Michellin

Wanderers

“Food, please, yes,” Kire said; Narda almost chuckled at how fast she had answered that question, though she, herself, was famished. As delicious as the food here was, they both looked forward to a heartier meal. The map was soon brought to them, though Ed had to ignore the pointed stares the blonde elf was throwing at him. As Aera examined the map, the three Amrians stood around it, frowning at the vagueness of its details. Kire glanced at Ed for some sign that he knew a little more than they were seeing, but even he was peering with slight confusion at the map.

They followed along as she explained, Kire frowning at the implications. Two miles. The zone that the gate had affected was wide, which didn’t surprise her. The Black Storm had similarly damaging effects, so the Raielwen were lucky it did nothing more than hurl her soldiers from Amria to their doorstep. And inflicted Ikegai on Ziad. “I don’t blame you for cautioning your people about approaching,” Kire said. “World gates are unpredictable.” She glanced at Ed again, apprehension in her eyes at the thought of them following her into this danger. Ysaryn and Ruli could at least get away if they need to, but Narda and Zeke. And Ed. If something had happened to Ed so soon after they were reunited, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. Ed saw the look Kire gave him and offered a small smile. We’re in this together.

“West for two miles, then southwest towards the disturbance.” Kire nodded. “If we’re near enough, I should be able to feel our way to it. Thank you.” She glanced at Aera. “We can leave as soon as possible, once your guides are ready to escort us. We’ll return to investigate the world gate by tomorrow.”
“If I may help in the preparations, such as preparing our dead for the journey,” Ed put in, “I’d like to accompany Lady Aera.”
“Oh—of course.” Kire patted his back. “See you in a bit, then.”

Kire and Narda, inviting Zeke along, went to meet with the soldiers to speak to them about other news from Amria as best they could. Somehow, Kire also felt Zeke might be at home in their company. Meanwhile, Ed stayed behind with Aera. “Since we’re leaving soon, and after tomorrow I’m not sure when I’ll be coming back, I wanted to thank you for everything. I suppose, firstly, for not shooting on sight,” he said with a chuckle to let her know he wasn’t serious. “You didn’t have to take us in, but you took care of my people despite the complications of the situation. Not to mention gracing my days here with your company.” He smiled warmly at her then.

Wanderers

The Paladin watched Ruli piece together what she had just told him, watching the tension in his body as he all but writhed in discomfort. Her own palms itched, made her antsy as she stood there in front of him. All things considered, he was holding himself together as best as could be expected. She eyed the blade she had given him, resting on the cushion, and she almost craned her neck to check if the Ring was there, too. She brought her attention back to them when Zeke answered, frowning when Ruli snapped back. When it seemed that everyone was in agreement about coming with her, Kire groaned softly.
“You’re all hopeless,” she muttered, though there was a hint of a smirk.
Narda scoffed. “That’s hypocritical of you to say, Wyvernling. And come now, I haven’t fought beside this one in a long time,” she added, grinning at Ed as she nudged his shoulder gently. Ed had caught Ysaryn’s look and cocked his head slightly, intrigued.
“Alright, alright, enough, I have been outvoted,” Kire said, clapping her hands once. “Let’s hurry up so Ruli can get out.”

“You’ve really found yourself an interesting bunch, haven’t you?” Ed commented quietly, amusement in his voice.
“I’m glad I did. I wouldn’t have made it this far, or killed Ikegai and Akuma, without them,” Kire said as they walked back up to meet Aera. “Why?”
“Oh, nothing. I trust you. Just be careful,” Ed said, speaking the last part in Taakalon. Narda heard it and smirked a little.
“She’s a big girl, Ed. She’ll make her decisions, right or no. And so far they’ve led her to you.”

Wanderers

Kire was thankful the Raielwen were diligent about documenting the Amrians’ locations when they were found. She and Narda walked in step with Aera, while Ed gave his soldiers a few quick instructions before he, too, followed after Kire to the cells. “I see,” Kire said, nodding solemnly. “Thank you for giving them dignity in death. If possible, yes, we would like to return them so they can be interred in Amrian soil.” She turned to Ed, the two cousins speaking softly in Taakalon, with Ed confirming the names and the provinces to which the dead belonged.

She wasn’t particularly surprised by Ruli’s state, and she both pitied his state and admired his stubbornness. Still, better get him out as soon as they could. Kire frowned as Ruli, Aera, and Ysaryn spoke in Elvish, the tension thick between them. Kire nodded to Aera in thanks as she left, while Ed merely raised a brow at the exchange between Ruli and Ysaryn, appraising this Rulitus. He looked like a trapped animal, which, given his current circumstances Ed couldn’t really blame him for. He and his soldiers had been in the same boat during the start of their stay here in Lithilote. But frustration and weakness aside, Ruli seemed to Ed then to be a dangerous man. He wasn’t sure yet if that was wholly good or bad.
“Information,” Kire answered Ruli, hoping to be firm but not combative, “the Raielwen had recorded the location of my people when they were found. I’ll—”
“—We’ll,” Ed put in, just as firmly.
“We’ll use that to pinpoint the location of the world gate. First, we’ll return to the cliffside with everybody. From there I’ll bring the first batch of them back to Amria, as many as I could manage with my portal limitations, the next batch tomorrow, along with the remains of the three who died. When all of them are back home, I’ll—”
“—We’ll go find the world gate,” Ed interrupted again. “Along with anybody else among us willing to help.”
“I still think I should scout on my own, in case the world gate decides to fling anybody within reach of its power into Amria,” Kire stressed.
“And I still think you need backup, in case you encounter things other than the world gate,” Ed pushed back, before turning to the others, “this is blood magic we’re talking about. Of course, all this will be rendered inconsequential if you decide not to come along.”

Wanderers

Kire grinned at her soldiers’ resolve. Really, she didn’t deserve it, but she was grateful. Now she must do right by them and get them home. “Thank you for looking after them,” Kire said. “Your people have the eternal gratitude of mine. And thank you for your offer of help and hospitality, but yes, you’re right about our desire to go home. And if I don’t return my stubborn friend promptly to Envy he would give me a good dressing-down.” As she spoke, Edward met Aera’s gaze and smiled warmly. Before they depart, he made a note to speak to her and express his gratitude.

Meanwhile, Kire turned to Ysaryn. “Are there temporary houses at the peninsula that could shelter my men and women for the night? If not, we will bring them back to the caves, since the Little Ziad camp’s mostly empty by now.” She addressed the others next in the common tongue for the benefit of the elves, with Edward translating each part in Taakalon. “This is the plan for your transport: we will take you all back to a place where my friends are residing, and from there I will be taking you home. But I can only take back to Amria half of you today before it gets risky to use my magic, the other half will then have to wait a day. So I’d like you to decide amongst yourselves how we will split the group.”

“There’s one other matter,” Ed put in, facing Aera. “Kire needs to know how we had ended up here in the first place in order to make sure these incidents don’t happen again, or at least to prepare in case it does. So she would need to know the locations where each of us had been found, and from there be able to deduce the center of the magical abnormality that served as our entry point.”
“We only need the locations where you have been found,” Kire stressed to the soldiers. “I won’t ask you to venture in close to the world gate and risk you getting lost. That goes for everyone else,” she added, addressing the rest of her companions, repeating what she had said to her subjects in the common tongue this time. “I’m the only one who can move between this world and Amria at will, and I can risk getting closer to the gate’s location.”
“If I may, Your Grace,” Ed said, not wanting to overtly undermine Kire’s authority in front of everyone else, then switching to the common tongue. “May we discuss this with the rest of your party? I’d be more comfortable if you didn’t go in alone, at least until a certain point,” he added in a quieter voice. “You still need people watching your back.”

Kire huffed. "Fine."

Wanderers

“I see.” Ed observed the elf woman beside him. “I’m glad Kire was able to help. That’s always been how she is. She can’t leave things alone when she knows she can do something within her power. And even when it goes beyond that.” A warrior culture then, he thought, noticing how ill at ease she was with the bracelets. “Like Kire with her throne, yes. She complains about it often, but in the end she wants nothing but the best for everyone.” He noted Ysaryn’s description of the enmity between the two tribes, and he could see it. They were as different as night and day. He raised a brow at the mention of Rulitus. “Kire had brought him up a few times—several, actually. Let’s hope we don’t need to be kept here for too long then, for his sake, and for everyone else’s. I know I’m not the only one looking forward to home.”

At her last question, Ed grinned. “Many think I only know a few words, enough to get around. If I don’t interact with them at all, I wager they wouldn’t even think this. They call me ‘Beleger’, so that one I think they expect me to infer the meaning. It’s almost like a backhanded compliment with them; they don’t expect anyone who wasn’t Raielwen to measure up to their standards. The Princess knows I speak enough to be competent in the language, and we’ve had conversations before.” He smiled softly at that, before he continued. “It’s not easy, especially if the odds are stacked against you. Kire had asked that I teach her the language. Hopefully it goes better than the last time I tried to tutor her,” he added, chuckling.

By the time Kire and Narda were done and had dressed to meet Ed again at noon, a group of fifteen had gathered outside, watched closely by their elven guards. When Ed approached they all bent into a curt bow, but upon sight of Kire and Narda behind him, the soldiers gaped. They were told who to expect, but like Edward yesterday, they hadn’t wanted to believe it until they had seen with their own eyes.
“Your Majesty…” The man Ed had spoken to earlier was the first to break the stunned silence. “We live to serve the one, true Empress of Amria,” he said, and sank to one knee, bowing low. The others fell in and bowed much the same, one fist over their breast.
Kire’s lips pursed, emotion welling up inside her. Even after everything… She had prepared herself for skepticism, ambivalence, even some hostility. What kind of commander would leave them abandoned in another world for almost a year? And despite that, they knelt before her, their loyalty unwavering. She stepped forward, returned their bow, and touched the man’s shoulder lightly. “Rise, children of Amria,” she said in Taakalon. “Now and always, I accept your fealty.”
They rose as she had ordered, some, she noted, on shakier legs. “You’ll be going home soon. But I should warn you, Amria hasn’t been quite the same.”
“We have been told, Your Grace, by Lord Edward,” another replied. “Overrun by Gemini or not, home is home.”

Wanderers

“Ah. My apologies, then, Ysaryn.” More and more, Ed could see how Kire and this elf had become friends. He nodded when she said she understood his situation, then chuckled at her remark about him being pretty. “I will still regard it as a compliment,” he said with a slight bow of his head towards her. He gave her question some thought. “I won’t go home until all the soldiers under my command have been sent back. And Kire needs rest between using her portals, so yes, I’ll be staying where she’ll be staying. She mentioned that seaside settlement to me briefly last night, I would be honored to stay there and taste your cooking.” He smiled. “While I’m grateful for the care the Raielwen had given, yes, I do miss meat. And Amrian food. Though I likely will not be able to taste it until I get back home, seeing as my cousin is a disaster in the kitchen.”

Ed spoke to an elf, asking about the whereabouts of his Amrian fellows. “Perhaps Kire could take you to see our home someday,” he said, walking towards a corridor, where armed elves stood watch. They acknowledged ‘Beleger’, and after he told them of his business with the people sleeping within, they nodded and let him through. He knocked on the first door, and a stocky, bleary-eyed man answered. Seeing that it was Edward, he straightened up and bowed, offering him to come in. Ed smiled, shaking his head, and spoke in Taakalon to him. The man’s eyes widened as he looked sharply at his Captain. “Gather the others. Half an hour,” Ed instructed, and the man, with a different kind of dazed look now, nodded and bowed again.

As they made their way back out, Ed said to Ysaryn, “Could you tell me a little more about your people, if you don’t mind? As Kire might have told you, there are no elves in Amria, and what I know is limited to the Raielwen and what they have allowed me to learn, or what I can scrape through on my own while I’ve been listening.”

--
After Kire and Narda were led to the pools, they chose one of the other unoccupied pools. Narda was the first to disrobe. “Remember the hot springs?” she said as she dipped into the water, happy to find that it was a comfortable temperature.
“Yes. Oh, those were nice,” Kire said, lowering herself into the pool opposite her friend. Narda eyed the scars on Kire’s body, then looked up at her face. Though she had seen them a few times, it never ceased to surprise her how they looked. Evidence that the Paladin had fought a dragon, and evidence of the many times people had attempted to kill her because she was Empress.
“You have that thoughtful look,” Narda said. “Spill it out, Wyvernling.”
Kire didn’t speak at first as she cleaned herself. “Ed has done very well, even when he’s been stranded here for nine months. He’s watched out for his men, the same way he’d watch over me, he worked through his injured body, learned Elvish, kept his composure.”
“I think I know where this is going,” Narda grunted. “Did you tell him you weren’t sure about being Empress again?”
Kire sighed. “No. But he knows me as I know him. He can probably guess.”
They chatted softly in Taakalon as they bathed, Kire in particular finally happy to slough off yesterday. She hoped never to feel as weak again. Poor Rulitus. Remembering her promise to get their affairs done as soon as possible, she turned to Narda and reminded her they needed to finish up. “I don’t want to be in the receiving end of his snark again,” Kire commented, albeit a little jokingly.
Narda snorted. “Between the two of us, you’re the one who takes longer in the baths.”

Wanderers

Kire grinned when Ysaryn described her first, happy that she was able to experience that, and a little envious for it, too, though she went somber when the elf finished her story with the man’s fate. “You are a great warrior and an incredible woman.” She glanced sideways at Ysaryn, smiling fondly, remembering their drunken conversation before her return to Amria. “I’m sure you will find a mate who could match your worth someday.” Kire chewed on her lip, trying to decide if she should continue, having half a mind to tease her about how close she had been to asking the elf to bed three months ago. She looked into the elf’s pretty eyes for a few more moments before looking back up at the ceiling, a grin on her face. “Maybe I could lend you my cousin for that.” She said instead after a silence, snickering a bit before simmering down. “Alright. I’m exhausted. I did not like that cell at all. Ugh.” She yawned, stretching on the cot. “Good night, milady.”

Edward had meant to stay up but not for the whole night so he could catch some sleep and adjust his schedule to his cousin’s. But even without this intention he rose a little before noon, his mind too excited to settle. He knocked on their door, wondering if they were up already, knowing Kire would usually need to be dragged to her feet unless there was something urgent. He was glad to note she was already up, though by the look on her face and the way she hadn’t fixed her hair yet, Kire probably wished she could sleep the rest of the day off.
“What’s the name of the elf woman again? The one who showed us to the rooms?”
“Farryn,” Ed answered with a grin. “Good morning to you, too.”
Kire narrowed her eyes at him, knowing her cousin found her morning attitude amusing. “Narda and I need to bathe. Do you think she’s awake?”
“We shall see. Come on, let’s hunt her down and talk on the way.”
Kire nodded, then called her other two companions to join them.

Kire and Ed walked side by side while Narda walked behind them with Ysaryn, with Ed giving her a description of how a typical day in Lithilote was like, and a continuation of his narration about how they had ended up here. Kire smiled as she listened; it reminded her of days in the Palace, when he would give her a daily report, or discuss important matters with her before a meeting. There were many days she found these parts of her routine as Empress tedious, but given everything that had happened to the two of them, she found herself missing those moments. “How many soldiers in total are here?” Kire asked.
“Fifteen. Eight men, seven women. They don’t have the same liberties that I do, unfortunately, but they’ve been given proper care.”
“Good. I’d like to bring them home as soon as I can, though as you know, the portals tax me. I don’t want to risk anything going wrong with each portal, so I could only bring—” she paused, thinking it over, “—three at a time, at most. Half on one day, the other half the next.”
“I thought you needed help locating the gate?” Ed asked.
“I do. I just need a general location. The soldiers have been through enough, same as you. There might be danger at the site of the gate, and I don’t want any of you near it.”
“I see you have not changed a bit, cousin.” Ed raised a brow at her, though there was a kind smile on his lips.
Narda huffed. “Imagine not having you around to clean up after her mess. We’d had to fill that role in,” the giantess put in. “Still trying to carry the world on her shoulders, this one. And we aren’t even on the same world anymore!”
“It’s comforting to know you still have that insufferable habit,” Ed teased, clapping a hand on Kire’s shoulder even as she glared at Ed and Narda. “Let’s talk again after you and Narda are back from the baths.”

After Kire and Narda were led to the baths, Ed beckoned to Ysaryn, asking if she would like to accompany him on another task. “Lady Ysaryn, I do apologize for not being upfront about the language and startling you,” he said. “I wasn’t taught Elvish during my time here, and I’ve had to learn quietly by myself. I have gotten used to keeping that close to my chest.” Just like yesterday, there were fewer elves about during the day, though Ed hoped he would see Aera awake earlier.

Wanderers

Kire wrinkled her nose at Ysaryn’s answer. She looked to her friend, already snoring softly on the bed. “Ah, is that so? Let me just put a pillow to her face and smother her while she’s asleep,” she muttered, turning towards the elf again. She blushed furiously at Ysaryn’s teasing. “Well, my tongue is just fine, I should like to say, but I don’t have much opportunity to actually prove it,” she said, pouting, crossing her arms. “I can—maybe count them on one hand. A few more, if you also count those that never quite made it to bed. Though the first one is forgettable enough not to count.” She grimaced again at that, then lay down on her cot, hands behind her head, frowning for a moment when she couldn’t feel the Ring against her skin. “I was Chieftess for sixty years, practically still a girl when I started. It’s—difficult. And even now, when I no longer am, it still is.” She remembered their brief conversation about marriage before, and sighed. “You’re Chieftess. I imagine it’s somewhat the same for you, isn’t it?”

Wanderers

Narda laughed tiredly. “Yes, he is good with pleasure,” she affirmed, wishing Kire was around for this conversation. She propped herself up against the headboard. “We, uh mated a few times, though in terms of what we are to each other, we are simply just good friends,” she said, looking at the elf. “Not a lot of men—or women, for that matter—could brag about knowing how to satisfy my appetite, and he is on top of that short list.” She grinned wickedly at that. “He’s a good man, a warrior and commander, like Kire.” Narda paused, absentmindedly touching her chin in thought, before grinning again. “Kire, unfortunately, didn’t seem to share the same suave as her older cousin, though she’s had better luck with women than men, I think. Unless she hasn’t been telling me everything. I’d tell you more, but she might murder me in my sleep if she finds out.”

Kire could tell Ruli was restless and very uncomfortable, and she wished she or Ed could do something about it. She wasn’t about to try and convince him to wear the magical restraints, either, both out of knowing how stubborn he was, and out of understanding how he felt about it. “He’s very well. He had injuries coming here, but he’d been training with the elves.” She smiled at his comment about her happiness. “Ysaryn, too, is fine. She’ll be staying with me and Narda in our room. As for when we’ll leave, I just need to find out a couple more things. Where the gate had been, and if anybody else had accidentally wound up here with Ed. He had been commanding troops at the time of his disappearance, and those who hadn’t died at his last location may have been caught in the gate. Hopefully, that won’t take too long, and we can all go back tomorrow. At least with the world gate, it’d mean we’d all have to be outside, I think, and there’d be no need to restrain our magic for it.”

She almost asked to see her Ring, but she bit back the impulse. “Try to get some sleep, alright? Save strength for tomorrow.” She offered a small smile. “Buy you a drink when we come back.”

Kire returned not too long after. She could tell Narda was clearly only hanging onto consciousness until she got back. “Go sleep, Nard,” she said, chuckling.
“Don’t mind if I do,” Narda said with a wave, turning over in bed.
“Ruli can’t wait to leave,” she said to Ysaryn, sitting down in her own cot. “Can’t say I blame him. Oh, gods above, what a day this has been,” she said, lying down with a soft groan. “What have you and my annoying friend here been talking about while I was gone?”

Wanderers

“You didn’t exactly give us the time to warn you,” Kire said with a chuckle. “And don’t worry, Ed’s used to foul-mouthed women. Isn’t he, Nard?”
“Mmm,” Narda hummed, a wide grin on her face as she lay back on the bed. “Ed is quite good with tongues.”
Kire laughed aloud at that. “He does have a way with the ladies.” She smiled, watching Ysaryn unwound her hair, before pondering on her question.
“Tall, but not tall like Envy,” the giantess answered, yawning. “Beautiful face. Pale. Purple eyes, but sad.”
“She does smile, though,” Kire put in. “At least she gets on well with Zeke. They seemed close. Or as close as one could get with elves with their disposition, as far as I could tell.” Kire stood from her chair. “Alright. I’m sorely tempted to just lie down, so I’d rather go to the cells now and see how Ruli is doing before I change my mind. Save a spot for me,” she added to Ysaryn, pointing to the cot next to hers with a smirk. Narda lifted a sleepy hand in farewell.

Kire almost got lost on the way to the cell, but after catching sight of Farryn she was able to find an escort back to where they had been held. Remembering how she felt while inside made her stomach drop, but she reminded herself that at least she wasn’t made to wear the bracelets. “Hey,” Kire said, reaching the cell. “Just wanted to make sure you’re alright.” She leaned against the bars, felt a bit of a tingle from the wards, then straightened up again. “He’s fine. He’s alright,” she said, smiling. “The smooth bastard even learned Elvish. Ed’s always been clever, and a good student.” She gestured at him. “How are you feeling?”