Tag Archives: Lyn

A Thousand Tiny Battles: Talk To Me

My friend commented on the fact that in The Tactician and the Heiress, it’s quite plain to see why Ceniro loves Lyn… but not so clear to see why Lyn would love Ceniro. So I decided to write some short bits from her point of view, each dealing with a different aspect or challenge of their growing, changing relationship.

It’s quite understandable why it might be difficult to see why Lyn would love Ceniro. At the time that I wrote it, I wasn’t sure why Lyn would love Ceniro either. And I was holding out for Lyn/Hector to be endgame. But… then it didn’t end up that way, because Lyn is stubborn.

There will not be 1000 chapters in this story. : P

 

Talk to Me

For six months, I’d been alone. For six months, it had just been me, my horse, and my little ger, until I began to run out of food and sold my horse, meaning I could no longer wander aimlessly as I used to.

Soon, the food would run out again, and then I would have to find some way to stay alive, to hunt or starve. Or perhaps I could sell the services of my sword, but I had little experience actually fighting and none at all as a mercenary.

Staying alive meant finding some way to deal with the crippling loneliness. With Florina so far away… Continue reading

Fire Emblem: The Tactician and the Heiress

Strange people! Posing!

Strange people! Posing!

Fire Emblem: The Tactician and the Heiress

drawn Oct 11, ’09

posted Nov 11, ’09

(554)

The cover to Book 1 of my Fire Emblem 7: Rekka no Ken fanfiction. Not my best work, but it started out really sketchy, and then I got serious, and then I got bored. It’s kind of random, just some people posing. Not inspired like the other one. So it’s really only here as a concept. Blah. Lyn’s Legion, GO!

I’ll do a better job of this someday. Maybe. If I feel like it. ; )

As it is Remembrance Day, have some beautiful poetry. Continue reading

Lyn’s Legion

It's not a Gameboy. Honest.

It’s not a Gameboy. Honest.

Well! Here is Ceniro, and he’s just going to make me squeal with delight, because I always like it when he shows up. In this picture, he’s actually journeying with Eliwood, but Lyn took time out for ‘Lyn’s Legion’, the Original, to get together, so there’s Florina, the little figure on the left, Wil sitting between her and Lyn, Lyn waving her sword with rather long arms… and Kent and Sain, who are too far away to tell apart. And their loyal friendly tactician is sitting under a tree a short distance away, just enjoying the fact that they’re there again, and not even looking at his Gam- farseer. Seriously, it’s not a Gameboy. Really. It has buttons and stuff, but they’re not Gameboy buttons. Actually, the latest design has no buttons. I figured that would be beyond the imagination of medieval spellsmiths. It might have had levers, but its designer thought those would maybe catch on things and just generally be too unwieldy. So it has a purely magic interface. Now, at least.

Anyway, this picture is wholly uncanon, as Lyn would never steal the tactician very far away from the army when the world is in jeopardy. And Lyn’s Legion ought to include Erk, Serra, Matthew, Rath, Wallace, Nils, Ninian, and Lucius, regardless of the fact that they joined after Sain and Wil coined the title. So… this picture is not very realistic, but… Ceniro is my squeezy! Or something. (*Ceniro leaves hastily*) I wonder where he’s going. Probably afraid for his life. Oh well.

Yay background!

Rekka no Ken: Chapter 10: The Distant Plains

EDIT: Whoohoo, I’m done! Had to take a break there for the final chapter… and then it ended up being silly long as my usual stories are these days. Oh well!

…must… not… rewrite… rest of story… *goes to reread and possibly tweak it* …nooooo…

 

Chapter 9: A Grim Reunion     Vol 2: The Tactician and the Jewel: Chapter 1: A Lord’s Quest

 

Chapter 10: The Distant Plains

 

Kent no longer led the group by the main roads, but as they drew near the castle the next day, it became clear that Lundgren was not taking any chances. The closer they got to the castle, the more patrols Rath, Wil, and Matthew warned them of, and as they reached the edge of a forest overlooking the valley of Caelin Castle in the early afternoon, they saw it was crawling with soldiers.

Lyn had already suggested to Florina that flying was a bad idea that day, and so they were hidden for the time being, but it looked like it would be almost impossible to reach the castle – certainly impossible while remaining unseen. To make matters worse, it had been raining off and on the entire day, making everyone uncomfortable and the horses slow. Lyn had been irritable, snappishly refusing any help from anyone. Ceniro assumed she was nervous. Wallace had been attempting to distract her by telling her stories of her mother when she was a little girl, but Lyn was only partly listening. Which meant she was really nervous.

Since the little forest they were in gave a good view of the valley but seemed relatively far from the soldiers, they decided to take a break, partly to regain their energy, and partly to give Ceniro a chance to observe the enemy movements and make his plans accordingly.

Ceniro ate his snack near Erk; he had not talked as much to the young mage as the others, but he liked him. “I think I should – we should apologize for dragging you everywhere. I’m sure this is not what you signed up for in the slightest.” He looked around for Lucius. “Lucius, too. You just offered to help Nils, and we kind of brought you along without a second thought all these weeks.”

Lucius smiled and shook his head calmly. “I said before that I was happy to help Lady Lyndis in her goal and to defeat those who would harm others.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, I missed that part…”

“If I had wanted to go, or if my master had sent for me, I could have left at any time. Do not trouble yourself.”

“It’s not anything to worry about with me either,” Erk said. “I’m just here to escort Serra, and she wouldn’t leave unless someone very high-rank ordered her out… which Lady Lyndis doesn’t seem inclined to do. It’s fine. She’s so distracted with everything else I’ve gotten far more studying done than I thought I would on this trip. And… I’m doing good. I think my teacher would approve. So don’t feel you or Lady Lyn are obligated to feel responsible for it.”

“Yes, exactly,” Lucius said.

“I’m glad,” Ceniro said. “I didn’t really think about it for a while, and I felt bad that I was so careless towards you.” Was that a pattern he saw in the patrols, or just a coincidence?

“Ooh, are you talking about me?” Serra herself said, and plumped herself down beside him. “You were talking about what a boon I am to this group! I know it!”

Ceniro smiled. “We certainly couldn’t have come this far without you and your skills, Serra. I for one am very grateful.”

Erk muttered something, and Lucius smiled serenely.

Serra ignored them both. “W-well… that’s good!” she said, apparently not expecting him to respond that way. “You should feel grateful! I’m very generous, donating my time like this!” She softened a little. “But… you’re the one giving the orders. I don’t think Lady Lyn would have come half so far without you.”

“Y-you give me too much credit,” Ceniro stammered. “It’s only because of Lyn’s passion that we’ve come so far. She’s a wonderful leader.”

“What did you say?” Sain asked, looking around. “Did everyone hear that? You should say that again, louder.”

“W-what- I don’t-”

“Go on,” Serra said. “She does have lots of passion and charisma! Almost as much as me!”

Ceniro stood up at Sain’s insistent wave and cleared his throat awkwardly. “I-I think a lot of y-you in this group give me far too much credit for bringing us this far. It’s all thanks to Lyn’s passion that we’ve come here, thanks to her leadership. I have by far the easiest job here; I just figure out who should be fighting where. Everyone else has a much harder job – you trust me and the things I say, and I know that can’t be easy, not when I ask crazy things like that Lucius be in the front line or that Florina assault an archer. You’re the ones who have to fight, to kill the enemy and to not get killed by the enemy. I can’t do that.”

“You think so?” Lyn herself asked. “But I’m sure we would have found it much harder to accomplish everything we’ve done, especially without anyone dying, without you.” She smiled at him warmly from across camp, for the first time that day. “Split the credit fifty-fifty?”

Ceniro blushed. “O-okay, if… if you insist.” Matthew grumbled something, and Salir giggled.

“And I want to thank all of you,” Lyn said, spreading her arms towards them all. “I never thought things would be this way when I left home, but I am grateful to all of you for coming with me while we make this attempt to unite me with my grandfather. The final battle is upon us, and I won’t say I’m not worried, as you can probably tell, but I have faith in every one of you, that you will get me to my goal. So… thank you.” She bowed, and her green hair brushed the ground. Everyone clapped for her, and she was a little bit pink when she straightened up and coughed awkwardly.

“Have you found a way through yet?” Lyn asked Ceniro more seriously, coming towards him – oh no, she was coming towards him – to look out over the valley.

“Maybe,” he said. “I’m wondering if Florina would be willing to be a decoy for us. If she were to appear on the north side of the castle, it would make it a lot easier for us here on the south side.”

“Mm. I’ll ask her. One moment.”

Ceniro trailed after Lyn as she went over to speak to the pegasus knight. Florina seemed willing, but intimidated. “M-maybe if… Lyn, I know you can’t come with me, but maybe…”

“I’ll go with you?” Ninian said, standing up. “I can’t fight, but… I can be moral support? I’m not too heavy, I think.”

“I was actually thinking that you and Nils and the other civilians could stay here, or head to one of the villages nearby,” Ceniro said. “This is the final battle, I think, and… if we lose, it would be awful if you were hurt or killed because of us.”

Ninian shook her head, her long hair swaying around her. “Everyone else follows because they want to help. Nils and I can help too, and we won’t be left behind now just because we can’t fight. Nils helps with his flute. My ankle is still bothering me, but I can ride with Dame Florina and watch for danger.”

“We’d feel bad if you lost because you could have used us!” Nils said. “I know the risks are high, but we don’t want to leave just yet. We have faith in you.”

“Please, Ceniro,” Ninian said, clasping her hands. “I will do my best, I really will.”

“…If you insist,” Ceniro said. “Florina, all you have to do is fly and not get hit by arrows or magic. I don’t expect you to fight. I don’t even want you to fight. Just distract them. Ninian will help you watch for archers.”

“So I can come?” Ninian asked, smiling. “That’s fine, right, Nils?”

“Like you said, trusting isn’t easy in general,” Nils chirped. “But I do trust you, Ceniro. And it sounds like it won’t be too dangerous, if you’re just flying, Ninian. So it’s fine.”

“Thanks,” Ninian said, smiling. “I thought you would say that.”

“Th-thank you,” Florina stammered. “I’m very grateful, and to you, Ninian. I know I’ll do a good job now!”

“That’s right!” Lyn said. “Shall we start now?”

“May as well,” Ceniro said. “Florina, back track a bit north, and then head west to the north side of the castle. There’s some villages up there you can take shelter in if they get too close. Watch out for the weather. We’ll launch our assault ten minutes after they see you.”

“Okay!” Florina said, saluting in the Ilian style with a bright and hopeful smile. He wondered if he should tell her what to do if they failed, but… no, it would only discourage her. He pushed his doubts out of his mind and smiled back. If they did fail, she and Ninian would be smart enough to get away, hopefully.

“Well, we have a little while, then,” Lyn said.

“Actually, we can move out now too,” Ceniro said. “We’re still a couple hours away from the castle ourselves, and we can get closer without being seen.”

“Will you be charging them head-on?” Wallace said hopefully.

“N-no, we don’t have enough people for that,” Ceniro said. “That’s why we’ve been so cautious so far.”

“It’s all right, lad. I understand. You’ve done a good job so far, and I’ll follow your commands the rest of the way,” the old general assured him. “I would never have given the sort of orders you do – I’d say magic here, archers here, knights here, and let the rest work itself out – and probably take many casualties. I care for my men, I do, but I always thought that casualties were a fact of war… unless someone stopped the fighting with clever words. But even though Lundgren won’t be stopped by words now, I’ve seen that battle can be won without losing anyone. In fact, I’d say you held back yesterday.”

“W-what do you mean?” Ceniro asked.

“You could have completely annihilated Eagler’s men, but instead you asked them to surrender.” Ceniro didn’t point out that Eagler’s soldiers had surrendered on their own, or that he really didn’t like seeing defeated men executed – slaughtered, maybe, was a word for it, especially since they might not be acting of their own conviction, thanks to Lundgren. “If it were me, I would say this fight was impossible. But I think you have a chance. So what’s your plan?”

Ceniro ducked his head. “Let me explain…”

 

Anastasia, Kent’s mother, was all right with being left at the nearest village, but Salir flatly refused to go. “I’m not going anywhere when my fiancé is fighting for his life and his liege-lady’s honour,” she said. “I can be a distraction, too!”

At this, Anastasia changed her mind, saying: “If my son is in danger, I don’t wish to wait in such fear and apprehension.”

“But mother…” Kent said. “I would be so much easier in my mind if I knew you were safe. I fear for you too.”

“And I for you,” Sain said to Salir. “Remember the bandits? Now we’re fighting against our own former comrades, and they’re much better than bandits. I might not be able to protect you as well.”

Salir’s face fell. “I wasn’t much help then… But that was a whole year ago!”

“One minute,” Sain said to them, and took Salir aside to talk to her more earnestly.

“Oh look, they’re having a serious conversation for once,” Matthew quipped quietly to Ceniro. Ceniro believed him, although he blushed and turned away once they started kissing.

In a few minutes, Sain and Salir were back, with surprisingly sombre faces. Sain kissed her hand, and Salir went to stand with Anastasia. “I’ll go to the village.”

Kent and Dorcas went to escort the women to the village nearby, while Ceniro began to lead the group down into the valley, not directly towards the castle, but to the south, where a small river from the east joined a larger one from the north. They’d have to find their own way across, as the bridge was heavily guarded, but they’d be wet long before they arrived, as it began to rain.

“How did you meet Salir, anyway?” Ceniro asked Sain as the knight carefully led his horse across the slippery, uneven ground.

“It was about three years ago we started hanging out regularly, just when Kent and I had been knighted,” Sain said. “I liked going to Coril for the local beer and dragged him along, and she worked in the inn there. I was trying to show Kent how to talk to girls, and… it backfired.”

“What do you mean?”

Sain stifled a hearty laugh, grinning broadly. “I thought she was sixteen. It turned out she was fourteen. I had no idea! She gave as good as she got with the flirting and all… But anyway, after I took my foot out of my mouth, we started talking on the regular, and she’s fun to be around. Kent and I and a few others saved Coril from bandits sometime last year, and shortly afterwards I asked her to marry me. My parents aren’t too keen on the idea, but I know she’s the right girl for me!”

“She clearly adores you,” Ceniro said. “I’m sure you’ll be happy together. When are you getting married?”

“Next spring, so make sure you come back for that!” Sain slapped him on the shoulder. “I bet you go wandering off again, but you have to come back for that. Maybe we can get Lucius to officiate… or Lady Lyn! Hmm, Lucius, will you be around next spring?”

“I couldn’t say,” the monk said. “My master will probably send for me before then. Besides, I… have never done a wedding before.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s pretty easy,” Sain said. “You tell us to be good to each other, and make us say some vows, and then I kiss her, and we’re married!” He winked.

“Please tell me you’re putting more thought into it than that,” Serra exclaimed, scandalized, although she coldly ignored Lucius. “You can’t just treat your wedding so lightly! You should make your bride feel extra-special! Like a princess- no, like a queen! And then how is your marriage going to work out with such little thought?”

Matthew coughed, a cough that seemed to have the words ‘pot’ and ‘kettle’ in it. Erk snorted.

Sain shook his head cheerfully. “Please have some faith in me, Lady Serra! I was teasing, that’s all.”

“I just want to make sure,” Serra scolded, shaking her staff at him.

“That’s all right! Oh, Lady Lyn! Would you officiate, then?”

“If I must,” Lyn said. “I’ve never done one before either. And first we have to win this fight.” Her face was set in grim lines.

“I’ll fight through worse than this for Salir’s sake,” Sain said, trying to lighten her mood again, but for once, he failed. Lyn sighed and moved on ahead. Sain shrugged.

Kent and Dorcas returned shortly, just when they had reached the river. The water was cold, even for summer, but this was the best place to cross, according to Kent, being not so deep and swift here, and it was a good place to venture out into the patrol-infested valley beyond. Indeed, it only came up to Ceniro’s waist, and he was far from the tallest person in the group. Sain gallantly let Serra ride his horse across, while Kent assisted Nils, but Lyn forged ahead on her own without help from anyone. Ceniro wondered what she was thinking. He often wondered, but he wondered more now.

Once across, things became slow, even when the rain stopped and the sun came out fitfully; it didn’t do much to dry them. More important at the moment was the need to stay out of sight, behind hedges, in fields, anywhere that offered concealment. Even Wallace managed to keep the rattle of his armour to a minimum. If they were spotted here, they would get bogged down in fighting and the rest of the Caelin army would be able to surround them. If that happened, Ceniro was certain he would lose. There were some things he had no answer for, not yet. But Matthew and Rath reported that a lot of the soldiers were moving away, and once the rain had cleared, he caught a distant glimpse of a white speck that was Florina and Ninian, quite high – probably too high to be shot at.

Even if they weren’t surrounded by the Caelin army out here an hour away from the castle, his plan was a shaky all-or-nothing at best. It all came down to confronting Lundgren; if he could be defeated, then surely the other soldiers would have no reason to fight. But… if Lundgren defeated Lyn, or if a significant number of soldiers turned out to be loyal to him, then everyone would die.

There were so many ways to lose this day, and he had to carefully pick through the options to find the few that would lead to survival. It was frightening, and he found his heart beating nervously. They hadn’t even seen battle yet. Was this how Lyn was feeling? Would it get better once the sneaking around was over and they had no choice but to go for it?

They were still a ways away from the castle when all available cover ended. Ceniro frowned at the castle, willing it to be closer. There was a regiment to their right that they had passed a while ago, and there was one on their left, closer to the castle, that was going to be a problem, and that didn’t even reckon with the castle itself. How many archers would there be inside it? Wallace would have to take Lyn forward.

He looked back at his group and nodded.

“This is it,” Lyn said, and he nodded again.

“Here we go,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. “Everyone, head for the soldiers on the left! We’ll clear them out before we head to the castle. Do it fast, before the others can come to their aid!”

“Just leave it to me,” Wallace cried, brandishing his lance and rushing forward, out of cover. “I’ll send them crying!”

It wasn’t quite as simple as that, and it took longer than Ceniro would have wished, but they were through the enemy before the other soldiers could catch up to them. The Caelin soldiers seemed disorganized, but perhaps it was their surprise that Lyn’s group had gotten so close, unseen. Ceniro frowned again at the castle. This was a proper castle, not like the little fortresses and towers he’d had to take so far. This was the seat of power for an entire canton, and it was composed of multiple parts, all of which were built to defend each other. How was he going to take this? He still didn’t have a clear idea, and he hated it.

Who was that on the walls of the castle? He frowned harder at the distant figure, but it turned and vanished into a tower. Was it Lundgren?

They were within arrowshot now. “Everyone, stay alert for arrows. Wallace, shelter Lyn! Everyone else, forward at your discretion.” The castle gate was open. Was Lundgren overconfident, or was he inviting them into a trap? “We’ll start by taking the gate-house-”

A figure appeared in the gate, and Ceniro fell silent. He knew it was Lundgren. The ornate, gilded crest of arms on the man’s chest proclaimed it, and the haughty sneer and aristocratic hair confirmed it. Wallace shouted in anger, and Lyn gripped her sword more tightly.

“You traitor, General Wallace,” Lundgren snarled. “You failed to take out the imposter, and instead joined her!?”

“I must do what is best for Caelin, not necessarily what is best for you,” Wallace shot back, leveling his spear for a charge. “Lady Lyndis is Lady Madelyn’s true daughter! We both know you’re pretending she’s an imposter. Drop it, there’s no use.”

Lundgren was looking around at the group, and Ceniro realized that the castle was much less defended than he had anticipated. Lundgren must have turned out the entire garrison to keep them away, and left no one to defend it. In that case, if they could get past him, they were home free! He inhaled to give orders, and Lundgren interrupted him. “Ah, Kent, Sain. You must have worked hard to bring this girl here, at the orders of my brother.”

“I will not listen to your poisoned words, Lord Lundgren!” Kent cried.

“I’m curious, though,” Sain said, grinning. “Go onnnnn.”

“You’re not like that stubborn fool there,” Lundgren said, smiling a little in return. “Leave this unworthy child and join me at my side. In my service, you will become a general and a lord, and all of Lycia will know of your name!”

“As if they don’t already,” Wil said to himself, chuckling. Ceniro was looking around, and the other regiment of soldiers was rushing closer… They would have to finish this soon or they would be trapped between soldiers and Lundgren.

“It’s a gracious offer, my lord,” Sain said politely, bowing in his saddle. “But I’m quite fond of my friend the stubborn fool, and my allegience is sworn to noble Marquess Hausen and lovely Lady Lyn! Not to mention it was you who kidnapped my fiancée and Kent’s mother! I will fight to my last breath to defend them all!”

“Then your last breath will be here at my lance!” Lundgren growled, his face contorting in rage. “Where is this girl, anyway? This cowardly girl claiming kinship with my brother!? The House of Caelin has no need of a Sacaean mongrel!”

“I’m right here!” Lyn shouted, sprinting foward with sword ready to attack. “Your evil ambitions have harmed my grandfather and the very land you ought to serve! Prepare yourself, for I have neither pity nor mercy for you, and I do not forgive!”

“Lyn-” Ceniro began, his heart clenching, and broke off, biting his lip. She didn’t need his interference. “No one interfere!”

“Aye,” said another voice, and Ceniro looked over to see they were surrounded by Caelin soldiers. “No one interfere until it’s all over.”

Ceniro frowned, and quietly rearranged some of his friends to give them the best chance possible of breaking free, should the duel end badly. But… if it did go badly, he didn’t have much hope. There were too many soldiers. Maybe one or two people would escape… but not everyone.

And if it did end badly… Lyn would be dead. He took a deep shuddering breath. It was so difficult to watch her, with that in mind. She was so incredibly beautiful, and strong and graceful, and that could change at any moment, if she slipped even for a breath.

If she died, he… wouldn’t give up, not while his other friends could escape. But he himself wasn’t going anywhere. Matthew was right. He should have said something.

He mentally slapped himself for thinking of something so irrelevant while Lyn was fighting for their lives. The sun was beginning to cloud over again, and a big fat raindrop landed on his nose, startling him.

The Mani Katti was shimmering through the air as Lyn sliced and stabbed at Lundgren, leaping out of the way of his attacks. The rain didn’t bother her at all, not even with her hair sticking to her back, and she never seemed to lose her footing on the wet cobbles before the castle. Lundgren was more cautious with the rain. If either of them slipped and fell, it would be the end.

“Give up,” Lundgren said to her. “If you surrender, I’ll only turn you out of the country, and all your little friends can leave with their lives.”

“You’re a horrible liar,” Lyn snarled, ducking under his spear.

“Stop dodging!” Lundgren roared, and Lyn staggered back a pace with a scream as the lance pierced her left arm. Ceniro’s heart felt like it stopped beating.

Serra jumped, but Wallace waved her back. “Lady Lyn must win with her own strength. Have faith in her!”

Lyn clutched at the wound with her other hand, blood streaming down her arm. But her eyes were still determined, and she showed no signs of retreating.

“Why won’t you give up?” Lundgren cried. “This should all have been mine by now! A doddering old man and a savage girl-”

Lyn didn’t even reply, only leapt forward. She dodged around the stab of Lundgren’s lance, though it grazed her side, and thrust the point of the Mani Katti squarely through the crest on his breastplate. The katana flashed brilliantly under the rain, and the breastplate gave way before it.

Lundgren crashed to the ground, his lance falling from his hand.

 

Lyn rushed into the castle, and he chased after her. He wasn’t much taller than she was, and she was very determined, but he wasn’t letting her out of his sight, either.

At the great door to the main hall, they were met by a distinguished-looking gentleman. “Lady Lyndis?”

“Who are you?” Lyn demanded, but it had given Ceniro time to catch up, and the others were hurrying after him. “Can I see my grandfather?” Serra caught up, and began to tend to Lyn’s arm and side. Ceniro wondered if she could even feel the pain of her wounds through all the adrenaline she must be feeling. But they were healing now.

“I am Reissmann, the chancellor to the Caelin family. It gives me great joy to welcome you home.”

“Great,” Lyn said. “Does my grandfather yet live?”

“Yes. I will take you to him now. I’m afraid your friends cannot come with you; he is very weak, and has asked for no visitors.”

Lyn looked hard at the chancellor for a moment, before nodding. “Very well. Lead the way.”

“And the rest of you, look lively!” Wallace bellowed. “We’ve got some very tired wanderers here! What does a retired general have to do to get some service around here!?”

Ceniro wasn’t quite sure what happened next, but at the end of it, he had a guest room to share with Wil, and a small tub with hot water for a bath, and clean clothes that were far too good for him, and a soft bed to relax on. His window had a view of the courtyard, so he saw Florina and Ninian when they came to land, someone having evidently gone out to tell the other soldiers that everything had been resolved.

He washed and dressed in the nice clothes, and lay back on the bed to relax a bit, and suddenly felt very tired. For half an hour, he knew nothing.

 

Wil was poking him, and Ceniro grunted and swatted at him.

“No, seriously, it’s time to get up,” Wil said. “It’s time for dinner! You don’t want to miss that, do you?”

“I guess not,” Ceniro said, smiling as his stomach protested. “It’s just… so hard to believe we made it, and all the sudden lack of worry has me sleepy.”

“It would be harder to believe that we didn’t make it,” Wil said, grinning, and Ceniro had to admit he had a point. “C’mon, up and at ’em! You don’t want to miss having a proper meal with Lady Lyn, do you?”

Ceniro blushed and glared at Wil, who laughed and left the room.

Lyn was at dinner, her eyes sparkling; her grandfather was alive, and had talked to her and acknowledged her as his granddaughter, and she hoped that with the cessation of the poison and her encouragement, he would recover fully.

The next morning, when the companions gathered in the garden of the castle, it was discovered that Matthew had slipped out during the night. When they had gathered, Serra announced her intention of heading on towards Ostia, as her original goal was, and Erk nodded with resignation. Nils and Ninian, too, were heading onwards on their travels, at least in a couple of days. Lyn hugged all of them and wished them well, and Kent ensured that everyone would have plenty of food and money to see them on their way.

“But you’re staying, right, Lady Lyn?” Sain asked, Salir hanging off his arm. “Tell me truly!”

Lyn smiled. “At least until my grandfather is better. I can’t leave him while he’s ill. He’s the only family I have left, and I want him to have a long life.”

“I heard from the physician that he already looks like a new man,” Kent said.

“In that case,” Florina said, with an air of great decision. “Um, who can I talk to, to join the Caelin knights?”

“That would be this fellow,” Sain said, pointing at Kent.

Kent blinked. “Me?”

“Oh yes! It’s not official yet, but Chancellor Reissmann told me that you and I are going to be the new Knight Commanders of Caelin! And you’re going to be the senior commander!”

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Kent said, taking the news awfully calmly for being told he was the new Knight Commander at the age of twenty. “In any case, Florina, you will be very welcome to stay here.”

“We’ll be together always, Lady Lyn!” Florina cried, hugging her friend.

“That does make me happy, but… Florina, to you, I’m still just Lyn.”

“But Kent and Sain follow the rules! I should, too, even though you’re my best friend. I’m just happy that I get to stay with you! What I call you doesn’t matter, doesn’t it?”

Lyn hung her head and sighed. “If you insist…”

“I’d like to stay too, if that’s okay,” Wil spoke up, smiling broadly.

“Weren’t you going to visit your family?” Lyn asked. “You’re welcome to stay as well, just…”

“I was, but… It would be a shame to completely dismantle Lyn’s Legion, no? I’ll send them a letter or something. They’ll understand!”

“Well, thank you,” Lyn said. “How about the rest of you, are you staying too?”

“I should be getting back to Natalie,” Dorcas said. “But… I think we’ll be moving to Lycia soon. It seems a far better place for her than North Bern. Keep an eye out for us.”

“I certainly will,” Lyn said. “Best wishes to you both!” Dorcas bowed.

“I might stay for a while,” Lucius said. “You are all such good people, and I am blessed to have met you and journeyed with you.”

“I might, but you have no need of my services anymore,” Rath said. “I will probably go soon.”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, services or no,” Lyn said. “But I understand.” She turned to Wallace. “I assume you’re staying, of course.”

Wallace guffawed. “Actually, no, Lady Lyndis! I had so much fun swinging my lance around that I think I might go on my own adventure! But thanks for thinking of me!”

“But General,” Sain cried. “By yourself? What about your farm?”

“Ah, my landlady can take care of my farm. And don’t worry about me, young Sain! You just help Kent whip the garrison into shape! When I come back…”

“Yes, sir!” Kent cried, straightening to attention, and Wallace laughed again.

Lyn turned to Ceniro. “Oh! Ceniro, I almost forgot about you. Will you be staying?”

He hesitated. “I-I… for a little while, I’d like to, yes.” He tried to ignore Salir’s giggling and Wil’s eyebrow waggle.

Lyn smiled, apparently oblivious to the others’ antics. “That’s good. You were the first person I met on this journey, and it would be a shame to part right away. I’m glad.”

 

A few days later, Lord Hausen was well enough to meet with the remaining companions, sitting up in his bed with Lyn sitting on a chair placed at his right hand. Ceniro felt the entire interview was a blur, although Lord Hausen was very gracious and Lyn being there helped a lot. Fortunately, Ceniro wasn’t called upon to talk very much. Kent did most of it, with many interjections from Sain, and a few from Wil. Ceniro was just happy to have met Lyn’s grandfather, and that he did seem to be as kind and patient as rumour said.

And over the following couple of weeks, everything was topsy-turvy, both busy and tranquil. Ceniro had little to do, but he went wandering around Caelin, and when he could, he went with Lyn and the knights and Florina and Wil. Kent taught him to ride a horse, though Ceniro decided in the end that he preferred walking. Salir and Anastasia had gone home to their respective villages, but the knights were eager to show Lyn and Ceniro around their homeland, and they visited Coril more than once, and met both of Kent’s parents in their home. General Eagler’s daughter Nanette was freed, and she returned to her father’s estate to mourn him.

And yet… there wasn’t much time Ceniro could spend with just Lyn. She was almost busier than Kent and Sain, and while she did try to make time for him… He wanted to tell her things, but it was harder than ever to find the words. Besides, she was a lady now, even if she insisted it was only temporary. What would be thought if it came out that a carpenter’s son from Santaruz had made a pass at the princess of Caelin?

A couple weeks later, he set out after dinner, alone and without telling anyone.

He hadn’t gone far when he heard hoofbeats behind him, and turned to see – not one of the knights, but Lyn herself, chasing after him. “Ceniro!”

He stopped and waited for her. “Um… hi, Lyn.” It sounded incredibly lame, even to his own ears.

Lyn pulled up beside him and dismounted, frowning a little in disappointment. “You weren’t going to sneak off like some of the others, were you?”

He looked at his boots, embarrassed and feeling bad. “I’m really bad at farewells, and, um, it’s time I was on my way.”

She relented, her face melting into a slightly melancholy smile. “I’ll really miss you, you know. You’ve done so much for me, and…” She trailed off, and they were left staring awkwardly at each other.

As the silence dragged on, Ceniro got the impression she was waiting for him to say something – or do something. He cleared his throat, looking away, and rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well, you’re all set now, with your grandfather and the others. Are you going to take him to the plains when he’s well?”

“Yes, when he’s well, and when he’s not too busy. I’m told that he has a lot of work to do, setting the things Lundgren did back to rights.”

“Ah. I see.”

Another awkward silence. The wind blew past them, tugging gently at Lyn’s hair and Ceniro’s cloak.

Lyn started. “Oh! I almost forgot.” She turned to her saddle and removed from it a long staff of ash wood. “I thought you might like this, since yours got broken before.”

He smiled with delight. “Oh, thank you! Th-that’s very thoughtful of you. I’ll take care of it.”

“Ceniro,” Lyn blurted out as he took it, “y-you like me, right?”

Ceniro flinched away from her, his eyes going wide, and his breath freezing in his lungs. “…Ummmmm…”

“Y-you do, right?” Lyn said, turning bright red – almost as red as he was turning.

“Well, um, yes, everyone does-”

“No, I mean…” She took a step closer to him, and he swallowed hard. “Do you… do you love me?”

Well, there was no getting around it now, and there was no way to hide his face. “Y-y-yes. Um. Yes, I do. Um.”

She smiled in a giggly way, still blushing. “I thought so! Um, I, um, like you too.”

He stared, completely forgetting to breathe, and the staff fell from his hands.

“So, um, let’s meet again!” Lyn said cheerfully. “I understand if you don’t want to stay, of course, you’re a wanderer, and you told me you always want to see what’s over the next hill, but… you will come back eventually, right?”

“L-lyn, I’m- I’m not the right guy-”

“That’s not true!” Lyn said, a bit too loudly. “You are if I say you are. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. All right?”

“A-all right.”

“So are you going to kiss me or what?” Lyn asked, forging ahead with awkwardly defiant bravado.

Ceniro swallowed. “Um.”

He reached out to take her in his arms – that was a good start, right? Her arms went around his neck, and for a moment they just held each other. Her hair was just as silken as it looked, and whatever he had imagined of hugging her smooth curves fell short of the real thing. She smelled like grass, like a fresh wind from another country.

Then she leaned forward, and before he could process what was happening, her lips were on his, and an indescribable feeling of happiness filled him from head to toe.

 

Chapter 9: A Grim Reunion     Vol 2: The Tactician and the Jewel: Chapter 1: A Lord’s Quest

Rekka no Ken: Chapter 9: A Grim Reunion

EDIT: this chapter is actually much longer because I decided to indulge in my favourite thing – characters yakking about random things that are important to them! Which is of course important for character development and stuff.

One more to go! Tomorrow! Also Salir has chosen a theme song and new art, run for your lives. D:

(Astebreed on Hard is HARD. : P )

 

Chapter 8: Vortex of Strategy     Chapter 10: The Distant Plains

 

Chapter 9: A Grim Reunion

 

The next day dawned grey and rainy as they broke camp in a hollow of the hills. Ceniro packed up his bedroll and helped Wil and Matthew disassemble the small tent they had shared since Araphen. Digging a hunk of less-than-fresh bread out of his small pack, he began to munch on it.

“So you’re Ceniro the tactician, hmm?” Salir said, popping up beside Ceniro; he yelped and almost dropped his breakfast. “You’re cute! You have a great voice, did you know that? Especially when you’re being all commanding!” Her eyes were bright despite the earliness of the hour, and her smile was wide despite the rainy weather.

“Ah- um- ah-”

She giggled. “And bashful, too! Ooh, who’s the archer with the big smile? I like him. My darling Sain has been introducing me to everyone, but I haven’t met everyone yet! Ooh! That monk with the long blond hair, Lucius, I think his name was, is very beautiful. I bet he gets all the girls!” She giggled again.

“Er, Salir, I, um…”

She winked at him. “I’m just messing with you. Oops, Serra’s coming this way! She doesn’t like me, I think. Something about ‘there can only be one cute girl in camp’? I gotta run, catch you later!”

After breakfast, they journeyed rather slowly through the rain back in a northeasterly direction. Lyn, Kent, Florina, and Rath had gone on ahead; Sain had given Lyn his horse to give them even more speed. Ceniro was not expecting much trouble; Lundgren might think he had driven them away. The tale Salir and Anastasia told of being abducted from their very homes by the marquess’s soldiers was chilling, however, as was the idea of their being used as hostages. Anastasia worried for her husband, wondering if he was all right too. Salir was less worried for her parents, since they were less directly connected to Sain. Sain’s parents… they didn’t know.

Sooner than they had expected, they met Lyn and her three companions returning two days later, when they had almost reached Kathelet Town. She was in high spirits, and gathered them all to tell her news.

“Good news,” she said. “Eliwood has sent messengers to the surrounding cantons, but he assured me they would almost certainly remain neutral in our struggle with Lundgren. We went to Marquess Kathelet directly, of course, and she was reserved but polite. I don’t know if it was Eliwood’s influence or not, but the fact remains that Lundgren will not have reinforcements from anyone – unless he asked for them weeks ago.”

“Of course, Lord Eliwood can’t aid us himself, to be fair by this arrangement,” Kent said.

“But he’s certainly done more than enough, and that should be a great weight from Ceniro’s mind,” Lyn said, smiling at him. “We’ve limited the size of the engagements from here to Castle Caelin. It would be nice to wait for answers, but it would take a couple weeks, and I need to try to save my grandfather from his poisoning if possible…”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Sain cried. “Let’s head back immediately! I swear upon my sword you shall see your grandfather as fast as we can march there!”

“Thanks for the horse,” she said. “You’d better take her back, now, so you can impress your fiancée by charging into battle and all that.”

“It’s like you read my mind, Lady Lyn!” Sain said, grinning.

 

They headed back south as quickly as they could. Ceniro was afraid Lundgren would reinforce the road they had taken before, so they chose a different road, a slightly longer one, but a much less defended one.

They had about regained their previous progress and were taking an afternoon’s break to rest the horses. Lyn had wandered off with Florina, looking ahead this time instead of back, and the wind tugged at her long green hair and the tails of her skirt. Ceniro watched her, fascinated by the way the silken strands carried in the wind.

Matthew wandered up beside him, and Ceniro blinked, distracted – he was juggling five apples at once. It was almost – almost – more interesting than Lyn’s hair. “She’s certainly beautiful,” Matthew said casually.

“Yes, she is,” Ceniro said, managing not to stutter. It was a common opinion Lyn was beautiful, wasn’t it? “And so strong.”

“And brave, and spunky, and generous, and determined, and and and,” Matthew said, affecting a dreamy sigh even as his apples flew through the air in rhythmic patterns. Ceniro blinked at him, blushing hard. “Oh, don’t be so bashful, young man! It’s quite clear to all of us how you feel.”

Ceniro’s eyes opened wide. “All of you?”

“Yep,” Wil said, leaning on Ceniro’s shoulder on the other side. “At least me and Sain and Matthew.”

“And Kent,” Sain put in, coming up with Kent. “We’ve discussed it a couple times.”

“What are you talking about?” Kent asked, looking from Matthew to Ceniro’s red face and Sain’s face-splitting grin.

Ceniro put his face in his hands. “Nooo, why are you telling me these things?”

Matthew caught one apple in his teeth, tossed the other four to the other four men, and reached up to take a proper bite out of his apple. “Because listen, I’m pretty sure she likes you back.”

Ceniro had almost failed to catch his apple, and at Matthew’s statement, almost dropped it again. “Oh, come on.”

“I do not think any of us except Florina would be able to say for certain, but I do get the sense that she enjoys your company,” Kent said calmly.

“Wait, why are we all watching her?” Wil asked suddenly. “Totally not weird at all, not when they turn around…”

“And Wil over here likes Florina, so he’s got a good view right now too,” Sain said, ruffling the archer’s hair, and it was Wil’s turn to blush and grin.

“Well that’s as obvious as the sun rising in summer,” Matthew said. “The difference is, Wil can take care of his own business, I’m sure. Ceniro needs help.”

“No I don’t!” Ceniro protested. “I need you to not talk about it so loud, she’s going to find out!”

“Oh, don’t worry, she’s fine,” Sain said. “Besides, wouldn’t that be a good thing? Women like to know they’re admired. Now, as the only one among you who has a girlfriend, let me instruct you in the fine art of wooing said women-”

“Sain, shut up,” Kent said. “Ceniro, please don’t worry about it. We know you love her, it’s true. It’s easy to see why. But I suspect the reason Matthew inadvertently assembled us was to let you know that you have our support.”

“And to encourage you,” Matthew put in, tossing away his apple core. “I mean, are you going to even say anything before she fights Lundgren?”

“Ten gold says he doesn’t,” Wil said cheerfully.

Matthew shook his head. “Too easy.” He grew a little more serious. “There is another thing to consider, which is… You’ve done brilliantly to this point, but things change when you get involved with someone – someone who puts themself in danger. Especially when you can’t do anything directly to help. How is that going to work out for you? If there was no other way out, could you send her out to fight to the death?”

“So you’re saying he shouldn’t ask her before she fights Lundgren?” Wil asked under his breath.

Ceniro glanced up at Lyn’s distant figure again. Now she was laughing at something Florina had said, her shoulders shaking, and Serra was coming to join them. “All of you… all of you are my friends. I don’t want to see any of you dead.” He paused. “Before my journey took this turn, I hadn’t really considered what it meant to have friends to put themselves in danger for me, to literally fight for me since I can’t defend myself. In my training, it was just… assumed that such an idea wouldn’t really be an issue. I’ve grown and learned so much since then, and I’m much more confident about going into real battle, but the fear of losing someone hasn’t grown any less.”

He glanced up at Matthew, then turned to look at the others. “Please believe me when I say that I’ll fight my hardest to stay out of a situation where any of you are in danger of dying. I already have enough awful visions without letting any of them become reality.” Another brief image of everyone lying still and blood-soaked on an overcast battlefield rose in front of his eyes, and he shook it away.

“I trust you,” Sain said. “You’ve thought about this, clearly.”

“Well, it’s good to know you don’t consider me expendable,” Matthew said, his question apparently answered, and sauntered away. Sain left after a moment as well, whistling.

Ceniro considered his as-yet uneaten apple, and smiled to himself. Here he was, surrounded by these strong and very competent men, and women too, of course, but… they accepted him. They treated him as an equal, despite his background. It was a feeling he hadn’t had often before, and never so universally as now.

“What is it?” Kent asked quietly.

“I’ve never been in such a welcoming group before,” Ceniro said. “There’s always several people who take an immediate dislike to me for no reason. Here… everyone is genuinely friendly.”

Kent smiled. “It’s true. You must have guessed from seeing my mother, but… I am not high-born either. My father is a farmer. Sain, however, is the son of a knight who is the son of a knight… and he is older than me… but he has never treated me as inferior. And Marquess Caelin is just the same. And Lady Lyndis is the same.”

“And I imagine that anyone wanting to join our group would have to be the same, or they wouldn’t want to,” Wil said. “You were at the Academy in Ostia, right? Any noble’s brat can join that. I can see how your life would be difficult there. You should stick with us!”

“I should,” Ceniro said, smiling. “But I’m afraid my feet would wander off again whether I want to or not, sooner or later. But now, I have a question!”

“Shoot,” Wil said.

“More for Kent,” Ceniro said. “I was able to convince you not to call me by any honorifics, but you still call Lyn by them even though she also asked you not to. Even if you’re too understanding to scold anyone else for not doing so, why is that?”

“That is… not because I respect either you or her any less than the other,” Kent said slowly. “But it is my duty to call her by her title, and it is my pleasure to follow my duty. Not because others expect me to, but because I want to fulfil my duty in all things. If she were not my liege-lady, then I could gladly call her by her short name as you do. You can ask Sain, he feels similarly.” He smiled a little. “You should probably be glad that you are not related to a lord, or else I would not give you a choice either, my friend.”

Ceniro chuckled. “I am glad for that.”

“Hey!” Lyn had finally turned and seen them, and was coming over. “Shall we get going again?”

“I think that sounds like an excellent plan, Lady Lyndis,” Kent said, with a half-bow, and went to round up Nils and Salir, who were running around like mad people.

 

The rest of the day passed fairly quietly, or as quiet as it could be with both Serra and Salir in the same company. The next day, however, dawned cold and damp again, and the fog that shrouded everything in grey obscurity did not lift all day.

“This is General Eagler’s estate,” Sain told them in the morning, when the mist should have passed. “It’s often like this…”

“Hang on,” Matthew said. “I hear something… Someone heavily armoured is coming towards us!” A few moments later, Ceniro heard it too – heavy, clanking footsteps on the road ahead.

“Erk, Lucius, be ready,” Ceniro said softly. Sound carried in the fog, and he knew that whoever was approaching had heard their conversation. But the person seemed to be alone, which was good.

A huge, hulking figure appeared ominously out of the fog ahead of them. It was clad in heavy grey armour with the helmet down. “Where is the girl who calls herself Lady Madelyn’s daughter?”

“Lord Wallace!” Sain blurted out; both knights were tense in the shoulders. “I thought you were retired to a farm somewhere! Don’t tell me you’re…”

“Ah, Sain, Kent! Good to see you boys again. Yes, I was, for a while, but I got a little bored, you know. Have you kept up your training?”

“Yes, sir!” Kent said, with a response so quick Ceniro guessed it had been drilled into him ferociously over a great deal of time. “Every day, sir!”

“Is that right? Well, no beating around the bush. Where’s the girl you’re supposed to be escorting?”

“What do you want with her?” Kent demanded, frowning. “She is truly Lady Madelyn’s daughter. You do not believe us oathbreakers? If you intend any harm against her, we shall stand against you!”

“Don’t make me laugh,” said the giant. “I could beat you with both hands tied behind my back. I simply want to ascertain for myself her identity. But if I don’t like what I see, I will end her. I owe Lady Madelyn that much.”

“Enough,” Lyn said, shouldering her way between Kent and Sain’s horses. “I’m right here. But if you attack any of us, you will regret it!”

The giant removed his helmet, revealing a shiny bald head and a pair of twinkling eyes, though they were serious as they observed Lyn. “Such beautiful eyes…”

“I beg your pardon?” Lyn said, still glaring angrily at him.

“I’ve been a knight for thirty years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that no one with eyes as bright and clear as yours can be a deceiver.” The knight knelt on one knee before her. “Lady Lyndis, if you’ll accept this old fool of a knight, I’d like to join your little company of mercenaries.”

Lyn’s mouth fell open. “I’m sorry, what was your name?”

“My name is Wallace, my lady. Lundgren asked me to take you on, but I’m afraid he miscalculated there. This old bull’s loyalty is to Caelin, not to any usurper!”

Sain’s face had lit up. “Will you really? That is fantastic news!”

“Since Kent and Sain vouch for you, I accept,” Lyn said. “Did you know my mother?”

Wallace rose and nodded. “I did indeed. A generous, graceful woman, and your father was a true and honourable man. I can see both of them in you, and I am glad. Lord Hausen will be truly overjoyed to meet you.”

Lyn smiled. “Thank you. That… that makes me happy.”

“What are we waiting for, then?” Wallace bellowed, and Erk and Nils jumped back. “Let’s march!”

“Er, General, if you could keep your voice down a tad,” Sain said. “We are being hunted here! And if you found us, others can find us too!”

“Let them come!” Wallace said jovially. “I’ll take them all on myself! I trained half of them!” He sobered slightly. “Which is regrettable. But a knight must sometimes choose between his heart and his orders.”

“Is General Eagler against us?” Kent asked. “Will his lands be barred against us?”

“Probably,” Wallace said. “There’s only one way to find out!”

“Before we go on,” Lyn said, “we should introduce our tactician to you.”

“A tactician! Very wise of you. Hmm, but there are so many shrimps here! Which one is it, my lady?”

“Here he is,” Lyn said. “Ceniro of Santaruz. He may not be a fighter, but he has a brilliant mind and has led us safely this far.”

Ceniro swallowed, confronted suddenly by two metres and several hundred pounds of man and steel staring intently at him.

“Ceniro of Santaruz, hmm? I’ll have to see what you can do. Go ahead and order me around as you like!” He laughed uproariously.

“He hasn’t changed at all,” Kent said, almost laughing to himself.

“Let’s continue, then,” Lyn said. “We’ll introduce everyone else to you as we march.”

A few minutes later, Rath appeared beside Ceniro. “Bandits are nearby.”

“You’re sure?” Ceniro said, not doubting Rath, just wanting to make sure it wasn’t soldiers.

Rath nodded. “They look considerably less-well equipped than the soldiers we faced before. There is a large group to the north, among the hills, about twenty-five; mostly axemen and archers.”

“Could be an issue,” Ceniro mumbled. “They might not see well enough to shoot well, but we won’t necessarily see them in time to dodge either, and we have so many non-combatants. How long until they’re upon us?”

“About five minutes.”

“Right. I think Lord Wallace will get his chance to shine right away…”

For some reason, Lyn insisted on staying close to Ceniro when he wasn’t directing her to attack axemen. Not that he minded her being near him, although he was still in danger of getting distracted in watching her fight. She was so fluid, dancing a dance without rhythm, her hair swirling after her, her blue eyes flashing with determination.

“I’m glad this is almost over,” he admitted to her when there was a lull in the fighting.

“Oh? Too much excitement for you?” she teased him.

“A little bit, yes. I’d like to know that you’re not being hunted by someone who is supposed to be your own family…”

“Yes, that part is annoying, although I’m more worried about my grandfather’s safety than my own. But you’ve seen how much stronger we’ve all gotten since met in Sacae, right? I’m so glad I came with you on your journey.”

“I-I’m glad we met too,” he stammered. “And we’ll get through the last obstacles t-together.”

“With my sword and your orders, there’s nothing that can stand before us!” Lyn said, smiling, and he reflexively smiled back, which made her smile more.

 

The noise of the fight with the highwaymen had carried; there was no getting around it. Still, Ceniro was rather disappointed when the next bend in the road brought the sight of a barricade across the road, with about forty soldiers bearing every sort of weapon, though mostly lances, and at their head, a dignified-looking older knight in ornate armour.

“General Eagler!” Wallace exclaimed.

“General!” Sain cried.

“And here you are,” the knight said calmly. “I was wondering when you would arrive. I am sorry it has come to this; I never thought the three of you would turn traitor.”

“Who has turned traitor?” Sain said, pointing his lance at Eagler. “Kent and I are following the orders of our liege-lord Marquess Hausen, not his pernicious brother Lundgren!”

“General Eagler, we’ve worked so hard to bring Lady Lyndis safely to Caelin-” Kent began.

Eagler’s horse pawed the ground as he snorted. “And yet you have no proof of the girl’s identity, do you?”

Kent frowned unhappily. “Well, no, but-”

“Just look at the girl!” Wallace said, gesturing to Lyn, who stood tall and looked wary, a hand on her sword. “Can’t you tell she’s Lady Madelyn and Lord Hassar’s daughter?”

“Looks mean nothing,” Eagler said. “I name you traitors all. Prepare yourselves!” The soldiers in the roadblock readied their weapons, and the members of Lyn’s group did likewise.

Wallace shook his head sadly. “Eagler… It’s Nanette, isn’t it? Lundgren has her, doesn’t he?”

“It is irrelevant,” the general said gruffly.

“It is not irrelevant!” Wallace cried. “Come with us, Eagler! We have a first-class tactician here! He’ll save your daughter!”

Eagler closed the faceplate of his helmet. “It cannot be done. But I would sooner die without honour than risk her life. This discussion is over!” The footsoldiers began to advance as Eagler set his lance and spurred his horse to a gallop, straight at them.

Eagler had clearly set up his strategy ahead of time, and was now letting it play out as he had planned with a minimum of interference or adjustment. Ceniro knew the advantages and disadvantages of such a decision, but he preferred to think with the situation, especially since he was not participating in the actual combat and so had the attention for such things. Eagler’s soldiers spread out and as Lyn’s group parted before Eagler, his soldiers began to attempt to flank them.

Ceniro sent Lyn and Wallace to face Eagler and except for the non-combatants, directed the rest of the group to hold back the soldiers, a feat easier said than done with how badly they were outnumbered. The only solution was to be more mobile than the footsoldiers and to use Lucius and Erk’s magic and Wil and Rath’s arrows to direct the soldiers where Ceniro wanted them to go. Dorcas and Matthew were actually the most vulnerable, besides Florina to the enemy archers; Ceniro took a chance and sent her to circle around and attack the archers from the rear through the fog. With a protective spell from Serra in place, she obeyed, while the other soldiers constantly found their paths blocked by fire or a knight’s lance.

Even though the air was cool, he found himself sweating. He’d faced worse, he told himself, both in training and now in real life. But there were so many lethal weapons pointed at his friends… He had to stay calm, avoid giving orders too fast to be intelligible. His eyes darted around the battlefield, from Matthew taking advantage of a distraction caused by Dorcas to take down two soldiers from behind, to where Lucius had just blasted a soldier with light and Kent rode through the afterglow to attack an axeman with his sword. Florina had managed to take down three of the archers, although the fourth eluded her, and she was now engaging in hit-and-run tactics on the forward soldiers.

Lyn and Wallace were still facing Eagler; Ceniro hoped that he would see reason through combat, although his hope was faint after hearing that Eagler’s daughter was a hostage. Wallace had taken Eagler’s charge and turned it aside, and Lyn was taking advantage of the change in momentum to launch her own attack. But Ceniro couldn’t do more than glance at them and trust Lyn and Wallace; the other battle was taking too much of his attention.

Florina shrieked, and Lyn flinched; Ceniro looked up to see she had been struck by the last archer and had fallen from her pegasus, tumbling through the air. Before Ceniro could stop him and send in Dorcas instead, Wil had launched himself forward, eyes fixed on the falling girl, arms outstretched – and in danger of being attacked by a large man with an axe. Ceniro shouted to Rath and Nils, and the large man fell backwards, an arrow in his eye, just as Wil clumsily caught Florina and was flattened by the force of her fall. Serra rushed forward, heedless of danger herself, to heal the arrow wound in Florina’s side; it looked deep, and Florina was unconscious and white as paper.

Even as Florina’s bleeding ceased and Wil sat up, rubbing his tailbone, another cry of pain rang out over the battlefield. Everyone turned to see General Eagler, now dismounted and fighting Wallace sword-to-sword, fall, slashed across the gut.

Wallace immediately knelt, pulling the helmet from Eagler’s head. “Eagler!” Kent and Sain rushed over, dismounting and running with Lyn to Eagler’s side.

“Go… quickly,” the fallen general gasped. “The marquess… knows nothing… of any of this. There’s no illness… only… poison. Please… for Caelin’s sake… and Nanette’s… Lady Lyndis…”

Lyn clasped his hand. “I promise you, we will save her.”

Eagler was silent and still.

The soldiers looked at them, and at each other, and surrendered.

 

A short while later, as Wallace directed the Caelin solders to take Eagler’s body to his estate for burial, Lyn went to Kent and Sain. “What sort of man was he?”

“He was our first teacher, before we trained with General Wallace,” Sain said.

“A just man, honourable, but compassionate,” Kent said. “A fine captain, and a good teacher. I… wish we could have saved him.”

“He would have fought to the death, no matter what we did or said,” Sain said. “He always was stubborn to a fault, too, remember. But… I’ll miss him.”

Wallace approached them. “Eagler was a good man. A brave comrade in battle, a faithful friend, and a true knight. He did what his honour demanded.”

Lyn was silent a long moment, looking up the road, where the mist was just beginning to thin out as it climbed out of the valley. “May Lundgren never rest peacefully in the embrace of Mother Earth!” she burst out, her hands clenched and chest heaving. “I will stop that man from despoiling this land and her people! Ceniro!”

“L-Lyn!”

“We’re going to bring his wicked dreams down around his head tomorrow, I swear it! Let’s go!”

 

Chapter 8: Vortex of Strategy     Chapter 10: The Distant Plains

Rekka no Ken: Chapter 8: Vortex of Strategy

EDIT: I want to write faster, but I only really have time now to write in the evenings when I’m very tired. I get a little done in the morning, but it’s not enough to satisfy me! Ahhhhh : P
Anyway, I’m not super convinced by this battle, but it’s better than it used to be? Might rewrite this one eventually again. I had so many great ideas this afternoon but I didn’t have time to write them down in any detail, which disappoints me. I think the last two chapters will go well, though.

 

Chapter 7: The Black Shadow     Chapter 9: A Grim Reunion

 

Chapter 8: Vortex of Strategy

 

Whizzzzzzzzzthunk! The ballista bolt narrowly missed Ceniro and Lyn, embedding itself firmly into a tree on their right. Splinters of bark flew everywhere, and Erk ducked.

Ceniro gasped, very glad to be alive.

“My lady!” Kent exclaimed, riding forward to shield them both from further shots.

“Speak of the devil,” Sain said, though his grey eyes were wide with alarm. “Deploying seige weapons… Lundgren’s serious this time.” Continue reading

Rekka no Ken: Chapter 7: The Black Shadow

EDIT: Today I beat Astebreed on Normal, finally (turns out one must not only make prodigious use of the EX attack, but also of the Dash attack to avoid those pesky red lasers), and then I was so pumped that I ran for a whole kilometre in two sections. : D

 

Chapter 6: Siblings Abroad     Chapter 8: Vortex of Strategy

 

Chapter 7: The Black Shadow

 

Kent slipped off his horse and pressed his back to the wall. Sain was on the other side of the entrance. Both knights had their swords in hand, and were only waiting for Ceniro’s signal to slip inside to begin their attack.

Lyn’s Legion had found where Eliwood had rescued Ninian; the bodies of her kidnappers were still lying in the road not far from the fortress they had captured. However, none of them had a ring with them. Matthew, Wil, and Florina had set off, tracking the two men whose tracks led away from the scene of battle.

The companions had been led to a low building in the middle of the forest with no windows and only one door. There was nothing for it but to attack directly. To make matters more uncomfortable, it had begun to rain.

Ceniro took a deep breath. “Let’s go!” Continue reading

Rekka no Ken: Chapter 6: Siblings Abroad

EDIT: One of the challenging things about novelizing a turn-based strategy game is that real life isn’t turn-based, so one has to adapt it from a TBS to an RTS. Which everyone probably already realized, but it’s easier to realize when you’re actually writing it. : P

 

Chapter 5: Blood of Pride      Chapter 7: The Black Shadow

 

Chapter 6: Siblings Abroad

 

When the last dark mage had fallen to Lucius’s light magic, Ceniro explained to the group that Florina had seen a fortress to the south that seemed to have more members of the same sinister group that had attacked Nils just now, and asked her to lead the way.

There were some high hills and a small river in their way, so they were not as quick to reach the fortress as Ceniro had hoped, but after a few minutes of quick marching, a small castle appeared on their right. It did not seem particularly heavily guarded, but still there were only twelve of them, counting Nils, Ceniro, and Serra, who had no combat abilities.

“I hope this is the right castle,” Wil said as they approached. “It would be kind of silly to attack it only to find it belongs to someone completely unconnected.” Continue reading