Chapter 5: Noble Lady of Caelin Chapter 7: Pirate Ship
So, this chapter is not my best writing, and I got stuck at the end, because I’m going to be meen to Sain (oh Sain, darling, don’t worry, it’s only temporary) but I wasn’t sure how to work it in and my inventiveness was starting to fail the battle. Then I started listening to the Path of Radiance battle tunes and I think things have been straightened out again now. Still, I didn’t write very much today.
This chapter is short, but the next chapter is going to be super long, even with glossing over the fight at Badon. You have been warned.
I also went out and bought a new sketchbook, and I’m going to learn to draw because argh there is not enough good fanart of the characters I like. Must- add- to- sum- of- fanart! D: Although so far I’ve managed to draw both Sain and Kent with their hair parted on the wrong side. : P Oh well? I also managed to draw Salir and Ceniro somewhat okay. Ceniro’s getting a tiny bit of a redesign. I mean, he is once I learn to draw gooder.
I’m also considering a clean up of the whole blog. THE WHOLE BLOG. Since I don’t get any visitors, I don’t think anyone will miss it if I clear out the worst of the archives. Dissenters, speak now or forever hold your peace!
Chapter 6: Whereabouts Unknown
The captain of the Laus soldiers was alone, outnumbered, and facing down three angry lords, but he refused to give up. Even as he advanced on Eliwood, probably ignoring Lyn because of her gender, she darted behind him and prepared to assassinate him with the Mani Katti.
Or she would have if Hector hadn’t waltzed past Eliwood and chopped the man’s lance in half, bashed him in the face with his elbow, and gave him a fatal head wound. Ceniro winced. Hector was brutal.
And now Lyn was beginning to bristle. Ceniro sidled over to Wil, but when Wil figured out what was happening, he tried to hide behind Sain, who smirked at them.
“Are you an ally?” Lyn asked dangerously.
“That’s what it looks like, yeah,” Hector said, resting his axe on his shoulder. “Got a problem with that?”
“You fight so recklessly!” Lyn exploded. “You’re a threat to your allies! Be more careful next time!”
“Be more careful, or don’t steal your kill?” Hector growled.
Eliwood raised his hands placatingly. “Hector, Lyndis, please. Let me introduce you. Hector-”
“What?”
“Hector, this is Lyndis. She’s Lord Hausen’s granddaughter. Lyndis, this is Hector. He’s Lord Uther’s brother.”
“His brother? Really?” Lyn asked, perhaps the slightest edge coming off her anger.
“Yes,” Hector said, meeting her halfway. “And, you’re right. I taught myself to fight. So it is a little rough.”
“I’m sorry for yelling at you,” Lyn said. “I’ve… been on edge, with my grandfather still inside the castle… I don’t even know if he’s alive. I apologize.” She offered her hand.
“I understand,” Hector said. “I guess I was kind of a jerk just now. I apologize too.” He took Lyn’s hand and shook it.
“So you’re here with Ceniro?” she said. “Where is he? I saw him a minute ago.”
“H-hi,” Ceniro said, sidling out from behind Sain’s horse. And in front of everyone, she tackled him and hugged him.
“We missed you! It seems like every other day, someone’s saying ‘I wonder what Ceniro’s doing now’. It’s so good to see you! Have you been well?”
“Pretty well,” Ceniro said, disentangling himself from Lyn’s hug with a pink face. “I can tell you all about it once we’ve secured the castle.”
“Yes,” Lyn said. “Thank you, Ceniro, and you, Eliwood and Hector, for coming to my aid. Without you, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now. Something suicidal, no doubt.”
“All of this happened because we routed Lord Darin at Laus. It’s only right that we help.”
“It’s because of your father, isn’t it?” Lyn said. “I understand entirely. I would do the same thing in your place. Lord Darin attacking Caelin is not your fault.”
“I understand, but I still feel that I must take responsibility. And so we will help you liberate your castle.”
“Thank you, Eliwood. Let’s go rescue my grandfather.”
“Ceniro?”
Ceniro pulled out the farseer. “Lyn, Kent, what can you tell us about the situation inside? What happened to the Caelin soldiers?”
“About half were killed in the attack,” Kent said. “The other half are probably locked up.”
“They’re probably injured and unable to fight,” Lyn said. “Ceniro, is there any chance you can protect them?”
“Definitely. Hmm. In that case, we’ll send Sain, Florina, Bartre, Matthew, and Guy, and Priscilla to the cells to free and protect the prisoners. The rest…” He put the farseer away again. “Lyn, you and Kent can lead us to the throne room.”
“Let’s go quickly, before Marquess Laus can sneak away again,” Hector said, striding up to the gate. “Look at that, no defences. They must have trusted their troops outside to protect them against attack. Which means… they’re still not expecting us.”
“Fantastic,” Lyn said, walking past him with the Mani Katti gripped tightly. “If he’s harmed my grandfather…”
“Lyndis, we need him to answer my questions about my father,” Eliwood said.
“I’m not forgetting,” she said. “I won’t kill him. Come on.”
They filed into the castle as quietly as they could.
“Well met, Ceniro,” Kent said softly. “It is comforting to know you are with us again.”
“I’m glad you all remember me fondly,” Ceniro said. “Once we rest tonight, there will be so many reunions…”
“True. Sain?”
Sain was hovering near Ceniro. “Ceniro, I didn’t want to say anything before, because it’s not nearly as important to the fate of the world as Lord Hausen, but… my wife’s still in the castle too, and I know Lord Darin’s a lech. So, can we…?”
“Yes,” Ceniro said right away. “We’ll save her. Does she get kidnapped a lot?”
“Does Lord Hausen get kidnapped a lot?” Sain retorted. “No, this is only the third time she’s been in any danger, unlike us. Anyway, this is where I leave you. Prison duty, with me! C’mon, Florina, let’s get our boys back.”
“They’re your ‘boys’?” Ceniro whispered to Kent.
“Yes,” Kent said, with the hint of a smile. “Though don’t let Sain hear that I said so.”
Ceniro smiled back, then glanced down at the farseer. “Lyn, you’re going to meet resistance at the next hall. After that, surprise will be lost, so then we’ll have to really move fast. There is a group of four soldiers behind a pillar; you and Dorcas take them down.”
She nodded silently and glided forward into the larger main hall, soft-footed as a cat. Dorcas was close behind her, quieter than one would expect from such a large man.
When the shouts and screams began, Ceniro pointed at the cavalry – Kent, Marcus, Lowen. “Rush the hall. Wil, Rebecca, target those doors.”
There was a brief clash of weapons through the farseer, only lasting a minute or two, and then he heard a door slam and Sain’s lifted voice. “Rejoice, one and all! Your beloved sub-commander is here to rescue you!”
“Sub-commander!” Ceniro heard the Caelin soldiers say. “You’re unharmed!”
“Against all odds, we’ve survived and are currently kicking butt. Laus is tough, but they can’t keep us down, can they?”
“Never! Let’s show them round two!”
“Orderly, now. Aha, you are armed, excellent. Ranks, men! To the main corridor, and report to the man in the green cloak.”
“Good job, Sain,” Ceniro said. “I think that wing is secure. I don’t suppose I needed to send so many of you, but come on back; the pressure’s on here.”
“We’re on our way, my friend. Oh, one minute! Hey, Lucius, what are you doing here?”
“I-I… I’ve been here a few days as a mercenary… well… traveling in the company of my mercenary friend.”
“Why didn’t you let us know you were here?”
“Well, ah… reasons beyond my control. I apologize for not being able to help protect Castle Caelin…”
“Don’t even worry about that,” Sain said. “Come along, we’ll take your mercenary friend and go see Ceniro.”
“Lord Raven, it seems, has already been convinced to join your group,” Lucius said, although Ceniro didn’t see any new friendly markers on his map. “I will come with you.”
“Right. But you take it easy, okay? You’ve been in prison, it must have been rough. Just stick with me. Hey, you, are you Lucius’s friend? Stick with him and make sure he doesn’t get hurt, okay?”
Ceniro heard a bass growl in reply, and finally, a new ally appeared on his map; a disgruntled-looking Lycian swordsman.
As Ceniro had said, Laus was throwing the last of their forces against the impromptu army that Eliwood, Hector, and Lyn had cobbled together, and Ceniro was having a job making sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. As Sain’s group piled haphazardly into the fray, he gave one last round of orders and began to stand back a bit, trusting that everyone had a pretty good idea of what they ought to be doing. Too much micromanaging, with this many people fighting, would just distract everyone and get them hurt.
But sometimes he had to speak up. “Watch for that swordsman, Hector! Lyn, help him out, please? Oh, Florina, there’s a mage trying to cast Thunder on us; can you take him out? Lowen! Get the archers! Priscilla, Guy’s been hurt. Serra, stop bothering Erk. Oswin, cover Matthew! Hello, Lucius.”
This was faster fighting in closer combat than he’d ever been in before. Still, he was adaptive, and he’d adapt or his friends and allies would die.
They were edging ever closer to the throne room when disaster struck, a disaster Ceniro wasn’t sure he could solve.
“SAAAAIIIIIIN!” A pleading, cracking scream echoed distantly through the halls. Sain wrenched his horse around and began to rush through the rest of the hall.
“Sain- Sain!” Wil yelled, trying to get in his path, but Sain dodged him.
“It’s all right, Wil,” said Ceniro. “Just give him back-up. He – We all need to save her. Lyn’s Legion, take point!”