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)

23. Interlude - Lady

Interlude) Lady

---

It's finally over. Chagall was forced to surrender, and we can try to move on with our lives. Unfortunately, this means preparing for diplomacy. In a show of solidarity, and to emphasize how the entire point of this had been to free Eldigan, we escort him home, to the jubilant cheers of his people.

I hope they'll still be cheering once the diplomats arrive. Though we try to stay positive, we're all terribly aware of just how fragile this situation really is.

---

Life in Nordion was comfortable, especially given the recent stress in Mackily, and it was very easy to fall back into usual routines once we returned. This included my usual morning meetings with Sigurd, and Deirdre always did her best to join despite how short of breath she was nowadays. We would laugh and joke, just as we always did, and Sigurd and Deirdre would try to drag Chulainn into the fun. Chulainn would refuse, playing the silent guard at the door, but he would watch with a faint smile on his face. It was fun, a lively way to fend off the dread always lingering on the edges, even when I was absolutely exasperated by the topic.

"Sigurd, I don't need a vacation," I sighed, handing him his tea. I then finished up Deirdre's and brought hers to the table where both of us sat. Sigurd was banished to his desk, in his 'not-office'. Eldigan had insisted on giving him a separate room to work on things, declaring something about 'work and rest separation', and Sigurd let his friend get his way. "Why did you even bring it up?"

"Yes, how dare I think you need a break given how hard you've been working and the fact that you've doubled your hostage count?" Sigurd instantly retorted, pouring himself some tea. I shook my head and handed Deirdre her mug. "And you tried to work afterwards, you workaholic. And used a loophole to go foraging."

"I... ah... did sleep a lot afterwards, if you'll recall."

"If you treat sleep as 'breaks', then this explains a lot." He sipped his tea, scowling. "Dear, back me up here."

"Mmm... but I'm torn," Deirdre admitted, blowing on her tea to cool it. "While I want Alicia to take a break, I always worry when she's out of sight now."

"That's fair," Sigurd agreed without hesitating. I barely bit back a sigh. Deirdre and I went on daily walks through the gardens now to help reassure her, precisely because of that worry. "Maybe once all of this settles, we'll all go on a vacation together."

"That would be very fun!" Deirdre beamed. "Oh, maybe we can head to the beach again?"

"That should wait until the baby is born, since there's too much going on now. Ah, but if I recall correctly, the Midsummer Ball here in Nordion will be after your due date. Perfect excuse, no matter where we end up." Of course, the reminder of how uncertain the future was threatened to make the cheer falter. "I think even Alicia will like it."

"Oh?" Deirdre looked intrigued; I tried to figure out why I was being used as the 'standard'. "Interesting! Just what..."

At that moment, Chulainn pushed off the door and tilted his head. We all quieted, knowing what that meant by now, and so, we were able to greet Eldigan with smiles when Chulainn opened the door before he even knocked.

"You do that every time, and I'm still caught off-guard," Eldigan sighed, shaking his head as he stepped inside. Chulainn shrugged and closed the door behind him. "I apologize for disturbing you so early, Sigurd."

"My friend, you could never bother me," Sigurd dismissed, beckoning him closer to the desk. I went to make some more tea, but Eldigan caught my eye and shook his head. He didn't plan to stay long enough for that. So, instead, I stood near Sigurd's desk, in case he wanted a refill. "What brings you here? Have you already finished your usual round?" Apparently, Eldigan had a habit of patrolling the castle and city to check in on how things were, one he immediately resumed upon returning home. "I fear the bottle of wine I sent for from Chalphy hasn't arrived yet."

"Wow, someone's aware I'm not happy with the situation if the wine is coming out." His voice was dry, and his smile was sardonic. "While the wine might not be here, I heard another messenger might have arrived? The one we've been anticipating?"

"Damn, who told you? I was going to wait until the afternoon so you had time to play with Ares."

"Grahnye did, since I was heading this way anyway to ask about something else."

"Of course she did." Sigurd sighed heavily, and pulled a letter from his pile to pass to Eldigan. "Diplomats are on the way." The mood of the room plummeted as we remembered the letter which sparked the fun conversation. We'd wanted to put it off a little longer. "They'll have me as the watcher, but I'm going to argue I can watch from Evans. I doubt it'll work, of course."

"Yet if you set that as the standard, you hope it can be argued up to something simple like staying in Nordion." Eldigan smiled bitterly as he unfolded the letter. King Azmur's broken seal shone sickly in the light. "Grannvale won't allow that, though. Boldor attacked while you were here, Clement took two Grannvalian noblewomen hostage, and Chagall attacked you directly. You can't treat this like Verdane, Sigurd, even if your actions were the same. Chagall is not Jamke."

"That…" Sigurd winced. "I can still try, Eldigan."

"I suppose so." Eldigan softened a little and looked at the letter again. "King Azmur writes you'll remain here a year?"

"Yes, that part is apparently set and is non-negotiable." Sigurd growled a curse under his breath. "It's to restore order and peace, and to repair the diplomatic ties between our countries. I hope it doesn't take the full year, but I'm not staying a week longer."

"Very well. You'll have the year. I'll probably move Chagall up to Madino for his safety, since I doubt they'll let him stay in Agusti no matter how this plays out." Eldigan had a strange expression on his face when he handed back the letter. It was fierce, pained, and blank all at the same time. "I'm holding you to your word, Sigurd. If Grannvale breaks it, I will break them. My duty is to Agustria, and I will uphold it."

"Trust me, Eldigan."

"It's not you I'm worried about, Sigurd. At least, in this case." He glanced at Deirdre before forcing a light smile. "You as a father, on the other hand…"

"Right, thanks for reminding me, do you still have those books you read when Ares was born?"

"There's parenting books?" Deirdre asked, surprised for some reason. I didn't know why; there were books for everything. "I wonder if there's a book of names." She hummed a little in thought, and I wondered if I would be free of- "Not that I need it. Alicia, you still need to give me a name for a girl." Of course she'd insist.

"And I still think you two are terrible for making me pick because you're indecisive," I deadpanned. Names were hard. I had only thought of 'Seliph' because of how Cigyun picked my name.

"Deirdre is the one who keeps suggesting names and discarding them," Sigurd jested, smiling indulgently at her. Deirdre stuck her tongue out at him childishly. "I can't even remember why you dismissed that last one."

"'Caitriona' wouldn't suit a child of ours, Sigurd," Deirdre immediately retorted, tone lofty like she couldn't believe she had to explain this. Eldigan and I exchanged an amused look. "Oh, but I think it would suit Alicia and Chulainn." …Why were we…?!

"Dear, I think they need to discuss such things on their own first." Sigurd's tone was apologetic for all of two seconds. That's how long it took for him to look at Chulainn and me. "Are you both blushing?"

"I think most would when someone talks about hypothetical children," I replied, a touch tartly. Children? We hadn't even discussed sex yet. And I… I wasn't certain I wanted children. I didn't want to inflict me on a child. I would be a terrible mother. With my work and duties and focus and inability to recognize… "Eldigan, you said you had something else to discuss?"

"...Yes, my friend, what was your original business?" Sigurd asked, going along with the blatant change of subject. I was terribly grateful; I didn't want to speak of the topic further. I wasn't sure if I ever would. "You were already heading this way when Grahnye told you about the messenger, yes?"

"Indeed," Eldigan confirmed, without the slightest hint he thought the sharp change strange. Deirdre winced, looking a little distraught, but I... for once, I couldn't comfort her. Chulainn moved away from the door to pat her shoulder reassuringly for me, which thankfully cheered her. "Did any of yours go near the inner vault, by chance?"

"No?" Sigurd tilted his head. "No, we never set foot in Agusti. We purposely avoided it, so we could make an argument against conquering your capital. You know this."

"Yes, but I was curious if your scouts went that far out of worry. We both know how thorough Quan likes to be." He scowled briefly at the ground. "Damn, I was hoping... well, no matter. The reason I ask is because something has gone missing."

"Missing?" Sigurd looked surprised, but for some reason, the word filled me with dread. A quick look showed Deirdre, too, was uneasy. "May I ask what?"

"It's…" Eldigan fell silent, mulling over his words. "The Inner Vault doesn't necessarily contain riches or the like. Only the royal family is allowed near, but King Imuka brought me there once." Did he now? I was reminded of what Zyne had said. "Truthfully, all the items within… I felt like they were things Hodr did not wish to see again, yet also could not discard for whatever reason."

"Scars from the war? Former treasures of the Empire?"

"I have no idea. He only showed it to me once, telling no tales. Honestly, I only checked it as part of my duties. I don't know what within would be beneficial to anyone."

"But you're certain something is missing."

"Yes, a book." Eldigan had a conflicted look on his face. "It was black, with a red diamond taking up the cover. In the diamond was the black winged serpent of some kind. It stood out because I saw the design and wondered if the Thracian dragons Quan spoke of looked like that. And also…" He struggled for the words before shaking his head. "It sounds ridiculous, but something about it made me uneasy. Though I don't know what could be so uneasy about a book."

"Perhaps it is a book of the dead?" Deirdre suggested softly, glancing at me. I remembered how her home had records of victims compiled by Saint Maera. It was conceivable others had done the same. "Or a book of dark magic?"

"I suppose it could have been a tome," Eldigan agreed easily. But the words made me cold. "I didn't exactly get close enough to check. But it's missing now." A dark magic tome hidden away in the vault of a Crusader's castle suddenly going missing… "None of yours saw anything?"

"No, I don't think so. We don't exactly have a spy network, only Alec. But we can ask him."

"Might be a good idea to see about the black market," Chulainn suddenly suggested, startling us. I thought he'd remain silent as he usually did. "There's always someone interested in relics of the Empire." That certainly was a plausible alternative, but given recent events...

"Now that's a thought," Eldigan replied, mulling it over. "I'm not sure how likely since Agustria has never had a problem with black markets in the past, but that doesn't mean someone wasn't willing to head to Miletos for it." He was silent for a moment before shrugging. "Regardless, I just wanted to ask before I forgot. Jamke and I are meeting to discuss reparations. He had an idea I find intriguing, but we want to parse it out before bringing it to you and Quan, Sigurd."

"Oh, this sounds interesting," Sigurd said, careful to smile and keep his demeanor easy. He refused to show his own unease, lest he worry Eldigan. But I could tell and, if I had doubts, the look he shot me dispelled them. "Should I tell Quan you're plotting? I think he'd be proud enough to cry."

"It's not the sort of plot he likes, so don't get his hopes up. It's just a potential workaround."

"I see." Sigurd pointed at the letter. "Speaking of workarounds, you and Grahnye should discuss what King Azmur wrote in the last paragraph. He plans on not holding Nordion accountable, since Nordion never attacked us and, in fact, was a victim in this mess. However, I don't..."

"What a lovely way to further divide Agustria." Eldigan scowled. "Who gave him the idea?"

"He didn't say. Does it matter?"

"If it's Prince Kurth, I can take it in good faith. If it's not, I can't." Given what Arvis told me, it was easy to see how others might want to further drive a wedge while pretending to only upholding peace and fairness. "Ah, don't worry about it. I should get going, though, if I do want to have the time to play with Ares."

"You're the one who got the jump on things. I wanted to wait." Sigurd grinned and Eldigan rolled his eyes. "I'll see you later."

"Sounds good, Sigurd." With that, Eldigan left, leaving silence in his wake. Usually, I'd take the opportunity to leave as well, but given what we just learned, I...

Before I could even think of what to do, Chulainn studied me for a moment and offered his hand to Deirdre. "You're looking pale," he murmured. "You should rest before Alicia starts fussing."

"I can walk back on my own, Chulainn" Deirdre complained, making a face even as she accepted the help. She teetered for a moment, but we pretended otherwise. "I'm not helpless yet."

"Please, spare me Alicia's frowns. They're beautiful, of course, but I much prefer her smiles."

"Oh, sure, use my best friend against me." She sighed gustily, but nodded. "But you win, like usual. Why do you always win?"

"You have easy weaknesses to exploit."

"Fine, fine, but I'm teasing you in retaliation."

"Mercy, please."

"Nope, not this time~!"

Deirdre was laughing as they left, and Chulainn's expression was firmly in the irritable stoicism that was his default. And just like that, it was only Sigurd and me in his office. I immediately went to make a new pot to have an excuse for not accompanying them, and Sigurd leaned back in his chair to close his eyes. Neither of us said anything until I came over with the fresh pot and poured him a new cup.

"Perhaps I ought to take that vacation after all, Sigurd," I finally whispered, clasping my hands in front of me. "What Eldigan said was..."

"Hearing something potentially important to the Empire conveniently disappeared in this chaos is more than a little suspicious," Sigurd sighed, nudging his papers away. He then let his head fall to his desk. "It will also be easier to inform Prince Kurth if you're closer to the front. Should we have a few more lessons with the Rose Code?"

"Perhaps we should have one as a refresher. It's been a while." And that was that. Neither of us needed to discuss things for long, especially like this. So, there was no point in lingering. "But that will be for later. I'll take my leave." I thought it was a simple enough farewell, but Sigurd lifted his head to frown at me. "What is it?"

"Forgive me, but considering you have been hostage four times…" His frown turned into a droll look. "How about you wait for Chulainn to return? No one would think anything strange about it, given how I am. Or if you must leave, I can take a break and escort you."

"Sigurd, we're in Nordion, and I want to speak privately with Eldigan." I hadn't actually planned on it, but now that I used it as an excuse, I realized there was, in fact, something I should speak to him about. I may not have the right, but I still... "Finish your paperwork. Aren't you behind because you insisted on taking yesterday off?"

"I didn't insist. Ethlyn did, and weaponized my cute niece against me." He looked mournfully at the pile of papers surrounding him. "Actually, playing with Altena sounds-"

"Sigurd."

"Fine, fine... you promise you'll find Eldigan?"

"I do."

"Then, all right. But I'm deflecting all blame to you."

"I suppose that's acceptable." I headed for the door before he could convince himself otherwise. "We'll speak later." And, with that, I left.

Of course, given how long it had been, Eldigan was not immediately within sight. However, I knew where his office was and guessed he might be meeting King Jamke there. So, I headed in that direction and, before long, I found him striding quickly through the halls.

"Eldigan, hold a moment!" I called out, since there was no way I would catch up otherwise. Thankfully, he stopped and waited, regarding me curiously. "My apologies, since I know you are busy, but the conversation before reminded me of something."

"I do hope it's not more protests about the gifts," he teased, chuckling. I frowned at the reminder. I'd returned to my room yesterday to a literal pile of gifts, courtesy of Eldigan and Grahnye. "They're from Ares, after all." Yet they claimed they were from Ares, correctly guessing I wouldn't be able to protest.

"That wasn't it, but I'm certainly tempted to change the conversation to that instead."

"That reminds me. Grahnye and I still need to search those honors for you."

"And I shall remind you that I requested the absolute minimum. I still do not know why Grahnye thought it was important enough to insist." But I remembered the look on her face. In her eyes, it was necessary, and I trusted her. "However, I wished to bring up something else. It's a topic I am not certain I have the right to speak of, yet given my talk with Zyne..." He flinched. He flinched, and that told me everything. "You already know."

"I believe I've told you once, but Agustrians tend to be rubbish at being subtle." His smile became a little awkward. "I've known King Imuka's intentions since I was young. If I had doubts, him showing me the inner vault was all the proof I needed." Yes, he had said only the royal family. By oath, that should not have included Nordion. "But I am a knight of Agustria. My duty is to protect it, not rule it."

"Can you not protect it while ruling?"

"Ruling always requires sacrifices and unfortunately, I am not someone who can make such sacrifices. If I am forced, then I will choose myself every time."

"I see."

"You…" He studied me then, a faint note of confusion in his expression. "You do not seem surprised."

"We may not know each other well, Eldigan, but my understanding is you and Sigurd are quite similar." I muffled a laugh, and he stared. "Sigurd would make a terrible king."

"...Ha…" He relaxed and smiled back. "Yes, and so would I. I know what they think, but honestly, Nordion is only as well off as it is because Grahnye is a miracle maker and my people are much more forgiving of me than they should."

"Grahnye is quite skilled. I saw that while I was tending to her." I thought of Zyne's arguments, and realized something which irritated me anew. He'd spoken only of Eldigan, and nothing of Grahnye. "As I said, I only brought it up because given my conversation with Zyne, I felt I should. I would rather not simply assume your thoughts on such an important matter."

"And I thank you for it." He rested a hand over his heart. "But yes, those are my thoughts. Chagall is Agustria's king, and I am sworn to serve and protect Agustria. So, I will protect all within, including him."

"I hope he becomes a king worthy of such loyalty." But I was afraid he wouldn't. Yet I could not say that. I had a feeling he, too, wondered if he ever would. "Given what occurred, however, I'm sure others will clamor for you to take the throne, not just Zyne." Eldigan winced again. "If things become so great you can no longer pretend you do not see and hear, please remember you can rely on me." I made sure to smile as calmly and kindly as I knew. "I may not be able to do anything but listen, of course, but I will gladly do what I can."

"I… will keep that in mind, Alicia." With that, he bowed. "But I should head to my office."

"Of course." My smile warmed. "Please remember to take breaks. You will accomplish nothing if you're too tired to think."

"I will do my best."

He and I parted then, with me heading back to my room to resume working. Just before I turned the corner, however, a happy gurgle of laughter caught my ear. When I looked back, I saw Grahnye was with him suddenly. Since she had Ares, I wondered if she'd been looking for him, knowing he'd need some sort of peace after learning what King Azmur had said. Of course, she did not carry Ares long. No, Ares reached out to his father, smiling brightly, and another bright peal of laughter echoed through the hall when Eldigan took him. Eldigan's smile was soft and warm, filled with affection, as he held his son, and Grahnye laughed at them both, her own smile the happiest I'd ever seen.

I was terrified of what the days ahead would inflict on them. I hoped dearly I would be able to help.

---

It didn't take me long to prepare to head for Velthomer. It honestly took longer to debate whether or not Azelle would come with me (he wasn't) and to reassure Deirdre I'd be fine (she only believed me when I told her Chulainn was coming too). Everyone saw us off with smiles, believing the story that Sigurd 'somehow' tricked me into agreeing, and the journey was quiet and easy, if faster than anticipated thanks to Chulainn.

"So, this is Velthomer Castle," Chulainn commented as we approached the gates. When I rode in with Azelle, they'd opened right away, but here, they remained firmly shut. "Seen it in the past before, but this is the closest I've been."

"It's a rather lively place nowadays," I murmured, leaning into his chest as I pulled the hood of my cloak a little more firmly over my head and face. It kept wanting to fall off; I may need a new one. "Arvis had to slowly hire people after throwing everyone out."

"Ah, so he took the 'burn it all and rebuild from the ashes' tactic. I'd wondered, given what I've heard about Victor of Velthomer."

"Sometimes, the rot is set too deep and the only way to save the person is to amputate."

"Didn't you have a patient the other day where you had to do that?"

"Yes, I'd hoped we could simply debride the wound and help it heal, but the necrotizing fasciitis was too great. If we tried to keep saving the leg, we would've lost him." Still, we were at the closed gates, so we needed to figure out how to get them open. It occurred to me then that this was the first time I ever had to handle such a thing; the closest was during Nordion's Siege, and Sigurd just shouted for them to open the gates. I doubted that would work here. "Hello, is anyone there?"

"State your purpose," someone demanded, stepping out from the shadows on the ramparts. They wore the uniform of a Roten Ritter squire. "If you have papers, please produce them as well."

"Do I need papers to enter?" I asked, lifting my head so I could better see them. My hood slipped off again, and I mentally cursed. "I am-"

"Oh, Lady Alicia!" The soldier scrambled to both salute and bow, and nearly fell off the rampart. "You're much earlier than anticipated, my lady!"

"Yes, we made good time." So I said, but I twisted to scowl playfully up at Chulainn. Our 'good time' was because he took 'unorthodox shortcuts', which translated into 'that path through the woods counts enough as a road, right?'. "Might you let us in?"

"Of course!" The soldier turned towards someone I couldn't see. "Open the gates! The Lady of Velthomer has arrived!" Well, that was a new 'title'. Wasn't it similar to what Zyne called Deirdre?

I suppose it didn't matter. The gates opened promptly and so we rode inside to the castle proper. The inner courtyard was just as bustling as it was the last time. This time, though, I had quite a few people call out greetings to me, even as Chulainn slowed us to a stop and dismounted so he could help me down. He used the opportunity to brush a kiss against my temple, and I blushed and scowled at him for doing something so publicly when we had just arrived. He only grinned, full of mischief, and turned his attention to the stable boy who appeared to take the horse.

I chose to step away to give them space, and looked around to take in the courtyard. It wasn't just the activity that was the same; it was the colors. Despite it being a new year, and winter besides, Velthomer's courtyard was filled with colors and the scent of fresh flowers. It was no wonder many described Velthomer as a land where flowers always bloomed. Wasn't there a story about how Salamander of Flames adored flowers more than anything? If so, then I hoped he liked what Velthomer had become.

"Lady Alicia!" A small voice I did not recognize called my name then, and I turned just in time for a small, blond child to tackle my legs. "Helloooo~!" she greeted, beaming up at me. It took me a long second to realize I did know her. Sick as Ellen was last time, her voice had been naught but a croaky whisper and once her fever broke, her face had been paler than snow. Certainly, the one in my memory bore little resemblance to the bright-eyed, and loud, child attached to my legs. "Er… do you know me?"

"You're looking so much better, Ellen," I murmured, stroking her hair. She beamed and pushed her head into my hand much like Dew did. "Anselm told me you had recovered fully, but it certainly is another thing to see."

"Anselm still comes by to check, since Bishop Cowen makes me nervous."

"Has he treated you unfairly?"

"No, it's just…" She grimaced and hid her face in my skirts. I rested a hand on her back soothingly. "He's nice, but he looks similar to the priest at the warehouse."

"Ah." That would explain the discomfort, though now I had another worry. "Did you tell Anselm?"

"I didn't want to, but Gabe said we should. Think Bishop Cowen had to talk with Dietrich after that." Then they had already investigated. Good. I would hate to think Aida's father was involved, but all avenues had to be considered. "He can tell you himself! He's just a slowey-slow."

"Are you not just quick?"

"I'm super-fast! Reynard says I should think about wind magic!" Ah, yes, I did vaguely remember Arvis mentioning the two were receiving magic lessons. They were part of the normal curriculum for Velthomer nobles, and that was the only guideline he had for academics. "Fire is heavy."

"Fire magic does put more stress on the body compared to the other elemental magics, or so my little brother says." Movement caught my attention, and I glanced up to see a young boy run up. "Is that...?"

"Lady Alicia!" Ah, so it was Gabriel. While he was a little more recognizable, the difference was still noticeable. He'd put on much needed weight, and his eyes practically sparkled with life, instead of being clouded with wariness. "Um… hello," he greeted shyly, bowing. "I… think that's the proper greeting?"

"You're probably better than me when it comes to etiquette," I teased, offering my free hand to him, just as I did when we first met. He stepped closer hesitantly and took it to squeeze. "How have you been, Gabriel? Arvis and Aida have kept me updated, but I'd rather hear your thoughts."

"Yeah, you like listening." He put my hand on his head, and I took the hint to ruffle his hair. "But it's been fine, so far. It can be hard to sleep, since we keep expecting beatings, and they had to switch to giving us lots of smaller meals since we'd gobble our food out of fear of it disappearing." Yes, I remembered Anselm writing about that. They'd gorge and throw it all up because their bodies didn't know what to do with all the food. "Dietrich says that's fine."

"He's right. Wounds of the mind and heart are harder to heal than those of the body, and they take much longer." But I smiled proudly, because what else could I be but proud? "It takes a lot of courage as well, so don't be upset if you think you're not making progress. It's not uncommon to slip."

"That's what Sapphira said." Sapphira? That was a name I didn't know. "Oh, wait, you might not know her. She's like us, but older. She's…" Gabriel looked around, still with my hand on his head. He kept holding onto it. "Sapphira! Over here! You wanted to meet Lady Alicia and Lord Chulainn, right?" 'Lord' Chulainn, was it? Well, I'd let Chulainn handle that one.

Instead, I focused on the young girl who tiptoed over while clutching a book to her chest. She was a few years older than Gabriel, eleven or twelve by my guess, and she had hair as dark as Ayra's and eyes as blue as Chulainn's. What truly made her stand out, however, were her features; she looked a lot like Ayra, suggesting Isaachian heritage.

She was accompanied by someone I knew fairly well: Sir Reynard. "You've arrived early, Lady Alicia," he greeted, bowing formally to me. He gently nudged the young girl a little more forward, careful to keep a supporting hand on her shoulder. "I fear I must detain you for a moment. Duke Arvis planned on greeting you in the courtyard, insisted on it even, so we had to send someone to fetch him." Now, was this a show of affection or a calculated scheme to ensure I didn't see his 'organized chaos' of an office again? The answer was likely 'both'. "As for this adorable one, I do not believe you met her the last time you were here. This is my little sister, Sapphira."

"Adopted," Sapphira immediately mumbled, half-hiding behind her book. Though she was polite, there was something fidgety about her as well. Was she uncomfortable? "I'm adopted."

"That doesn't change you're my little sister."

"It is why we look nothing alike." That was very true. Sir Reynard had Fjalar-red hair, brown eyes, and features typical of the Velthomer region. "Um… but I… I have a past like Gabriel and Ellen, Lady Alicia. So…" Her eyes flicked to the side briefly. "Duke Arvis asked if I would mind helping the two adapt now that they have settled in more. We met two weeks ago." Ah, so that was why I hadn't heard about her yet.

"That's very kind and very brave of you," I murmured, smiling softly at her. She blinked a few times in surprise. "It cannot be easy, since you are no doubt reminded of your own trauma. But being able to reach out your hand to help is a wonderful thing."

"It's easier than you'd think, since I just have to say part of a thing, and they understand," Sapphira replied, her returning smile shy. But, once again, her eyes flicked to the side. This time, I twisted a little, just enough so I would not dislodge neither Ellen nor Gabriel, to see what might have caught her attention. The only thing I could see, however, was Chulainn, still talking with the stable boy. "But thank you for… um… wait, I'm saying it wrong."

"Hmm?"

"She used to apologize for everything, so we tried teaching her how to change it to gratitude," Sir Reynard explained, patting Sapphira on the back. She made a face at him, but smiled brightly. "You had it right, though. 'Thank you for worrying.'" Why did I have a feeling Sigurd and the others would try that on me if they ever learned? "Ah, and this must be-"

"Think I gave the boy enough warnings about dealing with that horse," Chulainn noted, joining us finally. Ellen and Gabriel stepped back, eyeing him with the wary curiosity of those who could not trust strangers but were trying to be comfortable with them. Sapphira's attention, however, snapped immediately to him, her eyes shining with cautious wonder and knowing. That threaded the stray thoughts together to a hypothesis, but I almost dismissed it because what were the chances? Then I remembered we were dealing with my brother and realized those chances were actually 'high'. Besides, it was more likely than finding the Crown Prince of Silesse in the middle of an Agustrian duchy after he'd run away from home three years ago, and we certainly had that happen. "I hope he relays it to the stablemaster."

"If not, I'm sure they'll learn," I reassured, smiling at him. After all, the horse he'd brought was the same one Oifey dubbed 'troublesome'. "Chulainn, let me introduce you. The children are Ellen, Gabriel, and Sapphira, while the knight is Sir Reynard. He escorted me back to Evans, last time." I turned to smile at them, and pretended I did not notice how almost everyone stopped to blatantly eavesdrop. "Everyone, this is Chulainn."

"Oh, this is your lover?" Ellen asked brightly, beaming even. Her chipper voice soared over the noise of the crowd as everyone resumed their activities. "He's pretty!"

"Isn't he?" I smiled back and ignored the dirty look Chulainn gave me. "I think so too." But even as I focused on Ellen, some of my attention went to Sapphira, gauging her reaction. The way her eyes brightened further hinted I could be correct. "He doesn't believe me, though."

"Huh? Why? Because you're prettier?"

"Now that's something I can agree with," Chulainn instantly joked, eager to turn the tables. I made a face at him, and earned a chuckle. "Alicia, I know you don't think much of your looks, but many others do. Trust me." His gaze flicked towards the entrance suddenly. "Ah. There he is."

None of us had a chance to ask who the 'he' was, because a surge of noise in the courtyard distracted us. Curious, I turned and saw it was because Arvis had stepped outside, looking about this way and that as he fussed with cuff links to bleed off nervous energy. He never changed.

"Arvis!" I called, waving to catch his attention. His attention snapped to me, and he grinned in response. So, I did something I'd never done before, but had seen the others do many times. I rushed over and greeted him with a hug. "It's been a while!"

"It has," Arvis agreed, hugging me back tightly. He pressed his cheek into my hair and sighed heavily. "No thanks to the trouble you were caught up in. How in the world did the fourth hostage event happen and where was Chulainn?"

"Drat, you already heard? I was waiting to write until we knew a little more about what was going on." Gossip outpaced even Forseti of Winds. "Chulainn was asked to take part in the operation, to try and minimize casualties. You can't exactly blame them for not expecting the enemy to take the mountain route. By all accounts, it's suicide." I pulled away and thought about trying to sulk. I settled for a frown. "And no lectures from you about what I did either. He wanted Deirdre."

"Sounds like quite the tale. I've already heard songs about how you settled a duel with a single spell." That made it sound far more impressive than it was. I had just put him to sleep. "It's been so much fun boasting about you and Azelle."

"Arvis, you remain as silly as ever." I tilted my head and reached up to hold his face in place so I could scrutinize it. "Hmm... I do not see any circles under your eyes, or puffiness. Have you been resting like I said?"

"Believe me when I say Aida weaponized your request."

"Good. It seems like that's the only way you take breaks." I twisted to look over my shoulder and saw Chulainn coming over, walking carefully like he thought he'd have to flee in an instance. "Ah, but Arvis..." So, I smiled brightly and took Chulainn's hand to squeeze reassuringly. "This is Chulainn." I ignored how stiff Arvis looked suddenly, everything from his posture to his expression. Everyone warned me this would be awkward, but I wanted them to get along. "Chulainn, this is Arvis, my older brother."

"It's nice to put a face to the name," Chulainn replied, his expression as stoic as always. But I caught the unease in his eyes, almost too quick to miss. "Especially given the stories Alicia tells."

"Well, now I'm worried," Arvis joked, careful to keep polite. I appreciated these two were at least trying? "I am pleased to finally have a face for the name as well, given how much I've heard. With that said, your attention seems to drift to the castle." It was. Chulainn could not look Arvis in the eye, another quiet show of unease. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I fear it's a habit to study the outside of buildings and look for paths up and down."

"Paths? You mean, to climb?"

"Yes."

"Chulainn, you are not bonding with my brother over your ability to somehow scale castle walls," I deadpanned, both playing along with the subject and stopping it before they really did try to go into the logistics of it. At Ethlyn's insistence, I once again hadn't traveled with any staves, so I wasn't prepared to treat broken bones. "And to keep you behaving, Arvis, we're both rather tired. Are our rooms ready?"

"They should be," Arvis answered, his slow and drawn-out tone hinting he wasn't sure. The way he went back to fidgeting with his cufflinks confirmed it. "You are earlier than expected, so let me find Ruarc to confirm."

"Then we'll grab our things and meet you in front of my rooms. I assume I'm in the same place?"

"Of course. They're yours now, whenever you wish to use them." He smiled softly and I smiled back. "Yes, I'll meet you there."

I made a point to wave goodbye before Chulainn and I headed for wherever he dropped off our things. He tugged me along, guiding me through the least crowded path, and it did not escape me he was much more relaxed now that Arvis was gone. But I chose against mentioning it, since I knew it was something he'd have to work past on his own. Instead, I looked around for some sort of distraction, and focused on where the children were chattering near Sir Reynard. Sapphira... she kept glancing at Chulainn surreptitiously, even as she talked animatedly with Gabriel about something. If I was right, then...

"The children look so much healthier," I whispered, smiling at Chulainn. He made a noise in acknowledgement, pulling me a little closer. "Though, Sapphira isn't one of the warehouse children. She just has a similar background."

"Does she?" he asked, turning to look at her properly. He immediately frowned, tilting his head slightly. "Do you know where?"

"No, she didn't say. But it's clearly been long enough she's healed some."

"Ah." That was all he said, his expression becoming studying. After a moment, however, he soon shook his head, and returned his attention to me. But that was fine; I put the thought in his head. If I was wrong, it wouldn't matter, but if I was right, then he should be a little more prepared. I hoped. "Let's get our things."

"Were we not already on our way to do that? Where did you leave them anyway?"

"Hopefully somewhere the servants didn't try to grab. I don't think they're inclined to climb."

"Chulainn, did you hide them up a tree?" I meant it as a joke, but he didn't respond. "You did not seriously hide them in a tree."

"Just one bag."

"Chulainn!"

Thankfully, it really was the 'one bag', and Chulainn had put it up there as a decoy so the servants would be more focused on retrieving it from the highest branches and leaving the rest alone where they were tucked away safely. I secured those while Chulainn easily swung up to the top of the tree and retrieved the bag there. By the time the gathered servants realized what had happened, he and I had carried our things inside. From there, it was an easy walk to the Silver Izelle rooms. I knew the path well by this point, and there were many helpful servants inside who were willing to help us if we were lost. So, in no time at all, we found Ruarc and Arvis.

"Ah, Alicia, there you are," Arvis greeted, turning to smile at me. He was no longer fussing with his cufflinks. "Ruarc was just reassuring me everything was ready. He had it ready yesterday, since he had a feeling you might come early."

"It was not a 'feeling', merely my duty as a steward to prepare for such an eventuality," Ruarc gently corrected with his own soft smile. He then bowed. "It is a pleasure to see you again, my lady. Your rooms are as you left them, so please let us know if there are any changes which need to be made. And Lord Chulainn…" He straightened and his soft smile warmed. He, at least, didn't seem awkward. "The Blue Izelle Rooms where you will be staying are a little further down. Might I escort you?" Chulainn hesitated before nodding. "Wonderful, right this way." Ruarc led the way down the hall, and Chulainn leaned down to kiss my cheek in farewell before following.

Though I did my best to push down my sudden urge to giggle, I knew I was blushing as I looked up at Arvis. "I do not think I heard of those rooms, last time," I murmured, pretending I didn't see the disgruntled look on his face. "Is there something special to them?"

"They were Sunna's rooms," Arvis answered. I struggled to keep my smile. "They're the closest ones to yours. Think there's a connecting door within, since I vaguely remember it. Not sure where, though."

"I see." It was all I said, but I leaned into him a little to convey I appreciated it. It was privacy, and no matter my feelings for my mother, the fact that Arvis gave her old rooms to Chulainn was a sign of trust and affection. "Shall we head inside?"

"Of course." Arvis promptly took my things from me, and I held my hands up in surrender and let him carry them in. Maybe this would soothe his wounded 'older brother' pride? "Now then…" He shut the door behind us and carefully set my bags down. "Dear sister, while I am terribly happy to see you, we both know you would not leave Deirdre's side during such a critical time for something as simple as a 'break'." Arvis arced a brow, and I shrugged. He was right; we were the same in that regard. "So, what happened? If it's to argue for Agustria, I fear that's out of my hands."

"No, I will leave that to the diplomats. All of us are aware of just how..." What was the best word for this? "The situation is fragile, Arvis. While we did what we felt we must, it quickly escalated, no thanks to Chagall."

"What is he like? I've heard little."

"..." I wrestled with an answer before deciding to be honest. "I think he's only barely better than our father, Arvis. He seems to hold onto some degree of Agustrian honor and does not partake in drugs and rape, but those are..."

"Terribly low standards." His eyes flashed briefly, white-hot anger barely calmed by the reminder that the target was nowhere near. I waited as I always did. "Maybe we should assassinate him."

"Arvis, I fear that will make the current situation worse, not better. Chagall's heir is Ares."

"...Not Eldigan?" Arvis tilted his head, frowning. "He's the Hodr Major of our generation."

"Nordion's lord is removed from the line of succession. That's built into their laws. Since Chagall has no children, his heir is Ares."

"Did not know that." Arvis crossed his arms, thinking. …No, it was not 'just' thinking. "So, no assassin for now. At the least, we need to wait for things to settle." He was silent for a moment before returning his attention to me. "Ah, I've distracted us. What happened, then?"

"Eldigan informed us that a book went missing from the Inner Vault of Agusti, a book which was possibly important to the Empire. Given what happened in Verdane, Sigurd and I thought we should warn you this shadowy group may have sunk their claws into King Imuka and Chagall."

"I see." Arvis nodded a couple of times. "Much vaguer, though. Could not a thief have stolen away?"

"I won't say it's impossible."

"But you think it's improbable. All right. I'll add it to my investigations." I thought about bringing up how Prince Kurth was also looking into it, but decided against it. I didn't know how much progress Prince Kurth could make with the war, much less how much he had. It was better to wait until he said something. "Ah, but I should let you settle in. I'll see you at dinner?"

"Of course." I made sure to smile, and he smiled back before turning away and opening the door. I started fussing with my bags to unpack, but for a reason I could not explain, I glanced at Arvis over my shoulder. Something… Something didn't sit right. The look on his face when I told him how Ares was the current heir… that had been calculating. But why? There was no reason for it. Was I still sensitive thanks to everything that happened in Agustria?

So, I watched and, unfortunately, the unsettled feeling didn't go away. The look on his face as he left and closed the door… it was conflicted, pride warring with irritation. But what was he proud about? What was he irritated over? There were a thousand things that could cause the latter, but I had no guesses for the former. And I had no chance to try and think because…

"Hello again, my lady!" Not two seconds after Arvis left, Cathleen popped into my room, as bright and cheerful as she was during my last visit. She must have been waiting. "I was assigned to be your maid again," she explained, bobbing a curtsey. I breathed a sigh of relief; I had not been looking forward to getting used to a different maid. Cathleen suited me just fine. "Would you like to try on your new clothes? Mistress Sorcha made them based off your old measurements."

"I have new clothes?" I asked, blinking a few times. In answer, Cathleen headed for the wardrobe and opened the room so I could see it was filled with clothes I'd never seen in my life. "When did this...?"

"Duke Arvis said he was uncertain how much you would be able to bring, and truthfully, my lady, you should have clothes in your room. You may not live here, but it is still a home."

"How much did he buy me?" There were a thousand other things to focus on, but that's what my mind went to first. "And how much did this all cost?"

"Oh, nothing is too expensive for our lady."

"That's not an answer." I stepped inside the wardrobe room, eyes going wide. There were new racks built just for the sheer amount he'd bought. "Does he expect me to change my clothes hourly?"

"Some noble ladies do."

"He should know me better than that!"

"Here, my lady, we should at least try a few to make sure they fit. Mistress Sorcha said we should let her know immediately if she needs to make adjustments."

"First, I think I need to hunt down my brother and remind him about proper spending!"

Cathleen laughed and picked a dress at random to cajole me into trying it on. While she did, she somehow managed to convince me to not scold Arvis over improper budgeting and, instead, look at it as a bonus for Mistress Sorcha and her workers. You'd think she took lessons from Edain for mischief justification, but I couldn't fault the logic and so, quietly let it go. This was just how Arvis showed affection. I wished he'd waited so I could help pick things out, though.

---

I found the first few days in Velthomer peaceful. I read to my heart's content, teased and chatted with Arvis, and did my best to not think of anything international or political. Chulainn's first few days were... not as peaceful. Ignoring how he and Arvis were still awkward around each other, he had members of the Roten Ritter badgering him every hour. And they were terribly aggravating about it.

"They're worse than Lex," Chulainn grumbled, holding my hand as we walked through the gardens. I'd noticed him going icy and wild as yet another knight asked for a spar, and quickly found an excuse to take him outside. "At least Lex is asking out of genuine interest and fun. These fools only want duels under the guise of sparring so they can test my mettle." And since we were now outside, Chulainn finally let himself complain, telling me this was more than just irritating to him. "You'd think a Grannvelian knight order would be more subtle than an Agustrian."

"Easy, Chulainn," I soothed, squeezing his hand. The worst part was I'd already informed Aida about the problem, and she'd talked to them about it. That they were continuing suggested they either didn't think it was serious, or they decided this superseded a superior's orders. "I'm sorry they keep bothering you. Maybe I should try talking to them directly."

"I'm not sure if that'll make it worse or better. While I think it would be harder for them to ignore you, it may remind them of why they're so insistent."

"In any case, we're outside, far from them. Let's enjoy the walk."

"Right, right..." He sighed heavily, but quietly picked a white camellia to tuck behind my ear. I beamed at him in response. "Let me braid your hair later?"

"Of course. Will you come by the connecting door or the 'official'?"

"I figured we'd go to your room from here, but we can pretend and use the connecting door. Wouldn't want to cause any scandals."

"What's so scandalous about you braiding my hair? You've done it often."

"Alicia, there's people who would find us walking around holding hands 'scandalous'."

"What's lewd about hand-holding?" The more I interacted with people, the less they made sense. So, instead, I hunted for a distraction and found one surprisingly quickly. "Oh, look over there..." I pointed to where Ellen, Gabriel, and Sapphira were sitting amongst the flowers, working on something intently. All three glanced up as soon as we were close, reminding me of how quickly Chulainn would always notice when someone was near, but they smiled and waved. Ellen and Gabriel returned to their task, but surprisingly, Sapphira didn't. She pushed herself up, dusted the dirt off her legs, and picked up a book before coming over to us.

She didn't say anything immediately, though. Instead, she stood in front of us, looking around cautiously. Both Chulainn and I kept silent, waiting for her. "Um..." she stammered, her voice terribly soft. "You..." However, her eyes were clear and certain when she looked up at Chulainn. It was like I didn't exist. Maybe right now, I didn't to her. "You're Chulainn, right?"

"I am," Chulainn replied, calm as ever. He frowned slightly, though. "And you're Sapphira."

"Yes, that's the name Reynard and his… and my parents gave me. Our parents." She hesitated before continuing. "When I was saved. From the arena." Beside me, Chulainn stiffened, his eyes going slightly wide. Meanwhile, I was surprised for very different reasons; I did not think she'd confront him so soon. "You're… you're my Chulainn, aren't you? From back then."

"I…" Chulainn was at a loss for words. "I'm not..." I nudged him then, and smiled encouragingly. He stared back at me, looking almost helpless, but I kept the smile and he soon relaxed, breathing out the tension. "You..." Only then did he return his attention to Sapphira, who watched him closely. "You're bigger."

"Yes, I'm in the middle of a growth spurt. The physicians say I am very healthy!" She beamed, delighted. "I knew it was you. I had a feeling the moment Reynard told me about Lady Alicia's lover, and I was sure when I saw you in the courtyard. You're bigger too, and your features are stronger, but you still have the gold hair and blue eyes I found so pretty and safe."

"I… this…" Chulainn ran a hand through his hair. "What are the odds?"

"They're actually very high, when you take my brother into account," I informed him, careful to keep my tone quiet and gentle. I may not have expected this today, but if Sapphira had gathered her courage, then... "Remember, Chulainn, that arena had been in Velthomer's territory. Arvis would've personally seen she was adopted into a good family and kept tabs to ensure she remained safe and healthy." Honestly, the only part which was coincidental was that I knew her brother, Sir Reynard. "Then, realizing Gabriel and Ellen may have difficulties connecting to other children their age, he would've reached out and asked if Sapphira, whose background is similar, would be willing to meet them." In fact, Sapphira told me that was what he did.

"And this is why you're not surprised," Chulainn grumbled, giving me a dirty look. I shrugged, since I had the advantage of knowing Arvis. "You couldn't have warned me?"

"I tried to give you a hint when we arrived?"

"You... no, you did. I even remember seeing her and thinking she looked like..." He sighed heavily. "But I dismissed it because I thought the chances were too low. You could've reminded me about your brother's personality."

"Ah, I suppose I could have. I'm sorry." I leaned against him to try and give him some support. "As I said, I didn't know and you know I wouldn't ask outright. I only guessed because she matched the description you gave me, and she focused on you."

"Oh, did I make it obvious?" Sapphira asked, sounding worried. "I tried not to. I mean; I was afraid of being wrong and... and Reynard said I should look for you since you'd... you'd be in a lot of trouble..." She hid behind her book, and I wondered if she carried it around specifically to use as a shield. "But I wanted to see you again to thank you. For saving me."

"That..." Chulainn began, no doubt to protest. "That was..."

"I don't know why you did. Whim, happenstance, whatever. It doesn't change it for me. You saved me. I would've died in that hell if not for you." Her smile was so sweet and so warm, despite… no, the tears gathering in her eyes only emphasized how happy she was. "So, I'm glad I get to tell you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"..." Chulainn stared for a long moment before cautiously ruffling her hair. She beamed up at him, the tears slipping down her face. "You're welcome, Sapphira. But you need to keep quiet about this."

"I know. Luckily, Gabriel and Ellen are concentrating on the flower crowns. I taught them how to make them today, you see." She giggled. "Though, they're probably about done?"

"Yes, they're heading over now."

"Oh, that was faster than I thought. But they're good at keeping quiet. You know how it is."

"Unfortunately, yes, I do."

"Sapphira!" Ellen's happy call cut the conversation short and she joined us with a laugh as she stretched up to place a flower crown on Sapphira's head. "There we go!" she declared, tone as bright as the sun shining above our heads. "We match!" Indeed, they did. Ellen wore one too, but Gabriel did not as he came over quietly. If I had to guess, she made one for Sapphira, and he made one for her. "You should make one for Gabe so we all matchy-match!"

"Ellen, I don't want one," Gabriel protested, shaking his head. He then smiled at me. "Hello, since I doubt Ellen greeted you."

"Too much proper!"

"I think it's still a good idea to say hello to people." He shook his head and reached over to wipe the tears off Sapphira's face. "Is everything all right? Did you get overwhelmed?"

"I'm fine," Sapphira reassured, smiling warmly. Gabriel studied her for a moment, a suspicious frown on her face. "Oh, all right. I'm fine now. I did get overwhelmed, but Lady Alicia and Lord Chulainn helped me."

"Where is this 'lord' nonsense coming from anyway?" Chulainn sighed then, regarded them all blandly. The children blinked up at him in confusion. "I don't have a title."

"Won't you gain one by marrying Lady Alicia?"

"That doesn't mean I have one now." Chulainn sounded exasperated, and I was marveling at how easily Sapphira mentioned marriage. Did I want to marry? The idea of suffering through a wedding was nauseating. "Call me by name."

"But we should be respectful!"

"Alicia, how did you argue the children to stop calling you by title?"

"I utilized reciprocation," I reminded, with a smile. Chulainn grimaced because he couldn't use that. "But regardless, I've a question." I turned my attention to the children. "While I am delighted to see you three having fun, and those are beautiful crowns, aren't you three usually in lessons at this hour?" All three of them looked away guiltily. "Oh dear, are you skipping?"

"Kinda?" Gabriel admitted, looking up at me hesitantly. When he saw me smile, he relaxed. "It felt like the walls were closing in. So, we ran."

"I see." I held out my hand and he took it. Ellen quickly seized the other one. "Why don't we find your teacher and discuss the matter, then? Perhaps your teacher can teach you outside for a few days. I've done that for my own students." Though, in those cases, it was because the day had simply been too pretty to stay inside, even by my standards. "Chulainn, wait here for me, will you?"

"Wait here?" Chulainn repeated with a frown. His gaze flicked to something behind me, but he didn't comment on it. "Why?"

"I'd like to finish our walk, of course," I told him, laughing softly. When his frown deepened, I shook my head. "Chulainn, we're in Velthomer. Is there not a safer place for me?"

"You were supposed to be safe in Mackily, you know." He fell silent, thinking, but surprisingly, he nodded. "Very well. I'll wait."

"I'll be back soon."

It, in fact, ended up being much sooner than I thought, thanks to another surprise. Sir Reynard had been looking for the three and stepped out of the castle right as we neared. Apparently, he had gone to check on them and, upon hearing what they'd done, feared they had gotten overwhelmed since it happened to Sapphira often in the past. So, he went hunting, and headed for the gardens since Sapphira adored flowers. And he nearly ran right into us because he hadn't been expecting anyone so close to the doors. A round of apologies later, he took charge of the three truants, and I made sure the children were all right with this arrangement before eagerly returning to Chulainn.

However, my cheer faltered when I approached, because I saw Chulainn was not waiting alone. Arvis had appeared and, given the tension building in the air, I wasn't certain this was a conversation to interrupt.

"You're not surprised to see me," Arvis noted, his tone noticeably cool. Chulainn regarded him impassively, with the irritable stoicism I was used to. "You must have caught sight of me as I hid behind the corner."

"The hair gives you away," Chulainn admitted easily, shrugging. His tone was neutral, but I knew that only meant he was hiding everything. "Since you hid, I decided to not bring it up. Wasn't certain if you just wanted some quiet or... well, you proved what it was when you waited until Alicia was gone." His tone shifted then. There was nothing 'wild' about him, hinting he was not angry, but his tone was now light and jagged. "You have something you wish to say to me, perhaps the traditional 'how dare you steal my sister' speech older brothers give? I can give you the traditional reply of how I will do all I can to ensure she's happy."

"You…" Arvis had an interesting look on his face. It was chagrin mixed with irritation. "I don't think you stole her."

"Then you're mad others have stolen the sanctuary you once had, and I'm the only one conveniently near for you to be angry at?" Chulainn, where did that even come from? And why did he say it aloud? He would normally keep such observations to himself. The only reason I could think of was…

"..." Arvis actually glared then. "Even if you are correct, I wouldn't admit to it. Alicia is her own person, and I'm proud of her for coming into her own."

"Didn't say you weren't."

"I genuinely cannot tell if you're trying to provoke me or not." Arvis sighed heavily, and brushed his hair behind his ear. "I do see what the rumors meant, though. Even at rest, you hold yourself with an unnatural stillness. Are you a wolf calmly analyzing prey, or a hound waiting to bite?"

"Neither. I have no intention of hunting you. Alicia would be heartbroken." Chulainn shrugged, irritable stoicism firmly in place once more. His tone evened out as well. "I hope that wasn't your own attempt at provocation. I'm used to such things."

"I'd like to think I'm more subtle than Danann." Arvis rolled his eyes. "But it seems the only way to find anything about you is to ask you directly."

"Ah, this is because you can only find about five, six years worth of history on me."

"Somehow I'm unsurprised you're well aware of how difficult you are to trace." Arvis glowered, and I wondered if I should step in. I'd chosen against it before, but the tension was just getting worse. "By all accounts, you mysteriously appeared one day somewhere in Belhalla, taking a mercenary job. No one has so much as a whisper before then."

"That would be because I'm like Gabriel, Ellen, and Sapphira, Arvis." Chulainn shrugged, but Arvis's expression immediately blanked. The tension that had been building popped like a blister. "And, forgive me, but I do not wish to tell you who I was before then. That's for Alicia alone."

"I… well, I'm glad she knows, but…" Arvis paled, and rested his fist on his chin as he thought. "Damn, how long have these things been going on? There must be something wrong with the old laws beyond what I thought. What loopholes did they-?"

"You are definitely their older brother." Chulainn sounded perfectly exasperated, but he smiled faintly. "The second you hear something which aligns to your knowledge and sense of duty, you're thinking ten thousand things in a second."

"Is that a complaint?"

"On the contrary. I find it endearing." Chulainn chuckled when Arvis gave him the most 'what in the world' look I'd ever seen on his face. "But you seem to share Alicia's tendency to focus completely on work and think nothing of your own health." Excuse me, but I was much better than Arvis even before I met Sigurd and everyone. "Take your time. The shadows are always there."

"But the more I delay, the more others are hurt, and…" Arvis hesitated before continuing. "And I do have selfish reasons for it. Alicia and Azelle deserve a happier world. I need to give my all for them. They're my everything."

"That's why I'm pointing out you should relax. Alicia and Azelle think the world of you. You don't need to push yourself to be better." Chulainn's faint smile grew a little, into the soft smile I loved most. "Focus a little less on what you think they deserve, Arvis, and more on what they want. I think you'd be happier for it."

"You… bah." Arvis waved a hand to dismiss the words. "Well, if we're suddenly giving advice, I have some for you. You may have said it in jest, but it's bothering me enough that I'm treating it as sincere. You don't have to work to make my sister happy, Chulainn. You exist and she smiles. She smiles more in an hour nowadays than I'd seen her smile in a decade. Just don't die and leave her alone, and she'll be the happiest woman in all of Jugdral."

"...Ah." Chulainn looked down, trying to hide the faint blush on his face. "I will… keep it in mind. Or try to."

"Finally, I got the upper hand in this conversation." Why was Arvis treating a conversation like a fight? Did this have something to do with the 'overprotective older brother' thing Chulainn mentioned? "And, on that note, I have to return to work."

"Dealing with bandits?" Chulainn, however, was quick to reply, and Arvis frowned. "Your Roten Ritter likes chattering within the walls."

"Clearly, I need to have a word with Aida. Probably while also instructing her to reprimand them again for harassing you." Arvis sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck to ease the tension there. "I apologize for them. If it continues, I'll deal with it myself. They can't ignore my orders, or Alicia's for that matter."

"They're asking for the same reason you sent a literal list of questions with Azelle."

"That was not my finest moment, I'll admit." Arvis coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "It was right after my spies informed me there was no information about you prior to five, six years ago, so I was frustrated. Alicia scolded me severely for it."

"But it is a legitimate concern. I even told her that." Chulainn was quiet for a moment, thinking. "Are you sending soldiers to deal with the bandits?"

"I was planning on it. Wh… ah, yes, that would work." Arvis smiled faintly. "Would you be willing to be part of the group? If I have you with others of the Roten Ritter, that will solve things neatly."

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't willing."

"It is separate from your guard work, so we should negotiate a price."

"My peace of mind." Chulainn's voice went dry and his words startled a laugh out of Arvis. "They're less subtle than Agustrians. If this makes them leave me alone, I'm in."

"Let's discuss it more tomorrow. I really do need to return to my work."

"Yeah, that'll be fine." Chulainn nodded a farewell, and Arvis actually laughed softly before heading down the path, a different one than the one I was on. When Arvis was out of sight, though, he turned to look right at me. "It's safe now. You're back more quickly than I expected."

"We met Reynard on the way, so he took over since he knows their teacher well," I explained, walking to his side. I studied his face, noticing how tense his shoulders were and how his hands kept falling to his belt, where he would usually wear a sword. "But Chulainn…" Should I ignore it? …No, that wouldn't be good. Even the smallest of wounds could fester if ignored. "Arvis may not be aware, but I am. You were provoking him." He flinched and glanced away, confirming my suspicion. The only reason he would've made that observation was to keep Arvis off-balanced. "You have been more than awkward with him too. I think 'unnerved' is more accurate. Does…" It hurt to ask, but I had to know. "Does he frighten you?"

"...No, but I do see why Azelle is sometimes frightened, and why the Arvis he speaks of and the Arvis you know seem like two separate people," he replied softly, as honest as ever. Though I had to frown because why would Azelle be frightened? I should ask him when I returned. "No, what unnerves me is not a fear, but a worry." Hesitantly, he cupped my face in his hand, like he was afraid I'd push him away. I reached up to hold his hand against my cheek, reassuring him. "His eyes remind me of someone I once knew, and they did not meet a happy end."

"Was it someone you hated?"

"No matter how much I hate his actions, I can't hate the man. My life might have been simpler if I could, but as it is, I can't. He only did what he thought was right. And he died, miserably, within days of achieving his goal. Mananan was always brutal to those who angered him." Was… was he talking about the one who led the coup in Sophara, the one who slaughtered his family? "But similar eyes, similar drives, do not necessarily mean similar actions. I worry, but you know him far better than me. So, I will trust you and try not to be unnerved while I make my own judgements."

"I see." I nuzzled his hand, and brushed a kiss over his palm. "I would prefer it if you two get along."

"I think we will. Just give us a little longer."

"Well, that's more hopeful than you were back in Mackily." I purposely made my voice light and he chuckled, the tension in his shoulders easing at last. "I supposed having that conversation right after meeting Sapphira wasn't good for your nerves either."

"No, it wasn't. I was far too aware of who he reminded me of." I wished I could reassure him Arvis would never do anything like that, but I knew it would mean little. This was a wariness born from trauma and pain, and only time could ease it. "But it seems I'm off to bandit hunt. Who will guard you here?"

"Arvis will. I'm always safe with him." I made a noise as I realized something. "Though, I wonder if there are injured. Should I bring it up to Arvis?"

"That is your discretion."

"I will later, then. Shall we finish our walk?"

"Might we stay like this for a while longer?"

"Of course." I leaned more into his hand. "He's right, you know. So long as you're here with me, I'm almost deliriously happy."

"I'd like you to be even happier."

"We'll build that together. I want you to be even happier too, after all."

We stood in the garden together for a long time, long enough for my feet to hurt, before we resumed our walk. This might not be the last time Chulainn tried to provoke Arvis, just to see his response, and I had a feeling Arvis would test him for a while yet.

But the two would make it work, if only for my sake. I loved them dearly for it.

---

A few days later, Chulainn left with a small group of the Roten Ritter, including Aida and Reynard, to deal with bandits in one of the northern villages. A day after that, Arvis and I followed, since I successfully argued we should check on them ourselves. It wasn't hard; Arvis had wanted to investigate personally, but had too much work to justify it. It was easy to use me as an excuse.

"So, this is Lonrath Bay?" I asked, as Arvis helped me dismount. While we'd ridden most of the way here, Arvis thought it best we walk the rest into the village. "What's that castle across the bay?"

"That would be Zaxon Castle, which belongs to Silesse," Arvis answered, looping the reins about his hand. Then he led the way forward, tugging his horse away from all the leaves and grass with practiced ease. "It's the castle of Grand Duke Daccar, and is regarded as the gateway to Silesse." He pointed to the towering mountains I could barely see in the distance. "This is because Lubeck, located right on the border, is manned by a token guard under Grand Duke Daccar's command."

"I see." I stared for a moment, marveling at this glimpse at Lewyn and Erinys's home, before focusing on him. "And this village we're going to is on the bay?"

"Yes, it's primarily a fishing village. While well-off, it's not particularly wealthy, meaning it's an odd target for bandits. There's one further down that's much more lucrative."

"But would not a more lucrative village also have better defenses?"

"Bandits aren't smart enough to think of that."

"Unless 'bandits' have somehow become a separate species permanently cursed with eternal low intelligence, Arvis, they're people like any other." I thought of the droll looks Sigurd would sometimes give, and did my best to imitate it. "Though, even if they were, it's foolish to assume they can't do a risk assessment. Beasts do it all the time, especially predators."

"Since when do you know so much about animals? I thought you only knew of them as part of medicines?"

"I only know a few. Father Eirik wasn't fond of using them, so he made alternatives for his recipes." Thus, the only ones I knew were those which he had not yet found a suitable replacement, such as ygg venom for the broad-spectrum antidote. I'd read about others, of course, but I was most comfortable using plants. "Thanks to Chulainn, Ayra, and Shannan playing with wild animals, however, I've picked up a few facts."

"Why wild? What's wrong with domesticated?"

"They play with those too, especially Shannan."

"Ah." Arvis fell silent, not certain how to respond. So, when he did speak, he changed the subject entirely. "Alicia, while you're here, you should probably attend another social event."

"I hate that you're right." By now, I knew enough to know I had to show my face sometimes in the court, if only to make things easier for Arvis. It had to be difficult when your (technical) heir hid. "You are not allowed to hold a banquet in my honor."

"Darn, there goes that idea." He said it lightly, like it was a joke, but I frowned at him suspiciously because I knew he would've done it. "Well, Bloom's wedding is coming up."

"Oh, is it?"

"Yes. However, you may need to extend your stay a week for it."

"That will be acceptable, since I know you wouldn't suggest it if it wasn't the most efficient way to go about it."

"It is." Arvis nodded a few times, warming to the idea. "Most weddings involving Crusader Houses in Grannvale are grand ceremonies, Alicia, and there must be a representative of each house present. Chalphy is the sole exception to this." I liked Chalphy's better. "I do not know what they'll do for Chalphy's representation, of course, but I'm sure no one will mind the exception given Sigurd is stuck in talks and Byron is on the Front." If I sent a letter, could Ethlyn at least come? Surely, we could argue she counted. "For Friege, the actual ceremony is private, but there's a grand ball afterwards, followed by three days of festivities."

"Is this a wedding or a festival?"

"Does it matter? Both are tedious." He had a point. "However, it would be a very good event for you, and I'm stuck going anyway."

"Dear brother, are you bringing me along to share your misery?"

"Tailtiu will be there."

"You're not answering the question." I scowled, but relented before long. "I suppose I'll need a dress for it."

"For the ball, yes."

"I have a shawl I want it to match." Chulainn was going to be so smug. He insisted we pack some of my fancier clothes, shawls, and the jewelry I rarely wore precisely because he thought I'd attend some sort of event. I'd only relented to get him to stop. "And you're only allowed to commission the lone dress and matching shoes. I have too many clothes thanks to us bleeding Clement dry with wardrobes."

"I've been meaning to ask, but how the hell did that happen?"

"If Clement was going to insist on taking us hostage, he doesn't have the right to complain about us fighting back in our own way."

"Who came up with the tactic?"

"Ayra and Deirdre initially brought it up. I suggested it for the banquet." I shrugged. "Chulainn insisted I pack the fancier ones when we came here, though."

"Do you have enough for four or five days?"

"Yes, but where did the five come from?"

"Given my duties, I'll probably stay an extra night and head straight for Belhalla the next day."

"Then Chulainn and I might return to Agustria from there, since it's already part of the way back." I smiled apologetically when he drooped. "I warned you I would not be able to stay long this time."

"I know; I know. Your next one should be longer, though."

"Of course, Arvis."

"Also, is that the right-?"

"Arvis, for the last time, this Mend staff is fine. I do not need a 'Recover' with my magic." I supposed I'd keep this one as a back-up in case the other one he bought me broke? Oh, I could give the extra one to Edain. I wasn't certain if Ethlyn and Lachesis had the skill yet to use one; I'd check when I returned.

"Right, right..."

We fell silent then, since there was nothing else to say, and before long, we'd managed to make it into the village. As we walked down the main street, I looked around curiously, noticing how many buildings were in disrepair and how many people walked past with bandages and loose clothes. Despite this, a breath of hope wafted through the streets, like a child peeking around a corner to gauge whether or not it was safe to come out. No one was certain if things were 'solved', but things were finally starting to look better.

"Your grace, my lady, you honor us with your visit!" an elderly man greeted us within seconds of us stepping into the main square, his polite demeanor and boisterous cry almost hiding how loosely his clothes fit. I caught sight of a bandage under the too large sleeve. "I am Darius, the town leader for now. I wanted to thank you again for sending forces so quickly."

"It's my duty as your lord to protect you," Arvis replied, his tone formal and even. There was something cold to him, though, something distant. It made Darius's cheer falter. "I should apologize for not providing adequate defenses to start with."

"No, no, your grace. What you have done is-"

"Arvis, smile a little, will you?" I chided, nudging him. Arvis blinked at me in confusion. "You'll make the man think you're here to interrogate him, looking like that." I smiled at Darius, hoping I could ease things some. "Please, forgive my brother, Darius. He's mentally noting everything that is below his lofty standards and I fear his thinking face appears like a scowl. He's probably caught up in your food supply."

"Given the number of people whose clothes are loose, it's clear either these attacks have been going on longer than reported, or there were poor harvests in recent years," Arvis rattled off without thinking. Darius blinked a few times, but I nodded in agreement. People usually didn't lose weight that quickly, unless there was something else wrong. "Since this area is closer to the desert than most, there are fewer viable fields. They primarily subsist on seafood, with fruits and grains coming in from trade. If the bandits had disrupted commerce to such a degree, then..."

"While that is all true, brother, I'm not so certain people will wish to talk to you when you have a face like a thundercloud. And you will need to talk to them for a timeline. After all, there could be another reason for disrupted trade, such as the war. Prince Kurth has mentioned many merchants have set up shop near the army to sell their wares and make a profit."

"Fair point. But we should send extra lumber here as well to reinforce what's been destroyed. The state of the buildings was..."

"Shouldn't you first see what they have stored and what woods they use?"

"I was just making observations to determine the first points of investigation. I wouldn't have sent whatever I could find."

"It seems you learned from-" I was interrupted when Darius started chuckling. "Ah, we're being rude. I'm sorry."

"No, no, my lady, it's fine," Darius immediately reassured, still chuckling. He thankfully looked much more relaxed now. "I should apologize for interrupting. But yes, our food supply has unfortunately been less since the war started. What we had stocked was stolen by the bandits." So, was it a combination, then? Why would their lord not say anything, though?

"I see," I murmured, glancing at Arvis. He was pensive, mentally reciting previous reports to see if there was something he overlooked. "I fear my brother will be more helpful on that front than me, so let me focus on what I can do. Are there any ill or injured?" I already knew the answer, of course, but it was only polite to ask.

"Pardon? Ah..." He hesitated, tugging his sleeve over the bandages on his arm. "Yes, I remember now. You are also the Red Rose Healer of Lord Sigurd's forces." I thought I saw Arvis twitch out of my eye, but his expression was impassive when I turned to look. "I... given what you've already seen, I will not try to trick you. There are plenty of both, but given the bandits, I'm not certain how we would pay..."

"You've heard that epithet, but not that I do not take payment? Gossip needs to be more convenient." I made sure to smile, laughing even, and he stared at me like I'd come down with the pox. "If you insist I must be paid, why don't we write this off as a benefit of your taxes?" They did pay taxes, right? "May I start with you? I'm sure Arvis has many questions for you, but I want to make sure you're healthy enough for it."

Apparently out of protests, Darius agreed and led us to his home so I could examine him. Thankfully, he was in good health, aside from the wound on his arm and signs of malnutrition. Certainly, it was less than what I expected given how loose the clothing was. Maybe they wore loose clothing here and the weight loss was actually minimal? I'd ask later. For now, there were other things to do, such as getting an area set up. After discussing it with Darius, I decided to linger in the town square, as I did whenever I treated the townsfolk in Verane, and I made sure to tell everyone who ventured close just what I was here to do as I arranged my things. I took my time with it; they'd need to gather their courage to approach. And, eventually, one did: a mother carrying a toddler with a badly infected leg.

"I'm… I'm sorry to bother," she mumbled, holding her child close. They were quiet, flush with a fever and shivering from chills. "But my son's leg… it was injured when he ran from the attack and…"

"Let me take a look," I murmured, bringing up my staff. Pus dripped from the injury, and the expanded area of redness and blisters implied cellulitis. The main issue was… "Ah, there's something stuck deep in the wound. That's why it's not healing properly." I hadn't expected a surgery first thing, but I suppose that was my own fault. Only someone seriously injured would've been the first. "Is there a building we can use? I'd rather not try to cut into it while in the open."

"Um… my house is just right here…"

"Then, do you mind?" I waited for her to nod. "Very well, let's head inside." I spared a moment to brush the child's hair out of his face. He opened bleary eyes to stare and blink at me. "Hello, little one. Let's make you better."

The surgery didn't take long; the main problem was how deep the rock was had been. I had it out within a handful of minutes, and burned the worst of the infection out with my magic. From there, it was the usual medicines and stitching, and I calmly explained to his mother what he'd need. She listened attentively, asking questions for clarity, and helped me clean up the surgery area before taking her son to bed. She even let me borrow a room to change, offering some of her clothes, but I had made sure to pack an extra set. Few things were more disconcerting than someone covered in blood insisting they could treat you, and a healer must always be presentable.

Outside, some others had found their courage and met me to ask for help, so I devoted all my attention to healing them. The first ones were major: injuries which kept reopening, infected wounds, broken bones setting wrong, eye injuries, deep bruising, and large abrasions. It was followed by major ailments which did not necessarily have anything to do with the bandit attacks, like illnesses. Then came the 'lesser' injuries, such as bad gashes. Though, some of these 'lesser' injuries were ones I would've classified as 'major', but that was the anxiety talking.

"Miss, miss?" a child asked me randomly, as I finished cleaning the head injury their brother had gotten. He'd been helping his father repair a broken wall when he'd slipped and banged his head against the edge of a table. Now, his father hovered over both worriedly. "When you're done with my brother, can you look at my boo-boo?"

"I can handle that when we're home," their father immediately chided, resting a hand on their shoulder. The child drooped. "Just hold on a little longer, sweetie."

"But you're bad at treating boo-boos." There truly was nothing like a child's honesty. "Can I ask Mommy when she gets back?"

"That…" The father flinched, and my patient had to close his eyes to ward off tears. That told me a lot; Arvis had informed me there had been deaths. "We… we don't know when that will be. So, be a good girl and wait."

"But…"

"She's been quite good indeed, waiting while I treat her brother," I began, setting my medicines down so I could bandage his head. It didn't take me long and I turned to smile at the little girl. "Now then, will you show me where you're hurting?"

"My lady, there's no…" the father began protesting. His daughter, delighted, held out her finger, where a splinter was causing swelling. "Your time is valuable."

"So is your child's comfort." I found a small needle in my bag, and cradled her hand in mine as I carefully pierced the skin to draw the splinter out. Her hand was so small, the same size as Enkh's. Were they the same age? "You needn't fret. I do this all the time back with the army." Splinter removed, I cleaned the injury and bandaged it up. "There we are." I leaned down so I could look her in the eye. "How is that?"

"Better!" the girl chirped, beaming. Her brother had to bite back a laugh, while her father looked exasperated. "Can you kiss it? Mom says that's always the final touch." I wasn't certain how that worked, but I couldn't turn down such an earnest request. So, I kissed it gently and she giggled. "Thankees!" She grinned up at her father. "See? That's how you do it, Dad."

"Tabitha, where did you learn this sass?" her father sighed, shaking his head. Both her and her brother immediately pointed to him. "I set myself up for that one." He ruffled her hair and bowed low to me. "I thank you for indulging her, but apologize for the extra effort."

"As I said, I do it all the time," I reassured, smiling warmly. All three blinked at me, startled for some reason. I… I did say it, didn't I? "I would rather treat a thousand minor injuries like hers than a single major. They're simple, and require little follow up. Ah, but your son's injury will require some follow up. Would you like me to write it down?"

"Yes, please, my lady." He went right back to bowing. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure."

Treating Tabitha proved to be the final 'breaking point, as more gathered near to be treated. Amusingly, most were children with minor injuries, things they had not wanted to burden their parents with. I think I treated more scrapes and bruises here than I'd done the entirety of both campaigns, but I was happy to do so. I wanted them to know their injuries, no matter how small, would be treated. They deserved to no longer be in pain.

As I cleaned a young boy's scrapped knee, a commotion near the entrance caught everyone's attention. Everyone watched with bated breath as our sweaty, dirty, and bandaged knights returned. When they saw the knights were smiling, they even cheered. Smiles only meant 'success', or so they assumed, and the breath of hope now grew to a warm, refreshing breeze, bringing life and energy with it.

"I take it you were successful?" I asked, waving to catch the attention of the closest knights. A few of them blinked at me in confusion. "Wash up, and then report to me for an examination, will you? We should make sure none of your injuries are worse than expected." Movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I turned to see Arvis had joined me. "You don't mind, right?"

"Why would I mind?" Arvis asked, genuinely confused. I only smiled. "But yes, come over here. If you don't, you'll make my sister fret. I'll get your reports later."

"Pass me the bandages while you're here, Arvis."

"Am I your helper now?" He sighed, but smiled. At least, he smiled until he actually looked at the bandages, separated by size and type, and the dressings arranged neatly next to them. "Wait, why are there so many? Isn't a bandage a bandage?"

"This is why Bishop Cowen forbade you from tending to anyone's injuries, and why I had to write you very clear instructions when you ignored him anyway." Arvis knew how to use staves on a purely technical/theoretical level. Otherwise, he couldn't tend to even a papercut properly. "I need the small rolls and the gauze."

"The gauze is..."

"Just hand me all of it."

Sheepishly, Arvis did as I asked, and I found what I needed immediately to finish treating my patient's knee. This was around the time the knights realized we were both serious and did as ordered, lining up neatly behind the children after washing the worst of the dirt and sweat off. There was only one knight who did not listen: Aida. She, instead, found Arvis to give a report, which I heard because Arvis remained next to me to do a tally of who was here and who was not.

"He's skilled," Aida informed him, bluntly and without preamble. Arvis gave her a dirty look. "He's brutally efficient when it comes to battle, and kills without hesitation. Could stand to be a little more flexible when it comes to objectives, but that sort of mindset isn't bad for a guard." She had a faint smile on her face. "I approve."

"While I am glad to hear Chulainn has earned your favor, Aida..." Arvis began dryly. Aida's smile grew to a grin. "I would have liked to hear a report on our bandits first."

"Oh, so you weren't terribly curious yourself and didn't ask because you were antsy about making him even more uncomfortable because he makes Lady Alicia so happy?" Aida's grin resembled a cat's, and Arvis scowled, but did not refute her. "Ah, I wish Lady Alicia would stay with us forever. You're much more relaxed when she's around, and that means you're easier to tease!"

"Report. Now."

"Yes, yes." Her grin faded for seriousness. "Not sure they're bandits at all. Chulainn noted they were too used to fighting in formation, and Reynard thought their weapons were of higher quality than most bandits would have."

"Then the question becomes whether they're operating on orders or if they're deserters."

"Could also be those who were fired. We'll have to investigate the local lord to be certain." Aida nodded to the water, for some reason. "There is also the possibility they're from across the bay."

"Hold the thought, but don't bring it up again until and unless you have physical proof. That could complicate things with Silesse." From what I knew, that was the last thing Silesse needed. "Anyway, Captain, you should be a good example to your subordinates and get in line."

"I'm fine."

"Ah, they're not only my orders, but Alicia's." Arvis smiled; Aida scowled. "So, Captain..."

"I take back what I said. You're also terribly smug when she's around." She groaned, but brought her hands up in surrender. "I yield. I'll get treated after the others."

So she did, though she remained standing to further confer with Arvis. I ignored them after a while, finishing with the children and moving on to the knights. Yet though I kept my professional calm and treated everyone as thoroughly as I always did, a certain person's absence weighed heavy on me. Chulainn was nowhere to be seen, but I knew he was fine. He had to be fine. They wouldn't be smiling and Aida would've said something first if he wasn't.

"Your grace, my lady, Captain." After I finished treating everyone, Reynard approached, his arm wound freshly bandaged. The cut on his cheek was disinfected, but otherwise left alone. "I apologize for bothering," he continued, bowing formally. Arvis raised a brow, while Aida looked at him impassively. I busied myself with cleaning my supplies. "But I was wondering you had seen Lord Chulainn?"

"Chulainn?" Aida repeated, her eyes widening. Arvis immediately frowned, and I sighed because I'd been trying to not think about it, darn it. "He should have been the first one to be examined, considering the wound he took protecting me?" Aida looked around, focusing on every single blond in the crowd. But none of them were Chulainn. He hadn't even been part of the returning party. "Reynard, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't he get run through?"

"And kept fighting, yes. Wasn't until you started snapping that the rest of us realized it went through his side."

"And the man had the gall to keep fighting just as skillfully as he did without injuries. Neither here nor there. Where is he?"

"Captain, would I be asking you if I knew? I'd hope one of us would have noticed if he'd dropped, but..."

"I could've sworn I told that man he needs to stay alive, damn it," Arvis growled, scowling fiercely. He looked about as well and suddenly strode off. "I'm dragging him back."

"Arvis, wait a moment!" I called out, hoping he'd at least wait for me. But, of course, he didn't. "Oh goodness..."

"I must apologize for not watching Lord Chulainn more properly," Aida murmured, bowing very formally to me. It was even more formal than Reynard's, and it was strange to see. "I should have escorted him to you myself."

"It's fine. Chulainn is, unfortunately, used to pain. This is not the first time he's fought while run through." Yes, it made sense. He had to fight despite grave injuries in the arenas, and his Holy Blood meant he could bleed more than most and survive. Honestly, given what I've seen and heard, he could probably bleed more than many others with Holy Blood, certainly more than you'd expect for someone with only Minor blood. None of it made me feel better. "You need not be so formal. Chulainn is stubborn, and is very skilled at slipping away." Arvis was out of sight now. "I do think I will chase after my brother, though."

"Of course. Reynard, escort Lady Alicia, will you? I want to do my own headcount and make sure no one else skipped an examination."

I tried to protest, but Aida refused to budge. So, Reynard accompanied me down the path, helping us keep track. It wasn't hard; their footprints were still in the mud. Before long, we found two sets of footprints drifting off the path, and we followed them to find a surprisingly large tree, branches swaying gently in the breeze despite being the only one around. And under the tree stood Arvis and Chulainn. Chulainn was as impassive as ever as he carefully held a blue izelle close; Arvis looked ready to strangle him.

"So, let me get this straight," Arvis was grumbling, brushing the hair out of his face so he could better scowl. "You went off the path, alone, while bleeding profusely, to pick a flower."

"I thought Alicia might like it," Chulainn admitted without a trace of shame. I couldn't decide if I was more embarrassed or exasperated. "And I'm not bleeding profusely."

"While I appreciate your devotion to my sister, you are bleeding through your shirt." Arvis pointed at the slowly growing bloodstain for emphasis. "How is that not bleeding profusely?"

"It's a slow bleed, and bandaged."

"Didn't it go through your side?"

"Not the first time." He smiled at the blue izelle in his hand. "It's the first time I can gift her izelle, though."

"Why do I have to be the one to remind you that she likes you more than flowers?" Arvis sighed heavily, anger dissipating now that he knew the cause. "Didn't I tell you to stay alive?"

"This won't kill me for a while yet. I have practice."

"I dread the answer to why."

"It's fine, because I know," I said, finally joining them. Arvis blinked at me slowly, while Chulainn simply shrugged. "Yes, yes, you knew I was here from the start. I hope you will not give that answer to me, Chulainn."

"I'm not sure the one who dismisses her near death by poison as 'it was not killing me that quickly' should be scolding," Chulainn instantly retorted. I refused to admit he had a point. "I didn't think I was gone long enough for people to notice."

"Reynard is very attentive." I pointed to him for emphasis, since Reynard lingered back, diligently watching the area. "And you were out here for a long while. I finished treating everyone else already." Chulainn smiled apologetically and tucked the blue izelle behind my ear. "Would the flower have not been there later?"

"I wanted to give it to you immediately." His smile became the gentle smile I loved so much. "Flowers suit you."

"Don't say that when Arvis is near. See? He's already plotting to buy me flower-shaped hair ornaments."

"That would be fun."

"Chulainn!" The worst part was Arvis was actually laughing at us now. "Oh, let's just return before you start getting lightheaded." I took Chulainn's hand and dragged him after me. "Keep up, Arvis. Reynard, would you kindly lead the way back?"

Arvis kept laughing during the entire return trip, and even asked Chulainn for recommendations for hair ornaments. Chulainn answered, of course, rattling off flowers I'd worn in my hair recently, and I kept trying to protest, despite knowing Arvis already had it all planned in his head. Reynard valiantly struggled to keep a straight face as our escort, but by the time we made it to the village, he'd lost the battle miserably. Even worse, he reported it to Aida, who spent five minutes scolding Chulainn before switching to helping Arvis make a list of who to commission.

At the end of the day, though, I couldn't be mad. Everyone was smiling now, so I'd say this trip was well worth the effort. Maybe next time, we could go on a trip with Azelle. Wouldn't that be fun?

---

Though the bandits were dealt with, that did not mean the work was done. The Roten Ritter, save Aida, remained to continue 'on site' investigations, ensure the bandits were truly gone, and assist in immediate repairs. Aida returned with Arvis, Chulainn, and me so she could begin the 'long-term investigations'. I tried to ask how I could help, but both her and Arvis had the same answer: 'You have done enough, so please rest.' Since nothing I said could convince them otherwise, my days went back to being peaceful, each one blending into the next.

"Lia, Lia!" It wasn't until a few days later something broke the monotony, a child shouting in the gardens where I was studying in the gazebo. "Lia!" Confused, I debated whether or not to get involved, but then someone attached themselves to my leg with enough force to rock my chair. I quickly steadied myself, and made sure the table, and the tea I had been drinking, were stable. Only then did I look down to see Saias smiling brightly. "Hello!" he greeted, his tone matching his smile.

"Hello," I replied, reaching down to ruffle his hair. He beamed in response. "It's good to see you again, Saias."

"Good to see Lia too!" ...Ah. 'Lia' was apparently his name for me. Was 'Alicia' too hard for his age? No, I could have sworn he said it fully last time I was here. "Learning?"

"Yes, I'm studying just like before." I scooted over in my chair so he could climb up. He promptly did so, and tucked himself under my arm to look at my book with sparkling eyes. "See? I'm reading about the vlos. It's a very pretty flower which grows in the Belhalla and Edda regions, and its naturally sweet taste and mild calming effects mean it's frequently added to medicines to help them taste better."

"Whoa..." He reached out to trace it, and I looked around curiously, remembering what happened last time. Just as before, it wasn't long before I saw Aida, rushing about almost frantically through the gardens. "Oh, did Mama catch up?"

"She did." I freed a hand and waved to catch her attention. "Aida, over here!" She whipped around and sighed in relief when she saw Saias was with me. "I take it he ran off?"

"I knew I should've waited to tell him you were here," Aida muttered as she came over. She almost tripped on one of the flower beds, but she caught herself and stepped into the gazebo without even a pause. I silently offered her some tea, but she shook her head. "But no, I made the mistake of mentioning it, and nothing could calm him. He's been wanting to see you badly."

"Did he want me or my book?" I joked, laughing softly. Saias was still staring at the picture. "He calls me 'Lia'?"

"It happened when he was babbling to my father, and dropped some syllables because he was so excited." Oh, that was adorable. "Speaking of my father, though..." She pulled a book from her holster and handed it to me. I frowned curiously, immediately noticing it wasn't a tome despite where she kept it. "He's unfortunately too busy to visit, but he told me to give it to you. Says it's standard for Velthomer healers." Ah, so was this local remedies? It was different from the ones I'd fond previously. "The Lady of Velthomer should have it in her collection, or so he insisted."

"I appreciate it." I set it on the table for now, since I didn't want to close this one when Saias was so fascinated with the one I currently had. "You said he'd run off. Did something distract you?"

"I was asking Ruarc where you were, just like last time. Though, honestly, he probably followed since he himself was looking for you."

"Oh?" I tilted my head curiously. I honestly had very little interactions with Ruarc this time. Out of the staff, I usually saw only Cathleen. I think they realized how little I liked being waited on. "Did he tell you why?"

"No, he was explaining how he'd accompany us to the gardens to find you when Saias started bouncing at your name. I told him we were here to see you, the little scamp slipped out of my grip, and... well..." Saias bolted here, and Aida followed. "So, given how Ruarc is..." She turned and shaded her eyes to look out. "There he is. Ruarc, we're here."

"So, I see," Ruarc murmured, jogging over. He was noticeably out of breath, despite how Saias and Aida were fine. Then again, he was in his sixties. "Ah, and my pardon for disturbing you, my lady." Still, he recovered quickly and bowed to me. "I was wondering if you had seen Duke Arvis."

"Arvis?" I repeated, surprised. If I recalled correctly, he was… "Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, my lady. I simply went to his office to remind him to eat breakfast, and found he wasn't there."

"Arvis wasn't in his office?" Aida asked, visibly stunned. She even stared for a few seconds before crossing her arms and rapidly tapping her finger against her elbow. "Is he sick? No, can't be it. He tries to work even when he's got a fever."

"Indeed, though I did check his room just in case he had collapsed again," Ruarc explained, looking more worried by the second. Meanwhile, I was struggling to answer simply because… "I had hoped Lady Alicia had convinced him to take a break with her, but I see he is not here."

"Was there an attack? No, I would've been informed. Kidnapping is also ridiculous. He'd just burn them and escape." Why were these being considered? "Did he change where he works to avoid people? He's done that a few times, when we locked the door to his office."

"If he is, he's picked a new one. I have already checked his usual locations."

"Mmm… not good. He's a creature of habit. I didn't see him climbing, but we should check the exterior in case he-"

"He went out for a ride with Chulainn," I finally blurted, finding no other way to inform them. They kept talking too quickly for me to interject. "That's all." Well, now both Ruarc and Aida were staring like I'd declared he developed wings and flew away. "What?"

"I need a clarification," Aida began, still trying to comprehend what I said. Saias tilted his head in confusion, his expression matching what I felt. "But are you saying Arvis left work to go riding?"

"Yes, they've gone on morning rides since we returned from the bay." I sipped my tea to have something to do, and then let Saias have a taste when I remembered what kind it was. "This is made with the flower we just talked about." He hesitantly took a sip, and his eyes lit up. "See what I mean by 'naturally sweet'?" He nodded vigorously, and I laughed softly. "You can imagine how much easier it is to take medicines. Of course, we do not want people to become addicted or mistake it for candy, so it's usually reserved for medicines people may have difficulty taking, such as stomach medicines."

"Lady Alicia." Ah, Aida was still staring. So was Ruarc. "Since when does Arvis take breaks without someone forcing him?"

"Chulainn mentioned he wanted to go on a ride, and Arvis offered to show him his favorite paths around the duchy." They may or may not have talked about it after I (purposely) asked Arvis how long it had been since he had gone on a morning ride. "The two had so much fun after the first that they turned it into a habit." I shrugged and twisted to smile at Ruarc, where he struggled to hold back tears despite the smile on his face. I knew Arvis was bad about breaks, but clearly, this was even worse than I thought if Ruarc was about to cry tears of joy over it. "While they are a little later than usual, my understanding is that they're still galloping about. Might you arrange for some cold drinks and warm baths for when they return? And Aida, why don't you sit? Saias wants a lesson, after all."

Ruarc listened immediately, barely keeping from sniffling, and Aida sat down heavily, still stunned. I decided the best thing to do was to give her time to recover and, thus, I focused on Saias. Saias eagerly listened and asked questions about each of the plants I told him about, and I did my best to answer because what else could I do when his eyes sparkled so. Aida eventually got her bearings and pulled out a book to read from her holster. She must use it to carry any book, and not just tomes as others did.

Thus, the morning passed, gently and peacefully. I taught Saias until he started nodding off, his head bobbing as he struggled to stay awake. Aida laughed warmly at the sight, and scooped him up to carry him inside for nap time. I saw them off with a smile and wave, and bookmarked where we'd stopped in case Saias wanted another lesson before I left. I thought about reading more on my own, or starting the book Bishop Cowen had sent, but a quick look to the skies told me it was much later than I thought. It was better to clean up here and then head inside to wash up for the noon meal.

It didn't take me long, and I handed the tea set to a passing servant before returning to my room. When I stepped inside, however, I had to stop and stare. There, on the back table closest to the window, was a large bouquet of flowers in a beautiful blue vase. Shutting the door behind me, I set down my books and studied it, recognizing each flower with ease. Most prominent were the izelle: silver, blue, and red. Tucked around them like a protective ring were cthonis blossoms, dark purple flowers which grew only in Chalphy and were a key component in most sleep medicines. Filling out the rest were chrysanthemums and roses of similar colors, reminding me of the gardens in Evans.

This was most definitely not here when I left this morning. What were they doing here now?

"Ah, you already found it." Chulainn's quiet, somewhat shy voice wafted in, and I turned to see him in the doorway of the connecting door, still drying his hair from his bath. "I wasn't sure what to do for 'roots', since you aren't exactly attached to where you grew up," he explained, glancing away to hide his embarrassment. "So, izelle for Velthomer, where your family by blood lives. Arvis told me about chthonis flowers, and I decided to use those since your family by bonds calls Chalphy 'home'. But you seemed to regard 'Evans' as home, so I tried to find flowers common there. We were later than expected because Arvis showed me the local florist on the way back."

"I love it," I whispered, beaming at him. I would have to press at least one of each and add them to the book I was making. "But why are you so shy? You weren't when you gifted me 'spring'."

"It's more..." He trailed off, fumbling for his words. I bit back a laugh and returned my attention to the bouquet, adoring it anew now that I knew the meaning behind it. "...Tea..."

"Hmm?"

"I thought about trying to make you tea as well, but..." His smile was a little awkward. "Grannvalian teas are much more complicated than what I'm used to, so even if I'm skilled at the motions, I don't know how you make those mixes."

"You tried to make me a tea mix?" I laughed, unable to muffle it, and the awkwardness in his smile smoothed out for adoration. "Well, tell me what you wanted to put in."

"Pardon?"

"What did you want to put in? I'll make a mix for us." I walked over to him and linked my hands behind his neck. "It'll be our little secret."

Chulainn seized the easy opportunity for a kiss before explaining what he was thinking. So, after eating, we spent the afternoon working on the tea mix together, content in the peace. In the back of my head, though, I had to admit to being… I suppose the word I wanted was 'excited'? 'State of anticipation' was not easily summarized in a word. This was the third gift, after all, and there was only one more left. I wondered what it would be, but alas, I doubted I'd learn before Bloom's wedding.

Oh, what a headache that was going to be.

---

Author's note: So. Full disclosure. In the original plan, this interlude and the next one were intended to be a single chapter. However, my outline was too long and there was a LOT going on, so I split it.

Now then. In game, there's absolutely nothing about an inner vault in Agustria. That's tied to personal backstory. Eldigan and Sigurd's talk, including the line of 'if you break your word, I will break you' comes from the game, more or less. In game, no one really talks to Eldigan about him becoming king; you only really get the idea from village talks. The Oosawa manga has Sigurd confronting Eldigan about it, however, so I took a nod from that.

Return of Gabriel and Ellen, two of the warehouse kids, and you guys finally get to meet the little girl Chulainn saved in his backstory. Plus cameos of Aida and Saias! And, most importantly, Chulainn and Arvis meeting. Fun, fun, yeah?

The mention of fire magic putting more stress on the body is because in FE4, each 'tier' of elemental magic is more or less the same save for one critical thing: weight. The reason why wind magic reigns supreme in this game is because for the exact same might, it weighs the least (and this is one of the many reasons why Forseti is broken). Fire magic is the heaviest, so this was a nod to that.