Chapter 11: Revolt at Carcino



    We marched quickly along the mountain path, heading south to where Innes was supposed to be waiting. We finally crested the top and saw the next valley, filled with enemy soldiers. They were surrounding a sturdy fortification. That must be where he was.

    "He looks vastly outnumbered," Seth stated, his sharp eyes somehow managing to pick out the three figures on top of the fort. "I doubt he can hold out much longer."

    I nodded and turned to Tana. "Can you take me there? We should both talk to him."

    "Hop on!" Tana cried. I jumped up behind her, and Dancla leaped into the air, soaring high above the battlefield. I had forgotten how much I loved flying with Tana.

    "I'll have to fly a bit lower so my brother doesn't see me as a target."

    "I think you should approach him from the front, so he sees you and recognizes you. If we swoop onto the battlements from behind, I think there's a larger chance of us getting killed."

    "I understand." She ordered Dancla down. I saw Innes back away from the edge of his parapet, an annoyed look on his face.

    "Tana, what are you doing here? Go home, now!"

    "I won't! I'm only here to help, Brother. Eirika said I could help. I'm helping!"

    I smiled as I dismounted to confront a very irritated looking Prince Innes. "You must be exhausted. Please, fall back and rest for a while."

    "I can't do that. Falling back while a woman protected me would be rather distasteful... But I would be pleased to have you join me."

    "As you like," I shrugged. "Let's go."

    "Eirika, one moment..."

    "Yes?"

    "I'd like to thank you for coming to my aid."

    I blushed a bit. How was I suppose to respond? "You're welcome," I managed. Innes went to speak to his group, a small band of mercenaries from Jehanna: Gerik's Mercenaries, led by Gerik, a strong man with a sword and a scar across his nose, and containing Tethys, a charming red-haired dancer whose spare clothing did not seem quite suitable for Carcino's cooler climate, and Marisa, a pink-haired swordswoman whose concentration in battle was rather unnerving. Later, I found that Tethys' younger red-haired brother Ewan travelled with them also.

    Then, as we were moving through the nearby city to attack the leader of the enemy, my heart broke.

    "Seth, do you have a moment?" I said, intending to ask him to set up a time to practice swordplay. He looked up from adjusting a piece of his armour, and instead of nodding in greeting the way I expected, his face grew longer.

    "Princess... there is something I would like to say to you first."

    "What is it?"

    "Forgive me for being rude... Your Highness, you should not be fraternizing so closely with your knights, not even me..." He looked down at the ground.

    "But... I... But... It's just..."

    "It is not suitable for your rank. How can you maintain order in your subjects if you treat one differently?"

    I did not answer but stared at him with wide eyes. I knew exactly what he meant, and my actions struck me in the face and I knew I had been careless.

    "I am deeply ashamed that I have lied to you... my wound has not healed as it should, and you have known this all along. Even so, you should not worry about me."

    "Seth, I trust your strength... But I know what you are telling me. I have been careless. I ask your forgiveness." My voice shook and I tried to make it firm. "When we fled together to Frelia, I felt something affection for you that I should not have." There was a painful silence. "I am the Princess of Renais. I will be fair and equal in all ways, and be strong enough to help my brother rebuild our country. Thank you, Seth."

    He bowed and turned away, and then looked back. My heart quickened, even though I knew he was not likely to say much else.

    "Princess... on that night, I felt what you felt. That was the first time I, too, forgot my duty... I wished only to take you somewhere safe. I was wrong, and from now on, I will not betray my duty again... and I will lay down my life for my princess," Seth finished, his compassionate brown eyes looking deep into my own. There was hiding pain there, but firm resolution. I trembled. Seth bowed and mounted Altha again. I watched him ride away, out of my life...

    I shook my head firmly. He was right, as usual. And he was not leaving me, only forcing us to face reality. I glanced at Innes ahead. Since I must marry royalty, would he be my future husband? Or perhaps Lyon?

    I blinked my tear-filled eyes angrily. Reality that thinking may be, but it seemed so disloyal to dismiss faithful Seth so quickly from my heart... when he wasn't even gone yet.

    Oh, my heart was breaking then...



    "I apologize for your trouble, Eirika."

    "It was no trouble," I assured him. "We're happy to help."

    "Prince Innes!" said a new voice, an old man's voice. "Thank goodness you're safe."

    "Who are you?" asked Innes.

    "I am Klimt, one of the councilmen of Carcino."

    "So you're one of those traitors-" began Innes, his hand on his dagger.

    "Hold! Please! No, I'm not. I was hiding here from Pablo. Let me explain in full." We nodded.

    "It's a shameful tale... As you know," said Klimt, "Carcino has no monarchy, only a council. Usually this system works fine. However, with the war, the council is divided into warring factions. Pablo's faction wishes for us to surrender to Grado's armies, but not all of Carcino is with him. A lot of us are still loyal to Frelia."

    "I see." Innes nodded again.

    "When Pablo realized he couldn't persuade us with bribes, he began to have us assassinated. We took refuge underground. If you hadn't arrived when you did, I don't think I myself would be breathing now."

    "I do recall seeing enemy troops scouring the area when I showed up," Innes commented. "I suppose now they were looking for you."

    "You must believe me - the whole of Carcino has not betrayed Frelia," Klimt insisted.

    "I see."

    "Lord Klimt," I said, "I understand the hardships you've faced. I'm thankful to hear all of Carcino is not our foe."

    "I will go to Frelia to explain our circumstance to the king," proposed Klimt. "I think you should as well. Pablo has vast wealth, and he commands a large mercenary force. Travelling further on this path will be too dangerous."

    We thanked him and left him preparing to depart for his journey.


    In the front hall, Innes spoke to his mercenaries. "Gerik, Tethys, I'd like to thank you. If the two of you hadn't stayed with me back there, I would not have survived."

    "We're staying with you some more, Prince. Is that gonna work?" Gerik asked.

    Innes shrugged. "Starting today, you've got a new contract. Pay's double."

    "Uh, Prince? Can I ask you something?" Tethys spoke up, fidgeting with her filmy shawl. "Did you get... er... knocked on the head in that last battle or something?"

    Innes looked at her for a moment before answering. "That's unkind. My neck is not so stiff I cannot show gratitude."

    "What are you talking about?" I asked curiously.

    "Hmph. Gerik, tell Eirika what you said after I fired you."

    "What? Oh, right. I said, I've always loved the melodrama of martyrdom... and after his fine performance, I just couldn't leave. I was sticking to the end, however bitter that might have been. I told Tethys to surrender so she would live, but she wouldn't. She just told the two of us to stop acting like 'men' and gave the prince a dressing down for firing us and then 'ordering' us to surrender." Gerik laughed. Innes glared at him.

    "Mercenaries are supposed to work for money, not duty. They agreed," he grumbled. "I asked what kind of mercenaries they thought they were. 'Lousy ones,' they replied, as cheerfully as you please. Then you showed up and cut short the arguement."

    We went outside, and Seth, who had been with us unobtrusively the whole time, spoke. "Princess Eirika, Prince Innes. I feel it would be best to return to Frelia. Continuing along this road is too great a risk to your safety."

    "I must get to Jehanna and Rausten. If I don't hurry, nations will fall, one after another," Innes said grimly, some ego showing through that statement.

    A little red-haired boy, hanging around Tethys the dancer, piped up. "I can show you a way through the mountains to Jehanna!"

    Tethys shushed him sternly, flushing slightly with embarrassment. "Ewan, don't interrupt. I'm so sorry for disturbing you. Let me take my brother out of your way."

    "Wait, please," I begged her. "Do you really know a route through the mountains?"

    "I live in Jehanna. I journey a long way every month to learn magic. My teacher lives up in Caer Pelyn," chirped Ewan. "He'll show you if you ask nicely, I'm sure."

    "What's your teacher's name?" demanded Innes.

    "He's called Saleh."

    Innes thought for a while, bending his head to murmur in my ear: "I've heard of him through our spy network. Powerful wielder of magic who goes about fighting bandits and monsters. They mentioned a Caer Pelyn, too."

    "What do you think?" I asked him.

    The Frelian prince paused carefully. "I think this Saleh is someone we can trust."

    "Let's go then," I said aloud.

    "See if you can keep up!" cried Ewan, running down the road ahead of us.


Chapter 10: Distant Blade    Contents    Chapter 12: Creeping Darkness