Dynasty of Heroshida

The yellow sun rays danced ever so gracefully through the window of the room, landing gently upon the several ornaments occupying the beautifully adorned room. Silver, gold and gemstones had been given their place within, clearly not fitting for a simple farmer or merchant. But the woman sitting in her seat was neither; her family had acquired a valuable position, both socially and in terms of value. Behind her stood a woman donned in a simple set of clothes fitting for a handmaiden. She carefully braided the hair, carrying a midnight color to it. Strings had been weaved into unison around the edge of her head, whilst the rest of the hair was allowed to hang freely, dancing with every moment. The both of them silently waited, the maid handling the Lady's hair as if it was a fragile diamond in her very hands. Lady Mikasa allowed a quick sigh to escape her otherwise silent lips, which simultaneously caused a reaction from the maid.
“I apologize my Lady! I shall correct it! What part of it isn't adequate?” the maid broke out, instantly stopping her work, afraid that she might dig a deeper hole, though the young woman simply replied with a relaxed smile and shook her head carefully.
“Do not worry, Miss Hayashi. The hair is lovely, it's just…” Mikasa sighed, lowering her gaze to her hand, intertwining her fingers with a mournful look on her seemingly face. She was at a loss of words , which the slightly younger Naria Hayashi picked up on. After all, she had been in service to Mikasa for many years, since they were both young. She offered a kind smile through the mirror, to the Lady.
“Of course, I understand. It may be a day of celebration for the Dynasty, but..” Lady Mikasa carefully cut her off, finishing the sentence for the maid, which she seemed to appreciate. “It's barely a day of celebration for me. But I shan't trouble you with it, let alone make you feel bad on my behalf. Do not hold yourself back today, because of my mood.” Mikasa offered a kind smile back to Naria. The young maid returned to the braiding with a gentle rush. Over the many years, Nara couldn't count the amount of times she had taken care of preparing her Lady and her hair. She had become quite fond of it, and did an excellent job as well. They both appreciated their position, having grown into mutual friendship. Miss Hayashi looked her Mikasa and her outfit, nodding to herself. “Nonetheless, my Lady, you will look quite lovely today.”
Mikasa smiled, looking through the window.

The streets were already being filled in the city of Takanori, being prepared for the day to come. Lady Mikasa Shuenaii and Naria Hayashi rode through the streets in a silent manner, both having dressed up for the day. The Lady carried a smooth linen dress, being mostly white, though a few golden lines ran across it in a simple pattern. Naria were donned in one of her few dresses for any other occasion than being in the household. It was a simple thing, though still worthy of a maid for a Lady of the Shuenaii family. Dipping her head kindly to whomever might greet her on her way, Mikasa glanced around the beautiful mountain city. The region of Heroshida was mostly filled with mountains and valleys, though it had a few flat areas too, mostly towards the west. With a careful deep breath, the two woman rode on, setting course for the Hamaian Square.
Most of the noble families had arrived, taking their place within the crowd, or at their seats. The two women swiftly dismounted from their horses, which were handed over to a young boy, bowing and taking the reins.
“Lady Mikasa! And Miss Hayashi of course, I'm glad to see the two of you arriving!” A man in his twenties greeted the two, bowing down. He was dressed in an official uniform, though not one fitted for combat. Still, he carried his blade by his side. It was mostly just for any formal events like this, otherwise the Lieutenant would be fully dressed in his armor, a man of the sword as he would say.
“Lieutenant Nakita, a pleasure.” Mikasa curtsied down, offering a smile to the man, who simply offered her a grin. “I never get used to seeing you all dressed up, like all the nobles, I'm afraid.”he shook his head gently, still smiling. “The hair is your doing I assume, Miss Hayashi?” Naria suddenly lit up like a flame, smiling and nodding enthusiastically. “Indeed, Mister Nakita! Worked on it all morning!” The girl nodded once again, though stepping down afterwards. Daika Nakita nodded back at the girl, with an approving gesture. Without further words, he waved for them to follow, leading them through the crowd, as a man began to speak, standing firmly on a platform raised slightly above the common folk and nobility.
“Welcome! Welcome!” He began. Mikasa observed him carefully, already feeling the shiver crawling down her spine. “The houses are empty, the lights have been lit, and soon the evening will be upon us! Today, we celebrate not only the ending of a time, but the beginning of a new! For six years we have had peace!” He briefly paused. “Six years ago, we defended our homes, and pushed the fiends of the West back!” The crowd cheered, and already now, Mikasa simply began to cut the speech off. She found no joy in it, though most of the people did. A way to unite the people, Miss Hayashi had said to her once. The Lady shrugged to herself, she wasn't going to take that from the people. Daika led them on, finally stepping into a house, the noise from outside fading. Naria stopped in the door, looking out to the speech. Flashing a smile, Mikasa waved her hand towards the Square again, Naria nodding happily and moved outside again, the door being shut behind Mikasa. Within the room stood a few familiar faces, all being either wealthy and influential nobles, or military officers. They were in the middle of greeting each other, smiling and nodding. Mikasa were simply in a state of daydreaming, the speech ringing in her head. She met Daika’s gaze, who instantly knew what haunted her. He was the same age as her, having signed up in the military six years ago, as soon as he had turned eighteen. She envied him, being allowed to dress in a uniform on the day. It wasn't that Mikasa didn't find joy in dresses, she simply didn't feel as comfortable in them, for a strange reason.
“I'm afraid,” on of the men began. “”That today won't be much of a celebration. There was an incident.” The General paused. An older woman, dressed in armor fit for a battlefield, rested her hand upon the end of her sheathed blade, grimacing. “Define incident, General.”
The General looked toward the Swordmaiden, nodding. “I'll be blunt, then. There was a skirmish between one of our patrols…” He stopped, looking towards Mikasa briefly. “Between one of our patrols, and the Crusaders.” The words released a chilly sensation throughout the room, followed by complete silence. Mikasa was speechless, being stunned by the words. There hadn't been more than small disagreements with the Western warriors for years.
“The rest of the soldiers stationed in the Dorochai Pass are on full alert. Both sides lost far too many.” The General continued, before an elder man broke in.
“What caused this? Did anyone provoke the attack?”
The General shrugged. “We know little more than what I've told. But there has been movements. I'm afraid it isn't something they'll take lightly. We should prepare for the worst.”
For the first time in what felt like hours, Mikasa took in a deep breath, the images of battle coming back to her. She pitied the citizens cheering outside. None of them were aware, aware that history was about to repeat itself, like it did so long ago.

Rylen staggered back from the surprising headbutt, placing his hand over his nose. It wasn't broken, but there was blood on his palm now. He dropped the prisoner with a heavy punch, and kneed the heathen on the way down for good measure. His men had drawn swords, but he held his hand up to halt their retribution. "Guess the savages have some spirit." he sighed, then looked to his comrades. "Tie him up and haul him up on a horse like the wounded!"

The mountainous terrain surrounded them as ominously as the odd looking trees did. 50 men at arms under his command, and he still didn't feel ready to be within a thousand miles of a war. That's what it was going to be, he knew. He'd heard enough to have little doubt in his mind. King Hadovad and High Priest Lexicun had called for an end of the foreign tolerance upon their ancient holy land. The other kings had flocked to them in spirit, and a few had decided to join them militarily as well.

Rylen mounted his horse, his brown hair tied in the back and his refined features matching the eagle eye he was giving their surroundings. "Head out!" he called, and the small raiding party embarked back to Fort Harbinger, the closest keep to what the natives called Heroshida. Rylen had no quarrel with these people, but he was a soldier. He wasn't about to question his king, much less his God.

The battle had been hard. Those easterners fought like demons. Looked like them too, from what the men could tell. Even their armor, so different from the more fundamental designs the crusaders wore. Chainmail over leather and under a tabard signifying their king and allegiance was how the west had identified themselves in battle for centuries. Not masks of dragons and blood red coverings that made them seem like something out of hell.

The ride back was uneventful, but even so the men felt uneasy. That had been the first blood shed in years between the East and the West, and many had fallen on both sides. Seems even when there was no war yet, they were determined to fight to the bitter end, tooth and claw. The gates opened, and they entered. The portcullis shutting behind them made this moment in history feel even more final.

Mikasa was still standing in her place. The men and women had begun discussing their next move, though their situation still remained a mystery. There were whispers of war in the room, whispers others simply dismissed. Mikasa looked between some of the higher ranked officers. Most of them still stood high and proud, even in the time of distress. The elderly woman retracted herself from the table and quickly approached Mikasa. Snapping out of her paralyzed stance, she greeted her with a formal nod. The woman offered a smile, waving her hand dismissively.
“You do not have to be so formal with me, Lady Mikasa. I still remember your first sparring session clear as day. You've grown quite a bit, on the good sides, mind.” Tushia offered a grin, which broke completely through the young Lady's defense. She had always been so fond of Tushia, both off and on the battlefield. She was a witty old woman, and a devastating warrior, even in her age.

The discussion went on, and both Mikasa and Tushia shared a few whispers between it all. Finally, the general spoke up again. “Right. I think we can conclude we know far too little. For all we know, this could've been a band of deserters, working as simple bandits. I propose a scout. Nothing too fancy, we don't want to provoke another attack.” He nodded, no one objecting. In fact, this caused a girl to speak up for the first time during the entire meeting. “I'll ride towards the Pass, General. I never was one for the celebrations, anyway.” Mikasa nodded firmly, her character standing strong, even whilst donned in her dress. The men looked towards her, pondering at the suggestion. General Hakatomi nodded slowly. “I understand your enthusiasm, Lady Mikasa. Truly, I do. Though we shouldn't make any decisions too quick.”. Mikasa nodded back at him, before speaking again. “I'll be able to arrive before the dawn hits. We will need all the time we can get, and I have made the journey many times before.” She insisted. The men nodded in unison, and Mikasa quickly took her leave.

The festives had truly kicked off, and Mikasa scanned the crowd for Naria. Finally catching the young girl, Mikasa couldn't help but smile. The maid had spoken so fondly of a very specific man, a servant of some other household, as far as Mikasa could recall. The two of them were dancing happily together, which was a bittersweet sight. “I pray this won't be the last time in years, you'll be able to smile.” Mikasa muttered to herself, before being on her way back to the Shuenaii household. Upon arrival, she quickly made to her room, jumping surprisingly quickly out of her clothes, and rushed to the family armory. She began equipping her armor, the cuirass, the shoulder pads, and the calf guard. The armor of the Swordmaidens were much equal to their male counterpart, the Heroshidan Samurai, though with minor adjustments. Most carried masks as well, to scare the enemy. But Mikasa simply had a protective helmet, donned with a fair sized horse tail on top. She couldn't help but smile, as she strapped her scabbard to her belt. That sword, had been through such a great many things.

Outside, the pinto horse awaited pateiantly. Mikasa strapped her helm to the saddle, and forced herself up on it. Another of the savants had assisted the Lady upon her arrival , looking at her with great concern. She simply smiled at him. “Will you explain the situation to Miss Hayashi? And please, keep the details of battle to a minimum.” The man nodded back, as Mikasa went on her way towards the Dorochai Pass.

The night had begin to engulf the land, but that hadn't stopped the young woman. So many thoughts raced through her head. Fear, sorrow, excitement, and a rush of adrenaline. After so many hours of riding, she finally could see the lights of the Point overlooking the Pass. The horse stopped by command, and Mikasa patted him carefully. “We'll be all right, don't you worry.”

Rylen breathed in deeply, and out deeply. The mists of the valley they were in was somehow soothing despite still being one of the more off putting things about this strange new land he found himself in. The sky was beautiful he had to admit, with stars streaming across his entire field of vision. They blanketed the night in soft lights, and he was so enamored that he did not hear his friend Meldarion approaching.

"What did they do with the prisoner?" the Half breed asked, his dark eyes scanning the valley from the battlements, standing next to a startled Rylen. The crusader gave a smile at his jumpiness, and let out a breath. "The Lord is questioning him now, I believe. What information they could gather I wouldn't know. I didn't realize there was a bigger plan than simply 'advance' until we have conquered."

Meldarion said nothing at that. Rylen didn't expect him to either. They'd known each other for some years, and if you asked anyone back when they had met who was the older one, they would have said Meldarion. But the bastard Dragonslayer had a way about him where he seemed to keep his youth. Both of them now looked a few years short of thirty. Of course that and their uniforms were where the similarities ended. Rylen was a clear western man, with brown hair and blue eyes and thick facial hair (when he didn't shave). Meldarion was black haired and dark eyed, only needing to shave occasionally if at all, with Khaki colored skin.

"There is something about this night." Rylen said suddenly, his voice sounding much too loud when speaking through the calm of the evening. "I feel restless." Meldarion nodded. "Aye, I do as well. I feel like a ride." Rylen snorted at that. "Don't be daft, I'm not going out alone on horseback. Where would we go?"

His friend looked at him. "You don't need to come." he said, and simply walked away. The full blooded Westerner opened his mouth to speak, and then groaned and began to follow. Mel had never been one for many words. He probably used up most of his focus on his skills. It showed after all. It was why the Lords and Bishops had tolerated a half-heathen in their ranks, being the deadliest sword of Andred.

The horse trotted carefully towards the Dorochai Point, named plainly after the Dorochai Pass. The Point was a small fort, being the only thing between the western kingdoms and Heroshida. It was more of a symbolic defense, not having stationed more than 80 soldiers. That number was before the fighting, however. Mikasa didn't dare guess what the number had been reduced to, though she liked to think that for every Heroshidan that fell, two or three Crusaders met their end. The small gate, or giant door, was opened as soon as she approached. The courtyard was empty and messy, the stench of wounded soldiers filling the air, as she carefully dismounted her horse. With deep breaths she led her horse on, strapping it to a pole near the stables. The lack of horses worried her. Whatever had happened, nothing proved too good.

She stepped towards the stairs, the ground having gotten almost muddy at the latest dragging and running the fort had seen. Having climbed the wooden steps, she carefully opened the door to the infirmary, hearing plenty noise from within. The same feelings that she had felt during the last war had overcome her again, though she held her posture this time. The latest years had been a golden period for the kingdom. War was over, peace had come and with that, plenty of celebration. Mikasa glanced towards the peaceful night sky, observing the harmonious stars, dancing without any worries. Alas, that wasn't the kingdoms destiny. Not yet

The infirmary was filled, but to Mikasa’s temporary relief, there were a good portion of unharmed soldiers. As she scanned the room, she didn't like the number she saw. Surely all the soldiers weren't in here? One man noticed the newly arrived woman, and quickly made his way towards her with light steps. They bowed quickly to each other, Mikasa still grimacing at the sight and sounds of the defenders of the Pass. “What…?”” Was all she could manage, not sure where to start asking questions.
“Our patrol got slaughtered. When the rest of us arrived, we were already outnumbered. We took down plenty of them too, but at a cost.” The man spoke with a grizzly old voice, shaking his head at the sight as well. Mikasa took in a deep breath, nodding. “I'm Mikasa Shuenaii. The War council sent me. We need to know what happened. This couldn't have come out of the blue, right?” She looked up towards the man, who offered a simple shrug in return.
“I don't know what to tell you. We didn't see anything unusual, but suddenly they wandered into our territory and engaged. Something felt too odd about it. “ he replied, opening the door and gesturing her outside. Mikasa followed, folding her arms as she came outside again with her gaze returning to the man.

“Do you reckon I can find anything near the battle site? Any clues to how all of this could've happened?” Her words seemed hopeful, which briefly brought some hope to the soldier, though he once again shook his head. “Perhaps. Both sides retreated at the same time, so perhaps something could've been left behind. But I wouldn't recommend it, should they be planning a second wave this instant.” The man scratched his forehead, closing his eyes for a second or two. It didn't seem like the soldiers had gotten any sleep this night, tending to the wounded. Mikasa wet her lips with her tongue, nodding.

“Soka! Prepare two horses! You're going on a field trip.” The veteran soldier grunted at one of the other men, who quickly ran towards the horses indeed. Preparing one of the stationed mares, and the pinto Mikasa had brought along. She had managed to convince the Commander to let her and someone ride out towards the Pass. It was clear the woman needed answers, and that the soldier didn't argue with.

Quickly they left the Fort again, riding towards the Pass. Upon arrival to the two colossal mountains, the samurai by the name of Soka had led Mikasa along a mountain road, leading around the pass and overlooking the only entrance the crusaders had. Mikasa kept a steady hand on her sheathed sword, narrowing her eyes at the road leading into the Pass.

"How many are stationed there?" The illustrious Lord Herbert Duvald asked for the fifth time. His patience was running thin, and the smell of so much blood on the floor was beginning to make him feel as if his next meal should wait. This odd eyed demon foreigner did not have the strength to stand on his own two feet anymore, his hands bound by ropes, making his body sag like the worthless shit that he was. Fortunately, he was about to be useful. "There were 80," his translator told Lord Duvald. "Before the skirmish."

"Ha!" The Lord Herbert barked audibly. "If we had known that then we would have attacked a week ago! We merely sent 50 men the other day in a light patrol. Another 50 and we could have continued on and sacked the bloody thing. In fact, we will do just that." The Lord smiled, then waved dismissively at the foreign prisoner. "Hang him tomorrow." The men surrounding him untied the prisoner, and the torturer began cleaning his bloodied blades.

---

The one thing they could agree on, Rylen thought to himself as he patted his mount's side. Horseback riding was something to truly be enjoyed. The stables were located within the gates, but there was a smaller (but well barred) rear entrance they gained access to, and both men rode out into the night, searching for something illusive and half suspected. Rylen still thought this was daft. He was a crusader sergeant going off because of a whim.

Meldarion had said otherwise. The battle the other day had seemed too convenient, and perhaps they could find some answers at the site the skirmish took place. They needed to collect some of the soldier's pendants as well, after all. Their families needed them to feel complete after their loss. He'd made a convincing argument, especially for a man who usually let the blade do the talking.

They left armored and armed, just in case. Meldarion always had his curious sword with him, a thick, straight single sided blade that was honed to cutting and stabbing perfection. Rylen never understood where he got the thing. His scalemail armor though was crimson, and was reputed to be made of Dragonscales from Ludegren the Blooded. That is one thing the crusader knew was true.

His own armor was standard for his army. Chainmail over leather, with his tabard atop him and his longsword at his side. He had a small studded mace strapped to his lower back for quick and unexpected strikes. He was a man of honor, but he'd do what he needed to in order to survive.

Their horses galloped into the valley, and the mists swallowed them up as they trotted towards the Dorochi pass. The feeling of the dead rising from some dark sorcerer wouldn't be too far fetched in this strange land. He felt bad enough that men died under his command. Him dying from their vengeance fueled corpses wasn't exactly an unjustified thought. Stop thinking like that.

The night had been rather calm after the recent battle. Mikasa and Soka both sat upon their horses in silence, watching the former battlefield, with the lake of bodies lying stacked in an alarming fashion. Soka’s horse was led a few steps further, as the man leaned slightly forward, eyeing the dark valley.

“How could it go so wrong?” Mikasa muttered to herself, though Soka picked up on it and turned
around on his horse, facing her and sighning. The man couldn’t be a day above thirty, but his scared face and body spoke for itself. He was an experienced man, especially in war. He approached the Lady's steed and lowered his voice slightly as he spoke to her.
“They didn't send a lot of reinforcement towards the battle, they prioritized defending the fort. And most of the men there, they weren't expecting a battle There had been nothing in six years, and the day of the celebration was the least expected day for it to happen. I apologize if you found our troops disappointing, Lady Mikasa.” His voice stiffened at that, watching the noble woman's response. Mikasa was slightly caught off guard, but quickly shook her head, the brunette hair following along.
“No. I was simply surprised, that is all. I know our troops are most capable.” She grimaced, afraid that she might have offended the man. But she continued, before he was able to answer.
“I didn't recall mentioning my heritage.” She eyed him carefully, inspecting his gaze briefly met hers. Soka simply rolled a shoulder, turning around again. “There aren't many Shuenaii Swordmaidens. And I have seen your face before.” A breeze crossed their path, hissing slightly in its approach. Mikasa grabbed the reins with a firm grasp, an eyebrow raised in curiousity.

The two mountains surrounding the valley had been an eternal symbol, at least until this day. Supposedly defending Heroshida from any threats that should come to the nation. It was said, that in ancient time two titans guarded their sacred land for an eternity. They had according to the tale slain the mightiest of creatures in their time. Until a dragon, big as the sky and black as the bottom of the ocean, had attacked them, turning them both to stone in his attack. The Titans had banished the dragons with the last energy they had left. Forever, they stood defending the land, vowing to rise again if the dragon should return. Though as Mikasa admired their size, she dismissed it all as a children's tale. Her daydreaming was interrupted by Soka, waving her over. Hushing her, he pointed down towards the valley. Dark as it was, her eyes had attuned to the night. In the valley one could sense the sound and sight of … Something. A lone line of dust had risen in the trail of the creatures. “Do you speak Western, my Lady?” Soka calmly asked, seemingly being able to see more than she could. Mikasa nodded into the dark night, her heartbeat raising.. “I was taught, yes. Most of the other nobles who were young during the last war were.” A scoff was released from Soka, before he led his horse towards a small path down the mountain.

Carefully the two descended the mountain, attempting to stay as silent as they could. For foreigners the mountain paths were unforgiving and harsh. A wrong decision or a second of hesitatation could easily result in the demise of the rider and his beast. Sharp turns and no safety, they were even rarely used by the natives. Quickly they had moved down the mountain, and Mikasa could see the two figures in the valley more clearly. They were headed towards the Pass, and were most likely either terribly lost, or knew exactly where they were going.
“What do you intend on doing? Mikasa muttered out towards Soka, still following his horse as swiftly as she could. Soka quickly shifted his wieight back and forth, tapping his blade nonchalantly. “I intend to achieve the exact same thing as you, Your Grace.” Mikasa could almost sense the smirk on his face, just by the tone his words carried.
“I'm going to get answers.”

They dismounted their horses further down, hiding them behind the lower part of the mountain, by the gigantic stones. Soka drew out a bow, arming himself with a quiver. Mikasa scoffed at the eager man, instinctively checking her own blade in the scabbard. Most Swordmaidens carried the traditional curvy blade of the Samurai, though some had turned to the simply straight swords instead. Mikasa had been given the choice as she had made her oath to the sword, and had originally fought with a single-edged straight sword. As a gift from her father, she had been given a fancier katana, engraved with the words of the family. Eventually she had decided to carry both into combat, being able to change between them as she pleased. But she had only brought the katana, not having expected to fight at all.

Without any intention of awaiting for her opinion, Soka pulled out an arrow and tightened the string, firing off an arrow into the dark night, aiming for the two riders. It was almost as if time froze in the moment, Mikasa almost smelling the stench of the man craving revenge.

Rylen and Meldarion rode in a light gallop. The cool night air whipping by them as they turned their horses to and fro past the various copses of trees within their path. Rylen didn't like the feeling of being out here still, but he could not dismiss the sheer beauty of their surroundings, even with the light mist. Their horses climbed over a small rise, and for a moment he was worried they might be visible to prying eyes, but it was over soon. The men then continued down further into a similar landscape once again, keeping their pace steady.

He was beginning to expect that his anxieties has been for naught, and that the mist would only produce more and more trees. Until an arrow scythed through the obscuring steam and hit Meldarion's breastplate with a 'thunk'. It took Rylen all but an instant, and he reined his horse to a halt and cried out to his friend. The master swordsman in front of him had fallen off of his still galloping horse and hit the ground in a roll, before laying very still.

"Mel!" Rylen yelled to his friend, then whipped his head around to see who would attack them. Dammit, but this was a stupid idea! His eyes gazed two figures uphill in the distance, but that was perhaps his imagination. Either way, he wasn't about to just leave his comrade in the dirt, which means he couldn't rightly ride away either. "Dammit." he muttered, and leaped off his horse with a Knight's familiarity, smacking it to send it running.

The crusader turned, and was about to grab his friend's arm before he saw that Meldarion's body had disappeared. There was no time to question it, and he ran into the thickness of the trees, trying to get them to pursue him or to leave him be. Whichever it was, he'd have the advantage. He wanted to call out to Mel to see how badly he was injured, but drawing attention to his exact whereabouts did nothing but harm him.

Mikasa blinked a few times as the arrow went off, one of the figures falling off his horse. The woman quickly charged into Soka, tackling him to the ground. In a wave of furiousness, Mikasa pinned him down, glaring angrily at him. The Swordmaiden sent her plated fist straight into the ground besides the soldier, cursing out at him in rage.

“What are you doing?! You’re going to have us both killed!” Mikasa kept him down, staring straight into the man’s eyes with her surprisingly raised voice. Soka scoffed in disappointment back at her. “I assumed you, of all people, would be eager for blood.” He hissed at her, thrusting his hip up towards her, and sending his force towards her, sweeping her around on the ground. Being tossed off, Mikasa quickly got up again, still furious as a bear protecting her cubs.

“You’re bringing the entire kingdom in danger! We were here to investigate, not trigger a war!” She shouted out, perhaps a little too loud again. Soka sighed, walking towards her, seeming to have calmed down as he placed a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes with a wicked smile. “You’re not seeing the possibilities here, my Lady.” He muttered, as she fired a knee straight for her stomach, pulling her towards him as he did so. Though she was in armor, the knee hit with a violent force, striking the unprepared woman and sending her to the ground. Soka quickly stormed off, leaving the girl lying on the ground, as she recovered from the knee.
All the air in her had been forced out of her as the impact had hit, causing the woman to struggle with her breath for a bit, before she finally managed to push herself up again. Her gaze flew towards the woods, seeing the silhouette of the Heroshidan warrior, charging towards the forest. Without another second of hesitation, Mikasa left the horses in their place and ran off towards the man. From what she could sense between the trees, Soka had come to a halt, turning around and looking towards her direction. The young Lady was furious. Her mind was an endless monsoon of emotion, filled by rage, fear and frustration. Soka’s actions send a clear signal to the Westerners, especially if the earlier skirmish had not been a sign of war. An attempted assassination was not going to be tolerated by the religious foes.

As Mikasa made her way towards the forest, Soka disappeared into the dark trees. The sound of clashing blades was heard from within, and Mikasa carefully approached, drawing her beloved blade and muttering to herself.
“This is a mistake.”

Rylen stopped mid stride and leaned his back against a tree, quieting himself and drawing his blade as silently as he could. The lightest of sounds escaped his scabbard, and unfortunately it must have been heard. An eastern barbarian leaped out of the bushes and loosed another arrow. Rylen reacted in instinct, ducking to the side. The arrow embedded into the bark just above his head. He charged forward, hefting his sword in a ready position, point towards his foe at a 45 degree angle.

The foreigner whipped out his own curved blade, and the swords met in sparks for a few tense seconds as they traded blows. His opponent kicked him in the shin, distracting him. Rylen punched forward with a free hand. It hit his foe on the shoulder and sent him staggering lightly to the side. Rylen ducked the inevitable counterswipe, the foreigner's sword biting into a tree. The crusader didn't have room to finish him in a quick stab, so he smacked his blade one handed against the already stuck katana, driving it in deeper and making his opponent back away.

With a quick, unexpected movement, he reached behind his back to his smaller, hidden mace and swiped it across his enemy's face. He felt the crunch as the wooden implement covered in iron hit home, and with a bloodied head, his foe fell.

---

"This is a mistake" Mikasa uttered. Within the darkness to the right, she heard a reply. "It was. Though one you might live from if you cooperate." The message was spoken in her language, and a red armored Ronin all but materialized beside her, blade up. His eyes were fierce yet his demeanor calm. On closer inspection, Mikasa would be able to see a bit of difference between him and her people however. A western feel in the face and bulk of him.

A crusader strode out of the woods, a bloodied mace in one hand and a clean sword in the other. He looked relieved when he saw the red armored one. "Mel, by God." he said, then looked to Mikasa. "Is the other one dead?" Mel asked. "I don't know. But if he's not, he's not going anywhere for a long while." The Ronin nodded. "We've no use for prisoners, at least ones we're to take back to the fort. But if this Shieldmaiden answers our questions for a bit, maybe we'll let her walk away."
"I'm fine with that." Rylen said, sheathing his sword and cleaning his mace with a cloth.
@SlashInfinite

Mikasa scoffed at the blade, and at the sight of the half-breed. She remained silent as the two spoke, understanding most of it, though it was long since she had last spoken the language herself. She still held her own blade in her hand, firmly as so.

“But if this Shieldmaiden answers our questions for a bit, maybe we'll let her walk away." Mikasa frowned at the men, perhaps mostly fueled by her anger with Soka. His charge seeming so reckless, and not benefitting in any way, even if they had aimed to take the lives of the two. The woman stood silently and observed the two of them. Her gaze went from the half-breed to the crusader. She gave him an unloving glare for a few seconds. Finally she’d return her stare to the other man, observing his black hair and dark eyes.

Mikasa considered her possibilities; the two men exchanged a few words that she paid no attention to. Bluntly, she spoke up in her native language, addressing the Ronin. “You’re walking towards dangerous waters, Halfling.” She hissed at him. He simply returned the supposed warning with a raised eyebrow. “You do realize your position, woman?” he simply stated. Mikasa scoffed at him, lowering her sword slightly. It seemed to calm both of the men slightly. Carefully she scanned Meldarion, as she sheathed her blade. The man certainly noticed her suspicious gaze.

As her blade was put in its place, Mikasa brought up her hand with a swift movement. Her plated glove went for the blunt side of the sword aiming towards her. Caught only a little off-guard, Meldarion barely even thought of flinching, though it was enough for Mikasa to step out of his range, glaring at him. The man held out his other hand, as a ‘what now?’ to the woman. Mikasa sighed, shaking her head and quickly stepping down from her fighting stance. She folded her arms and silently awaited the questioning, as the crusader was the first to step towards her, supposedly not wanting to take any chances.

“Who are you?” the Halfling asked, looking towards the Swordmaiden, who didn’t consider returning it at all. “I am Mikasa, of the Swordmaiden’s Oak.” She said with a stiff voice. “Do not expect me to do your bidding simply because I’m outnumbered. I’ve more honour to my kingdom than that.” She muttered at the Ronin, who nodded in return. “Yes, you Swordmaidens seem to feel that way.”

“Ask, then.” Mikasa looked towards the Crusader, her Western being fairly well for a Heroshidan.

@POOHEAD189

Rylen advanced, glancing Mel's way before looking at this...Swordmaiden. Mel stood rigid as a statue, a silent sentinel that watched Mikasa's every move should she attempt to do something foolish. The Crusader stood before her and stopped. No doubt many other Knights would have attempted to disarm her and then have their way with her. He wasn't so crude or cruel, and took his oaths seriously, even in wartime.

"I need not ask questions of your country, only questions of your person. Such as why you're riding out here with your lover or retainer, what have you. And why fire at two lone men riding about. Were it not that we were some of your own countrymen?" He supposed that was the manner of barbarians, but he wanted to hear here answer first, to get a look inside the mind of an easterner. He stood with one hand on his sword hilt, and the other at his opposite hip. Though it could grab his hidden mace easily enough once more.

Mikasa quietly observed the advancing man with great attention. She was still hostile in her voice, even many years after that one night, seven years ago. It haunted her till this day, and would most likely continue to do so forever. Though she had been reluctant to engage the two, the woman carried no love for the westerners. However, she clearly acknowledged her position. Much as she wanted to escape, she was not in a place to do so.

The woman furrowed her eyebrows as the crusader spoke, supposedly having expected to be interrogated by the two. She frowned, before she spoke up. “He is neither. That man was out for revenge after the skirmish, simple as that.” Mikasa remained steadfast in her voice. Her eyes darted past the two of them. What did happen to him? she wondered. Had the two bested him, their calm procedure towards her would be rather surprising.

“No Heroshidan would go beyond that pass. There was no doubt of your allegiance.” Mikasa nodded, folding her arms as she tried to defend her own action, for whatever reason. “I did not wish to attack you. Still, I hold no love for your people. Nor any forgiveness what the crimes you committed when you invaded during the first war.” Mikasa stared directly into the eyes of the crusader, examining the man.

The forest was quite besides the three people, and a light breeze had run past them, Mikasa’s hair bending to the winds will. She looked to her side, catching a glimpse of her dancing hair. Her expression saddened, by the thought of Naria. She was most likely worried to the bone, especially if she had heard what had happened. Or perhaps she was waking up in the arms of that other servant, after the night.

@POOHEAD189

"None would go beyond the pass?" Mel asked, then glanced back into the forest where her friend lay dead or unconscious. "I suppose that's why your people are ignorant of western ways, from what I've seen growing up." He placed his hand upon the hilt of his keen blade, and stood casually. "And that is probably just one more reason why there is war." Rylen glanced at Mel, leaving his thoughts to himself. He knew the swordsman openly questioned certain goals the Westerner's were harboring, but as long as they had his allegiance then Rylen wouldn't question him in turn. He decided to focus on the woman.

"And you claim you did not wish to attack us. I might believe that, seeing as you didn't join your overzealous friend." Rylen said, and unsheathed his sword. He pointed it at the woman, his visage serious. "But if we ever see you again in any circumstance save peaceful, I'm afraid we won't be as inclined to show mercy. Now go." he ordered.

Mel looked at Mikasa for a moment, and then back at Rylen. He did not seem torn between worlds as some would expect him to be, but he seemed to feel a compassion for both at the moment. Not that he would share that. Rylen only thought of reporting back to the Lord (after continuing on to the battle scene that is.)

Mikasa grimaced at the threat, almost feeling insulted. She folded her arms sternly, looking directly back at the crusader. “I won’t return before I’ve found answers. My people, just along with your people, has been slaughtered.” Her tone broke briefly at that, apparently emotion striking her otherwise firm posture. With a daring step, Mikasa slowly approached the crusader. She let his sword press lightly against her chestplate, as she spoke.

“I’m going to ask you a simple question, warrior of the Western God.” She narrowed her eyes at him, the sheer wave of a mixture between hate and perturbation having showing in her gaze. “You’ve come to our land – my land. I will admit I do not know what sparked this skirmish, but believe me, you’re not the only one able to make threats. If this was your leaders doing – if their goal is to trigger another war, I promise you, we will tear you asunder.” Mikasa paused at that, slightly surprised by her own speech, especially considering she had willingly let the tip of his blade rest upon her plated chest. Nonetheless, she stood firm in her figure, carefully eyeing the response.

The night was calm besides the three warriors. Another breeze rolled in, running through the Swordmaiden’s hair, as she stared the westerner dead in the eye. “I will not have you ruin our peace.”

@POOHEAD189

Rylen narrowed his gaze, then let out a small snort of a chuckle. His look was incredulous, for he was not expecting her to be the one to demand answers. He listened to her speech, and as she finished, he let his blade slide up her breastplate to rest on her throat. She could feel the edge of the blade just below her chin. She had more spirit than he would have given her credit for, and not for the first time did he realize how different he was to his fellow Knights. They would have stabbed her after that little performance. He did take some satisfaction though in his next words. "We are not the ones who started this."

The wind shifted in the opposite direction, his hair flowing with it. He pressed the blade to her throat a fraction harder so she would get the 'point' so to speak, before he sheathed his blade and turned his back to her. "Mel, we have horses to find." he said. The master swordsman nodded, and strode past Mikasa. His eyes were on her in case she made a move, and they began to make their way down the hill.

The cold blade sent a chill through Mikasa. Her eyebrows furrowed as he spoke. Surely he was lying. No one within Heroshida wanted another war, it was too outrageous. Of course, she could not know what had happened on the field. The two men wandered off, and as much as Mikasa had more questions, she knew the limit. She had already pushed the man enough. The wind blew in her hair, as she let out a sigh. The evening had not calmed her since the news, and now she had to deal with the dead or alive Soka. She reluctantly turned around, setting off for the man.

Still being able to sense the Westerners in the distance, Mikasa kept a steady hand on her blade, as she searched through the woods. Time passed, and Mikasa found nothing. Angrily, she scoffed to herself and headed for the horses by the end of the mountain. With a look over her shoulder every now and then. One horse remained, and thus it was not a mystery what had happened to the other. Again, she scoffed. Mikasa let her hand run across the horse, as she grimaced to herself with her mind racing. But yet the night did not wait, and she quickly grabbed the reins and climbed upon the horse.

With a mild kick, the horse went off, trotting away. She did not care for the mountain path, now that she had met the two riders. Mikasa looked the general direction where she had met them last, with a sigh to herself. The crusader’s words had troubled her. The young Lady rode off, heading for the fort through the night. The battlefield came up ahead of her and thus a frightening sensation went through her. “Easy, now.” She muttered to the horse, as it slowed down once again. Mikasa looked from side to side as she tried to keep herself calm. The sight was horrifying – dead bodies from left to right, horses and men alike. It was impossible to see who were who in the night. The bodies simply blended.

“This can’t be our destiny, can it?” she muttered to the horse, along with a heavy sigh.

@POOHEAD189

They had found their horses after a bit of searching, thank God. Rylen and Mel mounted their steeds, and the pure Westerner let out a sigh. Mel glanced at him. Rylen shook his head. "Never killed a woman before. I'm thinking I might need to before this whole thing is over." he said. He didn't mean he thought he was going to kill Mikasa specifically, but if her being a warrior wasn't an uncommon thing... Mel shrugged. "I admit I dislike the thought as well, but at the end of the day, they're people just as we are. And they bleed the same way."

Rylen gave him a look of both disgust, but a confirmation of understanding. "So, on to the battlefield?" Mel nodded. "Let's stay quiet for now. She'll be heading the same way." They turned their steeds and rode off into the woods at a light gallop, making sure to stay slow and within the trees so as to keep themselves from being spotted by more unwanted eyes. None of this sat well with Rylen, and the meeting with the two Easterners a moment ago only made him feel more uneasy. This was becoming all too real, as if the skirmish yesterday wasn't already real enough.

They halted upon a rise, Rylen pointing the battlefield out to Meldarion. "It was over there in the clearing." he said. "I know." Mel said calmly, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. Rylen was about to question his comrade on how he could see the battlefield in the dark from all the way over where they were. He hadn't been in the battle. But he'd seen the Dragon slayer do far too many questionable things he'd deem inhuman. @SlashInfinite

Mikasa rode through the field, unsure of what she was even searching for at this point. The dead bodies had surrounded her, and had put a sorrowful aura around the girl. Her mind was still racing at the crusader’s words, trying to determine if it was a simple lie. She sighed heavily in the night, and gave a swift pull with the reins, ordering the horse to a halt. The woman lowered herself to the ground, landing carefully next to yet another body. As she kneeled down and wiped the dirt from his armor and face, it was clear to her that it was one of the Westerners. A young boy, with a frightful last expression upon his sliced up face.

She passed through waves of corpses. Dead men, both young and old, occupied both her sides. Before her eyes were the start of a dying generation. If it came to another great war, one of the kingdoms would collapse. No one could handle a full-scale destruction again. It had to be stopped, much as Mikasa wished for the Crusaders to scurry back to their land dead. She shook her head, cursing her reckless thoughts. Reluctantly, the woman stopped yet again, by one of the corpses. It looked like he had bled out from his wounds, most likely having been in that spot for hours before finally dozing off. She narrowed her eyes at him, spotting a small pendant.

The boy carried a broken silvery rose around in neck, in a neat chain. Mikasa separated it from the Heroshidan warrior, studying it further. It reminded her of a merchant in the Capital, selling those exact same pendants. The small jewelry brought a quick smile to the woman in the dark night, though a small piece of paper clenched in the dead boy’s hand caught her attention most of all. “What’s this, now?” she muttered lowly in the night.

@POOHEAD189

Rylen shifted upon his steed, growing impatient. They could still see the faint outline of the Shieldmaiden and her steed in the moonlight far upon the battlefield site. He was beginning to think that he should have killed her. He had no idea what she was doing down there. What's more, her report that she found them might increase patrol here. His unease must have been sensed by his companion.

"Calm down." Meldarion said, the epitome of calm himself. Rylen envied that about the man, but he couldn't quite follow the advice as of yet. "We don't exactly have all night. And I still question why we are out here regardless." the Crusader replied. Meldarion glanced his way, sharp eyes glinting from the moonlight. "To learn and observe. We're still doing it, in case you forgot." Rylen squinted at the remark, confused. What could they gain by watching this foreign woman go about her snooping?
@SlashInfinite