Part 1

An arrow zipped past my shoulder as I ducked behind the wall of Castle Mulan. Nocking another arrow to my own string, I stood up and sent feathery death down on the peon who had dared attack me.

“How goes it?” I called to my general, Kalvin.

“Not good,” he called back. “Captain Misha’s unit is under heavy mage-fire. I’ve redirected our healers to that area.”

“Mage fire?” I looked around at the gates beside me. The enemy’s battering rams were getting closer, but our own mages were blasting at them, and our cavalry was ready in the courtyard. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you, Prince Innes!”

I nodded and, crouching, walked swiftly over to the other side of the castle where our pegasus knights were fending off a storm of fireballs and lightening bolts. Pegasus were naturally resistant to magic attacks, but we only had one squad, and there were too many mages for them to deal with. We’d already lost four, a third of them.

I was not resistant to magic, but I was agile and my arrows struck faster than the knights. I revealed myself and pegged three mages in the space of a breath, drawing new arrows from my quiver in the blink of an eye. Then I had to throw myself down and roll as they became aware of the new threat and aimed several eye-searing spells in my general direction.

Captain Misha landed near me, blood trickling from her temple. “Thank you, my lord! You have arrived just in time!”

“Yes, yes, get back to it, Misha! Distractions get people killed…” As if to emphasise my point, a large, shining white body stiffened in mid-air as it was caught full on by a crack of thunder, and then tumbled to the earth, smashing on the edge of the parapet and bouncing off into the attacking soldiers with a sickening crunch. I winced, but Misha’s eyes widened with horror and she took off again, leaping over my head to attack the ground forces again.

My soldiers were just kids. What was the Grado Empire doing, invading us? Invading Renais, their long-term friend and ally? How could they be so battle hardened?

I spotted their leader, Selena Fluorspar, but she was well back beyond the range of the average archer, mingled in with other mages.

Good thing I wasn’t an average archer.

I nocked an arrow and tilted it skyward. Feeling the wind on my cheek, I adjusted automatically and let fly.

Selena glanced upwards and stepped backwards in the nick of time, and the arrow thonked harmlessly into the ground at her feet. She looked up at me, and I smirked at her, telling her wordlessly that I could do that any time I wanted to. Then I shot another mage who was powering up a fire spell to take down Captain Misha.

Selena’s face was grim as she began casting. I looked up to see where the Bolting would come from, and nearly missed the Elfire forming under my feet. I flung myself sideways just in time to miss a jet of flame that shot up where I had been standing. It would have completely incinerated me if I had stayed where I was.

I stayed low for a moment, changing places, then fired again several times.

Dust was rising further away on the plain and I smiled to myself. That would be Captain Roman, coming with the reinforcements I’d planned before I had come to Castle Mulan myself.

I was not disappointed, a few minutes later, when the infantry and cavalry of Frelia fell upon Grado’s flank with a vengeance. Even as they did so, I heard a disturbance below; the rams were breaking through the front gate. But all we had to do was to force Selena to retreat.

In a few moments, she did just that, as not even the massive raw power of magic can hold off the bite of steel once it gets within range.

I fired a few parting shots, but my targets were fleeing now, and it wasn’t really worth it anymore.

Captain Misha landed next to General Kalvin, as I returned to them, and Captain Roman ordered his force around to the front of the fortress to enter.

“Good work, ladies and gentlemen,” I told them. “We have won the day. They spent many troops uselessly to try to take this fortress. They have not succeeded.”

“They’ll be back,” Kalvin said grimly, reading a letter Roman had brought him. “Misha, you’ll be in charge while we’re up at the capital. Roman, you’ll assist her in any way possible.”

“We’re going to be up at the capital?” I asked as the two captains nodded. “Why not one or the other of us? Misha and Roman can’t stand against Selena by themselves. What happened to my battleplan?”

Kalvin sighed. “Orders from your father. You are needed for a matter of international importance, and I am requested to guard the Tower of Valni. There is some juggling of forces at the higher level. Reinforcements will be arriving soon, have no fear.”

“I’ll see to it personally,” I said, my voice deepening with misgiving. “Why would you need to guard the Tower of Valni? That place is right in the heart of our land. Grado can’t come there so soon.”

I will trust to your father,” said Kalvin, bowing slightly.

I shrugged and stalked away to find my horse.

 

I rode under the gate of Castle Frelia the next day. The banners were flapping in the breeze, and a double row of knights lined the causeway between outer and inner gates. I dismounted, handed my horse off to one of them and strode up to the entrance to the inner castle. There were a lot of mercenary-types standing around, for some reason. Surely we weren’t so weak as to be relying on mercenaries already, were we?

Then I heard my sister squealing from ahead of me. “My own brother is returning from the field soon…” Who was she talking to? Oh, of course, none other than the royal twins of Renais, Eirika and her irritating brother, Ephraim.

“You talk too much, Tana,” I grumbled from behind them. Her giving away my arrival meant that my fantasy of sweeping Eirika off her feet and scaring her half-to-death wouldn’t happen. Or maybe just assassinating Ephraim instead.

Instead of taking the hint, my dark-blue-haired sister squealed with glee and flung herself at me. I held her off with one hand while she squeaked at me. “I’m so happy to see you home well, too!”

I looked down my nose at her. “What, you think those Grado slugs could touch me? With my bow, I’ll clean out every last one from here to the capital itself.” I turned my attention to the twins as Tana backed off a little. “Welcome, Ephraim, Eirika.”

“Well met, Innes,” answered Ephraim calmly. Far too calmly for a man who had just lost his father while executing some of the most daring military raids in the history of forever. I’d heard the reports.

“I heard Renais has fallen. I told you this would happen. Grado attacked because you showed them weakness,” I told him, not entirely believing what I said, but trying to get under his skin. It must have worked, because he glared at me.

Tana jumped to his defence. “Innes!” she cried. “You know they’re lost their father. How can you speak that way to them?”

Well, maybe I had gone a bit far in front of Eirika. I hazarded a glance at her. She looked anxious, but not on the verge of tears. She was a strong girl. “My apologies,” I said to both of them. I turned to leave, pausing only to say: “Hear me, Ephraim. Our greatest goal is to defeat Grado.” He nodded as I strode away.

I went deeper into the castle, to find my father. I was nearly at his chambers when someone tall and green-haired fell in beside me. “Prince Innes.”

“Syrene.”

“Welcome home. I hear that you have been very valiant on the front lines.”

I shrugged a little. “Perhaps. I almost got Selena Fluorspar. She almost got me. I’m more pleased with how my larger strategy worked to drive her off after that.”

General Syrene smiled. “Congratulations, my lord. With you directing us, I have no doubt that we shall weather this war and return the favour to Grado with interest.”

“Hmm. That sounds like an excellent idea. Between my bow and my brain, no Grado soldier shall stand before us.”

“In that case, Your Highness, why don’t we just send you alone and wait at home for you to return victorious?” she teased me.

I smirked at her. “Could do, could do. But why should I do all the work? You’ll lose that excellent figure if you don’t keep in shape by fighting Gradonians.” She smiled easily.

We had arrived at my father’s chambers. “One moment, my lord.” She stopped me and brushed some of the travel-dust from my blue silk jacket. Then she smiled at me. “Now you look presentable.”

“Shall I comb my hair, too?” I grumbled, but one side of my mouth twitched up. “Thanks. I’ll see you later.”

“Innes?” my father asked as I entered.

“I have returned, Father. What is the news?”

“What could be so urgent I pulled you from the front, you mean?” Father’s tone was teasing, but his face was serious.

“With the return of Ephraim and Eirika, I have called a war council. I believe they will have news that will allow us to determine our strategy for the rest of the war.”

I nodded. “Yes, Father. Now?”

He nodded in return. “Yes, if everyone is ready, it should be as soon as possible. Would you call Ephraim and Eirika?”

“I will meet you in the council chamber in ten, then.”

 

As I walked back to find the twins, I heard my sister saying confidentially: “Yes, but we’ve all heard of your exploits against Grado. I think he’s a bit jealous.” They were still talking about me? They were slow to change topics.

“You talk too much, Tana,” I told her again, slightly irritated that she was psychoanalyzing me behind my back. Also that she was telling Ephraim I was jealous. “My father would like you to attend a war council now. Would you like to join us?”

Eirika smiled, bowing her head slightly. “We’d be honoured.”

Ephraim’s choice of additional persons to be present at the council was rather odd – Seth, of course, as the last General of Renais, but also a small child, wrapped in a coarse wool cloak. What could an infant provide us? But my father rose to greet everyone, stretching his hands towards the twins. “It does my heart good to see you all safely assembled here.” We all bowed and sat around the table.

“Father, if I may give my report first?” I asked, leaning forward to rest my elbows on the table. “I have taken the army south to deal with the Grado forces directly. We have driven them back, and in many places they are fleeing.” He could learn the particulars from the war journals.

“Well done, my son. However, this still leaves us with the riddle. Why does Grado attack?”

Ephraim raised a hand. “I cannot answer that question, but I think I have something that will help us.” He turned to the child. “Myrrh, would you tell us your story?”

The girl stepped forward, but her wool cloak caught on her chair and fell off her shoulders, and we were all staring in shock at something that definitely wasn’t human. Two leathery-brown wings were folded neatly on her back. I stared.

She blushed deeply and fumbled with her cloak. “Um… Ephraim, you tell them.”

Ephraim nodded. “Very well. Myrrh lives in Darkling Woods. She is one of the Dragonkin, of the tribe of Manakete.”

“The legend of the Sacred Stones mentions them several times,” said my father, equally amazed.

“One day, they felt a dark power flowing from the south. From Grado…”

The girl, having gathered some courage, took another step forward, leaning trustingly on Ephraim’s shoulder. “Saleh and I… we went to investigate. But we became embroiled in a battle, and we were separated… I wandered… Some bandits found me and took away my dragonstone. I was helpless.” She looked at Ephraim. “Then Ephraim saved me.”

Well, a creature that trusted a prince that much was all right. But she was terribly naïve. This Saleh person should have done a better job of watching her. Unless he was as naïve as she was, which was also likely.

Ephraim flailed slightly. “Her story sounded incredible, but seeing her wings, what could I do but believe? I think Myrrh can help us more than we know at this time.”

“We do know that Grado seems to be trying to destroy the Sacred Stones,” Eirika said softly. “They have attacked my brother and me several times, trying to obtain the key to Renais’s Stone.”

“Why would they be doing that?” I demanded, skeptical.

“The stories say that the Stones are all that protect us from evil!” Tana cried. Then she turned to me, for this was something we’d argued about many times. “Just because it’s a story doesn’t mean it’s not true!” I hated it when she used double negatives.

Father raised a hand to halt our fight before it began. “The Stone of Frelia is well defended.”

And then there was an urgent knock at the door. General Seth rose and opened it. “Yes?” Father demanded. “What is so important that you must interrupt a private council?”

“The Sacred Stone… It’s been destroyed!” gasped the soldier, saluting tremblingly. “Caellach Tiger Eye and Selena Fluorspar attacked the Tower of Valni. We were wiped out.”

My thoughts went immediately to General Kalvin. He’d only just been assigned there. And how had Selena gotten so far past our defenses in one day? Had Mulan fallen before reinforcements could arrive? Had Caellach reinforced Selena in time to make a drive to the Tower? Had they bypassed Mulan altogether, and gone where our defense was even weaker? I had questions that would need answering after the council.

“The Sacred Stone… How could this happen…” My father was in shock. “How could I have done this? We are in dark times once again.” What was he talking about? He had stationed General Kalvin at the Tower, hadn’t he? What more could he have done? Thrown General Erios at the Tower as well?

But one thing was clear to me. “Father… Selena Fluorspar… One of the Imperial Three… They’re really serious about this.”

“But even so, we cannot sit here in grief. We must warn the remaining nations that house the Sacred Stones,” My father said firmly, recovering himself. “If Vigarde seeks to destroy the Stones, they too are in grave danger. We must contact Jehanna and Rausten. We must unite against our common foe.”

“It’s rather unbelievable, Father,” said Tana.

And then I knew what I had to do.

“I will go.”

Everyone turned to look at me. I raised my head slightly, unfazed.

“Innes?” said Father.

“I will go to Jehanna,” I said resolutely. “A visit from the Prince of Frelia is not something they can easily ignore. I will forge an alliance with the queen. You must stay here and guide the country, Father. I cannot let you leave in such a time of crisis. I must be the one to go.”

“And I will go to Rausten,” Eirika cried. What? Why was she going anywhere? She should stay in Frelia with Tana and giggle about crap!

Ephraim didn’t like that idea either. “What? Eirika, you know I can’t let you go into such danger!”

Eirika took her brother’s hands. “Rest easy, dear brother,” said she. “I will go by ship across the North Sea. There will be no danger.”

None, that was, until wyvern riders started patrolling the North Sea. At sea, there is nowhere to hide.

Ephraim looked at the table, then up at us again. “…I understand. …I will head southeast.”

Oh, no, he didn’t. That was suicide. “What?”

Father put it into words. “Attack Grado? From here?”

Ephraim nodded. “We must stop Grado. If we can take her capital, the war will be over. And you’ve already divided up the countries to warn between you, so what’s left for me?” He grinned cheekily at his sister. I stifled the urge to roll my eyes. Or maybe strangle him.

“You could go with me, Brother.” YES, I thought. Go with your crazy sister and protect her. And leave my army alone. But he shook his head.

“And once you reach the capital, Vigarde’s generals will be waiting for you,” Father warned him.

“If they oppose us, we will fight!” Ephraim cried. He was going to completely destroy my army, wasn’t he?

Father smiled at him. “You have your father’s foolhardy courage, don’t you? If you are determined to go, Ephraim… I will place you in charge of the army.” I glared.

My father gave his formal pronouncement. “Very well. I entrust all of our hope to you three. If any of you fall, Grado will gain the upper hand.”

“Where I command, there are no mistakes,” I reassured him confidently.

“I will not fail, I know it!” Eirika said earnestly. “And I have made a vow: to fight as my brother does until our land is free. Until the continent is at peace.”

“I too will not fail,” Ephraim said.

“So be it,” Father declared grimly.

 

“Ah, Innes,” Father called to me only a few minutes later. “Have you decided who you will bring with you on this journey?”

I frowned as I considered. “I don’t wish to take many soldiers. My greatest asset will be speed, not numbers, and if Ephraim plans to invade Grado, he will need everyone he can get. I was going to go out to hire a few mercenaries. I have some contacts.”

Father nodded. “I will write you a letter immediately. I wanted to see if I could help you get organized; however, it seems you have everything under control.”

“I will go through Carcino, through the mountain passes. Carcino is still neutral, and I will be difficult for Grado to find in the mountains.”

Father looked pleased. “If that is your plan, I will be satisfied. When do you leave?”

“As soon as possible. Within the hour, if I can. If Grado struck at us so easily here, every minute might be valuable.”

Father placed a hand on my shoulder. “Go swiftly and in safety, my son. You have never shied from responsibility, and this is one of the greatest responsibilities of this age.”

I bowed, and looked my father in the eyes before turning and striding down the hall.

Just outside the inner gate, I met Syrene. “You’re not leaving already, are you, Your Highness?” she asked, tilting her head to one side.

“I need escorts,” I said. “Going to hire some mercenaries. Want to come?”

She smiled, then crooked a finger at her subordinate, Mareet. She gave quick directions, and then turned back to me as Mareet hurried off. “I can come. You can test their integrity, my lord, and I’ll test their combat ability.”

The mercenary office was right outside the castle-city gates, and I went in, filling Syrene in on my plans on the way. An overweight thug manned the desk, scratching himself. He looked startled as we walked in.

“Well, well, what have we here?” he grated, trying to smile through fat lips. “’Tisn’t every day Your Royal Highness comes to grace us with your presence. Come to hire?”

I nodded, and did not lean on the worn counter. “I need four or five of your best. Who’s in today?”

The man scratched his balding head as he checked the books in front of him. “Well, there’s Armando, he has five stars… Gerik’s group, hovers around four people, but they’re split up right now, Marisa’s in a job elsewhere. Hank’s no good for you, only three stars… Brin might do for you, she’s at five stars. Ehhh…”

I raised my eyebrows at the second name. “The Desert Tiger is here?”

“You heard of him?” the man grinned.

“I’ll see all of those people,” I said. “Are they here now? My estimated time of departure is half-an-hour from now.”

He blinked at me. “All right, then in that case, Gerik just walked in a few minutes ago, and Brin and Armando are easily found. I’ll send someone for them. Here’s their files, won’t you have a seat, Your Highness?”

I went into the other room with the files and sat in the cleanest chair that was in the room. Syrene stood by my shoulder, while I crossed one ankle over the other knee and opened the first file.

The first in was a woman with bare, tattooed arms, and a long katana on her back. “I am Brin, Your Lordship.”

“Yes, Brin. You work alone?”

“Yes, Lordship. If you need more that’s fine. What do you need done?”

“Bodyguarding. I am on a mission to Jehanna and prefer not to take knights this time.”

“Understood.”

“You don’t mind if Syrene tests your abilities, do you?”

“No. Go ahead.”

Brin’s steely gaze was intimidating, and she attacked Syrene before I could even react. Syrene was nearly as quick, though, and the swords clashed on each other heatedly. The pegasus general kept her cool, and defended herself well. Brin’s blurring swordstrokes halted abruptly.

“Did I do good?”

“Yes,” I said. “I’ll hire you. Syrene, show in the next person.”

I looked up as a well-built, scarred man entered the room, followed closely by a beautiful red-haired woman. “And you are…?”

“Name’s Gerik, Your Highness,” the man said, bobbing his head; the woman made a graceful curtsey. She moved like a dancer, and I frowned at her. “And this is Tethys, the group’s dancer.”

“Dancer?”

“I dance special dances,” she said calmly, with a Jehannean accent. “My dances allow my allies to fight longer, harder. Your Highness.”

“But can you survive?” Syrene asked. “Not that Prince Innes is expecting a lot of combat, but you don’t appear to be prepared for it.”

The woman calmly produced a wicked-looking knife from… somewhere. “I am very good at dodging, and if all else fails, I have this.”

“She’s very good at dodging,” Gerik said. “Between the silks, and the curves, and her quick moves, it’s not likely anyone hits her ever.”

“Not like you,” I noted drily, taking in the scars along his arms and the ugly one across his nose.

“No, not like me,” he said amiably. “But the other guy always came off worse. We’ll keep you safe, Prince Innes.”

I frowned. “Well, your file shows you to be exemplary for a mercenary, but don’t you have another member?”

Gerik shrugged. “Marisa’s taken a job in Carcino and won’t be back for a few weeks. That won’t make a difference, though. I have a few other people in mind, if you need more people.”

“How do you feel about working with a woman named Brin?”

“Brin’s all right,” he said. “Haven’t worked with her much. But I’m fine with that.”

“I’m only looking for bodyguards for a mission to Jehanna. It is of vital importance, and secrecy is key, but I cannot take knights as those are needed elsewhere. But didn’t you have another person besides this Marisa?”

“I understand, Highness,” Gerik said. “The other person is only someone who travels with us. He’s not a fighter.”

“My little brother,” Tethys said. “He’s also good at dodging.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Well, between my bow and your sword… You don’t mind if Syrene tests you, do you?”

“Not at all,” Gerik said with a grin, but had to draw his sword in a hurry as Syrene leapt at him, her sword flashing through the air. He parried her mighty downwards stroke with a loud clang, but was forced backwards a step. Pushing forward, he made her retreat two steps, then disengaged and attacked back.

Following a blurring sequence of attacks, Syrene withdrew her sword, nodding. “He’s good, Prince Innes.”

“You should take us,” the mercenary said cheerfully. “We won’t let you down.”

“Syrene, take a look outside and see if there’s anyone else who might like to audition,” I said languidly. “No? Then you are hired, Master Gerik, Miss Tethys.”

“Thank you, sir,” Gerik said. “But it’s just Gerik. I’m not important enough to be a ‘master’.”

I raised an eyebrow, but acquiesced. “Very well. Bring what you need and come with me. Same for Brin.”

At the castle, Mareet brought my father’s letter addressed to Queen Ismaire, and retreated. Syrene turned to me. “I won’t rest easy until you arrive in Jehanna, my lord. Be safe.”

I gave her a sardonic look. “Don’t worry about me, Syrene. Worry about yourself. You’re the one going with Ephraim on the suicide mission, after all. Do try not to let him completely wreck my army.”

She smiled easily. “I will do my best, my lord. But I think I trust him as you do not.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m still not happy about any of this. But take care of yourself, Syrene.”

“You too, my lord.” She walked away. I ordered a servant to prepare my pack and bring me my bow.

My father sent me a message: “You have hired the Desert Tiger? Watch him. You can learn from him.” I shrugged. I had no idea what he meant.

Ten minutes later, I gathered my pack, grabbed my tall bow, and beckoned to Gerik, Tethys, Brin, and Tethys’ small brother. Together we walked quietly out of Frelia Castle, nodding to Ephraim on the way, and slipped off into the evening.

Part 2