Chapter Four: Part Seven

"Prince Vahan, Princess Philomena." Elly Drake approached the royals and saluted. "Unit A is ready to advance."

Vahan nodded. "I will give the order to advance shortly."

"Is this really such a good idea?" Philomena asked, folding her arms over her chest. She wore Zelant's black armor over her blue dress. "They would be expecting us to advance from Giant's Passage, wouldn't they?"

"Yes, and Sigrun will leads her forces to engage them," Vahan agreed. "Our older sister will allow herself to be bait if it means to protect any of us. But we know that they only have 300 soldiers, so they will send 100 over the bridge and then the remaining 200 are going to try and ambush us."

"It's a classic tactic called an envelopment," Elly agreed, sliding her hand into the pockets of her coat. "Astraea and Prince Denzel will try to attack us from the rear to make us think they're cornering us."

"But how will they attempt that if we're advancing from the only known point of connection to the small island?" Philomena asked.

"Teleportation," Vahan said. "We saw it. Our scouts reports our siblings and their assists walking a distance away, and then disappearing into thin air."

"It's not a common occurrence in war times, but it had happened in past wars," Elly said. "In my research of the Islands Liberation War, there were eyewitness accounts of entire fleets moving in the blink of an eye across the seas. Astraea Reiser may have discovered this secret as well."

"B-But doesn't that mean Father is at risk?!" Philomena cried out. "They could teleport to Blutkrieger!"

But Vahan shook his head. "If Astraea had that capability, then she would have done it by now. Since she hasn't that means she can't yet. We need to take here out before she can."

"That is why we're sending the bulk of our forces to Alfsberg, Your Highness," Elly added. "From my research, this unusual capability is centered around known landmark, such as towns. Alfsberg is the closest town to us, so that is most likely where the other two units will teleport to."

"It's too bad that Lord Reilly has taken a trip," Vahan sighed, shaking his head. "We could have used his help for this battle. I know that would have wanted to participate."

"We will make do, Your Highness," Elly reassured him. "And we will be victorious. When Princess Sigrun brings her forces across Giant's Passage, she will not find the ambush she believes she is entering."

"Right," Vahan said. "Instead…that ambush will be thrusted upon Denzel and Astraea."

"It didn't have to come to this," Philomena said, looking at Aravine. "But they wouldn't yield. Now we must fight."

"Yes. We will fight—but we will win."

Reformation Army vs Vahan Reiser and Philomena Reiser

Royal Army Forces: 500

Reformation Army Forces: 300

Victory: Defeat Vahan and Philomena's units

Failure: Astraea's unit falls

"Your Highness, I must ask you to march behind me," Ferdinand said softly.

"I'm the commander of this unit, Ferdinand," Sigrun said over her shoulder. "I will march with the vanguard."

"It will be interesting fighting on this bridge," Richard said thoughtfully. "It is wide enough for combat, but retreated will be difficult."

"We just have to hold Vahan and Philomena's forces off long enough for Denzel and Astraea to arrive. Then we can corner the forces, nab my siblings, and knock some sense into their thick skulls."

Ferdinand snorted. "You know that Prince Denzel will volunteer to knock Prince Vahan's skull."

Sigrun laughed. "Of course he will."

"There they are!" someone shouted.

Sigrun heard the marching footsteps and raised her cutlass. "Hold the line!" She called.

Her unit stopped in their tracks and readied their weapons as a large crowd 305 meters ahead of them advanced towards them. She saw from their armor that they were Royal Army soldiers. She shielded her eyes against the Sun and squinted. It was Richard who spoke. "That's an archery unit!"

An archery unit. A long-ranged archery that was still marching. Even from her position she did not see anyone holding their bows. No one was holding even a single arrow. She could see arms swinging back and forth as they walked.

And they were still advancing forward.

"They're not attacking," Richard said, frowning deeply. "If they keep moving towards us, it will leave them vulnerable to attack. Why are they still advancing and not attacking?"

A spike of panic filled Sigrun's body and her eyes went wide. "A trap!" she whispered. "They're going after Astraea and Denzel!"

Ferdinand and Richard recoiled with alarm, but Sigrun swiftly waved her arm. "FORWARD MARCH! GO, GO, GO!"

Her soldiers let out battle cries and in a frantic wave they began charging at the archery unit. Luckily the archery unit didn't seem prepared for their advanced and quickly stopped to arm themselves. But before they could act Sigrun's forces were upon them. They showed as much restraint as they could, but Sigrun knew that time was not on their side.

How did they know to go after Astraea and Denzel?! No matter, we have to hurry!

The perimeter of Alfsberg was secured. The citizens had bunkered down in there and the city was sealed. When Denzel and Astraea showed up, they would have no where to run.

From his hedgehog position, Vahan held himself steady. He was hidden with his personal unit and a secondary unit, and Philomena, Elly Drake, and another secondary unit had taken hedgehog positions to the west. When the two units teleported to outside Alfsberg, they would strike.

It didn't have to come to this, Astraea. But it has, and now you have forced me to kill you. You…and Sigrun and Denzel.

Vahan locked his jaw, gritting his teeth. Sensing his subtle distress, Kerime, leaned in close to his charge. "Your Highness?"

Vahan exhaled sharply. He quickly glanced over his shoulder and saw that his soldiers were a reasonable enough distance away. He looked at his half-brother then. "When we're done here, we're ending this," he whispered. "I will initiate it and get it done, and restore stability to the Kingdom."

Kerime nodded. "I will support you, Prince."

"Thank you, Kerime." He turned back to the clearing before Alfsberg, his hand gripping his fauchard. The unease that lingered at the corners of his conscious but he pushed it away and allowed the soldier inside of him to take over.

Then it happened. Vahan saw a flicker of light, and suddenly four figures were standing in the clearing before Alfsberg. His heart began to pound when he recognized Astraea, Dawa, a young man, and an unknown woman in a black cloak. He braced himself, waiting Denzel and the rest of the soldiers to arrive.

Only…they did not arrive. Only the four people stood there. Vahan could see Astraea talking to Dawa, who was nodding at whatever Astraea was saying, the young man was watching their surroundings, and the woman in black was unmoved. His brow furrowed in confusion. Just those three? Where is everyone?!

"Your Highness, WAIT!" Elly shouted across the clearing. Vahan leapt him and he swore aloud when he saw Philomena burst out from her hedgehog position and suddenly charge towards Astraea with her unit.

Damn, DAMN! Vahan raised his fauchard. "Forward march!" he shouted.

Dawa unrolled her bullwhip, the young man's posture stiffened, and the woman in black wore a disturbingly cold expression of indifference as 400 soldiers suddenly advanced upon them from all sides. Astraea, however, was unmoved. She looked towards Vahan, and Vahan saw that there was no fear in his youngest sister's eyes. Her unperturbed demeanor made him falter in his steps. "HOLD!" he shouted.

Too late. Astraea raised her right hand. "THE SHREDDING!" she shouted.

The symbol of the True Wind Rune rose into the air, and a massive, merciless windstorm stretched out from Astraea's body and expanded out, striking the the four units around her. Kerime slammed into Vahan from his right side, knocking him to the ground and shielding him as people around them screamed. Vahan thought he heard Philomena screaming, but when he tried to get up Kerime forced him back down.

Finally the ferocious winds subsided. Vahan sat up and looked at Kerime. He saw a trickle of blood from his half-brother's temple. "You're injured!" he exclaimed.

"It's a flesh wound," Kerime said dismissively. "Are you hurt, Your Highness?"

"No." Vahan quickly looked around. Everyone around them was reeling or laying on the ground injured. He looked across the clearing and saw the Philomena and the other unit in similar shape. He exhaled sharply and looked at Astraea. His youngest sister still stood still between them with Dawa and the woman in black by her side. There was a tinge of sadness in Astraea's expression, but she also looked resolute.

W…How? How did she expel such power?! She's not with her military unit!

Vahan was aware of the curious nature of the power of runes. In a standard combat situation the power of Runes were subdued. Controlled. Contained within a combat situation. More often than not with just six people affected. But in war battles…for some reason the power of runes was exemplified. A simple Fire Rune spell could wipe out dozens of soldiers and a simple healing spell from a Wind Rune could heal dozens of soldiers. It was one of the ambiguities of the world; the fluctuation of rune power.

He did not doubt that the True Wind Rune was powerful, but the power exuded from that spell was too powerful for someone not with their military unit. So how…?

"Is it my turn now?" the woman in black asked Astraea.

Astraea nodded. "Go ahead."

The woman in black spread her arms. "Twinkling Star."

An unfamiliar rune symbol rose into the air, and Vahan realized for the first time that they were in trouble.

It was working out better than she had expected. Astraea kept the outward appearance of calm but her heart was in her throat. Zerase's Star Rune was…extraordinarily powerful. It may not have been a True Rune, but she had never seen a spell like Twinkling Star before. The effects on the units around them was devastating. Even though they were primarily archery units, it did not leave them immune to the sheer power.

I hope everyone is okay. She looked around herself. My spell was so strong.

"Everything is unfolding as planned," David mused.

"Fall back!" Vahan shouted, scrambling to his feet. He looked fatigued but not injured. "Fall back NOW!"

Soldiers on all sides of him scrambled across the grass to flee. Many were still lying injured. Astraea saw Philomena and Aravine then, as both had been covered by several solder's bodies. Aravine dragged Philomena to her feet and they took off running.

"Now, Your Majesty?" Dawa asked her.

Astraea and David exchanged a glance and Astraea nodded. "Now."

Dawa put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly, the sound ripping through the air over the panicked yelling. As the Royal Army soldiers started falling back to the east and to the west, suddenly there was a loud 'whoosh' filling the air. The soldiers who were in retreat suddenly found themselves face to face with the Reformation Army. Denzel emerged from the east behind Vahan's position, grinning. "Going somewhere?"

Brownie's idea had been risky, but Astraea knew that they had to be ready for any scenarios. The House Pixie had proposed to shrink the majority of the forces in Astraea's and Denzel's units, so that when they arrived outside of Alfsberg it wouldn't seem like the Reformation Army was about to engage Royal Army forces. And in the event Vahan and/or Philomena decided to go to Alfsberg to secure a stronghold, they wouldn't see an army waiting for them.

And in the worst case scenario that the Royal Army was waiting for them at Alfsberg (which is what happened) they wouldn't think that the Reformation Army was there. But they were there, which is how Astraea was able to command so much power with the True Wind Rune.

And the True Wind Rune served its purpose perfectly. It dealt a serious blow to Vahan and Philomena's forces, and it dispersed the Reformation Army around to the rears of the Royal Army for their envelopment maneuver.

With the Royal Army units injured and primarily composed of archer units, the Reformation Army quickly overwhelmed them despite being outnumbered. In the chaos no one thought to engage Astraea, and she stood in the center of the chaos. A ring of calm surrounded by battle as Dawa and Zerase flanked her on both sides.

Aravine came into view, dragging Philomena behind her by her arm while Elly Drake ran behind them. Astraea saw them run towards Vahan and Kerime, and the five took off running towards the west.

Now's our chance! "Denzel!" she shouted.

"I'm coming!" Denzel broke through the wall of soldiers fighting and reached Astraea's side. Musashi and Pesmerga followed behind him, both looking unfazed. "Looks like we pulled it off!"

"Vahan and Philomena!" Astraea pointed towards the west. "They're falling back!"

"And they're moving exactly where they need to be," David said.

Denzel raised his plumbata. "Then let's give chase."

"Fall back! Fall back!" Vahan shouted. To his relief many of his soldiers yielded but many continued to engage. Damn, DAMN! How did this happen?!

"I'm sorry!" Philomena cried out, repeating the two words over and over again. "I didn't know—"

"Wait for the signal next time, Philomena!" Vahan barked over his shoulder. "It's basic battle protocol!"

"I know, I'm sorry!"

Vahan snapped his teeth and shook his head. "We'll worry about it later! Continue falling back so we can regroup!"

"YOUR HIGHNESS!" a soldier ahead of them shouted, pointing ahead.

Vahan looked where he was pointing and skidded to a stop. His mouth dropped open in shock when saw an army unit charging towards them. He recognized the person leading the vanguard and his throat dried in an instant. Sigrun.

He realized in that moment, that by having the soldiers retreat to the east that he had caused them to be surrounded on all sides.

"This is my fault," Elly Drake breathed. Vahan realized for the first time that the lenses of her glasses were cracked. "We outnumbered Astraea Reiser, but—!"

"We need to fight our way out!" Philomena said.

Vahan frowned and swallowed thickly, his hand clenched around the hilt of his fauchard. The dread started to simmer inside of him once more, but also…a strange sense of peace. An acceptance of his fate.

But only his fate.

Vahan turned to face Philomena and Aravine. "Aravine," he said, not looking at his sister. "Get Philomena and Miss Drake back to the capital. I will hold the traitors off."

"Vahan, NO!" Philomena shrieked.

"I will not be able to hold them off for long so you need to go now!" Vahan said. "You know your duty as an assist. Get my sister out of here."

"I'm not leaving you, Vahan!" Philomena rasped, grabbing his arm. "I'm a Reiser, too! I can fight!"

"Aravine!" Vahan snapped.

Aravine's brow knitted and she frowned deeply. After a moment she nodded slowly. "Understood."

"No, we are NOT leaving!" Philomena shrieked, rounding upon her assist. "If Vahan is staying behind to die, then I—"

Aravine suddenly sucker-punched Philomena in the stomach. The princess let out a bellowing wheeze and promptly collapse. Aravine caught her and swung her up and over her left shoulder. "I will get Her Highness out of here safely," she said. She looked at Elly. "You will need to keep up with me if you want to get out of here alive."

"R-Right," Elly said. She looked at Vahan. "Your Highness—"

"Let it be known!" Vahan shouted. "Elly Drake is absolved of all wrongdoing in this battle! I assume full responsibility! Tell His Majesty this! Now GO!"

Aravine took off running with Philomena. Philomena's remaining forces ran after her. Elly lingered for a brief moment to salute. "It's been an honor to work with you, Prince Vahan."

Vahan nodded. "We are lucky to have you, Miss Drake."

Elly took off running after the others. Vahan saw Sigrun draw nearer from the front and Astraea from the rear. He looked around at his soldiers and saw that they remained. He forced a smile at the men and women surrounding him. "Looks like we're spending the night in the World of Emptiness," he said. The soldiers around him laughed, but he knew there was nothing funny about the situation.

No…there was something funny about the situation. He prided himself on being a tactical genius. An unflappable warrior. But he utterly underestimated his youngest full-blooded sibling.

Astraea's heart was heavy as they closed in on Vahan. The unit was lighter than she expected. She craned her neck to look around, but she didn't see Philomena.

"Philomena is en-route back to Blutkrieger," Vahan announced. "You will not kill her, Astraea."

Astraea exhaled sharply. Philomena got away. She wasn't able to recruit her other sister. The pain reverberated inside her chest, but Vahan's voice drew her attention back. "You truly believe you can take Father on and win, don't you Astraea?"

Astraea looked at him for a long moment. "Yes, I do," she said.

Vahan laughed and shook his head, raising his fauchard. "You don't stand a chance, and I will show you."

"Vahan—"

"Your True Rune is useless in a duel," Vahan interjected sharply. "And you are not strong enough to face Father with your strength alone. Hell—you wouldn't be able to beat Denzel in a duel!"

"Hey!" Denzel snapped.

"I'm going to show you, Astraea," Vahan said, pointing the tip of his fauchard at her. "I'm going to show you that you don't stand a chance. That you are unworthy of leading this country. I'm going to duel you, and I'm going to strike you down."

"Vahan, we have you surrounded," Sigrun said sternly. "If you try to hurt Astraea, you will be struck down."

"You can kill me," Vahan agreed, and Kerime raised his spetum in warning. "But not before I beat her!" He faced Astraea once more. "Let's go," he hissed. "You and me, Astraea. Now."

Astraea swallowed thickly. This wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to show her brother and sister her might; that they could join her and trust in her to lead the country. Their reactions were unexpected. Philomena escaped…and Vahan did see or respect her might. He still saw her as a threat.

He still wanted to kill her.

"Fiend," Dawa snarled, stepping forward. But Astraea raised her arm to stop her. "I will face you, Vahan," Astraea told him. She kept her voice low to keep her voice steady. "You don't believe in me, so I will prove myself to you. I will duel you."

Vahan smiled thinly; a smile that did not reach his eyes. He slid into a polearm stance; the fauchard at a diagonal across the front of his body with the blade pointing towards his left shoulder. "You know the rules of dueling, Astraea. No runes."

"Yes," Astraea said, stepping forward. She unwound her knout. "And you know the rules as well; no outside interference."

"Kerime will not interfere."

"Nor will Dawa."

"No one will interfere," David spoke up. "We understand. It will be as though Royal Combat has commence.

"I don't like this," Sigrun said softly, hurrying to reach Denzel's side.

"I only dueled Astraea once," Denzel whispered back.

"How long ago?"

Denzel winced. "Four years ago."

"You both know duel etiquette," David said to Vahan and Astraea. "Your only courses of action are Attack, Defend, and Deathblow. That is all."

"Who are you to mediate this duel?!" Vahan snapped at him.

"Do not talk to him that way," Astraea said. "David is my strategist and you will show him respect!"

Vahan's brow rose at her words. After a moment he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. The result will be the same."

"Shall we discuss the terms of conditions for the victor?" David said.

"No, because I'm going to win," Vahan said.

Astraea closed her eyes briefly and exhaled slowly. "I'm ready."

Reformation Army soldiers stood to the right behind Astraea, and Royal Army soldiers stood to the left behind Vahan. Both Dawa and Kerime stood in proximity, watching each other and their charges.

"You should extract yourself from this situation," Zerase told David coldly. David quickly retreated to stand with Sigrun and Denzel.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you because we're family, Astraea," Vahan warned, readying his fauchard.

"I won't," Astraea said. "And you shouldn't expect the same from me."

The two began to circle each other as soldiers cheered for their respective royals. "I'm going to start with a warm-up," Vahan said.

It sounded like an Attack to Astraea. She knew a good response to an Attack was a Deathblow. Vahan lunged forward, thrusting his fauchard towards her. Astraea jumped to the left, doing a cartwheel. She heard the blade tear at her skirt. Once she straightened she quickly swung her knout over her head, delivering one strike to Vahan's weapon, followed by a strike to his temple.

"YEAH!" Denzel shouted, pumping his fist.

Another trickle of blood ran down Vahan's face, but the prince looked unfazed. "Well done," he said stoically. "But do you think you can do that again?"

It sounded like another Attack, but in a split second she hesitated. Vahan lunged forward again and Astraea was forced to throw up her guard and Defend. Instead of stabbing her however, Vahan swung his fauchard around, striking Astraea in her right shoulder hard with the hilt.

"Bastard!" Dawa hissed.

Sigrun's brow jumped. He…used the hilt to Attack her? Not the blade?

"Is that the best you've got, Astraea?" Vahan demanded, jumping back. "I expected better!"

That sounded like a Defend. Astraea's shoulder throbbed, causing her right arm to tremble but she tossed her knout to her left hand. She swung it towards Vahan again, the whip cracking against a gap in the armor of his arm where his elbow was. Vahan yelped and grabbed at his arm.

"He's giving her a lot of openings," David observed.

"Yes," Sigrun said. "This is…unusual for Vahan."

Denzel exhaled sharply through his nose. He's about to go all out.

"That's better," Vahan told her. "But I'm done playing."

Astraea knew in that moment he would go for a Deathblow. And the best counter to a Deathblow was to Defend. Sure enough, Vahan swung the fauchard over his head in a circle and lunged forward once more. When he got close enough, Astraea quickly did a back handspring. As she swung her legs up she clipped Vahan in the chin with her toes. He staggered backwards, but when Astraea was upright again she readied her knout and rained blows up Vahan. Seven consecutive strikes; hitting his face, head, and finally his hands. The last blow knocked the fauchard out of his hands. Blood ran down the front of Vahan's face and over his cheeks and nose as he collapsed to his knees.

The Reformation Army soldiers cheered, while the Royal Army stood frozen wearing expressions of shock. Kerime readied his spetum, his face a mask of fury as he began advancing forward, but Dawa lunged forward swinging her bullwhip. The tip of the bullwhip wrapped around Kerime's wrists, locking them together. With a roar Dawa hauled on her whip and Kerime was dragged forward, falling facefirst onto the ground beside Vahan.

Vahan hovered a hand over his face. His eyes were closed from the blood that had run into them. "I am at your mercy," he said calmly. "I only ask that you spare my soldiers."

Astraea stood over her older brother, her chest tightening one more. She raised her left hand. "Kindness Drops," she said.

The healing spell of the Water Rune washed over Vahan, and in an instant the blood disappeared from his face. The soldiers behind him murmured in shock. Vahan slowly opened his eyes, blinking in confusion before looking up at Astraea. "Why did you do that?" he asked.

"Because I'm not here to kill you," Astraea said softly. "I never wanted to kill you. Any of you."

Vahan's breathing was unsteady, his chest puffing slightly under his armor's breastplate. "Do you think mercy makes you a strong leader, Astraea?"

"You just said you were at her mercy," Denzel pointed out.

"I don't care if people see me as weak for healing you or sparing you, Vahan," Astraea responded. "You're my brother. I love you. You aren't my enemy. I have never seen you as my enemy." She lifted her eyes and looked at the soldiers before her. "I have never seen ANY of you as an enemy. I'm innocent of all the accusations made against me. The only people I have scores to settle with are the King and Sir Albert. That is all."

Murmurs broke out amongst the soldiers. They were all in a state of shock.

"She saved Prince Vahan!"

"She healed him herself!"

"But the Massacre—"

"But if she spared the Prince, what sense would it make for her to kill those kids?!"

Astraea looked at Vahan again. Kerime had crawled into a kneeling position, those his hands were still bound by Dawa's bullwhip. His head was ducked and he was silent.

Vahan suddenly burst into laughter. Silence swept over the assembled Armies as the infallible Prince let out a laugh, hard, and wheezing laugh. His body swayed forward and backwards as he laughed, as though he couldn't contain himself.

"What's so funny?!" Denzel demanded.

"Enough," Sigrun told him.

Vahan sobered, but there was no humor in his expression. Only dread. And…sorrow. "Do you want to know something, Astraea?" he asked quietly.

"What?" Astraea asked him.

Instead of immediately answering, Vahan slowly shook his head. After another long moment he met her gaze again. "I never believed you betrayed this country."

Shock filled Astraea's body, followed by an all-consuming pain. "W—What?!" she breathed.

"I knew all along you were innocent," Vahan said, his tone raw. "I knew you weren't capable of carrying out the Massacre of Innocents, and the longer I researched with the Intelligence Bureau the more I realized that it was a load of garbage. All that time looking for the evidence of you betraying Zelant and what did I find? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"But more than that," Vahan continued, leaning forward slightly as he held Astraea's gaze. "I know you. I know my little sister. The girl who is so invested in our family that she knows who all of Father's bastards are. A compassionate girl with soft emotions like you isn't capable of wholesale slaughter. Or so I thought." He chuckled humorlessly. "Turns out I was wrong about the last part. You're not soft like I thought you were. But even without this battle, I know deep down that you would have never done anything to hurt your half-siblings. You—"

Sigrun brushed past Astraea, recoiling her hand back and smacking Vahan across the face. "You BASTARD!" she snarled. "You knew this whole damn time Astraea was innocent, and you STILL sided with Father?! You STILL took up arms against her and tried to kill her?! Why?!"

A fresh trickle of blood leaked of blood leaked from the corner of Vahan's mouth. He glared at Sigrun. "Because I froze, Big Sister," he said harshly. "When Father made the accusation against her, and Brendan drew his sword on her—Brendan—I didn't know what to do!"

"You could have sided with us from the beginning!" Denzel snapped, moving to Sigrun's side. "You could have defended Astraea like Sigrun and I did! Instead you pledged yourself to that bastard who sired us! You put your soldier's lives at risk fighting against someone who you KNEW was in the right!"

Vahan shook his head sharply and looked at Astraea. "I was trying to initiate Royal Combat!"

The three siblings stiffened, and the soldiers recoiled. "I was—about to challenge Father when your challenge came through!" he snapped. "I couldn't have challenged him when your challenge was made first! If you hadn't done it, I would have fought him, beaten him, and put an end to all THIS before it happened!"

Astraea swallowed thickly. Tears burned her eyes. "…What were you planning to do to us if you won?" she whispered. "Were you doing to kill us, Vahan?"

"NO!" Vahan shouted, the one word echoing around them. He said nothing more; his breathing ragged and heavily.

It was Kerime who spoke next. "His Highness…intended to bring you all back," he said quietly. "Worst case scenario he would have exiled you. But…had he won Royal Combat, then your lives would have been safe."

"But you just tried to kill us," Denzel pointed out.

"He's not King, is he?!" Kerime pointed out harshly.

Astraea steadied her breathing and looked at Vahan. She slowly lowered to her knees until she was eye-level with him. "…You sought to kill me because of the Royal Combat," she said. "You didn't think I was good enough. Do you still think I'm not good enough? Do you still seek to kill me?"

Vahan stared at her for a long time. His breaths puffed out in quick spurts. "Do you want the truth, Astraea?"

Astraea met his gaze, and she was stunned when she saw his eyes reddening with unshed tears. "The things I have been saying?" he said. "Saying that you're not good enough and that I'm trying to kill you? They weren't directed at you. They were directed at me. I was saying them to justify my actions. That what I was doing was necessary. But in reality…" he ducked his head. "I thought I was good enough to be King. Instead I'm a pathetic man who tried to kill my baby sister. I…" he gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything, Astraea!"

Astraea gasped softly, tears rolling down her cheeks. She lunged forward and threw her arms around Vahan's shoulders, hugging him tight. She closed her eyes and buried her face into his shoulder. After a few moments he reached up and reciprocated her hug.

"We didn't come here to fight you, Vahan," Sigrun said, her tone lowering into its natural "big sister" tone. She knelt down beside Vahan and Astraea, reaching out to touch Vahan's shoulder. "That wasn't our intention. We wanted you to join us. Both Philomena and you. I mean—haven't you stopped to consider why so many of your soldiers are still standing? We wanted to show you our strength but not conquer you. We wanted…" she exhaled sharply.

"We wanted you to believe in Her Majesty," David said, stepping forward. "We wanted you to see that she was capable. That you could believe in her. It's good to know that we don't need to convince you of her innocence, but we nonetheless want you to stand with Her Majesty. Prince Vahan Reiser—would you consider pledging yourself to your sister's cause?"

Vahan withdrew from Astraea. Astraea let him go. Vahan's face was now calm, and it did not look like he had shed tears. "You want me to join you, Astraea? After everything I've done to you?"

"Yes," Astraea said. "I want my Big Brother to stand by me. If you are truly sorry, then I want to forgive you. I want to work towards a better future for Zelant with you."

"Well I don't forgive you," Denzel said harshly, folding his arms over his chest. "You have no idea what we've been through, Vahan. And you share a LOT in responsibility for what we've been through. Just you feel bad about it now doesn't mean everything's magically better. Astraea didn't deserve anything you helped put her through."

"Denzel…" Astraea said softly.

"He's right," Vahan said, lifting his head fully. "An apology isn't enough. Words are meaningless without action. I need to redeem myself to you—to all of you," he added, looking at Sigrun and Denzel. He looked at Astraea. "And I—I would much rather stand by you than by Father."

Astraea laughed, fresh tears spilling out as she clapped her hands together. "T-Then it's settled! You'll join us!"

Vahan nodded. "I will join you."

"As will I," Kerime said. "I will stay by my Prince's side."

Dawa unbound Kerime and Richard helped Vahan to his feet. Vahan turned to his soldiers. "Effective immediately I release you all from my command. I renounce my standing in the Royal Army and pledge myself to Astraea's Army. You are all free to return to the capital and to your families, or you may join me. I will not judge you what you decide."

"These soldiers are injured," David pointed out. "We should administer first aid so they have clear heads to make such a monumental decision."

Vahan nodded. "Good idea, Mister…?"

"David Silverberg," David said. Vahan immediately tensed but Sigrun waved a hand. "He's with us, Vahan. Not Sir Albert."

"…All right," Vahan said.

Astraea looked north of their position, where Philomena had fled. It was too late now to give chase in hopes of catching her to recruit her as well.

But I have Vahan and Kerime, and I have Dawa, Sigrun, and Denzel. It will be difficult, but I know I must get all my siblings on my side.

Recruits: Vahan (45), Kerime (44)