confused. I debated telling her, but decided to just hand her the letter. It was easier. "So, what did he write to make you...?" She trailed off, finding the reason easily. "Oh." She blinked a few times before dropping the letter on the table like it had bit her. "So, in some attempt to keep myself from screaming at the idea of being drugged into a doll, what do you two think the people's response to this would be? Because it seems a little..."

"Hostages are already a gray area in Agustria's eyes, so the idea of you being a 'prize' would probably prove too much," Chulainn answered softly. I took the letter back to fold up small. I'd hide it in my books for now. "The problem lies, of course, with a lack of physical evidence. We could place rumors, but without a mob mentality, a testimony will only be words on the wind. Mobs don't give a damn about the truth or not, so it could be used to rile them further, but only that."

"So, nothing to count on, but a weapon to hide up the sleeve." Deirdre drummed her fingers on the table. "I suppose engineering a confession would be too much work. Can we drug him instead?" She paused before shaking her head. "No, either we'd leave too much evidence or one of the staff would be blamed instead. I'd rather not drag them into this when Clement is the one I want ruined."

"Still, it's an option we'll keep in the back of our minds." He glanced up at the sky, then, noting the position of the sun. "I should return to the others. They'll need to know, and we can see if we can make contact with Cassian for more information and, perhaps, evidence." He leaned against the window, but did not open it yet. "But you three should brace yourselves. Now that we have the foundation, it's time to start adding more immediate events to the rumors."

"Like the siege? Lykos made a mention."

"While we have been leaking some minor details, it's more to set the stage so we can rattle everyone into talking about nothing else with a single rumor."

"And what is that rumor?"

"Ares's near death." He said the words softly, but both of us stiffened. "With Lachesis's permission."

"Why start with that?" Even as she asked the question, though, she came up with the answer, same as I did. "Oh, wait…"

"Nothing gets the public to roar more loudly than when a child is harmed," I whispered. He and I had even discussed it before. "Once the righteous anger is ignited, mob mentality won't be far behind."

"It's not only that," Chulainn explained, with a bitter smile. I wondered if he, too, was thinking of our discussion, and what he'd said about the public only reacted to the 'right sort' of child. Ares was definitely the 'right sort' of child to make this work. "Neutrality is a pretty ideal, but when atrocities happen around you, neutrality is easily turned into 'acquiescence'. And that'll be what tears out Clement's throat."

"I see." I… I didn't want to hear anymore of this. "Did the Warp staff ever arrive?"

"It did, but everyone in camp thinks we're making enough progress to not need it. What about you?" He studied us closely, peering through like he always did. "If you feel unsafe…"

"No, I think everything is going smoothly enough here," Deirdre reassured, smiling. I took the opportunity to stand up and find a book to hide the letter. "Aside from our original plan to keep regular contact."

"Given Mackily's reputation, I will fully admit I didn't expect the knights to be competent," Chulainn replied, a trace of annoyance seeping into the words. That told me he was very annoyed. "And since Lykos knows what we're doing, I've a feeling he'll be switching up the patrols soon to try and muddle our information."

"We'll be fine here. Clement hasn't even asked for us."

"He hasn't? Strange. Perhaps he thinks it's enough to simply cage you?" He glanced at me as I returned, smiling a little awkwardly. "But I am reminded. I should apologize for taking so long to return when you made a request, Alicia."

"It's fine," I reassured, relaxing now that the conversation had turned to other things. I even managed a smile. "I have access to the infirmary here, and secured a means to receive more herbs from the local midwife. So, I should have enough for Deirdre, provided this doesn't drag on too long." I hoped it wouldn't. Mistress Yesui said most miscarriages occurred in the first trimester, and I was dreadfully worried the stress would… no, I needed to stop the thought there. I had enough to worry about now that Deirdre was entering her second month. "We're fine. It's a very gilded cage."

"Of course, since he has to maintain the illusion of 'honored guests'," Chulainn noted easily, his slight smile sardonic. Still, what else could I say? "I'll be sure to pass on the message."

"And please remind everyone to take care of themselves." I wasn't there to keep an eye and fuss, after all. "In fact, how is Finn?"

"No questions about Azelle?"

"I'm certain my little brother is perfectly fine and not doing anything to make his older sister fret." I made sure to say the words lightly, and Chulainn ducked his head to hide his smile. "In fact, I am certain none of the group is doing anything to worry me."

"I don't think I've ever heard a reassurance which sounded so much like a threat."

"Are you saying they'll prove me wrong?" I did my best impression of Dew's 'innocent' look, and his smile grew. "Either way, since I am so certain, my fussing must focus on Finn, who is still recovering. I heard he accompanied Lachesis."

"Strange, I wouldn't have thought…" He was confused for all of a second before shaking his head. "No, the knight you won over must have told you."

"Ulysses was on duty that day, and he thought the whole thing strange." I leaned a little forward to better frown up at him. "So?"

"Finn is fine. He's tired, but he does his best to not push himself." He hesitated before continuing. "I won't lie and tell you he was fully well after accompanying Lachesis, but since it was at my request, I ask that you direct any lectures my way."

"Hmm..." I had to admit I was tempted, but I knew both Chulainn and Finn. Ignoring how Chulainn was just as concerned about Finn's health as I was, I knew he wouldn't have asked without a good reason. Finn wouldn't have agreed without a better one. "Why?"

"'Why have her come' or' why ask him'?" The answer was, of course, both, and he already knew it. "Either Clement would let the two in, and you three would have additional allies, or he wouldn't, and cause many to question why. Which worked with Ulysses."

"And either Clement decided more allies was too risky or didn't think the questions would matter."

"Indeed. As for why I asked Finn, he helped Lachesis seem more harmless. All know of Hodr's strength, so her alone might've seemed like a challenge. Finn, however, made it clear it was only a plea, one Clement callously refused." He glanced away then, slightly uncomfortable. "I'll admit I didn't think he'd make them wait as long as they did before refusing. For some reason, I keep expecting him to be smarter."

"I see." Yes, why had Clement let them wait so long? Was it a grudge? Was it some attempt at posturing? I didn't know, but it only made things worse for him. "Then I will not scold either of you. But I do hope you'll remember his poor health for the next request."

"Duly noted." He glanced at the sky again, nodding to himself. "Ah, but I'd better head out lest I forget any of the messages."

"Of course." I smiled at him and ignored the sinking feeling in my chest. No, I truly didn't like watching him leave. "Stay safe."

"I'll try." When he turned away, his hand brushed against mine. "Until next time."

That was all he said before opening the window and disappearing down the castle's walls. I waited a moment, just in case he had to climb back up, before shutting and locking the window behind him. Once I was certain it was secure, I turned to Deirdre to ask if she wanted some tea. But the question died in my throat because she was sulking, for some reason. What was…?

"Too short!" she complained, sulking more. I missed something, clearly. "I was hoping for a longer farewell between you two!"

"It was plenty long?" I replied, still confused. In fact, it had been too long! "There's also things to do?"

"Right, of course, I'm dealing with the two most dutiful people in all of Jugdral." She sighed gustily. I was about to simply dismiss this as Deirdre being weird and go about my day. "Maybe next time."

"I really don't know what you're expecting." Yes, I should just ignore this and-

"Cute moments, like usual." What... what did she mean 'like usual'? That implied...

"...Deirdre, I have a serious question." And I wasn't certain I was going to like the answer. "How long have you suspected I had feelings for him?"

"Since the day we learned Eldigan was imprisoned and Nordion was under siege?" She said the words lightly, but I suddenly had the most overwhelming urge to hide. "Sigurd thought the same." At that, I decided to hide the only way I could. I flopped onto the bed and burrowed deep under the blankets until I was completely covered. "Er... Alicia?" Of course, this only meant I was a lump on the bed, so Deirdre could still see me clearly. But I could at least pretend I was hiding, even as she sat down next to me. "What are you doing?"

"Who else suspected?"

"Um..." She must have the most confused expression right now, but I refused to peek out from under the blankets to check. It was a poor hiding spot, but I was indulging anyway. "Most of us?"

"Who didn't suspect?"

"Uh..." She was taking a very long time to answer, and the longer she took, the more mortified I became. "Perhaps Shannan? But even he mentioned how he liked how much you two smiled at each other." I needed to hide more. Was there a convenient hole outside?

"And you and Ayra wanted me to confess." This was the worst. "I thought we were friends."

"We are! You are my very best friend!" Was it typical for friends to inflict such complete and utter mortification on each other? Was it 'mortification'? I felt like I needed a stronger word, but didn't feel like hunting down a dictionary for it. "That's why-!"

"With how observant Chulainn is, and with how so many others have noticed, do you really think it's escaped him?" Chulainn saw almost everything. He kept quiet on it, but it didn't change how easily he could read a person. He, of all people, had to have realized, but he never brought it up to not make me uncomfortable. That was the only explanation. "I already didn't see a point to it, but there's no need to make a fool of myself."

"...But I do think it escaped his attention, for the same reason it took you so long to realize your own feelings." She leaned down to hug me through the blankets and I felt her rest her cheek on my back. "You're also a very perceptive person, yet you never notice how much attention you draw. You never noticed people's crushes on you. The idea of being liked and desired is foreign to you, so it is never your first explanation for people's actions. You are unused to people liking you for who you are, and not simply what you can do for them. And I think he's the same. You two are terribly similar in many ways, ways I really wish you weren't." Now what did she mean by that? I wanted to ask, but didn't at the same time. "So, what are you afraid of?"

"Pardon?"

"What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of being in love? Are you afraid of being in a relationship? Are you afraid of rejection? Are you afraid because this is all so new and strange?" She spoke gently and calmly. "Is it something else?"

"...I don't think I'm afraid." I really didn't. Nothing in this maelstrom felt like fear. "I'm used to strange things now. That has been my every day since I agreed to Ethlyn's request." Every day was filled with wonder. Every day was filled with strangeness. I was still trying to become used to all of it, and I loved every second of it. "I just don't want him to be uncomfortable." I didn't want him to hate me. I didn't want him to leave. I was content at his side, and I saw no reason to change things. I was happy enough. Anything more… anything greater… that was just selfish and gr-

"It's not greedy to want to be happier." It was a simple statement, whispered in the same gentle tone. But they hit like rocks. "It is not greedy to want more in life. You taught me that." When had I…? "That day you encouraged me to take Sigurd's hand, when you told me I should focus on what I wanted… my heart was pounding with so much fear I thought it would burst. But your words and Sigurd's smile… they gave me the courage to take his hand anyway. And I'm so glad I did. No matter what happens, even if the catastrophe everyone predicted comes to pass, I can't regret it. Because I am so, so happy. When I die, the gods will have to recreate this life for me in paradise, because there is no way I could be happier."

"Deirdre…"

"So, I want to support you and give you courage too. I want you to be even happier than you are now. I want you to always be happier. It's not greedy, and so what if it is? You deserve it, just as much as the rest of us."

"That…" I couldn't even find words to protest, not when she said everything with such sincere earnestness. She spoke from the heart, with all she was. "I'll… I'll think about it."

"All right." And that was enough for her, especially right now. "You know I love you very much, right? I'm always here for you."

"I know." But now I had another problem. "Deirdre, if you keep leaning on me, I'm not sure I can move out from under these covers."

"Aw, but you're so comfy and warm~!" She actually shifted so she was leaning more on me. "You're the best pillow, actually. Maybe I should take a nap."

"You're as ridiculous as your husband sometimes."

She laughed and playfully whined as I tried to wriggle out, but I eventually managed to at least get my head out from under the covers and, surprisingly enough, ended up nodding off before long. So, Deirdre got to use me as her pillow, and the two of us napped until Ayra returned, practically bouncing from all the sparring, and wondered what happened while she was away.

I let Deirdre handle that explanation. I wasn't repeating it for anyone.

---

"How dare that bastard target a child?!" Just as Chulainn predicted, the news of a child being targeted was enough to turn the ripples into waves. That the child was Ares, son of the beloved Lord Eldigan, only added to their outrage. In anticipation of the gossip, Deirdre suggested we visit the training yards to see the knights' reaction. As one might expect, said reaction was explosive. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but...

"Alexius, please, calm yourself," I chided, examining his injuries. Today was the first day Alexius could return to 'light activity' and he had the strongest response to the rumor. "I would rather you not strain your injuries."

"I... yes, my lady," he mumbled, bowing his head apologetically. We were sitting on some benches by the sparring area, while his fellows practiced under Lykos's keen eye. "I couldn't help but yell when..."

"I understand. However, I believe there are many who will be upset if you reinjure yourself."

"Pen will probably kill me." He sighed gustily, shaking his head. I made myself focus on the sounds of wood clacking and decided I didn't like the sound when it wasn't Chulainn's lessons. I missed the boys. "He's alive, though? Lord Ares?"

"Yes, he is. I managed to save him."

"You did?" He returned his attention to me, eyes wide with surprise. "Ah, of course. You're Lord Sigurd's main healer. They would've brought him to you immediately." That... well...

"She happened to be close, like me," Ayra clarified, joining us by the bench. She had been helping train the knights, but it seemed she had other plans now. I looked around for Deirdre and saw Lykos escorting her over to us. "And she risked being shot to rush to his aid."

"Ayra, there's no need to tell him that," I chided, bandaging Alexius's wounds. He continued staring. "It was merely another reason to let me go."

"Yeah, only you could think of using yourself as bait while also analyzing just where Ares was injured and preparing to risk certain death to reach him all the sooner." The dryness in her voice told me this wasn't just for the sake of stirring trouble. It was another thing she'd never let me live down. "I mean; it worked. But Tiamat's fangs, I still remember my heart stopping when the arrow thudded into your leg. Then the rest of us had to watch you save a dying child's life while you were also dying from poison."

"It wasn't killing me that quickly. I've good stamina thanks to the Holy Blood."

"It was still killing you! You couldn't even see straight by the end!"

"Wait, how would you know that? You were still patrolling."

"Quan told me."

"Of course he did." I glanced up as Lykos helped Deirdre sit on the bench next to me. "How are you feeling, Deirdre?"

"I'm fine, if a little winded," she reassured with a smile. But the glint in her eyes hinted she was about to stir up more trouble. "I overheard what you were talking about. I still remember the terror I felt when I heard about it afterwards. Oifey had to repeat it three times before I finally processed it. Who shoots a poisoned arrow at a baby? A barbed arrow at that!" I was already tired of this topic, so I focused on finishing Alexius's check-up. "Though, isn't it strange we haven't heard anything from Agusti? From what Sigurd has told me, Ares is Chagall's heir, isn't he? Or am I misremembering, Alicia?"

"No, he told us that while explaining Agustria's history," I reassured, tying the last bandage. Then I switched to giving her a check-up. She experienced more nausea and dizziness now that she was in her second month of pregnancy. I estimated she was at five weeks, meaning she'd been at around two when all this started. "You asked if Chagall had imprisoned his heir when we learned about Eldigan, and he clarified that Ares, as the Hodr Major, was the current crown prince."

"Right? So, Boldor used Chagall's declaration as an excuse to let his son run wild, but then turns around and commits treason." She frowned in feigned confusion. "Yet there's been no response."

"Perhaps they haven't heard? Remember, Grahnye was trying to keep things quiet in the hopes this was some sort of misunderstanding, and all information would've had to pass through Mackily to reach Agusti." I thought about leaving it at that, but Deirdre wanted trouble and I had the perfect information for it. "Boldor is the one who proved her wrong by laughing about 'killing Ares' and justifying it as 'a son for a son'."

"He did what?" Deirdre's eyes went wide, this time from real surprise. Ayra stiffened behind us, and I thought it telling Lykos's expression flattened. "No, surely not!"

"That's what Sir Alec and Sir Eva reported, or so Quan told Grahnye." It didn't surprise me neither Quan nor Sigurd had said anything more. It had probably taken everything they had to keep from charging off right then and there. "Still, even if this was kept quiet for the sake of peace, I cannot help but wonder about the man himself. What sort of person laughs at the death of a child? Can such a person rule well? What other crimes have there been? This sort of thing doesn't come from nowhere."

"And our lord has done nothing throughout all of this?" Alexius asked quietly, a dark expression on his face. Instinctively, I checked his bandages. He was holding himself too rigidly. "Does he think his knights are so weak they cannot assist others? If we had been in Nordion, perhaps we could have..."

"Alexius, careful of your words," Lykos warned softly, a gentle rebuke rather than a firm opposition. This implied to me he himself had similar thoughts, and I remembered Cassian's letter. I needed to confirm its contents, but how was I going to meet Larisa? Was she even the best person to trust? "There are some who would consider them treason."

"...Yes, sir…"

The words effectively halted the conversation, and though Deirdre looked ready to continue it, she must've judged it too detrimental as she switched to asking Lykos about the knights' training and comparing it to what she knew about Chalphy's. Ayra chimed in with anecdotes of training in Isaach, and I finished with reassuring myself that Alexius was fine. While I was packing up my things, though, a slight commotion caught everyone's attention, and we looked up to see we had guests: Hellen and Penelope. Hellen carried some sort of bundle wrapped in her arms, and Penelope skipped beside her with a giggle and laugh, waving at everyone.

"Hellen!" Alexius called, leaping to his feet. Before I could chide him about exerting himself, he jogged over to meet her by the entrance, with a smile so bright it was hard to even remember the scolding. "You should've told me you were coming here. I would've met you at the gate, and Penelope wouldn't have to stop work to bring you here."

"Aw, but I didn't want you to strain yourself, mister 'I am going to overwork and not even tell his girlfriend why'," Hellen immediately snarked in return. But despite the words, she beamed up at him with a pleased blush, as happy as could be. "I wouldn't want you to faint again."

"I would only faint because of how dazzling you are."

"That... you...!" Hellen's blush darkened, and Alexius grinned in clear, mischievous triumph. "Hmph! Well, I'm not here to visit you anyway!" She turned around with a huff and marched straight over to me, for some reason. Alexius followed her closely, his cheer not dimmed in the slightest. "Good day, Lady Alicia." She smiled prettily. "So, how is Alexius doing? I know what he'd say if I asked him."

"He's healing well," I reassured, wondering if this was why she'd visited. Penelope would ask for status reports too. "So long as he does not push himself, there should be no long-term complications." The worst would be some minor scarring.

"Oh, good..." She breathed a sigh of relief, resting a hand on her heart. At some point, Penelope snuck closer, but hid herself behind Ayra with a giant grin. "Um... so, Pen told me about how you weren't charging for healing him, my lady, but it felt wrong to not give something in return. Alexius is my everything, after all." Poor Alexius blushed madly at the words, just as dark as Hellen had blushed earlier. The quiet snickers around us told me the other knights were entirely too focused on eavesdropping, but Lykos didn't seem in a hurry to remind them to train. "So, I fear I conspired with Pen and Lady Deirdre to make this for you." She handed me the bundle in her arms, and I unwrapped it to find a beautiful shawl made of dark blue lace. "Lady Deirdre says you often wear shawls when you aren't working, and lace is a specialty of ours. This pattern in particular is a favorite."

"I can see why." I held it up to the light in awe, marveling at the delicate flowers within. This was... "It's gorgeous." The only one which awestruck me more was the one Prince Kurth had gifted me for my birthday.

"I'm glad you like it!" She beamed and helped me drape it over my shoulders. "Good, it fits. I was a little worried."

"Yes, it can be difficult to make something based on another's measurements." I remembered having the same worry when I was making the cape and coat for Finn. "Thank you very much."

"You're very welcome." She stepped back, and clasped her hands behind her. "Ah, but that was all I was here for. I swung by here before heading to work." 'Swung by'? The castle had to be very out of the way for that. "So… um…"

"My lady, am I well enough to escort Hellen?" Alexius asked then, trying to keep his tone neutral. But I heard the eager plea in his voice. From what I understood, the two hadn't been able to spend much time with one another since his injury.

So, I could only smile. "Please have someone check your injuries when you return," I requested. Both of them lit up with the permission. "And if you think something is wrong, send for me immediately."

"Of course, my lady." Alexius barely could keep himself from bouncing as he offered Hellen his arm. "Shall we, Hellen?"

"I think that's a sign to wrap up for the day," Lykos noted lightly as the happy couple left. Considering the knights cheered and teased them instead of returning to their sparring, perhaps he was correct. "Ulysses?" It took Ulysses all of two seconds to appear next to him like a shadow. "Escort the ladies and Penelope back to their rooms, will you? I remain uneasy with those intruders." Oh, but we weren't in danger from these 'intruders'. Still, it would be better to seize the easy excuse to speak with Ulysses.

"Of course, Captain," Ulysses agreed, bowing politely. He then turned his attention to us with a slight, kind smile. "Are you ready or is there anything you need first?"

The answer was, of course, 'yes, we are ready', since Deirdre heard all she needed about the knights' reaction. So, after I checked my things, we left the training yards behind and through the quiet halls. I immediately noticed they were the same sort of 'quiet' as the last time Ulysses escorted me, and saw him studying the other hallways to determine whether or not they were 'safe' to walk down. So, it didn't surprise me that, after a few turns, Ulysses spoke up.

"Lady Deirdre, if I recall correctly, you three arrived with a single knight," Ulysses began carefully, his expression neutral. Penelope immediately shot him a warning look, but he ignored her to focus on Deirdre. "I recognized him as one of Lord Clement's personal knights, but I fear I never heard why you only had the one. Did you refuse a larger escort?"

"Oh, I was never offered one," Deirdre answered lightly, smiling kindly. Ayra scowled, remembering the knight. We hadn't seen him since we arrived, and I was glad for it. The less we saw of those two knights, and Clement, the better. "We walked from the gates and the knight approached us in the plaza."

"Unprompted?"

"Yes, I was quite surprised." She sighed at the memory, resting a hand on her cheek. "He never gave us his name, but I remember he was a little rude. Ayra feared he was going to attack us, but surely he wouldn't have in the plaza, right? Not with all those people."

"I would hope the same." Ulysses's faint smile screamed everything. He hadn't been the only one curious and now, he'd carefully inform a select few of the knights so they'd spread it quickly. After all, was it not strange Clement did not offer an escort for 'honored guests'? "My thanks for indulging my curiosity."

"You're very welcome."

That was the last of the conversation and Ulysses led us back to the rooms quickly. Penelope kindly opened the door for us and stepped to the side so Deirdre and Ayra could head in. When I followed, though, I noticed Penelope shoot Ulysses a dirty look and, thinking quickly, I closed the door behind me until there was only a sliver to look through. I used to do this all the time back in Yngvi, so I could gauge whether or not it was safe to enter a room.

"Ulysses, what are you doing?" Penelope hissed, a worried look on her face. Ulysses met it impassively, absently adjusting the hem of his sleeves. "Asking something like that so openly was..."

"There was no one around but you, and you wouldn't tell," he countered easily and quietly. She still glared and he brought up his hands. "I won't say it wasn't dangerous, but not as much as you feared."

"You also shouldn't put the ladies in danger!" Now she was scowling; Ulysses looked amused. "They-"

"When Lady Ayra spars with us, she's analyzing our techniques for weaknesses to exploit in case she must fight us off. Lady Deirdre speaks kindly, but she measures every word to ensure she appears as harmless as possible." Oh, he was very observant. I was glad he was already on our side. "Let's not pretend they're not already aware of what's going on."

"That doesn't mean they can't be in worse danger." Penelope clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing tightly enough for them to shake. "But no Lady Alicia in your observations?"

"Lady Alicia is as calm as a still lake. I'm not skilled enough to see through her mask. I can only tell she's genuine. Though..." He smiled faintly. "I fear it would be hard for me to be unbiased. She saved Alexius, after all, and spared you a great deal of pain."

"You... d-don't act like you would've been all right if Alexius died either." She blushed faintly and scoffed. "You're just trying to distract me."

"I am not. But it does give me the opening I want. You speak of danger to me, but are you not the one placing yourself in the greatest of dangers?" His smile faded for a dark, concerned look. "You're the one who has been denying Lord Clement's invitations." She was... what now? "How many times has he invited them to dine? How many times have you conveniently forgotten or found an excuse? Are they even aware?"

"..." She was silent for a very long time. "It is very easy to slip poison and drugs into food, Ulysses. I'm not stupid. And in the case of Lady Deirdre, it wouldn't need to be something poisonous. A miscarriage would be devastating to her." She glared at him, eyes fierce and clear. "If I'm wrong, then fine. But with everything so strange, I'd rather be paranoid."

"You're still defying a powerful lord."

"So what? I like the three of them. There may be hidden motives behind their actions, but that doesn't mean their kindness isn't real."

"You should've been a knight with that attitude."

"Well, switch places with me sometime. You'd look nice in a skirt~!"

They went back and forth for a while, walking down the hall. When I could no longer hear them, I finally shut the door and leaned against it. Ayra and Deirdre were already lounging, both staring at me in silent question. They wanted to know what I heard, but I couldn't find my words immediately. All... All I could think of was my mother. My mother had been Cigyun's lady in waiting, not maid, but otherwise, this felt dreadfully similar. My mother defied my father, a powerful lord, to protect the lady in her charge, Cigyun. And she had suffered heavily for it. She had died for it. So, I...

"Penelope is on our side," I finally whispered, heading to the window to look outside and further gather my thoughts. Mackily's lands were pretty, surprisingly so considering the mountains to the east and the cliffs to the west. "But it seems she has been putting herself in a great deal of danger for our sake." I clutched the shawl Hellen made me and turned back to face them. "So, how are we going to protect her?"

I would not let Penelope share my mother's fate.

---

I thought about how to approach Larisa for a full day before deciding to simply tell Penelope I wanted to meet with her and decide on a story later. Who knows? People might simply assume the reason why and save me the trouble. That being said, I didn't expect as prompt of a response as I received, nor did I expect her to invite me to her personal room. But it was a very nice, cozy room decorated with portraits and trinkets. I wondered if they were from her children.

"Well, I can fully admit I didn't expect that message from Penelope," Larisa began, making us some tea. We were sitting at a table by her fireplace, and I pretended to be fascinated by the paintwork on her teaset to check if there was anything hidden in my cup. "What brings you here to this old lady, Lady Alicia?"

"Hmm? Could I not be here for conversation?" I asked lightly, setting the cup down so she could pour. Based on the smell, I guessed chamomile and lavender, but I still blew on it to cool it down while I waited for her to take a sip from her own cup first. "I believe I told you I enjoy seeking out the wisdom of my elders."

"Ah, I do remember that, or something similar." She drank her tea, eyes piercing but not cold. "I should apologize for the simple tea."

"Why? I was enjoying how it smelled." I drank a little bit, just enough to get a good taste. Yes, there was chamomile and lavender, and I tasted lemon and something sweet. At first, I thought it might be honey, but it was a different sort of sweet. Based on the others, I had to wonder if... "Are there flina blossoms in this?"

"It is." She seemed surprised, but I thought it made sense. Flina blossoms were native only to Agustria, and they were often used to help soothe the mind and body, much like chamomile and lavender. They were also popular because of their naturally sweet taste. "I'm surprised you guessed it."

"It was the only sweet herb I could think of which would match the chamomile and lavender. I imagine the lemon is for taste, and a boost to the immune system."

"Is this why the rumors claim you're a walking encyclopedia for herbs and their uses?" She said the words dryly, but I could only shrug. Things like this seemed basic to me. "Ah, no matter. You are correct, and I hope it reassures you I am not trying to poison you in my own room."

"You seem smart enough to do so in someone else's room, ma'am." But drugging someone would be simple, and easier to play off. "Besides, very few poisons kill instantly, and I carry an all-purpose antidote with me."

"Is poison such a danger to you?"

"It's a danger to everyone. That's why it's part of my emergency pouch." I smiled calmly. "Even in the event you give me a poison that is not treated by the antidote, it'll buy me enough time to return to my rooms and mix up the proper one." At least, so long as it wasn't a ceron. Cerons were one of the only two poisons the broad-spectrum antidote had absolutely no effect on. The other one, kriaire, grew in Thracia.

"Is that so?" That was all she said for a moment, letting us enjoy the tea. "Ah, how is Alexius doing? My maids say you do not visit the barracks as often."

"He's healing well, to the point he no longer needs daily checkups. By this point, he can handle his recovery on his own, though he knows to come to me for any concerns."

"I'm glad to hear it. Penelope has been chattering so excitedly about him and her sister that she has half the staff eagerly anticipating the proposal and marriage." She chuckled fondly before letting her smile fade. "Well, since we've gotten the polite greetings and chitchat out of the way, perhaps you might come to the point of this visit?"

"And what if it simply was to enjoy tea with you?"

"Then I shall enjoy the company. But I think we both know you aren't one to do things without a purpose." She fixed me with a hard look, but I met her gaze easily. "So?"

"Well, I received a very curious letter and thought you might confirm the contents." I reached into my pouch and brought out Cassian's letter, still folded up small. "Here."

"A letter?" She unfolded it slowly, smoothing the page out before looking it over. "Cassian's writing. That means..." She skimmed through the words, a bitter smile on her face. "So, he wrote to warn you. How did this reach here? He would have to be monitored closely."

"It was folded into a letter he sent to Lykos."

"That makes it even stranger. But, then again, if Lykos realized his mail was being watched, he'd investigate immediately. Our lord has always been quick to hide and make himself small." She set the letter on the table, her fingertips lingering on it. "So, you wish for me to either confirm or deny the words, but what makes you think I would not lie?"

"Well, you did say you liked me." I did my best impression of Dew's 'innocent' smile and she chuckled. "More seriously, I've had a hunch for a while that you were aware of what was going on, and did not like it. That's why you sent Penelope to us. She's cheerful, kind, perceptive, and willing to defy even her lord to protect those around her." My smile faded as I recalled the conversation I'd overheard. "This is something she has done many times."

"...She has. I've told the girl I have precautions in place, but she refuses to let you all be in danger in the first place." I thought of my mother, and how she'd focused so much on safety. Eventually, it killed her. It killed her, and left behind a mess not even time could mend. "But she's done it too many times. Lord Clement has given me orders to cane her if she 'forgets' again, and if I do not, he'll have his knights take care of it."

"My, so he will not even dirty his hands with corporal punishment?" Neutrality was a pretty ideal, but people adored using it as a cover to coat other people's hands red. "I am somehow unsurprised, but if I am to be honest, I also couldn't care less about him. My concern is for Penelope. I originally wanted to discuss our safety during this grand dinner he insists on having, but you already have precautions?" That actually didn't surprise me. Clement might rule the duchy, but since no one spoke of a 'Steward', the woman in front of me was the one who 'ruled' the castle.

"...Ha..." Strangely, she started laughing softly. "Many of mine compare you to a still lake, my lady. Calming to be around, peaceful and unshakeable. But they focus too much on your demeanor, and not your gaze. Your eyes are always filled with fire, and now, they blaze. You must be the first rose I've seen that thrives in the flames." She poured herself some more tea, and sipped it. "So, let me ask this first. Why?"

"Why take precautions?"

"Why not let Penelope take the pain? She already knows the consequences and has decided it was worth it. Why do you not do the same? Why risk greater injury?" Her smile was slight, bitter and sardonic. "A single maid for three noblewomen... it's a simple choice."

"Oh, do lofty titles somehow make our pain more meaningful? Does the status of 'commoner' somehow convey a resistance to injury?" I truly couldn't help the dry words. "If anything, I would think it is the opposite. Ayra and I both have Holy Blood, meaning we can bleed more than others." Technically, Deirdre had it too, but no one could ever know. "Pain is pain. I heal all who are injured, but I would rather no one be hurt at all."

"So, you would choose to risk yourself, and gamble on no one being hurt. Or, rather, you three. You would not make such a decision on your own, not when it involves the health of others." She smiled slowly, chuckling once again. "Yes, I do like you indeed." She set her teacup down and nudged the letter closer to me. "While I cannot confirm his testimony, I can confirm his warnings. Duke Clement does own a Sleep Staff, a gift from his late wife. Gods rest her soul, she took our duke's backbone with her to the afterlife." That was a strange mental image. "I can also confirm both Lykos's authority and the fact he knows nothing. Given everything, I cannot blame Cassian for his caution. My own tongue has been tied due to fear." When your lord can pull something like this… yes, decisive evidence would be needed and that was the problem. We had a distinct lack of physical evidence. "As for the possibility of drugging, I informed Laelia, our head cook, of the suspicions, and Lady Deirdre being pregnant was the perfect excuse to keep a close eye on everything without tipping our hand. Duke Clement just thinks we're fussy old ladies."

"So, in theory, the food should be fine." Deirdre had been faithfully following my instructions to not eat before Ayra and I did, so it would be easy to continue that. "What about drinks?"

"Keep to the water. Anything else will be more difficult to secure."

"I see." I retrieved the letter and folded it up small once again to tuck into my pouch. "What shall we do about suspicious dishes? We do not know if someone might try mixing in something when it is out of the kitchens."

"I have the authority to pick the servers, so I can ensure they're safe. They'll know to not let anyone near the food and if someone insists, they can whisper any warnings."

"Then any explanations will be our responsibility." I pondered for a moment before shrugging. "Well, I highly doubt he's aware of what foods pregnant women avoid, to say nothing of the nausea. We can use that for Deirdre." 'Personal preference' would probably be the only one Ayra and I could use, unless we wanted to fake some allergies. "If you thought this through, why did Penelope...?"

"The second she realized what was going on was the second she lost all trust in Duke Clement. Even with precautions, she refused to risk it." Larisa shrugged. "I did my best to counter, but it was difficult when I knew what Cassian warned. Anyone else, I would've dismissed it as a lie, but Cassian has never once lied to me. Not even as a toddler who barely knew truth from fiction." So, what drove Clement to plot such a thing? Was he that scared of what was going on? Did he think the only way to keep Mackily safe was to have such a precious 'trophy' ready to hand over as a bribe? "Still, I will inform her of our conversation, so she will know it is safe. She might not trust Clement, but I hope she will still trust me."

That was, ultimately, all that could be said. I lingered long enough to finish my cup before departing, mentally going over our discussion as I headed back to our rooms. When I entered, I found a pleasant surprise. Chulainn was here, chatting with Ayra in the far corner, while Deirdre at the table, hunched over a piece of paper with sparkling eyes. What in Jugdral did I miss?

"Oh, you're back earlier than we thought," Ayra commented, waving me over. I made sure the door was shut and locked behind me before joining them. "Thought it would've taken you longer to wring out answers."

"No, she's very no-nonsense, and already had a plan in place," I answered, as calm as ever. Though, I had to admit, some part of me was a little put-out at how easy it was. It made me feel like the time I spent dithering was wasted. I hated wasting time. "Besides, I told you she likes me."

"Of course she does." Ayra grinned up at Chulainn, who regarded us with stoic amusement. "The 'she' in question, by the way, is the Housekeeper. Who I think is just in charge of everything because I haven't heard anything about a Steward."

"Ah, yes, I remember hearing about her before," Chulainn murmured, smiling faintly. He then glanced at Deirdre before focusing back on me. "I arrived not long ago to inform them the Anphony group has returned. She's sighing over a letter from Sigurd."

"This explains a lot," I replied, shaking my head. We wouldn't get much out of her for a few minutes, then. "How are they?"

"They're well, if very confused by everything. Picked up a few new recruits, and brought me a plethora of information." He smirked faintly, razor sharp. "Anphony's lord had been squeezing his people dry, and even the previous punishment did not dent his treasury. They found at least three hidden vaults, thanks to a mercenary they hired."

"How greedy was this man?" I took note of the tense, and wondered if he was dead. But that wasn't a question for now. "I'm guessing the next wave of rumors will focus on Anphony?"

"Heirhein's reputation is about as low as it can get, so switching tactics is necessary to keep up momentum. Tying it to Chagall is harder, but the fact that Macbeth didn't even hesitate to return to old habits shows he had no respect for Chagall as an authority. And probably anticipated not being punished for it."

"Wouldn't it also show how incompetent a leader Chagall is? When he called for war, Nordion's duke went to try and dissuade him, Mackily's holed up to watch the conflict brew, Anphony's turned against his own people, and Heirhein's attacked Nordion solely for selfish reasons." In other words, not a single duke of Agustria actually listened to their king. "But I suppose the implications of that can wait. How long before the gossip realizes Sigurd is here?" That was far more pertinent. Clement wanted to 'talk' with him, after all.

"We can't hide his forces, but we can muddy the waters through rumors. Some will say he remains in Anphony, others will say he returned to Nordion, and still others will say he headed back to Heirhein." But since we couldn't hide the forces, and Sigurd had a very distinctive coloring, it would be hard to hide him for long. "It'll buy us a little more time, so long as we move aggressively. That's why Dew and Quan are collaborating for pranks."

"Pranks?"

"It's a time-honored form of psychological warfare."

"That..." I really couldn't help my exasperation. It was even worse because Ayra started snickering at the thought. "If you get the staff in trouble, I will be mad. Your hunt is for Clement and Chagall, and them alone."

"I'll relay it to them." He suddenly began going through his pockets, and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "I almost forgot. You have letters as well."

"I do?" That was... unfortunately, that was distracting enough to turn my attention. "Is one from Azelle?"

"No, Azelle decided it was better to start penning a letter to your brother, for when he learns about all this." Oh, Arvis was going to be mad. I should think of a treat to send. "These are from Sigurd and Quan." He handed me two folded notes.

"That's a surprise." Still, I took them and unfolded them to read.

The one from Sigurd would do his father proud: 'What is it with you and hostage situations? This is the third one.'

The one from Quan was slightly longer: 'Baldr luck kicked in and he somehow managed to avoid the shirt. I took the liberty of hiding it, so you can witness his reaction yourself. It'll be a fun thing to do once this is resolved.'

"Er… you all right?" Ayra asked me after a moment. I knew my expression had flattened at Sigurd's note and not even Quan's lightness could clear it. "Is it bad?"

"I wouldn't say that," I sighed, mentally debating on what to do with the notes. Maybe I should burn them when I next make tea. "Chulainn, do you mind giving them verbal messages in return?" Chulainn could only nod, seeming as confused as Ayra. "Please tell Quan I said 'thank you' and 'I look forward to it'. As for Sigurd…" I couldn't help the exasperation that creeped into my voice. "Remind him that this is his wife's fault. I'm collateral damage, same as Ayra." Deirdre actually looked up at that, making a curious noise. "Your husband is attempting to make jokes to keep himself from charging in, but I fear I am in no mood to play along with his bad sense of humor."

"What did he say?" Ayra pointed to the notes in silent question, and I passed her Sigurd's. I would keep Quan's secret for now. "Oh. Huh. That…" She balled it up for me and tossed it onto the table, next to Deirdre. She smoothed it out curiously and burst into giggles over it. "It is kind of funny this is the third time."

"Perhaps this is a sign I should never leave my infirmary."

"After all the work it took us to get you to leave? Never. We just need to be better prepared, that's all." She grinned and I could only shake my head. Deirdre looked like she was going to say something, but instead, found paper and pen to write a reply to her own letter. "Anyway, what did the Housekeeper say?"

"Larisa was able to corroborate what she knew about Cassian's letter. There's still a lack of evidence for the testimony, of course." What would serve as physical, decisive evidence? Surely, I couldn't just walk up and tell Lykos, right? If it were that easy, others would've already done it. "She also informed me she already had precautions set up for banquets. I'll let you know later."

"Banquet?" Chulainn repeated, sounding a little curious. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, thinking. "I had wondered why he hadn't hosted one for his 'honored guests'. Was it because of the precautions?"

"No, that's not it," I explained, feeling a little guilty. Why hadn't any of us thought anything strange about Clement's distance? Then again, Ayra was the only one with experience in actually visiting other nobles. The only occasion where Deirdre and I had done that had been for the tea party with Countess Saldis. Like Arvis, Sigurd wasn't one to host banquets regularly. "Penelope, our maid, figured out what was going on and decided to conveniently 'forget' the invitations out of fear he'd try something."

"Admirable, but it wasted many opportunities. For instance, you could've had him waste the money and time, only to cry off at the last second because Deirdre was 'terribly lightheaded' and you dared not leave your friend unattended." He thought of that entirely too quickly. "Still, a banquet… that'll be useful. Two of the new recruits Sigurd brought are entertainers: a bard and a dancer."

"Oh, yes, Sigurd's letter mentioned them," Deirdre commented, standing to join us. She shyly handed Chulainn a folded note, which he promptly tucked into his pocket. "I wonder why. Did they have nowhere to go? I can't imagine either is good at fighting, since music and dancing are so very hard to learn."

"The bard is actually a talented mage, and the dancer knows some swordwork for self-defense," Chulainn revealed. Though the thought didn't suit, I truly hoped no one brought up more 'self-defense' lessons around me because of her. "But the main reason an army would employ entertainers is for morale and spying." Chulainn's faint smile was the sharp one that was becoming all too familiar. "No one expects much from them, and they always tell the best gossip."

"So, you plan on having the two slip in during the banquet to put on a show?" I asked, catching the thread. If it worked, it would be wonderful, but how would they remain? Then again, maybe that wasn't the point. Maybe it was just to get more information, from a different source. "Then we truly must attend."

"Indeed, and I should probably return if we're to arrange this in time." He stepped towards the window, and Ayra moved out of the way. "Banquets usually have their entertainment settled before even the menu."

"I will take your word for it, but are you certain you cannot rest a little longer?" I'd meant it lightly, but the way he stiffened and averted his gaze screamed... "You haven't been sleeping, have you?" Without thinking, I reached up to touch his cheek and tilted his face more towards me to study. The difference was slight, but he was noticeably paler. "Have you slept since all this started?" This time, he pointedly looked away, and I had to bite back a laugh. "My, it seems the others have another to scold about all-nighters."

"I sleep."

"I believe most in this army don't agree that one hour naps counts as 'sleeping'." I smiled a little, amused, and he refused to answer. "Please get some rest tonight. Surely someone else can handle coordinating information for once."

"It's my hunt. And terribly haphazard. Really should've done more investigative work prior to moving, but..."

"Even wolves hunt in packs. I know that much, at least." I tried to bring my hand down, but he quickly reached up to grasp it and keep it on his face. He had a slightly surprised look, like he'd done it on instinct, but I wouldn't ask about it. There were more important things to discuss. "So, let one of the others consolidate information tonight and you get some proper rest. Maybe you can assign it to Oifey? I imagine this sort of thing isn't too different from strategy and logistics."

"I... fine." He didn't sound happy about it, but he agreed and that was all that mattered. "Maybe not Oifey, though. He doesn't have the head for this sort of thing."

"Then make Quan do it. Perhaps it will dampen some of the pranks." I smiled faintly. "Don't think I didn't notice the change of subject."

"There was nothing more to say; I'll relay your warning. I don't have much of a way to enforce it."

"Well, hopefully, I won't have to think of a punishment then."

"You know; if I tell them that, it might work." He reached back with his free hand and opened the window. "But I'd best be off."

"We'll see you soon."

Just as before, he didn't linger once he left. In a blink, he had disappeared down the castle's walls, and I closed the window and locked it. Just as before, when I turned, Deirdre was watching with sparkling eyes. This time, though, Ayra blatantly watched too, smirking.

"That was better~!" Deirdre giggled, looking positively pleased. Ayra, meanwhile, was barely biting back snickers. "Still wish it was longer, though."

"I'm sorry I do not act like the protagonist of a romance novel," I retorted, trying and failing to mask my irritation. Both of them laughed. "Regardless, we should send for Penelope."

"So she can give us the invitation?"

"So we can use the very convenient excuse to burn more of Mackily's money." I smiled serenely at them both as they stared. "What? Isn't it standard for noblewomen to buy new outfits for banquets and parties? We must contact Mistress Ariadne as soon as possible, if so."

"I love you." This time, her giggling had a distinct edge. Ayra, however, groaned at the thoughts of more fittings. "Should yours match the shawl you received from Hellen? You should definitely have some sort of lace, if it's their specialty like she said."

"No lace sleeves, please. The bandages will look strange through them." I rested my fingers on them through my sleeve, noting they were loose. When did I stop trying them so tightly they threatened to constrict my arm? I had always been so afraid of them unraveling and revealing my secret. So, when... ah, this was not the time to be thinking such things. "But I'm not certain if it should match the shawl." There were other things to focus on, and in this case, it was utilizing something Ethlyn and Lachesis once discussed. They knew more about fashion than I ever would. "Since this is for a party, I should wear something light in color, for once."

"Ooo, I'm already loving this!" Deirdre found some paper and scribbled it down. "We should coordinate! Ayra, what sort of colors or design do you want?"

Thus we spent the rest of the day designing dresses. I never thought I'd actively plan to wear something fancy, but life was full of surprises.

---

The day of the banquet, Penelope had set up a 'beauty regime' for all of us that would make a drill sergeant proud. I'd thought Cathleen's had been intense, but if it was, then I had no word to describe Penelope's. I let myself be led about like a doll, head spinning at the first few sentences of her explanations, and didn't pay attention to much of anything until it was time to actually get dressed. Even then, it was more trying to distract myself from remembering how expensive my dress alone had been.

Like the one I wore during the Festival of Flowers, it was used 'off-the-shoulders' for the long sleeves, the dress kept secure by the choker-like collar. The bodice and underskirt were a pale blue, and the bodice was carefully decorated with white lace, blending into the white overskirts. I was just glad they adjusted the sleeves to be less 'flowy'. I didn't want to explain the bandages to the people here, and I knew someone would bring them up.

"You really do have pretty hair, Alicia," Ayra commented, brushing my hair. Penelope was styling Deirdre's hair nearby, and had originally planned on doing both Ayra's and mine. But Ayra refused, so she volunteered to handle my hair. I'd agreed because I didn't really care, but I was surprised by how carefully she handled it. "I can see why the kids want to play with it."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Aya," I replied, biting back a laugh. She called it pretty, but against the white and pale blue, I thought it looked even more like blood than usual. Blood wasn't pretty; it was as common as dirt. "You do not have to be so gentle. I promise I do not have a tender scalp."

"Why do I have a feeling you're the type to just rip out tangles?"

"I haven't done that in years."

"But you did." She laughed softly, sectioning off my hair to braid. "I may not care about fashion and beauty, but in Isaach, nobles were expected to wear their hair in fancy braids during formal ceremonies. Besides, braids are both pretty and practical."

"Well, I will give you the 'practical' part." I watched her take some small pale blue ribbons to thread through the braids. Carefully, but more quickly than you'd expect, she braided five small braids on either side of my head and then drew them into the rest of my hair for a simple single braid down my back. "...I suppose I must also concede on the 'pretty' part." I'd never thought about it, but right now, I could say the braids were pretty.

"Of course it is. Od's skill extends to this, and I have plenty of practice." Od's skill extended to a lot of things I never realized it ever would. "I used to braid Setanta's hair all the time when we were little."

"So, he had long hair?"

"It's not uncommon in Isaach, especially among the nobility."

"That's interesting. Arvis is considered a bit of an oddity for having hair as long as he does." But I knew why. Our father had straight hair, worn short. But Arvis's hair had waves to it, which must have been inherited from Cigyun. He wore it long both to differentiate himself from our father, and to see the waves and cling to what little he had of his mother. Though, sometimes I wondered if it also had something to do with how Prince Kurth wore his hair long. I never asked; Arvis's feelings for him were even more complicated than mine. "But I suppose we are digressing. Thank you for doing my hair."

"I should thank you for the opportunity." Her smile was sad yet warm at the same time. "I missed doing this."

"You can braid mine whenever you want." I only cared about it being neat, and usually wore it down. So, I saw nothing wrong with letting her braid it, if it helped her feel a little more at home. The smile she gave me in the mirror screamed how much she appreciated the offer, even if she might never take me up on it. "And if Isaachians usually wear their hair in braids, would you like me to braid yours? I fear it will only be simple, but..." I trailed off, remembering something. She hadn't worn hers braided for Sigurd and Deirdre's wedding. Was there a reason? Did I overstep?

"...You know; I think I'd like that." Her smile became a little shy, and I had a feeling her acceptance meant more than I thought. But I would wait for her to explain. So long as she was not uncomfortable, I didn't feel a need to ask. "There's bound to be some fancy hair accessory somewhere around here."

So, when Ayra finished braiding my hair, we traded places so I could brush and braid hers back. I had no illusions about being good at it; my only experience with styling others' hair was Deirdre's for her wedding. But she wore a soft little smile as I braided and picked out a white hair cuff decorated with tiny beads to cover the hair tie when I was done. Even with this, we were still done before Penelope finished with Deirdre's hair, but to be fair, Deirdre's was probably the most intricately styled of ours, even if it appeared simple at first glance. Her hair was filled with a myriad of braids, each adorned with sparkling beads just large enough to catch the eye and make her hair truly seem like glittering moonlight. It was an impression helped by her pale lavender dress, decorated with white lace across the bodice and outer skirt. The sleeves were short, off-the-shoulder like mine, but held up by criss-crossed ribbons which served as the collar.

Ayra, in contrast, dressed painfully simple. Her dress was a rich dark blue, only decorated with a white lace 'belt' about her waist, and her only other adornment was the hair clasp she picked out. It had been her own idea, and it wasn't just because she hated dressing up. With so many dressed fancifully, she wanted to stand out in a way which made people uncomfortable, to hear what they would whisper behind her back, and ideally distract them from how she could easily kill them all with the dinnerware. I'd like to think she was exaggerating about the last bit, but I had a feeling she wasn't.

But there was nothing we could say besides 'everyone, try to behave' as Penelope led us to the bustling banquet hall. The noise was enough to make my head hurt, cacophony in a way similar to the Festival of Flowers, and like then, most quieted when we walked inside. In fact, many blatantly stared, and though I wondered why, I decided it was best to ignore them. Unfortunately, I was the only one of us three to come to that conclusion. Ayra glared at the ones closest to us, hovering protectively as we meandered through the crowd, and Deirdre absolutely insisted on greeting the staring guests first, if only to make them squirm uncomfortably.

Thankfully, however, it seemed Clement (or someone else with authority) had only been waiting for our arrival before declaring everyone should sit down to eat. Since there were no name cards or anything to suggest assigned seating at the table, I made sure I was next to Deirdre, across from Ayra. Given the odd looks I received as soon as I sat down, I wondered if I had been mistaken and there had been some unspoken rule for seating etiquette. But no one said anything to us, so I did my best to ignore the looks and enjoy the meal. It was hard, near impossible even. So many people kept sneaking glances my way, and whenever I tried to ask if there was a problem, they hurriedly averted their gazes before I could open my mouth to ask. So, I was stuck, miserable and uncomfortable. This was even worse than the Festival of Flowers; I hoped I'd never attend another banquet in my life.

"Are you all right?" Deirdre asked me softly, picking at her food. She also barely drank her water, and I worried she might be truly nauseous. "Does something taste strange?"

"No, it's not that," I replied, making sure to smile. At least my healer's mask was good for enduring things like this. I dared not let anyone know how much I wanted to run back to the rooms. "I'm simply reminded of how little I like these sorts of things even in the best of circumstances."

"It would be nice if people stopped staring so much." She whimpered a little. "I'm taking advantage by purposely acting frail." Ah, then she must be feeling fine. I hoped. "But really, why are they staring so much?"

"Perhaps you've bewitched them with your beauty?"

"Alicia, be serious."

"I am. I would dare say if Sigurd was here, he'd be completely tongue-tied."

"You…" Though she did her best to muffle it, Deirdre still burst into giggles. Those closest to us openly stared, but it was easier to ignore when I was focused on Deirdre. "Well, maybe they're only staring because I'm next to you. If I'm bewitching, then you are charming."

"Now, now, there is no need to joke." Still, the conversation did make me feel better. "If they're staring so much at me, it must be due to my poor etiquette."

"Oh, goodness, I didn't even think of that. I've been following what Ethlyn taught me, but…"

"Calm down, and at least drink some water."

"Right, right…" She made a face, and I muffled a laugh. Across from us, Ayra looked at us in silent worry, but she relaxed when we smiled. "Ah, talking is making this easier to endure. So, what's another topic? Something fun or...?"

Before she could pick something to talk about, there was a sudden yelp from further down the table, and we all looked to see a nobleman seated near Clement had leapt to his feet, jumping around as if something clung to him. Almost immediately, he became the center of attention, with some asking what was wrong and others snidely commenting on the apparent lack of decorum and poise. A few even sighed at how an advisor of the duke should know better than to cause a scene, and that caught my interest more than anything. If the nobleman truly was someone close to Clement, then it certainly was convenient he'd done something to make his reputation fall. In fact, it was so convenient that I knew one of ours had something to do with it. But what? A quick glance under the table showed nothing unusual, and surely by now, someone would have mentioned something if the seat or food had been tampered with.

It was only when I focused on the nobleman and saw the ends of his hair, right at the collar, were wet that I thought to look up. After all, at the time of the scene, no one had been near to spill anything on the man, so the water had to come from above. So, I looked up, and I eventually spied a tuft of blonde hair peeking out from behind one of the support beams. Knowing what I did, I kept watching and soon, the owner of the blonde hair peered down curiously, proving to be exactly who I suspected: Dew. He happened to catch me watching and grinned before ducking away once again. Was... was this one of the pranks? Why would they...?

"Alicia, is something wrong?" Deirdre asked me, pulling my attention down once more. Based on the other guests, none of them had thought to look up yet. How had Dew managed it without...? You know what; I wasn't going to ask. "Alicia?"

"I'm simply marveling at how the castle of a high ranked lord could have a leak in the banquet hall," I replied, smiling serenely. I made sure my voice was loud enough to be heard, but not loud enough to seem like I was shouting. "You would think he'd inspected it himself before hosting anything. Maybe it is a good thing he's never invited us before."

"You think so?" She tilted her head, the graceful movement making the beads in her hair sparkle like diamonds. "Oh, but if he'd been in the middle of repairs, that would explain why he ignored us for so long." She smiled kindly, with only the barest hint of confusion. I'd tell her later this was Dew's fault. "I'd wondered if we'd somehow offended."

"Who is to say?" I shrugged and pointedly returned to my meal. As I did, I saw Ayra was also looking up and nudged her leg under the table to bring her attention back down. She frowned at me curiously before grinning, realizing I'd noticed the same thing she had. I wondered if Dew had waved at her too. "What do you think, Ayra? Do you think he ignored us because of leaks?"

"Even if he did, it was still poor manners to not inform us," Ayra answered airily, spearing a piece of meat on her fork before eating it. She was far too pleased about this. "But perhaps it's different here in Agustria."

"It could be," I agreed, more to play along than anything. We had a few people eavesdropping, after all. "We already know how different customs can be between countries. That's why we combined Verdanite and Grannvalian traditions for Deirdre's wedding, remember?"

"Oh, yes, that was interesting. Edain had so much fun plotting all of it."

So, our talk turned to Sigurd and Deirdre's wedding, much to her giggling embarrassment, and the clamor slowly died down until everyone resumed the meal with minimal ruckus. Surprisingly, there were no further incidents and before long, everyone had moved into an adjacent room for the 'entertainment' portion of the banquet. Apparently, all Agustrians banquets were divided like this, so everyone could give their full attention to the shows.

"Ah, Lady Deirdre, why don't you join me on the dais?" Clement offered as everyone settled into their seats. 'The dais', of course, was the raised platform at the very end, noticeably above everyone else. It notably already had two empty seats next to him, making it near impossible to refuse politely. "Lady Alicia can come with you, of course."

"You do me such an honor, Your Grace," Deirdre replied lightly, her smile as blinding as the noon day sun. She took my hand and made a show of carefully climbing up onto the dais and sitting in one of the empty chairs. I sat down next to her, hoping I appeared even half as graceful as she did, and Ayra very pointedly stood behind us despite technically not being invited up here. For a half of a second, I thought Clement might make a comment, but he backed off at her glare. It wasn't worth the potential fight, and Ayra would fight. "Might I ask what we will see?"

"There's no reason to spoil the surprise." He could just say he didn't know. It wouldn't surprise me if someone else had done the hiring. "Ah, but here is the first act."

The first act was... well, I was certain it was pretty. I highly doubted anyone hired to play at a noble's event would be anything but 'incredibly skilled'. But, to be frank, I barely heard any of it, and the rest of the acts blurred together in a haze because I found myself focusing on the gathered nobles. Almost all of them appeared to be enjoying themselves, with no one openly bored or irritated, but that wasn't my concern. I didn't care if they liked the show; I wondered what they thought of Clement. A few would glance at the dais, to gauge Clement's reactions and respond appropriately, but most seemed content to ignore him. Was it a sign of how little favor he had or were they simply that engrossed with the performances? Since we'd avoided Clement, we'd also avoided many of the higher ranked members of Clement's duchy, so that made it so much harder to read them. That… had been a mistake. Had the others focused on them or had they, too, ignored the nobility? What did they think?

While I was trying to figure it out, a duo stepped into the performance area, a young man dressed in blues and a young woman wearing surprisingly little clothing given the weather. The woman bowed to everyone, the bells on her scarf chiming as she started to dance, and the man sat down with a harp to begin playing. At first, I thought he was merely accompaniment for the woman's frankly stunning dance, but soon he began to sing and the very air brightened with the words.

It was beautiful, the song. But once I pushed past that thought, I realized it was more than that. After all, this song told a story. It told the story of a lion, noble and true, who ruled his lands and pride with just strength. But a maddened boar, jealous of the lion, tricked him into becoming lost in a dark, dank cave, far away from any who could help. Desperate, the lion roared and roared for someone to protect his lands and pride, for he could weather anything so long as they were alive and well. Moved by his plight, a shining star glimmered in the sky, guiding the lion safely through the darkness. Whenever the lion grew weary or hungry, the land itself surged to assist, providing soft ground for aching feet and fresh fruit for a gnawing stomach. So the lion endured, until at last he was free and supported by the fertile earth and shining star, he returned to his lands before the jealous boar could harm them.

The only way it could be more obvious what this was about was if the names had been used. Who was this bard, to so boldly sing this in the halls of Mackily, nominally neutral in the current conflict? I didn't know and I feared for them when I saw how tense the air became, how Clement slowly grew more and more rigid, how his personal knights shifted so they could draw their blades more easily. Yet, as I looked out over the crowd, I noticed something terribly interesting, the answer to my earlier musings. Only a handful of the nobles here seemed angered or worried by the song. Most of the others, a very clear majority, did not appear offended. In fact, some even found it amusing, based on their smiles and chortles. So, the song and dance continued, despite Clement's clear discontent. He could not make a move without disrupting the neutrality he declared. At least, that was what I thought.

Then I saw blood and all thoughts vanished. The dancer… her feet were bleeding.

"Hold a moment!" I surged to my feet and rushed down from the dais, catching the dancer when she wobbled. The stone floor was dotted with her blood. "You're hurt," I whispered, steadying her while trying to assess the damage. The bleeding was probably from blisters, but it looked like there was some swelling. Was it because of repetitive movement or had something torn? "Here, I'll take you to a side room so we can treat this."

"Typically, a guest is not the one who stops a performance," Clement suddenly noted. It took me a long second to actually look up at him, and I genuinely could not believe he said that. But, then again, the bard's song had clearly been mocking the current state of affairs. Perhaps he felt he'd lose authority if he didn't make a mention? "Is it truly such a problem they-?"

"I believe I told you this before, but I would ask you to not tell me how to do my job." It was such a shame he had to deal with me, who honestly couldn't care less about authority when someone was hurt. "She is bleeding. That is enough to stop the dance, as trying to continue would only lead to further injuries." I regarded him coolly, feeling like ice had replaced my blood. How could he not notice? She was barefoot. "Surely you are not saying your entertainment is more important than her health, Clement." Belatedly, I realized I probably should have called him by some sort of title, if only to be polite, but I didn't regret it. I didn't regret it, even when his eyes narrowed and his hands tightened on the arms of his chair.

But, before long, he made himself relax. "No, of course not." He smiled that same muggy smile he'd given us the day we'd arrive, the one with all the warmth of a humid summer's day. "I simply questioned the suddenness."

"Then you will not mind if I take my leave, so I may tend to her." I shifted so the dancer was behind me; she blinked at me curiously. "May you have a pleasant rest of the evening."

With that, I helped the dancer limp out of the hall and into a random room a few doors down with enough chairs for her to sit comfortably while I examined her feet and legs. Deirdre followed me out, of course. It would be too dangerous for her to stay, especially since I had to send Ayra off for my staff. I needed to check there were no stress fractures. As it was, though, she was not as injured as I feared. Yes, she was bleeding, either from popped blisters or places where her feet had been rubbed raw, but her only other injuries were the inflamed tendon on the back of her heel, a slight swelling of her ankles, and plantar fasciitis. Were these injuries common for dancers? It would make sense, given what little I knew of the art, but...

"Yikes, that looks so painful," Deirdre murmured, hovering over us anxiously. I knew she wanted to be near in case I needed another set of hands. "I'm amazed you were able to dance with your feet like that."

"Oh, this isn't abnormal," the dancer laughed off, even waving her hand. I noticed her eyes kept flicking to the door. "The floor here isn't suited for dancing, and... well..." She gestured to her bare feet. "Usually, I'd try to wear something protective on my toes." Did they fall apart? I imagined it would be difficult to find any that would hold up well while still being affordable. "That's all. It's easy to ignore."

"Just because it's easy to ignore doesn't mean the pain doesn't exist." She smiled at the dancer, a properly warm smile unlike the one she gave Clement before, and the dancer stared in return. "I know that from experience. But Ayra will be here soon with Alicia's staff and…" She trailed off as someone knocked on the door. "Oh, that must be her now. Come in!"

"Alicia, I'm here, and I've brought an unwanted tagalong." Ayra sounded terribly irritated as she opened the door, and her scowl was in very sharp contrast with the bright, beaming smile the bard wore as he followed her within. "Let me know if I need to throw him out," she continued, handing me my staff and bag. I immediately went to work, carefully examining the dancer's feet before making my slow way up. I didn't want to risk missing anything. "He tagged along after charming Clement."

"Now, now, all I did was convince him to let me stay on until the dance could be safely completed, since he paid for a song and dance," the bard dismissed, waving his hand. He then made sure to shut the door behind him. "Worked out better than I thought, really." All at once, he bowed, with a flourish. "It is an absolute pleasure to meet you, my dear ladies. I am Lewyn, a humble bard who is helping out Sigurd. My partner-in-crime here is Silvia, a dancer." Oh, this explained a lot. "And I really must thank you, Lady Alicia, for reacting exactly as Chulainn said you would."

"...Pardon?" I asked, distracted momentarily. Deirdre looked ready to giggle, while Ayra sighed and headed outside to stand guard. At least, I assumed that was why she left as quickly as she'd arrived. "What do you mean?"

"Silvia usually wraps her feet, but she purposely didn't this time because Chulainn said the second you saw blood, you'd intervene," Lewyn revealed easily. I stared for a very long moment. "From there, I would leverage us staying within the castle, so you had extra allies."

"Did he now?" I could only sigh and return to tending to Silvia. "Well, it seems we'll need to have a talk, later."

"Aw, don't be mad~" Silvia giggled, leaning down a little to smile at me. She had a kind smile, but there was a very slight stiffness to it. This was a cutesy smile she forced on like a mask, not something she genuinely felt. "I'm the one who suggested it, since there's soooo many rumors about you treating everyone. He just reluctantly confirmed it would work!" Strangely, this did not make me feel better.

However, I knew there was nothing I could say, especially since it was in the past, meaning I returned to my examination. So, I shifted my weight a little to tuck my legs under me and keep them from aching, and when I did, I noticed something very strange on Silvia's leg. It was a healing bruise, blotchy yellow, on the middle of her thigh, and both the size and shape made me think it was from a hand gripping very tightly. That would imply... something that I did not want to bring up when others could hear. So, I caught Deirdre's eye and subtly urged her to move back.

She tilted her head for a moment in confusion before nodding and smiling at Lewyn. "My pardon, Lewyn, but do you mind if we move to the corner so I can sit?" she requested, feigning bashfulness. "I want to hear about how everyone is doing, but I really need to sit down. This baby is intent on making me dizzy, just like their father."

"Oh, certainly, my lady," Lewyn agreed easily, offering her his arm. She took it with a light laugh and let him lead her away. "I'm always up for stories. They're such a great love of mine."

"Good, since I want to hear about everything!"

I waited for them to settle in the corner, chatting about this and that. Only when I was certain they were distracted did I look up at Silvia and ask, "would you like a full examination?"

"A full one?" she repeated, tilting her head. At first glance, she looked both surprised and innocent. "Why would I need that?" But I saw the hardness under the mask, the quiet bitterness.

"If you are uncomfortable with such, then would you like medicines for certain diseases as a precaution?"

"I don't need..." She trailed off and suddenly leaned down so she was face to face with me. "...No, this isn't pity, is it? I know pity well, and that's not what's in your eyes right now." This time when she tilted her head, I felt like she was seeing straight through me, right to my soul. "What burns in your eyes is concern and a desire to help. Nothing more, and nothing less." After a moment, she smiled faintly, a different one from before. It was a broken, yet shy, smile. "In that case, I wouldn't mind, later. I've been pretty lucky, and it's been a few months since I had to earn money like that. Lewyn and I make a good team."

"Your performance was beautiful." I smiled back, and tried to not think of how young she was. She looked to be around Tailtiu's age. "I'm saddened I couldn't see it in full."

"When we're back with the nice people, I'll happily dance for you."

"You should also tell us what you need to keep yourself from getting hurt." Satisfied with the initial examination, I took her feet to bandage them. "You're part of our strange group, after all. We look after one another."

"That so?" Her expression was curious, like she wanted to believe but dared not. I understood, though, so I didn't comment. "Well, we'll see. I do like you people, and I've always had good instincts. Wouldn't have survived this long otherwise." She carefully stretched her arms above her head, squeaking when something popped. "I am curious as to why you're not just using magic. Isn't that the solution to everything?"

"No, it very much isn't." I finished bandaging one foot and began bandaging the other. "Sometimes, time and rest are the best. This is particularly true for repetitive strain injuries, like what your feet are currently experiencing." I tied off the bandage and looked up to smile at her. "How is that? Are the bandages too tight?"

"Noooo?" She drew the word out as she flexed her foot and rotated her ankles. "No, they feel secure, but not tight." She hopped to her feet and I stood up. "Though, there's not as much pain as I expected?"

"I put a topical pain relief on your feet, in addition to the disinfectant."

"Oh, that makes sense. I thought it would've made my feet feel more numb, but this is nice." She nodded a few times before waving to Lewyn and Deirdre. "Lewyn, we're done~!"

"That was faster than I thought," Lewyn replied, standing to face us. He remained by Deirdre's chair, though, likely so she could continue sitting. "How is she?"

"She's…" I began, wondering why he was asking me. But Silvia was also looking at me curiously, so I decided to simply let it go for now. "Silvia should rest at least a few days, since she's showing signs of inflammation." Without thinking, I ruffled her hair, and she immediately perked up at the gesture. "It's not a surprise. Repetitive motions cause a great deal of stress."

"We should play it up further for sympathy, and to make it easier for me to negotiate staying even longer."

"I must admit; I'm surprised he let you stay at all with that song."

"What? It's just a simple lion!" He widened his eyes innocently, and snickered when it became clear neither Deirdre nor I believed him. "Being clearly foreign means I can plead plausible deniability." Now that he mentioned it, he did have a minor accent different from the Agustrians. I wondered where he was from. "Normally, I'd try to be more subtle, but I wrote it in a hurry. Chulainn mentioned you all haven't been able to work too hard on winning the nobility over, so this was the perfect chance to see where they stood. And it worked better than I thought, given what he told me."

"You weren't expecting so many to be neutral."

"No, I expected an even split between neutral and against. Clement couldn't maintain his opportunistic neutrality if his nobles weren't of the same mind. I thought most would be annoyed at me reminding them of the current conflict, while the rest were still waiting to see where the wind blew." Lewyn's expression grew dark. "But it seems the rumors have reached their ears, and they've decided showing open favor to Chagall or Clement would only be detrimental. Worse, Clement knows it." Indeed, he had to have noticed their reaction. He may be stupid enough to pull a trick like this, but he wasn't blind. "I think he's going to buckle sooner rather than later." Then the question became 'how?' and I had a bad feeling it was not going to be pretty. "Best to brace for the storm."

This was going to implode, wasn't it? I wanted to go back to my infirmary and never deal with anything like this again.

---

A few days later, rumors of what occurred in Anphony filled the halls. No one would talk of anything else. After all, a lord of Agustria sullied his honor to work alongside bandits, all for the purpose of filling his already glutted coffers and squeezing his people dry. Worse still, this lord had repeated his previous crime, showing a complete lack of repentance. It would be easy for the people to turn against the late King Imuka for giving him a second chance, but 'somehow' the blame fell solely on Chagall.

"I have to say that I expected more people to be annoyed, but King Imuka's good reputation is saving him now," Lewyn commented, sprawling out on the couch. This sort of report became our usual after Lewyn and Silvia were hired. Silvia feigned her legs were still hurt, giving her the perfect excuse to linger in our rooms, and Lewyn would come in the afternoon under the guise of performing for us. "So, instead of the people grumbling about their king giving such a vile lord a second chance, they growl about the lord who wasted the chance their king so kindly gifted."

"Is that only what the servants say or are the nobles saying the same, Lewyn?" Deirdre asked, nursing her tea. Lewyn played nightly for Clement in exchange for staying 'until Silvia was healed' and used the sessions as a means of assessing the nobility and where they stood. "Did you need to nudge them?"

"Most of them agree that committing the same crime twice was nothing but stupidity." He made a face. "You know; if you all attended, you could learn for yourself."

"Aw, but Lewyn, I'm so terribly ill from my pregnancy." She smiled innocently, and Lewyn sighed. "Or, rather, attempting to eat in such a situation was nearly enough to make me vomit even without my nausea, and I hate throwing up. And I'd rather Clement not be anywhere near Alicia after she rather blatantly challenged him."

"Oh, right, that was..." Lewyn twisted so he could look at me where I was preparing some of Deirdre's medicines at the desk while Silvia watched in rapt fascination. I wished she'd sit properly instead of perching on the chair, if only so she wouldn't strain her feet, but I'd noticed she never sat 'properly'. "I was warned you'd do something like that, and still can't believe you talked back. You're a hostage."

"Honored guest."

"Honored guest of a hostage."

"What does the gossip say about the incident?" I asked in return, far more focused on my measurements than anything. It wasn't like I could take it back. "Is there anything of note?"

"They're very impressed you noticed the blood so quickly, say you are as devoted to your calling as you are beautiful, and many took note of how you were perfectly calm and poised, yet so frozen with him," Lewyn listed off easily. I had to fight off a wince at the last one. A healer really should be calm at all times. "Makes people wonder just what he had to have done to gain your ire. Most think it was him trying to posture while someone was injured, since it would suit your dutiful nature, but a few wonder if there's more to it."

"I imagine those 'few' are actually ours pressing open wounds to bleed Clement's reputation further."

"That... that is a mental image right there."

"Regardless, I don't want Clement near Alicia, so we're hiding," Deirdre said, firmly ending the conversation. "Besides, it's not as if we're completely isolated." Indeed, right now, Ayra was actually at the training yards to spar. Ulysses would likely escort her back and 'conveniently' tell us about how the knights were reacting to the current rumors. "So, let's switch to the most popular topic of the day!"

"Aw, but you, Alicia, and Ayra are popular topics in the gossip," Silvia teased, twisting to grin at her. She continued sitting with her feet in the chair and her arms resting on her knees. Was she so certain she'd have to spring to her feet in a hurry? "Very popular. It's so strange meeting you in person after hearing so much."

"For some reason, that fills me with dread." Deirdre whimpered a little before sipping her tea. "Ugh... I miss my tea mix."

"Tea mix?"

"Alicia makes tea mixes for everyone!" It was 'everyone I cared about', but otherwise, she was right. This reminded me, though. I needed to adapt hers for her pregnancy once we returned; I'd work on it while I made up the mixes for Edain and the boys. "They're the best. Ethlyn nearly panicked when she couldn't find her tin while packing." I highly doubt that was the case; I could have easily made her up a new tin if she'd lost it. "Ah, but I am distracted. Anphony?"

"There's really not much to say besides what you already know, though," Lewyn sighed, appearing nonchalant. But I caught the split-second flit of unease in his eyes. "There were just a lot of bandits, a great deal of fire, and blood spewing everywhere." He shrugged it off like it was nothing. "Initially, Silvia and I worked together to deal with them. She'd distract and I'd blast them with wind. Managed to save a couple of the villages, barely. Didn't you get a couple of pretty bangles from one, Silvia?"

"I did," Silvia confirmed with a giggle and a smile. But the smile was stiff and discomfort lingered in it. "Sadly, they don't suit dancing, but they're still super pretty." She adjusted her feet under her, still perched. "Anyway, we worked like that to buy time for evacuations until we somehow managed to run into Sigurd."

"Which was a very interesting meeting indeed. Truthfully, when I first heard about him, I thought he was yet another warmonger." I suppose most would without proper context of what was going on. "Confronted him about it, even. His response was... I honestly didn't think someone with noble blood could be so pure." He chuckled, and smiled so sadly. "The people in the villages cheered when they learned he was near. They remembered how Lord Eldigan had saved them before, and knew Lord Sigurd was his dear, cherished friend. They felt safer with a foreign noble than they did with their own lord." He sighed and tilted his head back, staring unseeing at the ceiling. "What a messed up world we live in. And here's a crazy fool risking his life for a country that isn't even his, just because it's his friend's home and the people need help."

"Of course," I replied without thinking. Both Lewyn and Silvia stared at me in surprise; Deirdre giggled. "Sigurd wants to protect everyone. Why should it matter if they're strangers from another country?"

"That's impossible," Lewyn pointed out bluntly. He even sounded bitter. "That's absolutely impossible."

"So?" I met his gaze calmly, and his eyes widened in further surprise. "That is no excuse to not strive for it anyway. It is better to try and fail than to simply give up. You will save no one by simply running away." He winced slightly then, and I wondered why. "That's how I feel, at least." Yet Lewyn did not seem inclined to reply, so an awkward silence fell, stretching on and on.

That is, it did until Silvia broke it. "Well, at least you had a serious conversation with him," she complained, sighing gustily. Lewyn immediately looked exasperated. "He was just a boring stick in the mud for me."

"That would be because you went rambling about being a flower on the battlefield," Lewyn revealed, words dry enough to spark flame. Deirdre and I exchanged a 'did we just hear that?' look. "What did you expect?"

"Well, what sort of idiot looks at something this hot and treats them like a child? I mean; what child has these?" She puffed out her chest proudly, and all I could think was Sigurd must've felt so awkward about the whole conversation if she truly brought up her breast size. "Had a much better conversation with his knight."

"You two kept flirting."

"It was fun~!"

"I see you met Sir Alec," Deirdre deadpanned, sipping her tea. It sparked a laugh out of Silvia, and a groan from Lewyn. "He flirts with everyone. Though, he finally stopped with Alicia."

"He flirted with me?" I asked, genuinely confused. When did that happen? "I think you're misremembering."

"No, no, he definitely tried. Multiple times. He even brought you flowers."

"He did?" I tried to recall such a thing; Deirdre had to actually set down her tea and snatch a pillow to muffle her giggles. "Oh, there was the time he brought some to my infirmary while I was teaching Finn and Oifey."

"And you completely ignored it for books."

"I was trying to look them up. Why would someone bring me plants if they weren't medicinal?" Ah, there was no point in continuing this topic. "Regardless, Lewyn, how did Clement seem? You never reported on him."

"Subtle."

"It's not meant to be. You just think you're right, and I think you're exaggerating, so we'll agree to disagree."

"This is what I meant by-"

"Deirdre."

"Fine, fine."

"Safe to speak?" Lewyn asked, glancing between us. I returned to my medicine making while Deirdre smiled brightly. "Taking that as a yes. Anyway, Clement seemed fine during the performance, but I've heard he's been jumping at shadows recently. Complaining of noises that no one else hears or sharp objects hiding in his drawers that no one can seem to find. Also apparently keeps insisting there's something rotting in his room, but no one can find anything." He grinned, eyes dancing in quiet laughter. I, however, couldn't find anything amusing about it. "What terrible hallucinations the man must be experiencing."

"Since there's no history of it, it might be caused by an illness or drugs," I murmured, trying to think of the most likely cause. Had he suffered a head injury recently? I hadn't heard of anything, but then again, they might keep such a thing quiet. "If he's delirious, then..."

"Or he is actually experiencing it, but someone very quick and crafty is cleaning things up before others can notice." ...Oh. Oh, this was the result of Dew and Quan's pranks. "Either way, word is spreading of their lord's sudden psychosis."

"I see." Yet it still settled poorly on me. "Perhaps I should offer to give him a checkup."

"Er..." Lewyn blinked a few times at me. Deirdre was back to grinning, and returned to her tea. "Alicia?"

"Yes?"

"He's your captor."

"Yes."

"So, why offer the examination?"

"Well, you're implying it's only due to pranks, but I can't help but worry."

"But he's your captor."

"And?"

"...That's it. I'm writing a song in your honor." He suddenly grinned and I stared blankly as I tried to figure out how he came to that conclusion. "As Silvia mentioned, you're a fascination to most gossips, so I should make good money with it."

"Did you take a head injury while playing today?"

"Why would I be injured? Do you think they would've thrown things at me!" He playfully acted hurt, still grinning. "No, I just know how fickle muses are. And perhaps a song might drown some of those other, definitely false, rumors."

"They haven't quieted yet." I saw Deirdre open her mouth to ask, but I shook my head. I didn't want to get into it.

"The best way to quiet a rumor is with more rumors that drown it out." He leapt to his feet. "I should find some paper. It'll need to reference red roses, of course. Fire. Oh, perhaps an eiclia as well?"

"Eiclia?" I frowned, trying to think of why I knew that word. "That's an alchemical stabilizer and amplifier used in Velthomer and Belhalla medicines, isn't it? Though, I've read it was only used for emergencies." While it was very potent, it was also terribly rare and expensive. To my frustration, I couldn't remember why.

"I… have absolutely no idea?" He stopped his search for paper for a brief moment, just long enough to give me the most 'how did you remember that off the top of your head?' look I'd ever seen. "It's a flower native to Silesse, often called the 'Fire's Rose' because of how it thrives even in the snow and resembles roses." Oh, so that was why it was rare, then. "Anyway, paper... paper..."

Deirdre kindly showed him where she kept spare paper, and then sat down next to him to eagerly offer suggestions and insights. I thought they both might be a little mad, but I realized this was an opportunity. So, I waited until I judged the two were firmly distracted.

Only then did I focus on Silvia and whisper, "so, I couldn't help but notice you two never mentioned Macbeth's fate." I studied her reaction, and saw how she tensed. "But when Chulainn was here, he spoke of him in the past tense." The unease returned to her eyes, stronger than before. "Might I ask how he died? I know Sigurd and Quan would've preferred capturing him."

"They tried," she answered softly, wrapping her arms around her legs and half-hiding behind her knees. But her eyes met mine without fear or hesitation. She was uncomfortable, but not afraid. "He ran, though. Macbeth, I mean. When it became clear he would lose, he ran. He ran straight for the villages he ruined, where they were still struggling to bury all the bodies fouling up the streets." She shuddered. "So, they killed him. They beat him to death and by the time the mob's anger finally died, you could barely tell the corpse had once been a person."

"I see." Some might say he had it coming, but all I could think was how miserable and slow of a death it would've had to have been. If he'd been lucky, then perhaps some of the first hits knocked him unconscious. "That will make things more complicated later." Then again, that described everything since we first left Evans. Just what was going on? "Silvia?"

"Hmm?"

"Since you're watching so closely, do you want to learn?" I smiled and forced the uneasy thoughts away. It was simple; I had practice. "I don't mind teaching."

"Oh?" She pointed to herself. "Even to someone like me?"

"What do you mean?" Well, now I was confused. "If you want to learn, then you should have that opportunity." Oh, wait, was it like with Dew? "Do you not know how to read or write? I can teach you that too."

"I know a little, though it's been ages since I've written anything." She blinked a few times, before smiling that shy and broken smile from before. "I wouldn't mind some refreshers, though. Are you really sure you won't mind teaching me?"

"I would be delighted." I forced all the sincerity I had into the words. "I've found I like teaching."

"Then… yeah, I wouldn't mind learning. What are you even making?"

"It's nausea medicine for Deirdre." Deirdre's nausea was worsening with each week, and so I anticipated she'd need more since she was approaching her third month. "These herbs are specifically selected to be safe for a pregnant woman and the fetus."

"Is this why the prenatal medicines are more expensive than the normal? I've noticed that in the past."

"It is exactly why."

Thus began my first lesson with Silvia, explaining both the herbs I was using and the ones I would usually use. She listened attentively, asking questions about similar herbs she'd heard of in the past, and it wasn't long before she was smiling brightly, clearly having fun. I hoped she'd take the offer; it was fun, teaching her.

---

"Oh my, Penelope was right! The gardens are lovely!" Though Deirdre intended to keep on hiding, there was only so much she could take before she grew tired of the rooms and needed to walk around. While originally we thought to head to the training yards to watch the knights, Penelope actually suggested we head to the gardens for a change of pace. "Oh, what are all these flowers called?" Deirdre continued, smiling brightly at all the colors. She held my hand as we walked, while Ayra stayed on my other side. I certainly ended up in the middle of trios a lot. "Alicia?"

"We're walking by irises," I answered, barely paying attention. I was busy marveling at how cool the air was. Before long, the leaves would be changing color. "We should acquire some of their dried roots. I've read they're used to help babies with their teething."

"You would think of medicines."

"That's how I know most of plants. Irises and their roots are also used for perfumes and alcohol."

"Wait, alcohol?"

"I think so? I don't know much about it, since I refuse to drink, but I believe that's what my books say."

"It can't be that much of a leap," Ayra added, not bothering to hide her snickering. To be fair, Deirdre's surprise was pretty amusing. "Flowers are used to flavor many things, so why not alcohol? From my understanding, it's a very popular trend in Silesse. Though, they're most famous for their ice wine."

"Their ice wine?" Deirdre repeated, eyes going wide. I had to muffle a laugh. "How is... ice is just water! How can it become wine?"

"Something about them pressing frozen grapes? I never paid attention. I only know it's very sweet, very good, and very expensive." She shrugged. "Silesse doesn't do a lot of trading outside its borders. It's pretty isolated, sharing a border with Isaach and the Aed, and it's only port is frozen half the time. The way they keep their peace is by not getting involved with anything."

"So, like Clement?"

"From what I understand, they're aware it's a selfish view of things. But that is how they hold up the peaceful tenants of the Crusader-King Ced and Forseti of Wind. As a result, they also rarely let outsiders know of their internal turmoils, as they do not expect help when they so rarely give it." Ayra tapped her cheek, thinking. "Oh, I know a good example. About three years ago, their king suddenly passed away, but Father only learned last year."

"How did they keep the death of their king quiet? Why?"

"Not sure. It was a private message from Queen Lahna, and Father never told me more." She sighed. "He was like that, always keeping secrets. Oftentimes, Marricle would have to tell me what was going on." If I remembered correctly, he'd done that even with her best friend's death. "Stubborn old man."

"My, I never would've guessed he was stubborn, given how you are."

"He was worse."

"Uh-huh."

"I swear it."

"Of course."

"You...!" Ayra playfully mimed trying to attack, and Deirdre ducked behind me with a giggle. "Sure, hide behind the healer."

"You're both terribly silly sometimes," I teased, muffling a laugh. The two of them joined in with their own laughter before long. "How did we even-?"

"My, I was wondering about the noise." Clement's muggy voice made all three of us stiffen, but I, at least, managed to hide behind my healer-mask before he stepped around the corner, flanked by his personal knights. "It has been a while, my ladies," he greeted, bowing his head slightly. I noticed how his knights had their hands on their weapons, as usual, and he didn't actually look surprised to see us. Was this truly a coincidence or had he been waiting? "I am surprised to see you out and about with your poor health, Lady Deirdre."

"We thought we'd see if some fresh air and exercise might ease her symptoms," I answered, ensuring I was as serene as ever. His eyes narrowed very slightly; I had a feeling he didn't like me very much. "However, we can take our leave if we're disturbing you." I studied him closely, and noticed he was pale, and there were distinct bags under his eyes. Penelope had mentioned Clement hadn't been sleeping well recently due to 'noises'. "Forgive me, but you look as if you could use the rest. Would you like medicine to help you sleep?" Perhaps it was mean to offer when I was relatively certain the 'noises' were part of Dew's pranks, but...

"No, but I thank you for the concern. I was just heading to the eastern gardens, where my late wife enjoyed relaxing." His smile was polite enough, but I didn't like the glint in his eyes. "Why don't you join me?"

"...We would be delighted," Deirdre lied, forcing a smile. Her grip on my mind tightened ever-so-slightly, hinting she didn't like this anymore than I did. But, at the same time, we couldn't keep avoiding him. "But are you certain? It must hold a special meaning to you."

"It does, but she always did enjoy sharing it with others," he explained, softening. I didn't think he was lying about this, at least. "Please, follow me."

Carefully and slowly, we followed Clement and his knights out of the main gardens and into an area closed off by iron fencing. Within were the 'eastern gardens' and I had to admit, they were very pretty. I would've thought they'd have the same sort of flowers as the main, since they grew in the same sort of climate, but I couldn't find a single one that matched as we walked through. In truth, they reminded me of the gardens in Velthomer; it even had a gazebo in the center, one with vines growing up the sides to help it blend in with the surroundings. If not for the large fountain with startlingly clear water nearby, I might have even wondered if I'd somehow been warped back there. I… actually liked it and, in any other circumstances, I would've enjoyed walking through.

However, I could not shake how uneasy I felt, and so, I kept an eye on Clement even as I pretended to be entranced by the flowers. It was easier than I'd expect. Clement didn't seem inclined on leading us anywhere specific in the gardens and let us wander as we pleased while he lingered by some of the flowers. In fact, enough time passed that I wondered if I'd misjudged him. Certainly Deirdre and Ayra lost some of their suspicions, since they weren't as inclined to stay grouped together. Not even his knights bothered us, but remained at attention by the gazebo.

But that was when I saw Clement pull a staff out from the bushes, and I knew we'd been right. The staff's presence was already strange, but given what both Cassian and Larisa had warned, I had a feeling I knew exactly what it was.

"My, that's an unusual staff," I called, turning to face him. He stilled, as if surprised he was already caught. "I don't think I've seen it before. Is it Sleep, by chance?"

"An… interesting guess," Clement replied slowly, bringing the staff down and to his side. He was trying to hide the gem, and the glow of its use. "What makes you think it's that?"

"Well, I heard you have one." I smiled calmly, even as I noticed the two knights were settling into stances. "I must admit I'm curious as to what pretty story you've concocted. Will we be tragic victims of random assassins who managed to infiltrate through your security? Will you leave us to the whims of fate? Will you move us to a prison and tell everyone we left abruptly?" The more I thought, the more ice slid through my veins. He... he really was a fool. "Do you truly think you can bury your falling favor beneath our corpses?" Despite his efforts, I caught the glow of the staff, and my smile grew cold. "You do know that the Sleep staff will only work if your magical power is greater than the target's resistance to magic, right?"

"Please do not tell me how to use my own staff, my lady." If this was his attempt at mockery, he really should take lessons. "Resistance to magic isn't exactly a common thing, so even someone of middling strength can-"

"I've also heard it's less effective against those with Holy Blood." I was lying. I'd never heard or read of such a thing. As far as I knew, the Sleep staff should be just as effective, and only the bloods which granted a blessing to resistance would be immune. But I didn't need to tell the truth. I just needed him to believe me, if only for a second. I needed him distracted, only for a second.

After all, Ayra only needed a second to kick him into the fountain.

"Knew he was planning something," Ayra growled, standing protectively in front of me. Deirdre quickly came to my side and shakily took my hand, squeezing tight enough to hurt. "Damn that I forgot my blade." To be fair, given everything, none of us expected him to make a direct attack after so long. "Alicia... oh, hold up." One of the two knights tried to attack us, but Ayra twisted and landed a kick right on their shoulder, forcing them to drop their weapon. "Can I borrow your dagger?"

"Will it be enough?" I asked, even as I popped it out of the sheathe and handed it to her. The knight who didn't attack us was helping Clement out, but... "We could just run."

"I have to slow at least these two down." She casually tossed the dagger, nodding to herself. "Oh, this has a nice weight. Prince Kurth has good taste in weapons."

"I'll tell him you said that." But it was clear we did need to run, if only so Clement would focus on us and not try to use the Sleep staff on Ayra. If she fell asleep with those two knights here... "Deirdre?"

"Yes?" Deirdre responded, still holding me tightly. She brought her other hand as if to cast a spell, but paused when I shook my head. "I can blast them, easily."

"Yes, I know, but..." I began, trying to quickly put my thoughts in order. It had to be quick; Clement was out of the fountain. This entire situation was bad; it would turn into our word versus his. So, we needed our word to reach people's ears first. ...No, it didn't need to be 'people'. It needed to only be... "Do you trust me?"

"Always." She answered without hesitation, without the slightest bit of fear. "What do I need to do?"

"Keep up." And I whirled to run as fast as I could to the training yards, dragging her with me.

If there was one thing I had learned while being trapped here in Mackily, it was that the knights always trained at the same time, every day. In the mornings, they always had their equestrian lessons and they would always gather afterwards to chat and relax before doing their morning training exercises at the yard. So, right now, unless more time had passed than I thought, they should be in that 'in-between' time. More importantly, though, was that Lykos always stayed with his knights during that 'in-between', giving advice and listening to any complaints or worries. Always.

So, we ran. We ran and ran and ran, as fast as our legs could move. There was the sound of someone scrambling and shouting behind us, but I didn't look. I didn't dare. All of my focus was forward and hoping I was right, hoping this would somehow pay off.

To my surprise, it did. They were not exactly where I thought they'd be, already up at the sparring area, but they were still chatting and resting. So, it was fine. Even if Clement was following us as I feared, it didn't matter. We had a head start, so all we had to do was reach...!

"Lady Alicia?! Lady Deirdre?!" All we had to do was reach them, and thankfully, Alexius caught sight of us as we came up the stairs. Even better, he ran to meet us as soon as he did. "What's going on?" he asked, steadying us as we struggled to regain our breath. Quiet as a shadow, Ulysses came over to escort Deirdre to a nearby bench to sit and recover. "Why are you...?"

"I... Clement..." I gasped out, struggling for my words. I hated running. I hated running so, so much. "He..."

"Lord Clement? What did he...?" He trailed off with a frown, shaking his head and taking my arm to lead me to Deirdre's bench "No, you two should... ah, Captain!"

"What is going on?" Lykos asked, joining us with a frown. There was a commotion on the stairs; I wondered if it was Clement. "No, never mind. Someone fetch them some water while they catch their breath and-"

"LYKOS!" Ah, so it was Clement making such a ruckus. I glanced at him over my shoulder, and took note of how much of a mess he looked. Haggard and worn, he was still soaking wet and was barely clinging to his Sleep staff. "Detain those two at once!" he ordered with a snarl. Lykos paused at the words, his frown deepening in confusion. But I thought it telling that Alexius's response was to immediately shield me from Clement, and a quick look showed Ulysses had done the same for Deirdre.

"Detain them?" Lykos repeated, his expression smoothing out for calm observance. He stepped forward and held out his arm protectively in front of Alexius and me. "On what charges?"

"They're escaping!"

"...Escaping?" Lykos never raised his voice, barely even emphasized the word, but the way Clement rapidly paled screamed everything. I'd made the right decision, running here. "I thought they were honored guests, my lord. So what, pray tell, could they be escaping from? Under what sort of circumstances would it be acceptable for honored guests to be chased by a waterlogged lord, carrying a staff which is only used for offensive purposes?"

"Th... they attacked me!" So, he was going to go with this tactic, after all. "While resting in my wife's gardens, they-"

"Is that so?" Lykos regarded his lord calmly, but I noticed many of his knights were glaring. "That is quite strange. Why would they attack you? They have been here for some time, yet never once have ever sought out your company. To say nothing of how no one can enter the eastern gardens without your permission." He looked over his shoulder at me. "Lady Alicia? Do you have a reason to attack him?"

"Well, I cannot deny Ayra kicked him into the fountain," I answered, glad my voice was mostly even. I could only hope I looked less of a mess than Clement did. "He invited us to see the gardens, but while we were there, he tried to use the Sleep staff on us. I don't know why." It wasn't a lie. I had no idea why he attacked us right then. "Then his personal knights attacked. Deirdre and I ran so Ayra had less to worry about, but it seems he chased after us."

"How dare you accuse me?!" Clement roared, trying to reach me. But Lykos stood in the way, as did Alexius. "After bringing you in!"

"You mean after you refused to let us leave?" I kept my voice soft, but I was still heard easily. Everyone had gone silent. "You sent a message to Nordion, stating you wished to talk with Deirdre, but denied her an escort from Grannvale or Verdane. Then when we arrived, you told us we would not be allowed to leave until you spoke with Sigurd."

"Lies! Slander!"

"Perhaps, but such things will become clear after an investigation," Lykos commented lightly, as if the words weren't important at all. But Clement froze, knowing this was the worst possible thing for him. After all, circumstantial evidence would add more weight to my words than his. But it was decisive evidence we needed, and I had that now. "So, for now..."

"Wait, Lykos," I requested, still speaking softly. Speaking softly provided a clear contrast to Clement, after all. "Why don't you check the staff?" I pointed to it, and ignored Clement's fierce glare. He did not frighten me. "As I said, he attempted to use it. I do not have much experience with offensive staves, so I could be mistaken, but there should still be residual magic."

"Ah, I believe I've heard something similar before." Lykos stepped forward then, and held out his hand. "The staff will need to be confiscated for investigative purposes anyway, so Lord Clement, if you would?"

He would not. No, Clement decided to make things even harder for himself, and easier for us, and whirled to try and run. At least, that's what it looked like, but he immediately changed direction to try and attack Deirdre, still seated on the bench. Ulysses, however, intercepted him, shoving him back and before Clement could recover, a surprisingly powerful wind spell came roaring through the yard. The air practically sang as it tore into his arm and sent the Sleep staff flying. What was…?

"Oh, my apologies, I thought I saw a vagabond attacking." Lewyn's easy tone drew everyone's attention, and we saw him gracefully step out of the castle and into the sparring area, Silvia bouncing at his side. "But, strangely, it seems the vagabond who was screaming and chasing the ladies is the lord of the castle," he continued lightly, feigning confusion. "Is this usual for Agustria?"

Someone probably replied. I highly doubted anyone would be silent at such a question. But I saw blood pouring down Clement's arm as he collapsed to his knees, and all my focus went to him. So, without thinking, I stepped around Alexius and pushed past Lykos to kneel beside him and see what I could do to treat the injury. But...

"ALICIA!" But the second I tried, Clement drew a knife. I didn't know from where; by my eyes, it appeared from thin air. He swung wildly, catching my cheek, and I jerked back from the pain, one hand going up to stem the bleeding as I tried to figure out how to avoid a second strike.

I didn't have to. Before Clement could swing again, Lykos drew his sword. With all the ease of breathing, he sliced the tendons in Clement's arm to force him to drop the dagger and then held his blade to Clement's throat. "By my authority as Captain, I remove you from your position, Clement of Mackily," he declared softly, his tone barely above 'conversational'. But Clement's wide eyes screamed how he knew there was no escaping this. "It seems I should have been investigating you more thoroughly than I have been."

"Alicia!" That was when Deirdre screamed again, this time right in my ear as she wrapped her arms around me tightly. "Are you alright? Is there any burning?" she asked, on the edge of tears. I smiled and used my free hand to pat her arm reassuringly. "There's so much blood!"

"Deirdre, head and facial wounds tend to bleed a lot," I informed her, defaulting to my normal calm. Someone needed to be. "I'll need to check for poisons, but I think I'm all right." Movement caught my eye, and I saw Ulysses and Alexius were binding up Clement's hands. He didn't even try to fight back. "Few would poison a hidden weapon lest they cut themselves on it by accident."

"But...!"

"I'm fine." Should I try to make a joke? "It's not worse than being shot in the leg."

"That's not making me feel better!" Well, that was a failure. Let it never be said I had a sense of humor. "Actually, it's worse because I'm remembering how you're good at taking care of everyone but yourself!" Oh dear...

"Here, press this against it." Salvation came in the form of Silvia, who held out a handkerchief. "You need pressure to stem the bleeding, right?" she asked, crouching next to us when I took the handkerchief and held it to my cut. "Why does that work, anyway?"

"It slows the blood flow and gives it time to start clotting," I answered, leaning against Deirdre. She kept clinging to me, but thankfully, she held back the threatened tears. "At least, that is what I was taught."

"Huh. Interesting." She tilted her head to the side, but straightened when Lykos came over with his still bloody sword. "Hello, Mister Captain!"

"Good day, Miss Dancer," Lykos replied, smiling faintly. Sadly, the smile faded as he knelt in front of Deirdre and me. "My pardon, my ladies, but would it be possible for me to send a messenger to Lord Sigurd?"

"Of course," Deirdre replied, her voice wobbling. She still held onto me tightly. "He'd be more than happy to."

"Thank you."

He stood back up and returned to Clement, checking the bindings personally before letting Alexius and Ulysses drag him off. Watching how lifeless he looked in their hold, I could only pity him. Exhausted by everything, desperate to regain some sort of control, he'd snapped and tried for his original plan, but he'd done so too late. Now, he would reap what he tried to sow, and few would ever learn just why in less than two months, the proud lord of Mackily, known for his neutrality, was reduced to an exhausted wreck.

It honestly might've been a greater mercy to kill him.

---

Two days later, Mackily welcomed Sigurd and his forces with open arms and Sigurd moved into the villa of an absent noble. He'd been invited to stay in the castle, of course, but he'd refused. He didn't like the implications and, technically, it had been a prison for Deirdre, Ayra, and me. The three of us, of course, moved to the villa as soon as possible, along with Penelope, surprisingly. Larisa apparently insisted, saying ladies should have proper maids. Ulysses and Alexius joined us as guards, on Lykos's orders, as a means of showing our presence was approved by the current ruling body.

About three days after that, Sigurd invited me to tea, both to relax and to hear what all happened directly from me. Apparently, everyone kept adding too much commentary for him to make sense of everything. I thought it was more 'nothing about this made sense', but I'd humor him.

"So, that's what happened..." he sighed once I finished the tale. I poured him some more tea and nursed my own; we were drinking his personal mix. "At least, that's what you know inside the castle."

"Yes, I fear I know very little about what happened beyond the castle's walls," I confirmed, fiddling with the handle of my teacup. The room was pretty, simply decorated with calming colors. I wished the table wasn't set up so close to the window, though. It made it harder to ignore what was going on outside. "It seems you must suffer through commentary for that."

"It would be better if half of it wasn't 'Chulainn is terrifying'." He grumbled a few curses under his breath, before forcing himself to relax. "I fear Quan is already plotting what 'masterpieces' he, Deirdre, and Chulainn can come up with. But..." He sipped his tea, mulling over his words. "Given he's never shown an interest before now, I'm not certain Chulainn would put in this amount of effort in a different situation."

"He might if you ordered it." I smiled faintly, thinking of what Chulainn had said in the past. "But you would never, and you're the employer, not Quan."

"And competency does not imply comfort, so I will gladly serve as that shield, should he want it." And he would make sure Chulainn was well aware of it later. "I think my favorite part about all of this is how you discovered your feelings from a book."

"I didn't tell you that."

"No, but Deirdre did."

"Of course she did." I couldn't quite fight off the urge to sigh, so I masked it by drinking more tea. "Was it before or after confirming she's pregnant?"

"After." He fell silent, and I did not know how t reply. "I won't tell you what to do with them. They're your feelings, and we can both admit I am very… unconventional." That was certainly one way to put it. "But I will remind you that you deserve to be happy. You can be greedy for it." Yes, but… "You are not Victor of Velthomer. You are not Sunna, Cigyun's lady-in-waiting. You are Alicia, the Red Rose Healer of my forces." His smile was filled with all the kindness and sincerity in the world. "You are too used to making yourself small. But I'd like to think this is a garden where you can dig your roots deep and flourish."

"You know how much I dislike that epithet." But I had to smile, because I knew why he said it. Yes, I may dislike it, but it was something unique to me. It was something which did not tie me to my parents. It served to emphasize what he was saying; I was not my parents, so I should not let their vices bind me. "I'll tell you the same thing I told her. I'll think about it."

"Of course. And if you decide such a thing will not lead to happiness, I'll support you."

"...Thank you." Honestly, hearing that was a relief. It felt like everyone thought confessing was the 'thing to do', but what if I didn't want to? It made me feel wrong. "I appreciate it, Sigurd."

"And don't overthink the confession if that's what you choose. Sometimes, you should just be blunt and honest."

"Are we certain you're the one who should be giving advice?"

"Er..." He coughed awkwardly; I muffled a laugh. "Look, it's good advice! Even if the source is suspect."

I thought about replying, if only to try and tease him. But a wave of cheers made me stiffen instead and, unbidden, I looked outside at the gathered crowd, writhing in glee around a stage. In the center, Clement knelt by a block, hands tightly bound as he was forced down so his head rested on said block. On either side stood knights, their blades out and at the ready for the execution. That's what this was, after all: Clement's execution.

Lykos conducted an investigation, just as he said he would. As one could expect, it didn't actually turn up much. Clement's crimes were limited only to ignoring the plight of other duchies, and taking the three of us hostage. But when combined with the rumors, and Cassian's testimony of the full plan, his crimes were elevated into something the people refused to tolerate.

"Mob mentality is truly a frightful thing," I whispered, staring at them. Just two months ago, these people were, at worst, neutral to their lord. Now, they were cheering for his blood. A few even had children on their shoulders, like this was some spectacle to be admired. "Why is he being executed?"

"To placate Grannvale," Sigurd answered, a conflicted look crossing his face. When the blades glinted too much, he got up to close the curtains. I'd never been so thankful in my life. "He took three foreign high-ranked noblewomen hostage: my wife, Arvis's heir, and the Isaachian princess who is under my protection. Grannvale would've never let it stand. So, if we are to have any chance of maintaining some sort of peaceful relation after this…" Clement had to be executed. Agustria had to show it took care of the problem on their own.

"I see." I thought of what I had overheard from Ayra's testimony to Quan. It was the same thing her father had tried, but Isaach never got the chance. Agustria was lucky Sigurd was the one here. "I imagine that is why none of ours are in the crowd?"

"Some might be watching from the shadows, but nothing in an 'official' capacity. This is Mackily's apology." We had to pretend we had nothing to do with it. "I wish I had better arguments. A blood price for an apology makes my stomach turn." Yes, I could only hope this would not breed resentment in the future. "Speaking of shadows, where is Chulainn? I would've thought he'd be stitched to yours after everything."

"He's arranging what he dubbed 'balancing rumors'."

"Balancing?"

"He said it was to ensure you were only regarded as a well-liked human." Boosting someone's reputation held the risk of turning them into something not-quite-human in people's minds. This risk was higher for those of us with Holy Blood, since we were already regarded as 'semi-divine'. "This way, no one turns against you because you do something reckless and stupid in the name of your personal morals, or act like a lovesick fool around your wife."

"Now why should they look down on me for being lovesick? Have they seen my wife?" He grinned, and I did my best to smile back. "But that's where..." He trailed off, not able to complete the thought and, out of morbid curiosity, he opened the curtain again, just enough to see what was going on, while keeping my view blocked. Unfortunately, the sudden surge of gleeful, triumphant cheering hinted at what had happened. "Maybe I should've insisted on dueling him. I know the rules for Agustrian duels well, and if I maimed him, I could've argued to make the execution a private affair."

"How would you have even justified it? This was the chosen punishment for taking your wife hostage."

"But what about the punishment for marring your beautiful face?" He forced himself to grin. I made myself smile in return. "Though perhaps Chulainn would've preferred throwing the gauntlet for that."

"My face is fine. It will heal with no scarring. That's why Ethlyn hasn't already healed it." I had to nudge the subject to something different. "Why do you know the rules for Agustrian duels?"

"Oh, I had a few people try to duel me when I lived in Nordion." His smile turned a little awkward, and I tilted my head curiously. "I can't quite remember the official excuse, since I already knew it was because they thought I was corrupting Eldigan. Eldigan wanted to dismiss it all as nonsense, but Androcles thought it better I go through at least one, if only to shut people up."

"I see." I thought of the rumors Chulainn mentioned and wondered if it was truly because they thought Sigurd was Lord Eldigan's paramor. "Are the rules complicated?"

"Not too much and, truthfully, they're not very different from Grannvale's. In fact, the only difference I found interesting was that in Agustria, healers are allowed to intervene at their discretion. Probably because Agustrian honor means duels that should stop at first blood continue to near-death."

"I'll keep that in mind." Though, an interesting thought occurred to me. "Would it be possible to duel Chagall to free Lord Eldigan?"

"You know; I can already tell you he'll want you to drop the title."

"I will hear that from him, if that is truly what he wishes." I only dropped it with Marricle at Ayra's nudging because I… I was certain I would never meet him. "But how possible is it?"

"It's certainly an idea, but we should avoid any narrative where Chagall comes out with a blade swinging. Otherwise, it'll be…" Right, Verdane only managed to avoid surrendering sovereignty through a combination of deflecting blame from King Batu and King Jamke fighting alongside us. If Agustria was to avoid surrendering everything, Chagall had to stay out of the battle. But in a land so obsessed with strength of arms, would he?

There was no answer, of course, so I didn't ask it aloud. Instead, I kept quiet even as Sigurd secured the curtains shut and sat back down to drink the tea. He didn't seem to know what to say either, so in silence, we remained until a quiet knock heralded someone's arrival, and the door opened to reveal it was Chulainn. Immediately, I smiled at him in greeting, and he smiled back faintly before focusing on Sigurd.

"I've finished planting the seeds," he reported, coming over to stand next to me. "We'll monitor the rumors for the next few days to see if they take but, ideally, things will settle before long."

"I see," Sigurd replied, finishing his tea. I offered to pour him more, but he shook his head. "Alicia said they were 'balancing'?"

"Yes, you always have to even things out after a hunt. Get too gluttonous and you'll only starve."

"One would think you had training in this." It was all Sigurd said, but Chulainn tensed, a quiet show of discomfort. "Well, regardless of whether you do or not, I'm grateful. While I am saddened by Clement's fate, I'm glad we did not have to fight Mackily's soldiers. It should hopefully help emphasize my words. I'm only here to help Nordion and see Eldigan free. I'd rather Agustria remain independent."

"That'll be harder, given what the other three duchies have done."

"But it won't be impossible!" He smiled, but I could tell it was forced. "I have to believe that, at least. Gods, how am I explaining this to Eldigan? What a damned mess."

There was nothing more to be said, because that was the best description of our current situation. So, Sigurd and I forced ourselves to chat of lighter matters until the pot was empty, and he left to go cuddle with Deirdre and reassure himself that she was fine. Silence fell once again at his departure, and usually, I'd find it comforting to sit in the silence with Chulainn. But with the crowd's cheers still ringing in my ears, I could not find anything comfortable about it. It 'sounded' too loud.

So, after a moment, I looked up at Chulainn and asked, "was it a successful hunt?"

"It was," he answered, words as simple and honest as ever. "But..." He hesitated before brushing a knuckle over my cheek, under the cut. "Will you count him among your dead?"

"Of course. I count all the dead."

"Then I wish this one hadn't ended in a death. I'd rather you not carry him, even if it is your choice."

"We're at war. Nothing destroys ideals like war." Still, I held onto them. They were poisonous yet beautiful. "I am glad none of ours died, though. Ayra's injuries are minor." She'd maimed the two knights before following so she could make sure we were safe and return my dagger. Neither had been sentenced to death, but they had been imprisoned for their part in Clement's plan as Lykos debated what a proper punishment would me. I didn't know what, but I knew it would be lighter than most would expect. Agustrian law took into account when knights were following orders. "Speaking of her, I should make sure she's not flailing and reopening things. I'm sure Lex is taking the opportunity to catch up on teasing."

"Right..." He had a strange look on his face, unreadable in a different way compared to his normal irritable stoicism. But then he smiled faintly, and I smiled back without thinking. "Always working."

"I'm just checking." I stood and headed for the door; he fell in step with me like always. This... this felt right. "I then intend to watch Lex tease her. It'll be fun." In fact, it felt so right that I... "Hey, Chulainn?"

"Yes?"

"I missed you." I turned to beam at him, clasping my hands behind my back. He stared back in surprise. "I missed spending my days like this with you."

"...I've missed it too." This time, his smile was the gentle one I saw so rarely, but adored more than anything. "So, next time you need medicines, you're getting them yourself."

"Yes, yes."

"And you'd better write Prince Kurth and your brother. Since we were churning the rumors, they would've reached them quickly."

"That's for tomorrow. I'm enjoying myself today."

"Since when do you take an entire day off?"

"Let me make you tea later."

"That's not an answer."

We continued bantering back and forth, just like that, all the way to Ayra's room where, just as I'd predicted, Lex was teasing her mercilessly and Azelle tried to calm them down before Ayra really did reopen a wound. Chulainn and I listened in until one of them noticed, to their yelps, and I muffled a laugh before making some tea for everyone, despite Azelle's insistence I should 'rest'. Before long, others had joined us in the room and it turned into an impromptu get-together where everyone was laughing and teasing, with a few pulling cards from nowhere to play.

They were all wonderfully ridiculous. I missed being home.

---

Edain

Class: Priest

Skills: Bargain

Holy Blood: Ullr Minor

Age upon joining the army: 20

The middle child of Duke Ring and younger twin of Brigid, Edain has always been known for her graceful demeanor and elegant poise. In truth, however, both are masks she wears while at public functions, a means of trying to ignore the whispers surrounding her twin sister's disappearance (and presumed death). She's much more teasing and laughing when around those she trusts highly; this is best seen when she is with Sigurd, her closest and dearest friend.

Her Mark is on her right shoulder blade, a series of swirls resembling thread unwinding from a spindle. In addition to the boost to stamina and health, Ullr's blessing grants her an uncanny luck that many claim defies the laws of reality. This tends to lead her to believing things will simply 'work out' even when she is in danger, and she always banks on the 'most wanted outcome' for any plans she makes.

She once trained as a knight, but abruptly dropped her lessons to pursue the ways of the staff instead. Most are confused by the change, thinking it nothing but the whim of a headstrong noblewomen, but she perseveres despite many thinking her a fool. Officially, she claims it is because she learned how little she disliked fighting, but those closest to her, such as her bodyguard and love, Midir, know it is because she wants to be able to support her loved ones and feared she would never manage this with weapons.

---

Author's Note: And Alicia finally realizes her feelings! From a book. Also, off-screen recruitments for Beowolf, Lewyn, and Silvia! Lewyn and Silvia automatically join when you capture Heirhein (and it's a good thing, as they're the only chance you have at saving all the villages). Beowolf has to be hired for 10000 gold, and he actually started his own archetype of characters who have to be hired in order to join. (He's only mentioned in this chapter, but figured I'd go ahead and say it here)

In game, Edain has no skills. So, I added one! I swear I played a patch where Edain had the Bargain skill, but I can't seem to find it… I remember liking it, though, because I could pretend Dew taught it to her. (Claud also will get a skill despite not having one in-game. Healers need skills, FE4!)

Also in-game, Clement doesn't do... most of any of this. He's neutral until you capture Anphony, at which point he decides Sigurd MUST be trying to conquer Agustria and turns hostile. Him being more antagonistic is inspired by his Oosawa counterpart.

Among the villages you must save in Anphony, one has a very, VERY useful reward: the Bargain Ring. Like the name suggests, it gives the 'bargain' skill, which acts like the silver card in later games. Of course, the village it's in is the first one the bandits reach, so you're on a very tight time limit for it. But it's damn useful! Often, I have Silvia snag it until she can buy the Knight and Leg rings. However, since I'm not having the magic rings in this story, I changed it to normal jewelry instead.