CHAPTER 37
The place was inside the Begnion Empire's borders, just west of the Ribahn River.
Micaiah was making plans with Sothe. Apparently, both of them, plus the Daein Royal Army, had gotten word of the Laguz Alliance. As they were orders from King Pelleas, Micaiah and Sothe, as his loyal subjects, were expected to obey them. However, Sothe was angry and disappointed. Begnion had attacked Daein right during Daein's reconstruction from the Mad King's War. Sothe wasn't too pleased that he was fighting for Begnion, now. Micaiah didn't even know what was going on, but she suspected that Pelleas knew something that she and Sothe didn't know about. Micaiah trusted the king, despite changing since the coronation. She noticed that he hasn't even gave a smile or a laugh. It was probably because the Black Knight and Izuka vanished without a single trace left for her or Sothe.
"Who cares about Pelleas smiling or laughing at all?!" asked Sothe in anger. "As soldiers of Daein, and loyal subjects of King Pelleas, we don't have any quarrels with the Laguz Alliance." he said. "So my question: Why the hell are we targeting them?" Sothe then asked.
Micaiah answered, saying that with a few exceptions, the soldiers were excited to hunt down the laguz. Also mentioning that they would be providing a bounty with each one they killed, Micaiah said it was a raised morale. This left Sothe in a furious state, saying that they've gone from being freedom fighters to "damned bastardous bigots".
"Sothe!" yelled Micaiah.
"Micaiah, enough of this." said Sothe. "Tell me how you feel about this, and I want the truth." Micaiah kept silent, but then she said that she did not want to fight. But what choice did she have? She was the general of the army, and it didn't matter exactly how she felt. But she couldn't let down King Pelleas or the soldiers, as her duty relied on them. She was that much sorry.
"Micaiah, following the king's orders is the same as approving them." Sothe said.
"Sothe…you really don't have to do this." said Micaiah. "This is your choice: Go and fight with them or don't fight at all. But I'm not forcing you to do anything. I love you."
"Well, I'm not leaving your side, Micaiah." said Sothe. "I'm going to protect you until my death day. I keep my promises. But if I can't talk you out of this, I'm fighting the Laguz Alliance myself." said Sothe. "But the fight will be harder than any other fight we've fought in before." he mentioned.
"It won't be easy, Sothe, but…shall one side perish in battle, I'll do all that I can to make sure that the side that perishes isn't Daein." Micaiah said.
That same night, east of the Ribahn River, the surrounding areas were getting foggy. Skrimir and Ranulf were worried about the fog, but still carried on with their duties.
Meanwhile, with Lyre and Kyza, as well as Luganda and Daelyn, Lyre was smelling something weird with her laguz sense of smell. When Ranulf arrived on the scene, he asked what kind of smell it was. Lyre suspected that it was the torches the beorc use. And it turned out it was after Kyza pointed it out. Ranulf thought it would be best to put a halt on the river crossing.
Back with the Dawn Brigade and the allies, Sothe saw the lead force. Micaiah then ordered an attack.
With Tauroneo taking the first strike on a tiger laguz, Bri then ran right by him and skewered a cat laguz, with her wolf then rearing up on its hind legs.
As everyone on the river grounds was working together to fight, Ranulf thought Lethe was an idiot for not falling back.
"Ranulf, the soldiers will think that we are throwing our pride away if we retreat." said Lethe.
"You're following the lead of bloody soldiers?!" asked Ranullf in questionable anger. "You are supposed to be in charge!" Ranulf exclaimed.
"Well retreat is the sane course of action, is it not?" asked Lethe. "But think about it if we run now. We ourselves would suffer the loss of the merits we hold dearest in our own laguz hearts!" she exclaimed.
"You know what, Lethe? Your decision, your rules." said Ranulf. "I'm going with Skrimir. We are counting on you."
Ranulf later left.