Chapter 8: Landing at Taizel Chapter 10: Father and Son
Chapter 9: Fluorspar’s Oath
We marched east along the road quickly all that day. Myrrh could fly, but she was small and could not go fast. I hoped we would catch up to her soon. The horse-mounted scouts were busy; everyone was on edge all that day. We were surrounded by the land of Grado and enemy soldiers could be over every hill.
We came to the wide region of Hanarka, where rivers spiralled and corkscrewed their way down from the northeastern mountains into the western lakes, which fed more rivers leading to the southern sea… There, we found enemies. A whole army of Grado, with more on the horizon, was lining up between the riverbanks.
I discussed tactics with Syrene, riding alongside me.
“The general is distant, but it appears to be Selena Fluorspar,” she said.
I nodded. I had met Selena once or twice. She had not yet been a general when I met her, only a commander. She was kind, if reserved.
Rachel pushed up beside us. “I’ve heard of her. It’s said in Rausten she is feared by bandits for her use of Bolting, the lightening spell that strikes from afar without mercy.”
“Thank you, Rachel. I will use caution against such magic… Anything else, Syrene?” I asked.
“Vanessa reports there may be bandits in the southeastern mountains, and there are some strange people to the east who do not wear Grado’s uniform…”
“How strange?”
“One is a woman, dressed in a short skirt more suited for Jehanna; the others are all big strong men. Perhaps a noblewoman is travelling.”
“Then we needn’t worry about them just yet. Deussel!”
“Yes, Lord Ephraim?”
“Your company will sweep south along the eastern side of the rivers. Remind your men to look out for the travellers and not to hurt them.”
“Understood.” Deussel waved his axe and a number of knights, including Gilliam, and also Rachel, headed off with a rumble.
“As for the rest of you, follow me!” I cried, waving my own lance and running down to the west side of the rivers.
I had not gotten far before a familiar small shape came hurtling out of the air towards me. “Myrrh!” I shouted.
She staggered to a stop by my side, her fluffy pigtails askew. I reached out and touched her shoulder.
“Myrrh, thank goodness you’re all right. I was so worried!”
She bent her head. “I’m sorry, Ephraim… I… I…”
I knelt. “You lot carry on,” I said in Syrene’s general direction and turned back to Myrrh. “It’s all right now, Myrrh…”
“It’s because I forced you to bring me with you… I decided I didn’t want to be a burden any longer…” Her crimson eyes were fixed sorrowfully on the ground in front of her, and her hands were clamped tight together. “I truly didn’t want to make you worry, but I guess that’s all that I did… I didn’t even get my dragonstone back…”
“Is that why you left?” I smiled. “I haven’t forgotten I need to help you find that. You have my word we’ll find it.”
“No!” she cried, looking up. “General Selena has it! And she’s not a bad person… I spoke to her… and she understood…”
I stood. “I understand. I’ll speak to General Selena and try to get her to join us. For now, Myrrh, please go to the back. We will have to fight our way to her, I’m afraid.”
She nodded and bounded away. I allowed myself a brief lingering glance at her childlike form, so like Eirika when we were younger.
I shook my head. How many sisters did I need?
I returned to the battle, calling out orders as I fought my way through seemingly never-ending ranks of cavaliers and axemen, with archers and even pegasus knights backing them up. Abrupt lightening bolts creased the sky, and Gilliam for one had a close call on the other side of the field as a tree near him was struck. On our side of the field Moulder was actually hit, and only his innate magic ability saved him from becoming a fried crisp. He took a vulnerary and sat down to rest.
At the south end of the field, I met again with Deussel. “Sir! I have news.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Those travellers we saw were looking for you. Here is their leader, Xavier…”
A big man with a tan and worn leather armour stepped up to me. “You’re Prince Ephraim? I’m Xavier, the leader of this band of mercenaries. This is my right hand man, Frank, and this is our dancer, Lara.”
“And… why are you looking for me?” I asked, bemused. Syrene, behind me, was tense.
The mercenary captain grinned and held out a letter. “We were hired by Prince Innes a while back while in Carcino. He said to tell you: “I have no need of assistance, Ephraim, but I’m sure you do.””
“That sounds like Innes,” I snorted, opening the letter. I scanned it briefly. “At the time of writing, he’s going to be meeting with Elder Pablo in a few hours. He has heard Eirika is in the port of Kiris, a couple hours north of where he is…”
“He has his own mercenaries with him… Gerik’s Mercenaries. Pretty good group,” said Xavier amiably. “I guess that’s why he sent us to join you, prince.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Innes is such a… regardless, we’re happy to have you fighting along with us.” I turned to the rest of those around us. “Let’s head to talk to Selena!”
We marched rather slowly up the road towards the island where Selena waited for us, surrounded by dark mage guards.
“General Selena,” I called out when we got closer.
“Prince Ephraim,” she responded in her confident alto.
“General Selena, I know you’ve spoken with Myrrh – and I appreciate your not using her as a hostage, by the way. Please withdraw your troops. There’s no need for us to fight.”
She smiled a little and shook her head. “Yes, I know. I always knew that the emperor is not in his right mind.”
“Then why are we fighting!?” I cried helplessly.
“I am a general of the Empire. His Majesty’s word is law.” Her face hardened.
I ran a hand through my hair. “This is ridiculous. If you know he’s not himself, why are you still obeying him? Is that truly loyalty!?”
She nodded rather coldly. “The path I have been given is perhaps foolish, but I am a knight and for me there is no other.”
“Selena, please!” I cried in desperation. “Surrender! I don’t want to see you die here! It may be a noble death and tragically useless and all but Myrrh will be sad-“
“Me? Die?” She raised an eyebrow. “Prince Ephraim, you do not understand. I have no intention of dying here. I am going to fulfil my Emperor’s orders, madness though they be.”
“Do you think you can restore him that way?” I grated. She stiffened but said nothing.
Deussel, just behind me, stirred. “Selena, Ephraim is a good lad. Come with us and we shall uncover the truth about the emperor, and do our best to save him.”
She smiled and bowed her head. “General Deussel. I owe you an apology. I called you a traitor without just cause. You have never wavered in your loyalty, not for an instant.”
I looked back and forth between them, confused. She sounded completely sincere and yet-
“Yet I have no intention of withdrawing. Let us waste no more words, but fight as we must inevitably.”
“Old friends must fight, is it?” Deussel said. “I know I’m a stubborn old dog, but you…”
“Have chosen my path.”
“I see.” Deussel adjusted his grip on his lance. “I, too, have chosen my path. I’m sorry, Selena.”
She smiled again, but I could see both of them were holding back pain like a chained hound. How could I end this?
Then she reached out and fire erupted around me.
“Aaaagh!” I cried out in pain, shielding my eyes. I heard Deussel shout, and his horse slammed into Selena’s. I staggered out of the fire, glaring with determination. Someone threw a bucket of water from the river nearby over me. Rather anticlimactic-looking, but I appreciated not being on fire.
The ensuing duel was hard. The bodyguards had been taken care of by our pegasus knights, so it was only Selena. Despite being alone and outnumbered, she did not waver at all. Yes, I knew her power was crazy good. But now I knew her courage and will was strong too.
Eventually Deussel killed her horse, and she slipped off to fight on foot.
I don’t wish to dwell on her death, especially since I was the one who killed her.
As she stood facing me, one hand pressed to her side, she reached out, and I automatically put my hand out. She dropped something into it and fell back. “Now… I can… rest…”
I looked at the thing. It was a small pebble, seemingly made of dark red glass, with black smoky streaks inside. I nodded. I had a good guess as to what it was.
I went to find Myrrh, but there was no need. She could see for herself that the battle was over and came hurrying out to find me. When she saw that I was alone, her face fell, and when she saw soldiers bearing away Selena’s body, it fell further.
The look on her face cut at my heart. She walked up to me, still watching Selena’s bier. “Dame Selena,” she said softly.
I looked away awkwardly and restrained another sigh. After a long and uncomfortable silence, I turned back to her and handed her the stone. “General Selena gave me a curious stone. It’s your dragonstone, isn’t it, Myrrh?”
“It is,” she responded. “But I’m saddened by its return. It is reunited with me… and yet… I feel so heavy with remorse…”
“Myrrh…” I murmured.
She looked to me suddenly. “Ephraim, can you tell me why this had to happen? Dame Selena was a good person. She was filled with joy when she remembered her emperor. Why did she have to die? Why did we have to fight her?”
I tensed my shoulders. They were a child’s questions asked by a kindly, ancient, inhuman intelligence with a child’s view, a wounded innocent child, and I could not put them aside like some might with a human child. “I am sorry, Myrrh… I tried my best… If I could have persuaded her to surrender, to lay down her arms, to leave the field, I would have… I had no choice. I know you don’t like it, but she stayed to her path… she was trying to kill me as well.” My excuses sounded feeble in my own ears. I felt like I had betrayed her trust.
She looked at me more gently then. “I apologize, Ephraim. I was not blaming you. I know you did your best. It’s just… I do grieve for her…”
I knelt and reached out to her, and she slowly leaned against me, wet and burnt as I was, her eyes dry, her little mouth set unhappily. I patted her head and held her.
We stayed like that for a few minutes while the activity of the army swirled around us, and then she gave a little sigh and stood up straight.
“I ventured out of the forest chasing after that dark energy… I hoped that I could counteract its evil force.” She skewered me with one of those vulnerable, honest looks. “Is your cause so different in the end from Selena’s? How many good people must die alongside the wicked?”
“Myrrh…” I said, my forehead wrinkling. I had no answer for that one either.
“What can we do to end this war quickly and stop the awful dying?” She reached out and took a hold of my charred cloak.
“I don’t have any answers for you, Myrrh,” I answered finally. “But I will go to Grado Keep, and see if I find one there. Will you go with me?”
“Yes,” she answered. “I must stop the darkness. We must find the truth behind the madness.”
I nodded. I was not yet forgiven, I felt, but I had a chance.