Chapter 1: The Escape Chapter 3: The Bandits of Borgo
Chapter 2: The Protected
King Hayden greeted his daughter warmly, with a hug and a kiss. “Oh, Tana – I’m grateful to see that you’re home safe and sound again! You’ve no idea how I worried when I heard that you were under attack at Border Mulan. You are not to leave again without my permission. Do you understand?”
“Don’t be mad, Father. I bring good news with me!” She beckoned me. I had been waiting outside the door shyly. Seth and Franz stood patiently with me.
“King Hayden, I’m happy to see you again, even in these dismal times,” I smiled.
“As am I. It does my heart good to see you safe.”
I curtseyed. “I managed to escape the castle before it fell, but I think my father did not…”
King Hayden sighed and looked down. “I have news of your father.”
My heart froze in my chest. “Please, tell me!”
“My good friend, King Fado,” said Frelia’s king slowly and heavily, “did not survive the attack.”
“No…” I whispered. The room blurred in front of my eyes. I must have half-fainted because I saw things shift and suddenly felt two pairs of hands supporting me: Tana and faithful Seth. “…It cannot be…”
I regained my balance and turned to the paladin for comfort, but he had closed his eyes and stood with bowed head. Tana hugged me wordlessly.
“Rest assured, Grado will be punished for its cowardly act,” King Hayden declared with fire. “This is Frelia’s promise.” He turned to me again. “Eirika, please stay here and rest. You must be exhausted.”
I said nothing, trying to control my emotions.
“King Hayden, you know of Prince Ephraim’s disappearence, do you not?” Seth questioned quietly.
“Yes, we hear the prince and his men hound Grado at every turn. It’s said that he’s led his forces into the empire itself. Reports suggest he’s crossed the border and now fights in Renvall.” King Hayden gave me a smile.
“My brother fights on? Even now?” I pleaded, gaining hope again.
“Yes. My pegasus knights bought this information at a great price. Even though Renais has fallen, he charges into the enemy’s heart. He is truly Fado’s son… What a valiant youth.” I nodded, a faint smile trying to surface as I imagined my brother’s handsome face. “I wish that I knew whether he remains unharmed, but I do not.”
The last sentance clicked my mind on. I thought for a moment, made my decision, and said with determination, “I thank you for your kind offer, but I cannot stay. I must hurry to my brother’s side.” Even as I spoke, I knew he would never let me go – at least, not without long arguement.
The king shook his head. “I cannot allow it. I know how you feel, but this plan is suicide. I would be betraying Fado’s memory if I allowed any harm to befall you.” Again, he urged me to stay and rest.
I tried again. “I know you mean well, Your Majesty. However, I have lost my father, and my twin brother is in peril. My brother, he is a part of me… I cannot rest here in peace while he risks his life.”
“No. Renais has no more army. Grado’s forces have destroyed it. I wish that Frelia could provide you with support, with soldiers, but… My son, Innes, is on his way to meet the empire’s forces. We cannot spare a single brigade. Your own retinue of knights cannot possibly face Grado alone. Are you so determined to go?”
I looked down. “Yes. …With apologies.”
King Hayden smiled, startling me. “As resolute as your father, eh? What am I to do in the face of such foolhardy determination?” He called three vassals. “Vanessa. Moulder. Gilliam.” The pegasus knight, priest, and armour knight standing at the back of the room snapped to attention.
“You are to accompany Princess Eirika into Grado territory,” he said simply.
“That’s quite the responsibility,” Moulder, the moustached priest, murmured.
“No matter the obstacles, we will perform our duty,” declared Vanessa, the green-haired pegasus knight.
“Our lives are yours,” Gilliam responded, bending his knee to the both of us.
“These are some of my most trusted and stalwart vassals,” said the king. “They will, no doubt, prove themselves valuable on your journey.” He considered something for a moment. “Remember, you are venturing behind enemy lines. You will need supplies. I will have a supply convoy readied to carry your weapons and provisions.It will remain at your side, no matter how far afield you venture.”
“King Hayden, I… Thank you,” I stammered, quite overcome.
“No, save your thanks for your return… with your brother, Prince Ephraim.”
“Yes, your Highness!” I replied, smiling and weeping at the same time.
After bidding a tearful farewell with Tana, in which she begged me to stay and ponder the mystery behind Grado with her, I set off for Renvall with my party of seven, including the skilful, unobtrusive caravan driver with his little cart.
As we journeyed, I on foot because our group was too large to travel as swiftly as we had been, and also because it would be highly improper for me to ride with Seth now, I discussed our route with the new members.
“Seth has mapped out a path for us,” I told them. “We’ll pass south of Renais, through Serafew into Grado.”
“That seems wise,” rumbled Father Moulder.
“Milady, may I have your leave to fly ahead and scout out the route?” Vanessa asked.
“Certainly,” I answered gratefully. “But keep an eye out for enemy archers.”
“I will, Lady. I will prove myself worthy of the trust you have bestowed upon me!” Vanessa took off with a rush of white wings.
She’s even more proper-tongued than Seth is, if possible, I thought.
Almost immediately, she came winging back. She had only gone as far as the first mountain.
“Milady, the villages in this region are under attack by bandits,” she reported urgently. “I saw two survivors of one village that has been destroyed. One, a boy, is hurt.”
“A hurt child? My staff can heal him, but he must be close to me,” Father Moulder spoke.
“I will carry him here, and his father as well,” Vanessa volunteered. I nodded, and ran to another village to warn them. Seth warned the other village.
I had a panic for a moment when a beautiful woman in the village turned out to be Selena, one of the Imperial Three, a general of Grado, but I passed myself off as a mercenary named Erina. She accepted that. My impressions of our conversation were that she was a good woman, but following cruel orders that made her do cruel things… like deny her personal aid to the villagers.
The pegasus knight finished her duty and returned to me. “There is another village to the south, but also a bandit archer. What are your orders, milady?”
“Franz, Seth, please ride ahead and engage those bandits.” I gave them careful coordinates, thinking on how high ground, and trees were advantageous.
An hour of light battle later, and all three remaining villages were safe, Garcia, who was a retired soldier of Renais, and his eager son Ross had joined us. Ross had been something of a stubborn problem. Despite his obvious journeymanship, he insisted on fighting along side us. I almost had Seth remove him from the battle, but I could not bring myself to deny such youthful courage and enthusiasm.
After the battle, Seth revealed Garcia’s military history to me, and Garcia revealed his personal history to me – why he had given up fighting, to be a father to his son. Ross was most indignant at hearing he would not get to travel with us, and argued until his father changed his mind.
One of the village leaders thanked me and urged me to stay the night, but I refused, saying: “Your safety is reward enough. We have far to go.” He did not press me, but did warn me of thieves, a group of thugs known by name as Bazba’s Bandits, telling me to take care of my father’s bracelet. He bewailed the fate of Renais, and the dwindling faith in Ephraim, my brother.
“Rumour has it that he’s on the verge of being crushed by Grado’s vast numbers.”
I thanked him and left, my heart filled with fresh concern for my brother.
Miles away and many hours later, we made camp and I went looking for Seth. I found my general sitting under a tree, away from the ruckus of setting up camp. Altha grazed near him, and his light blue armour lay in a neat pile beside him. King Hayden, in addition to the supply cart, had given us tents, so Seth made a routine for setting up camp and directed any further questions to Father Moulder.
“Seth.”
He stood up, at attention until I waved at him to stop and sit down again. I sat with him. “What brings you, Princess?”
“How are you, Seth?” I inquired. “Ever since the castle fell you have been protecting me, despite your own injuries…”
He shook his head, sighing and glancing away. “Would that I could have served you better, my lady…” he said regretfully. “You were not meant to see such things. But my wound has closed up, and it does not affect my lance arm…” He shifted the arm.
I frowned. “Wait. Show it to me.” I waited while he removed his patched navy blue tunic and the bandages still covering the wound. Between two ribs was an angry red line. The skin had healed together neatly, but looked ready to reopen at any time. “Look.” I laid my hand on his side, and he twitched. “The wound has closed, but it has not yet fully healed.”
Seth looked at me silently for a minute. “What made you think of this, my lady?”
“Your fighting is as superb as ever, Seth,” I assured him, looking up at him earnestly, resting my hand now on his knee. “But when you raise your lance, I see a flicker of pain on your face, as if you were merely enduring it…” Yes, I had been watching him, out of concern for the healing wound… “But it only lasts a moment.” I shook my head slightly, letting my turquoise hair float down around my shoulders. “Perhaps it is all just my imagination.”
Seth laid his hand over mine. “Your Highness, please put your mind at ease. My wound has healed. There is no reason to worry.” He sounded sincere.
“I would that were so, Seth. Please do not overextend yourself, I beg of you,” I pleaded. “Without you, I may not be able to continue this quest.”
“You praise me too much, my lady…” He lowered his head. After a moment, he released my hand.
I sighed slightly, withdrew my hand, stood and walked away.
“Ephraim…” I whispered to the night wind… I brought back the memory of my first fencing lesson from him, how many years ago now – three, or maybe four?
“Tell me, though: why do you want me to teach you to fight? I thought you didn’t care for violence…”
“I do not care for uncivilized behaviour,” I admitted. “I think one can solve one’s problems without fighting. And yet…” I paused.
“And yet what?” Ephraim encouraged me.
“I’ve always relied on you to protect me, Brother. I would rather not be such a burden to you in the future. So, I thought maybe I should learn to protect myself…”
“I’m your brother. Brothers are supposed to protect their sisters,” Ephraim told me. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. It’s no cause for concern.”
“Yes, but… I am your sister. Sisters are supposed to worry about their brothers,” I retorted. I gentled my voice. “So I would like to learn something of swordplay, if only a little. And maybe, someday, I can protect you in your time of need…” Little did I know then how true that was likely to be. “So please, Epraim,” I added.
“All right, all right. How could I say no? Honestly, once you get an idea in your head, that’s it. I might as well give in,” grumbled my brother fondly. “It’s agreed. I’ll teach you, but I won’t hold back because you’re my sister. And I want no complaining once we’ve started, Eirika.”
“Complain? Me?” I asked demurely. “Never!”
Deep in my reverie, I didn’t notice the young man – or maybe it was a boy? with blue hair and two earrings in each ear, who stumbled against me. He apologized, but I cried out as I lost my balance. The lad ran off like a scared hare behind me.
Seth was instantly at my side – which is not quite the correct application of the phrase, as he was standing in front of me. “Princess, are you all right?”
“Yes,” I assured him. “Someone bumped into me, that’s all. I was jarred.”
Seth lowered his eyes, and then started almost imperceptibly. “Your Highness, where is your bracelet?”
“My bracelet?” I looked at my left arm. The red glove was now unadorned. “Oh… did that man-”
“I’ll find him!” Seth volunteered quickly.
“Don’t worry about it, Seth. That bracelet was my father’s gift, but Ephraim needs our help.” I was proud to have such clear focus on my goal. “It’s my own fault. I had been warned. I can’t let sentimentality get in my way.”
“No, Princess… we must retrieve your bracelet regardless of cost,” Seth insisted earnestly. “You cannot lose it.” I gave in.