Chapter 88: 87. A Retinue of Sorts

There was an apprehensive mood laid upon my room when I walked back in. Whether it stemmed from the news I brought or the sterile glow of a dozen new locks I’d had installed in the last few days I wouldn’t know, but I did my best to not look at their faces directly. I kept a mask of vague pain and anguish over my face, though not enough to confirm anything before I spoke.

 

The room was immaculately clean now, the more questionable maps, books, and writings now safely stowed in the bottom of a sturdy trunk beside the bed. The armoire was perhaps the most tightly locked, as I’d had them place two on its front, and even the book shelves had been curated to only show the more studious tomes I’d borrowed or bought. The only unchanged element was my bed where sat two stuffed gifts I’d gotten from captains after the demon incident. One of these was displaced, however, and was sitting instead next to Auro on the floor. Only the barest cracks of the bright morning light made their way through the curtains, and the rune lamp was mostly shuttered so that a dim foreboding pervaded the room.

 

Most of my friends sat on the floor around the sitting table in the centre nursing cups of milk or dwaran. Auro and Hosi wore worried expressions, though Fredrick and Roland hid theirs better. Breale and Luis were estranged, instead kneeling beside a random drawer with a couple lock picks between them, and they solely did not notice me come in.

 

I ignored the last two as I shut the door loudly behind me. Then, after taking a deep breath, I sat down at the head of the table across from Fredrick. Breale and Luis slinked in soon after and took up on my left. My drake was not with me now, and was presumably busy in the library inside the keep.

 

“Wh…what’s the news?” Auro asked. 

 

I wrested my poor eyes to hers.

 

“After a long talk with-”

 

“So Duke Belvan said yes then. Congrats!” Luis clapped Auro on the back with a grin. “But what of the rest of us? Surely you weren’t planning on leaving all of us, right?”

 

I sent him a withering look as a collective sigh of relief went around the room. Auro blinked in surprise, only growing a smile after looking at me again as Breale furled the curtains and let the morning light in.

 

“Do I have the right to ban cultureless peasants from talking?” I wondered. “Or at least interrupting my hard won drama?”

 

Not that I’d managed to fool anyone but Auro, of course, but it was the spirit of the thing.

 

“It greatly depends, I’ve learned.” Fredrick said wistfully.

 

“No right to ban me, at least.” Luis said. “I fly above such laws.”

 

“As a knight?” Breale asked. “I might as well call a sapling a greatwood.”

 

Luis smiled but didn’t answer, which I decided to take as agreement.

 

“Then the final count is the twins and Auro.” Roland said quietly. “The emissaries march with a court of the east.”

 

I blinked in surprise as the mage spoke up. He hadn’t often decided to weigh in on anything, and I had the impression that he only showed up to the ‘Thursday’ practises because Luis brought him along. He was probably the person I knew the least about in the room.

 

“Does not the missive match the man?” Fredrick asked. “The only missing would be Mistre, and of that land we have precious few, and none suspendable.”

 

“Lady Allarv’s too entwined in the preparations, unfortunately.” Hosi said. “Nor would myself or the rest of her retinue be fit to represent us. I’m dreadfully maimed, at the very least.”

 

“You might fit better than Auro for Minua.” Luis said. “Her nativity might see the duchy sworn away on accident.”

 

Luis laughed at his own joke as Auro kicked at him from under the table.

 

“I would not! Not everybody is as serpent tongued as you… nor am I even representing Minua! Count Ephren is coming.”

 

“Technically no one in our group here is representing anyone at all.” I added. “Anyone besides Andril, that is. I don’t think the lords of Cice or the Mark would appreciate us bringing them into the war without, eh… counsel.”

 

Indeed, I was actually ignoring the final orders of my father by coming along at all, as he had rather pointedly asked me to return to Andorlin in the last letter. Of course, doing as much was as dead an end as I was likely to get, but I still felt a little guilty about it all. I still hadn’t sent a letter back, either, though I’d tried to pen one a couple times already. Somehow the words just didn’t come to me.

 

“We…” Fredrick gestured to himself and Breale. “Shouldn’t be going at all. This has fallen on deaf ears multiple times now, but the very act of us being there associates Cice with the prince. The very act of you being there makes Summark suspect.”

 

“Summark was hardly innocent beforehand.” I scoffed. “My father sent the fleet and all.”

 

“Under the guise of a mercenary band. That is rather more deniable than his own daughter joining the negotiations.”

 

Breale rolled her eyes.

 

“Come on, do you really think it means that much? It’s the dead of winter, they won’t even know there was a negotiation if we do it right! Andril will be walking under the Tower of Veril Lin before anyone can think of striking back at Summark, or, Star forbid, Cice.”

 

Was that tower in the capital somewhere? She said it as if it were famous, after all. If so I couldn’t help but think she was quite a bit more optimistic about the war than I was.

 

“That doesn’t make the risks any less needlessly reckless.” Fredrick turned to me. “For what reason do we even have to go to Fangpeak? Why not just let the diplomats do as they will? You still haven’t answered that.”

 

I leaned back on my hands to think for a moment.

 

It was a good question, honestly, but it wasn’t one I could necessarily answer completely truthfully. And if I did respond with the half-truth that I was just looking for the droppings of a Lmenli, they still wouldn’t think it was any better than if I was following the occult. Unless I lied about it, there was no alchemy ritual able to win us the war, nor any good explanation for why I needed to go personally.

 

And really, did I actually need to go? I could always ask someone to search for me, or have the prince scour his markets for the metal. Then I wouldn’t need to risk Summark’s reputation at all, nor that of Cice.

 

But something told me that wouldn’t work as well as I envisioned, either. Skysteel wasn’t openly on the markets in Minua, nor would the hurried servants of a diplomatic corps search with anywhere near the same zeal as Silst and I would. They wouldn’t know the stakes. Of how important it was that we manage to transmute up a… 

 

I frowned. What was it called again? A Rieman? Didn’t it rhyme with…

 

“Saps?”

 

“Sorry!” I sat back up with my best fake laugh. “I, eh, just can’t but feel a need to go personally. I can’t just sit back here, right? I can do a lot more good over there than I can sitting around here.”

 

Breale and Auro nodded appreciatively, but the others seemed less so. Luis and Fredrick seemed particularly unconvinced.

 

“And it’s good to show off a Lmenli mage’s support, right?” I added quickly.

 

“Does that not bring us back to the original problem of unwittingly drawing in Summark?” Hosi asked.

 

“It’s a little late to stop her support now.” Breale said. “She’s single-handedly skewered a dozen Ostiper warships on starshorn spears of ice if you’ll believe the rumours.”

 

I nodded in agreement. On the way back, rumour had spread before us like wildfire as the messengers rode with news of our victory, if you could even call it that. Every village and town seemed to add another ship to my kill count, until at last the legends of my exploits fought with Andril’s own for the claim of sinking the entire Ostiper fleet of hundreds of vessals by ourselves. Somehow, I’d found that the soldiers who had actually fought in the battle had found the most amusement in spinning ever greater versions of the tale.

 

Though, I could probably claim a better count than anyone else in the navy at least. Only Andril had managed to personally sink a ship otherwise, and even that was dubious for he had the help of his crew to weaken their shields.

 

“But why bring us?” Fredrick pressed. “It could only cause problems.”

 

“Red!” Breale cried. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you want to spend the whole war in that damnable academy learning the philosophies and old starlores while good men fight and die for a great cause! One we’re being given an opportunity to help!”

 

“Of course not. It just seems to me that Saphry’s loneliness shows more in her choices than her sense of strategy.”

 

“And what’s wrong with that?” I asked, a little hurt. “I’d rather people I can talk to on my retinue, and you’re hardly worse than a normal soldier…”

 

I had very little frame of reference for that match up, but Fredrick had been training since he was very little and Breale had ambition and rivalry to help bump her ahead. They might not have the raw experience of old veterans, but they were probably better than most soldiers. The profession tended young, so they were just a couple years younger than most men-at-arms, and way better trained than the average militiaman and levy that made up the bulk of a Veroline army.

 

And really, wasn’t it for the better that I had people I could talk to surrounding me? Silst had drawn away from me in the last couple weeks since the battle, and I had nobody else to properly talk to when this group wasn’t down here. All I could do was train and watch over Amelia as she helped plan the logistics, and both of those were extraordinarily boring. Yes, yes, magic supremacy and all that, but the joy of learning explosives and combat magic quickly died when you were forced to do it all day. And it didn’t help that learning the theory behind the higher bands of spellcasting made up more of my time than learning to cast random powerful spells that I had done in my self-teaching phases.

 

Fredrick shook his head at the two of us.

 

“Because it shouldn’t be a vacation. You should have magic capable soldiers to defend you, not petty sword princes and princesses.”

 

I wanted to shout out ‘That’s what Auro’s for!’, but I held my tongue. Luis and Roland almost definitely didn’t know about Auro’s treason, and I was fairly sure Hosi didn’t either.

 

“There’s only one ‘sword princess’ here, and it isn’t me.” Breale said. “I’d be honoured to come, Saps, regardless if my idiot brother decides to or not.”

 

Finally irritation flitted across Fredrick’s face.

 

“Of course I’d be honoured to ride with my liege.” He looked pointedly at his sister as she started to say something. “And more importantly my friend, if you’ll not interrupt. I just offer my advice and counsel.”

 

“Your counsel’s worth pitch and tar sometimes…” Breale muttered.

 

“And maybe I can use the time to help your study of language.” Fredrick said. 

 

“And maybe I can…”

 

They fell into bickering, and the rest of us turned to ignore them. We’d learned long ago that it was better not to take sides between them, for there was always a chance they’d unite and go against you instead.

 

“Is idleness truly the only reason you want to go?” Hosi asked. “Forgive me if I pry, but did you not just return from the Arguin?”

 

“Maybe she found a taste of something then?” Luis added. “Fighting and glory, perhaps? Don’t forgive me, but such activities are a poor fit for one of your beauty.”

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“Luis!” Auro cried.

 

I sighed, determined to not let him bother me. It was obvious he didn’t know what he was talking about, for I wasn’t sure how anyone could get a ‘taste’ for battle after experiencing it firsthand. If Feanin’s death still hadn’t left my mind, I wasn’t sure how the crackling of a dozen burning ships ever would.

 

“I won’t say there aren’t other reasons, though none of them are a new love of fighting.” I said carefully. After all, the love of duelling predated Saphry and the Battle of Sinel.

 

“I’ve wanted to see the Forest of Claws for a while now.” I finished.

 

Luis leaned back on his palms thoughtfully.

 

“A Lmenli mage wants to see the Forest of Claws…” He said.

 

“I’m not sure what that has to do with it.” I said quickly.

 

“Wait, that’s right!” Hosi said. “This doesn’t have anything to do with the Deeper Gem, does it?”

 

Breale perked back up and broke off from her verbal slug match.

 

“Another Lmenli? I’m still not convinced you haven’t found and attuned the Ice one…” She said.

 

I couldn’t help but blink in surprise. How had they come to that conclusion? Was it that obvious that I hunted the Lmenli? What gave it away? Had those maps I’d left on the table revealed more than I’d thought?

 

“I mean, it wouldn’t be a horrible thing to see, but the main reason is the forest.” I said.

 

“An errand of fools.” Roland said. “The Lmenli are only revealed by the works of empires and great evils. Even a duchy given funds and years innumerable couldn’t hope to uncover that which lies so deep.”

 

“I’ve never said anything about finding a Lmenli, that was just them putting words in my mouth!” I protested. “Do you all think I’m stupid or something?”

 

There was a longer pause than I would’ve liked.

 

“Of course not!” Auro finally said. “I’ve never thought that!”

 

“But you have a reputation, you have to admit.” Breale said. “For many things, actually.”

 

“Like excessive recklessness.” Fredrick said.

 

“And what looks like a hunt for vainglory.” Hosi added.

 

“Not to mention stupidity.” Luis tacked on.

 

He flew backwards as a spatal launched snowball slammed into his nose.

 

“Only because you all don’t have the boldness to do those things yourself.” I said as I resheathed my wand. “Do you not see the irony here? Fredrick, didn’t you join up with Andril’s conspiracy at the start? And didn’t you try to duel a phoenix knight? And Hosi, don’t you at the very moment have a single arm because you tried taking on a cult by yourself? And Luis’s is self-evident.”

 

I held up a hand as they all started to argue.

 

“Yeah, I know they aren’t exactly the same things, but let's just ignore that. We’re away from the main point anyway. The twins, Auro, and myself and Silst will be heading to Fangpeak, so get prepared. I just need to inform Andril of Duke Belvan’s acceptance.”

 

“You can’t just say ‘but let’s just ignore that’.” Hosi complained. “I couldn’t just share Mistren state secrets with random classmates I met a couple weeks prior! And I had an entire company of soldiers with me!”

 

“Nor did I have any choice in those situations. Andril’s my liege lord, and the phoenix knight heralded our doom.” Fredrick said.

 

“Nuance is the death of metaphor.” Auro nodded to herself as if she thought she’d said something profound. “How would the Song of Samling sound if you started asking why the phoenixes didn’t just carry him over the mountain?”

 

Breale rolled her eyes.

 

“That’s hardly…” She frowned suddenly, as if giving it serious thought. “Wait, why didn’t they? They did it at the end, didn’t they? Why not just do it at the beginning?”

 

Having little understanding about what they were talking about, I sat back. I vaguely remembered ‘Samling’ from old stories, but I'd never been huge on the old legends.

 

“Phoenixes aren’t a ferry service.” Fredrick said. “Nor would they make it past the Falings.”

 

“But they could’ve carried him to the mountain base, right?” Breale pressed. “Surely they’d do that to help save the world.”

 

“This is what I mean!” Auro said. “How good would the story be if you just cut out the first half and had the firebirds carry him?”

 

“Samling is history, not story.” Roland said.

 

“Well, ‘history’ has a plot hole then, doesn’t it?” Breale asked.

 

“Ah, isn’t history full of plot holes?” Auro asked.

 

“Perhaps the phoenixes were actually on the fence in the war.” Hosi said. “Treating in secret with the Gryphon, maybe?”

 

“They absolutely were not.” Fredrick said. “You’re thinking about it too politically. They are proud lords of-”

 

“Saphry, you said you needed to tell Andril about Auro?” Luis interrupted. “How about I accompany you there now?”

 

Eager to escape the questioning, I nodded and left them to debate whatever they were talking about. As we stepped down the hallway, I heard the argument escalate even through the walls.

 

We walked in silence for a bit as we made our way through the keep. It was still morning so the halls were not yet bustling, but the dawn’s light was welcome between the corridors and pillars of the rock. It was a warmer day than most in recent memory, and I felt refreshed by the time we had gotten to the exterior walkways. A soft wind tugged at the braids in my hair, and I wished at once that Silst was with me. He’d always appreciated days like this, and it was almost certain to help him out of his current mood.

 

Once on the walkways, the valley spread forth before me, rocky and white and green in the light. Low clouds blew over the mountain slopes, and the morning mists were just beginning their descent with them. In thirty minutes, Minua would look like a carpet of rising towers and rooftops in a sea of clouds, but for now the buildings and winding streets were as clear as glass. The only marr upon it would be the thin scar of grey and brown that the demon had wrought in its terrible march.

 

I shuddered. That had been a horrible time, and the memories of the burned bodies and destroyed homes still brought up a revulsion in me. I would’ve thought that I would get used to things like that eventually, given how often I saw it nowadays, but it never seemed to completely disappear, and the specific incidents only burned slightly softer with time.

 

“Have you ever heard the story of Bridon?” Luis suddenly asked.

 

I started, having already forgotten he was there.

 

“Bridon?” I thought briefly. “Can’t say I have.”

 

“He was a knight of Old Verol.” Luis continued. “A loyal one who thought his kingdom above all else. And yet his only ambitions were to defend its people.”

 

I just nodded, wondering what the point was in this. Luis didn’t really strike me as the random story kind of guy, after all, so it must have some point. Though he also didn’t really seem like the hidden parable sort of guy either, now that I thought about it.

 

“There’s something about trials and threats before it, but eventually Verol is invaded from the east, south and even the north. A massive force sweeps over the old duchy of Burgunde and Summark, and they even besiege Lotres and Ostip. The Gryphon was presumed dead at this point, of course, but the old hatreds ran deep. And so Bridon goes to the south Arguin to help, but his force can’t make a dent. He’s fearing the annihilation of Verol when he finally sees it.” Luis stopped and cast his gaze over to the east. “A phoenix.”

 

I followed his eyes, and I suddenly saw the barely glimpse of fire in the clouds towards Celrion’s Peak. It looked only an ember from where we were, but I somehow knew that we were looking at the real thing.

 

“The riders weren’t around then, see.” Luis continued. “But Bridon had heard the stories. He climbed the mountain peaks to find a firebird nest at the top. He entreated with it for hours, eventually winning it over with the earnestness of his loyalty. First, however, the phoenix warned him; he prophesied that Bridon would break his bonds of loyalty and be killed in revenge. Bridon accepted this risk, and the phoenix Galair bore him into battle.”

 

“And that was the first Phoenix Knight, then?” I asked. “Not much use they are now, are they?”

 

Andril had several meetings with Phoenix Knights by now, but none had taken up his cause in the war. Most had spoken little in the meetings I had been a part of, and none had stayed longer than a few hours in the city.

 

“That was the first.” Luis agreed. “He is said to have almost single handedly turned the front in the south.”

 

“That’s cool, I suppose.” I said. “But why are you…?”

 

Looking upon him, I found that something was slightly different about the knight. It was almost as if he was carrying himself more proudly than he normally did, or that maybe the light was just flattering his posture. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he looked older than normal, and more tired.

 

“Because Galair was right, in the end. Once he had pushed the invaders out, the High King asked him to continue the offence to the Falian kingdoms. Bridon, however, had come to revile war and refused. Instead he flew into the mountains with his arms and armour, to continue his vigil of the passes. The kingdom turned against him, and Bridon ended up being hunted and killed by the King’s men. A sad start to the Phoenix Knights. If they weren’t extraordinarily powerful, they’d probably be hated today.”

 

“That doesn’t really make it sound like Bridon was the bad guy there.” I said. “Though if there was a point to this I’d wish you’d just out and say it.”

 

Was he trying to explain why the Phoenix Knights didn’t help us? Or was he warning me about my involvement? That sounded likely, but Luis really wasn’t the kind of guy to communicate it like this. Could it be that he was embarrassed to actually say it? That might actually make me laugh.

 

Luis studied me for another moment before relaxing again. The strange dream ended, and suddenly the melancholic knight melted back into his usual idiotic grin.

 

“Just felt like telling a story, I guess. Where were we… Andril, right? Let’s hurry up and get it over with, I’m starving!”

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