Michellin

Wanderers

Ed grinned back. Over Ysaryn’s shoulder he could see his sister Elva winking at him and making swooning gestures, and it took all his concentration not to childishly send her away or return a rude gesture. “Ah. Fair point. Though Kire and I will be marching with the armies, so if you elect to stay here and wait, rather than ride with us, we would see each other in a day’s time, when we’re in position around the Capital.”

--

At his question, Kire paused, thinking it over. “There should be armor enough with the Wyvern emblem for you to use. As for the sword…” She looked to Daryll, then back to Ruli and unbuckled the sword belt. “They might be on the lookout for this.”
“That was forged with a kind of blood magic. Not by Gemini. Kire almost didn’t take it, until she tested it out,” Daryll said, grinning. “Did you tell them? It’s the material manifestation of her Will,” he went on before Kire could answer. “For so long as she’s alive, you don’t need to sharpen or polish it. When she dies—not anytime soon, hopefully—the sword becomes slag.”
“It’s bloody expensive, is what it is,” Kire muttered, handing it to Ruli. Daryll snorted; she may joke, but it was clear enough she had grown very fond of it. “Don’t lose it.”
“Right. So, we’re gonna meet you in the rendezvous point tomorrow, is what you said? Or march with you?” Gavin asked. Kire nodded. The lad shrugged. “We’re already here. Might as well join the armies. And if something happens along the way, we’ll at least see it.”
“Alright. How long do you need? If you’re coming, great hall once you’re ready. We’ll return at Lord Ulrich’s.” She paused, looking at Gavin. “And you need a proper sword. Borrow one from the armory when you come along.”

With a nod, Kire left, going back to the manor, her mind already poring over the first order of business when they come back to the castle. Finding Ed talking to Ysaryn, she smiled, asking to excuse her cousin and speak to him in the library, where they discussed Lord Ulrich and the match between him and Jan more seriously.

After an hour, the two Wyverns walked out, heading for the armory. Kire chose a longsword to replace the blade she had lent Ruli. When, finally, Ruli and Gavin joined them in the Great Hall, Kire and Ed said their goodbye’s to Elva, who gave them each a tight hug, making them promise to be careful. “You all come back here in one piece, you hear?” she demanded, pointing her pipe at each of them.
Kire smiled. “We promise. Don’t want to wake up to your face after fainting in battle.”
“Oh stop it.” Elva grinned, but her eyes reflected her worry. “Off you go.”

Unlike yesterday, the castle, and the fields around it, were much busier now that they were getting ready to move. Jan and Ulrich were in deep discussion in the hall. Calling to a nearby guard, Kire gave instructions in Taakalon, and the guard bowed, going off to fetch the Lady Narda. “You are with Narda and Maika,” Kire said immediately. “Nard should be here shortly to take you to where the women are. Ed and I just have one more bit of non-battle business to attend to before the march begins. Excuse us.”

Nard appeared, guided by the guard Kire had instructed earlier. She, too, was in armor, her axes by her side. “Morning. We have a bit of a journey ahead of us. I’m surprised you didn’t just zip yourselves over to the other side of the mountains,” she said, chuckling. “Maika and the rest are outside. Come on.”

Wanderers

Elva frowned, hands on her hips, looking down at her sleeping brother, who was still sprawled and sleeping on one of the cushions in the library. She flicked his ear, and the Captain woke with a start and a curse. “My, someone had a late night. Unusual. And did you happen to catch the thief who had been stealing cigarettes from my stores, hm?”
Edward rubbed his face. “Was having trouble sleeping, is all.”
“Mmhm.” She sighed, sitting beside him, patting his arm. “You’ll be going back with Kire today, right?” He nodded, and she rested her head on his shoulder. “Please be careful, old man,” she murmured. Ed leaned his head against hers.
“I will. We will.”
“Your elf is waiting in the great hall, by the way,” Elva commented, and Ed chuckled.
“Whatever do you mean, ‘my’ elf?”
Elva grinned. “You’re a better liar than that when you put your mind to it, brother.”

“Good morning,” he greeted, when he reached the hall. “Did you get some sleep, at least? And, hopefully, better than I have? I slept at the wrong position, ” he added with a grin, before simmering down. “[i]This had been brought up yesterday, but the march will begin around noon today and continue to the next day, where we rendezvous with our other battalions. While I figure you might be interested to see a little of Amria on the way, I wanted to ask if you prefer just meeting us where the camp will be in two days’ time, or if you would like to march with the rest.”

--

Gavin pondered Ruli’s words. “I may not be as good as you or Ysaryn or Zeke, but—I need to see it. Besides, no better way to test what you’ve taught me than a practical exam, right?”
Daryll glanced at Ruli, not looking particularly hopefully at what the lad had said. “Actually, the best way is a controlled environment, not in the middle of a pivotal battle.”
“I don’t want to be dead weight to you,” Gavin said to Ruli. “And—I appreciate what you’re saying. About what I have done so far. I am proud of it, no matter what.”

“You should be.” Kire’s voice came, as she entered the chamber. She was already in full armor, her sword at her hip, and the only thing left for her was to put on the helmet.
Daryll looked her over, his expression grim. “You aren’t jumping right into the fight—right?”
Kire nodded, and gave them the same explanation Ed had given Ysaryn. “You don’t have to rush the bombs just yet. You can just show up at the rendezvous point. Ed and I need to be there with the men and women marching for us, so if you elect to stay, you have over a day till we arrive at that designated space.” She glanced at Ruli, who was nursing a cup of coffee. She wondered how he felt, waking up this morning.

Wanderers

Ed chuckled. “I see the sparring has already begun,” he teased back, clinking his mug to hers before drinking from it. “Very well. As I have rightly observed, you are already proving to be an interesting challenge.” He leaned back, sinking into thoughtful silence as he watched the snow, absentmindedly toying with the handle of his mug. It occurred to him how oddly serene he felt now, especially since this night preceded a march into battle. Perhaps Ysaryn’s calm was rubbing off onto him. “Now, tell me what I’ve missed in the past six months I hadn’t seen you and your world.”

He listened carefully as she spoke, asking a question here and there, while his gaze regarded her fondly. Brave, strong-willed, opinionated, captivating. Gods, what a woman Ysaryn was. It had been far too long since he had last felt this almost boyish giddiness at being around someone so alluring. He almost chuckled out loud at himself, feeling a bit foolish at having even begun thinking how inconvenient the war was. Rather than get ahead of himself, he let himself simply enjoy her company tonight. He went to fetch more wine, asking if she wanted more, though for himself he didn’t fill his mug too much, wanting just enough to help him sleep.

“I think I will make an attempt at sleep,” he said after finishing his second mug. “And I better return these before Elva boxes my ears,” he added with a chuckle, taking the box of cigarettes and pocketing it. He was about to step away when he remembered why Ysaryn had gone downstairs in the first place. “Gods, do you think it’s safe to return?” He chuckled again. “I think I’ll just sleep in the library. There are sizable cushions in there. You’re welcome to share, if you don’t want to risk it. And upon my warrior’s honor, sleep is all I mean by that.”

--

Kire had slept so deeply that she hadn’t quite been aware of when Ruli had left her room. When she woke, dawn had already broken. She was still naked, curled under the thick blankets. The smell of him was in her sheets, on her skin, the cinnamon signature filling her head. She lay on her back, letting out a deep sigh. This time around, with both of them needing to release tension from the looming battle—and perhaps, from all the tension they had built up between them—it felt more intense somehow. Or perhaps because they had already gotten over the preliminary shyness of the first time. It had been immensely difficult to try and keep herself quiet.

Reluctantly, she pushed herself up, rubbing her face, attempting to smooth out her hair. Though the night had been good, she had to admit she didn’t like waking up like this, with him stealing off like some thief in the night or some adulterer afraid of being caught. Perhaps it was for the best that they had one more memorable tumble, and let that be the end of it. She realized if they kept this up, it might make it far more difficult for her not to fuck it up again somehow. Still bleary-eyed, she went through a mental list of what they needed done today. Ruli, Daryll, and Gavin would be finishing the bombs. She would return to Ulrich’s to meet with Jan and the lord of the castle to set down the terms for the marriage. And then, the march. While she could just wait till all the battalions were stationed where they needed to be before joining them, she needed to be there with the soldiers. Time to begin, then.

While Kire was off to take a bath in the hot springs, Daryll and Gavin were already awake, and preparing to begin the day’s work. “So. Lad. Have you decided?” Daryll asked the young man as they organized the materials.
“I think—I want to see it.” Gavin gulped; even just saying that felt heavy. “I-I know I’m not the best fighter, and that I might be a liability. But I’m also the best source for identifying blood magic. What if something goes wrong, and I’m not there to see it and help?”

Daryll exhaled. “Hm. Well. Far be it for me to stop you. Especially since you know the risks. Just know that you don’t have to be on the field, or to be a fighter, to be of use. All this,” he said, gesturing at the flash bombs, their notes, “we have accomplished right here. You are a part of this, whether you go out there and possibly get yourself mortally wounded or not. You are no less a person for it.”

Wanderers

At the mention of sparring, Ed chuckled. “I do miss sparring. I forgot if I had told you, or Kire did, that I helped teach her how to be a swordsman. And sparring with the Riaelwen was a welcome challenge. I’m sure sparring with you will be…interesting.” He smirked. He kept his gaze on her as she watched the snow falling outside the window, his look softening to a fond smile, though he did put on a cheeky grin at her question.

“A few days with me, to show you around Amria. And, only if you want it, I can show you around my room.” He chuckled at that, shaking his head at his own brazenness. It had been a long time since he had been this forward with a woman. “But the trip is not contingent on that other offer. I am still at your disposal for those few days. Honestly, if we win this, I just want a few days without having to think about my duties as Wyvern, Captain, all of that, preferably in pleasant company.”

He looked out the window, same as she did, sipping his wine. “Though, if you would like help to sleep tonight, I am your humble servant.” He glanced sidelong at her, a brief smirk on his lips before looking back out again.

Wanderers

Ed sipped from his own mug, admiring the grin on her face, the way her eyes gleamed whenever she did so. “Quite a lovely fool, though,” he teased. “Forgiven. And to be fair, when the fight comes, the eagerness arrives for me, too. Else, I’d be paralyzed with indecision. A fatal error in the field.” He snuffed out the cigarette he had, blowing out the last of the smoke, as she made her demand. “My lady, a Wyvern always fulfills their promises. You will have your tour.” He paused, studying her face as she did his, and a smirk tugged at his lips. “And, if you’ll let me, I’ll show you more than how I relax.”

Wanderers

Edward closed the box and nodded, blowing smoke to the side to keep most of it away from her. He raised a brow, however, when she stammered through a reply. “Loud?” he asked, a slight frown of confusion as he thought about what she meant. “May I ask what you mean? What’s loud up—ohhh.” He laughed, scratching his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever fathom what’s going on with those two. And if I try to pry, she might lop off all my hair. I quite like my hair.” Before he answered her question, he held up a finger and got up, returning with a tankard of the spiced wine, setting it down in front of her.

“Yes. Always. Only a fool would not be anxious before a battle,” he said, sitting back down across from her. “Or perhaps I am simply good at pretending to have it all together, while everybody else has confidence in spades. I can be calm, yes, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about my odds.” He leaned back with a huff. “It’s funny. I thought of nothing else but how I would get myself back into the fray while in Lithilote. Now I’m back in the fray, and I want nothing more than just to lay down and rest.”

Wanderers

When Ysaryn wandered down, Ed smiled, grinning even wider at her remark. If you don't tell her I committed treason, it doesn't count," he answered. "You don't smoke, do you? I stole more than I'd get through, " he said, lazily pointing at the small box on the table. He exhaled, regarding the elf sitting across him. "Is it the thought of battle kerping you up?"

Wanderers

Finding Ruli on the other side of that door was a surprise, but Kire said nothing. She wasn't sure what to say. But he spoke first, with a straightforward proposition that was equally surprising. She only took a moment's hesitation before she grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him in, and kissed him deeply, closing the door behind them.

--

Ed, meanwhile, had gone back downstairs. Requesting some spiced wine, he sat by himself in the great hall. He was smoking too, pilferimg from his sister's stores. It was by mo means a habit, but especially on nights like this one--cold, and full of anxiety for the coming day--he needed a smoke or two. Briefly, he entertained going to Ysaryn's to knock on her door but thought the better of it. She needed rest.

Wanderers

Kire nodded, glad to hear Ruli’s explanation. She didn’t want to dare hope that everything would go according to plan, but she felt so close to their end goal already. And with the help of Ruli’s wards, she wanted to believe they wouldn’t have a more dangerous repeat of what had happened in the battlefield with the exploding dolls. She glanced down at her right hand, momentarily rubbing her thumb against her other fingers, feeling the burn marks. “Good,” she said.
“Good,” Ed echoed. He looked his cousin over, reading the anxiety in her posture. Her body was wound up, but her mind, he knew, was heavy. “And are you ready to talk to Jan and Ulrich tomorrow about their marriage?” he asked, hoping to at least get her to think of something else for a few more minutes.
Kire cringed. “Should I get them a gift?” she asked, though she did chuckled a little after her joke. “Elva, did you know? You didn’t tell me anything.”
Elva grinned, sipping some tea. “I thought it would be better this way.”
“Better—funnier, you mean?” Kire retorted. Elva grinned wide, turning to her brother.
“You missed the look on her face,” Ed said, gesturing at his jaw. “Practically dislocated it in her shock.”

The cousins laughed. “I suppose that’s only fair. I got in the way of her first betrothal, after all,” Kire said with a sigh. “I deserved that.” She looked around the table. Everyone was tired in their own way, or lost in their thoughts. Gavin still looked like he was debating with himself on whether or not he would be present on the field. “Empress’s orders. Time for bed.” Gavin looked up, looking relieved at the dismissal.
Daryll was the first to stand. “Don’t mind if I do. I’d like to be up early, work on the bombs and whatever else. Rest well, everyone.”
“Thank you, Dar.” Kire stood, and the rest followed. Ed hummed in thought.
“Good night, everyone. I’ll go loiter around a bit, settle my mind before I lay down,” the Captain said, though he glanced for a brief moment at Ysaryn as he spoke.

Upstairs, Kire lay down, hands laced together under her head as she stared up at the ceiling. In less than two days, we will be standing in the Capital. “Less than two days,” she repeated out loud, as if hardly able to believe it. Over a year’s work fighting, fleeing, and then gaining ground again. Defeating Ikegai, finding Ed, destroying the gate. Hunting down traitor-lords and winning back territories. A long, hard-won year, culminating in this.

Wanderers

“Swashbuckler,” Myka repeated with a grin towards Ysaryn. “It’s a silly word. Means…ehm—come on help me out,” she said, frowning while gesturing with one hand, before turning to her comrades, who just chuckled and shook their heads. “It’s like a romantic adventurer. Off on righteous adventures against some villain, sword in hand. Like you lot. Or Kire, actually. Only, she’s both the swashbuckler and the damsel in need.” Myka chuckled. “I can’t even say ‘in distress’ and ‘Kire’ in the same sentence.”

“Does it count if she looks for the distress? She does run towards trouble a lot,” Gavin commented, a bit more at ease, now that they were away from the prying eyes of the noble-born Amrians. It was one thing being Itallo’s errand boy, meeting rich merchants and self-made lords in a port city like Cordon, but quite another to be confronted with all of this. An empire so big that it enclosed kingdoms. In another world. He crossed his arms, likewise cold.
Myka chuckled. “Fair point. Maybe she needs rescuing from herself sometimes. But anyway, you two explain the plan again, as I have no idea how in the gods I am going to relay all that to my crew without botching it. I can hardly believe it, myself—wouldn’t, actually, if I wasn’t around for that big gate incident.”
The women listened carefully and seriously as the two ‘sorcerers’ repeated the plans. “See? Sounds deceptively simple, no?” Myka said afterward, smirking, before turning serious again. “Ladies, you know the risks. A lot is riding on this, but if we pull it off, it would leave the armies with no other opposition than your standard combat hazards. Like Narda said in the meeting, I have no wish to encounter some monster exploding in my face.” She turned to the other two. “You’re the decoy, then?” she asked Ruli. “We’ve been studying maps of the Capital in preparation for the siege. But do you know where to go?”

Later, two guards approached the group, politely informing them that Her Majesty and the war council had gone out to the grounds and would be demonstrating the flash bomb. “Ahh. I’m a little excited for this one,” Myka said. “Come on.” She and the Wenches walked back with them towards the castle grounds again. The council was already there. Jan was whispering to Kire with a frown, Ed looked stoic and a little worn, while Kire whispered back to Jan with curt, impatient replies. Narda cleared her throat, seeing the rest of the group approaching them.
Kire looked their way, then, realizing she still had the impatient look on her face, softened her expression. “Yes. Daryll, go ahead.”
Nodding, Daryll produced the bomb again. “Stand back.” Just as they had done back at his house in the mountains, he tested out the flash bomb, with success. Gavin sighed in relief; while he was confident in their work, he had still been nervous leading up to the demonstration. The hissing was still there, and he could see a couple of the officers were itching to make some comment.
“Looks near enough to the portals to me,” Kire said. “And in the thick of battle, nobody will be looking too closely to check, anyway.”
Myka whistled. “That’s impressive. Could you make some extra for us?” she added cheekily. Narda laughed softly at that.

Kire stepped forward, turning to the rest of the council members. “We can adjourn now, unless you want to bring up other matters. You’ll need time to relay all the information to your battalions, and to rest. Jan, Ulrich, tomorrow morning, we’ll talk about the terms of the engagement.” The council bowed to her, and she dismissed them with a wave, the Wyverns staying behind. “Gods, that was bloody tedious,” she muttered, once they were gone.

“I thought you were close to breaking the table in half at some point,” Ed put in, rubbing his temples. “But—honestly, I wouldn’t have blamed you.” He looked at Myka. “Things got quite heated in there.”
“An understatement,” Jan said with a scoff. “While I do not regret the alliances we have solidified during this whole campaign, some of them are, by the gods, vultures in human form.”
Kire looked like she wanted to comment further, but instead drew a deep breath and sighed. “You know what I need? A fucking drink. I’m going back to Elva’s to give her an account. No, I’m not actually going to drink,” she added, cutting Jan off. “I need a clear head tomorrow. Anyway, everyone coming?”
Jan shook her head. “Ulrich and I have a few matters to settle first.”
“Mm. Maybe set his youngest sons straight, eh?” Kire muttered.
“I’ll handle his sons,” Jan said. The Paladin smirked. If there was anybody who could put them in place, she knew it would be Jan.
“I’m coming back with you,” Ed said. “Elva will eviscerate me if I don’t say goodbye before we go off to war again.”
“See you lot tomorrow, then,” Narda grunted. “We have our own preparations to finish.” Myka raised a hand in farewell.

The moment they were back at the manor, Kire loosened her hair and shrugged off her mantle. “Food. Wine. Just one cup. Take it to my room. Thank you,” she said as soon as a servant approached them. Ed, too, looked like he wanted to gulp down a barrel of ale, running his hands through his hair.
“That was a long day. But I’m only saying that because the actual fighting hasn’t actually started,” he said, shaking his head. “Where’s the mistress of the manor?” Another servant informed them that the lady had gone out on her healer’s duties but will be back soon.
“I don’t know about you but I am going to change out of these ridiculous clothes,” Daryll declared, going off outside towards his house.
“Mm. Same. I’ll nap and come down later when Elva’s back,” Kire declared, already on the way up the stairs. Ed watched her, concerned, his hands on his hips, before turning to the others, putting on a smile for them, even though Kire’s own exhaustion at the long meeting was reflected in his own eyes. “That was a lot to take in for everyone. Sorry you had to be cut out of the latter half,” he said, “but it was a lot of sensitive information being exchanged, and I don’t think Kire wanted you to be around such uncomfortable talk. You go on and get your rest, too. We still have time before Elva comes back and we have a proper dinner.”

Come sundown, Elva had come back, and had been informed of their return. Gavin had spent the downtime back at Daryll’s, too restless to sleep. He and the Wyvern scholar talk in the library, where Gavin asked questions about Amria, politics—about which Daryll only gave him short explanations—and the contents of his library. Kire, meanwhile, after changing out of the formal royal attire, ate and drank before going to sleep. She was the last to come downstairs to the dining hall, where the presence of the younger cousins at least helped lift her mood somewhat. She was quiet though, and distracted, as they ate, her mind miles away, dwelling on the battle they were about to face.

Afterwards, with only the adults present, Kire and Ed gave Elva a summary of what had been discussed, and a very barebones version of the debate about the executions. “I feel I should be relieved I wasn’t around for that,” Elva confessed, lighting her pipe.
“I wished I wasn’t around for that,” Kire said, only half-joking. She turned to Ruli, Gavin, and Daryll. “How far along are the preparations? Is everything ready, or will you be burning the midnight oil for this one?”